Reduction In Revenue Research Articles

National survey reveals elastic price sensitivity for select equine veterinary services

Abstract OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to estimate the price elasticity of demand for 3 common equine veterinary services: vaccinations (a routine service), lameness examinations (an elective service), and emergency colic surgery (an urgent service). METHODS Data were collected via a nationwide online survey of horse owners from August 15 to September 11, 2023, eliciting their willingness to pay for each service. The link to the online survey was distributed through participating organizations’ social media and email lists to the target audience of US residents aged ≥ 18 years who were financially responsible for at least 1 horse, pony, mule, or donkey. Statistical software was used to estimate the demand models. RESULTS The survey received a total of 4,915 usable responses, with at least one response from every state in the US. Results revealed elastic demand for all 3 services and subsample analyses provided reassurance as to the robustness of the results, suggesting that quantity demanded of these services would decrease more in a relative sense as compared to the increase in price. CONCLUSIONS Understanding the current and future trends of equine veterinary service demand is vital in ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of equine veterinary practices. Moreover, due to vast differences in the pricing structure of small animal and equine practice procedures, business models for these types of practices should be treated separately. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Although it may seem counterintuitive for practice growth, the estimated price elasticity of demand suggests that strategic price increases could enhance profitability. While higher prices may reduce service volume, they could also lead to lower costs, potentially offsetting any revenue reduction. Moreover, the findings on elastic demand can also inform decisions regarding discounts, service bundles, and the development of tiered service offerings.

Global Gain, but Local Loss—National Park and Municipal Revenues in Poland

The paper analyzes the problem of stagnation in the creation of new national parks in Poland, identifying key barriers and proposing solutions. The background to the study refers to the role of national parks in nature conservation, but at the same time highlights the problem of the limited development of the park network in Poland, which remains at 1.05% of the country’s area—well below the EU average. The main obstacles identified by the author are the resistance of local governments due to the reduction in forest tax revenues and the differences in salaries between employees of national parks and state forests. Research methods included legal and economic analysis and a review of the literature on national park management. The results indicate that the problem can be solved by adequate financial compensation to local communities and the introduction of a co-management model that integrates the interests of local governments and parks. The article suggests that a change in the approach of the government administration and a more participatory management model can help to break the stagnation and increase the number of national parks, which is relevant not only for Poland but also for other countries struggling with similar challenges.

Межбюджетные отношения в Казахстане: состояние и основные тенденции

Balance of the state budget is one of the necessary conditions for the effective functioning of the budget system of the country. This balance is largely determined by inter-governmental fiscal relations and the resulting redistribution of financial resources between the central, regional and local levels of the budget system. Inter-budget relations in Kazakhstan over the past two decades have undergonesignificant changes, which further increased the relevance of research on this topic. Such aspects of inter-budget relations as the increase in the volume and specific weight of transfers from the republican budget to the budgets of lower state bodies, the growth of the number of subsidized regions, the reduction of revenues to the republican level from the regional level, caused special attention to this problem in the budget process of Kazakhstan. The article examines the state and development of inter-budget relations in Kazakhstan in terms of these aspects in order to identify the main trends of their transformation and assess their impact on the budget process. The article analyses the main parameters of inter-budget relations in Kazakhstan, reveals trends in the role of subsidies and exemptions from local budgets, and considers the dynamicsof the number of subsidized regions and donor regions of the republican budget. It is noted that there is no noticeable improvement in the situation at the level of regional budgets, despite the increase in their revenue base due to the transfer of a number of tax revenues to the local level in 2020. Based on the analysis, the author concludes that the situation in the sphere of inter-budget relations in Kazakhstan is deteriorating, which is manifested in a constant decrease in the number of donor regions and an increase in the number of regions receiving subsidies, an increase in the share of subsidies in the revenues of local budgets, and a decrease in the share of exemptions from local budgets in the state budget revenues. It is also noted that the imbalance of inter-budget relations leads to the complication of the budget process at the republican level, which requires the adoption of measures to further increase the financial independence of the regions.

Legal and administrative elements of the construction of tax exemptions and allowances in the context of granting public support

Among the forms of public assistance of a passive nature are tax concessions and exemptions. A given form of aid can be of liquidity support, rescue and restructuring and pro-development nature for the enterprise. This form of assistance is reflected in the reduction of revenues to the state and local government budgets. Tax credits, used as investment incentives for entrepreneurs, can affect the growth of production, and in the case of new investments, the creation of new jobs or the retention of existing ones. The article presents the provisions of the tax law on real estate tax in correlation with the law on state aid, in the context of an assessment of - to what extent on the grounds of real estate tax it is possible to operate reliefs and exemptions that constitute state aid for entrepreneurs. The legal problems of providing state aid and the issues of tax procedures in the field of tax reliefs and exemptions and the calculation of the net value of state aid are presented.

Combined strategies for green roof incentive policies in Lisbon: Evaluating the potentiality of concession grants and identifying priority intervention areas

Incentive policies to promote new technologies is a strategy often employed by policymakers and governments. In some cities worldwide, mechanisms to encourage the adoption of Green Roofs (GR) have been implemented over the years. Although GR is not a new technology, the use of incentives, such as subsidies and tax abatements and/or exemptions, is still a recent strategy in many countries. The study covered in this paper proposes to explore the potential of combined incentive mechanisms for green roofs, using direct incentives (financial subsidies) and indirect incentives (tax/fee rebates). The granting incentives were verified by the feasibility assessment from both private (saved money) and public perspectives (reduction in municipal revenue) using scenarios of abatement percentages for fees and taxes and combining direct and indirect incentives. In addition, priority intervention areas for the installation of green roofs were defined based on three parameters: (i) the proportion of existing green spaces, (ii) urban heat islands and (iii) the potential of the building stock for green roof retrofit. The results show that granting a combined solution can be an effective option for facilitating the implementation of green roof projects. Moreover, the study serves as a decision support guide for politicians, urban planners, and public managers to formulate incentive proposals and make well-informed decisions regarding the incentive policies for GR.

Modeling impact of inflation reduction act price negotiations on new drug pipeline considering differential contributions of large and small biopharmaceutical companies.

Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act mandating drug price negotiation by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have been criticized as a threat to pharmaceutical innovation. This study models potential impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act on drug approvals based on the differential contributions of large pharmaceutical companies and smaller biotechnology firms to clinical trials and the availability of capital. This study examined research and development expense, revenue, and new investment (sale of common and preferred stock) by public biopharmaceutical companies and sponsorship of phased clinical trials in ClinicalTrials.gov. Financial data were incorporated in a model that estimates the number of drugs in each phase and approvals from reported phase-specific costs and transition rates, proportional sponsorship of trials by companies of different size, projected reductions in research and development spending based on company size, and three scenarios by which large companies may allocate reductions in research and development spending among clinical phases: (1) research and development proportionally reduced across phases; (2) research and development disproportionally reduced in phases 2-3; and (3) research and development disproportionately reduced in phases 1-2. Financial data were examined for 1378 public biopharmaceutical companies (2000-2018). Research and development expense was associated with revenue for 79 large companies with market capitalization ≥$7 billion with a 10% reduction in revenue reducing research and development expense by 8.4%. For 1299 smaller companies with market capitalization <$7 billion, research and development was associated with new investment, but not revenue. Smaller companies sponsored 55.2% of phase 1, 55.6% of phase 2, and 49.8% of phase 3 trials in ClinicalTrials.gov 2013-2018. In a model of clinical development that apportions clinical trials between large and smaller companies and determines the number of trials based on research and development resources, 400 drugs entering development produced 47.3 approvals (11.83% rate). A 10% reduction in revenue, reflecting the upper boundary of observed changes 2000-2018, with (1) proportional reduction across phases 1-3 produced 45.1 approvals (4.61% reduction); (2) disproportional reduction of phases 2-3 produced 42.8 approvals (9.55% reduction); and (3) disproportional reduction of phases 1-2 produced 46.9 approvals (0.95% reduction). This work suggests that the drug price negotiation provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act could have little or no impact on the number of drug approvals. While large pharmaceutical companies may reduce research and development spending, continued research and development by smaller companies and strategic allocation of research and development resources by large companies may mitigate any negative effects of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on the utilization of hospital services and development of optimal pandemic control strategy in Chinese tertiary hospitals during the Omicron wave

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on hospital service utilization and revenue in Chinese tertiary hospitals and develop an optimal pandemic control strategy (OPCS) for the peak period of the Omicron wave.MethodsRetrospective data from three Chinese tertiary hospitals (provincial, city, and county level) were analyzed for three phases: pre-outbreak (Jan-Apr 2019), outbreak (Jan-Apr 2020), and post-outbreak (Jan-Apr 2021). OPCS was developed under the guidance of the China government pandemic control policy during post-break phase of COVID-19. A decision-tree model was constructed to compare OPCS to strict pandemic control strategy during outbreak phase for the hospital service utilization and hospital revenue in a provincial tertiary hospital during the Omicron wave.ResultsOutpatient, emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations, and intensive care admissions dropped by 33.8–53.4% during the outbreak, with the provincial hospital being the most affected. Hospital revenue also declined, especially for the provincial hospital (40.1%). Post-outbreak, most services recovered, but ER visits remained lower (11.6% decrease for provincial hospital, 46.5% for county hospital). Total income and expenditure decreased, with the provincial hospital experiencing the most significant revenue reduction (45.7%). OPCS showed greater utilization of medical services (31.6 times more outpatient visits; 1.7 times more inpatient days; 3.4% more surgery volume) and higher revenue (¥220.8 million more) compared to the strict pandemic control strategy.ConclusionsCOVID-19 measures were associated with less hospital service utilization and revenue in Chinese tertiary hospitals. The developed OPCS in Chinese tertiary hospitals, focusing on isolating infected inpatients but not shutting down the hospital facilities exposed to virus, could be effective in optimizing hospital service utilization and hospital revenue during the Omicron wave.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Led To A Large Decline In Physician Gross Revenue Across All Specialties In 2020.

US health care use declined during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Although utilization is known to have recovered in 2021 and 2022, it is unknown how revenue in 2020-22 varied by physician specialty and practice setting. This study linked medical claims from a large national federation of commercial health plans to physician and practice data to estimate pandemic-associated impacts on physician revenue (defined as payments to eligible physicians) by specialty and practice characteristics. Surgical specialties, emergency medicine, and medical subspecialties each experienced a greater than 9percent adjusted gross revenue decline in 2020 relative to prepandemic baselines. By 2022, pathology and psychiatry revenue experienced robust recovery, whereas surgical and oncology revenue remained at or below baseline. Revenue recovery in 2022 was greater for physicians practicing in hospital-owned practices and in practices participating in accountable care organizations. Pandemic-associated revenue recovery in 2021 and 2022 varied by specialty and practice type. Given that physician financial instability is associated with health care consolidation and leaving practice, policy makers should closely monitor revenue trends among physicians in specialties or practice settings with sustained gross revenue reductions during the pandemic.

Kesiapan Rumah Sakit Indonesia Menghadapi Kompetensi Medicaltourism Di Asiatenggara

Medical tourism or health tourism is a travel activity to get health services. Many Indonesian citizens choose to seek treatment abroad because Indonesia does not have a good health industry. This of course causes a reduction in state revenues in the health and tourism sectors. The writing of this article aims to determine the factors that influence people's interest in seeking treatment abroad so that they can be input for hospitals in Indonesia to be able to compete against medical tourism which is growing rapidly in Southeast Asia. The method used is to review the articles obtained from the database using inclusion criteria and keywords. The results obtained indicate that the factors that attract patients to get services in hospitals are high quality services, served by communicative medical personnel and staff, competent with international expertise and reputation, with short service times and affordable prices, availability of clear information, as well as safe and quality treatment outcomes.

Efficiency of hospitals in COVID-19 era: a case study of an affected country

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of human life and society and has damaged the global economy. Health systems and hospitals were not exempted from this situation. The performance of hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic was affected by policies related to the pandemic and other factors. This study aimed to investigate hospital performance indicators such as admissions and revenue.MethodsThe medical records of patients with selected orthopedic and general surgical diseases were studied in two government hospitals in the capital city of Urmia in the second quarter of 2019, with the same period in 2020. Data were extracted based on the number of medical records, including length of stay, hospitalization type, sex, age, insurance, number of deaths, and readmissions from the medical records department. Payment amounts were collected from the revenue department and Hospital Information System. Two performance indicators, two result indicators, and two control indicators were used. Mean disease-specific revenue, total revenue, length of stay, and bed occupancy rate were calculated for both periods. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 16) and the Mann-Whitney statistical test.Results2140 cases were studied in the two disease groups. An increase was observed in the number of hospitalizations and average length of stay during the pandemic. The mean disease-specific revenue in the quarter of 2020 was higher than in 2019. However, total revenue decreased, and the difference in the mean of total revenue was significant for the two years (P = 0.00) in teaching center. The number of readmissions remained unchanged throughout in the pandemic. The number of deaths due to general surgery diseases in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 was associated with a relative increase.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic increased the slope of health care costs. The analysis of the studied variables as performance, result, and control indicators showed that hospitalization rate, bed occupancy rate, and total revenue followed a similar and decreasing pattern in the selected hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals should adopt appropriate strategies so that, in conditions identical to the COVID-19 pandemic, their performance is accompanied by proper management of resources, efficiency, and minimal reduction in revenue.

Wpływ kryzysu finansowego na dochody gmin miejskich w Polsce – doświadczenia pandemii COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to grave economic consequences, especially for the public finance sector, both at the central and local government level. The aftermath of the pandemic-induced crisis began to be felt particularly by local government units (LGUs), which are responsible for the implementation of most public tasks at local level. As a consequence, the role of budget planning increases and the rationalization of public expenditure in response to declining revenues becomes important. This paper is in line with the ongoing discussion on the implications of the COVID-19-induced crisis. Two research goals were formulated. The former was to assess the effects of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on budget revenues and indirectly on the financial standing of Polish urban municipalities, and the latter was to identify changes in the structure of urban municipalities budgets in Poland as a consequence of the pandemic. For the needs of the study, we used an indicator analysis of urban municipalities budgets, which allows for a synthetic determination of the financial condition and verification of development decisions. The aim of the research was achieved by analyzing the dynamics of indicators that characterize urban municipalities budget revenue in Poland. The scope of research covered the years 2010–2022. The results and the formulated practical recommendations constitute a complementation of the research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for public finance, in particular the finances of local government units. The analyses demonstrate a shift in the urban municipalities revenue structure in Poland, which is the effect of a decreased share of own revenue, especially tax revenue, and an increase in the share of transfer revenue. This was due to three factors. Two of them were directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, i.e 1) reduction in tax revenue (mainly from shares in PIT) as a result of the lockdown and the economic crisis; 2) options of support for local governments in the form of increasing transfer revenue. The third factor that contributed to the decline in own revenue are changes unrelated to the pandemic. These include, for example, changes in personal income tax or changes in the “Family 500+” programme.

Da sobrevivência à resiliência: práticas de gestão nas academias em período de crise pandêmica

The study deals with how fitness centers are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim was to investigate the management practices most used to deal with the pandemic crisis. To this end, a qualitative, descriptive study was carried out using a literature review (GERHARDT; SILVEIRA, 2009). Searches were carried out in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and in the journal ACAD, due to their outstanding relevance in the fitness field. The selection criteria were based on the relevance of the texts found, which were analyzed using the following criteria: a) central discussion relating gyms to the context of the pandemic crisis; b) content related to management in gyms; c) real contributions to the development of gym management. Bardin's (2011) content analysis was used to gain a deeper understanding of the data obtained. As a result, were found 2661 scientific articles. Of these, 24 were pre-selected, of which 14 participated in the discussion of this work. The findings suggested that academies were significantly impacted by the decrees that ordered their closure. The lack of preparation and infrastructure to deal with crises, as well as the excessive reliance on face-to-face activities and the lack of diversification of the services offered, contributed to the sector's vulnerability. It was clear that some gyms were unable to overcome the reduction in revenue and ended up closing down, while others invested in live or recorded classes and outdoor classes in order to keep customers engaged and generate revenue, overcoming the adversity. The management practices most present in this context were: strategic planning; safety, risk and hygiene management; financial management; crisis management; people management; human resources management; partnership management and digital marketing; project management and information technology; and innovation management. As final considerations, the study revealed the significant impact of the pandemic on Brazilian academies. In addition to the total closure phase, gyms were also affected by the public's negative perception of the risks of contamination in closed environments and with crowds. Those that managed to stay in business had to reorganize their spaces to ensure social distancing, implement hygiene and safety measures and look for innovative ways to generate revenue. The management practices identified not only enabled them to survive, but also showed the way to the gyms' resilience and ability to reinvent themselves.

Exploring minimal indirect digital economy taxation as a post-COVID-19 economic recovery strategy for African revenue mobilisation

The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath continue to devastate most areas of society and continue to reveal inherent structural vulnerabilities in the economies, social, and health systems in countries. In addition, the Russia-Ukraine conflict of 2022 and the geopolitics of its resolution continue to create shocks across the globe- evidenced by rising inflation, increased sovereign debt level, recession, and reduced public expenditure among others. While many sectors of the economy were crippled by the back-to-back global economic shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict through reduced economic activities resulting in a global recession and reduced tax revenues for public expenditure, the digital economy has surprisingly boomed and continues to grow in this period of uncertainty. This has been directly attributed to the 'lure of the alternative', caused by the social and economic lockdowns imposed by countries, which pushed many persons and companies to explore the next available option- online platforms to conduct business. Although the rise in the use of digital platforms for business activities is commendable, this development has some implications for traditional business frameworks which in turn affects revenue mobilisation for funding public infrastructure projects and services. This is because, in Africa, the digital economy is not as well-regulated as the traditional economy. This creates an avenue for tax evasion and avoidance, arising from the dynamic and complex nature of digital transactions. This challenge requires that urgent solutions be found for the effective taxation of the digital economy. There will be a need to review/reform economic and fiscal policies and laws to ensure a faster recovery from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. There would also be a need to create digital tax policies that are equitable for source and market jurisdictions and, lastly, there will be a need for cooperation in tax law and policies across Africa that capture the reality of the growth and ubiquitous presence of digital multinationals in Africa.

Understanding The Influence Of Shadow Economy And Foreign Direct Investment On Corporate Tax Revenue In Latin America: The Moderating effect Of Corruption Control

Taxation is an essential mechanism that funds government expenditures and underpins the growth and development of any country. This research examines the influence of the shadow economy and foreign direct investment (FDI) on corporate income tax revenue in Latin America, considering the moderating role of corruption control. Using panel data regression analysis, we analyze data from various Latin American countries to explore the complex interactions between these economic factors and tax revenue. Our findings indicate that corruption control has a positive and significant effect on corporate income tax revenue. However, the relationship between the shadow economy and tax revenue changes when moderated by corruption control. Without moderation, the shadow economy positively impacts tax revenue, but in the presence of higher corruption control, it leads to reduced tax revenue. Similarly, while FDI initially shows a positive impact on tax revenue, this effect turns negative when considering corruption control. These findings shed light on the nuanced relationships between economic factors and tax revenue in Latin America, offering valuable insights for policy formulation and future research.

THE IMPACT OF THE SHADOW ECONOMY ON THE REDUCTION OF TAX REVENUES TO THE STATE BUDGET

The aim of the study was to assess and analyse the shadowing of the national economy, as well as to determine the impact of its shadowing on the reduction of tax revenues to the state budget. The research employed general scientific, economic, and mathematical assessment methods, such as regression analysis, correlation analysis, interval forecasts, as well as econometric models of Lacko's household electricity approach, as well as modelling of the shadowing level using the multiple indicators-multiple-causes (MIMIC) model. The calculations and analysis gave grounds to determine the level of the shadow economy of Ukraine based on the state statistics of shadowing trends. There is currently an upward trend estimated to be 37.1% of GDP in 2022 compared with international data, which indicates a rapid growth of the shadow economy from 27% in 2019 to 44% in 2022. An alternative method of assessing the shadowing level was proposed in order to level the peculiarities of calculating the level of shadowing of the economy. According to the calculations, it was 43% in 2022. It was determined that the rapid growth of the shadow economy is an indicator of a reduction in tax revenues, especially in 2022 — by almost 8%. The correlation analysis proved that the increased shadowing level is an indicator of the reduction of tax revenues to the budget of Ukraine. The conducted analysis has certain limitations, therefore it is advisable to further test the hypothesis regarding the indicator of tax revenue reduction on a larger range of data and to apply an alternative method of assessing the shadowing level for developed economies, such as the countries of the European Union (EU).

Managing Inherent IT Business Risk against Cyber Threats: a Decision Analysis Case Study of an Oil and Gas Company

XYZ, an anonymized oil and gas company, aims to enhance cyber resilience by strategically managing inherent risk profiles in cybersecurity, aligned with business needs and stakeholder expectations. This research addresses challenges including Information Security Control determination, proficiency improvement in risk management, and ISMS preparedness. Additionally, it tackles procurement strategy for Security Operations Control across XYZ Group, operating under PSC Gross Split, Cost Recovery, and Non-PSC statuses. Utilizing diverse frameworks such as problem tree analysis, stakeholders’ power-interest matrix, MITRE ATT&amp;CK, NIST 800-53, COBIT 2019, ISO 27005:2022, KAMI 5.0, and SMART, data analysis includes risk documents, interviews, and cyber-attack data. The research establishes effective IS Control for risk mitigation, readiness for Information Security Management System ISMS implementation, strategic programs enhancing risk management capability, and refined Security Operations Control procurement. These outcomes, incorporated into a collaborative contract structure, significantly mitigate cyber threats and potential impacts, such as disruptions to operations, revenue reduction, increased costs, data theft, and non-compliance.

Simultaneous biogas upgrading and single cell protein production using hydrogen oxidizing bacteria

CO2, a primary byproduct of anaerobic digestion, significantly reduces the calorific value of biogas, necessitating its enhancement through biogas upgrading to increase the CH4 content. The hydrogen oxidizing bacteria (HOB) Cupriavidus necator H16 demonstrates potential as a candidate for biological biogas upgrading due to its efficient CO2 capture and biosynthesis capabilities. Results indicated that in batch experiments, the concentration of CH4 could be elevated from 57.09 % to 98.46 % within 72 h by HOB, with a maximum CO2 assimilation efficiency of 27 mL/(L·h), meeting the requirements for biomethane. In bioreactor scale-up experiments, the CH4 concentration was increased to 94.22 % within 96 h. Beyond biogas upgrading, HOB also produces biomass usable as single cell protein (SCP), with its protein content varying between 43.75–70.83 % depending on the gas supply ratio. A total of 17 amino acids were identified, including eight essential amino acids. The Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) indicated that the essential amino acid content in the HOB-based protein was well-balanced, closely approximating the quality of fishmeal and pork. A techno-economic analysis revealed that the net revenue from the anaerobic digestion process could be enhanced by 48.49 % using HOB-based biogas upgrading. In contrast, biogas upgrading processes based on hydrogenotrophic methanogens (HM) resulted in a 57 % reduction in net revenue. This study establishes a carbon flow pathway from organic solid waste to biomethane and utilizable protein sources, facilitating sustainable nutrient recovery. This approach not only enhances economic benefits but also reduces carbon emissions associated with the anaerobic digestion process.

Developing an Infrastructure Intervention for Solid Waste Exclusion in Pit Latrine Faecal Sludge

Pit latrine emptying is an important maintenance practice meant to increase a toilet's lifespan. However, the presence of solid waste in faecal sludge pose a great challenge during pit emptying, faecal sludge treatment and processing. Recent studies have demonstrated that solid wastes cause pits to fill up at a faster rate, destruct faecal sludge decomposition, and cause damage to emptying devices by blocking machine parts, and in some cases breaking them. When such occurs, emptying devices are usually withdrawn to manually remove the trapped debris, causing a loss of valuable time and reductions in daily revenue. One way of averting the adverse effects of solid wastes in pit latrines is by preventing them from mixing with faecal sludge in the pit. Therefore, the study aimed to design, develop and test an infrastructure intervention that would exclude solid waste from pit latrine faecal sludge. The study used a quantitative approach in which experimental methods were used to collect primary data. The methodology included the design, fabrication, and installation of a solid waste screening unit on a pit latrine. The screening unit was positioned directly below the squat hole to intercept solid waste while allowing excreta to pass through it. The unit was tested on a pit latrine that was used by 20 individuals over a period of 120 days, after which mass measurements of the intercepted solid wastes were done. The data obtained was analysed using Microsoft Excel 2016 version. It was found that the screening unit was capable of intercepting 88.2±0.6 % of the solid waste that entered the toilet through the squat hole. This confirmed that although behavioral, and education interventions have been conducted, there was little change in behavior towards the dumping of solid wastes in pit latrines. The study also showed that installing solid waste screening systems in future pit latrines can be one way of preventing solid wastes from mixing with pit latrine faecal sludge. These findings suggest that incorporating solid waste screening systems into future pit latrines could effectively prevent solid waste from mixing with faecal sludge. This intervention promises to complement existing behavioral and educational interventions prevalent in many developing countries. The study's application and findings promise improvements in faecal sludge management during pit emptying, treatment, and processing, thereby enhancing public health outcomes.

EKONOMI POLITIK PERLINDUNGAN HAK KEKAYAAN INTELEKTUAL: STUDI KASUS KEBIJAKAN PUBLISHER RIGHTS AUSTRALIA TERHADAP GOOGLE DAN FACEBOOK

Australian news media publishers are facing serious challenges as Google and Facebook emerge as digital platforms in the Australian media industry. They have transformed into the main pillars of media industry as they monopolize distribution and monetization of news content as well as the digital advertising market, thus dominate Australia’s digital market share. Their power and dominance in controlling the flow of information and digital advertising have drawn attention of the Australian government. In response, the Australian government enacted the publisher rights policy through adoption of the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code (NMBC). Google and Facebook reacted strongly against the NMBC and threatened to close the services in Australia. This research aims to explain the reasons behind Australia’s enactment of the publisher rights policy against Google and Facebook. Using the analytical descriptive research methods combined with theory of regulatory mercantilism, concept of digital sovereignty, and concept of intellectual property rights, this study argues that enactment of the publisher rights policy is due to the imbalance of bargaining power between the Australian news media publishers and Google and Facebook. In addition, this policy was enacted due to the reduction in traditional revenue received by the traditional news media publishers as a result of declining advertising revenue, content purchases, and subscriptions that pose a threat to sustainability of Australia’s news media industry. Lastly, the adoption of the publisher rights policy is due to the centralized media power of Google and Facebook which endangers diversity of Australian news media.

Effects of human capital on revenues: evidence from professional service organizations in Taiwan

This paper specifies a trans-log revenue function to estimate the relationship between service revenue outputs and three key human capital inputs, including formal education, work experience, and professional training. Using a Taiwanese pooled cross-sectional sample of 22,875 observations over the period 1992-2021, we divide the total sample into international and non-international audit firms based on their total audit revenues. We find that the average partial effects (APEs) on revenues are much higher for international than for non-international audit firms, suggesting that audit firm size affects audit firms’ financial performance. We also find that investments in both formal education and work experience significantly contribute to the growth of service revenues (but if such investments are beyond the optimal level, they may contribute to the reduction of revenues) and that such growth is much larger for international than for non-international audit firms. Although we find that, in our statistical analysis, professional training contributes to the reduction of service revenues, our graphical analysis justifies this intriguing finding, which is attributed to a lagged return on professional training investments. In theory, human capital suggests that professional training is a needed process to raise future service revenues. Overall, our findings shed light on the APEs of human capital inputs on revenue generation and have practical implications for regulators and practitioners to understand how and to what extent human capital can make a positive contribution to the growth of audit firms’ revenues.