Supply Side Research Articles

Effective coverage of maternal and neonatal healthcare services in low-and middle-income countries: a scoping review

BackgroundThere is no consistent operationalization of effective coverage (EC) across studies. Therefore, this scoping review synthesized evidence on the definitions and measurement approaches, outcomes reported, and the factors that are associated with variations in quality-adjusted EC estimates of maternal and neonatal healthcare services in low- and middle-income countries.MethodsArticle search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and other databases. Then, title, abstract, and full text screenings for inclusion were performed by two authors independently and disagreements were resolved through discussion. In case of duplication, the full-text published articles were retained, and the results are presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for Scoping Reviews checklist as a guide.ResultsOverall, 36 articles were included in this scoping review. In most articles, EC has been defined from the perspectives of people in need utilizing healthcare services in well-equipped health facilities and from actual receipt of quality services. In addition, usage, instead of need, has been used as a domain in estimating EC in some instances. Effective coverage ranged from 0% for different services including for post-partum care, to 84% for antenatal care. Moreover, different socio-demographic factors including wealth index, education, and residence are found to have an association with variations in EC of maternal and neonatal healthcare services with the wealthiest, most educated, and those living in urban areas having higher estimates. From the supply side, numerous factors, particularly health facility capacity-related constraints, have been reported to be associated with low EC of those services.ConclusionsThe variability in the definition and measurement approaches of EC across studies emphasizes the need for standardization for better comparison in future research. We recommend that quality-adjusted EC be defined in two ways: intervention-specific service delivery EC and general service delivery EC. In addition, disparities in EC are observed among women with different socioeconomic status including educational level and wealth index. Organizational capacity constraints and other health system and societal factors also contributed to variations in EC.

The Monetary and Non-monetary Costs of Health Care in the Philippines

Over the past decade, there have been vigorous efforts to document the financial burden of health care in the Philippines, charting the cost from both the demand side (e.g., patients’ out-of-pocket spending)1-3 and supply side (e.g., costing analysis)4,5, analyzing the cost-effectiveness of various interventions6, and measuring the impacts of various financial protection interventions7. With the passage of the Universal Health Care Law in 2019, the recent scholarship has been oriented towards informing case rates and per capita coverage.8

The low-carbon economic scheduling method for regional integrated energy systems considering the joint integration of electric vehicles and concentrated solar power plants for wind power consumption

In northern China, there is a serious problem of source-load imbalance and significant wind curtailment, mainly due to the limitations of the “heat determines electricity” mode of operation of combined heat and power (CHP) units in winter. To further absorb excess wind power and overcome these limitations, this paper proposes an optimized scheduling method for a regional integrated energy system (RIES) based on source-load coordination. Firstly, on the supply side, the paper introduces the concept of a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant and an electric boiler for combined heat and power generation to provide heating, partially decoupling their operation mode from “heat determines electricity.” Secondly, on the demand side, the impact of electric vehicles (EV) is considered. A formula for the fluctuation ratio of peak-to-off-peak electricity prices is established, and EV charging and discharging are guided by electricity prices to fully exploit the demand response capability of dispatchable resources on the demand side. Charging loads during peak electricity consumption periods are effectively shifted to off-peak periods, aiding in peak shaving and valley filling. Finally, a tiered carbon trading mechanism is introduced. With the goal of minimizing the total cost of the RIES, an optimization scheduling model for the RIES is established, and the CPLEX solver is used for solving. Simulation results show that under source-load coordination scheduling, the overall efficiency of the system is significantly improved. It can further overcome the limitations of CHP units, enhance wind power consumption capacity, reduce carbon emissions, and improve the economic benefits of the RIES.

Demand Side Factors and Financial Inclusion: The Mediating Role of Financial Self-efficacy

Despite the recognized significance of achieving financial inclusion in Nigeria,there is limited studies in this area. This gap primarily arises from the prevailingfocus in existing literature on financial inclusion in Nigeria, which predominantlyemphasizes the supply side. Therefore, this study delved into the role of financial selfefficacyas a mediator in the relationship between demand-side factors and the financialinclusion of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in selected local governmentsin Oyo State. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design, the studygathered primary data through structured questionnaires and utilized a structuralequation model for analysis. The findings reported a significant positive link betweenfinancial attitude and financial inclusion (p-value: 0.000). Likewise, there was a noteworthypositive association between subjective norms and financial inclusion (p-value:0.001), as well as between personal experience and financial inclusion (p-value: 0.003). Intriguingly, financial self-efficacy emerged as a substantial obstacle to financial inclusion,acting as a mediating factor with a p-value of (0.002). By evaluating the mediationeffect, this study shows how financial self-efficacy enhance individuals MSMEs ownersto confidently undertake financial tasks and decisions and consequently, financial inclusion in relation to their attitude, experience and subjective norms respectively. Consequently,the study recommends the promotion of positive financial attitudes amongindividual MSMEs to facilitate continuous access to diverse financial services. Financialservice providers should prioritize the establishment of an effective and sustainablefinancial system that offers affordable services to MSMEs. Furthermore, communityleaders are encouraged to play a role in motivating their members to actively engage inthe formal financial sector.

Exploring barriers and motivations in the adoption of food waste mobile applications

AbstractFood waste is a serious global problem obstructing the path toward Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). Several food waste mobile applications (FWMAs) have been launched in recent years, offering a technological means of connecting food businesses with consumers to redistribute leftover food. Food businesses, as the suppliers, provide leftover food on an FWMA platform, and the acceptance of that leftover food determines the quantity of food saved through this method. This paper aims to identify the barriers and motivations (B&Ms) underlying the decisions of food businesses regarding whether to participate in FWMA projects. PESTLE analysis is used to categorize potential B&Ms along six dimensions: political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental. Experts in FWMA, suppliers and operators, are then invited to respond to questions along a 5‐point Likert scale as part of the Delphi method. The questions ask about the participants’ level of agreement. Finally, the voting analytical hierarchy process is used to determine the relative importance of each B&M to the industry at large. Economic considerations constitute the biggest source of both motivation and barriers. The same goes for technological factors, though to a lesser degree. Notably, however, FWMA operators point to political factors as the biggest source of barriers. This pioneering study examines FWMA acceptance from the supply side. Despite its brief history, FWMAs excel in the market. Challenges in the business‐to‐consumer model hint at both motivations and barriers. Existing literature lacks comprehensive insights, mainly focusing on consumer perspectives.

Research on the positioning and enhancement path of marine cities in China’s internal circulation network

IntroductionChina’s marine cities have reached a critical juncture after 40 years of rapid development. In this new stage, where internal circulation is the main focus, there is a need to enhance the internal circulation capabilities of these cities and unleash their full economic potential. This paper aims to explore the positioning and improvement path of marine cities in China's internal circulation network, and fully unleash the development potential of marine cities.MethodsBased on data from 284 prefecture-level cities in China, this paper constructs the social network of China's urban internal circulation with the help of the modified gravity model, and explores the conditional configuration of the improvement of the status of marine cities in internal circulation network by using the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method.Results and discussion(1) The development level of marine cities' internal circulation can be categorized into three tiers, led by Shanghai. The development gap between the 14 marine cities has gradually widened over recent years. (2) Chinese marine cities can be divided into three groups in the topological structure of China's urban internal circulation network: core, periphery, and edge, with Shanghai being the core "bridge" in the network. The traditional advantages of some northern economically strong cities in the construction of the internal circulation network have gradually been lost, and many marine cities have seen their leadership and control over the internal circulation network significantly weakened. (3) No single factor is a necessary condition for achieving a high-level status of marine cities in the internal circulation network. (4) The four conditional variables of demand side, supply side, industrial linkage and inter-regional integration have two sufficient condition configurations to enhance the status of marine cities in internal circulation network. Among them, the "industry-regional integration"-dominated configuration with the core of unblocking the bottlenecks of the internal circulation is the main path.

Quantifying the socio-economic benefits of music festivals: The case study of Phalaphala FM Royal Heritage festival

Understanding the socio-economic benefits of annual community festivals is vital for stakeholders like event planners and sponsors. This study, focused on Phalaphala FM Royal Heritage Festival, assumes festivals generate income for host communities and attract tourists. Using a dual approach (demand and supply perspectives), the study empirically evaluates these benefits, highlighting their impact on local economies and tourism. The aim is to assess and quantify the socio-economic advantages of music festivals for the host community. The research followed the quantitative method for both the demand and supply sides. The demand side collected data from sampled festival attendees; this was done face-to-face, while the supply collection of data from the SMMEs was done face-to-face and telephonically. The data was mainly analysed through descriptive analysis. The main findings revealed that retaining the earnings from the festival gains can be achieved by buying raw materials locally. Both the demand and supply sides depicted in the study show that the economic contribution of the festival involves the entire process of sourcing local produce from raw materials to finished products that may need to be done locally. However, the study established that buying locally might not be easy because some of the goods required are unavailable locally in the area. The festival greatly benefits both host communities and local businesses. The study recommends that there should be collaboration among local businesses to create packages (e.g., discounts for festivalgoers on food, accommodation, and transportation) to stimulate the local economy and to produce other raw materials locally.

Research on cross-provincial power trading strategy considering the medium and long-term trading plan

To accommodate China’s electricity market reforms integrating medium and long-term (MLT) transactions and spot transactions, and to boost renewable energy consumption through the spot market, this paper proposes an optimized cross-provincial electricity trading strategy model based on a two-layer game framework. The proposed model incorporates an MLT green certificate contract decomposition method, enabling nested optimization of green certificate contracts and scheduling plans for cross-provincial power transactions. To encourage broader participation, a bilateral green certificate trading framework is established, which globally optimizes green certificate allocation to increase benefits for market participants. A Nash-Stackelberg game model is introduced to address complex game interactions among multiple participants under the green certificate mechanism and the limitation of assuming complete rationality. The game model combines supply and demand sides with an embedded demand-side evolutionary game. Additionally, an improved Aquila optimization algorithm (IAOA) is developed to accurately calculate electricity supply and demand. The algorithm integrates a Circle chaotic map, Sobol sequence, random walk strategy, and filtering technology to enhance optimization capabilities and manage complex constraints. The algorithm is then embedded with a distributed iterative approach to achieve equilibrium strategies. A real-world case study was conducted to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively achieves equilibrium, optimizes trading strategies, and fosters win-win, coordinated development among participants in the cross-provincial electricity market.

Closing the digital divide in education: an innovative review of demand and supply side policies in four ASEAN member states

Closing the digital divide in education: an innovative review of demand and supply side policies in four ASEAN member states

Rethinking the missions and functions of public research institutes: evidence from Iranian PRIs

Abstract Public research institutes (PRIs) are pivotal in national and sectoral innovation systems and the transition to a knowledge-based economy. So, the current study has reassessed these institutes’ functions and suggested policy recommendations to augment their influence in moving toward a knowledge-based economy. The findings of this research reveal that functions such as innovation hub and specialized accelerator; strategic and problem-oriented research management platform; standard and regulatory reference; specialized technical service center; center for cooperation, transfer, and dissemination of technology; and the hub of technology and policy intelligence in a specific industrial sector are crucial functions of PRIs in transitioning to a knowledge-based economy. Additionally, to foster a conducive environment for the influence of PRIs in actualizing a knowledge-based economy, policies related to governance and division of responsibilities, stimulation of both supply and demand sides, strengthening the linkage between the supply and demand sides, and provisioning supportive environment and infrastructure are recommended.

Projected and Perceived Destination Images of the Tsunami Memorial Parks After the Great East Japan Earthquake: A Text Mining Analysis

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, dark tourism was developed in the Tohoku Region of Japan. Notably, two government-built tsunami memorial parks in Ishinomaki and Rikuzentakata have obtained attention for their profound disaster narratives, iconic disaster sites, and expansive layouts. This study is the first to compare the projected destination image presented by destination management organizations with the perceived destination image held by visitors in these parks, and in dark tourism. Using online text data from both supply and demand sides of dark tourism and text mining analyses such as word frequency analysis, co-occurrence network analysis, and affection tendency examination, we revealed similarities and disparities between these two perspectives. Furthermore, this study concluded dimensions specific to dark tourism sites within the cognitive and affective destination image. Based on the findings, the study provides advice for destination managers to improve these sites, including developing non-dark tourism products and improving infrastructures. Additionally, it proposes placing greater emphasis on themes of revitalization and future development, while fostering visitor engagement in local non-profit and citizen activities to strengthen connections with residents. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of text mining in comparing projected and perceived destination images in the context of dark tourism sites.

Carbon governance or trade gaming: China's approach to addressing the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism

The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) poses a significant challenge for developing countries, especially China, a key player in the global market and a major carbon emitter. We use the GTAP-E model to evaluate CBAM's impact on China's economy and carbon reduction efforts, and propose two response strategies: carbon governance approaches and international trade gaming. Our findings show that CBAM may lead to a slight decrease of 0.003% in China's GDP and a 0.004% reduction in carbon emissions. It also generates ripple effects across the supply chain, notably affecting energy-intensive upstream industries. We find that the combination of carbon pricing and trade agreements is more effective than trade protection measures in minimizing economic losses from CBAM. This is achieved through mechanisms such as sharing carbon reduction costs and promoting decarbonization on both the supply and demand sides. Furthermore, improving carbon governance can enhance the green competitiveness of Chinese products. Going forward, China should maintain trade agreements with developing countries and enhance its carbon pricing mechanism to better align with global climate governance. Our study offers valuable policy insights for developing countries as they navigate the challenges posed by CBAM.

Trends and Characteristics of the Whole-Grain Diet.

Whole-grain foods are good choices for a nutritious diet and play an important role in lowering the risk of chronic diseases. China is a large cereal-consuming country that is experiencing rapid economic growth and an increased burden of noncommunicable diseases. Studies have shown that insufficient intake of whole grains has increased the burden on public health to some extent. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the characteristics and trends of whole-grain consumption in China to contribute to the development of a healthy Chinese population. We searched for important policies, standards, and dietary recommendations related to whole grains through the official websites of the China State Council and its affiliated ministries. Official and public databases, such as the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), were utilized to obtain data on whole grains and different foods. This approach was employed to gain insight into changes in whole-grain intake levels and dietary structure. Since 2010, the development of whole grains in China has received significant attention. Supportive policies have been continuously introduced on both the supply and demand sides. Numerous whole-grain standards have been developed, and terms and definitions related to whole grains have been preliminarily defined. The consumption of whole grains has fluctuated among Chinese residents since 2000, with a downward trend from 2000 to 2009, followed by an upward trend from 2009 to 2018. However, despite this increasing trend, the whole-grain intake of 80% of the adult residents was still lower than the minimum recommended dietary intake (50[Formula: see text]g/day). Furthermore, the dietary structure of Chinese residents has undergone a significant transformation, characterized by high consumption of high-fat foods, excessive consumption of meat, low intake of dietary fiber, and insufficient consumption of whole grains. These findings highlight the need for further monitoring of whole-grain intake in China. In addition, a sound whole-grain standardization system should be established, and the availability and consumer awareness of whole grains should be improved, with the goal of increasing the intake of whole grains.

Determinants of Energy Use in Turkish Manufacturing Industry: A Supply Side View

This paper aims to assess the supply-side determinants of firm-level energy use. To this end, we first propose a model for a stylized economy using Solovian framework, in which the production function employs energy input, along with capital and labor. We show the full algebraic solution of the model at the steady-state and in the transitional period and derive the supply-side determinants of energy consumption. Then, using firm-level micro panel data on the Turkish manufacturing industry from 2009 to 2015, we test the proposed model with static and dynamic panel data estimators. Our empirical results suggest that the proposed model is consistent with Turkish manufacturing data. Out of the supply-side determinants, firms’ output/value-added and total factor productivity, as a proxy for technological progress, are found to be the most significant determinants of firm-level energy use. Estimations also reveal quite heterogenous effects of technology on energy use in different manufacturing subsectors. Hence, although promoting technological change in the manufacturing industry is, without a doubt, the most convenient way to reduce energy use, policymakers should develop sector-specific incentives to achieve this goal.

Economic determinants of Ethereum transaction fees in the priority fee and proof of stake periods

ABSTRACT We analyse the economic determinants and dynamics of transaction fees in the Ethereum blockchain before and after two significant platform updates. The first is the August 2021 EIP-1559 ‘London’ upgrade, a switch from user-bid gas price (transaction fee per unit of complexity) to a fee model in which the gas price is the sum of an algorithmically determined base fee and an optional priority fee (tip) chosen by the user. The second update (‘the Merge’) is the switch from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake transactions validation in September 2022. We estimate the impact on Ethereum transaction fees of both demand factors (block utilization, transaction type, ETH price in USD) and algorithmic supply-side factors (the block gas limit and base fee). Using data from nearly 900 million blockchain transactions, we find that the gas price is statistically significantly positively associated with the block utilization rate. A larger share of contract call transactions or legacy (user-bid gas price) transactions is linked with higher gas prices on average. On the supply side, a higher block gas limit is statistically significantly associated with lower gas prices.

Study on Green Transformation Evolution of Construction Enterprises Based on Dissemination and Complex Network Game

The green transformation of construction enterprises (GTCEs) is an important way to develop green buildings and realize the goal of “double carbon”. The GTCEs is not only influenced by the internal characteristics of the group but also influenced by the governmental orientation and the pull of the consumer groups. This paper simultaneously considers the heterogeneity of consumer groups and construction enterprise groups, coupling the improved SIR dissemination model, complex network model, and evolutionary game model to describe the dynamic interaction process between construction enterprise groups, government, and consumer groups and to explore the evolution law of GTCEs. The results show that (1) Appropriately increase in green R&D investment by construction enterprises for higher returns, the government’s subsidy and penalty policies and a higher carbon trading price have a positive effect on the GTCEs; (2) a positive social climate, along with the government’s publicity and education, the higher technology level of construction enterprises, and the higher green cognition and lower risk perception level of consumers will strongly promote the GTCEs; and (3) a steady development of the GTCEs is guaranteed by the enterprises’ own inputs and the government’s joint measures on both the supply and demand sides. The conclusions of this study can be used as a reference for the government to formulate policies and for the green transformation and development of construction enterprises.

Within-Category Satiation and Cross-Category Spillover in Multiproduct Advertising

Multiproduct ads (MPAs) allow an ad platform to display multiple products within a single ad unit. Unlike a single-product display ad, similar ads from the same product category may appear in MPAs and induce consumer satiation. Further, the simultaneous display of ads from multiple product categories can result in cross-category complementarity or substitution in consumers’ utility from ad clicking. This study examines ad platforms’ potential benefit from incorporating consumer within-category satiation and cross-category spillover into ad-serving policies. To achieve this goal, the authors propose a full-equilibrium modeling framework to capture both the demand (i.e., consumers’ clicks) and supply (i.e., advertisers’ bids) sides of MPAs. The results from a dataset from a large display ad network reveal heterogeneity in within-category satiation across consumers and categories, and provide evidence of cross-category complementarity. The authors then demonstrate how the platform can indirectly influence the ad variety and category composition of MPAs through three counterfactuals of ad-serving policy changes. The results show that the implementation of a more privacy-preserving policy may hurt both consumer welfare and the platform's revenue because of the reduced ad variety, which makes consumers more prone to within-category satiation and less prone to cross-category complementarity.

Barriers to women’s financial inclusion in Burkina Faso

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the barriers to women’s financial inclusion in Burkina Faso. We focus on both demand and supply side factors. Data from Findex for the years 2014, 2017 and 2021 are used. Statistical analysis show that lack of money and distance are the main barriers to women’s financial inclusion in 2014, 2017 and 2021. Interviews with women during the focus discussion groups revealed that access to formal financial products remains a difficulty for these women working in the informal sector; social pressure, particularly the behavior of husbands against the economic emancipation of women, are barriers to the financial inclusion of these women; poor information sharing and financial education are also barriers to financial inclusion for these women. To promote women’s financial inclusion, policies should focus on reducing barriers. To do this, education and access to the decent labor market are necessary to overcome the constraint of lack of money. Regarding distance, the strengthening of mobile banking must continue. To achieve women’s financial inclusion, banks need to create products tailored to women’s needs.

Exploration of Building an Interdisciplinary Graduate Supervisor Team

With the deepening of the structural reform of the supply side of education, the quality and efficiency of higher education have become the focus of social attention. It has become imperative for higher education to adapt to social needs and to cultivate graduate students with innovative ability and interdisciplinary background. In the context of reform, the traditional model of discipline-specific tutors has disciplinary limitations and cannot meet the cultivation needs of interdisciplinary graduate students, so the construction of interdisciplinary graduate student tutor teams has become an important initiative to improve the quality of graduate student cultivation and innovation ability. In this paper, we will explore the disadvantages of the single system of postgraduate tutors in the context of the structural reform of the supply side of education, and explore the necessity of the construction of interdisciplinary postgraduate tutor teams and better strategies and methods to cultivate high-quality talents to meet the needs of the new era of a strong education country.

Analyzing the Supply and Demand Dynamics of Urban Green Spaces Across Diverse Transportation Modes: A Case Study of Hefei City’s Built-Up Area

With the increasing demands of urban populations, achieving a balance between the supply and demand in the spatial allocation of urban green park spaces (UGSs) is essential for effective urban planning and improving residents’ quality of life. The study of UGS supply and demand balance has become a research hotspot. However, existing studies of UGS supply and demand balance rarely simultaneously improve the supply side, demand side, and transportation methods that connect the two, nor do they conduct a comprehensive, multi-dimensional supply and demand evaluation. Therefore, this study evaluates the accessibility of UGS within Hefei’s built-up areas, focusing on age-specific demands for UGS and incorporating various travel modes, including walking, cycling, driving, and public transportation. An improved two-step floating-catchment area (2SFCA) method is applied to evaluate the accessibility of UGS in Hefei’s built-up areas. This evaluation combines assessments using the Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, location entropy, and local spatial autocorrelation analysis, utilizing the ArcGIS 10.8 and GeoDa 2.1 platforms. Together, these methods enable a supply–demand balance analysis of UGSs to identify areas needing improvement and propose corresponding strategies. The research results indicate the following: (1) from a regional perspective, there are significant disparities in the accessibility of UGS within Hefei’s urban center, with the old city showing more imbalance than the new city. Areas with high demand and low supply are primarily concentrated in the old city, which require future improvement; (2) in terms of travel modes, higher-speed travel (such as driving) offers better and more equitable accessibility compared to slower modes (such as walking), highlighting transportation as a critical factor influencing accessibility; (3) regarding population demand, there is an overall balance in the supply of UGS, with local imbalances observed in the needs of residents across different age groups. Due to the high specific demand for UGS among older people and children, the supply and demand levels in these two age groups are more consistent. This study offers valuable insights for achieving the balanced, efficient, and sustainable development of the social benefits of UGS.