Economic Performance Indicators Research Articles

Bridging Europe’s Innovation Divide: How European Union Research Policy Drives Growth in Less Developed Regions

Background This research examines the impact of competitive European research and development funding—specifically from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme and Horizon 2020—on regional economic growth, research capacities, and innovation performance across NUTS2 regions, representing mid-level administrative divisions within European Union Member States. Given the persistent disparities in research and innovation output between more and less developed regions, we focus on how these funding mechanisms influence economic and scientific development, particularly in less developed and peripheral regions. While European Union research programs aim to foster knowledge production and technological advancement, their role in mitigating regional inequalities and supporting economic convergence remains an open question. Methods To assess the effects of European Union Research and Development (EU R&D) funding, we conduct a quantitative analysis using data from Eurostat, PATSTAT, Web of Science, and the European Commission’s CORDIS database. We measure changes in three key indicators —publication output, patent applications, and GDP per capita— between 2011 and 2022. GDP per capita, representing a region’s total economic output divided by its population, is a key indicator of regional economic performance. Ordinary least squares regression models are employed to evaluate the relationship between funding intensity and regional research and economic development, controlling for factors such as regional R&D investments, international collaboration, and initial economic conditions. Results Our findings reveal significant and persistent interregional disparities in research and innovation outcomes. While participation in European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme and Horizon 2020 is associated with stronger research capacities in already well-developed regions, no significant relationship is found between EU-funded R&D and increases in publications or patents at an aggregate level. However, a positive correlation emerges between EU R&D funding and GDP growth in less developed regions, suggesting that while direct scientific outputs may not always materialize, economic benefits arise through alternative channels such as small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) engagement, infrastructure improvements, and knowledge diffusion. Conclusions The study highlights the broader implications of transnational funding frameworks for regional economic convergence within the EU. Despite limited effects on immediate research outputs in less developed regions, competitive EU R&D programs contribute to economic resilience in lagging regions, raising important considerations for multi-level governance and international cooperation. These results align with debates in International Relations regarding the role of supra-national institutions in shaping equitable economic outcomes and addressing structural imbalances across Member States. As EU funding strategies evolve, a more integrated approach that strengthens innovation ecosystems in underperforming regions could enhance European research policy's inclusivity and long-term impact.

Economic Performance Evaluation of Broiler Chicken Farmers in Anbar Governorate, Ana District for the 2023-2024 Season

Abstract The objective of this study is to evaluate the economic performance of broiler chicken farmers in Ana District, Anbar Governorate, for the agricultural season of 2023-2024. The study aims to assess their efficiency in optimizing the use of economic resources by applying a set of economic criteria, which would enable the farmers to expand their production capacities. The evaluation was conducted using specific economic performance indicators. A random sample of 50 broiler chicken farmers was selected for the analysis. The results of the study showed that the net income was approximately 90,429,625 IQD. Regarding the revenue breakeven point, it was about 7,886,199 IQD, confirming the economic viability and profitability of the project. The commercial profitability ratio was calculated to be 64.53%, which is considered a good ratio, reflecting the profitability of broiler chicken farming. The study recommends that the office of Livestock, veterinary, and agricultural extension departments should provide necessary services and inputs in accordance with development plans to ensure the sustainability of broiler chicken production projects. By offering continued support and necessary guidance, these projects can maintain and improve their productivity, contributing to the sustainable growth of the poultry sector.

Молотковые зернодробилки: классификация и методика оценки эффективности

Grain milling is one of the most complex and energy-consuming procedures in the technology of concentrated mixed fodders. Unfortunately, manufacturers provide hammer grain crushers only with technical characteristics, supplying neither technological nor economic performance indicators, which makes it difficult for consumers to select the optimal machine. The article introduces a classification of hammer grain crushers and a methodology for assessing their energy efficiency. The design, technical, and economic indicators of agricultural hammer crushers were obtained by calculation and analysis of specific metal intensity and energy consumption. The data pool consisted of technical and economic indicators of domestic and foreign hammer crushers, divided into mechanical and pneumatic ones by the type of loading. The classification relied on the following properties: the type of design, working chamber, feeding, removal, and orientation of the rotor shaft; the presence or absence of grates and decks; the number of stages and discs. The classification was structured as a table of technical and economic indicators for different types and brands. The authors introduced a complex performance index to assess the efficiency of pneumatic and mechanical grain crushers. It took into account the metal consumption and energy consumption. For pneumatic and mechanical hammer crushers with a productivity of ≤ 1, 1–3, 3–5, 5–10, and ≥ 10 t, the index varied from 0.1 to 2.22 (kWt/h/tm)/t: the more efficient the crusher, the lower the index value. The complex performance index and its graphical representation simplify the selection procedure for the consumer. The results obtained demonstrate the improvement prospects for hammer crushers design.

Contribution of the Virgin Land Branch of GOSNITI to the Creation of a Repair and Maintenance Base for Tractors K-700A and K-701

Tractors K-700A and K-701 of the Kirovets family manufactured by Kirovsky Zavod have been used in agriculture for more than fifty years and their effective operation would have been impossible without the established repair and maintenance base; vast regulatory and technical documentation; equipment for maintenance and repair. (Research purpose) The research purpose is analyzing the development and production experience of the Virgin Land Branch of GOSNITI to improve the efficiency of servicing high-power tractors obtained during the creation of the repair and maintenance base of tractors K-700A and K-701. (Materials and methods) Conducted an analysis of the developed regulatory and technical documentation and equipment for the organization of repairs. The repair and maintenance base for Kirovets tractors created on their basis made it possible to ensure the required level of readiness and maintain reliability indicators. (Results and discussion) It was shown that the created repair and maintenance base corresponded to the needs of the time and provided high technical and economic performance indicators in accordance with the current GOST. The time and material resources spent on the search for causal relationships between the parameters and operating conditions of tractors affecting operational reliability; depending on the operating conditions; the completeness of routine maintenance work carried out; the quality assessment of repairs carried out; the input quality control of new and refurbished spare parts; were significantly reduced. (Conclusions) The experience of the Virgin Land Branch of GOSNITI has shown that an integrated state approach to the implementation of large projects proves its economic efficiency; which amounted to 1.5-4.4 rubles of profit per ruble of state investment in the 1980s. The result of this approach was the development of more than 75 results of development work and their serial or individual implementation; which made it possible to improve the repair and maintenance base for more than 100;000 repairs per year; which is currently of particular relevance for ensuring food security of the Russian Federation.

EFFICIENT USE OF THE COMPANY'S WORKFORCE AS A KEY FACTOR IN ENSURING ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

The development of production and the economic sustainability of a company are intrinsically linked to its workforce. Manufacturing processes, for the most part, rely on human labor. Every task performed is ultimately a product of human effort, and the efficiency of that effort directly reflects in the company’s economic performance indicators. This article explores the critical connection between workforce management and economic sustainability, covering key aspects of personnel policy, including the formation of a healthy and capable team, the composition and qualifications of personnel based on demographic factors, and their strategic placement within the production process. It highlights the importance of timely adaptation to changes in production and working conditions, alongside the integration of scientific and technological advancements, and the promotion of novel production techniques. Furthermore, the article provides a case study analyzing the current state of workforce utilization within a specific economic entity, culminating in actionable recommendations aimed at optimizing employee contributions, especially their intellectual and physical potential.

Devising a method for assessing the performance of exergetic efficiency of a pressure wave exchanger

With all their undeniable advantages, forced engines equipped with gas turbine supercharging (GTS) have a significant inherent drawback of the turbocharger (TC), which is associated with the inertia of the TC rotor, causing a discrepancy between the flow characteristics of the supercharger and the hydraulic needs of the engine under transient modes, during sharp acceleration of the vehicle. As an alternative option and one of the effective methods for forcing the engine in order to obtain high technical, economic, and environmental performance indicators of the working process under transient operating modes, a wave pressure exchanger (WPE) is considered as the object of this study. However, the available information related to the energy exchange of working fluids in the units of the wave exchanger has not yet been sufficiently studied. To partially solve this problem, a method has been devised for assessing the exergetic efficiency of WPE, which takes into account the effect of partial exhaust gas recirculation, purging the rotor cells with a fresh charge. Based on the results of development studies, in the presence of a pattern of change in these parameters (purging and recirculation), it is possible to influence the process of improving the working cycle and the exergetic efficiency of the pressure exchanger. A rational combination of purging the rotor cells with a fresh charge (from 4 to 8 %) and reusing part of the combustion products (recirculation from 3 to 5 %) in the working process of the supercharger ensured an increase in the exergetic efficiency of WPE from 0.72 to 0.91 and partially solved the research problem. The resulting data can be implemented both at the early stages of WPE design and for existing modifications of supercharging units, in the process of their further modernization and improvement

Green Supply Chain Management to Spur Economic, Social, and Environmental Performance: Novel Insight From Latin American Countries

ABSTRACTGreen supply chain management, or GSCM, has become an indispensable plan for advancing sustainable development worldwide. It can simultaneously enhance social, economic, and environmental outcomes. This study aims to investigate the impact of GSCM on key performance measures in Latin American economies and assess its implications for sustainable growth from 2000 to 2020. The analysis utilizes the method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) to estimate the long‐term nexus among the understudied series. Findings indicate that GSCM positively influences economic performance indicators like GDP, trade openness, and employment growth. Socially, GSCM is associated with enhanced human capital and is inversely related to water and air pollution deaths. Environmentally, it significantly reduces PM2.5 levels, carbon emissions, and fuel consumption. Causality analysis reveals a unidirectional influence of employment growth, human capital, and PM2.5 on GSCM and a bidirectional relationship between trade openness, carbon emissions, and pollution‐related deaths with GSCM. The study underscores the necessity for policies integrating GSCM to spur economic growth and improve public health and environmental quality across Latin American nations.

Economic Performance Classification in Iraq (2000–2023): A Statistical Analysis Using Machine Learning with Support Vector Machines and Random Forest

This research investigates the classification of Iraq's economic performance from 2000 to 2023 using machine learning methodologies, specifically Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Random Forest (RF). The study aims to leverage macroeconomic indicators to develop predictive models for economic state classification. The dataset comprises six key variables gross domestic product, inflation rate, unemployment rate, exchange rate, trade volume, and government spending selected for their economic relevance. The methodology employs a composite Economic Performance Index for binary categorization ("Good" or "Poor"), followed by the application of SVM and RF algorithms. Model performance is evaluated using metrics such as AUC, F1-score, precision, recall, and MCC. Results indicate that SVM demonstrates superior classification accuracy compared to Random Forest, highlighting its effectiveness in capturing complex economic relationships. Gross domestic product, inflation, and government spending are identified as the most influential factors. This research contributes to the growing intersection of machine learning and macroeconomic forecasting, providing policymakers with data-driven insights for economic policy evaluation.

EKOLOJİ ÇİRKLƏNMƏNİN İQTİSADİ TƏSİRLƏRİNİN AZALDILMASI YOLLARI

Environmental pollution emerges as one of the most pressing global challenges of our time, characterized by a multidisciplinary nature that profoundly affects both ecosystems and economic stability. This concept encompasses a multidimensional reality, illustrated by the destructive effects of toxic substances generated by industrial processes, carbon emissions from the transportation sector, and the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture. Such circumstances signify that the environment is undergoing a transformation marked by resource depletion and a decline in biodiversity. Contemporary research in Azerbaijan demonstrates that the socio-economic consequences of environmental pollution give rise to multifaceted problems not only in the short term but also in the long run. For instance, pollution of natural resources, particularly industrial waste-laden water bodies, leads to a decrease in agricultural productivity, causing significant setbacks in economic performance indicators. Furthermore, rising pollution levels adversely impact human health, imposing additional financial burdens on the healthcare system, which in turn puts the nation’s overall economic resources to the test. Analyzing environmental issues in the context of economic development highlights the necessity of adopting green technologies and sustainable consumption models. In this regard, implementing green supply chains in Azerbaijan is considered a progressive approach, both for reducing environmental pollution and enhancing economic efficiency. Key measures for ensuring ecological safety include managing radioactive waste, optimizing energy production processes, and developing recycling mechanisms. On a global scale, Azerbaijan’s engagement in international cooperation and the implementation of modern environmental standards could lead to a qualitative transformation in the country’s economic development model. Such an approach would not only mitigate the economic and ecological impacts of pollution but also pave the way for achieving strategic long-term sustainable development goals. Thus, the application of an integrated approach to the economic impacts of environmental pollution should be regarded as one of the primary mechanisms for both environmental protection and economic modernization. Keywords: Environmental pollution, economic impacts, environmental responsibility, human health, sustainable development

Determination of Location Quotient of Organic Agriculture in Türkiye

The main objective of the study is to determine in which provinces organic agriculture is clustered in Türkiye. Location quotient is one of the most widely used indices in regional concentration measurements and expresses the degree of specialization of a certain production activity within a country/region/sector or the relative concentration of a certain production activity in a certain region. In this direction, within the scope of the study, it is aimed to determine the location quotient of organic agriculture, which provides competitive advantage throughout Türkiye, and it is envisaged to determine the location quotient in this direction. In determining the location quotient, the amount of production, which is one of the best indicators of economic performance, was used. As a matter of fact, the amount of production is the most important indicator showing which production activity is more dominant and the location quotient to be calculated takes a value between 0 and infinity (∞). If the relevant production activity has a score greater than 1, it indicates that the activity is the main production activity that is concentrated/specialised in the region. However, if the score is less than 1, it indicates that the activity is a local one that is not sufficiently concentrated/specialised in the region. Following the analysis, Eastern Anatolia and Central Anatolia are the regions with the highest concentration of organic agriculture production. The top 10 provinces with the most concentrated organic agriculture production are Van (7), Ağrı (6), Ankara (6), Bayburt (6), Erzurum (6), Çanakkale (5), Kars (5), Muş (5), Niğde and Sivas. The most widely produced crops are alfalfa (18), wheat (16), tomato (15), apple (14), maize (12), barley (12), hazelnut (9), sainfoin (9), olive (9), oat (9) and vetch (9). Localized and intensified organic farming systems have proven effective in generating high income per unit of land, optimizing agricultural land utilization, and ensuring sustainability. They also provide specialized labour forces, sector-specific inputs, and the use of advanced technologies. Therefore, it is believed that the formations will enhance the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the region by increasing productivity and promoting the growth of organic agriculture. This will lead to significant benefits for the region's development.

Economic performance of organic dairy farms during and after conversion

Abstract Empirical research on the economic performance of organic farming yields conflicting results. The findings vary by region, agricultural sector, economic performance indicators, and methodologies used. This study compares the economic and financial performance of conventional and organic dairy farms by specifically examining the performance trends during the period when conventional farms got converted into organic farms. Using a difference-in-differences estimator within a panel regression model, we analysed the microdata of 1,016 farms in Ille-et-Vilaine (Brittany, France) between 2007 and 2018, including 62 farms that had converted from conventional farming to organic farming during this period. Our results show that, contrary to expectations, the financial performance of the farms did not reduce significantly during the conversion. However, after the two-year conversion period, the profitability and return on assets of organic farms exceeded those of conventional farms. Considering the limited sample size of organic farms analysed in this study, these findings require further validation.

Sustainability for ship operations in seaport areas: Technical solutions and environmental assessment.

Sustainability for ship operations in seaport areas: Technical solutions and environmental assessment.

Short communication: Dairy Victory™ Platform: A Novel Benchmarking Platform to Empower Economic Decisions on Dairy Farms.

In the face of diminishing economic margins, dairy farmers globally are compelled to maintain economic competitiveness. Benchmarking emerges as a strategic tool to establish new, achievable improvement objectives that balance ambition with practicality. This typically requires integrating diverse data sources such as feed, milk production, diet, and market prices. However, many farms lack essential, cow-level data like daily milk output and milk income over feed cost (IOFC), which hampers economic performance visibility and informed decision-making. To address this challenge, we introduce “Dairy Victory™ platform (DVP)” a novel cloud-based benchmarking platform designed to simplify complex analyses. The DVP uniquely calculates zootechnical and economic key performance indicators (KPIs) at the cow and herd levels and benchmarks these against a dynamically selected cohort of farms, facilitating comparisons across various farm sizes, and milk production levels. The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate the utility of DVP as a decision-making tool in supporting farmers and consultants with both operational and strategic decisions. It emphasizes leveraging benchmarking information to enhance decision-making processes, thereby highlighting the significant value that DVP brings to farmers, consultants, and dairy farm stakeholders. Our study analyzed data from 712 farms from December 2023, focusing on several KPIs, such as milk production, milk quality, feed efficiency, and IOFC using Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) records. This approach showcases DV's ability to utilize minimal data inputs for detailed analysis, leveraging peer performance to set desirable and/or achievable goals. We present a case study demonstrating how the DVP platform can guide dairy farms using anonymized peer data. This approach enables users to potentially improve their IOFC by up to 35%. Our findings highlight DVP's potential as a powerful tool for generating insightful analyses, simulations, and recommendations, primarily from test-day data, but also integrated with market and estimated data. This supports more strategic decision-making in dairy management, including automatic goal-setting based on peer performance.

Assessment of the using a mobile crushing and sorting plant investment attractiveness at the development of construction material quarries

Purpose. To establish the influence of the quarry depth at the construction materials deposit mining on the payback period of investments when using the haulage mining system (HMS), cyclic flow technology (CFT), and mobile crushing and sorting plant (MCSP) with a comparison of its efficiency. Methods. The research used discounted value of cash flow methods to determine the company’s net present value (NPV) and the investment payback period. When establishing a mining enterprise’s technical and economic performance indicators, the present value factor of future costs and profits was considered. Findings. According to the total discounted cash flow value indicator, the technological scheme using a mobile crushing and sorting plant is the most attractive in the quarry depth range of 50-150 m. According to this indicator, it was established that it is better in comparison with the schemes of the haulage mining system and cyclic flow technology, respectively, by 19 and 26% at a quarry depth of 50 m. When the quarry depth increases from 100 to 150 m, the efficiency of the MCSP scheme in terms of the indicator of total cash flow will be 5.2 and 5.8 times exceeding the indicators of the CFT and HMS schemes, respectively. Originality. The impact of the quarry depth mining on the indicators of the cash flow discounted value, the net income of the enterprise NPV, and the payback period of the investment was determined, which allowed to determine the most effective technological scheme at the given quarry productivity of 1.6 million m3/year. It was determined that using a scheme with a mobile crushing and sorting plant compared to other schemes in the cash flow total cost indicator is more effective by 17-28% at a quarry development depth of 50 m. At the same time, at a quarry depth of 150 m, the effectiveness of the technological scheme of MCSP by the enterprise total profit indicator increases significantly to 2.0 and 3.5 times superior to the CFT and HMS schemes, respectively. Practical implications. The conducted research is essential when choosing technological schemes for exploiting construction raw materials quarries when their development depth increases. This result is especially relevant for mining companies that produce crushed stone, where mobile crushing and sorting plants can significantly improve economic efficiency.

Pengaruh Digitalisasi terhadap Penjualan Pelaku Usaha Mikro, Kecil, dan Menengah (UMKM) di Kota Makassar

Understanding the impact of digital technology on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) in Makassar City is the aim of the research. The descriptive qualitative method used in this research is collecting data through observation, interviews and documentation. Research shows that this has a significant positive impact on the profits of UMKM in Makassar City from Digitalization. On the other hand, one of the factors that hinders UMKM actors in terms of the effectiveness of digitalization is the ability to utilize technological media as an indicator of digital economic performance.

Financial and economic performance of agricultural enterprises: analysis and policy improvement

Purpose. The article aims to develop theoretical and applied foundations for forming a methodology to evaluate financial and economic performance of agricultural enterprises. Methodology / approach. The authors’ methodology for analysing enterprises’ financial and economic performance is formed in the research. This methodology is based on the use of the principal component analysis. Its use involves the composition of a series of empirical indicators of financial and economic performance based on a temporal approach, the calculation of coefficients of significance of indicators and components, and the calculation of combined and integral indicators of financial and economic performance. The developed methodology was tested using the example of 13 agricultural enterprises. The selected enterprises operate in the Lviv region of Ukraine. The study period covers the operational indicators of agricultural enterprises from 2017 to 2022. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method was employed to calculate the integral index of financial and economic performance for these agricultural enterprises. Econometric modeling was applied to identify the key determinants influencing the formation of this integral index. Results. The research results showed that despite the availability of resource capacities of agricultural enterprises, the process of forming their financial and economic performance is subject to the destabilising influence of war and market factors. The integral index of agricultural enterprises’ financial and economic performance has significantly impacted their operational efficiency. Through the application of econometric modelling, the primary determinants influencing the formation of this integral index of financial and economic performance in agricultural enterprises have been identified. To improve the financial and economic performance of farming enterprises, a targeted mechanism is developed that is aggregated from such strategic areas as the rationalisation of production costs, the improvement of financial and economic management, better budgeting, the development of management personnel, and the restructuring of market policy. Originality / scientific novelty. The originality of research lies in developing a methodology for assessing enterprises’ financial and economic performance using key indicators and components. This methodology creates an adequate information and analytical basis for improving the management of financial and monetary resources. Practical value / implications. The practical significance of the research results consists in the possibility of their application in the economic activity of agricultural enterprises to improve the process of forming the financial and economic performance of the latter.

ON THE ISSUE OF ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DESIGN SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE URBAN TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Modern transport problems in many cities around the world are caused by the high level of motorisation of their population and the high frequency of private car use. Despite a number of advantages of using private cars as a means of transport (high speed of communication, the ability to choose a route and travel at a convenient time, high comfort, etc.), the mismatch between the development of motorisation and the existing transport infrastructure leads to traffic congestion, which has a number of negative consequences that make the use of private cars less efficient. These consequences include increased transport delays, reduced traffic speeds and, consequently, increased travel time, and more intensive consumption of non-renewable energy sources. Equally urgent are the issues of road safety and improving the environmental situation in cities. At present, a promising way to solve urban transport problems is to apply the concept of sustainable development of urban transport systems and the methodology of transport demand management. The justification of design solutions to ensure the sustainability of urban transport systems should be based on a model approach and include a comprehensive assessment of a number of social, economic and environmental performance indicators. The adequacy of transport models and the accuracy of the assessment of the consequences of design decisions are crucial for choosing the most appropriate set of measures to ensure the sustainability of transport systems. The article proposes an efficiency criterion for evaluating design solutions to ensure the sustainability of the city's transport system, which contribute to reducing the use of private car. This criterion provides for a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of design solutions in terms of economic, social and environmental performance indicators. Based on the analysis of statistical data, it was found that the following distribution of passenger cars by type of fuel consumed is typical for Kharkiv: cars with petrol engines - 48.58%; diesel cars - 14.63%; cars with gas cylinder equipment - 33.58%; electric cars - 3.21%. The established distribution of passenger cars by type of fuel consumed is the basis for establishing average values of variable and fixed operating costs of private car owners and should be taken into account when assessing the environmental impact of the transport process. This is the direction of further research.

Reimagining Sustainable Development and Economic Performance Indicators: A Human-Centric Maslow–Bossel Blueprint

Reflecting the shift from purely quantitative economic growth to broader socio-environmental sustainability, this study proposes a framework for assessing sustainable development (SD) by integrating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs with Bossel’s classification system. As economic development increasingly emphasizes sustainability, numerous organizations and agencies, including the United Nations, have developed indicators to measure sustainable progress. However, subjective dimensions of SD, grounded in individual values and needs, remain underexplored. This study operationalizes Maslow’s “pyramid of needs” alongside Bossel’s system to establish an “SD pyramid”, distinguishing dimensions and indicators that capture social, economic, and environmental complexity. By mapping human needs onto the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this study contributes to delineating (i) the research areas uncovered (or partly covered) with relevant indicators, (ii) a significant lack or partial shortage of pertinent information, and (iii) a combination of a few basic indicators summarizing the necessary information into a unique measure of SD. The outcomes offer a foundation for a quali-quantitative assessment of SD, enhancing the monitoring tools focusing on subjective and contextual needs.

Analisis Keberhasilan Kabupaten Kepulauan Meranti Pasca Pemekaran Daerah di Bidang Ekonomi dan Pelayanan Publik

The success of Meranti Islands Regency after the expansion of Bengkalis Regency which occurred on December 19 2008, with a focus on the economic sector and public services. Even though there are several indicators of better economic performance compared to the parent region, the overall economic growth of Meranti Islands Regency is still lagging behind. On the public service side, even though it shows more positive results, there are several indicators that are still lower than Bengkalis Regency. This research uses literature studies to identify the challenges and performance of the Meranti Islands Regency, including the problem of fiscal dependence and suboptimal regional financial management. Public services in this area have not been effective due to inefficient use of funds, lack of public service energy, and service utilization that has not been maximized. Despite the accessibility of public services.

Unveiling the intermediate role of Mexico’s mid-sized metropolises

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the role of metropolises that occupy a secondary place in urban systems and distinguishes between the intermediation and other strategic roles that they can play. As an empirical approximation to secondary cities, the paper operationalises mid-sized cities according to population size and evaluates the economic performance of metropolitan areas within Mexico’s urban system. Drawing on the theories of borrowed size and agglomeration shadows, the paper discusses whether mid-sized metropolitan areas in Mexico have evolved into intermediate urban centres that can drive development and growth. Additionally, the study identifies the economic performance factors across the group of mid-sized metropolises. Different economic performance indicators are calculated and an econometric model is estimated for the period 2008–2018. We find that, with a few exceptions, mid-sized metropolitan areas in Mexico have not evolved into intermediate metropolises and face challenges that limit their strategic role in their respective urban system. This analysis contributes to the literature on secondary cities by studying and providing empirical insights into the functioning and evolution of urban systems that have traditionally been centralised around a single megacity, such as Mexico City.