Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diversity of greenhouse gas emission drivers across European countries since the 2008 crisis

ABSTRACT In the context of climate change mitigation and the Paris Agreement, it is critical to monitor and understand the dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions over different regions of the world. In this study, we quantify the contributions of different drivers behind the observed emission decrease in Europe between 2009 and 2014. To this end, we build a novel dataset of deflated input–output tables for each of the 28 EU countries. This dataset enables us to conduct the first Structural Decomposition Analysis of emissions in European countries since the economic crisis. Our results show that the largest drivers of emissions have been the improvement in carbon intensity (−394 MtCOe), largely offset by the economic recovery (+285 MtCOe). However, other less intuitive drivers also played a significant role in the emission decline: changes in the production system (−104 MtCOe), mostly driven by an increase in imports; the evolution of final demand patterns (−101 MtCOe); a decrease in emissions due to household heating (−83 MtCOe) and private transport (−24 MtCOe), with a small offset from population growth (+39 MtCOe). However, these aggregate figures mask significant variations between EU countries which we also document. This study highlights the importance of including changes in consumption patterns, trade and temperature anomalies in tracking and fostering progress towards the Paris Agreement goals. Key policy insights The largest drivers of EU greenhouse gas emissions changes between 2009 and 2014 have been improved carbon intensity and economic recovery. Changes in imports, production technologies, consumption patterns and household heating also played a significant role. Dynamics of change varied significantly from one country to another. Tracking these drivers is essential to monitor progress towards the Paris Agreement goals and increase ambition.
Improving Early Warning Systems with Categorized Course Resource Usage

Early Warning Systems (EWSs) aggregate multiple sources of data to provide timely information to stakeholders about students in need of academic support. There is an increasing need to incorporate relevant data about student behaviors into the algorithms underlying EWSs to improve predictors of students’ success or failure. Many EWSs currently incorporate counts of course resource use, although these measures provide no information about which resources students are using. We use seven years of data from seven core STEM courses at a large university to investigate the associations between students’ use of categorized course resources (e.g., lecture or exam preparation resources) and their final course grade. Using logistic regression, we find that students who use exam preparation resources to a greater degree than their peers are more likely to receive a final grade of B or higher. In contrast, students who use more lecture-related resources than their peers are less likely to receive a final grade of B or higher. We discuss the implications of our results for developers deciding how to incorporate categories of course resource usage data into EWSs, for academic advisors using this information with students, and for instructors deciding which resources to include on their LMS site.
From multicultural to diversity policies: Tracing the demise of group representation and recognition in a local urban context

This article deals with the question of how and why urban governments have implemented diversity policies in the context of a broader backlash against multiculturalism. The starting point of our analysis is the conceptualization of multiculturalism as a set of institutional arrangements for ethnic minority group representation and recognition. While scholars have largely focused on normative critiques of multiculturalism, arguing that it is unable to respond to the super-diversity in contemporary cities, this article focuses on the empirical complexities of diversity policy-making in a local context. More specifically, we investigate the changes in the policy practices and discourses regarding the representation and recognition of ethnic minorities in Antwerp, the largest city of the Flemish Region in Belgium. The minority policies in Antwerp had taken a multicultural turn by the 1990s, most evident in two strategies for group representation and recognition: the establishment of a migrant council to address the interests of ethnic minorities and the recruitment of an ethnically diverse city staff. We analyse how these measures became contested in the context of a wider backlash against multiculturalism. When multicultural policies became diversity policies, the migrant council was disbanded and a dress code prohibited minorities from displaying religious or other symbols in front-office public functions. With these cases, we argue that diversity discourses can be politicized in the governance of cities, with far-reaching consequences, such as the demise of ethnic minority representation and recognition, eventually reinforcing a neo-assimilationist focus urging migrants and their descendants to adapt to the cultural majority.
The rise of skepticism in Spanish political and digital media contexts

Currently in Spain, there is a political and social debate over the use and sale of homeopathic products, which is promoted mainly by the skeptical movement. For the first time, this issue has become significant in political discourse. This study analyzes the role that homeopathy-related stories are playing in that political debate. We analyzed the viewpoints of headlines between 2015 and 2017 in eight digital dailies (n = 1,683), which published over 30 stories on homeopathy during the three-year study period. The results indicated that the stance on therapy's lack of scientific evidence gained ground during the period studied.
Business Cycle Fluctuations with the Division of Permanent and Temporary Employment

In the mainstream real business cycle (RBC) model, labor can be viewed as temporary employment since the firm's demand for labor behaves directly in response to stochastic productivity shocks in each period. This paper provides a tractable way of analyzing fluctuations in permanent and temporary employment over the business cycle, as well as the underlying driving forces. This inclusion of heterogeneity helps reconcile the RBC model with the U.S. data given that temporary employees in general only account for a small proportion of total private‐sector employment (about 2%–3%). We draw an explicit division between permanent and temporary employment and resort to this separation to account for stylized facts that characterize a two‐tier labor market. In particular, with regard to the U.S. labor market, our benchmark model can well explain the motivating facts: (1) temporary employment is much more volatile than permanent employment, (2) the share of temporary employment (the ratio of temporary to aggregate employment) exhibits strong pro‐cyclicality, (3) permanent employment lags by two quarters on average, and (4) the correlation between temporary employment and output is stronger than that involving the permanent counterpart. The quantitative analysis suggests that our proposed channels explain the main facts well and the model further provides plausible reasoning for a firm's labor hoarding. (JEL E24, E32)
Application of Adult Learning Theory in Distance Learning

Adult learning theory suggests that adults need to perceive the relevance and purpose of learning in order to learn most effectively. Grounded in the notion that adults frame their own learning objectives, are self-directed and active participants in their learning, require constructive feedback and want opportunities to practice new skills, online and virtual learning environments are well suited for adult learners and are directly based on adult learning principles. Virtual environments provide opportunities for adults to construct learning based on what they already know and apply what they are learning in the instructional setting. An online instructor is an adult learning expert. Using adult and constructivist learning theories and current knowledge about web-based andragogy, this chapter will focus on the characteristics and learning preferences of adult-learners in virtual learning environments and recommend instructional design and teaching strategies to encourage behaviors that influence student engagement, retention and learning.
Examining Energy Futures Market Efficiency Under Multiple Regime Shifts

This study examines the West Texas Intermediate crude oil (WTI), Europe Brent crude oil (Brent), heating oil no. 2, and Henry Hub natural gas futures markets’ efficiency following Fama’s (1970) weak-form efficiency hypothesis, using spot and futures prices at 1, 2, 3, and 4 months maturity based on the tests with unknown multiple regime shifts. The results show that it is important to consider the multiple regime shifts when determining whether energy futures markets are efficient. We find that WTI and Brent futures markets are not efficient, whereas natural gas and heating oil futures markets are efficient. Additionally, the findings also shed light on discussions about the stationary properties of energy commodities and whether spot and futures prices are cointegrated. In particular, this study presents new evidence based on the unit root and cointegration tests with multiple structural breaks.
Cognitive Styles, Demographic Attributes, Task Performance, and Affective Experiences: An Empirical Investigation into Astrophysics Data System (ADS) Core Users

As a primary digital library portal for astrophysics researchers, SAO/NASA ADS (Astrophysics Data System) 2.0 interface features several visualization tools such as Author Network and Metrics. This research study involves 20 ADS long term users who participated in a usability and eye tracking research session. Participants first completed a cognitive test, and then performed five tasks in ADS 2.0 where they explored its multiple visualization tools. Results show that over half of the participants were Imagers and half of the participants were Analytic. Cognitive styles were found to have significant impacts on several efficiency-based measures. Analytic-oriented participants were observed to spent shorter time on web pages and apps, made fewer web page changes than less-Analytic-driving participants in performing common tasks, whereas AI (Analytic-Imagery) participants also completed their five tasks faster than non-AI participants. Meanwhile, self-identified Imagery participants were found to be more efficient in their task completion through multiple measures including total time on task, number of mouse clicks, and number of query revisions made. Imagery scores were negatively associated with frequency of confusion and the observed counts of being surprised. Compared to those who did not claimed to be a visual person, self-identified Imagery participants were observed to have significantly less frequency in frustration and hesitation during their task performance. Both demographic variables and past user experiences were found to correlate with task performance; query revision also correlated with multiple time-based measurements. Considered as an indicator of efficiency, query revisions were found to correlate negatively with the rate of complete with ease, and positively with several time-based efficiency measures, rate of complete with some difficulty, and the frequency of frustration. These results provide rich insights into the cognitive styles of ADS’ core users, the impact of such styles and demographic attributes on their task performance their affective and cognitive experiences, and their interaction behaviors while using the visualization component of ADS 2.0, and would subsequently contribute to the design of bibliographic retrieval systems for scientists.
An Exploration of Content and Drivers of Online Sustainability Disclosure: A Study of Italian Organisations

Organisations have been disclosing environmental and social information through different tools, including their websites. However, the type of environmental and social information that organisations disclose online, and what are the characteristics of those organisations is still not fully understood. This research aims to (a) identify which environmental and social information organisations disclose online; and (ii) explore drivers of the specific information disclosed. We collected data on sustainability disclosures from 2008 Italian organisations. Results show that overall the amount of environmental and social information disclosed online is low. However, organisational characteristics explain different contents of disclosure. Bigger organisations (in terms of revenues and number of employees), and with environmental and social certifications in place tend to disclose more environmental and social information. Also, consumer goods’ organisations disclose mostly information related to the supply chain; whilst resource-intensive industries disclose mostly information on corporate social responsibility. This research shows that overall there is still a reserved attitude towards disclosing environmental and social information in Italian organisations, providing little information to stakeholders about environmental and social policies, strategies and practices. This study provides researchers and practitioners information on the content of sustainability information disclosed and possible drivers for their disclosure; this supports their understanding of the conditions where voluntary sustainability disclosure is more expected.
From area law to volume entanglement in a quantum bicolor six-vertex model

We generalize the area-law violating models of Fredkin spin chain into two dimensions by building a quantum bicolor six-vertex model with correlated swapping and alternating boundary condition. The construction is a analogous to our ﬁrst example of such models based on quantum lozenge tiling (arXiv:2210.01098), but on a square lattice. The Hamiltonian is frustration free, and its projectors generate ergodic dynamics within the subspace of height conﬁguration that are non negative. The ground state is a volume- and color-weighted superposition of classical bicolor six-vertex conﬁgurations with non-negative heights in the bulk an zero height on the boundary. The entanglement entropy between subsystems has a phase transition as the weight parameter is tuned, which is shown to be robust in the presence of an external ﬁeld acting on the color degree of freedom. The ground state transitions between area- and volume-law entanglement phases with a critical point where entanglement entropy scales as a function L log L of the linear system size L . Intermediate scalings between L log L and L 2 can be achieved with an inhomogeneous deformation parameter that approaches 1 at diﬀerent rates in the thermodynamic limit.
A mediating role of innovation capability between entrepreneurial competencies and competitive advantage

ABSTRACT This study investigates how entrepreneurial competencies at the individual level and firm performance at the organisational level are mediated by organisational innovation capabilities. Prior studies show mixed results for the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and firm performance, perhaps because of the omission of potentially mediating variables. The results show that the indirect effects of entrepreneurial competencies through organisational innovation capabilities are much stronger than their direct effects on competitive advantage. Organizational innovation capabilities are required for the sustainability of a firm’s superior position, mediating the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and competitive advantage.
ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN INDONESIAN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION: Theory and reality

The globalization phenomenon marked by the flow of people movements, the advancement of informational technology, and the shrinking price of transportation has brought people around the world into one global community. Comprised by people from diverse linguistic backgrounds, this community sees the need to use a common language to bridge the communication gap. With a long-established economic and political power, English comes to the forefront as a global lingua franca. With its growing and pervasive influence, the need to learn English has never become more apparent. This need is often translated by government into language-in-education policy. This paper, to start with, will observe how language policy and globalization build a causal relationship. In the section that follows, language-in-education policy in Indonesian context will be presented. The following part will move on to discuss the use of EMI in Sekolah Berstandar Internasional (SBI)-International Standard School in Indonesia. In the end, a reflection and conclusion of EMI in Indonesia context will be discussed. In doing so, this paper employs literature study approach to explore the EMI practice in Indonesian schools. All relevant information was collected from several sources such as books and journal articles. The information was then utilised to build on discussions on existing theoretical framings, language policy and globalization, and on language-in-education policy and practice in Indonesia.
The use of people as information sources in biblical studies research

Avec cette recherche exploratoire, j'ai examine le role des individus en tant que sources informelles d'information de la recherche reliee aux etudes bibliques. Grâce a des entrevues semi-structurees, j'ai demande a un groupe de sept chercheurs du domaine des etudes bibliques des questions specifiques au sujet de leur comportement de recherche informationnel. L'etude a demontre que la majorite des chercheurs utilisent les individus comme sources regulieres d'information pour leurs recherches. Parfois, les chercheurs desirent obtenir des informations factuelles a partir de ces sources, mais frequemment ils sont a la recherche d'informations affectives. Les chercheurs tentent egalement d'obtenir une forme d'evaluation et d'affirmation de la part de leurs collegues concernant l'orientation de leur recherche.
Exchange Rate Dynamics and Monetary Spillovers with Imperfect Financial Markets

We use a two-country New Keynesian model with financial frictions and dollar debt in balance sheets to investigate the foreign effects of U.S. monetary policy. Financial amplification works through an endogenous deviation from uncovered interest parity (UIP) arising from limits to arbitrage in private intermediation. Combined with dollar trade invoicing, this mechanism leads to large spillovers from U.S. policy, consistent with the evidence. Foreign monetary policies that attempt to stabilize the exchange rate reduce welfare and may exacerbate exchange rate volatility. We document empirically a link between UIP deviations and measures of credit market frictions, as predicted by the model.
Reconceptualizing Dimensions of Political Competition In Europe: A Demand-side Approach

Abstract Scholars seeking to understand political competition in Europe have proposed various models of political dimensionality. While most scholars draw on data from the supply side of politics (political parties), demand-side (voter) studies remain few. In this article we compare the two approaches. The main difference is that while supply-side approaches suggest a single model of dimensionality that can be applied to all EU countries, demand-side approaches suggest a greater degree of divergence. In particular, the bundle of issues commonly identified by supply-side studies as TAN/GAL not only fail to form a coherent dimension when viewed from a demand-side perspective, but incorporate issues of EU integration in some (northern European) cases, but not in others.
Conditionality And The Adjustment Development Connection

All economies continuously need to adapt to changing circumstances and opportunities, and countries which have adapted along lines promoted by the Bretton Woods institutions (BWls) have achieved strongly improved economic performance. However, the results achieved by structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) in developing countries is patchy, at best, The paper seeks to explain this paradox, emphasizing the adverse effects of the BWIs' narrow perception of the development-adjustment relationship, and of their over reliance on a conditionality of limited revealed effectiveness. The BWIs need to re-think how they can best contribute to adaptation in developing economies.
Why Pay More? the Effects of Increased Wage Replacement Benefits in Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ Compensation insurance provides income security via wage replacement payment if a workplace injury results in lost work time for an employee. This paper estimates the effects of increases in Workers’ Compensation wage replacement payments on time out of work, medical services use and health outcomes, as well as the welfare effect brought by the current benefit level. The sample includes claim data from self-insured companies in New York from 2004 to 2016. The study design uses the variation in the wage replacement rate caused by the annual increases in the maximum weekly indemnity payment brought by the 2007 Workers’ Compensation reform. This study has four findings. First, a 10-percentage point increase in the wage replacement rate led to an additional 3.8 days off work. The estimated elasticity is 0.49. Second, workers did not consume more medical services as a result of increased benefit and delayed return-to-work, and the short-term health outcomes remained unchanged. Third, an extra day off work decreased the hazard rate of getting re-injured by 3.3 percent. Fourth, a $1 increase in the weekly indemnity level would have raised a worker’s utility by the equivalent of 20 to 40 cents a year. The study results indicate that a policy that increases Workers’ Compensation benefit is costly to employers in the short-term, but it is cost-saving to employers in the long-term by reducing expenses associated with re-injuries. Workers benefit from the policy by enjoying longer time off work and subsequently incurring fewer reinjuries. Increasing the current wage replacement benefit will lead to an increase in the overall welfare, though the gain is small. JEL No. J33, J28, I18
Challenges of World Tourism Cities

This chapter looks at the challenges faced by world tourism cities, destinations that attract large number of visitors due to their specific characteristics. These cities perform multiple functions, such as centres for business, as well as cultural excellence, and are home to many world-class tourist attractions. They are also important players in the world economy, and offer easy access through better connectivity. These traits, together with others that will be discussed later in the chapter, contribute to the important role played by world tourism cities in the global visitor economy. In addition, these cities play an important role in the visitor economy of a destination, with the success of the tourism industry in a country often reliant on their success. However, despite their advantages, world cities face numerous challenges that result from the complex economic, social and political functions they exhibit, as well as the diversity of people they attract (e.g. residents, immigrants or visitors). In a very competitive world, where many new as well as traditional destinations try to attract ever more visitors, policy makers in cities need to better understand the challenges they face so they can implement specific measures when planning and managing tourism in these destinations. Without such measures, world tourism cities could face numerous negative impacts that may affect their sustainability and competitiveness on the global market, such as increased traffic congestion, pollution and conflicts between visitors and hosts, to name but a few. This section therefore looks at a number of world tourism cities (e.g. London, Singapore, and Dubai) and briefly highlights their particularities together with the challenges they face.