Positive Economic Performance Research Articles

A comparative analysis of the economic feasibility of reversible hydrogen systems based on time-resolved operation optimisation

The expansion of fluctuating renewable energy production, such as wind and PV, increases the mismatch to consumption. Power-to-Hydrogen-to-Power (PtHtP) systems are believed to be a key for balancing under and overproductions. PtHtP systems can provide temporal and spatial flexibilities and among them reversible solid oxide cells (rSOC) are a promising technology. They combine production of hydrogen and power in the same electrochemical stack. This generates a financial and environmental benefit since less resources are necessary for enabling both Power-to-Hydrogen and Hydrogen-to-Power. This work investigates the application of rSOC systems in comparison to reversible PEM systems consisting of electrolysis and fuel cell unit. In the present studies time-resolved optimization is employed for simulation of the optimal operation of the PtHtP technologies in different market price conditions for electricity, hydrogen and natural gas and with coupling to industry and district heat. Both systems have a zone of market prices, that allows for a positive economic performance over lifetime. The electricity‑hydrogen price difference in this zone is in the range from −83 €/MWh to 133 €/MWh depending on the scenario. Furthermore, the electricity price fluctuations are found to have the major impact on the profitability. By studying the influence of gas grid fees, one finds that local compressed hydrogen storages can be used only for very short storage timescales up to a few hours. Finally, the derivation of application conditions, that are suitable for the two different spatial kinds of reversible hydrogen systems – spatially concentrated and delocalized and the two technologies – rSOC and PEM, is made.

The impact of broadband China and low-carbon pilot on China's urban carbon emissions

In the context of global environmental governance, a reduction in carbon emissions (CE) is critical for sustainable development. This article delves into the correlation between China's dual pilot policy (DPP), comprising the broadband China city pilot (BCCP) and low-carbon city pilot (LCCP), and CE using panel data for 281 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2020 and a staggered difference-in-differences approach. Our results demonstrate that the DPP contributes to reducing CE. In this regard, we find that DPP exerts a more significant negative effect on CE when the LCCP precedes the BCCP, compared to the BCCP preceding the LCCP. Heterogeneity analysis shows that urban location and resource utilization patterns influence DPP's impact on CE reduction. Moreover, green technology innovation and industrial agglomeration account for the relationship between DPP and CE. The DPP additionally exhibits positive economic performance, benefiting urban sustainability. Taken together, these findings reveal how the DPP negatively affects CE, providing key evidence for regional green economy advancement.

Farm biomass photovoltaic distributed generation system delivers positive economic performance under carbon trading policy

Farm biomass photovoltaic distributed generation system delivers positive economic performance under carbon trading policy

Farm biomass photovoltaic distributed generation system delivers positive economic performance under carbon trading policy

Farm biomass photovoltaic distributed generation system delivers positive economic performance under carbon trading policy

Regional convergence in the European Union – Factors of growth between the great recession and the COVID crisis

In this paper, we provide a new look at convergence in the EU while focusing on development at the regional level between the Great Recession and the recent COVID crisis. We use the log t convergence test by Phillips and Sul (2007) to analyze convergence in income level among the European regions. We identified five convergence clubs rather than supporting the overall convergence hypothesis. Furthermore, we investigated the determinants of convergence club membership using logistic regression. Our results confirmed high inequality within the member states and a shifting geographic pattern of the top-performing regions, with the increasing prominence of the manufacturing core in southern Germany and the surrounding areas. We found a positive association between membership in higher clubs, research and patent activities, and specialization in manufacturing. We also confirmed the positive economic performance of capital cities and the main metropolitan areas.

The Price (and Costs) of Macroeconomic Stability in Peru: Some Lessons on the Implications of FDI‐driven Growth

ABSTRACTIn the period 2000–2019, Peru enjoyed sustained GDP growth and a long period of macroeconomic stability; as a result, poverty was reduced markedly in comparison to the 1980s and early 1990s, when the country faced severe recessions and hyperinflation. This positive economic performance coincided with the implementation of a mainstream macroeconomic framework which, alongside favourable external conditions, allowed for continuous external financing of current account deficits, mainly through foreign direct investment (FDI). Against the background of current debates regarding the resurgence of debt crises and the advocacy of FDI as a way to avoid such crises, this article uses balance of payments and international investment position statistics to assess whether Peru's acquired macroeconomic stability can be deemed sustainable. Drawing on the contributions of the Latin American structuralist school and more recent analyses that have raised concerns, the article shows that Peru's external position has taken on a Ponzi profile, casting doubt on the idea that FDI is a superior way of external financing compared to external debt. It concludes with a discussion of the social and environmental implications of Peru's widely praised macroeconomic framework, highlighting the limits that peripheral economies face when their growth relies excessively on external financing.

Economic Feasibility and Water Footprint Analysis for Smart Irrigation Systems in Palm Oil Industry

The Malaysian palm oil industry is the second largest global producer of palm oil products in the world after Indonesia. However, oil palm plantation activities are typically very labour-intensive and inefficient. The rapid development of technologies, especially Industry Revolution 4.0 technologies, has brought forward a variety of advanced smart technologies and systems that can be adapted in the palm oil industry to improve the efficiency and yields in the industry as well as create better economic performance. This work aims to explore and quantify the potential of adaption and implementations of smart irrigation system in oil palm plantations. The proposed approach considers economic performance (return of investment, ROI) and water footprint (additional water usage) of smart irrigation. In addition, the analysis also includes the consideration of different server setup options and plantation sizes. The results show that smart irrigation is a feasible method to be implemented in oil palm plantations with positive economic performance for plantation with land size more than 1.5 ha. The findings also show a significant reduction in water footprint and costs in the smart irrigation system to achieve optimal moisture conditions in a plantation. This paper provides insight for oil palm stakeholders to understand the feasibility and performance of smart irrigation systems as a feasible option to transform oil palm plantations with Industrial Revolution 4.0 technologies.

Life Cycle Assessment and Cost–Benefit Analysis as Combined Economic–Environmental Assessment Tools: Application to an Anaerobic Digestion Plant

In the present study, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Cost–Benefit Analysis (CBA), we assess the economic–environmental performance of an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, fed by cultured crops (i.e., maize and wheat), in Italy. The biogas generated by the AD plant is used for the production of electricity, imputed into the Italian energy grid. The LCA evaluated potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, measured via Carbon Footprint (CF), while the CBA analysed the financial and economic profiles via the Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) indicators. The strength of combining these methodologies is the joint examination of the financial and social–environmental performance of the plant. The results of the CBA are complemented with the GHG emissions avoided by producing electricity from biogas. The CF of 0.28 kg CO2eq·kWh−1 of electricity produced is mainly due to the nitrogen fertilizers involved in the production of the additional feedstock matrix (i.e., maize flour). In the CBA, the negative financial NPV and the financial IRR, which is lower than the discount rate applied, highlight the inability of the net revenue to repay the initial investment. Regarding the social desirability, the economic analysis, enriched by the LCA outcomes, shows a positive economic performance, demonstrating that the combination of information from different methodologies enables wider consideration for the anaerobic digestion plant. In line with the Italian Recovery and Resilience Plan’s aim to strongly increase the exploitation of renewable resources, an AD plant fed by dedicated crops could valorise the marginal uncultivated land, obtaining energy without consuming land for food production. Moreover, this AD plant could contribute to the creation of repeatable small-scale energy production systems able to sustain the demand of local communities.

The impact of internal and external green supply chain management activities on performance improvement: evidence from the automobile industry

Although the significance of green supply chain management activities on corporation sustainable development has been highlighted in the literature, the potential inter-dependencies between these activities and corporation performance have not been investigated by considering cooperation moderation. The purpose of this research is to examine internal and external Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) activity on automobile performance: Environmental performance, operational performance, positive economic performance, and negative economic performance. Using survey data from foreign-owned company A with 117 manufacturing firms and domestic company B with 94 manufacturing firms, a significant relationship between GSCM and corporation performance has been found. For foreign-owned automobile companies, internal organizational activity has the greatest influence on operational performance, and promotes corporate value and corporation with outside. However, for domestic automobile companies with the advanced green concept, Eco-design exerts the biggest effect on environmental performance, and also brought a negative economic impact on corporate performance. Moreover, although both corporate social responsibility (CSR) and creating shared value (CSV) promotion could influence the corporation with consumers and suppliers, CSV promotion has a more positive influence on cooperation with consumers than that CSR. These findings have important implications for designing GSCM strategic plans for the automotive industry in developing countries.

Microbial oil and biodiesel production in an integrated sugarcane biorefinery: Techno-economic and life cycle assessment

Biodiesel and bioethanol play an important role as renewable liquid fuels. Bagasse, a by-product from the bioethanol industry, can generate a “sugarcane bagasse hemicellulose hydrolysate” (SCBH) that contains fermentable sugars, mainly xylose. Oleaginous yeasts (eg., Rhodotorula toruloides) can grow in SCBH, producing microbial oil (MO), a source of triacylglycerol for biodiesel production. The integration of bioethanol and biodiesel (from MO) production may be a promising approach in order to exploit synergies between bioethanol and biodiesel processes within a biorefinery. This integration may improve the economic and environmental performance of both processes. This work presents the techno-economic-environmental analysis of the integrated production of first-generation bioethanol, bioelectricity, and biodiesel in a Brazilian sugarcane biorefinery, where MO from the yeast R. toruloides feeds the biodiesel unit. The biorefinery, processing 4.0 million t of sugarcane per harvest, produces 71.7 m3/h of bioethanol, 2.55 m3/h of biodiesel (that can replace 75.6% of the diesel demand in the field), and 86.3 MW of surplus bioelectricity. A life cycle assessment shows that the integrated biorefinery had a lower environmental impact than the first-generation bioethanol plant. The integrated process exhibits a positive economic performance (net present value of approx. 110 million of dollars and internal rate of return of about 14.5% per year, higher than the minimum acceptable rate of return, assumed as 11% per year), indicating that this is a feasible industrial option. Sensitivity analysis shows that R&D should mainly focus on the MO bioreactor operation.

Overcoming barriers to supply chain decarbonization: Case studies of first movers

Excess greenhouse gas emissions from human and industrial activities are believed to be the key cause of catastrophic climate change. According to the United Nations, carbon neutrality by 2050 is the world's most urgent mission. Many countries recently made commitments to this mission; however, at a supply chain level, little is known about barriers to carbon neutrality, circumventing strategies, and their performance implications. This pioneering study addresses the knowledge gap by case studies of six first movers. We find four common barriers: “major upfront investment costs,” “lack of awareness,” “lack of expertise,” and “resistant mindset.” Small and medium-sized enterprises face additional barriers relating to “lack of support from supply chain partners” and “uncertainty in return on investment.” We find that most first movers achieved positive economic performance associated with their carbon neutrality initiatives. Based on the findings and the literature, we develop a framework and discuss practical implications for governments and businesses to jointly overcome barriers to supply chain decarbonization.

Genetic Stock Identification and Adaptability of Hatchery-Reared Black Rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii, Released Into the North Yellow Sea waters

Successful stock enhancement refers to the maintenance of economic profit, whilst minimizing negative genetic and ecological effects. As hatchery environments differ from natural habitats, post-release identification of hatchery-reared juveniles, and estimation of their adaptability are essential steps in conducting responsible stock enhancement. The black rockfish is an important fishery species in Japan, South Korea and China. Overfishing has dramatically decreased natural resources and a stock enhancement program was first initiated in the Liaodong peninsula in 2019. We traced this program and used nine microsatellite markers to identify 279 individuals as being hatchery-reared, out of 710 captured fish, with a resource contribution rate of 39.30%. These results indicated that stock enhancement of this species is likely to maintain a positive economic performance. To understand the potential genetic impacts on the local wild population, the genetic patterns of S. schlegelii stocks (wild controls from 2017, wild controls from 2018, female broodstock from 2019, recaptured hatchery-reared fish from 2019 and recaptured non-hatchery-reared fish from 2019 stocks) from the same habitat were evaluated before and after artificial stocking. We found that the S. schlegelii population was able to maintain high genetic diversity and showed weak genetic differentiation, but potential genetic introgression derived from stock enhancement should be concerned. The hatchery-reared individuals showed good adaptability, as shown by feeding condition and growth status. There was no obvious morphology difference between hatchery-reared fish and their wild counterparts, but hatchery-reared fish seemed to be bigger in size (significantly higher in MDB and BW), had a larger head (significantly larger in PRL/HL and ID/HL) and smaller paired fins (significantly smaller PCFL/BL), when compared with wild individuals across all investigation months. Our results provided insights into management of black rockfish enhancement in the future.

Integral analysis of environmental and economic performance of combined agricultural intensification & bioenergy production in the Orinoquia region

Agricultural intensification is a key strategy to help meet increasing demand for food and bioenergy. It has the potential to reduce direct and indirect land use change (LUC) and associated environmental impacts while contributing to a favorable economic performance of the agriculture sector. We conduct an integral analysis of environmental and economic impacts of LUC from projected agricultural intensification and bioenergy production in the Orinoquia region in 2030. We compare three agricultural intensification scenarios (low, medium, high) and a reference scenario, which assumes a business-as-usual development of agricultural production. The results show that with current inefficient management or with only very little intensification between 26% and 93% of the existing natural vegetation areas will be converted to agricultural land to meet increasing food demand. This results in the loss of biodiversity by 53% and increased water consumption by 111%. In the medium and high scenarios, the intensification allows meeting increased food demand within current agricultural lands and even generating surplus land which can be used to produce bioenergy crops. This results in the reduction of biodiversity loss by 8–13% with medium and high levels of intensification compared to the situation in 2018. Also, a positive economic performance is observed, stemming primarily from intensification of cattle production and additional energy crop production. Despite increasing irrigation efficiency in more intensive production systems, the water demand for perennial crops and cattle production over the dry season increases significantly, thus sustainable management practices that target efficient water use are needed. Agricultural productivity improvements, particularly for cattle production, are crucial for reducing the pressure on natural areas from increasing demand for both food products and bioenergy. This implies targeted investments in the agricultural sector and integrated planning of land use. Our results showed that production intensification in the Orinoquia region is a mechanism that could reduce the pressure on natural land and its associated environmental and economic impacts.

Investigating Green Supply Chain Management Practices and Performance among Apparel Manufacturing Firms

Globally, industries are attempting to implement green practices not only in their production process; but also to reduce environmental impact in their supply chain. A developing country like India houses plenty of manufacturing firms; and among them the apparel industry is a notable sector with numerous small and medium enterprises. Irrespective of size, these firms are poised to implement green supply chain management (GSCM). The present research attempts to explore GSCM practices and empirically understand the relationship between GSCM pressure, practices and performance. The study considered 198 firms and a structured questionnaire was used to collect the responses. The results indicated that GSCM pressures drive firms to implement GSCM practices which have a significant effect on environmental and positive economic performance. Hence, it is recommended that firms seeking to have access to large markets should be proactive and design a supply chain that is less harmful to the environment.

News Management, Moral Hazard, and the Properties of Earnings, Prices, and Compensation

I explore the theoretical properties of earnings, prices, and compensation contracts under the assumption that strategic managers are evaluated based on audited financial reports of their own making. If auditors require managers to provide verifiable evidence substantiating the contents of their financial reports, and if such evidence is produced with the agency problem in mind, then the model rationalizes market values that exceed book values, a reporting preference for immediate expensing, historical cost, or fair value depending on the cost of producing verifiable evidence, compensation contracts with floors and ceilings, an asymmetric relation between positive versus negative economic performance and earnings, a discontinuity in the earnings distribution, and an S-shaped earnings-returns relation. These phenomena are concentrated in settings where the cost of producing verifiable evidence is moderate and assets are optimally held at historical cost.

Financial and economic characteristics of the organization's life cycle

One of the most acceptable scientific and methodological approaches to work in difficult economic conditions is regular and targeted management of the life cycle of a business organization as an open social and economic system. Any system develops and changes, passing through typical stages or cyclic states of its development. Studying the enterprise from the point of view of the life cycle allows to increase efficiency of financial and economic activity exactly at the specified stage and in due time to develop measures on prevention or weakening of negative and increase of positive results. The analysis of scientific researches has allowed to define the "life cycle of an enterprise" as a quantitatively limited set of stages or states within which the enterprise is during its existence and development. With regard to the functioning of a business organization, the following stages of its life cycle have traditionally been identified: creation, growth, maturity and crisis. Depending on the stage of the life cycle, a business organization should focus on various aspects of its financial and economic activities. Development of a business organization is to ensure the transition from the first and second stages to the third, and the longest possible retention (maturity stage) with timely identification of signs of the fourth stage (crisis) in order to prevent it by retaining the existing positions, returning to the second stage, diversification or transition to a new life cycle. Each stage of development has its key aspects on which management should focus to achieve and maintain positive financial and economic performance. Correspondence of life cycle stages and financial and economic priorities gives grounds for development of the system of financial and economic indicators and formation of limits of their permissible fluctuations within each stage. Based on the values of financial and economic indicators and their dynamics, it is possible, firstly, to contribute to more accurate diagnostics of the life cycle stage of a business organization; secondly, to improve the efficiency of a business organization at each stage by adjusting the values of indicators within the optimal ranges and applying adequate managerial impacts.

Techno-economic comparison of buildings acting as Single-Self Consumers or as energy community through multiple economic scenarios

The European Union has set ambitious targets to move towards a society with high penetration of renewable energy sources. In the forthcoming energy transition, Energy Communities (EC), i.e., legal entities where different actors, including citizens, cooperate in energy generation, storage and management, will play a crucial role. The present work simulates the energy flows and assesses the potential economic benefits of a cluster of buildings acting collectively as an energy community – a specific case study is set in northern Italy by comparing the EC performance with a configuration where customers act as Single Self-Consumers (SSCs). Pending the transposition of EU Directives to binding national laws, due by 2021, different supporting tariffs (economic scenarios) have been simulated in order to determine which scheme will support more effectively the integration of Energy Communities in the national energy market. Results show that ECs (i.e., customers acting collectively as energy prosumers) are able to accelerate the diffusion of building-integrated renewable energy sources (RES), resulting in higher overall self-consumption rates than SSCs. Self-consumed electricity generates savings on the energy bill of EC, and we calculated positive economic performance indicators for all the analysed economic scenarios. The sensitivity analysis carried out on system and transport charges of the electricity bill shows their remarkable impact on the economics making the EC less attractive for investors and citizens without proper supporting schemes.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT WITHIN CONTEMPORARY ORGANIZATIONS. A REVIEW OF TRANSFORMATIONAL SYSTEMS FOR EMPLOYEE EVALUATION

Individual performance evaluations are usually performed annually, and they are related, directly or indirectly, to the economic performance of companies. The positive economic performance at the company level materializes mainly for the top management representatives in significant performance bonuses. The aim of the current paper is to investigate individual performance assessment within contemporary organizations. The research methodology proposes a thorough literature review of the relevant research conducted in the last decades. The paper analyses the conflict between measurement and development functions of an individual performance assessment system, it investigates the transformational perspectives on individual performance assessment in modern organizations and it identifies opportunities for improving employee evaluation system by providing a productive framework for individual performance assessment based on literature review.

Perfil de conduta econômica, ambiental e social

A interferência do ser humano sobre o meio ambiente, tem causado impactos negativos, aumentando as discussões acerca de ações que visem o equilíbrio da preservação ambiental, melhoria das condições sociais e a manutenção do desempenho econômico e financeiro positivo, buscando não comprometer a qualidade de vida da população atual e futura do planeta. Com isso objetiva-se verificar o comportamento de uma indústria metal mecânica com relação as condutas econômicas, ambientais e sociais adotadas com base no modelo ECT-Triplo de Abreu et al., (2008). Para tanto tem-se uma pesquisa descritiva, estudo de campo e quantitativa. Para a realização dessa pesquisa utilizou-se para a coleta de dados coletados o questionários com questões fechadas e abertas com 32 colaboradores (funcionários) de uma indústria metal mecanica. Os resultados indicam que a empresa analisada apresenta desempenho triplo , prosposto por Abreu et al. (2008), decorrente de suas atividades econômicas, ambientais e sociais, sendo que a análise desses indicadores possibilitaram identificar o posicionamento estratégico com relação as ações sócio ambientais da empresa, verificando o efeito de suas ações estratégicas no resultado econômico financeiro. Palavras chaves: Gestão. Sustentabilidade. Social e Ambiental. ECP-Triplo. Desenvolvimento Sustentável.

Is Social Media Adoption a Powerful Means to Reach High Performance in Small- and Medium-Sized Firms? An Empirical Investigation

Social media represent today an essential part of marketing strategies in business life. These communication tools are used as a source of information and dissemination of knowledge and belong to very important business marketing tactics as they help create new business opportunities, develop a stronger market position and, often contribute to changing consumer behaviour. In particular, this study investigates if and how the use of Facebook and Instagram positively affects business performance. Analyzing a sample of 30 successful European businesses that have registered relevant revenue growth in the last 3-year period, findings show that Facebook and Instagram adoption is neutral with reference to the achievement of positive financial and economic performance. An interpretive model is conceived to point out different kinds of social media adopters. Implications and limitations are discussed.