Changes In Ownership Research Articles

Livelihood assets and poverty among fishing households in Bicol Region, Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic

Research efforts concerning COVID-19 primarily focused on the macro-level impacts of the pandemic on multiple fronts. Less attention was paid to individuals and less still to the socio-economic condition of the poorest sectors. This research addresses this gap by utilizing the theory of change (ToC) of asset ownership to examine the effects of livelihood asset ownership on the poverty status of 200 fisherfolk households in the Bicol Region, Philippines, during the pandemic. The study employed descriptive measures and logistic regression with principal component analysis (PCA) to examine the survey data. Results revealed that ownership of productive assets increased the likelihood of households maintaining the status of nonpoor compared to households who owned less to nothing. Whereas, households with more physical assets were more likely to fall below the poverty line during the pandemic. Defining poverty in terms of livelihood asset ownership has important implications for policymakers. Addressing these evidence gaps enables a nuanced analysis of the socio-economic condition of fishing households during the pandemic. The study suggests that aid organizations and funding agencies should complement grants with efforts that promote asset ownership through capacity-building services like training, mentoring, and providing market links for fishing communities.

California Hospice Ownership Changes From 2018-2020: A Spatial Analysis and Case Illustration.

Hospices in California have undergone significant and complicated ownership changes in recent years. Little is known about the impact of these ownership changes on hospices. The purpose of our longitudinal, retrospective descriptive study was to describe the ownership changes impacting hospices 2018 to 2021 in California. Using descriptive statistics, we measured characteristics of hospices with and without ownership changes employing public data from the California Home Health Agencies and Hospice Annual Utilization Report. Ownership change characteristics were measured via publicly available hospice provider and facility data. Spatial characteristics were additionally measured via latitude and longitude publicly available data. Our findings showed that ownership changes were significant and complicated. An influx of for-profit organizations into the California market was primarily responsible for these changes. Additionally, lack of corporate financial public disclosure and voluntary hospice accreditation, certification, and reporting result in a lack of free, publicly available, definitive comprehensive data on for-profit hospice ownership. This hinders information gathering on and provider/familial choice-making regarding hospices. Our study provides critical insight into the impact of ownership changes and lack of definitive, free, publicly available information on adult hospices in California caring for children and has important clinical, research, and policy implications.

Nutrition Culture of Indigenous Peoples in the Context of Socio-Cultural Space of Post-Soviet Russia

The article analyzes the process of formation of new food traditions among the indigenous peoples of Russia in the period of 1992–2000. The diversity and variety of methodological concepts, an interdisciplinary approach in historical science at the beginning of the XXI century allowed the humanitarian intelligentsia to study the interethnic problems of Soviet and Russian society. The socio-cultural approach that has been established in the last two decades makes it possible to qualitatively compare various historical events in dynamics. In the history of any state, we can trace ethnic processes that, as facts, causally or illogically, can influence the history of the development or extinction of individual nations, peoples and nationalities. The author recreates the historical processes of the influence of market relations on food as one of the most important processes in the life support of any person. We conclude that with the decline of the Soviet Union, a complex process of reorganization of economic and logistics chains serving the northern territories of Russia began. We also conclude that the lack of the necessary legislative framework, the lack of social adaptation skills, the decrease in the use of the northern sea route and the change in ownership forms in agricultural management had a negative impact on the development of food practices. The results of the study showed that in the conditions of a transforming social structure, there was a significant difference in values and in traditional nutrition. The national cuisine of the indigenous peoples is characterized by the use of specific food products and cooking recipes, which are a unique spiritual heritage. The analysis of the materials shows that the traditional cooking of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North was formed as knowledge about the methods of their preparation developed, which ranged from oral creativity to scientific research. Western European cuisine was not available to thepeoples of the North, and therefore the search for the most optimal ways of cooking began. In general, it can be concluded that the need to search for culinary recipes was expressed among indigenous peoples in a return to traditionalism in the national cuisine.

Hospital ownership changes and charge-to-cost shifts

We examine hospital-level CCR – charges to Medicare-allowable costs – from 2011 to 2022 among governmental, for-profit, and non-profit hospitals and identify hospitals that charged extreme CCR of over 1000% of the cost. We tracked hospitals that experienced ownership transitions and found that governmental and non-profit hospitals’ average CCR increased by 161% and 99.7%, respectively, after transitioning to become for-profits. These higher CCRs affect uninsured patients, out-of-network patients, and casualty and workers’ compensation insurers.

Human-land relationship in the construction of historical settlements based on Complex Adaptive System (CAS) theory: evidence from Shawan in Guangfu region, China

The relationship between humans and land environment within historical settlements reflects the intricate interplay between human societies, their construction activities, and the specific geographical contexts. Inadequate research into this relationship hinders a comprehensive understanding of the social spatial intricacies inherent in historical settlements. This paper adopts the theoretical framework of complex adaptive system and takes Shawan Ancient Town in Guangfu area of China as an example. Under the geographical background of sustainable land growth in the coastal zone, this study analyzed the subtle changes in the relationship between people and land during the historical construction, and the key findings of the investigation are threefold: (1) Land resources play a central role in the construction of human-land relationships in historical settlements. The geographical environment and social institutions serve as configuring factors in the formation and evolution of human-land relationships. These factors collectively determine the formation and evolution of human-land relationships. (2) Social space emerges as a pivotal manifestation of the human–environment relationship in historical settlements, transcending mere physical dimensions. Consequently, a holistic study of this relationship necessitates a comprehensive exploration not only of spatial configurations but also of the intricate interconnections among social bonds, structural formations, societal order, and settlement spatiality. (3) Drawing on the framework of complex adaptive systems theory, the study disentangles intricate elements within the human-land relationship of historical settlements. It distills and examines the manifestations of four intricate adaptive capacities—namely aggregation, non-linearity, flow, and diversity—alongside the mechanisms of tags, internal models, and fundamental building blocks. It is believed that the study of historical settlements in coastal areas needs to grasp the invariable social-spatial objects such as geographical environment, land form, local beliefs. Take it as a clue to sort out how other elements of change have iterated and transformed in the process of historical evolution, such as the rise and fall of families, land ownership changes and social class evolution. This paper explores the value connotation of historical settlements from the perspective of dialectic thinking of change and invariance with CAS theory, which has theoretical significance for protection of settlement's human-land relationship from the perspective of "social-spatial".

Healthily Nourished but Depleted? Is It Possible to Improve the Health of Shift Workers through Lifestyle Interventions?

The relationship between diet and health is well-researched, and there is also information regarding the effects of diet on mental health. This study aimed to investigate whether motivation to optimize lifestyles without regulations or restrictions could improve the health of rotating shift workers. In this pilot study, 18 male shift workers were randomly divided into two groups. All participants completed the Short Form Health Survey-36 questionnaire (SF-36) before the start and at the end of the study. Group I (n = 9, mean age 42 ± 6.6 y) received dietary and lifestyle information every other month for one year, and the other, Group II (n = 9 mean age 36 ± 7.3 y), one year later. All participants were motivated to follow the trained dietary recommendations and to engage in physical activity. Almost all scores had improved. Surprisingly, physical performance scores worsened, which was not expected. The impairment in mental health due to the change in ownership of the company could have been better explained. Nutritional advice over a longer period and the motivation to integrate more exercise into everyday life can potentially improve the health of rotating shift workers.

Exploring Platform Migration Patterns between Twitter and Mastodon: A User Behavior Study

A recent surge of users migrating from Twitter to alternative platforms, such as Mastodon, raised questions regarding what migration patterns are, how different platforms impact user behaviors, and how migrated users settle in the migration process. In this study, we elaborate on how we investigate these questions by collecting data over 10,000 users who migrated from Twitter to Mastodon within the first ten weeks following the ownership change of Twitter. Our research is structured in three primary steps. First, we develop algorithms to extract and analyze migration patterns. Second, by leveraging behavioral analysis, we examine the distinct architectures of Twitter and Mastodon to learn how user behaviors correspond with the characteristics of each platform. Last, we determine how particular behavioral factors influence users to stay on Mastodon. We share our findings of user migration, insights, and lessons learned from the user behavior study.

Safety Climate Transformation in Oil and Gas Company Ownership Transition (Study Case from Multinational to National Company)

BackgroundThe aim of this research is to analyze the transformation of workers perceptions of the safety climate in an oil and gas company in Indonesia when they experience a change in ownership from a multinational to a national company. MethodsThis cross-sectional study used questionnaires distributed offline and online in three periods of ownership of Company X. Data analysis was carried out descriptively by comparing workers perception scores regarding the safety climate at Company X when managed by the multinational holder, transition period, and national holder. ResultsWorkers perceptions of the safety climate in Company X when it experienced a change in ownership from a multinational company to a national company has a trend of decreasing scores (from 8.07 to 7.48). Overall, a decreasing trend in scores occurred in several sub-variables of safety climate, namely management commitment (8.33 to 7.56), communication (8.10 to 7.64), safety priority (8.55 to 7.68), personal appreciation of risk (8.25 to 5.48), involvement (7.50 to 7.36), and personal priority and need for safety (8.25 to 5.48). ConclusionsOwnership changes cause a trend of decrease in employee perceptions of the safety climate at Company X. Company's priority on safety related to production target factors is decreasing due to the change of ownership. On the other hand, the national period had a higher score in supportive environments and work environments, compared to the multinational period.

A critical discourse analysis of Jayland Walker's demise in digital journalism

This research investigates the shooting incident involving Jayland Walker, an African American citizen, on June 27, 2022, resulting from a traffic violation in Akron, United States, and its subsequent coverage across major online media outlets such as CNN News, NBC News, and The Washington Post. Utilizing qualitative methods and drawing on Van Dijk's (1985) Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) model, the study focuses on analysing the ideologies embedded in ten online news stories from June 2022 to August 2022. The findings highlight a discernible trend in the representation of Jayland Walker by CNN News and The Washington Post, where he is predominantly portrayed as a victim, with the police depicted negatively through strategic use of lexical elements and metaphors, underscoring the influence of media ownership ideologies in shaping news content. In contrast, NBC News maintains a more neutral stance, attributed to frequent changes in ownership. The research contributes theoretically to CDA, providing a conceptual framework for students engaged in critical discourse analysis studies, and offers insights into the complexities of media representation in incidents involving discrimination and police violence.

Non-Compliance of Fresh Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) Fisheries Products from Uganda

This study aimed to assess official monitoring data for fresh Nile perch fisheries products in Uganda. This review focuses on identifying patterns of non-compliance with food safety standards and understanding hazards associated with the Nile perch value chain. The results will serve as a basis for updating/improving pertinent Uganda Standards and regulations. An in-depth analysis was conducted utilizing secondary data for 14 factories encompassing official laboratory results spanning twelve years (2010-2022), sourced from the Department of Fisheries Resources records. Frequency distribution tables were employed to determine trends in non-compliance, emphasizing both the frequency and parameters contributing to deviations from safety standards. Examination of non-compliance trends, done using the Mann-Kendall test, revealed a compliance rate of approximately 80% for fresh Nile perch products across the majority (10) of the studied factories. Four factories experienced non-compliance, exceeding 20% of the total monitoring samples at least once during the study period. Among these, only one factory consistently demonstrated non-compliance exceeding 20% throughout the entire review period. There was a correlation between the factories exhibiting the highest non-compliance rates and their history of frequent changes in ownership and/or management over the past two decades. Microbial analysis results highlighted Total Viable Count (TVC), Total Coliforms (TC), and Enterobacteriaceae as the predominant contributors to non-compliance. In addition, heavy metals, particularly lead and cadmium, emerged as prevalent chemical hazards associated with non-compliance in the fresh Nile perch value chain in Uganda. It is recommended that efforts be concentrated on addressing the prevalence of the identified microbiological parameters. Furthermore, a formal review of national standards is advised, with consideration for the removal of parameters such as Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio cholerae, and Clostridium perfringens, which showed negligible occurrence. Instead, emphasis should be placed on incorporating Enterobacteriaceae, consistently prevalent in fresh Nile perch products across most factories throughout the entire review period.

The flow‐performance puzzle: Insights from passive and active ETFs

AbstractThis study examines the relationship between fund flows and subsequent performance, testing the smart money and price pressure hypotheses within the context of passive and active exchange‐traded funds (ETFs). By differentiating between managerial skill and non‐fundamental demand shocks, we uncover a significant positive flow‐performance relationship, challenging traditional attributions solely to investor skill in identifying superior fund management. We further develop a measure of flow shocks to individual stocks by aggregating daily changes in ETF ownership of 5600 stocks. An event study on ETF constituents further disentangles the effects of price pressure from smart money. Through robust analyses, including Fama–French industry portfolios and propensity score matching, our findings suggest a nuanced interaction between investor behaviour and market dynamics, contributing to the discourse on fund flows' impact on performance. This research highlights the complexity of the flow‐performance relationship and its implications for fund management and investment strategies, offering new insights into the mechanisms driving fund performance in the ETF landscape.

Estimating Lost Dividends from Incomplete Energy Access Transitions

Abstract Energy access is often considered a catalyst for development. Yet, the binary classification of household electrification misses important variation in service quality and in how households use electricity. To examine the benefits of household electrification and illustrate the importance of using more nuanced classifications of energy access, this article develops a metric called the Energy Access Dividend (EAD), which quantifies the electrification benefits forgone due to slow and incomplete energy transitions. This framework is flexible, allowing for the estimation of a variety of electrification benefits such as reduced lighting and cell phone charging expenditures, environmental improvements, time use and asset ownership changes, and improvements associated with productive energy use. To demonstrate the applicability of this framework, we calculate the EAD for several proposed electrification trajectory alternatives in Honduras. We find that in Honduras, a country with high rates of basic electricity access, achieving immediate universal, high-quality electricity would generate nearly $697 million in benefits over the period leading up to 2050. We also estimate the EADs associated with more limited immediate electrification as well as geographically based electrification scenarios, demonstrating that these calculations can inform priorities for energy policy design.

Land cover changes in rural communities of Zimbabwe pre and post land reform era; a case of Shurugwi South constituency

ABSTRACT The study assessed land cover changes in rural communities of Zimbabwe pre and post land reform era (1980 - 2020). A mixed methods research design was adopted with the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Remote sensing, questionnaires, interviews and observations were used for data collection. Microsoft Excel and ArcMap 10.5 software were adopted for data analysis. Results indicated that clearance of land for agriculture especially crop production, wood abstraction for domestic use and selling, establishment of settlements were the major drivers of change in Shurugwi South. Between 2000 and 2020, results showed that water bodies, shrub land and dense woodlands declined whilst grassland and cultivated/bare land increased. Findings indicated that the rates of increase in cultivated/bare lands and grassland were faster between 2000 and 2020. More so, generally water bodies and shrub land decreased during the 2000–2020 period. These changes indicated that land reform program and associated land reallocation in 2000 influenced the rates and pattern of land cover changes. The changes in land ownership and use rights following the land reforms affected land use patterns between 2000 and 2020. Naturally vegetated land is depleting hence the need for land resource conservation.

Media (De)concentration and Editorial Cross-Media Self-Promotion: Evidence from Flanders

ABSTRACT This article asks what the impact is of ownership concentration and deconcentration on editorial cross-media selfpromotion. Zooming in on two significant ownership changes in the small and highly concentrated media market of Flanders (Belgium) in 2017-18, we quantitatively analysed 1,209 articles published in the two largest Flemish newspapers comparing periods before and after two significant moments of ownership concentration and deconcentration. We assess the immediate impact of these changes on cross-media self-promotion between newspapers and audio-visual channels in terms of frequency, length, and presence of visual cues in referencing to media brands belonging to the same mother company and brands that belong to the rival commercial media company. We also measure references to the public broadcaster as a control variable to check whether changes before and after mergers, and/or differences between newspapers from both media groups might be explained by factors other than ownership changes. Our analysis reveals that concentration in Flemish media ownership led to significantly more coverage of the "own" brands of the newspaper’s overarching company. We discuss the broader implications of our Flemish findings, with the two most dominant private media corporations rapidly expanding their brand portfolios in several European countries.

Life cycle of private equity investments in physician practices: an overview of private equity exits.

Private equity (PE) firms acquire and grow physician practices through add-on consolidation, generating outsized returns on the sale of the acquisition in 3-8 years ("exit"). Private equity's abbreviated investment timeline and exit incentives may deter long-term investments in care delivery and workforce needed for high-quality care. To our knowledge, there has been no published analyses of the nature or duration of PE exits from physician practices. We address this knowledge gap by using novel data to characterize PE exits from dermatology, ophthalmology, and gastroenterology, physician specialties with the largest number of acquisitions between 2016 and 2020. Of 807 acquisitions, over half (51.6%) of PE-acquired practices underwent an exit within 3 years of initial investment. In nearly all instances (97.8%), PE firms exited investments through secondary buyouts, where physician practices were resold to other PE firms with larger investment funds. Between investment and exit, PE firms increased the number of physician practices affiliated with the PE firm by an average of 595% in 3 years. Findings highlight the rapid scale of ownership change and consolidation under PE ownership and motivate evaluations by policymakers on the effects of PE ownership over the life cycle of PE investments.

164 Characterization of Market Movements and Private Equity in Neurosurgery Practices and Hospitals

INTRODUCTION: Surgical services could be faced with shifts in corporate management, restructuring, and incentives as trends such as private equity (PE) investment in healthcare continue to evolve. The number of surgical services acquired by PE firms has increased significantly over the last 20 years. Due to financial vulnerability and movement towards digital health, PE activity within healthcare has further grownsince the COVID pandemic. METHODS: PitchBook and Mergermarket were used to query deals involving neurosurgical practice within the United States at any time. Exclusion criteria consisted of non-neurosurgery practices and debt restructuring deals without a change in ownership. The company name, deal type, financing year, and state were extracted for each deal. Deal type was stratified by the following categories: angel investment, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital (PE/VC), and corporate buyout. Internal debt refinancing such as leveraged recapitalization was excluded from the analysis. RESULTS: A total of 125 companies were discovered in the initial search. After further review, 63 companies were included in final analysis. The deals occurred between 1994 to 2022 and involved companies in 27 different states. Of the 63 companies, 36 (57.1%) involved mergers or acquisitions, 16 (25.4%) involved private equity or venture capital firms, 7 (11.1%) involved corporate buyouts, and 4 (6.3%) involved angel investments. CONCLUSIONS: PE is increasingly involved with neurosurgery practices, with an associated decline in mergers and acquisitions. Future qualitative investigation is required to help characterize physician attitudes of PE-run practices in comparison to non-PE practices.

Factors determining changes in the network of marked hiking trails in the Sudetes

Hiking trails are a basic type of tourist infrastructure, which, on the one hand, make areas available for tourist traffic, and on the other hand, can contribute to the protection of the natural environment (if they are well designed and maintained). Owing to the variety of performed functions, their designation is determined by several factors: natural, technical, economic, social. Networks of trails change constantly. The aim of this article is to determine exactly what factors influence transformations within the hiking trail networks and what is their significance. To this end, three study areas in the Sudetes were analysed: one on the Polish side of the Sudetes–the Table (Stołowe) Mountains, and two on the Czech side–the rock town near the village of Sloup v Čechách and the central part of Zlatohorská vrchovina. An analysis of changes in the shape of the networks over time was carried out, as well as surveys of institutions that were responsible for or influenced these transformations. These areas are characterised by a significant level of changes in the trail network. Among the factors influencing these changes, the tourist attractiveness of the area, the resilience of the environment, the intensity of tourism traffic, the environmental transformations associated with it, the history of tourism development and land ownership changes should be considered the most important. At each stage of forming networks, the key factor should be tourists’ needs, including the desire to escape the urbanised environment. For this reason, trails should avoid roads with artificial (hard) surfaces and heavy automobile traffic.

Efficiency and productivity growth in US food manufacturing industries: Exporters, ownership changes, and firm characteristics

AbstractThis study employs a stochastic production frontier framework to measure productivity growth among exporters, non‐exporters, and firms experiencing ownership changes through mergers and acquisitions in US food manufacturing. Analyzing a panel data set that integrates Economic Censuses and transaction‐level exports, the results reveal the coexistence of more productive exporters, driven by technical efficiency, alongside less productive non‐exporters. Exporters in arm's length transactions show productivity growth driven by technical efficiency change, while those in related party transactions benefit mainly from technological change. Firms undergoing ownership changes exhibit positive productivity growth with a greater contribution from technical efficiency compared to those without such changes.

Public Law Regulations on Household-Increasing Remodeling Projects

The public law regulations for remodeling projects were introduced to improve residential environments through the development and maintenance of multi-family housing, and to prevent low-quality reconstruction projects. Remodeling projects were initially focused on preserving and managing multi-family housing, and so did the “household-increasing remodeling,” which was introduced to activate remodeling projects. Notwithstanding, nowadays, household-increasing remodeling projects are more akin to reconstruction projects because they involve the reconstruction of new apartments and, simultaneously, a comprehensive reconstruction of housing complexes. Despite similarities, remodeling projects are governed by the Housing Act and subject to weaker public law regulations, while reconstruction projects are governed by the Act on the Improvement of Urban Areas and Residential Environments and subject to stronger regulations. To initiate a household-increasing remodeling project for increasing household numbers by 30 or more, it is necessary to secure project plan “approval”; if the household number increase is less than 30, it is necessary to secure a “permission”. The “permission” relates to building management activities, whereas an “approval” involves a comprehensive assessment of the residential area in light of urban planning. Remodeling projects are also examined differently based on whether they affect the entire housing complex. Still, distinguishing the procedure for project initiation based on the increase in household numbers may not be rational and can lead to regulatory arbitrage. Traditionally, remodeling projects involved minimal changes in property ownership because the residents came back to their remodeled houses. This led to less attention being given to post-project rights, and although the Housing Act mandates the establishment of a “plan to alter rights” for household-increasing remodeling projects, it fails to establish the details. As household-increasing remodeling projects are becoming more similar to reconstruction projects, the uncertainty has intensified regarding resident rights assignment. These uncertainties can lead to disputes among residents regarding the content of plans to alter rights. Currently, there is a need for more detailed legal regulations to enable the reasonable assignment of rights among residents regarding newly constructed buildings and their land. This can foster efficiency in the use of these buildings and land in remodeling projects.

Geographic and Demographic Differences in the Proportion of Individuals Living in Households With a Firearm, 1990-2018

Measures of the proportion of individuals living in households with a firearm (HFR), over time, across states, and by demographic groups are needed to evaluate disparities in firearm violence and the effects of firearm policies. To estimate HFR across states, years, and demographic groups in the US. In this survey study, substate HFR totals from 1990 to 2018 were estimated using bayesian multilevel regression with poststratification to analyze survey data on HFR from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the General Social Survey. HFR was estimated for 16 substate demographic groups defined by gender, race, marital status, and urbanicity in each state and year. Survey responses indicating household firearm ownership were analyzed and compared with a common proxy for firearm ownership, the fraction of suicides completed with a firearm (FSS). HFR, FSS, and their correlations and differences. Among US adults in 2018, HFR was significantly higher among married, nonurban, non-Hispanic White and American Indian male individuals (65.0%; 95% credible interval [CI], 61.5%-68.7%) compared with their unmarried, urban, female counterparts from other racial and ethnic groups (7.3%; 95% CIs, 6.0%-9.2%). Marginal HFR rates for larger demographic groups also revealed important differences, with racial minority groups and urban dwellers having less than half the HFR of either White and American Indian (39.5%; 95% CI, 37.4%-42.9% vs 17.2%; 95% CI, 15.5%-19.9%) or nonurban populations (46.0%; 95% CI, 43.8%-49.5% vs 23.1%; 95% CI, 21.3%-26.2%). Population growth among groups less likely to own firearms, rather than changes in ownership within demographic groups, explains 30% of the 7 percentage point decline in HFR nationally from 1990 to 2018. Comparing HFR estimates with FSS revealed the expected high overall correlation across states (r = 0.84), but scaled FSS differed from HFR by as many as 20 percentage points for some states and demographic groups. This survey study of HFR providing detailed, publicly available HFR estimates highlights key disparities among individuals in households with firearms across states and demographic groups; it also identifies potential biases in the use of FSS as a proxy for firearm ownership rates. These findings are essential for researchers, policymakers, and public health experts looking to address geographic and demographic disparities in firearm violence.