Autonomous Enterprises Research Articles

Assessing the impact of prefabricated buildings on urban green total factor energy efficiency

Prefabricated buildings (PB) are assembled using prefabricated components, known for their cost-effectiveness and high efficiency. They are seen as an effective means to achieving sustainable development goals and mitigating climate change. This paper examines the impact of prefabricated buildings on urban green total factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) using panel data from 278 cities in China. The analysis is conducted through the application of a super-efficiency slack-based measure (SBM) model and a difference-in-differences model. The results of the study indicate that the promotion of PB can significantly improve urban GTFEE; there is heterogeneity in the improvement of urban GTFEE by PB; the innovation effect, industrial effect and marketization effect of PB are the main ways to improve urban GTFEE. Specifically, PB exerts an innovation effect by promoting technological innovation. It influences consumer and investor demand, leading to increased activity in the secondary industry, thereby creating an industrial effect. Moreover, PB facilitates the marketization effect by phasing out outdated industries, encouraging autonomous enterprise innovation, and fostering the growth of new advanced enterprises. This study reveals the critical role of PB in urban GTFEE improvement. It clarifies its mechanism of action, which provides a reference for urban sustainable development strategies and energy efficiency.

Many Bodies, One Heart

Many Bodies, One Heart

On the Inevitable Failure of Social Constructionism: The Transcendental Self-Contradiction of an Empty Concept

The question of how sociality is related to the scientific conception of physical reality brings up a philosophical tension between the conception of science as an autonomous enterprise and the conception of science as one of the various cultural products of society. Basically, there have been two approaches in sociology of science to resolve this tension. On the one side, we encounter classical sociology of science, which defends the autonomy of science while denying any constitutive role to sociality in the formation of the content of scientific theories. On the other side, there is social constructionism, which criticizes traditional sociology of science and reduces the content of scientific theories simply to a function of social structures; to something which is caused, produced or realized directly by social phenomena. This paper aims to show that although social constructionism has a point in its critique of the classical conception of science, this point is never formulated and expressed in a sufficient conceptual rigor and clarity. It will be demonstrated that the basic concept of “social construction” as encountered in the key texts from social constructionism is actually an empty concept because it is transcendentally self-contradictory. Consequently, as the paper argues, the emptiness of the concept of construction leads to an inability in making a distinction between real cases of social construction –if there are any- and cases of politically coercive, brute social interference with science.

ASSESSMENT OF PROFITABILITY AND TAX BURDEN OF AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES AS PART OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS

The purpose of the study was to identify the differentiation of profitability and tax burden of legally independent agricultural organizations and organizations within agricultural holdings, as well as to determine the influence of a number of factors on the change in profitability and the level of tax burden. The article analyzes the dynamics of profitability and tax payments of agricultural organizations of the Altai Territory. During the research, data on the amount of taxes, fees and insurance payments paid by agricultural enterprises of the Altai Territory, depending on their membership in agricultural holdings, were summarized, and an assessment of the tax burden of these enterprises was given. It is established that the tax burden of agricultural organizations that are part of agricultural holdings is higher than the tax burden of legally autonomous organizations, which is primarily due to the specialization of economic entities. The profitability of agricultural enterprises’ production was also determined by the structure of their marketable products. It is noted that the revenue and the amount of taxes and fees to varying degrees have an impact on the tax burden of organizations that are part of agricultural holdings and legally autonomous enterprises.

Challenges for operationalizing autonomous Enterprise: what to overcome?

ABSTRACT The Implementing Agreement 1994 of Part XI UNCLOS 1982 governs that the Enterprise only be established independently if one of two requirements is fulfilled. The start of commercial deep seabed mining is imminent, as seven explorations contracts will have expired by the end of 2021 and the exploitation mining code has been rushed to completion within the next two years under Nauru’s request. The start of commercial deep seabed mining would signal the operation of an independent Enterprise. However, several issues remained to be answered regarding the operation of Enterprise to ensure its efficient operations. This article seeks to identify the challenges the Enterprise will have to overcome. This article is aimed to provide insights to the stakeholders to take appropriate measures.

Autonomous Enterprise as a Model of Hotel Operation in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The article aims to identify modern technological solutions in the field of automation and robotization of business processes that change the way hotel enterprises operate in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the research problem was expressed in the form of a question: what tools favor the dynamic digital transformation of hotel functioning models and the implementation of the paradigm of intelligent and autonomous entities operating in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hotel market? During the empirical research, the use and implementation of new solutions in the field of innovative technologies supporting the optimization of processes taking place in hotel enterprises were considered. In addition, technologies and tools were identified that are considered strategic from the perspective of implementing the concept of an autonomous hotel carried out under the influence of the crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the specific purpose of the article, a survey was conducted using the questionnaire method with the Computer Assisted Web Interview technique alongside a self-developed questionnaire. The survey was carried out in June–September 2021 among 462 representatives of hotel companies operating in the three-, four- and five-star standards. The results of the diagnostic survey were statistically analyzed using the Statistica and RStudio software packages. To interpret the obtained data, the descriptive method, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis were used. As a result of the conducted research, it was noticed that the COVID-19 pandemic obligated hotels to automate processes that made it possible to connect devices within digital ecosystems and to optimize processes inside vertical and horizontal value chains. Such activities enabled the creation of a new model of hotel functioning referred to as an autonomous enterprise. Nowadays, one of the most important strategic behaviors of hotel entities is the ability to quickly counteract crises resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the related choice of the right course of action, as well as the ability to immediately make the right decisions. The research results may motivate the implementation of new technologies in the area of transforming and developing digital business models by hotels. The issues presented in the article are an attempt to fill the gap by pointing out practical experiences related to the use of individual technological solutions and their effectiveness in process automation and implementation of autonomous models of functioning of entities in the hotel services sector.

Colonial impacts on awqãf and Muslim social welfare in Kenya

This article analyzes the socio-cultural impact of failure by Muslims in Kenya to review British colonial statutes that disrupted traditional awqaf (religious endowments) practices in the postcolonial period. Awqaf are autonomous enterprise meant for spiritual expression of taqwa (piety), seeking qurba (closeness) with God, and to ensure socio-economic security of the endower’s progeny and social welfare in the community. Upon establishment of the British colonial rule (1895–1963), however, a wide range of legal codes, that remain enforced in the postcolonial period, were instituted effectively impacting on the local Islamic notion on awqaf, resource control, and social welfare. As Muslims negotiated the legal statutes from the colonial to postcolonial era, nonetheless, it became manifest that the struggles revolved around not only control of awqaf and fulfillment of spiritual obligations but also appropriation of the principle of shurut al-waqif (conditions of endower) to safeguard sectarian interests that compromised Muslim cultural unity and identity.

МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЕ СТРУКТУРЫ НАУЧНО-ПРОМЫШЛЕННОГО КОМПЛЕКСА В УСЛОВИЯХ ЦИФРОВОЙ ЭКОНОМИКИ

T he dynamic development of the digital economy creates new business conditions that catalyze crossindustry cooperation of enterprises and accelerate technology transfer between various market entities. This determines the need for the efficient integrated structures in the industrial sector of Russia with high scientific, innovative, digital, and production capacity. The purpose of the research is to develop and operationalize a competitive model of the scientific and industrial complex in the digital economy. The content of the scientific and industrial complex is determined, and the differences between the complex and the industrial cluster are identified. The competitive advantages of a scientific industrial complex in relation to autonomous enterprises are highlighted. The scientific novelty and practical significance of the study unfold in the development of theoretical provisions and structural and functional parameters of the model of the scientific and industrial complex in the digitalization of the social economic systems, as well as a cluster analysis based methodological approach to its operationalization. A methodological approach to the operationalization of the model of scientific and industrial complexes performing in the digital economy includes four stages: 1) identifying the prerequisites for the integration; 2) choosing the goals for establishing a complex; 3) enterprises clusterization and modeling of scenarios for establishing a complex; 4) development of a complex’s functioning and development mechanism. The basic, industrial and technological, innovative digital, institutional and managerial, structural, financial and market criteria for clustering enterprises and organizations to establish a complex have been worked out. The approach was tested and options for establishing scientific and industrial complexes were modeled from cluster analysis of 37 enterprises of the Central Chernozem region of Russia by the G-means method. With the results of the analysis in mind, the authors recommended to set up radio-electronic, electrical engineering complexes in Voronezh region and a machine-building complex in Lipetsk region. The article offers a list of members, goals, types of strategies, integration projects and expected results of the modeled complexes performance. The model of the scientific and industrial complex and the approach to its operationalization can become a methodological tool for the management of enterprises when some options for setting up, organization types and scenarios for the development of integrated structures in the industry of Russia are considered. Further research is seen to be in developing the models of strategic and sustainable development during digital transformation of scientific and industrial complexes, as well as in developing organizational and economic mechanisms for institutional transformations of industrial enterprises in the digital economy.

Method of forming strategic alternatives for the development of subsidiaries and choosing the optimal strategy for each of them

The article examines the methodology for the formation of strategic alternatives to the activities of a subsidiary and the choice of a strategy for its development, operating in a narrow market segment and included in an integrated structure. The proposed methodology should differ from the methodology for developing an autonomous operating enterprise, since the main task of a subsidiary is to obtain additional competitive advantages to the existing ones mainly by entering an integrated structure, which can be provided by a competitive strategy focused on costs or differentiation. The possibility of implementing a benchmark strategy of concentrated and diversified growth is considered. An expanded scheme for the formation of alternative development strategies for subsidiaries in the form of a combination of growth strategies and competitive strategies in their classical definition is presented. After the formation of alternative strategies of the subsidiary, the main task is to select the optimal development strategy for the enterprise from among the alternative, which will allow, by establishing relationships between the enterprises, to obtain the maximum possible competitive advantages. The authors have worked out the technique of choosing the optimal strategy for the development of a subsidiary from among alternative strategies to maximize competitive advantages

Simulating, Off-Chain and On-Chain: Agent-Based Simulations in Cross-Organizational Business Processes

Information systems execute increasingly complex business processes, often across organizations. Blockchain technology has emerged as a potential facilitator of (semi)-autonomous cross-organizational business process execution; in particular, so-called consortium blockchains can be considered as promising enablers in this context, as they do not require the use of cryptocurrency-based blockchain technology, as long as the trusted (authenticated) members of the network are willing to provide computing resources for consensus-finding. However, increased autonomy in the execution of business processes also requires the delegation of business decisions to machines. To support complex decision-making processes by assessing potential future outcomes, agent-based simulations can be considered a useful tool for the autonomous enterprise. In this paper, we explore the intersection of multi-agent simulations and consortium blockchain technology in the context of enterprise applications by devising architectures and technology stacks for both off-chain and on-chain agent-based simulation in the context of blockchain-based business process execution.

They are not all the same: immigrant enterprises, transnationalism, and development

ABSTRACTThe literature on immigrant entrepreneurship in the advanced countries tends to paint these initiatives in homogeneous colors. A debate lingers as well on the economic returns to self-employment by immigrant and ethnic groups. We present recent data demonstrating again the significant payoff to autonomous enterprise among all ethnic groups, but also the major differences in such returns among them. This provides the basis for a typology of immigrant enterprises and an analysis of their causes and potential effects for the development of sending nations. Human capital, social capital, and modes of incorporation are the principal determinants of types of immigrant enterprises in host nations. The stance of home country states determines the development potential of high-tech immigrant enterprises. Data and examples supporting these conclusions are presented and their theoretical and practical implications discussed.

Mathematical Modeling of Power Supply of an Autonomic Enterprise Based on Wind Power Plants

Power supply systems for small businesses based on renewable energy sources are most often based on converting wind energy, solar energy and water energy. Calculating its effectiveness is a time-consuming task, requiring the processing of a large amount of data specific for the geographical location of power generating units. In the article the technique of computer modeling of work of a park of wind power plants (WPP) with the purpose of definition of an optimum parity of their parameters is considered.

Mathematical Modeling of Power Supply of an Autonomic Enterprise Based on Wind Power Plants

Power supply systems for small businesses based on renewable energy sources are most often based on converting wind energy, solar energy and water energy. Calculating its effectiveness is a time-consuming task, requiring the processing of a large amount of data specific for the geographical location of power generating units. In the article the technique of computer modeling of work of a park of wind power plants (WPP) with the purpose of definition of an optimum parity of their parameters is considered.

Solving partner selection problem in cyber-physical production networks using the HUMANT algorithm

The idea of non-hierarchical production networks consisting of autonomous enterprises has been present in scientific community for more than 20 years. Although some global corporations are using their own production networks across continents, they are not similar to the original idea of non-hierarchical production networks in many aspects. It seems that this idea waited for production systems to acquire proper information and communications technology (ICT) or new industrial platforms, like Industry 4.0. The result is a new type of production network called Cyber-Physical Production Network (CPPN). The CPPN is, from ICT point of view, ready to act as non-hierarchical production networks consisting of autonomous production systems with many automated processes. One of the most important processes of the CPPN is a selection of optimal partners (enterprises) to be part of a new virtual enterprise, created inside production network. An optimisation problem emerges in this process, and it is called Partner Selection Problem (PSP). It is non-polynomial-hard combinatorial problem. Since metaheuristic algorithms are well-proven in solving that kind of problem, a specially designed metaheuristic algorithm derived from ant colony optimisation and named the HUMANT (HUManoid ANT) algorithm is used in this paper. It is multi-objective optimisation algorithm that successfully solves different instances of PSP with two, three, four or more objectives.

Was ist die kleinste autonom funktionierende Forstbetriebseinheit? (Essay)

What is the minimum size for an autonomous forest enterprise? (Essay) On the assumption that most public forest entities in Switzerland want to have a forest enterprise with its own staff to manage its own forest, this essay explores the question of what is the minimum size for such an enterprise, under the conditions on the Swiss Plateau, to be considered a functional, autonomous and viable unit. For organisational and safety reasons, a minimum staff of five people working full time is necessary for this basic model. This implies rather high costs (especially fixed costs), which in turn necessitates high outputs, which can only be supplied on the basis of an adequate forest area: under present conditions, at least 1,500 ha of productive forest are needed.

The impact of quasi-markets on processes and factors affecting the costs of contracting

ABSTRACTThe aim of this paper is to ascertain the impact of quasi-markets on contracting processes and factors affecting the costs of contracting in Finnish health care in the specific case of laboratory services. By means of a comparative case analysis, we ascertained the changes in organizational contracting practices and identified the actions affecting the transaction costs of contracting in the case of an autonomous municipal enterprise laboratory compared with the same laboratory as a hierarchically run municipal unit. The research was conducted during the years 2007–2011. The results suggest that introducing quasi-markets into laboratory services increased the cost factors of contracting; and had a negative impact on the laboratories’ willingness to create new market relationships.

Self-Organized P2P Approach to Manufacturing Service Discovery for Cross-Enterprise Collaboration

The combination of service-oriented architecture (SOA) and peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture plays a promising role in distributed manufacturing environments in that the peer service can be used to facilitate the integration and discovery of distributed manufacturing resources and achieve communication and collaboration across distributed virtual enterprises. However, the large size, dynamic nature, and heterogeneous expression of distributed manufacturing resources bring forth a serious challenge in scalability and efficiency. This paper presents a self-organized P2P framework that supports scalable and efficient manufacturing service (MS) discovery for cross-enterprise collaboration by forming and maintaining autonomous enterprise peer groups (PG). Each enterprise exhibits as a peer that provides some sharable MSs that are represented comprehensively and formally with a generalized ontology. Each enterprise PG dynamically clusters a set of enterprise peers offering semantically similar MSs, and elects the most reputed peer through multicriteria trust evaluation as its core (i.e., super peer, SP). Then, a MS request can be first routed to the suitable SP and further to its leaf peer in a systematic way, thus supporting efficient service discovery. A prototype system is implemented on JXTA for real application and validated through an experimental case study.

EFFECTS OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ON MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY OF LITHUANIAN STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES

Abstract. Management efficiency of state-owned enterprises (SOE) is being widely discussed not only in Lithuania, Central Eastern Europe, but also globally (mainly focusing on such countries as China, having state monopoly in most of the industries). Moreover, this topic is interesting to scholars both in the context of public governance reforms and a specific area of public administration. On the other hand, the topic of SOEs management is quite specific due to its duality: firstly, it is an area of public governance with an intensive intervention of the government, and secondly, SOEs are autonomous enterprises having dual – social (e.g., creation of work places, implementation of state-level projects, etc.) and economic (e.g., profitability, return on investment, etc.) – goals. Following the paradigms of (post) new public governance, principal agent theory, corporate governance guidelines established by such international organizations as the OECD, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and others, this paper is focusing on the management and performance of SOEs, trying to find an evidence of positive effects related to the implementation of corporate governance principles in Lithuanian SOEs. The paper seeks to identify those aspects of corporate governance which are the most relevant in terms of their potential effect on the management efficiency of Lithuanian SOEs.Key words: state-owned enterprises, corporate governance, principal agent theory, management efficiency

Patterns and Constraints of Cooperative Tendencies in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

In the ongoing evolution of organizational paradigms and modes of competition along the continuum of single, autonomous enterprises to dyadic alliances to virtual companies, the last decade has bee...

A qualitative approach to assess the alignment of Value Systems in collaborative enterprises networks

Collaborative enterprises networks are composed of heterogeneous and autonomous enterprises, which are often geographically distributed. As such, it is natural that each enterprise has its own set of values and preferences and as a result, conflicts among partners might emerge due to some values misalignment. Therefore, tools to support the analysis of Value Systems and their alignment in a collaborative context are relevant to improve the network management. Since a Value System reflects the set of values and preferences of an actor, which are cognitive issues, a cognitive analysis approach based on fuzzy causal maps is introduced. A set of qualitative assessment methods are designed to properly capture and integrate multiple perspectives about the concept of Value Systems alignment, in order to improve the identification and assessment of Value Systems misalignments in the context of collaborative enterprises networks. A web based tool to support these qualitative models and methods in a integrated way is used in a case study. Finally, experimental results are presented and discussed.