Incoming Stream Research Articles

Comparative Analysis of Investment Objectives: a Study Comparing the Investment Objectives of Different Types of Investors, Such as Individual Investors, Institutional Investors, and Retirement Funds

The research is about individual investors with a wider range of investment objectives than institutional investors and retirement funds. Institutional investors and retirement funds typically have more specific investment objectives, such as preserving capital, generating a steady income stream, and meeting specific liability obligations. Individual investors are more likely to focus on growing their wealth over time and generating income. Institutional investors are more likely to focus on preserving capital and generating a steady income stream. Retirement funds are more likely to focus on providing investors with a comfortable retirement.

Analyzing the Relationship between Real Estate Investments and Portfolio Diversification

Real estate has long been considered an attractive investment option for individuals and institutions seeking to build wealth and diversify their portfolios. Unlike traditional investment vehicles such as stocks and bonds, real estate offers unique characteristics that can potentially enhance returns and mitigate risk. This analysis aims to explore the role of real estate investments in portfolio diversification and assess their potential impact on overall portfolio performance. Portfolio diversification is a fundamental principle in investment management, as it helps to spread risk across different asset classes and mitigate the impact of market fluctuations on a portfolio's overall value. By including assets with low or negative correlations, investors can reduce the volatility of their portfolios and potentially achieve higher risk-adjusted returns. Real estate investments, including direct property ownership, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and other real estate-related securities, have traditionally exhibited low correlations with other asset classes, such as equities and bonds. This low correlation can be attributed to the unique characteristics of real estate, including its tangible nature, the presence of rental income streams, and the potential for capital appreciation. Furthermore, real estate investments can provide a hedge against inflation, as property values and rental rates tend to increase during periods of rising prices. This feature makes real estate an attractive diversification option, particularly for investors seeking to protect their portfolios from the eroding effects of inflation. This analysis will delve into the historical performance of real estate investments, examine their risk and return characteristics, and evaluate their potential contribution to portfolio diversification. By examining empirical data and leveraging portfolio optimization techniques, we aim to provide insights into the optimal allocation of real estate investments within a diversified portfolio.

Automatic lesion detection for narrow-band imaging bronchoscopy.

Early detection of cancer is crucial for lung cancer patients, as it determines disease prognosis. Lung cancer typically starts as bronchial lesions along the airway walls. Recent research has indicated that narrow-band imaging (NBI) bronchoscopy enables more effective bronchial lesion detection than other bronchoscopic modalities. Unfortunately, NBI video can be hard to interpret because physicians currently are forced to perform a time-consuming subjective visual search to detect bronchial lesions in a long airway-exam video. As a result, NBI bronchoscopy is not regularly used in practice. To alleviate this problem, we propose an automatic two-stage real-time method for bronchial lesion detection in NBI video and perform a first-of-its-kind pilot study of the method using NBI airway exam video collected at our institution. Given a patient's NBI video, the first method stage entails a deep-learning-based object detection network coupled with a multiframe abnormality measure to locate candidate lesions on each video frame. The second method stage then draws upon a Siamese network and a Kalman filter to track candidate lesions over multiple frames to arrive at final lesion decisions. Tests drawing on 23 patient NBI airway exam videos indicate that the method can process an incoming video stream at a real-time frame rate, thereby making the method viable for real-time inspection during a live bronchoscopic airway exam. Furthermore, our studies showed a 93% sensitivity and 86% specificity for lesion detection; this compares favorably to a sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 84% achieved over a series of recent pooled clinical studies using the current time-consuming subjective clinical approach. The method shows potential for robust lesion detection in NBI video at a real-time frame rate. Therefore, it could help enable more common use of NBI bronchoscopy for bronchial lesion detection.

Empowering her drive: Unveiling the resilience and triumphs of women entrepreneurs in rural landscapes

Rural women entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in poverty eradication and inclusive development, yet many women in developing nations, including Tanzania, grapple with challenges hindering their enterprise success. This study delves into these challenges and explores resilience strategies for positive transformations. Primary data was collected from 540 women-led enterprises in the Tabora region between April and June 2022, analyzed using the One-parameter logistic, and Ordinary Robust Least Square models. The One-parameter logistic model, suited for binary outcomes, reveals nuanced challenges faced by rural women entrepreneurs, with government policy, regulatory environment, and education and training showing positive and significant relationships to discrimination, while cultural factors, infrastructure, and socioeconomic characteristics exhibit negative significant relationships. The Ordinary Robust Least Square model indicates that resilience strategies, including diversification of income streams, access to credit, skills development training, sustainable agriculture practices, and value addition programs, significantly influence women entrepreneurs' performance. These strategies empower women to overcome challenges and thrive. Conclusively, the study advocates for targeted policy interventions fostering education, financial inclusion, and sector-specific support to empower and enhance the resilience of women entrepreneurs, contributing to broader socioeconomic development.

Theoretical foundations of circular business models in the agriculture sphere: classification, components, and functions

The article is dedicated to the practical implications of circular business models in the agro-food sector, classifying their types and explaining their strategic components and functions. We explore resource models, design models, models of extending the product life cycle, platform models, product as a service, and end-of-life models of the product. We also delve into cascade processes, which are circular processes that involve the creation of reverse biological cycles and the use of biomass to produce products with a more significant share of added value. The importance of these models for preserving the value and duration of the life cycle of biological materials in closed agro-product networks is highlighted. We outline the architecture and strategic basis of business models in agri-food production based on three key components (value proposition, generation of social value, and management of social value). We substantiate a set of functions of circular business models of agro-food production, among which the function of preserving value, the function of extending the life cycle, the function of organization, the function of creating and maximizing additional value, and the function of maximizing income streams are highlighted. Circular business models in the agri-food sector should be considered a strategic tool for achieving sustainable development goals and ensuring business entities' economic sustainability. We substantiate that business models of a closed cycle are a promising and priority way of further socio-economic development, contribute to the solution of society's acute socio-economic and environmental problems, and ensure the creation of a basis for further economic development and growth. Keywords: models, functions, circular economy, business models of closed production, ensuring the sustainability of systems, agricultural enterprises.

Challenges and Recommendations for Fostering Financial Inclusion among Unorganized Sector

The unorganized sector constitutes a significant portion of the workforce in many economies, yet achieving financial inclusion remains a formidable challenge. This article examines the unique challenges faced by individuals in the unorganized sector in accessing formal financial services and presents strategies to enhance financial inclusion. Key challenges include the informal nature of the sector, lack of documentation, irregular income streams, limited financial literacy, and geographic barriers. To address these challenges, solutions such as technology adoption, simplified documentation processes, flexible financial products, targeted financial literacy programs, and the expansion of agent banking networks are proposed. By implementing these strategies, policymakers, financial institutions, and stakeholders can work towards ensuring that individuals in the unorganized sector have access to the financial tools and services necessary for economic empowerment and growth

The Moderating Effect of Income on the Predictors of Cassava Farmers’ Adoption of Agricultural Technology in Nigeria: A Conceptual Framework

This study endeavors to construct a comprehensive conceptual framework elucidating the moderating influence of income on factors influencing the adoption of agricultural technology among cassava farmers in Nigeria. Agricultural technology, herein, refers to the innovative utilization of emerging Information and Communication Technologies tailored for agricultural applications within remote environments. The agricultural sector holds paramount significance within the Nigerian economy, engaging nearly 70% of the labor force and contributing over 40% to the gross domestic product. The adoption of technology in agriculture signifies potential enhancements in income, poverty alleviation, improved national nutrition and health, reduced food prices, and employment opportunities. However, the income of cassava farmers plays a pivotal role in ensuring their sustainability. Regrettably, their income streams are often unstable due to fluctuations in market prices, adversely impacting their ability to finance the adoption of technology to bolster productivity. Therefore, this research aims to develop a robust conceptual framework delineating the moderating role of income on the determinants of agricultural technology adoption behavior, particularly pertinent within the Nigerian context. It is imperative to tailor conceptual frameworks specifically for Nigeria, given that frameworks derived from other regions may not be directly applicable to the unique challenges and dynamics of the Nigerian agricultural landscape.

A profile of urban agricultural growers, organizations, their needs, and challenges in the Northeastern United States.

Urban agriculture is increasingly valued as a strategy for improving quality of life in cities, but urban growers face challenges and often lack coordinated support from governments and the agricultural industry. We surveyed urban growers through an online survey, primarily in the Northeastern United States, to develop a profile of growers and associated organizations, assess the current state of urban agriculture, and determine how universities could help meet their needs. A total of 394 respondents completed the survey and most urban growers were white (non-Hispanic) and younger than 45 years old. Women and men were in almost equal proportion. Urban growers were well-educated, but most did not receive a degree in agriculture. Urban agriculture in our study area was dominated by relatively small non-profit organizations and home and community gardens were the most common types of organizations. Urban agricultural organizations want to improve environmental sustainability and socio-cultural conditions through food access and security, regardless of their tax status. Urban growers face diverse barriers and challenges and the most ubiquitous barriers and challenges reported by respondents were related to availability of land and long-term access in urban areas. Many respondents received low revenue or were operating at a net loss even though they reported diverse income streams. Respondents need a wide range of training, including in traditional agricultural topics as well as financial management and business trainings. Universities can play a key role in promoting urban agriculture by offering training and research. Workforce development is a large priority among universities, so urban growers should regularly be consulted, and the results shared with career and workforce development professionals and researchers in urban areas to identify training and research that meets the needs of stakeholders.

Dynamic Classification Ensembles for Handling Imbalanced Multiclass Drifted Data Streams

Machine learning models often encounter significant difficulties when dealing with multiclass imbalanced data streams in nonstationary environments. These challenges can lead to biased and unreliable predictions, which ultimately impact the overall performance of the models. To address these issues, we propose an innovative approach that integrates dynamic ensemble selection, an adaptive technique for managing imbalanced multiclass data streams, with a concept drift detector for recognizing stream changes and the K-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm to tackle issues related to class overlap. The primary objective was to improve the classification of imbalanced multiclass drifted data streams. The adaptive oversampling method generates synthetic samples to mitigate the issues associated with imbalanced data streams. This method utilizes KNN to ensure that the generated samples do not overlap. To handle incoming data streams, a drift detector assists in deciding whether to retain the existing classifiers or create a new one. Dynamic Ensemble Selection (DES) was utilized to select the most appropriate classifier for incoming data, aiming to optimize the performance of the classification task. The proposed method offers an effective solution for achieving an accurate and resilient classification in the context of imbalanced multiclass drifted data streams. To evaluate the effectiveness of our proposal, we conducted experiments on a variety of datasets, including benchmark datasets, real application stream datasets, and synthetic data streams. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our contribution in addressing the challenges posed by imbalanced multiclass drifted data streams.

Market Risk Analysis - Microeconomic Aspect of Vegetable Farms in Guri i Zi Administrative Unit, Shkodër in Albania

The risk of entrepreneurship in agriculture is complex. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the primary market risks that farmers face, which will help them better understand these risks and make informed decisions to mitigate them. The research uses a mixed methodology involving descriptive statistical analysis and multifactorial regression analysis to examine four critical risk factors: changes in consumer preferences, price fluctuations, high competition, and shifts in consumer incomes. The findings show that only high market competition is statistically significant and has a substantial impact of 79%. Farmers can use this information to adjust their production focus towards areas of comparative advantage in a single crop to improve their financial stability. In summary, market risk analysis is an essential tool that empowers farmers to understand and manage risks effectively to safeguard their income streams.

A Time Series Analysis of Noninterest to Interest-Earning Dynamics Between 1984 to 2023 in the US Commercial Banking Sector

Both interest and noninterest earnings form the two critical components of the income stream of commercial banks. While interest earnings are tied to the lending volume and prevailing interest rates primarily dictated by the monetary policy and central bank interventions, noninterest earnings can come from diversified sources like income from fiduciary activities, trading revenue, service charges on deposit accounts, fee income, etc. Noninterest earnings can be unrelated to lending volume and prevailing interest rates and possibly uncorrelated with the monetary policies. Noninterest earnings may be a more robust source of income, especially during the low-interest rate regimes. Managing the noninterest to interest earnings is a critical component of income smoothing used by the banks. Noninterest earnings have become a significant component of banks’ overall earnings in the last four decades, and the ratio of noninterest to interest earnings has also grown significantly, raising questions about the primary role of the banking sector in financial intermediation as defined by the collection and disbursement of loanable funds throughout the economy. The rise in noninterest earnings also raises questions about the potential conflict of interest especially if banks earn significant consulting income from the same entities that borrow heavily from the banks. In this paper, I look at the time series dynamics of the ratio of noninterest-to-interest earnings spanning nearly four decades from 1984:Q1 to 2023:Q3 for the USA’s FDIC-insured commercial banking sector. Although the ratio has fluctuated over the period and risen from the baseline, it does not exhibit any non-stationarity. The presence of unit root cannot be found during the time period studied. In other words, the ratio of noninterest-to-interest earnings in the US commercial banking sector does not show any explosive and unstainable growth. In a nutshell, the rise in the ratio seems to be an outcome of the broader income diversification strategy used by the banks and not necessarily a dramatic change in the business model of US commercial banking industry.

A research proposal to examine psychological factors that influence financial planning for retirement in China

The life expectancy rate of individuals worldwide has risen, and China is not excluded. Combined with an aging population, increasing pressure on the pension fund system, and a lack of savings, it poses a significant challenge to financial security unless measures are taken to improve individuals’ planning and financial well-being in retirement. This study aims to examine the psychological factors that influence individuals' FPR, thereby expanding the explanatory models for retirement savings decisions and behaviors. Using the CWO Model and supported by image Theory and the 3M Model, this research focuses on how the interaction between future time perspective, risk tolerance, retirement goal clarity, subjective financial literacy and objective financial literacy as psychological characteristics influence individuals' FPR. To obtain meaningful results, back translation was used to check the accuracy of the preliminary translation of research instruments. This translation method was also combined with the pretest method of expert reviews and cognitive interviews to increase the validity of the survey questionnaire. A purposive sampling technique will be applied to collect data from adults who are over 23 years old and have a certain income stream in six cities in China. The Structural Equation Modelling software will be used to examine the hypotheses of direct and mediating effects. This study has implications for financial market regulators, policy makers, and consumers. Keywords: CWO model; decision-making; financial planning; financial literacy; psychological factors; retirement

Who paid for COVID-19? Income distribution analysis of Finnish seaports

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the Finnish ports in 2020. This research analyses how the effects of the pandemic were distributed between the stakeholders: owners, employees, suppliers, taxman and creditors. The analysed data covered 18 seaports that represented the majority share of the country’s seaborne transport volumes. The ports differ from each other with regards to their size, type of business and ownership, among other things. The analysis is based on official financial statement data that was translated into value added statements distinguishing the income streams to stakeholders. The results showed that there were no substantial differences between the stakeholders’ income change due to the pandemic. From the societal, the seaport companies’ responses to the pandemic adversities were socially balanced in terms of income distribution, and not prioritising owners’ income.

Zanzibar’s spice forests: Restoring the Spice Islands

Spice farming in Zanzibar has been integral to the country’s culture, history and economy but in recent decades, Zanzibar’s role in the global spice trade has diminished as declining market prices and government interference have pushed many farmers to convert spice forests into monoculture farms. Community Forests International (CFI) and Community Forests Pemba (CFP) have been working since 2015 to re-establish these diverse agroforest ecosystems and restore farmers’ livelihoods. Unlike monoculture farming, spice forests offer better economic incentives, ecological sustainability, and equality for women, and have the potential to restore a resilient spice-farming economy that is ecologically and socially sustainable. By revitalising local and indigenous knowledge, including from Tanzania, agroforestry practices are being implemented by small-scale Zanzibari farmers to grow a mix of timber, fruit and spice tree crops. This has enabled farmers to improve their household nutrition, increase their crop yields and diversify their income streams, ensuring energy, food and income security. The use of agroforestry practices in spice forests has also promoted structural and ecological diversity, regenerated soil health, enhanced carbon stores, and ensured resilience against climate change. Stories of individual farmers, Saidi Khalifa and Kibano Omar Kibano, exemplify how landscapes and lives can be positively transformed when spice forests are restored to replace monoculture farms with training and support from CFP. The story of Bimajo Masoud Juma also exemplifies how CFP has promoted agroforestry to empower women to have an independently earned income, ensuring their economic independence. CFP is also working with farmers to create stronger cooperative models that would enable them to sell directly to international buyers. The global organic spice market is expanding, so farmers involved in these sustainable and organic agroforestry practices are well-positioned to thrive.

Edukasi Ragam Investasi Digital untuk Meningkatkan Peluang Passive Income UMKM Kota Malang

Purpose – This activity aims to provide understanding to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in managing their income and capital flows Design/methodology/approach – This service method is carried out by involving a combination of socialization and education programs that emphasize the importance of investing, providing practical guidance, and supervising digital investments made by MSME participants. Findings – After the service activities are carried out, it can increase knowledge and interest in digital investment among MSME players in the city of Malang so that MSME enthusiasm for investment as a passive income stream increases, while protecting them from fraud in investment Originality/value – Activities focus on the goal of broadening the perspective of MSME players regarding digital investment

UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACHES TO ENHANCING COMMERCIAL BANKS' REVENUE STREAMS

Commercial banks are constantly seeking innovative strategies to bolster their revenue in an ever-evolving financial landscape. While traditional methods such as loan interest and fees remain crucial, exploring unconventional avenues can provide additional streams of income and ensure sustainability amidst competitive pressures. This article investigates various unconventional methods for increasing commercial banks' income, including digital transformation, strategic partnerships, fee-based services, and innovative financial products. By adopting these unconventional approaches, banks can diversify revenue sources, enhance customer satisfaction, and strengthen theirposition in the market.

Commercialization of Intellectual Property Rights at Universities as an Additional Revenue Stream

This paper investigates the commercialization of Intellectual Property (IPRs) at universities and the potential for universities in Kenya to leverage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) as a vital revenue source. Even though they possess significant intellectual assets, many universities have failed to utilize IPRs and in turn, losing opportunities for income generation. The paper introduces the concept of IP commercialization and the legal IP framework in Kenya and proceeds to discuss how research conducted in institutions of higher learning can be commercialized through an analysis of best practices and case studies. The discussion outlines the relevance of Intellectual Property to universities, the strategies for universities to maximize the value of their IPRs and establish sustainable income streams. Drawing upon relevant literature and academic research, it provides insights into the commercialization process, legal considerations, and the role of technology transfer offices in facilitating successful IPR monetization. The paper concludes by establishing that by implementing proactive strategies and fostering a culture of innovation, universities in Kenya can unlock the full potential of their intellectual assets and achieve financial sustainability.

The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South Africa

Wild-sourced foods are entrenched among African women as a survival resource, with the potential to be expanded. Instead of optimising food security, current linear economic growth models in South Africa favour large environment-degrading projects, such as special economic zones and mining, that increase the gap between the wealthy and poor sectors of society. The contentious Chinese-funded Musina–Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) planned for the Limpopo province of South Africa is used as a case study in this paper. The MMSEZ case demonstrates the failure of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to consider alternative land use suited to a biodiverse economy and existing livelihood strategies. Notably, the availability of a popular edible insect, the mopane worm, was not surveyed at a time when it might have been visible. Despite a local and global interest in insect protein, this opportunity was not considered as a means to improve food security and income streams for local unemployed African women.

Spin-induced offset stream self-crossing shocks in tidal disruption events

Abstract Tidal disruption events occur when a star is disrupted by a supermassive black hole, resulting in an elongated stream of gas that partly falls back to the pericenter. Due to apsidal precession, the returning stream may collide with itself, leading to a self-crossing shock that launches an outflow. If the black hole spins, this collision may additionally be affected by Lense-Thirring precession that can cause an offset between the two stream components. We study the impact of this effect on the outflow properties by carrying out local simulations of collisions between offset streams. As the offset increases, we find that the geometry of the outflow becomes less spherical and more collimated along the directions of the incoming streams, with less gas getting unbound by the interaction. However, even the most grazing collisions we consider significantly affect the trajectories of the colliding gas, likely promoting subsequent strong interactions near the black hole and rapid disc formation. We analytically compute the dependence of the offset to stream width ratio, finding that even slowly spinning black holes can cause both strong and grazing collisions. We estimate that the self-crossing shock luminosity is lower for an offset collision than an aligned one since radiation energy injected by the shock is significantly lower for more offset collisions. We find that the deviation from outflow sphericity may cause significant variations in the efficiency at which X-ray radiation from the disc is reprocessed to the optical band, depending on the viewing angle, and increase the degree of the observed polarization. These potentially observable features hold the promise of constraining the black hole spin from tidal disruption events.

Near-surface turbulent dissipation at a laboratory-scale confluence: implications on gas transfer

AbstractRiver confluences contribute to the outflux of saturated dissolved gases in the water resulting from high dam discharges. This process is related to gas transfer across the water–air interface, which is primarily controlled by turbulent dissipation near the water surface. However, the near-surface turbulence dissipation is rarely reported in confluence hydrodynamics studies. This study conducted experiments with different discharge ratios to investigate near-surface turbulent motions at a laboratory-scale confluence. The higher dissipation rate $$\varepsilon H/U_{m}^{3}$$ ε H / U m 3 of near-surface turbulence was mainly located inside the interfacial shear layer between the two incoming streams (~ 10–4) and the bank separation zone (10–4–10–3) where high shear was found in the mean flow. By contrast, the dissipation rates were much lower inside the incoming flows and outside the two regions of high shear (~ 10–5). The magnitudes of the dissipation rate inside the shear layer were comparable in experiments where the mixing interface was in the Kelvin–Helmholtz mode or in the wake mode. The dissipation rate was found to increase away from the free surface outside the shear layer, while it was more uniformly distributed over the depth inside the layer possibly due to the presence of strongly-coherent, vertically-orientated vortices. In the far field, the mean shear within the shear layer was largely weakened. Nonetheless, the effects of flow separation persisted and laterally expanded to occupy the entire cross section. The dissipation rate $$\varepsilon H/U_{m}^{3}$$ ε H / U m 3 of the confluent flow was more than 10–4 even at a distance of 10 times the channel width in the post-confluence channel.