Core Strategy Research Articles

Ecosystem restoration and management based on nature-based solutions in China: Research progress and representative practices

Ecosystem restoration, as a core strategy for implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS), inherently aligns with NbS principles. Despite significant progress in biodiversity conservation and restoration, China still faces risks of ecosystem degradation. To maximize the potential of NbS in China's restoration efforts, it is crucial to develop a framework rooted in NbS principles. However, the application of NbS is hindered by weak theoretical foundations and a lack of comprehensive case studies. This study integrated NbS principles with key theoretical concepts, including sustainable development, socio-ecological systems, ecosystem services, biodiversity, restoration ecology, natural capital, and ecological products, to develop a NbS-based theoretical framework for ecosystem restoration. Drawing on insights from the "Generation Restoration'' report, we synthesized representative practices across various Chinese ecosystems, including farmlands, forests, freshwater, grasslands, oceans, coasts, peatlands and urban areas. Our study provides both a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for integrating NbS into ecosystem restoration, aiming to enhance conservation efforts and promote sustainable development in China.

Digital Transformation Strategies and Practices for Corporates

Under the wave of global digital transformation, enterprises are facing great challenges and opportunities. Digital transformation is not only a technological innovation, but also an all-round upgrade of business model and organizational structure. This thesis studies the core value of enterprise digital transformation and redefines the connotation of digital transformation. It analyzes the reasons for enterprise digital transformation and points out the core strategy and path of enterprise digital transformation. Taking the automobile manufacturing industry as an example to analyze the practice and thinking of the digital transformation process, it is concluded that digital transformation also helps multi-factory collaboration, supply chain information opening, global transparent management, cost reduction, improving the order delivery satisfaction rate, and supporting the complex production requirements and diversified production modes. However, digital transformation also faces challenges such as data security, technology risks, and organizational changes. Enterprises need to strengthen security measures and build a digital ecosystem to adapt to the development needs of the digital economy and achieve sustainable development.

Creating Social Value: Unveiling Stakeholder Commitments Dynamics in Malaysian Social Enterprise

Social enterprise represents a convergence of profit-driven organisational structures committed to fostering social impacts, such as expanding employment opportunities or supporting single parents in income generation. This study delves into the depth of stakeholder commitment towards social enterprise initiatives in Malaysia. Employing an interpretative case study methodology, the research utilises multifaceted approaches, including interviews, on-site visits, program observation, and financial statement analysis focusing on a social enterprise entity, Rose Sdn. Bhd. (RSB). The thematic analysis serves as the lens through which commitment dynamics within the social enterprises are explored, drawing upon the dimensions of affective, normative, and continuance commitment within the organisational commitment framework. The research highlights the profound commitment of RSB’s founder to its establishment, driven by personal experiences that instill a profound sense of purpose. The study underscores the pivotal role of the work environment and income opportunities in fostering continual commitment among employees. The conducive atmosphere within RSB fosters dedication and a sense of belonging among its workforce, enhancing the organisation's sustainability and social impact. By creating a genuine and supportive learning environment, trainers strengthen the bonds between individuals and the organisation, reinforcing their commitment to its objectives. The sincerity of trainers is pivotal in nurturing normative commitment among program participants. Additionally, this research emphasises the critical importance of stakeholder commitment in driving the success and sustainability of social enterprises. Close stakeholder engagement emerges as a core strategy for ensuring the sustainability and efficacy of social enterprise initiatives. By exploring commitment dynamics within social enterprise contexts, this study significantly enriches theoretical understanding in the field.

Efficient Analysis of Immersion Cooling of Li-Ion Batteries

Immersion cooling, where cooling fluid flows in direct contact with the Li-ion cell, provides superior temperature control compared to other battery thermal management systems (BTMSs). Although the temperature rise during charging/discharging is low for immersion cooling, the inherent complexity of the cooling approach makes it difficult to predict and control performance. In general, numerical approaches are required to design and analyze immersion cooled BTMS configurations. For accurate results, models must fully couple the electrochemical and thermal-fluid physics solvers. However, such a numerical approach is computationally expensive and may not be feasible, in particular, for large BTMS systems. In the present study, we develop a computationally-efficient approach with coupled electrochemical and thermo-fluid physics to study immersion cooling based BTMSs. The core strategy is to use either analytical expressions or combination of analytical and numerical solutions for all the governing physics. Depending on the discharge rate and on the final design objective, different levels of simplification are leveraged to analyze the thermal and electrochemical response of the system.For the present analysis, we consider discharging of a cylindrical nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NCM) 18650 cell that is immersed in a cooling fluid stream. Different combinations of mass flow rates and fluids (deionized water, mineral oil, and air) are considered to evaluate performance. For every configuration, we first analyze the system with a fully-coupled fully numerical model and this data serves as the reference to judge the accuracy of the newly developed models. Note that the parameters used in the electrochemical models (such as electrolyte and electrode properties, as well as the reaction rates) are the same for the fully-numerical and the quasi-analytical models allowing direct comparison of the results. To isolate the impact of using the simplified models for the electrochemical aspects, a second set of comparison data is generated using the analytical electrochemical model in conjunction with the full-scale numerical thermo-fluid model. The analytical models rely on calculating a heat transfer coefficient to include the impact of the fluid flow and the heat transfer coefficient can be estimated from correlations or from the fully-coupled fully-numerical models. In general, for air-cooled configuration, the thermal and electrochemical performance (i.e., trend and magnitude of temperature rise and cell potential) of the quasi-analytical models matches the fully-coupled full-scale numerical model. But for other fluids, the results deviate from the baseline fully-coupled fully-numerical models unless the numerical fluid models are used to estimate the evolution of heat transfer coefficient throughout the discharging process. Specifically, a small number of fully-coupled fully-numerical simulations are leveraged to train the quasi-analytical model (based on a particular geometry) for rapid analysis and optimization of the BTMS. In summary, the newly developed models including the numerical data-driven learning provide an efficient trade-off between computation cost and accuracy.

Greening the Bottom Line: How Do Banking Sectors Implement Technology to Support Sustainable Development Goals in Innovation?

The urgent need to align banking practices with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has become increasingly apparent, particularly in the context of fostering industry, innovation, and infrastructure. The primary issue at hand is the insufficient integration of SDG 9 into banks’ core strategies and operations, despite its critical importance for sustainable development. The novelty of this study lies in its detailed examination of the extent to which Indonesian banks support SDG 9 through their reported activities, an area that has been underexplored in previous research. This research aimed to investigate the level of support from banking industries to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on SDG 9: industry, innovation, and infrastructure. This study utilized a content analysis approach to collect secondary data from the sustainability reports of 44 banks listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange between 2017 and 2020, resulting in 176 observations. In cases where sustainability reports were unavailable, annual and combined reports were used as unit analyses. The findings revealed that Indonesian banks have undertaken various activities to support SDGs, and there has been an increasing trend in disclosure from 2017 to 2020. However, the study found that a significant role of technology transformation, which should lead to innovation and support for SDG 9, was lacking. This finding suggests that SDGs are still primarily measured by external activities rather than internal activities, despite the importance of business strategy in supporting SDGs. Another significant finding was that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) received the most support for sustainable business activity categories (SBAC). The research contributes to the literature by providing insights into the level of support for SDG 9 and SBACs. The study also underscores the importance of measuring the impact of digital banking services, which have been widely implemented, and the need for significant support for SBAs in the environmental sector.

Potential for utilizing Socioeconomic Registration Data to improve targeting of Ministry of Manpower’s Training and Business Assistance Program

This policy paper explores the potential for utilizing Registrasi Sosial Ekonom (Regsosek - Socioeconomic Data Registration) to improve the targeting of training and business assistance programs managed by Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan (Kemnaker – Ministry of Manpower) in Indonesia. Indonesia’s National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN 2005-2025) aims to create a developed, self-reliant, just, and democratic society. The paper identifies key issues in the implementation of Kemnaker's programs, including Tenaga Kerja Mandiri (TKM - Self-Employed Workers Program) and Pelatihan Berbasis Kompetensi (PBK - Competency Based Training). These issues include inaccurate targeting, lack of inclusivity, and disparities in the geographical distribution of beneficiaries. Data from Regsosek reveals critical gaps in program participation, business ownership, and inclusivity, particularly for marginalized groups such as people with disabilities and women. Moreover, there are significant disparities in program access, with a higher concentration of benefits accruing to wealthier individuals, indicating the need for more effective targeting mechanisms.By leveraging the comprehensive socioeconomic data provided by Regsosek, Kemnaker can develop targeted solutions that more effectively address the unique needs of different demographic groups, ensure equitable resource allocation, and ultimately improve the overall impact of its training and business assistance programs. The paper underlines the importance of data-driven policies in achieving sustainable economic growth and social equity. It points to the critical role of accurate data in informed decision-making, efficient resource allocation, and continuous program improvement. The integration of Regsosek data is presented as a core strategy for enhancing the precision and effectiveness of government interventions aimed at fostering economic independence and improving the livelihoods of Indonesia’s diverse population. By addressing these challenges and implementing the recommended strategies, Indonesia can move closer to its vision of a prosperous, equitable, and inclusive society.

Research on the Application of Geographic Information Systems in the Construction of Smart Cities

With the continuous deepening of globalization and informatization, the construction of smart cities is gradually becoming a core strategy in the process of urban modernization. In this strategy, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) play a crucial technical support role. This article adopts a case study method, taking the construction of a smart city in Nanjing as the specific research object, and deeply explores the practical application of GIS in key fields such as urban planning, environmental protection, and traffic management. Through comprehensive analysis of these examples, this article systematically summarizes the significant achievements of GIS technology in improving urban management efficiency, optimizing decision support systems, enhancing public service levels, and promoting sustainable urban development. The research results indicate that GIS technology provides solid data support and decision-making support for the core areas of cities through precise integration and analysis of geographic information. GIS technology not only optimizes the layout of urban infrastructure, but also significantly enhances the city's response to emergency events through real-time monitoring and dynamic simulation, while promoting efficient allocation and utilization of urban resources. The research conclusion points out that, GIS technology is the cornerstone of smart city construction, greatly enhancing the scientific and forward-looking nature of urban management. The effective application of GIS has opened up new avenues for intelligent and refined urban management, significantly improving the quality of life of residents and providing solid technical support for the sustainable development of cities.

Central Maintenance Spin-Off Creation towards Digitalization Focused on the Parent Company: A Case Study of Integrated Steel Corporation (ISC) in Indonesia

The steel industry plays a crucial role in national development. Major global steel producers such as the United States, Russia, and Japan have seen declines due to the rise of China as a dominant steel producer. Integrated Steel Corporation (ISC) in Indonesia has also faced declining performance, with its market capitalization dropping by 68.9% over the past eight years. The research primarily aimed to analyze customer preferences in the maintenance industry and determine positioning strategies. Additionally, it sought to identify the factors driving the formation of the Strategic Maintenance Services (SMS) spin-off from ISC and propose strategies for SMS to achieve a competitive advantage. Data were collected qualitatively through interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with customers to understand their perspectives, SMS management to grasp core business competencies and strategy, and ISC management to understand the parenting strategy. The results show several internal dynamics within ISC drove the formation of the SMS spin-off: 1) the transformation of the parent company; 2) short circuit incident at the main ISC factory; and 3) the cost burden of maintenance support. External factors indicate rapid industrial growth and the company's strengthening as a group after experiencing losses for almost a decade. The proposed strategy for SMS involves leveraging ISC’s subsidiaries and joint venture companies for centralized service maintenance. SMS aims to offer customized one-stop maintenance solutions with high quality at competitive prices by enabling Digital Maintenance Information (DMI). The target markets include large industries in steel manufacturing, petrochemicals, flour mills, cement, and logistics.

Core Strategy Analysis for Improving the Quality of Public Services in Pandeglang Sub-District

Core Strategy Analysis for Improving the Quality of Public Services in Pandeglang Sub-District

Deep migration learning-based recognition of diseases and insect pests in Yunnan tea under complex environments

BackgroundThe occurrence, development, and outbreak of tea diseases and pests pose a significant challenge to the quality and yield of tea, necessitating prompt identification and control measures. Given the vast array of tea diseases and pests, coupled with the intricacies of the tea planting environment, accurate and rapid diagnosis remains elusive. In addressing this issue, the present study investigates the utilization of transfer learning convolution neural networks for the identification of tea diseases and pests. Our objective is to facilitate the accurate and expeditious detection of diseases and pests affecting the Yunnan Big leaf kind of tea within its complex ecological niche.ResultsInitially, we gathered 1878 image data encompassing 10 prevalent types of tea diseases and pests from complex environments within tea plantations, compiling a comprehensive dataset. Additionally, we employed data augmentation techniques to enrich the sample diversity. Leveraging the ImageNet pre-trained model, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation and identified the Xception architecture as the most effective model. Notably, the integration of an attention mechanism within the Xeption model did not yield improvements in recognition performance. Subsequently, through transfer learning and the freezing core strategy, we achieved a test accuracy rate of 98.58% and a verification accuracy rate of 98.2310%.ConclusionsThese outcomes signify a significant stride towards accurate and timely detection, holding promise for enhancing the sustainability and productivity of Yunnan tea. Our findings provide a theoretical foundation and technical guidance for the development of online detection technologies for tea diseases and pests in Yunnan.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EU-FUNDED PROJECTS FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Sustainable development has been one of the core strategies of the EU. The term refers to three basic components: the economic component, which is associated with balanced growth, the environmental component which refers to the preservation of the ecosystem, and the social component, which guarantees inter- and intra-generational equality. While talking about sustainability it is important also to tackle the topic of circular economy. The circular economy aims to preserve value by designing out waste and pollution, optimizing resources by keeping products and materials in use, and ensuring system effectiveness by regenerating natural systems. One of the strategies of the EU to achieve sustainable development and the move towards a circular economy is to support it through various EU-founded projects. In this article, we will elaborate on the current state of sustainable development of EU-founded schemes and how they can be used for different projects for local communities and cities since cities are seen as both the source and solution to today's economic, environmental, and social challenges. Furthermore, in the article, we will outline some best practices of EU-founded projects around sustainable development in the case of the city of Maribor, Slovenia, and indicate their importance for its community.

Women Empowerment through Participation in Self Help Groups (SHGs): A Way towards Achieving Sustainable Development

Goal 5 of the SDGs targets achieving gender equality and promotes women empowerment. Since women constitute 50% of the population, issues related to their social, economic and political empowerment are integral to each of the 17 goals. Government of India, in its Ninth Five Year Plan (1997–2002) introduced the Self-Help Group (SHG) model as a core strategy for the empowerment of women and since then it has emerged as one of the largest and fastest-growing microfinance programs in the developing world. The present study aims to study the functioning of the SHGs, and the perception of SHG participants about their empowerment in terms of education, economic, social and political. The study is based on Surulia village, in Purulia District of West Bengal and includes 100 SHG members. Results revealed that SHG participation has benefitted the members significantly with 82% respondents agreeing to improvement in their reading and writing skills, 90% women agreeing to increased family income after joining the SHGs and 46% women have gained awareness about women’s rights over property. However, despite these achievements SHG participation has not led to any significant improvement in terms of political empowerment among these women.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis

Peritoneal metastasis is one of the common site of colorectal cancer metastasis and associated with a poor prognosis. The core strategy for colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis primarily revolves around a comprehensive treatment approach with cytoreductive surgery and systemic chemotherapy as the mainstay, supplemented by intraperitoneal chemotherapy. As an important supplement to treatment, intraperitoneal chemotherapy has broad application prospects. The main modalities are hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), neoadjuvant intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy (NIPS), early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC), sequential postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (SPIC), normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (NIPEC) and pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC). To promote the standardized application of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, further research on the mechanisms underlying peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer, selection of effective intraperitoneal chemotherapy agents, determination of optimal timing and administration protocols, exploration of the feasibility of sequential intraperitoneal chemotherapy and conduction of valuable basic and clinical research are currently needed. This paper will review the development and origins of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, treatment modalities, as well as the current application status and prospects of various treatment approaches in the context of peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Nutrition Education in Psychiatry Residency Programs: A Call to Action

The burden of disease attributable to mental health is expected to rise in the coming decades. Poor nutritional status is considered a modifiable risk factor for general mental health. In fact, nutrition interventions are now accepted as a core strategy in mental healthcare to combat physical health inequalities and life-expectancy gap in people with certain psychiatric disorders. However, most psychiatrists are not familiar with evidence for the potential therapeutic benefits of diet in psychiatric illness, and this may be related to sparse nutrition education for physicians. Thus, there is a need to integrate nutritional management in psychiatric practice, but there is a gap in medical education that would support this practice. Here, we discuss evidence for and challenges in 1) assessing diet quality in psychiatric illness, 2) recommending improvements in diet quality and specific dietary patterns in psychiatric illness, and 3) recommending dietary supplements in psychiatric illness. This discussion serves as a call to develop nutrition curricula within psychiatry residency programs.

Inventory and management of E-waste: a case study of Kerala, India.

The recent surge in electronic device usage has led to a notable rise in electronic waste (E-waste) generation, presenting significant environmental challenges. This study aims to quantify Kerala's E-waste inventory and formulate a comprehensive management plan. Utilizing sales data from 2017 to 2020 and estimating E-waste generation based on "average" or "end-of-life" durations of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) items, the analysis forecasts substantial E-waste quantities. Key assumptions include correlating sales data with E-waste generation and utilizing guidelines for estimating E-waste quantities based on EEE item types and sales figures. The highest E-waste generation is predicted for the years 2028-2029, estimated at 97,541 tonnes, which iscrucial for the state's management strategy. To address this challenge, the study proposes a comprehensive environmental management plan that integrates the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle (3R) into its core strategies. The plan includes establishing 78 collection units across the state, strategically allocated based on theTaluk (a sub-division of a district) population, to ensure efficient E-waste collection and recovery of reusable items. Additionally, the study outlines the need for 273 recycling units statewide, with Malappuram district requiring the most units due to its high population density. The plan emphasizes efficient E-waste collection, segregation, and recycling, promoting responsible consumption and resource conservation. The study furnishes a "cradle-to-grave" framework for the management of E-waste at local, regional, and national levels, serving as a valuable resource for pollution control boards, regulatory bodies, statutory bodies, and research organizations alike.

Liquid Metal‐Printed Semiconductors

Liquid metal (LM) electronic ink (e‐ink) is a promising new‐generation material for printed electronics. Extended from this ideal platform, such ink can be post‐processed or loaded with semiconductor nanoparticles to further make semiconductors in the forms of dots, wires, and films on its surface. In this way, targeted semiconductors can be quickly fabricated and patterned as desired with low cost at around room temperature. This leads to the unconventional bottom‐up strategy for direct manufacture of functional devices. Along this direction, a series of p–n junction diodes, field‐effect transistors, and light‐emitting devices have been developed. LM‐printed semiconductor would significantly innovate the classical processes of preparing integrated circuits and electronic devices. To push forward further progress of this cutting‐edge frontier, this article is dedicated to present an overview of LM‐printed semiconductor. The material category of LM semiconductor e‐inks and their synthesis approaches is introduced. Then the core strategies toward printing semiconductors are systematically outlined. Following that, the typical printed semiconductor materials and electronic devices thus constructed as well as their potential applications are summarized. Finally, scientific and technical challenges thus raised are interpreted. Perspective in the area is given.

Design Algorithmic Trading Strategies with Expert Advisor Using Linear Weighted Moving Average (LWMA) and Stochastic Oscillator Technical Indicators

Earlier this decade, the financial sector saw a paradigm change, with automated trading (AT) systems gaining popularity as essential tools for traders and investors. This research explores deeply the design and implementation of Expert Advisors (EAs) for automated financial built using a combination of the Linear Weighted Moving Average (LWMA) and Stochastic oscillator technical indicators. The EAs are built using the programming language MetaQuotes Language 4 (MLQ4) at Metatrader 4 (MT4) platform, enabling automated trade execution. It implements a machine learning genetic algorithm, trained on historical data to optimize the parameters of the LWMA and Stochastic trading rules. The core strategy relies on the LWMA to identify the overall market trend direction while the Stochastic oscillator provides additional signals for timing entry and exit points based on momentum. The EAs were coded to generate automated buy and sell signals for algorithmic trading (AT) based on a set of defined rules using thresholds for each indicators. Extensive historical backtesting using Gold (XAU/USD) currency pair across multiple timeframes from 5-minute (M5) up to 4-hour (H4) charts was conducted using 5 years of price data from 2019 to 2023 for evaluation. The goal of this study is to assess if the EAs could potentially produce consistent profits over time while minimizing drawdowns in different market conditions. The results demonstrate that the system was able to generate annual returns ranging from 3.04% up to 232.19% depending on the aggression of the timeframe settings. Meanwhile, maximum drawdowns were controlled to reasonable levels between 0.5% to 8.27% which is below 10% of potential loss throughout the backtests. An hourly timeframe configuration provided a balanced blend between strong profitability and drawdown control based on the backtest analysis. All the timeframes used for the test show positive results and the M5 timeframe is the best chosen timeframe to trade using this EAs implementation.

Netflix s Cross-Screen Linkage and Cross-Platform Media Content Distribution Strategy: The Path to Innovation Leadership in the Digital Age

Amidst the continuous advancement of science and technology and the deepening of globalization, Netflix, a pioneering streaming media service provider, has garnered widespread attention within the industry for its cross-screen interlinkage and cross-platform media content dissemination strategy. This article commences with an overview of Netflix s core strategy, which encompasses multi-platform support, personalized recommendations, social integration, original content, global expansion, offline downloads, and collaborations with third-party platforms. Subsequently, the implications of these strategies on user experience, market competition, and business models are explored. Furthermore, the paper delves into the challenges that Netflix confronts in content generation and copyright, technology, user behavior, competitive pressures, and regional cultural disparities. Ultimately, the future growth trajectory of Netflix is prognosticated.

A Review of Research on Pricing Strategies and Pricing Factors of Enterprise Products

As one of the core strategies of enterprise marketing activities, product pricing has an important impact on the market share, profit level and brand image of enterprise products. There are many factors that enterprises consider in product pricing, such as cost, customer demand, brand awareness, market penetration, market trend, market development prospects, market competition environment, policy and other factors, which are important factors affecting enterprise product pricing. This paper firstly introduces the importance of product pricing in marketing strategy, combined with the nature of domestic and foreign enterprise products, and then summarizes the pricing strategy, pricing method and applicable conditions of enterprise products, and analyzes the pricing factors and influencing mechanism of enterprise products. Then, it summarizes the product cost, product types, customer demand, price elasticity, consumer behavior, sales channels, etc. Finally, it summarizes the shortcomings of existing literature research.

Green Banking Initiatives: Policy and Practices in Commercial Banks of Nepal

Environmental and social (E&S) risk management has grown in key aspects of sustainability in banks and other financial institutions these days. A socially inclusive, climate-friendly and green banking system is only possible with the effective management of E&S risk in their business transactions. This study assesses the present implementation status of sustainability within commercial banks in Nepal, by examining their adherence to the environment and social risk (ESRM) guidelines issued by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). Using a descriptive research design, the study utilizes ESRM reports published by NRB in 2078/79 and 2079/80. The study examines the present state of ESRM guideline implementation across three key aspects of policy formation, training and development activities for bank employees, and incorporation of environmental and social risks within the core strategies of commercial banks. The result found a satisfactory level of implementation of ESRM guidelines. The policy formulation and governance indicators are almost realized and other indicators have satisfactory and progressive levels of operation in the banks. Effective implementation of sustainable guidelines and initiatives will be accomplished innovative financial instruments that incentivize green investments and support climate-resilient practices can further expedite the transition to a sustainable banking landscape. Overall, this study offers valuable insights into the current state of ESRM in Nepal's commercial banks, shedding light on the progress that can pave the way for a more sustainable and green financial system in Nepal.