Economic System Research Articles

Social Determinants of Health Inequities for Older LGBT Adults: A Scoping Review.

Despite the research on a health-disparate population, less is known about the social determinants of health (SDOH) inequities among older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults. This scoping review aimed to explore and summarize what is known in the literature regarding the SDOH among older LGBT adults. The Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) approach guided this scoping review, which examined 31 articles that included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies. Data were analyzed by three independent reviewers through a predesigned process of data charting, descriptive summary, and thematic analysis. Older participants were primarily LGBT and LGB. The findings identified four intersecting dimensions of individuals, social, economic, and health care system, contributing to health inequities and poor health outcomes. Given the importance of SDOH for older LGBT adults, stakeholders including health care providers need to better understand the multiple intersecting influences, provide culturally congruent health care, and integrate sources of support into the care of these sexual- and gender-minority older adults.

IMPROVING THE FINANCING OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS OF BUSINESS ENTITIES

The article substantiates the need for an economic analysis of the investment activity of enterprises, explains scientific approaches to the concept of investment, reveals the relationship between the investment activity of an enterprise and the structures of the external environment. The indicators of industrial production are analyzed, the features of the effective allocation of capital at the enterprise as a complex structural structure of the economic system are revealed. KEY WORDS: investment, economic analysis, enterprise, industry, economic system, economic growth, type of activity.

An attempt to open up a new path of rural development? rural transformational development under the characteristic town strategy in China

ABSTRACT The global decline in rural areas has made rural transformational development a subject of significant interest. The Characteristic Town (CT) strategy, a prominent aspect of China’s recent urbanization efforts, focuses on innovative development methods to promote coordinated urban-rural growth and enhance capacity and quality. However, the mechanisms through which this strategy facilitates potential rural transformational development have not yet been investigated. This study addresses this gap by employing a case study approach, using desk research, participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires. The findings indicate that environmental transformation, achieved through targeted planning, design, and construction, is a prerequisite for the CT strategy to stimulate rural transformational development. Subsequently, economic transformation is a crucial step, which includes establishing a sustainable and systematic economic industrial system, local marketing and promotion, and facilitating private sector participation. The strategy also generates social effects, such as a modest improvement in living standards, a lack of public participation, changes in residents’ self-identity, and potential social estrangement between residents and newcomers. The rural transformational development driven by the CT strategy represents a process of creative destruction that progresses quickly, necessitating the consideration of various countermeasures.

Revealing the contribution of corporate sustainability practices to financial performance: Case of BIST Sustainability 25 Index companies

The purpose of the paper is to study the impact of corporate sustainability practices on the financial performance of companies included in the BIST Sustainability 25 Index. To assess the efficiency and quality of corporate sustainability, general (ESG Disclosure Index) and partial (Environmental Disclosure Index, Social Disclosure Index, and Corporate Governance Disclosure Index) indices were used, calculated based on content analysis of sustainability reports. Based on the two given types of indices and four types of financial performance indicators (return on assets, return on equity, assets turnover ratio, and Tobin’s Q), two types of regression models (GEN models and PART models) were built, and eight analytical models were examined. Company size and leverage were included as control variables in each model. The regression analysis results were contradictory, partially confirming the conclusions of some scientists and refuting the findings of others. A study of GEN models revealed that companies implementing more effective general corporate sustainability practices have a significant positive impact only on return on equity; as for other measures (return on assets, assets turnover ratio, and Tobin’s Q), an insignificant relationship between them and ESG Disclosure Index was found. Results of the PART models analysis revealed a significant positive effect of the Social Disclosure Index on return on equity and assets turnover ratio and a negative relationship between the Corporate Governance Disclosure Index and assets turnover ratio. Using control variables for the two types of models showed a significant negative effect of company size on Tobin’s Q. AcknowledgmentThis study was supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Ukraine within the project “Development of a mechanism for the sustainable development of economic systems in the conditions of military operations and post-war recovery of the economy” (Registration number of the project: 0124U000463).

Global Inequality: Will The Inequality Among the Brics Nations Hinder Manoeuvring the Global Economy

Global Inequality: Will The Inequality Among the Brics Nations Hinder Manoeuvring the Global Economy

Planetary Boundaries Nurturing the Grand Narrative of the Right to a Healthy Environment?

The profound changes in Earth systems dynamics are affecting the health of the entire planet and the realization of a broad range of human rights. In this paper, we propose that the grand narrative of human rights including the legal right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment recognized by the United Nations in 2022 requires the acknowledgment of the interconnected challenges posed by planetary crises. We discuss how planetary boundaries (PB) research can provide evidence-based arguments and clarify State duties concerning their international human rights law commitments. The economic, social and cultural rights are deeply connected with the right to a healthy environment. Human rights to water, food, or health, for example, can all be understood in the context of Earth systems change. Civil and political rights go beyond individuals to include also collective action and participation to tackle planetary social-ecological challenges. Gaps remain in human rights law concerning some of the PBs, which risks overlooking the interconnected drivers of ecosystem degradation. Clearer legal standing and justification for legal demands, for example concerning the impacts of water use, land use and deforestation, are needed to tackle PB overshoot. States must act at various spaces including the global economic systems and the global supply chains of goods and services for humanity to reach planetary safe and just spaces. Weaving international human rights law and advances at various geographical scales on the right to a healthy environment with PB provides a powerful tool for defending the prerequisites of good life for everyone, everywhere.

Financial Innovation and Market Transformation in the Age of Digital Finance

This manuscript scrutinizes the profound transformation digital financial innovations have induced within traditional financial landscapes, positing a trajectory for forthcoming advancements. It delineates the transition from conventional to digital finance, emphasizing the instrumental role played by blockchain, cryptocurrencies, fintech breakthroughs, and artificial intelligence in the reconfiguration of financial services. The discourse elaborates on the enhancements in efficiency, inclusivity, and interconnectedness fostered by digital finance, concurrently navigating through the intricacies and challenges it precipitates. By investigating the socio-economic repercussions, regulatory obstacles, cybersecurity threats, and concerns regarding market stability, the study furnishes insights into the reformation of market operations, regulatory architectures, and the prospective direction of the finance sector. Moreover, it probes into the advent of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), the sustainability of fintech, decentralized finance (DeFi), and the extensive ramifications of these technologies on financial markets, economic systems, and social frameworks.

Globalisation of Professional Sport Finance

The objective of the present paper is to put a milestone on the roadmap toward a global economic system of professional sport, at least as regards its financial dimension, i.e., its model of finance, its ownership, and some new trends in global sport finance. Professional sport went through a radical change during the 1990s when switching from gate receipts to TV rights revenues as its major source of finance and from local/domestic to internationalised/globalised sources of revenue. This change was more marked in European soccer (football) before spreading throughout other professional sport disciplines. In fact, the whole distribution of sport financing was restructured as shown in this paper. Starting from this evidence of the first stage of sport finance globalisation, it appears that new transformations have been at work in sport finance more recently. In particular, soccer moved from globalisation of flows (revenues, finance) to asset globalisation in terms of club ownership. At last, this paper discusses the emergence of new trends in global sport finance such as treating professional (soccer) players as financial assets and crypto-assets penetrating the sports business.

Constitutional and legal mechanisms of regulation of economic social relations in the Second Polish Republic

The constitutional and legal mechanisms of regulation of economic social relations in the Polish state in the 20-30s of the twentieth century are investigated. It is determined that the fundamental constitutional and legal institutions of the economic system are property, labor, and the financial system. Constitutional regulation of the sphere of economic organization of social life of different states is not the same in form and volume. Based on the analyzed broad legislative framework, it is stated that in the first half of the 20s of the twentieth century. political, economic and legislative formation of the Polish state took place. Reforming the financial system, agriculture, trade contributed to the formation of the Polish economic system. It is noted that the intervention of state bodies in economic affairs was minimal, which contributed to the development of various industries of the country and the economy as a whole. In the period from the May 1926 coup to the beginning of the world economic crisis, Polish legislation began to change from free democratic to authoritarian. The situation was characterized by contradictory trends: on the one hand, democratic institutions and the Constitution of 1921 remained, on the other hand, the executive branch demonstrated the desire to govern the state, despite the parliament and political parties. The new legislation introduced by the Pilsudchiks in the first half of the 30s, on the one hand, was aimed at overcoming the crisis in the economy, and on the other hand, it was marked by increased interference of power in all spheres of society. It is stated that in the interwar period, the Second Polish Republic quickly created and developed its own economy. This was achieved thanks to the well- established system of economic social relations of the Polish state - the system of relations of property, production, exchange, distribution and consumption of material and spiritual goods. The leading role in this was played by the liberal, democratic constitutional and legal field, which became an effective mechanism for regulating the economic activity of the state. shows effective ways, forms and methods. It is recommended to use the experience of developing the legislation of the Polish state to improve modern Ukrainian economic law.

Economic and Accessible Portable Homemade Magnetic Hyperthermia System: Influence of the Shape, Characteristics and Type of Nanoparticles in Its Effectiveness

Currently, one of the main causes of death in the world is cancer; therefore, it is urgent to obtain a precocious diagnosis, as well as boost research and development of new potential treatments, which should be more efficient and much less invasive for the patient. Magnetic hyperthermia (MH) is an emerging cancer therapy using nanoparticles, which has proved to be effective when combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or surgery, or even by itself, depending on the type and location of the tumor’s cells. This article presents the results obtained by using a previously developed economic homemade hyperthermia device with different types of magnetite nanoparticles, with sizes ranging between 12 ± 5 and 36 ± 11 nm and presenting different shapes (spherical and cubic particles). These magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized by three different methods (co-precipitation, solvothermal and hydrothermal processes), with their final form being naked, or possessing different kinds of covering layers (polyethylene glycol (PEG) or citric acid (CA)). The parameters used to characterize the heating by magnetic hyperthermia, namely the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) and the intrinsic loss power (ILP), have been obtained by two different methods. Among other results, these experiments allowed for the determination of which synthesized MNPs showed the best performance concerning hyperthermia. From the results, it may be concluded that, as expected, the shape of MNPs is an important factor, as well as the time that the MNPs can remain suspended in solution (which is directly related to the concentration and covering layer of the MNPs). The MNPs that gave the best results in terms of the SAR were the cubic particles covered with PEG, while in terms of total heating the spherical particles covered with citric acid proved to be better.

The objective side of the crime of unfair competition: theoretical and practical aspects

The objective side of the crime of unfair competition: theoretical and practical aspects

“In Bitcoin We Trust": An Anthropological Approach to Bitcoin as Algorithmic Utopia

The aim of this paper is to contextualize briefly the emergence and development of Bitcoin as well as to offer an anthropological analysis of one such "algorithmic utopia" known as Bitcoin. Bitcoin was officially "born" in 2009. Its foundation was laid by the so-called white paper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" (2008), authored by Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym for an individual or a group of individuals. In essence, the intention of its creator (or creators) was to solve the technical problem of so-called double-spending of money, aiming to avoid reliance on a third party or institution (such as a bank) and the consequent loss of privacy for its users, with the help of an algorithm called blockchain. Although Bitcoin can be viewed in continuity with movements such as crypto-anarchism and cypherpunk, whose roots trace back to the 1980s of the twentieth century, and although it is not the first cryptocurrency nor the first alternative to fiat money, Bitcoin is indeed the first cryptocurrency to have attracted broader attention in both public and academic discourse. This paper will shed light on the context in which Bitcoin was born and popularized, and will endeavor to defend the assumption that the popular imagination behind the Bitcoin currency is technoutopian. Finally, this paper will seek to demonstrate that the algorithm at the very core of Bitcoin is perceived not only as the fulfillment of an Enlightenment dream of a method itself as a non-cultural and supra-historical guarantor of objectivity (as the one) removed from politics, economy and ideology but also as a democratization method applicable to them all. Apart from the mentioned above, the paper concludes that Bitcoin is seen as the fulfillment of a modernist dream of efficient, formal, predictable, depersonalized bureaucracies in the context of the diminished legitimacy of centralized, hierarchically structured, sluggish, fallible, and abuse-prone economic and state institutions. The focus of trust shifts to technology: to an algorithm seen as self-regulating, efficient, free from ideology, subjective interests, and potential abuse, almost divinely infallible, decentralized, and democratic system that provides a group of individuals not only with the necessary tools to achieve their freedom and privacy, deprived from control and regulations, but also as a tool for reforming the political and economic system.

Economic resilience and the dynamics of capital stock

Abstract The role of capital in measuring resilience is investigated. Focusing on the current short-run and potential long-run growth paths of the economic system, we propose new indexes to separately measure adaptability and resistance to shocks, which are the essence of a system’s resilience. Capital dynamics during the transition and along the balanced growth path are used here instead of employment to represent the evolution of the size and composition of the economy. Our indexes measure adaptability and resistance by comparing the two capital growth rates. They are built by mimicking the average and variance of the difference in growth rates. In this new setting, investment and depreciation flows play an important role in explaining what the partial index of adaptability reveals. The available data on the USA and Spanish capital allow us to empirically compute the indexes and draw conclusions about their ability to resist shocks and absorb their effects. We conclude that the US economy is more adaptable and has a greater capacity to absorb impacts than the Spanish economy, but it is less resistant to disturbances.

Arguments for a Community-Based Approach to Geothermal Energy Development

This paper investigates the theoretical foundation for developing renewable geothermal resources locally. For this reason, we pay attention to the role of communities in geothermal development. We derive it from the integral characteristics of geothermal energy next to the shift in the energy transition policies to focus on managing green resources locally. This study presents arguments for a framework that approaches geothermal resources as an endogenous factor of community development. To analyse it, we create a model that explains the local economic characteristics of geothermal exploitation beyond its geological conditions. It aims to conceptualise a community-based geothermal development standard referring to the endogeneity principle. Geothermal energy is given attention since the characteristics of this resource determine its use locally. This induces the internalisation of labour and technology in the local economic system, a specific condition for local geothermal projects where a community remains a prime beneficiary. We argue that the role of communities in geothermal exploitation is pivotal in the process of green growth for further expansion of geothermal energy use.

Grid-optimal energy community planning from a systems perspective

Energy communities (ECs) are a potential enabler for the socio-technical transition to carbon-neutrality. Their emergence depends on setting the right course across various dimensions: the legislative system, social psychology, the economic system, the technological system, and the natural ecosystem. A goal of this research is to identify success factors for energy community projects and their mutual influence in different stages of project development along these dimensions. We demonstrate that the project’s success in the motivation phase depends much more on the mutual influence of the economic system on social psychology compared to the project development or implementation and operation phase. This comprehensive analysis enables planners and policymakers to understand requirements and their role in the promotion of ECs. Another research goal is to understand the impact of different EC planning scenarios on both the EC profitability and the network. In a real network case study, we show that EC planning which considers network constraints can achieve high PV penetration while avoiding critical grid-stability issues. At the same time, the community yields almost the same benefits as in the EC cost-optimal planning scenario. The scenarios partially reflect the before-mentioned dimensions used to analyse and discuss EC planning from a holistic perspective, which reveals potential enablers and barriers for grid-friendly ECs.

Democratising complex system modelling

In the contemporary context of an acute need for sustainability and swift response to imminent crises such as global warming, pandemics and economic system disruptions, the focus on responsible decision making, ethical risk assessment and mitigation at all organizational levels is an overarching goal. Our aim is to introduce a deterministic method for investigating the stability of complex systems, in order to find the most important elements of such systems and their impact on different scenarios. The novelty of the current approach lies in its compact format and intuitive nature, designed to accommodate a limited amount of computational resources. The proposed modelling method involves the mapping of complex systems from a diversity of disciplines (economic markets, resource management domain and the community impact of suburbanisation) onto a sequence of chemical reactions and involving a subsequent mathematical analysis. Mapping the results back onto the use cases shows that one can retrieve a considerable amount of detail, making the modelling strategy general enough to be adaptable and scalable while also detailed enough to provide valuable insights for practical scenarios.

Social Cohesion of Kampong Lorong Buangkok: Community Amidst Singaporean Industrialization

This paper aims to conduct a comprehensive examination of the Malay community living in Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the last village in Singapore's Hougang area. This community is intriguing due to its preservation of customs, traditions, and a simplified economic system amidst Singapore's rapid industrial development. The study utilizes in-depth interviews with current residents of Kampong Lorong Buangkok and reveals their steadfast commitment to upholding Malay traditions as a social foundation. Residents persist in maintaining a traditional economy designed to promote unity and support productive community life. This economic system functions to enhance social unity, assisting the residents in coping with Singapore's high cost of living. The robust social cohesion within the community has enabled Kampong Lorong Buangkok to persist despite political tensions and the encroaching pressures of rapid Singaporean industrialization that jeopardize the village's survival.

"For a man to go to hospital, then that would be his last option": A qualitative study exploring men's experiences, perceptions and healthcare needs in the implementation of Universal Health Coverage in Kenya.

The achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) requires equitable access and utilization of healthcare services across all population groups, including men. However, men often face unique barriers that impede their engagement with health systems which are influenced by a myriad of socio-cultural, economic, and systemic factors. Therefore, understanding men's perspectives and experiences is crucial to identifying barriers and facilitators to their healthcare-seeking behaviour under UHC initiatives. This qualitative study sought to explore men's perceptions, experiences, healthcare needs and potential strategies to inform an impartial implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya. The study employed a qualitative research design to investigate men's healthcare experiences in 12 counties across Kenya. Thirty focus group discussions involving 296 male participants were conducted. Men were purposively selected and mobilized through the support of health facility-in-charges, public health officers, and community health extension workers. Data was coded according to emergent views and further categorized thematically into three main domains (1) Perspectives and experiences of healthcare access (2) Socio-cultural beliefs and societal expectations (3) Desires and expectations of health systems. Findings revealed complex sociocultural, economic, and health system factors that influenced men's healthcare experiences and needs which included: masculinity norms and gender roles, financial constraints and perceived unaffordability of services, lack of male-friendly and gender-responsive healthcare services, confidentiality concerns, and limited health literacy and awareness about available UHC services. Our study has revealed a disconnect between men's needs and the current healthcare system. The expectations concerning masculinity further exacerbate the problem and exclude men further hindering men's ability to receive appropriate care. This data provides important considerations for the development of comprehensive and gender-transformative approaches challenging harmful masculine norms, pushing for financial risk protection mechanisms and gender-responsive healthcare delivery attuned to the unique needs and preferences of men.

Study on the Coordinated Development Model of Ecological Economy and Environmental Protection

This paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation index system of the ecological environment and the economy, and the coupling degrees and coordination degrees from 2015 to 2019 are calculated. The results show that (1) There is a relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution. Discharging industrial pollutants is an important factor affecting the coordinated development of the ecological environment and economic coupling. (2) The comprehensive evaluation index of the ecological environment and economic development systems is increasing yearly, and the quality of the ecological environment and the level of economic development are constantly improving. (3) The value of the coupling degree and coupling coordination degree between ecological environment and economic development is increasing yearly, and the development trend is good. The coupling degree gradually shifts from low-level coupling to high-level coupling stage.

Industrial structure optimization and green growth in China based on a population heterogeneity perspective

AbstractPopulation and industrial structure, as foundational characteristics of economic and social systems, exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity and dynamic evolutionary trends in their impact on sustainable economic and social development. However, existing research often employs subjective spatial categorization of samples and overlooks the dynamic transitions of influencing patterns, potentially leading to biases in empirical results. To address this, the current study, based on the calculation of green total factor productivity (GTFP) for 30 provinces in China from 2000 to 2018, incorporates a finite mixture model. This model examines the objective heterogeneity and dynamic transition patterns of industrial structure's impact on GTFP, both from the perspectives of industrial structure advancement (ISA) and rationalization (ISR), and reveals the mechanisms of heterogeneity and dynamic changes from a population standpoint. The findings indicate that there are three patterns in the impact of industrial structure on GTFP, with nearly half of the provinces undergoing pattern transitions during the observation period. The key factors for these transitions are identified as the improvement in human capital levels and urbanization rates. In provinces like Beijing, Guangdong, and Shanghai, ISA and ISR significantly promote GTFP, with their effects further enhanced by increased urbanization and human capital levels. Conversely, in regions such as Shanxi and Hebei, ISA does not favor GTFP improvement, and while ISR can enhance GTFP, this positive effect diminishes with increasing urbanization and labor force numbers. This research not only enriches the literature on the positive interaction patterns between industrial and population structures but also provides a comprehensive analytical framework for governments to adopt differentiated policy measures for sustainable economic development.