Level Of Infrastructure Development Research Articles

Spatial effects of green innovation and carbon emission reduction in China: Mediating role of infrastructure and informatization

Green innovation (GI) plays a vital role in mitigating urban carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fostering sustainable development in China. This study examines the impact of GI on CO2 emissions, underscoring its significance for environmental sustainability. The analysis of data from 253 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2020 shows a transition in GI from a “multipoint” sporadic pattern to a “clustered” aggregation, indicative of significant polarization. Concurrently, a converging trend in the CO2 emissions kernel density curve reflects the initial success of carbon reduction initiatives, demonstrating a notable “high in the north and low in the south” spatial disparity. Critically, the findings reveal that GI induces significant spatial spillover effects, reducing CO2 emissions not only locally but also in adjacent areas. The mediation analysis reveals that the level of infrastructure development acts as a masking factor, suggesting that despite infrastructure expansion potentially escalating CO2 emissions, alignment with GI principles steers its environmental impact towards a positive direction. Additionally, informatization's modest mediating role suggests that its enhancement, driven by GI, further mitigates CO2 emissions through improved resource efficiency. These insights highlight the importance of integrating GI into urban policy frameworks, emphasizing its role in environmental management and CO2 emission reduction.

ECONOMIC DRIVERS OF SUGAR PRODUCTION AND EXPORT PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA WITHIN THE TRIPARTITE FREE TRADE AREA

Background: The economic performance of any sector is measured by the level of its competitiveness against its competitors. The South African sugar industry, as a member of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), faces stiff competition and is therefore challenged to improve its production and export performance to survive and dominate in the market in the long term. Aim: This study aimed to assess the competitiveness of the South African sugarcane industry by looking at the economic drivers of sugar production and export. Methods: The study employed Michael Porter`s Diamond Model to assess the competitiveness of the South African sugarcane industry, using primary data collected from a total of 123 sugarcane farmers and 100 key stakeholders. A 7-point Likert scale was applied to indicate the degree to which each of the determining factors is perceived to affect the performance and resulting competitiveness of the sugar industry. Results: The findings revealed that the major constraints experienced by respondents are the availability of skilled labour; cost of doing business; level of infrastructure development; cost of infrastructure; water availability; climatic conditions; rainfall patterns; availability of financial services; access to credit; crime; and HIV/AIDS. In terms of exports, tariffs were found to be the major constraint along with some of the aforementioned factors. Several factors that are experienced as having a positive effect on competitive success also emerged. These include product design; packaging; labelling and pricing; manager’s willingness to export; level of education and training; length of time in the business; experience; and language.

Using fs/QCA to explore the influencing factors of urban green infrastructure development and its combinational drivers: the case of the Yangtze River Delta region of China.

High levels of urban green infrastructure (UGI) development can help mitigate the climate, biodiversity, and habitat crises faced by cities and support the achievement of sustainable urban development. Based on the relevant data of 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region obtained from 2011 to 2020, this study measured the development level of natural and geographic conditions, economic development, urban construction, social and cultural development, and eco-environment quality and urban green infrastructure (UGI); evaluated the development trend of UGI in the region during the 12th Five-Year Plan and 13th Five-Year Plan by using entropy TOPSIS; and used fs/QCA to explain the high-level development path of each city toward the achievement of a green infrastructure. The results showed that (1) the development level of UGI in the Yangtze River Delta region decreases from southeast to northwest, and gradually decreases from Shanghai, Hangzhou, and other central cities. (2) There were several different configurations of high levels and non-high levels of UGI development drivers across regions, confirming the existence of multiple causality and asymmetry indices in the drivers of UGI. (3) During the "12th Five-Year Plan" and the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, the conditions needed to achieve a high level of UGI gradually became stricter, expanding from nature-social culture and urban construction-eco-environmental drivers to nature-urban construction, nature-social culture-eco-environmental, urban construction-economy-social culture-eco-environmental drivers. Research findings can provide greater guidance and implications for future sustainable urban development.

LAND MARKET: PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT AND FEATURES OF PRICING

The article examines the prospects for the development of the land market and its features. It is substantiated that the need to solve the issue of rational use of agricultural lands is the basis for developing a strategy for the development of territories and united territorial communities. It has been proven that the basis of reforming in the field of land relations and the formation of an effective land market are two fundamental provisions: ensuring the proper level and quality of life of the population; support for social justice. Attention is focused on the fact that the potential of the national land fund determines opportunities and creates significant prospects, gives competitive advantages at the international level. These potential opportunities can be realized only if an effective model of property relations is developed and implemented, which provides for the balancing of the interests of land market participants and determines the place of Ukraine as a state with a stable competitive position on the world market based on rational nature management and effective use of resources in general. It is substantiated that there are little opportunities for buying and selling land resources, which can be determined by the following factors: lack of financial opportunities in the vast majority of the population, that is, a small level of ability to pay for the purchase of land; a number of issues in the field of land relations remain unsettled and unclear; insignificant level of market infrastructure development; opacity of the pricing mechanism for land resources; unwillingness of the rural population to join the processes of buying and selling land; the presence of risks related to the process of buying and selling land, etc. It was determined that the basis of reforming in the field of land relations and the formation of an effective land market are two fundamental provisions: ensuring the proper level and quality of life of the population; support for social justice. Attention is focused on the fact that the vast majority of economic sectors are related to rational land use, which determines the importance of proper coordination and regulation of the land market.

Regional economic dispatch analysis and industry chain optimization based on proximal strategy optimization algorithm

Abstract In this paper, the traditional proximal strategy optimization algorithm is improved based on traction technology to address the poor efficiency of the conventional proximal strategy optimization algorithm in analyzing regional economic scheduling and industrial chain optimization. The focus is on finding the optimal solution by applying this algorithm in the spatio-temporal coupling characteristics of new infrastructure and regional economic dispatch, the simulation of changes in regional industrial structure and the allocation of industrial chain. The experimental analysis not only verifies the effectiveness of the improved algorithm, but also shows that the level of new infrastructure development shows a specific positive correlation with the degree of development of regional economic dispatch, with a growth rate of 29.26% in 2021. Under the influence of different industrial scenarios and policies, there are significant differences in the path and speed of industrial structure change FPPO-QP algorithm is also above 44Mdps in V2I capacity performance under the interference of 3.5×1060Bytes. In contrast, the performance of the FPPO-LP algorithm has declined. Therefore, the improved algorithm can effectively apply to regional economic dispatch analysis and industrial chain optimization.

The influence of the level of information infrastructure development on carbon emissions

More and more conventional infrastructure construction leads to an increasement in global carbon emissions due to the release of carbon. However, it is not clear whether the information infrastructure promotes or inhibits carbon emissions. Consequently, this study examines how information infrastructure at the provincial level affects carbon emissions in China. The study used a set of two-way fixed-effect models using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces and municipalities from 2013 to 2021.These findings indicate a continuous improvement in the overall progress of information infrastructure development, yet there is also a widening gap between the highest and lowest extremes. Moreover, the level of information infrastructure development in the eastern region clearly surpasses western region’s to a substantial extent. In addition, empirical research has found that there exists a clear "inverted U-shaped" relationship between information infrastructure and carbon emissions. These findings offer both theoretical and empirical support for China's efforts in constructing an information infrastructure that can effectively achieve the "double carbon" strategy.

НЕЧЕТКО-МНОЖЕСТВЕННЫЙ ПОДХОД К ОЦЕНКЕ ТРАНСРЕГИОНАЛЬНОЙ ПРОМЫШЛЕННОЙ КОГЕРЕНТНОСТИ

Within the scope of the research, the model is being developed to assess the economic effect of transregional industrial coherence at the current level of transport infrastructure development. The study constitutes a part of the analytical modeling of the cycle for increasing the level of sustainable development in regions, the enterprises of which are included in the target transregional industrial cluster. The resulting parameter of influence is the real impulse, integrally expressed by intermediate impulse flows, formed by subject-generators and reinforced by subject-catalysts in the environment. The general conceptual basis for modeling is the effect of incrementing the subject connections of the industrial cluster in the content of the array of influence factor vectors of the cluster – transregional industrial coherence, which is determined by the synergy of environmental characteristics and is manifested by the access of system impulses and their generators in such a way that the significance of the impulse for the environment may greatly exceed the significance of the generator; however, the reduction in the weight of generator parameters entails a value equalization of the impulse. This stage of modeling directly shapes the assessment of transregional industrial coherence through the application of the tools and logic of fuzzy-set modeling.

The role of the energy factor in the formation and development of the EAEU

The article analyzes the role of the energy factor in the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), as well as its impact on the dynamics of modern integration processes. The author also considers a number of processes and phenomena as an energy factor, such as the degree of resource security of states, the level of infrastructural development of their fuel and energy complexes (including technological, logistical and information infrastructure), interstate interaction in order to implement energy policy and ensure energy security. Based on the analysis of the historical prerequisites for the formation of the EAEU, it is concluded that energy was one of the key areas of common economic interests at the stage of the Union's inception, while remaining so today and determining the potential of Eurasian integration in the global arena, at the same time being the cause of a number of fundamental problems of unification. These problems, caused by resource inequality and infrastructural imbalance, have a profound impact on the dynamics of integration processes. Among such problems are significant differences in the strategic interests of the states in relation to the EAEU; insufficient consistency of positions on energy development strategies; different and to some extent contradictory expectations from the emerging common energy markets; an imbalance in the levels of responsibility for the overall stability of the integration association. The need for practical solutions to problems and contradictions of this kind is an important factor determining the vector of further development of the integration association, its transformation from a predominantly economic Union to a new level – supported by ideology and values shared by all its participants.

Analysis of the factors affecting student dropout at the University of Miskolc

Our research is linked to the strategy for higher education in Hungary, which sets out a clear expectation to reduce the number of university dropouts. The first step towards achieving these goals is to explore and describe the phenomena and the context of university dropouts. According to a number of studies, the first year is crucial for the success of students in obtaining a degree. Significant failure to earn the number of credits set out in the recommended curricula implies a serious risk of dropout. Our research sought to find out how previous studies, in particular secondary school attainment, the student's residence, and its level of infrastructure development as well as the student's sex influence the number of credits earned in the first two semesters. Our analysis was carried out using data from students studying at the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Informatics at the University of Miskolc, broken down by fields of study.

Revenue-increasing effect of rural e-commerce: A perspective of farmers' market integration and employment growth

This study uses village and household matching information from the 2018 China Labor-force Dynamic Survey to analyze the impact of rural e-commerce on farmers’ revenue. The outcomes of the baseline regression and robustness discussions show that rural e-commerce greatly improved farmers’ revenue. After solving endogeneity problems in the model using rural clan power as the instrumental variable, the influence of e-commerce on farmers’ revenue is still significantly positive. Further analysis suggests that rural e-commerce directly affects farmers’ revenue by promoting farmers' market integration, and indirectly affects it by expanding affiliated industries that can promote employment growth. Furthermore, in the case of a higher level of transportation infrastructure development, the impact of rural e-commerce-affiliated industries on farmers’ revenue will be greater. However, not all farmers receive the same benefits from e-commerce. Farmers with more human capital receive more benefits from e-commerce. Our results have important policy implications for developing countries that hope to grow farmers’ revenue and rural development through e-commerce.

Rural area's infrastructure development: Comprehensive assessment and differentiation in the economic space

Subject. This article discusses the issues of improving the quality of life of the rural population. Objectives. The article aims to analyze the provision of rural areas of the Lipetsk Oblast with social, housing and utilities, trade, and household and road transport infrastructure. Methods. For the study, we used a statistical analysis. Results. Calculations confirm a high degree of differentiation of the districts of the Lipetsk Oblast in terms of the level of infrastructure development in rural areas. The article shows the distribution of districts of the Lipetsk Oblast by group depending on the level of satisfaction of the needs of the rural population in infrastructure facilities. Conclusions. To improve the quality of life in rural areas, it is necessary to apply a differentiated approach to the formation and development of infrastructure, taking into account the peculiarities of the spatial location of facilities and the satisfaction of the population with the quality of social services provided.

Повышение качества транспортных услуг на основе развития железнодорожной инфраструктуры Сибирского федерального округа

The article describes the degree of influence of the level of transport infrastructure development on the quality of transportation services provided to the population. It analyzes the state of infrastructure in the Siberian Fed-eral District for all types of transport, and considers a risk-oriented approach to traffic safety in railway transport as an internal control of service quality indicators. According to the results of the factor analysis of train traffic safety risks of the activity of the West Siberian Engineering Structures Division, the problematic risk factors af-fecting the quality level of the indicator “Reliability” are determined. The integral assessment of the quality of services provided for the use of transport infrastructure and the significance of risk factors in relation to the achievement of the reference state of the quality criterion “Safety” are determined. Long-term corrective measures of transport infrastructure development aimed at improving the quality of services in general are examined.

The digital silk road and trade growth – A quasi-natural experiment based on silk road E-commerce

The construction of the Digital Silk Road is an important component of the Belt and Road initiative. Based on data sourced from 190 countries between 2012 and 2019, this study examines the impact of building the Digital Silk Road on the development of foreign trade among countries along the route. The analysis employs a PSM-DID model that utilizes a quasi-natural experimental environment provided by the Silk Road e-commerce cooperation initiative. The study presents the following findings. First, the Digital Silk Road initiative helps promote the development of foreign trade among countries along the route. Second, the impact of this initiative on the development of foreign trade is primarily influenced by the levels of human capital and innovation. Third, the effect of this initiative on trade is more significant when the trading partner country has a high level of economic development, a high level of digital infrastructure development, or is not a neighboring country.

Assessing the carbon emission performance of digital greening synergistic transformation: evidence from the dual pilot projects in China.

Digital greening synergistic transformation (DGST) is a new engine for achieving dual carbon targets. Using panel data from 281 Chinese cities between 2003 and 2019, this study investigates the effect and transmission mechanism of the DGST on carbon emission performance. It is based on the quasi-natural experiments of the dual pilot projects "Broadband China" and "Low-carbon City",as well as the multi-period difference-in-difference method. The empirical findings are as follows: (1) DGST, represented by the dual pilot projects, effectively enhances carbon emission performance. Compared to the isolated "Broadband China" and "Low-Carbon City" pilot projects, establishing dual pilot projects generates a more pronounced carbon emission reduction effect through synergistic effects. (2) In terms of dynamic effects, the carbon emission reduction effect in dual pilot cities appears in the first year following initiation, indicating a certain temporal aspect to this effect. (3) Mechanism analysis reveals that the impact of DGST on carbon emission performance is channeled through two pathways: industrial structural adjustment and low-carbon technology innovation. (4) The positive impact of DGST on carbon emission performance exhibits heterogeneity, primarily present in cities with higher levels of financial technology, human capital, and new infrastructure development. It implies that the implementation of DGST necessitates adequate human, financial, and material support. In conclusion, this research contributes empirical evidence for further exploring policy synergies, offering support for achieving dual carbon targets through DGST.

Research on the Impact of the “The Belt and Road” on the Development of Open Economy in the Central and Western Regions ——Empirical Analysis Based on Differences-in-Differences

“The Belt and Road” (B&R) has made the mid-west region the frontier of opening to the outside. Based on the sample data from 51 cities from 2005 to 2019, the paper studies the policy effects of B&R on the open economy in the mid-west region by utilizing a difference-in-differences model. Also, building upon the index of level of infrastructure development, the paper analyzes the specific mechanism of this policy effect. The research results show that: B&R has elevated the level of opening-up in the mid-west region, as reflected in a significant increase in the regions’ foreign trade dependence and foreign investment reliance since the initiative was launched; further research reveals that B&R has a greater stimulating impact on promoting foreign trade in the mid-west region compared to attracting foreign investment while factors such as location and business environment have affected the policy effect of B&R to some extent. In terms of its mechanism of action, B&R has improved the transport facilitation and communication facilitation in the mid-west region, thereby promoting the development of its open economy. The research holds valuable insights for guiding China in the acceleration of the western region development through B&R, and the achievement of the high-quality opening economy development in the mid-west region.

Problems of the development of cultural tourism in the Carpathian region: the vision of consumers and service providers

Tourism development in Ukraine has improved in terms of tourist flows, both as a diversification of tourism demand and tourism products in the last decades. Cultural tourism is a promising direction of tourist activity and occupies a leading position in the modern global tourist management system. The object of research is cultural tourism within the tourist destination of the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Regarding this, the authors revisit the phenomenon of cultural tourism in the country, in order to identify cultural tourism potential through cultural consumption among tourists, applying a special tourism survey. The purpose of this research is to identify the main problems of the development of cultural tourism in the Carpathian region from the point of view of demand and supply of cultural tourism programs based on the results of a comprehensive sociological study on the evaluation of tourist objects and the possibility of their inclusion in the cross-border tourist product “Carpathian Cultural Route”. The results of the survey demonstrated responses from 264 consumers of cultural tourism, which is 2,5% of the number of tourists (general population), and 140 respondents – employees of cultural institutions (objects of cultural tourism), the calculated sample of which was 28% of providers of cultural tourism services. The estimated sample was 28% of cultural tourism service providers. Among the positive aspects of the visit, tourists noted the price policy of institutions acceptable to them, the high level of authenticity and historical and cultural value of objects, the appropriate quality of service, and emotional comfort when visiting cultural and historical objects. According to consumers, the main problems of the development of cultural tourism are the low level of infrastructure support of objects and tourist destinations in general, the limited range of additional services, and limited information about the object. The authors emphasize the importance of developing culturally coherent policies to increase the competitiveness of tourist destinations. The most significant problems of the development of cultural tourism from the point of view of employees of tourist objects of cultural tourism are low level of infrastructure development of cultural tourist objects and tourist destinations in general, insufficient financing of institutions, low level of monetization of objects, low level of tourist and cultural activities in a tourist destination, insufficient advertising of the tourist object, imperfection of state tools for regulating tourist activity within cultural objects, low qualification of employees. Scientific developments on this topic will foster the application of innovative approaches towards the differentiation of cultural tourism objects, which, as a consequence, will help to target potential consumers and improve cultural tourism programs.

The Changing Patterns of Infrastructure Development in Himachal Pradesh: An Inter-District Analysis

Infrastructure facilities are the most significant and necessary condition for the social and economic development of the people across the regions. The economy of Himachal Pradesh is widely affected by its rigorous physical topography and climatic condition, impacting its people and their lives. Where better and adequate infrastructure facilities are not only necessary but also significant for living in the state. But the inadequacy of these facilities in different regions and districts is a matter of great concern for the state. Therefore, the present study has attempted to examine the patterns of infrastructure development and inter-district disparities in Himachal Pradesh. All the districts of the state have been ranked according to their level of infrastructure development obtained with the help of relevant methods of deprivation index and development index comprising 18 indicators. The composite index and coefficient of variation have been employed for calculating the infrastructure development and its disparities, respectively. The district-wise data for all the indicators have been collected from secondary sources. The study revealed that districts Lahaul and Spiti, Solan, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Shimla and Una were more developed, while the districts Kullu, Chamba, Kinnaur, Sirmaur, Mandi and Kangra were comparatively less developed. Also, the study has found decreasing inter-district disparities over two decades. The present study helped in identifying infrastructurally backward districts of Himachal Pradesh, which will help in policy-making and economic development of the state.

How does the Chinese pilot policy on information consumption affect carbon emissions?

The information consumption pilot policy deeply integrates information technology and traditional consumption, providing a strong impetus for China to achieve the strategic goal of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.” Based on panel data from 280 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2019, this paper explores the effect of the information consumption pilot (ICP) policy on carbon emissions in China using a difference-in-differences method. The results indicate that: (1) the ICP policy can significantly reduce total carbon emissions and carbon intensity, and this finding remains valid after a series of robustness tests. Furthermore, (2) the results of mechanism analysis show that the ICP policy primarily reduces carbon emissions by promoting technological innovation, empowering industrial transformation, and upgrading. Additionally, (3) heterogeneity analysis reveals that the ICP policy exhibits more pronounced inhibitory effects on carbon emissions and intensity in regions characterized by high levels of network infrastructure development, cities located in the eastern and central, and experiencing high-pollution levels. Conversely, the impact of the ICP policy is not significant in regions with low levels of network infrastructure development, cities situated in the western, and those with lower pollution levels. Finally, (4) there are spatial spillover effects of the ICP policy and policy linkage effects with broadband China policy and big data comprehensive experimental zone policy. This paper's discoveries provide a new perspective for developing countries to achieve carbon emission reduction.

Assessing the Competitiveness of the Ski Resources around Lake Baikal (Russia) and Measures for Their Further Development

Russia has considerable experience in the development of winter sports and ski resorts. The region around Lake Baikal possesses unique landscapes and cultural unity, making it a hot spot for winter tourism in Russia. The ski resorts around Lake Baikal are among the most attractive tourist destinations during the winter season, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. Based on the experience of the Northeast Asia Sustainable Development Research Centre, this study includes a survey of experts from China and Russia. The study focuses on five major ski resorts near Lake Baikal. A comprehensive competitiveness assessment index system and a quantitative evaluation model for winter tourism resorts have been established, which enable a scientific evaluation of the level of comprehensive competitiveness of winter tourism regions near Lake Baikal. The study showed that the Sobolinaya ski resort has excellent competitiveness among the resorts studied, while Bychya and Istland have average competitiveness and Davan and Mamai have low competitiveness. Local natural resources and the level of infrastructure development make the most significant contributions to the overall competitiveness of a resort. The study proposes development measures, such as the creation of a winter tourism complex with the Sobolinaya resort as its core and the establishment of an international special zone for winter tourism along the China–Mongolia–Russia economic corridor. The research results can serve as a basis for decision making to improve the overall competitiveness of the winter tourism industry around Lake Baikal and provide scientific and technical support for cross-border international cooperation in the winter tourism industry between China and Russia.

Akuntabilitas Dana Desa dan Tingkat Partisipasi Masyarakat Terhadap Peningkatan Pembangunan Infrastruktur Desa

This study aims to determine the effect of village fund accountability and the level of community participation on village infrastructure development (Study in Bangoan Village, Kedungwaru District, Tulungagung District). The method used in this study uses a quantitative method by obtaining primary data through a questionnaire form. The population of this research is the village apparatus and the local community in Bangoan Village, Kedungwaru District, Tulungagung Regency. In this study using a sample of 98 respondents. Data analysis used multiple linear regression with data testing in this study using SPSS version 26. The results showed that village fund accountability variables and community participation levels partially affected village infrastructure development variables. Simultaneously, the accountability of village funds and the level of community participation influence village infrastructure development.
 Keywords: Accountability, Infrastructure Development, Participation Level