Local Opportunities Research Articles

The Potential of Chinhoyi as a Fast-Growing Secondary City in Addressing Urban Challenges in Zimbabwe

Chinhoyi in Zimbabwe is used as a case study to explore the potential of secondary cities in addressing urban challenges. This study is significant considering that while African cities are rapidly urbanizing, narratives in African urbanism focus more on large cities and metros. Adopting a qualitative research approach, data for this study were collected from interviews with 15 key informants and a review of policies and development plans. The study reveals that, albeit challenges bedeviling Chinhoyi, there is potential for sustained growth through maximizing local opportunities, including industrial capability, supporting the informal sector, promoting mixed-use development, and empowering the local authority.

Negative Externalities of Railway Station on Environmental Sustainability: Evidence from Tripura, India

The development of railways brings many positive externalities, such as the expansion of built environment, the growth of feeder roads, the rise of passenger mobility, and the creation of economic opportunities for locals. In the meantime, the railway transport system exerts some negative externalities on environmental sustainability, which intensifies climate change. This paper assesses the negative externalities of railway transport through the changing dynamics of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and fractional vegetation cover (FVC). The spatial regression model was calibrated to understand the degree of these externalities. In addition, a prediction model was constructed based on machine learning techniques like cellular automata and Markov chain. The study reveals that the development of railway stations in Tripura, India has significant negative externalities on the environment.

Local decarbonisation opportunities and barriers: UK public procurement legislation

Significant changes in public procurement are underway in the UK. Post-Brexit, the UK government is in the process of modifying the procurement rulebook. The new regime will be guided by the procurement strategy priorities of social value, jobs and net zero; however, the new approach to procurement foresees minimal rules and significant guidance. This paper explores implications of changing procurement legislation on the delivery of net zero at a local level in the UK. Particular focus lies on the many contracting authorities, such as county, city and district councils, that have declared climate emergencies and ambitions to decarbonise. Two case studies depicting the procurement of local net zero solutions, one on the Energy Efficient Scotland Programme and the other on place-based finance instruments, such as community municipal investments (CMIs), are used to identify existing opportunities and barriers to procure local net zero solutions with a particular focus on institutional governance. This paper concludes with a set of questions that need to be addressed to ensure that the changes to public procurement legislation are understood and that the institutional governance of intermediation can lead to outcomes that balance economic, social and environmental considerations across multiple scales. <em><strong><br /></strong></em> <em><strong>Practice relevance</strong></em> <em><strong></strong></em>The absence of a rich approach to multilevel governance in the UK means that procurement is one of the few options currently available to many local authorities to deliver net zero at the local level. Given the scale of investments necessary to reach net zero, institutional governance is necessary to align top-down procurement and bottom-up finance with many other laws, policies and regulations. This paper explores the implications of changing procurement legislation on the delivery of net zero at a local level. Two case studies depicting the procurement of local net zero solutions (the Energy Efficient Scotland Programme and place-based finance instruments, <em>e.g.</em> CMIs) are used to identify existing opportunities and barriers to procure local net zero solutions. Guidance on understanding public procurement legislation is provided to ensure that the institutional governance of intermediation can lead to outcomes that balance economic, social and environmental considerations (especially decarbonisation) across multiple scales.

Injected Urbanism? Exploring India’s Urbanizing Periphery

Engaging with different literatures in economic geography, postcolonial urbanism, and planetary urbanization, this article seeks to develop a theoretical understanding of remote urban formations taking shape in India’s countryside. The analysis draws on extensive primary data collected at two study sites in Bihar and West Bengal, which rendered an uncommonly rich data set for such remote areas. We observe emergent urban formations that result from densification, expansion, and amalgamation of built-up environments and a massive shift of employment out of the agricultural sector. At the same time, alternative local economic opportunities are scarce, giving way to significant increases in circular labor migration. We introduce the concept of injected urbanism to denote a form of urbanization that is exogenously generated through remittances, in the absence of significant local agglomeration processes. The infusion of remittances drives local economic restructuring and the emergence of a consumption economy. Injected urbanism spurs local development, but its dependence on economic activity elsewhere raises important questions about its sustainability.

Local Government's Unique Opportunities and Challenges

Local Government's Unique Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract 11922: The Independent Effects of Race/Ethnicity and Local Childhood Opportunity on Outcomes in Pediatric Congenital Heart Surgery

Background: Disparities in congenital heart disease (CHD) outcomes based on race/ethnicity and social determinants of health coexist. We sought to determine the independent effects of these factors on outcomes after pediatric CHD surgery. Methods: Pediatric Health Information System encounters age &lt;18 years from 2003-2022 with ICD9/10 codes for CHD and cardiac surgery were linked to Zip Code-level Childhood Opportunity Index (COI), a score of neighborhood educational, environmental, and socioeconomic conditions. Independent effects of race/ethnicity and COI quintile on the outcome of death during surgical hospitalization were modeled with generalized estimating equations. Survival in neonates was modeled with Cox PH regression. Results: Of 193,028 encounters at 46 centers, Black, Asian, and Other groups had increased adjusted mortality compared to Non-Hispanic (NH) White. Compared to the middle COI quintile, the lowest quintile had a higher adjusted risk of death and the highest quintile was protective (Table 1a). In survival analysis of neonates (n=47,649; median follow-up 1.1 years), Black, Asian, and “Other” groups had worse survival than NH-White even after adjustment for COI quintile (Table 1b, Figure 1). Conclusions: Black, Asian, and “Other” children have increased in-hospital death after CHD surgery independent of local opportunity. Medium-term survival after neonatal surgery is similarly influenced, suggesting local opportunity is influential even at birth. Policies to improve local social determinants of health may improve outcomes, but persistent negative effects of minority status may be explained by other unmeasured forms of structural racism.

Why Fighter Pilots are Leaving the Swedish Armed Forces – and how to Retain them

The number of fighter pilots in Sweden retiring from service, many prematurely, currently exceeds the number of those being trained to replace them. This article examines the factors and circumstances related to the work motivation of pilots and what the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) can do to retain them. It examines the perspectives of fighter pilots serving today and those who have chosen to leave the SAF since 2013, providing descriptions of different ideal professional types and what might provoke them to leave the profession, or motivate them to stay longer. Four ideal types of pilots are identified. These ideal types are (a) the <em>extrinsically motivated</em>; (b) the <em>high-performing</em>; (c) the <em>family-oriented</em>; and (d) the <em>specialist</em>. This article supports the idea that there is no single inducement for fighter pilots to leave the SAF. Our recommendations for retaining pilots differ depending on type and experience level. While increased salaries and better retirement agreements are essential, local career opportunities, less time away from family, more administrative support to squadrons, long-term career planning, rewarding challenges, and opportunities to study are also important. Some uniquely positive aspects, such as serving a higher purpose, flying experiences, and squadron community, motivate fighter pilots to remain.

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL WOMEN IN A DEVELOPMENT PARADIGM: A PERSPECTIVE OF VULINDLELA IN KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA

In South Africa, many rural households are female-headed even though women are the most disadvantaged and the poorest part of the population. Their economic empowerment is thus critical to implementing the ideals of South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) This paper reports on a quantitative study focused on local economic development opportunities for rural women as a strategic intervention for creating income-generating activities and sustainable livelihoods for women. It happened in Vulindlela, a rural district within the Msunduzi Municipality in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Severe poverty, lack of basic infrastructure, and a high level of unemployment can characterize Vulindlela, like any other rural area in South Africa. This study mainly aimed to establish the perceptions of the women of Vulindlela concerning accessing local economic development opportunities. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The research sampling used non-probability and purposive sampling techniques. The study results revealed that females encounter numerous challenges in accessing local economic opportunities. Furthermore, the study results showed that women do not have the same possibilities as men due to gender biases in the employment sector and cultural constraints that continue to plague rural societies. Finally, driven by a broad scope of stakeholder interest, this article recommends implementing a gender-responsive budget and investment in infrastructure, skills development and training, and a meaningful execution of gender-sensitive programs such as affording women an equal opportunity to participate in local economic development initiatives.

SME Sustaining Strategies

More than 20% of small businesses that started in March 2018 failed within a year. Small business owners would benefit from strategies to identify and mitigate constraints from inception for business survival because business failure rates are higher among small businesses less than five years old. Grounded in the theory of constraints, this qualitative multiple case study aimed to explore strategies small business owners use to sustain beyond one year of operation. The participants included six small business owners in Georgia who successfully sustained their business for five years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed using Yin's five-step data analysis approach. Three themes emerged: improving operational effectiveness, addressing marketing derivatives, and enhancing leadership competency. Key recommendations for new small business owners are utilizing bootstrapping techniques, offering customer-driven products and services, improving business networking, and strengthening leadership training. Positive social change implies the potential for local people's employment opportunities through business growth, leading to decreased poverty and improved living standards.

Integrating academic skills in the curriculum: a partnership approach

Supporting our new students to make the transition to higher education, so that they stay with us and succeed beyond their first year, has been a priority focus for the University of Salford over the past 18 months. As an academic skills team, based in the Library, we have carved out an integral role for our service in responding to this challenge. Building on the prior success of a standalone eLearning programme, we have developed an extensive set of eLearning pathways and complementary learning activities designed for academics to easily and flexibly integrate into their course delivery so that every student is connected with the right academic support at the right time. This presentation aimed to share how our active blended learning approach is scalable and allows for local ownership and opportunities for contextualisation by academic colleagues. We explored how we established our role in this strategic project and the value of our partnership working with the academic community and the VLE support team. We hoped to provide helpful examples of how it has worked in practice to support students to learn how to learn at university. Finally, we sought to reflect on the journey so far - acknowledging the bumps and bends in the road - and initiate a discussion about where to go next. The community response to the presentation provided a space for practitioners to reflect on the ways in which e-learning design could facilitate an embedded approach to academic skills at their institutions; it also prompted reflection on the potential for collaboration between learning developers and Faculties. Our final author reflections address some of the questions and challenges raised at the conference, and set out some future aspirations for where this work will go next.

Diversification increases the resilience of European grassland‐based systems but is not a one‐size‐fits‐all strategy

AbstractDiversification of grassland‐based systems is highly valued in agroecology, organic farming and other forms of regenerative agriculture. For lowlands, mountain and Mediterranean areas, we illustrate that diversification of grassland types, livestock species, products and farm labour allows coping with market, climatic and workforce‐related risks. However, diversification is not a one‐size‐fits‐all strategy and the type of diversification strategy should be adapted according to socio‐economic, structural, technical and pedoclimatic conditions of each farm. Farmers' technical skills and ability to re‐organise and monitor the system must be considered to avoid ineffectiveness of the diversified system. Moreover, it is essential to account for site‐specific conditions so that the ecological processes to be optimised can provide the expected benefits. Diversification occurs on different levels, from grassland management to the entire farm activity. There may be trade‐offs among these different levels impairing grassland ecosystem services. For instance, if diversification of farm activities dilutes the workforce, simplified grassland management can lead to the loss of vegetation communities of high ecological value. In contrast, case‐adapted diversification benefits from local opportunities, available resources and external supports to secure the system and favour sustainable resource management. Diversification thereby preserves grassland ecosystem services and enhances farm socio‐economic resilience to withstand perturbations.

Comparative Analysis of 20-Minute Neighbourhood Policies and Practices in Melbourne and Scotland

Twenty-minute neighbourhoods highlight the importance of well-connected and mixed-used neighbourhoods and communities with proximate access to employment, essential services, public transport, and open spaces. Shorter distances together with re-prioritised public spaces encourage more active transport choices, resulting in public health benefits and reduced environmental pollution. Higher liveability brought about by mixed-use developments enables people to have equitable access to local facilities, amenities, and employment opportunities, promoting vibrancy, social cohesion, and intergenerational connections. The attributes of 20-minute neighbourhoods also combine to create places, that are acknowledged as friendly for all ages, address changing needs across the life course, and provide better support for the ageing population. Furthermore, there are indications that 20-minute neighbourhoods may be more resilient against many of the negative impacts of stringent public health protocols such as those implemented in periods of lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this article, we evaluate and compare planning policies and practices aimed at establishing 20-minute neighbourhoods in Melbourne (Australia) and Scotland (the UK). Using case studies, we discuss similarities and differences involved in using place-based approaches of 20-minute neighbourhoods to address 21st-century challenges in key areas of health and wellbeing, equity, environmental sustainability, and community resilience.

Mesotronics: Some New, Unusual Optical Effects

The recently emerged field of Mesotronics provides novel opportunities for subwavelength magnetic and electric field localization and giant enhancement by mesoscale dielectric particles and structures from low-index to high-index materials, supported by novel optical phenomena. In this case, two regions: non-resonant and resonant, can be distinguished. In this short review, which is a direct continuation of our recently published study, we continue to present the authors’ point of view on some new optical effects in dielectric mesotronics. Among them are anomalous apodization effect in phase mesoscale gratings, new effects on high order Fano-resonances and extreme effects in field localization, mesoscale particle-based super-resolution and high-speed communications, photonic hook-based high-contrast subwavelength imaging, and reverse optical energy flow in a perforated resonant spherical particle.

Physical Therapy Programs in Older Adults with Coronary Artery Disease: Preferences to Technology-Based Cardiac Physical Therapy Programs.

(1) Background: Assessing preferences in technology-based cardiac physical therapy programs in older adults with coronary artery disease (CAD) is fundamental to promoting adherence to healthy lifestyles and healthy aging. This study aimed at analyzing preferences in technology-based cardiac physical therapy programs in older adults with CAD. Additionally, a comparison by sex was performed. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional study. 70 older adults with CAD (mean age 66.73 ± 0.77, 80% men) were evaluated. Technology use and preferences in technology-based cardiac physical therapy programs (Technology Usage Questionnaire) were assessed. (3) Results: 97.1% of the sample had Smartphones and 81.4% accessed the Internet every day, mostly with their Smartphones (75.5%). A total of 54.3% were interested in receiving rehabilitation via their Smartphone, and most of the sample considered ideas to manage stress (92.9%), healthy meal ideas and recipes (85.7%), exercise ideas (84.3%), exercise prompts (72.9%), setting goals (67.1%), exercise taught by a virtual therapist (65.7%), ideas to overcome cigarette cravings (62.9%), information on local exercise opportunities (60%), ideas to remember to take medications (57.1%), steps to achieve goals (54.3%) and eating tips for takeaways (51.7%) very useful. Additionally, men considered the technology-based advice about exercise prompts, healthy meal ideas and recipes, and ideas to manage stress more useful than women, and had more frequently a Smartphone, less frequently made phone calls, had more regular access to the Internet, and used the Internet more often. (4) Conclusions: Clinicians should encourage older adults to engage in cardiac technology-based physical therapy programs to provide meaningful exercise counselling, promote healthy lifestyle and healthy aging.

The Role of Specialized Journalism in Processing Economic Crises in Sudan

There is a close relationship between information and economic decision. Hence the strategic role of the economic media, especially the specialized press on promoting the economy, keeping pace with comprehensive development, and dealing with crises. practicing criticism, evaluation, guidance, news, and spreading awareness and economic culture in society. The importance of the study and its goal is to know the programs, methods used by the specialized newspaper in dealing with crises, the extent and nature of press coverage of various economic issues. Therefore, the study adopted the descriptive and analytical approach relying on the content analysis tool to answer its questions and determine the role that specialized newspapers play in addressing economic crises in its subjects, applying on the Elaff Economic Newspaper. The study reached results proved that; the newspaper is characterized by comprehensive news by providing means of collecting various information, and can explain and interpret topics and present the facts related to the crisis. The newspaper covered most of the economic issues and fields that have a tangible impact on the economic conditions and people's livelihood. Confirming the newspaper's ability to answer users' questions and satisfy their desires by answering most of the news questions it provides regarding the content. The study resulted in many recommendations; the journalistic issues must be synchronized as they occur for the newspaper to be new and current. Paying attention on the unemployment and immigration issues, due to their importance and impact on the economy, serving the investor, the consumer also the business sector, and revealing local and international investment opportunities.

Towards equitable conservation: Social capital, fear and livestock loss shape perceived benefit from a protected area.

Providing sufficient benefits to local people can be an important component of effective and equitable conservation, especially where local communities face substantial opportunity costs or disbenefits from conservation. However, the distribution of benefits to local people is often inadequate or inequitable. In this study we investigated the heterogeneity in the extent to which people living near Hwange National Park (HNP), Zimbabwe, perceive benefit from the presence of the park. Specifically, we examined the relationships between a diverse set of candidate predictor variables and perceived benefit from HNP. Our candidate predictor variables broadly relate to personal assets, social capital, value orientation, fear of lions, and belief and participation in human-wildlife conflict mitigation schemes. One third of respondents reported that their household experienced at least some benefits from HNP. Of all respondents, 6% perceived their household to benefit strongly from HNP and 2% very strongly. Livestock loss to wildlife was the most important factor for predicting perceived benefit, with those suffering more loss less likely to perceive benefit. Multiple demographic factors predicted perceived benefit with, for instance, older people and those with less education perceiving less benefit. Employment in conservation-related work positively affected perceived benefit, whereas fear of lions had a negative impact. Social capital appeared to have a positive influence on perceived benefit from HNP. The relationship between social capital and perceived benefit was positive and plateauing, which suggests that social capital is especially impactful on the benefit perceived by individuals reporting the least social capital. We also found a positive association between belief in compensation schemes and perceived benefit from HNP. We posit hypotheses for this association but are unable to determine the underlying drivers of this relationship. Finally, participation in the community guardians programme, a human-lion conflict mitigation programme, was positively related to perceived benefit from HNP. Thus, our findings emphasise the value of considering a diverse array of factors when investigating park-people relationships and yield insights for improving the equitability of conservation in and around HNP and similar systems.

1.47 Demographic Data Disaggregation as a Means of Better Assessing Access to Mental Health Care for Pediatric MENA Patients

Patients of Middle Eastern and Northern African (MENA) background are inappropriately categorized as White non-Hispanic (WnH) on census data. The lack of the MENA identifier is a barrier to conducting population health studies on MENA patients. This precludes MENA communities from essential federal and local funding opportunities, and tailored public health interventions. In this study, we use age at diagnosis of ASD as a proxy to assess disparities in access to care at a tertiary healthcare center.

POTENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL COMMUNITIES BY COMMUNITY-BASED ECOTOURISM A CASE STUDY OF RURAL VILLAGE PASTANGA, SIKKIM HIMALAYA, INDIA

Poverty is one of the most pressing global problems of the world today. One promising option to provide employment opportunities for the inhabitants of underdeveloped rural areas is the development of ‘pro-poor tourism’. Poverty alleviation tourism can generate environmental benefits in addition to economic, social and cultural ones. This study aims to discuss the possibilities of poverty alleviation of rural communities through the development of community-based ecotourism. The introductory part of the study briefly defines the theoretical frameworks of the concept of poverty and ecotourism in the context of sustainable development. Using the specific example of the Mid-Himalayan Rural village of Pastanga (India), show the potential areas for developing community-based ecotourism with respect to the local development opportunities. In the same way that is draw on our own research as well as available statistical data from the East Sikkim and Questionnaire Survey-2021. The case study presents the current extent of adventure trekking tourism and highlights the trends, characteristics and significance of trekking in Pastanga-Khedi eco-trail. The paper also propose strategies for exploring the trekking potential through the emphasis on ecotourism in the study area. In conclusion, we propose solutions for the regulated development of the area in a participatory way by the concerned stakeholders by implementing activities related to the Community-Based Ecotourism.

UKRAINIAN VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT UNDER CONDITIONS OF ARMED RUSSIAN AGGRESSION: OPPORTUNITIES, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CHALLENGES FOR UKRAINE’S POST-WAR RECOVERY

The authors reveal a vision of the development of the Ukrainian volunteer movement under conditions of armed Russian aggression. The research focus is on identifying the main trends of institutionalization and the dynamics of the development of Ukrainian volunteerism based on the use of modern digital, network, information and communication technologies. Two «waves» of activation of the Ukrainian volunteer movement related to the active phase of the armed conflict in Donbas (2014-2016) and the full-scale invasion that began on February 24, 2022 are analyzed. Two areas for providing volunteer aid to key target groups have been identified and substantiated, namely the Ukrainian military and the Armed Forces of Ukraine strengthen the country’s defense capabilities, and citizens affected by the armed aggression. Such a structure is used as an end-to-end analytical scheme in the study of various aspects of Ukrainian volunteering under conditions of both surges in the armed conflict (2014-2016 and 2022). The authors determine the specifics of the processes of institutionalization and platformization of Ukrainian volunteering, as well as the main integrated digital platforms of international volunteering to help Ukraine. New global and local challenges, problems and opportunities for the development of the Ukrainian volunteer movement to preserve the country’s human potential and strengthen the national, economic, social, and food security of the state are also revealed. The role, significance, opportunities, main tools and functionality of using the potential of information, communication, digital, network technologies in volunteering are shown. It is substantiated that the powerful potential of Ukrainian volunteerism, together with international volunteerism and charity aimed at helping Ukraine, is the basis for the country’s post-war recovery. It also contributes to the formation and strengthening of the culture of peace and security at the interstate level, stimulates the formation of a renewed system of European collective security and international cooperation.

Community Benefit Agreements in the Nordic mining context: Local opportunities for collaboration in Sodankylä, Finland

A changing operational environment and the growing opposition to mining in the Nordics, and more broadly in Europe, encourages the testing of new approaches to mineral resource governance. A Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) is an instrument based on local negotiations, which has been mostly utilized in indigenous contexts, but may hold promise in other societal contexts. However, a new context means different needs and concerns, requiring adjustments to existing models. In this article, we empirically analyze what factors drive local stakeholders toward collaboration over the impacts and benefits of mining and how a CBA could be realized in Sodankylä, Finland. The data consists of interviews and observations collected from a four-year period of action research. The findings validate the relevance of CBAs or similar arrangements in the Finnish mining context. Our study suggests that CBAs excel at addressing the challenges and opportunities that arise from the unique local social and environmental characteristics, which are difficult to address with non-local instruments. Our case shows that the municipality represents only part of the community's interests, which is impacted by mining in varying ways. The roles of local community groups and the municipality in a CBA are key considerations for implementation.