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This monograph puts a focus on the fundamental role of timber, in the European industrialization process. This ties into analyzing the early stages of globalization, which often solely revolves around the flow of capital. While this is also discussed in this book, the author paints a more complex picture of international trade, and particularly the relationships between the countries producing commodities and the consumer countries. Throughout the chapters, readers will get an understanding of the organization behind the timber value chain from the forests of Central Eastern Europe, the main Scandinavian countries, and Russia, to the main consumer markets in Western Europe. The examined time frame is between the end of the 17th century and World War 2. During that time, a fascinating nexus of economic, technological, and financial structures evolved, that tied the forests'areas to the consumption centres – with the help of Baltic merchants. It is a fascinating story that ties together historical information for readers interested in economic history and traditional use of forest products.

This book contains the revised and extended versions of selected papers from the 15th International Conference on Agents and Artificial Intelligence, ICAART 2023, held in Lisbon, Portugal, during February 22–24, 2023. The 23 full papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 306 submissions. The conference was organized in 2 tracks as follows: One track focuses on Agents, Multi-Agent Systems and Software Platforms, Distributed Problem Solving and Distributed AI in general. The other track focuses mainly on Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge Representation, Planning, Learning, Scheduling, Perception Reactive AI Systems, and Evolutionary Computing and other topics related to Intelligent Systems and Computational Intelligence.

The book is a unique collection of studies involving intelligent systems and applications of artificial intelligence in the real world to provide solutions to most vexing problems. IntelliSys received an overwhelming 605 papers which were put under strict double-blind peer-review for their novelty, originality and exhaustive research. Finally, 227 papers were sieved and chosen to be published in the proceedings.This book is a valuable collection of all the latest research in the field of artificial intelligence and smart systems. It provides a ready-made resource to all the readers keen on gaining information regarding the latest trends in intelligent systems. It also renders a sneak peek into the future world governed by artificial intelligence.

The book highlights several aspects with'Chinese characteristics'that set the country's financial system apart. One key element is the significant influence of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on the financial markets. The Party plays a crucial role in shaping and driving policies within the financial sector, reflecting a distinct interplay between politics and finance. Additionally, the book emphasizes the involvement of various authorities within the government, the court system, and the intricate relationship between the courts and the governments in influencing the dynamics of the financial markets. These factors collectively contribute to a distinctive environment that cannot be fully understood through conventional theoretical frameworks. The major analytical points of the book revolve around the intricate triangular relationships among China's politics, financial market rules, and the financial markets themselves. The authors argue that relying solely on any existing school of thoughts is insufficient for comprehending the complexities of China's financial landscape. Instead, the book explores the multifaceted connections between politics, courts, and the financial markets. It delves into how political forces drive the formulation, development, and enforcement of financial market rules, including the roles played by various government bodies and the legal system. Unlike a focus on regulations and rules merely'on paper,'the book takes a grounded approach by investigating China's financial markets rules in practical terms. By doing so, it seeks to discover the underlying logic behind the unique features of China's financial system, providing a nuanced understanding of the interactions between political forces, legal frameworks, and the financial markets in the Chinese context.

This book presents the best papers from the 5th International Conference on Mathematical Research for Blockchain Economy (MARBLE) 2024, held in Malaga, Spain. While most blockchain conferences and forums are dedicated to business applications, product development, or Initial Coin Offering (ICO) launches, this conference focused on the mathematics behind blockchain to bridge the gap between practice and theory. Blockchain technology has been considered as the most fundamental and revolutionizing invention since the Internet. Every year, thousands of blockchain projects are launched and circulated in the market, and there is a tremendous wealth of blockchain applications, from finance to healthcare, education, media, logistics, and more. However, due to theoretical and technical barriers, most of these applications are impractical for use in a real-world business context. The papers in this book reveal the challenges and limitations, such as scalability, latency, privacy, and security and showcase solutions and developments to overcome them.

This monograph is designed to provide a comprehensive and accessible reference to Net Zero efforts globally. Firstly, the book explains the basics of Net Zero, Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG), and the global climate change struggle. A chapter on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), as standardisation and screening of sustainability follows. Next comes a chapter on carbon pricing and carbon tax. After these background chapters, the book continues with eight chapters that cover Net Zero across a variety of economic sectors: energy supply, business sector, transport, residential, industrial processes, waste management, public (and government), and agriculture, forestry and land use. These economic sectors are adopted from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and UK National Statistics. Each chapter includes basic background information, technical or scientific, and a policy section. The sector-based chapters also include sectoral emissions analysis, review, and then a horizon scanning for innovative companies and their business models. This will enable non-experts from the business sector to read and understand the dynamics and trends in other sectors. Similarly, students and fresh graduates will easily follow the chapter (or the industry) that interests them and comprehend the basics and contemporary business trends. By joining research work with the business models of 400 noteworthy and innovative companies, this book constructs a vital bridge between academia, practical reality, policy, and business implementation, with a keen focus on environmental value.

This book gathers selected high-quality research papers presented at the Ninth International Congress on Information and Communication Technology, held in London, on February 19–22, 2024. It discusses emerging topics pertaining to information and communication technology (ICT) for managerial applications, e-governance, e-agriculture, e-education and computing technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), and e-mining. Written by respected experts and researchers working on ICT, the book offers an asset for young researchers involved in advanced studies. The work is presented in ten volumes.

This book contains papers presented at the 3rd International Conference on Cognitive- based Information Processing and Applications (CIPA) in Changzhou, China, from November 2–3, 2023. The papers represent the various technological advancements in theory, technology and application of artificial intelligence, including precision mining, intelligent computing, deep learning, and all other theories, models, and technologies related to artificial intelligence. It caters to postgraduate students, researchers, and practitioners specializing and working in the area of cognitive-inspired computing and intelligent computing. The book represents Volume 3 for this conference proceedings, which consists of a 3-volume book series.

This book aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between technology and business and its implications for future growth and innovation. In today's rapidly changing world, technology plays a crucial role in shaping the business landscape. Advancements in artificial intelligence, blockchain, data analytics, and automation have revolutionized how organizations operate, compete, and achieve success. Understanding the profound impact of technology on business is vital for entrepreneurs, managers, policymakers, and academics alike. This book aims to explore the connection between technology and business, highlighting its importance in driving transformative changes across various industries. We welcome scholars, researchers, and practitioners to share their expertise and insights in this exciting endeavor.This book captures the essence of exploring the dynamic relationship between technology and business, emphasizing the potential for innovation and growth. It conveys the idea of embracing the transformative power of technology within the business realm and the opportunities it presents for unleashing new ideas and strategies.By delving into various aspects such as emerging technologies, business strategies, innovation, and ethical considerations, it aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the symbiotic relationship between technology and business. It offers insights into the integration of technology into decision-making processes, the transformative impact on different industries, and strategies for leveraging technology to drive organizational growth and sustainability.Furthermore, the book highlights real-world case studies, explores emerging trends, and discusses the ethical and social implications of technology adoption in the business context. It serves as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs, managers, policymakers, academics, and anyone interested in understanding and harnessing the potential of technology for business success. This book aims to be a valuable resource for individuals interested in the transformative power of technology in the business realm. By compiling a collection of insightful chapters, it offers readers a diverse range of perspectives, frameworks, and case studies that shed light on the complexities and opportunities associated with technology-driven business environments.

This book provides a standpoint on how to effectively use technology innovation for business intelligence and analytics. It presents an approach that combines cutting-edge technological advancements with practical applications in the business world. The book covers a range of innovative technologies and how they can be applied to enhance business intelligence and analytics. It is primarily aimed at professionals in the business field data analysts and students studying subjects. This book is especially beneficial for those who want to grasp and apply the technological trends in making strategic business decisions. Its comprehensive coverage makes it an indispensable resource for anyone, in the intersection of technology and business analytics.

This volume examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labor market and the business environment in the European Union (EU), with a specific focus on Romania, the least developed country in the EU. The book emphasizes the need to rethink recovery models and suggests a new normal based on the pillars of economic, climatic, and social resilience. Is proposed the redefinition the policies'mix that will allow fundamental changes in development, focused also on social and societal profit, the redefinition of productivity and environmental performance of businesses, and the rebalancing of work and leisure life. The COVID-19 crisis not only accelerated the digital transformation of society but also reconfigured the coordinates of economic development by prioritizing sustainable development for all, based on green jobs as a starting point for business innovation and decent jobs for active social protection. Following this approach, the contributions discuss selected issues with importance to the development of society in the post-pandemic world. The book is of interest to students, scholars and researchers in economics, business, management and political science, as well as to policy makers and practitioners, for a better understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labor market and the business environment in European Union.

This book gathers new empirical findings fostering advances in the areas of digital and communication design, web, multimedia and motion design, graphic design, branding, and related ones. It includes original contributions by authoritative authors based on the best papers presented at the 7th International Conference on Digital Design and Communication, Digicom 2023, together with some invited chapters written by leading international researchers. They report on innovative design strategies supporting communication in a global, digital world, and addressing, at the same time, key individual and societal needs. This book is intended to offer a timely snapshot of technologies, trends and challenges in the area of design, communication and branding, and a bridge connecting researchers and professionals of different disciplines, such as graphic design, digital communication, corporate, UI Design and UX design.

One feature of this book is the clarification of the development mechanism of Asia as a regional economy for over half a century, based on an'Asian Economy Within the Global Economy'approach that goes beyond the single-country analytical framework. The development of emerging economies has caught the world's attention: from the Newly Industrializing Countries or Newly Industrializing Economies of the 1980s to the BRICs entering this century. General economics cannot clarify the internal mechanism of the changing of newly industrialized economies led by Asia. This book clarifies such regional development structure by focusing on the direct investments of multinational firms and the importance of gradual changes of specific policies adopted by newly industrialized economies. Moreover, the book concretely deals with the US–China trade war and China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a problem of Asian economies. In so doing, the book not only perceives the structural change of the global economy as a structural change from a US-centric global economy of the twentieth century to a China-centric one, but also focuses on the birthing of a new growth frontier in the world economy, under a crisis brought about by a war for hegemony between the US and China. The investment initiative through China's BRI has prompted the investment competition between Japan and the US, which has made even stronger the possibility of giving birth to a new economic frontier in Afro-Eurasia. Another feature is the consideration of various issues that confront Asian countries in their search for economic development, using the Philippines as a case study. The analysis of the study points to the importance of a “shared growth” perspective, which is based on an Asian development model, and discusses the challenge of overcoming the issues of the economic development model within the region. At the same time, this book studies the significance and new issues, as a region, of the economy and overseas policies of attention-drawer China.

This book presents high-quality research in the field of 3D imaging technology. The fifth edition of International Conference on 3D Imaging Technology (3DDIT-MSP&DL) continues the good traditions already established by the first four editions of the conference to provide a wide scientific forum for researchers, academia, and practitioners to exchange newest ideas and recent achievements in all aspects of image processing and analysis, together with their contemporary applications. The conference proceedings are published in two volumes. The main topics of the papers comprise famous trends such as: 3D image representation, 3D image technology, 3D images and graphics, and computing and 3D information technology. In these proceedings, special attention is paid at the 3D tensor image representation, the 3D content generation technologies, big data analysis, and also deep learning, artificial intelligence, the 3D image analysis and video understanding, the 3D virtual and augmented reality, and many related areas. The first volume contains papers in 3D image processing, transforms, and technologies. The second volume is about computing and information technologies, computer images, and graphics and related applications. The two volumes of the book cover a wide area of the aspects of the contemporary multidimensional imaging and the related future trends from data acquisition to real-world applications based on various techniques and theoretical approaches.

This textbook provides an introduction to the socioeconomics of food. Aimed mostly at students of economics and related social sciences, it explains how food markets function and what social and cultural factors influence the processes of food production and consumption. It also discusses the role of food producers, intermediaries, and consumers and examines the dynamics of prices, trade, and externalities.The book also highlights cultural and demographic processes and moral behaviors that shape production and consumption practices. Furthermore, it discusses issues of food quality, ethics, and politics. Readers are also introduced to food databases and methods of data processing.

With Operations Research and System Dynamics as research tools, this book discusses the theme of emergency supplies in Major Public Health Emergency (MPHE) scenarios. The subject includes a series of new issues: critical criteria matching supply with demand for emergency supplies in MPHE, emergency medical materials reserve mode, dynamic optimization of emergency logistics, dynamic optimization of allocating multi-period and multi-category emergency supplies, etc. This book is suitable for university teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, and researchers in fields of logistics and supply chain management as well as emergency management. The most important features of this book include: Firstly, to achieve fairness and accuracy of material distribution during the epidemic, this book constructs a material shortage adjustment function. Secondly, from the comprehensive perspective of cross-regional coordination, multi-organization coordination and multiperiod coordination, the operation optimization models of emergency material supply in major epidemic situation are constructed. Additionally, the comparative analysis and empirical research of the practices in China and Germany also reflects the novelty and benefit of the book.

This book examines the balancing problems in the governance of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is transforming the world at an unprecedented pace, which is revolutionary and presents significant challenges. Nevertheless, AI's complex balance dilemma necessitates careful governance as it transforms businesses, economies, and society. Fundamental issues discussed in this book include the complexities of AI's dual nature, the challenges of aligning memorizing with thinking, and the trade-offs between opportunity seeking and risk aversion. This book explores the complex interplay between AI security and transparency, the technical decision between CPUs and GPUs, and the expanding potential of quantum computing. Nevertheless, the challenge of maintaining balance is not resolved by technological advancements. It encompasses the global arena, where the forces of globalization and localization must be reconciled, and the governance sphere, where self-regulation must coexist with government control. Comprising cutting-edge research, real-world examples, and futuristic perspectives, this book guides researchers, practitioners, politicians, entrepreneurs, and leaders in navigating AI's future. The reader will learn how to capitalize on the potential of AI while avoiding its weaknesses, ensuring that this disruptive technology benefits society.

Sustainable agricultural systems are crucial for ensuring food security, conserving natural resources and mitigating climate change. Innovations in this field play a crucial role in improving agricultural practices to make them more environmentally friendly, economically viable and socially responsible. By implementing the innovative approaches and technologies, sustainable agricultural systems can help address the challenges facing agriculture in the 21st century and build a more resilient and sustainable food system for the future. This multidisciplinary book focuses on the best practices in a range of areas, such as: I. Intelligent agricultural techniques, tools and systems; II. Sustainability in veterinary practice; III. Economic, ecological and social systems for human development; IV. Sustainable development of agricultural production. This book is a truly interdisciplinary publication, useful to scholars, social movements, practitioners and members of governmental agencies and private companies.

This book presents a detailed analysis of sustainable utilization of natural gas for low-carbon energy production. Its content is divided into three parts with the intention to address natural gas supply chain, technological advances in natural gas utilization, and role of natural gas in transition to a low-carbon economy. In particular, it describes the various technological pathways for the conversion of natural gas to valuable products such as hydrogen, syngas and other alternative fuel, which can be used as chemical intermediates or for co-generation of electricity and heat. This book is targeted at wide audience in the academia and industries who want a comprehensive knowledge of how natural gas can be sustainable utilized for low-carbon energy production.

This book emphasizes the concepts of strategic innovation and entrepreneurship, which are quite prevalent in today's organizations. Going beyond traditional approach that follows strategic analysis, choice and implementation framework, and traditional theories based on industrial organization paradigm and resource-based view, the book considers current business environment, which is volatile, uncertain, complex, chaotic, conflicting, and ambiguous (VUCA). It takes the strategic flexibility view to cope with these strategic challenges. The book introduces the subject matter of strategic management in retrospect and prospect, highlighting critical theories of strategic management. It uses a strategic learning framework rather than a purely analytical approach to dynamically learn about the external situation, internal resources, and capabilities. The evolution of strategy is given in terms of generic strategies in practice and adaptation in specific contexts. It further deals with essential topics such as strategic alliances and networks, mergers and acquisitions, and global strategy. It then provides the execution framework and models covering restructuring, leadership, corporate governance, and change management. The strategy in specific areas such as strategic technology management, e-business and knowledge management, and functional strategies and policies are discussed to understand the implementation depth. Finally, it touches upon contemporary issues such as sustainable enterprise, stakeholder perspectives, and comparative strategies in various contexts. It then outlines future directions of strategic management. In the end, case analysis guidelines are provided with sample cases from different parts of the world. The book also used interpretive and simulation methods such as system dynamics and total interpretive structural modeling to grasp the relationships and their dynamic impact provided throughout the book. It will be an invaluable resource for researchers of business strategy as well as students studying these courses; it will also be useful for industry practitioners, corporates and business policy makers.

This book presents volume 2 of selected research papers presented at the fourth International Conference on Digital Technologies and Applications (ICDTA'24). Highlighting the latest innovations in digital technologies as: artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, embedded systems, chatbot, network technology, digital transformation and their applications in several areas as Industry 4.0, sustainability, energy transition, and healthcare, the book encourages and inspires researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers to put these methods into practice.

In an era defined by technological breakthroughs such as AI, blockchain, and IoT, this book offers a fresh and practical approach to Business Model Innovation (BMI). It delves into how technological advancements drive new business models and enhance operational efficiency, providing actionable insights and real-world examples for business leaders, strategists, operations managers, entrepreneurs, and students in business and technology disciplines. Encouraging diverse research methods, including theoretical, empirical, and multimethod studies, it welcomes manuscripts with clear managerial or policy implications. Aimed at students, scholars, researchers, professionals, executives, government agencies, and policymakers, this book equips readers with tools to succeed in today's dynamic business environment and supports multidisciplinary research to advance innovation management practices.

The book draws from regulation theory to explain urban planning policies and outcomes in Southeast Asia as a function of governance structures and processes. A considerable portion of the book is spent re-tracing the historical roots of planning dispositives, including the totality of institutional entities, which together constitute an apparatus of government in South-East Asian polities. Therefore, of essence in the book are the institutional structures and administrative principles, that were introduced by colonial authorities and inherited by their post-colonial successors in South-East Asia. The book seeks to demonstrate the role of the policies and commensurate implementation institutional frameworks in accounting for important dynamics in the contemporary urban domain in the region. In analyzing the institutional framework for urban planning and governance, the book is doing due diligence to a hitherto neglected subject, namely governmentality, in the discourse on the political economy of urban management in Southeast Asia. Thus, the book is intended to acknowledge the importance of institutions in determining the success of urban development policies. The notion of institutions or governmentality as will be used in the book includes, de facto governance structures, government and parastatal agencies and the formal rules and regulations they are charged with implementing. The book is based on the premise that knowledge of institutions and their functions is critical in explaining phenomena in economic geography. This is particularly true in Southeast Asian countries because of the dominant and overarching role of the state or government agencies in the economy.

The book aims to describe how a certain type of organisation may come into existence and may even become prevalent in society - what we call a negative organisation. This type of organization is one where the status quo prevails over what is best for the company, in strategic terms. Namely, certain employees who are actually very good may be forced to leave so as to not disturb the status quo and existing loyalties and ties which are actually prejudicial to the company, in the medium to long run. Change is very necessary and strategies need to change to accompany technological breakthroughs and other market developments. Wanting to maintain the same course so as not to “disrupt the waters” is often a bad strategy and the firm will suffer. Innovation must prevail over the maintenance of the status quo or, in other words, must prevail over the maintenance of the existing state of things and hierarchy. Our book discusses the topic as well as providing solutions for the situation of a firm becoming negative. Various levels of leadership in the organisation may contribute to a negative organisation and this too is discussed. We hope to have contributed in whatever small way to a more joyous, satisfactory and, above all, more productive and innovative workplace.

This book presents fundamental principles and recent advancements in managing waste in an environmentally sustainable manner. It explores a wide array of methods and technologies designed to transform waste, thereby reducing health impacts across various stages such as waste minimization, transportation, handling, storage, and disposal of solid wastes. Moreover, the book delves into waste-contaminated site assessment methods, environmental issues and impacts, as well as the latest regulatory and policy statutes. The inclusion of case studies allows for the assessment of diverse waste management challenges, showcasing how environmental engineering methods can be applied to process industrial waste sustainably. For instance, certain sections of the book delve into the intricate microbial communities and their metabolic pathways, illustrating their role in the remediation and management of municipal waste at landfill sites. This book caters to a broad audience, including teachers, researchers, practitioners, environmental engineers, chemical engineers, soil scientists, policymakers, and students specializing in environmental engineering, chemical engineering, environmental biotechnology, and environmental science.

This book offers an in-depth analysis of and multidisciplinary insights into the latest trends in biodiversity laws, policies and science in Europe, the United States, and China. The loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems continues at an alarming rate, harming people, the economy, and the climate. As biodiversity cannot be meaningfully addressed by any single field, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to attain a better understanding of its complexity and to identify prevention and protection systems. Each chapter addresses a specific aspect of biodiversity. Taken together, they provide an innovative exploration of the various facets of biodiversity from the perspectives of law, the social sciences and natural sciences. As such, the book offers an essential theoretical and practical guide for academics, experts, policymakers, and students alike.

This book provides a precise portrayal of the current trends and future perspectives of e-Government. It outlines new approaches that optimize public services across diverse sectors. Going beyond traditional boundaries, it offers mathematical models for public services supported by convincing case studies. This book significantly enhances various government services, such as education, healthcare, safety, security, and culture. It also strongly emphasizes safeguarding citizens'personal data, ensuring privacy, and obtaining explicit consent. Tailored for students and academics, the book is an invaluable reference for teaching graduate courses in e-Government, Process Modelling, or Artificial Intelligence. Its impact extends beyond the classroom; civil servants from all domains can find practical insights to navigate the ongoing modernization of public services. Even citizens curious about the transformation in their public services can find this book enlightening. Researchers working in the area of e-Governance can use this book to discover the recent developments in e-Government.

This book presents select proceedings of the 67th Congress of the Indian Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ISTAM-2022). The content includes chapters on topics such as fluid mechanics, aerospace dynamics, atmospheric sciences and oceanography, geophysical environmental fluid dynamics, biomechanics, computational fluid dynamics, experimental methods in fluid dynamics, mathematical modelling, statistical mechanics, computational solid mechanics, experimental method in solid mechanics, mechanics of composites, and robotics and control. The book will be a valuable reference for researchers and professionals interested in applied and computational mechanics and allied fields.

This volume discusses the new trends in law and regulation in Islamic finance. Islamic finance is a particular component of the global financial system and is very different from secular finance. To understand the development of Islamic finance, it is important to place it in the context of financial globalization. Islamic finance is a new force in the contemporary world financial system and is present in more than a hundred countries. The current generation of Muslim economic power is crowding into the world's financial currents with trillions in liquidity and is growing at a high rate of 10-15% per year. Islamic finance is coming into focus and is not confined to Islamic countries but is present in every larger Muslim community, which means that it cannot be isolated from the effects of financial globalization. This edited volume discusses the effects of global financial transactions in Islamic finance and how it impacts its law and regulation.

This book is a collection of research works by experienced academics focusing on the current issues of fintech and cryptocurrency in the context of Malaysia. The book aims to fill the gap in the extant literature on the topic in Southeast Asia. The book starts with a discussion on the role of monetary policies in the advent of the current trend where cryptocurrencies are being used more widely as a medium of exchange compared to conventional fiat money. It then goes on to provide a comparative analysis for beginners regarding the differences between cryptocurrencies and stocks, considering facets such as ownership, methods of exchange, volatility, regulation, and their interconnectedness. Also discussed are the factors influencing on-line investment options using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) review method, a comparison of Islamic banking products and conventional fintech. The book ends on an analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Malaysian stock market. This book is a valuable read for undergraduate students, postgraduate students, academicians, researchers, and professionals working in the economics, finance, and banking industries, particularly in Southeast Asia.

This open access book presents an interdisciplinary, multi-authored, edited collection of chapters on Artificial Intelligence (‘AI') and the Law. AI technology has come to play a central role in the modern data economy. Through a combination of increased computing power, the growing availability of data and the advancement of algorithms, AI has now become an umbrella term for some of the most transformational technological breakthroughs of this age. The importance of AI stems from both the opportunities that it offers and the challenges that it entails. While AI applications hold the promise of economic growth and efficiency gains, they also create significant risks and uncertainty. The potential and perils of AI have thus come to dominate modern discussions of technology and ethics – and although AI was initially allowed to largely develop without guidelines or rules, few would deny that the law is set to play a fundamental role in shaping the future of AI.As thedebate over AI is far from over, the need for rigorous analysis has never been greater. This book thus brings together contributors from different fields and backgrounds to explore how the law might provide answers to some of the most pressing questions raised by AI. An outcome of the Católica Research Centre for the Future of Law and its interdisciplinary working group on Law and Artificial Intelligence, it includes contributions by leading scholars in the fields of technology, ethics and the law.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 9th ECML PKDD workshop on Advanced Analytics and Learning on Temporal Data, AALTD 2024, held in Vilnius, Lithuania, during September 9-13, 2024. The 8 full papers presented here were carefully reviewed and selected from 15 submissions. The papers focus on recent advances in Temporal Data Analysis, Metric Learning, Representation Learning, Unsupervised Feature Extraction, Clustering, and Classification.

According to Serpa (in MDPI encyclopedia) [3], Society 5.0 can be realized as a concept and a guide for social development, with a profound impact on current societal structures in multiple levels. Society 5.0 achieves advanced convergence between cyberspace and physical space, enabling AI-based on big data and robots to perform or support as an agent the work and adjustments that humans have done up to now. Deguchi et al., [4] define Society 5.0 as a highly intelligent society based on generation, processing, exchange of data, and more specifically knowledge, through the connection of the physical environment with the cyberspace. Achieving Society 5.0 with these attributes would enable the world to realize economic development while solving key social problems. It would additionally contribute to achieving the SDGs established by the United Nations. Despite the differences in formulation of the names of these periods and societies, it is obvious that each of them became a basis for step like growth in developed society; at, specific time periods, scale, character and depth of these changes are different in different countries. Consequently, to address the aims of the book, it seeks exploratory, empirical, interpretive, and theoretical research built on either primary or secondary data. The approaches suggested are not exhaustive and can be extended upon by the researchers. In addition, the book will contribute towards the UN's sustainable development goals. In support of UN's efforts towards a more digital economy, this book aims to debate and discuss the history, genesis, future, opportunities, and challenges of transitioning to Society 5.0. and provides a holistic perspective on a variety of topics special topics which contribute towards the optimal attainment of the SDGs, particularly in terms of socialdimensions. Finally, this book provides a platform for researchers, academics, and professionals to the transition and technological enablers of industrial revolutions through empirical or exploratory studies that use a variety of innovative approaches. The target audience of the book includes researchers and scholars who will find in its comprehensive knowledge about industry 4, industry 5, society 5 and its contribution to economic growth and sustainable development goals (SDGs). Furthermore, the book's secondary target audience are teachers, managers, strategists, professionals, governments, and policymakers.

Powerfuels are the subject of intense and often contentious current discussions within industry, research, politics, as well as the overall society. These discussions primarily revolve around the practical and technical feasibility of power-to-X processes and applications, their economic viability, the respective environmental benefits, the contribution to climate protection as well as the social acceptability. Thus, the primary aim of this book is to provide a comprehensive overview of various aspects, diverse considerations, and different perspectives regarding the future role and utilization of power-to-X pathways on a global scale. This encompasses the challenge of sourcing necessary educts / feedstock options, their conversion into different products and product groups, exploring the possibilities of using these electricity-based fuels / hydrocarbons in various markets, and establishing suitable framework conditions for viable and sustainable markets in the years to come. These objectives are achieved through a collection of papers contributed by experts actively engaged in various fields related to power-to-X.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Cognitive Computing, ICCC 2024, Held as Part of the Services Conference Federation, SCF 2024, held in Bangkok, Thailand, during November 16–19, 2024. The 6 full papers and 2 short papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 10 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: research track; application track; and short paper track.

This book explores the delicate balance between fostering competitive energy markets and ensuring effective regulation. It addresses the difficulty of reconciling competitive market dynamics with regulatory objectives such as ensuring reliability, fairness, and sustainability. In the highly dynamic energy sector, the convergence of competition law and energy regulation is a critical factor that greatly influences the trajectory of energy markets. The intersection of these significant domains can be complex and transformative when the goals of fostering fair competition and guaranteeing dependable and eco-friendly energy provision coincide. Market power in the energy sector can lead to a concentration of power among a handful of firms, which can hinder competition and limit consumer options. The dual objective of tackling market dominance and promoting energy security constitutes a significant challenge. In turn, the book discusses the challenges posed by natural monopolies in energy networks, the need for regulatory frameworks to support investment in infrastructure and renewable energy, and the complexities of price fluctuations. The topic of market dominance is also considered, as dominant corporations are capable of controlling prices and suppressing competition, resulting in higher prices for consumers and stifling innovation. The book offers valuable perspectives on creating a regulatory framework that promotes fair competition and achieves long-term policy goals in the energy sector. To do so, it draws on case studies and analyses from various countries.

This book presents a selection of the best papers from the 5th International Conference on Financial Markets and Corporate Finance (ICFMCF2023), held in the Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi, in July 2023. In today's dynamic and swiftly changing financial environment, marked by heightened volatility and complexity, ensuring the financial sector's resilience is paramount. The contents of this book address this gap by offering state-of-the-art research in the fields of financial institutions, financial markets, and corporate finance. The book specifically explores dynamic topics such as risk management in banks, the growth of fintech, cryptocurrencies, the proliferating usage of derivative instruments, CSR policies, and the effect of corporate governance and earnings management on firm performance, with a special emphasis on emerging economies. The studies utilize advanced and innovative qualitative and quantitative techniques to offer valuable insights into finance. The studies included in this book deliberate on theoretical work, empirical findings, and policy implications related to financial markets and corporate finance. Given the scope, the range of papers in this collection benefits academics, practitioners, industry experts, and policymakers seeking economic insights to address various challenges.

This book rigorously examines the air transport market liberalisation process on the African continent and presents key highlights, challenges, and impediments to embracing an “open skies” market environment in Africa. It focuses on the economic impact of air transport liberalisation, policy constraints, challenges of harmonisation, and regional economic integration and its impact on air transport development, employing a quantitative assessment based on the Air Transport Liberalisation Index (ALI) to evaluate how an open skies policy would change the competitive dynamics of air transport in Africa. Adopting a two-tier gravity model, the book explores how demand and route networks would be impacted by the deregulation of the air transport market. The book also applies a historical perspective by evaluating the initial ratification of the Yamoussoukro Declaration (1999), which acted as a catalyst for Africa's 2063 regional agenda, focused on establishing the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). The book also provides a comprehensive analysis of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), exploring its multifaceted impacts on Africa's single market from economic, regulatory, and sustainability perspectives. This includes an introduction to the AfCFTA, highlighting its inception as a major step towards continental economic integration aimed at enhancing intra-African trade, promoting sustainable development, and fostering industrial diversification. It then examines the capacity and competency building of African aviation personnel. Training gaps and skills are extensively evaluated to ensure that the African region is prepared for the “new” competitive equilibrium post SAATM. The book also raises critical questions regarding the status of the African air transport market. Firstly, with the introduction of an open skies policy in Africa, will the national flag carriers be able to compete under the new market dynamics? Will the SAATM become a game changer in paving the way for the privatisation of some of Africa's poor-performing airlines? Will the SAATM create a competitive market and a shift in airfares? How will policymakers deal with the excessive aviation taxes, fees and charges that make airfares in Africa the highest in the world? What will the economic benefits be for signatory states that embrace the SAATM? Will there be a significant growth trajectory in terms of air travel demand? This book is intended for researchers studying air transport economics in developing markets, graduate students with a primary focus on air transport development, senior policymakers and professionals at governmental agencies, and industry practitioners who want to expand their understanding of the dynamics shaping Africa's air transport landscape.

This book highlights clean energy transition via sustainable utilization of biomass resources, viz. forestry, agriculture, agroforestry, grassland, and seaweeds to climate change mitigation. Bioresources have tremendous potential to mitigate global warming. Also, biomass is expected to play a multifunctional role including food production, source of energy and fodder, biodiversity conservation, and yield of goods and services to the society. It brings together perspectives of various communities involved in the research and regulation of bioenergy deployment in the context of climate change mitigation. The book presents the way forward to policy makers and stakeholders involved with bioenergy development. This development may be directive challenges in the transport sector where options such as hydrogen and electric vehicles relying on hydro, wind, and solar PV will require decades to become established on a substantial scale. Furthermore, meeting ambitious climate change targets will also require environment-friendly fuels in air and marine transport where no alternative to biofuels is currently available. The process design-via-onion model for sustainable utilization of biomass resources is also one of the most important subjects of the book. This book includes state-of-the-art approaches on bottlenecks and circular economy analysis for biomass energy use to reduce climate change and sustainability frameworks to guide bioenergy development.

In an age marked by swift technological advancements, businesses find themselves amid unparalleled challenges and opportunities.'Future Business: Anticipating Technological Trends'aims to deliver a comprehensive exploration of the dynamic technological landscape and its profound impact on the business world. This groundbreaking book intends to serve as an invaluable guide for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators, providing them with the tools to anticipate and harness emerging technological trends for a competitive edge in the global market. This book represents a pioneering exploration at the confluence of technology and business evolution. In a time where everything is turning digital, the book strives to empower business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals with the knowledge and insights essential for navigating the ever-shifting terrain of technology and its influence on the future of business. This book sets the tone by emphasizing the critical role of technology in shaping the future of business. It will highlight the rapid pace of technological advancements and their far-reaching implications, setting the stage for a deep dive into the key trends that will define the future of business.'Future Business: Anticipating Technological Trends'promises to be an indispensable guide for those seeking to stay ahead in the competitive world of business. By providing actionable insights and strategic foresight, this book aims to empower readers to harness the full potential of emerging technologies for sustainable business success.

This book presents select proceedings of the International Conference on Recent Advances in Industrial and Systems Engineering (RAISE 2023). It covers the latest research in the areas of industrial and systems engineering, including manufacturing, supply chain digitalization, resilience, and sustainability. Various topics covered in this book are additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, modeling and simulation, production planning and management, digital manufacturing, and many more. This book is useful for researchers and professionals working in the areas of industrial and production engineering, supply chain management, quality control, and allied fields.

This book addresses the growing need for a comprehensive guide to the application of machine learning in financial analytics. It offers a valuable resource for both beginners and experienced professionals in finance and data science by covering the theoretical foundations, practical implementations, ethical considerations, and future trends in the field. It bridges the gap between theory and practice, providing readers with the tools and knowledge they need to leverage the power of machine learning in the financial sector responsibly.

The two-volume LNCS set 14813 and 14814 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Computational Science and Its Applications, ICCSA 2024, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, during July 1–4, 2024. The 53 full papers, 6 short papers and 3 PHD showcase papers included in these volumes were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 207 submissions. The papers focus on the following six sub-areas within Computer Science and its Applications: Computational Methods, Algorithms and Scientific Applications; High Performance Computing and Networks; Geometric Modeling, Graphics and Visualization; Advanced and Emerging Applications; Information Systems and Technologies & Urban and Regional Planning.

This book is dedicated to the 120th anniversary of economic education at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU). It gathers the best and most recent research materials of scientists from SPbPU's Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade and their colleagues from other universities.This book reflects many years of experience, unique results and interesting discoveries made by collaborative teams exploring the following issues: engineering economics, sustainable development and other topics related to the digitalization of enterprises, industries and systems; digital transformation of the service market in the face of global challenges; automation of enterprise control systems, digital and data management solutions for business; socio-economic development and territorial management in the era of Industry 4.0, etc. This book offers various views on challenges faced by today's economy and industry that are undoubtedly relevant to readers of almost all categories: from students to practitioners and scientists, but mostly for researchers.

The three-volume book set LNAI 14734, 14735, and 14736 constitutes the refereed proceedings of 5th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in HCI, AI-HCI 2024, held as part of the 26th International Conference, HCI International 2024, which took place in Washington, DC, USA, during June 29-July 4, 2024. The total of 1271 papers and 309 posters included in the HCII 2024 proceedings was carefully reviewed and selected from 5108 submissions. The AI-HCI 2024 proceedings were organized in the following topical sections: Part I: Human-centered artificial intelligence; explainability and transparency; AI systems and frameworks in HCI; Part II: Ethical considerations and trust in AI; enhancing user experience through AI-driven technologies; AI in industry and operations; Part III: Large language models for enhanced interaction; advancing human-robot interaction through AI; AI applications for social impact and human wellbeing.

This book advocates for a transformative shift in economics, emphasising the need to manage finite resources equitably while safeguarding universal well-being. It introduces the Equitable Optimality economic theory, departing from materialistic views and championing a theory deeply rooted in moral economy, values, and ethics. By integrating spirituality, social justice, and ethics into economic analysis, this model contends that economics can serve the welfare of all, offering a unique lens for economic theory and policy. It challenges prevailing materialistic economic paradigms by proposing an interest-balanced/free financial economy.This economic theory prioritises profit-sharing, societal objectives, and equitable resource allocation, aiming to create a more inclusive society. However, practical implementation and comprehensive research are crucial for understanding its impact and overcoming transitional challenges. The Equitable Optimality economic theory provides a valuable perspective within economics, focusing on ethical foundations, acknowledging non-monetary values, and humanising economic agents. It does not aim to replace conventional economic theories but offers an alternative framework to inspire innovative approaches to economic models and policymaking. Its broader policy perspective aims to foster a more prosperous and harmonious society by integrating ethical considerations, equity and justice into economic decision-making and emphasising societal welfare.

This book examines aspects of financial and investment processes, as well as the application of information technology mechanisms to business and industrial management, using the experience of the Ukrainian economy as an example. An effective tool for supporting business data processing is combining modern information technologies and the latest achievements in economic theory. The variety of industrial sectors studied supports the continuous acquisition and use of efficient business analysis in organizations. In addition, the book elaborates on multidisciplinary concepts, examples, and practices that can be useful for researching the evolution of developments in the field. Also, in this book, there is a description of analysis methods for making decisions in business, finance, and innovation management.

​This book explores how climate change affects households that rely on shifting cultivation and how to assess their vulnerability. This study looks at micro and macro levels in Indian states with indigenous communities practicing shifting cultivation. The micro-level study has been conducted in 52 villages, with 1469 households covering 7067 population in seven states of India in the Northeastern region. The book covers different topics related to climate change, such as its patterns, impact on households and agriculture, forest management, and the role of indigenous knowledge in mitigation. This research is associated with different sectors like shifting agriculture, forestry sector, climate change and rural development etc. and integrated with large respondents and stakeholders through both direct and focus group discussions. Research scholars, climate activists, institutional and non-institutional organisations, people interested in environmental science, social science and policymakers will find this book very relevant.

This book reports on cutting-edge theories and methods for analyzing complex systems, such as transportation and communication networks and discusses multi-disciplinary approaches to dependability problems encountered when dealing with complex systems in practice. The book presents the most relevant findings discussed at the 23rd International Multidisciplinary Conference on Reliability and Statistics in Transportation and Communication (RelStat 2023), which took place as a hybrid event on October 19 – 21, 2023, in/from Riga, Latvia. It spans a broad spectrum of advanced theories and methods, giving a special emphasis to the digitalization of transport systems, as well as smart, artificial intelligence, and digital twins applications.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving dynamics in modern banking, emphasizing how digitalization and optimization are reshaping operational frameworks, fundamentally altering institutional structures, and introducing new risks and opportunities. These transformative changes are anticipated to significantly impact the competitive landscape of the financial market. By exploring the primary trends and characteristics shaping the future of banking activities and institutions, this book offers crucial insights for bank owners and founders as they formulate strategic guidelines for their operations, as well as for bank managers in their current activities.