This book gives a rigorous and up-to-date study of the various AI and machine learning algorithms for resolving environmental challenges associated with blasting. Blasting is a critical activity in any mining or civil engineering project for breaking down hard rock masses. A small amount of explosive energy is only used during blasting to fracture rock in order to achieve the appropriate fragmentation, throw, and development of muck pile. The surplus energy is transformed into unfavourable...

Biodegradable Polymers, Blends and Composites provides a comprehensive review on recent developments in this very important research field. The book's chapters cover the various types of biodegradable polymers currently available and their composites, with discussions on preparation, properties and applications. Sections cover natural rubber-based polymer blends, soy-protein, cellulose, chitin, starch-based, PLA, PHBV, PCL, PVA, PBAT-based blends, Poly (ethylene succinate), PHB and Poly (p...

Fully revised for a second edition, this essential guide provides a concise and accessible overview of the public policy process: agenda-setting, policy formulation, decision-making, implementation, and evaluation.The book provides an introduction to the key policy functions, the challenges they entail, and how the challenges may be addressed by policy actors. Written from a comparative perspective, the authors include examples from a diverse range of countries at different stages ...

The book assesses the policy actions of select Asian governments (China, India, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand) to address critical health system functions from a policy design perspective. The findings show that all governments in the region have made tremendous strides in focussing their attention on the core issues and, especially, the interactions among them. However, there is still insufficient appreciation of the usefulness of public hospitals and their efficient mana...

After two decades of dominating the public sector reform agenda, privatization is on the wane as states gradually reassert themselves in many formerly privatized sectors. The change of direction is a response to the realization that privatization is not working as intended, especially in public service sectors.This landmark volume brings together leading social scientists, including B. Guy Peters, Anthony Cheung and Jon Pierre, to systematically discuss the emerging patterns of the...

This edited collection examines various facets of governance - the organization and steering of political processes within society - for a better understanding of the complexities of contemporary policy making.

This book provides unique insights into the role of policy capacity in policymaking and policy change, as it is being uncovered at the research frontier in contemporary policy studies. The book is structured into a series of sections on policy capacity in theory and practice, each focusing on a specific aspect of policy capacity and its influence on policy formulation, decision-making, implementation and evaluation. In addition to making a significant contribution to the body of literature...

Carefree, work-loving archaeologist Anand’s life takes a dramatic turn when he stumbles upon an ancient letter written by an Englishman to the then Nawab of an Indian province. The letter apologises for a theft of the Nawab’s jewels present whereabouts unknown by the writer’s brother. Anand decides to take it up as his project. He has nothing to go by except the letter. But his brilliant, gorgeous girlfriend, Priya, is determined to see that her lover succeeds in his quest. Anand and Priya...

Social Policy in East and South East Asia provides the first systematic comparison of the policy sectors of income maintenance, health, housing and education in Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. It focuses particularly on the provision and financing arrangements of these four Asian newly industrialized economies and their outcomes in terms of adequacy, efficiency and equity, drawing on extensive primary research carried out by the author.Locating the importance...

There are a multitude of hazards that confront attempts to change institutional or political orders in pursuit of good governance. Even seemingly technical prescriptions run up against local political and social realities which make their adoption difficult and, if adopted, require significant modification of the original prescriptions. Moreover, the technical, rationalist and/or normative language employed in the good governance discourse masks contests over power, rights, resources, and ...

This Handbook provides a comprehensive global survey of the policy process. Written by an outstanding line up of distinguished scholars and practitioners, the Handbook covers all aspects of the policy process including:Theory – from rational choice to the new institutionalismFrameworks – network theory, advocacy coalition and development modelsKey stages in the process – Formulation, implementation and evaluation

B. Guy Peters presents a critique of conventional policy design methods, placing emphasis on the need to formulate interconnecting designs for issues that cross multiple policy areas. He advocates the use of analytic categories for understanding problems rather than functional categories, such as defence and health, to change the perspective of problems and modernise policy design.Whereas previous literature takes a top-down, technocratic approach, this new perspective emphasises t...