Public Private Sector Research Articles

Global Pathology: A Snapshot of the Problems, the Progress, and the Potential.

For equitable global health care, the United Nations has outlined Sustainable Development Goals for health in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) with the goal of reaching universal health care by 2030. Currently, 47% of the global population lacks access to basic diagnostics for many common diseases. The need for diagnostic access has never been more critical owing to the dramatic rise of noncommunicable diseases in LMICS. In a recent analysis, The Lancet Commission on Diagnostics estimated that 1.1 million deaths occurring on an annual basis could be avoided if the diagnostic gap were reduced to 10% for only 6 priority conditions. To provide a nonexhaustive summary of the progress made to overcome the barriers to adequate access and explore the potential solutions needed to achieve global diagnostic equity. Several experts in global pathology were interviewed in addition to pathologists working in low-resource settings outside of the United States. Published literature on the topic of global pathology work was analyzed and summarized to provide a cohesive snapshot of the status of global pathology. Working to increase access to diagnostics in low-resource settings will save millions of lives. The solution to the current inadequate availability of global pathology services will require a global commitment from the entire pathology and laboratory medicine community, government support, and collaboration between the public-private sectors to achieve equitable health care.

Strain induced nitrobenzene sensing performance of MoSi2N4 monolayer: Investigation from density functional theory

The observing of environmental contaminant of Nitrobenzene (NB), from effluent discharges is a critical component of the surveillance to be conducted by public authorities and private sectors. By the way, the present work examines the NB adsorption behaviour of recently synthesized two-dimensional (2D) material MoSi2N4 through density functional theory (DFT). We observed that when increasing the percentage of strain (2, 4, 6 and 10 %) the adsorption energy also increasing reasonably compared to the unstrained case. The bandgap reduction was observed when gas molecule interacts with the strained MoSi2N4 and also the Bader charge calculation claims that the quantity of charge transferred between orbitals of N 2p of MoSi2N4 and the O 2p of NB. 4 % strain shows reasonable binding energy of 1.0201 eV with recovery time of 3.15 min. Moreover, there is strong bonding between N of MoSi2N4 and O of NB as evidenced from wavefunction analysis. 10 % strained system is stable at 600 K, which is examined through ab initio molecular dynamics study. The present theoretical investigation validates the 4 % strained MoSi2N4 can be fabricated as a sensor to detect the NB gas molecule.

Re-Viewing Sumitro’s Policy and Industrial Maturity: Powering Downstream and Manufacturing Industries for Economic Growth and Sustainable Society

During the 1950s, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo contributed in a significant manner to the construction of the economy of Indonesia, along with other figures, namely Mohammad Hatta, Sjafruddin Prawiranegara, and Djuanda Kartawidjaja. During this period, Sumitro promoted policies to drive industrialization in Indonesia and self-reliance to transform Indonesia from a colonial economy into a developing nation. Soemitro Djojohadikusumo’s economic policies were pivotal in shaping Indonesia’s post-colonial economy; focusing on production and industrial sovereignty, he emphasized reducing dependency on imports by fostering domestic industries, especially strategic sectors like heavy industry and natural resource processing, which he saw as crucial to national sovereignty. Soemitro also promoted stimulating economic activities through both public investment and private sector engagement, aiming to diversify the economy and drive sustained growth. Many of the challenges Soemitro addressed, such as infrastructural gaps and weak technological readiness, which remain relevant today. This research analyzes to what extent the economic policy shaped by Sumitro impacts Indonesia’s development. This analysis has significance in understanding Indonesia’s contemporary economic planning and trends, particularly in terms of economic policy shaped by the newly elected President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto. Analysis of Sumitro’s policy is conducted through the lenses of the industrial maturity concept, which is relevant to growth theory, resource-based view, and development economics. Indonesia’s pursuit of industrial maturity is crucial for transforming its raw resource-based economy into one that competes globally by adding value to domestic production. The need to revitalize manufacturing and strengthen downstream industries is critical for boosting competitiveness and integrating circular economic principles that emphasize sustainability. Soemitro’s vision of empowering society aligns with modern approaches to creating a more inclusive economy. However, infrastructure bottlenecks, a lagging education system, and regulatory complexities continue to slow the progress. Addressing supply chain challenges through regional industrial clustering and focusing on efficiency will be vital for overcoming these barriers. Further empirical research is needed to explore how infrastructure, education reform, and regulatory simplification can enhance Indonesia’s industrial maturity and sustainable economic development.

Successful Collaborations that Resulted in Increased U.S. Diagnostic Testing During the 2022 Mpox Outbreak.

The first case of mpox was detected in the United States in a Laboratory Response Network (LRN) laboratory at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on May 17, 2022. Through previous years of smallpox preparedness efforts by the United States government, testing capacity in LRN laboratories across the United States utilizing the FDA-cleared Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Non-variola orthopoxvirus (NVO) test was approximately 6000 tests weekly across the nation prior to the mpox outbreak. By early June 2022, the LRN laboratories had capacity to perform up to 8000 tests per week. As the outbreak expanded, cases were identified in every United States state, peaking at~3000 cases per week nationally in August 2022. Although NVO testing capacity in LRN laboratories exceeded national mpox testing demand overall, LRN testing access in some areas was challenged and test expansion was necessary. CDC engaged with partners and select commercial laboratories early to increase diagnostic testing access by allowing these commercial laboratories to utilize the NVO test. The expansion of testing to commercial laboratories increased testing availability, capacity, and volume nationwide. This was the first time that CDC shared an FDA 510k-cleared molecular test with commercial laboratories to support a public health emergency. Extensive efforts were made to ensure the CDC NVO test was used appropriately in the private sector and that the transfer process met regulatory requirements. These novel methods to expand NVO testing to commercial laboratories increased national testing capacity to 80000 mpox tests/week. Test volumes among these laboratories never exceeded this expanded capacity. The rapid increase in the nation's testing capacity, in conjunction and coordination with other public and private health efforts, helped to detect cases rapidly. These actions demonstrated the importance of highly functional and efficient public health and private sector partnerships for responding to public health emergencies.

Growing the peer workforce in rural mental health and social and emotional well-being services: A scoping review of the literature.

Growing the mental health peer workforce holds promise for rural communities, but we currently lack an understanding of the guidance available to support the development, implementation and sustainability of this workforce in rural settings. Study aims are to: (1) determine the extent and nature of the literature that provides guidance for growing the peer workforce in rural mental health services; and (2) identify and explore any guidance relevant to rural peer work services dedicated to First Nations communities, including those promoting social and emotional well-being within this body of literature. A scoping review method was employed to identify relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2013 and 2022 across PsychInfo, Medline, Embase and CINAHL, Scopus and Informit HealthInfoNet databases, as well as targeted organisation websites and Google Advanced Search. A total of 26 unique studies/projects were included from the US, UK, Canada and Australia with public mental health, non-government/for purpose and private sector service settings represented in the literature. Grey literature, such as reports of evaluations and frameworks, formed the majority of included texts. While there is a lesser volume of rurally focused literature relative to the general peer work literature, this is a rich body of knowledge, which includes guidance concerning services dedicated to First Nations communities. Via synthesis critical considerations were identified for the development, implementation and sustainability of peer work in rural mental health services across six domains: 'Working with community members and stakeholders', 'Organisational culture and governance', Working with others and in teams, Professional expertise and experience, Being part of and working in the community and 'Local mental health services capacity'. While there are considerations relevant across a range of settings, the domains of: 'working with community members and stakeholders', 'being part of and working in the community' and 'local mental health services capacity', capture additional, distinct and nuanced challenges and opportunities for growing the peer work in rural services. The literature offers insights valuable for service planning, policy development and the allocation of resources to support rural peer workforce growth.

Digital payment systems in emerging economies: Lessons from Kenya, India, Brazil, and Peru

Digitalization of retail payments has facilitated financial inclusion. This is recognized to stimulate growth, alleviate poverty, and address gender disparities in the financial sector. This paper closely examines four prominent payment solutions in the developing world, namely M-Pesa in Kenya, UPI in India, Pix in Brazil, and Yape in Peru. These payment systems differ enough in their key characteristics to draw useful lessons from their successful implementation. We employ a descriptive approach based on a three-dimensional conceptual framework that emphasizes the role played by payment service providers, the role played by regulators and central banks, and the degree of payment system interoperability. We then attempt to make this framework operational by suggesting a way to quantitatively represent the four payment systems examined. While these varied experiences demonstrate that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, they highlight the necessity of active public-private sector cooperation and placing the end user at the center of such initiatives.

Healthcare access and deprivation in low-income urban households

The financial situation of households is related to their access to healthcare and their level of deprivation. This study analysed the factors that influence access to healthcare among low-income households in Gauteng, South Africa. A quantitative cross-sectional design was adopted using the binary logistic regression technique, drawing on the Gauteng City-Region Observatory Quality of Life 2020/2021 data, consisting of 9700 observations randomly drawn from eight municipalities. Based on marginal effects, the study findings revealed that seven factors significantly influenced access to healthcare. That is, healthcare source, nonuse of public facilities, proximity to a healthcare facility, satisfaction with healthcare services, medical aid, health status, health work, social health activities, and chronic illness. More effort is needed to harness Gauteng’s economic progress towards alleviating poverty and increasing opportunities to lift low-income households out of the poverty trap. Investment in an advanced public health care system, public–private sector coordination, improved health budget allocation, and doctor-patient ratio will reduce the out-of-pocket costs of poor households.

Scenario Modeling for Dentistry in Malaysia: Utilization, Privatization, and Specialization

Abstract Aim: To study to model future clinical dental workforce scenarios in Malaysia, in relation to population need–demand, to inform future change. Materials and Methods: A system dynamics (SD) model was developed in Vensim-software to model the need/demand and supply for dental care across public–private sectors over 3 decades (2010–2040). This model included two sub-models relating to “need/demand” and “supply,” drawing on national evidence from two previous studies (student career surveys and interviews of key stakeholders nationally), together with relevant available data. This SD model provided the baseline model (S1) for Malaysia and four-distinctive-scenarios (S2–5), involving enhancing generalists–specialists across public–private sectors. An additional scenario (S6) was run to optimize workforce utilization, informed by career expectations of emerging graduates drawing on earlier scenarios (S2–5). Results: Modeling future five-scenarios highlighted the gap in dental workforce nationally across both sectors could range from a surplus of a total of 3739 dentists and 817 therapists in the baseline scenario to a total shortfall of 1249 dentists and surplus of 817 therapists by the year 2040, influenced by dentist working patterns, specialization, and privatization. Increasing the potential for specialist training and permitting emerging graduates’ to working part-time, while optimizing public sector primary care, and responding to the career expectations of emerging graduates, has the potential to absorb potential oversupply, and, thus, utilize the entire clinician dental workforce in Malaysia in the medium term. Conclusion: The findings of this model demonstrate the short-term requirement to expand the Malaysian dental workforce to meet dental needs of the population, highlighting that continued production at the current rate will result in oversupply, unless action is taken to maximize primary care, enhance specialization, and embrace flexible working to meet career expectations of graduates.

Backcasting supports cross-sectoral collaboration and social-technical innovation bundling: case studies in agri-food systems

There is a clear and urgent call to transform our food systems as a critical nexus to tackle ongoing global climate, biodiversity, equity, and nutrition crises. Many food and agricultural innovations are being developed and scaled but these innovations often target sector-specific problems and remain disconnected from the more complex demand for transformative change at scale. To bridge this demand for systemic change within the innovation ecosystem, initiatives are applying various approaches such as visioning, holistic assessments, innovation portfolio management and multistakeholder co-creation. Here we report on insights from applying a food systems tailored backcasting approach in a diversity of settings since 2021, including a national food system dialogue, a youth business innovation challenge, a landscape multi-stakeholder platform, a public-private sector co-learning session, an agroecological transitions program, and a hybrid food systems university course for graduate students and global professionals. We thereby build on existing literature and case studies of how change happens (or does not happen) and aim to use those insights to support food systems change makers. Across these settings, the backcasting approach asks participants to connect innovations with broader systems-change visions, to anticipate tradeoffs for multiple food system outcomes and population groups, and to cross sectoral boundaries. The use cases demonstrate that the backcasting process contributes to changes in views, practices and structures that participants work with. Specifically, it supports moving beyond “silver bullet” innovation approaches, the bundling of social and technical innovations, and building action-oriented cross-sectoral bridges. Food systems change is complex and innovations alone are insufficient to address its complexity. But innovations can play a positive role if connected to more holistic systems-change processes and goals. Considering strengths and limitations of the backcasting approach, the diversity of practical applications supports its potential to connect innovations to holistic food systems visions, to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration and to bundle social and technical innovations for desirable food systems change.

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 management on the workload of human resources working in India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Program

BackgroundIn 1993, WHO declared tuberculosis (TB) as a global health emergency considering 10 million people are battling TB, of which 30% are undiagnosed annually. In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic took an unprecedented toll on health systems in every country. Public health staff already engaged in TB control and numerous other departments were additionally tasked with managing COVID-19, stretching human resource (HR) capacity beyond its limits. As part of an assessment of HR involved in TB control in India, The World Bank Group and partners conducted an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on TB human resources for health (HRH) workloads, with the objective of describing the extent to which TB-related activities could be fulfilled and hypothesizing on future HR requirements to meet those needs.MethodsThe study team conducted a Workload Indicators and Staffing Needs (WISN) analysis according to standard WHO methodology to classify the workloads of priority cadres directly or indirectly involved in TB control activities as over-, adequately or under-worked, in 18 districts across seven states in India. Data collection was done via telephone interviews, and questions were added regarding the proportion of time dedicated to COVID-19 related tasks. We carried out quantitative analysis to describe the time allocated to COVID-19 which otherwise would have been spent on TB activities. We also conducted key informant interviews (KII) with key TB program staff about HRH planning and task-shifting from TB to COVID-19.ResultsWorkload data were collected from 377 respondents working in or together with India’s Central TB Division (CTD). 73% of all respondents (n = 270) reported carrying out COVID-19 tasks. The average time spent on COVID-19 tasks was 4 h / day (n = 72 respondents). Multiple cadres highly instrumental in TB screening and diagnosis, in particular community outreach (ASHA) workers and CBNAAT/TrueNAAT laboratory technicians working at peripheral, block and district levels, were overworked, and spending more than 50% of their time on COVID-19 tasks, reducing time for TB case-finding. Qualitative interviews with laboratory technicians revealed that PCR machines previously used for TB testing were repurposed for COVID-19 testing.ConclusionsThe devastating impact of COVID-19 on HR capacity to conduct TB case-finding in India, as in other settings, cannot be overstated. Our findings provide clear evidence that NTEP human resources did not have time or essential material resources to carry out TB tasks during the COVID pandemic without doing substantial overtime and/or compromising on TB service delivery. To minimize disruptions to routine health services such as TB amidst future emerging infectious diseases, we would do well, during periods of relative calm and stability, to strategically map out how HRH lab staff, public health resources, such as India’s Health and Wellness Centers and public health cadre, and public-private sector collaboration can most optimally absorb shocks to the health system.

UN Resolutions on the Role of Parliaments and Parliamentarians in Accelerating the Achievements of the SDGs

Since the adoption of “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” on 25 September 2015 at the United Nations General Assembly, there have been strong calls for multi-stakeholder engagements in line with SDG 17.17 on partnerships between public, public-private sectors, and civil society. The various calls to different stakeholders include the three resolutions (A/RES/76/270, A/RES/72/278 and A/RES/77/159) adopted by the UN General Assembly on the role of parliaments and parliamentarians in the implementation of the SDGs at the international, national, and local levels. These resolutions highlight the relationship and partnership between the UN and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in SDGs. Elected Members of Parliament (MPs) are the people’s representatives. They represent their voters at the highest legislative body with an oversight role in areas including the allocations of the national resources through the annual budget and monitoring the effective delivery of services. The MPs play the additional role of being the vehicle to highlight the grievances of the people. In this context, the MPs deliberate relevant policies, programmes and legislation associated with the SDGs such as poverty, health, education, employment, climate change and good governance. This article further highlights the role of four parliamentary groups actively mobilising MPs engaged with the SDGs at the international level. These are the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) and Parliamentarians for the Global Goals (PfGG). The article ends with reflections and lessons of the role Malaysian MPs are playing through the APPGM-SDG. There is a need for greater visibility in public policy advocacy in Malaysia and on the global stage. To this end, more resources need to be made available to MPs to encourage their active involvement especially at the United Nations in New York.

Determinants of banking stability in India

Purpose This study aims to examine the various internal and external factors affecting the financial stability of Indian Commercial Banks. The aim is to improve the effectiveness of the Indian banking system in facilitating the transmission of monetary policy and to strengthen its resilience in the event of a banking crisis. Design/methodology/approach A panel data regression analysis is employed on unbalanced panel data of Indian commercial banks including public sector, private sector and foreign sector banks for the period of 2005–2022. Findings This study revealed that Indian banks with higher profits and high capitalization are more stable than others. However, banks with large bank size and high management costs are less stable as compared to other banks. In the case of macroeconomic variables, foreign exchange reserves have a significant positive impact on banking stability. Moreover, the unemployment rate has a significant negative impact on the banking stability of India. Research limitations/implications Research identifies relevant micro and macroeconomic drivers pertaining to India’s banking stability, a developing economy. These findings have significant implications and can attract the attention of analysts, regulators, bankers and academicians in this area. Nevertheless, the scope of the study is limited to the variables chosen to evaluate their contribution to banking stability, but other variables may influence Indian banking conditions. Practical implications Indian banks are advised by the research to place a high priority on profitability, capitalization and effective risk management. Customers and investors should choose banks with strong metrics. The priorities for policymakers should be preserving robust reserves and tackling unemployment with focused initiatives. Adopting digitalization can improve banks’ customer service and operational effectiveness, which is important for overcoming economic obstacles. These tactics provide doable measures to improve the resilience and stability of the banking industry in India and other emerging nations. Originality/value This research differentiates from the rest by focusing solely on the Indian banking system, in contrast to previous ones that often treated India as part of a bigger part like the BRICS or South Asia continent. It acknowledges the need to comprehending the unique traits and difficulties faced by the Indian banking system. Moreover, the current study distinguishes itself by focusing on the combined impact of microeconomic and macroeconomic indicators in the Indian context, unlike earlier research that concentrated on assessing the effects of individual variables. The current study also investigated new variables like corporate governance and foreign exchange reserves in the context of Indian banking which have not been explored by existing literature. Research is also crucial in the context of the analysis’s time frame, since it captures the period of economic transformation that included demonization, implementation of GST, major mergers and global COVID-19 pandemic.

An Empirical Study of Public and Private Sector Bank’s NPA for the Period of 2005-2021

One of the most significant and challenging issues affecting the entire banking industry in India is the problem of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). The primary source of revenue for banks is the interest collected on the loans they extend. However, when banks lend money, they assume the risk of bad credit. This means that the bank is exposed to potential losses if the borrower fails to repay the loan. The conducted analysis addresses the long-standing issues and concerns associated with Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in scheduled commercial banks in India. This paper aims to assess the efficiency of each scheduled commercial bank in India over the period from 2005 to 2021. It evaluates key indicators, including net profit, total assets, total liabilities, and total employment. The aim and objectives of this study are to evaluate the variables impacted by NPA for public sector and private sector banks in India, to identify the scheduled commercial banks' NPA management shortcomings. The methodology which has been implemented in this study descriptive and panel regression analysis. Results shows that the larger NPA is in private sector bank when compared to public sector bank.

Road Traffic Enforcement: Using Technology Through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)

The past two decades have seen a wide - ranging wave of privatizations in formerly government owned or - controlled activities. A government task or service which is funded and operated through a partnership between a public sector authority and private sector company based on guidelines and performance standards set by a public party is typically referred to as a Public Private Partnership (PPP). In most countries traffic enforcement cameras and other equipment are purchased, owned, and operated by government organisations. Back - offices, where violation data are processed, citations issued, and traffic fines collected, have traditionally been government - run activities. In a PPP model, a private party invests and installs enforcement equipment (e. g. speed or red - light cameras) and conducts back office processing, such as sending out violation notices and managing and confirming fine collection. The investment in equipment and related processing and support activities are funded by fine revenues collected from the motoring public over the contract term. Gaining public support, and ultimately acceptance, for the PPP model is crucial, which is why transparency, publicity and continuous communication are key factors for successful and sustainable implementation. Full service PPPs are often organised on a municipal level in close consultation with the local administration and police. Due to the high initial investment and gradual repayment, such PPPs are typically based on longer term contracts. Moreover, the regulatory environment may require some changes to allow involvement of a private party. One process that is difficult to outsource is the formal confirmation of a violation by a review of the photo or video evidence. Generally, this can only be validly performed by an authorised government official, such as a police officer. Depending on laws and regulations applicable to specific jurisdictions, there could be more issues that may limit the extent of the private party’s involvement in these PPPs. When properly implemented, PPP’s in traffic enforcement can considerably contribute to the reduction of casualties, injuries and crashes, as well as improve traffic flow, and increase quality of life with more safety, lower emissions and less noise pollution. Speed reduction also significantly benefits the safety of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, and two - wheelers Personal injury and death on roadways also have a significant impact on the economy through medical costs, lost resources and wages and disability pay outs. These costs are significant and are estimated by the WHO to amount to an average of around 3% of a country’s GNP. This figure rises to 5% in some low - and middle - income countries

HRD Conducts Research Using Public Sector Banks and Private Sector Banks

The banking sector, which is reliant on the health of the public, was discussed in this article. Only people use its services, and they are also the only ones who directly influence productivity. Up until 1969, banking was still in some ways a traditional enterprise. when the Indian government took over major banks. Banks became a powerful force for social change after being nationalized and ceased to be the sole source of finance for industry. The assertion that the banking industry is increasing astronomically is supported by additional proof in the form of statistics. The Indian banking industry needs to be governed by banking professionals if it is to profit from the sector on a global scale. The goal of the study is to look at four important factors that have a big impact on how the banking industry develops in private sector banks: selection and recruitment policies, training, performance appraisal, and compensation. For this descriptive and exploratory analysis, the researcher used a standard random sampling technique. In the study, employee impressions of the HRD environment in the two largest banks are assessed. Additionally, it looks to examine if bank employees working for public and private sector banks have different perspectives on each facet of the HRD climate. The HRD climate is divided into three categories: General Climate, OCTAPACE, and HRD Mechanisms. 200 employees submitted the primary data using a standardized questionnaire with 40 items. KEY WORDS Performance review, bank employees, private banks, and methods of human resource management.

A Study on Public Sector and Private Sector Insurance in India

India’s insurance sector has been growing rapidly in the last decade. Different reforms have been implemented to stoke for the sector’s growth. But still has a long way to go, as its share in the global insurance market remains very low. It provides a link between the present and the future. Today India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world. According to the World GDP Ranking 2024 list, India is the fifth largest economy in the world. India is also fifth largest life insurance market in the world’s emerging insurance markets growing at a rate of 32-34% each year. Over the past nine years, the insurance sector has attracted substantial foreign direct investment amounting to nearly US$6.5 billion (Rs.54,000 crore), driven by the government’s progressive relaxation of overseas capita flow regulations. Insurance Industry is a growth-oriented industry. The life insurance sector in India has seen an array of changes in the past one decade. The economic scenario which emerged after globalization, privatization and liberalization has thrown a new challenge before the insurers. The present study is basically discussed regarding growth of private sector and public sector insurance of India, market share of public sector and private sector insurance and overall position of India’s public sector and private sector insurance.

N/a Exploring the Relationship between Test-Anxiety, Emotional Intelligence and Academic Performance among University Students

This study was conducted to find the relationship of test-anxiety, emotional intelligence and academic performance of public private sector university students. A sample of 388 students,194 male and 194 females was drawn through convenient sampling from the Public and Private universities of Karachi in Pakistan, using a cross sectional design. Test anxiety was assessed through Westside Test Anxiety Scale and emotional intelligence was assessed using The Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale. Performance of the last two semesters attended by the students was used to assess academic performance and demographic information was gathered through the demographic form. The “Pearson Product Correlation” was calculated to find the relation between test anxiety and emotional intelligence and academic performance. t-test for independent sample was used to obtain the differences in test-anxiety and emotional intelligence and gender in Public and Private sector university students’ academic performance on the respective variables. The results revealed an inverse relationship between test-anxiety and emotional intelligence, academic performance. However, the results showed a positive relation between emotional intelligence and academic performance. Gender differences were found in test anxiety but not in emotional intelligence. The students of both the sectors differed in test anxiety, whereas both the groups did not differ on the scores of emotional intelligences. It is incumbent on educational institutes to provide psychological services to students who find hard to handle exam situation in the same way as financial assistance is provided to those who need it.

Budget Impact Analysis of Olaparib in Combination with Bevacizumab for Maintenance Therapy for Ovarian Cancer in Argentina.

To perform a budget impact analysis (BIA) of introducing olaparib as maintenance therapy in women who have BRCA mutations (BRCAm) with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer (PSROC) in combination with bevacizumab in Argentina. A BIA model was used to analyse over a 5-year time horizon the change in the health system's budget following the adoption of olaparib as maintenance therapy in BRCAm patients with PSROC. The BIA for each year was estimated by comparing the cost difference between the current scenario (treatment with bevacizumab) and the new scenario (the addition of olaparib) for a third-party payer. The BIA is estimated at the national health system level, and by healthcare sectors in Argentina (public sector, social security and private sector). International and national epidemiological data were used to determine the target patient population. Clinical efficacy, safety outcomes and duration of treatments were obtained from the pivotal clinical study report. Relevant direct medical costs were obtained from public data in Argentina and expert consultation. All the costs are reported in US dollars as of October 2022 ($1 = 152.59 Argentine pesos). A scenario analysis assessed the full coverage of the homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) test in Argentina. In addition, one-way sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the model robustness. For a third-party payer with a cohort of 1,000,000 women covered, the estimated target population was 2 individuals in year 1 and 6 individuals in year 5. The incorporation of olaparib, with a wholesale price per pack of $3176.32, was associated with a weighted average of the budget impact per member per month (PMPM) of $0.062 for the national health system, being above the estimated health system budget impact threshold ($0.0153). By healthcare sector, the results of budget impact PMPM for year 5 ranged between $0.08 (public sector) and $0.114 (private sector). For all perspectives, the variables that most influenced the budget impact was the incidence of ovarian cancer, the drug acquisition cost and the treatment duration. The introduction of olaparib for the treatment of BRCAm women with PSROC has a high budget impact for all three health systems in Argentina.

An Investigation on The Extent of Usage and Challenges Faced by Tourism SMEs Concerning E-Marketing: Empowering Co-creation of Value

Due to advancements in technology and digital connectivity, travel patterns have changed. Technological developments have increased the amount of information and inspiration available to consumers, and big data analytics allows for the creation of innovative insights. When it comes to implementing cutting-edge technologies, small businesses typically lag behind larger ones. In light of the above, this study aims to examine the extent of usage and challenges SMEs face concerning e-marketing. SMEs in the tourism sector have demonstrated that they are drivers of economic growth through the development of entrepreneurial skills and job creation. In this study, data was qualitatively collected from 14 SME service providers, through a purposive sampling method. The findings revealed that SMEs struggle with the adoption of e-marketing. Moreover, the findings revealed that SMEs are also faced with the challenge of easy access to funding, this was found to affect their flexibility towards digital transformation. Lastly, this study found that SMEs are faced with the challenge of lack of expertise to implement digital transformations. This study concludes that, although in South Africa government funding provided to SMEs through grants plays a critical role, it is still not enough. The government can further their SME development initiatives through public sector and private sector partnerships. By increasing SMEs access to funding, joint SME development programs offer a substantial chance to promote entrepreneurship in South Africa.

The governance of affordable housing through public-private partnerships: Critical entanglements

The debates about Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in planning and housing are characterised by varying perspectives, with some considering PPPs efficient and others viewing them as inherently problematic. These differing views often revolve around the perceived dichotomy between public and private sector objectives and timelines. While dichotomies can provide initial clarity, they often oversimplify the nuances and complexities of real-world issues, including in PPPs. This paper draws on the literature on governance, planning and housing with a focus on teasing out public-private sector relationships in land and property. Using a case study approach of a PPP programme for affordable housing led by Lisbon Municipality, the three main goals of the paper are to, first, determine whether and how partnerships can contribute to social infrastructure provision, including affordable housing; second, determine the multiple objectives of the various stakeholders involved in a public-private partnership; and third, determine the timelines for those objectives. Our findings suggest that there is a tendency for PPP participants and observers to rely on overly simplistic interpretations of the public interest, and on dichotomies or simplistic viewpoints on the objectives and timelines of the various stakeholders. By avoiding these oversimplifications, we can better understand the growing complexity of urban governance in the development of social infrastructure, particularly in affordable housing.