Investment In Area Research Articles

Evaluation of the Statistical Distribution of Indexes of the Structure of Budget Investments

The purpose of the study is to substantiate methodological approaches for conducting a statistical study of the structure of budget investments and their approbation at the level of the regions of the Russian Federation on the basis of an assessment of data available in official statistical and administrative records on indexes of the composition of budget investments, analyzing scientific papers devoted to the study of the structure of investments, identifying and systematizing signs of gradation of budget investments for development and analysis their complex structure. The methodological proposals formed were the basis for the application of methods of multidimensional statistical analysis of the distribution of the regions of the Russian Federation by indexes of the structure of budget investments to determine territorial differences in the implementation of state investment programs of socio-economic development.Materials and methods. The study used theoretical methods: analysis, synthesis, comparison of sources of information about budget investments, as well as mathematical and statistical research methods: structural and dynamic analysis, descriptive statistics, multidimensional grouping, cluster analysis.Results. Based on the analysis of regulatory and legal documentation, scientific literature on the research topic, author’s publications, a classification of indexes of the structure of budget investments was formed. The structural and dynamic analysis of the index “Investments in fixed assets by sources of financing” (in the total amount of funds, in comparison with budget funds, by levels of budget expenditures of investments in fixed assets: federal budget, funds from the budget of the regions of the Russian Federation, local budget) was carried out for 2005-2009 and 2013-2021. The variability of the share of expenditures from the federal and regional budgets is revealed, which may be related to the implementation of state regulation measures in the redistribution of investment resources at the federal and regional levels. Using the methods of descriptive statistics, multidimensional grouping, clustering, a comprehensive analysis of the statistical distribution of indexes of budget investments by regions for the period 2015-2021 is presented, resulting in four clusters, an assessment of qualitative differences in the structure of budget investments by selected clusters is given.Conclusion. In this paper, a methodological toolkit is proposed for a full-system representation of the composition of budget investments, provided with the capabilities of official statistical and administrative accounting and allowing organizing the totality of indexes of the structure of budget investments by territorial division, by sources of financing, by spending directions. The practical significance of the study consists in a proven assessment of the statistical distribution of indexes of the structure of budget investments by the share of budget investments in the total volume of investments in fixed assets (own and attracted funds), as well as by budget levels (federal, regional and local levels), identified spatial and dynamic changes in the selected cluster groups of the Russian Federation regions. Executive authorities and local self-government bodies in the formation and implementation of budgets in the areas of spending budget investments in order to increase their socio-economic effectiveness can apply the results obtained.

COVID-19 as a Jump Start for Industry 4.0? Motivations and Core Areas of Pandemic-Related Investments in Digital Technologies at German Firms

Academic studies prior to the pandemic rather emphasized that the progression towards Industry 4.0 happened in an incremental manner. However, the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic have led to considerable investments that were widely interpreted as a (generalized) digitalization push. However, little is known about the character of such investments and their effects. The goal of this contribution is to provide an empirically based overview of recent investment in digital technologies in six economic sectors of the German economy: mechanical engineering, chemicals, automotives, logistics, healthcare, and financial services. Based on 36 case studies and a survey at 540 companies, we investigate the following questions: 1. How much did the COVID-19 pandemic reduce existing obstacles for investments in digitalization measures? 2. Is there a universal digitalization push due to the COVID-19 pandemic that differs from the trajectory before the pandemic? The results show that the pandemic affected investment in an unequal manner. It was driven by the immediate need to sustain business operations through the virtualization of communication among employees and with external partners. However, there was less dynamism in shop-floor-related digitalization, as it was less related to epidemiological concerns and is more long-term in nature.

Economic Justification of an Investment Project in Vegetable Growing Based on a Comprehensive Sensitivity Analysis

Introduction. The practice of investment design in the agricultural sector indicates the need for comprehensive consideration of various types of uncertainty in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of financial investments in investment projects using various tools and methods, which is of particular importance for protected soil vegetable growing, as one of the most capital-intensive industries. The domestic greenhouse business is an attractive area of direct investment, since its development is the main factor in the growth of domestic consumption and import substitution of vegetable products. In this article, the economic justification of the investment project for the organization of greenhouse vegetable growing is carried out on the basis of a comprehensive sensitivity analysis used to assess risks. Methodology. In the process of assessing the economic efficiency and investment attractiveness of the project, one-factor and two-factor analysis of the variation of parameters, as well as the method of critical points were used. Results. Using the example of a real investment project, the influence of a large number of different variations of key parameters on the resulting project performance indicators was analyzed, which made it possible to determine their marginal (critical) values. The results obtained make it possible to prevent potential problems and adjust indicators in the process of project implementation under conditions of uncertainty. Conclusions. Sensitivity analysis of an investment project is an important component of the economic justification of an investment project, which enables to predict risks and make decisions for its successful implementation.

INDUSTRIAL INVESTING AS AN INSTRUMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ALGERIA (CASE IN BOUIRA PROVINCE - EASTERN ALGERIA)

Algeria has developed an interesting manufacturing sector since its independence with the aim to develop the national economy. In this paper, we'll highlight the industrial investments that Bouira's municipal government (Easter Algeria) made between 2003 and 2020. To achieve this goal, we used a series of LANDSAT 7ETM+/LANDSAT 8OLI satellite images acquired respectively in 2006, 2014, and 2020. The processing applied to images evaluates the normalized vegetation (NDVI), which provides an estimation of the used area for industrial investment. All processed images were combined in a GIS (Geographic Information System), to digitize subsequently industrial areas. This research shows that over 242.69 ha of Oued El-Berdi's zone was used for industrial projects.

BRICS investment policy in contemporary environment

Contemporary instability of the global economy and the consequences of COVID-19 determine the search for new ways to ensure sustainable economic and financial development of any country. This is especially important for developing countries, BRICS in particular. One of the ways of meeting new challenges is to strengthen cooperation between partners, so the paper examines the BRICS countries’ investment policy, seeking to identify new areas of cooperation where harmonious investment could be most beneficial. The research uses comparative, logical, statistical and structural analysis with graphic visualization and interpretation of the obtained results. The authors have been first to identify contemporary investment opportunities for further cooperation within BRICS and to reveal their features in various areas, such as regulation, taxation, labor legislation, infrastructure development. The authors emphasize the necessity of the BRICS member countries’ investment co-operation in reaching the goals of sustainable development and outline the priority areas of investment showing that the BRICS should grant preferential treatment to strategic investments. The paper points out the need to expand the use of national currencies in dealing with green and infrastructure bonds issued to support the national economies and calls for increased participation of BRICS development banks and institutional investors of all forms of ownership in the processes of partnership cooperation.

Priority areas for investment in more sustainable and climate-resilient livestock systems

AbstractLivestock production supports economic growth, jobs and nutrition, but contributes to and is vulnerable to climate change. A transition is thus needed for livestock systems to become more sustainable and climate resilient, with clear positive effects on the Sustainable Development Goals. It is unclear, however, where the global community should invest to support this change. We identified priority geographies for livestock system investments in 132 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), at mid- and low latitudes. Our results show that adaptation and mitigation goals are inextricably linked for the vast majority of these countries. An equal weighting of adaptation and mitigation indicators suggests that the top five investment priorities are India, Brazil, China, Pakistan and Sudan. Across LMICs, these act as critical control points for the livestock sector’s interactions with the climate system, land and livelihoods.

Indonesia's Role in Realizing the Vision of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC)

Indonesia, as one of the largest economies and population in Southeast Asia, plays a crucial role in realizing the vision of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). The goal of the AEC is to establish a unified marketplace and manufacturing hub where goods, services, investments, and highly skilled workers can move freely, while the ASCC seeks to promote social development and cultural cooperation in the region. Indonesia has taken various measures to support the AEC, including implementing economic reforms to improve competitiveness, reducing barriers to trade and investment, and promoting regional integration through initiatives such as the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA). Indonesia also plays an active role in ASEAN negotiations with other regional partners such as China, Japan, and South Korea to enhance economic cooperation. In terms of the ASCC, Indonesia has made efforts to promote social development and cultural cooperation in the region by prioritizing issues such as poverty reduction, healthcare, education, and disaster management. Indonesia has also established cultural exchange programs and participated in various ASEAN cultural events to promote understanding and cooperation among member states. Overall, Indonesia's active participation and support in realizing the vision of the AEC and the ASCC are essential to achieving regional economic integration and social development in Southeast Asia.

Prospective directions of investment of pension assets as a factor of economic development of Ukraine

It is indicated that both economic and social reforms have been stalled in Ukraine for a long time. For example, 25 years have passed since the adoption of the Fundamentals of Legislation on Mandatory State Social Insurance, 19 years since the Law of Ukraine "On Mandatory State Pension Insurance" and the Law of Ukraine "On Non-State Pension Insurance" partially entered into force. However, the situation in the field of pension provision has not fundamentally changed. We are proud of the diversity of types of social security, but the size of many of them does not meet the requirements of the Law of Ukraine "On State Social Standards and Guarantees", the European Social Charter, the Convention on Minimum Norms of Social Security and other normative acts. One of the reasons is populism in the adoption of laws in the field of social security, lack of economic analysis of the state's ability to fulfill its positive obligations. The negative effects of this approach for the legal system have been repeatedly pointed out by both domestic and foreign scientists, for example Cass Sunstein in the well-known publication "Against positive rights".
 The idea of investing pension assets in land certificates did not materialize. However, investing in agricultural holdings is quite promising. The majority of Ukrainians are still against land reform and the open land market, as they fear that it will be used to steal land resources. If the population were sure that their savings would really be invested in the land business and they would receive their investment income from the results of economic activity in the agrarian sphere, then the emphasis of public opinion could be shifted in the direction of land reform.
 These are only separate and far from exhaustive areas of potential investment. But the full implementation of the above-mentioned ideas requires the real completion of social insurance reforms and, in particular, the pension reform. For its legislative completion, it is necessary to cancel individual clauses of the transitional provisions of the Law of Ukraine "On Mandatory State Pension Insurance", make changes to the "guarantees" section and immediately put them into effect together with a new well-thought-out economic strategy. At the same time, investment of pension assets in highly profitable sectors of the economy should be carried out in clear correlation with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the European Green Course.

Big Data Analytics in Healthcare: Exploring the Role of Machine Learning in Predicting Patient Outcomes and Improving Healthcare Delivery

Healthcare professionals decide wisely about personalized medicine, treatment plans, and resource allocation by utilizing big data analytics and machine learning. To guarantee that algorithmic recommendations are impartial and fair, however, ethical issues relating to prejudice and data privacy must be taken into account. Big data analytics and machine learning have a great potential to disrupt healthcare, and as these technologies continue to evolve, new opportunities to reform healthcare and enhance patient outcomes may arise. In order to investigate the patient’s outcomes with empirical evidence, this research was conducted using an online survey to incorporate healthcare professionals, patient’s reviews, and clinical staff. The data were analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0 to predict the structural model. The findings revealed a direct impact as positive influence of using machine learning on healthcare performance and patient outcomes through big data analytics. Moreover, it is evident that this can lead to personalized treatment plans, early interventions, and improved patient outcomes. Additionally, big data analytics can help healthcare providers optimize resource allocation, improve operational efficiency, and reduce costs. The impact of big data analytics on patient outcome and healthcare performance is expected to continue to grow, making it an important area for investment and research

Role satisfaction among community volunteers working in mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics, Waterloo Region, Canada

IntroductionUnpaid community volunteers are a vital public health resource in times of crisis. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, community volunteers were mobilized to support mass vaccination efforts in many countries. To have this group’s continued engagement, it is essential to understand the community volunteer experience, including the opportunities and challenges they encounter and how these contribute to their role satisfaction. This qualitative study investigated the factors contributing to community volunteers’ role satisfaction at COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics in the Region of Waterloo, Canada.MethodsQualitative data were analyzed from 20 volunteers (aged 48–79 years) who had worked at one of four COVID-19 vaccination clinics in the Region of Waterloo, Canada. Data were analyzed thematically using an inductive coding process followed by an iterative process of grouping and identifying linkages and relationships within the themes.ResultsFour interrelated themes were developed from the inductive analysis process. The theme of community volunteers feeling valued or disesteemed in their role depends on the interaction between the three themes of role description, role preparation, and clinic context.ConclusionsFor volunteers in crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteer role satisfaction depends on how their contributions are valued, the clarity of their role descriptions, volunteer-specific training, and the sentiments of volunteers and staff within the clinic context. Greater role satisfaction can help with retention as volunteers become more resilient and adaptable to the complex dynamic circumstances of a crisis response. Activities such as training and materials development for role preparations should be explicitly planned and well-resourced, even in crisis/pandemic situations. Building clinic managers’ or supervisors’ skills in communication during crisis/pandemic situations and the skills for the creation of team cohesion are critical investment areas.

A longitudinal assessment of racial and ethnic inequities in food environment exposure and retail market concentration.

This paper assesses trends in food environment and market concentration and racial and ethnic inequities in food environment exposure and food retail market concentration at the US census tract level from 2000 to 2019. Establishment-level data from the National Establishment Time Series were used to measure food environment exposure and food retail market concentration. We linked that dataset to race, ethnicity and social vulnerability information from the American Community Survey and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. A geospatial hot-spot analysis was conducted to identify relatively low and high healthy food access clusters based on the modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI). The associations were assessed using two-way fixed effects regression models. Census tracts spanning all US states. 69 904 US census tracts. The geospatial analysis revealed clear patterns of areas with high and low mRFEI values. Our empirical findings point to disparities in food environment exposure and market concentration by race. The analysis shows that Asian Americans are likelier to live in neighbourhoods with a low food environment exposure and low retail market concentration. These adverse effects are more pronounced in metro areas. The robustness analysis for the social vulnerability index confirms these results. US food policies must address disparities in neighbourhood food environments and foster a healthy, profitable, equitable and sustainable food system. Our findings may inform equity-oriented neighbourhood, land use and food systems planning. Identifying priority areas for investment and policy interventions is essential for equity-oriented neighbourhood planning.

Indo-Russian Economic Engagement: Legacy Issues, Dynamic Shifts, and Possibilities for the Future

The economic relationship between India and Russia has been limited and faced various challenges historically. However, changing geopolitical and geoeconomic situations have created new opportunities while also presenting challenges and risks. This paper aims to analyse the legacy issues and dynamic shifts in international trade and order that are currently taking place. The article explores the ongoing transformation of Indo-Russian economic engagement and proposes possible means for moving forward. The existing advantages of both countries in the areas of trade and investment are also outlined.Assuming a resolution to the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine, the paper proposes an economic roadmap for continuing the recent momentum in the trade and economic relationship between Russia and India. The first step is to strengthen bilateral trade in existing priority export sectors of both countries. This can be followed by deeper cooperation in oil, civilian nuclear energy, and defence sectors. The introduction of rupee-rouble trade, even partially, could significantly boost these efforts. The paper also advocates for involving the private sector in these efforts by adopting a proactive approach by both governments.By combining immediate efforts with long-term geopolitical maneuvers on both sides and an early resolution of the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine, it is possible to push bilateral trade and investment levels onto a sustainable growth path in the future. The paper argues strongly for this approach.

Virtual hospitals: The future of the healthcare system? An expert consensus.

Today, social and healthcare systems at a global level are facing constant challenges dictated by an increasing mismatch between the demand for care services and the supply of human and economic resources. Such a situation has been exacerbated in the past two years by the Covid-19 pandemic. This has led to an increase in the leverage of digitalisation, which has proved to be a crucial tool for the development and application of new organisational models at both hospital and territorial levels, thus addressing the various criticalities already present in the system. In this sense, the Virtual Hospital has emerged as a potential model for increasing effectiveness and efficiency in delivering sociomedical services. Starting from these premises, an EFTE (estimate, feedback, talk, estimate) approach was used to acquire an expert consensus within a multidisciplinary panel of academics and healthcare managers of the Veneto Region in Italy. This article reports the expert opinion on the possible application of the Virtual Hospital model in the national context, starting from the existing international evidence and good practices, highlighting the potential advantages and barriers to its implementation. Furthermore, the article analyses the most relevant areas of investment for the development of intangible assets and the acquisition of tangible assets necessary for its implementation.

THE COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE INVESTMENT POLICY OF UKRAINE

The purpose of the study is a determination of elements that affect the effectiveness of investment activities in Ukraine. The research methodology. To carry out the research, sources such as international acts, legislation of Ukraine and court practice were used. These sources became the empirical basis of the study. The goals of the research were achieved with the help of the used research methods (dialectical, autopoiesis method, structural-logical, formal-legal), as well as research techniques (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, etc.). The scientific novelty lies in the fact that this article is one of the first comprehensive studies of the prospects for the development of investment activities in Ukraine. The conclusions. After the full-scale attack of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, the popularity of social investments increased. Social investing also needs regulatory support, just like investing for profit. Factors ensuring the efficiency of investment activity in Ukraine have been determined, which include: determination of investment areas; consideration of territorial capital; use of innovative technologies to attract investments; improvement of the legal mechanism that ensures the proper implementation of investment activities; protection of investors' rights.

Cryptocurrencies investment framework using sentiment analysis of Twitter influencers

<span>In recent years, cryptocurrency technology has become an attractive area for investment due to its transparency, independence, and non-transactional nature. Many analysts and researchers talk daily on social media about the future of various cryptocurrencies. These ideas can significantly impact whether or not people are willing to invest. This paper provides a framework to help traders learn about the opinions of influential people and organizations in the field. Over the course of six months, the sentiment of more than 90 significant Twitter users was extracted for the proposed framework. In this study, we used the Vader open-source tool for sentiment analysis. This paper provides an excellent opportunity for investment through sentiment analysis<em> </em>of lesser-known or emerging cryptocurrencies. Also in this paper, we introduce the user importance factor to calculate the value of each tweet based on the number of retweets and comments. This factor shows the importance of their opinions instead of considering the number of followers of the authors. This factor causes a lower coefficient to be assigned to an author's opinion if it decreases in importance over time. The results show that in the short and long term, users' opinions are very effective in the market for cryptocurrencies and in predicting its price </span> trend.

INSTITUTIONAL (REGULATORY AND LEGAL) BASIS FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND INDUSTRY (THE CASE OF MONGOLIA)

Cooperation between universities and industry in different countries has its own implementation specifics, but the goal of this cooperation is universal – to promote knowledge-based economic development. Industry and universities are connected by innovations and ideas to create new products, universities and the state are connected in the areas of investment, strategic planning and labor demand. Industry and government are linked by creating jobs, shaping taxes, and implementing government policies. Therefore, innovative development involves the creation of an interdependent, mutually beneficial and mutually effective model of cooperation based on the triple helix principle. The article considers the current situation and problems of implementation and coordination of program documents in Mongolia in the field of development of cooperation between the university and industry in the context of the implementation of the triple helix model.

Digital Platforms for Linking Agriculture Investors with Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria

The study assessed digital platforms used to link agriculture investors with smallholder farmers in Nigeria. Content analysis and in-depth interviews were used for the study. Three digital platforms, namely the ThriveAgric, EZ Farming and Farmcrowdy were purposively chosen for this study. Results showed that ThriveAgric is user friendly; EZ Farming and Farmcrowdy provide risk assessment scores for easy monitoring. Also, ThriveAgric uses the Agricultural Operating System (AOS) to track farmers’ activities. EZ Farming uses social media platforms for adverts and campaign while Farmcrowdy innovatively used the platform to render advisory services to the farmers. ThriveAgric and Farmcrowdy invested in crop and livestock production while EZ Farming areas of investments were crop, livestock, fisheries, farm equipment and hydroponics. Smallholder farmers’ derived benefits were mainly observed in the aspect of reduction in post-harvest losses. Untimely delivery of agricultural inputs and cost of running the platforms were identified as major impediments to the effective deployment of the platform by the farmers and operators of the platforms respectively. Cost sharing mechanism should be incorporated into the partnership to ensure sustainability and a winwin situation. Also, regular review of the initiative by all the stakeholders is strongly recommended.

The determinants of non-traditional agricultural exports’ growth in Ghana

The Nontraditional Agricultural Exports (NTAE) sub-sector is a key contributor to agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) in several developing countries. It has the potential to create jobs and contribute to enhancing food and nutrition security, hence an important pillar to the economies of several countries including Ghana. This study, therefore, examines the factors driving the growth of nontraditional agricultural exports in Ghana using an Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) model. The study was based on secondary data from the World Development Indicators (WDI) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The study identified real GDP to be a significant determinant of NTAE’s growth in both contemporaneous and lag forms. Other variables including inflation, gross capital formation and foreign direct investment influence NTAE’s growth through their lag values. Exchange rate, inflation and RGDP significantly determine the growth of NTAEs in the long-run. The study further identified a co-integrating relationship between NTAE and other explanatory variables. The Error Correction Model showed an adjustment speed of 0.41, indicating that 41% adjustment will occur within the first year and it will take 2.4 years for the system to return to equilibrium in the long-run. Based on the findings, the study recommends that Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) adopts promotional strategies including providing incentive packages to farmers, exhibitions and trade fairs to curtail the declining trend in the growth of the NTAE’s sector. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) should educate farmers on the use of acceptable agronomical practices in the production field. Lastly, Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) and MoFA should collaborate to identify strategic areas for domestic support and foreign direct investment in the NTAE’s sub-sector to ensure it grows and contributes towards socio-economic development in Ghana.

China’s Investment and Infrastructure Cooperation with Balkan Countries

The author examines the cooperation of the PRC with countries in the Balkan region in the areas of investment and infrastructure. The study focuses on China’s economic relations with key actors in the Balkan region: Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. The subject of the study is investment and infrastructure cooperation of China with the countries of the region in the context of the project «One Belt One Road». The author examines in detail the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the economies of various countries, major FDI flows, the development of the financial sector of the PRC, the cooperation of China in the field of FDI and infrastructure with the main actors of the Balkan region. The author pays special attention to the aspect of implementation of the project «OBOR» in the context of cooperation of China with the countries of the Balkan region. This study is based on the theory of political realism. The main conclusions of the study are the definition of the initiative «One Belt One Road» as a key factor of cooperation of the People’s Republic of China with the countries of the Balkan region, the identification of the main directions of investment of the People’s Republic of China in the Balkan Peninsula: The Republic of Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania, analysis of the impact of political differences between the Governments of the States of the region and the People’s Republic of China on the flow of foreign direct investment and infrastructure projects.

Towards a harmonised eac tax sysyem: curent status, challenges and way forward*

Under Article 79 of the EAC Treaty, the Partner States have under- taken to harmonize and rationalize investment incentives to promote the Community as a single investment area while avoiding double taxation. Article 83 of the same Treaty states that the Partner States have committed themselves to adjust their tax policies to eliminate tax distortions. These provisions show the extent to which the EAC Partner States are willing to advance with tax integration as part of comprehensive regional integration. This approach is welcomed, as scholars generally agree that full regional integration cannot be achieved with- out tax integration. In this sense, tax harmonization is seen as a sure path to tax integration, a driver for effective regional integration. It is unfortunate, however, that tax harmonization in the EAC faces several challenges. Some causes of the challenges are legal, such as differences in legal systems, while others are geopolitically motivated. This paper discusses where the EAC currently stands in relation to tax harmonization. Starting with a theoretical framework, the paper focuses on the current practical aspects of tax harmonization in the EAC. The paper, therefore, highlights the existing discrepancies alongside the challenges in building a harmonized tax system in the EAC. The pa- per identifies three ways out de jure harmonization through traditional law-making by the legislature, de facto harmonization through judicial law-making processes, and tax coordination where tax harmonization does not work.