External Benefits Research Articles

A Lowlands Perspective on Exaggeration and Feigned Symptoms

Some patients present symptoms in an exaggerated manner [1,2]. This behavior can be assessed with specialized tests: Symptom validity tests (SVTs) to measure overreporting of symptoms, and performance validity tests (PVTs) to measure underperformance on cognitive tests. But what does it mean when patients fail on multiple SVTs and/or PVTs? Does it reflect malingering; i.e. grossly exaggerating or feigning symptoms to gain an external benefit? Could it be seen as a plea for help in some cases? Or could pain, fatigue or cognitive impairment be underlying reasons for the validity test failures? In this presentation some credible and non-credible explanations for failing on validity tests will be discussed. A tentative framework that might aid in conceptualizing poor symptom validity will be presented.

Fiscal Consolidation The Indian Experience

Fiscal consolidation methods have always been under lens since their origin with newer and more stringent way of monitoring them. Still the elected policymakers tend to find a way to manage them so as to not to lose the externality benefits of higher fiscal deficits in term of electoral gains. This paper analyses the fiscal adjustment programme adopted by the central government of India since the inception of FRBM act 2003. A comparison of the consequences of fiscal adjustment on public finance under discretionary phase of economic reforms with the initial rule phase has also been discussed in this paper. Analysis indicates that fiscal reforms has led to consolidation of public finances in India but some crucial challenges remain i) setting up of Fiscal Council ii) not to use creative accounting to maneuver accounts to meet the fiscal targets iii) implementing countercyclical fiscal policy in totality and iv) starting a countercyclical fund. JEL Classification: E 62, E 60

Rethinking underground land value and pricing: A sustainability perspective

Urban underground space (UUS) use is indispensable to urbanization, thereby deserving a delicate disposal as a critical component of urban land administration. Considered an important instrument for modern land administration, however, the existing underground land value appraisal and land pricing approaches lack deliberations in the external socio-environmental effects of underground land development, thus are likely to fail to guarantee urban sustainability. With the objective of addressing such deficiencies, this paper expands the understanding of underground space into the scope of resource assets, presents some deeper reflections on underground land value and land pricing from the urban sustainability perspective, and ultimately sets up a sustainability oriented underground land pricing mechanism that incorporates external benefits, external costs and business revenues. Based on the authors’ previous works on the visualization and spatial analysis of socio-environmental externalities of UUS uses, a GIS aided case study is employed to illustrate the applicability of the proposed underground land pricing mechanism. It is hoped that the findings of this study will assist underground land administration in improving the stakeholders’ perceptions toward the value of underground land and in facilitating more reasonable underground land governing policies and pricing instruments in favor of urban sustainability.

Developing a conceptual model to quantify eco-compensation based on environmental and economic cost-benefit analysis for promoting the ecologically intensified agriculture

Eco-compensation is essential for promoting ecologically intensive agriculture to reduce the environmental impact of the agricultural sector. However, a comprehensive and performance-based tool to quantify eco-compensation is not yet available. Here, we present a comprehensive model of eco-compensation standards based on internal and external trade-offs (ESBIET) and their valuation methods based on farm-level cost-benefit analysis. We calculated the internal economic costs and benefits using conventional life cycle costing and profit analysis. The ecosystem service and disservice values were recorded as external benefits and costs, which were valued using the revealed preference approach and the Environmental Priorities Strategies model, respectively. We incorporated the Coase theorem and Pigou theory into this model to quantify government compensation, which complements market compensation. The ESBIET model was tested using a case study of greenhouse vegetable production in eight conventional (CON), eight organic (ORG), and seven community-supported agriculture (CSA) greenhouse vegetable production farms. This article also described the key features, potential users and future opportunities for improving our ESBITE model. At its core, the ESBIET model can be effectively used to design eco-compensation measures to promote ecologically intensified agriculture.

The Effectiveness and Trade-Offs of Renewable Energy Policies in Achieving the Dual Decarbonization Goals in China: A Dynamic Computable General Equilibrium Analysis.

China’s government has enforced a series of renewable energy policies to promote renewable energy development and achieve the dual decarbonization goals. However, there exists great disparity in previous studies on the effectiveness and suitability of renewable energy policies in abating carbon emissions. This study employs a dynamic general equilibrium model and assesses the effectiveness and trade-offs of renewable energy policies in achieving the dual decarbonization goals by 2060 in China. These policies include carbon market (CRP), the reduction of feed-in tariffs (FIT), the reduction of fossil fuel subsidies (FSB), the reduction of renewable energy costs (REC), resource taxes (RTX), and renewable portfolio standards (REP) as well as the mix of these policies. We find that renewable energy policies together could abate China’s CO2 emissions in 2060 by 2.57 billion tons, but their effectiveness is very different. The REC would have the greatest effectiveness in abating CO2 emissions, followed by REP and CRP. Renewable energy policies would cause relatively slight damage to China’s GDP, with the exception of the REC (raising GDP by 1.1713%). Regarding trade-offs, most policies will sacrifice China’s internal and external demand but benefit employment. Renewable energy policies will effectively promote the low-carbon transformation of China’s energy structure.

Study on the Relationship between Water Resources Utilization and Economic Growth in Tarim River basin from the Perspective of Water Footprint

Taking the Tarim River basin as the research object, the water footprint was calculated based on the water footprint theory based on the relevant data from 2008 to 2019, and the water resource evaluation system was constructed to analyze the water footprint and water resource utilization of the Tarim River basin from three levels of structure, benefit, and ecology. Based on the water footprint theory, the annual water footprint and GDP of Tarim River basin were used to construct the Tapio decoupling model, and the decoupling type between water resources utilization and economic growth was obtained. The relationship between water resource utilization and economic growth in Tarim River was analyzed by combining the decoupling type evaluation and water footprint evaluation. The internal benefit is poor, and the external benefit is good; The degree of water resource shortage is on the rise, and the self-sufficiency rate of water resources is large. On the whole, the decoupling strength increases gradually. Decoupling strength has obvious industrial influence characteristics. Based on the above research conclusions, the sustainable economic and ecological development of the Tarim River basin can be realized from two aspects: reducing water footprint and strengthening decoupling intensity.

Do railways improve territorial cohesion of the Tibetan Plateau? A case study of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Over the last 60 years, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has gradually expanded its coverage. However, the possible impact of railway construction on territorial cohesion of Tibetan Plateau (TP) is unknown. By combining the railway development of TP in different periods, this study constructed different scenarios and used an accessibility indicator to reveal the changes in territorial cohesion. First, railway construction has prompted an improvement in the overall accessibility level of TP and has created a notable spillover effect. TP's own potential demonstrates a rapidly increasing trend, whereas the internal and external accessibility benefits brought by railways to TP are gradually decreasing. Second, TP's own potential has a negative impact on territorial cohesion. The Golmud-Lhasa section of trans-provincial Qinghai-Tibet Railway is more conducive to promoting territorial cohesion between TP and the outside areas, whereas the non-trans-provincial railway can better promote territorial cohesion within TP. Third, considerable differences exist in the spatial impact of the railway on the internal and external cohesion of TP. Internal cohesion is mainly reflected in the formation of high-accessibility corridors between cities along the railway, and external cohesion is affected by the expansion of the highway and railway connecting the outside part to the interior of the plateau.

Engagement at a higher level: The effects of public value on employee engagement, the organization, and society

We investigate whether an organization’s social contribution is associated with positive consequences for both the organization and its employees by building on the growing body of research that aims to bridge the gap between micro-level and macro-level phenomena. Specifically, we theorize and empirically show that public value can increase the engagement of employees, while employee engagement mediates the effect of public value on job satisfaction, affective commitment, life satisfaction, and intention to quit. To test our hypotheses, we conduct a large-scale representative online survey (N = 1383). We use organizational public value as a comprehensive conceptualization of the social contribution of organizations and measure employee engagement by creating and validating a German-language version of Shuck et al.'s (2017a) employee engagement scale. Our findings indicate that both external and internal benefits for the organization and its employees may need to be considered when an organization decides on how to balance or integrate profit and social contribution. Additionally, we demonstrate that the experiences of employees regarding not only their work role but also their role as members of their organization, i.e., their perception of their organization’s public value, are relevant for a more comprehensive understanding of what affects and engages employees.

What Brings Young Adults to the Yoga Mat? Cross-Sectional Associations Between Motivational Profiles and Physical and Psychological Health Among Participants in the Project EAT-IV Survey.

Objectives: This study examines motivations for yoga and identifies unique motivational profiles among a sample of young adult yoga practitioners. This study further determines how young adult yoga practitioners' motivational profiles associate with physical health behaviors and psychological factors. Subjects/Setting: Survey data were drawn from the fourth wave of a large, population-based study (Project EAT-IV; Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults). Design: Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify motivational profiles among Project EAT-IV participants practicing yoga (n = 297; mean age: 30.8-1.7 years; 79.7 % female). Cross-sectional associations between latent motivational profiles, physical health behaviors, and psychological factors were determined with unadjusted and adjusted (gender, race/ethnicity, and body mass index) general linear models. Results: Across motivational profiles, most young adult yoga practitioners were motivated by enhanced fitness and stress reduction/relaxation. Additional motivations for yoga clustered by appearance (desire to change body appearance or weight) or mindfulness (desire to increase present moment awareness) underpinnings. The LCA characterized motivational profiles as "Low Appearance, Low Mindfulness" (Class 1; n = 77), "Low Appearance, High Mindfulness" (Class 2; n = 48), "High Appearance, Low Mindfulness" (Class 3; n = 79), and "High Appearance, High Mindfulness" (Class 4; n = 93). Having a profile with high mindfulness and low appearance motivations (Class 2) was associated with higher body satisfaction in comparison to the other classes (p < 0.001). Relative to Class 2, those with low mindfulness motivations (Class 1; Class 3) reported less total physical activity (p = 0.002) and those with high appearance motivations (Class 3; Class 4) reported higher compulsive exercise scores (p = 0.002). Conclusions: In this sample, high mindfulness and low appearance motivations for yoga appeared optimal for physical and psychological health. Cross-sectional findings suggest that young adult yoga practitioners' mind-body health may be supported by motivational underpinnings that emphasize yoga's internal (mindfulness) rather than external (appearance) benefits.

Homeownership, Labor Supply, and Neighborhood Quality

This paper provides evidence on the external benefits of homeownership among low-income populations. A natural experiment in Israel generated large changes in neighborhood homeownership rates while holding fixed the residents and housing stock, two primary sources of bias in traditional estimates. When public housing tenants are given the opportunity to buy their units, buyers increase labor supply. Effects are felt in the neighborhood: when homeownership rises by 10 pp, neighborhood home prices rise 1.5–2 percent. Instrumenting for purchases using government discounts generates similar results. Results are relevant for policies using financial incentives to increase homeownership among low-income populations. (JEL H24, I38, J22, R21, R23, R31, R38)

An integrated techno-economic analysis on wastewater reclamation in Hong Kong: A comprehensive cost – Benefit analysis with life cycle assessment

Wastewater reclamation and reuse projects have been gaining significant attention as ways to secure sustainable water resources while preventing environmental degradation. However, traditional cost-benefit analyses do not reflect the true net benefits of these processes as they do not consider all externalities, particularly due to the difficulties in monetizing environmental impacts, thereby leading to underutilization. In this study, we conducted a hybrid cost-benefit analysis with an integrated environmental externality approach to evaluate the true net benefit of wastewater treatment and reclamation with explicit and implicit costs and estimated benefits. Firstly, we developed a cost-benefit analysis model based on the Drainage Service Department's statistical data from the Shek Wu Hui plant in Hong Kong from 2014 to 2018. Next, we estimated the external environmental benefits from pollutant abatement based on the shadow price of each pollutant by adopting a distance frontier function. We then conducted a life-cycle assessment to investigate the potential environmental impacts of the process using SimaPro 8.5.2.0 software and the EcoInvent 3 database, utilizing Stepwise2006 methodology for full monetization. A sensitivity analysis was applied to control for uncertainties as a robustness check. Our results show that aggregate cost, shadow price, and monetized environmental impact are estimated to be 4.47, 4.75, and 1.23 HKD per m3 of treated water respectively. Based on these results, our study illustrates that the true benefit is noticeably higher than the unit cost of wastewater reclamation, dependent upon a scale, and represents a breakeven point of 63,769 m3 of water reclamation per day. Our study further demonstrates that wastewater reclamation is viable from both social and economic perspectives and will increase the government budget by 81 million HKD. Therefore, this study can provide a basic guideline for developing a more complete economic valuation of wastewater treatment and reclamation projects.

MOTIVATION AND BENEFITS OF ISO 9001:2015 IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE IN A MALAYSIAN LEGAL FIRM

This research is an insider action qualitative case study research on a legal Firm X in Malaysia which has implemented, obtained certification and maintained the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system (QMS). Data was collected from interviews, document reviews and observations that were conducted from October until December 2020. It was found that there are eight internal motivations and five external motivations for ISO 9001:2015 implementation and maintenance. Internal motivations are that the ISO 9001 standard creates work processes, to have a systematic and organised workflow followed by the intention to improve productivity and quality of work in Firm X. Other motivational factors are to have an efficient operation, a faster delivery of work, to create and follow the standard template, staff empowerment, and to gain knowledge on ISO. On the other hand, the external motivation factors are for global recognition, to secure panelship, differentiating factors, to win client trust and for business benefits. The benefits obtained by Firm X includes"systematic working process", "standard procedure", "standard documentation" and "quality delivery" where ISO implementation procedures increase the firm’s efficiency, decrease non-conformities, the costs related to reworks and to sustain the relationship with the customer. Global recognition, securing panelship, differentiating factor, client trust and business benefits are the external benefits obtained from Firm X’s implementation and maintenance of ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

The Extent of Using E-Integrated Marketing Communication and its Effect on Algerian Tourism: Case Study on Algerian Tourism Agencies

This study sought to investigate the usage profile of Electronic Integrated Marketing Communication (E-IMC) and its impact on the Performance of the Algerian tourism sector. To accomplish so, the study examines the extent to which E-IMC has been used, as well as the level of awareness, internal and external hurdles, problems, and benefits of employing it in the context of touristic marketing performance. In addition, the study had to include the characteristics of touristic agencies in terms of type, job sector, number of employees, and export experience. A mixed-method approach was utilized to study these research concerns. Following a detailed literature analysis, a speculative model of tourist market performance was developed. A questionnaire was created and given to 111 tourism agencies as part of the study. A total of 39 questioners were collected, resulting in a 35% response rate.

Benefits of studying in China: International students from top-tier Chinese universities ‘spill the beans’

ABSTRACT Given the exponential growth of international students in China, understanding the advantages of studying there is under-researched. This paper investigates benefits of such study, using 30 semi-structured qualitative interviews with international students from Asia, Africa and Western countries enrolled at two prestigious universities in Beijing and Hubei Province. The analysis identified three sets of mutually inclusive economic-, social-, cultural- and educational-related benefits: employment prospects, learning Mandarin, and building knowledge, skills and experiences. The analysis illustrates the interplay of individual and external benefits, especially the contribution to the home country, through the employability lens. The paper contributes to new insights into important nuances of the key benefits of international education relating to career and employment opportunities in home and host countries, learning Mandarin for future trade dealings and acquiring business knowledge, investment skills and management experience to benefit countries of origin.

Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of refractory pollutants over WO3/W network photoelectrode with heterophase junction for enhancing mass transportation and charge separation

The most crucial factors limiting the degradation performance of photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) process are the low charge separation efficiency and slow mass transportation. Herein, we report a WO3 network photoelectrode by constructing heterophase junction of WO3 on tungsten mesh (hm-m-WO3/W mesh), which exhibits superior PEC performance, as high as 5.6 mA cm−2 of photocurrent density at 1.2 VRHE, achieving a complete degradation (99.9%) and nearly total mineralization (84.5%) of bisphenol A, reaching an apparent reaction rate constant of 5.7 × 10−2 min−1, 1.5 times of WO3 based photoelectrode ever reported. A Schottky junction is formed at m-WO3/W interface which greatly promotes the charge transfer between catalysts and support. The catalysts show appropriate phase alignment, where the parallel directions between built-in electric field of heterophase junction and external potential benefit charge separation. Computational fluid dynamics simulations indicate the network structure favors the diffusion of the fluid containing pollutants. This work demonstrates a viable strategy for designing the photoelectrode with high charge separation efficiency and fast mass transportation in PEC wastewater treatment.

Abstract MP43: Motivational Profiles Are Cross-sectionally Associated With Psychological And Physical Health Outcomes Among Young Adult Yoga Practitioners

Introduction: The adoption of mind-body behaviors, such as yoga, in young adulthood may improve cardiovascular health trajectories through psychological (e.g., reduced stress) and physical (e.g., increased activity) pathways. Differences in personal characteristics, such as motivations for practicing yoga, may relate to differing psychological and physical health outcomes. However, little is known with regard to whether young adults’ yoga-related motivations cluster in latent patterns (i.e., motivational underpinning profiles) or if these profiles are associated with psychological factors and physical health behaviors. Hypothesis: Latent class analysis (LCA) will identify unique motivational profiles among a sample of young adults practicing yoga. Young adults whose yoga practice is internally motivated will be more likely to report positive psychological characteristics whereas external motivations for yoga will be more strongly associated with maladaptive physical health behaviors. Methods: Survey data were drawn from the fourth wave of a large, population-based study (Project EAT-IV; Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults). A subsample of 297 yoga practitioners (n=297; mean age=30.8±1.7 years; 79.7% female) reported (yes/no) on nine motivations for yoga items and LCA identified four distinct and mutually exclusive profiles based on previously unobserved combinations of internal and external motivational underpinnings. Cross-sectional associations between emergent LCA motivational profiles, psychological factors, and physical health behaviors were determined using general linear modeling (adjusted for gender, BMI, and race/ethnicity). Results: Across motivational profiles, most young adult yoga practitioners were motivated by stress reduction/relaxation and enhanced fitness. However, additional motivations for yoga differed in such that LCA characterized motivational profiles as “Low Appearance, Low Mindfulness” (Class 1; n=77), “Low Appearance, High Mindfulness” (Class 2; n=48), “High Appearance, Low Mindfulness” (Class 3; n=79), and “High Appearance, High Mindfulness” (Class 4; n=93). Having coexistent high mindfulness and low appearance motives (Class 2) was associated with higher body satisfaction in comparison to the other classes (p&lt;0.001). Relative to Class 2, those with low mindfulness motives (Class 1; Class 3) reported less total physical activity (p=0.002) and those with high appearance motives (Class 3; Class 4) reported higher compulsive exercise scores (p=0.002). Conclusions: Yoga’s mind-body health properties may be harnessed to promote cardiovascular health. Although directionality cannot be assessed with this cross-sectional study, findings suggest that yoga programs for young adults emphasize the internal (mindfulness) rather than external (appearance) benefits of yoga to support a healthful practice.

Correction of mature skin with the help of decorative cosmetics

Beauty products are used to visually conceal visible aging of skin. The appropriate selection of makeup techniques and decorative cosmetics for mature age women help correct their features and conceal skin problems. &#x0D; Aim. The article deals with the effect of cosmetic products on mature face skin. &#x0D; Material and methods. In 2021, as many as 16 publications on the subject under discussion that appeared during the past decade, were analysed. Between 2012 and 2021, articles were published in the databases of the journals Skin Research and Technology, Psychology, Journal of Pharmaceutics, Dermatology, Cosmetics, Journal of Consumer Behaviour. All publications are in the English language, the texts are complete and easily accessible. The selected publications describe the skin aging process, the composition of beauty products, nanotechnology products and the application of cosmetic products to prevent the process of premature skin aging. Recommendations for mature skin care are provided.&#x0D; Results. In the 21st century, cosmetics is widely used and is in great demand in the world market. Annually the demand increases by approximately 4.5 percent. Cosmetic products and make-up make mature face skin look more attractive. Attractive faces are perceived as much younger, the face contour is preserved, skin is firm, the size of the eyes and the area around them, and lip distraction remain unchanged. Cosmetic surgical procedures enhancing the appearance of face skin can improve psychological health of the patients; there is no evidence about how these changes effect a positive attitude of other individuals to their changed appearance, the status of an individual and his/her social wellbeing.&#x0D; Conclusions. 1. Most often scientific literature is concerned with the effect of make-up on the psychological aspect – an individual’s attractiveness. 2. Beauty products and make-up techniques chosen for mature skin change the face in three directions: they change the contours of the face, skin homogeneity, contrast of the face and the size of facial features. 3. Innovative, biologically active cosmetic products have an external and therapeutic benefit to the appearance of face skin, are not only friendly to human skin and health but also are environmentally friendly.

Knowledge spillover, knowledge management and innovation of the Portuguese hotel industry in times of crisis

PurposeThe aim of the study is to analyze how knowledge spillovers and knowledge management capabilities affect the innovation capabilities of hospitality sector companies in crisis environments.Design/methodology/approachA survey was completed by 63 hotel directors based in Portugal, gathering data on knowledge spillover, knowledge management capabilities and innovation capabilities. Two multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the impact of knowledge spillovers and knowledge management capabilities on innovative capability.FindingsIt has been concluded that knowledge spillovers work as external benefits of knowledge creation, increasing the innovation activities of companies in the hospitality sector, which reinforces that knowledge spillovers help to enhance innovation capabilities. The study's results show that it is essential for companies to manage knowledge. It also concludes that effective knowledge management facilitates the exchange of knowledge required in the innovation process. Knowledge spillovers improve the performance of innovation in companies through the development of new insights and innovation capabilities.Research limitations/implicationsThis research was carried out in a period of crisis. As expected in a troubled period, the results are extremely volatile. This study's sample is composed of Portuguese hospitality companies.Originality/valueThis research provides valuable insights into the overflow of explicit and tacit knowledge in the hotel industry. Moreover, this study offers new insights into the mediating role of knowledge management capability in the relationship between a hotel's knowledge overflow and its innovation performance.

Thirty years of rice‐crab coculture in China—Research progress and prospects

AbstractChinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) culture in rice paddy fields is a representative model of integrated agriculture‐aquaculture systems developed in China over the last 30 years. The economic and ecological benefits of rice‐crab coculture are significantly improved compared to those of rice monoculture. Under coculture conditions, rice provides shelter for crabs and improves the aquatic environment, while crabs eliminate pests and weeds, reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and stabilize rice production. At the same time, rice‐crab coculture helps protect biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An in‐depth study has led to the significant development of rice‐crab coculture technology in China and has established ecological breeding models with regional characteristics. These studies have established breeding industry standards for paddy field engineering, stocking mode, water quality control, rice management, feeding, pest control and breeding management. However, more research is needed to standardize rice field engineering specifications, optimize coculture modes, clarify crab nutritional needs, develop disease prevention and control methods, elucidate the operational mechanism of rice‐crab coculture and ascertain energy‐material exchange with the external environment. Eventually, rice‐crab coculture can be highly integrated to utilize the fewest resources while providing the greatest economic and environmental benefits. This review provides a theoretical reference for further research in the field of rice‐crab coculture, examining aspects such as development history, economic benefits, organisms in the system (rice, crabs, plankton, zoobenthos, weeds and microorganisms), internal and external environmental benefits, and the direction of future development.

The role of marketing strategies in achieving the environmental benefits of innovation

Government agendas are increasingly focused on environmental issues, pressuring companies to reduce the environmental impact of their activities, and innovation plays a key role in this. Substantial evidence from academics and practitioners has revealed that technological innovation can reduce negative environmental impact, but the role of marketing innovation in driving environmental benefits has been overlooked by academic research. This study aims to shed light on the environmental contribution driven by marketing innovation by examining the different roles of four types of marketing innovation (product, promotion, placement and price) in achieving environmental benefits, through an empirical analysis of the latest available Community Innovation Survey in Germany and Portugal related to the period 2012–2014. In our models we consider a multinomial outcome, namely four clusters of companies with a different combination of environmental benefits, constructed using a Cluster Analysis conducted on Principal Component Analysis main factors. Then, the determinants of the cluster membership are analyzed through a Multinomial Logistic Regression model. Results show that the introduction of a marketing innovation yields environmental benefits both within the enterprise (internal) and during the consumption or use of services and products (external). When the four types of marketing innovation are analyzed separately, further results emerge: only two types of innovation, in pricing and placement, were found to be significantly related to both internal and external environmental benefits. Companies are challenged to carefully evaluate the types of marketing innovation that should be introduced to positively impact the environment.