Balanced Development Research Articles

Сравнительный анализ экономических интеграционных процессов в России и мире

The article provides a comparative analysis of economic integration processes in Russia and the world. The analysis encompasses statistical information reflecting the shares of BRICS+ and G7 countries in the world production, consumption, and gross domestic product (GDP) measured by purchasing power parity. Key reasons motivating states within the international community to unite for the purposes of international trade, capital movement, labor migration, and other forms of economic activity are identified, particularly in the context of establishing protective economic mechanisms based on the organization of a multipolar world. The article also highlights the primary factors contributing to the degradation of economic integration processes within the European Union. It concludes that modern economic integration processes create a broad spectrum of challenges for the development of both the Russian Federation and other countries within the global community. These challenges are attributed to the outcomes of both material and non-material production within economic unions and associations, the turbulence of socio-economic processes across various regions, and the volatility of global markets. Furthermore, the transformation of international economic security emerges as a driving force behind integration processes and a guarantor of balanced sustainable development for the world community in the context of multipolarity.

Educational Intervention on Awareness of Health-Damaging Behaviors in Educators

Doping prevention transcends elite sports, highlighting a broader societal challenge where performance enhancement is driven by pressures to increase strength, beauty, and status. This issue extends to adolescents and non-competitive sports participants, where self-optimization pressures are increasingly normalized. Research underscores the need for tailored educational interventions that go beyond punitive measures, fostering ethical decision-making and personal responsibility. The recent literature emphasizes that addressing psychological protective factors, such as self-efficacy and emotional regulation, can effectively mitigate substance use risks. The project “Sport Informa” involved the educational community and adolescents between the ages of 16 and 19, with the goal of providing knowledge about the phenomenon of doping and acquiring tools useful for enhancing self-esteem and self-management skills, in order to prevent the risk of doping by promoting a balanced psychophysical development in young people. A 16 h online training program was delivered to high school teachers. The training provided knowledge about doping, its psychological and social implications, and practical tools for promoting protective factors in students. A longitudinal design was employed, with data collected before and after the intervention using validated psychometric tools, including the Self-Efficacy Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire. Results showed significant improvements in teachers’ psychological dimensions, particularly in self-efficacy and emotional regulation, which they subsequently applied in their interactions with students. Finally, a survey was conducted with young participants who took part in the project activities to assess their self-evaluation of key factors relevant to designing future educational interventions and events aimed at preventing doping use.

How Rural Digitization Promote Coordinated Urban–Rural Development: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China

Rural digitalization not only constitutes the strategic orientation of rural revitalization but also serves as a potent means for augmenting farmers’ income. This study regards the implementation of China’s digital village pilot policy as a quasi-natural experiment. Based on the panel data of Chinese counties spanning from 2017 to 2022, it employs a multi-period difference-in-differences model to investigate the influence of rural digitalization on the coordinated development of urban and rural areas from the perspective of the income gap. The findings indicate that the policy has significantly reduced the urban–rural income gap. Mechanism analysis reveals that this reduction is achieved through enhancing county innovation capacity, accelerating agricultural digitization, promoting advanced industrial structure, and expanding non-farm employment. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that the policy has a greater impact in regions with less robust digital infrastructure, higher levels of community service, and stronger financial development. Consequently, it is indispensable to enhance the digital literacy of farmers, accelerate the digitalization of agriculture and the upgrading of industrial institutions, promote the balanced development of digital villages in various regions, and fully exert the guiding and facilitating role of community service levels.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES IN MODERN INDIA: HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND IMPACT

Environmental policies in modern India have undergone significant transformation, reflecting the country's evolving socio-economic conditions, global environmental concerns, and its commitment to sustainable development. The journey of India's environmental policy can be traced back to its post-independence era, where economic growth was prioritized, often at the expense of environmental considerations. Early policy frameworks lacked a coherent environmental focus, with limited institutional mechanisms for protecting natural resources. However, in the 1970s, influenced by the global environmental movement and events like the 1972 Stockholm Conference, India began to formalize its environmental approach, marking the beginning of policy reforms aimed at balancing development with ecological preservation. Important milestones in India's environmental policy include the establishment of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 1985, the promulgation of the Environment Protection Act (1986), and the National Forest Policy (1988), which aimed to curb deforestation and promote sustainable land use. The 1990s and 2000s saw India increasingly engaging with international environmental frameworks, including the Rio Earth Summit (1992) and the Kyoto Protocol (1997), and emphasizing the integration of environmental concerns into the developmental agenda. Despite these advancements, the impact of environmental policies in India remains mixed. While there has been notable success in areas such as wildlife conservation, pollution control, and biodiversity preservation, challenges like deforestation, water scarcity, and industrial pollution persist. The growing pressures of industrialization, urbanization, and climate change present ongoing challenges in policy implementation. Additionally, the tension between economic development and environmental sustainability continues to be a contentious issue. This paper examines the historical evolution of environmental policies in India, assesses their impact on ecological conservation, and explores the ongoing challenges and future directions for achieving a balance between growth and sustainability. KEYWORDS: Environmental Policies, India, Historical Context, Sustainable Development, Deforestation, Industrialization, Climate Change, Wildlife Conservation, Economic Growth, Environmental Governance.

The Effect Of Pylates-Based Exercıse Programs On Gırls' Quıckness And Strength

ABSTRACT To investigate the effects of Pilates-based exercise programs on girls' quickness and strength. Conducted at a private Pilates studio in Kırıkkale, the research involved 50 female students aged 9-10 years, with 25 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. A 10-week training program included exercise sessions twice a week, focusing on basic Pilates movements, balance, and strength development. Quickness and strength levels were assessed at the beginning and end of the study using specific tests. Quickness was measured through short-distance running and reaction tests, while strength was assessed by the number of repetitions in various exercises and resistance tests. The findings indicated that Pilates-based exercise programs positively impacted the quickness and strength of the girls. Specifically, Pilates movements were particularly effective in enhancing muscle strength and developing quickness. These results suggest that Pilates exercises can effectively contribute to the physical development of children. It is recommended that educators and coaches implement Pilates-based programs for children, considering the benefits of such exercises.

Study of the dimensions of and countermeasures for improving the administrative efficiency of primary and secondary schools in western China: Taking MX Middle School as an example

With the deepening of education reform, improving the administrative efficiency of primary and secondary schools in Western China has become the key to promoting the balanced development of education. Taking MX Middle School as the research object, this paper analyzes the difficulties of administrative men in primary and secondary schools in western China in depth, including rigid management systems, uneven resource distributions, low information levels, insufficient incentive mechanisms and low participation of teachers and students. In view of these problems, this paper proposes a series of targeted counts and suggestions, such as optimizing the organizational structure, establishing a fair and transparent resource allocation mechanism, increasing the information input, improving the performance appraisal system and establishing a participation mechanism for teachers and students. th Improving the administrative efficiency of primary and secondary schools in Western China to promote educational equity, improve educational quality and promote the balanced development of regional education.

Studying whether the digital economy effectively promotes China’s common prosperity based on the spatial Durbin model

Common prosperity is the essential aspiration of all the Chinese people, and China’s entry into a period of common prosperity coincides with the era of the digital economy. This paper analyzes the impact of the digital economy on the urban-rural income gap from two dimensions industrial digitization and digital industrialization. Based on China’s provincial panel data from 2013 to 2020, the spatial autocorrelation of various indicators in the digital economy is tested employing the global Moran index and local Moran scatter plot. This paper studies whether the digital economy directly affects the income gap between urban and rural areas by constructing a spatial Durbin model with a geographical inverse distance square matrix and whether there is a spatial spillover effect on the income gap between urban and rural areas, to explore how to solve the existing problems in the income gap between urban and rural areas in China through the perspective of digital economy development. The results show that the digital economy in China has a positive spatial autocorrelation to the urban-rural income gap; The impact of the development of the digital economy on the urban-rural income gap is not only reflected in the narrowing of the local region but also through the spatial spillover effect to narrow the income gap in the surrounding region. Digital industrialization has a significant role in narrowing the urban-rural income gap with both direct and indirect effects. Based on the empirical results obtained, this paper proposes that to adjust the imbalance in the development of the digital economy in different regions, digital industrialization and industrial digitalization should be further promoted, and the balanced development of the digital economy should be correctly guided through policy means, to play the regulating role of the digital economy in narrowing the urban-rural income gap.

Analysis of Economic Vitality and Development Equilibrium of China’s Three Major Urban Agglomerations Based on Nighttime Light Data

Eliminating poverty, reducing inequality, and achieving balanced development are one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Objectively and accurately measuring regional economic vitality and development equilibrium is a pressing scientific issue that needs to be addressed in order to achieve common prosperity. Nighttime light (NTL) remote sensing data have been proven to be a good proxy variable for socio-economic development, and are widely used due to their advantages of convenient access and wide spatial coverage. Based on multi-source data, this study constructs an Economic Development Index (EDI) that comprehensively reflects regional economic vitality from two aspects, economic quality and development potential, combines the Nighttime Light Development Index (NLDI) as the evaluation indicators to measure the economic vitality and development equilibrium, analyzes the economic vitality and development equilibrium of 300 district and county units in China’s three major urban agglomerations from 2000 to 2020 and their temporal and spatial variation characteristics, and discusses the connotation of EDI and its availability. The results show the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the average growth rate of EDI in China’s three major urban agglomerations reached 36.32%, while the average decrease rate of NLDI reached 38.75%; both economic vitality and the development equilibrium have been continuously enhanced. Among them, the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration experienced the fastest economic growth, while the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) exhibited the strongest economic strength. (2) Both economic vitality and the development equilibrium in these three urban agglomerations exhibited distinct spatial agglomeration characteristics, namely center-surrounding distribution, coastal–inland distribution, and radial belt–pole distribution, respectively. (3) Over the past two decades, the economic development of these three urban agglomerations has progressed towards the pattern of regional coordinated development, pole-driven development and urban–rural integrated development. The research results can provide new research perspectives and scientific support for promoting regional balanced development, achieving sustainable development goals, and reducing inequality.

TOE Configuration Analysis of Smart City Construction in China Under the Concept of Sustainable Development

The construction of smart cities is an effective path for sustainable urban development. Determining how to build smart cities and choose effective development models has attracted attention from all walks of life. Consequently, determining how to promote the development of smart cities and how to choose effective development models has also attracted attention. This paper takes 77 prefecture-level cities in China as case studies to explore the impact of technology, organization, and environment on the high-level development of smart cities. In this study, the fsQCA (fuzzy set-based qualitative comparative analysis) method was used to explore the configuration effects of three types of factors. The main findings are as follows: Firstly, no single factor among the three categories is a necessary condition for the high development level of smart cities, indicating that relying solely on technological conditions cannot build high-level smart cities. Secondly, the path of development of a smart city can be summarized into three modes: Both organizational and industrial environment type, both governance and cultural environment type, and balanced development type. Finally, among the three modes, the government’s digital governance capability and industrial environment play a crucial role in achieving a high level of development in smart cities. This article examines the development of smart cities from a systems perspective and provides useful, practical insights for the construction of smart cities.

Development Law in the Context of Legal Theory and Philosophy: Challenges and Opportunities Toward Social Justice

This research project is an in-depth analysis of legal theory and philosophy in the context of the concept of development law. An understanding of how law functions as an instrument of social justice is crucial to this analysis. This research employs the literature study method to collect, distill, and interpret a range of academic sources pertaining to development law, social justice theory, and philosophical approaches that inform our understanding of justice in development. From a theoretical standpoint, this study draws upon relevant theories that emphasize equality of opportunity and resource distribution as a prerequisite for social justice. These theories are useful in emphasizing the importance of legislation that is capable of guaranteeing equal access and fair distribution. Furthermore, progressive legal theory and responsive legal thinking are investigated to ascertain how development law can serve as a dynamic instrument of change in alignment with social, cultural, and economic transformations. The findings of this research are anticipated to offer insight into how development law is not merely a collection of regulations but also an active instrument in fostering a more just and inclusive society. By incorporating aspects of social justice into development law, the prospect of realizing sustainable and balanced development is enhanced.

Assessing spider community structure and ecological dynamics across urban and natural environments

AbstractThis study explores the diversity and distribution of spider populations across urban and natural‐semi natural habitats in Gongju‐si, South Korea. This study aims to investigate the ecological dynamics of spider populations across different habitat types and assess their implications for urban planning, particularly in terms of maintaining biodiversity through habitat heterogeneity and informed urban development strategies. Employing methodologies such as sweeping, manual collection, and pit‐fall traps, the research identifies 128 spider species and evaluates alpha and beta diversity, nestedness, and species interactions using advanced statistical and ecological tools. The findings indicate significant variations in spider diversity across different habitats, with urban areas exhibiting notable biodiversity despite human influences. Natural habitats, especially forests, demonstrate higher biodiversity and more intricate species interactions. Nestedness analysis reveals distinct community structures across habitats, while association rule learning highlights complex interspecies relationships. The study underscores the importance of maintaining habitat heterogeneity and incorporating ecological principles in urban planning to support biodiversity. It offers valuable insights into the roles of various habitats in ecological networks, emphasizing the necessity for balanced urban development and effective conservation strategies.

Quenching thirst, easing debt: Improvement in water resource endowment alleviates local government debt risk

Water resources serve as a vital pillar sustaining both economic activities and daily life for residents. However, the uneven distribution of water resources across time and space has made water scarcity a bottleneck factor restricting the economic and social development of some regions. The implementation of the South-to-North Water Diversion project provides an excellent quasi-natural experiment for in-depth research on the effects and influence mechanism of cross-regional productive factor allocation on economic development. This study focuses on whether the water resource endowment improvement is reflected on the capital market. Based on the trading data of urban construction investment bonds from 2011 to 2016, we empirically examine how the South-to-North Water Diversion project affects the local government financing costs. The results indicate that the water diversion project significantly reduces the credit spread of urban construction investment bonds from the water-receiving areas. Further analysis reveals that the water diversion project improves the economic fundamentals and increases the land sales revenue of the water receiving cities, enhancing local governments' implicit guarantee ability for the financing platforms, thereby reducing the credit risks of urban construction investment bonds. This study not only enriches the research on the determinants of credit risk for urban construction investment bonds, but also provides empirical evidence from the capital market that the coordinated allocation of productive factors promotes regional balanced development. The conclusions imply that the government should actively advance the corresponding infrastructure construction and institutional arrangements to promote the flow and complementarity of economic elements between regions.

Research on the Construction of Evaluation Criteria for Balanced Development of Compulsory Education Policy in China

Research on the Construction of Evaluation Criteria for Balanced Development of Compulsory Education Policy in China

The spatial differentiation mechanism of intangible cultural heritage and its integration with tourism development based on explainable machine learning and coupled coordination models: a case study of the Jiang-Zhe-Hu in China

As a vital carrier of traditional culture, Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) not only preserves historical value but also fosters cultural identity and confidence. This study utilizes explainable machine learning and coupled coordination models to analyze the spatial distribution and formation mechanisms of ICH resources in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai (Jiang-Zhe-Hu). The results indicate that (1) ICH resources in the Jiang-Zhe-Hu exhibit a clustered distribution pattern characterized by “three primary cores and two secondary cores.” The primary core areas are Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou, while the secondary core areas are Yangzhou and Nanjing. (2) Population, number of religious places, and GDP have a significant positive impact on the distribution of ICH in the Jiang-Zhe-Hu. NDVI and road mileage have relatively minor effects on ICH distribution. (3) In terms of ICH resources, Zhejiang Province overall has a higher level than Jiangsu Province, with Lishui having the highest evaluation value and the most abundant resources. Regarding the level of tourism industry development, Shanghai has the highest comprehensive evaluation value, followed by Suzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou, all of which have relatively high levels of tourism development. (4) According to the coupled coordination model analysis, Shanghai demonstrates the best coupling degree between ICH resources and the tourism industry, achieving a good coordination level. In Jiangsu Province, the integration of ICH resources and the tourism industry is relatively better in the southern (e.g., Nanjing, Suzhou), but there are still imbalances in development in the northern. Zhejiang Province has an overall higher degree of integration between ICH and the tourism industry compared to Jiangsu, with more balanced development. However, there is still room for improvement in the deep integration of ICH resources with the tourism industry.

Socio‐Economic Development Performance and Convergence Among Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies in Ghana

ABSTRACTEquitable development is one of the conditions for achieving a stable and just society. This assertion is corroborated by the numerous global and regional efforts to minimize inequality and ensure balanced development. By this recognition, decentralization, a system of governance where power cascades from centralized, remote structures to accessible local bodies, has long been floated as a tool for achieving development equity. In Ghana, decentralized units are unequally endowed, resulting in differing capacities for resource mobilization and service delivery. This study sought to accomplish two fundamental objectives, first to understand the nature of socioeconomic development performance dynamics among Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and whether spatial spillovers exist and mediate these dynamics. Second was to investigate whether socioeconomic development performance is converging over time. Using performance on the District League Table (DLT) as a proxy for socioeconomic development, global and local Moran's I analysis revealed statistically significant clustering of development performance, hinting at the presence of spatial spillovers. Leveraging spatially explicit Markov chains, findings indicated that most MMDAs were more likely to stay in their performance classes than transition to a different cohort, with this probability being the highest in the upper and lower classes. Nonetheless, MMDAs located within high performing neighborhoods were more likely to improve in their performance than their counterparts located in low performing neighborhoods. Further analysis also revealed a high degree of cohesion, where MMDAs' development performance tend to assume the direction of their neighborhoods. In the second objective, decomposed Theil index analysis revealed processes of convergence overall and within decomposed groups while between groups convergence appeared to have saturated. The study advocates for collective as opposed to piecemeal strategies for achieving equitable development.

Integrating Local Food Policies and Spatial Planning to Enhance Food Systems and Rural–Urban Links: A Living Lab Experiment

The development of synergies between rural and urban areas is one of the EU’s objectives to contribute to smart and inclusive growth. Effective governance of rural–urban links is essential for balanced development but often lacks policy coherence. This study examines the role of spatial planning and food policy integration in enhancing local food system sustainability and resilience, specifically in peri-urban areas. It investigates challenges and enablers in this integration through a Living Lab experiment in Lucca (Italy) as part of the ROBUST H2020 project. The Living Lab methodology entailed envisioning, experimenting, and experiencing phases to identify key rural–urban connections and assess governance arrangements, focusing on reclaiming abandoned land in peri-urban areas together with local stakeholders. By highlighting the strengths and limitations of a multi-year collaborative research approach, the research highlights a weak recognition of rural–urban linkages and the need for improved dialogue between rural stakeholders and urban planners. Key recommendations comprise formalising public–private partnerships and cross-sectoral projects linking agriculture with education, tourism, and landscape (e.g., agricultural parks).

Evaluating Agricultural Production Efficiency in Jiangsu and Anhui Provinces: A Three-Stage DEA and Malmquist Index Approach

This study assesses the agricultural production efficiency of Jiangsu and Anhui Provinces from 2018 to 2022, with a focus on the impact of the Yangtze River Delta Regional Integration Development Plan. Utilizing a three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model and the Malmquist index, the research controls for environmental factors and analyzes efficiency changes dynamically. The results indicate that Jiangsu achieved a higher rate of technological progress, with an average annual growth rate of 1.0066, which drove its overall productivity gains. In contrast, Anhui demonstrated substantial potential in scale efficiency, reflecting opportunities for future productivity improvements through optimized resource allocation. The regional integration plan appears to have played a pivotal role in advancing agricultural productivity in Jiangsu by facilitating technology-driven improvements. Findings suggest that while Jiangsu should continue to enhance its technological capabilities, Anhui could focus on harnessing its scale efficiency potential to bridge the productivity gap between the two provinces. These insights underscore the significance of regional integration policies in fostering balanced agricultural development, promoting both technological progress and scale efficiency across different regional contexts.

Spatial–Temporal Differentiation and Influencing Factors of Rural Education Development in China: A Systems Perspective

Education is the cornerstone of rural revitalization. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the development of rural education in China from 2006 to 2020. From a systemic perspective, this study established a multidimensional evaluation index system for rural education and used the weight-TOPSIS method for measurement. Additionally, geographic information system and spatial econometric methods were employed to explore spatial–temporal differentiation and influencing factors. The results show that (1) rural education levels in China have generally improved in recent years, with higher development in northern, northeastern, and eastern regions and lower levels in central and southwestern regions. (2) In terms of spatial differentiation, rural education development among provinces has significant spatial agglomeration. The provinces around Beijing are hot spots, while remote southwestern provinces are cold spots. (3) Regarding dynamic evolution, the disparity in rural education development among provinces has widened, with a few provinces significantly ahead. There are club convergence features, and the hierarchy of rural education development between provinces is relatively stable, with less likelihood of lagging provinces catching up. (4) Economy, finance, industry, population, and urbanization are key factors influencing rural education, with spatial spillover effects on neighboring provinces. The study provides empirical support and policy insights for advancing balanced and high-quality rural education development.

Measurement of Free Trade Zones’ Investment Attraction: Sustainable Corporate Development Perspective

This study explores the measurement of FTZs’ investment attraction from a sustainable corporate development perspective. Through a comprehensive evaluation framework, the study assesses FTZs’ investment attraction across five indicators: urban business environment, economic development strength, innovation and openness vitality, urban environmental friendliness, and high-quality enterprise development. The weights of each layer’s indicators are calculated using entropy weight and the PCA method. The evaluation results of the investment attractiveness of China’s FTZs show that the investment attraction of FTZs in different regions exhibits hierarchical characteristics and unbalanced development. East China and South China occupy the forefront. Disparities in provincial FTZs’ developmental balance are conspicuous. Guangdong, Shanghai, and Beijing top the charts in terms of congruence with their overall environment rankings, whereas Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian exhibit a mismatch between their sub-indices and their relatively strong overall investment attractiveness. Conversely, Henan, Anhui, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Hunan, and Tianjin, though balanced in sub-environmental development, lag in overall investment appeal, necessitating concerted efforts towards balanced development. On the whole, compared with other indicators, innovation and openness vitality and high-quality enterprise development seem relatively weak. Drawing from our insights, foreign investors can choose free trade zones according to their own development needs. Policymakers can devise targeted interventions to bolster FTZs’ investment attractiveness, tailored to scores and rankings.

Investigating the Impact of Innovation Policies and Innovation Environment on Regional Innovation Capacity in China

Regional technological innovation serves as a key pillar for achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening, a fundamental requirement for promoting balanced regional development, and a vital aspect of implementing the innovation-driven development strategy. We examine the impact of innovation policies on corporate innovation activities and the importance of the innovation environment in enhancing innovation capacity. By analyzing the implementation of innovation policies in three provinces in Central China from 2018 to 2022, this study introduces two indicators—policy intensity and policy volume—to assess the level of government policy support. The findings are as follows: First, local government innovation policies exert a significant positive impact on corporate innovation activities, with particularly strong effects observed in the implementation of R&D subsidies. Second, the implementation of regional innovation policies enhances regional innovation capacity by promoting increased R&D investment by firms. Third, the innovation environment moderates the influence of regional innovation policies on corporate R&D investment, amplifying the effect of R&D investment on regional innovation capacity. In summary, when formulating innovation policies, governments should consider the unique needs of different industries, regions, and enterprises, adopting flexible and diverse policy measures to optimize the innovation environment and accelerate the nation’s technological innovation development.