Current Socio-economic Conditions Research Articles

THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO THE ASSESSMENT OF THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF BANKING INSTITUTIONS

The article considers the essence of the concept of ‘financial stability of a banking institution’. The external and internal factors of influence on the activities of commercial banks in the current socio-economic conditions of Ukraine are identified. It is noted that the leading role in ensuring financial stability belongs to the bank, subject to effective regulation and the use of internal methods to ensure financial stability. The existing methodological approaches to assessing the financial stability of banks used in domestic practice are analysed. It is noted that in order to ensure financial stability, it is necessary to regularly monitor and analyse vulnerabilities and risks of the financial system based on macroeconomic and prudential indicators, as well as to respond to them in a timely manner with appropriate measures. It is determined that the use of integrated approaches and the latest methods, such as econometric modelling, fuzzy set methods and graphical methods, allows obtaining a more detailed and accurate picture of the financial condition of banks and ensuring their effective management. It has been shown that the development and implementation of new methods and improvement of existing tools for analysing financial stability are extremely important for ensuring the stability and development of the banking sector. Effective financial stability management requires the use of modern methods and approaches that allow timely and accurate risk assessment and adaptation to dynamic conditions

Socioeconomic disparities in children's posture defects: a comparison between private and public educational institutions

The topic of risk factors for posture pathology in Polish children is relevant at present, as it is insufficiently studied and reflects the need to investigate the relationship between family socioeconomic status and the occurrence of posture defects, to develop relevant prevention and treatment strategies in the context of current socioeconomic conditions in Poland. The research aims to study posture defects in children depending on their socioeconomic status in the example of private and public schools. A comparison of the prevalence of deformities and posture disorders of participants in private and public educational institutions from 2017 to 2020 is presented. Theoretical research methods (literature analysis, generalisation); empirical methods (study of other researchers' experience), statistical analysis, and graphical presentation of data were used. More than 1300 Polish schoolchildren from private and public schools took part in this cross-sectional study. The most common problems were flat feet (54.73%), calf muscle contracture (44.30%), and valgus deformity (21.22%). The least common problems were funnel chest (0.37%), cavus foot (0.10%), and hammer toe deformity (0.04%). The general trend shows that problems with flat feet and calf muscle contracture were more common among participants in both types of educational institutions. There was a general trend of increasing the number of nosological forms per patient in both private and public institutions over a period of three years. Private institutions had significantly fewer cases of one patient having more than one nosological form as compared to public institutions.

The association between perceived social support and future decent work perception: A moderated mediation model

This study examined the relationship between perceived social support, career exploration, and future decent work perception among undergraduate teacher education students in Fujian Province, China. The research focused mainly on the moderating role of proactive personality in these relationships. Data from 542 valid questionnaires revealed that perceived social support significantly influenced career exploration, impacting students' perceptions of future decent work. More importantly, our analysis showed that proactive personality intensified the positive effects of social support on career exploration activities, enhancing students' outlook on their future careers. These findings confirmed social cognitive theory's relevance in understanding career development processes and highlighted the potential of proactive personality traits to leverage social resources more effectively. Given the evolving educational demands and the current socio-economic conditions in China, our study suggested that educational programs should emphasize nurturing proactive behaviors and strengthening social support systems to better prepare students for future professional challenges. These insights were crucial for educators aiming to enhance the quality and effectiveness of teacher education programs, promoting a more robust entry into the workforce for future educators.

Beneath the kiln: The unyielding spirit of women shaping rural India's brick tale

The brick industry, characterized as an informal and unorganized sector in India, has witnessed growth concurrent with urbanization across various states. This labor-intensive industry relies significantly on the widespread exploitation of women and children and heavily depends on migrant workers for production. This study aims to shed light on the current socio-economic conditions of women in the brick industries of Falta and Budge Budge-II C.D blocks in the South 24 Parganas District of Indian state West Bengal. The variables considered for this study encompass gender, age, marital status, nature of work, experience, education, income, benefits, and challenges —these factors serve as indicators of the socio-economic status of women in these manufacturing units. Environmentalists have identified the brick industry as one of the hazardous sectors with adverse implications for the health and physiological well-being of women and children. The present study is based on both primary and secondary data. The findings reveal that women in this field experience various forms of suffering, and the prevalence of child labor is notably high for both boys and girls in the brick kilns of these two blocks.

Palaku's Position in the Traditional Marriage of the Dayak Muslim Community in Tewah District, Gunung Mas Regency

The Dayak Muslim community in Tewah District, Gunung Mas Regency is sometimes quite burdensome for some men with the high value of the act (maskawin) so that the prospective groom is not able to fulfil it, even though this behaviour is chosen by the Tewah community as a legal foothold in the marriage tradition. This research aims to focus on the position of the perpetrators in the customary marriage of the Muslim Dayak community in Tewah District, Gunung Mas Regency, the amount of the perpetrators in the customary marriage of the Muslim Dayak community in Tewah District, Gunung Mas Regency and the perpetrators in customary marriage in Tewah District, Gunung Mas Regency are determined in the form of land. This research includes empirical research with the type of legal sociology. It is studied through a socio-legal qualitative approach which is analyzed through the theory of Legal Certainty. The results of this research are: the position of the perpetrator in the Dayak customary marriage is first, the position of the perpetrator as a dowry, second, the position of the perpetrator as a condition, third, the position of the perpetrator as a symbol of self-esteem. The implications of these findings are the need for a balance between traditional values and the economic ability of the prospective groom, as well as dialogue to adapt customary practices to current socio-economic conditions. This study demonstrates the importance of flexibility and adaptation in traditional practices to reduce excessive financial burden on individuals.

The relationship of economic behavior and stress (for example of receiving a loan)

In modern Kazakh society, the issue of borrowing is one of the most pressing topics. Due to the current socio-economic conditions, ordinary people resort to loans and are unable to pay debts due to layoffs and decreased ability to work due to a sharp deterioration in health. Stress is a special mental state associated with the emergence and manifestation of emotions, but it is characteristic not only of emotional phenomena, but also manifests itself in motivational, cognitive, voluntary behavior and other components of a person. From a psychological point of view, credit stress is a very difficult situation; it is an increase in negative emotions associated with money. The inability to repay a loan negatively affects a person’s psychological world, since a person is constantly in a state of fear and refuses to buy the desired thing because he has a loan debt that needs to be paid off. Today, credit allows consumers, especially young people, to easily borrow money to meet their shopping needs and desires. Having taken out a loan, young people feel one step closer to their dream and do not understand how they fell into the temptation of a loan in the future.

Formulating Strategic Directions for Developing the National Sports Federation in Modern Socio-Economic Conditions

Objectives. The study aimed to substantiate theoretical and methodological approaches to choosing a development strategy for the National Sports Federation based on a strategic analysis of its activities in the current socio-economic conditions. Material and methods. The study involved an analysis of scientific and methodological literature, SWOT-analysis, methods of formalization and generalization, as well as mathematical statistics. Results. A study was conducted on the activities of the public organization “Fencing Federation of Ukraine” (“FFU” PO) using SWOT analysis, considering the current socio-economic conditions. As a result, the following components of four possible directions of the organization’s activities are determined: development strategy, limited-growth strategy, stabilization strategy, and protection strategy. After determining and quantitatively evaluating the factors and quality of the four directions in the “FFU” PO development, while taking into account the trend of world sports development, it can be concluded that the most promising direction for the “FFU” PO activities is a development strategy envisaging the use of the organization’s strengths to realize the external environment opportunities. Conclusions. It is proposed to use a development strategy in the activities of the “FFU” PO — diversification, which envisages innovations in management and marketing, ensuring the financial stability of the organization, improving the quality of athlete training through the introduction of new technologies, and consolidating the organization’s positive image.

Public beliefs and perceptions related to ecofascism

The concept of ecofascism describes the distortion of ecology for the purpose of gaining greater and wider audience, popularising ideologies and fulfilling xenophobic and nationalistic goals by regimes such as the far-right agenda and the radical ecological groups. This study investigates the issue of ecofascism in Europe, using the example of Greece, by examining the views of the citizens of Greece on the links between the political parties and ecology and environment. A survey of 600 people was conducted in Greece, using questionnaires on ecofascism, politics and ecological issues. The survey showed that the sample has, in general, humanistic, democratic and quite left-wing ideals. However, some of the respondents indicated nationalistic, even fascist, trends. Because the current socio-economic and political conditions in Europe can fuel an outbreak of fascism, we should be very cautious about these findings, due to the growing impact of far-right ideas on society. Some aspects of the ecofascist rhetoric still continue to mislead, revealing the sly and worrying penetration of fascism in Greek society on the pretext of the protection of the Greek environment.

Current Socio-Economic Conditions and Mental Health of Female RMG Workers: A Narrative Review

With an estimated 4 million workers, garment manufacturers in Bangladesh contribute to the country’s economic prosperity. Most of the female employees in this industry come from rural regions. These workers frequently do repetitive, continuous, and lengthy tasks including stitching, ironing, packaging, and lifting large objects. The presence of toxic factors in the workplace can have detrimental effects on an employee’s physical and mental well-being as well as the organization’s general health. This study aimed to investigate the mental health and socioeconomic situation of female RMG workers. Materials and Methods: The search approach that was used was a thorough electronic search of PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library. This review includes all publicly available research that had a full-text article in the database and a thorough methodology. Results: Eleven studies were included in this review. The studies revealed that the majority of the readymade garment workers are female around 80-90%. They are from rural areas and not highly educated. The mental health issues are due to result of working at uncomfortable positions at the factory and simultaneously fulfilling family demands at home. According to the experts, female employees’ health is impacted by their physical work environment, poor employment position, and the type of their profession. The female employees shared their own accounts of experiencing physical and verbal abuse, ongoing pressure, various personal limitations, and wage withholding in the workplace. Conclusions: Review of socio-economic status and mental health issues among the lowly educated young garment factory workers revealed that the uncooperativeness of various stakeholders were the biggest reasons for mental health issues. Women participated in the majority of the research projects. As a result, it’s essential to set up targeted initiatives to improve the mental health of garment workers.

КОНЦЕПТУАЛЬНІ ЗАСАДИ РОЗВИТКУ СОЦІАЛЬНО-ТРУДОВИХ ВІДНОСИН

The article is devoted to one of the key factors ensuring economic development – social and labour relations, which are constantly changing in nature and content. The purpose of the study is to clarify and systematize, in accordance with the current socio-economic conditions, the conceptual framework for the development of social and labour relations. In particular, the author clarifies that the participants of social and labour relations should include not only employers, employees and their associations, and the State, but also representatives of the expert scientific community, NGOs and foundations, which creates a more inclusive space for dialogue. The key to achieving effective social and labour relations is social responsibility. At the same time, each of the subjects has the rights defined by the laws of Ukraine, and at the same time is responsible not only under the laws, but also has social responsibility to others. The subject matter of social and labour relations includes, in addition to the generally recognised ones, the issues of organising work on platforms (crowdsourcing), well-being in a broad sense, motivation and security, including at the regional and national levels. It is established that the driving forces for the development of social and labour relations may be the interests of the parties to the relations, as well as external aspects affecting them (e.g., changes in legislation, labour market conditions, the level of social guarantees, competition, etc.). It is proposed to consider the development of social and labour relations as a process of changing the rules and nature of interaction, accompanied by differentiation of participants by the level of responsibility, transformation of approaches to ensuring labour safety, the working environment of an organisation and the labour market. Taking into account its structure, peculiarities of regulation and the nature of relations, the author proposes to distinguish the following models: partnership, corporatism, state monopoly, traditional, inclusive, paternalistic, security, risk, administrative and legal, and contractual. Each of the models does not exist in its pure form, but has features of other models, which is determined by the specifics of the country's economy and politics. All models are evolving and are not sustainable in the long term. The development of social and labour relations should be understood as a process of changing the rules and nature of interaction, accompanied by differentiation of participants by the level of responsibility, transformation of approaches to ensuring labour safety, the working environment of the organisation and the labour market. Accordingly, over time, under the influence of various technical, economic, socio-political and other aspects, the model of social and labour relations is transformed, usually towards the opposite model or gaining more security features. For progressive societies, it is the security model of social and labour relations that is desirable.

Rethinking Queer (Asian) Studies: Geopolitics, Covid-19, and Post-Covid Queer Theories and Mobilities

ABSTRACT This paper considers queer studies in the global geopolitical hotspot of Asia, as well as how we can reimagine queer theories through both the Covid-19 pandemic and the intensified regional and global superpower competition and geopolitical tensions. It argues for a rethinking of queer studies through today’s international relations and geopolitical complications in a sociological political economy. The aim is to connect critical studies with analyses of economic and social class structures, an approach that has been substantiated by the current crises, and to present an expanded queer mobility theory with two brief case studies (mini-critiques) of the current socioeconomic conditions facing marginalized people under Covid-19 and the changing geopolitical landscape. In so doing, this paper actively explores what queer studies can do and can be through the current historical turning point of the pandemic and geopolitical rivalry toward potential post-Covid socioeconomic revival and recovery.

Problem of spreading fake information in the Internet space analysis

Modern Internet space is filled with various kinds of information, including unreliable, fake information. In the current socio-cultural, socio-political, and socio-economic conditions, we should expect further increase in the spread of fakes and, as a consequence, their negative impact on people’s lives. The article analyses results of a sociological study on the attitude of the Kursk region population to fakes spread in the Internet space. The empirical basis of the study is the results of the online questionnaire survey conducted in September 2022 in the Kursk region. The sample population of the study was 521 people living in the territory of Kursk and Kursk region. Fakes are becoming a real part of life in modern society. Residents of the region are constantly faced with inaccurate information. They recognize its danger and note that fakes nevertheless “attract” their attention. The current situation requires additional measures development to regulate dissemination of information in the Internet space.

Live long – work long: social well-being of working pensioners

Based on the data from the "Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey - Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE)", a dynamic analysis of indicators characterising the social well-being of working pensioners has been conducted for the years 1994 to 2022. The current trend in the dynamics of these indicators is characterised as weakly positive but with a potential for decline. It is shown that the current level of social well-being among working pensioners, which includes increased self-confidence and readiness to overcome life difficulties, contributes to maintaining the stability of their adaptive potential.
 Throughout the various stages of the transformational period, working pensioners who exhibited greater autonomy and had developed social capital consistently reported higher levels of social well-being compared not only to non-working pensioners but also to pre-pensioners who experienced growing anxiety due to the inevitable changes in social status and lifestyle upon retirement. The study did not find significant differences in the level of social well-being between working pensioners who retired after the increase in the retirement age and those who retired just before the pension reform.
 Substantial differentiation in the level of social well-being among representatives of the analysed category of pensioners, who are now found in almost all sectors and spheres of activity, is largely the result of their heterogeneous socio-economic status. Despite old age being a factor that increases social risks and vulnerability, working pensioners often overcome difficulties encountered during crises with fewer adaptation difficulties and costs than younger individuals. Key elements of social well-being that continue to play a consistently significant role in strengthening the adaptive potential of working pensioners include the fulfilment of the need for public recognition and social interaction, as well as self-assessment of health status. In the current socio-economic and demographic conditions, various aspects of the social adaptation of the older generation become particularly important, directly linked to the realisation of their resource potential and increased activity in the field of employment.

Social Tensions and the Possibility of Assessing their Impact Through the Analysis of Social Media

This article discusses the issue of the possibility of analysing and monitoring the phenomenon of social tensions in modern society through the analysis of digital footprints of social media users. Within the framework of the article, key aspects of social tension are studied, modern achievements and current advances in the use of social media for research purposes are considered. An assessment was made of the possibilities of using social media to analyse social tensions, taking into account the current socio-economic conditions. In addition, this paper analyses the approach to assessing the change in the level of social tension in the event of a crisis.

HPR93 The Socio-Economic Capabilities of the Rwanda Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) Beneficiaries

Since 2000 when the Rwanda CBHI scheme was establishment, premiums have only been revised in 2011. To ensure the CBHI’s sustainability, there have been calls for various reforms including the revision of the premiums to reflect current socio-economic conditions. This study was thus initiated to assess the willingness and ability of people of different socio-economic conditions to pay an increased premium for an improved CBHI - aligned to Rwanda’s Ubudehe socio-economic categorization, where category-1 are the poorest and category-4 the upper income earners. The CBHI premiums are structured along these categories i.e., Category-I households pay RWF3,000 per person (and are fully subsidized), Category II & III RWF3,000 and Category-IV RWF7,000.

Водохозяйственный комплекс карельской части Арк­тической зоны Российской Федерации: современное состояние и динамика

Based on the analysis of statistical information, the authors consider the issues of the current state and dynamics of the water management in the Karelian part of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation in relation to the trends in the socio-economic development of the region. They give the characteristics of the main industrial centers of the region: the cities of Belomorsk, Nadvoitsy, Kostomuksha, Kem, Nadvoitsy village, and assess the water management situation in the catchment areas of the main rivers of the region — tributaries of the White Sea (Kem and Vyg). The authors have determined the scale and dynamics of water consumption, water disposal and their components over the past 50 years. They outline that the current socio-economic conditions for the development of the Karelian part of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation express themselves in a sharp drop in production and a significant decrease in the population, which also affects the water management situation in the region under consideration.

The Divine Character of Human Rights and Duties: A Theological Enquiry in the Context of the Border Regions in the Czech Republic

The context of the article is the call by Pope Francis expressed in Fratelli tutti to extend fraternity towards people on the margins. The discourse on human rights is proposed as an appropriate – though by no means self-evident – tool for theology to use in order to respond to the challenge of poverty. The article discusses the use of human rights in theology against the background of the situation of poor border areas of the Czech Republic, which are considered to suffer from injustice. It is argued that, under current socio-economic conditions, it is extremely difficult for people living in these regions to make free and responsible decisions. The article confirms that human rights, e.g., social and economic rights, can be convincingly based on a theological view of the human person. ‘Divine rights’ have their counterpart in ‘divine duties’, i.e., duties resulting from biblical faith in God the Liberator. Moreover, the Gospel shows that works of mercy or works of justice are eschatologically significant. Finally, it argues that human rights not only allow Christians to share with people of other faiths and without faith the service to justice in the world but are even a possible expression of their own mission to work for the coming of the Kingdom.

REGIONAL DISPARITIES AS A RESULT OF DIFFERENCES IN HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATIVENESS ON THE EXAMPLE OF POLAND

Inequalities in human capital most often affect other spheres of life. It is people who create innovation, so the unequal distribution of human capital and innovation in the regions leads to development disparities between regions. This, in turn, is a force inhibiting the achievement of higher levels of prosperity at the national level. The existing studies mainly focus on the assessment of disparities in development between countries. Although understandings of mechanisms of regional disparities, i.e., assessment of how and whether disparities are disappearing or widening under current socio-economic conditions is crucial to economic stability and cohesion, the problem of determinants of development and the pace of development between regions has rarely been studied in the economic literature. The purpose of the article, therefore, is to show how quickly weaker regions are catching up with more developed regions and that regional disparities are mainly the result of uneven human capital accumulation. The authors wonder if human capital in the regions is used similarly to create innovation. Hence, they examine the rate of development of these two relationships. The research: (1) determines the pace of development and adjustment processes by using the dynamic time warping method, (2) discovers if human capital is the main driver of regional disparities and is fully utilized in the creation of innovativeness.

ИЗМЕНЯЮЩАЯСЯ ЦЕННОСТЬ ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ: СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ БЕЛАРУСИ, РОССИИ, КИТАЯ

Objective of the study is to identify changes in perceptions of the value of higher education in the mass consciousness of young Belarusians, Russians and Chinese, as well as to clarify the real possibilities of obtaining it in each of these countries, taking into account the social stratification of the population and other factors. The article shows how the attitude of young people to higher education in selected countries has changed in the last decade, and what factors in these countries caused these changes. The trends of differentiated attitudes towards higher education among young people representing different social strata of the population are revealed. The methodological basis of the research. The article proceeds from the principle of social justice in its application to the problem of assessing the opportunities of different groups of young people to get equal access to higher education. Social justice is one of the terminal values for the population of post-Soviet Belarus and Russia, since the Soviet Union cultivated the idea of social equality and ensuring equal access to higher education regardless of the income level of different social groups. The value of equal access to higher education remains in the mass consciousness today. However, as the market economy develops in these countries, the cost of paid higher education increases, which in the current difficult socio-economic conditions makes it unattainable for young people from low-income segments of the population and forces these young people to look for other strategies for successfully entering the labor market. In China, high competition for admission to the second-stage programs of higher education makes it unattainable for a large number of young people who have insufficiently high academic performance, even if there are material opportunities for admission to paid education. This factor has caused the mobility of Chinese youth to Russia and Belarus to obtain a master's degree, which is necessary in the future for employment. The empirical basis of the study is statistical data on changes in the number of students in the higher education system in Russia and Belarus, secondary vocational education in Russia, as well as available statistics on higher education in China. For an in-depth study of the opinions of Chinese youth who came to Belarus, data from sociological studies of Chinese students who studied at master's programs were used, which clarified the reasons that prompted them to come to study in Belarus, personal motives in studying, expectations from the education they receive in terms of future employment and improving social status. Similar questions were found out in the national survey of Belarusian students conducted in 2022 (n = 2666). Research results. In the article, from the standpoint of the continuing value orientation of post-Soviet Russian and Belarusian society on the equality of youth access to higher education as a terminal value, it is shown that, firstly, the problem of social inequalities in higher education is relevant for both countries, but manifests itself in different ways. In Russia, young people with insufficient financial resources have begun to reorient from higher to secondary vocational education; in Belarus, young people are limited to bachelor's degree, not considering further continuation of education practically valuable for entering the labor market. In turn, Chinese youth, who do not have the opportunity to realize the need for a second-level education at home, go abroad, since only a high level of education guarantees them employment and social status in their country. Secondly, the relationship between the issues of access to higher education, the income of the population and the subsequent access of young people to the labor market has been revealed. With a lack of income, low-resource groups prefer to focus on secondary vocational education or bachelor's degree, which guarantee young people a faster entry into the labor market and financial independence. Resourceful Chinese young people are ready to invest in obtaining a master's degree abroad, because without it they may not find a job in China at all. Thirdly, modern practice shows that, despite the stereotypical high ratings of higher education by young people, in a specific life situation, in all three countries, they are oriented towards obtaining education instrumentally. Prospects of the study are related to further analysis of the dynamics of attitudes of young people to receive education at different levels in the context of changes in household incomes and strategies for entering the labor market. According to the author, management structures need to monitor the dynamics of changes in the attitude of young people to higher education, since highly educated personnel are the driver of the development of any society. The social discontent of the youth cohort is a danger to the political stability of society.

Microbial mediated synthesis of lanthanum-modified seed crystals and their application for removal of phosphorus and calcium from domestic wastewater

In this study, lanthanum was introduced into the microbially induced calcium precipitation by bio-mediated action of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to synthesize modified seed crystals for the removal of calcium and phosphorus from domestic wastewater. The calcium and phosphorus removal efficiency reached to 60% and 94%, respectively, under the condition of 30 times repeated use. Meanwhile, chemisorption and intra-particle diffusion were identified as the main rate-limiting steps and electrostatic interaction, ligand exchange, and induced crystallization as the primary phosphorus removal mechanisms. This modified seed crystal exhibited better phosphorus removal performance in simulated reactors with different water quality parameters (phosphorus removal efficiency of 95%). This safe, stable, and efficient bio-material has a promising future in the current socio-economic condition of energy shortage and environmental pollution.