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This study delves into the comprehensive analysis of four conventional mixed refrigerant liquefaction processes, namely C3MR-Linde, C3MR-APCI, SMR-Linde, and SMR-APCI, emphasizing energy and exergy perspectives. According to the energy analysis, C3MR-Linde demonstrates a lower energy consumption than the other systems, at 0.271 kWh kg−1 liquefied natural gas, while SMR-Air Products achieves the highest coefficient of performance (COP) at 2.67 kWh kg−1. The exergy analysis provides insights into the exergy efficiency and destruction of components, highlighting the C3MR-Linde process as the most exergy-efficient process, attaining 47.55%. Notably, compressors are identified as the primary sources of exergy destruction, accounting for 52.11%, 52.51%, and 45.39% of the overall cycle exergy destruction in the C3MR-APCI, C3MR-Linde, and SMR-APCI cycles, respectively. Furthermore, this study investigates how certain operational factors affect the COP, specific energy consumption (SEC), and exergy indices. It is observed that each cycle exhibits an optimal pressure drop in the expansion valves, with deviations resulting in a decreased COP and increased SEC. Additionally, changes in the refrigerant molar flow rates demonstrate an inverse relationship between the exergy efficiency and COP, with the SEC being notably more sensitive to such variations than the COP within the studied parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the static and dynamic performance efficiencies of container terminals are analyzed and compared for the main container terminals in China and Korea. The static performance efficiency is calculated using the Super-SBM model based on slack variables at the micro-level. An analysis on the dynamic performance efficiency is conducted with the Malmquist index method. The factors of scale and technology of container terminals are mainly taken into account to explore the performance efficient improvement path of container ports. We obtained the following conclusions: (1) The container terminals in Korea show a similar performance efficiency level to the terminals in China, and their performance efficiency is an overall upward trend over the past five years. (2) The main reason for inefficiency in the container terminals in China and Korea is predominantly scale inefficiency. (3) Boosting the automation degree does not have a completely positive impact on the efficiency of the terminal. (4) In 2019–2023, the technical progress index of all container terminals in China and Korea showed a decreasing trend, leading to performance inefficiency of the container terminals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonization potential of hydrogen offers increasing usage paths in the fight against climate change resulting in a growing demand for climate‐neutral hydrogen. This challenge is met by producing hydrogen microbially from renewable substrates as an alternative to 'green hydrogen' from water electrolysis. Initial results have shown that coupling dark fermentation and anaerobic digestion is not only possible but also advantageous. Specifically, by integrating dark fermentation in existing biogas plants, the overall physical efficiency of the process's substrate turnover can be increased by up to 50% through providing hydrogen in addition to biogas. The achieved test results are examined based on limit‐oriented physical efficiency evaluation to show the potential for optimization of the substrate turnover in biological concepts based on modeling. Finally an overview of a commissioned demonstration plant is given, which will provide further insights into the feasibility of the dark fermentation on an industrial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new fuzzy mathematical programming method that was originally proposed to solve problems that can be formulated as LP models using data envelopment analysis (DEA) models and Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) conditions to evaluate the efficiency of fuzzy systems. KKT condition (also learned as the Kuhn-Tucker condition) is a first derivative trial (whilom called the first-order essential condition) for the optimal nonlinear programming solution. First, the DEA method based on the comparison of α -cut sets is modeled. Then, applying Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions, the model is developed to assess the efficiency of DMUs and α -levels. The novel produced model results in a new analytical view for the efficiency assessment and also eased the evaluation of a system efficiency condition. The final model is tested on a banking system in the US, over two years and according to this model, the efficiency of DMUs is evaluated. According to the given results, it can be comprehended that the presented method is very accurate and appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon market construction is a crucial tool in meeting sustainable development goals (SDGs). Based on data from prefecture-level cities in Fujian Province, China, between 2011 and 2020, the SBM model is employed to determine the carbon emission efficiency for each city. Additionally, the event analysis method is deployed to evaluate the influence of the carbon market construction on carbon emission efficiency in Fujian Province, and project carbon emission efficiencies for different scenarios. The findings reveal that: (1) The construction of the carbon market has led to an improvement in carbon emission efficiency in Fujian Province, the duration of this effect needs to be strengthened. (2) No significant difference has been observed in carbon emission efficiency between coastal and inland cities due to the carbon market construction. It is feasible to investigate the formation of a carbon market with distinct local features, ultimately achieving SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficiency of using conventional energy facilities based on renewable energy sources to provide energy to battery swapping stations and charging stations for electric vehicles in one of the selected countries. As part of the work, the following tasks are solved: •A mathematical model of charging stations or battery swapping stations, electrical installations based on renewable energy, and general energy facilities operating parallel to the electrical grid and autonomously is developed; •A methodology has been developed, verifying the structures and parameters of energy facilities based on renewable energy sources for charging batteries of electric vehicles; •The efficiency of using generation facilities based on renewable energy sources to battery charging stations in rural areas of such a large country is evaluated; •The number of hybrid energy facilities based on renewable energy sources and charging stations is evaluated. Design/methodology/approach: The examined power plant facilities serve electric vehicles in cities, recreation areas, industrial enterprises, and highways. Service types such as charging the battery and replacing discharged batteries of electric vehicles with pre-charged batteries are used at charging stations for electric vehicles. The efficiency of using conventional energy installations as part of charging stations is evaluated in regions with different climatic conditions. Findings: The results show an increase in profit when participating in the ancillary service market. Originality/value: In the following research paper were presented the optimization objective function that maximizes the profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research delves into the planning of advertising and public relations (PR) activities within the realm of children's recreation and tourism in Russia. Methods: The research methodology integrates data from multiple sources, including government reports, academic studies, and industry-specific data. It encompasses the analysis of market trends, qualitative and quantitative assessments of advertising and PR methods, and insights from sociological surveys and media analysis. Results: The study reveals the structure of the children's recreation and tourism industry in Russia, encompassing a variety of camp types. Despite the large market, the degree of saturation remains insufficient, and there is substantial untapped potential. Market analysis indicates that many parents opt for alternatives to children's camps, making them a potential target audience. However, only 64.6% of potential demand was satisfied in 2018. In terms of financing, parents bear the majority of the costs, while other funding sources include public funds and enterprise funds. Conclusion: The research underscores the underutilization of marketing, advertising, and PR tools in the children's recreation and tourism sector in Russia and its impact on policy and management decisions. It emphasizes the need for strategic planning of advertising and PR activities, starting with the development of corporate identity and an online presence. By optimizing communication strategies and aligning them with market trends, the industry can tap into its vast potential and better cater to the needs of children and parents in Russia, thus influencing policy and management directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers adaptation of the economy to the conditions of carbon neutrality, analyzes modern approaches to assessing efficiency of investment projects, and proposes a modification of the discounted cash flow method with adjustments for a carbon tax and pollution charges. The approach is tested on the example of PAO Rosneft. The forecast shows that investments in green energy allow reaching expected profitability levels only in the last year of project implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of German International Journal of Modern Science / Deutsche Internationale Zeitschrift für Zeitgenössische Wissenschaft is the property of Artmedia24 and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The efficiency of a new production process is assessed. Principles are outlined for evaluating the efficiency of entrepreneurial activity. The steps in the development and implementation of a financial strategy for the new process are considered. Having assessed the efficiency of the new production process, positive and negative trends in its development may be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher vocational education (HVE) aims to cultivate high-quality technical and skilled talents so that the educated have the professional ethics, scientific culture, professional knowledge, technical skills, and other comprehensive professional qualities and action abilities required for engaging in a specific profession to achieve sustainable career development. Two problems related to critical management strategies for sustainable development activated this study: Should HVE colleges conduct academic research? What types of research should HVE colleges do? This article attempts to empirically study the second question while affirming the answer to the first question. HVE colleges focus on talent cultivation, which does not mean they will never engage in academic research. The key is to decide and evaluate the research types for HVE colleges. First, a survey was conducted on the current status and practical needs of HVE colleges globally and especially in China, and it was found that there is a mutually beneficial relationship between teaching and research in HVE colleges. Then, the positioning of HVE colleges for academic research was analyzed from three aspects—research type, performance assessment, and combination comparison—and three types of research positioning were proposed, i.e., applied research type, educational research type, and comprehensive research type. Then, three assessment index systems of academic research positioning types were designed from two input and output levels, and a research performance assessment model was established using data envelopment analysis (DEA). Finally, taking 22 vocational colleges in Shanghai as examples, a comparative study was conducted on the assessment results of three research types to determine the research types of different HVE colleges. Based on their educational history and academic research resources, HVE colleges can choose their research types. The HVE management department can guide HVE colleges to conduct differentiated academic research and support teaching and talent cultivation through input–output analysis for sustainable educational and teacher development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world is paying increasing attention to carbon reduction, this paper uses Chinese commercial banks' green credit and applies the DEA-Malmquist index method to construct an evaluation index system based on the panel data of the top 10 Chinese banks regarding green credit from 2015 to 2021. The results of the study show that: (1) the overall total factor productivity of the banking industry in mainland China from 2015 to 2021 is greater than 1 and shows a fluctuating upward trend except for 2015, with the mean value greater than 1 indicating a steady increase in the green credit operating efficiency of the banking industry; (2) Further analysis shows that the average value of the technical efficiency change index is greater than the average value of the technological progress index, which can be understood as the important reason for the rising operational performance of green credit business in the banking industry, and technological progress also provides a supporting role for the rising operational performance; (3) the average value of the scale efficiency change index from 2015 to 2021 is less than 1, and from 2017 onwards the value starts to be less than 1 and declining, it can be concluded that scale efficiency hinders the increase of technical efficiency index. (4) The magnitude of change in total factor productivity and the influencing factors of the 10 banks are all related to technical efficiency, indicating that the improvement of technical efficiency is the dominant factor in the improvement of green credit operational efficiency; (5) the pure technical efficiency of all 10 banks keeps increasing while the scale efficiency is decreasing, indicating that pure technical efficiency is the key factor in the improvement of banks' technical progress index, while scale efficiency inhibits the further improvement of technical progress index. The increase in the technical progress index has been inhibited by scale efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous and rapid economic development has brought about excessive resource consumption and environmental pollution. Therefore, it is particularly essential to coordinate economic, resource, and environmental factors to achieve sustainable development. This paper develops a new data envelopment analysis (DEA) method that can be used for multi-level complex system evaluation (MCSE-DEA) to reveal the inter-provincial green development efficiency (GDE) in China from 2010 to 2018. Moreover, the Tobit model is applied to explore the influencing factors of GDE. We found that (i) the MCSE-DEA model tends to have lower efficiency scores than the traditional P-DEA (panel data envelopment analysis) model, and the top three provinces are Shanghai, Tianjin, and Fujian; (ii) the efficiency shows an increasing trend during the whole study period. The southeast region and the Middle Yangtze River region have the highest efficiency values, reaching 1.09, while the northwest region ranks last with an average efficiency value of 0.66. Shanghai performs the best, while Ningxia performs the worst, with efficiency values of 1.43 and 0.58, respectively; (iii) the provinces with lower efficiency values mainly come from economically underdeveloped remote regions, which can be attributed to issues of water consumption (WC) and energy consumption (EC). Moreover, there are much room for improvement in solid waste emissions (SW) and soot and industrial dust emissions (SD); (iv) the environmental investment, R&D investment, and economic development level can significantly improve GDE, while industrial structure, urbanization level, and energy consumption have inhibiting effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy systems are key elements of critically important infrastructures, as they provide the required quality of life for the population, as well as create the necessary conditions for the reliable functioning of various branches of the economy. One of the priorities is to ensure the safe functioning of such systems, and in recent years, considerable attention has been paid to proactive safety methods. Within the framework of these methods, the main efforts are aimed at early identification of violations and deviations in the operation or maintenance of the facility. The building and use of the safety pyramid is one of the areas of implementation of a proactive approach. The paper presents the analysis of statistical data on incidents and detected violations at Russian energy facilities. The analysis made it possible to build the corresponding safety pyramids, as well as to identify that the ratio between the levels of the pyramid significantly depends on the specific type of facility. The possibility of using the safety pyramid to assess expected prevented damage in case of elimination of detected violations is also shown. Examples of assessing the value of prevented damage for energy facilities are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Economic Research & Business Administration is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The need to reduce the negative environmental impact of energetics with the growing energy demand in the world is the core objective of the industry for the upcoming decades. The global agenda in the field of environmental protection increases the requirements for evaluation of the energy investment projects, in particular for their environmental efficiency. Currently, much attention is paid to assessing the impact of the project on atmospheric air, water bodies and land resources, including the formation of industrial waste during the operational stage. The formation of production and consumption waste at other stages of the project life cycle is not considered either when generating cash flows or when conducting the assessment pf environmental efficiency. It might significantly reduce the reliability of assessment results. The purpose of this study is to develop a system of integrated accounting for all types of waste generated and the environmental costs incurred for handling them during the environmental and economic assessment of energy projects. The paper discusses modern waste management practices at energy enterprises, waste generation at various stages of investment projects implementation, and provides recommendations on waste accounting when assessing their environmental and economic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Gestão & Tecnologia is the property of Revista Gestao & Tecnologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the agricultural industry being vital for regional food safety, the extreme conditions under which it operated in Ukraine during the first half of 2022 has offered a unique insight on vulnerabilities of supply chains as well as the necessity of ensuring transport and logistics support for grain supply chain using adaptive methods. During that time frame, existing infrastructure, logistics, and involved materials were at risk of being stolen or by being destroyed due to direct combat damage or resulting fires. Established food transportation routes suffered from blockades, destruction, or congestion. Switching modes of transport for crop grains proved difficult with the absence of required transport and logistics support. The switch to vegetable oil transport proved harder still. Meanwhile, the reestablished naval transportation shed a spotlight on GIS instruments that became critical for the safety of regional food supply chain. This inspired the idea of implementing methods of assessing the safety of transport facilities with the direct participation of the user based on geographic information. These methods can be key in enabling new export routes as part of a stable grain supply chain, supporting logistics behind constructing pipelines for transportation of vegetable oils. As the food safety of the world depends on new export routes, ensuring their efficiency and security will always remain relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science Technology & Engineering is the property of Chinese Society of Technology Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Surra Man Raa is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the relevance of the issue of implementing a sustainable development strategy, which is becoming a key task for modern society and business, and there is a general awareness of the importance of sustainable development for ensuring the well-being of society and preserving natural resources for future generations. In this context, corporations play an important role, as their activities have a significant impact on the social and environmental environment. In order to achieve this goal, it is important to build an effective corporate governance system that would help achieve a balance between economic, social and environmental interests. The authors substantiate that corporate governance assessment is a key tool in implementing a sustainable development strategy. The authors propose a process for analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of a corporation's management mechanism in order to ensure the achievement of strategic goals, including those related to sustainable development. In order to measure the compliance of corporate governance with the principles of sustainable development, the author develops directions and criteria for such an assessment. These may include economic, social and environmental indicators that reflect the corporation's balanced approach to its activities. The study emphasizes that the implementation of sustainable management allows corporations to achieve positive results in the economic, social and environmental spheres. This provides them with a competitive advantage, increases the trust of consumers and other stakeholders, and promotes sustainable growth. The corporate governance outline was developed in terms of ensuring the goals and principles of sustainable development. Assessing corporate governance in the context of implementing a sustainable development strategy is an important tool for achieving a balance between economic, social and environmental goals. Implementation of sustainable management helps corporations to become more responsible players in the market, ensuring a positive impact on society and the environment. Therefore, the relevance of corporate assessment in the context of compliance with the goals and principles of sustainable development is an integral part of a strategic approach to business that takes into account the interests and needs of current and future generations, as well as the global challenges facing the modern world. Further research is needed on the issues related to the development of assessment indicators that would be universal and at the same time could be adapted to the conditions of a particular assessment object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Modern studies aimed at searching the ways to improve the effectiveness of future social sphere specialists professional training, suggests the need to take into account various factors in assessing the effectiveness of educational technologies and methods. Instead, theorists and methodologists of education often ignore the issues of evaluating the effectiveness of educational technologies created and proposed for use, without taking into account the methodological level and personal positions of practitioners who will apply them. Accordingly, our research is a search for ways to solve the problem of providing the practice of future social sphere specialists professional training with scientifically sound and empirically tested modern educational technologies. The aim of the article is the description of evaluation the latest educational technologies of future social sphere specialists bilingual training on the basis of existing methods of evaluating effectiveness with the maximum exclusion of the human factor. The article presents the method of evaluation of the latest educational technologies on the example of social sphere specialists' bilingual professional training. The technique of evaluating the effectiveness of the technology of future social sphere specialists' professional training on a bilingual basis according to the following parameters is presented: level of students' knowledge of professional subjects (cognitive-operational component); level of students' language competence (professional-communicative component); level of students' motivation to study (motivational component); level of students' reflection (reflexive component); intensity of tasks completing during the bilingual cases solving; activity during the cases completing within the bilingual learning; and ethics of leading the discussion during the completion the bilingual cases. The criteria for evaluating each parameter are described. The algorithm of step-by-step application of the Delphi method and the analytic hierarchy process for expert evaluation of the effectiveness of the latest educational technologies by theorists (teachers) and practitioners (employers) is described. Decision-making on the level of technology efficiency is based on the analysis of a significant number of formalized and non-formalized factors, the impact of which is not described by analytical dependencies. It allows us to empirically determine and mathematically confirm the effectiveness of the technology impact on the results of future professionals training. We have substantiated the possibility of evaluating the future social sphere specialists' bilingual professional training using the Delphi method. It was clarified the advantages of the specified method that allows to come to a conclusion about efficiency of future social sphere specialists' bilingual professional training, taking into account the conclusions of the main experts: teachers and employers (AHP technique). The structured assessment of the level of bilingual competence of future social sphere specialists is presented in the unity of cognitive-operational, professional-communicative, motivational and reflexive components. Evaluation is implemented on the basis of studying the level of students' knowledge of professional subjects (α1), their communicative competence (α2), the motivation to bilingual education (α3), the level of students' reflection (α4), the intensity of tasks completing (α5), personal activity during completing bilingual tasks (α6) and ethical principles of dialogical teaching methods (α7). An integrated assessment and selection of the most appropriate option for assessing the bilingual training of future social sphere specialists was determined. It is established that the most adequate option for assessing the level of students' professional training within the bilingual education is satisfactory. Among the prospects for further studies of bilingual training, we see the development and applying innovative teaching methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corruption represents the misuse of public power by government departments for personal gain, hindering a country's economic growth. Corruption cannot be eliminated by implementing the national democratic system, and mature democratic countries also exist with varying degrees of corruption. Corruption affects people's trust in the public sector and the country's economic development. Open government data can help people understand the governance performance of the government to reduce corruption in the public sector. Citizens can use open government data to generate innovative applications and economic value. This study uses a two-stage data envelopment analysis method to assess the anti-corruption efficiency of 21 countries from 2013 to 2017 through open government data, the corruption perception index, and GDP data. Then, the efficiency analyzed is introduced into the BCG (Boston Consulting Group) matrix to observe the distribution of these 21 countries. Analyzing the results showed that Uruguay and Costa Rica in Central and South America are the two most influential countries in fighting corruption. Turkey is at the bottom in the evaluation of anti-corruption efficiency. In addition, discussions of the included countries for their possible improvement in anti-corruption are also provided by using the association rule's analysis. The study results will provide a reference for governments to effectively carry out anti-corruption work in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Problems of Economy is the property of Research Centre for Industrial Developmen Problems of Nas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Among different engineering projects, there are ones intended to improve the energy‐saving properties of buildings. Both new and much older buildings undergoing refurbishment can be involved. Broadly understood energy‐saving projects increasingly often entail renewable energy installations. Every implementation of such an investment project needs to be preceded by an assessment of its economic efficiency. Although the literature provides examples of methods which can serve this purpose, a coherent methodological approach seems lacking. In this article, the author proposes methodology based on several simple and compound methods combined into a schematic assessment procedure. The methodology is presented as applied in a case of typical photovoltaic roof installation to generate electricity for a single‐family house. The assessment procedure consists of a few steps leading from a preliminary to a more detailed appraisal. The first stage is an analysis of the projected cash flows, which in this case demonstrated that the payback would appear after 9 years. Next, a more precise evaluation showed that the payback period in this investment could be expected after 7.8 years. The following stages of calculations take into account the time value of money, having included a discount rate (discount rate 5%, the planned investment would be profitable). The next step, where the aim was to compute the internal rate of return, showed at what threshold value of the discount rate the investment would continue to yield profit (The IRR = 11.43%). It is extremely valuable information as it reveals the safety margin for the investment. The methodology discussed in this paper, which consists of a complex approach to an assessment of investments, especially in renewable energy sources, can yield much better outcomes than evaluations based on single methods, applied separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of TEME: Casopis za Društvene Nauke is the property of TEME: Casopis za Drustvene Nauke and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To evaluate the ultimate capacity of the ground reinforced embankments, most of the research have been focused on high levels of impact energy. However, many existing embankments have been impacted by several blocks without collapsing. The residual characteristics and efficiency of post-impact embankments under low-energy impact are researched in this paper. Model tests of two types of embankments are compared to investigate the deformation performance and damage evolution of embankments. A simplified analytical approach, based on the test results and the energy method, is proposed to assess the residual efficiency of the post-impact embankments. Furthermore, the adverse impact conditions are analyzed by numerical simulation. The results show that the damage evolution of the embankments goes through three phases, uphill face compression, downhill face displacement, and collapse. Compared with experimental data, the stability calculation method is proved to be feasible. It is also found that the impact location and inclination of the blocks affect the deformation and stability of the embankments significantly. These points should be beneficial to the design of ground reinforced embankments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Financial Space is the property of Cherkasy Institute of Banking, University of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Chinese listed companies play a vital role in national economy, which has contributed more than half of the gross domestic product. But the environmental pollution existed in the production and operation of companies has been ignored, so an objective and comprehensive efficiency assessment of Chinese listed companies were urgent. This paper constructed an index system based on green perspective, employed a super-efficiency slacks-based measure DEA (SBM-DEA) model considering undesirable outputs to assess the sustainability efficiency of Chinese listed companies. The results indicated that (1) the green sustainability efficiency of listed companies needed to be greatly improved. The average efficiency score of samples was 0.461 over 3 years, so the improvement potential was about 53.9%, only 23 companies were relatively effective. (2) The sustainability efficiency of companies has shown a slow upward trend in volatility since 2017, the non-daily consumer goods sector was the most efficient, while utilities were relatively inefficient. (3) When efficient and inefficient companies were compared, the latter were found to have significant input surplus, especially in water consumption. (4) The analysis of sensitivity on inputs and outputs showed that attention should be paid to water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. (5) Spearman non-parametric test verified that company size and debt-paying ability were the implicit factors affecting company sustainability efficiency. The results of performance evaluation can not only provide a potential reference for the operation and management of listed companies in China, but also have guiding significance for local governments to strengthen the supervision of companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of renewable energy enterprises has produced important benefits for contemporary efforts to address serious environmental pollution and depletion of fossil energy resources. However, the environmental pollution that exists in the production and operation of enterprises has been ignored, and so an objective evaluation of this issue is becoming urgent. This paper established an evaluation index system for green technology innovation efficiency and used dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) considering undesirable output to measure the green technology innovation efficiency of renewable energy enterprises, and the improvement potential of ineffective enterprises was put forward. The results show that: (1) the green technology innovation of renewable energy enterprises needs to be greatly improved. The average efficiency score of sample was 0.385 over four years, and only 16 enterprises were found to operate effectively; (2) when effective and inefficient DMUs were compared, the latter were found to have significant output shortfalls, especially in environmental tax, and were found to show an improvement potential of 55.71 percent; (3) the efficiency analysis of different types of renewable energy enterprises found that the green technology innovation efficiency score of nuclear energy enterprises was the highest, and rapidly rose; (4) the green technology innovation efficiency of renewable energy enterprises in the western region greatly exceeded the efficiency of the eastern and central regions. The efficiency evaluation results could not only provide a guidance for central and local governances to optimize the structure of renewable energy sector, but also potentially provide a reference for the operation and management of renewable energy enterprises in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of a comprehensive assessment of the efficiency of the operation of a district heating system based on the indicator of the overall efficiency of the equipment OEE (overall equipment efficiency) and its extension to the system as a whole is considered. The disunity of the direction of existing approaches in assessing the efficiency of operation of district heating systems does not allow a comprehensive assessment of the overall efficiency of the functioning of the technological sequence of the entire system. It is proposed to consider efficiency as the probability of full functioning of all elements of the heat supply system. It is shown that the heat output of the boiler house is proportional to the power consumption of the boiler house and is approximated by a periodic function. It is shown that the main element of the heat supply system, which determines its efficiency, is the heat-generating source. As a result of the study, it is determined that the efficiency of the heat-generating source functioning increases as the maximum value of its efficiency is reached. Numerical modeling has shown that the flexible use of the installed heat generator capacity contributes to an increase in the efficiency factor from 0.53 to 0.70 and the overall efficiency of the heat supply system can be increased by more than 30 %. When designing a boiler house, it was recommended to provide for the installation of capacities with gradation 1; 0.5; 0.25. It is shown that the OEE indicator allows one to characterize the efficiency of both the heat supply system as a whole and its individual components, and can be used in the design and analysis of the operation of systems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overcoming the shortage of investment resources for the development of the agro-industrial complex of Russia makes it necessary to mobilize both internal and external sources of investment. Attracting foreign direct investment in the agro-industrial complex, creating favorable conditions is one of the most difficult tasks. The purpose of the study is to assess the available mechanisms to stimulate the attraction of foreign investment and determine their contribution to the innovative development of the agricultural sector and increasing the possibilities of food exports; identification of the relationship between the scale of foreign direct investment and the investment attractiveness of Russian regions. Studied foreign and domestic theoretical and methodological approaches to assessing the conditions, opportunities and limitations of foreign direct investment, macroeconomic and globalization effects from their use. The necessity of increasing the inflow of foreign investment in agriculture in order to activate the process of innovative structural transformation of the Russian economy has been substantiated. Investigated the provision of foreign investments in agriculture. An empirical assessment of the scale of foreign investment in agriculture has been carried out, measures are proposed to stimulate the attraction of foreign investment in agriculture. The practical significance of the results of this study lies in the development of measures to improve investment policy in relation to foreign direct investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of accounting information under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) plays an important role in the determination of earnings timeliness information and investor's decision making. This study assessed the compulsory acceptance of IFRS adoption. The study also measures the efficiency of Pakistani banking sector. We employed data envelopment analysis, SVAR and regression methods to measure Pakistani banks efficiency. The results show that the mandatory adoption of IFRS has increased earnings timeliness of information in all banks. The assessment of cumulative effect on banks by incorporating single weighted index value (ET index) reveals that IFRS increased timely profit and loss realization of banks. Comparatively the bank‐wise estimation of earning timeliness indices shows that IFRS does not shows a significant impact on earnings timeliness of commercial and specialized banks. Finally, the evaluation of IFRS policy shocks shows that earnings timeliness and stock returns are positively responding to change in reporting policy. Furthermore, we anticipate policy change to overcome the gap between asymmetrical earnings exposure and value relevancy of investors decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Central Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The acoustic camera is a non-intrusive method increasingly used to monitor fish populations. Acoustic camera data are video-like, providing information on fish behaviour and morphology helpful to discriminate fish species. However, acoustic cameras used in long-term monitoring studies generate a large amount of data, making one of the technical limitations the time spent analysing data, especially for multi-species fish communities. The specific analysis software provided for DIDSON acoustic cameras is problematic to use for large datasets. Sonar5-Pro, a popular software in freshwater studies offers several advantages due to its automatic tracking tool that follows targets moving into the detection beam and distinguishes fish from other targets. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of Sonar5-Pro for detecting and describing fish passages in a high fish diversity river in low flow conditions. The tool's accuracy was assessed by comparing Sonar5-Pro outputs with a complete manual analysis using morphological and behavioural descriptors. Ninety-eight percent of the fish moving into the detection beam were successfully detected by the software. The fish swimming direction estimation was 90% efficient. Sonar5-Pro and its automatic tracking tool have great potential as a database pre-filtering process and decrease the overall time spent on data analysis but some limits were also identified. Multi-counting issues almost doubled the true fish abundance, requiring manual operator validation. Furthermore, fish length of each tracked fish needed to be manually measured with another software (SMC). In conclusion, a combination of Sonar5-Pro and SMC software can provide reliable results with a significant reduction of manpower needed for the analysis of a long-term monitoring DIDSON dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bagh-e Nazar is the property of Nazar Research Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

End resource depletion causes a range of consequences, such as threats to food security, increasing poverty, and social unrest. Therefore, reasonable and effective land use has become a crucial issue of the nation and localities nationwide. Research results in Tan Binh commune, Dak Doa district, Gia Lai Province in Vietnam showed that long-term industrial and agricultural land occupies most of the commune's agroforestry land. The study also had shown that there are six common land use types (LUTs) in the commune. In particular, the LUT of pepper cultivation had the highest economic benefit, whereas the LUT of coffee brought the highest social benefit. However, the LUT of chayote was the highest in overall benefits with Ect of 0.93; thus, this LUT should be widely applied throughout Tan Binh commune. The research results were a crucial scientific basis for proposing a group of suitable plants to local natural conditions to bring effective and sustainable efficiency in land-use types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bundle conductors of ultra-high voltage (UHV below) overhead transmission lines are often exposed to various wind-excited vibrations, which severely threaten the safety of overhead transmission lines and cause enormous losses of economy. Based on the flow destructing principle, a new wind spoiler anti-galloping device for UHV overhead transmission lines was studied in this paper. To perform such analysis, the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE below) methods and vertical galloping mechanism were adopted for the simulation of wind spoiler. Then wind tunnel tests were presented to verify the effect of the wind spoiler chosen. Finally the layout plan of this new wind spoiler anti-galloping device was detailed and the efficiency assessment was carried out. From field tests and simulation calculations, the maximum amplitude of the conductors with wind spoiler anti-galloping devices decreased by about 30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the theoretical and practical principles of funding sources expanding for the state programs of social orientation - human development. The directions of the state social programs financial maintenance efficiency increasing are outlined. Lack of methods for evaluating the effectiveness of their implementation and limited budget are identified among the most problematic issues. The author's approach for the state social programs funding effectiveness assessment improving based on compliance. It was found that the need to address social priorities leads to more active involvement of responsible business on a partnership basis to finance state human development programs. The directions of improvement of financial maintenance in higher education state programs realization are defined. Attention is paid to the possibilities of the social sphere funds engaging through such innovative financing technologies, optimal combination of budget support and use of all instruments of charity, international funds, grant funding of the most effective social projects. Emphasis is placed on the need to create appropriate conditions for partnership institution strengthening and forming on this basis an effective financial sources integration system for the implementation of state social programs in general and higher education programs in particular, as an integral component of improving quality of life and of innovation base. It is emphasized that close cooperation between the state, socially responsible business, households, along with properly organized financial control (state and public) and transparency, accessibility of generalized reporting will support state social programs effectiveness increasing as an important basis for human development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the assesment of municipal courts efficiency in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H). The aim of the study is to determine difference in efficiency between municipal courts, to identify ineficient courts, and to give recommendations for improvement of the efficiency of ineficient courts. Efficiency analysis was conducted on the data obtained through primary collection directly from 31 FB&H municipal courts, for time period 2014-2016. The method used for assesment of courts efficiency is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The paper gives a brief theoretical overview of the DEA method, a review of the DEA literature related to the efficiency assessment of the courts in the world, and the comparison of the methodologies used in the reviewed studies with the methodology used in this study. The results of the DEA analysis were used to identify the most efficient, as well as ineficient courts, and to identify potentials for improvement of courts efficiency. Suggestions for improvement of the data collection system related to the work of the courts are given in this paper in order to increase the relevance of the analysis. Comparison of the courts efficiency and ranking of the courts are performed according to the courts efficiency in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and an aggregate for three-year period 2014-2016. Based on the estimated efficiency, a projection of increased number of resolved cases has been estimated, provided that all courts are efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many systems can operate in different modes of functioning. Conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA) would ignore that fact and consider instead that the system is a black box, paying attention just to the overall input consumption and output production. In this paper a more fine-grained approach is proposed consisting of explicitly modelling the different modes of functioning as specific processes and using the observed data on the input consumption and output production in each of the modes of functioning to infer the corresponding mode-specific technology. The system technology results from composing these mode-specific technologies according to the corresponding time allocations. The proposed approach allows computing efficient operating points for every mode of functioning, looking for improvements in the overall system performance. Two efficiency assessment DEA models are presented depending on whether the observed time allocation is maintained or the model is free to modify it. An application of the proposed approach to assessing the efficiency of NFL teams, operating in defence and offence modes in a given game, is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]