Month: June 2012

PARTICIPATORY EVALUATION OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES: A QUALITATIVE APPROACH IN THE CASE OF MODERNISATION OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS IN GREECE

Eleni PAPADOPOULOU

Assistant Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Engineering, Department of Spatial Planning and Development

Tel.: 0030 2310 991431

E-mail address: epapa@auth.gr

Christos PAPALEXIOU

PhD Candidate, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics

Tel.: 0030 6944778414

E-mail address: chpapale@agro.auth.gr

Nikolaos HASANAGAS

University Forest Administration, District Forester of Pertouli

Tel.: 00306977381637

E-mail address: n.hasanagas@gmail.com

Abstract

The assessment of Rural Development Policy results and impacts is a very difficult and complicated process owing to the compound and multisectoral nature of the countryside. It is assumed that the assessment of Rural Development Programme impacts, in the way it is applied nowadays, is not able to satisfy the need for a deep and useful evaluation. The outcomes of evaluation should be a major tool for policy design. The Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (CMEF), which was introduced by the EU for the evaluation of Rural Development Programmes is criticized as a very “economic indicator” oriented system. Many data are required for the calculation of CMEF indicators, which are not available in a lot of EU member states. This research aims to identify problems and shortcomings occurred during the phases of rural development policy design, implementation and evaluation, which influence the success of such policy programmes. Based on a previous research, where network analysis was applied, the researchers made an attempt to examine the problems with the use of in-depth interviews and focus group. Measure for the modernisation of agricultural holdings in Greece was used as a case study. Complexity in processes, bureaucracy, delays, lack of data at regional and national level, lack “evaluation culture” seem to be the most crucial factors of failure.

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THRESHOLDS IN THE PROCESS OF FINANCIAL INTEGRATION OF ALBANIA – HOW FAR AWAY IS ALBANIA FROM GREECE?

Msc. Dorjana NANO

Faculty of Education and Social Sciences,

University “Eqrem Cabej” Gjirokaster, Albania

Email: doriananano@yahoo.com

and

Msc. Teuta LLUKANI

Faculty of Education and Social Sciences,

University “Eqrem Cabej” Gjirokaster, Albania

Email: t.llukani@gmail.com

Abstract

Recent global financial crises have caused immense debate about costs and benefits of financial integration. Overall, evidences show that industrial economies utilize benefits of financial openness and export their problems to the emerging and less developed countries. There is a substantial and empirical literature that define certain thresholds levels of financial and institutional characteristics beyond which the trade – off improves and makes opening of the capital account beneficial and less risky, especially for a developing country like Albania.

The main aim of this study is to analyse institutional quality, financial sector development, macroeconomic policies and trade openness as thresholds that must be satisfied in order to foster further financial integration and making it work for good, in particular for Albania and Greece. In addition, the comparison of economic characteristics and institutional development between these countries and the minimum standard will be also estimated, in order to reveal their discrepancy and deficiencies and as well to develop several policy proposals.

The main objectives of this study are:

  • To analyse the importance of institutional quality, financial sector development, macroeconomic policies and trade openness in the process of financial integration.
  • To estimate the above mentioned economic and institutional indicators for Albania and Greece and to use the standards level of this indicators (Prasad 2009) as a benchmark in order to reveal deficiencies, the most problematic aspects, and as well future challenges for each country.
  • To draw and assess policy implications and recommendations for improving economic characteristics in Albania and Greece, in order to fully utilise the benefits of financial integration.

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TYPOLOGY OF EMERGING PATTERNS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA IN THE ENERGY SECTOR: A TWO TIER APPROACH

Anastasia BISKA

PhD Candidate, National Technical University of Athens, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, Department of Geography and Regional Planning, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Campus Zografou,   15780 Athens, Greece, Tel.: +30 210 7722756, E-mail: abiska@survey.ntua.gr

and

Maria GIAOUTZI

Professor, National Technical University of Athens, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, Department of Geography and Regional Planning, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Campus Zografou,15780 Athens, Greece, Tel.: +30 210 7722749, E-mail: giaoutsi@central.ntua.gr

Abstract

Energy poverty is intensely debated lately, mainly at the political level, both in the developed and developing world. The concept of energy poverty refers to issues such as lack of the necessary infrastructure that prevents citizens from having access to various sources of energy.

In the Mediterranean region, there is a divergence among countries, regarding both the energy poverty patterns and the related policy framework. Apparent differences also appear between the EU countries and non-EU countries, concerning the existing infrastructure, the energy demand, the availability of natural resources and energy sources and the related policy measures.

The aim of this paper is to develop a typology of the energy poverty patterns in the Mediterranean countries and elaborate on the prospects for policy measures.

The first part provides the definition of energy poverty and the patterns appearing in the Mediterranean region. The second part presents data issues on the energy consumption and production patterns in the study region. In the third part, the available data and their sources are presented, while the fourth part presents the methodological framework and the tools used in a clustering exercise in order to identify groups of countries with similar characteristics which may be addressed by a common set of policies. The clustering process consists of two separate parts, one including all the Mediterranean countries and a second clustering separately the EU and the non-EU countries in order to identify differences among the two clusters. The fifth part presents the results of the clustering process and the visualization of the new typologies. Finally, in the sixth part, follows a set of conclusions drawn from the resulting typologies, but also the prospects for policy action in the Mediterranean region.

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