Distribution Policy Research Articles

Particle swarm optimization tuned multi-headed long short-term memory networks approach for fuel prices forecasting

Increasing global energy demands and decreasing stocks of fossil fuels have led to a resurgence of research into energy forecasting. Artificial intelligence, explicitly time series forecasting holds great potential to improve predictions of cost and demand with many lucrative applications across several fields. Many factors influence prices on a global scale, from socio-economic factors to distribution, availability, and international policy. Also, various factors need to be considered in order to make an accurate forecast. By analyzing the current literature, a gap for improvements within this domain exists. Therefore, this work suggests and explores the potential of multi-headed long short-term memory models for gasoline price forecasting, since this issue was not tackled with multi-headed models before. Additionally, since the computational requirements for such models are relatively high, work focuses on lightweight approaches that consist of a relatively low number of neurons per layer, trained in a small number of epochs. However, as algorithm performance can be heavily dependent on appropriate hyper-parameter selections, a modified variant of the particle swarm optimization algorithm is also set forth to help in optimizing the model’s architecture and training parameters. A comparative analysis is conducted using energy data collected from multiple public sources between several contemporary optimizers. The outcomes are put through a meticulous statistical validation to ascertain the significance of the findings. The best-constructed models attained a mean square error of just 0.044025 with an R-squared of 0.911797, suggesting potential for real-world use.

Fundraising and Zakat Distribution in Poverty Alleviation in Maruthamunai, Sri Lanka: A Maqashid Sharia Perspective

In Sri Lanka, poverty has been one of the most pressing social issues over the past decade. This research examines zakat fundraising strategies and analyzes zakat distribution patterns in Maruthamunai, Sri Lanka, where Muslims constitute the dominant ethnic group. The current role of zakat in Maruthamunai is crucial in alleviating poverty. Primary data for this study included annual fundraising and distribution reports from the Zakat Fund, covering the years 2019 to 2023. As part of this qualitative research, unstructured interviews were conducted with the president, general secretary, deputy president, assistant secretary, members, and prominent individuals in the region. Data analysis was conducted using coding and is presented descriptively through the maqasid sharia approach. The results of this study indicate that the distribution of zakat funds in Maruthamunai has been less effective due to several factors, including insufficient receipt of zakat funds and inadequately structured internal distribution policies. Policymakers should focus on prioritizing the primary level of welfare needs (mashlahah dharuriyyah). Within this framework, the maqasid sharia perspective emphasizes the development of human resources as a priority over material development. Therefore, despite the relatively high poverty rate, the objectives of preserving religion, safeguarding human life, ensuring generational continuity, protecting intellect, and promoting wealth circulation can still be effectively pursued.

Effects of Income Distribution and Fiscal Policy on Growth in Turkey: A Kaleckian Analysis

This study examines the effects of functional income distribution and fiscal policy on growth in Turkey. A post-Kaleckian open economy model is used to analyze the Turkish economy by integrating fiscal policy tools into the econometric model, such as tax burdens on labor and capital and government expenditure for 1988–2017. The novelty of our study is that it considers the private profit motive and rollback of government activities by including public-private partnership investments in the model. Our findings suggest that government ideologies in providing services through different channels do not cause alteration in the domestic demand regime; it stays wage-led in all scenarios we applied. Yet, the overall regime turns out to be profit-led since net export is sensitive to labor costs. JEL Classification: E12, E62, L33

An assessment of the implications of distribution remuneration and taxation policies on the final prices of prescription medicines: evidence from 35 countries

AbstractThis paper analyses the structure of and variability in taxation and prescription drug distribution policies and quantifies the impact of such policies on the cost of prescription drugs to health systems in 35 countries. Taxes on prescription drugs remain highly prevalent (83% of the sample) although 63% of the sample countries implement a lower than standard VAT rate. Three remuneration types of the wholesale and retail distribution chain have been identified. Wholesale and retail distributors are remunerated on a regressive mark-up basis, which is price-dependent, although fixed fees and fixed percentages, which are non-price dependent, are also highly prevalent. Price component analysis for three groups of products classed as high-, medium- and low-priced suggests that mark-ups plus taxes varied significantly across countries and products, and ranged from 5% to 187% of ex-factory prices. Average margins also vary significantly by countries and products ranging 5–65% of retail prices. The cost of distribution and taxation contributes significantly to prescription drug costs for health systems. Although distribution chain remuneration raises efficiency and overall affordability questions, these need to be considered together with the regulatory framework shaping market structure of the distribution chain, as well as any prevailing horizontal and vertical integration policies. The overall cost of prescription drugs could be reduced immediately by eliminating taxation; this could go some way to alleviate fiscal pressures on health budgets, whilst avoiding resource re-allocation from health to other sectors.

NON-OPERATING PROFITS IN THE BRAZILIAN HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR: INTERFERENCE IN DIVIDEND POLICY?

The aim of this work is to seek a correlation between non-operating profits and the dividend distribution policy by publicly traded companies in the Brazilian education sector through their respective payouts. Publicly traded companies listed on the B3 education sector were selected and analyzed with the other companies listed on the B3 and among them. The time period covered was from January 2, 2017 to December 31, 2020. The variables studied were: payout and non-operating gross profit, in addition to yield and share price variation. The results of this study, by showing that publicly traded companies in the educational sector have higher non-operating profits than other companies listed on B3, can be justified by asset sales, given the mergers and acquisitions in the sector. Furthermore, this realignment could also justify the intra-sector analysis, where the payout of these companies was lower in those where the non-operating profit was higher. These results, in addition to expressing the rejection of null hypotheses, show how similar private higher education companies have become to other publicly traded companies registered at B3 in terms of payout, yield and share price variation. This may show that university autonomy also meant the commodification of education.

The importance of financial ratios in determining profit distribution policies for a sample of Iraqi banks

This study aims primarily to demonstrate the importance of four types of financial ratios, namely profitability ratios, turnover rates, activity cost ratios, and financial leverage ratios, as well as to explain their impact on cash dividend distribution policies for a sample of Iraqi banks traded on the Iraqi Stock Exchange for the period (2010 - 2017). The number of banks was chosen from the Iraq Stock Exchange (13 banks), and the data for the aforementioned time period was taken according to the bulletins and financial statements issued by the official website of the market. After conducting statistical analysis of the data using the statistical package program (SPSS), where the sample size used was (104) observations, and the number of independent variables was (9), which represent the financial ratios, it was found that there is a significant impact of these financial ratios on determining profit distribution policies, and the study recommended to the specialists In the financial field, using these ratios and focusing on them in the financial analysis aspect.

Analysis Of Zakat Distribution Policy At Baitul Mal In Central Aceh Regency

The policy of the Baitul Mal in Central Aceh Regency regarding zakat distribution aims to combat poverty in the medium to long term. Collected zakat funds are managed organizationally by the Baitul Mal, emphasizing transparency and accountability. The study investigates zakat distribution programs, related policies, and challenges the Baitul Mal faces. It employs a qualitative approach to provide a scientific overview. Results are expected to show alignment with Quranic mandates, ensuring independent, transparent, and accountable practices. The research aims to depict the reality of zakat distribution policies as efforts to alleviate poverty, catering to recipients' needs (Mustahiq) through consumptive or productive means.

Mandating a dividend distribution policy disclosure over fixed dividend policy: a shareholder value perspective

ABSTRACT Shareholders may never be able to perfectly assess the optimal dividends paid by the firm. While fixing a certain dividend percentage by regulators, is one way to ensure shareholders’ dividend rights, mandating a dividend distribution policy (DDP) could be a unique alternative. This study examines the stock market reaction to a regulation that mandated a set of Indian firms to disclose their DDP. Using an event study coupled with Regression discontinuity design, we find that shareholders appreciate the value of the firms affected by the regulation by 1.15% on average, which is roughly 2–2.5% higher than firms unaffected by the regulation. This suggests that mandating information disclosure on dividend payouts can alleviate issues related to shareholders’ right for dividends without affecting firms’ investment decisions. Also, retained earnings play a price-differentiating role in dividend-paying and non-dividend paying firms.

Revisiting the Pasinetti Index: Understanding Its Cyclical and Long-Term Features and Its Important Implications for Macroeconomic Policy

ABSTRACT This article explores the long-term and cyclical effects of the Pasinetti Index (PI) and their implications for income distribution and macroeconomic policy in a post-pandemic environment marked by inflationary pressures and increasingly restrictive central bank policies. It discusses the relevance of adopting a zero PI as monetary policy framework as either a short-term target or a long-term norm. The research underscores the importance of coordinating monetary and fiscal policies to achieve a balanced mix of short-term and long-term macroeconomic goals, as per the Pasinetti rule, aimed at stabilizing income distribution between rentier and non-rentier groups without compromising on a Keynesian full employment commitment. By analyzing historical data and employing a SVAR model for Canada and the United States, the study highlights the significant cyclical impact of PI fluctuations on unemployment and income distribution. The findings challenge the efficacy of rigid monetary policy rules and support a macroeconomic policy that reconciles short-term employment objectives and long-term distributional goals.

Cartographies of infrastructural imaginations: mapping ecological utopias and dystopias in the Global South

This article provides the reader with a theoretical framework and a method of representing cities called cartographies of infrastructural imaginations. The study employs mapping methods from the fields of architecture, urban geography and visual cultures. The research inquires about the role of cartography in the analysis of discourses that define policies of water supply, food distribution and land-use regulation, which are three environmental challenges in cities. How can we identify and situate the urban actors that attend to such challenges in cities from the Global South? The research is empirically grounded in Mexico City, Shanghai and Bangalore, urban settlements with a history of colonial occupation in previous centuries. Their foreign interventions still shape urban imaginaries of these cities. The method of blending photographic analysis with maps aims to offer objective precision of geographical data and subjective street-level views of local stories. The intention is to understand where the infrastructural ideas come from, and how imaginaries flow to communicate visions about the development of the city. A central task here is to frame how power structures interact and represent their interests via utopian and dystopian narratives.

공급이 제한된 필수 자원의 공정성을 고려한 분배 방법 연구

This study addresses methods for efficiently and equitably distributing limited essential resources in crisis situations such as pandemics and climate change. In these scenarios, it is crucial to consider public welfare alongside efficiency when distributing scarce resources like medical supplies or food. This study introduces a fairness measure based on the Gini coefficient, grounded in utility, and employs a bi-objective optimization model to balance efficiency and fairness. The proposed distribution method is validated through a simulation model. The effects of various policy scenarios are compared and analyzed. Through the simulation experiments, the study demonstrated that distribution policies considering the elderly population ratio and equity are effective in achieving both efficiency and fairness in resource allocation. These findings provide practical approaches for policymakers, helping them make better decisions during emergencies with limited supply.

Exploring learning characteristics and progression ofGPtrainees based in regional, rural and remote settings:Aqualitative study.

Globally, most doctors train and work in metropolitan areas but a key strategy for developing the rural health workforce is expanding rural training. The aim of this study was to describe the scope and quality of learning along with skill acquisition of GP trainees based in regional, rural, and remote settings. Regional, rural and remote settings in Queensland Australia excluding Brisbane. Thirty-seven general practice trainees who had undertaken their first community placement were recruited from regional, rural and remote learning settings within Queensland. Qualitative descriptive methodology based on constructionist epistemology was employed which allowed for the exploration of current GP trainees' experiences. Trainees were interviewed and data were thematically analysed as to the scope and quality of learning by the setting of training. Learning experiences were then mapped against the Dreyfus and Dreyfus model to explore skill acquisition. In terms of the scope and quality of learning, rural and remote trainees mainly focused on the diverse and unique (sometimes challenging) experiences their setting offered compared with regionally based trainees. Mapping of the trainee comments to the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition demonstrated that regardless of setting, equivalent learning occurred by GP trainees. This exploratory study provides evidence that rural and remote learning may provide a more diverse and challenging experience. It suggests an equivalence of quality of education and skill acquisition across settings rural, regional and remote. This suggests that the training distribution policies may not disadvantage GP trainees and the scope and quality of more remote learning may increase uptake of remote placements.

Capacity management under uncertain demand and distribution policies: the case of Indian vaccine supply chain

The present study investigates the cause-and-effect relationships between production capacity decisions and the choice of distribution policy aspects of managing an extensive vaccination programme. The Indian COVID-19 vaccine supply chain is taken as a case study, and Indian demographic data is utilised. A Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) model is developed to estimate time period-wise demand corresponding to each distribution policy. Furthermore, eight different capacity management models involving different capacity addition and transfer strategies for four different distribution policies are formulated. The trade-off between effectiveness and efficiency objectives, namely Vaccine Supply Chain total cost and service level, is investigated by comparing the Pareto frontiers of the proposed models. Furthermore, the models are compared based on capacity transfer cost, capacity addition cost, and variation in region-wise service level. The results reveal that organisations can simultaneously save significant costs and achieve higher service levels if they cautiously align their capacity management approach and the distribution policy on the demand front. Capacity management interventions at the national level result in more service levels and lower variation and costs than at the regional level.

Advancing Military Medical Planning in Large Scale Combat Operations: Insights From Computer Simulation and Experimentation in NATO's Vigorous Warrior Exercise 2024.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine from Russian invasion presents a critical challenge to medical planning in the context of multi-domain battle against a peer adversary deploying conventional weapon systems. The potential escalation of preventable morbidity and mortality, reaching a scale unprecedented since World War II, underscores the paramount importance of effective phases of care from Point of Injury (PoI)/Point of Wounding (PoW) or Point of Exposure (PoE) to Role 1 (R1) and Role 2 (R2) echelons of care.The NATO Vigorous Warrior (VW) Live Exercise (LIVEX) serves as a strategic platform for NATO and its partners, providing an opportunity to challenge operational concepts, experiment, innovate life-saving systems, and foster best practices across the Alliance. This study delineates the strategic application of the VW LIVEX platform for the adaptation of the computational simulation software Simulation for the Assessment and Optimization of Medical Disaster Management (SIMEDIS) within the context of Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO). The SIMEDIS computer simulator plays a pivotal role by furnishing real-time insights into the evolving injury patterns of patients, employing an all-hazards approach. This simulator facilitates the examination of temporal shifts in medical timelines and the ramifications of resource scarcity against both morbidity and mortality outcomes. The VW LIVEX provides a unique opportunity for systematic validation to evaluate the results of the computer simulator in a realistic setting and identify gaps for future concepts of operations. We report the process and methodologies to be evaluated at the VW LIVEX in far forward and retrospective medical support operations. Using the SIMEDIS simulator, we can define battlefield scenarios for varied situations including artillery, drone strikes, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and explosive (CBRNe) attacks. Casualty health progressions versus time are dependent on each threat. Mortality is computed based on the concepts found in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) of "self-aid"/"buddy-aid" factoring in the application or absence of definitive traumatic hemorrhage control and on the distribution policy of victims to medical treatment facilities through appropriate Command and Control (C2) ("Scoop and Run" versus "Stay and Play"). The number of medical supplies available along with the number of transport resources and personnel are set and are scalable, with their effect on both morbidity and mortality quantified.Concept of Medical Operations can be optimized and interoperability enhanced when shared data are provided to C2 for prospective medical planning with retrospective data. The SIMEDIS simulator determines best practices of medical management for a myriad of injury types and tactical/operational situations relevant to policy making and battlefield medical planning for LSCO. The VW LIVEX provides a Concept Development and Experimentation platform for SIMEDIS refinement and conclusive insights into medical planning to reduce preventable morbidity and mortality. Recommending further iterations of similar methodologies at other NATO LIVEXs for validation is crucial, as is information sharing across the Alliance and partners to ensure best practice standards are met.

Collective Intrahousehold Labor Supply in Europe: Distribution Factors and Policy Implications

Collective Intrahousehold Labor Supply in Europe: Distribution Factors and Policy Implications

Content Analysis of Dividend Distribution Policy of Indian Listed Companies

Content Analysis of Dividend Distribution Policy of Indian Listed Companies

Contemporary prevalence and practice patterns of out-of-sequence kidney allocation

Since 2021, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network has reported a nearly 10-fold rise in out-of-sequence (OOS) kidney allocation, generating concern and halting development of continuous distribution policies. We report contemporary (2022-2023) practice patterns in OOS allocation using Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data. We examined in sequence vs OOS donors with multivariable logistic regression and skipped vs OOS-accepting recipients with conditional logistic regression. Nearly 20% of kidney placements were OOS, varying from 0% to 43% acsoss organ procurement organizations; the 5 highest OOS-organ procurement organizations accounted for 29% of all OOS. Of OOS kidneys, 33% were declined ≥100 times in the standard allocation sequence and 51% were declined by ≥10 centers before OOS allocation began; 4.5% were made without any in-sequence declines. Nearly, all OOS offers were open offers. OOS kidneys were more likely to be from female, Black, older, donation after cardiac death, hypertensive, diabetic, and elevated creatinine donors. Candidates receiving OOS kidneys were more likely female, Asian, and older than skipped candidates. Higher-volume centers and centers with more White, fewer Hispanic, and more educated waiting list patients underwent transplantation disproportionately with more OOS kidneys. These findings suggest that the current, highly variable, discretionary use of OOS might exacerbate disparities, yet the impact of OOS on organ utilization cannot be determined with data now collected.

The Impact of Economic Globalization on National Economies and Social Structures

An examination of the significant impact of economic globalization on labor markets, income inequality and fiscal policy in both developed and developing countries is presented in this paper. With regard to the labor market, developing countries that shifted from manufacturing to services, such as South Africa, lost many jobs for low-skilled workers. Similarly, in developed regions, while globalization has fostered the growth of high-tech and service industries, it has led to stagnant wages for low-skilled workers. Income inequality has risen: high-skilled workers in the United States have enjoyed wage growth and better employment prospects, while low-skilled workers have suffered. For developing countries in South-East Asia, high-income groups there benefited far more from globalization than low-income groups. Fiscal policy has also suffered. In the European Union, uncoordinated tax policies have posed a challenge to economic cohesion, while in Sri Lanka, political instability has hampered the success of export-oriented strategies. The study concludes that a stable political environment and fair distribution policies are crucial for developing countries, while developed countries should enhance education and implement fair tax policies to reduce inequality. Future research should explore the broader socio-economic impacts of globalization and develop a comprehensive policy framework to deal with its complexities.

Immigrants, slums, and housing policy: The spatial dispersal of the Ethiopian population in Israel

Nearly 40 years after the first wave of Ethiopian immigration to Israel, the country’s Ethiopian population still suffers from significant socioeconomic disadvantage: Many of its members live in highly homogeneous poor neighborhoods, which expose them to a variety of negative externalities. This study is the first to examine empirically the impact of Israel’s policy of absorption and spatial distribution on the formation of homogeneous ghettos of Ethiopians, and the contribution of the government’s major housing assistance programs for Ethiopians to solving or exacerbating this problem. The study, structured into four main stages, embraces a mixed-methods research approach drawing on diverse theoretical and methodological frameworks. In the first stage, we use descriptive statistics to introduce the current characteristics of the Ethiopian population in Israel and compare them with those of other marginalized social groups. In the second stage, we analyze the government’s various housingassistance programs for the Ethiopian population, focusing on three flagship programs. The third stage analyzes the spatial outcomes of the primary housing-assistance program, which remains active to date. Lastly, through in-depth interviews with policymakers and Ethiopian leaders, we delve into the underlying considerations that lay behind the policy decisions made. The research findings indicate that Ethiopians experience social and economic disadvantages, yet their spatial situation seems to be better than that of other disadvantaged groups, because a significant part of this population apparently enjoys the advantages of living in the center of the country. The findings further show that while the various government housing-assistance programs have elevated homeownership rates among Ethiopians, they have not prevent the formation and proliferation of spatial concentrations of poverty. Nor have they ever provided both the means and the knowledge needed to enable Ethiopians households to enhance their quality of life by moving out of these neighborhoods. To truly address the problem of homogeneous concentrations of poverty, a holistic but tailor-made housing policy is essential. This policy should not simply mirroring the national housing policy, which focuses almost exclusively on homeownership, but rather incorporate diverse policy measures for different populations. A good and just housing policy must take into account the existing spatial dynamic and the core–periphery relations and ensure an environment that provides quality employment and education opportunities alongside social networks that the residents can leverage to increase their social, economic, and cultural capital. Otherwise, the government housing-assistance programs will continue to be mere lip service and too little, too late.

The Distribution Policy of Non-Cash Food Assistance in the Sendana Sub-District of Palopo City, Indonesia

The Distribution Policy of Non-Cash Food Assistance in the Sendana Sub-District of Palopo City, Indonesia