Resource Agencies Research Articles

The effect of financial constraints on strategic alliances: agency perspective versus resource dependence perspective

PurposeThis study examines the effect of financial constraints on firms’ decision to form strategic alliances as a choice of growth strategies. Drawing on agency theory, we argue that financially constrained firms engage in strategic alliances to a greater extent due to the disciplinary role of financial constraints. Nevertheless, financially constrained firms may use strategic alliances as a means to gather more resources from alliance partners. Thus, we further examine agency perspective versus resource dependence perspective through institutional ownership and board size as boundary conditions respectively.Design/methodology/approachWe test our hypotheses on a sample of all publicly traded industrial U.S. firms covering the years 1985–2017 that engaged in strategic alliances.FindingsWe find that financially constrained firms increase strategic alliances. Moreover, high institutional ownership acts as the monitoring mechanism, which weakens the positive association between financial constraints and strategic alliances.Originality/valueThis study provides a better understanding on financially constrained firms’ decision to form strategic alliances by examining the monitoring role of institutional investors and the resource provision role of the board of directors.

Complexities in post-wildfire governance: lessons from Colorado’s 2020 wildfires

BackgroundThe increasing size and severity of western U.S. wildfires in recent years has generated greater attention towards post-wildfire response and recovery. Post-fire governance requires coordinating response and recovery capacities across jurisdictions, landscapes, and time scales. The presence of wildfire on federal public lands necessitates federal agency involvement in both suppression and recovery efforts, and program coordination with lower levels of government and non-governmental organizations. Using semi-structured interviews, we investigated experiences of leaders across the governance system with federal post-fire policies and programs following the record-breaking Cameron Peak and East Troublesome wildfires in the state of Colorado.ResultsOur research found that persistent administrative and coordination challenges exist within and among federal agencies in the post-fire response and recovery space. Challenges included cross-jurisdictional coordination of key emergency response programs, program rules that affect post-fire project timing and effectiveness, the absence of a formal federal post-fire response strategy, and program funding issues. These factors revealed and exacerbated scale mismatches between existing agency capacities and the post-fire landscapes that result from unprecedentedly longer, larger, and more severe wildfires occurring in the western USA. Non-federal and non-governmental organizations were instrumental in overcoming these challenges through coordinating response and recovery efforts across both federal and private lands. To improve the federal post-fire response capacity, study participants stressed the importance of broader cross-jurisdictional use of federal resources, longer timeframes for recovery activities, and reforming the federal funding process.ConclusionsOur findings revealed a persistence of post-fire coordination and funding issues within federal land management agencies, and current agency capacities remain insensitive to the scale of twenty-first-century post-wildfire settings. Addressing the mismatches between existing agency resources and the spatial and temporal scale complexities of post-fire environments will require broader federal support for existing programs along with re-envisioning the overall approach to the post-fire response and recovery process.

First bathymetric studies of the Paragominas stream, urban stretch, in the municipality of the same name, Pará, Brazil

Streams in urban areas undergo physical and structural changes that need to be studied. The Paragominas creek has a gap in this type of study, and this justified this research. Its aim is to generate bathymetric information (width, length, depth, cross-sectional area and flow) in five areas of the urban stretch, from the Constantino Pereira do Sacramento highway (A1) to Padre Carvalho street (A5), where the Paragominas stream flows into the Uraim river. The methodology used was investigative, qualitative-quantitative and observational in nature. The primary data (width, length, depth, cross-sectional area and flow) was obtained in accordance with the proposals of the National Water and Water Resources Agency. A 1000 mL polyethylene terephthalate float was used to measure water flow velocity. The data obtained and analyzed indicated that the highest average values for the variables measured were identified in A1 - Rodovia Constantino Pereira do Sacramento (cross-sectional area: 12.0 ± 2.3; width: 1.8 ± 0.3; depth: 1.8 ± 0.2); A2 - Avenida Selecta (flow: 11.0 ± 8.4) and A4 - Lago Verde - (length: 100 ± 0.0). The data also showed that as the areas analyzed were urbanized, the average values decreased, as did the flow rate (1.7 ± 0.7) and depth (0.7 ± 1.3). In A3 - Camboatã. Urbanization therefore directly affects the bathymetry of urban streams. This data can help in the development of actions against the floods that occur in the areas analyzed.

Foreign funding, accountability and contention: exploring self-regulatory practices in Georgian civil society

ABSTRACT The impact of Western development aid on civil society organisations’ (CSOs’) behaviours in developing countries has gained a growing amount of scholarly attention, however, less is known about individual forms of self-regulatory practices in civil society. This article explores how external resources shape accountability, internal democracy and agency of CSOs by inquiring into the case of Georgia through in-depth interviews and review of relevant CSO documents. The case of Georgian civil society is illustrative due to aid dependence, push for NGOization, contrasting persistent informality, failure of collective self-regulation and contentious state-NGO relations. Resource dependency theory (RDT) is often used to highlight organisations’ adjustment of behaviours in accordance with their need for critical resources, mainly in the form of funding – but this article builds on the organisational self-regulation approach to untangle CSO’s resource strategies and agency to complement and juxtapose the assumptions of the RDT.

Corporate governance and bank risk-taking: transitional economic evidence

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of corporate governance on risk-taking in Vietnamese banks. Using data from 2007 to 2020 and employing the two-step generalized method of moments (GMM) technique, the study finds that certain aspects of corporate governance significantly influence bank stability efficiency. Specifically, the presence of female board members, independent directors, and larger board sizes are associated with improved stability efficiency, while the presence of foreign board members has a negative impact. These findings are consistent with agency theory, stewardship theory, and resource dependence theory. By employing the stochastic frontier approach, this research contributes to understanding how corporate governance characteristics can help mitigate risk-taking in emerging market contexts.

PENERAPAN PRINSIP TRANSPARANSI BADAN KEPEGAWAIAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN SUMBERDAYA MANUSIA DALAM PELAKSANAAN REKRUTMEN PPPK DI KABUPATEN MUNA BARAT

This study aims to determine how the Application of the Principles of Transparency of the Civil Service Agency and Human Resource Development in the Implementation of PPPK Recruitment in West Muna Regency. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative research with data collection through observation, interviews, and documentation. Based on the research results, The implementation of the principle of transparency in the BKPSDM of West Muna Regency in the implementation of PPPK recruitment has been running but not yet optimal. Although tasks have been carried out well, the late response to information and the difficulty of the community in understanding the registration procedures and accessing information through the website show that transparency still needs to be improved. In general, the provision of clear information and easy access to information are still areas that need improvement to ensure effective transparency.

Evaluating the Diagnostic Efficacy of Using Pooled Samples for Chronic Wasting Disease Testing and Surveillance.

Disease monitoring informs the opportunities for intervention by natural resource agencies tasked with managing chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild cervids. However, allocating funds toward testing can reduce those available for education, outreach, and disease reduction. Implementation of more efficient testing strategies can help meet both an expanding need by resource managers and a burgeoning demand from the hunting public in North America. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of pooled testing using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the current screening test used by veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States, and real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), an amplification assay that is being evaluated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture but is not yet approved or commercially available. The samples used in this study consisted of medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) routinely collected by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources during the 2019-2020 surveillance season. The test pools contained tissue from one positive deer diluted in tissue from an increasing number of undetected deer, with each individual contributing an equal tissue volume. ELISA remained positive with pooling thresholds of 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, and 1:9 at a standard volume of tissue homogenate, whereas RT-QuIC remained positive with pooling thresholds of 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:9, 1:19, and 1:49 at a 0.02% tissue dilution. Our results suggest that pooled testing can reduce diagnostic costs multi-fold, and RT-QuIC can be a viable screening test compatible with current field collection standards.

Sanctuary for migrating and wintering waterfowl: Synthesis and insights for waterfowl management and conservation planning

AbstractWaterfowl use a diversity of resources (e.g., food, structure, sanctuary) to meet energetic, social, and other life‐history demands during the non‐breeding period. Waterfowl often seek areas with limited human disturbance (i.e., sanctuary) during autumn and winter when hunting seasons are open perhaps to reduce exposure to mortality risks, minimize energy expenditure, and increase foraging efficiency, all of which should enhance survival and subsequent fitness. Prior studies of sanctuary use by waterfowl have mostly focused on patterns of abundance and behavior, with many documenting differential diel movements of marked birds in and around sanctuaries. Although reduced mortality risk is likely associated with sanctuary use, much less is known about the potential effects on energy expenditure, body condition, reproductive consequences at the individual level, and seasonal distribution with respect to viewing and harvest potential. We consider these aforementioned factors among the most significant gaps in our understanding of the function of sanctuary in waterfowl management. As waterfowl hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation have become a major initiative of many natural resource agencies and a core principle of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, we discuss the potential role of sanctuary relative to these efforts. Herein, we review historical aspects of waterfowl sanctuary, introduce hypotheses about its potential role in habitat resource management and conservation planning during autumn and winter, discuss our knowledge of the effects of sanctuary on waterfowl, and share insights to inform decisions about the role of sanctuary in waterfowl management given currently available evidence and remaining uncertainties. Our review describes the existing evidence for the biological and social outcomes of sanctuary, draws some conclusions about the role of sanctuary in natural resource management given the available evidence, and outlines potential research opportunities to help us make informed decisions regarding sanctuary implementation for waterfowl.

Studying the performance of pavement defects at different road slopes using the vibration-based method and deep machine learning

Road networks are the backbone of urban life and significantly impact the sustainability of any country's infrastructure sector. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the condition of roads and pavements through continuous monitoring and periodic maintenance in order to achieve the highest levels of service for road users and the sustainability of their use. Pavement is the main component of road networks, providing the highest degree of comfort to drivers and roadway users when it is appropriately designed and free from defects and cracks. More clearly, defects are one of the most important factors that reduce the operational life of roads and cause economic losses to road users by causing damage to their vehicles; moreover, the damaged pavement needs frequent and long maintenance that may also drain the resources of government institutions and transport agencies. Therefore, there is a crucial need for a monitoring and follow-up system for the condition of the roads in order to identify and treat defects quickly. This study used a vibration-based system to monitor pavement conditions on several roads with different gradients. A fully electric car was used to determine the vibration values, which indicate the degree of driving comfort, to determine the spread and behaviour of defects on the pavement at multiple locations on roads with different gradients. Also, a machine learning model was applied using a "decision tree" model to identify, classify and predict defects on the pavements. The results of this study indicated that pavement defects were more prevalent in the first and last quadrants of the high-slope roads compared to the low-slope roads. The prediction model achieved accuracy in predicting the performance of defects with a rate of 94% for roads with low gradients and 90% and 86% for roads with medium and high gradients, respectively.

Recent court ruling could increase the size and administrative complexity of the 340B program.

The 340B program allows certain hospitals and clinics to use outpatient drugs purchased at substantial discounts on insured patients, generating profits to fund care. The size of these profits depends on the number of prescriptions filled by participating hospital or clinics' insured patients that also meet the Health Resources and Services Agency's definition of an eligible patient. A recent court case has challenged the Agency's longstanding definition of a patient, resulting in new definition that could significantly expand the size of the program and create conflicts when an insured patient satisfies the new definition for more than one hospital or clinic participating in the program. We use Medicare Part D data from 2018 to simulate the proportion of prescription drug fills eligible for 340B discounts and total program spending under both existing and new definitions. We found that the new definition could increase the share of 340B-eligible fills in Medicare Part D by 25%, from 12% of fills to 16%, and that the share of fills subject to a conflict could double, from 1% of fills to 1%-2%. Our results suggest that the new definition could increase covered entities' 340B profits by roughly a third.

Leveraging local wildlife surveys for robust occupancy trend estimation

Natural resource agencies are frequently tasked with monitoring populations of at-risk species to ensure management activities do not negatively affect the viability of wildlife populations. Typically, these monitoring efforts evaluate trends in a population’s abundance, occupancy, or geographic distribution. Often, surveys provide local information, but results are generally not incorporated into broad-scale monitoring efforts that focus on range-wide population changes due to their variable nature in both spatial extent and effort. We investigated whether aggregating these local (hereafter “variable”) surveys can generate enough statistical power to estimate broad-scale population trends using simulations of declining populations of fishers (Pekaniapennati) over a 10-year time horizon. Our simulations included three population sizes which we refer to as abundant, common, and rare (N0 = 700, 350, and 100 individuals, respectively) with each declining at a rapid and moderate pace (λ = 0.933, and 0.977, respectively). For each population, we simulated variable surveys using an occupancy framework to subsample the population with parameters that mimic combining multiple independent monitoring efforts which vary annually in location, and effort. Regardless of spatial consistency of annual sampling, there was minimal variation in statistical power under both high and low detection probability simulations. However, when sampling effort varied each year, statistical power was lower for most populations and sampling scenarios when compared to consistent sampling effort unless some baseline level of sampling effort was reliably achieved in all years. In many cases, adding low-level consistent baseline sampling to variable surveys resulted in statistical power close to that of consistent sampling efforts. Our results suggest statistical power is driven by annual consistency in the proportion of landscape sampled rather than spatial consistency in sampling locations. This result indicates that current variable surveys could be leveraged and combined to detect population declines for at-risk species at broad-scales if a baseline proportion of landscape is robustly sampled. The level of baseline sampling is highly dependent on population size and magnitudes of population change. In simulations with a common or abundant population experiencing a rapid decline, a baseline survey effort of at least 5% of the landscape in combination with variable surveys resulted in statistical power consistently above the standard threshold of 0.80 for occupancy monitoring. Leveraging existing local efforts to achieve high detection probability and baseline sampling would reduce financial and logistical burdens of broad-scale wildlife monitoring efforts.

Mapping of annual and frequency rainfall in the Cheliff catchment area (Northwestern Algeria)

In recent years, there has been a common use of automatic precipitation mapping based on various interpolation methods. Based on multiple linear regression, the study primarily focuses on the entire Cheliff basin (43 750 km²), to search a suitable model for mapping mean annual precipitation based on 89 rainfall stations of the observed series (1968/69–2001/2002). Then conducts on the upper part of Cheliff basin downstream the Boughzoul dam (4777 km²) using 11 rainfall stations of annual precipitation series relative to the period 1982/83–2020/2021. The same approach was used to map median annual precipitations and quantiles of rain associated with the return periods of 5 and 10 years, representing both wet and dry periods. Indeed, this work is based on the backward elimination method between the observed annual precipitation and four predictors: smoothed altitude (Zs), longitude (X), latitude (Y) and distance from the sea (D). The model’s results are satisfactory with a global correlation coefficient for both regional (R = 0,89) and local scale (R > 0,81). The final maps obtained are produced after interpolating by kriging the residuals. The median annual precipitation map was compared to that elaborated by the National Hydraulic Resources Agency (ANRH). The comparison results of 2296 nodes of the grid covering the Upper Cheliff basin showed negative deviations on average - 10% and reaching - 34% in northern area reflecting a dry trend in precipitation. The final grids of rainfall can be integrated into Geographical Information Systems related to many sectors including water management and climate change.

Integrative highway rights‐of‐way management to reduce stormwater run‐off and enhance habitat

Nature‐based management along highway rights‐of‐way (ROW) has been a focus in several states to benefit pollinators through supporting diverse and native vegetative communities. There is the potential to enhance the ecological benefits of this practice by integrating stormwater management into restoration plans and incorporating other complex, multidisciplinary factors. Historically, lack of technical assistance and limited resources has led managers to use unsustainable roadside practices that reduce the potential ecological services of the ROW; however, integrative management can aid in the prioritization of management efforts and link objectives of various resource agencies. In this literature review, we address the ecological impacts of highways and roadside management and propose a conceptual model to support managers in the development of sustainable roadside restoration plans.

Evaluasi Implementasi Hukum Pidana terhadap Kasus Kejahatan Lingkungan di Kawasan Hutan Lindung: Studi Kualitatif-Etnografis

Protected forests play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change. However, these areas face increasing threats from illegal activities, such as logging and land encroachment, which compromise environmental stability and result in significant economic losses. This study evaluates the implementation of criminal law in addressing environmental crimes within Indonesia's protected forest areas, focusing on the effectiveness and challenges encountered in enforcement. A qualitative ethnographic approach was employed, involving direct observation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs) with local communities, law enforcement officials, and other stakeholders. The findings reveal that the effectiveness of law enforcement is hindered by several key factors: economic dependency on illegal activities, limited capacity and resources of law enforcement agencies, and external pressures from vested interests. Additionally, the lack of public awareness and inconsistent legal implementation exacerbate these challenges. Despite existing regulations, enforcement remains insufficient to deter environmental crimes or provide lasting protection for critical ecosystems. This study contributes to the understanding of the socio-economic and cultural dynamics that influence the effectiveness of environmental law enforcement. It underscores the need for a holistic strategy that integrates legal, economic, and community-based approaches. Recommendations include strengthening the capacity of law enforcement agencies, fostering public awareness through educational programs, and involving local communities and traditional leaders in collaborative conservation efforts. By addressing these gaps, the research provides actionable insights to enhance the preservation of protected forests in Indonesia and supports the development of more sustainable and inclusive environmental policies

A conceptual framework to inform conservation status assessments of non-charismatic species

The conservation of at-risk species is rooted in the ability of natural resource agencies to recognize when a species is imperiled and in need of regulatory action, which can be a difficult task due to incomplete information. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae), are a highly imperiled group of aquatic organisms and conservation tools such as the NatureServe Conservation Methodology provide a framework to determine whether a species is in decline and in need of potential management. For data deficient species like mussels this method relies heavily on expert opinion, which can lead to biased estimates of conservation status that may not reflect the true nature of their conservation need. To address these concerns, we developed a standardized and repeatable conservation ranking framework that builds upon the established NatureServe methodology. We compiled a data set of 12,018 species occurrence records of 48 freshwater mussel species, 17 geospatial layers representing environmental threats, and life history information to estimate their response to those threats. Estimated ranks were compared to previous status ranking metrics from IUCN, NatureServe, USFWS and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Of the 48 species we evaluated, three were classified as critically imperiled, 16 were imperiled, 15 were vulnerable, 13 were apparently secure, and one was secure. We found 48% of species assessed were less imperiled than NatureServe estimates and found 10% of species assessed to have a higher conservation status than previous evaluations. Our approach can be applied to other species in other regions and should be useful for managers and scientists interested in reducing uncertainty and improving reproducibility in assignment of conservation ranks, particularly for those with limited information.

Does the green finance policy affect the efficiency of corporate investment? Evidence from China's green finance reform and innovation pilot zones.

In the context of promoting the orderly expansion of capital investment and rational allocation of resources to achieve green and circular economic development. Green finance, as a new engine to promote the sustainability of enterprises, holds significant importance in exploring the positive effect of green finance policies on optimizing the investment decisions of enterprises and guiding them to efficiently utilize their resources to maximize value creation. Using A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2012 to 2022 as the research sample, we apply the Difference-in-Differences (DID) method to test the impact of the green finance reform and innovation pilot zones (2017) on the investment efficiency of enterprises in the pilot regions. We also adopt a two-step method to test the mechanisms of financial resource misallocation and agency costs. The study reveals that the green finance policy significantly enhances the investment efficiency of enterprises in the pilot areas. Financial resource misallocation and agency costs are important influence mechanisms. Drawing on resource allocation theory and agency theory, the study concludes that the green finance policy alleviates financial resource misallocation by directing financial resources toward high-efficiency enterprises. Moreover, the policy effectively reduces agency conflicts caused by power separation and information asymmetry, ensuring that enterprises can maximize the benefits of their investments. Heterogeneity analysis shows that non-state-owned enterprises and low-tech innovative enterprises in the pilot areas have disadvantages in terms of capital stock and loan credit, so the policy can improve their investment efficiency effectively. Based on these findings, we recommend that to leverage the positive effects of the green finance policy, it is essential to enhance the guiding role of the government, strengthen market mechanisms, and bolster corporate initiatives. This study complements the research on the economic effects of location-orientated comprehensive green finance policies on enterprises, considering the dual aspects of resource allocation efficiency and corporate governance, and makes up for the shortcomings of the existing literature. The study's conclusions offer valuable insights for enhancing green finance to support enterprises in achieving efficient production.

Water Level Classification for Detect Flood Disaster Status Using KNN and SVM

Flooding occurs when the water's surface elevation exceeds the average level, overflowing river water and creating inundation in low-lying areas. Early warning for potential floods significantly reduces losses, such as human casualties and property damage. In this context, the flood disaster classification system uses water surface elevation data from the Water Resources Agency to predict the likelihood of floods using the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) Algorithm. This research aims to classify flood status based on water surface elevation using the K-Nearest Neighbors and Support Vector Machine(SVM) methods in the Ciliwung River. The study results indicate that the SVM algorithm outperforms the KNN algorithm. The SVM algorithm used parameter C ranging from 1 to 10 in the scenarios, and the RBF kernel achieved 100% accuracy. On the other hand, the KNN algorithm achieved 100% accuracy only for K values of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in scenarios where K ranged from 1 to 10.

Effectiveness of Legal Protection for Whistleblowers in Corruption Cases in Indonesia

Combating corruption is a crucial priority for Indonesia, which strives to improve the quality of governance and institutional integrity. Whistleblowers play a vital role in uncovering corrupt practices, often serving as the initial source of information that reveals systemic and organized corruption. However, whistleblowers face significant risks, including intimidation and retaliatory actions. Effective legal protection is essential to shield them from these risks and encourage the public to report corruption. This study aims to review the effectiveness of legal protections for whistleblowers under Indonesian legislation and explore measures that can be enhanced to ensure their safety and well-being. Utilizing a literature review method, this research finds that although regulations exist to protect whistleblowers, their implementation remains inadequate. Obstacles such as lack of legal awareness, insufficient resources in law enforcement agencies, and a culture of fear of retaliation hinder optimal protection. Specific legal reforms, increased capacity of law enforcement agencies, and education and cultural changes that support whistleblowers are needed to improve the effectiveness of protection. Strengthening legal protections will better motivate whistleblowers to report corruption, supporting creating a more transparent and accountable government.

Empowerment and gender norms among Yoruba women and men cassava producers

Yoruba women have gained a reputation as empowered traders, but their empowerment in agriculture has received less attention. This study examines the empowerment of Yoruba men and women cassava producers in Nigeria's Southwest geopolitical zone. It combines data from an Abbreviated Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI) survey with results from focus group discussions and key informant interviews. An additional focus is on how norms that foster balanced household gender relations interact with those that produce inequalities. Yoruba men farmers appeared more empowered than their wives in all the domains measured by the A-WEAI in spite of women's high involvement in processing and trade. The fact that the same domains contributed most to men and women's disempowerment points to structural issues that affect men and women unevenly. The study finds signs of emerging shifts in gender norms: women demanded to be acknowledged as farmers and indicated first moves into land ownership. However, the most asymmetric effect of normative constraints experienced by women as a result of unpaid labor, alongside their own income-generating activities tend to neutralize these gains. Hence, the embeddedness of pockets of potentially symmetric institutions in a larger asymmetric patriarchal system of imbalanced resource access and agency does not produce equitable outcomes. Future research should address men's and women's participation in cassava trade and production and their benefits from it more holistically.

Corporate carbon emission governance: The mediating role of financial leverage

This study examines the impact of board composition and CEO behavior on corporate carbon management across 2012–2021. Based on agency theory and resource dependence theory, this study establishes panel quantile regression and mediation effect models to analyze the impact of corporate governance composition and financial leverage on corporate carbon emissions. The findings reveal that diverse boards reduce carbon emissions, highlighting the value of inclusive decision-making. Additionally, the relationship between board size and emissions follows a U-shaped curve, suggesting an optimal size for efficient decision-making; overconfident CEOs tend to increase emissions due to their optimistic risk assessments; and financial leverage further moderates the impact of board size on emissions. This study demonstrates the importance of environmentally responsible leadership and offers insights into how board composition and CEO attributes shape corporate environmental strategies.