Conditions influencing the adoption of a soda tax for public health: Analysis of the French case (2005–2012)

Although over 40 jurisdictions have adopted a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) for public health worldwide, it is still debated in many places. Policy processes can influence the prospect of an SSB tax, its design and its public health benefits. To get an insight into such processes, we undertook a case study of the soda tax enacted in France on the 1^st of January 2012. Newspaper articles (2003–2013) and institutional documents (2007–2012) were identified using keywords and search engines. Qualitative data extraction and analyses were performed on a thematic and chronological basis, with guidance from Kingdon’s multiple streams theory (MST). Triangulation was enhanced by using complementary sources. This study shows that in August 2011, the French government surprisingly announced a €3.58 cent/L excise tax on SSBs, excluding juices with no added sugars and non-calorically sweetened beverages (NCSBs). As part of a large budgetary plan, the proposal aimed to reduce SSB consumption and raise revenue that was earmarked for health care. Several conditions contributed to opening a policy window: The announcement occurred in the context of severe budgetary deficits; soda tax scenarios had already been discussed at a high level; and the bill was supported by convinced political leaders. Subsequently, the tax successfully passed through the legislative process due to a series of unexpected events, but its public health rationale and design were weakened. The first event was the disorganised reaction by the food industry, despite their sharp opposition to the tax. The next event was the support of the soda tax that came from a majority of Deputies, provided that the revenues would serve another purpose: relieving wage costs in the farming sector. Finally, policy entrepreneurs favoured a compromise to make the tax politically acceptable and legally viable: The tax rate doubled, the scope was extended to NCSBs and revenues were split between health care and agriculture. This study sheds light on influence factors that could be taken into account by public health actors willing to influence soda tax policy processes.     

School meals and pupil satisfaction. Evidence from Italian primary schools

This paper aims to analyse to what extent pupils value the characteristics of the state school foodservice and identify which variables affect the degree of pupils’ satisfaction with the quality of school meals. A representative sample of 33 state primary schools providing meals was extracted for the metropolitan city of Naples. Two questionnaires were distributed, one to the headteachers concerned and the other to 5th grade pupils (10–11 years old). Information about the catering companies was mainly sourced from the AIDA database. Pupil satisfaction was measured by two key variables: pleasantness of eating at school and food tastiness. Controlling for pupil, family, school, foodservice and catering company characteristics, the paper shows that the catering company size negatively impacts upon pupil satisfaction with the foodservice, whereas the estimated meal average production cost is positively associated with pupil satisfaction. The study could assist city boroughs in devising meal quality indicators to be taken into account in designing competitive tendering.     

Accrual output based budgeting systems in Australia The rhetoric-reality gap

This paper describes accrual output based budgeting (AOBB) systems and examines their adoption in Australia. An analysis of claims made about AOBB systems by central agency reformers is set out, and the conclusion offered that these claims are fundamentally rhetorical in their characteristics. These rhetorical claims are contrasted against a critical analysis which suggests that despite the claims made by reformist elements in favour of the adoption of these systems, the structural and empirical elements of AOBB systems as implemented in Australia raise considerable doubts as to whether suggested benefits will be realised in practice.     

省级社会保障公共支出分类比较研究

中国省级社会保障公共支出存在着类型化的可能。通过选取"社会保障公共支出水平"、"经济发展水平"和"政府力量"三个变量作为分类框架和指标,利用2005—2008年度截面数据测算,可以将各省份区分为东中西三大类型区域。统计分析发现,这三类区域不仅在省级社会保障公共支出相对比重之间存在着显著的差异,而且各区域也形成了不同的社会保障发展机制。     

On the governmental use of multi-criteria analysis

Public decision making, especially about our natural environment, is inherently exposed to a high conflict potential. The necessity to capture the complex context has led to an increasing request for decision analytic techniques as support for the decision process. Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) is deemed to overcome the shortcomings of traditional decision-support tools used in economics, such as cost-benefit (CBA) or cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). This is due, among other, to its ability of dealing with qualitative criteria (e.g. sensitive ecological factors), as well as with uncertainties about current or future impacts. Unlike CBA or CEA, MCA is rarely required by national laws or directives. Nonetheless, a number of recent MCA applications were supported by public authorities who either initiated or directly participated in such analyses. Given the theoretical assumptions about MCA's potential to support complex decision problems, as is often the case for environmental or sustainability policies, the key concern in our paper is to evaluate whether this potential has already been recognised in public decision making. For limitation purposes, the present work focuses on real-life case studies reported during the last decade with an insight in the initiation, the actors involved and the importance of the MCA results in the decision process. We argue that the significance and role played by MCA so far reaches beyond its current legal requirements.     

公共信息图形标志标准化的实践与探索

本文阐述了公共信息图形标志推广的意义,分析了上海公共信息图形标志的现状,介绍了上海绿化和市容行业与上海市质量技术监督局合作推动本市公园绿地公共信息图形标志设置规范的概况,论述了此项工作对上海构建闰际化现代城市的意义和思考。     

海外商会组织与企业公共关系外交

伴随着全球经济一体化进程,各主要国家的商会力量与企业发展紧密结合,成为国际关系、区域与国别研究、跨文化管理活动中的一种组织形态.新世纪以来,在中国企业走出去成为常态的情况下,中国原生的以地缘关系、亲缘关系为特色和纽带的商业文化也随之展现在世界面前.在广泛意义上的企业公共外交中,商会的作用是不能忽视的环节.大中华区德国工商大会(AHK Greater China)是德国工商大会全球系统的组成部分,是大中华区所有德国企业的商会组织,甚至在以DIHK法为主的德国法律框架下,兼有对大中华区德企的部分行政管理职能.本文以大中华区德国工商大会为案例,探讨和比较德式“商会文化”与中式“商帮文化”的异同,在此基础上,对公共外交与商会文化的关系提出三个假设.     

马克思的法律思想初探(英文)

马克思第一次科学地揭示了法的起源、阶级本质及其基本规律,从而在法学领域实现了一次彻底的革命。尤其是在法学理论和刑法学方面,通过深入的学习和研究马克思法律思想,对于繁荣法学研究,健全社会主义法制,有着重大的理论意义和现实意义。     

印度基础设施及公共服务领域的公私合作

通过分析印度近年来在基础设施或公共服务领域取得的发展,为包括我国在内的众多发展中国家提供了有益的经验和借鉴.     

Market entry of firms with different legal forms: an empirical test of the influence of institutional factors

Drawing upon institutional theory we develop a conceptual model and investigate the determinants of market entry for worker cooperatives, publicly traded and limited-liability companies. Our results show that formal institutional conditions (i.e., mercantile legislation) influence the start-up choice of entrepreneurs regarding the legal form of their new venture. In addition, we take into account the influence of informal institutional conditions (i.e., local corporate culture) on the market entry rate of firms with different legal structures. Findings show that, while market entry is sensitive to the general economic climate, entry rates of firms with a different legal structure respond differently to the same economic conditions.