Search

Social enterprises (SE) – organizations with a dual mission to generate economic and social value – have become important players in the delivery of public services in the UK and elsewhere. While public sector value-for-money imperatives encourages these hybrid organizations to provide estimates of their social and economic impact, relatively little is known about who does so. Using institutional perspectives and large-sample data produced by Social Enterprises UK, we empirically document the uptake of social impact measurement in this sector and the extent to which context, the nature of the impact and stakeholders involvement explain differences in participation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covid-19 has had a major impact on public transport systems across the world. Public financial support has been needed to maintain services in the face of drastically reduced ridership and adjustment to the need for social distancing. This paper explores the challenge this poses to current methods of delivery of public transport services and argues that a simple return to the status quo is unlikely as public transport adjusts to a new normal of more home working and fear of crowded spaces. In turn this impacts most on the transport disadvantaged. The paper argues that this may spell the end of the prevailing model of a deregulated competitive public transport that has prevailed in the United Kingdom and require a major rethinking of the way to provide an efficient and effective transport system. Such a rethink will depend on understanding the interplay of private and social norms and building public trust. • Transport impacts of Covid-19. • Public transport. • Government funding. • Transport planning. • United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are there consequences for academic development arising from the move to student-driven funding in the Australian higher education sector from 2012? In a move that has similarities to the UK, Australian government-supported student university funding will, from 2012, attach to students who can select a programme at the university of their choice and take their government funding with them. The authors of the present article note that in both Australia and the UK the organisation of academic development has, in the recent past, been impacted by government initiatives that have consequences for funding. The argument in this article, based on data collected in Australia and the UK, is that 2012’s funding changes will lead to a propensity to reorganise academic development arrangements within universities. University strategic plans will impact on the nature of academic development work and lead to further imposition of key performance indicators on academic developers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]