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In this study, the thermal treatment of two types of waste from the paper industry was investigated, paper mill sludge and sewage sludge from biological wastewater treatment plants. Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) and torrefaction were investigated as sustainable alternatives for solid biofuel production. Untreated samples and samples chemically pre-treated with alcoholic vinegar were subjected to torrefaction at 350 °C in N2 atmosphere, and the exhaust gases were analysed. HTC was performed at 250 °C with a residence time of 4 h. The feedstocks and the biochars produced were characterised by different analytical methods, and the effects of pre-treatment on fuel properties were studied. Both processes, HTC and torrefaction, showed inspiring results in the production of biofuels from paper industry wastes under the tested experimental conditions. A positive influence of pre-treatment on fuel properties (higher heating value, carbon content) of the obtained char was observed, and changes in the gas phase during torrefaction were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Rosa consists of more than 200 species. Among these Rosa damascena Mill belongs to the Damask group of roses which are known for their strong fragrance. R. damascena has been cultivated as garden rose in some west European collections but it is mainly grown for production of rose oil and rose water obtained after steam distillation of the rose flowers. It is considered that the oil rose originates from ancient Persia (today Iran) and has been later spread to Europe and Northern Africa. By the 14th century the Damask roses were already grown in West European rose collections as garden roses. Rose oil is mainly used in the perfumery and cosmetics industry as a base component of many of the modern perfumes but it also finds application in the food industry as a flavor additive. The main producers of rose oil are Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran and India. Smaller amounts of rose oil and mainly rose water are produced in the countries of Northern Africa. The price of the rose oil has been growing during the last years. The rose oil and rose flower extracts have been studied for a number of health-beneficial effects including antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, anti-infective and anti-inflammatory properties, relaxant effects on tracheal chains and anti-HIV activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to initiate academic discussion on the European Union (EU) social taxonomy for the purpose of promoting sustainable economic activities that ultimately contribute to achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the EU. The paper examines the historical evolution of the social taxonomy concept and presents the chronological order of the regulatory advancements that have paved the way for the establishment of both the EU environmental and social taxonomies. This study emphasizes the role of the EU environmental taxonomy as the frontrunner and highlights three fundamental distinctions between taxonomies in terms of objectives, foundations, and measurability. By defining the key performance indicators applicable to entities engaged in taxonomy-aligned economic activities, the paper offers a tabulated framework to understand the core focus areas, sub-objectives, and types of substantial contributions related to each of the three social objectives outlined in the EU taxonomy. Moreover, this paper aims to emphasize the contemporary challenges and the prospective avenues for future research in the field of social taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review paper efforts are made to present the Impact of COVID-19 on various economic activities like production, consumption and distribution. This is known to everyone that COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease) spreadout in December 2019 from Wuhan in China and effected a lot of countries resulting in death of many. Therefore, to minimise the risk, many countries opted lockdown as a precaution to control its spread which effected the lives of ordinary people as well as the economy as a whole, GDP, Functions of Economy and a lot of activities were effected very badly. It had a huge impact on the consumption pattern of population as well as supply chains and production of various goods and services were also impacted as transportation was at halt and movement of people, products, services etc. was not possible from one place to another. There was a heavy down in employment, production, distribution and other activities as well. Hence, this paper will help the readers know the collective impact along with the sector wise effect of COVID-19 on various economic activities. For better understanding we have taken three major economic activities that is Production, Consumption and distribution. Along with these the basic introduction of COVID-19, lockdown and its impact on economy is stated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use conflicts are intensifying in Northern Sweden due to the increasing global demand for resources coupled with the green transition. In line with this, a thorough understanding of land use conflicts in the area is becoming necessary as economic activities expand and newer ones are developed. Hence, this paper aims to provide a systematic literature review of research on land use conflicts specific to Northern Sweden, focusing on various economic activities such as forestry, mining, tourism, energy sector and reindeer husbandry. Additionally, we aim to determine lessons learned and suggested ways forward based on a systematic review. We used Scopus and Web of Science on June 2023 and through descriptive statistical analysis of 33 articles, we summarized research trends and gaps. We found three main typologies of conflicts and five main themes of suggested ways forward. Recommendations agree that there should be a broader understanding of the underlying interests of the stakeholders; and there should be an inclusive, more participatory approach to discussing potential solutions, not to create an agreement but to come to an understanding. Beyond academic insights, the findings hold practical relevance for shaping effective land use policies. This paper offers valuable lessons that extend beyond the local context, informing broader discussions and policy considerations for sustainable land management in the larger Arctic setting, where similar challenges and resource demands are unfolding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, policymakers and academics have shown interest in understanding how universities could drive regional innovation. Universities are not solely focusing on research and education as their primary missions but are also asked to participate in the development of their regions. This has compelled universities to forge what is called a third mission, encompassing all social and economic activities of universities. Several attempts have been made to evaluate this concept, aiming to highlight the evolving role of universities and their relevance to policy and society. In this vein, this paper showcases existing attempts that aim to measure the impact of the third mission in European universities. This study consists of a systematic literature review studying journal articles published between 2001 and 2021. The purpose of this paper is to enumerate the existing measurements of the third mission and identify the different tensions related to it. This study shows that the literature encompasses three approaches for assessing the third mission. First, some studies incorporated the third mission into the overall evaluation of university performance. Second, other investigations aimed to capture this concept as a whole. Finally, several studies evaluated individual dimensions of the third mission independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A landslide, to the west of Montemurro (a small village in Southern Italy), has recently caused damage to buildings and other infrastructures in an urbanized area, as a result the development of new economic activities has been prohibited. The landslide was discovered in the last century and has been studied since the 1990's using classical geotechnical methods, but the sliding body continues to move. In this paper, we will present the results of a study carried out using field surveys, geognostic investigations and TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) measurements in order to reconstruct the stratigraphy of the sediments involved and to further understand the geological and geomorphological context of the slope. This study is part of a larger multidisciplinary project of which the results will also be presented in this paper. The landslide (rotational slide in the upper sector, developing into a translational slide in the lower part) affects Quaternary continental clastic deposits resting on a bedrock formed by Tertiary siliciclastic sediments of the Gorgoglione Flysch. TDR measurements did not show any significant movement during the period monitored (January 2013-January 2014). Slip zone geometries were hypothesized using inclinometric measurements taken from previous studies, stratigraphic data and geomorphological interpretations of topographic scarps. Feedback from monitoring will confirm this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the EU strives to achieve its climate goals, it is becoming increasingly crucial to understand the complex relationships between economic activity, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. In this context, our paper aims to investigate the correlation between carbon emissions, energy consumption, and economic development. To fulfill our aim, we have used Eurostat and OECD data for the EU-27 member states for a period of 13 years (2010–2022), using a linear regression as the main analysis method. Our results have shown that there is a strong correlation between demand-based and production-based CO2 emissions as well as between production-based CO2 emissions and final energy consumption, while at the same time, our findings have shown that there is no direct correlation between energy consumption and economic development, aligning our study with the neutrality hypothesis of the energy growth nexus. This paper expands the ongoing discussion on sustainable development and climate change mitigation by conducting a thorough analysis of the EU-27 countries over a span of thirteen years. The results emphasize the need for integrated strategies that address both production and consumption emissions, emphasize the vital role of energy efficiency, and raise questions about the effectiveness of increasing energy consumption to enhance economic productivity or CO2 efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro and large-sized enterprises are important elements to enhance the economic growth of any country, and even more so for developing countries such as Mexico. These enterprises highly contribute to job generation, competitiveness, and gross domestic product, factors that are important for the developing of a nation. The aim of this paper is to study the impact of human capital investments in the efficiency of the 21 economic activity subsectors for micro and large-sized enterprises in the Mexican manufacturing industry between 2009–2021. The database come from Mexico Annual Manufacturing Industry Survey. Four Data Envelopment Analysis models are developed to study the relationship between annual average working days, annual average wages, and annual average investment in training with average sales per year. Data indicate that, most of the micro-sized enterprises of the Mexican manufacturing sector do not invest in human capital training, contrary to their large-sized enterprises. The results show that investing in human capital training increase sales and wages in micro-sized enterprises of the Mexican manufacturing industry, but it is not evident in large-size enterprises of the Mexican manufacturing industry. The calculation of the economic activity subsectors efficiencies using the developed Data Envelopment Analysis models indicate that all the economic activity subsectors with scale efficiency equal to one optimally invest, and the average amount of investments in human capital training needed to increase the global and pure technical efficiencies of the others are calculated with the developed Data Envelopment Analysis models. In the three main economic activity subsectors of the Mexican manufacturing industry, a significant increase—in 83.33% of cases—in wages and salaries is seen in both micro and large-sized enterprises. Particularly, the results indicate that the Chemical industry economic activity subsectors show the highest efficiency in both micro and large-sized enterprises when the human capital training variable is present. This paper demonstrates the importance of investing in human capital to enhance the efficiency of micro and large-sized enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of recent turbulent events in the global economy, the need for robust methods to navigate uncertainties in financial markets has become increasingly apparent. Robust portfolio optimization (RPO) offers a solution by devising investment strategies that perform well even under adverse scenarios of uncertain inputs such as returns and covariances. This paper conducts a systematic review of recent developments and extensions in the field of RPO. Leveraging bibliometric analysis and visual mapping techniques, we scrutinize 1085 articles published between 2000 and 2023. Our analysis traces the evolution and trends within RPO, examining the interconnectedness among articles, authors, sources, countries, and keywords. The insights gleaned from our study can guide future research endeavors in this domain and aid practitioners in making more informed investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the impact of public debt on economic growth in eleven EU new member states (NMS) from Central and South-Eastern Europe for the period 2000--2019. More specifically, we investigate if there is evidence of a non-linear (quadratic) relationship in this group of countries. Having in mind different economic and financial development, historical connections, and geographical proximity, we split them into three more homogenous groups: Balkan countries (BAL-4), Baltic countries (B-3), and Visegrad countries (VIS-4). The results of our study in all models indicate a statistically significant non-linear impact of public debt ratios on annual GDP per capita growth rates. The results across all models show a significant non-linear impact of public debt ratios on annual GDP per capita growth rates. Further, the calculated debt-to-GDP turning point, where the positive effect of accumulated public debt inverts into a negative effect, is roughly between 42.7%--58% of GDP, dependent on which sub-group we have analyzed. In general, the research may contribute to a better understanding of the problem of high public debt and its effect on economic activity in the new EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a pioneering approach for simulation of economic activity, policy implementation, and pricing of goods in token economies. The paper proposes a formal analysis framework for wealth distribution analysis and simulation of interactions between economic participants in an economy. Using this framework, we define a mechanism for identifying prices that achieve the desired wealth distribution according to some metric, and stability of economic dynamics. The motivation to study tokenomics theory is the increasing use of tokenization, specifically in financial infrastructures, where designing token economies is in the forefront. Tokenomics theory establishes a quantitative framework for wealth distribution amongst economic participants and implements the algorithmic regulatory controls mechanism that reacts to changes in economic conditions. In our framework, we introduce a concept of tokenomic taxonomy where agents in the economy are categorized into agent types and interactions between them. This novel approach is motivated by having a generalized model of the macroeconomy with controls being implemented through interactions and policies. The existence of such controls allows us to measure and readjust the wealth dynamics in the economy to suit the desired objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic activities' efficiency represents the level of performance that uses the lowest quantity of inputs to achieve the highest possible amount of output. This paper presents the process of calculating the relative efficiency of separate non-financial activities in an economy using the DEA methodology. The purpose of this paper was to create the DEA model for monitoring the relative efficiency of individual non-financial activities of the economy. The purpose was achieved through the realization of two objectives. The first one included the determination of the relative efficiency of the above-mentioned activities in the period from 2002 to 2020 using the data from non-financial entities in the Republic of Croatia. The second objective consisted of ranking the economic activities according to their relative efficiency. An output variable that measures the efficiency was presented using the return on assets, while the total debt to EBITDA, EBITDA per employee, assets turnover and human capital efficiency were used as input variables. Research results indicate that the DEA methodology could be used as an economic activity's relative efficiency measurement tool, giving the possibility to rank it according to its relative efficiency using the accounting ratios. Research results show that service sectors' economic activities were the most efficient ones according to the lower assets engagement and the respective sources of financing that dominate. The highest average relative efficiency in 19 years was scored using wholesale, retail and repair activities as well as information, communication and education. The lowest average relative efficiency was achieved in construction, water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities as well as accommodation and food service activities, which is the consequence of their low level of activity and profitability and high indebtedness in the analyzed period. The relative efficiency scores calculated using the DEA methodology could be used as a benchmark for companies on a micro level, while on the macro level decision-makers can obtain a deeper insight into the relative efficiency of the nonfinancial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital economy is integral in driving economic growth, particularly of high-quality standards. Against the backdrop of the ''Double Carbon'' project, exploring the impact of the digital economy on green agricultural development bears tremendous practical significance. Thus, this study aims to investigate how the digital economy affects agricultural green total factor productivity (GTFP). The entropy-TOPSIS method and SBM-GML index are used to measure core variables quantitatively. In addition, two-way fixed effects panel data models, Tobit, and intermediary effect models are implemented. Three research findings emerge. First, China's agricultural GTFP level generally experiences an upward trend, and the development of the digital economy has a significant positive effect on increasing agricultural GTFP. Second, the digital economy mainly promotes agricultural technology innovation that boosts agricultural GTFP. Third, Western China experiences a more significant positive effect of the digital economy on agricultural GTFP than Central and Eastern China. Finally, based on the findings, this paper proposes relevant policy recommendations to promote green and sustainable agriculture development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial Symbiosis (IS) and Process Integration (PI) are important activities with the potential to save resource intake and environmental footprints. Process Integration has been done theoretically and in practice for several decades but is still missing an efficient tool for multi-actor documentation and information preservation. The current paper sets out to develop data structures and tool prototypes for data preservation and transaction recording in process designs and Industrial Symbiosis (IS) to support the advancement of decentralised information tracking. The blockchain concept is utilised in this paper, where the information on the key properties of the streams and process stages can be stored in a secured block, and the transaction of resources can be dealt with using the information from the chain of blocks. Each block can represent the actors of the process in the IS, and an actor can request to join the blockchain by mining the blocks and going through the Proof-of-Work (PoW) verification of the new block. This paper introduces several terms to formulate a proper blockchain to store the information and showcase a simple simulation of adding/removing blocks for an IS system. The illustrative case study demonstrates that the method can evaluate Industrial Symbiosis and Process Integration solutions and track the key properties of the streams and process stages, costs, revenues, and environmental footprints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a kind of clean energy, the demand for natural gas is increasing. However, China's natural gas resources are limited, and their demand growth rate is much higher than the supply. The coal-to-natural gas project alleviates the shortage of natural gas in China by using the abundant coal resources, but it has the problems of single product and poor ability to deal with risks. The coal-to-synthetic natural gas (SNG)/methanol polygeneration process can solve this by coproducing chemicals and have the advantages of high economic benefit and energy saving. The impact of polygeneration process design on carbon emission reduction is still the key issue to be solved urgently. Regarding the coal-to-synthetic natural gas (SNG)/methanol polygeneration process, this paper explores the interaction between polygeneration process design and carbon emissions by using life-cycle assessment method. From the perspective of life cycle, the amount of climate change is evaluated systematically, and the emission factors of each stage are listed. Through sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo analysis, the breakthrough points of energy saving and carbon emission reduction are found, and the effective carbon emission reduction strategy is also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the exergy analysis of Heat-Integrated Water Networks (HIWNs) rarely addressed in the literature. Two objective functions were analyzed, with the first minimizing the total annualized cost (TAC) and the second minimizing the exergy losses of the network. The exergetic objective function minimizes exergy losses due to non-isothermal mixing, heat exchange, and exergy losses due to friction. The HIWN was optimized under a constant pressure assumption. However, exergy losses due to pressure drops are considered to balance network complexity. The proposed nonlinear programming (NLP) model and iterative solution strategy showed that by using exergetic criteria as an objective function, good solutions could be obtained compared to the solution of the mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model minimizing the TAC. The advantage is that exergy-based model is an NLP, and cost data for the utilities and equipment are not required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of globalization, rural tourism offers diversity in close connection with regional specificity. In this sense, there is an increase in the tourist offer oriented towards the traditional, towards the authentic. The entrepreneurial attempts to reflect the local authentic in the field of tourism are not well defined, often the specific traditional elements are not respected, creating an inappropriate mixture of architectural, gastronomic and cultural styles. Thus, the need to define the concept of authenticity in rural tourism based on vernacular culture is noted and this is the main aim of this paper. Also, theoretical items such as rural space, rural tourism, vernacular, and authenticity are defined and systematized, and essential parameters like elements, principles and methods for substantiating authentic rural tourism are synthesized. These ideas are critically analyzed, and discussed, based on representative documentation from Romanian and foreign literature to which the authors added their modest contribution. Authentic rural tourism offers interesting experiences precisely through originality, local specificity, diversity, in a cultural and geographical framework that completes the knowledge and offers the tourist a truly authentic experience. In this way, an increase in tourist interest is achieved and the foundations are laid for sustainable, representative economic activities at the rural level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of labour incomes on economic activity and growth in Poland. The thesis of this paper is rooted in the hypothesis of underconsumption and it claims that a proportion of labour incomes to the domestic product exerts an influence on the structure and the value of the aggregate demand and thus it eventually has an effect on economic activity. The simple empirical analysis provided refers to macroeconomic data for the period 2010-2019; recent data at the time of the analysis and a very illustrative period with respect to the thesis. The analysis supports the thesis; relatively low growth of labour incomes is followed by low rates of economic growth and investment and higher rates of unemployment. However, reasons behind the fluctuations in the participation of employees in the domestic product are far from being obvious. Market, economic policy and regulatory aspects of the problem deserve further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical background: As of 25 May 2018, every entrepreneur doing business in the EU is obliged to adapt the operation of the business to the requirements under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (hereinafter: GDPR). The objective of the EU is to provide uniform protection for the personal data of individuals (hereinafter: personal data) residing in the EU. Entrepreneurs with larger than medium-sized operations have successfully adapted their operations to comply with the legal requirements However, it has been observed that micro, small, and medium-sized entrepreneurs have faced challenges in implementing the changes brought about by the GDPR regulation. Purpose of the article: The paper aims to answer the question of what is the relationship between the adaptation of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from the Opolskie Voivodeship to the GDPR and characteristics of the entrepreneur such as the size of the enterprise, the location of the entrepreneur, the predominant activity and the gender of its managers. Research methods: This research paper provides an analysis of the outcomes of an empirical study. The study was conducted using a questionnaire technique on a sample of 425 micro, small, and medium-sized entrepreneurs from the Opolskie Voivodeship. It aimed to investigate the influence of particular individual characteristics of an entrepreneur on the ability of their enterprise to adapt to the legal environment on the example of the GDPR. The study selected four characteristics for analysis: enterprise size, entrepreneur’s location, prevailing economic activity, and gender of enterprise managers. Hypothesis verification was performed using Pearson’s non-parametric χ^2 independence test and the V-Cramér correlation coefficient. A significance level of 0.05 was adopted. Main findings: Based on the analysis, it has been confirmed that the adaptation of micro, small and medium-sized businesses from Opolskie Voivodeship to comply with the GDPR is subject to the unique characteristics of the entrepreneur. However, the verification of the hypothesis that the characteristics determining enterprise adaptation to GDPR by micro, small, and medium-sized entrepreneurs in the Opolskie Voivodeship are their size, predominant business activity, location, length of business activity and gender of enterprise managers, showed that it is only partially correct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the geographical distribution of regional state aid in Slovakia between 2004 and 2021, while focusing on projects realized in the least developed districts. The purpose is to answer the following research question: how much investment support is provided to areas with high rates of long-term unemployment to promote local economic activity? The investigation was conducted using a spatial distribution analysis and descriptive statistical methods. The findings demonstrate that the level of support in less developed districts is below the level of aid directed into more developed regions not only in terms of the number of supported projects, but also regarding the total amount of aid and the number of created jobs. Out of the 20 least developed districts we monitored, only the results for Košice-okolie significantly outperformed the results of the other districts. This article provides possible explanations for these findings and contributes to the literature by providing insights into the practical application of state aid in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this paper, we present the zooarchaeological and taphonomic study of a new Bronze Age site in the inland of the Iberian Peninsula. This study represents a significant contribution within the studied area, as it analyses the Pista de Motos faunal collection, one of the few representative samples from this period. This paper significantly contributes to completing the scarce information available for the Bronze Archaeology in the Middle Tagus Valley, located inland of the Iberian Peninsula. The Bronze Age zooarchaeological research for the interior and other regions of the Iberian Peninsula is currently limited. Despite several sites with known zooarchaeological profiles from the period, the main issue is that most of these derive from fragmentary and unrepresentative faunal records or are biased profiles from old excavations. New work has yielded novel zooarchaeological results in recent years that could help fill the existing zooarchaeological information gap in the Iberian inland, particularly in the Middle Tagus Valley. However, these projects are in the initial research stages and have not published much of their results. This paper presents the zooarchaeological profile of the Pista de Motos Bronze Age site to help fill this information gap. It analyses the taxonomic representation, skeletal profiles, and human activity patterns associated with faunal use. These observations suggest that animal exploitation at the site followed two primary purposes. One was linked to economic activities, mainly to obtain meat, milk, wool, or animal labour. The other was probably associated with symbolic-ritual practices suggested by the complete animal burials in some excavated units. We contextualise these interpretations with evidence from other Bronze Age sites in the Middle Tagus Valley. Finally, the paper assesses to what extent Pista de Motos is a relevant site for the zooarchaeology of the Bronze Age in the Iberian inland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Place names have the potential to reveal the identity of a place and people. This paper investigates the place names of Baruten, focusing on their socio-onomastic characteristics and how they reflect the economic activities of the region. Using the gatekeeper research procedure of historical toponomastics and conducted within the socio-onomastics theory, the paper identifies the underlying meanings embedded in the place names and what they reveal about identity, the region's economic potentials, and its people. It also analyses their morphological concatenations, pointing out implications on language, economy, and identity. The paper calls for documentation of the place names of indigenous people to preserve their original cultural, economic, and linguistic significations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human economic activities drive the production and consumption of goods and services, contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the extent of economic growth's influence on the SDGs remains unclear. To fill this knowledge gap, here, we quantified the environmental effects of economic activities and explored correlations between environmental effect and achieving SDGs. We developed six Environmental Footprint Indices, with a higher score indicating better efficiency or lower burden. Here we show that the various Environmental Footprint Indices had synergistic and trade-off effects on most SDG targets indices, but the synergistic effects prevailed. As income increased, the correlation between Environmental Footprint Indices and SDG target indices gradually strengthened. improved production efficiency and consumption changes notably advance SDGs, especially in low-income group countries. Our work provides scientific insights into the impact and prospects of environmental regulation required for achieving the SDGs by 2030. Economic development and its interactions with the SDGs is an important focus for sustainable future growth. This paper develops six environmental footprint indices highlighting the synergies with human production and the SDG targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the complex development of identity and lifestyle among the nomadic river gypsies, known as the Bede, in Bangladesh. Methodologically, a comprehensive strategy combining primary and secondary data sources was employed to examine the sociodemographic profile of nomadic fishers. Traditionally, these fishermen depend on water-based enterprises such as fishing, magic shows, and serpent charms, displaying distinctive socio-cultural behaviors and engaging in various economic activities. However, the demands of the contemporary neoliberal economy increasingly conflict with their ancient practices. Their temporal and spatial lives are also undergoing rapid changes due to environmental shifts, institutional neglect, and social stigma associated with being perceived as unclean or as outsiders. This uncertain transition significantly influences their decisions regarding migration. The paper delves into the factors affecting migration decisions among marginalized communities, focusing on the cultural dynamics and adaptability of nomadic fishermen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyse emerging trends in the fashion industry, focusing on the growing role the circular economy is playing in introducing a new business paradigm based on the so-called "3 Rs" principle: reduce, reuse and recycle. Six interesting case studies are presented; three focus on fashion companies (Rifò, Rapanui and Cingomma) that base their business model on this circular economy principle, while the other three relate to companies (Orange Fiber, Ananas Anam, Due di Latte) using sustainable materials to produce fashion items. The careful selection of raw materials and the application of technological innovation in the production system allow companies to implement new sustainable approaches to production, resulting in two critical outcomes: recycled fashion products that can be reintegrated into the environment and the reuse of products that can be revalued without rather than wasted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of Ukraine towards European integration implies the existence of a high-quality and effective legal framework that guarantees the safeguarding of fundamental rights and liberties. Given this, it is necessary to clarify the essence of building a social state and the principles underlying it. The objective of the study was to investigate the main postulates of building a social state and their normative consolidation in national legislation. The following methods were used in the study of the issue: historical, system, modelling, analysis, and synthesis, comparative, statistical. The study’s findings were intended to ascertain how the idea of creating a social state developed on the territory of Ukraine and other states, and how this concept was reflected in modern countries. The paper examines the basic principles underlying the construction of a social state and their constitutional consolidation; which essential liberties and rights of an individual or citizen are protected by the way the idea of a social state operates, etc. Statistical data on life satisfaction indicators of people in different countries are also provided in light of different methods of social policy implementation. Various models and options for further building a social state on the territory of Ukraine are presented, considering the current situation associated with a full-scale war. The paper describes the experience of European countries in successfully reforming the social sphere, in particular, Denmark, Switzerland, etc. The authors also present a model of the social state of the future, taking into account the changing needs of society, digitalisation, well-being, etc. The outcomes can be applied to further enhance Ukraine’s social policy legislation by lawyers, sociologists, and scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to assess the association between macroeconomic factors and house prices in selected OECD countries. In this paper, authors describe selected socioeconomic factors, adapt a transparent methodology based on the OECD database and derive results shedding a light on the main drivers shaping the trends of the real estate prices. Two main economic aggregates, inflation and gross domestic product (GDP) were analysed for the OECD member and non-member countries for which complete data have been made available for the period of 1990-2020. The OECD provides data for 60 countries in total, out of which 38 are members of the organization. Nevertheless, due to missing observations in certain countries, the analysis was carried out in 19 of them. The aim of the study was to determine how GDP and inflation dynamics are correlated with changes in property prices. Among the analysed countries, Japan and South Africa could be distinguished as outliers in terms of inflation, whereas in the case of GDP, Italy, Japan, Ireland and Norway stood out. Additionally, 12 representative countries were described in detail. These countries comprised four groups of three countries divided across two dimensions: the first, based on the highest and the lowest correlation coefficient, and the second, based on the measure used to calculate the correlation coefficient (correlation of the house prices with GDP and correlation of the house price with inflation). On the basis of the analyses, it was shown that the association between GDP and house prices is stronger than that between inflation and house prices - in most cases, prices increased at a similar rate as GDP. A particularly high correlation between GDP and house prices was found for Norway, New Zealand and Sweden, indicating a potentially higher marginal housing consumption responsiveness to changes in housing wealth in these highly developed countries, characterised by particularly low housing transaction costs and efficient mortgage market. It was deduced that such characteristics lead to a higher wealth elasticity of demand for new houses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The financial system has an important component which adds to social welfare. Investment and consumption expenditures contribute to the increase in production by meeting the capital requirement. The study examines the impact of financial development on income inequality for 13 member nations of the OECD between 1993 and 2017 in light of the panel data method. In the study, income inequality is used as a proxy for the GINI coefficient, while the banks' domestic credit to the private sector is utilized to represent financial development. In addition, the model utilizes control variables, including per capita income, trade openness, inflation, and public spending. The panel data regression results reveal that financial development has a positive effect on income inequality. The results of the paper support the Income Inequality Widening Hypothesis, which suggests that the situation which favours individuals with high income levels who have access to financial resources continues when financial development increases, which in turn increases income inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community healthcare in Indonesia relies on volunteers who engage their clients outside fixed health facilities with limited resources and formal training. These volunteers are called cadres who learn their tasks to improve community wellbeing through ongoing engagement and without prior formal skills. They are drawn from the community to serve the community. This paper is based on field research carried out with cadres through interviews and visits to integrated health meetings (posyandu lansia) held by primary healthcare centres for older adults in villages in Jakarta and Yogyakarta. The paper first discusses the recruitment requirements and incentives for being a healthcare volunteer. It suggests that both recruitment and incentives are rooted in community values of helping and doing good for the community. Volunteer cadres must have a direct normative and semiotic connection with clients, as they must be members of the community who speak the same language and understand local norms. In line with this community-centred approach, the paper then focuses on the health efficacy of posyandu by viewing them as a recurring, structured symbolic event held in the village. The argument is made that a more qualitative approach should be taken to understanding the efficacy of these meetings, drawing on research methods from the anthropology of ritual (symbolic and therapeutic) healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To be considered sustainable, tourism in rural destinations should provide long-term economic benefits and have a push-up effect on the population's determination to engage in sustainable tourism. Also, sustainable tourism must reduce the negative effects of business activities on the natural environment and improve the quality of life as well as the standard of living of the local population. In order to check the impact of sustainable tourism on the development of rural destinations, economic indicators of sustainability are most often used, as measurable indicators of sustainable development. In the paper, we examined the attitudes of 421 local residents using the TIAS scale, in 17 Vojvodina villages. Only those who declared that they are involved in the tourism economy were taken for further analysis. It was concluded that positive economic indicators of sustainable development are "wind in the sails" of the development of rural destinations, and that sustainable tourism is a desirable economic activity in the villages of Vojvodina to whom more and more residents are turning, especially women as of very sensitive category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the relationship between the bargaining power of farmers in trade and their plans for future economic activity. While there is existing evidence shedding light on the factors influencing trading power and its consequences, there remains a compelling exigency for scientific substantiation clarifying the aforementioned nexus. A questionnaire was designed and utilized to collect primary data from farmers in Albania (with a sample size of 640). Factor analysis, reliability test and non-parametric statistical methods were used. Evidence was found in support of the aforesaid relationships. Hence, farmers who have plans for investments reflect a higher bargaining power in trading, as opposed to those without such plans. Moreover, interest in increasing farm activity is significantly associated with improved bargaining power in trade. This study enriches the literature, especially in the agribusiness field, by offering additional insights from a transition and developing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bradach and Eccles (1989) identified three distinct forms of plural governance that prevail in business practice: franchising, dual distribution, and concurrent sourcing. Despite the underlying commonality of these forms—organizing an economic activity through multiple governance modes—each form has spawned its own stream of theoretical and empirical research, with relatively little cross-stream knowledge exchange. In this paper, we argue that, given the fragmented nature of these literatures, unexplored opportunities exist for scholars to pursue new research opportunities by importing theoretical predictions, causal mechanisms, and methods from the other streams in theoretically appropriate ways. To highlight what is possible, we first take stock of the distinctive characteristics, conceptual foundations, and dominant methodologies associated with the three literatures. We then identify four key governance challenges—monitoring, cooperation, learning, and competition—that were common across the streams and use these challenges to isolate theoretical and methodological blind spots that merit further research consideration. Our research agenda addresses these blind spots, proposes specific avenues for theory development within each stream of plural governance research, and helps scholars of the franchising, dual distribution, and concurrent sourcing literatures to connect and contribute to research in the intellectual core of plural governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this introductory paper of the Special Issue, we explore how India's political economy is moving in a new direction by focusing on three key political economy issues: development, welfare, and governance. India has undergone a substantial political transformation in recent years, especially since Bharatiya Janata Party led by Narendra Modi formed the first majoritarian government in three decades in 2014. In this paper, we first demonstrate that this political transformation has a significant impact on the Indian political economy, given that the country is witnessing the rise of a new developmentalism, a new welfarism, and the new modes of governance. After that, we summarize the collections of articles of the Special Issue and situate them in relation to our central theme, new directions in the Indian political economy. This paper, and this Special Issue more broadly, seeks to contribute to the existing literature by introducing new analytical frameworks to understand recent changes in the Indian political economy and providing new empirical evidence on this topic drawing on content analysis and field research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of scientific publications along with sectoral value addition on economic growth in Bangladesh over the period 2000-2020. The Johansen co-integration test is applied to investigate the long-run relationship among the variables. Granger causality test examines short-run relationship among the variables. The FMOLS model is also applied to confirm robustness check in this study. The empirical findings show that a strong long-run co-integration relationship exists among economic growth, scientific publications, and other explanatory variables in this study. The Granger causality test reveals bidirectional causality running from agriculture value added to services value added. Whereas, unidirectional causality exists among the variables of scientific publications to GDP per capita, scientific publications to manufacturing value added, services value added to scientific publications, GDP per capita to industry value added, services value added to GDP per capita, manufacturing value added to industry value added, services value added to manufacturing value added in the short run. The impulse response function implies that shock applies on scientific publications affects economic growth negatively. So, the policy makers of Bangladesh should emphasise on scientific publications by increasing investment on RnD to reach the status of middle-income country through sustainable sectoral development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rural area is of particular importance from a socio-economic point of view, whose economic activities are closely linked to the specific nature of the area. Rural localities are at different stages of development, depending on their specific characteristics. The aim of this paper is to identify the demographic effects of the poor economic development of rural localities, with particular emphasis on those in the South-Muntenia development region, which is known for its predominantly agricultural economic activities. In order to carry out the work, the main demographic indicators were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed and the main location and dispersion indicators were determined. The social outlook is not at all positive, both at national level and especially in rural areas. The population tends to decrease, influenced by the existing lifestyle, to which various factors contribute, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, but also the military conflicts in the area, which generate concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timely and accurate rainfall prediction is crucial to social life and economic activities. Because of the influence of numerous factors on rainfall, making precise predictions is challenging. In this study, the northern Xinjiang region of China is selected as the research area. Based on the pattern of rainfall in the local area and the needs of real life, rainfall is divided into four levels, namely 'no rain', 'light rain', 'moderate rain', and 'heavy rain and above', for rainfall levels nowcasting. To solve the problem that the existing model can only extract a single time dependence and cause the loss of some valuable information in rainfall data, a prediction model named DFFNet, which is based on dual-branch feature fusion, is proposed in this paper. The two branches of the model are composed of Transformer and CNN, which are used to extract time dependence and feature interaction in meteorological data, respectively. The features extracted from the two branches are fused for prediction. To verify the performance of DFFNet, the India public rainfall dataset and some sub-datasets in the UEA dataset are chosen for comparison. Compared with the baseline models, DFFNet achieves the best prediction performance on all the selected datasets; compared with the single-branch model, the training time consumption of DFFNet on the two rainfall datasets is reduced by 21% and 9.6%, respectively, and it has a faster convergence speed. The experimental results show that it has certain theoretical value and application value for the study of rainfall nowcasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]