Long-term Management Decisions Research Articles

Analytical tools in ensuring the low-carbon development strategy of Agricultural Companies

The article is devoted to the issues of improving the analytical tools for ensuring the development strategy of agricultural organizations, taking into account ESG factors. An analysis of the legal regulation of the strategic development of the agro-industrial complex in the context of the ESG agenda was carried out, and the compliance of Russian agribusiness companies with ESG criteria was assessed. A methodological approach is proposed to justify the strategic development of agricultural companies in the context of decarbonization using SWOT analysis tools. Using the example of JSC Ochakovo, the methodology was tested and recommendations were developed for the low-carbon development of the company. For the near future, a «maxi-mini» strategy has been proposed, which consists in using the strengths of JSC «Ochakovo» to overcome external threats. The results obtained can be used to substantiate long-term management decisions, as well as to develop a low-carbon development strategy for agricultural organizations.

Dust deposition in agricultural landscapes: Temporal and spatial dynamics along a transect into a natural forest patch

This work presents the results of the deposition rate of aeolian sediments within a forest patch of semiarid Argentina. The goal of this study was to evaluate the spatial and temporal dynamic of the dust deposition rate (Dr), mainly of the mineral fraction. Passive collectors were installed along transects in a forest patch at 5, 15, 25, 50, 100 and 300 m downwind from the border of an agricultural plot. The average Dr during 30 months was 38.3 ± 26.8 g m−2 yr−1. Dr was statistically similar between spring-summer (47.5 ± 30.1 g m−2 yr−1) and the autumn–winter period (29.2 ± 21.7 g m−2 yr−1). The mean diameter of sediment particles was higher in spring-summer (70 µm) than in autumn–winter (50 µm), probably due to the greater contribution of coarser sediments from wind erosion of surrounding agricultural soils (local source) during spring-summer. During both periods silt-sized particles (40 %) and very fine sand (20 %) were the most abundant, while clay content was 3.5 %. Clay and silt contents were higher in autumn–winter, while fine sand content was higher in spring-summer. Dr within the forest patch was highly variable, therefore statistically homogeneous, despite the fact that 300 m inside the forest the average Dr was ≈35 % lower than at 5 m from the agricultural plot. Sediment deposited at the forest border showed higher aggregation than the sediment collected inside the forest. Forest patches are capable of retaining particles that are key for the soil fertility of semiarid areas, highlighting the importance of aeolian source-sink processes and of forest patches for long-term management decisions in agricultural landscapes.

Formulating biomass allometric model for Paraserianthes falcataria (L) Nielsen (Sengon) in smallholder plantations, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

The forests in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia have been heavily impacted by logging, mining, fires, and other degradation activities for over 30 years. To address this, the Indonesian government has promoted community-based forest management schemes. One such scheme, called Hutan Kemasyarakatan (HKm), has introduced Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria) in smallholder plantations in Rungan Barat, Gunung Mas, Central Kalimantan. However, accurate estimation of biomass is crucial for carbon sequestration credits, but there are no specific allometric models for estimating Sengon above-ground biomass (AGB) in this area. To create a site-specific AGB allometric model for Sengon, 23 trees were felled to collect fresh biomass data. Various tree variables, such as diameter at breast height: 1.3 m (DBH), total height, merchantable height, and stem bole volume were measured for each sample tree. The average wood basic density of Sengon at the study site was also calculated. A total of nine alternative candidate regression equations were fitted and tested to select the best-fit AGB allometric model. Also, to assess the adaptedness of the identified AGB allometric model, comparisons with the models from literature, and comparisons between two interchangeable methodologies (i.e. direct biomass allometric model and biomass expansion factor (BEF)-based biomass estimation) were undertaken. This study has developed a regression function, denoted as to estimate the AGB of Sengon trees in smallholder plantations in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The formulated regression function demonstrated better estimation performance compared to common pantropical and regional AGB allometric models. In terms of the BEF-biomass approach, the AGB estimation derived from Smalian’s volume was relatively accurate, close to the mean AGB obtained by the formulated model in this study. In summary, this study proposes using the developed model, based solely on DBH, to accurately estimate AGB and carbon sequestration potential in Sengon trees. The accurate estimation of AGB using this model has additional advantages, including facilitating carbon credit acquisition and informing long-term management decisions.

Medium-term fertilization strategies on extensive grain cropping systems under water table influence

CONTEXTHistorical increases in grain yields have been associated with an undermining of soil organic matter (SOM) and a reduction of nutrient cycling capacity. Nutrient limitations for grain crop production are ubiquitous, and while yield and economic response to fertilization has been exhaustively evaluated on several crops across different environments, the focus has been mainly on individual crops rather than on the cropping system. Benefits of increased fertilization beyond a single cropping season need to be assessed to help preventing the current soil nutrient mining process in the Argentine Pampas. OBJECTIVESi) Evaluate the effect of different fertilization strategies over crop yields across rotation cycles and locations (and their interactions); ii) determine the relationship between crop yield response to fertilization and the physical and chemical soil variables; iii) evaluate the economic profit of each fertilization strategy; and iv) determine the residual effect on a soybean crop after six years following different fertilization strategies. METHODSThe study was conducted across environments in the Salado “A” Basin of the Inland Pampas of Argentina and included seven experiments with a crop rotation of soybean - wheat/second soybean - maize that was managed with different fertilization strategies (with increasing levels of nitrogen N, phosphorus P, and sulfur S), including a non-fertilized control, along six seasons. Additionally, an extra soybean crop was grown in the seventh year to determine the residual influence of previously imposed fertilization treatments. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe yield response to fertilization was highest under the more intensified treatments and larger for wheat (up to 150%) and maize (up to 100%) than for soybean (up to 40%) and second soybean (up to 30%). Overall crop yield response to increasing N and P inputs was negatively correlated with initial soil extractable P while the response to S was higher in sites with high proportion of sand and low SOM. The economic profit increased as fertilization was intensified although differences were not always significant across treatments within sites. On average, intensification resulted in an additional profit of U$S187 ha−1 compared to the typical fertilization strategy followed by farmers in the area without considering a residual positive yield response (10–13%) observed in a successive soybean crop. SIGNIFICANCEThis study provided elements to improve the understanding of complex interactions determining crop yield response to fertilization strategies to help optimizing long-term management decisions affecting the cropping systems with large impact at regional level.

Value of Inpatient Inherited Thrombophilia Testing Following Acute VTE: A 3-Year Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND: Inherited thrombophilia testing following venous thromboembolism (VTE) is of limited utility and, performed in the setting of an acute thrombotic episode, is especially unreliable. Studies suggest that inpatient thrombophilia workups, often performed in the context of acute VTE or stroke, lead to high rates of false positives and can result in inappropriate long-term management decisions. Therefore, various professional societies advise against such testing, especially in acute care settings. These include Choosing Wisely recommendations from the American Society of Hematology, who recommend against routine testing following first episode of provoked VTE, and the American Society for Clinical Pathology, who advise against ordering these tests during an active clotting event. However, these studies continue to be ordered regularly, increasing the overall cost of health care with limited clinical benefit. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective chart review of all inpatient inherited thrombophilia tests ordered between January 1st, 2019 and December 31st, 2021 at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, including its 3 primary hospitals in Philadelphia, PA. The goal was to determine indications for testing, rate of positivity, and whether positive results changed patients’ clinical management. Tests included in the study were for the following conditions: Factor V Leiden (FVL); prothrombin G20210A variant (PTG20210A); Protein C, S, and antithrombin deficiency; hyperhomocysteinemia; and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) elevation. The study included 152 patients, among whom 574 unique tests were ordered. Tests sent for non-thrombotic indications or in patients with a known factor deficiency were excluded. RESULTS: Patient demographics, clinical presentations, and VTE risk factors are summarized in Table 1. Median age of the patients was 49 years (IQR 34-62) and 53.9% were under age 50. 93 patients (61.2%) were female. VTE was associated with a major transient risk factor or cancer in 44.7% of patients. Conditions for which testing was ordered included FVL (24.7%), PTG20210A (20.4%) Protein S deficiency (16.5%), Protein C deficiency (14.8%), antithrombin deficiency (13.0%), hyperhomocysteinemia (10.3%), and PAI-1 elevation (0.2%). Overall, 81.9% of tests were normal. Among unique tests, MTHFR analysis was most frequently abnormal (71.4% of ordered tests), followed by antithrombin (44.0%), Protein C antigen (27.3%), total Protein S (26.7%), Protein C function (25.7%), and free protein S (20.0%). Certain tests, including antithrombin activity, Protein C antigen and function, and total Protein S, have reference ranges in our lab that start well above 50%, so results that fell below normal but >60% were termed "borderline positive” and considered to be likely false positives. Among individual patients, 62/152 (40.8%) had at least one abnormal result and 47/152 (30.9%) had at least one positive result not considered borderline. There was no significant difference in rate of having at least one non-borderline positive result between patients with unprovoked VTE (27/84, 32.1%) and those with a major transient risk factor, estrogen use/pregnancy, or cancer (20/68, 29.4%; χ2, P=.717). There was also no difference in positive test rate between patients age < 50 years (24/82, 29.3%) and those ≥ 50 years (23/70, 32.9%; P=.633) (Figure 1). All charts were reviewed for inpatient and outpatient documentation to determine short- and long-term clinical decision-making. In 2/152 (1.3%) patients, documentation supported a definitive change in management because of a positive thrombophilia test result. These included a 20-year-old woman with large PE while on a combined oral contraceptive and a 33-year-old man with provoked DVT following severe spinal cord injury (resulting in tetraplegia) who were continued on long-term anticoagulation for Protein S deficiency and double heterozygosity for FVL and PTG20210A, respectively. Based on query of the hospital chargemaster, all tests during the study period totaled $264,913 in charges. CONCLUSION: Our single-institution study found that following acute VTE, inpatient testing for inherited thrombophilias was frequently done in patients with provoked events and resulted in many abnormal tests likely comprising false positives, rarely changed clinical management, and was associated with high costs. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Energy forecasting to benchmark for federal net-zero objectives under climate uncertainty

Climate variability creates energy demand uncertainty and complicates long-term asset management and budget planning. Without understanding future energy demand trends related to intensification of climate, changes to energy consumption could result in budget escalation. Energy demand trends can inform campus infrastructure repair and modernization plans, effective energy use reduction policies, or renewable energy resource implementation decisions, all of which are targeted at mitigating energy cost escalation and variability. To make these long-term management decisions, energy managers require unbiased and accurate energy use forecasts. This research uses a statistical, model-based forecast framework, calibrated retrospectively with open-source climate data, and run in a forecast mode with CMIP5 projections of temperature for RCPs 4.5 and 8.5 to predict total daily energy consumption and costs for a campus-sized community (population: 30 000) through the end of the century. The case study of Wright Patterson Air Force Base is contextualized within the existing executive orders directing net-zero emissions and carbon-free electricity benchmarks for the federal government. The model suggests that median annual campus electric consumption, based on temperature rise alone, could increase by 4.8% with RCP4.5 and 19.3% with RCP8.5 by the end of the century, with a current carbon footprint of 547 million kg CO2e. Monthly forecasts indicate that summer month energy consumption could significantly increase within the first decade (2020–2030), and nearly all months will experience significant increases by the end of the century. Therefore, careful planning is needed to meet net-zero emissions targets with significant increases in electricity demands under current conditions. Policies and projects to reduce the carbon footprint of federal agencies need to incorporate forecasting models to understand changes in demand to appropriately size electric infrastructure.

СТРАТЕГІЧНИЙ ОБЛІК У СИСТЕМІ УПРАВЛІННЯ ПІДПРИЄМСТВОМ

The article highlights the concept and objectives of strategic accounting, identifies the main prerequisites for the need for strategic accounting and its role in the enterprise management process, reveals the features and relevance of strategic management accounting for enterprises. Changes in the business environment of enterprises, reorientation of information needs of managers have led to the active development of strategic management, which involves the development and implementation of enterprise development strategy and requires new approaches to forming an information base for long-term management decisions. Improving the information base requires a radical reorganization of the traditional accounting system and its transformation on the basis of modern information technology into a comprehensive system of strategic management accounting. An important trend in the development of accounting in the management of enterprises, which has been observed in recent years, is their focus on enterprise strategy. This is primarily due to the strengthening of the role of strategic management in the context of global changes in technology and management systems. The need to implement a component of strategic management in the accounting processes of the enterprise due to modern requirements for their effective operation, in particular: achieving competitive advantage, forming a positive image of the enterprise, gaining the trust of creditors, investors and partners and more. Practice shows that companies, in the absence of information of a strategic nature, often can not respond in a timely manner to strategic challenges of the external and internal environment in preparing strategic management decisions, thereby losing opportunities to improve efficiency and optimize costs. Strategic management accounting is a direction of development of management accounting, which has a strategic focus, the purpose of which is the formation of internal and external information necessary for making sound strategic decisions. The role of the accounting system in the strategic development of the enterprise is to provide the necessary accounting and analytical information to the management staff to determine the direction of action within the enterprise development strategy with minimal effort to prepare it and ensure high flexibility of accounting and analytical processes.

Projecting climate-driven shifts in demersal fish thermal habitat in Iceland's waters

AbstractAs climate change shifts marine species distribution and abundance worldwide, projecting local changes over decadal scales may be an adaptive strategy for managers and industry. In Iceland, one of the top fish-producing nations globally, long-term monitoring enables model simulations of groundfish species habitat distribution. We used generalized additive models to characterize suitable thermal habitat for 51 fish species in Iceland's waters. We projected changes in suitable thermal habitat by midcentury with an ensemble of five general circulation models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Program 6 (CMIP6) and NOAA (CM2.6) and two scenarios (SSP 5-8.5 and SSP 2-4.5). We found a general northward shift in suitable thermal habitat distribution, with variable regional dynamics among species. Species thermal bias index was a weak predictor of projected thermal habitat change, with warmer-water species more likely to see increases in thermal habitat and southern warm-edge range expansions. While these results isolate the effects of future changes in temperature, providing an indication of suitable thermal habitat, low model explanatory power suggests that additional variables may improve distribution projections. Such projections might serve as guideposts to inform long-term management decisions about regional and species-specific suitability for Iceland's fisheries, infrastructure investment, and risk evaluation under climate change.

Establishing the prevalence and relative rates of 1,4-dioxane biodegradation in groundwater to improve remedy evaluations

Options for remediating 1,4-dioxane at groundwater sites are limited due to the physical-chemical properties of this compound. The relevance of natural attenuation processes for 1,4-dioxane was investigated through data from field, lab, and modeling efforts. The objectives were to use multiple lines of evidence for 1,4-dioxane biodegradation to understand the prevalence of this activity and evaluate convergence between lines of evidence. A 14C-1,4-dioxane assay confirmed 1,4-dioxane biodegradation at 9 of 10 sites (median rate constant of 0.0105 yr−1 across wells). Site-wide rate constants were established using a calibrated fate and transport model at 8 sites (median = 0.075 yr−1). The 14C assay constants are likely more conservative, and variability in rates suggested that biodegradation at sites may be localized. Stable isotope fractionation was observed at 7 of 10 sites and served as another direct line of evidence of in situ biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane. This includes sites where indirect lines of evidence, including geochemical conditions or genetic biomarkers for degradation, would not necessarily have been supportive. This highlights the importance of collecting multiple lines of evidence to document 1,4-dioxane natural attenuation, and the widespread prevalence of biodegradation suggests that this process should be part of long-term management decisions.

Effect of Post-grazing Sward Height on Ingestive Behavior, Dry Matter Intake, and Milk Production of Holstein Dairy Cows

Sward height is strongly related to the daily dry matter intake of grazing dairy cows, which consequently determines animal performance. Despite that, few studies have explored the potential to increase milk production by managing post-grazing sward height. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of three defoliation intensities on a Lolium arundinaceum-based pasture on frequency and length of grazing meals and ruminating bouts, daily grazing and ruminating time, feeding stations and patches exploration, and dry matter intake and milk production of dairy cows. The treatments imposed were three different post-grazing sward heights: control (TC), medium (TM), and lax (TL), which were managed with 6, 9, and 12 cm of post-grazing sward heights during autumn and winter, and 9, 12, and 15 cm of post-grazing sward heights during spring, respectively. Thirty-six autumn-calving Holstein cows were grouped by parity (2.6 ± 0.8), body weight (618 ± 48) kg, and body condition score (2.8 ± 0.2) and randomized to the treatments. The pasture was accessed from 08:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 03:00 during spring and no supplement was involved during the evaluation period. Daily grazing time averaged 508 ± 15 min and was not affected by treatment. The reduction of post-grazing sward height increased the length of the first grazing session in the morning and the afternoon. The number of grazing sessions was greater on TL than on TM, with no difference in TC. The number of feeding stations (the hypothetical semi-circle in front of an animal from which the bites were taken without moving the front forefeet) visited was less on TC than on TL, and neither of them differed from TM. Dry matter (DM) intake was lesser on TC than on TM and TL (14.7 vs. 17.8 kg DM). Milk production during the evaluation period was 13.1, 16.2, and 18.7 kg/day for TC, TM, and TL, respectively. The milk fat, protein, and lactose content did not differ between treatments. The cows on TC exhibited a lower intake rate, although they were less selective, probably as a consequence of the sward structure of TC treatment. The cows on TM adopted a compensation mechanism which allowed them to achieve the same dry matter intake as cows on TL, but lower milk production. The cows on TL were more selective than TC and TM resulting in higher digestible dry matter intake and consequently higher milk production. The intensity of defoliation impacts on the animal-plant interaction, and constitutes a valuable management tool that can be used to boost forage intake and milk production. The new developments on information technology would allow researchers to link behavioral data with response variables (e.g., milk production, health, welfare, etc.) at different spatio-temporal scales and support short and long-term management decisions.

Predicting 1 year mortality after traumatic injury using the Clinical Frailty Scale.

Frailty is known to affect how people admitted with traumatic injuries recover during their inpatient stay and shortly after discharge. However, few studies have examined the effect of frailty on long-term mortality when adjusted for significant factors including age. We aimed to determine the effect of frailty on 1-year morality in older adults admitted with traumatic injuries. We undertook an observational study at the Severn Major Trauma Network's major trauma centre based in South West England. Patients ≥65 years old admitted between November 2018 and September 2019 with traumatic injuries were included. Isolated hip fractures and inpatient injuries were excluded. A geriatrician assessed all patients for frailty using the Clinical Frailty Scale. Follow-up occurred at 1 year. A multivariable Cox proportional baseline hazards model assessed the effect of frailty on time-to-mortality. The adjusted model included age, sex, multimorbidity, surgery, most injured site, injury severity, postinjury complications, and geriatrician review. Five hundred and eighty-five patients were included. Median age was 81 years old (IQR 74-88), and median injury severity score was 13 (IQR 9-25). At 1 year 147 (25.1%) patients had died. Living with frailty was associated with mortality. The risk of dying increased with frailty severity. Compared to CFS 1-3: CFS 4 aHR=1.73 (95% CI 0.89-3.36, p=0.11); CFS 5 aHR=3.82 (95% CI 2.11-6.93, p < 0.001); CFS 6 aHR=4·05 (95% CI 2.21-7.45, p < 0.001); CFS 7-8 aHR=6.57 (95% CI 3.43-12.59, p < 0.001). This study is the first to demonstrate a consistent effect of frailty, at all levels of severity and independent of age, on older peoples' survival 1 year after traumatic injury. These data support performing an admission frailty assessment to aid long-term management decisions and provide opportunity to modify frailty to improve outcomes.

Tourism Corporate Social Responsibility Effects on Purchase Intention during Covid-19: Mediating Role of Trust and Moderating Role of Trust Propensity

Though the pyramid model of corporate social responsibility, the paper classified tourism corporate social responsibility into economic responsibility, legal responsibility, ethical responsibility, charitable responsibility and environmental responsibility. With the COVID-19 epidemic as the background, based on 250 questionnaire data, the paper proposed a structural equation model that explore the impact mechanism of tourism corporate social responsibility on tourist purchase intention during the COVID-19 epidemic. The mediation effect of trust was examined in the model. And the question whether trust propensity plays a moderating role was answered. The results of experimental studies revealed that: First, the economic responsibility, ethical responsibility and charitable responsibility have a significant positive effect on tourist purchase intention during the epidemic period. Second, trust plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between tourism corporate social responsibility and tourist purchase intention. Third, trust propensity has no moderating effect on the relationship between tourism corporate social responsibility and tourist purchase intention. Suggestions for tourism enterprises was put forwarded: except ensuring the quality of tourism products, enterprises should take corporate social responsibility into consideration of the long-term management decisions. Especially in the event of major events (COVID-19), it is more important to show the responsibility of enterprises.

Abstract No. 574 Understanding the liver abscess microbiome: outcomes of percutaneous liver parenchymal abscess drainage with microbiologic correlation

The purpose of this study is to review the outcomes of percutaneous liver abscess drainage and correlate with abscess microbiology. Single-institution quality database (Hi-IQ) was used for retrospective identification of percutaneous liver abscess drainage cases between January 1, 2010, and January 1, 2020. Manual review of the clinical and imaging record was performed to identify outcomes and laboratory data. Student t-test was used to correlate outcomes with microbiology data. 172 liver abscess drainages were performed on 161 patients: 60 females and 101 males. Mean patient age was 57 years (range, 16–90). Mean drain dwell time was 5 weeks (range, 1–71 weeks). Median drain size was 12 French (range, 8–16F). 132 (77%) of the abscesses were in the right lobe. Aspiration alone was performed in 2 cases. Technical success, defined as positioning catheter tip into the liver abscess and obtaining a sample, was 98%. Most common post-procedural complications included 12 biliary tree fistulas (7%) and 6 empyemas (3%). Follow-up until tube removal or death was available for 164 (97%). Drainage catheters were removed due to resolution of the abscess cavity in 67% (110/164), present at demise in 20% (32/164), removed at surgery in 10% (16/164), accidental removal in 3% (5/164), or removed due to tube malfunction in 0.6% (1/164). 84% of cases had available culture data. 109 (77%) demonstrated microbial growth, of which 50% were polymicrobial. Microbial speciation from percutaneous sample changed antibiotic management in 76% (84/109). Percutaneous drainage identified species and sensitivities in 72% of cases with negative blood cultures, suggesting percutaneous abscess drainage is more sensitive. Resolution of the abscess cavity correlated with infection from Klebsiella (P < 0.05) and Enterococcus (P < 0.01). Both tube malfunction and accidental removal correlated with infection from Bacteroides (P < 0.05). Tube removal at surgery correlated with infection from Klebsiella (<0.01) and Enterobacter (P < 0.05). Death or hospice admission correlated with infection from Enterobacter (P < 0.05) and Enterococcus (P < 0.005). Biliary fistulas correlated with infection from Enterobacter (P < 0.005). Percutaneous drainage is safe and effective for liver abscess management and provides sampling for proper bacterial speciation and antibiotic sensitivity testing which is imperative for proper antibiotic treatment selection. Bacterial speciation and sensitivities correlate with drainage outcomes and complications and can inform long-term management decisions.

Applying the Transtheoretical Model of Change to Legacy Planning Decisions

Approximately 1.2 million family forest landowners (FFOs) manage nearly 37 million acres of forestland in five New England states. This means that efforts to sustain and conserve forests in the region are contingent upon short- and long-term management decisions of these owners. We applied the transtheoretical model of behavior change to understand which activities and behaviors FFOs have pursued in relation to forest legacy planning. We conducted a regional mail survey of 2500 FFOs across Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York. Findings indicate that the majority of FFOs are preparing for or are currently engaging in beginning-level legacy planning decisions while few are thinking about nor planning for more advanced-level decisions. Findings from three stepwise multiple regression models also provide support for predicting a substantive amount of variance in FFOs’ decisions to engage in beginning-level and conservation-oriented planning decisions.

I’m already thinking of the housekeeping chores - misogyny in small couple and family entrepreneurship

This article treats misogyny as a structural and complex socioeconomic, political and institutional phenomenon. Its operation is explained in the domain of small couple and family entrepreneurship in traditional sectors of production and services in Serbia at a time of the forces financialization of post-socialist Serbia as a peripheral economy. As sources and mechanisms of a misogynistic attitude it recognizes both a patriarchal gender regime, and the global and national financial and political oligarchies, which through processes of marketization, financialization and the general centrality of the economy in society stimulate and reproduce misogyny. Gender policies created in such a context remain insufficiently geared towards the economic and social development and the emancipation of women and hence ineffective. The empirical findings of a study on 10 couple and 30 family businesses (micro and small sized) illustrate the presence of misogyny in this domain of entrepreneurship. Misogynic relationships of differing visibility and intensity are present in family businesses, in relation to the most important long-term management decisions about the distribution of power and resources in household and business roles in the family firm, in all styles and bargaining models of management. These relationships manifest themselves through prejudices, stereotypes, ritualization and offensive hierarchies. The burden of home work and care work predominantly on female shoulders, and women?s ownership and/or management positions overall are obscured by and subordinate to the male members of the household and family businesses.

The water-energy nexus at water supply and its implications on the integrated water and energy management

Water and energy are highly interdependent in the modern world, and hence, it is important to understand their constantly changing and nonlinear interconnections to inform the integrated management of water and energy. In this study, a hydrologic model, a water systems model, and an energy model were developed and integrated into a system dynamics modeling framework. This framework was then applied to a water supply system in the northeast US to capture its water-energy interactions under a set of future population, climate, and system operation scenarios. A hydrologic model was first used to simulate the system's hydrologic inflows and outflows under temperature and precipitation changes on a weekly-basis. A water systems model that combines the hydrologic model and management rules (e.g., water release and transfer) was then developed to dynamically simulate the system's water storage and water head. Outputs from the water systems model were used in the energy model to estimate hydropower generation. It was found that critical water-energy synergies and tradeoffs exist, and there is a possibility for integrated water and energy management to achieve better outcomes. This analysis also shows the importance of a holistic understanding of the systems as a whole, which would allow utility managers to make proactive long-term management decisions. The modeling framework is generalizable to other water supply systems with hydropower generation capacities to inform the integrated management of water and energy resources.

The Miracle Baby Grows Up: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome in the Adult.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is characterized by underdevelopment of the mitral valve, left ventricle, and aorta and is ultimately palliated with a single-ventricle repair. Universally fatal in infancy prior to the advent of modern surgical techniques, the majority of HLHS patients will now reach adulthood. However, despite improvements in early survival, the HLHS population continues to face significant morbidity and early mortality. This review delineates common sources of patient morbidity and highlights areas in need of additional research for this growing segment of the adult congenital heart disease population. It has become increasingly clear that palliated adult single ventricle patients, like those with HLHS, face significant life-long morbidity from elevated systemic venous pressures as a consequence of the Fontan procedure. Downstream organ dysfunction secondary to elevated Fontan pressures has the potential to significantly impact long-term management decisions, including strategies of organ allocation. Because of the presence of a morphologic systemic right ventricle, HLHS patients may be at even higher risk than other adult patients with a Fontan. Because the adult HLHS population continues to grow, recognition of common sources of patient morbidity and mortality is becoming increasingly important. A coordinated effort between patients and providers is necessary to address the many remaining areas of clinical uncertainty to help ensure continued improvement in patient prognosis and quality of life.

The impact of technological innovation on maximizing enterprise value

The article considers the methodological approach to assessing the impact of technological innovation on the maximization of enterprise value in the justification of the variants of its innovative and technological development. Identified deficiencies of earnings to use it as a criterion for making long-term management decisions. Shows a variety of estimates of the cost of the enterprise is presented and used in practice approaches to the assessment of its value, identified their strengths and weaknesses. The main task of cost management of enterprises. The basic indicators of assessment of value and is preferred for Russian companies method of assessment of fundamental value. It is shown that for determining the fundamental value of an enterprise should use methodologies financial forecasting. Identified shortcomings of existing financial models to maximize value of the enterprise based on the use of Excel spreadsheets. For calculating future net cash flows is proposed to use the developed simulation model of enterprise development of the analytical type. Determined that such a model can be used to select the best option for innovative-technological development of industrial enterprises. Proposed procedure for calculating the level of impact of technological innovation on the increase in value of the enterprise in the process of conducting a retrospective structural analysis of innovative activity of industrial enterprises.

Atsakomybės apskaitos sandara ir jos informacijos naudojimas

In the modern dynamic and competitive business environment, it is essential that the companies seeking to survive in the market and achieve good results would apply responsibility accounting. The issue of the structure of responsibility accounting and the usage of its information – one of the most important management accounting fields – is examined in the article. New definitions of responsibility accounting and responsibility centres as well as a representative scheme of the structure of responsibility accounting are given in the article. The authors have distinguished the following elements of the structure of responsibility accounting: organisational management structure analysis and reorganisation; determination of responsibility accounting goals; establishment of responsibility centres; formation of responsibility centre budgets and self-control of their implementation; evaluation of responsibility centres’ activity; responsibility centres’ accountability to the company's top managers. The principles of the responsibility centres’ establishment, such as decentralization, liberty, subordination, duty, responsibility, and flexibility are analysed in the article. These criteria of the establishment of responsibility centres have been proposed: territorial, organisational, functional, monopolistic, evaluation, accounting and accountability, planning and forecasting. It has been determined by the authors that responsibility centres might be classified according to various features; however, the most important feature is the responsibility fields. Cost, revenue, profit and investment centres might be distinguished by this feature. The information collected and systematized by these features is crucial to the top managers of a company when making operational and long-term management decisions. According to the authors’ opinion, the activity of each responsibility centre should be evaluated in order to determine the results achieved by the centre and the efficiency of resources usage as accurately as possible. For this, both financial and non-financial indicators must be used.The information of cost, revenue, profit and investment centres may be used for finding the solution to various problems. Mostly it is used for the purposes of evaluation of the financial condition and activity results of the company; for the solution of operational and prospective management decisions; disclosure of the activity reserves; forecasting of the company’s activity; detection and evaluation of the company’s risks; determination of the company’s bankruptcy; intensification of the company’s internal controls system, etc.

FEATURES OF AN ESTIMATION OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS AT THE ENTERPRISES OF AVIATION INSTRUMENT

The relevance of this study due to the fact that the current situation in Russia is complemented by the negative effects of market reforms in the economy and economic sanctions adopted against our country and in particular the different level companies. In view of this, to effectively manage the activities and the development of aviation instrument companies and enterprises of different ownership forms are highly relevant issues related to the assessment of investment projects. The general crisis that engulfed almost all industry in Russia, demanded the application of a new ideology of the organization and management of investment projects, as well as their assessment at the enterprises of aviation instrument. In Russia, began a new stage in the development of project management establishment of a domestic methodology, complex tools and training for professional project management on the basis of domestic achievements, global experience and creativity of its processing based on the actual conditions of our country. The need for the use of project management methodology in Russia is determined by two factors: the increasing complexity of projects and the organizations that operate them, and the fact that project management is widely used in countries with market economies. Projects at the enterprises of aviation instrument making and evaluation are characterized by complexity and uncertainty, a significant dependence on the dynamic environment, including socio-economic, political, financial, economic, legislative influence of both the state and competing companies. In this paper, a study of modern methods of evaluating investment projects at the enterprises of aviation instrument. Methodology. The methodological basis of this paper appeared comparative and economic-mathematical analysis methods. Results. As part of the presentation of the present article the author, it was found that the activity of modern companies is not linear and is determined by a variety of environmental factors that can influence the reliability and stability of business development of the company. In the new (innovative or cognitive), the economy is not only a change of theoretical and empirical management paradigms based on a new understanding of the interaction of three key institutional actors (government, business and science), but also increases the level of uncertainty in making long-term management decisions related to investment projects. Conclusions / relevance. The proposed structure of the investment decision-making support system shows that a lot of administrative decisions should be localized in phase space is defined as a business reliability of the border. Output solutions beyond the phase space of growth and potentiates the risk may mean the loss of stability of the company. The bulk of the toolkit developed procedures formalized and rigorously justified, which greatly reduces the proportion of subjectivity inherent in all existing methods of management analysis.