Public-private partnerships (PPPs) were established in Brazil at the beginning of this century, following a global trend of using these partnerships to stimulate investment in infrastructures, particularly in a framework of restrictive budgetary and fiscal conditions. Despite their growing importance and the expectation of an expanding role in the future, not much is known about the actual facts on the ground. The objective of this paper is to be a first step in the direction of filling this information gap by providing important stylized facts about the universe of PPPs in Brazil: the quantitative evolution of PPP adoptions; the characterization of the geographical distribution of PPPs by government level (federal, state, district, and municipal); the characterization of the PPP intervention areas, including the total value of contracts and the modalities of PPP concession (sponsored and administrative). This objective is rendered possible by the development of a new database that covers the entire process of PPP contracting from 2005 to 2022, including the opening of public consultation procedures, the publication of the official notice, and the signing of contracts, as well as multiple thematic, financial, jurisdictional, and regional indicators. In turn, we see the establishment of these stylized facts as a necessary first step in the direction of understanding the factors that may determine or condition their adoption. In general, having a clear picture of the universe of the PPPs in Brazil is fundamental as their use and their role are expected to significantly increase in the future as the country pursues a path of improved economic activity and well-being of the population.
Maintaining balance is essential for daily activities; deficits in hearing-impaired adolescents can severely impact their academics and daily life. Suspension training is employed to enhance the coordination of multiple muscle groups within the body and ultimately to improve balance. A total of 105 students with non-genetic hearing impairments, comprising 65 boys and 40 girls, participated in the study. Balance training using the TRS suspension belt included exercises such as prone elbow brace, supine back brace, kneeling elbow brace, lateral elbow brace, prone hip flexion, and supine hip lift. Strength training using equipment involved exercises like single-leg suspension squat, flying bird brace, supine suspension arm flexion, seated static brace, and standing butterfly pinch chest. The main outcome measures included static balance tests (lambda footwork, Wolfson postural stress test), dynamic balance tests (functional forward reach test, balance beam walk test), and vestibule function tests (rotation-walk test). The results of the lambda footwork and Wolfson postural stress tests revealed highly significant differences between 8 weeks and 16 weeks of intervention (p < 0.01). The Functional Forward Stretch test demonstrated a significant difference between 8 weeks of intervention and 2 weeks of intervention at 16 weeks (p < 0.05). The balance beam walking test indicated a significant improvement at 8 weeks (p < 0.05) and a highly significant improvement at 16 weeks (p < 0.01). In the spin-walk test, no statistically significant differences were observed between the pre-experimental test, the 8-week intervention, and the 16-week intervention (p > 0.05). Leveraging the expropriation system to mediate skeletal muscle movement and muscle contraction coordination can improve balance. Suspension training significantly improved balance during activities requiring static non-interference maintenance. However, suspension training did not demonstrate a significant effect on improving vestibule function. Overall, suspension training was effective in enhancing balance in all patients with non-hereditary deafness.
A serious problem in the workplace is incivility, which impacts especially vulnerable groups like single mothers who hold jobs and experience subtle unfair or damaging treatment. As the number of single working mothers continues to rise in today’s workforce, this study aims to clarify third-party perceptions about incivility against them at work and subsequent influences on individuals as well as the organization. Because the analysis is embedded in theories of social role expectations and organizational justice, it explores third-party observers’ perceptions (such as coworkers or supervisors) of whether incivility directed at single working mothers differs from that experienced by their comparison group—professionally equivalent peers who do not share equal caregiver responsibilities. The researchers employed a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative surveys and in-depth qualitative interviews to collect rich data from participants who represented several fields. They report their results that third-party observers are less likely to experience vicarious justification of incivility against single working mothers but may be equally unlikely or even more reluctant than in the case of other employees and furthermore find this data account for these differences. The results illustrate the intricate interplay of gender, family structure and work dynamics on workplace outcomes—all leading to lower job satisfaction rates, a high level of stress or even stagnation in career progression for single working mothers. Our findings also extend the workplace incivility literature by demonstrating ways in which single working mothers are particularly vulnerable to this form of mistreatment and a broader need for organizational policies that cultivate an inclusive, supportive environment. Implications for human resource management, organizational culture and policy based on these findings are discussed as it may provide some recommendations for handling incivility in the workplace environment.
Conflicts are inevitable in any human community, despite the fact that they are never desirable. One of the characteristics of the contemporary world is conflict. Different parties participate in disputes (individuals, organizations, and states). When disputes arise, interventionist methods are put into action. Conflicts arise in a variety of ways, such as disagreement, rage, quarrelling, hatred, destruction, killing, or war, because human requirements are diverse. Conflict takes many different shapes, and so do interventions. Individuals, groups (both local and foreign), and governments can all intervene in a conflict. The media and its functions are up for debate among those who mediate disputes. Can the media be seen as intervening in a dispute, or are they merely performing their mandated duties? The diversity of opinions is what drives conversations in peace journalism. In addition, peace journalism promotes media engagement and intervention in conflict situations in order to lessen and end conflict. Media intervention, according to some critics, is not objective journalism because those in charge of educational information management and journalists are not expected to make decisions about the news; rather, they should just tell it as they see it. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine the idea of conflict, the stages of conflict development, interventions in conflicts, and the contentious position of the media in conflicts from an educational information management perspective. Hence, this paper will contribute to the role of educational information management via social media and other new media platforms, which have occasionally been used to hold governments responsible, unite people in protest of violence, plan relief operations, empower people, dissipate tensions via knowledge sharing, and create understanding across boundaries.
The effectiveness of frailty intervention programs for older adults in Korean communities has been inconsistent, posing challenges for public health nurses (PHNs). This study aims to develop an evidence-based intervention using the Intervention Mapping (IM) Protocol. The program followed the IM Protocol’s six steps, which provide a systematic method for developing and implementing theory-based health promotion programs. In Step 1, the needs of the subjects were identified through systematic review and interviews. In Step 3, the theme of the program was established as ‘health promotion for frail older adults’, and the components and scope were confirmed. The contents of the program included concepts of social support and social networks. In Step 4, after conducting a pilot test, the results were reflected and modifications were made. In Step 6, the evaluation tool was revised, and an effective evaluation plan was established. The final program was designed based on the program and interview results. The pilot test in Step 4 involved a one-group pretest-posttest and focus group interview with 15 pre-frail older adults. The IM Protocol-based health promotion program effectively addressed the needs of the subjects and improved frailty issues.
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