Equity Measures Research Articles

Governance Evaluation of Listed Mining Companies Based on Entropy Method

Corporate governance is the basis for correct decision-making and effective management of a company. The sustainable development of a company will depend to a large extent on an effective and reasonable corporate governance structure. The mining industry occupies a fundamental position in China’s national economy and plays a very important role. In view of the particularity and importance of the mining industry, this article is based on the research theory of corporate governance, combined with the characteristics of mining companies, and uses the entropy method to conduct targeted and objective corporate governance evaluations. The research concluded that: (1) When the company is in a state of concentrated equity, the incentive and supervision measures adopted for the managers play an obvious role. (2) The larger the independent board of directors, the higher the effectiveness of corporate governance. (3) The larger the board of supervisors, the more meetings, and the more effective corporate governance, the more it can give full play to its supervision and control functions.

Using equity, index and commodity options to obtain forward-looking measures of equity and commodity betas and idiosyncratic variance

We present a parsimonious and theoretically sound basis for extracting forward-looking measures of equity and commodity betas and idiosyncratic variance. Defining forward-looking betas and idiosyncratic variance as perturbations of historical estimates, we use equity and index options under a single-factor model to discern perceptions of oil companies’ prospective beta. The prospective fraction of idiosyncratic variance relative to total variance indicates the onset of crises, when idiosyncratic fades relative to systematic, complementing the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index (VIX) and CBOE implied correlation. The model is extended to options on equities and oil futures. This forward-looking oil beta, in conjunction with risk-neutral futures prices, yields an oil-price forecast based on the capital asset pricing model.

Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccines: An Analysis of Allocation Plans of CDC's Jurisdictions with Implications for Disparate Impact Monitoring

Major global and national vaccine allocation guidelines urge planners to allocate vaccines in ways that recognize, and ideally reduce, inequities within countries. In the US, allocation frameworks are ultimately determined by each of the CDC’s 64 jurisdictions individually (states, the District of Columbia, five cities, and territories). We analyzed whether jurisdictions have incorporated novel approaches to reduce inequity, analyzing allocation plans published by the CDC in early November 2020, and tracking updates of frameworks through to January 2021, capturing all jurisdictions. By late January 2021, 30 jurisdictions (the majority of states, N=29) adopted a novel proposal to use a disadvantage index to allocate vaccines more equitably, compared to 19 in November 2020. Five types of uses can be distinguished: 1) to prioritize disadvantaged groups through larger shares of vaccines, 2) to define priority groups in phased systems, 3) to plan tailored outreach and communication, 4) to plan the location of dispensing sites and 5) to monitor uptake. Among the 20 jurisdictions with large shares of disadvantaged populations—where reducing inequity would be most urgent—10 were pursuing such goals by January 2021, up from 7 who did so in November 2020. While allocation frameworks continue to evolve, the plans we analyzed mark important historical and practical benchmarks. To ensure that equitable allocation is central, rather than peripheral, planners at the federal, state and local levels should review others’ approaches to use disadvantage indices for defining and reaching priority populations, adjusting allocations, and monitoring uptake

Exploring the consumer-based brand equity relations on Croatian youth fashion market

Brand equity is considered a precious marketing concept for practitioners and scholars. This study is focused on the perceptual consumer-based brand equity approach and widely adopted Aaker’s (1991) conceptualization with four primary dimensions: brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality, and brand loyalty. These components represent the salient dimensions of a multidimensional brand equity index. The research followed the original 14-item Yoo and Donthu (2001) consumer-based brand equity measurement scale. The research hypotheses were successfully corroborated within the Croatian fashion youth market on a sample of college students (167). The results pointed out the associative relationships among all brand equity components, with the exemption of causal relation between brand associations and brand loyalty. The same exemption (brand associations) emanated from the investigation of causal relationships between brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality, brand loyalty and the overall brand equity index. This study contributes to the previously assumed hierarchy order between consumer-based brand equity components and points out the marketing activities which precedes particular component enhancement.

Assessment for the Social Sustainability and Equity under the Perspective of Accessibility to Jobs

Social sustainability is a dimension of the concept of sustainability that has gained importance only in the last few decades and can be identified as the pursuit and measure of social equity. Equity can be analyzed under two approaches: horizontal and vertical. The horizontal approach considers the distribution of benefits equally, while the vertical equity considers these same benefits, but between specific groups, which is an adequate approach when dealing with policy-related topics, such as tariff subsidy. Accessibility is a factor that contributes to urban social sustainability and it may be a representation of physical and/or social barriers in the urban environment. Thus, this paper aims to assess social sustainability under a vertical equity approach, based on accessibility to jobs, for different population groups, comparing public with individual motorized transport. The case study was carried out in Medellín-Colombia, using data from the 2017 Home Destination Survey. It was found that users of individual transport have access to a greater number of jobs than users of public transport. In addition, those with higher income have better accessibility than those with lower income, even though they are not beneficiaries of tariff subsidy policies. Another highlight is that areas closer to the central region are also more accessible. In some specific communes, it would be indicated to seek to improve access through public transport, or the implementation of some public policy at the municipal level that could have an impact on access to opportunities.

Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccines: An Analysis of the Initial Allocation Plans of CDC's Jurisdictions with Implications for Disparate Impact Monitoring

Major global and national vaccine allocation guidelines urge planners to allocate vaccines in ways that recognize, and ideally reduce, existing societal inequities within countries. However, allocation plans of the US will be determined individually by each of the CDC’s 64 jurisdictions (states, the District of Columbia, five cities, and territories). We analyzed whether jurisdictions have incorporated novel approaches to reduce inequity, based on plans published by the CDC in early November 2020 (63 summaries [98% of all jurisdictions] and 47 full guidance documents [73% of all, including all 50 states]). Eighteen states adopted a novel proposal to use a disadvantage index to allocate vaccines more equitably, for five types of equity goals: 1) to prioritize disadvantaged groups directly, 2) to define priority groups in phased systems, 3) to plan tailored outreach and communication, 4) to plan the location of dispensing sites and 5) to monitor uptake. Yet just over a third of all states, and only half of the 16 states with the largest shares of disadvantaged populations—where reducing inequity would be most urgent—pursue such goals. While allocation frameworks are still evolving, the plans we analyzed mark important historical and practical benchmarks, and could become firm policy when COVID-19 vaccines are authorized and delivered. Vaccine roll-out poses unprecedented logistical and practical challenges. To minimize the risk that ethics and social justice falls by the wayside in the busy months to come, planners at the federal, state and local levels should carefully consider on what grounds they decline to adopt equity measures that other planners deem important and feasible for defining priority populations, designing allocation quotas, and just as critical, enabling, and monitoring, uptake.

Empirical evidence on the impacts of bikesharing: a literature review

ABSTRACT In recent years, bikesharing has become one of the most popular policies promoting cycling across the world. As the number of bikesharing systems (BSS) continues to rise, it is increasingly important to quantify their expected benefits. This paper synthetises the available evidence on the current impacts of implementing a BSS, with a special focus on the induced modal shift dynamics and impacts in car reduction, indicating how increasing the attractiveness of BSS to car users could improve its benefits. Several benefits have been associated to bikesharing, but they are not equally distributed and are dependent on several nuances, particularly on modal shifts. Among the biggest contributions are the increases in physical activity (PA) levels (triggering health gains) as well as travel time savings to the BSS users. Bikesharing is mostly replacing sustainable modes of transport, with modest car replacing rates. However, bikesharing can also indirectly decrease car travel by fostering synergies with Public Transport (by expanding catchment areas, reducing overcrowding and overall travel times) and by promoting cycling use through increasing the number and diversity of cyclists. Furthermore, different types of modal shift lead to different benefits. Reductions in car travel induce decreases in greenhouse gases (GHG) and other air pollutants, increases in PA, time savings as well as congestion reductions. Conversely, new trips generated by BSS also lead to increases in PA, while modal shift from walking to BSS has been associated with travel time savings. Shifting PT users to BSS can also reduce overcrowding in saturated PT networks. The most social disadvantaged groups were found to be systematically under-represented among BSS users, yet equity measures combined with awareness-raising campaigns could increase usage rates. Exploring potential advantages of BSS against car use and increasing its car replacing rates, coupled with better impact assessments, should constitute research priorities.

Does Sex-Obesity Intersectionality Play a Role in Labor Inactivity? Results From the Brazilian National Health Survey.

To investigate the association between sex-obesity intersection and labor inactivity and whether education modifies this relationship in a national health survey. Cross-sectional study using the database of 43,456 participants from the Brazilian National Health Survey. Logistic Regression analyses were performed. To be women with or without obesity was associated with higher frequency of labor inactivity in comparison to non-obese men. Among men, only those with central obesity had a higher rate of inactivity than non-obese men, especially those with incomplete elementary school. The double burden of judgment (sexism and fatphobia) suffered by obese women can lead to socioeconomic inequalities which may strength poorness and/or exclusion. Thus, there are urgent measures for empowerment and equity in the labor market.

Policies for achieving inclusion in higher education

ABSTRACT Considering the extensive social and private benefits that higher education generates, ensuring inclusive access and success is essential to achieve social justice and economic efficiency. With this premise in mind, this article reviews current knowledge about equity promotion policies in higher education and what is known about the effectiveness of various policies, drawing from experience in various parts of the world. It starts with reviewing definitions of under-represented groups in higher education, which can be considered as ‘equity target groups’. After examining the depth and scope of disparities across regions and countries, it analyses studies focusing on the effectiveness of equity promotion policies and measures. For this purpose, it distinguishes between financial aid programmes (grants, loans) and non-monetary interventions (outreach, affirmative action, retention, specialized institutions, etc.) that seek to remove the barriers facing students from under-represented groups. It concludes that policies matter and can make a significant difference.

A protocol for a scoping review of equity measurement in mental health care for children and youth

BackgroundMental health (MH) problems are among the most important causes of morbidity and mortality for children and youth. Problems of lack of equity in child and youth MH services (CYMHS)—including, but not limited to, problems in inaccessibility and quality of services—are widespread. Characterizing the nature of equity in CYMHS is an ongoing challenge because the field lacks a consistent approach to conceptualizing equity. We will conduct a scoping review of how equity in MH services for children and youth has been defined, operationalized, and measured. Our objectives are to discover: (1) What conceptual definitions of equity are used by observational studies of CYMHS?; (2) What service characteristics of CYMHS care do indices of equity cover?; (3) What population dimensions have been used to operationalize equity?; (4) What statistical constructs have been used in indices that measure CYMHS equity?; and (5) What were the numerical values of those indices?MethodsThe following databases will be searched: Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials, CINAHL, EconLit, and Sociological s. Searches will be conducted from the date of inception to the end of the last full calendar year (December 2019). Studies will be included if they include an evaluation of a mental health service for children or youth (defined as those under 19 years of age) and which quantify variation in some aspect of child or youth mental health services (e.g., accessibility, volume, duration, or quality) as a function of socio-demographic and/or geographic variables. Study selection will occur over two stages. Stage one will select articles based on title and abstract using the liberal-accelerated method. Stage two will review the full texts of selected titles. Two reviewers will work independently on full-text reviewing, with each study screened twice using pre-specified eligibility criteria. One reviewer will chart study characteristics and indices to be verified by a second reviewer. Reviewers will resolve full-text screening and data extraction disagreements through discussion. Synthesis of the collected data will focus on compiling and mapping the types and characteristics of the indices used to evaluate MH services equity.DiscussionThe planned, systematic scoping review will survey the literature regarding how equity in MH services for children and youth has been operationalized and help inform future studies of equity in CYMHS.Systematic review registrationOpen Science Foundation ID SYSR-D-19-00371, https://osf.io/58srv/.

The use of branding strategies to increase the uptake of modern contraception among Kenyan youth

Building brand equity is a strategic process that can boost normative and behavior change campaigns. However, the use of brand equity within the social and health sciences remains an under-researched field in lower income countries. This work examines Shujaaz, a multi-channel communication platform that uses branding strategies to create positive associations with safe sexual and reproductive health (SRH) practices among Kenyan youth. This study has the following three goals: (1) define and measure Shujaaz brand equity and its components (i.e., loyalty, awareness, perceived quality, popularity and brand personality), (2) analyze if Shujaaz brand equity components are associated with changes in SRH practices among youth, and (3) explore if Shujaaz brand loyalty could be better defined as an outcome, not a component of brand equity. The study uses data from a survey among 450 Kenyan youth interviewed three times; in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The analytical sample includes only those participants who self-reported exposure to Shujaaz. Fixed-effect logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between measures of brand equity and SRH outcomes, and to measure the association between brand equity measures and brand loyalty. Regression estimates indicate that loyalty to the Shujaaz brand was significantly associated with ever using condoms ( OR = 1.79), ever using modern contraception ( OR = 1.95), and with the likelihood of recommending condoms ( OR = 1.88). Shujaaz brand personality was significantly associated with ever using a condom ( OR = 1.87). When analyzing brand loyalty as the outcome of interest, we observe that brand personality, brand awareness, and popularity are positively associated with loyalty. However, no significant association was observed for perceived brand quality. This study underscored the role of brand loyalty as a determinant of health behavior change. However, loyalty to the brand is strongly associated with popularity, awareness, and brand personality, highlighting the need for mediation models to further study the dynamics of brand equity.

Capturing the impact of individual characteristics on transport accessibility and equity analysis

Transport accessibility experienced by an individual depends on their needs and abilities, as represented by their individual characteristics, such as age, income and gender. Although important from an equity perspective, the individual component of accessibility is currently ignored in most transport equity studies. This paper evaluates the impact of including individual characteristics into logsum-based accessibility measures for transport equity analysis.Using data from the London Travel Demand Survey (LTDS) 2011–13, two alternate logsum measures of accessibility are specified – with and without individual characteristics. An empirical analysis of spatial, social and economic equity is conducted using both the measures, and the outcomes are compared. The results clearly demonstrate that ignoring individual characteristics in logsum measures of accessibility can lead to unreliable outcomes for social and economic equity analysis, but do not add significant value when aggregated across large geographical zones for spatial equity analysis. Overall, ignoring individual characteristics masks the disparity in distribution of accessibility, as measured by the Gini index. Although not straightforward, the difference between accessibility patterns using the two logsum measures also yields insights into the possible causes of inequity, which can provide actionable inputs to policy makers. The study highlights that personal needs and abilities are often responsible for accessibility variations among individuals and ignoring them can result in a misleading picture of equity, as demonstrated quantitatively in this paper.

Equity Analysis and New Mobility Technologies: Toward Meaningful Interventions

Transit agencies in multiple countries have started piloting the integration of new mobility technologies (NMTs) into their transit services. This article reviews the emerging evidence from NMT-based transit pilots to identify the social equity impacts of NMT–transit integration. We focus on ride-hailing, on-demand transit, microtransit, and active travel NMTs like dockless bike share. We find evidence that three of these technologies have the potential to improve the social equity of transit systems, but we note that most agency pilots do not explicitly measure equity impacts. We offer recommendations on how future pilots should frame equity measurement to yield policy-relevant insights.

Disparities and Equity Issues of Electric Vehicles Rebate Allocation

The path towards light-duty vehicle electrification promises benefits like lower costs for drivers and reduced environmental externalities for all. Incentives such as electric vehicle rebates assist with alleviating high capital costs of alternative fuel cars. We uncover distributional effects of plug-in electric vehicle rebates, focusing on a program in the State of California. We leverage economic attributes representative of populations of census tracts as well as data on rebates distributed to plug-in electric vehicle buyers through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project from 2010 to 2018. Horizontal and vertical equity measures are evaluated, while measurement of spatial association characterizes spatial patterns of rebates allocation across the State. We evaluate the distributional fairness of rebates allocation between income groups and disadvantaged communities. We find that rebates have been predominantly given to higher-income electric vehicle buyers. However, the share of rebates distributed to low-income groups and disadvantaged communities increased after an income-cap policy was put into effect. Spatial analysis shows high spatial clustering effects and rebates concentration in major metropolitan regions. We reveal neighborhood effects: communities with lower median income or disadvantaged receive higher rebate amount when these are close to spatial clusters characterized as high income and high rebate amount receivers.

Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning of Indian Furniture Industry

Objectives:To study the segmentation, targeting and positioning of furniture industry.To make and study ANSOFF grid for the key player in the plastic furniture industry.To recommend advertising strategies for the plastic furniture industry.Research Design: Information has been gathered from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire. Secondary data sources include websites, journals, and research papers. Sample Design: Convenience Sampling was carried out for the study. The sample consisted of customers who had bought products from the furniture industry. The sample size is 120.Novelty of the study/ Contribution to the literature: It could bear some significance with lead an examination on more territories of promoting and including the distinctive focused on clients which would give more exhaustive understanding and outline of the point.Findings: People with low resources believers, strivers, makers, survivors are most likely to buy the plastic furniture as of now when the product is in growth stage of its life cycle. Nilkamal plastics have been successful in positioning its products well in the market. It became popular especially in South India, where consumers prefer simple living and hence had a demand for plastic furniture too.Recommendations: Nilkamal can promote its brand based on the driving factors: lightweight, weatherproof, termite-proof, and economical.Implications: The findings of the study have implications for branding, positioning decisions, brand equity measurement and marketing communications. The essential ramification of an advancing framework is the presentation toward tending to customer needs those results in extended purchaser dependability. A publicizing methodology has basic ramifications for things such as design and progression.

Incorporating Equity into Pedestrian Master Plans

This research provides a framework for addressing inequities through municipalities’ transportation plans, which have no federal equity requirements and have been given little guidance for incorporating equity. Fifteen pedestrian master plans are reviewed for their equity considerations to derive a tripartite framework for systematically incorporating equity into transportation plans, known as The Three A’s of Equity. Acknowledgment recognizes equity as a value of the plan and that there are transportation inequities to be eliminated; Accountability establishes equity measures to be achieved by the transportation plan; and Application identifies the interventions that will be implemented to help achieve equity. Using the proposed framework, the 15 plans are evaluated for their equity considerations. The analysis finds that cities are increasingly including equity into their pedestrian master plans, but do so inconsistently, seldom include the Accountability element, and rarely include race in their equity considerations. The proposed framework, the Three A’s of Equity, can guide cities in systematically incorporating equity into their transportation plans to ideally advance more equitable outcomes.

Can Combining Performance-Based Financing With Equity Measures Result in Greater Equity in Utilization of Maternal Care Services? Evidence From Burkina Faso.

Background: As countries reform health financing systems towards universal health coverage, increasing concerns emerge on the need to ensure inclusion of the most vulnerable segments of society, working to counteract existing inequities in service coverage. To this end, selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa have decided to couple performance-based financing (PBF) with demand-side equity measures. Still, evidence on the equity impacts of these more complex PBF models is largely lacking. We aimed at filling this gap in knowledge by assessing the equity impact of PBF combined with equity measures on utilization of maternal health services in Burkina Faso. Methods: Our study took place in 24 districts in rural Burkina Faso. We implemented an experimental design (clusterrandomized trial) nested within a quasi-experimental one (pre- and post-test design with independent controls). Our analysis relied on self-reported data on pregnancy history from 9999 (baseline) and 11 010 (endline) women of reproductive age (15-49 years) on use of maternal healthcare and reproductive health services, and estimated effects using a difference-in-differences (DID) approach, purposely focused on identifying program effects among the poorest wealth quintile. Results: PBF improved the utilization of few selected maternal health services compared to status quo service provision. These benefits, however, were not accrued by the poorest 20%, but rather by the other quintiles. PBF combined with equity measures did not produce better or more equitable results than standard PBF, with specific differences only on selected outcomes. Conclusion: Our findings challenge the notion that implementing equity measures alongside PBF is sufficient to produce an equitable distribution in program benefits and point at the need to identify more innovative and contextsensitive measures to ensure adequate access to care for the poorest. Our findings also highlight the importance of considering changing policy environments and the need to assess interferences across policies.

What's good for you is good for me: The effect of CEO inside debt on the cost of equity

We find an overall negative relation between CEO inside debt holdings and the cost of equity capital. Such a negative relation holds in an instrumental-variable analysis, a test using changes in variables due to CEO turnover events, a test using seasoned equity offering (SEO) underpricing as an alternate cost of equity measure, and a difference-in-differences test based on the implementation of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A Final Regulations. Additionally, the negative relation between inside debt and the cost of equity capital is nonlinear, suggesting the existence of optimal inside debt compensation that can minimize cost of capital. The negative relation is less pronounced in firms with pre-funded executive pension plans and in firms that provide executives with the pension lump-sum option. We also provide evidence that inside debt lowers the cost of equity more for excessively levered firms. Collectively, these findings suggest that shareholders value the beneficial role of CEO debt-like compensation in constraining excessive managerial risk taking.

U.S. hospital performance methodologies: a scoping review to identify opportunities for crossing the quality chasm

BackgroundHospital performance quality assessments inform patients, providers, payers, and purchasers in making healthcare decisions. These assessments have been developed by government, private and non-profit organizations, and academic institutions. Given the number and variability in available assessments, a knowledge gap exists regarding what assessments are available and how each assessment measures quality to identify top performing hospitals. This study aims to: (a) comprehensively identify current hospital performance assessments, (b) compare quality measures from each methodology in the context of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) six domains of STEEEP (safety, timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency, equitable, and patient-centeredness), and (c) formulate policy recommendations that improve value-based, patient-centered care to address identified gaps.MethodsA scoping review was conducted using a systematic search of MEDLINE and the grey literature along with handsearching to identify studies that provide assessments of US-based hospital performance whereby the study cohort examined a minimum of 250 hospitals in the last two years (2017–2019).ResultsFrom 3058 unique records screened, 19 hospital performance assessments met inclusion criteria. Methodologies were analyzed across each assessment and measures were mapped to STEEEP. While safety and effectiveness were commonly identified measures across assessments, efficiency, and patient-centeredness were less frequently represented. Equity measures were also limited to risk- and severity-adjustment methods to balance patient characteristics across populations, rather than stand-alone indicators to evaluate health disparities that may contribute to community-level inequities.ConclusionsTo further improve health and healthcare value-based decision-making, there remains a need for methodological transparency across assessments and the standardization of consensus-based measures that reflect the IOM’s quality framework. Additionally, a large opportunity exists to improve the assessment of health equity in the communities that hospitals serve.

Equity measures for the identification of public transport needs

The present paper deals with the identification of the PT needs taking into account not only effectiveness and efficiency of the PT services but also equity issues. The PT needs refer to the identification of the possible spatial development of corridors, connecting areas of the urban agglomeration, in which there is the need of upgrading the overall performance of the PT services. The main novelties of the paper concern with the determination of the zones with a low “quality” of PT supply and the assessment of priorities and areas of upgrading of the PT system, so supporting the transport planning decisions. This paper focuses on measuring the equity in terms of “quality” of PT system using a new approach based on the computation of the GINI index and the Lorenz curve. In this context, the equity is related with the fair allocation of transport resources.The procedure proposed has been applied in a real-size context of the city of Rome. The case study shows promising results about the robustness of the proposed approach from the methodological point of view and the capability to assess effective measures in a real context. The results of the validation phase of the methodology and the results of the different phases of zone classification underline the strength of the choices made to represent the quality of public transport services and the GINI index approach. Specifically, taking into account the results by the point of view of equity, the GINI index shows a changes of about 7%, that is a promising result considering the few zones selected for the identification of public transport needs.