End Consumers Research Articles

Quality Enhancement with Frame-wise DLCNN using High Efficiency Video Coding in 5G Networks

In the present situation, applications related to multimedia are discovered to be comfortable with the use of video. The number of end consumers who use video continues to rise every day. People are presently searching for videos with better quality among the ones that are currently available there. This results in the launch and dissemination of HD (high definition) videos. Ultra high-definition (UHD) videos are becoming more and more popular as a result of this advancement and need. However, as video communication keeps expanding, there is an upsurge in network traffic because of the limited bandwidth, especially among smart cities. Different advancement codecs have been suggested to deal with the data stream to overcome this hazardous circumstance. However, the fact that modern UHD videos have huge amounts of data makes the available codecs even more complicated. UHD videos can be processed with the latest improvement codec, H.265/High-efficiency video coding (HEVC). Nevertheless, it is impacted by increased power consumption and intricate calculations. Limitations in the codec's functionality confine its use to specific applications, preventing its application in wireless, mobile, or portable settings. Hence, this research concentrates on implementing frame-level quality enhancement through a deep learning network known as FQE-Net. The deep learning convolutional neural network (DLCNN) is specifically crafted to manage films with resolutions up to 16K. Its primary objectives include reducing complexity, minimizing artifacts, enhancing the efficiency of the HEVC codec, and compacting energy consumption. To achieve superior efficiency, it is imperative to replace the DWT transforms within the HEVC codec with a DLCNN model. Additionally, incorporating the Content Block Search Algorithm for Motion Estimation and Compensation, alongside filtering techniques like Sample Adaptive Filter and Deblocking Filter, becomes essential. The simulation results showed that the suggested FQE-Net performed better than the conventional techniques.

Blockchain technology: A potential tool for the management of pharma supply chain

BackgroundThe pharma supply chain comprises various parties including distributors, manufacturers, raw material suppliers, regulators, pharmacies, hospitals, and patients. Due to the product's complexity and transaction flows, an efficient traceability system is needed in the pharma supply chain to identify the current and all previous product owners. Digitizing the track and trace process significantly improves regulatory oversight and guarantees product quality. A distributed platform for shared data that is immutable, trustworthy, accountable, and transparent in the pharmaceutical supply chain could be built using blockchain-based drug traceability. ObjectiveThis review aims to shed light on blockchain technology's significance and necessity for pharmaceutical supply chain management systems. MethodA comprehensive literature review was performed between January 2017 and September 2023. The search was conducted to elaborate on blockchain technology. Blockchain is a software-based technology that logs and records transactions using a block structure arranged chronologically. Cryptography technology links and secures these blocks on a peer-to-peer network. Blockchain is anticipated to transform the pharmaceutical supply chain by giving all participants access to a single, straightforward system that provides transparency, security, and oversight of the end-to-end delivery of goods. ResultIn all, various literature data were included in this review. Using a supply chain powered by blockchain has many benefits. To begin with, it gives a thorough account of the entire procedure from start to finish. A single piece of software can manage the entire supply chain. Additionally, it increases communication between parties with permission. The enhanced security and traceability that blockchain offers is another important benefit. A blockchain system can track, trace, and recall products. ConclusionBlockchain-based pharmaceutical supply chain management enables the tracking of medicinal drug transactions from raw materials suppliers to end consumers. The pharma blockchain has the potential to enhance the security, integrity, data provenance, and functionality of the supply chain due to its transparency, immutability, and auditability.

How Fintechs are Aiding the Strategic Renewal of Banking and Financial Services When Climate and Corporate Governance are Centre Stage?

Banks and financial institutions have been experiencing slow growth after the financial crisis due to loss of trust, regulations, changing customers and digital disruption unleashed by fintechs. While the emergence of fintech is a global phenomenon, we are starting to see some standout banks collaborating efficiently with them to help self-renew themselves and, in turn, win back customers, improving margins, bolstering growth aided by data insights, simplifying operations and acting with speed to customer requirements. Enhancing scope and scale at speed supported by fintech collaboration is helping these banks to manage better uncertainty, front load benefits to end consumers, orchestrate capabilities, manage change and navigate the complexity associated with climate and corporate governance actions.

Dietary shifts and the need for increased sustainability approaches in the global aquaculture seafood system

Recent shifts in the global dietary preferences have indicated the fast-growing choice for plant-based, or meat-reduced diets. Among the motivations for such choices, which are increasingly advocated by nations and environmental institutions, is the major concern with global environmental sustainability and impacts of food production systems. Incontestably, the animal food source industry is extremely diverse, and seafood production through the aquaculture value chain remains unfamiliar to key stakeholders possibly leading to an uncomprehensive view and often biased perception of the farming industry within the environmental context. Accordingly, I discuss the importance of seafood production systems, such as the fastest seafood production that is the aquaculture sector, to increase their focus on the sustainability arena with more substantial and effective improvements for sustainable production, and most importantly, concomitantly informing end consumers. I mention examples of types of sustainability efforts that can be implemented and highlight the urgency of actively informing customers about implemented practices.

Development Of A Web-Based Supply Chain Management System At The Minahasa Cooperatives And Umkm Service Using The K-Means Algorithm

The development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) plays a very important role in the regional economy. Therefore, a Supply Chain Management (SCM) system is a very important aspect of business operations that involves coordinating the activities involved in the production and delivery of goods and services to customers. SCM can be applied to small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Minahasa Cooperatives and UMKM Department to improve their performance and competitiveness. SCM aims to efficiently manage the flow of goods, information and capital from suppliers to end consumers. This research aims to design and develop a web-based Supply Chain Management system for the Department of Cooperatives and MSMEs by applying the k-means algorithm for customer segmentation. In this research, the K-Means algorithm is used to group similar data points. This algorithm works by defining clusters so that the total intra-cluster variation (known as total within-cluster variation) is minimized. The results of this research can help increase the efficiency and effectiveness of supply chain management. In developing this system, customer, supplier and product data were successfully grouped into several groups based on similar characteristics using the k-means algorithm. Apart from that, the system that has been developed can also help facilitate the SCM process by utilizing information technology.

Evaluating The Use Of Multi-Sided Platforms On The Brand Performance Of Malaysian SME Food Outlets

The Malaysian food industry has been increasingly using the services of multi-sided platforms (MSPs) to offer online food delivery services, especially in urban cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Various global research has also found consistent indications that this trend will continue to grow over the next few years. This service involves the active collaboration between MSPs such as GrabFood and Foodpanda, delivery riders, end consumers, and food outlets. While there are many studies that evaluate the MSP business model and consumer behavior in this industry, there are limited studies that focus on the perspective of the food outlets. This study will address this research gap while focusing specifically on Malaysian SME food outlets to see if using MSPs to offer online food delivery services can improve their brand performance, both in terms of financial performance and brand equity. In addition, the study evaluates the effect that a food outlet’s intellectual capital has on the decision to use MSPs. The study also includes perceived environmental turbulence as a moderating variable on the relationship between MSPs and brand performance. The result of the study shows the impact of different intellectual capital assets on business model innovation activity. It also shows that there is no significant moderating impact of environmental turbulence on this industry even though there is evident turbulence. Lastly, the results show that using MSPs does improve the brand performance of Malaysian SME food outlets.

Mercury Biogeochemistry and Biomagnification in the Mediterranean Sea: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects in the Context of Climate Change

In the 1970s, the discovery of much higher mercury (Hg) concentrations in Mediterranean fish than in related species of the same size from the Atlantic Ocean raised serious concerns about the possible health effects of neurotoxic monomethylmercury (MMHg) on end consumers. After 50 years, the cycling and fluxes of the different chemical forms of the metal between air, land, and marine environments are still not well defined. However, current knowledge indicates that the anomalous Hg accumulation in Mediterranean organisms is mainly due to the re-mineralization of organic material, which favors the activity of methylating microorganisms and increases MMHg concentrations in low-oxygen waters. The compound is efficiently bio-concentrated by very small phytoplankton cells, which develop in Mediterranean oligotrophic and phosphorous-limited waters and are then transferred to grazing zooplankton. The enhanced bioavailability of MMHg together with the slow growth of organisms and more complex and longer Mediterranean food webs could be responsible for its anomalous accumulation in tuna and other long-lived predatory species. The Mediterranean Sea is a “hotspot” of climate change and has a rich biodiversity, and the increasing temperature, salinity, acidification, and stratification of seawater will likely reduce primary production and change the composition of plankton communities. These changes will likely affect the accumulation of MMHg at lower trophic levels and the biomagnification of its concentrations along the food web; however, changes are difficult to predict. The increased evasion of gaseous elemental mercury (Hg°) from warming surface waters and lower primary productivity could decrease the Hg availability for biotic (and possibly abiotic) methylation processes, but lower oxygen concentrations in deep waters, more complex food webs, and the reduced growth of top predators could increase their MMHg content. Despite uncertainties, in Mediterranean regions historically affected by Hg inputs from anthropogenic and geogenic sources, such as those in the northwestern Mediterranean and the northern Adriatic Sea, rising seawater levels, river flooding, and storms will likely favor the mobilization of Hg and organic matter and will likely maintain high Hg bioaccumulation rates for a long time. Long-term studies will, therefore, be necessary to evaluate the impact of climate change on continental Hg inputs in the Mediterranean basin, on air–sea exchanges, on possible changes in the composition of biotic communities, and on MMHg formation and its biomagnification along food webs. In this context, to safeguard the health of heavy consumers of local seafood, it appears necessary to develop information campaigns, promote initiatives for the consumption of marine organisms at lower trophic levels, and organize large-scale surveys of Hg accumulation in the hair or urine of the most exposed population groups.

Agricultural clusters in the regional development strategic planning system

The world experience of the development of integration processes shows that integrated enterprises are more efficient and adapted to the conditions of the market economy due to the creation of a single progressive process of manufacturing and promoting products from their producers to end consumers. In today's conditions, the country has not yet developed a system innovation development mechanism. A comprehensive solution to the problem of innovative development of the agricultural sector is the formation of a cluster policy at both the state and regional levels. Adjustment of state and regional strategic plans and target programs considering the cluster initiative will allow to achieve the target strategic guidelines for the development of the agricultural cluster, to ensure the implementation of the goals and objectives of the development of the territory of the region. Strategic planning for the development of the region's economy, including the agricultural and processing sectors, should be based on the peculiarities of the territory, considering the disparities in the development of individual districts. The established sectoral and territorial structure of the Mykolaiv region and the natural and climatic conditions of the region determine the directions of clustering of the agricultural sector and the limits of influence of cluster structures as growth points. The implementation of the project of the formation and development of an agrarian cluster in the system of strategic management of the Mykolaiv region requires a review of the provisions of the main strategic plans of regional development, the "Strategy for the development of the Mykolaiv region for the period up to and including 2027", as well as medium-term plans and programs, strategies of industry direction and targets programs of regional and sectoral development. Keywords: clustering, agricultural sector, economic development, regional policy, strategic planning.

Research on Application Authorization Control Based on Business Center Services

This article analyzes the limitations of traditional authorization in the current situation of insufficient multi-level authorization management capabilities for end consumer applications in business middleware services. Taking the authorization system of business middleware services as a reference, multi-level authorization roles are introduced, and a fine-grained authorization management and authorization management model is proposed. And based on this authorization management model, a risk authorization identification method based on authorization behavior characteristics was explored. An intelligent learning risk authorization control model was proposed, which uses authorization behavior characteristics at all levels as the analysis basis. This enables the system to identify risk authorization actions at all levels, thereby improving the authorization system of business middleware services and achieving full supervision of hierarchical authorization allocation and use. The actual operational data proves that the risk authorization control model proposed in this article can accurately evaluate the risk nature of authorization behavior, and has broad application prospects.

Long-term heat storage opportunities of renewable energy for district heating networks

This study compares different thermal heat storage solutions existing in the market, fuelled with energy from different renewable energy sources with a focus on integrating thermal heat storage into the district heating grid. The paper is based on a case in the municipality of Silkeborg, Denmark, which has the largest solar thermal panel plant in Northern Europe. A theoretical approach was used to compare with assumed excess power from wind and solar in the DK1 area, with Silkeborg's allocated excess power at 0.01%. This yielded overall efficiencies between η = 0.739–0.765 and η = 0.864–0.895 for the Silkeborg solar thermal plant. Four different thermal heat storage solutions were compared: tank thermal energy storage, pit energy storage, aquifer thermal energy storage and borehole energy storage (BTES). The analysis showed that, of the four solutions compared, BTES was the best for storing thermal energy for a longer period of time, with the lowest heat loss rate of 0.6% and the highest efficiency of up to 89.5%. However, some complications make it difficult to establish a BTES storage solution, since it is very much dependent on earth conditions and initial capital.

MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN TEKNIK PENJUALAN PADA UKM

In a competitive business era, sales skills are crucial for every salesperson to face market competition. This article discusses the importance of an in-depth understanding of the goods or services sold by the company as well as expertise in applying effective sales techniques. The main focus is on the role of the salesperson in optimizing the sales of services and goods. This research was conducted with the aim of helping business owners, particularly in the culinary industry in Jambi, to improve their understanding and skills in sales techniques. The method used involved training and socialization to business partners, covering in-depth introduction to product offering techniques, handling buyer rejection, and coping strategies.The results of the research activities showed that the training provided significantly improved the partners' sales technique skills. Business partners were able to optimize their skills in selling products to end consumers. In addition, the partners' active participation in the training process was reflected in the two-way discussion between the research team and business partners. The enthusiasm shown by the partners in receiving the training materials confirmed the success of the activities in having a positive impact on the partners' sales skills. This research provides an important contribution for business owners, especially in the culinary sector, in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of sales techniques

Relevance of Secondary Enrichment in the Detection of Salmonella spp. in Food Samples by qPCR According to DIN 10135.

When detecting Salmonella spp. in food samples, unlike with culture-based procedures where there are solid standards, PCR techniques are generally dominated by commercial solutions, often backed by the conformity of reference organizations, and based on rigorous validation studies. The few independent standards that exist are not subject to revision and improvement to the same extent as the manufacturer's methods. Moreover, since commercial networks do not promote them, they are implemented less in everyday practice. The German standard DIN 10135 is an example of this. In this method, before PCR detection, a primary enrichment (16-20 h) followed by a secondary selective enrichment of at least 6 h is needed. Nevertheless, it allows the possibility of only applying the first step if evidence of their correct operation is provided. To evaluate how necessary is the secondary enrichment for DIN 10135 standard. Short and complete enrichment steps were compared in the context of the evaluation of the limit of detection for 11 types of food. Additionally, a blind assay was performed with 75 food samples. The data show that a simple primary enrichment may be sufficient and that the second selective enrichment with the tested matrixes would not be strictly essential. The blind study obtained a 98.6% of trueness and precision of 100%. At least for the end consumer products, a secondary enrichment of 6 h is not necessary for all the products tested. In the context of the DIN 10135 standard, the primary enrichment (16-20 h, 37 ± 1°C) can be enough for detecting Salmonella spp.

IoT-enabled Smart Energy Management Device for Optimal Scheduling of Distributed Energy Resources

In this paper, a robust Internet-of-Thing (IoT) enabled Smart Energy Management Device (SEMD) is developed for Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) equipped energy consumers. The SEMD communicates with the existing metering infrastructure through serial communication using the Modbus RTU protocol and the RS 485 communication standard. The SEMD’s energy management framework comprises three sequentially operated software modules, viz., data preprocessing, forecasting, and an optimization module, which aims to minimize the energy costs of end consumers. The software and hardware architecture of the developed SEMD is robust enough to fit real-time implementation and makes it user-friendly. The effectiveness of the SEMD has been tested on an experimental test rig at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar. The demonstration test rig comprises two DERs equipped energy consumers (viz. Energy consumer-A & B). Energy consumer-A comprises a roof-top solar PV system, Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and conventional flexible/non-flexible household appliances. The Energy consumer-B consists of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) enabled Electric Vehicle (EV), lighting, and pump loads. The experimental results obtained in this work demonstrate that using SEMD satisfies all technical constraints and benefits consumers in reducing bill payments. Thus, SEMD is a critical enabler for DER-equipped energy consumers to participate actively in various demand-side energy management programs.

THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POTENTIAL OF CLUSTER INTEGRATED BUSINESS STRUCTURES

INTRODUCTION. The architecture of an integrated structure as an organizational and economic form is a set of individual elements organized into a single system by production-technical and financial connections, the specific meaning of which is reflected through specific forms of integration. In terms of business organization, integrated business structures are important, usually aimed at obtaining income, maximizing capital and directing it to the financial and economic goals of such structures.
 RESEARCH METHODS. The research used methods of comparative analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, monitoring of international best practices in the field of managing the development of the potential of cluster integrated business structures.
 THE HYPOTHESIS OF THE RESEARCH is that based on the channelization of the best practices of international experience, it is possible to justify the components of the management system for the development of the potential of cluster integrated business structures.
 PURPOSE of the article is to study the components of the management system for the development of the potential of cluster business structures.
 RESULTS. The theoretical and methodological basis of management systems for developing the potential of cluster integrated business structures has been studied and improved. In general, the system of management of the development of the potential of the KISB is defined as the activity of the purposeful influence of the managing subject of management on the relations between the participants of the cluster regarding the effective generation, distribution and use of the potential of the KISB through the appropriate management mechanism (methodology, structure, techniques, adjustment of business processes) with with the aim of accumulating the maximum synergistic effect from such activity and its further transformation into value (material, immaterial) for the end consumer.
 KEYWORDS: integration; integrated business structures; management; clustering; cluster mergers of enterprises; cooperation; business partnership.

Neuromarketing and consumer behavior of the company Alimentos Procesados Agrícolas S.A.C., in Los Olivos 2022

Neuromarketing strategies are very important for companies to attract and retain customers or end consumers. But nowadays these strategies are not being applied in our country in a professional way. Therefore, the study developed proposes to analyze neuromarketing in the behavior of consumers of the company Alimentos Procesados agrícola S.AC. The methodology proposed in this research was of qualitative approach with a descriptive scope. The results of the interviewees indicate that they do not apply neuromarketing correctly or do not have professional knowledge of neuromarketing. In conclusion, the importance of applying the study proposed in this research work is identified because it provides many benefits and improvements to their businesses or companies

Exploring the key success factors: A case study of a digital marketplace platform for Brazilian small farmers

Small agricultural businesses are exposed to global competitive paradigms, and digital marketing platforms have a significant social and economic impact on their competitiveness. An analysis of current product marketplace platforms reveals that many of these platforms cease to exist in an average period of two to three years, which raises the research question: Do any of these platforms have a track record exceeding three years? If so, what are the key success factors that underpin their sustained viability? The objective of this case study is to identify and describe the key success factors of a commercialization platform in Brazil which directly connects small rural producers with their end consumers. Employing an interpretive qualitative approach, this empirical research presents a case study based on a theoretical analysis of the main success factors, examining their application within a Brazilian digital platform facilitating the trade of products between agricultural producers and consumers. The results emphasize key success factors for implementing innovative technology solutions in small agricultural businesses: a committed, supportive management team with visionary leadership; prioritizing market and stakeholder needs; maintaining strong customer relationships; and resource availability. Persistence, resilience, and learning from experiences were also identified as vital skills in the case study, contributing to the platform's long-term success.

МЕЖДУНАРОДНАЯ ИНФОРМАЦИОННАЯ СИСТЕМА КАК ОСНОВА ПОВЫШЕНИЯ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ ЦЕПЕЙ ПОСТАВОК ТОВАРОВ

The research focuses on the international supply chains of goods, namely the process of servicing them with an economic information system with a high degree of visualization and detail. The object of the study is information systems of international logistics. The paper aims to form the principles and elements of a universal information system for international chains of supply of goods. As a hypothesis, a provision is put forward to improve the efficiency of logistics using the developed system. The main methods used in the study are the systematization of the conditions of international supply chains of goods and factor analysis for the introduction into the system of quantitative indicators of factors that most actively affect international commodity flows. It has been shown that the currently available information systems in international logistics have a number of disadvantages: they do not contain universal data for the entire supply chain, only collect and provide information, but do not allow management decisions. The main list of data for the formation of the proposed information system has been determined. The paper shows the possibilities of introducing factor analysis correction factors into the information system. They clarify the probability of a parallel or counter commodity flow, that is, determine the level of risk for a particular chain. The study presents a block diagram of the economic information system. Additional recommendations are given to improve the efficiency of international supply chains of goods based on the developed information system. In particular, it is proposed to introduce the terms «primary producer» and «end consumer» which will serve the basis for forming international supply chains for goods bypassing monopolistic logistics centers of economically developed countries. The author's future plans include the creation of a computer program based on the developed information system.

МЕТОДОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ ИНСТРУМЕНТАРИЙ ОРГАНИЗАЦИОННО-УПРАВЛЕНЧЕСКОГО МЕХАНИЗМА ИНВЕСТИЦИОННОГО ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ИННОВАЦИЙ

Innovation is the final result of innovative activity, which has been realized in the form of a new or improved product sold on the market, a new or improved technological process used in practical activities. An innovative process means the innovative activity of an enterprise. In general, an innovation process is a sequential chain of events during which an innovation "matures" from an idea to a specific product, technology or service and spreads in business practice. One of the main conditions for the introduction of innovations is the availability of an effective marketing and sales system that connects the enterprise with end consumers in order to constantly identify new customer requirements for the quality of manufactured goods and services. This condition is important, since in practice innovation is often defined as "the creation and provision of goods or services that offer consumers benefits that they perceive as new or better." And experts explain most of the failures in bringing innovations to market by saying that they arise on the basis of new knowledge, not needs, while customers do not need a new product, but new benefits. In this connection, there is a need to create a kind of generalized scheme for the development and implementation of innovations from the point of view of marketing. And so let's start from the beginning, the innovation process consists of three levels of marketing: strategic, scientific, technical and operational marketing.

Future VAT Regime for Financial Services from a Stakeholder Perspective: Analysis of the European Commission 2020 Public Consultation’s Position Papers

This study sought to address the challenges of formulating the European Union’s value-added tax (VAT) reform for the financial services sector and implementing the proposed changes. The concerns and suggestions submitted by this sector’s stakeholders during the European Commission’s 2021 public consultation are used as inputs. The research included automated computer-assisted content analysis of fifty-two position papers, using up-to-date text mining techniques to define four cluster containing the most salient terms. An in-depth critical review highlighted the most significant concerns and suggested alterations to the current VAT framework. The results include a three-layered discussion model that goes well beyond a straightforward one-shot discussion of whether financial services should charge VAT. First, the technical rationality view of not charging VAT when providing financial services is no longer applicable. Second, intermediary and cost-sharing groups are characteristic of these services, which puts into question the tax’s neutrality principle if the current VAT exemption regime remains in place. Last, abolishing the VAT exemption for these services could put an especially heavy burden on end consumers and small businesses, thereby implying extra measures will be needed to avoid a strongly negative socioeconomic impact. Significant implications for theory, practice and policy are presented. Value-added tax (VAT), Financial service, Insurance service, Tax policy, Public consultation, European Commission, Data mining, VOSviewer

The Role of Economic Ethics for Companies in the Era of Globalization

In establishing relationships with others in the business world, the ethical aspect plays an important role. Business ethics have a significant influence in determining the success of a business. Applying the right ethical principles can also improve the flow of communication and increase the level of trust in the work environment. When engaging in business activities, it is necessary to focus on two things. First, there is awareness and sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others. The second reason is to avoid any misunderstandings between stakeholders, as business ethical standards vary widely across cultures and countries. This article aims to explore the relevance of economic ethics in the context of business in the era of globalization. The author of this article applied observation as a strategy and relied on documents as research sources. Based on the discussion presented in this article, the level of trust among members of the business community is greatly influenced by the quality of economic ethics applied. There are many stakeholders that influence each other, including businesses, suppliers, and end consumers. Each of these elements must meet high ethical standards to maintain a solid foundation of trust.