Financial Contributions Research Articles

Developing a framework for understanding policy decision-making behaviors in the transition of an HIV prevention program towards sustainability: a case study from Zambia's voluntary medical male circumcision program.

Faced with declining donor funding for HIV, low- and middle-income countries must identify efficient and cost-effective ways to integrate HIV prevention programs into public health systems for long-term sustainability. In Zambia, donor support to the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) program, which previously funded non-governmental organizations as implementing partners, is increasingly being directed through government structures instead. We developed a framework to understand how the behaviors of individual decision-makers within the government could be barriers to this transition. We interviewed key stakeholders from the national, provincial, and district levels of the Ministry of Health, and from donors and partners funding and implementing Zambia's VMMC program, exploring the decisions required to attain a sustainable VMMC program and the behavioral dynamics involved at personal and institutional levels. Using pattern identification and theme matching to analyze the content of the responses, we derived three core decision-making phases in the transition to a sustainable VMMC program: 1) developing an alternative funding strategy, 2) developing a policy for early-infant (0-2 months) and early-adolescent (15-17 years) male circumcision, which is crucial to sustainable HIV prevention; and 3) identifying integrated and efficient implementation models. We formulated a framework showing how, in each phase, a range of behavioral dynamics can form barriers that hinder effective decision-making among stakeholders at the same level (e.g., national ministries and donors) or across levels (e.g., national, provincial and district). Our research methodology and the resulting framework offer a systematic approach for in-depth investigations into organizational decision-making in public health programs, as well as development programs beyond VMMC and HIV prevention. It provides the insights necessary to map organizational development and policy-making transition plans to sustainability, by explaining tangible factors such as organizational processes and systems, as well as intangibles such as the behaviors of policymakers and institutional actors.

Analysis of financial barriers experienced by prospective genetic counseling students

PurposeHigh costs of applying to genetic counseling graduate programs (GCGPs) are likely a barrier to workforce diversification. We sought to determine application costs and assess differences between individuals of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds in medicine (hURM) and non-hURM applicants. MethodsApplicants to GCGPs between 2005 to 2020 were surveyed about application history, related expenses, volunteer hours, and financial resources; 383 responses were analyzed. ResultsMedian total application costs (MTAC) were $2634, $4762, and $5607 (1, 2, and 3 or more application cycles, respectively). Interview-related items (which includes travel) had the highest median cost (1 application cycle: $879). Among those who applied to multiple cycles, hURM respondents had higher MTAC than those of non-hURM ($6713 versus $4762, P = .03) and lower median total volunteer hours (246 versus 381, P = .03). Parental education level differed by hURM status (P = .04). Median financial contribution from parents with and without advanced degrees varied significantly (60% versus 2%, P = .0009). ConclusionSignificant costs are incurred during the GCGP application process, but notable differences in costs and resources were observed between hURM and non-hURM applicants. Stakeholders within the profession should implement strategies to reduce financial barriers and the resulting inequities in the application process.

Integrated Marketing Communication And Mapping of Tourism Destinations In Larike Village

One service industry that makes a substantial financial contribution to the nation's economy is tourism. The province of Maluku has tourism potential. including a tourist attraction in the town of Larike, which is located in Ambon City, Maluku Province's Central Maluku area. The purpose of this study is to map and assess the use of integrated marketing communication in Larike Village tourism attractions. This kind of study uses qualitative approaches and applied research.

Optimization of Financial Flows with the Help of Artificial Intelligence in Public Institutions

Abstract The only technology that is currently mature enough to help us quickly recover losses in agriculture is digital technology. Digital transformation is increasingly referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, aimed at merging the real world with the virtual one, bringing advantages even in traditional sectors such as agriculture. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are used to analyze large amounts of data collected from various sources in the field, as well as from farmers or beneficiaries of European funds for agricultural sector development. Specifically, they can analyze information gathered from soil sensors, weather stations, satellite images, or European funding applications, among others. This analysis provides farmers with valuable information to make informed decisions regarding seed selection, optimal timing, planting techniques, and resource allocation decisions. At the same time, AI-powered systems can learn from historical data and identify patterns, enabling more accurate predictions and recommendations. Machine learning algorithms can anticipate managerial decisions, detect potential problems, and suggest appropriate interventions to improve financial performance for the successful implementation of projects funded by European funds.

Assessing Child Maintenance Cases in Ghana: What Do Social Workers Consider?

While one of the key responsibilities of social services in Ghana is to conduct maintenance arrangements so that the nonresident parent is committed to making financial contributions to the well-being of the child, little is known about what informs social workers’ assessments in child maintenance cases. The aim of this study was to determine what social workers consider when undertaking child maintenance assessments. A qualitative practice research study was conducted with 13 social workers and 12 parents involved in a child maintenance case with three agencies of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development in Ghana. The study showed that corroborating the existence of nonpayment for maintenance in the family is the first step in assessing other factors, such as the parent’s income, occupational status and maintenance amount. Even after the maintenance amount was decided upon, social workers were often unable to follow-up on nonresident parents to ensure that they complied with the maintenance arrangements. Given that no assessment instrument exists in Ghana for addressing child maintenance cases, the study’s findings can provide useful information that can aid in the development of an instrument or framework to assist social workers in their assessments.

Equity split evolution in entrepreneurial teams: Assessing financial contributions and human capital

ABSTRACT Proper equity splits play a vital role in the success of entrepreneurial teams, yet the literature lacks a comprehensive understanding of their evolving nature. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the dynamic and evolutionary process of equity splits using longitudinal data. Through the development of a game-theory model incorporating human-capital signals, we illuminate the impact of these factors. Utilizing data from the Kauffman Firm Survey and employing fixed- and mixed-effects modeling, we uncover significant findings. Initially, financial contributions shape equity splits, but their influence diminishes as hidden human capital gains prominence. Education attainment and work experience have no direct effect, while prior entrepreneurial experience influences the initial year but not subsequent equity resplitting. Our research offers practical insights for making informed equity-split decisions in the early and later stages of ventures. Nonetheless, it’s important to note some limitations in our research stemming from the lack of information on individual entrepreneurs’ performance within entrepreneurial teams, which could enrich the measurement of hidden human capital.

Public Preference for Financing Preventive Vaccines in Health Shocks: The Case of COVID-19 Vaccines in a Middle-Income Country.

To effectively manage health crises such as disease pandemics, health authorities require reliable information regarding people's preferences. This helps to ensure timely and targeted interventions and avoids increasing societal costs through developing evidence-based policies. This study investigates the Iranian people's preference for financing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and the factors affecting this. A cross-sectional survey was performed during the third-wave peak of COVID-19 in Iran from 1 to 20 February 2021 utilizing various data collection methods. The public preference regarding imported and domestically produced vaccines, their willingness to fully or partially contribute to the financing of these vaccines, and their willingness to pay (WTP) for domestically produced vaccines using the contingent valuation method was assessed in different scenarios. The determinants of the probability of positive financing preferences were evaluated using an ordered probit regression model. Among the 2071 survey respondents, approximately 60% stated willingness to contribute to vaccine financing in the form of partial or full user fee payments. Forty percent of respondents are willing to be vaccinated if it is provided for free by the government. Interestingly, people's preference for financing the vaccine was not related to the type of vaccine. The regression analysis showed that income, having supplementary insurance, being male, perceived COVID-19 risk, education, and working in the health sector are significantly related to a higher probability of contribution to vaccine financing. Regardless of country of origin of COVID-19 vaccines, vaccination is very important for the Iranian people, and the majority of respondents in our study showed an inclination to contribute to vaccine funding, from partial to full user fees, to achieve higher protection against COVID-19 disease. Hence, ensuring timely access to vaccines during health crises such as pandemics is imperative, as it saves lives and reduces the economic burden of disease. This commitment from the health system can be supported by financial contributions from the general public. In this regard, considering public preferences is strongly advised to policymakers.

Surveying the crucial role of financial management in small and medium enterprises

Financial management plays a vital role in the success and sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The unique challenges faced by SMEs demand a comprehensive understanding of financial strategies and practices to navigate the complexities of the business landscape. This paper discusses about SMEs and executes financial decisions and performs in larger organizations. The main objective to examine the literature on SME sources of financing, and implement the account of SMEs and characteristics of owner-manager. SME financial decisions must be explored to understand the intricate relationships and determine the industry's financial contributions. The study desires to provide significant knowledge through investigating the intricate relationship among the characteristics of SMEs and various traits exhibited by their managers and owners. This knowledge was utilized to influence the policy structures, financial organizations and stakeholders involved in supporting SMEs. The SMEs represent an integral part of generating national economic growth was essential to possess comprehensive knowledge of financial circumstances. This information was essential to create a context that supports business management, supports creativity and enables equitable economic growth.

Modeling soil organic carbon based on field soil-texture measurements

There are many studies about soil organic carbon (SOC) around the world but, in extensive territories, it is more difficult to obtain data due to the number of variables involved in the models and their high cost. In large regions with poor infrastructure, low-cost SOC models are needed. With this in mind, our objective was to estimate the SOC using a simple model based on soil textural data. The work was focused on savanna soil and validated the model in the Brazilian Savanna. Two models were constructed, one for topsoil (0–0.3 m) and other for subsoil (0.3–1.0 m). The SOC models can be carried out in a textural triangle together with SOC values. The results showed that subsoil models were more accurate than topsoil models, but both had good performance. The models give support to SOC-related preliminary research in gross and fast estimates, requiring only reduced financial contribution to calculate SOC in a large region of interest.

Tracking earmarked funding to international organizations: Introducing the earmarked funding dataset

AbstractOver the past two decades, donor funding of international organizations (IOs) such as the United Nations, has shifted from core resources toward earmarked contributions. While core resources provide IOs with discretion how to achieve their mandates, earmarked contributions require IOs to focus their assistance on specific themes, sectors, countries, or projects, as determined by the donors. Our understanding of the drivers and effects of earmarked funding has been limited by the lack of systematic data. To address this gap, we introduce the Earmarked Funding Dataset. The dataset contains 342,812 earmarked aid activities from nearly 50 donors with over 340 IOs with a mandate in international development from 1990 to 2020. We first explore the data descriptively to cast light on the evolution of the multilateral development system. We then use the data to examine whether and how donors financially reward well-performing IOs. To that end, we combine our data with newly available performance data synthesized from Multilateral Organization Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN) evaluations of 32 IOs in 2009–2020. Using difference-in-difference estimations, we find a significantly positive relationship between outcome performance and earmarked contributions. In contrast, performance does not seem to affect core resources. These patterns suggest that donors reward well-performing multilaterals with more funding, albeit based on development outcomes which are not easily contractible. From a policy perspective, these findings suggest that performance-based approaches to aid allocation—as they are currently practiced—upload the financial risks of organizational reform processes to international organizations.

The Impacts of Community-Driven Development Program in Conflict-Affected Regions: Evidence from Cambodia

Abstract This study evaluates the effects of the Cambodia Rural Development Program, specifically focusing on income generation and social capital. By employing a difference- in-differences framework and propensity score matching, the study finds a statistically significant positive impact on income, primarily driven by increased engagement in regular income-generating activities. However, the study also finds that the program has a limited effect on village-level collective actions, social cohesion, and perceived safety while inadvertently discouraging financial contributions to community projects. Additionally, trust between villagers and government officials remains unchanged. Heterogeneous analyses reveal the ineffective participation of trauma-experienced subgroups, highlighting the need for tailored approaches in conflict-affected regions.

The reconstruction and conversion of St Clement's parish church in Wieliczka in the 19th c. and the financial contribution of the salt mine to the restoration of the temple

From the 15th century the parish provided pastoral care for miners from the Wieliczka salt mine, in exchange for which the mine board paid salt fees (since ca. 1703 in cash) to the provost and was obliged to participate in the church's upkeep costs. In 1772 the obligations were taken over by the Austrian administrators of the Wieliczka mine, hence the participation of the Salt Mine Board in the costs of reconstructing the church following the destruction caused by the subterranean tremor in the 1780s.

Does spending time with nature affect people’s desire to protect it? A case study of Nigerian beachgoers

ABSTRACT This study explores the intricate relationship between beach conservation and human behaviour, focusing on beachgoers in Lagos State, Nigeria. It underlines the importance of nature connection in determining people’s willingness to pay (WTP) for the management and preservation of coastal ecosystems. As well as providing spaces for recreation, beaches provide vital ecosystem services such as flood protection and contributions to biodiversity, but they are often threatened by human-induced actions such as pollution. The research investigates pathways through which individuals connect with nature, highlighting beauty, compassion, emotion, contact and meaning. It reveals that participants primarily establish their connection through the aesthetic appeal of beaches. Additionally, the study uncovers a positive WTP for beach management, with most participants willing to contribute modest amounts. The study’s implications point to the need for holistic beach management strategies in Nigeria that balance economic development and environmental conservation. Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of strengthening connections between individuals and the natural world to foster pro-environmental behaviour and financial contributions to conservation efforts.

Abstract PO3-05-07: SOLTI-1718 NEREA Trial: Neratinib in hormone receptor (HR)-positive/HER2-negative HER2-enriched (HER2-E) advanced breast cancer (BC)

Abstract Background Breast cancer (BC) is a clinically and biologically heterogenous disease where intrinsic subtypes play a role. Non-luminal subtypes within HR+/HER2-negative disease do not benefit to the same extent from standard of care treatments as the luminal subtypes. Thus, other strategies are needed. HER2-E subtype represents approximately 15.0% of HR+/HER2-negative tumors in metastatic setting. According to an exploratory analysis of EGF30008 trial, HER2-E advanced BC patients, despite presenting poor outcomes across treatments, showed benefit from anti-HER2 therapy with lapatinib. Here, we report the efficacy and safety of the NEREA trial, the first study designed to evaluate neratinib and endocrine therapy in HR+/HER2-negative, PAM50 HER2-E ABC. Methods SOLTI-1718 NEREA (NCT04460430) is a single-arm, multicenter phase II study evaluating neratinib in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) in patients with HR+/HER2-, PAM50 HER2-E ABC. Key inclusion criteria include progression to prior endocrine therapy, ≤ 1 line of chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer (ABC), ECOG 0-1, and HER2-E disease by PAM50 on a metastatic tumor biopsy. The availability of a metastatic tumor sample was mandatory in the pre-screening phase to assess PAM50 subtype. Included patients received neratinib 240 mg daily in combination with ET, with either exemestane, fulvestrant or tamoxifen (as per investigator´s decision). All patients received prophylactic loperamide with an established dosing scheme during the first cycle and on-demand in subsequent cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival rate at 6 months (PFS6). Secondary endpoints include other efficacy endpoints and safety. The study was based on a Simon two-stage design. Stage I of the trial would be considered successful if at least 14 of 33 patients achieved PFS > 6m. In that case, the trial would recruit up to 56 patients for a target PFS6 ≥ 50%. Results. Between July 2020 and June 2022, molecular subtyping was performed on tumors from 136 patients, and 18 HER2-E tumors were identified (7.6%). 12 evaluable patients were enrolled. Baseline characteristics were as follows: median age 60 years, 91.7% of pts were postmenopausal, 75% had visceral disease and 59% received (neo)adjuvant treatment. The median number of lines for ABC was 3 (1-5). Neratinib was combined with exemestane (41.7%), fulvestrant (33.8%) and tamoxifen (25%). At the time of data cut-off (June 2023), 9 patients (75%) had stopped their treatment because of PD and 2 (16.7%) due to toxicity. The PFS6 months occurred in one patient (8.3%, CI: 0.2% - 38.5%). Median PFS was 1.7 months (95% CI 1.6-1.9) with a patient still on treatment after 27.1 months. The incidence of treatment-related adverse events (trAEs) was 25%; diarrhea (25%), asthenia (16.7%), nausea (8.3%), vomiting (8.3%) and rash (8.3%) were most common and were predominantly grade 1/2. 25% of patients experienced grade 3 trAEs. Conclusions.Due to slow enrollment, the study was stopped early. At the time of study close, the hypothesis that neratinib has efficacy in HR+/HER2-, PAM50 HER2-E tumors was not confirmed. We thank PUMA BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC for their provision of Neratinib and financial contribution to the study. Citation Format: Eva Ciruelos, Cristina Saura, Xavier Gonzalez-Farré, Francisco Javier Salvador Bofill, Maria Vidal, Isabel Blancas, Elena López-Miranda, Maria Iglesias, Míriam Arumí, Mireia Margelí, Catarina Pulido, Serafin Morales Murillo, Fernando Henao, Pilar Sanchez, Sara Alves, Ana Godoy Ortiz, José Passos Coelho, Santiago Escrivá-de-Romaní, Alejandra Espinosa, Tomás Pascual, Aleix Prat. SOLTI-1718 NEREA Trial: Neratinib in hormone receptor (HR)-positive/HER2-negative HER2-enriched (HER2-E) advanced breast cancer (BC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-05-07.

Generationenkapital gleich Zockerkapital? – die implizite Ziel-Performance des Referentenentwurfs

Abstract The following article shows that the objectives of the draft bill, which are being pursued with generation capital, namely the creation of foundation assets of 200 billion euros and annual distributions of 10 billion euros, are achieved without loan interest at a performance of 3.26%. If the foundation has to pay interest on the loan, the required performance increases, but the spread decreases steadily from the initial 3.26%. If the target distributions are to increase dynamically in the future, a performance of around 0.3 percentage points higher would be required as long as the federal government continues to grant loans. This performance appears to be realistically achievable in the long term. Nevertheless, its financial contribution is estimated to be low.

A mixed funding pattern: China's exercise of power within the United Nations

AbstractChina's financial contributions to the United Nations have increased in tandem with its growing economic might. However, their composition differs from that of other large (Western) contributors, being predominantly made up of mandatory fees and to a much lesser degree of voluntary core and earmarked contributions. What types of power does China seek and exercise through these different funding modalities? This article uses the conceptual power framework developed by Barnett and Duvall to answer this question. We argue that China's UN funding strategy reflects a careful balance between its commitments as a ‘responsible great power’ contributing to multilateralism and its desire to expand its influence within the UN system. We suggest that China exercises compulsory and structural power through assessed contributions and acquires some limited institutional and structural power via voluntary core contributions, while its voluntary earmarked contributions relate, to varying degrees, to all four power types — compulsory, structural, institutional, and productive. We also discuss key reasons behind the limited nature of China's voluntary funding. Based on our analysis, we suggest that the overall increase in China's funding contributes to changes in China's favor but, so far, has not led to more substantive power shifts at the UN.

Did aid to the Ebola crisis divert aid for reproductive, maternal, and newborn health? An analysis of donor-reported data in Sierra Leone

BackgroundInfectious disease outbreaks like Ebola and Covid-19 are increasing in frequency. They may harm reproductive, maternal and newborn health (RMNH) directly and indirectly. Sierra Leone experienced a sharp deterioration of RMNH during the 2014–16 Ebola epidemic. One possible explanation is that donor funding may have been diverted away from RMNH to the Ebola response.MethodsWe analysed donor-reported data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s Creditor Reported System (CRS) data for Sierra Leone before, during and after the 2014–16 Ebola epidemic to understand whether aid flows for Ebola displaced aid for RMNH. We estimated aid for Ebola using key term searches and manual review of CRS records. We estimated aid for RMNH by applying the Muskoka-2 algorithm to the CRS and analysing CRS purpose codes.ResultsWe find substantial increases in aid to Sierra Leone (from $484 million in 2013 to $1 billion at the height of the epidemic in 2015), most of which was earmarked for the Ebola response. Overall, Ebola aid was additional to RMNH funding. RMNH aid was sustained during the epidemic (at $42 m per year) and peaked immediately after (at $77 m in 2016). There is some evidence of a small displacement of RMNH aid from the UK during the period when its Ebola funding increased.ConclusionsModest changes to RMNH donor aid patterns are insufficient to explain the severe decline in RMNH indicators recorded during the outbreak. Our findings therefore suggest the need for substantial increases in routine aid to ensure that basic RMNH services and infrastructure are strong before an epidemic occurs, as well as increased aid for RMNH during epidemics like Ebola and Covid-19, if reproductive, maternal and newborn healthcare is to be maintained at pre-epidemic levels.

Choosing American Colleges from Afar

Chinese students studying abroad have been increasing rapidly in the past decades and become a significant financial contribution to receiving countries. Accordingly, understanding their enrollment choice is essential to facilitate college marketing and admission strategies. Though the decision process is believed to be different from domestic students, empirical analysis on Chinese students’ enrollment choice is still lacking. This paper fills the void by examining the influential factors of Chinese students’ enrollment choice with novel student-level data. We find that in addition to factors domestic students typically consider, Chinese students particularly emphasize college ranking, reputation, and location in their decision process. Furthermore, unlike domestic students usually preferring colleges with proximity to home, Chinese students’ location preference is linked to job prosperity. We also find that the impact of the factors varies for students from different regions of China, which can be attributable to uneven economic development within the country.

Clean energy for the Pacific Island countries: Does donor funding promote this transition?

Donor funding, both grants and concessional loans, on renewable energy projects to Pacific Island countries (PICs) have increased overtime. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of this donor funding on PICs transition to renewable energy. Our hypothesis is that donor funded renewable projects have facilitated transition to clean energy for PICs. Using data for nine PICs, we discover no support for our hypothesis. Alternative measures of donor funding persistently reject our hypothesis. Additional regression analysis suggests that donor funding is insignificantly related to the renewable energy transition. We draw policy implications from these findings.

Imperialism and social movement unionism in South African responses to the Just Transition

In November 2021, South Africa signed the first international Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). This unlocked 8.5 billion USD in donor funding (primarily loans) to decarbonise its economy. The processes and substance of this decarbonisation have been criticised by unions and by civil society. This article traces the stakeholder consultation process through which civil society encouraged marginal improvements while broadly legitimising the JETP, and it details the causes and implications of South African unions’ decreased engagement with the Just Transition. The article argues that the specifics of civil society’s engagement with multistakeholder consultations, and organised labour’s disengagement, work towards legitimising a donor- and market-led transition. In partially explaining why a powerful civil society and the labour movement have not demanded more radical change, the article highlights tensions between the ‘professional class’ that dominates responses to climate change and a workers’ movement where political power is deeply tied to identarian mobilisation.