bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The model of workforce agility dependent on drivers, strategies, practices, and results
Authors: Dehghani Hamidreza , Rezghi Rostami Alireza , Mashali Behzad
Published: January 2023

For the time being, organizations throughout the world are in an environment that is constantly changing in various aspects including technological developments, customers’ preferences, emerging markets, and globalization. In this environment, the concept of agility, especially workforce agility is a valuable tool for organizations and can assist them considerably to cope with this situation. Given a substantial number of scholars have studied the concept of agility from the technical point of view up until now, and have neglected the human resource aspect, this study aims to, first of all, investigate the concept of workforce agility through a model incorporating drivers, practices, strategies advocating and stimulating the implementation of this concept and examine the relationships between these variables and second of all determine the results of implementing workforce agility system. The sample of the present study was selected from the staff and managers of the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran, who had a bachelor's degree or higher and were working in the field of human resource management. Besides, we used a questionnaire to evaluate the variable. According to the findings, except for the relationship between drivers and implementation results all other relationships between drivers, practices, strategies, and results have been supported.
Pandemic Parameters 2020-2021 by Socio-Cultural Groups of Countries - Applied Analysis
Authors:   HSE University, Grigoryev Leonid , Maykhrovich Maria-Yana ,   HSE University, Serova Daria ,   HSE University, Starodubtseva Marina ,   HSE University, Filippova Ekaterina ,   HSE University
Published: January 2023

Sociocultural factors have become a one of the priority areas in research within the framework of theories of long-term development. This article discusses the parameters of groups of countries (values of survival-self-expression and traditional-secular-rational values) according to the Inglehart- Welzel cultural map, along with other sociocultural and socioeconomic indicators. The significant cumulative advantage (gross domestic product (GDP) per capita) of three groups of countries - Anglo-Saxon, Protestant and Catholic - —compared to the rest reflects a long history of world progress. A number of the social parameters of these groups probably reflect their level of development, to which other factors have played a role in the long term. A key question addressed in the article. is whether sociocultural factors that have developed over long periods have a significant impact on the behaviour of countries in the context of modern crises, and in this case, on the incidence of vaccination in countries in critical conditions. To answer this question, qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis have been conducted using the instance of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21. The hypothesis was tested on an array of 80-94 countries for which there was relevant statistical data. The tables and calculations presented in the article indicate the following results: countries more advanced in the direction of self-expression values on the Inglehart scale demonstrate higher vaccination scores and lower disease scores, and those oriented toward secular-rational values have higher rates of suicide than countries with predominantly traditional views.
Transformation and Implementation of Environmental and Climate Provisions in EU Trade Agreements
Authors:   Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Dorokhina Ksenia , Sakharov Andrei ,   Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
Published: January 2023

The European Union (EU) is striving to become a world leader in the field of "green economy." It promotes its own models, standards, conditions, and related positions on climate and environmental policy in other states. Trade agreements, including provisions on climate and the environment, have become one of the instruments of influence on the policy of partners and economic relations with them in the area of climate protection. The inclusion of these provisions is of economic rather than political importance, especially in terms of eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers. The EU has developed a chapter on trade and sustainable development, which includes commitments on environmental and climate protection. As part of its implementation, the EU provides financial and technical support to partners. Nevertheless, the content of the chapter largely depends on the position of the partner and the climate policy it pursues, and in some cases— on the administration of the country. Dispute resolution within the framework of the existing mechanism of the chapter "Trade and Sustainable Development" turned out to be difficult, which prompted the EU to include new settlement options, among which the introduction of trade sanctions is an extreme measure. The article on sustainable forest management is also of economic importance for European producers, and the inclusion of references to international environmental agreements contributes to the EU's plans to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO). The agreements leave out a number of areas of cooperation and require updating as new climate commitments are made, which has been the focus of the EU's work in recent years.
Векторы развития дошкольного образования в условиях современных вызовов
Authors: Абанкина Ирина , Михайлова Яна , Нисская Анастасия , Сивак Елизавета , Филатова Людмила
Published: January 2023

В условиях современных вызовов дошкольное образование приобретает все большую свободу в выборе содержания, методов и средств развития своих воспитанников. Для преодоления угроз и последствий коронавирусной инфекции предлагаются три направления развития дошкольного образования: внедрение цифровых технологий в работу с детьми, повышение квалификации педагогов, расширение практики удаленной работы. Упор на развитие сегмента раннего детства в дошкольном образовании является стратегическим маневром для активизации образовательных и демографических процессов в России. В докладе представлены приоритеты государственной политики на основе анализа ресурсного потенциала образовательных организаций, реализующих программы дошкольного образования и осуществляющих присмотр и уход за детьми. Обосновывается эффективность проектных подходов к развитию сегмента дошкольного образования с опорой на солидарное участие государства, семей и бизнеса. Исследуются позитивные изменения, позволившие обеспечить равный доступ к услугам дошкольного образования, своевременную государственную поддержку многодетных и малообеспеченных семей. Особое внимание уделено развивающему потенциалу образовательной среды и его влиянию на участников образовательного процесса.
Impact of CEO Overconfidence on M&A Performance in the US: A Content Analysis
Authors: Grigorieva Svetlana , Kirakosyan Martun
Published: January 2023

Despite the high activity on the market for corporate control, more than 60% of M&As are unsuccessful and contribute to damage to the value of the acquiring company. We still have little evidence on the impact of M&A deals in different countries and industries on shareholer value, as well as the factors that influence this impact. Academic researchers and practitioners continue to seek out the factors that influence M&A performance, but results are still inconclusive, indicating the need for further research into acquisition performance and factors that influence the overall success of M&A deals. This paper examines the impact of CEO overconfidence on the performance of M&A deals in the United States. In contrast to previous studies, we, first of all, use earnings call transcripts in content analysis as the base to measure CEO overconfi-dence; secondly, we apply cluster analysis to identify the factors that force CEOs to structure their speech during earnings calls in a similar manner; and, thirdly, we assess the impact of CEO overconfidence on the performance of high-tech deals. The study is based on a sample of 492 M&A transactions implemented during the post-crisis period, 2009–2019. Using the event study method to assess the performance of M&A deals and regression analysis, we prove that CEO overconfidence has a negative impact on the success of M&As. However, when considering a subsample of deals in which the target com-pany operates in a high-tech industry, we failed to identify a significant impact of overconfidence on M&A performance. As a result of cluster analysis, we identified a cluster of 165 companies with a common structure and similarity of CEO speeches, which are not explained by the companies’ affiliation with similar industries. This suggests that overconfident CEOs tend to use and structure their speeches similarly.
CEO Age and Cash Holdings around the World: The Moderating Role of Legal Origin
Authors: Yeoh Siew-Boey , Hooy Chee-Wooi
Published: January 2023

The worldwide growth in the level of corporate cash holding has prompted scholarly interest. Grounded on the precautionary motive of cash, we aim to provide a behavioural explanation to this phenomenon by exploring the relation between CEO age and corporate cash holdings. We further examine the institutional factor that may exert an influence on this relationship through a country’s legal systems, based on the notion that business corporations are part and parcel of the nexus of the institutions. Using an international sample of 24,989 firms from 90 countries, we find that CEO age is positively associated with the level of cash holdings. The positive impact is weakened when firms operate in countries with greater investor protection and better financial development. We demonstrate that older CEOs from common law, German law and post-socialist countries have a propensity to hold less cash. Additional robustness test supports our empirical findings.
READING BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE FACULTY STUDENTS
Authors: ALTANLAR Aslı , ÖZDEMİR Zeynep
Published: January 2023

Objective: It created a sustainable urban culture with common behaviour patterns in the relationship between humans and natural and artificial environments. Therefore, it is essential to raise awareness about social responsibilities to protect the ecosystem. The study focuses on understanding the factors that determine the awareness, environmentalist attitudes and behaviours of students at the faculty of architecture towards sustainable living. Method: "Exploratory Factor Analysis" was conducted to determine the construct validity of the scale of attitudes and behaviors towards sustainable living and to reveal its factor structure. Spearman-Brown correlation analysis was applied to determine the scale's relationship and sub-dimensions. Mann-Whitney Test and Kruskal-Wallis Test were conducted to determine whether there was a significant difference between the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants and the factors. Findings: It was determined that the components of the SAB scale are "environmental awareness", "environmental behaviors" and "technocentric attitude". There was a significant difference between the gender and their environmental awareness and behaviour scores, while there was no significant difference between their technocentric attitude score averages. Conclusion: It was determined that students' environmental awareness affects their environmental behaviors and sustainable living. It is crucial for creating sustainable urban development planning.
Cuerpos frente al espejo digital: las nuevas redes de subjetivación
Authors: PEIXOTO THARSO
Published: January 2023

El surgimiento del internet trajo consigo cambios importantes que alteraron la experiencia de vida en la hipermodernidad. Ante este nuevo panorama, ¿cómo se producen las subjetividades? Este artículo busca reflexionar sobre la actual exposición de la imagen digital del cuerpo y su relación con los procesos de subjetivación. Basado en estudios sobre la cultura digital realizados en América Latina y su interlocución con la teoría del estadio del espejo de Jacques Lacan, se adentra en la dimensión de la virtualidad y su impacto en la subjetividad, la cual se aborda en su aspecto de extimidad y pluralidad líquida y se construye a partir de un cuerpo digital producido para la mirada.
Entre Butler et Freud : la répétition comme voie de subversion
Authors: Gaio Filla Munique
Published: January 2023

El objetivo de este artículo es acercar la teoría de la performatividad de género de Judith Butler y el psicoanálisis de Sigmund Freud a partir de la noción de repetición. Para la autora, las identidades de género se producen y consolidan mediante la repetición de actos, gestos y prácticas en el interior de la matriz heterosexual y falocéntrica. Por otro lado, esta repetición no es estable e inmutable, ya que permite la subversión de las normas en las que se inserta. Del mismo modo, de acuerdo con el fundador del psicoanálisis, la repetición de lo reprimido como acto en la situación transferencial, inevitable en el tratamiento, abre la posibilidad de un cambio efectivo del analizante. En este sentido, se pretende mostrar que la concepción de la repetición como vía para el surgimiento de lo nuevo y para la transformación puede consistir en un punto de encuentro entre los pensamientos de Butler y Freud.
Poblamiento y territorio en la antigua Axarquía de Málaga en la Alta Edad Media
Authors: Ortega López David
Published: January 2023

El presente artículo versa sobre la presencia cristiana y musulmana en la antigua Axarquía de Málaga en la Alta Edad Media, marcándose como objetivos enumerar las causas y fases que propiciaron un cambio en las pautas de asentamiento, conocer cómo y cuando afectó el proceso de islamización y si este significó la desaparición o no de la cristiandad en los antiguos ḥuṣūn. La Arqueología, las crónicas medievales, la toponimia y otros estudios determinan nuestra investigación, de forma que, enumerando todos los yacimientos y topónimos por tipología, permiten reconstruir el paisaje altomedieval. Esto da como resultado que reconozcamos varias fases de poblamiento cristiano: antes de la conquista musulmana, en el momento de dicha conquista y con la rebelión ḥafṣūní. Por otra parte, se pone de manifiesto que la islamización será puntual y se generalizará lenta y tardíamente, subsistiendo algunos espacios con población cristiana tras el sofoco de la rebelión.
Understandings of perimeter and area mobilized with an exploratory approach in a lesson study
Authors: Richit Adriana , Tomkelski Mauri Luís , Richit Andriceli
Published: January 2023

Background: Exploratory teaching, a theme increasingly investigated in mathematics education, has been examined as a pedagogical approach underlying the research lesson in lesson studies. Objective: The purpose of this article is to present and discuss the understandings of area and perimeter mobilized by 8th-grade elementary school students based on an exploratory approach, which was the basis for the research lesson in the lesson study. Design: The research was qualitative and interpretive, based on content analysis. Setting and participants: The activities were conducted in two classes, of two hours each, in which the students were invited to resolve an exploratory task about the topic “area and perimeter”, which was prepared by a group of teachers participating in a cycle of a lesson study. The students were asked to explain their strategies, results, and conclusions. Data collection and analysis: The analysis was based on empirical material composed of the materials related to the solutions presented by the students and transcriptions of audio recordings of the students’ discussions as they solved the tasks and of group discussions (the final moments of the research lesson). Results: The analysis presents aspects related to understandings of the topics area and perimeter, mobilized by the exploratory approach, which comprise the following categories: measure, mathematical operation and geometric property. Conclusion: The exploratory approach, underlying the research lesson, favored a deepening of understandings about area and perimeter, because it gave students the opportunity to explore and confront these concepts from different representations mobilized in an open task and to communicate their mathematical ideas and conclusions.
Interactions in a Group with One Blind and Three Sighted Students in a Chemistry Experimental Activity and the Possible Relationships with Students’ Conceptions of Blindness
Authors: Da Silveira Renata Aragão , Gonçalves Fábio Peres
Published: January 2023

Background: the increase in blind students in regular schools challenges pedagogical practices and educational research. Objectives: to analyse how to characterise the interactions within a group of one blind and three sighted students during an experimental activity in chemistry developed in elementary school and their possible associations with students’ conceptions of blindness. Design: qualitative research. Setting and Participants: four students (one blind student and three sighted students) from an 8th grade class of a Brazilian elementary school. Data collection and Analysis: social interactions were captured through audio and video recordings of a sequence of experimental activities to which students were submitted. Qualitative information about the understanding of blindness was obtained by semi-structured interviews conducted with the investigated group before and after the sequence of experimental activities. Discursive textual analysis was used as an analytical procedure. Results: the research revealed that the interactions can be characterised as tutorial and collaborative, and, to some extent, they can relate to students’ conceptions of blindness, namely, mystical and sociopsychological. Conclusions: It is important to reflect on these understandings that can be linked to the interactions promoted in experimental activities with consequences for student learning.
The Formulation of Hypotheses in Mathematical Modelling Activities
Authors: Almeida Lourdes Maria Werle de , Sousa Bárbara Nivalda Palharini Alvim , Tortola Emerson
Published: January 2023

Background: The formulation of hypotheses in mathematical modeling activities, although it has been pointed out as one of the specificities of this kind of activities, it is still little discussed by the research in the area of mathematical modeling. Purpose: In this paper we look for influences on mathematical modeling activities arising from the formulation of hypotheses. Design: Our statements are based on a theoretical framework about Wittgenstein's philosophy and previous studies related to hypotheses’ formulation as well as an empirical research. Scenario and participants: Modeling activities were performed by groups of students from different degrees. Data collection: In modeling classes, data were collected through audio and video recordings. The students also delivered the written records they produced. Findings: The findings indicate three categories for the formulation of hypotheses: hypotheses are formulated based on the students' view of the situation; hypotheses are based on students' experiences; hypotheses influence students' choices at different stages of the activity's development. Conclusion: The research concludes that the hypotheses determine the idealized situation, guide the mathematization and direct the students' actions in the development of the activity. In Wittgenstein's philosophical perspective, hypotheses are a way of perceiving reality and new experiences can lead to other formulations.
Forecast of the maximum 25th cуcle of Solar activity based on data on the rate of increase in the number of sunspots
Authors:   Taras Shevchenko national University of Kyiv, Efimenko V. , Lozitsky V. ,   Taras Shevchenko national University of Kyiv
Published: January 2023

Based on data on 24 previous solar cycles, the statistical relationship between the rate of increase in the number of sunspots in the phase of the growth curve and the amplitude of the cycle was considered. It turned out that the result of forecast of cycle amplitude depends on which section of the growth curve is taken as a basis for forecasting, as well as whether all 24 cycles are taken into account, or only the odd ones. The prediction result is also affected by the initial assumption about monotonicity or non-monotonicity of the growth phase. It was concluded that, most likely, the maximum smoothed number of sunspots in the 25th cycle should be equal to 185 ± 18 units in the new system, which corresponds to the average power of the solar cycle, with the implementation of the Gnievyshev-Ohl rule. With such parameters of this cycle, there are no signs of approaching the deep minimum of the age cycle in the middle of the 21st century.
SPECTRAL MONITORING OF LONG PERIODIC ECLIPSING SYSTEM EPSILON AURIGAE DURING 2008–2010
Authors:   Main astronomical observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kuznyetsova Y. , Andreev M. ,   Main astronomical observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Published: January 2023

The results of spectral observations of eclipsing binary system Epsilon Aurigae are presented. Observations were carried out using the coude echelle spectrograph on 2-m telescope Zeiss-2000 at the Terskol Peak Observatory with spectral resolution R = 45000. Epsilon Aurigae is long periodic eclipsing binary system that consists of F0 supergiant star as first companion and huge gas dust disk as second companion. The uniqueness of this system is that eclipses of star by a gas-dust disk occur with 27.1 years period and continues two years. Presented spectral observations Epsilon Aurigaе were carried out in period May 2008 – May 2009 outside eclipse, December 2009 at the beginning of eclipse and March 2010 within eclipse. Based on the results of observations, an analysis of the variability for Hα line was made and some other spectral lines at the pre-eclipse and eclipse stages. Long-term variations of Hα line profiles were detected
Assessing the Port Choice Behaviors of Shippers in Sub-Saharan Africa and China
Authors:   The Korean Logistics Research Association, Park Byungin
Published: January 2023

The port choice is crucial in decision-making during cargo shipment, which depends on the port’s competitiveness and efficiency. This study compared the port selection factors of sub-Saharan Africa in Nigeria and Uganda to China. After analyzing the collected questionnaire with a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) model, the necessary strategies were established by comparing countries with importance-performance analysis (IPMA). First, the existing importance and analysis chart (IPMA) developed the ‘urgency index’ using the weighted average Euclidean distance and applied it to establish a strategy based on the ranking of port selection factors. This study found that the difference in evaluation by factor was clear depending on whether the port selection factor was a coastal or inland country, not a difference in economic development or port development level by country. Second, while Nigerian shippers prioritize software factors of operating characteristics, Ugandan shippers focus on more hardware port facilities or ship ports. Third, the factors of customs clearance, rapid response to customer needs, port quality, and safety and security differ significantly in the surveyed. They were representative factors that were high in importance and performance for Nigerian shippers but low in importance and performance for Ugandan shippers. However, Chinese shippers evaluated them as having high importance in terms of port quality, safety, and security factors, but their performance could have been higher. Finally, the urgency index also clearly calculated the urgency and strategic priorities, especially for factors near the boundary between the quadrants of the importance-performance matrix. The study presented the necessary implications and strategies to shipping and port companies, international institutions, trading companies, port authorities, and governments of the selected countries. Although this study evaluated the port selection characteristics of sub-Saharan shippers, it is also different from previous studies, so additional verification studies for generalization are needed to determine whether these differences are due to time differences or other causes.
Demand Forecasting Model Development using Machine Learning: Case of Mongolian Retail Company
Authors:   The Korean Logistics Research Association, Lee Kang-Hyun , Bang Sun-Ho , Jang Ji-Young , Shin Kwang-Sup
Published: January 2023

Because of the rapid development and expansion of mobile and e-commerce, the demand of retail and logistics industry has been greatly increased. In addition, customers gets the opportunity to purchase a lot of stuffs through the integrated channels both online and offline. However, this trend makes retail companies have difficulties to prepare more products and control the inventory. Especially, it gets more important to predict future demand. But, the life cycle of product gets shorten, thus it is impossible to predict demand based on the long-term historical data. In order to overcome the limitations of the traditional demand forecasting method, the cluster based demand forecasting methods have been proposed. Still, the previous research could not solve the limitations because they utilized the input variables from the categories or specifications of product. In this research, we have proposed the different approach to utilize the meta-data which can describe the sales patterns. Based on these pattern, we developed the cluster of products which are categorized into different groups. After integrating the sales data, we have developed demand forecasting models using deel learning technology, LSTM.
A Study on the Efficiency of B2C Process for Shoemaking Logistics using Line of Balance Methodology
Authors:   The Korean Logistics Research Association, Oh Seung-Chul , Ahn Young-Hyo
Published: January 2023

According to the Korea Integrated Logistics Association, domestic parcel delivery volume reached 3.63 billion units last year, and 3.37 billion units in 2020, an increase of 7.6% from the previous year. The importance of online (B2C) logistics is also increasing as the online market grows so fast that it exceeds that of offline stores every year.
In particular, the shoemaking industry is trying to achieve efficient logistics business through Third Party Logistics (3PL) rather than own logistics. However, unlike general industrial products, it is not easy to achieve optimization of logistics operation personnel through automated facilities or systems. This is because, due to the nature of the shoe industry, there are areas of work that require handwriting for product management and accurate shipment according to complex part numbers, and there are limitations in system development costs and huge infrastructure investment. In particular, as the number of companies operating the online shoe business increases, the demand for 3PL fulfillment service is also increasing. In addition, in the shoe industry, where individual shipments per item are high, the storage function is an important factor due to the packaging accuracy of skilled workers who require expertise and the nature of products that must be depleted by the third year of manufacture.
Therefore, this study tried to study the online logistics process efficiency by applying the ‘Line Balance methodology’ to vitalize the online channel in the domestic shoe market. In other words, by examining the A-B-C work process of the shoe distribution center, the ‘line balance methodology’ is applied to determine whether the balance of work time required for each process is balanced and operated efficiently, and what is the improvement plan. Time was applied in a balanced way to study ways to increase work productivity.
In particular, this study is meaningful in that it compares and studies that the required time for each process is applied in a balanced way through line balancing of the logistics center for the activation of online channels in the shoe industry, focusing on the case of Company A, thereby increasing work productivity. have. In addition, although papers related to the existing online channel mainly discuss ways to improve the overall logistics service quality, this study focuses on the case of Company A and studies the method of increasing work productivity of the online channel through the ‘line balance methodology’. There is significance and differentiation in what has been done.
Parliamentary Opposition in Conditions of a Single-party Majority Government – A Few Remarks on the Basis of Polish Political Experience
Authors: Glajcar Rafał
Published: January 2023

Zasadniczy problem badawczy zarysowany został wokół pytania o efektywność działań opozycji parlamentarnej w sytuacji konkurencji z homogeniczną większością parlamentarną. Odnosząca się do niego hipoteza badawcza zakłada, że skuteczność działań opozycji parlamentarnej w takich warunkach uzależniona jest od strategii stosowanych przez obydwie strony politycznego sporu. Strategie te zbudowane są zaś na dominującym sposobie postrzegania przeciwnika politycznego.
Jihadism as a Challenge for Balkan States
Authors: Czornik Katarzyna Matylda
Published: January 2023

Narastająca radykalizacja islamska wśród muzułmanów z obszaru Bałkanów może stanowić poważne wyzwanie dla bezpieczeństwa państw UE i stabilności regionu. Radykalizacja była implikacją trzech zjawisk. Pierwszym było powstanie IS, którego szeregi zasilili przede wszystkim muzułmanie z Bośni i Kosowa. Drugim był kryzys uchodźczo-migracyjny wzmacniany napływem muzułmańskich uchodźców również z Bałkanów do Europy Zachodniej. Trzecim była infiltracja Arabii Saudyjskiej szerząca z powodzeniem radykalną wahabicką wersję islamu wśród mieszkańców regionu.
Voting Age, Information Experiments, and Political Engagement: Evidence from a General Election
Authors: Keefer Philip , Vlaicu Razvan
Published: January 2023

We exploit new experimental and quasi-experimental data to investigate voters' intrinsic motivation to engage politically. Does having the right to vote increase engagement or, given significant incentives to free ride, do eligible voters remain rationally unengaged? Does knowledge that ones group is pivotal reduce free riding? And are the politically engaged influenced by election-relevant policy information in the run-up to a major election? To address these questions, we fielded an original survey of 5,400 Mexican high school seniors just prior to the historic 2018 general election. Age-based regression discontinuity results show that the just-eligible score higher on measures of low-cost political engagement compared to the just-ineligible. A first survey experiment reveals that information that the youth vote will be pivotal increases the eligible respondents' interest in the presidential debate and in the election result. In the second experiment, information about current policy outcomes affects future policy priorities in ways consistent with the incentives of eligible respondents to collect relevant information on salient policy issues.
Integrity Dividends: Procurement in the Water and Sanitation Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean
Authors: Adam Isabelle , Fazekas Mihály , Hernandez Sanchez Alfredo , Horn Peter , Regös Nóra
Published: January 2023

Public procurement represents a large portion of government expenditure, more so in developing economies. Inefficiencies in public expenditures thus place a heavy burden on society. The Water and Sanitation (W&S) sector is especially vulnerable to public procurement inefficiencies due to the capital-intensive and complex nature of large-scale projects such as sewage, pipelines, and general maintenance. Recent studies have found that quality of corporate governance and transparency of water utilities as well as regulatory and supervisory agencies are key drivers of the sectors performance. To support better policies in the W&S sector, this report conducts a sectoral measurement of public procurement integrity using government administrative data and identifies effective interventions for improving the performance of utilities. The following questions are explored: Which types of integrity risk carry the highest economic costs? What are effective policy solutions? Which address the most impactful risks effectively? What are the price savings and project-delay-reducing impacts of such solutions? To this effect, the study analyzes data for six countries in the Latin American & Caribbean region. Several regression models were run to assess which indicators of integrity are good predictors of improved outcomes in terms of price (unit or relative) and quality (delays) of public purchases in the sector.
Local Socieconomic Impacts of Large-scale Mining Projects in Ecuador: The Case of Fruta del Norte
Authors: Carrillo-Maldonado Paul , Arias Karla , Zanoni Wladimir , Cruz Zoe , Ruiz Sebastián
Published: January 2023

This study seeks to determine whether the Fruta del Norte project affected the main economic and social indicators of the Yantzaza canton, where the large-scale mining project is located. To do so, the analysis centers on key economic variables (such as business productivity and employment) and development variables (such as health and school enrollment). The specific methodology used is a synthetic control model, which enables the generation of a counterfactual for the treated canton. The findings suggest that Fruta del Norte had a positive impact on local economic activity in Yantzaza. The local economic dynamism spurred by Fruta del Norte had positive effects on local formal employment; however, increases in the rates of school dropout and adolescent pregnancy were observed.
Avances y contribuciones del FECASALC al sector de agua y saneamiento de América Latina y el Caribe
Authors:   Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo
Published: January 2023

El presente catálogo muestra los avances y contribuciones al sector de agua y saneamiento en comunidades de América Latina y el Caribe del FECASALC (Fondo Español de Cooperación para Agua y Saneamiento en América Latina y el Caribe), con especial incidencia en áreas rurales y periurbanas. A través de infografías que contienen los principales indicadores por país, se logra una radiografía de los proyectos con sus respectivos avances y cierres de operaciones ejecutados con recursos del FECASALC durante doce años.
La opinión pública respecto de la migración en América Latina y el Caribe
Authors: Luzes Marta , Rodríguez Guillén Lucina
Published: January 2023

Este documento del Laboratorio de Percepción Ciudadana y Migración explora la tendencia de la opinión pública respecto de la migración en los últimos 5 años en América Latina y el Caribe. El documento analiza la creciente necesidad de generar información y evidencia sobre esta temática en la región, donde flujos intrarregionales recientes han significado un aumento en la importancia de la cohesión social e integración migratoria en las comunidades de acogida. A través de una combinación de fuentes de datos tradicionales (encuestas de opinión pública regionales y nacionales) y fuentes de datos no tradicionales (análisis de redes sociales, análisis de medios de comunicación) el Laboratorio brinda un análisis integral de la tendencia de la opinión pública en la región. El documento permite comprender las temáticas que más mueven la conversación y que generan preocupación en la población nativa, al mismo tiempo que evidencia que a pesar de un aumento en el contenido xenófobo de los mensajes en redes, predomina un sentimiento neutral, y por veces contradictorio a la migración en América Latina y el Caribe. Finalmente, el documento concluye que hay formas de influir y cambiar la percepción pública hacia la migración. Desde el Laboratorio se presentan intervenciones y programas que son efectivos en cambiar la forma como se piensa la migración en la región.
Study of Climate Change in the Mandalika International Circuit Area Using Neural Network Backpropagation
Authors: Mandailina Vera , Nurhalimah Atin , Mehmood Saba , Syaharuddin  , Ibrahim
Published: January 2023

Climate change is a global phenomenon that also causes small-scale effects. This study aims to determine future climate changes in the Mandalika International Circuit area using the artificial neural network of the MATLAB GUI-based backpropagation method. The simulation stage used daily rainfall intensity data collected in the Mandalika International Circuit area from 2012-2021 (365 data). A preliminary analysis concluded that the Mandalika International Circuit area is dominated by a very wet climate according to the Schmidt-Ferguson classification, which occurred in 2012, 2013, 2017, and 2021. This study used two architectural models with two and three hidden layers. The TRAINRP training function and the LOGSIG activation function were utilized at each hidden layer. Between the two architectures, the better architecture was selected, namely the 100-50-10-1 (three hidden layers) that resulted in an accuracy rate of 99.90% and an MSE of 0.0412376 achieved in the 258th iteration. These results indicate that the area has a very wet climate with the highest rain intensity in March and the lowest in January. The results of this study show that the backpropagation method can be used to help formulate an alternative policy on the measures for handling and mitigating extreme climate change in upcoming periods, especially during international events at the Mandalika International Circuit area.
An Adaptive Classification Framework for Handling the Cold Start Problem in Case of News Items
Authors: Mir Azhar Yousf , Zaman Majid , Quadri Syed Mohammad Khurshid , Fayaz Sheikh Amir
Published: January 2023

Many recommendation systems make product or service suggestions based on existing knowledge of the user or the item. We must deal with two types of cold start problems: item-based and user-based cold start problems. In a user-based cold start dilemma, it is difficult for the system to suggest news to a new user whose information is not saved in the system. In this article, we attempt to address user based cold start problem by assuming that in the case of a user, we only know one type of information about the user, and that information is the user's location. Using BBC news data, an ID3 classification approach was developed, which incorporates eight explanatory factors such as News ID, News text, Keywords, date, Location, Shares count, followers, and so on. The classification accuracy of one of the best fit models constructed using (80-20)% training and test ratios is around 78%. Our technique is an effective tool for the cold-start problem because it outperforms the advice by a significant margin depending on the location. According to the results, our approach is competitive in terms of both accuracy and precision.
Management of arterial hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis
Authors: Batiushin M. M.
Published: January 2023

The article is a review of information about the management of arterial hypertension (AH) on hemodialysis. This problem is relevant due to poor elaboration. At the same time, the prevalence of AH on hemodialysis is 91,4 %. The article discusses surveys concerning criteria for determining AH on hemodialysis and methodological approaches to its registration, target values of blood pressure during therapy. The concept of intradialysis hypertension, issues of the pathogenesis of AH on hemodialysis are also considered. The author presents approaches to nondrug therapy and drug treatment of patients with AH on hemodialysis. In particular, approaches to the control of sodium and volemic status within the framework of patient-dependent and apparatus-dependent technologies are considered. Data on the effectiveness of the use of certain classes of antihypertensive drugs are presented, in particular, diuretics, blockers of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, beta-blockers, calcium channel antagonists, mineralocorticoid receptors are considered. The article reflects the needs of modern clinical practice in conducting evidence-based medicine research and identifies the critical points of orientation of such research.
The Transformation of the Mother-Daughter Relationship in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter’s Daughter
Authors: Kordel Patrycja
Published: January 2023

The mother/daughter bond is the central subject of Amy Tan’s two powerful books, The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Tensions that arise in the novels between a Chinese mother and her Chinese-American daughter are often described by the critics as being the result of two important factors. One is based on the misunderstandings caused by the generational gap, while the other comes from the cultural gap. For a Chinese-born mother the American reality instigates various confusions, as she still views her life with the eyes of her traditional Chinese upbringing. On the other hand, her daughter lacks any profound knowledge about her Chinese ethnicity, which makes her unable to recognize the influences of her mother’s Chinese past over their relationship. But in her novels Tan portrays also the relationship between the Chinese immigrant mother and her mother in China. Their relationship, which grew up exclusively on the grounds of the Chinese culture, is characterized by empathy and appreciation. In this paper I am going to discuss the change that occurred to the mother-daughter relationship after it has been replanted into a different cultural context. The line of argument will reveal in what ways the mother-daughter relationship underwent a significant transformation.
The Ambiguous Identity of a Dog as a Mongrelized Storyteller in John Berger's King (1999)
Authors: Leleń Halszka
Published: January 2023

The dog named King, the central character and narrator of John Berger’s “King” published in 1999, is the offshoot of many apparently incongruent genre conventions as well as the offspring of the ambivalent prejudice and praise of the species encoded in the English idioms. This presentation aims to overview the contributing elements which gave rise to the Bergerian shift in character-narrator shaping and to discuss the function of such perspective for the novelistic format adopted. The discussion points out the central role of the ambiguity of King as a dog, demonstrating the post-fantastic nature of his characterisation rooted in the conventions of magic realism. The patterns used to shape King, the dog, as one of the community and at the same time the Other are discussed. He is a befriended dog who becomes almost a family member for the beggars and, at the same time, he is the other, different species. He is both one of the homeless and at the same time the independent one, the stranger who sees more because of the distance inscribed into his nature of a rambling dog. Such is also the function of the fantastic in his shaping, as it is sometimes not quite clear that he is just a talking dog, derived from the tradition of animal fable. He might as well be taken as a mentally challenged human being who lost his identity. The merging of perspectives on all levels of the novel contributes to the dialogic quality of the narration in the Bakhtinian sense, to which the central ambiguities inscribed in the shaping of the quasifantastic dog add the quality of uncertainty and polyvalence.
The Narrator’s Identity and the Pursuit of Trespassing Boundaries in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Authors: Filutowska Katarzyna
Published: January 2023

The article focuses on the problem of the narrator’s and the author’s identity in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. According to Charles Taylor’s philosophy of subjectivity in order to have an identity we have to know what kind of good we would like to fulfil in our life. Such an orientation to the good (an orientation in moral space) and an endeavour after realizing this main value defines us as ourselves. In the paper it is argued that the pursuit of trespassing boundaries is constitutive to the narrator’s identity in the novel as it is such kind of an aim without which they could not have been themselves. It is also the key to the author’s identity. Through the medium of the stories of her male story-tellers she confronts her own demons, explores the territories of the subconscious beyond the bounds of understanding and depicts her struggle with the limitations she overcame as a woman in a patriarchal society and as a person who invented a new literary genre – science-fiction literature.
Ambiguous Bodies, Biopower and the Ideologies of Science Fiction
Authors: Flynn Susan
Published: January 2023

Contemporary Hollywood film narrates the fear of monstrous science; attending to the modulations of medicine, capital and the body. The filmic body is employed to illustrate the power of the new biotechnologies to create and sustain life and the new sets of social relations which are a consequence of the marriage of capital and medicine. In the Hollywood film, persons who do not fit the ideal healthy persona have a moral duty to pursue repair and transformation. Constructed as inherently lacking, the unhealthy body becomes a repository for social anxieties about control and vulnerability, vis-à-vis the enormous and exponentially expanding science and technology fields. Hierarchies of embodiment are played out on the Big Screen as imperfect bodies are excluded from public life, power and status and urged to strive for “optimization”. Late modern societies present the possibility of new technologies which have the potential to radicalize bodies. However, these potential modulations are ultimately derived from a set of ideologies around the body and the power of the individual to enact an individualized solution. Contemporary narratives circulate around ownership of capital and the price of “repair.” This marriage of science and capital in popular narratives may be indicative of concerns for our future, as the power to make and repair life seems to rest increasingly in the hands of an elite.
A Sociosemiotic Analysis of Fugard’s My Children! My Africa!
Authors: Viator Timothy J.
Published: January 2023

This essay presents a sociosemiotic analysis of My Children! My Africa! (1989) by Athol Fugard. By considering the characters’ views about self, community, education, and time, it points to the Fugard’s anxious attempt to offer liberalism as the solution to apartheid in South Africa instead of oppositional politics, especially blacks’ calls for activism and communalism. Sociosemiotics is suitable to plays overtly political; it holds that political writers are troubled by political changes that do not correspond to a firmly held ideology—a tension between what a playwright believes is absolute and what s/he senses and perhaps fears is happening. Keys to the analysis are contemporary texts, including essays from leading Black writers and journalists and from studies and essays from attendees of a 1986 conference on liberal solutions to the unrest in South Africa.
Application of knowledge about social network in creation of study groups
Authors: Makysova Jana , Dubovec Juraj
Published: January 2023

This contribution describes how friendships and student groups in certain courses affect their academic progress. The understanding of the social network between students and its impact on their academic progress is important by forming study courses. The goal of this work was the qualification of the 1st grade FRI (Faculty of management science and informatics) student social network parameters in the study program â€“ Informatics. On the base of information from the actual students correlations in the social network were formed. To each tops the coefficients of academic progress were added, representing the number of success exams in the winter semester. Then study averages were compared to the students friends study averages and according to these results were these information evaluated. Keywords: Social network, students, friendship, coefficient of friendship, fruitfulness of student.