Payment Issues Research Articles

The experience of women in construction craftspeople apprenticeship programmes in Nigeria

The construction industry needs skilled personnel for its sustainability due to the shortage of skilled workers. Women are reputed to bridge the gap created by skills shortages in construction, which can be achieved by increasing their participation in the industry through the instrumentality of construction craftspeople apprenticeship training. This qualitative study explored the experiences of women in construction craftspeople apprenticeship programmes in Nigeria. Twelve female apprentices and two representatives of stakeholders (senior managers at the apprenticeship programmes) from two construction craftspeople apprenticeship programmes were interviewed on the factors that motivated women to join construction crafts apprenticeship training and the challenges confronting female apprentices. The data retrieved were transcribed and qualitatively analysed using code-based content analysis. Findings indicated that the main factors motivating women to participate in construction craftspeople apprenticeship programmes are: the desire to acquire skills and intrinsic factors such as employment opportunities and better remuneration. Payment issues such as non-payment of allowance, and issues related to apprenticeship training, such as inadequate tools for training, were the prominent challenges faced by female apprentices in construction craftspeople apprenticeship programmes. The study identified factors that can be enhanced by stakeholders in construction craftspeople apprenticeship training to attract women to the construction industry.

STRATEGI PENINGKATAN DAYA SAING UMKM PUJASERA PAKUALAMAN SHIFT SORE MELALUI INOVASI DAN KOLABORASI: MENUJU KEUNGGULAN KOMPETITIF DI PASAR

This community service project aims to enhance the competitiveness and operational efficiency of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Pujasera Pakualaman Night Shift Unit, focusing on Lesehan Pakualaman Mbak Nila, Warung Anugerah, and Bakso Pak Riyanto. Through initial surveys and consultations with MSME vendors, several challenges, such as competition with similar products, payment issues, absence in e-commerce channels, and weather impacts, were identified. Implemented solutions include developing innovative menus, applying the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) payment system, and integrating online ordering services. Training and empowerment processes were conducted to improve vendors' understanding of product innovation, digital payment technology, and e-commerce operational management. Implementing these solutions is expected to bring positive changes that strengthen the competitiveness and operational efficiency of MSMEs in Pujasera Pakualaman and contribute to local economic growth.

A Study on How Globalization Influences Translation Practices and the Demand for Translators in Various Industries

This study investigates the impact of globalization on translation practices and the demand for translators across various industries. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the study combines quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with professional translators, translation agency managers, and industry experts. The findings reveal that technological advancements, particularly machine translation (MT) and computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools have significantly altered translation workflows, increasing efficiency while necessitating careful quality control. The demand for localization services has surged, especially in the tech industry, reflecting a broader trend towards culturally adapted content in global markets. Additionally, the study highlights a notable shift towards freelancing and remote work among translators, driven by the desire for flexibility but accompanied by challenges such as job stability and securing consistent work. Emerging challenges identified include maintaining translation quality amidst high workloads, adapting to rapidly evolving technologies, and navigating cultural differences to ensure culturally appropriate translations. Economic pressures, such as low rates and payment issues, further complicate the landscape for professional translators. These findings align with existing literature, emphasizing the need for continuous adaptation, professional development, and strategic approaches to address the dynamic and evolving nature of the translation industry in a globalized context. The study provides valuable insights into the current state of the translation industry, highlighting the importance of cultural competence, technological proficiency, and economic resilience for translators operating in a globalized world. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of these trends and the evolving role of translators in a rapidly changing global market.

Novel Methodology to Measure the Reliability of Public DC Fast Charging Stations

A network of reliable corridor charging stations is essential to building driver confidence in long-distance battery electric vehicle trips. Here, we propose a detailed methodology to measure station reliability based on charging infrastructure data. By assigning charging events to unique charging visits, our methodology can capture a holistic overview of the driver’s charging experience. We use real world charging data collected between 2019 and 2022 from 54 Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFCs) in 36 corridor charging stations across California to demonstrate that our overarching reliability framework is close to the experience of users. Our analysis of two different charging networks shows that users of these networks have an average chance of 83% and 77% generally successful outcomes, respectively, after one or more tries at a charging station location. We also find significant variation in station performance within the same network (i.e., 79%–87% and 13%–95%, respectively). Furthermore, we observe that at least 3% of users are facing unexpected charging interruptions. In addition, we demonstrate a practical application of our framework for deep diagnostics of the charging eco-system using error codes to identify common issues such as vehicle/charger communication issues, safety issues, payment issues, and cable/connector issues. We compare how error codes alone are not a good proxy to diagnose charging failures. As more data from DCFCs becomes available, our methodology can become a mainstream tool for evaluating station reliability.

Платить или не платить? — вот в чем вопрос. О выплате вознаграждения эксперту за проведение судебной экспертизы в арбитражном процессе

Based on the analysis of legislation, doctrinal sources and judicial practice in the consideration of arbitration disputes, the article examines the issues of payment for the cost of production of an expert examination appointed in a case. At the same time, attention is drawn to the numerous problems that arise in law enforcement, — the conflict and uncertainty of situations of refusal to pay remuneration to experts due to ‘defects’ in the expert’s opinion. The issues of unification of the relevant judicial practice and improvement of the quality of forensic activities are raised.

Digital Payment Issues

Problems with digital payment systems have the potential to seriously disrupt otherwise seamless transactions.

REAL ESTATE PORTAL

Abstract — We propose to build a real estate portal that allows users to post property for sale as well as search sort property and contact its owner online. It also consists of an innovative feature that allows users to post reviews of the dealing process with a buyer after their deal. This allows the buyers to verify a sellers profile and view his past deal experiences from other user reviews on his profile. Every user on the portal has a profile that can be viewed by to check his past deals status. A user may post bad reviews about another user he has dealt with if any payment issues are encountered during the deal. So users may now verify that particular user before dealing with him. Users may look for property as per area, Bhk, Location as well as other amenities like lift, furnished, semi-furnished etc. The system sorts property and displays results list as desired by user. Users may also post a property for sale along with desired price, location and contact details. Dealers can advertise their new projects to the users with the permission of admin. New users can register with permission of admin. The product also provides also lists available loan strategies at present and directs user to the desired bank’s website. Keywords : Spatial Database, Information Visualization, Real Estate Information

Current Issues of Payment for Forensic Examinations in Civil Proceedings: Legal and Organizational Aspects

The author examines current issues of payment for forensic examinations in civil proceedings. The author identifies the problem associated with the imperfection of legal regulation of this area is identified. The article highlights the provisions of the Constitutional Court Resolution No. 43-P dated July 20, 2023 in the case of verifying the constitutionality of the provisions of the Civil Procedure Code of the Russian Federation related to the payment of forensic examinations. The article also analyzes the emerging practice of applying this Resolution.

Процессуальные и организационные особенности взаимодействия эксперта и суда по медицинским спорам

The article discusses the issues of appointment and payment of forensic examination in medical disputes, taking into account the latest trends in changes in current legislation. The procedural nuances of preparing civil case materials and collecting evidence for conducting a full-fledged expert study with a high degree of stability as evidence in the court of appeal are analyzed.

BETWEEN THE SCYLLA OF EQUALIZATION AND THE CHARYBDIS OF INEQUALITY: LABOR REMUNERATION ON THE ALTAI RAILWAY IN 1917

The authors examine inequality in an important branch of the Russian economy during the World War I using the materials of one of the large West Siberian enterprises. The study relies on the sources for the first time introduced into the scientific circulation: data from the funds of the tax inspectorate, which are related to the determination of the circle of income taxpayers and their earnings. The advantageous feature of these lists is that they include not only taxpayers (recipients of relatively high income), but all employees of the enterprise in general. Information on the wages of almost 400 employees of the Altai Railroad, from watchman to manager, was used to calculate the decile coefficient. This allows us to expand the field for microhistorical study of inequality by statistical methods through including new industries and new regions. In addition, one of the lists contains information that allows us to raise the question of the need to study additional parameters of inequality in Russia at the beginning of the20th century. It is shown that the income differentiation of railroad workers increases significantly when taking into account their dependents (primarily children), i.e. taking into account family composition can change the interpretation of the degree of income inequality. Another list gives the authors a rare opportunity to examine the wages of railroad employees taking into account individual components of earnings (including salary, military increment, bonuses, payment for extracurricular work). The analysis of change in the decile ratio depending on the above-mentioned payment issues allowed us to prove that one of the weighty additions to the salary reduced the gap between the incomes of the highest and lowest employees, and the other, on the contrary, gave an opportunity to earn more to those who wanted it. Thus, it is demonstrated that one of the wage systems created before the revolution allowed to avoid simultaneously both problems that would become urgent for the new authorities in the 1920s - equalization and excessive inequality.

Dynamics of legal regulation of exemptions in the payment and calculation of land fees in the conditions of martial law on the basis of judicial practice

The relevance of the research topic is stipulated by the new challenges faced by our country in connection with the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the need to adapt the legal regulation of land payment in terms of its calculation and payment during the period of martial law. The purpose of the article is to trace the dynamics of legal regulation of land payment during martial law, and to review the current case law of both national courts regarding the resolution of disputes on the cancellation of a tax assessment notice and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights in terms of determining the conceptual foundations for the construction of legal provisions. The study of the issue of payment and accrual of land payment is of both applied and theoretical nature, since violation of the means and rules of rule-making technique leads to tax disputes. The analysis of legal constructions of the Tax Code of Ukraine and other regulatory legal acts made it possible to identify problems in the regulation of land payment, which consist in violation of the rule of law principle provided for by the Constitution of Ukraine. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine has defined the principles of legal certainty and legal predictability as components of the rule of law. The inconsistency of the provisions of the Tax Code of Ukraine and bylaws has led to a dual interpretation of their rights and obligations by taxpayers and controlling authorities. The author analyzes the positions of the controlling authorities in terms of amendments to the regulation of the calculation and payment of tax liabilities for taxation of land plots located in the temporarily occupied territories or in the territories where military operations are (were) conducted.

AUTOMATIC AMOUNT CALCULATION SYSTEM - SMART ENERGY METER USING IOT

In today's reality, Automatic frameworks are being favored over manual frameworks. The quick increment in the number of clients of the web over the previous decade has made the Internet an integral part of life, and IoT is the most recent and rising web innovation. Electricity is one of the fundamental necessities of human beings, it is commonly used for domestic, industrial, and agricultural purposes. These days, power theft is the main issue, costing electricity boards a lot of money and creating payment issues for customers. In our country, these situations are more often. If these thefts are prevented then a lot of power can be saved. This is done using a Smart EB meter. An energy meter chip is used in SEMs to measure the amount of electric energy used, and wireless protocols are used for data transmission. This project presents an EB meter box via automatic billing system by display. electricity continues to rise, the existing grid faces challenges related to aging infrastructure, poor visibility, and mechanical switches. Additionally, greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity industry and other stressors necessitate grid modernization. The proposed smart energy meter leverages Internet of Things (IoT) technology, enabling two-way data communication over LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network). These are this system's salient characteristics. The meter incorporates theft and tamper detection capabilities. Users receive notifications in case of any unauthorized interference. Key Words: Internet of Things (IoT), Light-dependent resistor (LDR), ESP8266 Microcontroller (NodeMCU), Liquid-crystal display, LoRaWAN, Energy Meter.

Application, knowledge and training needs regarding comprehensive geriatric assessment among geriatric practitioners in healthcare institutions: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the actual application, knowledge, and training needs of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) among geriatric practitioners in China.MethodsA total of 225 geriatric practitioners attending the geriatric medicine or geriatric nursing training were recruited for this cross-sectional study. The questionnaire included demographics, healthcare institution characteristics, the actual application, knowledge, training needs, and barriers to CGA and geriatric syndromes (GS).ResultsPhysicians and nurses were 57.3% and 42.7%, respectively. 71.1% were female, with a median age was 35 years. Almost two-thirds (140/225) of geriatric practitioners reported exposure to CGA in their clinical practice. The top five CGA evaluation items currently used were malnutrition risk (49.8%), fall risk (49.8%), activity of daily living (48.0%), pain (44.4%), and cognitive function (42.7%). Median knowledge scores for the management procedures of GS ranged from 2 to 6. Physicians identified medical insurance payment issues (29.5%) and a lack of systematic specialist knowledge and technology (21.7%) as the two biggest barriers to practicing geriatrics. Nurses cited a lack of systematic specialist knowledge and technology (52.1%) as the primary barrier. In addition, physicians and nurses exhibited significant differences in their knowledge of CGA-specific evaluation items and management procedures for GS (all P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in their training needs, except for polypharmacy.ConclusionsThe rate of CGA application at the individual level, as well as the overall knowledge among geriatric practitioners, was not adequate. Geriatric education and continuous training should be tailored to address the specific roles of physicians and nurses, as well as the practical knowledge reserves, barriers, and training needs they face.

Work Satisfaction and Related Variables among Nurses Employed in Particular Hospitals in Mogadishu, Somalia

Purpose: The objective of this research was to evaluate the degree of job satisfaction and related variables among nurses employed at specific hospitals in Mogadishu, Somalia.  Methods A cross-sectional, descriptive research approach was employed, and a sample of 120 nurses was included in the study. The intended sample was chosen using a straightforward random sampling procedure. Data were gathered using a pre-tested, structured, self- administered questionnaire including a work satisfaction measure. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis after the obtained data were loaded into SPSS version 20.0.  Results The study used 120 study participants in total. Of the nurse practitioners, 41 (34.2%) expressed dissatisfaction with their work. Among the research subjects; 45(37.5%) dissatisfied with payment (salary). Regarding the options for pursuing a postgraduate degree in nursing or additional education 40 (33.3%) were dissatisfied. More than half of participants 75 (62.5%) were decided to resign from current employment due to payment (salary) issues.  Conclusions The nursing staff expressed dissatisfaction with possibilities for professional growth, recognition, low pay, inadequate benefits, doing many incorrect jobs, and increased workload. It is recommended that actions be taken to improve working conditions, pay, and human resource policies in order to raise the degree of job satisfaction among nursing staff.

Risk Analysis of E-Procurement Process of EPC Construction Project Based On Risk Management

EPC project performance is affected by the relation between work processes. E-procurement implemented as a tool to mitigate procurement process risk gives a positive effect and residual risk that needs to be managed further. This research aims to analyze the e-procurement process risk and identify the root causes of critical risks. Data is collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and a questionnaire by 41 e-procurement practitioners from 5 (five) Indonesian construction state-owned enterprises (BUMN). There are 116 risks identified from 22 e-procurement steps, of which three risks are determined as critical risks based on Risk Priority Number analysis, with delay of material requisition document as the highest RPN risk. Fault Tree Analysis identifies that several failure modes, such as miscalculation, misallocation of workforce, and payment issues cause the critical risk. Preparing an in-house engineering team to support the calculation process can mitigate two critical risks at the same time. Risk mitigation causes a residual risk that needs further assessment to determine the proper response.

The issue of childbirth assistance payments during the care of a child until the child reaches the age of three

It will be provided with a detailed calculation of the amounts of allowance that should be paid by public authorities and which are declared by government bodies as paid but are not actually paid. The study will consider what amounts of assistance are actually received by individuals who take care of a child until the child reaches the age of three.&#x0D; It is indicated, I would like to point, out that these fictitious payments, declared by state authorities as assistance paid to individuals caring for a child until the child reaches three years of age, are considered official income for Ukrainian citizens. It is determined, that payment of assistance to a person who cares for a child until the child reaches the age of three and in accordance with the law receives assistance at the birth of a child in accordance with paragraph 7, item 1, part 1 of Art. 4 of the Law [17] is not true.&#x0D; It will be proven that the guaranteed allowance provided by the state does not comply with the Legislation and is less than the minimum subsistence level, which creates conditions for the genocide of population.&#x0D; We conclude that a study has been carried out and it has proven that human rights have already been violated at the legislative level. There is a violation of the Laws of Ukraine, International documents and the Constitution of Ukraine. This indicates a conflict of legislation, which as a result leads to human rights violations, and as a further result a low standard of living of Ukrainian citizens.&#x0D; It is indicated that there is a formal attitude to the Laws of Ukraine due to improper conduct of operational and investigative actions, signs of corruption and professional impropriety. Crimes are covered up, the guilty are not brought to justice.&#x0D; It has been established that persons caring for young children before the age of three are deprived of adequate state-guaranteed social protection. There is a conflict of laws. Thus, these citizens of Ukraine are being social destruction by incompetent state officials.

Barriers and Enablers of Postnatal Care by Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Workers: A Community-Based Qualitative Study From Tribal Gujarat.

Background The care provided to the mother and child from delivery to six weeks after is defined as postnatal care. The postnatal period is both a happy and critical phase for the mother and the newborn. However, the provision of high-quality care services is often ignored during this time. The objective of this study was to assess postnatal care services quality by Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers and associated factors such as newborn care in rural tribal areas of Gujarat, India. Methodology An ethnographic approach was adopted. Four primary health centers (PHCs) were selected purposively from Sankheda Block, Chhotaudepur, a tribal district in the eastern part of Gujarat. Information on obstacles and facilitators of postnatal care services was collected using in-depth interviews (IDIs) with a purposive sample of 22 ASHAs working in selected PHCs. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The median age of the ASHA workers was 39 years and ranged from 30 to 51 years (N = 22). Most ASHAs encountered logistical challenges when offering postnatal care services (e.g., they struggled to care for the mother and her babies because they were missing essential equipment, such as a thermometer and a salter-type baby weighing machine, or they had broken equipment). The two main issues facing ASHAs were incentives and timely payments. There were concerns about their safety and physical security during fieldwork. The majority of ASHA workers had good experiences during postnatal home visits, and they received support from other healthcare workers. There were many misconceptions and false assumptions in the community regarding breastfeeding, prelacteal feeding, family planning, and contraception methods. ASHAs wanted to become long-term government employees and believed they were entitled to sufficient training, assistance, recognition, and remuneration for the duties they performed. Conclusions Postnatal mothers receive considerably less attention than antenatal mothers because it mostly depends on ASHA workers and field staff. ASHA workers are doing their best regarding postnatal care. This study revealed some issues ASHAs face, including logistic issues, transportation issues, regular and timely payment issues, and local-level acceptance issues.

Blockchain-based efficient verifiable outsourced attribute-based encryption in cloud

Attribute-based encryption (ABE) has been widely applied in cloud services for access control. However, a large number of pairing operations required for decryption affect the wide use of ABE on lightweight devices. A general solution is to outsource the heavy computation to the cloud service provider (CSP), leaving the lighter computation to the data user. Nevertheless, it is impractical to assume that the CSP will provide free services. A recent ABE scheme with payable outsourced decryption ABEPOD (TIFS’20) provides a solution for the above payment issue. The CSP is generally untrusted, however, ABEPOD does not offer a verification mechanism for the data user to verify the correctness of the message. Moreover, the use of dual key pairs in ABEPOD incurs a significant computational overhead for data users during the key generation phase. We address the above issues by presenting a new blockchain-based verifiable outsourced attribute-based encryption system that enables data users to verify the correctness of plaintexts. We implement batch verification using homomorphic technical to optimize the verification process. We use the technique of dichotomous search to accurately locate problematic plaintexts. Additionally, we optimize three key-generation algorithms to transfer the computational cost from the data user to the key generation center. We offer the formal security models and the instantiation system with security analysis. As compared to ABEPOD, we further optimize the key-generation algorithms such that the computational overhead of transformation-key and verification-key generation for data users is reduced from O(Ω) to O(1) and reduced by half respectively, where Ω is the number of attributes.

Factors Affecting the Participation of Tanzanian College Youths in Purchasing Online Products

Recently, Tanzania has experienced an exponential growth of internet users, with youths forming the largest number of users who access internet service. Despite statistics showing that youths form the largest number of internet users in the country, the number of youths who purchase online products is still limited. This study aimed to analyse factors affecting youth online purchasing in Tanzania and suggest strategies to improve its adoption. The subjects of the study were 43 students from the Arusha Technical College in Tanzania who were studying an E-commerce and Internet Technology course. The data were collected using questionnaires and participatory workshop. The collected data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The findings reveal ten factors that influence youth engagement in online purchases: quality risks, delayed deliveries, e-commerce skill gaps, fraud fears, extra charges, internet costs, payment issues, network reliability, local availability, and absence of bargaining habits. To enhance the participation of youths in online shopping, the study recommends several strategies which, if implemented, will help improve e-commerce adoption in Tanzania. The major contribution of this study is to reveal the status of online purchase adoption among Tanzanian youths and document strategies for accelerating its adoption in the country.

Scrutinizing the adoption of smart contracts in the MENA Region’s Construction Industry

ABSTRACT The construction industry embodies a paramount role in the economic growth of various nations, including the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Despite its significance, the industry faces construction disputes and payment issues, inducing financial losses and project postponements. Consequently, the construction industry has mutated smart contracts to enhance operational efficiency, which automates contract management tasks and offers perks, including transparency and efficiency. However, the adoption of smart contracts in the MENA construction sector remains limited, and the region lacks thorough research on this topic. This study addresses this gap by examining the level of cognizance and apprehension of smart contracts among construction industry stakeholders in the MENA region. The research employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze the relative importance of implementing smart contracts within different project lifecycle phases and relevant practices and identify the hindrances impacting MENA’s smart contract deployment. A practical implementation of smart contract-based tendering employing the Trakti platform is paraded. The findings unveiled the infancy of smart contract adoption in the MENA construction sector. They revealed the substantial importance of implementing smart contracts in the Project Execution Phase, Project Closure, and Monitoring and Control Phase, attaining relative weights of 23.23%, 21.62%, and 20.50%, respectively.