Countries Benefit Research Articles

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES TOWARDS OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Open educational resources (OER) are well-known around the world and globally it gives revenue to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It also gives benefits in various Asian countries. However, in the Philippines there is a lack of information and implementation. With the update in education and the shift in learning modality a great need for educational resources - free and open to the public increases, especially in the outrage of the pandemic. These events and phenomena also create a schism between librarians' perspectives and practices on OER. This paper examines the academic librarians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward OER in higher education institutions in the Philippines. Specifically, this paper is aimed at assessing the level of KAP toward OER among the librarians. It also investigates the relationship between KAP-OER and the profiles of academic librarians and libraries, as well as the differences between KAP-OER and sex, higher educational attainment, and years of service. The respondents of the study were the 57 academic librarians from different HEIs in the Philippines. An adapted questionnaire was used, and it was administered online through Google forms. Results show that academic librarians reinforce the trend of infrequent engagement in OER practices at the school. In terms of reuse, revise, remix, and redistribution, the respondents express a tendency to rarely engage in these practices at our school, with mean scores ranging from 5.31 to 5.75. On the general aspects of OER, the respondents exhibit a positive attitude, with a mean score of 5.27. The respondents and library profiles record no relationship to KAP. In contrast, print and nonprint resources can positively affect KAP. While sexes, highest educational attainment, and number of years of service shows no difference. This study concludes that Philippine academic librarians challenged in terms of KAP-OER. Thus, require the interventions for improvement. This study confirms that more research is needed. It suggests providing OER seminars and training, promoting OER through collaboration, funding, institutional incentives, and support for OER activities.

The Impact of Judicial Constraints on Government Powers as a Sub-Factor on the Rule of Law: A Study of the World Justice Project Index, 2023

The study investigated the impact of judicial constraints on government powers (JCGP) as a sub-factor of constraints on government powers on the rule of Law (RL) of the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2023, focusing on a sample of 142 countries. Using the regression model approach, we first assessed the impact of JCGP on RL based on the most recent cross-section data of 2023. The results indicated a significant positive effect of JCGP on the RL. Moreover, to capture the evolution of this relationship, the analysis was extended across the period from 2013 to 2023, revealing a strengthening impact over time. Additionally, we conducted a comparative analysis between developed and developing countries and the socio-economic conditions that shape the investigated effects differently. The results indicated that developed countries benefit from more robust institutional frameworks while developing countries face challenges that may limit the effectiveness of JCGP in enhancing RL. Policy implications emphasize the need for targeted strategies to strengthen judicial independence and government accountability. The novelty and originality of this study lie in exploring and improving literature concerning the impact of judicial constraints on government powers on the rule of law.

How to measure and manage country reputation

Countries benefit from a good reputation in terms of gaining a higher foreign direct investment inflow, a growing export volume, becoming more attractive as tourist destinations and, last but not least, by improving their populations’ well-being. Consequently, many countries endeavor to manage their public perception actively. Since communication influences perception, advertising plays a particularly important role in the latter. However, countries need to fathom which opinions they need to encourage in order to ensure others’ optimal perceptions of them. A prerequisite for tackling this challenge is a model that measures and explains country reputation. This study develops such a model. Our model conceptualizes reputation as a two-dimensional attitudinal construct, thereby avoiding one-dimensional approaches’ shortcomings. It refers to the cognition-related dimension as competence, whereas the affect-related dimension is termed likability. It measures reputation, as perceived by stakeholders, by means of six reflective indicators. Furthermore, the model employs a catalogue of 30 formative indicators — structured by means of five key constructs — to identify the drivers of country reputation. By cultivating impactful drivers, countries are able to apply targeted measures to alter their reputations’ ratings on the two dimensions (i.e. competence and likability). We employed data from Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom to develop our model. Relevant criteria highlight the model’s reliability and validity. A benchmark analysis of the proposed model compared to that of existing approaches illustrates its superiority in terms of its convergent and criterion validity.

Adaptive capacity to climate change: Does energy aid matter?

The global call for augmented financial support to satisfy the growing requirements for adaptation funding, essential for enabling vulnerable groups to withstand the ramifications of climate change, has been resonant. Channeling energy assistance to developing countries may serve to ameliorate this shortfall. Through an empirical analysis using a balanced panel dataset comprising 64 countries from 2002 to 2020, the research investigates the role of energy assistance in enhancing the adaptive capacities of developing nations. Our analysis identifies critical areas with pronounced deficiencies in adaptive capacity, primarily situated in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, and western South America. The study reveals that energy aid, notably in the forms of non-renewable, policy-related, and distribution assistance, significantly elevates adaptive capabilities. Although this assistance yields significant benefits for countries across various income levels, the impact is relatively greater for higher-income nations. Additionally, energy aid indirectly bolsters adaptive capacity by stimulating innovation, and an improvement in the quality of governance aids in enhancing the effectiveness of energy assistance implementation, especially for lower-income countries. The study concludes by offering nuanced policy insights aimed at donors and recipients alike, with the goal of augmenting the efficacy of aid to improve climate change adaptation.

Cancer incidence and survival for 11 cancers in the Commonwealth: a simulation-based modelling study

The number of new cancer cases in Commonwealth countries rose by 35% between 2008 and 2018, but progress in cancer control has been slow in many low-income and lower-middle-income member states. We aimed to examine cancer outcomes and priority areas in the Commonwealth to provide insight and guidance on prioritisation of efforts to improve cancer survival and make the best use of scarce resources. We adapted a previously developed microsimulation model of global cancer survival for 11 cancer sites (oesophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, anus, liver, pancreas, lung, breast, cervix uteri, and prostate). All 56 Commonwealth countries were included and classified based on the 2020 World Bank Income groups (low-income, lower-middle-income, upper-middle-income, and high-income countries) and Commonwealth geographical areas. We modelled the number of incident cancer cases in each Commonwealth country in 2020, based on age group-specific estimates of incidence rates from GLOBOCAN 2020. We simulated 5-year net survival for each patient, accounting for the stage at diagnosis (I-IV), availability of specific treatment and imaging modalities, and quality of care (based on residual differences in expected versus observed survival after accounting for the availability and effectiveness of treatment and imaging modalities). We also simulated counterfactual policy scenarios, in which we scaled up various aspects of cancer care to the mean level of high-income countries to estimate the comparative effectiveness of different policies. Incident cancers in the Commonwealth accounted for an estimated 14·3% of global diagnosed cancer cases in 2020 among the 11 cancers modelled (1 610 000 Commonwealth cases [95% UI 1 556 000-1 674 000] of 11 227 000 global cases [11 069 000-11 406 000]) and are estimated to increase to 17·3% in 2050 due to population growth (3 330 000 [3 154 000-3 539 000] of 19 308 000 [18 706 000-19 911 000]). The 5-year net survival across 11 cancers combined in 2020 was 30·7% (95% UI 22·4-38·6) in Commonwealth countries, ranging from 4·1% (0·04-15·2) in low-income countries, 17·8% (3·7-30·9) in lower-middle-income countries, 33·1% (23·7-46·0) in upper-middle-income countries, to 59·0% (57·8-60·2) in high-income countries. Among single treatment policies, scaling up access to radiotherapy had the largest survival impact in low-income countries, surgery had the largest impact in lower-middle-income and upper-middle-income countries, and targeted therapy had the largest impact in high-income countries. By geographical area, improving radiotherapy availability was estimated to have the largest impact in Africa, surgery in Asia, targeted therapy in the Caribbean and the Americas and Europe, and quality of care in the Pacific Commonwealth countries. Comparing packages of scaling up the availability of all treatment modalities versus imaging modalities, expanding availability of imaging yielded the largest benefits in high-income countries, and in the Caribbean and the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific, whereas expanding treatment yielded larger benefits in all other income groups and geographical areas. We found large variation in 5-year net survival, with a nearly 15-times difference in cancer survival by country income group within the Commonwealth. Efforts to improve the availability of treatment and imaging modalities and quality of care will be crucial to reduce these disparities, with specific priorities of scale-up policies varying by setting. The Commonwealth could leverage a broad range of knowledge and resources and have an important role in supporting member countries with setting-specific priorities to improve cancer outcomes. Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health.

Mapping the Impact of Subsidies in Global Cotton Trade: A Review

In the complex journey from seed to shop floor, cotton goes through several stages. More than 70 countries produce and export cotton, while many developed and developing countries depend on imports of cotton lint for their spinning and textile industries. Global cotton consumption has regularly increased alongside cotton production and global population and is now estimated at 26 million tons. Cotton trade and production are highly distorted by policy support extended to cotton producers which has been greatest in the US, followed by China and the EU. It should be noted that while the cotton industry in all cotton producing countries benefit from indirect support provided to the agricultural sector, in general, between half and three quarters of the world cotton production receive direct support during most seasons. Support to the sector in India is expected to result in continuous growth in cotton mill use. The industry, however, faces several challenges, including technological obsolescence, high input costsand poor access to credit. To address these issues, the government has implemented several subsidy schemes and is currently developing a new textile policy for the overall development of the sector.

Decolonizing Cameroon’s language policies: a critical assessment

Abstract Due to its colonial history and prevalent multilingualism, Cameroon is a country where language policies have profoundly impacted socioeconomic and political life. Cameroon has 273 local languages and two official languages, English and French. The two official languages have been a crystallization point for discontent and civil unrest, leading to secessionist sentiments and violence. In this paper, we assess Cameroon’s language policies, firstly by providing a brief historical and legal overview based in the literature. We then present a new decolonial analytical framework, building on but extending existing theoretical frameworks. Our new analysis shows that a transition to using indigenous languages in formal education and other domains is not necessary at present. However, we argue that such a transition will become unavoidable in future. We show that it will be practically possible to use a limited number of indigenous languages as mediums of instruction, building on existing bilingualisms in the country. We believe these languages should be chosen using rational criteria and we introduce an approximate assessment of which languages are easy to learn and teach, and for speakers of which other languages. The transition we foresee requires planning and preparation. A different approach to Cameroon’s languages may help in building national unity and healing national wounds in the areas of sociolinguistic power-sharing and interregional cohabitation. We expect that our approach also holds benefits for other African countries.

Reactualization of Islamic Education Based on Culture to Build National Character in the Era of Globalization (Study of Baritan Tradition in Ngeni Village, Blitar District)

<em>This research was conducted based on the crucial issue of education. Globalization provides benefits for countries to develop, but is not conducive to character education. Globalization brings many new values that cause the implementation of moral, cultural and religious values in children to decline. Education is the key to forming a young generation with character, so reactualization needs to be pursued. Character education is closely related to Islamic education. Many local traditions hold cultural and religious values, including the baritan tradition preserved by the community in Ngeni Village, Blitar Regency. The purpose of this research is the reactualization of Islamic education, especially culture-based by taking Islamic values in the baritan tradition. This research uses descriptive qualitative research to present research based on natural settings. The results showed that in the midst of globalization, character education requires refreshment, so that local culture is not displaced by foreign cultures. In the baritan tradition, there are cultural and religious values that must be introduced and taught to the younger generation so that they do not fade and disappear in the times. The reactualization process is carried out through four steps, namely exemplary, habituation, supervision, and punishment and reward.</em>

Value Added Taxbenefits for hotel services in Mexico and other countries.

Tourism is one of the most important economic activities for the development of any country, which is why different benefits are granted to this sector. The objective of this research is to know the VAT benefits for hotel services that exist in Mexico and other countries. It is a qualitative investigation, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional and exploratory design. There are a series of benefits in the different countries that seek to promote and stimulate international tourism; these are granted through tax incentives, such as exemption from paying taxes for the tourist for the services received, to the refund of the same at the time of leaving the visited country. Taking into account how important this activity is due to the economic development it generates, the jobs it creates and the inflow of foreign currency, it is vital to grant it benefits.

Influence of Quality Education on FDI Inflows in Subs-Saharan Africa: A Theoretical and Empirical Research

The non-traditional influences of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) are increasingly gaining attention in international business studies; however, the empirical evidence of these influences is still scant. Using human capital theory within the context of the national competitive framework, the study reported in this paper considers the progress towards achieving Quality education as a likely influence of FDI inflows in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The paper employs a panel data research design and conducts fixed effects estimations. The analysis categorizes FDI flows into global FDI, FDI from developed countries, and FDI from developing countries to SSA. Thus, the paper is centred around three research questions: (1) How does progress toward quality education influence global FDI inflows? (2) How does progress towards quality education influence FDI inflows from developed and (3) from developing countries? The analysis mainly utilizes a bespoke dataset from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and data from trustworthy databases such as UNCTADSTAT and the World Development Indicators (WDI). The results support the claim of the increasing importance of non-traditional influences of FDI flow. Quality Education significantly influenced FDI inflows from the globe and developing countries to SSA. This research provides further evidence that the national competitive framework can thoroughly explain the factors that have different significant powers in influencing FDI flows to SSA from developed and developing countries. The study is highly policy-relevant because it examines the effects of the degree of attainment of specific UN Sustainable Development Goals (quality education) on inward FDI performance. It, therefore, shows the benefits of SSA countries investing in the SDGs for the policy goal of attracting more considerable amounts of inward FDI.

Limited political benefits for transit countries who manage migration

Limited political benefits for transit countries who manage migration

Trade-driven model of “Hydropower for Rice” cooperation in the Lancang-Mekong River basin

There have been intense conflicts over water resources between upstream and downstream countries in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin (LMRB) over the past years, primarily due to the trade-off relationship between hydropower and rice production. Great potential for transboundary cooperation has been shown, such as China’s emergency water release in 2016 to alleviate downstream severe drought. However, there is still a lack of systematic cooperation pattern. To address this issue, the study proposes a trade-driven model of “Hydropower for Rice” cooperation, and then derives three key political factors including price weight, export rate, and terminal water level of reservoirs. Our results show that (1) The hydropower and rice production under the trade-driven model can approximate the centralized model, and the “Hydropower for Rice” cooperation is feasible. (2) For downstream countries, rice is the main product, and the rice production and economic benefit can be increased with a higher price weight or export rate. Compared to Thailand and Cambodia, Vietnam needs to engage in deeper trade with China. (3) For upstream China, hydropower is the main product, and the economic benefit of riparian countries can be increased with higher export rates. The discharge in the dry season is increased, which is driven by the trade of rice. Additionally, China’s initiative to reduce the terminal water level of reservoir Nuozhadu has the potential to further increase rice production in downstream countries. This study indicates that the transboundary cooperation in LMRB requires joint efforts of upstream and downstream countries.

What determines local attitudes towards Jordan’s renewable energy transition? Evidence from household surveys

ABSTRACT The potential for renewable energy to encourage sustainable development raises high hopes for the future among countries in the Global South. However, there has been less research on how energy transitions are perceived outside of the Global North and democratic contexts. This paper explores attitudes towards the energy transition in Jordan, where expert interviews reveal that a strong renewable energy industry has emerged from top-down government efforts to reduce energy dependency and costs. We perform an in-person household survey with 320 respondents in areas with different transition risks and benefits, and then test a series of hypotheses using regression analysis. In the four communities surveyed, income stress and climate concern influence attitudes, as well as perceptions of community benefits. National-level concerns also matter, including energy dependency and energy costs for all Jordanians. Our results highlight the importance of context: findings from the North are not universal and understanding transitions in the Global South requires studying them in their own right. Policy insights Jordanian policymakers should reverse their policy of blocking renewables to avoid public backlash. Jordanian policymakers and funders should promote projects in communities with high economic dependence on the fossil fuel industry to ensure local support in areas facing transition risks. Policymakers should highlight collective, not just individual benefits of transitions, as perceptions of community and country benefits increase support. Policymakers in highly energy-dependent countries like Jordan should frame renewables as an answer to local and national challenges such as high energy prices. Actors wishing to promote clean energy support in different contexts should investigate local dynamics to build communication strategies that frame transitions appropriately.

Dual citizenship in Ukraine and the world

This work is devoted to the topic of dual (multiple) citizenship and its features. The author examines aspects that may arise with multiple citizenship in matters of national security, taxes on legal conflicts, as well as advantages and complexities, the relationship between rights and obligations. Dual citizenship offers significant and diverse benefits, including empowerment in employment, education, business and travel. Citizens are able to enjoy the social and economic benefits of both countries, which also contributes to the strengthening of international ties through cultural exchanges and diplomatic cooperation, increasing understanding and respect between peoples. However, despite numerous advantages, there are also significant disadvantages and risks associated with dual citizenship. The main ones – are issues of national security and identity, difficulties arising in the areas of taxation, military service, as well as possible legal conflicts when the same person falls under the legislation of two different states. The article considers possible changes in the legislation of Ukraine regarding the introduction of dual (multiple) citizenship, and the prospects for its possible development. The author notes that before making a separate decision regarding dual citizenship, it is necessary to carefully investigate all its aspects. Consider both positive and negative sides, taking into account personal circumstances. In addition, the author of this article presents arguments both for and against dual citizenship, and also describes the possible risks and challenges associated with it. The conclusion states that dual citizenship is a complex legal concept that can have both positive and negative aspects for individuals who have it. The article emphasizes that the issue of dual citizenship should be carefully studied at the state level with the participation of all interested parties — politicians, experts in the field of law, economics, sociology and ordinary citizens. Only a balanced approach will allow to achieve the maximum benefit from dual citizenship, avoid potential risks and ensure the stability and security of the state.

The impacts of exporting to China: assessing the productivity gains of developing countries using an instrumental variable approach

ABSTRACT Developing countries have taken substantial measures to liberalize protected domestic markets to facilitate international trade. However, market liberalization often depends on policies of export expansion and innovations, raising the question: Is export expansion sufficient for productivity gains of developing countries? How does export expansion mediate the relationship between innovations and productivity gains? Are further policy interventions necessary? Hence, this study examines the impacts of developing countries’ exports to China on productivity gains from 1992-2022. Further, it investigates how innovations mediate the relationship between export expansion and productivity gains. The 2SLS method is applied for estimation, which addresses the endogeneity by using export expansion to China from other developing countries. The findings reveal that exports positively impact productivity driven by China’s rise. Innovations and learning by exporting significantly mediate the association between key variables. It highlights how developing countries benefit from China’s growth, contributing insights to trade and economic growth literature.

The Prospect of Typhoon Landfall Observation Utilizing L-band InSAR

The cyclonic phenomenon, particularly typhoons within the 100° E to 180° E longitude region, bring significant devastation through intense rainfall and strong winds, causing secondary effects like landslides and floods upon landfall. This results in infrastructural damage and loss of life, ranking storm-related disasters, including typhoons, second only to earthquakes in casualties, emphasizing the need for a robust observation system. While higher income countries benefit from established radar and meteorological stations for continuous monitoring, this study highlights the critical necessity for an additional monitoring system in lower income countries. We investigate the applicability of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) during typhoon landfall, particularly in densely vegetated areas where longer wavelengths like L-band (for instance, the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS/PALSAR) and ALOS-2/PALSAR-2) are suitable. By analyzing typhoon occurrences and confirming landfall using weather radar from 2007 to 2011 (ALOS/PALSAR observation period) and 2014 to 2023 (ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 observation period), our study successfully identifies the landfall of the Jebi typhoon on September 4, 2018. InSAR processing reveals significant phase gradients linked to dense water vapor during landfall, corroborated by comparisons with sea-level Zenith Wet Delay (ZWD) from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data and hourly precipitation rates from the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS). The concurrence of InSAR results with ZWD values and rainfall data from meteorological stations validates the potential of L-band InSAR in observing typhoon landfalls.

Does the sovereign environmental, social, and governance sustainability activities jeopardize the banking sector's stability: Evidence from the Arab economies

The results uncover that the relationship between combined sovereign environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and banking sector's stability is a non-linear and inverted U-shaped in GCC economies, and nationals’ sustainability practices after exceeding a turning point of 0.228 reduce stability. Furthermore, the inverted U-shaped relationship between individual sovereign ESG and stability reveals that the banking sectors reap the benefits of countries engaging in sustainability practices if the ESG activities scores do not exceed turning points of 0.345, 0.232, and 0.424, respectively. The findings suggest policymakers find an optimal level through a balanced approach when investing toward achieving sustainability goals.

Collaborative Coding Cultures: How Journalists Use GitHub as a Trading Zone

As the use of “big data” in journalism has become an increasing practice in recent years, its exercise is no longer limited to newsrooms in Europe and North America. The prevalence of coding cultures and collaboration in newsrooms worldwide has risen, in part to tackle challenges related to information overflow. This collaboration has been facilitated partly by the popularization of low-cost code hosting platforms such as GitHub. GitHub is a well-known public code management system with a significant potential for transparency and collaboration between communities. This study aims to map how newsrooms employ GitHub as a trading zone for collaborative journalism. We analyze the GitHub activities of leading media outlets from 27 countries. Based on content analysis of the newsroom’s repositories and users’ profiles, we found that media organizations in the United Kingdom and the United States continue to be the primary code producers in GitHub. However, our results show that newsrooms in developing countries benefit from these codes by stargazing these projects. The results of this article have important implications for understanding how newsrooms across the globe use GitHub for collaboration and the role journalistic code plays in bringing together various collaborative initiatives and actors in journalism.

Massive Solar PV Potential in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is facing an energy crisis due to insufficient exploitation of renewable energy resources and high reliance on imported fossil fuels. Building-integrated PV (BIPV) systems are one approach that provides various benefits in countries with limited land areas and congested metropolitan regions for ensuring energy security. This study was conducted to evaluate the rooftop solar PV capacity and yearly electricity generation potential in selected provinces in Sri Lanka. The study found 115 km2 of rooftop area for solar PV installation in four Sri Lankan provinces; Sabaragamuwa, Western, Northern, and North Central with approximately 25 GW of solar PV installation capacity could lead to annual electricity generation of 45 TWh which could reduce carbon emissions by 20 million tCO 2 per year.

Forschungs-, Technologie- und Innovationspolitik muss die Entstehung kritischer Massen fördern

Abstract Economic research emphasises the role of increasing returns to scale and critical mass in research and technology development. This suggests that countries benefit from specialising in certain technologies and can thereby bundle available resources. Using the example of the Exzellenzstrategie and the Zukunftsstrategie, we argue that German RTI policy lacks strategic prioritisation. The lack of focus implies that Germany spreads its resources too thinly over many technological alternatives and therefore fails to create critical mass within each of them. The guiding principles for a German RTI policy should focus on creating critical mass through specialisation..