title: Elections and Corruption: Incentives to Steal or Incentives to Invest?

authors: Fazekas, Mihály

abstract: By now, most political systems around the world hold regular multiparty elections of different quality and type. However, we know relatively little about the effect of elections on corruption, especially in high-discretion, public procurement contracts implementing development aid. To address this gap in the literature, we employ unmatched comparisons and matching estimators to analyze a global government contracting dataset that provides an objective proxy for corruption: the incidence of single bidding in competitive markets. We find that, all things being equal, corruption risks increase in the immediate pre-election period: single bidding is higher by 1.3–6.1% points. We demonstrate that the corruption-enhancing effect of elections is stronger under conditions of (i) high electoral competitiveness, (ii) medium-level party institutionalization, and (iii) “localized collective goods” clientelism.

text: Elections and Corruption: Incentives to Steal or Incentives to Invest? By now, most political systems around the world hold regular multiparty elections of different quality and type. However, we know relatively little about the effect of elections on corruption, especially in high-discretion, public procurement contracts implementing development aid. To address this gap in the literature, we employ unmatched comparisons and matching estimators to analyze a global government contracting dataset that provides an objective proxy for corruption: the incidence of single bidding in competitive markets. We find that, all things being equal, corruption risks increase in the immediate pre-election period: single bidding is higher by 1.3–6.1% points. We demonstrate that the corruption-enhancing effect of elections is stronger under conditions of (i) high electoral competitiveness, (ii) medium-level party institutionalization, and (iii) “localized collective goods” clientelism.

year: 2023-01-01

title: Composing patterns to construct secure systems

authors: Rimba, Paul

subjects: security

abstract: Building secure applications requires significant expertise. Secure platforms and security patterns have been proposed to alleviate this problem. However, correctly applying patterns to use platform features is still highly expertise-dependent. Patterns are informal and there is a gap between them and platform features. We propose the concept of reusable verified design fragments, which package security patterns and platform features and are verified to provide assurance about their security properties. Design fragments can be composed through four primitive tactics. The verification of the composed design against desired security properties is presented in an assurance case. We demonstrate our approach by securing a Continuous Deployment pipeline and show that the tactics are sufficient to compose design fragments into a secure system. Finally, we formally define composition tactics, which are intended to support the development of systems that are secure by construction.

text: Composing patterns to construct secure systems Building secure applications requires significant expertise. Secure platforms and security patterns have been proposed to alleviate this problem. However, correctly applying patterns to use platform features is still highly expertise-dependent. Patterns are informal and there is a gap between them and platform features. We propose the concept of reusable verified design fragments, which package security patterns and platform features and are verified to provide assurance about their security properties. Design fragments can be composed through four primitive tactics. The verification of the composed design against desired security properties is presented in an assurance case. We demonstrate our approach by securing a Continuous Deployment pipeline and show that the tactics are sufficient to compose design fragments into a secure system. Finally, we formally define composition tactics, which are intended to support the development of systems that are secure by construction.

year: 2015

title: Maori & Psychology Research Unit annual report 2007

authors: Rua, Mohi

subjects: Maori and Psychology Research Unit

abstract: Annual report of the Maori and Psychology Research Unit (MPRU) 2007. The unit was established in August of 1997. The unit is designed to provide a catalyst and support network for enhancing research concerning the psychological needs, aspirations, and priorities of Maori people. The MPRU is well situated to draw together skilled and experienced interdisciplinary research groups by networking and establishing working relationships with staff and students within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the University, and the wider community.

text: Maori & Psychology Research Unit annual report 2007 Annual report of the Maori and Psychology Research Unit (MPRU) 2007. The unit was established in August of 1997. The unit is designed to provide a catalyst and support network for enhancing research concerning the psychological needs, aspirations, and priorities of Maori people. The MPRU is well situated to draw together skilled and experienced interdisciplinary research groups by networking and establishing working relationships with staff and students within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the University, and the wider community.

year: 2008