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In this study, we examine the impact of philanthropic investments on a university innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem (UIEE) in a medium-sized urban region in Germany. Our study is set in an educational campus with substantial endowments (e.g., a university branch, colleges, an incubator, and a programming school) froma major philanthropic foundation. These investments exerted complex socioeconomic effects that are often overlooked or insufficiently monitored. We combine quantitative data on economic and innovation factors with qualitative data from interviews with local actors to grasp the complex and dynamic effects of such investments on the performance of a UIEE. Our findings show that philanthropic investments positively impact UIEE performance in terms of improved economic performance and an increase in innovative activity, but they can generate discrepancies within the established socioeconomic order. This complex dynamic demands a holistic approach when developing and managing such UIEEs. We conclude by identifying insights for further research and policy development, thus benefiting UIEE researchers, policymakers, philanthropists, and university administrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The booming development of customised e-commerce makes e-commerce supply chains experience a severe test of consumer service level (CSL). An efficient e-commerce supply chain resilience optimisation method addressing economic performance and service performance is proposed to improve customised services under disruption risks. The proposed method includes a hybrid strategy considering both a resistance strategy with blockchain (BCT) adoption and time-dependent recovery strategies simultaneously. A two-stage multi-period multi-product stochastic programming with BCT adoption is then proposed, which (1) implements BCT as the resistance strategy in the pre-disruption stage; (2) collaborates four recovery strategies in the post-disruption stage; (3) supports the e-tailer in making decisions and optimises his profit and order fulfillment time while taking product priorities into account. Using the actual data of Chinese e-commerce during the public health emergency in 2020, it is demonstrated that (1) the applicability of the model with BCT adoption in both supply chain resilience and CSL improvement; (2) the performance of the hybrid strategy in long-term disruption management; (3) the efficiency and robustness of the proposed solution approach for multi-objective high-dimensional stochastic programming problems. E-tailers can optimise decision-making under long-term disruptions by the proposed methodology in practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the association between life insurers' voluntary disclosure of embedded value (EV), an unregulated market-driven fair value measure, and analyst forecast accuracy and dispersion. EV is an estimate of the present value of future net cash flows from in-force life insurance business. Advocates of this disclosure believe that EV is a better measure of economic performance than traditional GAAP measures. Others argue that corporate management has discretion in estimating and reporting EV. Further, analysts may have access to information that allows the development of possibly more accurate estimation metrics in the absence of EV disclosure. It is then an empirical issue to determine whether EV disclosure has any incremental effect on analysts' forecast properties. Using a multi-country setting, we find that EV disclosure is positively associated with analysts' earnings forecast accuracy and negatively related to forecast dispersion. This result is consistent with the alternative hypothesis that disclosure of EV provides a richer information set that enriches analysts' forecasts beyond their own in-house developed surrogates. As guidance for insurance accounting and disclosure evolves, our findings support the value of continuing to provide EV information to the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective operations of closed-loop supply chains (CLSCs) can help companies achieve sustainability goals and boost economic performance. In practice, CLSCs must collect used products, a complex process that is often constrained by collection station capacity. However, how collection station capacity influences the bullwhip effect and the dynamic performance of CLSCs remains unclear. Here, we develop a system dynamics model for CLSCs that integrates traditional manufacturing with remanufacturing and explore the effects of the stochastic capacity constraint of the collection station on the bullwhip effect of CLSCs. We find that, generally speaking, a collection station with looser or more stable capacity constraints tends to reduce bullwhip of CLSCs. However, pertinent interactions emerge between the relevant parameters; in some situations, reducing the capacity level of a collection station may be reasonable and beneficial when the stochastic capacity constraint is very stable, or when customer demand is highly variable. We also consider the partial backlog in return collection, a phenomenon associated with the stochastic capacity constraint of a collection station, and identify a new trade-off between CLSC sustainability and economic performance. Ultimately, our findings provide evidence that will guide managers' plans for the capacity management of return collection in CLSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In practice, without clear evidence of the positive impacts of maintenance on sustainability, organisations/ companies are not encouraged to look at (or invest in) maintenance as an effective tool to enhance sustainability. Therefore, it is essential to show them that such evidence exists, which is the aim of this paper. The paper reviews and analyses evidence from the literature about maintenance's social, environmental, and economic impacts. It identifies the required sustainability-related indicators associated with these impacts and provides aggregate quantified percentages for them (positively or negatively), as shown in the reviewed papers. An evidence-based research is conducted in this paper to achieve this purpose. The search process results in a research sample of 58 publications that have been surveyed and analysed. Based on the conducted analysis, the results show that maintenance positively impacts economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Many reviewed cases appear in manufacturing and buildings (both residential and commercial) and primarily consider environmental and economic sustainability indicators. The cases with social sustainability indicators are limited. Regardless, these results bring adequate evidence to encourage researchers and practitioners to view maintenance as a practical approach to improve sustainability and to investigate more in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investors are using the stock market to invest their money for capital appreciation. Recent advancements in the information system have made stock market investments accessible to various investors. This study aims to examine the relationship between the stock price index and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) using empirical data, focusing on the short-term or long-term relationship, as well as the impact of available information on stock prices. The research is supported by theories such as the efficient market hypothesis, stock valuation theory, the balance sheet model, and Tobin's q theory. Secondary data from 1995-2022 were utilized, with quarterly data obtained from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Macrotrend. Net. Diagnostic tests were conducted to ensure there were no violations of normality, homoscedasticity, and serial correlation. Econometric tests were utilized to test the historical data, including the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test for stationarity, the lag length test, the Johansen cointegration test, and the Granger causality test. The results indicate a positive long-term relationship between the stock price index and GDP. The Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) supports this finding, revealing that a 1.02% increase in the stock price index corresponds to a GDP increase. These findings support the balance sheet theory, indicating that wellperforming companies attract investment, leading to higher investment income and subsequent positive economic impacts. Additionally, the availability of information plays a role in stock prices, emphasizing the importance of information security for companies. Future research could explore the effects of specific stock classes on GDP, conduct comparative studies among different countries, or examine other economic indicators' influence on stock prices and the economy. Moreover, investigating the impact of information system advancements on stock prices and the overall economy presents an interesting avenue for further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Wealth polarization is still a little-discussed topic in the literature. • The study observes wealth polarization using the Relative Distribution method. • It is also observed how socio-demographic variables influence the distribution of wealth. • The analysis reveals significant heterogeneity in wealth distribution trends among countries, with disparities observed over time. • Household composition, demographic factors, and socioeconomic characteristics significantly influence wealth polarization. This paper delves into the dynamics of wealth distribution across various countries, utilizing innovative methodologies to uncover patterns of wealth polarization and its determinants. Wealth, distinct from income, reflects long-term economic resources and serves as a crucial indicator of economic well-being. Employing the "relative distribution" method and Recentered Influence Function (RIF) regression, this study examines changes in wealth distribution and the factors driving wealth polarization across eight European countries, Australia, and the United States. The analysis reveals significant heterogeneity in wealth distribution trends among countries, with disparities observed over time. Wealth polarization, akin to income polarization, emerges as a phenomenon distinct from traditional measures of inequality, shedding light on the concentration of wealth within societies. Household composition, demographic factors, and socioeconomic characteristics significantly influence wealth polarization, echoing patterns observed in income polarization studies. The findings underscore the multifaceted nature of wealth distribution dynamics and highlight the need for comprehensive policy interventions to address wealth inequality and polarization. Policy measures such as progressive taxation, regulatory reforms, and asset-building programs for marginalized communities are crucial in fostering equitable wealth distribution and creating inclusive societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We identify interactive effects of supply and demand factors determining MIT: higher levels of productive complexity moderate the external demand constraint. • While slowdowns growth within middle-income thresholds is a regular pattern in modern economy, different MIT trajectories can be tracked. • Using economic complexity indicators three MIT varieties are identified. • Countries that have reached medium complexity levels require deep structural changes to escape MIT. • MIT countries seem to follow a sort of hysteresis-affected trajectory in which national efforts to break it have resulted in erratic detours. This work provides new evidence on the structural change processes undertaken by countries trapped in the middle-income trap (MIT) by applying a comprehensive approach, from both the supply and the demand sides. First, it provides evidence that there is a regular trapping mechanism, determined by the interaction between external demand constraints and the level of complexity of the economies. External constraint operates since MIT countries depend on exogenous prices to grow. Meanwhile, that constraint relaxes as the complexity of production increases. Second, it presents a novel identification of the MIT countries trajectories using indicators of economic complexity. A typology of the varieties of MIT is built according to the level of complexity of national economies and the relatedness between their current productive structure and more complex goods. It shows that having reached certain levels, further increases in supply complexity require a deepening of structural change through unrelated diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study examines the relationship between diversity within countries and economic output. • We also explore how financial development influences the diversity-economic output link. • The study shows that both religious and linguistic diversity have a significant negative association with economic output. • However, financial development weakens the negative association between diversity and economic output. • The study identifies specific threshold levels that are important in mitigating the negative effects of diversity. This study investigates the relationship between within-country diversity, financial development, and economic output with a particular focus on the moderating role of financial development. Analyzing data from a diverse set of countries, we find that both religious and language diversity exhibit negative associations with economic performance. However, in emerging economies, a positive interaction between linguistic and religious diversity emerges. Notably, robust financial development positively moderates the relationship between diversity and economic output, with identified thresholds indicating a critical level necessary to mitigate the adverse consequences of cultural diversity. Our findings highlight the essential role of financial systems in fostering trust and promoting economic growth, particularly in high-diversity contexts. Our findings are robust to a battery of alternative tests. By emphasizing the importance of financial development in navigating within-country heterogeneities, this study offers valuable insights for policymakers seeking to foster inclusive and sustainable development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water treatment plant managers have to control quality and quantity indicators to regenerate water to be used in irrigation or other municipal services. The need to improve the performance indicators as well as the achievement of sustainability in the facilities implies the need for the development of decision-making procedures. This research proposes a new strategy based on the regulation of water systems to address not only the improvement of performance indicators and therefore of economic and sustainable fulfilment. As novel, the research suggests a new methodology for the application of these pointers to targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in waste-water treatment plants (WWTPs). It showed improvements that reduced energy consumption by 22% and an evaluation of the targets of the SDGs that reached 57% globally, establishing the way the SDGs alignment in the WWTPs. The research demonstrated the evaluation of SDGs is possible and effective to be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide decadal estimates of GDP per capita for the Russian Empire from the 1690s to the 1880s, making it possible for the first time to compare the economic performance of one of the world's largest economies with other countries. Significant Russian economic growth before the 1760s resulted in catching-up on northwest Europe, but this was followed by a period of negative growth between the 1760s and 1800s and stagnation from the 1800s to the 1880s, leaving late-nineteenth century Russia further behind the West than at the beginning of the eighteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political tensions in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalated into an armed conflict on 15 April 2023, and continues to unfold to date. Besides the severe humanitarian catastrophe, the war disrupted access to basic public services and constrained access to markets and continued to trigger considerable scarcity of life-saving goods and services. In this paper, we utilize satellite data (nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration and nightlight intensity) and spatial mapping tools to provide a swift analysis of how the conflict has changed the patterns on economic activity, which are bound to have severe implications on food security in Sudan. We show that immediately after the outbreak of the armed conflict, NO2 concentration and nightlight intensity reduced in those areas affected by the conflict while remaining stable in those areas not directly affected by the conflict. We also demonstrate how these types of remote sensing and remote data collection methods can be deployed to monitor economic activities amidst armed conflicts and similar abrupt crises and guide economic, development and environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of civil conflicts in Burundi on its economic performance. The analysis of the structural effects using a structural VAR model points to the long-lasting effects of a civil conflict shock on economic growth in Burundi. After 10 years, the effect on economic growth is still noticeable. The cumulative effect of a civil conflict shock is found to be a 7.1% decrease in economic growth over a horizon of 10 years. Using the Synthetic Control method, estimates indicate that the Burundian civil war led to an average GDP per capita decline of approximately 138 dollars per annum, compared to what it would have been in the absence of war. The average annual loss as a percentage of the counterfactual GDP per capita is 34%. The total monetary cost of the war during this period is estimated at USD 1514 per person and almost 10 billion USD for the entire country. The estimated effects are robust to placebo checks conducted. We compare these results with costs of conflict in other countries to better understand the relative financial burden of the civil war. The study highlights the need to consolidate peace to achieve long-term economic development in Burundi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of gambling into a largely digital commodity has created a need for online payment technologies to facilitate online gambling, thereby also raising the question of what role these actors can play in the promotion of Responsible Gambling (RG). With the means and access they maintain, financial institutions are in a unique position to alleviate financial pitfalls, yet their role in the gambling context has thus far received little scrutiny. The objective of this study was to conduct an extant literature review to develop an initial set of financial indicators tailored for financial institutions, enabling them to engage in the RG initiatives. We conducted a two-step narrative literature review to identify both general Financial Well-Being (FWB) indicators across financial research disciplines, and one specific to gambling. A literature search over the past 20 years was performed across the following academic databases: Medline (Ovid), Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest), Web of Science (Clarivate), and PsycInfo (EBSCO). Manifest content analysis was used in step one to review general financial well-being, yielding a general FWB conceptual framework. In step two, we applied latent content analysis to the gambling-specific literature, linking essential concepts of gambling-related financial harms to the broader FWB literature. This resulted in a tentative taxonomy of indicators applicable to financial institutions with gambling customers. In tandem with the FWB conceptual framework, the preliminary taxonomy could provide a foundation for financial institutions catering to gambling customers to engage in the duty of care agenda, potentially broadening player protection beyond the current operator-focused RG measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of financial language and strategies in addressing climate change, particularly in the context of sustainable finance. It highlights how the financial sector is being called upon to play a leading role in managing climate change by integrating nonfinancial data into investment decisions. The text explores the challenges and implications of framing climate change in financial terms, emphasizing the role of global finance in determining the future of climate action. The article also delves into the complexities of sustainable capitalism, the importance of ESG metrics, and the tensions between environmental sustainability and capitalist values. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Needs change as people get older. Procuring resources to satisfy them can generate anguish and insecurities in consumers due to their financial situation. This study aims to analyze the relationship between age and financial stress among Mexican adults and estimate the age of their maximum financial stress. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on constructing a financial stress indicator using the confirmatory factor analysis and linear regression models with a quadratic term, employing data from the National Survey on Financial Inclusion 2021. Findings: Results show that the relationship between age and financial stress follows a quadratic pattern, with a maximumlevel at age 56, which varies according to sex, marital status, number of dependents, education and regions. These findings interest financial product designers and policy developers who aim to improve consumers' well-being. Research limitations/implications: Longitudinal studies and indicators, such as financial fragility, are needed to facilitate refining models over time. Originality/value: There is no evidence of studies that have addressed the age of maximum financial stress in Latin America. Doing so is relevant because identifying the stages in life when adults are most vulnerable to financial stress helps assess its causes more precisely, thus mitigating its adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Coconut shell emerged as a feasible feedstock. • Optimal ER ranges between 0.1 and 0.3, promoting higher syngas yields. • Plant D achieving a significantly lower levelized cost of electricity of US$0.19/kWh. • Larger plant (Plant C-D) demonstrates strong economic performance with a PBP of 3.28 years and 1.69. This research aims to evaluate the techno-economic viability and commercial potential of biomass gasification across different capacities. Sensitivity analysis was conducted based on an established downdraft gasifier model using Aspen Plus. Results underscored the significant impact of gasification temperature and equivalence ratio (ER) on syngas composition, low heating value (LHV), and cold gas efficiency (CGE). Among the feedstocks tested, coconut shell emerged as a feasible feedstock, yielding syngas with an LHV of 8.93 MJ/Nm3 and achieving a CGE of up to 71.12 %. Optimal gasification temperatures ranged between 750 °C to 1,000 °C, with peak ER falling within 0.1 to 0.3. Economic analysis revealed that smaller-scale operations like Plant A resulted in a negative net present value of − US$0.63 million, indicating unfavorable investments. The internal rate of return notably increased from 9.53 % for Plant B compared to −2.56 % for Plant A (20 kW). Plant D, with larger capacity of 20 MW, showed an impressive payback period of less than two years (1.69 years). Medium to large-scale plants such as Plant C (2 MW) and Plant D demonstrated greater economic resilience, with Plant D achieving a significantly lower levelized cost of electricity of US$ 0.19/kWh compared to Plant A at US$ 0.86/kWh. It was noted that the impact of capital costs, operating expenses, and revenue variations is less pronounced at larger scales. The findings from this study shed light on the feasibility of biomass gasification for power generation as a viable option, thereby unlocking the potential for its large-scale commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This address reviews macrofinance from the perspective of resilience. It argues for a shift in mindset, away from risk management toward resilience management. It proposes a new resilience measure, and contrasts micro‐ and macro‐resilience. It also classifies macrofinance models in first‐ (log‐linearized) and second‐generation models, and links the important themes of macrofinance to resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definitions of output and input are key to studies of productivity analysis, as they are to the national accounts of countries. This paper systematically reviews alternative definitions at production unit and aggregate levels, illustrating the different perspectives that they provide on production and income, and making the case for their use in understanding different aspects of firm and country economic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, Israel experienced a year marked by profound civic and security turmoil. The government's proposed judicial reform triggered widespread protests, highlighting deep divisions within the nation. Concurrently, escalating security threats emerged, with Hamas launching an unprecedented attack from the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah targeting Israel's northern border. These events led to the formation of an emergency government and a special war Cabinet. Despite the challenging circumstances, Israel's economic performance remained relatively stable until the onset of conflict, which led to negative economic impacts. The year saw significant amendments to the Israeli Basic Laws, aimed at reducing judicial oversight over government actions, which further intensified civic unrest. This article provides an overview of the political, security, and economic developments of 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban market redevelopment has become the catalyst to re-invent space and alleviate poverty by local governments, yet, it poses economic wellbeing concerns, particularly for the resettled traders. The present study seeks to examine the factors influencing the economic wellbeing of the affected traders, using the Kejetia project in Ghana as a case study. The study responded to two questions: what are the factors, and how do the factors affect each other? A proposed model was developed and hypotheses were initiated. A quantitative methodology was used to elicit and analyse data using SmartPLS 4.0. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 240 respondents from the drivers and sellers' groups. The measurement model tested reliable and valid. The findings listed deprivation, economic security, income, consumption, and wealth as the reliable factors. These factors were determined by certain economic indicators. The hypotheses were significant and supported. Its findings implied that the factors directly impacted others. The study concludes that resettlement in the Kejetia project triggered complex economic issues for affected traders, particularly drivers. The key implication of the findings is to inform policy that the economic wellbeing of drivers and sellers is better improved if the impeding factors and indicators are well-managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Quadrilateral Group for Security Dialogues (QUAD), comprising Japan, Australia, India, and the USA, has experienced a noteworthy escalation in both environmental depletion and economic performance over the preceding 2 decades. Consequently, it becomes crucial to outline strategies through which the QUAD can attain a harmonious equilibrium between sustainable economic growth and ecological well-being. This research endeavors to dissect the intricate relationships among trade globalization, regulatory quality, and environmental sustainability within the QUAD for the period 1990–2021. The study checks for the Pollution Haven Hypothesis (PHH), and Pollution Halo Effect Hypothesis (PHEH). Design/methodology/approach: The long-run association is based on the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and bounds test approach to cointegration while divergence or convergence is studied with the help of decoupling index (DI). Results have been verified by applying serial correlation LM test, autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARCH), and cumulative sum of recursive residuals (CUSUM) tests to ensure the robustness and stability of the model. Findings: The empirical results of this study affirm the applicability of the PHEH in the contexts of India, Japan, and the USA, whereas the PHH is validated in the case of Australia. Furthermore, the analysis reveals the existence of relative decoupling solely in the case of India. This testifies that the rate of growth of the Indian economy surpasses the rate of growth in ecological footprint (EF), indicating a relative reduction in the intensity of environmental impact per unit of economic growth. Research limitations/implications: The empirical findings of our study suggest that countries with effective regulatory systems are better positioned to control and mitigate the potential adverse environmental effects resulting from increased global trade. Thus, policymakers are prompted to reassess the development policies for sustainable economic growth that will minimize adverse environmental repercussions. The implication of the negative relation between urbanization and EF is paramount for policymakers in developing countries seeking strategies for balanced urban development that aligns with environmental sustainability. Originality/value: The present study is a unique exploration of the impact of trade globalization and regulatory quality on EF, specifically on PHH/PHEH in the context of QUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-rise construction and spatial development at height are the products of population growth, increasing urbanization and the lack of suitable land for construction, which have become widespread in recent decades. The formation of these types of buildings, due to their characteristics, brings many limitations, threats, and problems along with positive effects. In this regard, the present research has been carried out to identify and prioritize the indicators of high-rise urban development in Ahvaz city from experts' points of view. This study is practical in terms of purpose and qualitative-quantitative in terms of methodology. In the qualitative part of the information, theoretical saturation was reached through interviews with five experts who were selected purposefully. The interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis, and six indicators, including social, physical, economic, infrastructural, livability, and environment, were identified. During targeted sampling, 30 experts were selected. Then, in the quantitative section, using MARCOS multi-criteria decision-making, the weight of the criteria was calculated using the hierarchical analysis method. The results of the Marcus model showed that among the indicators affecting urban high-rise construction, the economic index, with a score of 0.727, the environmental index, with a score of 0.716, and the infrastructure index, with a score of 0.709, ranked first to third, having the most impact on urban high-rise development, while the social index, with a score of -0.636, was at the lowest level, having the least impact on the urban high-rise development of Ahvaz city. These results indicate that the Marcus model is sensitive to possible changes in the importance of decision-making criteria, and the stability of the method in selecting the most important indicators of high-rise urban development in Ahvaz city has been shown. Finally, it is suggested that we take a special look at the six indicators obtained in this research, especially the economic and environmental indicators, to realize the high-rise urban development of Ahvaz city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article revisits the paper "The Historical State, Local Collective Action, and Economic Development in Vietnam" written by Dell, Lane, and Querubin in 2018. The 2018 paper investigates the role of historical state on long-run economic performance in Vietnam. The authors use a historical border in Vietnam, which was in place following the 1698 event and separated two regions: Dai Viet to the north and Khmer to the south. With distinct institutional characteristics on the two border sides, the historical division is said to lead to persistent differences in economic and social outcomes. This article disputes some aspects of the core assumption in their analysis, including the shape and dynamics of the 1698 border, and replicates the statistical outcomes. Results suggest that historical state plays little to no role in determining the social and economic differences among the observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper studies how industries' investment in organizational capital (OC) and workforce skills relate to productivity, building on OECD estimates of OC, output data from the OECD Structural Analysis (STAN) database, and skill indicators from the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The paper finds that, at the industry level, workers' numeracy and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills correlate positively with productivity, and that the positive correlation of STEM skills with productivity is generally larger for OC workers. Moreover, dispersion in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills harms industry performance. In fact, a gap between the ICT skills of OC and non‐OC workers seems to trigger a "lost in translation" type of mechanism, whereby communication and information flows become less fluid and impinge upon the economic performance of sectors, correlating negatively with productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooling water systems (CWSs) are extensively utilized in various industries to eliminate the excess heat and converse energy. Studies on CWSs mainly concentrated on finding the optimal cooler network structure. In addition, some works also considered the optimal design under varied operation conditions. However, in these works, once the optimal design of the cooler's network is determined, its arrangement remains fixed and cannot be adapted to accommodate diverse operating conditions. In this work, a flexible topology network concept is proposed to make the adjustment of network structure possible under different operation conditions. The CWS with integrated air cooler and flexible topology network has better overall performance, represented by a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model that require advanced tools such as GAMS software. Case studies revealed that the proposed methodology can realize better energy-saving performance, and improve the economic performance under varied operation conditions. The impact of critical flexible nodes on system configuration and economy is achieved by sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the worldwide co-movement between the demand for electric cars and oil prices from January 3rd, 2020, to March 6th, 2023, utilizing wavelet methodology. The main finding shows a strong link between electric car demand and oil prices when oil prices are highly volatile in the short term. When oil prices suddenly drop, people's preference for electric cars decreases in the very short term. However, in the short term, the demand for electric cars is influenced by how much oil prices change and the anticipation of future trends, causing a shift between traditional and electric cars. These results hold true even when considering factors like geopolitical risks, pandemics, the health of the car industry, and the cost of metals used in car batteries. The findings have crucial implications in the socio-economic environment, being very useful to both policy-makers and car market actors. In this light, on the one hand, the outputs can offer support in shaping policies able to reduce fossil fuel dependency and address climate change. On the other hand, this insight aids in correcting the market dynamics across automotive and energy sectors under oil price volatility. Furthermore, these dynamics can affect economic indicators like inflation, trade balances, unemployment, and GDP growth. Not least, transitioning to electric cars can mitigate emissions reduction, improve air quality, diversify energy sources, and enhance energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migrant workforces and remittance inflow have drawn considerable attention in global economic research. During the past few decades, remittance inflow became a crucial economic growth component in many emerging nations. The current study, employing a time–frequency-based wavelet technique, investigates the dynamic causal relationship between migration, foreign remittance, and economic growth in an emerging country such as Bangladesh. The findings reveal the dynamic causal among the variables; however, the results present time-varying movement under the time–frequency spaces framework. Notably, the evidence shows a significant relationship among the variables in the long run. A strong correlation appeared on the 5–16 band scales among the pair of migration and foreign remittance (MIG-REM), migration and economic growth (MIG-GDP), and foreign remittance and economic growth (REM-GDP). The outcomes suggest that Bangladesh's economic indicators are highly interrelated in the long run. Therefore, the fluctuation of indicators altered and exposed a low volatility scale for the Bangladeshi economy in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan has the highest rates of consanguinity in the world, with nearly two‐thirds marrying cousins. To understand this pattern, we adopt the theoretical framework of intensive and extensive kinship that allows us to predict correlates of consanguineous marriages and logically connect patterns in Pakistan with those in other regions. Using data from the Punjab Consanguinity Survey, we examine indicators of economic development, fertility, cultural norms, and marriage payments as potential correlates of cousin marriage. Consistent with the intensive kinship framework, we find that number of cousins, parental consanguinity, spousal proximity, and caste or clan endogamy are associated with higher likelihood of consanguinity. In contrast, the likelihood of cousin marriage decreases with extensive kinship indicators including husband's education, co‐education, and large wedding expenditures. For women, cousin marriages are often “marrying down” financially, keeping women's wealth in the family. Comparison of Pakistan to other countries highlights the importance of low levels of literacy and female education, high fertility, and rapid population growth. We conclude that high rates of cousin marriage persist in Pakistan due to slow economic development which maintains motivations for cooperation with kin, and high fertility rates which sustain the large numbers of cousins that enable high levels of consanguinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes explanations identified in the literature for the subpar economic performance of the so-called peripheral member states of the Euro Area since the mid-1990s, comparing it to those of the core, catch-up, and financial hub member states. It argues that a key factor in the peripherals’ malaise was a financial Dutch disease-like mechanism, as the adoption of the euro led to large and sustained capital inflows. This resulted in a structural shift in the productive structure of peripheral economies away from technologically advanced manufactured goods, which are characterized by higher productivity growth. Consequently, peripheral member states specialized in non-tradable sectors, and in low-technology and labor-intensive tradable goods and services sectors, which largely explains the peripherals’ low economic growth, low productivity growth, and growing macroeconomic imbalances. Furthermore, this study argues that the economic underperformance of catch-up member states can also be explained by a financial Dutch disease mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental sampling surveillance (ESS) technologies, such as wastewater genomic surveillance and air sensors, have been increasingly adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide valuable information for public health response. However, ESS coverage is not universal, and public health decision-makers need support to choose whether and how to expand and sustain ESS efforts. This paper introduces a model and approach to quantify the value of ESS systems that provide leading epidemiological indicators for pandemic response. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a base-case scenario, we quantify the value of ESS systems in the first year of a new pandemic and demonstrate how the value of ESS systems depends on biological and societal parameters. Under baseline assumptions, an ESS system that provides a 5-day early warning relative to syndromic surveillance could reduce deaths from 149 (95% prediction interval: 136–169) to 134 (124–144) per 100,000 population during the first year of a new COVID-19-like pandemic, resulting in a net monetary benefit of $1,450 ($609-$2,740) per person. The system's value is higher for more transmissible and deadly pathogens but hinges on the effectiveness of public health interventions. Our findings also suggest that ESS systems would provide net-positive benefits even if they were permanently maintained and pathogens like SARS-Cov-2 emerged once every century or less frequently. Our results can be used to prioritize pathogens for ESS, decide whether and how to expand systems to currently uncovered populations, and determine how to scale surveillance systems' coverage over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent literature shows an increasing interest in considering alternative sources of information for predicting Small and Medium Enterprises default. The usage of accounting indicators does not allow to completely overcome the information opacity that is one of the main barriers preventing these firms from accessing to credit. This complicates matters both for private lenders and for public institutions supporting policies. In this paper we propose corporate websites as an additional source of information, ready to be exploited in real-time. We also explore the joint use of online and offline data for enhancing correct prediction of default through a Kernel Discriminant Analysis, keeping the Logistic Regression and the Random Forests as benchmark. The obtained results shed light on the potentiality of these new data when accounting indicators lead to a wrong prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the key dilemmas that will confront the new Labour administration in Britain during its initial period in power are examined. The Starmer government is seeking to use the state pragmatically to improve British economic performance, stem the crisis in public services and strengthen the strategic capacity of Whitehall. However, embryonic approach represents a melding of disparate ideas and traditions that have yet to cohere into a cogent model of statecraft. As a result, the strategy is replete with tensions and dilemmas that make the task of governing competently extremely challenging in the current national and geo‐political environment. Owing to the scale of the crises that Labour has inherited, the article considers whether a statecraft approach that places greater emphasis on continuity over change is viable in the absence of a much needed, radical vision for a reimagined British state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limiting the impact of climate change on agriculture is a major goal of the European Union. This requires the evaluation of farm‐level adaptation measures, available within the Common Agricultural Policy. We investigate how the adoption of soil conservation measures by farms in Austrian arable regions affects their economic performance. By applying an endogenous switching regression model to panel data, we find that climatic conditions significantly influence the decision on whether to adopt soil conservation measures. The net revenue of adopters is less sensitive to long‐term temperature and precipitation changes than for non‐adopters. The measures are profitable for a majority of farms. However, profitability is linked to baseline climatic conditions, with negative effects in cool, wet regions and significantly greater positive effects in warm, dry regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's increasingly interconnected globe, there continues to be a pressing need for thorough research that can shed light on the causes of HIV-related mortality and the primary factors at play in this epidemic. By using an annual dataset, this study analyzed the impact of behavioral risk factors, income, and human capital on HIV-related deaths (HIVD) across all countries and regions. The empirical findings of the panel regression demonstrate that drug use and unsafe sex have a statistically significant and positive effect on HIVD. On the other hand, mean years spent in school and gross national income per capita both have a statistically significant and negative influence on HIVD. The findings of the variance decomposition suggest that drug use should be confronted in wealthy nations to lower HIVD, but both human capital and economic development have a greater influence on the battle against HIVD in underdeveloped and developing countries. In addition, the findings of the panel Granger causality test demonstrate that factors other than unsafe sex can be used as leading indicators in the process of forecasting HIVD. According to these findings, economic variables, as well as behavioral risk factors in emerging nations, and in industrialized countries, should be taken into account when formulating strategies for preventing HIV/AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPromoting sustainable diets requires identifying those foods that balance nutritional quality, environmental impact, and cost, and taking cultural preferences into account. However, research on the sustainability of dietary habits in non-adult populations are limited. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the relationship between different sustainability indicators and identify sustainable foods among those culturally acceptable by Portuguese children and adolescents. Dietary intake of 521 children and 633 adolescents was determined using food-diaries and 24-h recalls, respectively. Nutritional, environmental, and economic indicators were assessed for each food item identified as culturally acceptable among Portuguese children and adolescents. Spearman correlations were computed to assess the relationship between sustainability indicators. A sustainability score (0–3) was calculated to identify the most sustainable foods. Nutritional quality was positively correlated with greenhouse gas emissions and cost and inversely correlated with food industrial processing. Only around 10% of foods received a maximum sustainability score, namely fresh and processed vegetables, fresh fruit and fruit jars, legumes, pasta, rice and other grains, potatoes and other starchy tubers, natural and 100% fruit juices, and nectars. Overall, the most nutritious foods tend to have a higher environmental impact and cost, and few food options are simultaneously nutrient-rich, environmentally friendly and affordable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel cells and batteries are integral to achieving zero-emission maritime transport, delivering an efficient energy solution for offshore vessels. In this paper, an innovative multi-objective, bi-level optimization method is proposed, to minimize operational costs and spatial requirements for vessels, while addressing the interrelated challenges of capacity allocation and energy management. The outer layer of this method optimizes for volume and economic efficiency, determining the ideal power capacity configuration. The inner layer leverages an algorithm to enhance economic performance, with a focus on improving operational efficiency. This bi-layered method results in an energy management strategy that aligns with the hourly energy consumption patterns. A comprehensive analysis across four scenarios assesses the impact of varying electricity costs and ship classifications on the system's configuration. The study reveals that a modest 5% trade-off in economic efficiency can lead to a substantial 57% reduction in system volume, offering a viable and sustainable strategy for maritime operations. • A bi-layer optimization method is proposed to optimize configuration and control strategy in parallel. • The results indicate that that a modest 5% trade-off in economy can lead to substantial 57% reduction in volume. • The effects of various ship operating conditions and pricing environments on the optimization results are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the relationship between real estate development and environmental impact in Albania during the period of 1995–2022. This is among the first scientific studies of this nature in Albania and the region. Using an Autoregressive Distribution Lag (ARDL) model and EViews 12 software, we analyze how carbon emissions relate to economic indicators such as the issuance of building permits, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and energy consumption patterns. Our results show a positive relationship between construction activities and increased carbon emissions, signaling a development model that currently diverges from sustainable practices. This research is important as it not only fills a critical gap by quantifying the environmental footprint of the real estate sector in Albania but also provides strong signals to support policy makers in guiding sustainable development initiatives. This study recommends that future strategies integrate and harmonize economic growth with environmental care by targeting sustainability in construction techniques and renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the factors influencing GDP over the short-term using dynamic panel data across income groups in 71 countries, with a focus on the role of proxy COVID-19 vaccination. The analysis utilizes quarterly data spanning seven quarters from 2021Q1 to 2022Q3, employing the System Generalized Method of Moments (Sys-GMM) model developed by Blundell-Bond to assess the short-term impact of vaccination, investment, government consumption ratio, stringency index, trade openness and inflation on GDP. The findings reveal that vaccination and economic investments have a significant positive short-term effect on GDP, while the government consumption ratio and stringency index exert a strong negative influence. Conversely, trade openness and inflation do not significantly affect GDP. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers, economists, and analysts, highlighting that during the pandemic, factors such as public health measures and investments have a more critical role in economic performance of countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Investigating the cost‐effectiveness of future mobile stroke unit (MSU) services with respect to local idiosyncrasies is essential for enabling large‐scale implementation of MSU services. The aim of this study was to assess the cost‐effectiveness for varying urban German settings and modes of operation.Costs of different operating times together with different personnel configurations were simulated. Different possible catchment zones, ischemic stroke incidence, circadian distribution, rates of alternative diagnoses, as well as missed cases were incorporated to model case coverage and patient numbers. Based on internationally reported clinical outcomes of MSUs, a 5‐year Markov model was applied to analyze the cost‐effectiveness for the different program setups.Compared with standard stroke care, MSUs achieved an additional 0.06 quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) over a 5‐year time horizon. Assuming a catchment zone of 750,000 inhabitants and 8 h/7 day operation resulted in an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €37,182 per QALY from a societal perspective and €45,104 per QALY from a healthcare perspective. Lower ICERs were possible when coverage was expanded to 16 h service on 7 days per week and larger populations. Sensitivity analyses revealed that missing ischemic strokes significantly deteriorated economic performance of MSU.Major determinants of cost‐effectiveness should be addressed when setting up novel MSU programs. Catchment zones of more than 500,000–700,000 inhabitants and operating times of at least 12–16 h per day, 7 days per week could enable the most cost‐effective MSU services in the German healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing emphasis on fostering agri-entrepreneurship in emerging economies is based on the understanding that it holds the potential to drive economic growth and sustainable development. Its impact transcends mere financial indicators, influencing facets such as innovation, job creation, and societal empowerment. This perspective is also relevant in the Indian context, where organizations promoting agri-entrepreneurship often encounter challenges. This study was carried out to identify the constraints faced by various stakeholders involved in providing and accessing entrepreneurial support, also strategizing solutions for the identified bottlenecks. Data was gathered through structured interviews involving about 200 agri-entrepreneurs and 43 extension professionals in selected states. Constraints as well as strategies in the promotion of agri-entrepreneurship were systematically categorized into four dimensions viz. administrative, financial, technical, and socio-cultural which were further ranked through Garett's ranking method and Analytical Hierarchy Process. Financial and administrative constraints, including lack of priority lending, favoritism, and delays in fund release, emerged as significant hurdles for sustainable entrepreneurship development, other constraints among technical and socio-cultural domains include lack of prototype testing facility and orientation toward conventional ventures, respectively. Experts suggested strategies like post program funding support, timely disbursement of seed funding and transparency in pitch evaluation for mitigating the challenges. The overall consistency ratio of AHP matrix indicates a high level of agreement in suggestions among experts. Incorporating the suggestions through policy changes is expected to promote a sustainable food value chain thereby promoting sustainable agri-entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) is a commonly used method for analyzing system reliability. It is frequently applied in identifying weak points in the reliability of CNC machine tools. However, traditional FMECA has issues such as vague descriptions of risk factors, equal treatment of risk factors, and unclear directions for improving weak points. In response to the issue of vague descriptions of risk factors, this paper further expands severity (S) into machine hazard (M) and personal hazard (P), and subdivides detectability (D) into functional structural complexity (D1) and detection cost (D2). In addressing the issue of treating risk factors equally, this paper integrates Distance Analysis Method (DAM) and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) to propose Distance-Grey Relational Analysis (D-GRA). Subsequently, based on the D-GRA method, the weights of each risk factor were determined by comprehensively considering expert system scores and actual economic loss indicators. In response to the issue of unclear improvement directions for weak points, this paper introduces the BCC model. It treats common failure modes of CNC machine tools as decision-making units within the BCC model, refines risk factors as input indicators, and evaluates the efficiency values of each decision-making unit based on various actual losses as output indicators. Through efficiency value analysis, it proposes improvement directions for weak points. Then, based on the weights of risk factors and the efficiency values of failure modes, a modified calculation method for the new Risk Priority Number (RPN) is proposed to amend the traditional RPN, This paper takes the electric spindle system of a certain machining center as an example, applies the proposed method to rank common failure modes with the new RPN, and compares it with other RPN calculation methods to verify the rationality of the proposed approach. Finally, it presents improvement directions for reliability enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research paper investigates the nexus between energy transition reporting practices and corporate efficiency of listed European companies from the agri-food sector. The study relies on key energy-related and financial indicators and logistic regression analysis conducted on 219 EU business entities publishing their financial and non-financial reports between 2004 and 2023. Based on the distribution of financial metrics in the sample, we assumed that entities reporting data on energy transition, either partially or fully, could achieve higher profitability and simultaneously have lower liquidity than non-reporting companies. The panel data model indicated a strong relationship between the reporting status of a business entity, its revenue, and the time variable, demonstrating that the likelihood of providing information on energy transition was associated with the size of a company and increased systemically over time. However, further regression analysis revealed a lack of a persistent, significant relationship between the key financial indicators and the entities' energy transition reporting status. Considering the substantial changes in the EU regulatory environment associated with introducing CSRD, we conclude that with increasing legal pressure over time, companies will gradually shift towards standardized industry-related reporting practices, resulting in more consistent and transparent evidence of their energy transition strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology to develop archetype gray-box models and use them in an economic model-based predictive control algorithm to simulate optimal heating load management in response to a newly-introduced static time-of-use tariff for Québec's residential sector, rate Flex-D. The methodology is evaluated through a case study, wherein in situ measurements from a two-storey unoccupied research house of Hydro-Québec are used to develop an 11R6C network with a heuristic zoning-by-floor approach and compute the sequence of optimal electric heating input for the next control horizon. Properly-tuned economic model-based predictive control under rate Flex-D shows potential for an approximately 30% reduction in daily heating cost compared to the reference operation, with a minimal average deviation of indoor air temperature from the reference setpoint. Also, the analysis of the response's sensitivity to weather forecast uncertainties indicates that the most influential uncontrolled input directing the performance of economic model-based predictive control is the structure price signal, rendering the impact of uncertainty in the weather forecast negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research note investigates how different sources of economic information affected citizens' approval of the government in Portugal from 2001 to 2018. It compares the predictive power of the revised and most accurate data on GDP growth with other economic indicators that were available to the public at the time, such as the first estimates of recent growth and the forecasts of future growth. It finds that approval is best predicted by information about forecasted growth for the current year. These results provide further indirect evidence that the state of the economy, as it plays out directly in people's lives and experiences, may be less consequential for evaluations of the government than the mediated information about it that is conveyed to the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]