Government Interest Research Articles

Violation of laws and customs of war (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), committed on behalf of and in the interests of the Russian Federation: problems of criminal legal response

The article is devoted to clarifying the question of whether criminal measures can be applied to legal entities in the event of an authorized person committing a crime on behalf of and in the interests of a legal entity under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Based on the interpretation of the norms provided for by paragraph 4 of part 1 of Article 96-3 and part 2 of Article 96-4 of this Code, a legal conflict has been identified, which consists in the presence of a declarative norm on the possibility of applying such measures in this case (paragraph 4 of part 1 of Article 96-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and a norm that excludes such a possibility (part 2 of Article 96-4 of this Code). It offers the basis of application of measures of criminal and legal nature in relation to legal entities to consider through the prism of a set of three conditions (components), namely: 1) commission by an authorized person of criminal offenses provided for in a specific paragraph of part 1 of Art. 96-3; 2) committing these criminal offenses on behalf of and/or in the interests of a legal entity (depending on its wording in the relevant paragraph); 3) belonging of legal entities to the type provided for in Art. 96-4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. It is established that, in view of the legal status of combatants who are involved by the State in armed conflicts of an international or non-international nature and take part in hostilities on the side of the relevant belligerent party in the composition of regular and irregular troops, are representatives of this party, that is, they act on behalf of and in the interests of the relevant governments, the State that involved them in hostilities. Such combatants, accordingly, act on behalf of and in the interests not only of the state, but also of the relevant state formation, including military ones. At the same time, in case of committing such unlawful acts by an authorized person of the state or a legal entity under the effective control of the state or a subject of state property, it bears exclusively civil responsibility for the benefit received and the damage caused (part 2 of Article 96-4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). It is proposed to eliminate such a conflict by excluding from paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Article 96-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine an indication of Article 438 of this Code.

Exploring Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Gentrification Processes in Intracity Slums in the Lagos Megacity

There have been increasing calls in gentrification studies to examine the geography of gentrification in slums, as little is known about the patterns and processes of slum gentrification, especially in sub-Saharan African cities where slums house over 50% of the urban population. This study explored the spatiotemporal changes in slums in Lagos, Nigeria, between 1984 and 20 on the pattern and drivers of gentrification. Data were collected from 42 slums in Lagos through remote sensing (1984–2020) and a field survey (2020–2021). The study integrated geospatial analysis with quantitative and qualitative analysis to investigate the patterns and drivers of gentrification in Lagos slums. The findings show that between 1984 and 2020, all the sampled slums had undergone gentrification processes, apart from those that were completely cleared. However, many slums continue to have deprived areas as they continue to gentrify. Almost all the slum communities have experienced slum clearance in the past. Additionally, the current and new housing developments in the study have favored middle- to high-income groups, which has led to the displacement of previous slum residents. The study identified slum clearance, fires and floodings, the presence of palaces in the community, the proportion of deprived areas in 1984, government interest in the slum, and the size of the church as drivers of slum gentrification processes in Lagos. Finally, the findings show that the vulnerability of slum dwellers increases with slum gentrification. Therefore, this study recommended developing policies and programs, such as sustainable relocation and low-cost housing, to mitigate the negative consequences of slum gentrification, especially in cities with significant shares of low-income groups.

Debt and the Politics of Numbers: Hegemonic Numbers, Political Numbers, Ordinary Numbers

ABSTRACT Numbers are both shaped by and constitutive of a certain vision of the world, and household debt is no exception. Financialized capitalism relies on hegemonic numbers that serve the economic and political interests of state government and the financial industry, which see and measure debt as a market ripe for development. In the face of this, it is crucial to build alternative numbers. The political numbers of debt conceive debt as a power relation, and quantify the degrees of financial exploitation that hegemonic numbers are blind to. Ordinary numbers seek to reflect what matters the most to ordinary people. They conceive of debt as a relationship of social interdependence, which can be a source of power, hierarchy and exploitation, but also of mutual aid, reciprocity and dignity. Far from functioning in silos, hegemonic numbers, political numbers and ordinary numbers have shifting boundaries. This article, based on twenty years of research in India conducted by a Franco-Indian team of economists and anthropologists, exposes and contributes to the politics of numbers in the field of debt.

AI기반 보안산업의 육성과제

Recently, the government's interest in industries utilizing AI has been amplified, with initiatives such as announcing a roadmap aiming to achieve the goal of becoming the world's fifth largest information security industry by 2027, with a market size of 30 trillion won, driven by digitalization and expansion in the security domain. AI represents a paradigm shift demanding innovation across nations, societies, and industries, necessitating proactive preparation and response. In the security sector, the paradigm is shifting from traditional human security to integrated security, convergence security, and AI security. To establish a foothold in the global security market, it is imperative to apply new security systems tailored to the Fourth Industrial Revolution through technological innovation, foster convergence security and physical security industries. Therefore, this study aims to propose the nurturing and development direction of the security industry based on AI, which is the core technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as society evolves into a hyper-intelligent, hyper-connected, and hyper-convergent society. To foster the AI-based security industry, the application and operation of AI-based security systems need to be expanded across the entire security business. These include applying AI virtual security guards, AI-based security robots, AI-based drones, AI-based intelligent video monitoring in security rooms, AI-based autonomous driving technology and smart parking solutions, AI-based security systems in personal protection tasks, AI-based on-site crowd management systems, AI-based IoT integrated security systems, and operation of AI-based machine security systems that can be applied to the six security tasks regulated by security laws and regulations. From a policy perspective, policy support for creating new jobs and ensuring stable employment in AI security-related fields should follow. At the national level, there should be policies to nurture and support the AI-based security industry, along with efforts to address ethical issues related to AI. Furthermore, new education programs related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and AI need to be introduced according to security laws and regulations. From a technological and academic perspective, it is necessary to enhance the professionalism of security companies to actively respond to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and continuous development of AI-related security technologies is essential. Academic research should continue, focusing on in-depth research and development of AI security applications in various security sectors.

Local Inter-Governmental Cooperation in Regional Innovation in China: Historical Evolution and Logic of Change

Under the innovation-driven development strategy, inter-governmental cooperation in regional innovation has proliferated, but the historical change logic of local government participation in innovation cooperation has not been explained yet. Based on the theoretical paradigm of historical institutionalism, this paper attempts to construct a "structure-history-action" analytical framework for local government participation in innovation cooperation. Based on the theoretical paradigm of historical institutionalism, this paper attempts to construct a "structure-history-action" analytical framework for inter-governmental cooperation in regional innovation. In the course of more than forty years of change, inter-governmental cooperation in regional innovation in China can be divided into four stages. In the course of more than forty years of change, inter-governmental cooperation in regional innovation in China can be divided into four stages. Firstly, it has been driven by structural conditions in macro-institutional change; secondly, 'path dependence' Firstly, it has been driven by structural conditions in macro-institutional change; secondly, 'path dependence' caused by political and cultural genes, administrative institutional traditions and the 'key nodes' that drive change. Finally, the perceptions and interests of local governments, as micro-actors, have profoundly shaped the direction of change. On this basis, the development path of inter- governmental cooperation in regional innovation is proposed: strengthening the top-level design of innovation cooperation and optimizing.

Data Sharing in a Decentralized Public Health System: Lessons From COVID-19 Syndromic Surveillance.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that data sharing challenges persist across public health information systems. We examine the specific challenges in sharing syndromic surveillance data between state, local, and federal partners. These challenges are complicated by US federalism, which decentralizes public health response and creates friction between different government units. The current policies restrict federal access to state and local syndromic surveillance data without each jurisdiction's consent. These policies frustrate legitimate federal governmental interests and are contrary to ethical guidelines for public health data sharing. Nevertheless, state and local public health agencies must continue to play a central role as there are important risks in interpreting syndromic surveillance data without understanding local contexts. Policies establishing a collaborative framework will be needed to support data sharing between federal, state, and local partners. A collaborative framework would be enhanced by a governance group with robust state and local involvement and policy guardrails to ensure the use of data is appropriate. These policy and relational challenges must be addressed to actualize a truly national public health information system.

Is the Post-Reformation System of the Indonesian Government a Parliamentary Form?

Indonesia's democratic government system has experienced ups and downs based on history, where at the beginning of independence Indonesia used a presidential system, then changed to a parliamentary and then returned to a presidential system. The reformation period was a milestone in changing the government system where previously the president was elected by the MPR as the highest state institution to switch to direct presidential elections carried by a party or a coalition of parties - due to the existence of regulation on the threshold for nomination (parliamentary threshold) - but to maintain the implementation of the presidential campaign promise to establish a coalition of parties supporting the government which has an impact on the role of the People^s Representative Council only as a stamp of government interests. The problem in this study is how the presidential system exists in the post-reform Indonesian government system. The form of the research method used is normative juridical with a statutory approach and an analytical descriptive approach that examines primary and secondary legal materials, besides examining the synchronization and harmonization of law. The conclusion is that the current Indonesian government system tends to be parliamentary. This is due to the weak bargaining position of the DPR in supervising the running of government because the majority of DPR members are supporters of the government, while the opposition forces are unequal with the majority, which prioritizes the most voting system over consensus deliberation for the benefit of the people. so that checks and balances - separation of powers - turned into a division of powers - dividing power.

Bank competition, government interest in green initiatives and carbon emissions reduction: An empirical analysis using city-level data from China

Finance plays a pivotal role in the transition to a sustainable economic development model. In China, the banking sector, a key component of its financial landscape, operates within an increasingly competitive environment, exerting profound effects on the efficient allocation of resources. This paper employs instrumental variables regression and text analysis techniques to meticulously examine the impact of bank competition on carbon emissions and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. We also investigate the synergistic influence of government engagement in green initiatives and bank competition on carbon emissions reduction, drawing insights from data encompassing Chinese cities during the years 2006 to 2019. Our empirical analysis unveils a significant carbon emissions reduction effect resulting from bank competition. This effect is primarily driven by the facilitation of green innovation and the promotion of manufacturing servitization. Notably, this impact is more pronounced in cities that are not dependent on resource extraction and those situated outside regional financial centers. Additionally, the level of government interest in green initiatives amplifies the carbon reduction effect of bank competition. This paper contributes to the enhancement of the banking market structure, aligning it with eco-friendly development goals.

Numerical Icing Simulations of Cylindrical Geometry and Comparisons to Flight Test Results

There is growing interest in government and industry to use numerical simulations for the Certification by Analysis of aircraft ice protection systems as a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to wind-tunnel and flight testing. The ice accretion on a cylindrical test article mounted under the wing of the National Research Council of Canada’s Convair-580 research aircraft during a flight test in Appendix O icing conditions was simulated using Ansys FENSAP-ICE™. A multishot simulation with input parameters averaged over the full icing period led to an increased level of liquid catch and ice accretion (by mass), and a broader ice profile when compared to a simulation with shot-averaged input parameters. An additional simulation using Ansys’ proprietary “extended icing data with vapor solution” method for calculating heat fluxes at the icing surface resulted in a broader ice profile in comparison to the classical technique, which produced a similar amount of accretion by mass. No combination of simulation settings, input parameters, and multishot methods tested in this study generated the same level of surface detail observed during flight testing, however, the amount of ice accretion, general location of ice features, and formation processes were in good agreement with the experimental results.

A Comparative Analysis between Intrinsic and Extrinsic Drivers of Inflation

In most economies, particularly in developing countries, addressing inflation remains a significant macroeconomic challenge. This study seeks to examine the factors, both internal and external, that contribute to inflationary trends in South Africa. To achieve this objective, the authors employ the Johansen cointegration test, vector error correction approach, impulse response function, and variance decomposition on quarterly time series data spanning from 1994 to 2022. The findings of the study provide compelling evidence suggesting that both internal and external factors play a statistically significant role in influencing inflation. However, external forces exert a greater impact on the inflationary pressures witnessed in South Africa when compared to internal factors. Notably, factors such as trade openness, exchange rates, and imported prices contribute significantly to the elevated inflation rate in South Africa. On the other hand, internal factors like sustainable government expenditure, interest rates, and net export prices prove effective in mitigating the inflation rate.

Do SWF investments matter for bond ratings? The role of corporate governance

AbstractWe investigate the impact of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) equity ownership on bonds’ credit ratings of their target firms. Using a sample of 2045 bonds issued by 324 SWF target firms from 16 countries over the period 1996–2020, we find evidence linking SWF investments to lower likelihood of bond rating upgrades. Consistent with value‐reducing political agenda hypothesis, our results suggest that credit rating agencies perceive SWFs as a structure that could affect the quality of corporate governance and harm bondholder interests by leaving them vulnerable to losses. Our results also show that credit rating could be improved: (i) with SWF transparency and experience; (ii) when SWFs take a more passive investment stance; and (iii) within the financial crisis period. Finally, and interestingly, using generalized structural equation modelling, we provide evidence supporting the mediating role of target firm's corporate governance quality in the relationship between SWF investments and bond ratings. Our findings are robust to controls for the endogeneity and heteroscedasticity issues and to alternative sample compositions and regression frameworks.

Exploring the impact of agricultural digitalization on smallholder farmers' livelihoods in Ghana

With the government's pursuit of a digitalization agenda, Ghana is at the forefront of championing digital transformation in Africa. However, people in rural areas are being left behind in harnessing the immense benefits of digitalization for their livelihoods. This study contributes to policy efforts aimed at bridging that gap by investigating the drivers of agricultural digitalization (AD) as well as its effects on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in rural Ghana. Data from a cross-sectional survey of 525 rural farmers across northern, middle and southern Ghana was employed. The study used the probit and tobit estimators to analyze the drivers and intensity of adoption of digital technologies in agriculture and the inverse probability weighting and regression adjustment estimator to mitigate endogeneity concerns. The results show that while female farmers trail male farmers in the intensity of applying digital technologies, higher educational attainment, better perception of digitalization, group/cooperative membership, number of economically active household members, and access to reliable electricity, internet and mobile money services significantly promote the use of digital technologies in agricultural activities. The results further show that AD is significantly associated with perceived improvements in livelihood assets, and ultimately livelihood outcomes of smallholder farmers in rural Ghana. These findings highlight the importance of investing in rural digital infrastructure by policymakers, the private sector and other stakeholders, so as to expand access to and the uptake of digital technologies in agriculture to bolster rural development in Ghana.

Calculation and Cause Analysis of Hidden Unemployment—A Case Study of the Northeast State-Owned Forest Areas in China

The Northeast State-owned Forest Areas comprise the largest region of resources in China. The transformation of the Northeast State-owned Forest Areas is due to various stimuli, such as policies, systems, and markets. In the context of ecological construction and the reform of the state-owned forest system in Northeast China, these have undergone a transformation in terms of economy, society, and ecology. However, a mismatch persists between employment and industrial structures, leading to hidden unemployment. This study employs the framework of hidden unemployment theory, utilizing the Cobb–Douglas production function to quantify the hidden unemployment rate, revealing the relationship between transformation and hidden unemployment. Through this analysis, the underlying causes of hidden unemployment in Northeast China’s state-owned forest regions are scrutinized. There is a bidirectional causal relationship between ecological transformation and hidden unemployment, while there is a unidirectional causal relationship between economic transformation and hidden unemployment. Variance decomposition analysis highlights the substantial contribution of social transformation, followed by economic transformation, with ecological transformation playing a comparatively smaller role. Based on the above research, this article proposes expediting the reforms within the forest industry groups, facilitating the separation of governmental and corporate interests. Additionally, it advocates for strategic forestry development planning to effectively absorb surplus labor, and proposes three policy directives aimed at supporting forest area employees, including provisions for job transfers and reemployment opportunities.

Pluralism and corporate governance reform

PurposeThe article considers the utility of a pluralist perspective in the context of current debates around UK corporate governance reform. Oxford School pluralism advanced both a description of how industrial relations (IR) operated in practice plus a prescription for how it should operate. Whilst economic conditions are different today, a pluralist framing provides not only a useful way of understanding interests in firm governance (description) but also a solid grounding for a pragmatic reform agenda (prescription).Design/methodology/approachDrawing from key texts in the field, the article considers core concepts within pluralist discourse and discusses their relevance to contemporary policy debates.FindingsThe article provides a short outline of recent economic and political developments and considers how a pluralist framing helps explain firm-level interests, challenging the dominant narrative of shareholder primacy. It then asks what policy interventions might flow from this analysis of capital and labour investments, and how feasible they are in the current UK context. This allows a discussion of levels of analysis (evident in materialist theories such as “radical pluralism” and the “disconnected capitalism thesis”). Finally, it reflects briefly on the links between corporate governance and wider patterns of inequality, suggesting the pluralist position is consistent with a Durkheimian sociology focusing on the potential in state-led regulatory interventions to tackle anomie and strengthen social solidarity.Originality/valueThe article brings together literature from what are often treated as relatively discrete areas of enquiry (employment relations and corporate governance) and also considers the public policy implications of these connections.

Service for Deploying Digital Twins of QKD Networks

Quantum technologies promise major advances in different areas. From computation to sensing or telecommunications, quantum implementations could bring significant improvements to these fields, arousing the interest of researchers, companies, and governments. In particular, the deployment of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) networks, which enable the secure dissemination of cryptographic keys to remote application entities following Quantum Mechanics Principles, appears to be one of the most attractive and relevant use cases. Quantum devices and equipment are still in a development phase, making their availability low and their price high, hindering the deployment of physical QKD networks and, therefore, the research and experimentation activities related to this field. In this context, this paper focuses on providing research stakeholders with an open-access testbed where it is feasible to emulate the deployment of QKD networks, thus enabling the execution of experiments and trials, where even potential network attacks can be analyzed, without the quantum physical equipment requirement, nor compromising the integrity of an already built QKD network. The designed solution allows users to automatically deploy, configure, and run a digital twin environment of a QKD network, offering cost-effectiveness and great flexibility in the study of the integration of quantum communications in the current network infrastructures. This solution is aligned with the European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI) standardized application interface for QKD, and is built upon open-source technologies. The feasibility of this solution has been validated throughout several functional trials carried out in the 5G Telefónica Open Network Innovation Centre (5TONIC), verifying the service performance in terms of speed and discarded qubits when generating the quantum keys.

Последствия выхода за пределы полномочий единоличного исполнительного органа хозяйственного общества

The article conducts an analysis of legal instruments aimed at controlling the activities of the sole executive body in commercial entities, addressing issues related to the potential consequences of exceeding the authority of the sole executive body. The author provides recommendations for strengthening the system of monitoring the activities of the sole executive body while considering the balance of interests in corporate governance within the business entity. Due to the insufficiency and ambiguity of legislative regulation on several aspects of restricting the competence of the sole executive body, the article examines the existing approaches in judicial practice and academic literature.

Healthcare provision for Swedish persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities

AbstractThis paper aims to give a short description of Swedish healthcare provision for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Swedish persons with IDD should have access to the general healthcare system on the same terms as the general population, and thereby enjoy equal opportunities for healthcare of good quality. Reports from government agencies and interest groups, however, describe a decentralised and fragmented healthcare system that requires significant coordination; a lack of adjustments; a lack of specialised healthcare professionals; and gaps in healthcare provision. Research in recent years has reported unequal access to planned healthcare; excess mortality and premature deaths; and insufficient or inadequate support in end‐of‐life care. We conclude that health inequalities and healthcare challenges faced by Swedish persons with IDD might be caused by obstacles at several structural levels. Allowing persons with IDD to access timely and adequate healthcare requires the development of better opportunities for coordination of healthcare and social services, as well as training for healthcare professionals and direct support staff.

Public Interest Law in Criminal Code Article 310(3) as the Basis to Eliminate Crime in Journalism

In the Republic of Indonesia, legal norms and rules prioritize the public interest over state, group, and individual interests. Article 310 paragraph (3) of the Criminal Code allows for the removal of offenses committed in the public interest. However, using the public interest as a justification for press activities can lead to controversy due to unreliable or false news sources. Law No. 40 of 1999 concerning the Press, and the Press Council, an independent regulatory body established in 1966, protect press freedom and regulate the press according to the Journalistic Code of Ethics. However, due to perceived inadequacies, press violations are often resolved through press releases rather than relying on the Code as a legal basis. A normative legal research method was used to analyze the relationship between the Criminal Code and the Press Law, revealing that press freedom is a fundamental human right protected by the Constitution. The Press Law functions as a Lex specialis of the Criminal Code, addressing issues such as defamation, insults, and ridicule, and resolving disputes within the press while prioritizing the public interest over government interests.
 Keywords: Public Interest, Freedom of the Press

Mapping stakeholders' relationships management in fulfilling corporate social responsibility: A study of China's construction industry.

Businesses today face a strong call for implementing corporate social responsibilities (CSR) subject to stakeholders' multiple expectations on the creation of long-term value. However, a vast majority of companies have struggled with the challenge of stakeholder management in CSR fulfillment, giving rise to a waste of enterprise resources. This study aims to map out stakeholders' relationships in CSR fulfillment to underscore stakeholder management. 253 CSR reports published by Chinese listed construction companies from 2010 to 2021 were collected and analyzed to map the stakeholders' relationships. The results show that construction companies usually stress the importance of corporate governance and workers interest, followed by construction quality and environmental preservation in implementing CSR. They adopt three types of stakeholder management approaches: coercive, cooperative, and coordinated approaches. The study presents the latest effort in managing stakeholders' relationships in the domain of CSR research. It favors construction firms to reconsider CSR activities from the stakeholder management perspective.

A pilot oral history of plant synthetic biology.

The whole field of synthetic biology (SynBio) is only about 20 years old, and plant SynBio is younger still. Nevertheless, within that short time, SynBio in general has drawn more scientific, philosophical, government, and private-sector interest than anything in biology since the recombinant DNA revolution. Plant SynBio, in particular, is now drawing more and more interest in relation to plants' potential to help solve planetary problems such as carbon capture and storage and replacing fossil fuels and feedstocks. As plant SynBio is so young and so fast-developing, we felt it was too soon to try to analyze its history. Instead, we set out to capture the essence of plant SynBio's origins and early development through interviews with 8 of the field's founders, representing 5 countries and 3 continents. We then distilled these founders' personal recollections and reflections into this review, centering the narrative on timelines for pivotal events, articles, funding programs, and quoting from interviews. We have archived the interview recordings and documented timeline entries. This work provides a resource for future historical scholarship.