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This paper aims to investigate the major causes of the nuclear power plant (NPP) disasters since 1950, elucidates the commonalities between them and recommends strategies to minimize the risk of NPP disasters.

This paper analyzes facts from five case studies: Chernobyl disaster, USSR 1986; Fukushima Daiichi disaster, Japan 2011; Three Mile Island incident, USA 1979; Chalk River Accident, Canada 1952; and SL-1 Accident, USA 1961. A qualitative approach is adopted to compare and contrast the major reasons that led to the accidents, and consequent social and technological impacts of the disasters on environment, society, economy and nuclear industry are analyzed.

Although each of the nuclear accidents is unique in terms of its occurrence and impacts, this research study found some common causes behind the accidents. Faulty system design, equipment failure, inadequate safety and warning systems, violation of safety regulations, lack of training of the nuclear operators and ignorance from the operators and regulators side were found to be the major common causes behind the accidents.

This paper recommends some of the nuclear disaster risk reduction strategies in terms of “lessons learned from the past accidents”. The findings of the research paper would serve as an information tool for the nuclear professionals for informed decision-making and planning for proper preventive measures well in advance so that the mistakes which led to the occurrence of accidents in the past are not repeated in the future.

Climate change will present many new challenges for professionals in the built environment. Observers have speculated that the increase in damage to property caused by more frequent and severe flood events may result in loss of property value. However a consistent link between flood risk and value has not been proven in the UK to date. This paper aims to investigate the impact of flooding on property value in the UK.

As part of an ongoing study into the impact of flooding on property value in the UK, the available international evidence has been examined and general lessons drawn. A case study is presented of an example site, flooded in 2000, using actual transaction data.

This research demonstrates that, in general, there is a tendency for people to forget about the risk of flood damage with time. However, various manifestations of floodplain designation or regulation including mandatory insurance purchase can maintain awareness in the longer term. For the case study the impact of the flood on house prices is seen to be temporary, lasting less than three years.

Both the case study and the previous international research indicate that studies of the price impact of flood events should consider temporal aspects. Tentative conclusions from a single case study suggest that taking the long view of likely future recovery could promote price stability for flooded communities.

The discounting of flood‐prone property is naturally of concern to property stakeholders including the valuation profession and property owners. This research is unique in using transaction data to measure flood impacts in the UK.

Creating our built environment is largely the responsibility of the dynamic and complex construction industry. This business is made up of a wide range of people who work together to construct buildings and infrastructure projects, from contractors and labourers to architects and engineers. Aside from its observable results, the construction sector has a particular culture and atmosphere that are formed by a special fusion of history, creativity and teamwork. The culture and environment in which the construction industry functions are the main topics of this section of the book.

In public management research, the focus in the public value debate has been on public administration organizations’ broader societal outcomes. Public value describes how public administrations form a vital part of the social context in which people develop and grow. However, there has not yet been an analysis of how public administration contributes to happiness in society.

In this study, we empirically analyze the relationship between people’s happiness and the public value of public administration. Our approach is based on a unique Swiss survey dataset comprising 870 individuals.

We find a positive relationship between public administration’s public value and happiness. We also find preliminary evidence with a moderation analysis that the relationship between a value-creating public administration sector and self-reported happiness is stronger for public administration employees.

While correlation studies cannot claim causal explanations and common method bias may additionally limit any research in social science, we took a number of measures to mitigate related problem. We tested our model in two samples and took both several procedural techniques and a survey design minimizing common method bias.

The paper discusses implications for public sector performance measurement for public management and practitioners.

This study calls for a more positive view on the multiple functions public administration performs for society. After an era of critical voices, our study helps reclaim public administration as a positive force for society at large in times of grand challenges, such as climate crisis, demographics and digitization.

This study has highlighted the importance between public administration’s public value and happiness in Swiss public service organizations. The study also showed that an employment in the public administration contributes to the happiness of individuals and beyond to society.

The purpose of this paper is to study the evaluation and control processes in the governance systems of higher education institutions (HEIs).

This study compares the performance and control processes of strategic management in four HEIs in two European countries with binary systems – Portugal and The Netherlands. Using a case study approach, the authors find that HEIs with different missions and contexts have performance and control systems that are generally indistinguishable.

The controlling strategies in the public HEIs have taken on isomorphic characteristics based on processes that enhance competition, decentralize functions and solidify performance management.

In this paper, the authors “unpackage” strategic management to focus on the forms of control associated with performance evaluation. Performance evaluation is central to the management process and increasingly assuming an integral part of the institution’s identity and culture.

The purpose of this paper is to address the phenomenology of family members of homicide victims; known as “co-victims”. In particular, co-victims experiences of the criminal justice system (CJS) in England and Wales.

In 2018, 10 kV methodology facilitated an electronic-focus group. Anonymously, volunteers from families of homicide victims responded to key questions in a session entitled “a conversation which matters: confidence”. The thematic analysis presents the responses to three questions around “what works” and “what does not” in CJS practice.

The responses indicate four themes in relation to confidence building: communication and information; outcome; honesty and fairness; and family support. Responses indicate three themes in relation to what the CJS does well: family liaison officers, homicide detectives and court services. Responses indicate three themes in relation to what is not working: court proceedings, police budget cuts and preventative interventions.

The research considers benefits and limitations of methodology and makes suggestions for how these facets could be addressed by future research.

The research findings reveal good practice and points for attention to support confidence building in the CJS. Amongst other considerations, the work advances CJS practical good practice principles from the perspective of co-victims: education, interpersonal relations, working together, communication and justice.

Findings are of value to CJS policy makers, training and education for co-victim support, police and academics.

This paper aims to update the chapter by Sutton and Murray in Support from the Start by providing an overview of: research linking the development and experiences of infants and toddlers with the risks of later antisocial behaviour; and evidence on effective interventions for children aged 0‐2 and their families.

The authors give a narrative review on the effects on mothers and their babies of postnatal depression.

The review examines the effects on mothers and their babies of postnatal depression, impaired bonding, insecure attachment as well as the impact of maltreatment in childhood. It considers a number of evidence‐based preventive interventions implemented in the UK to help children aged 0‐2 and their parents.

The paper provides an overview of recent evidence for the factors contributing to difficulties for parents of young children and identifies interventions demonstrated in high‐quality studies to prevent or address these problems.

Governance is an emerging aspect of social care organisations embodying professionally‐led risk management, quality assurance and service improvement. The purpose of this paper is to put forward a broad conceptualisation of the main dimensions of quality and risk in social care.

A survey was undertaken to seek the perspectives on social care governance (SCG) of social workers in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland where clinical and SCG is formalised in the integrated health and social care service.

The 123 respondents were from a wide range of grades, aspects of work (practice, management and training) and both children's and adult services. Approximately, 60 per cent of social workers thought themselves knowledgeable on SCG, but this self‐reported knowledge was considerably higher amongst managers and trainers than practitioners. The risk register was familiar to 61 per cent of respondents. Social workers thought that useful ways to learn about SCG were team meetings, local workshops and engagement in developmental projects rather than training events.

The 41 per cent response rate is typical of surveys of busy professionals.

Social workers were generally not very aware of the systems being developed to implement accountability and support through SCG, presenting challenges to the tasks of managing risk and improving the safety and quality of services.

The paper shows that Northern Ireland is pioneering the development of SCG in parallel with clinical governance in health care. Valuable lessons are being learned about the application of concepts of risk and quality in the complexity of social work.