Empirical Verification Research Articles

Transactional Leadership Style and the Effectiveness of Public Participation in the County Governance in Kenya

An effective system of governing is crucial for advancing both social and economic development, with a focus on promoting openness, accountability, and active involvement of the people. Public participation entails the active involvement of citizens in the process of governance, promoting openness, responsibility, and fair provision of public services. This method facilitates well-informed decision-making and improves governance by ensuring that policies align with the requirements and priorities of the community. To enhance efficacy, numerous governments have transitioned from centralization to decentralization, thereby enabling local governments to include citizens more directly in the process of decision-making. The Constitution of Kenya 2010 incorporated decentralization and public involvement as integral components to enhance governance in Kenya. Nevertheless, despite extant literature suggesting that leadership affects participation, the extent to which various leadership styles impact the effectiveness of public engagement has not been well investigated. This study examines the influence of transactional leadership style on the effectiveness of public participation in the county governance in Kenyan. The components of transactional leadership styles consisted of contingent reward, contingent punishment, Management-by-Exception-active, and Management-by-Exception-passive. The study adopted a positivist philosophy, using scientific methods to explore social phenomena, focusing on objectivity and empirical verification. The research used a quantitative survey design, with questionnaires for data collection. The analysis involved devolved county governments, targeting residents from eight counties, who had engaged in public forums. A sample of 400 respondents was obtained through both probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling methods. The results of the regression analysis indicated that there was a positive relationship between transactional leadership and the effectiveness of public participation. The implementation of active management-by-exception and contingent incentive resulted in a notable increase in public engagement, with active management-by-exception having the most prominent influence. The effects of contingent punishment and passive Management-by-Exception were positive, although they failed to achieve statistical significance. The study recommends county authorities to prioritize active management-by-exception and use reward schemes to enhance public participation. Additionally, it suggested implementation of training programs aimed at transforming executives from passive to proactive management approaches. In addition, proposals were made for policies that support leadership training and civic education to promote public participation. This study enhances the existing theory by empirically demonstrating the relationship between transactional leadership style and the effectiveness of public participation. It also offers a foundation for future research in this area. Subsequent investigations should examine additional variables that impact the efficacy of public participation in county governance, considering cultural and contextual variations.

Energy and environment: How could energy-consuming transition promote the synergy of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in China?

In order to attain the mutually reinforcing advantages of pollution reduction and carbon emissions, it is imperative to give precedence to the prevention and control of carbon pollution from its source, hence promoting a forward-thinking approach to governance. Hence, there is an urgent need for theoretical explanation and empirical verification to determine whether the energy-consuming right trading system, which serves as a conventional method for preventing and controlling pollution, has effectively achieved the desired outcome of reducing carbon emissions and promoting a mutually beneficial outcome. This study employs a panel data analysis of 266 prefecture-level cities in China spanning the years 2011 to 2020. The objective is to investigate the influence and underlying mechanism of the energy-consuming right trading system on the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emissions. At the same time, the heterogeneity analysis is carried out at three levels, including geographical location characteristics. The findings indicate that the energy-consuming right trading system has a substantial impact on enhancing the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emissions. In comparison to cities that did not implement the system, the pilot cities experience a reduction of 84.8% in CO2 and 34.5% in SO2. Eco-environment attention, clean energy substitution, energy consumption structure, and green technology innovation are the key transmission mechanisms of the energy-consuming right trading system affecting the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emissions. In addition, the effect is significantly different in different cities.

Capturing The Dynamics of Environmental Degradation and Economic Growth in Selected Developing Countries: Using Simultaneous Equation Approach

The current study aims to investigate the dynamic nexus between environmental degradation and economic growth in selected developing countries. To analyze the impact of control of corruption as a measure of governance, FDI, renewable energy and urbanization on economic growth and carbon emissions, the simultaneous equation modeling is applied. A panel of 18 selected developing countries for the time period 1995-2022 is taken for empirical verification of the relationship. This study employs descriptive analysis and for diagnostic checking the normality of residual is also tested for the possibility of any model misspecification. Correlation matrix is used to check the degree of multicollinearity among the independent variables. The nature of study indicate the use of simultaneous equation model where economic growth and carbon emission, as a measure of environmental degradation are indigenous variables. The statistical package EVIEWS is used in estimation and obtaining results. In the long run estimation model of CE, URBAN and PG are positively correlated with CE, and GDP, REEC, COC are inversely related to CE in selected developing countries. In model of GDP, CE, FDI and COC are positively correlating with GDP and REEC and PG are negatively affecting the GDP.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES FOR BUSINESS SUSTIANABILITY: THE ROLE OF SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED PROJECTS

The paper aims to investigate the correlation between knowledge management and business sustainability through sustainability-oriented projects. The role of projects in promoting sustainability is already recognized, with sustainability-oriented projects emerging as a pivotal mechanism for companies to actively contribute to sustainability goals. Theoretical arguments also suggest that the enhancement of knowledge management is crucial for the advancement of sustainable business. Still, assertions in both areas lack solid empirical verification. Simultaneously, there is a growing emphasis on exploring the connection between knowledge management and project management, as existing studies indicate that knowledge management enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of projects. However, the nexus between knowledge management, project management, and business sustainability remains largely unexplored. This study aims to address two questions: whether knowledge management has a positive effect on business sustainability, and whether it is mediated by sustainability-oriented projects. The research hypotheses are verified through a large-scale empirical study utilizing SEM.

The effect of “falsification of preferences”: the rise and fall of mass support for M.S. Gorbachev

In difficult political situations, such as the one in which Russia finds itself today, the public support of incumbent leaders is of particular importance. But how real is this support, to what extent can it really be relied upon? The answer to this question can be found, among others, by referring to the experience of leaders who have faced a rise and fall of their popularity. In recent Russian history the experience of M.S. Gorbachev is valuable. According to the traditional view, he was a politician who enjoyed the sincere support of the population in the first half of his time in power, but lost it due to unsuccessful reforms in the end. This article is devoted to an empirical verification of this thesis. First, we substantiate the competing hypothesis of Gorbachev's initial lack of wide popularity in Soviet society, then use a comparative analysis of public opinion polls, to provide evidence for this hypothesis. The study, based on empirical material of sociological research, confirms the thesis that M.S. Gorbachev was not popular among the bulk of the Soviet population even during the period when he received high ratings in public opinion polls. Their sharp fall in June 1990 is much better explained not by the gradual disappointment of the population, but by the fact that the adoption of the Declaration on the Sovereignty of the RSFSR made visible the loss of power by the “union center”. The body of evidence presented in the article allows us to assert that the high ratings of M.S. Gorbachev were the result of the insincerity of the respondents rather than the true attitude towards the head of state.

The cohesive management: the football lesson for high-tech organizations

ABSTRACT The purpose of the paper is an empirical verification of model of the cohesive management for business organizations. The cohesive management concept is a particular type of management carried out in top European football clubs. Football clubs are characterized by their far-reaching agility, operate in an extremely competitive reality (the winner takes all!), where success depends on the commitment of highly diverse talents from all over the world. Extensive literature research provided a basis for operationalizing the dimensions of cohesive management (CM) in relation to business. The hypothetical model of the CM was verified by empirical research conducted in 406 companies from Poland and the USA. Research models were tested using SEM and moderated multiple regression. The study revealed that what works in top team football is not outdated in relation to business management (CM structure was confirmed); however, it is impossible to mechanically transfer the solutions developed there (significant changes in CM dimension structures were noted). The study demonstrates the importance of CM for organizational performance, whereby the impact is significantly higher in high-tech organizations.

Investigational studies of asphalt concrete elastic moduli for pavement design

In recent years in the Russian Federation there has been a significant expansion of road materials variety used on highways. However, there is a lack of harmonization of new asphalt concrete of Western European format, with regulatory documents for the non-rigid pavement design, in terms of their design characteristics assignment. In this regard, there is a need to determine and justify the numerical values of the new asphalt concrete mechanical performance used for the non-rigid pavement design when tested for strength. In previous publications authors have presented a new graph-analytical approach to justify the elasticity design moduli of asphalt concrete from GOST R 58406.2-2020. This paper is a continuation of that development and includes the empirical verification results of the analytical method accuracy. Tests were carried out to determine the static laboratory elasticity modulus of asphalt concrete under uniaxial bending loading of bar specimens of some asphalt concrete types from GOST R 58406.2 and best corresponding ones from GOST 9128. To the values obtained, during the experiment, the calculation method developed by the authors earlier was applied. The article presents a study aimed at experimental confirmation of analytically justified calculated values of asphalt concrete elastic moduli according to GOST R 58406.2-2021 for the pavement design.

Kinetic energy correction coefficient for rectangular drainage channels

In urban water supply and drainage systems, rainwater channels or pipes are rectangular in design to help control the flow rate and adapt well to limited space. When the Bernoulli equation in fluid mechanics is used to solve the head loss of rectangular pipelines, the velocity parameter used in the kinetic energy term is usually the instantaneous or average velocity of the section at a certain point. Given that this velocity parameter is in exponential form, the smaller the error is, the greater the impact on the result will be. Thus, the kinetic energy term must be corrected. This study focuses on establishing a cross section velocity distribution model in a rectangular pipe and deriving the kinetic energy correction coefficient through the velocity distribution. Based on the Navier–Stokes equation, the partial differential equation describing the velocity distribution is further refined and simplified. Combined with the boundary conditions of the pipeline, the method of separating variables and Fourier transform are used to solve the equation. An example shows how to establish the velocity distribution model and find the analytical solution. Finally, the analytical formula of the kinetic energy correction factor of different cross section parameters and fluid properties is derived. To verify the accuracy of the analytical formula, the Fluent numerical simulation software is used for empirical verification, and then the Deming regression method is used to analyze the error between the theoretical and experimental values. The regression results of the kinetic energy correction coefficient prediction model established in this study are consistent with the actual values, and the confidence interval reaches 95%. This work provides strong guidance for the prediction of the kinetic energy correction coefficient in fluid mechanics and has an important theoretical and practical value.

The Impact of Tie Strength on the Sustainable Participation of Farmers in Contract Farming: An Empirical Study in Inner Mongolia, China

Contract farming can reduce transaction costs and improve agricultural productivity. With the establishment of stable and effective contractual relationships, not only have agricultural products been provided with a stable market, but the standardization, refinement, and branding transformation of agricultural products can also be realized, thus further promoting the progress of agricultural modernization. The willingness of farmers to renew their contracts is a key factor in maintaining long-term, stable cooperative relationships. This research involves the empirical verification of the impact model of tie strength between enterprises and farmers in contractual agriculture on the willingness of farmers to renew their contracts and reveals the working mechanism of tie strength on sustainable participation of farmers in contract farming. We utilized survey data from 276 agricultural households in Inner Mongolia, China, and the method of structural equation modeling (SEM), with the following results: (1) Interaction and reciprocity have a significantly positive influence on trust; (2) trust has a significantly positive impact on farmers’ willingness to renew their contracts. Also, reciprocity and interaction have an indirect impact on contract renewal willingness through trust; and (3) the perceived economic value can significantly increase the contract renewal willingness of farmers and plays a mediating role between trust and contract renewal willingness. Overall, on the basis of tie strength, this research provides a new perspective for the investigation of the sustainable stability of contract farming and presents empirical evidence for the sustainable development of the contract farming supply chain.

Empirical Verification of Satellite Data on Solar Radiation and Cloud Cover over the Baltic Sea

Abstract Empirical verification of the reliability of estimating the amount of solar radiation entering the sea surface is a challenging topic due to the quantity and quality of data. The collected measurements of total and diffuse radiation from the Multifilter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MRF-7) commercial device over the Baltic Sea were compared with the satellite results of using modeling data. The obtained results, also divided into individual spectral bands, were analyzed for usefulness in satellite cloud and aerosol detection. The article presents a new approach to assessing radiation and cloud cover based on the use of models supported by satellite data. Measurement uncertainties were estimated for the obtained results. To reduce uncertainty, the results were averaged to the time constant of the device, day, and month. The effectiveness of the method was determined by comparison against the SM Hel measurement point. The empirical results obtained confirm the effectiveness of using satellite methods for estimating radiation along with cloud-cover detection over the sea with the adopted uncertainty values. Significance Statement The difference in the amount of solar energy reaching the sea surface between cloudless and cloudy areas reaches tens of percent. Empirical results confirm the effectiveness of using satellite methods to estimate solar radiation along with cloud-cover detection. Over the sea in comparison to land, the amount of empirical data is limited. This research uses new empirical results of radiation to determine the accuracy of satellite estimation results. Experimental results show that the proposed method is effective and adequately parameterizes the detection of satellite image features.

The Relevance of Double Effect Doctrine in The Perspective of Criminal Law Causality Doctrine: A Rebuttal to The Concept Of Conditio Sine Qua Non

This research explores and analyzes how the doctrine of causality, particularly the concept of <em>Conditio Sine Qua Non</em>, and the doctrine of double effect interact and influence the determination of responsibility in criminal law. Using the normative-dogmatic research method, this study systematically analyzes applicable legal rules without empirical data, emphasizing the qualitative application of legal and philosophical principles. The research uses a literature review as the primary data collection tool, examining legal philosophy books, academic journals, and professional publications to draw relevant conclusions. The results indicate that <em>Conditio Sine Qua Non</em>, which focuses on objective causation, needs to be revised for cases involving complex ethical considerations. In contrast, the double effect doctrine introduces an ethical dimension to causality judgments, justifying actions that produce unintended but unavoidable adverse consequences as a side effect of a good goal. The findings suggest that an integrative approach combining both doctrines may lead to a more balanced and comprehensive understanding of criminal liability. This research aims to enrich the academic discourse on causality in criminal law by introducing ethical considerations as part of causal analysis. It offers a new perspective in dealing with criminal cases involving complicated morality and consequences, challenging the existing limitations of causal interpretation. Nevertheless, this study has limitations in terms of its scope of practical application and the need for empirical verification, signaling the need for further research that can evaluate and validate these findings in actual legal practice.

The Nutritional Implications of High Wheat Prices on Agriculture Households in Pakistan

This study analyzes the potential repercussions of high wheat prices on agriculture household economic and nutritional well-being in Pakistan. This task was accomplished by formulating a theoretical model to capture the economic behavior of agricultural households that produce marketable surpluses of wheat. For empirical verification, eight modules of nationally representative Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) were combined with approximate price levels to create a pooled cross-sectional sample of annual price-indices for household expenditure from 2000-01 to 2018-19. The study uses the Linear Approximate of Almost Ideal Demand System (LA-AIDS) model to derive demand elasticities and conduct a comparative static analysis. Finally, the model is extended to assess household nutritional well-being by linking price effects to calorie intake. The empirical findings demonstrated that high wheat prices resulted in high farm revenues for agricultural households. Although wheat consumption has declined, these households have used excess profits to diversify the food basket, which in turn led to an improvement in calorie intake. An indirect spillover effect from changes in wheat prices has also been observed, leading to an increase in demand for domestically produced commodities. Since the overall impact of wheat price increase on agricultural and non-agricultural households is mixed, it is proposed to pursue a careful food security policy to ensure the economic and nutritional well-being of the entire society. This study adopts a two-pronged approach of social to integrating social safety nets that does not hinder agricultural growth to achieve a mutually rewarding outcome.

Can a Theory of Human Flourishing be Formulated? Toward a Science of Flourishing

Interest in the topic of human flourishing has burgeoned. This article discusses what is required for a general account of flourishing. It builds on three previous critiques of flourishing conceptualization that clarified the lack of systematic theorizing, the overemphasis on psychometric investigations, and the acultural manner of conceptualization. Addressing these difficulties is necessary to move toward a more cohesive, cumulative science of flourishing. The first theme of the article is a vital first step toward providing a systematic theory of flourishing. The article appropriates Aristotle’s conception of eudaimonia (flourishing or good living) to contemporary concerns. The proposed Eudaimonic Theory defines flourishing, specifies its content in terms of human goods, discusses flourishing as a way of life (i.e., not a one-time achievement or subjective experience), and discusses virtue traits in a flourishing life. A second theme reaffirms the Aristotelian commitment to empirical (broadly conceived) verification. Psychometric evaluations of flourishing measures are useful, but insufficient evidence for a flourishing science. Therefore, hypotheses are provided for heuristic research guidance. The third theme is that flourishing must be made sufficiently capacious to accommodate the substantial cultural variation in flourishing conceptions. The article concludes with a promising proposal for formulating a general account of flourishing.

Strong user rights in fisheries: An editorial note

This is an editorial note for the special issue: Strong User Rights in Fisheries (SURFs). SURFs are rights that constitute a subset of the wider category of rights in fisheries. Being held by the existing operators in the fishery, SURFs may be more acceptable than other fisheries rights. The special issue contains eight (8) papers addressing various issues concerning SURFs such as the theoretical and analytical properties of SURFs, empirical verification of SURF theory, case studies of the impacts of SURFs and challenges to achieve agreements in international fisheries required for the establishment of SURFs.

Ресурсно-прогностическая детерминация личностно-профессионального развития педагога: научное обоснование и технологические решения

Background. The current situation of society development is characterized by the emergence of new external stimuli as the challenges generating contradictions and barriers in the education system on the one hand, and on the other hand-expanding horizons, prospects, resources and meta-resources for the development of personality of subjects of education and especially the teachers as the future of children and youth largely depends on them. Objectives. Theoretical substantiation, empirical verification and technological actualization of psychological resources for determining the personal and professional development of a teacher. Study Participants. University students (n = 663), university professors (n = 100), high school students (n = 118), school teachers (n = 34). Methods. The study consisted of four stages. A special methodological program has been developed for each stage. Results. The study revealed the specifics of the content structure of psychological resources relevant for the personal and professional development of teachers: reflexive projecting, constructive coping, emotional and value engagement. It is demonstrated that the complex of interrelated and interdependent resource-prognostic constructs — meta-resources acts as the main factor (predictor) determining the high level of personal and professional development of a teacher. The data analysis allowed to create a structural model of resource determination of personal and professional development of the subjects of education at the target, content (personal, interpersonal), technological, organizational, and strategic levels of psychological training for teachers. Conclusions. The concept of resource-prognostic determination of the teachers’ development, based on the idea of the maximum possible reliance on self-development and self-organization, assumes the most effective implementation of the totality of a teacher’s resources (meta-resources) in an individually unique situation. The technology of actualization of psychological resources for determining the personal and professional development of teachers (future teachers) has proven its effectiveness in experiments, which allows to recommend this technology for implementation in the educational process of schools, colleges, universities.

Empowering Agricultural Modernization in Xinjiang with Digital Economy: Theoretical and Empirical Verification

Empowering Agricultural Modernization in Xinjiang with Digital Economy: Theoretical and Empirical Verification

«PEDAGOGIC LITERACY» – TEST FOR ASSESSMENT OF ELEMENTARY KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD OF GENERAL PEDAGOGY

The proposed methodology is designed to assess knowledge in the field of general pedagogy, the history of pedagogy and education. It can be used both in working with students of the directions: «pedagogical» and «psychological and pedagogical education», and with current teachers. The peculiarity of pedagogy as a branch of scientific knowledge is the frequent ambiguity in the interpretation of a number of basic concepts. The methodology of testing pedagogi- cal literacy has been developed taking into account the identification of the minimum knowledge gained during the development of general pedagogical disciplines of the professional (psychological and pedagogical) module at the university. The presented test tasks are formulated in such a way that they practically exclude debatable questions. Authors thank the professors and associate professors of the Department of Pedagogy for their highly qualified, constructive assistance in developing the methodology and its empirical verification.

The effectiveness of Bodo Schaefer’s methods in career guidance for high school students

Our study intends to investigate novel approaches and strategies for assisting high school students in choosing their career routes. Our methodology blends theoretical foundations with empirical verification, integrating unconventional methods that, although controversial in scholarly circles, present fresh insights. In light of the significant changes in public discourse that have occurred in the 21st century, it is critical that the country’s youth get good career guidance. The process of determining one’s life and career path begins well in advance of enrolling in a university or college, frequently in the early years of education. Therefore, it becomes necessary for comprehensive schools to create settings that support sound vocational orientation and self-discovery. Considering the current trends, it is imperative that our educational institutions improve the caliber of job counseling. We have incorporated components of the approaches advocated by a well-known German consultant, coach, and speaker who is well-known throughout the world and whose works have had a lasting impact on the area.

Specific regional features of modern euroscepticism: A comparative analysis

This study investigated the topical issue of regional variation of Euroscepticism in the modern EU. The growing opposition to European integration in different parts of the continent threatens the unity and legitimacy of the European project, which necessitates a thorough study of the specifics of this phenomenon in a comparative perspective. The pur- pose of this study was to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the specific regional features of modern Euroscepticism based on theoretical understanding and empirical verification of its determinants and manifestations in different con- texts. The study employed methods of comparison, structural, and functional analysis, cluster analysis, discourse analysis, and case studies to identify common patterns and differences in the nature and dynamics of Euroscepticism in different countries and regions. The findings of the study suggest that Euroscepticism is a multidimensional and context-specific phenomenon, the intensity and nature of which is determined by a complex of historical, socio-economic, political, and cultural factors. The comparative analysis has found three main regional models of Euroscepticism – Central European, Southern European, and Northwestern – each with a distinctive profile and determinants. Despite the differences, a com- mon pattern is the link between the dynamics of Euroscepticism and the asymmetric effects of integration at the local level – the growth of Euroscepticism is most pronounced in peripheral regions and communities that have been margin- alised by economic development and feel threatened by their own identity. At the same time, the penetration of moderate Euroscepticism into the political mainstream poses risks of normalising populist criticism of the EU

An empirical verification of the proposed distributor marketing intelligence system model

An empirical verification of the proposed distributor marketing intelligence system model