bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Land Swap Option for Sustainable Production of Oil Palm Plantations in Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: Ariesca Reza , Sau Andi Adriana We Tenri , Adinugroho Wahyu Catur , Setiawan Arief Ameir Rahman , Ahamed Tofael , Noguchi Ryozo
Published: January 2023

Indonesia is the largest producer of palm oil; it is essential to manage its palm oil industry in a sustainable manner through swapping the oil palm plantation in peatland to mineral soil to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. This study employed the latest spatial data using the ArcGIS software to analyze the potential area for the land swap option and to calculate the potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Kalimantan, Indonesia. There are 1.08 million ha of oil palm in peatland, while 0.64 million ha of the area in mineral soil under the convertible production forest have the potential for land swapping. Via the land-swap option, emission reductions of 65.43% (from 979.05 MtCO2eq to 336.64 MtCO2eq) for the calculation period of 25 years and up to 61.19% (from 2147.81 MtCO2eq to 833.67 MtCO2eq) for that of 50 years is possible compared to the initial condition. The land swap will also increase the production of fresh fruit bunch (FFB) by 17.16% per year because the productivity of FFB in mineral soil is higher than that of the peatland. Considering that land swaps are costly, policymakers and stakeholders must collaborate to execute the land-swap option for the sustainability of Indonesian palm oil.
Investigation of the Effectiveness of the Introduction of the Quality Management System According to the ISO 9001 Standard in Transport Companies: Slovakia Case Study
Authors: Cződörová Renáta , Gnap Jozef
Published: January 2023

The ISO 9001 standard is the most widespread standard in the world that sets requirements for a quality management system. Thousands of companies around the world have implemented the quality management system according to ISO 9001, and there are many reasons why they decided to implement this management system in their companies. The main goal of this paper is to determine the impact of the introduction of a quality management system according to the ISO 9001 standard on the performance of a selected sample of transport companies after its successful implementation as a strategic step to achieve better competitiveness. The impact of the introduction of the quality management system on the performance of a selected sample of 17 transport companies was investigated through the use of financial analysis, regression, and correlation analysis tools. The first significant finding was that the selected investigated indicators, such as profitability of assets, profitability of sales, size of the transport company, and age of the transport company in the selected transport companies, showed a significant positive difference in their average values in the period after obtaining ISO 9001 certification when compared to the period without certification. Further investigation of the financial situation in transport companies that already had a quality management system in place according to the ISO 9001 standard revealed that all the values of the selected indicators acquired positive values in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could also be due to the fact that transport companies kept their customers.
Research on the Coupling and Coordinated Development of the Tourism Industry and Regional Economy in the Economic Circle of the Sichuan–Chongqing Region in Southwest China
Authors: Yang Qin , Dan Huan , Ni Tingting , Zhao Pan , Wei Junyi , Wang Gang
Published: January 2023

The construction of the Sichuan–Chongqing double-city economic circle represents a critical measure for high-quality development in China. The coordinated development of industry and economy is conducive to high-quality regional economic growth and the construction of a high-standard market system. This study selects 19 data indexes of the tourism industry and regional economy in the Sichuan–Chongqing region from 2000 to 2020 and analyzes the coupling coordination degree of them through a coupling coordination model. Such being the case, the gray correlation analysis method is used to explore the key factors affecting the coupling difference. It is found that the comprehensive development index of the tourism industry system and regional economic system of the Sichuan–Chongqing region witnesses a steady growth, but the overall performance of the regional economic system lags behind that of the tourism industry system. From the perspective of coupling coordination degree, the coupling coordination between the tourism industry and regional economy in the Sichuan–Chongqing region is increasingly strengthened, with the whole system being in the stage of running-in and high-level coupling. It has achieved the leap from unbalanced development to well-coordinated development. From the perspective of gray correlation analysis, the per capita consumption level of residents and regional GDP are the key factors affecting the coupling and coordination differences of the Sichuan–Chongqing circle.
A Contamination Predictive Model for Escherichia coli in Rural Communities Dug Shallow Wells
Authors: Lopes Hítalo Tobias Lôbo , Baumann Luis Rodrigo Fernandes , Scalize Paulo Sérgio
Published: January 2023

In Brazilian rural communities, the lack of treated water leads their residents to seek individual and alternative solutions, in which dug shallow wells (DSW) are quite widespread. However, water quality may not be fitted for human consumption. For this reason, the current study aimed to predict the contamination of DSW water in rural communities in the Brazilian state of Goiás. For this, secondary data related to water quality, the distance to possible contamination sources, structural conditions, and local geology were evaluated. Therefore, a generalized linear model was applied, and its predictors were evaluated by stepwise methods (Akaike information criterion—AIC and Bayesian information criterion—BIC), generating an intermediate model. After the analysis, turbidity parameter was chosen to be removed resulting in a final, submitted to leave-one-out cross-validation method, and its performance was measured by a confusion matrix. The final model resulted in four predictive variables: well diameter, contour paving width, poultry, and swine husbandry existence. The model accuracy was 82.61%, with a true positive predictor of 82.18% and a negative predictor of 85.71%.
Cooperative Efficiency Evaluation System for Intelligent Transportation Facilities Based on the Variable Weight Matter Element Extension
Authors: Li Kailei , Bai Han , Yan Xiang , Zhao Liang , Wang Xiuguang
Published: January 2023

In order to effectively evaluate the cooperative efficiency of intelligent transportation facilities, a structural model of four cooperative development elements, including functional cooperative, operational cooperative, information cooperative, and operation cooperative, is constructed with the guidance of system coordination and a cooperative efficiency evaluation system is established based on it. Then, a dynamic efficiency evaluation model based on variable weight and matter-element extension method was constructed to describe the cooperative efficiency of intelligent transportation facilities and analyze the cooperative efficiency of key road sections in the Jinan area as an example. The results show that of the ten sections, two are in poor performance status, three are in good performance status, and five are in excellent performance status. The four indexes of vertical cooperative construction, functional scheduling level, information element completeness, and multi-departmental information integration level have the most significant impact on facility cooperative efficiency and are the most sensitive; the three indexes of plan executability, functional ease of upgrading, and space–time alignment rate have the most negligible impact on facility cooperative efficiency and are the least sensitive.
Construction and Performance Evaluation of Polyurethane-Bound Porous Rubber Pavement (PRP) Trial Section in the Cold Climate
Authors: Kabir Tamanna , Tighe Susan
Published: January 2023

Porous pavements are designed and used in current construction practices to address environmental and safety issues related to wet weather. Porous rubber pavement (PRP) is a novel porous pavement material consisting of recycled crumb tire rubbers, stone aggregates, and polyurethane binders. The higher permeability (up to 45% of air voids) of PRP and its composition offers excellent benefits to the urban hydrological system and environment. Due to its recent outset in the Canadian climate, its properties and performance are not yet investigated. This research investigates PRP’s properties and performance as pavement material through the construction of two trial sections incorporating three newly developed PRP mixes along with a Control Mix. Samples were obtained from the field and tested in the laboratory to determine the mechanical and durability properties, including indirect tensile strength, moisture-induced damage due to freeze-thaw cycles and permanent deformation. A field evaluation was also performed three times: right after construction, three weeks later and after seven months to determine stiffness, frictional properties, roughness and permeability. The results revealed that all PRP mixes exhibited excellent permeability and retained more than 68% of tensile strength after five freeze-thaw cycles. Although PRP showed significantly lower initial elastic modulus than conventional pavement material, ranging between 28 MPa to 59 MPa, in the springtime none of them went below 23 MPa. Material composition, site geometry and subgrade conditions were found to be the main factors influencing the field performance of PRP pavement.
The Impact of Basic Public Health Services on Migrant Peasant Workers’ Urban Integration: Evidence from China
Authors: Yang Yuying , Gao Duanyang , Li Rui , Du Hui
Published: January 2023

The key to promoting urbanization in China is to achieve urban integration of migrant peasant workers, and basic public health services may have a potential social impact on the subjective welfare of migrant peasant workers. In this paper, we use data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) to study the impact of basic public health services on the urban integration of migrant peasant workers. The results show that basic public health services can significantly improve the probability of migrant peasant workers’ urban integration. The conclusions remain robust after mitigating potential endogeneity issues using the propensity score matching method (PSM), the CMP method, and robustness testing by replacing the explanatory variables with the reduced tail treatment. Further research found that the impact of basic public health services on migrant peasant workers’ urban integration is heterogeneous. The urban integration effect of basic public health services is more significant in male, high school and above, migrant peasant workers’ groups. The urban integration effect of basic public health services gradually increases with upgrading of the urban grade at the second-tier city and higher urban levels, and it also plays a vital role in the urban integration of the migrant peasant workers at the third-tier city and lower urban levels. Our findings also provide an evidence-based policy for China to promote equalizing basic public health services and a path to the urbanization of migrant peasant workers.
Pre and Post Water Level Behaviour in Punjab: Impact Analysis with DiD Approach
Authors: Sharma Yogita , Sidana Baljinder Kaur , Kumar Sunny , Kaur Samanpreet , Sekhon Milkho Kaur , Mahal Amrit Kaur , Mehan Sushant
Published: January 2023

Punjab Agriculture is trapped in the complex nexus of groundwater depletion and food insecurity. The policymakers are concerned about reducing groundwater extraction at any cost for irrigation without jeopardizing food security. In this regard, the Government of Punjab introduced the “Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009”. The present paper examines the impact of the “Preservation of Sub Soil Water Act, 2009” on pre- and post-water levels in Punjab using the difference-in-difference (DiD) approach. The state has witnessed a severe fall of 0.50 m per year and 0.43 m per year for the post-monsoon and pre-monsoon season, respectively. Only 2.62 per cent of wells were in the range of 20–40 m depth in the state in 1996, which increased to 42 per cent and 67 per cent in 2018 for the pre-monsoon period, and post monsoon period respectively, depicting an increase of 25 times. The groundwater depth in high rice-growing(treated) districts declined by 1.53 and 1.39 m than the low rice-growing (control) districts in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods respectively post the enactment of PPSW Act, 2009. A groundwater governance framework is urgently needed to manage the existing and future challenges connected with the groundwater resource.
Characteristics of Atmospheric Pollution in a Chinese Megacity: Insights from Three Different Functional Areas
Authors: Yang Jie , Fu Xinran , Qiao Liping , Yao Lan , Zhang Fei , Li Weiyue
Published: January 2023

The most important atmospheric pollutants include PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO and O3. Characteristics of atmospheric pollution were investigated by analyzing daily and hourly concentrations of the six key pollutants in three different functional areas (urban, suburban, and rural) of Shanghai during 2019–2021. Results show that O3, exceeding PM2.5, has become the primary pollutant determining air quality in Shanghai. The frequency of O3 as a primary pollutant ranged from 40% in an urban area to 71% in a rural area, which was much higher than that of PM2.5 (14–21%). NO2 and SO2, precursors of PM2.5, presented a clear weekend effect, whereas PM2.5 at weekends seems higher than that on weekdays. In the warm season, O3 at weekends was higher than that on weekdays in the three different functional areas, whereas no significant difference was observed between O3 on weekdays and at weekends in the cold season. Potential source contribution function analysis indicated that air pollution in Shanghai was impacted by inter-regional and intra-regional transport. The potential source areas of PM2.5 and O3 were different, which brought challenges to the coordinated control of PM2.5 and O3 in Shanghai. This study emphasizes the prominent O3 pollution in Shanghai, and argues that the prevention and control of O3 pollution requires regional joint prevention and control strategy.
Concentrations and Stoichiometric Characteristics of C, N, and P in Purple Soil of Agricultural Land in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China
Authors: Chen Taili , Shi Zhonglin , Wen Anbang
Published: January 2023

Soil stoichiometry is an essential tool for understanding soil nutrient balance and cycling. Previous studies have recognized that some relationships were observed between particle size and carbon and nitrogen parameters. This study attempted to evaluate nutrient element concentrations and their stoichiometric ratios of surface soil (0–10 cm) under different land use types (forest, sloping arable land, paddy fields, and orchards). and different particle sizes (<32 µm, <63 µm, and <125 µm) from a small typical hilly catchment (0.35 km2) in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region of China. The contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN). and total phosphorus (TP) were measured, and the ratios of C:N, C:P, N:P were calculated. The results indicated that land use type and soil particle size have diverse impacts on the studied indexes (SOC, TN, TP, C:N, C:P, and N:P). Six indexes were significantly affected by land use type (p < 0.01), while only C:N ratio was statistically influenced by soil particle size (p < 0.05). Furthermore, several significant differences of studied parameters of four land use types grouped within three particle sizes were found. The concentrations of SOC (12.34~13.46 g kg−1), TN (1.27~1.59 g kg−1), and TP (0.71~0.92 g kg−1) in the study site were lower than the national average values of China. Moreover, the productivity in the study area was mainly limited by TN concentration. Additionally, the concentration of TP decreased obviously with the increase in particle size. Furthermore, various coupling relationships were validated by linear and nonlinear fitting among different indexes. At the small catchment scale, take forest as a reference, human activities have significant impact on C-N-P stoichiometry (p < 0.05). Especially, tillage may reduce SOC and TN contents, leading to a decline in soil quality. Overall, our findings can provide a basis for rational utilization and sustainable development of land resources.
Isotopic and Hydrochemical Characteristics of the Changqing-Xiaolipu Water Resource, Jinan, Eastern China: Implications for Water Resources in the Yellow River Basin
Authors: Yu Dalu , Yu Jieqing , Wu Di , Han Yu , Sun Bin , Zheng Lishuang , Chen Huanliang , Liu Rui
Published: January 2023

The Yellow River has played an indispensable role in supporting Chinese civilization because it provides water resources and rich soil for agriculture. This study analyzes the major ions and the isotopic ratios of the hydrogen (δD), oxygen (δ18O), and carbon (14C) of groundwater samples to identify the sources of recharge and the impact of the Yellow River on the Changqing-Xiaolipu karst aquifer. The major ion/Cl− ratios generally follow the mixing line between the Yellow River and the karst groundwater recharge in the southern mountain areas, indicating the importance of mixing under natural influences in the Yellow River Basin. The dominant hydrochemical type of karst groundwater is Ca·Mg-HCO3·SO4, whereas that of Yellow River water is Ca·Na·Mg-SO4·Cl. Most karst groundwater consists of 10–30% Yellow River water, indicating that the water resources of the Yellow River Basin are generally supplemented by the Yellow River. Therefore, the Yellow River must be considered during the characterization of the chemistry and budget of water resources in the Yellow River Basin.
Species-Specific Secondary Metabolites from Primula veris subsp. veris Obtained In Vitro Adventitious Root Cultures: An Alternative for Sustainable Production
Authors: Sarropoulou Virginia , Sarrou Eirini , Angeli Andrea , Martens Stefan , Maloupa Eleni , Grigoriadou Katerina
Published: January 2023

Primula veris subsp. veris L. is a perennial herbaceous and medicinal plant species the roots and flowers of which are a source of valuable pharmaceutical raw materials. The plant tissues are used to produce expectorant and diuretic drugs due to their high content of triterpene saponins and phenolic glycosides. Underground roots of P. veris can be obtained only through a destructive process during the plant’s harvesting. In the present study, an in vitro adventitious root production protocol was developed as an alternative way of production, focused on four species-specific secondary metabolites. Root explants were cultured in Murashing & Skoog liquid medium supplemented with 5.4 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid, 0.5 μM kinetin, L-proline 100 mg/L, and 30 g/L sucrose, in the dark and under agitation. The effect of temperature (10, 15 and 22 °C) on biomass production was investigated. The content of two flavonoid compounds (primeverin and primulaverin), and two main triterpene saponins (primulic acid I and II) were determined after 60 days of culture and compared with 1.5-year-old soil-grown plants. The accumulated content (mg/g DW) of bioactive compounds of in vitro adventitious roots cultured under 22 °C was significantly higher than the other two temperatures of the study, being 9.71 mg/g DW in primulaverin, 0.09 mg/g DW in primeverin, 6.09 mg/g DW in primulic acid I, and 0.51 mg/g DW in primulic acid II. Compared to the soil-grown roots (10.23 mg/g DW primulaverin, 0.28 mg/g DW primeverin, 17.01 mg/g DW primulic acid I, 0.09 mg/g DW primulic acid II), the in vitro grown roots at 22 °C exhibited a 5.67-fold higher content in primulic acid II. However, primulic acid I and primeverin content were approximately three-fold higher in soil-grown roots, while primulaverin content were at similar levels for both in vitro at 22 °C and soil-grown roots. From our results, tissue culture of P. veris subsp. veris could serve not only for propagation but also for production of species-specific secondary metabolites such as primulic acid II through adventitious root cultures. This would therefore limit the uncontrolled collection of this plant from its natural environment and provide natural products free from pesticides in a sustainable way.
Impact of Integrating Annual and Perennial Legumes under Coffea arabica on Sloping Land
Authors: Tibasiima Thaddeo Kahigwa , Ekyaligonza Deous Mary , Kagorora John Patrick Kanahe , Friedel Jürgen Kurt , Melcher Andreas , Bwambale Bosco , Akugizibwe Edwin , Freyer Bernhard
Published: January 2023

Above-ground biomass cover under Coffea arabica on sloping land is beneficial but difficult to sustain. Interplanting annual and perennial legumes can sustain the above-ground biomass cover, and improve soil fertility, yield, and profitability. This was tested on 26 sloping farms in a four-growing season experiment on undersowing C. arabica with new crop combinations: Mucuna pruriens var. utilis (T1); Millettia dura Dunn (T2); a combination of M. pruriens and M. dura (T3); and the control with a no-cover legume (T4). On each farm, all treatments followed a randomized single-block design. T3 produced 8.7 mt/ha/yr above-ground biomass that was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than other treatments and was increasing with the seasons. Under T3, plant-available nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) increased more than in other treatments. During the fourth season, coffee yield in T3 was 54%, 22%, and 11% higher than in T4, T2, and T1, respectively. The gross profit under T3 was 86% higher than in T4 in the fourth season. This indicates that interplanting a combination of M. pruriens and M. dura under C. arabica on sloping land can sustainably increase above-ground biomass cover, soil’s plant-available N and K, coffee yield, and profitability. Based on the results, the combination of M. pruriens and M. dura is recommended to optimize coffee production under the described conditions.
Determinants of University Students’ Intention to Use Video Conferencing Tools during COVID-19 Pandemic: Case of Somalia
Authors: Başaran Seren , Hussein Kowther Abdikarin
Published: January 2023

In a technologically disadvantaged and thriving developing country, university students in Somalia were abruptly required to adopt nontraditional learning using video conferencing facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. While video conferencing tools for teaching and learning are claimed to be effective, it is still unclear what advantages and difficulties they brought to higher education in Somalia, particularly to what extent students accepted the use of such technology. This study explores the outside factors that might be influential on students’ intentions to use video conferencing tools during the COVID-19 epidemic. The study employed integrated technology acceptance (TAM) and diffusion of innovations (DOI) models. The proposed model was tested using structural equation modelling with 600 university students during the COVID-19 outbreak in Somalia. The results indicate that significant elements influenced students’ intention to use video conferencing for learning, such as student readiness, usefulness, user satisfaction, ease of use, complexity, relative advantage, trialability, and university support, whereas the quality of service, compatibility, and observability are found to have no impact on students’ intention to use video conferencing tools. The findings show that various COVID-19 related issues play a significant influence in shaping students’ intentions to engage in video conferencing tools for learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of how effectively educational institutions are prepared to promote the use of such technology. This contribution emphasizes how crucial it is to maintain constant, interactive contact with students and to give them the right supporting environments to further enhance their educational experiences in technologically disadvantaged regions.
Advancing Student Learning Power by Operating Classrooms as Learning Communities: Mediated Effects of Engagement Activities and Social Relations
Authors: Pan Hui-Ling Wendy
Published: January 2023

Schools are responsible for developing students’ learning abilities in order to prepare them for the future. However, learning power was rarely explored in previous studies. This study considered classrooms as a proximal level of influences from ecologically-oriented systems theory and therefore centered on exploring the effects of operating classrooms as learning communities (CaLC) on students’ learning power. Learner-centered teaching, which includes the components of inquiry, collaboration, and expression, was used to assess how far CaLC has progressed. It comprises the classroom processes, along with student engagement activities (i.e., inquiry, collaboration, and expression), and classroom social relations. By employing a mediation model, this study aimed to disentangle the effects of classroom processes on learning power. A total of 1478 students from 14 junior high schools in Taiwan participated in the survey. The findings indicate that student perceptions of learner-centered teaching, engagement activities, social relations, and learning power all reached a high-intermediate level. It also found that learner-centered teaching directly affected learning power and exerted indirect effects through engagement activities and social relations. This study contributes to the research on the learning community by providing a more comprehensive analytical framework for detecting the impact of classroom processes. Besides, the three identified components (i.e., inquiry, collaboration, and expression) of CaLC can be a practical guide for the instructional practice of learner-centeredness.
A Study on the Economic Resilience of Industrial Parks
Authors: Lee Yun-Hsuan , Kao Li-Ling , Liu Wen-Hsiang , Pai Jen-Te
Published: January 2023

The development of globalization has brought about obvious differences in the resilience of different regions against economic crises. Regional economic resilience refers to the ability of a region’s economy to resist shocks when faced with external disturbances or to break away from its existing growth model in favor of a better path, Resilience represents the region’s adaptability, innovation, and sustainability. This paper describes an empirical analysis on the 60 designated industrial park developments under the Industrial Development Bureau in Taiwan. Over a period of short-term disturbances, the industrial parks are analyzed from four aspects: industrial structure, regional development foundation, enterprise competitiveness and labor conditions, and government governance and policy systems. Through discriminant analysis, we analyze the characteristics of factors that mainly affect the economic resilience of 60 industrial parks faced with shocks such as the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008, the five-day work week in 2016, and the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019. We found that industrial structure, specifically diversified industrial structure, is the major factor behind enhanced regional economic resilience. If the scale of specialized industries is large enough, they can form sufficient capacity to resist external changes and also be economically resilient. Under the negative impact, the amount of innovation can be an important part of post-disaster recovery, and stable innovation input will become a main factor for the sustainable development of industrial parks. The pressure of the uncertainty of global economic development and the transformation and upgrading of the domestic economy underscore that enterprises urgently need automation and digital transformation to enhance their competitiveness. In order to enhance economic resilience to adapt to changes in the overall environment, the industrial parks need to adjust adaptively, improve their industrial structure, and promote innovation, hoping that the regional economy will move towards a more stable and sustainable development path.
The Adaptive Evolution of Cultural Ecosystems along the Silk Road and Cultural Tourism Heritage: A Case Study of 22 Cultural Sites on the Chinese Section of the Silk Road World Heritage
Authors: Yu Jie , Safarov Bahodirhon , Yi Lu , Buzrukova Makhina , Janzakov Bekzot
Published: January 2023

The adaptive evolution of cultural ecosystems is a distinctive process along the Silk Road in China, involving the transitional interaction of nature and culture. This study aims to provide theoretical recommendations for the management of cultural heritage sites along the Silk Road to assess the values and keep the balance between tourism development and cultural heritage protection. The paper focuses on 22 cultural sites in western China to study the adaptive evolution pattern of cultural landscapes along the Silk Road with landscape changes and the transmission patterns of modern cultural tourism. Based on relevant literature reviews, historical maps, and geomorphological maps, the factors influencing the evolution of the cultural ecosystem are explored. We present both the theoretical and managerial implications: the cultural heritage of the urban areas can vigorously develop the cultural tourism with a high degree of industrialization, suburban areas can boost up traditional tourism product routes. We also assume that the degree of development of cultural tourism depends on the cultural ecosystem service and the environmental status of the cultural landscape.
The Discount Rate in the Evaluation of Project Economic-Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Fregonara Elena , Ferrando Diego Giuseppe
Published: January 2023

The debate about project economic sustainability evaluation from a life cycle perspective focused on the conventional Life Cycle Costing (LCC). Despite the potentialities of the approach for evaluating design options at different scales (building/system/component/material), some limits emerge due to the neoclassical nature of the economic principles on which it is founded. The most important aspect of this debate is the necessity to clarify how to deal with environmental costs in the calculation, particularly in the case of public/PPP interventions. Two research topics emerge for strengthening the capability of LCC to deal with environmental components: (1) the LCC and environmental quantitative analysis (using Life Cycle Assessment) joint application; (2) the integration of the environmental dimension into the microeconomic approach, using appropriate discount rates. As known, these last are particularly relevant for public projects, in which the time value of money issue becomes crucial in presence of long lifespan analyses and economic objectives. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to explore alternative discounting modalities, for identifying the preferable one, towards an “environmental LCC model”. The research domain is therefore on the limits of LCC in dealing with environmental cost components, at the time being poorly studied by the scientific literature: this point represents the missing link which form the basis for the research problem to be addressed. The research design is focused on the investigation of environmental hurdle rate technique and the escalation rate approach, as alternatives to the standard “time preference” (financial) one. The LCC and the global cost are selected as the main tool for the analysis, which is founded on an empirical research methodology. The results, obtained by simulations on a case study (two alternative technological components), confirm the relevance of the discount rate effect on the Global Cost calculation by modelling some of the potential impacts of building components on the environment, e.g., the expectations of technological development over time. By the environmental hurdle rate, the results can even change the final preferability ranking obtained using financial rates. The value of the work consists of growing the debate on the topic and supporting environmentally responsible investment decisions in the building construction sector (new-build/retrofit of existing assets).
Influence of Social and Economic Factors on Construction Project Performance in Pakistan
Authors: Khahro Shabir Hussain , Memon Aftab Hameed , Memon Nafees Ahmed , Memon Zubair Ahmed , Naresh Rawal
Published: January 2023

The performance of a building project is a key determinant of its ultimate success. The failure of a construction project can be attributed to a variety of issues. Among these criteria, success and long-term sustainability have been identified as crucial. It has been established that social and economic considerations play a considerable effect in project completion. In Pakistani construction projects, however, there is a lack of a systematic framework for measuring the impact of social and economic elements on project success. It is, therefore, important to determine social and economic elements and their impact on project performance measures. Initially, 29 experts representing clients, consultants, and contractors were interviewed, and the factors relevant to Pakistan were shortlisted based on interviews. SPSS software was used to analyze the data, and the results were presented in tables and graphs. Safety, land value, health, employment, and education were the top five social factors, while the top five economic factors were productivity, employment, transportation, market access, and local market. As project performance indicators, time, customer satisfaction, cost, health and safety, and quality were identified. Based on these characteristics, a questionnaire was designed, and data from 154 valid replies were gathered and analyzed using the linear multiple regression approach. These equations have been constructed to examine the impact of social and economic factors on time, cost, health and safety, and quality. Using the findings of this research, we can better understand how social and economic aspects affect project outcomes and raise industry standards. These resources will be useful to the project manager in formulating a sound project management strategy and enhancing project results.
An Attempt to Determine the Relationship between Air Pollution and the Real Estate Market in 2010–2020 in Gdańsk Using GLM and GRM Statistical Models
Authors: Czechowski Piotr Oskar , Romanowska Anna , Czermański Ernest , Oniszczuk-Jastrząbek Aneta , Wanagos Marzena
Published: January 2023

World economic development, technological progress, and irrational exploitation of natural resources have intensified the negative effects of economic activity, which causes more attention to be paid to environmental pollution and the deterioration of the standard of living. Therefore, over the past few years, the concept of sustainable development has experienced a period of increased interest, accompanied by changes in the attitudes and expectations of all market participants. The article attempts to analyse the relationship between air pollution and selected parameters of the residential market in Gdansk in 2010–2020. The study considered the peculiarities of the region due to its geographical location. To identify the effects of air pollution, the GLM (generalised linear models) and GRM (generalised regression models) were used with a progressive stepwise regression method. Based on the results, it was found that the existing air pollution and climatic conditions in Gdańsk have an impact on the number of apartments sold and their prices. All models were identified for the first time for monthly data, and prices were taken from the real estate sale contracts database. These indicate the advantage and novelty of the study. In addition, this paper is the first in a series of publications examining the impact of air pollution on the real estate market in Poland’s largest agglomerations. From the main model following results were obtained: (1) A statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) factor affecting the number of sales of premises above 80 m2 on the secondary market is PM2.5. With an increase in PM2.5 by 10 µg/m3, the number of sold apartments above 80 m2 decreases on average by slightly more than 20. (2) The interaction (p ≤ 0.05) of O3 (ozone) and PM2.5 on the number of transactions affects the secondary market of flats with an area of 60–80 m2. Simultaneous to the decrease in the concentrations of O3 and PM2.5 is an increase in the number of sales of apartments in the given size in Gdańsk. (3) Simultaneous to the decrease in PM10 and NO2 concentrations due to the increased urban traffic is an increase in the price of 1 m2 of residential premises with an area of 40 m2 on the secondary market in Gdańsk.
Realizing Green Airport Performance through Green Management Intransigence, Airport Reputation, Biospheric Value, and Eco-Design
Authors: Bamidele Ruth Oluyemi , Ozturen Ali , Haktanir Mine , Ogunmokun Oluwatobi A.
Published: January 2023

Studies on the effect of biospheric value, eco-design, and green management intransigence on perceived green performance in the tourism and hospitality industry are gradually emerging. However, more evidence is needed from the aviation industry or airport context, especially in Africa. This cross-sectional study aims to probe and demonstrate the effect of biospheric value on green management intransigence and perceived green performance, the mediating role of management intransigence and biospheric value, and the influence on pro-environmental behavior among airport management and employees. The extended theory of planned behavior (TPBe) and triple bottom line theory (TBL)/sustainable economic development theory (SED) (TBL/SED) set the foundation for this research study. With the case study approach, data were collected through online questionnaires from employees and management staff of two international airports in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. This scientific study contributes to the literature on green energy by shedding light on the importance of integrating green practices into airport operations with environmentally friendly programs. Its focus on green management intransigence and its implications on employees’ behavior has received little or no attention. The data were analyzed using PLS-SEM and Importance–performance matrix analysis (IPMA). The IPMA is innovative as it helps to extend the results of PLS-SEM by also taking the importance and performance of each construct into account graphically as it relates to green airport management. IPMA posits that management tends to take actions to improve conditions that enhance factors of most significant concern to stakeholders. Our results reveal the effect of biospheric value and the behaviors of management and nonmanagement staff of the selected airports on the green performance with apparent differences in the group-specific performance. In practice, this implies an urgent need for airport management to review their approach and strategy to sustainable practices, airports’ resilience, and adaptation to climate change for sustainable tourism development. This study advances scientific and practical knowledge of eco-design of airport buildings (EAB), biospheric-value (BV), and green management intransigence (GMI). The findings can assist decision makers and practitioners in embracing green technologies and practices in airport management and operations.
A Systematic Assessment for the Co-Design of Green Infrastructure Prototypes—A Case Study in Urban Costa Rica
Authors: Chapa Fernando , Perez Rubi María , Hack Jochen
Published: January 2023

The management of urban water has evolved from single-function systems to more sustainable designs promoting society and nature as inputs to engineer novel infrastructure. In transdisciplinary research, co-design refers to a design-thinking strategy in which people jointly frame a problem–solution. This article presents a conceptual framework to assess a case study focusing on the process of co-design and implementation of green infrastructure as a prototype for urban stormwater management. The evaluation is carried out from a self-reflective post-implementation perspective. Research activities are translated into the framework to evaluate conditions shaping the trajectory of the prototype development. As a result, key aspects driving the transdisciplinary research regarding levels of stakeholder participation and dimensions of power are identified. Planning resilient co-design strategies to retrofit urban spaces is necessary to avoid unintended consequences, especially at initial experimental stages. This study aims to contribute to the continuous improvement of piloting strategies in urban spaces by providing a framework for a structured evaluation of transdisciplinary research experiences.
Entrepreneurship at the Bottom of the Pyramid: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Yu Kaidong , Zhang Yameng , Huang Yicong
Published: January 2023

The objective of this study is to review and synthesize entrepreneurship in the context of the bottom/base of pyramid (BoP). The concept of the BoP approach, which describes the possibility of profitably in both serving the poor and alleviating poverty, has iterated from 1.0 to 3.0 since 2002. It has transformed from engaging the poor as “customers” (BoP 1.0) to engaging them as “producers” (BoP 3.0). However, although the poor in BoP markets perform as active, central focal actors to identify and create entrepreneurial opportunities, inadequate attention has been paid to the question of how to engage the poor as entrepreneurs. Understanding this question is critical because entrepreneurship has been regarded as an effective tool to relieve poverty. Therefore, this research focuses on three specific questions: (1) What are the characteristics of entrepreneurs in the BoP market? (2) What are the contents of their entrepreneurial activities? and (3) What are the consequences? To answer these questions, this paper conducted a systematic literature review of 56 studies on entrepreneurship at the BoP in the scientific database Web of Science by using PRISMA to guide the review process. From the findings of the three research questions, the study also further identifies four types of entrepreneurs at the BoP (i.e., survival entrepreneurs, community entrepreneurs, professional entrepreneurs, and full entrepreneurs). With a discussion on future directions for these four types of entrepreneurs, this review highlights the heterogenous roles of the poor at the BoP and their challenges to create wealth, which is beneficial for directing the focuses of this topic.
Framework to Measure the Mobility of Technical Talents: Evidence from China’s Smart Logistics
Authors: Guan Jun , Liu Chunxiu , Liang Guoqiang , Xing Lizhi
Published: January 2023

Talent mobility is the key driving force to accelerate innovation and economic development. Prior studies focused much attention on the mobility of scientific talents from the angle of bibliometrics. Still, the mobility of technical talents was not thoroughly analyzed through the lens of the complex network. In consideration of technical talents being the primary and direct labor force to foster innovation and economic growth, in this paper, we provide a framework to measure the mobility of technical talents based on patents from the perspective of the complex network. The Technical Talent Mobility Network (TTMN) model is constructed to measure the changes of network topology on the levels of network, node, and edge aspects, respectively, thus deepening our understanding of the important node and mobility channels of technical talents. We then take China’s smart logistics as an example to verify the framework promoted, and results show the framework can reveal the actual situation of technical talent mobility that was reported by the government gazette and related articles. The framework proposed in this paper points out a new method and perspective to measure technological talent mobility, which is essential to facilitate regional innovation and economic soar.
Fiscal Expenditure Efficiency Measurement and Its Convergence Analysis on Aging Undertakings in China: Based on a Global Super-Efficiency Slacks-Based Measure Model
Authors: Zhao Jianguo , Zhang Lei
Published: January 2023

As the aging of China’s population continues to intensify as well as deepen, and fiscal support continues to increase, improving the efficiency of fiscal expenditure on aging undertakings has become the key to actively responding to the national strategy of sustainable population aging. This paper uses a global super-efficiency slacks-based measure model to measure the efficiency of fiscal expenditure on aging undertakings in China from 2011 to 2020. The results show, firstly, that the efficiency values are generally increasing. The eastern region’s fiscal expenditure efficiency has output deficiencies overall; all western, central, except Anhui, and northeast, except Jilin, provinces have input redundancies and output shortages. Secondly, the relatively effective provinces in terms of aging undertakings are mainly concentrated in the eastern coastal region; the number of effective provinces in the northeast is gradually increasing. Thirdly, excluding the eastern region, the efficiency values for all regions show a convergence trend; when controlling for region-specific influencing factors, the efficiency values of each region will converge to their respective steady-state levels. It is concluded that the trend in the fiscal management of aging undertakings in China is positive, and the levels of fiscal management as well as technology are higher in the east, lower in the west, less stable in the central, and more progressive in the northeast.
Influence of Base-Angle Bolt Support Parameters and Different Sections on Overall Stability of a Roadway under a Deeply Buried High Stress Environment Based on Numerical Simulation
Authors: Wu Qinzheng , Liu Huanxin , Dai Bing , Cheng Li , Li Danli , Qin Penghui
Published: January 2023

Strengthening the base-angle of a roadway can have a beneficial impact on its overall stability, but the specific optimal parameter selection range is still unclear. Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua 3D (FLAC3D) software is used to carry out the stability analysis of 5 kinds of roadway models with different section shapes under the conditions of no support and different base-angle bolt support angles, and the simulation verification is carried out under the actual working conditions of the Sanshandao Gold Mine. The conclusion is as follows: without support, the self-stability of a tri-centric arch roadway is the best, and that of a rectangular roadway is the worst. When the base-angle bolt dip angle is between 15° and 45°, a better supporting effect can be obtained under the established 5 kinds of roadway sections. In the straight wall circular arch roadway of the Sanshandao Gold Mine, the roadway stability is the best when the angle of the base-angle bolt is 15°. However, changing the length of the base-angle bolt, even if the length of the base-angle bolt is increased to a certain extent, will decrease the overall supporting effect of the supporting structure. This paper can provide a reference for the selection of tunnel bottom corner bolt support parameters.