Infrastructure Policy Research Articles

The secrets to high-level green technology innovation of China's waste power battery recycling enterprises.

Green technology innovation (GTI) in China's waste power battery recycling (WPBR) sector is a key driver for sustainable resource management, environmental protection, and economic prosperity. Using the PSR-BN-GPT-4 model and multi-source data, this study explores China's WPBRenterprises' high-level GTI mechanism. The research concludes that (1) Compared to traditional expert knowledge, the Bayesian network model based on GPT-4 exhibits superior causal reasoning capability. (2) The current level of GTI in China's WPBR industry is relatively low, with the probability of high-level GTI being only 19%. (3) Key factors identified include incentives like R&D investment, bottlenecks such as green finance policy tools, and hindrances like government procurement policy tools. (4) "Supporting Infrastructure Policy Tools - Recycling Outlets Number - Market Potential -Green Technology Innovation" and "Green Finance Policy Tools - R&D Investment - Green Technology Innovation" are two critical paths for enhancing the high-level development of GTI in WPBR enterprises. The study offers valuable insights for governmental, industrial, and corporate decision-making regarding GTI in battery recycling.

Challenges Facing the Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tanzania: A Case of Mbeya’s Mwanjelwa Market

The study investigated the challenges hindering the growth and sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Tanzania, focusing on implementing the SME Policy 2003. The main objective was to assess the effectiveness of SME policy in fostering business growth, particularly in the Mwanjelwa Market in Mbeya City. The study employed a descriptive design with a sample size of 90 respondents, selected using convenience sampling. The key findings indicate that SMEs face significant challenges related to access to finance, complex regulatory environments, limited market access, inadequate skills and training, and slow technological adoption. The under-utilization of government-built infrastructure and insufficient implementation of supportive policies exacerbate these challenges. The study found that the underutilization of storey buildings for small businesses is that business people and customers do not prefer searching for or buying upstairs. The study concludes that, although the Tanzanian government has supported SMEs, more must be done to address these barriers effectively. It recommends enhancing financial literacy programs, simplifying the regulatory framework, improving market access through infrastructure development and ecommerce, investing in business management training, and promoting technology adoption among SMEs. These measures would be essential for creating a conducive environment for SME growth and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Building a Genomics-Informed Nursing Workforce: Recommendations for Oncology Nursing Practice and Beyond.

Genomics is a foundational element of precision health and can be used to identify inherited cancers, cancer related risks, therapeutic decisions, and to address health disparities. However, there are structural barriers across the cancer care continuum, including an underprepared nursing workforce, long wait times for service, and inadequate policy infrastructure that limit equitable access to the benefits of genomic discoveries. These barriers have persisted for decades, yet they are modifiable. Two distinct waves of efforts to integrate genomics into nursing practice are analyzed. Drawing on research and observations during these waves, this discussion paper explores additional approaches to accelerate workforce development and health system transformation. Three recommendations for a third wave of efforts to integrate genomics are explored. (1) Collaborate across the domains of nursing practice, professions, and sectors to reset priorities in response to emerging evidence, (2) Education in leadership, policy and practice for rapid scale-up of workforce and health system transformation, and (3) Create a research framework that generates evidence to guide nursing practice. Preparing nurses to lead and practice at the forefront of innovation requires concerted efforts by nurses in all five domains of practice and can optimize health outcomes. Leveraging nursing as a global profession with new strategies can advance genomics-informed nursing.

Increase or Reduce: How Does Rural Infrastructure Investment Affect Villagers’ Income?

Rural infrastructure is an important foundation for achieving sustainable rural development. To effectively formulate policies for rural infrastructure, it is crucial to evaluate the benefits of rural infrastructure investment (RII) using a systematic method. This study aims to conduct a systematic analysis of the income-increasing effect of RII from a multidimensional perspective, and provide a reference for developing countries to adjust and improve rural infrastructure policies. For this purpose, this study has utilized 15 years of data in China to analyze the income-increasing effect of RII from three dimensions: structure, spatiality, and heterogeneity. The results indicate that (1) in terms of structure, both living infrastructure investment (LII) and production infrastructure investment (PII) promote wage income. PII has an increasing effect on non-wage income, but the increasing effect of LII on non-wage income is not evident. Meanwhile, the income-increasing effect of RII for high-income groups is larger than that for low-income groups. (2) In terms of spatiality, RII has a spatial spillover effect, which increases villagers’ income in neighboring areas. From the perspective of spatial effect decomposition, the indirect effect of RII even exceeds the direct effect. (3) In terms of heterogeneity, the increase in the level of job-related migration inhibits the income-increasing effect of LII but promotes the income-increasing effect of PII; the improvement of the education level promotes the income-increasing effect of LII but inhibits the income-increasing effect of PII.

Learning from the competition – Chinese and Japanese infrastructure export strategies in Asia with the evidence from railway projects in Indonesia

After China launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, Japan followed by launching its Partnership for Quality Infrastructure (PQI) in 2015. Scholarly comparison focuses on competition and norm diffusion perspectives, but the question remains open in terms of what drives the design of infrastructure policies. We develop a theoretical framework consisting of geopolitical competition and selective policy learning as the dual drivers for infrastructure policy design. While geopolitical competition results in specialisation and the occupying of strategic niches, policy learning results in convergence, through direct and indirect interactions. We analyse them from the dimensions of (1) definition, (2) character of state support and (3) degree of multilateralisation of the two initiatives. In addition to reviewing policy design, we provide empirical evidence from railway projects in Indonesia to illustrate how China as a late comer occupy a niche in infrastructure development to compete with Japan that had a long infrastructural presence. Despite being often framed as competitors, both China and Japan demonstrated policy learning after the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway (HSR) bidding competition. China adopted policy learning in the implementation stage of Jakarta-Bandung HSR and Japan adopted policy learning in the second phase of Jakarta mass rapid transit (MRT) project.

Competition and cooperation mechanism of new energy vehicle policies in China’s key regions

New energy vehicles (NEVs) are crucial in addressing environmental pollution and energy shortages. Their widespread adoption has been hindered by challenges such as inadequate infrastructure and limited market competitiveness. To promote the development of NEV, local governments in China have implemented various policies. However, resource constraints within regions have created inherent conflicts among policy objectives, while regional disparities have emerged due to differences in development status and characteristics. This study aims to model the complex competitive and cooperative mechanisms among different NEV policy objectives and compare their variations across three key regions: the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Guangdong-Guangxi-Fujian (GGF), and Yangtze-River-Delta (YRD). Firstly, topic model Latent Dirichlet Allocation is applied on 857 local NEV policies from 2010 to 2021, identifying six core policy objectives, namely production technology, infrastructure, financial support, demonstration, industrial management and environmental protection. Then, the Lotka-Volterra model is employed to examine competitive and cooperative mechanism among these policy objectives. Key findings are: (1) infrastructure policies prevail across all regions; (2) regulation policies exhibit a comparative advantage in the BTH region, while implementation policies dominate in the GGF region and promotion policies in the YRD region; (3) cooperation among objectives is primarily observed in the BTH region, whereas competition plays a more dominant role in the other regions. This study fills a previous research gap and provides insights for researchers and policymakers, highlighting the development of customized strategies that consider the unique characteristics and requirements of each region.

Impact of Governmental Policies on Women Entrepreneurship Development in Lagos, Nigeria: A Case Study of Aguda Market in Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria

This study examines how government policies affect the growth of female businesses in Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria's Aguda Market. Data was collected from female market entrepreneurs using a quantitative method to determine how much infrastructure policies and government-provided resources affect their business operations. Important conclusions show that women entrepreneurs encounter significant obstacles when trying to obtain government resources, exposing inadequacies in the effectiveness and accessibility of policies. Infrastructure policies, such as market facilities and electricity, did not, however, have a statistically significant effect on day-to-day operations, indicating that infrastructure issues might have become commonplace in their workplaces. This study advocated for better access to government resources and emphasizes the significance of gender-aware policies that address particular obstacles faced by women in entrepreneurship. Through its emphasis on the necessity of pragmatic assistance that bridges the gap between policy purpose and entrepreneurial reality, the study adds to the conversation on gender-sensitive policy-making in emerging economies.

DOES TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN SOUTH AFRICA? AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION

This study examines the dynamic impact of transport infrastructure development on economic growth in South Africa using data from 1992 to 2021. The study was motivated by the potential of transport infrastructure as a driver of economic growth and the lack of conclusive results from the empirical studies undertaken on the subject to date. In addition, South Africa has a developed transport infrastructure; hence, it would be beneficial for policymakers to understand the exact nature of the impact that the transport infrastructure development has on the country's growth trajectory. Using the autoregressive distributed lag bounds approach, the results of the study revealed that in South Africa, transport infrastructure development has a positive impact on economic growth only in the long run, as no significant impact was established in the short run. Thus, in South Africa, investing in transport infrastructure leads to increased economic growth in the long term. It is, therefore, recommended that pro-transport infrastructure policies, as part of the country’s long-term economic planning strategy, be adopted to boost the country’s economic growth.

Utilizing Machine Learning for Predictive Maintenance of Climate-Resilient Highways through Integration of Advanced Asphalt Binders and Permeable Pavement Systems with IoT Technology

This review provides a comprehensive examination of the application of advanced technologies in enhancing the climate resilience of highway infrastructure. The focus is on the integration of machine learning for predictive maintenance, the use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices for real-time monitoring, and the deployment of advanced materials, specifically permeable pavements and modified asphalt binders. The review explores how these technologies work synergistically to create durable, low-maintenance highway systems capable of withstanding extreme environmental conditions. Advanced asphalt binders, such as those modified with styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) and nanomaterials, are discussed for their enhanced flexibility, thermal stability, and load-bearing capacity. Additionally, the environmental and structural benefits of permeable pavements are highlighted, particularly their role in stormwater management and reduction of urban heat island effects. Several case studies highlight the successful implementation of these technologies in diverse geographical and climatic conditions, including North Carolina, Australia, and Raipur, India. These cases illustrate the adaptability and environmental benefits of permeable pavements in managing stormwater, recharging groundwater, and mitigating the urban heat island effect. By synthesizing recent advancements and practical implementations, this review emphasizes the importance of integrating predictive technologies and resilient materials to develop sustainable, climate- adaptive highway systems. These insights offer a foundation for future infrastructure policies and technological innovations aimed at enhancing the durability and environmental sustainability of highway networks.

Factors influencing youth sports participation in India: A narrative review

Through this narrative review, we attempted to summarize and dissect the multiple dimensions affecting youth sports participation in India, using current literature to cover a broad spectrum of socio-cultural, economic, educational, and policy infrastructure; physical health; as well as media and technology perspectives. The analysis reveals that youth sports engagement is significantly influenced by familial, peer, and community dynamics, alongside cultural attitudes and gender disparities. Economic barriers, including affordability and accessibility of sports facilities, pose challenges, particularly for marginalized communities. Educational institutions play a pivotal role in fostering sports participation but face challenges in balancing academic pressures. Policy and infrastructure deficiencies hinder participation, necessitating robust interventions and community-based initiatives. Health considerations underscore the importance of managing injury risks and promoting inclusive programs. Moreover, media and technology emerge as powerful influencers, shaping youth attitudes and behaviors towards sports. This review also emphasizes the need for nuanced interventions and further research to more effectively reduce disparities and ensure inclusive youth sports participation in India.

Counter Accounting and Counter Accountability: A Post‐COVID‐19 Study of England's Hospital Infrastructure Crisis

Post‐COVID‐19 England's health‐care system remains in crisis, with growing waiting lists for elective care and rising backlog maintenance in its hospital infrastructure. The government indicates that its delivery plan issued in 2022, involving additional funding and greater use of the private sector, will tackle this problem. Framed as a consequence of the pandemic, in England, such a framing denies the historic problem of underfunding as well as the rise of financialization. Notably public accountability for health care has received little prominence over the past decade. This study uses an approach based on counter accounting to challenge the prevailing hegemony of English National Health System (NHS) health‐care infrastructure policy and offers a counter‐explanation of the current hospital infrastructure crisis. It examines an alternative set of evidence drawn from publicly available financial statements and other documents to make visible data relating to hospital infrastructure capital and revenue costs. This shows that health care has been systematically underfunded since the start of austerity in 2010, and that even additional funding during COVID‐19 was insufficient to make up the shortfall. Previously weakened accountability mechanisms have been further displaced from the public eye by the rhetoric around COVID‐19, meaning there is little challenge of private sector legitimacy in public health‐care provision, despite its financialized nature. The study considers that instigating strong oversight and evaluation of hospital infrastructure policy is necessary as over the next decade many private sector contracts will terminate and funding is likely to be in short supply.

Implementation of the Infrastructure Policy in the Construction of the Bridge Connecting Gampong Blang Mirou--Kumba Kec. Bandar Dua, Pidie Jaya Regency

Due to the lack of connecting facilities, residents in the Gampong Blang Mirou and Kumba Kec. Bandar Dua have to travel via another route. Although proposals to the district government are submitted every year, a response was received in 2018. In 2018, the construction of the Blang Mirou–Kumba steel truss bridge was carried out using the DAK budget, the tender process for this development package used a budget of 14 billion Rupiah. The purpose of this research is to determine and analyze the increase in social interaction and economic growth as a result of the construction of the bridge connecting Gampong Blang Mirou - Kumba District. Bandar Dua Kab. Pidie Jaya. The method used is descriptive qualitative. The data sources used are primary data and secondary data. The research uses data obtained through interviews, observation, and documentation. Based on the results of the research and findings in the field, the conclusion is that the implementation of this policy can provide practical implications for the people of Pidie Jaya Regency, especially the people of Gampong Blang Mirou and Gampong Kumba as well as the Pidie Jaya Regency Government so that social interaction between the regions and the regional economy both increases. An interesting finding was that when the road was widened to build a connecting bridge, the community gave their land for free without having to be compensated by the government. Keywords: policies, infrastructure, bridges, socio-economic community

Investigating contestation around neighbourhood scale active travel infrastructure policy

Investigating contestation around neighbourhood scale active travel infrastructure policy

An agent-based model of post-disaster recovery in multilayer socio-physical networks

An agent-based model of post-disaster recovery in multilayer socio-physical networks

The Opioid Crisis, Preventing and Managing Substance Abuse in India: A Systematic Review.

The opioid crisis has emerged as a significant public health concern globally, with India facing unique challenges in preventing and managing substance abuse. This systematic review aims to analyze the current state of the opioid crisis in India, evaluate existing prevention and management strategies, and propose evidence-based recommendations for addressing this complex issue. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, resulting in the inclusion of 30 studies meeting the predefined criteria. The review highlights the multifaceted nature of the opioid crisis in India, influenced by factors such as socioeconomic conditions, cultural norms, and healthcare accessibility. Key findings include the need for comprehensive prevention programs, improved access to evidence-based treatments, and integration of harm reduction strategies. The review also emphasizes the importance of addressing co-occurring mental health disorders and the potential of community-based interventions in managing substance abuse. Challenges identified include stigma, limited access to treatment, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, regulatory barriers, and lack of comprehensive policies. Recommendations for future directions include developing culturally appropriate prevention programs, assessing the long-term effectiveness of treatment modalities, exploring innovative approaches to reduce stigma, and investigating the role of technology in improving access to care. By implementing a multifaceted approach that considers the unique sociocultural context of India (including factors such as family structures, religious beliefs, economic disparities, and regional variations in drug use patterns), there is potential to significantly reduce the burden of opioid abuse and improve outcomes for affected individuals and communities.

Age-Friendly Urban Design for Older Pedestrian Road Safety: A Street Segment Level Analysis in Madrid

Walking benefits older pedestrians but exposes them to traffic crashes. With an aging population, designing age-friendly cities is crucial, yet research on older pedestrian safety at a micro-level is limited. This study aims to reduce older pedestrian–vehicle collisions and create more livable environments through infrastructure policies derived from statistical data analysis. Special attention is focused on collecting a holistic set of infrastructure variables to reflect most of the street built environment elements, which helps policymakers implement short-term safety measures. Using Bayesian Poisson regression, this study analyzes factors contributing to the occurrence of crashes involving older and non-older pedestrians on road segments in Madrid, Spain. The results indicate that different factors affect the occurrence of crashes for all pedestrians versus older pedestrians specifically. Traffic crashes involving all pedestrians are affected by leisure points of interest, bus stops, and crosswalk density. Older pedestrian traffic crashes are influenced by population density, the presence of trees and trash containers, and contour complexity. Proposed measures include relocating trees and trash containers, modifying bus stops, and adding crosswalks and traffic lights. This paper also shows that these countermeasures, aimed at creating age-friendly streets for older pedestrians, are not expected to worsen the road safety of other pedestrians.

A Dynamic Analysis of Sustainable Economic Growth and FDI Inflow in Saudi Arabia Using ARDL Approach and VECM Technique

This study investigates the relationship between sustainable economic growth and foreign direct investment (FDI) in Saudi Arabia from 1980 to 2023. The ARDL approach and VECM technique are employed to analyze the short-run and long-run dynamics. The short-run results show mixed effects. Sustainable economic growth has a positive impact on current and one-period lagged FDI but a negative impact on the two periods lagged. Trade openness and infrastructure negatively affect FDI in the short run. Interestingly, oil rents and real economic growth also have negative short-run impacts on FDI, but these effects become positive with a longer lag. Long-run analysis reveals a negative relationship between trade openness, infrastructure, and oil rents with FDI, suggesting a potential crowding-out effect. Trade openness has a positive long-run impact on most variables, including sustainable growth, FDI, real growth, and CO2 emissions. Oil rents also have a positive long-run impact on these variables. This study finds six bidirectional causal relationships in the short run, primarily between trade openness, infrastructure, oil rents, and FDI. Unidirectional causality runs from oil rents, trade openness, exchange rate, sustainable growth, and real growth to FDI and infrastructure. Additionally, CO2 emissions cause FDI, and trade openness causes sustainable growth. While sustainable economic growth benefits FDI in the long run, short-term policies regarding trade openness and infrastructure require reevaluation. Oil revenue and real economic growth may initially deter FDI, but this reverses in the long term. To attract sustainable FDI, policymakers should focus on long-term economic growth strategies and consider reforms in trade and infrastructure policies. A comprehensive FDI strategy that moves beyond oil dependence and leverages trade openness is crucial to long-term economic diversification.

Cybersecurity Policies for Critical Infrastructure: Legal Mandates and Network Protection Requirements

Securing crucial infrastructure, which incorporates ranges like vitality, transportation, healthcare, and finance, is exceptionally imperative since it plays an enormous portion in keeping the nation secure and secure. This paper study about how cybersecurity approaches and law necessities work together to ensure safeguard the critical resources from modern cyber threats. It gives an intensive approach toward the rules and directions that control hacking in critical areas, centring on the ones that must be taken after and universal guidelines of cybersecurity policies. The paper also discuss about the need for network security and centres on ways to form systems more versatile, such as through hazard evaluations, risk data, and occurrence reaction methods. Modern innovations like AI and blockchain are looked at to see how they could be able to form critical frameworks more secure. At the same time, the issues of lawful compliance, national issues, and information protection are carefully considered. This study considers supportive since it combines legitimate necessities and specialized security measures. It appears how to form solid cybersecurity plans that take after national and universal rules. These plans will ensure basic framework and keep operations running easily whereas moreover being legitimately mindful.

Making “strategic autonomy” rhyme with “fiscal austerity?” Unresolved conflicts of (geo)economic ideas in EU infrastructure policy

As a reaction to intensifying global competition, measures related to strategic autonomy are gaining traction on the EU level. Yet they coincide with a general return to fiscal consolidation. With current developments more inconclusive than previously suggested, this article asks how the central actors in EU economic policy, both public and private, position themselves in the autonomy-austerity conflict. It introduces a political-economic approach to the role of (geo)economic ideas and state-business relations in EU policy formation. The article focuses on infrastructure policy as a main field within which the conflict unfolds. A content analysis of official documents systematically maps the positions of relevant actors. While an influential group of southern finance ministries, Directorates-General, center-left parties, and trade unions is promoting strategic autonomy, a shrinking constellation around fiscal austerity contains relevant veto players. The deadlock results in the attempt to reconcile both ideas via “targeted flexibility”: consolidation via the expenditure side and a delegitimization of non-investment spending, coupled with a public de-risking of private investments. The approach is supported by European capital, yet highly inconsistent and runs up against pro-austerity forces. The findings have strong implications for the EU’s future geoeconomic strategy and its ability to compete globally.

Evaluating planning and operational policies for urban public electric vehicle charging infrastructure

It is expected that public electric vehicle charging demands will gradually increase in Korea. In this study, we propose a macroscopic indicator of the level of service (LOS) of urban public fast charging infrastructure to quantitively evaluate the joint impacts of possible planning and operational policies on it. The indicator is defined as the reliability-based capacity, the number of electric vehicles that can be charged within the maximum targeted weighted delay between wait and detour. We consider three combinable policies: changing the distribution of chargers in the planning stage; assigning the optimal charging station to each charging event in real-time and evenly distributing daily charging demands in the operational phase. For multiple policy combinations and various demand cases, we compare their LOS levels, calculated by Monte Carlo simulations that can efficiently address the complex joint impact of stochastic demands. The simulation experiments are designed to explicitly discover the impacts of policies along with varying charging demands. The results show that certain combinations of proposed policies can effectively and efficiently improve LOS.