Feasible Policy Research Articles

The silver lining of parental migration on left‐behind adolescents' academic well‐being in China: A systematic review

AbstractThe well‐being, particularly academic performance, of left‐behind children (LBC) by their migrant parents has been studied. Although extensive literature pronounces the adverse impact of parental migration on LBC's academic outcomes, a growing body of evidence has found that these children might perform equally or even better academically than non‐left‐behind children (NLBC), which inspires the present review. This innovative study has systematically reviewed previous studies to provide evidence of a silver lining for parental migration and its implications. We searched for relevant studies from reliable sources and screened them between January and April 2023, following the PRISMA guidelines. After two authors independently screened the title, abstract and full text, 11 potential studies that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were reviewed. The results indicate that eight eligible studies found no significant difference in academic performance between LBC and NLBC, while the remaining studies showed that LBC outperformed NLBC. Additionally, the age of left‐behind children, the duration and reasons for parental migration and household remittance practices were key factors in determining the resilience of LBCs towards academic engagement and performance. The present review findings suggest that future studies need to examine the positive consequence of parental migration on LBCs' academic and nonacademic outcomes by performing rigorous and robust methodology that unfolds and provides casual relationships, which insist on feasible practical and policy effective implications.

Causes and Effects of Waithood and Youth Mobility: Comparing the Youth in South Korea and the Middle East

Waithood, as a social phenomenon, has emerged in this complex, contentious, and uneven global political-economic environment. This paper discusses the phenomenon of waithood faced by youth in Egypt and South Korea. Waithood describes the inability of young people to achieve true economic or social independence at the expected age, resulting in restricted social mobility. This period is often viewed as “waiting for adulthood.” Through a comparative study, this research systematically elucidates the specific manifestations of waithood among Egyptian and Korean youth. Economically, they struggle to find suitable formal employment and are heavily involved in informal activities. Politically, they express their political demands and participate in political activities in various ways within their respective countries. Additionally, this study examines and compares the causes of waithood in both nations, identifying commonalities. Based on these findings, the paper proposes relatively feasible policy recommendations to mitigate the waithood phenomenon, offering insights for future research.

Quantitative evidence of the community of shared future for mankind as a driver of sustainable development in human society

In an era marked by global economic challenges, an increasing array of non-traditional security threats, and a proliferation of conflicts and issues, China has put forth the building of a community of shared future for mankind as a way to address this question of the times. The theory of the community of shared future for mankind offers a framework to address contemporary issues by promoting equality, mutual benefit, security, justice, openness, innovation, multicultural exchange, and green development. This paper innovatively quantifies the five core principles of the theory of the community of shared future for mankind using the entropy method. It calculates the proxy variable for sustainable development, green total factor productivity, using the super-efficiency Slack-Based Measure model in Data Envelopment Analysis. Baseline regression is conducted on this basis. The Principal Component Analysis method and another Data Envelopment Analysis method, the Malmquist index, are utilized to recalculate the indicators, followed by another round of regression analysis. The results are consistent with the baseline regression. Additionally, Ordinary Least Squares, Partial Least Squares, Maximum Likelihood Estimation, Ridge regression, and Lasso regression are employed to ensure the robustness of the results. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between the community of a shared future for mankind and the sustainable development of human society, with consistent conclusions drawn from different calculation methods and regression techniques. Through value recognition, international cooperation based on benefit-sharing and mutual reciprocity can guide humanity towards a harmonious coexistence with nature, irrespective of regional and economic disparities. This study provides quantitative evidence of the impact of the community of a shared future for mankind on the sustainable development of human society, filling a gap in existing research. Based on these findings, feasible policy recommendations are proposed to promote sustainable development in human society.

Barriers and facilitators to providing rehabilitation for long-term care residents with dementia: a qualitative study

BackgroundRehabilitation can help long-term care (LTC) residents with dementia maintain their independence. However, many residents do not receive rehabilitation. This study aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators to providing rehabilitation for LTC residents with dementia and propose practical interventions for overcoming them.MethodsUsing a phenomenological research design, we conducted a qualitative study involving 17 privately owned LTC homes in Nova Scotia, Canada. Data were collected through individual interviews and a focus group with residents with dementia (n = 3), family members (n = 4), rehabilitation providers (n = 6), and other staff (n = 3). We analyzed the data using inductive thematic content analysis and mapped the results onto the socioecological framework and the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) to classify and analyze barriers and facilitators to rehabilitation. The APEASE criteria (Acceptability, Practicability, Effectiveness, Affordability, Side-effects, and Equity) in the BCW were used to identify feasible interventions and policies linked to the identified barriers and facilitators.ResultsBarriers at the intrapersonal level included communication difficulties, comorbidities, and lack of motivation among residents. Interpersonal factors encompassed the availability of family support and lack of interdisciplinary practice. Policy/environmental factors involved limited resources, complex admission processes, low staff ratios, and restrictive restraint policies. Enhancing communication, reducing the use of restraints, promoting interdisciplinary practice, and increasing accessibility to activity spaces and equipment will improve the provision of rehabilitation for the residents.ConclusionEnhancing the capabilities, opportunities, and motivations of all actors in LTC homes can potentially minimize these barriers. Interventions such as staff training on effective communication and dementia care, promoting person-centred and meaningful activities, and improving interdisciplinary collaboration are crucial. Policy measures to improve hospital-to-LTC transitions, increase volunteer involvement, educate families and communities, and recruit more staff are recommended. Addressing these barriers through targeted interventions and policy changes can significantly improve rehabilitation provision for residents with dementia in LTC settings.

Ecosystem services in the Yangtze River Basin and their trade-offs/synergies relationships in response to climate change

Abstract The Yangtze River Basin is an important ecological security barrier with significant economic status, but it is greatly affected by climate change. Therefore, we investigated the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of annual ecosystem service (net primary production (NPP), water conservation and soil retention), their interrelationships and responses to climate change in the Yangtze River Basin from 2001 to 2020. The annual NPP, soil retention and water conservation were 511 gC m−2, 632 t and 272 mm, respectively and they all increased over 2001–2020 though this varied in both time and space. The capacities of soil retention and water conservation did not increase, and even gradually decreased for first 10 years (2001–2010), most likely due to the subsequent effects of the catastrophic flood of Yangtze River occurred in 1998. There are tradeoffs between NPP and soil retention/water conservation in the west Sichaun Province, which is different from the rest of the Yangtze River Basin where synergistic relationships dominate. Precipitation is the dominate climatic influencing factor on the ecosystem service trends found in the Yangtze River Basin. The concept of ecosystem services is being incorporated into decision-making and management, this study is critical to guide regional effective resource utilization, ecosystem management decisions and feasible policies.

Stochastic dual dynamic programming for optimal power flow problems under uncertainty

Planning in the power sector has to take into account the physical laws of alternating current (AC) power flows as well as uncertainty in the data of the problems, both of which greatly complicate optimal decision making. We propose a computationally tractable framework to solve multi-stage stochastic optimal power flow (OPF) problems in AC power systems. Our approach uses recent results on dual convex semi-definite programming (SDP) relaxations of OPF problems in order to adapt the stochastic dual dynamic programming (SDDP) algorithm for problems with a Markovian structure. We show that the usual SDDP lower bound remains valid and that the algorithm converges to a globally optimal policy of the stochastic AC-OPF problem as long as the SDP relaxations are tight. To test the practical viability of our approach, we set up a case study of a storage siting, sizing, and operations problem. We show that the convex SDP relaxation of the stochastic problem is usually tight and discuss ways to obtain near-optimal physically feasible solutions when this is not the case. The algorithm finds a physically feasible policy with an optimality gap of 3% and yields a significant added value of 27% over a rolling deterministic policy, which leads to overly optimistic policies and underinvestment in flexibility. This suggests that the common industry practice of assuming direct current and deterministic problems should be reevaluated by considering models that incorporate realistic AC flows and stochastic elements in the data as potentially more realistic alternatives.

ENHANCING PERFORMANCE OF MANGO FARMING PROJECTS THROUGH PARTICIPATORY PROJECT MANAGMENT

Objective: This paper advocates for a paradigm shift from the traditional project management to a participatory approach throughout the management cycle, for increased performance of mango farming projects. Theoretical Framework: Theories adopted: i. Project Management Theory: Highlights life cycle stages in uncovering new project insights. ii. Stakeholder Theory: Highlights the unity of stakeholders for enhanced involvement in projects. iii. Participation Ladder Theory: Enhances success through active participation. iv. Theory of Constraints: Confronts project challenges related to time, cost, and scope to achieve beneficial changes. Method: The empirical study was carried out in Makueni County, Kenya. It used descriptive cross-sectional design and multistage rsampling on a population of 12,622, out of which a sample of 375 respondnets selected. Of these, 369 questionnaires were returned and analyzed. Additionally, it involved 15 key informants. Observation and an interview guides collected qualitative data. Descriptive and inferential tools, correlation, F-tests, regression and content analysis analyzed quantitative and qualitative data. Results and Discussion: Results reflected item scores showing the composite mean of 3.2 and standard deviation of 3.0. Revealed is a significant positive correlation coefficient (r = 0.592), p-value (p = 0.000) of the relationship between two variables. Research Implications: This study recommends adopting a participatory project cycle approach, supported by a feasible policy, to guide innovative mango farming practices to enhance the overall performance. Originality/Value: The study contributes to literature by advocating project management cycle approach on performance of mango projects in today’s evolving project environment.

The Evolution of Government–Enterprise Strategies of “Expressway + Logistics Distribution”

Currently, China’s expressway revenue and expenditure imbalance problem is serious. The development of an “Expressway Derivative Economy” (EDE) helps address expressway deficits, ensuring the expressway's sustainable operation. The “Expressway + Logistics Distribution” (ELD) mode is a crucial form of the EDE and enhances expressway traffic flow and asset income. However, the cooperation mechanism among stakeholders remains unclear, hindering the widespread promotion of this mode. This study designs two ELD modes and elaborates on their respective advantages. Therefore, a three-party evolutionary game model involving the government, expressway groups, and logistics enterprises is established. Government “land-use-right” grant and tax incentive policies are formulated to explore the cooperation mechanism among stakeholders. The results indicate that both government “land-use-right” grant and tax incentive policies positively influence the positive evolution of the system. However, when the government “land-use-right” grants reach a high level, the willingness of logistics enterprises to choose entry will decrease due to resource crowding. Comparatively, a higher-level “land-use-right” grant policy significantly enhances the role of government tax incentive policy in promoting the positive development of the system. During tight government funding, it is a feasible policy to prioritize expressway groups by providing more tax incentives. The findings provide theoretical guidance for promoting the ELD mode.

Transcritical CO2 mixture power for nuclear plant application: Concept and thermodynamic optimization

The conventional steam power cycle suffers from lower thermal efficiency, larger size, and inadequate cold source matching, failing to meet the demands for high efficiency, compactness, and adaptability required by new-generation underwater power plants. Consequently, the T-CO2 mixture power cycle has been proposed for technological innovation in underwater nuclear plants. Thermodynamic model of the recuperated, precompression, recompression and partial cooling cycles is developed based on the first law of thermodynamics. And the thermodynamic performance of five CO2 mixtures, including CO2/SO2, CO2/H2S, CO2/butane, CO2/propane, and CO2/cyclohexane in the four cycles coupled with a pressurized water reactor (PWR) and an advanced high-temperature reactor (AHTR) is investigated. The findings reveal that when optimized for thermal efficiency, the CO2/cyclohexane is better suited for recuperated and precompression cycles, while CO2/H2S and CO2/propane are more suitable for recompression and partial cooling cycle. Furthermore, regarding the T-CO2 mixture power cycle incorporating PWR and AHTR, the recompression cycle of CO2/propane and CO2/H2S should be opted to achieve maximum thermal efficiencies of 33.07 % and 46.07 %, respectively. Conversely, selecting the precompression cycle of CO2/H2S can yield maximum specific work of 98.61 kJ/kg and 161.62 kJ/kg, respectively. Therefore, investing in reforming nuclear power with new technologies is a feasible policy choice. Additionally, policymakers need to closely monitor the reform requirements of nuclear power plants.

The moderating effect of emission reduction policies on CCS mitigation efficiency

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a critical decarbonization technology for achieving net-zero emissions. High energy costs currently hinder the application of CCS, whereas carbon emission reduction measures directly alter the energy price and influence the cost and emission reduction potential of CCS. However, few studies have focused on the potential impacts and underlying mechanisms of emission reduction policies on CCS. In this study, we construct a computable general equilibrium model with CCS technology to assess the moderating effect of mitigation policies on CCS, and identify feasible policy portfolios to enhance CCS mitigation efficiency. Taking China as a typical case, the results show that, first, energy efficiency improvement and renewable energy policy contribute to mitigating the negative economic impacts of CCS abatement, and terminal electrification policy can enhance the emission reduction of CCS, whereas none of the three measures can achieve a win-win situation in terms of economic and emission impacts. Second, the moderating effect of mitigation policies on CCS exhibits heterogeneity among CCS deploying industries. Promoting terminal electrification is optimal for the coal power industry to improve CCS mitigation efficiency, while renewable energy development has a larger positive effect on the steel, cement, and chemical industries. Third, the combination of a high-intensity renewable energy policy with low-intensity energy efficiency improvements and terminal electrification policy is optimal for overall mitigation efficiency.

Potential and goal conflicts in reverse auction design for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is considered as a future key technology to provide baseload electricity, heat, pulp, paper, and biofuels, while also enabling atmospheric carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Sweden seeks to lead the way in bringing this technology up to scale, introducing a EUR 3.6 billion reverse auction scheme to facilitate market entry of companies producing BECCS. We explore instrument design preferences among politicians, regulators, and prospective BECCS operators to identify trade-offs and explore feasible policy design. Based on 35 interviews with experts in the latent BECCS sector in Sweden, we identify under which circumstances prospective operators would be willing to place bids and discuss how actor preferences both align with and challenge auction theory. The analysis concludes that at least four dilemmas need attention. These concerns how to: (1) balance the state’s demand for BECCS to be implemented already in 2030 against the prospective BECCS operators’ fear of the winner’s curse, i.e., a fear of bidding for a contract that turns out to be too costly to implement; (2) allocate contracts at the margin of the auctioneer’s demand for BECCS without driving up costs; (3) design compliance mechanism to achieve effectiveness without undermining efficiency, and; 4) integrate the auction with the voluntary carbon market—if at all—in a manner that safeguards the environmental integrity of the auctions.

Intersection of generative artificial intelligence and copyright: an Indian perspective

Purpose The main objective of this study is to present a compact overview analysis of intellectual property laws, specifically copyright-related provisions applicable to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a qualitative research methodology that is grounded in secondary sources of information. The data were gathered from the Scopus database for a systematic literature review. Findings GenAI technology has given rise to numerous questionable issues within the domain of intellectual property that need resolution in the form of policy solutions. Based on the findings of this paper, it can be deduced that Indian copyright laws are not adequate for addressing the rights pertaining to AI and its creations and outputs. Different countries like the United States, European Union and China have approached the regulation and protection of AI-generated content within the realm of copyright law in different ways. The future of law, as it has been established thus far, seems to be on a path of substantial evolution. Practical implications The study has implications for policymakers globally as there is a need to create feasible policy solutions that can efficiently safeguard against risks stemming from large language models (LLMs) and other GenAI models, while also promoting innovation, technical advancement and adoption. Originality/value The paper discusses the copyright-related issues in GenAI technology in the context of an emerging economy, India.

Integrating Risk-Conflict assessment for constructing and optimizing ecological security patterns of Polder landscape in the Urban-Rural fringe

Jianghan Plain is an important grain-producing area in China, and the transformation of the natural environment by the long-term polder activities of the people in this area has created a characteristic polder landscape. After 2000, urbanization has led to the destruction of ecosystems in these polder landscapes, especially in sensitive areas at the urban–rural interface. ESP can help mitigate this threat by systematically identifying and connecting ecologically significant areas to enhance ecosystem stability and sustainability. In this paper, taking Dongxihu Polder as an example, we apply multi-source remote sensing data to develop LER and LUC models. Combining these with MCR model, we construct an ESP for Dongxihu Polder. The study shows that (1) the growth of LER and LUC in Dongxihu Polder is characterized by “strong dynamics, high complexity and weak protection”, which is closely related to the urban expansion of the urban–rural boundary area; (2) Watersheds, woodlands, and farmlands play an important role in controlling LERs and LUCs, so we identified 33 ecologically important source areas that are mainly concentrated in these regions; (3) In this paper, 46 ecological strategic nodes and 16 ecological corridors were extracted to construct the Dongxihu Polder ESP of “one ring, five axes, multiple points and multiple chains”, and suggested specific optimization strategies. The study provides feasible ecological management policy recommendations for the protection as well as sustainable development of Dongxihu Polder.

Breaking barriers, cultivating sustainability: Discovering the trifecta influence of digitalization, natural resources, and globalization on eco-innovations across 27 European nations

In recent years, the convergence of digitalization, natural resources, and globalization has profoundly influenced eco-innovations in European economies, emphasizing their significance in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). Additionally, digitalization enables smart infrastructure and facilitates a circular economy. Furthermore, natural resources provide prospects for transitioning to renewable energy and improving resource efficiency, while globalization connects European economies to global networks, endorsing the exchange of information and best practices. This study examines the influence of digitalization, natural resources, and globalization on eco-innovations for the 27 European Union (EU-27) nations from 1990 to 2021. The estimated outcomes reveal that digitalization substantially encourages eco-innovations. After confirming the issues of cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity, this study adopts the second-generation process to estimate consistent and robust outcomes. The findings from the method of moment quantile regression (MMQR) show that digitalization significantly increases eco-innovations across all quantiles. Regarding natural resources, the findings explore the asymmetric relationship, indicating that an increase in natural resources raises the level of eco-innovations in the lower and lower-middle quantiles but decreases it in the upper quantiles. This signifies the inefficient use of natural resources in EU-27 nations. Additionally, the findings report that the globalization process significantly reduces the pace of eco-innovations. The interaction between natural resources and digitalization reveals that it increases eco-innovations at lower quantiles but reduces them at higher quantiles. As for the interaction between natural resources and globalization, the findings indicate a positive association with eco-innovations in the lower and lower-middle quantiles but a negative association in higher quantiles. Based on the estimated evidences, this study suggests some feasible policy inferences to drive eco-innovations, mitigate ecological impacts, and pave the way for a greener and more resilient future in EU-27 nations.

Research on Green Technology Innovation Issues and Paths in the Green Development of Sichuan Counties

With the urgent need for China's economic transformation and sustainable development, the green development of counties in Sichuan Province has become the focus of today's society. This study aims to explore the problems and paths faced by green technology innovation in this context. First, the current status of green technology innovation in Sichuan counties is analyzed, and then the problems of green technology innovation in the green development of Sichuan counties are analyzed. The necessity of research on green technology innovation and policy coordination in Sichuan counties is emphasized, and finally the path to promote green technology innovation in Sichuan counties is proposed. Through the analysis and discussion of this study, it is expected to provide feasible technology innovation paths and policy recommendations for the green development of Sichuan counties, and promote its realization of sustainable development goals.

Green subsidies as strategic trade policy tools

In a third-country market model in which two export countries adopt environmental policies (taxes and subsidies), this article analyses how an abatement (“green”) subsidy can become a potential strategic trade policy tool. When governments set the optimal policy considering their local environmental damages, a rich set of equilibria arises. In contrast to the standard result, it is shown that subsidising pollution abatement can 1) emerge as the unique Pareto-efficient Nash equilibrium of the policy game, 2) be the only feasible environmental policy when environmental awareness is low, irrespective of the efficiency of the cleaning technology, and 3) emerge as the unique Pareto-inefficient Nash equilibrium of the policy game at the end of the ecological transition. The article also tackles some dynamic issues that the policy game implies.

Stakeholder engagement in managing systemic risk management

AbstractThis paper employs the interpretative lens provided by stakeholder theory to garner novel insights for research and managerial practices within the framework of high‐reliable organizations (HROs). It proposes an interpretative matrix for analyzing and explaining how stakeholders’ behaviors and interactions can transition from a “strategic” to a “responsibility” approach in the context of risk management. The paper adopts a qualitative methodology based on a case study of the Italian Civil Protection—an HRO—during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Through the analysis of institutional sources and reports, we apply two theoretical frameworks to examine how the organization's engagement strategy changed in response to an unexpected event. This case serves to illuminate the main implications and practical applications of shared conceptual reflections. The principal implications are traced in terms of theory, practice, and policy, focusing on the joint examination of organizational reliability and stakeholder engagement theory, the potential utility of the proposed case study, and the feasible policy actions. The main limitations of this study lie in the purely qualitative methodology employed, the nature of the organization analyzed, and the territorial scope of the study. Future works will address an empirical investigation of the theoretical relations uncovered herein, as well as the expansion of the spectrum of analysis (e.g., private organizations) and a cross‐country widening of the level of analysis.

Dynamic Home Care Routing and Scheduling with Uncertain Number of Visits per Referral

Despite the rapid growth of the home care industry, research on the scheduling and routing of home care visits in the presence of uncertainty is still limited. This paper investigates a dynamic version of this problem in which the number of referrals and their required number of visits are uncertain. We develop a Markov decision process (MDP) model for the single-nurse problem to minimize the expected weighted sum of the rejection, diversion, overtime, and travel time costs. Because optimally solving the MDP is intractable, we employ an approximate linear program (ALP) to obtain a feasible policy. The typical ALP approach can only solve very small-scale instances of the problem. We derive an intuitively explainable closed-form solution for the optimal ALP parameters in a special case of the problem. Inspired by this form, we provide two heuristic reduction techniques for the ALP model in the general problem to solve large-scale instances in an acceptable time. Numerical results show that the ALP policy outperforms a myopic policy that reflects current practice, and is better than a scenario-based policy in most instances considered. Funding: This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada [Grants RGPIN-2018-05225 and RGPIN-2020-210524] and by the Telfer School of Management SMRG Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Support [Grant 2020]. Supplemental Material: The electronic companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2023.0120 .

Research and Analysis on Policy Governance Based on Traffic Congestion in Beijing

This paper proposes three-game models to improve Beijing's traffic environment through the analysis method of game theory. First, the author examines the impact of improving drivers' moral character on alleviating traffic congestion. Second, this paper focus on the role of improving the public transportation environment in reducing road stress. Finally, this research examines the possibility of mitigating traffic congestion through a reward-punishment system. Comprehensive analysis of the results of these three game models, this paper conclude that a single policy of license restriction and traffic restriction is not enough to solve the traffic congestion problem in Beijing, and multiple policy measures need to be considered comprehensively. However, these policy measures also face some challenges and limitations, including time and education investment, people's travel needs and transportation network layout, and the design and implementation of the reward and punishment system. Therefore, future research and policy development need to further explore these issues and find more comprehensive and feasible policy solutions. Finally, this article recommends that the Beijing Municipal Government comprehensively consider the results of different game models and formulate comprehensive policy measures based on the actual situation, including improving road transportation facilities, encouraging green travel methods, and promoting intelligent transportation systems. Through these efforts, it is expected to improve Beijing's traffic environment, enhance citizens' travel experience, and achieve the goal of sustainable urban transportation.

Research on the Transformation and Upgrading of Green Finance Enabling Enterprises in China under the Goal of "Double-Carbon"

Under the background of China's "Double-carbon" goal, the development of green finance is extremely urgent. At present, the transformation and upgrading of green finance enabling enterprises are faced with challenges such as different standards and regulatory loopholes. The study on the mechanism of green finance on low-carbon transformation of enterprises can effectively solve the stagnation of green finance in China, and contribute to the sustainable development of China's economy under the "Double-carbon" standard. Based on the existing literature, this paper expounds the necessity and feasibility of the transformation and upgrading of green finance-enabled enterprises, studies the mechanism and specific forms of the transformation and upgrading of green finance-enabled enterprises under the goal of "Double-carbon", and puts forward feasible policy suggestions.