Conditions Of Resource Scarcity Research Articles

Испанские оборонительные мероприятия на Канарских островах в контексте британских планов овладения Макаронезией в 1940–1942 годах

This article is devoted to the efforts of Francoist Spain to ensure the defense of the Canary Archipelago in 1940–1942. The obviousness of British plans to conquer Macaronesia forced the Spaniards to take measures to preserve sovereignty over the islands. The goal was achieved in conditions of resource scarcity and the threat of a naval blockade. In this situation, the leadership of the defense resorted to emergency measures. A partial mobilization of people and resources was carried out on the archipelago. The metropolis found reserves of weapons and military equipment, which made it possible to equip thecreated group. Thescarcity of the material base limited thecapabilities of thecontingent, but its presence made it possible to prevent the primary plans of a potential enemy. The article concludes that the Spanish military preparations, along with the political and operational situation, prevented the planned British expansion against the Iberian archipelagos.

Variation of magnesium drives plant adaption to heterogeneous environments by regulating efficiency in photosynthesis on a large scale

Abstract Magnesium (Mg) is a vital nutrient for plants, and its role in photosynthesis, enzyme regulation and resistance to environmental stress is becoming increasingly evident. However, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding the characteristics of Mg (content, density and stock) on a large scale, particularly at the community level, which is essential for linking to ecosystem functions. A leaf‐branch‐trunk‐root‐matched database of the Mg content (mg g−1) and biomass density (g m−2) of plant organs across 1972 sampling sites in China was constructed based on field surveys and data compilation. Using machine learning algorithms, we comprehensively explored the spatial patterns and main influencing factors of plant Mg content and density (g m−2). Furthermore, a new index, leaf Mg productivity (LMP), was developed to determine the Mg use efficiency, defined as the ratio of gross primary productivity to leaf Mg density. The Mg contents in the leaves, branches, trunks and roots were 2.80, 0.87, 0.23 and 1.66 mg g−1, respectively. Deserts exhibited higher Mg content, with the primary influencing factors being high temperatures and soil Mg supply. Higher LMP values observed in grasslands and deserts indicate that Mg use is more efficient in these relatively stressful environments, whereas forests require more Mg for unit biomass productivity. This change was driven by the minimum temperature, aridity and soil Mg content. Synthesis. We systematically explored spatial variation in plant community Mg and its correlation with the photosynthetic capacity of plant communities. The aridity and soil Mg content have negative effects on LMP. This suggests that Mg is used more efficiently in photosynthesis under conditions of resource scarcity, indicating that resources become more valuable when they are limited. Photosynthesis in forests is more sensitive to Mg and more Mg is required for biomass production; therefore, Mg is not just a nutrient but a potential bottleneck in optimizing photosynthetic efficiency. Our findings highlight the pivotal role of Mg in photosynthesis and offer a foundation for optimizing ecosystem management through Mg regulation.

The interests of the region, its residents and businesses as a basis for the strategy of sustainable development of regional banks and balanced development of public finances at the sub-federal level

The article examines the role of regional banks in the socio-economic development of the regional economy: the nature of the regional bank as an element of the financial system of the region is investigated, the relationship between the financial performance of the regional bank and the indicators of socio–economic development of the region is analyzed. The analysis of changes in the structure of the banking sector, starting in 2016, is carried out in order to assess the implementation of the principles of proportional regulation of the activities of banking sector entities. The advantage of regional banks in comparison with federal ones is studied in order to implement the transformation of the national economy against the background of current challenges: regional banks in conditions of resource scarcity, nevertheless, have greater flexibility, stability and the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions, are able to offer customers the most suitable products and services and are a necessary element for the balanced development of regional (sub-federal) finance.

The impact of species phylogenetic relatedness on invasion varies distinctly along resource versus non‐resource environmental gradients

Abstract Understanding why some, but not other, plant communities are vulnerable to alien invasive species is essential for predicting and managing biological invasions. Darwin proposed two seemingly contradictory hypotheses on how native‐invader relatedness influences invasion success, emphasizing, respectively, the importance of environmental filtering and competition between natives and invaders. Despite much recent empirical research on this topic, reconciling these two hypotheses, known as Darwin's naturalization conundrum, remains a challenge. Using plot‐level data from natural forests along elevational transects covering strong environmental gradients, we examined whether the invasion of the globally invasive species crofton weed (Ageratina adenophora) can be explained by environmental filtering and/or competition from closely related species linked to environmental gradients. Abundant precipitation, warm temperatures, open canopies and postfire environments facilitated A. adenophora invasion, whereas resident taxonomic richness suppressed its invasion. Importantly, we found that invader‐resident relatedness had a strong negative effect on invader cover under resource scarcity conditions (e.g. low water availability), but not under non‐resource environmental stress gradients (e.g. low temperature). Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that the impact of species phylogenetic relatedness on invasion success varies distinctly along resource versus non‐resource environmental gradients. These results help to reconcile Darwin's naturalization conundrum, thereby improving the ability to predict the success of alien plant invasions in a changing world. Our study stresses the need to consider adjusting forest species composition to strengthen their resistance to invasion, while taking into account resource and non‐resource environmental gradients, particularly after wildfires.

Overview of conceptual approaches to circular economy in AIC of Kazakhstan

The goal is to outline conceptual foundations of the circular economy in agriculture, to study the directions of its development. Methods – comparisons, generalizations, expert opinion, statistical based on obtaining primary data, as well as theoretical analysis of scientific literature of foreign and domestic authors. Results – features of the circular transformation of the industry and main differences from the traditional way of agricultural production are determined. The article shows its essence and principles of implementation in agricultural sector. The prospects for world development require the creation of a resource-efficient agri-food system. As a result of the study, indicators were analyzed that can measure the circularity of agro-industrial production: slowdown, reduction and regeneration. It was revealed that in conditions of resource scarcity, climate change, environmental degradation, increasing demand for food, the circular economy is a strategy for the rational use of renewable natural resources, contributes to solving global problems. Conclusions – the proposed approaches to creating a new, rational food and nutrition chain are aimed at maintaining the value of products and resources for a long period, returning them to production cycle after the end of use, minimizing waste generation, reducing food losses, ensuring food security and economic growth. Based on the study of foreign experience, the authors substantiate the importance of state support and scientific support for circular economy. The speedy solution of the issues revealed in the article is of interest in the preparation of draft state, sectoral programs for socio-economic development of the agro-industrial complex, will ensure a more efficient use of raw materials in the framework of production processes.

Professional competition amidst intractable maternal mortality: Midwifery in rural Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic

Low-income countries with intransigent maternal mortality rates often follow WHO guidelines that prioritize access to skilled, or professionalized, prenatal and birthing care. Yet the impact of these initiatives in areas still suffering high maternal mortality is opaque. Despite heavy and long investments, the professionalization of midwifery in Pakistan is incomplete, and declines in maternal mortality have plateaued. Traditional midwives have lost status, but they continue to see clients and have influence in their rural communities. We conducted a rapid ethnography among traditional midwives (Dais) and trained Lady Health Workers (LHWs) in two communities of Attock, Pakistan from May to July of 2020. Our findings underscore the importance of long-term presence and trust to maternal care, especially in conditions of resource scarcity or fear (e.g., fear of COVID). We provide evidence of overt disparagement of Dais by LHWs; (2) illustration of the conflicts between gender norms and biomedical priorities of hospitalized births; and (3) exacerbated fear of hospitals during COVID, which served to highlight the advantages of Dai care. Professionalization programs for midwifery must include structures and training to ensure collaborative communications across the country's midwives. Failure to respect the rational decisions of traditional midwives and their patients in circumstances of scarcity, high stress, and isolation only ignores the material and cultural conditions of these vulnerable communities.

Vaccination status and intensive care unit triage: Is it fair to give unvaccinated Covid-19 patients equal priority?

This article provides a systematic analysis of the proposal to use Covid‐19 vaccination status as a criterion for admission of patients with Covid‐19 to intensive care units (ICUs) under conditions of resource scarcity. The general consensus is that it is inappropriate to use vaccination status as a criterion because doing so would be unjust; many health systems, including the UK National Health Service, are based on the principle of equality of access to care. However, the analysis reveals that there are several unique features of Covid vaccination status in the context of a pandemic that make this issue disanalogous to cases (such as lung cancer caused by smoking) discussed previously. First, there is equality in access to care at the point of vaccination; the unvaccinated refuse the offer of preventive care when they decline vaccination, weakening their claim to ongoing care if they become ill (this is qualitatively different from ‘poor lifestyle choices’ such as smoking). Second, the decision of one person to refuse vaccination substantially increases the risk that they will become seriously ill and need ICU care; the person who chooses not to get vaccinated thus potentially increases the pressure on intensive care bed provision, as well as increasing the risk that he or she will infect others who in turn might end up needing ICU care. Third, justice cuts both ways, and giving unvaccinated patients equal priority may itself be unjust when other patients have reduced their risk of ending up on the ICU by getting vaccinated.

Making Change Happen: How HRM Professionals Deal with Tensions in Times of Organizational Change

This paper is an ethnographic study of HRM professionals who were engaged in organizational-change projects that conflicted with each other. I explore tensions that arose for HRM professionals when they were required to simultaneously attend to multiple projects—both short-term change projects and long-term strategic-change projects. Applying a practice-theory lens, this paper helps us better understand how HRM professionals make change happen. This paper looks at change management from the view of HRM professionals to investigate the resourcing practices they use to work through short-term–long-term-tensions that arise under conditions of resource scarcity. The first contribution is extending our knowledge of the HRM profession by identifying resourcing practices to deal with tensions during change-management projects. In investigating these conflicts, I identify three resourcing strategies that HRM professionals use to navigate and work through these tensions - situational reframing, organizational preframing and institutional deframing. The second contribution is adding to the HRM-as-practice literature by helping to bridge HRM practices with HRM practitioners (in this paper: professionals) and HRM praxis. By highlighting the everyday practices that HRM professionals engage in, I add to a better understanding of the intersecting elements and the situated social activities enabling HRM praxis. In doing so, I add to a more practice-oriented approach of HRM research with an increased focus on actors and their agency.

Moving Mountains: Industrial and Environmental Transformations in the Rise and Recession of “China’s Detroit”

In this article, we examine the history of Shiyan, a city located in the midst of moun-tains that had once been a major center of China’s automobile industry and, in that capacity, a contender for the title of “China’s Detroit.” In particular, we focus on the interplay of environmental conditions and industrial aspirations that undergirded Shiyan’s rise and recession. We begin with the question of how a city built primarily for the manufacturing of automobiles, which of all the technologies of the twentieth century best represented mobility and access, came to be situated in such an inac-cessible place. The short answer to that question is that this was a confluence of Cold War concerns and strategic considerations. But we show how the emergence of this city involved the mobilization of considerable labor and materials under conditions of resource scarcity, which then had bearing on the shape that this urban space would take. But while the building of the city, like the building of cities in general, reshaped the surrounding environment, it would be less in its rise than in its recession that we witness the greatest environmental devastation, as mountains began to be leveled in hopes to creating industrial opportunities amid ongoing economic decline.

Entrepreneurial resource construction through collective bricolage on Denmark’s renewable energy Island: an ethnographic study

ABSTRACT Entrepreneurial resource construction through bricolage is an underappreciated element in a growing body of entrepreneurship and organization studies examining bricolage as an organizational strategy under conditions of resource scarcity. Drawing on in-depth ethnographic data, this study of the Danish island Samsø’s successful transition to renewable energy argues for a richer understanding and a more positive appraisal of entrepreneurial bricolage as a multifaceted strategy for change on the community level. By demonstrating the constructed nature of the resource environments identified on Samsø, the article argues that bricolage, rather than revolving around the combination of already available resources to create new entrepreneurial ventures, is a process involving the construction of resources to achieve change. An in-depth understanding of this process of resource construction is especially relevant in the context of local sustainable energy transitions, as bricolage, in this context, can enable the community to work towards a shared goal without accepting the constraints of the resource-scarce local environment.

Power Imbalance and Rating Systems

Ratings are critical to the function and success of services in the emerging sharing economy. They are a means through which users develop trust in one another and in the services themselves. Ratings are designed to give users a proxy for the expected quality and risk of potential online transactions. We expect online ratings to reflect an objective measure of quality, but such evaluations in fact may be systematically distorted by many, complex social-psychological processes. Decoupling these subjective factors from rating systems to correct for biases and to provide neutral assessments of risk and quality has proved extremely challenging. We focus on one of the most prevalent factors in virtually every form of social exchange. Differences in resource ownership affect the balance of power in interpersonal interactions, likely impacting online ratings. We demonstrate how power imbalance affects mutual ratings using a massive dataset from CouchSurfing.org, an international online hospitality exchange network. Our methodology employs a deductive approach to knowledge discovery. Through a series of observational experiments, we find support for a sociological theory dating back to the 1960s, Power-Dependence Theory (PD), as a possible explanation. PD predicts that power-imbalanced relationships induce user behavior that attempts to balance power. We find support for status-giving as a likely mechanism driving the asymmetry of ratings between power-unequal users. Our findings underscore the need for ratings systems to account for the tendency of mutual ratings between users that hold differential resources to be asymmetrical, especially under conditions of resource scarcity.

Reducing the resource intensity of production as the most important condition for ensuring economic growth without compromising the environment

Solving the problem of reducing the resource intensity of production and resource conservation in modern conditions means moving towards a more responsible and efficient use of natural resources. It is aimed at solving a complex task, on the one hand, meeting growing needs in conditions of resource scarcity, on the other hand, reducing environmental consequences and minimizing losses associated with them. In addition, the desire to use natural resources more efficiently and responsibly gives another synergetic effect, this is the stimulation of innovation and the development of a closed-cycle economy. The purpose of this article is to substantiate the need to form mechanisms for solving the problem of ensuring economic growth in conditions of reducing resource intensity and minimizing damage to the environment. Based on the systematization of the goals of sustainable economic development, the concept of resource efficiency and the model of the «green» economy, the пthree-pronged goal of the concept of reducing the resource intensity of production is identified, the foundations of the cardinal transformation of the global economy and its transition to a resource-efficient model are determined. The main directions of implementation of measures in the field of increasing resource efficiency and reducing the resource intensity of production are identified. Based on the analysis of the implemented measures and technologies used in the field of resource saving and reducing the resource intensity of production, conclusions are drawn about their low effectiveness and the main problems that reduce the effectiveness of the transformation of the economy and its transition to a resource-efficient model are identified. The contradictions that require attention in the process of forming approaches to solving the problem of ensuring economic growth without harming the environment are identified, among them the lack of the possibility of a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impact of products throughout the entire life cycle, the effect of environmental rebound and restrictions on the cyclical use of resources. The author’s view of the main stages of the transition to the concept of a circular economy is presented and a forecast is made to reduce the volume of greenhouse gas emissions in general and by sectors of the economy.

Financial Management Practices and Growth of Public Hospitals in Nyeri County, Kenya

The provision of health care is among the social pillars in the vision 2030. The health sector has been characterized by many challenges ranging from recent strikes by health workers, poaching of workers by private hospitals and health workers looking for greener pastures outside the country because of poor management of the sector and poor infrastructure. Despite the support from the government, public hospitals in Nyeri County are straining to meet their financial obligations. Challenges ranging from inability to meet daily expenses, delayed payment of workers, delayed national government reimbursements and diminishing patient’s expectations. The objectives of the study were to investigate how budgeting, internal control systems, financial tracking, and waiver affect financial management practices and growth in government hospitals. The management and movement of funds as aligned to the budget is critical for a public hospital’s growth. But experience and exposure in finance management reveal that the financial management processes of public hospitals are generally weak and dominated by conditions of resource scarcity vis-a-vis the ever-increasing agenda of development activities on which such funds could be spent. The study used a descriptive survey design. The study targeted 202 respondents who were the employees of the four county public hospitals under study. Stratified simple random sampling was used, and a sample of 101 respondents was selected. The study used both primary and secondary data sources for data collection. Data was analyzed by the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS) computer software through frequencies, means, percentages, correlation coefficient as well as regression method. Tables and graphs were used for data presentation. The findings indicated that there has been an increase in the number of operational cost in majority of the hospitals. Majority of the public hospitals experience a lot of challenges and delays before budget is approved. The findings indicated that there are several steps that should be followed before authorization of any payment in hospital. The results presented poor control of revenue in the hospital and lack of proper coordination and monitoring. The study findings indicate that financial tracking procedures are hard to follow and that the procedures are not very clear to all the employees. Majority of the respondents argued that there is lack of management support when it comes to financial tracking in the public hospitals in Nyeri County. The relationship between audit practices and growth of public hospitals is strong and positive and the relationship between financial tracking and growth of public hospitals is weak negative and significant. The study concludes that the relationship between audit practices and growth of public hospital was positive and significant and that a positive change in audit practices would result to a positive change in the growth of public hospitals. The study recommended that sufficient funds to the public hospitals should be disbursed early enough to enable proper planning and budgeting. The study also recommended that employees working in the public hospitals in Nyeri County should consider financial tracking as a daily task and that there is need for the County officials to be trained on the audit requirements and audit procedures.

Scarcity of Choice: The Effects of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Consumers’ Responses to Substitution

Consumers’ choices are often restricted due to either product scarcity or resource scarcity, prompting consumers to seek substitutes. Yet substitution can be difficult because consumers value the ability to make choices and often react negatively when scarcity limits their ability to choose. In this article, we examine the lasting effects of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) on the ability of adult consumers to “let go” of an unattainable initial choice. We find that consumers with lower childhood SES are more likely to actively devalue an initially chosen alternative after learning that it is unavailable than consumers with higher childhood SES, and they also demonstrate higher motivation to perform subsequent tasks. These results suggest that consumers who grew up in conditions of resource scarcity (vs. abundance) may demonstrate more adaptive responses to product scarcity.

КОМПАНИИ НЕФТЯНОГО СЕКТОРА В ПЕРИОД НЕФТЯНОГО КРИЗИСА – 2020

In order to prevent the consequences of the pandemic, governments were forced to take radical measures that restrict the mobility of the population, which had a negative impact on the oil market, which is based on the transport sector. The article discusses how such market fluctuations affect the market environment and the behavior of companies. Reductions in revenues and profits caused by falling demand and oil prices, forced companies to resort to cost optimization, including staff cuts and budget cuts in investment programs. The article shows how changes in the behavior of stakeholders represented by the state, investment banks, and civil society affect the activities of oil companies during the pandemic. It describes the impact of short- and medium-term consequences of the pandemic on long-term trends in the energy sector. The Russian Government faces a difficult task of combining two characteristics in the oil industry: an industry that can pull the entire economy out through its growth due to a multiplicative effect in the face of global environmental challenges, and an industry that is the main source of income that determines the country's financial condition. While the renewable energy sector is making a breakthrough in its development, the oil industry is forced to reduce investment in conditions of resource scarcity. If before the crisis, the profitability of the oil business could provide oil companies with investment resources for new projects, the pandemic shock and difficulties in overcoming it forced oil companies to reconsider their investment plans for an indefinite period. Despite the fact that it is not possible to predict the final consequences of the crisis, many industry giants have already announced a revision of their strategies in accordance with the growing trends for greening.

The relationship between caregivers’ gender equality norms and girls’ need satisfaction and self-esteem under conditions of resource scarcity

As key socialization figures in children’s lives, caregivers play an important role in the nurturing of children’s psychological needs. Parental conditional regard, in which parental regard is dependent on the child’s adherence to norms and behavioral expectations, has been shown to thwart need satisfaction, which is detrimental to developmental outcomes, including self-esteem. In order to advance our knowledge of the universality of this pattern of results, we investigate whether these findings hold in an environment different from that of the majority of previous studies: rural Malawi. First, need satisfaction is found to matter for adolescent girls’ self-esteem in this context, regardless of the level of resource scarcity they are exposed to. However, parental conditional regard on the basis of gender norms is negatively related to the satisfaction of the needs for relatedness and competence. Parental gender equality beliefs show a stronger relationship with autonomy (independence orientation) under conditions of high resource scarcity than under relatively low levels of scarcity. Lastly, a multiple mediation analysis shows that need satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between parental gender equality beliefs and self-esteem. Theoretical as well as practical implications of these findings for basic psychological need theory as well as implications for needs-based interventions in international development settings are discussed.

Scarcity, sex, and spending: Recession cues increase women's desire for men owning luxury products and men's desire to buy them

Guided by insights from evolutionary models of women's mate preferences, we hypothesized resource scarcity cues will increase women's desire for men owning luxury products and men's desire to purchase them. We tested this hypothesis across three studies, using recession (versus control) cues to manipulate resource scarcity. The first study revealed that, after being primed with recession (versus control) cues, women (but not men) rated opposite-sex targets owning luxury brands as more attractive. The second study found recession cues increase men's, but not women's, desire for luxury, compared to budget, brand products. Finally, the third study demonstrated desire for luxury products under conditions of resource scarcity is driven by men highly motivated to attract short-term, sexual relationships. By showing how recessions influence women's mating psychology and men's consumer preferences, the current research provides a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between resource availability, mating psychology, and the consumption of luxury brands.

Mindful new service conception in not-for-profit organisations: a study of sustainable innovation with scarce resources

Service innovation entails developing new services, but new service development can be difficult even with slack resources. While no consensus has been reached on the determinants of new service development (NSD) performance, some research has pointed to the importance of new service conception (NSC) practices. Research into NSC is still immature, though, and what we know about it is grounded in traditional expectations of slack resources. To better understand how new services are conceived under conditions of resource scarcity, we draw from an embedded, interpretive case study of an innovative organisation that managed ongoing new service conceptions for more than ten years under conditions of continually reduced resources. Findings show that this organisation was able to conceive many successful new services by: 1) mindfully identifying new, germane customer needs while engaging with new information sources; 2) keeping in mind unresolved customer needs while trying to identify matching potential solutions, especially external resources. This paper contributes to the NSD literature by advancing a model based on these findings.

A Model of Vegetation Cover in Conditions of Resource Scarcity: Fairy Rings in Namibia

A mosaic of barren grounds (bars) and areas covered by vegetation often forms in grassy or shrubby communities in conditions of scarcity of environmental resources (e.g., water). Such landscapes have been named “two-phase mosaics”; this term emphasizes the discreteness of vegetation cover units. Fairy rings (FRs) are an example of such structures. There are two sets of competing hypotheses on the reasons behind FR formation: insect activity and self-organization. One of the main arguments against the second set of hypotheses is their inability to explain the FR life cycle: their emergence, ripening, maturation, and disappearance (death). The article proposes a simple cellular-automaton model of the vegetation cover formation. The model imitates the scarcity of resources (water and ash constituents) and generates different variants of the two-phase mosaic. The results depend on two parameters: limitation of resource inflow and plant growth rate. Sixteen percent of combinations of these parameters result in the formation of structures similar to FRs. The model reproduces not only the vegetation distribution pattern observed in the nature but also individual FR life cycles that are consistent with field descriptions. Thus, the model removes the main objection to self-organization as the main mechanism of FR formation.

Продовольственный вопрос в городах Восточной Сибири в период первой мировой войны и его обсуждение на съезде представителей городов в апреле 1916 года

The article is devoted to the activities of municipal self-government bodies of Eastern Siberia aimed at the decision of the food problem during the First world war. The author points out that this problem, including the extensive territories of counties were solving by city government because it there was no Zemstvo in Siberia. It is shown that under conditions of resource scarcity, not having any plan of action, they began to unite around regional committees of the all-Russian Union of cities. It is reported that at the Congress of cities representatives of Eastern Siberia in Irkutsk, April 15-19, 1916 the issue of supplying the population with food was one of the main. It is noted that even the preparatory work for organizing the conference helped to identify the local causes of the scarcity and high cost of goods, to compare the experience with price regulation and the conduct of procurement operations. It is emphasized that the municipalities used participation in the Congress as a way to reconcile the interests, to formulate and express their wishes about those urgent events, which expected from government. The study of how the city has approached the problems of wartime at the regional congresses allows the author to analyze the immediate causes of the fracture in the relationship between government and the public, as well as to draw conclusions about why the food issue gradually acquired political connotations.