Social Prosperity Research Articles

Financial education and responsible consumption in undergraduate management students

In recent years, many countries have implemented policies to promote Financial Education (FE) among citizens as a mechanism for boosting economic development and social prosperity. Since 2008, Spain has had a national FE strategy that primarily promotes basic FE among students in compulsory education. This study analyzes first-year university students’ perception of the FE acquired in earlier educational stages and its practical application in their personal lives through the acquisition of responsible consumption habits. A survey is carried out in which students are asked how certain basic financial attributes (savings, investment, budgeting, expenses, income and quality of life), translate into everyday life, and their relationship is analyzed with their perception of the importance of FE, and certain values such as honesty, responsibility and solidarity, by applying a PLS-SEM methodology. The results allow us to extract proposals for improving public policies on FE in university studies and in earlier stages.

China's logistics evolution: A study of development characteristics and catalytic effects on economic growth.

The impact of logistics development on the economy covers many aspects, such as production, cost, employment, international trade, etc. It is an indispensable part of the modern economy, which helps to improve overall economic efficiency and social prosperity. This study studies the spatiotemporal dynamic evolution characteristics of China's logistics development from 2008 to 2018 and explores its impact on economic growth in multiple dimensions of time and space. The research findings indicate the following: (1) From 2008 to 2018, China's logistics development level (LDL) exhibited a clear upward trend. The differences between the eastern, central, and western regions showed fluctuating downward patterns, ultimately converging towards a high-level concentration. Concerning spatial distribution, China's logistics development demonstrated a trend towards the west and south. However, the spatial pattern of "strong in the east and weak in the west " has existed for a long time. Moreover, the "T-shaped" pattern between coastal provinces and those along the Yangtze River Basin deepened, and the LDL in the central and western regions significantly improved. (2) The advancement of China's LDL effectively promotes its economic growth, confirming that the Belt and Road Initiative enhances the role of logistics development in driving economic growth. Regarding regional differences, logistics development positively influences economic growth in the eastern and western regions, with a less significant impact on the central region. Regarding the strength of influence, logistics development has a more substantial effect on promoting high-ranking provinces in the entire country, the eastern region, and the central region, as well as boosting economic growth in low-ranking provinces in the western region.

Mobilizing Frontiers

Since the late 17th century, the Mekong Delta has become a vibrant place for Vietnamese, ethnic Khmer, and ethnic Chinese settlements, forming mixed communities in terms of race and culture. As a new frontier, the Delta has continuously undergone state-sponsored “civilizing” processes. The resulting hybridity in folk culture gave birth to various religious sects, especially on the Vietnamese-Cambodian border. From the view of late imperial Confucianism, these groups were judged as “heretical sects” and their leaders “heretical masters”. Despite being classified as “heretical”, these local “masters” and their communities still insisted on the core Confucian values of benevolence, righteousness and patriotism. Chinese secret societies and rebels escaped to the Delta in different times, bringing new ideas to the region, especially the cults of Five Lord Buddhas, Maitreya, and the concept of the birth of the wise king. Under French suppression, these “heretical masters” changed their religious strategies, supported local military leaders and secret societies to “fight the French and restore Đại Nam”. This research aims to investigate and analyse the “heretical” religious movements and ideological transformation of “heretical masters” in the Mekong River Delta in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, thereby strengthening the argument that although Vietnam’s local religious elites were marginalized and suppressed by state governance (the Nguyễn dynasty, French colonialists), they always cared about national independence and social prosperity, and therefore transformed their sectarian strategies into a special form of religio-political hybridity. National independence was definitely prioritized, and therefore the concept of “loyalty” in the traditional Confucian view turned into “patriotism” in the new context of French invasion and colonialization. This study uses a mixture of extensive field data collected between 2015‒2017 and 2022‒2024 (the primary data source for this study) with limited original texts from the Nguyễn dynasty and the research findings of selective previous scholars, and applies the theoretical concept of “standardization” and/or “orthopraxy” from the pre-modern Confucian tradition to examine and analyse political-religious practices, ideological transformation, and implicit narratives among local religious masters in rural Southern Vietnam, confirming that the Mekong Delta has fostered an environment of cultural and religious dynamism and pluralism since the late 19th century.

Prinsip-Prinsip Teori John Locke dan John Stuart Mill Terhadap Penyelesaian Kasus Korupsi di Indonesia

Since birth, humans have human rights that cannot be challenged by anyone. Even when a state is formed with such a system of power, it cannot take away human rights. The rights to life, liberty and property are rights that have been inherent in humans since birth. When humans form a country and use their freedom to elect a few people to be their leaders, these leaders automatically hold the people's mandate to create justice and social prosperity. However, citizens are also free to dismiss a government that acts arbitrarily, for example because it has committed corruption. Corruption is the same as taking away human rights, where funds used for the welfare of the people are taken by the authorities for their personal or group welfare. In this paper the author tries to help minimize social injustice, through the principles of authority and freedom put forward by John Locke and John Stuart Mill. The author will describe several cases of corruption committed by government officials and then help readers on how to take a stance on this corruption phenomenon based on the thoughts of John Locke and John Stuart Mill.

Pengaruh Kredit Perbankan Terhadap Pertumbuhan Ekonomi dan Hubungannya dengan Kesejahteraan Masyarakat

The aim of this research is to analyze the influence of banking credit on economic growth and social welfare. The type of research used in this research is secondary data, namely data in the form of numbers or quantitative time series. The findings in this research are that working capital credit has a positive and significant effect on economic growth, investment credit has a positive and significant effect on economic growth, and credit consumption has a positive and significant effect on economic growth. This means that if working capital credit, investment credit and consumption credit increase, economic growth will also increase. And if economic growth increases, it will encourage social prosperity.

Counting women? Gendered sustainability and inclusivity for an ocean accounting framework

ABSTRACT The oceans are increasingly pivotal in scholarly and policy dialogues focused on achieving inclusive economic and social prosperity. The Ocean Account Global Framework (2020) underscores oceans' role as essential for social and economic development, crucially contributing to human well-being and gender equality. With oceans holding significant economic potential, governments face mounting pressure to systematically account for ocean resources and their utilisation (Ocean Account Global Framework, 2020). This need is particularly acute given the evolving relationships between economic prosperity, inclusive development, social well-being, and oceans. However, a knowledge gap persists, impairing governments' ability to make informed and gender inclusive decisions about oceans and undermining long-term commitments outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Ocean Global Account Framework, 2020). This article examines ocean governance, focusing on gender-related aspects and integrating gender perspectives into the ocean accounting framework using a political economy lens, supported by environmental and gender political economy analyses.

PUBLIC INVESTMENT, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND EFFICIENCY

The definition of public investment is not as clear and precise as it may seem. Often, public investments are described as public expenditures that contribute to the stock of physical capital, encompassing tangible assets such as properties (excluding land), buildings and other structures (e.g., roads, airports, hospitals, schools, telecommunication structures, government buildings, bridges, etc.), machinery, transportation equipment, and intangible assets like intellectual property (OECD, 2016). Therefore, public investment is the allocation of funds that result in the growth of the aforementioned items. Public investment can be viewed as a political tool in the hands of a government, capable of altering or determining the course that a country's economy and other aspects of life will take. Governments utilize public investments to respond to a variety of challenges over time, addressing global issues such as climate change and local problems like periods of economic decline, diverse demographic trends, rapid urbanization, or adaptation to new technologies. As emphasized by the European Investment Bank, "properly functioning infrastructure networks are the backbone of flourishing economies" (European Investment Bank, 2010). Public investments are integral for economic and social prosperity, contributing to the national capital stock by allocating resources to essential basic infrastructure, education, research and development, thereby leading to increased productivity and improved living standards. The aim of this article is to analyze the role of public investments in the economy in addressing contemporary challenges.

Nudge 디자인 사례의 중국 공공디자인 적용 연구

Recently, the world's attention to Nudge theory has begun to emerge in various fields. Nudge design induces people to choose in a more rational and beneficial way. If the promotion design is applied to the public design, it can create an atmosphere that is more active and conducive to social prosperity. However, since research on Nudge is still insufficient in China, it is necessary to explore how the fun theory of Nudge design can be combined with Chinese public design and to guide Chinese public design. In order to achieve this goal, first, theoretical considerations on the types of fun theory, Nudge design concepts, fun elements, and effect models are found through literature research to secure the accuracy of the method proposal based on this. Secondly, nine design methods were summarized through analysis of three types of fun theory and nine excellent case studies. Thirdly, experimental design was conducted in Chengdu, China, and data were collected through a survey. Fourth, the reliability and validity of the survey data were verified using SPSS software. With this, it was concluded that the design method proposed in this study could be applied to the Chinese public design field and have a positive effect.

The Influence of Distribution of Zakat, Infaq and Sadaqah (ZIS) Funds and Economic Generation on the Social Welfare of the City/Regency Level in East Java in 2021-2023

Economic development is an important strategy in achieving social prosperity, and many development theories emphasize the importance of economic growth as the key to reducing poverty and increasing the level of welfare. One approach that is widely known is the theory of economic growth which places economic growth as the main priority in efforts to overcome the problem of poverty and achieve a higher level of prosperity. This research uses quantitative research with quantitative descriptive analysis and path analysis techniques with the help of the Eviews 12 program. Research results: Distribution of Zakat, Infaq and Alms Funds (ZIS) and economic growth have a partial and simultaneous effect on the welfare of the City/Regency community in East Java 2021-2023.

Uzbekistan's Integration into the International Financial System and its Role in Developing Entrepreneurship

This article discusses the activities of international integration associations, the necessity of developing trade relations with the countries included in these associations, as well as the importance of enhancing cooperative relationships with international financial organizations. The article highlights the increasing connection of our independent republic with major global financial institutions and international Islamic financial funds. Consequently, this development enables Uzbek entrepreneurs to access the global market, produce goods that meet international standards, and ultimately contributes to the economic and social prosperity of the republic. It also explains how small and medium-sized enterprises in Uzbekistan can achieve significant success.

Vulnerabilities of water-energy and food nexus in cities of digital era

The edifice of civilization stands on water-energy-food nexus, speech, trading management and complexity. This paper, presents a mini review of these issues which are the foundations of civilization, and discusses their role in social prosperity. Recent year public discussion emerges that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) could strike cities due to natural or artificial reasons therefore, we attempt to describe the impact of an EMP from the viewpoint of civil engineering. To do so, we analyze the fundamental parts of civilization in present, their roles, and their functions. Analysis estimates that an EMP will not regress cities of developed world to the 1970s or even in the Middle Ages, but rather before the agrarian era. It is noted that while the developed world will be more vulnerable, the least developed countries, could exhibit more resilience. Additionally, this paper considers the way societies and cities could demonstrate more resilience, framing the need for further research such as: technological adaptation; study and simulations of related scenarios; design of water-energy-food nexus for survival clusters; resilience measures for money, economy, communications, and trading. As we have a very small timeframe of data (less than 200 years) of the appearance and the effects of EMP, we have to study it, even if the wish is that we will never confront it. It seems unreasonable for our narcissistic and wonderful civilization to behave like ostrich hiding its’ head in the sand in order to be hidden by this threat.

Social Health and its Related Factors in Students

Background: Recently, social health has become significantly important as one of the dimensions of overall health. Additionally, the issue of students› social health is a crucial concern that poses numerous challenges. This study aimed to assess the social health status of students enrolled at Bam University of Medical Sciences and identify the factors that influence it. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2017, involving 260 students from Bam University of Medical Sciences. The participants were selected using the quota sampling method. The data collection tool was the Social Health Standard Questionnaire developed by Keyes. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test, performed using SPSS version 22. Results: Among the students studied, women accounted for 67.7% of the participants. In terms of age distribution, 53.6% fell into the 20- to 24-year-old age group. Regarding social health, 78.4% of the students exhibited an average level. The dimension with the highest social health score was social participation (15.21±4.30), while the lowest score was recorded for social prosperity (11.18±3.10). Female students had slightly higher social health scores (76.51±14.33) compared to male students (76.21±14.33). The research findings indicated that the relationship between social health and variables such as gender, age, marital status, and educational level was not significant. However, significant relationships were observed with interest in the field of study (P=0.002), field of study (P=0.048), and academic year (P=0.008). Conclusion: The study results emphasize the significance of implementing educational and health promotion interventions aimed at enhancing social health among students. It is hoped that these interventions will provide a foundation for improving the various dimensions of social health and fostering the overall well-being of students.

Rethinking food policy framework to tackle childhood obesity in the Italian context.

Pediatric obesity has been described by the World Health Organization as 1 of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Projections of increasing burdens of pediatric obesity and its related diseases on society highlight the need for urgent and substantial action. Many scientific and public debates about the prevention of childhood obesity are centered around simple dichotomies presenting a single-level solution. In contrast, efficient prevention programs should overcome these overly simplistic dichotomies and proceed in the early years of life within the family environment and the whole society, throughout one's lifetime. Food policies have the potential to counteract pediatric obesity by creating healthy food environments. However, the current food policies approach lacks monitoring indicators to assess short- and long-term impact, and is not well integrated into regional, national, and cross-cutting initiatives. Therefore, redesigning and rethinking food policy strategies and goals is an important opportunity to address childhood obesity, safeguard the planet, and contribute to economic and social prosperity.

Book Review: Powdyel, T.S. My Green School: An Outline; 2020; ISBN-13: 979-8677417979

The Green School—An outline reflects on the author’s vision of a holistic approach to the education system as a leading arrow for human beings and social prosperity. It is a needed book, an education of choice, conviction, and passion by Thakur S. Powdyel, former Minister of Education, Royal Government of Bhutan a long with several studies in terms of reflections on Gross National Happiness in the education context and globalization, and context of development. Thus, Powdyel’s Green School conducts all the fundamentals as well as many other crucial aspects related to greenery concepts in the entire school as a whole-green school approach for future education.

Influence of the development of solar photovoltaic industry on the relationship between supply and demand of key minerals in China

The importance of mineral resources cannot be ignored in the country's economic and social development and is of vital significance in securing China's continued economic and social prosperity. Against the backdrop of the country's active promotion of the clean energy industry, the booming development of the photovoltaic industry has triggered a growing demand for its key raw materials, especially important metallic minerals. Based on the system dynamics theory, the article uses Vensim to construct a photovoltaic cell-key metal mineral simulation model to analyze the development of China's photovoltaic industry in depth and focuses on its far-reaching impact on the supply and demand relationship of key minerals. The results of the study show that (1) China's photovoltaic cells show strong growth; (2) recycling and technology substitution can significantly reduce the risk of copper and aluminum supply and demand imbalance; and (3) technology substitution is more effective than recycling in reducing the supply and demand imbalance of copper and aluminum. Based on the above-mentioned findings, the article puts forward corresponding policy recommendations.

The influence of economic policies on social environments and mental health.

Despite increased advocacy and investments in mental health systems globally, there has been limited progress in reducing mental disorder prevalence. In this paper, we argue that meaningful advancements in population mental health necessitate addressing the fundamental sources of shared distress. Using a systems perspective, economic structures and policies are identified as the potential cause of causes of mental ill-health. Neoliberal ideologies, prioritizing economic optimization and continuous growth, contribute to the promotion of individualism, job insecurity, increasing demands on workers, parental stress, social disconnection and a broad range of manifestations well-recognized to erode mental health. We emphasize the need for mental health researchers and advocates to increasingly engage with the economic policy discourse to draw attention to mental health and well-being implications. We call for a shift towards a well-being economy to better align commercial interests with collective well-being and social prosperity. The involvement of individuals with lived mental ill-health experiences, practitioners and researchers is needed to mobilize communities for change and influence economic policies to safeguard well-being. Additionally, we call for the establishment of national mental wealth observatories to inform coordinated health, social and economic policies and realize the transition to a more sustainable well-being economy that offers promise for progress on population mental health outcomes.

Towards sustainable development in the European Union: a critical raw materials perspective

Sustainability is a key goal of the European Union, which is seen as a global leader of change in tackling climate change, as well as building green economic sustainability, leading to greater social prosperity. A milestone of sustainable development to support the European Union in achieving climate neutrality is the European Green Deal. Its initiatives aim to build a competitive and innovative EU economy while respecting and protecting the environment. According to current priorities, the European Union aims to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, thanks to critical raw materials. The purpose of this article is to analyse and assess the impact of critical raw materials on the sustainability of the European Union. The study uses a scoping review methodology and statistical analysis based on the Shapiro-Wilk test and Spearman correlation coefficient. The results show that critical raw materials are important for achieving sustainable development and implementing the EU economy towards climate neutrality. This paper contributes to the literature on sustainability. It can also provide important information for policymakers to understand how to shape green policies in the context of the strategic importance of critical raw materials in the transformation of an eco-innovative economy.

Spatiotemporal patterns of groundwater over South Korea

Understanding the large-scale spatiotemporal pattern of multi-depth groundwater levels is critical to develop water management plans and policies for sustainable ecological and social prosperity, which are still lacking. Here, we investigate three major spatiotemporal modes of groundwater levels from ∼200 groundwater monitoring stations over the southern Korean Peninsula (2009–2020), using the Cyclostationary empirical orthogonal function analysis. The first two major modes are associated with the seasonality of recharge and discharge and groundwater use during the 2016/17 drought, which explained half of the total variance. The third major mode indicated a decreasing trend of deep groundwater levels over the western Korean Peninsula, where key administrative and authority offices have been relocated via balanced national land development policies. Furthermore, at least three million Koreans over this region likely experience groundwater depletion by the 2080s. Observational evidence of emerging groundwater depletion suggests a window of opportunity for pre-emptive groundwater management plans.

Fostering social cohesion in ethnolinguistic communities through mother tongue-based initiatives in Nepal

In Nepal and other regions, fostering social cohesion within ethnolinguistic communities is recognized as a vital factor for fostering social prosperity. This research paper presents an integrated framework developed through an extensive literature survey, incorporating the perspectives of ethnolinguistics and social cohesion. The study examines social cohesion using mixed methods, exploring its domains and correlation with linguistic theories. Special attention is given to the role of social prosperity and how this study impacts attitudinal and behavioral aspects of social cohesion. The study’s findings underscore the significance of interconnected social relations, a sense of connectedness, and shared common goods as essential elements for fostering practical social harmony. Notably, the research emphasizes the critical role of mother tongue-based educational activities in empowering ethnolinguistic communities, catalyzing sociocultural transformation, and promoting identity. It is revealed that these initiatives contribute to poverty reduction and foster gender equality and social inclusion. Moreover, the research advocates language-based interventions as a pivotal strategy for enhancing social cohesion. By recognizing language as a critical element that binds communities, this study aims to create a more fruitful investigation and provide practical, scientific, and managerial contributions in fostering social cohesion within ethnolinguistic contexts.

Factors associated with high and low mental well-being in Spanish university students

BackgroundPrevious studies conducted in various nationally representative samples of the general population show that positive mental health is related to social prosperity. However, specific studies in university populations are scarce. In this study, we set out to explore factors associated with mental well-being (MWB) in a representative sample of first-year university students in Spain. MethodsMWB was assessed with the short version of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale. Multinomial logistic regressions were performed to explore the association between different blocks of factors, including relational, adversity, stress, lifestyle, spiritual, health, and self-perceived health variables with high and low MWB, controlling for sociodemographic and university-related variables. ResultsData from 2082 students (18.6 ± 1.2 years; 56.6 % females) were analysed. Being male, being born in a foreign country, “high” self-perceived support, and “high” self-perceived mental health increased the odds of high MWB. Growing up in the suburbs, stressful experiences, and anxiety disorders reduced the odds of high MWB. Mood and anxiety disorders increased the odds of low MWB. “Middle” self-perceived support, sleeping ≥8 h per day, and “high” self-perceived mental health reduced the odds of low MWB. LimitationsThe cross-sectional design precludes establishing causal relationships. Data were collected in the 2014–15 academic year using self-reported online surveys. ConclusionThe factors associated with high and low MWB do not always mirror each other, so specific plans are needed to successfully address each of the two poles. Interventions and policies targeting these factors for health promotion and disease prevention would improve the MWB of university students.