Source Of Innovation Research Articles

The who, the what, and the how of social innovation in inner peripheries:A systematic literature review

This article is a systematic literature review on social innovation in inner peripheries. It investigates what actors (who), processes (how), and topics (what) emerge from the literature on SI in marginalized rural areas. The aim is to understand under what conditions social innovation can be interpreted as a resource in inner peripheries and, at the same time, if inner peripheries offer a fertile ground for social innovation to emerge and develop. A focus on the role of planning in social innovation initiatives is also provided with the objective to recognize whether and how the literature mentions it in supporting or hindering the emergence of social innovation in inner peripheries. Results from the literature review show that social innovation in inner peripheries is frequently promoted by social enterprises and public-private partnerships that work synergically with a wide array of public and private actors, within multi-level and multi-actor governance arenas where different scales, sectors, and actors are connected and combined. The topics covered by social innovation initiatives mainly refer to rural development, with a specific emphasis on farmland and forestry management. In this strain of literature, social innovation is often viewed as a vital component of rural development policies and a means to strengthen collaboration and social learning in lagging communities. Findings suggest that social innovation can be interpreted as a resource in inner peripheries when the effort of the public sector is channeled into multi-level ‘middle-ground’ spaces and positively combined with the external and internal input of actors, and sources of innovation. In the conclusion, we argue the need to advance a ‘context-sensitive’ conceptualization of social innovation able to tackle path-dependent dynamics and address the specific problems and challenges of inner peripheries, preventing the risk that unreflexive innovative initiatives ‘borrowed’ from urban areas exacerbate existing socio-spatial inequalities.

Financing marine conservation from restructured debt: a case study of the Seychelles

In the face of the threats posed to the oceans by a changing climate, the need for marine conservation programs grows rapidly. Scaling with this need demands sufficient funding to support ambitious conservation projects. This funding must be obtained from increasingly varied and innovative sources since private grants and government allocated funds has proved insufficient. Debt-for-nature swaps are a financial mechanism seeking to improve debt burden while setting up environmental programs. This method of debt restructuring has existed for decades, but is seeing a resurgence of use and interest in recent years. Here we present an exploratory case study of a Seychelles debt-for-nature swap which examines this financial mechanism’s ability to fund impactful conservation projects, particularly in marine Economic Exclusion Zones (EEZ) of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Seychelles finalized a conversion of their sovereign debt with Paris Club creditors and The Nature Conservancy as a broker in 2015 with the goal of creating a robust marine spatial plan (MSP). They received notable recognition for multiple novel aspects of this deal as well as the sheer scale of the marine space protected (400,000 sq. km), and thus serves as a robust case study to analyze if debt-for-nature swaps have evolved since its theoretical conception in 1984. Our research favors qualitative data by employing a case study approach which draws on semi-structured interviews with key informants, content analysis of online resources, and a literature review. This research suggests that while the model has yet to be cemented, the Seychelles case study is representative of a coming evolution in debt-for-nature swap practices. By examining the critical governance factors that were employed in the Seychelles, this research reveals key takeaways for future implementation and establishing national candidacy. The findings highlight debt status relative to the economy, political willpower, funding streams utilized, and the use of co-production practices. We show how the Seychelles case study demonstrates marked progress from the historical standard regarding sovereignty concerns and governance, but not concerning timescales and low converted sum. However, we note that this innovative debt-for-nature swap suggests that a new standard is possible and provides a new framework and set of best practices. In doing so, the Seychelles MSP can potentially lead the way for additional marine debt-for-nature swaps.

Wild Fruits of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and Sorbus aria (L.) Crantz: From Traditional Foods to Innovative Sources of Pigments and Antioxidant Ingredients for Food Products.

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) and whitebeam (Sorbus aria (L.) Crantz) are wild species traditionally used as ethnic foods in the Mediterranean area. Their red berries, and mainly the peels, may be used as ingredients due to their color (replacing other synthetic colorants) or functional properties. Some previous studies analyze all edible fruits, but there is very little literature on the composition and properties of the pulpless epidermis of the fruits of C. monogyna and no literature concerning the fruits of S. aria. Total phenolic compounds (TPC) and families of hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, and total monomeric anthocyanins were determined in the epidermis of C. monogyna and S. aria fruits. The in vitro antioxidant capacity was also determined using QUENCHER (Quick-Easy-New-CHEap-Reproducible) methodology. Anthocyanins profiles were analyzed in hydroalcoholic extracts through HPLC/MS. C. monogyna fruits presented higher content of TPC than S. aria, with hydroxybenzoic acids (2870.6 mg GAE/100g dw) as the major family, followed by flavonols (771.4 mg QE/100 g dw) and hydroxycinnamic acids (610.3 FAE/100 g dw). Anthocyanins were found in 251.7 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/100 g dw, characterized by the content of cyanidin-O-hexoxide and peonidin-O-hexoxide. The levels of these compounds correlated with higher values of a* parameter (higher intensity of reddish color). These fruits also showed higher antioxidant capacity by Q-Folin-Ciocalteu and Q-FRAP. S. aria peels had fewer phenolic compounds, particularly anthocyanins (33.7 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/100 g dw), containing different cyanidin derivatives. From these results, new insights about the composition of the epidermis of these wild fruits are provided, and their potential as ingredients for the food industry is corroborated.

Utilisation of Natural Resources as a Source of Inspiration and Innovation in SME Development

Natural resources are an invaluable asset for every country. Utilisation of natural resources can also provide inspiration and innovation in the development of SMEs which is currently one of the important sectors in the Indonesian economy. This research will review the literature related to the potential of natural resources that can be utilised in the development of SMEs as well as strategies that can be used to develop SMEs by utilising natural resources. The research in question is primarily qualitative in nature. The techniques employed to acquire information involve attentive observation and meticulous note-taking, followed by analytical procedures such as data reduction, visualisation, and inference. The results showed that the potential in natural resource utilisation is huge and can provide significant benefits to the local and national economy. SMEs that utilise natural resources effectively and sustainably can increase the added value of products, improve product competitiveness in the global market, and create new jobs. The government, industry players, and the community collaborate in order to make use of natural resources as a source of inspiration and innovation in the process of developing SMEs

An innovative bilayer solid carbon source for tertiary denitrification: Synthesis, performance, and microbial diversity analysis

The low C/N ratio poses a constraint on the tertiary nitrogen removal process in domestic sewage. Composite solid carbon sources have recently gained attention in recent years for improving nitrogen removal efficacy. However, little research has focused on the lengthy start-up of denitrification systems caused by composite solid carbon sources. In this study, we employed a biodegradable sodium alginate (SA) and corn cob (CC) mixture, implanted a polycaprolactone (PCL) and corn starch (CS) mixture, and created a new composite solid carbon source polycaprolactone-corn starch‑sodium alginate-corn cob microspheres (PCSC). The early rapid carbon release and late stable carbon release properties of PCSC allow it to rapidly enrich denitrifying bacteria and form biofilms on its surface. It only takes 5 days to start denitrification biological filters utilizing PCSC as a carbon source, with an average nitrogen removal rate of 85 %, which is 60 % and 10 % higher than SA-CC and PCL-CS, respectively. The 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing revealed that the primary denitrifying bacteria on the surface of PCSC were Chitinophagaceae, Comamonadaceae, and Blastocatellaceae. Overall, PCSC can make the denitrification system start up fast, steadily, and efficiently, and it has tremendous application prospects in tertiary nitrogen removal of wastewater.

Academic entrepreneurship as a source of innovation for sustainable development

The article comprises an analysis of academic entrepreneurship, from the perspective of innovation and sustainability. It aims to identify and assess the innovation and eco-innovation support programs implemented by academics at higher education institutions. The paper presents the typology of innovation and associated concepts, including the notion of innovation for sustainable development (eco-innovation). It also reviews the existing literature in the field of academic entrepreneurship, which is a broad concept, requiring a unique and geographically specific approach. The following research methods were adopted - case study (the subject of the study was the Center for Knowledge and Technology Transfer), based on document analysis, and structured interviews with a purposively selected group of academic innovation developers. The analysis conducted allows a conclusion that one of the main barriers to the implementation of innovation is the lack of adequate funds for research task implementation. The analyzed Innovation Incubator program, despite its significant contribution to the sustainable support of innovation, requires certain changes and improvements to ameliorate the cooperation between the academic circles and business.

Effect of Agave Fructans on Changes in Chemistry, Morphology and Composition in the Biomass Growth of Milk Kefir Grains.

Prebiotic effects have been attributed to agave fructans through bacterial and yeast fermentations, but there are few reports on their use as raw materials of a carbon source. Kefir milk is a fermented drink with lactic acid bacteria and yeast that coexist in a symbiotic association. During fermentation, these microorganisms mainly consume lactose and produce a polymeric matrix called kefiran, which is an exopolysaccharide composed mainly of water-soluble glucogalactan, suitable for the development of bio-degradable films. Using the biomass of microorganisms and proteins together can be a sustainable and innovative source of biopolymers. In this investigation, the effects of lactose-free milk as a culture medium and the addition of other carbon sources (dextrose, fructose, galactose, lactose, inulin and fructans) in concentrations of 2, 4 and 6% w/w, coupled with initial parameters such as temperature (20, 25 and 30 °C), % of starter inoculum (2, 5 and 10% w/w) was evaluated. The method of response surface analysis was performed to determine the optimum biomass production conditions at the start of the experiment. The response surface method showed that a 2% inoculum and a temperature of 25 °C were the best parameters for fermentation. The addition of 6% w/w agave fructans in the culture medium favored the growth of biomass (75.94%) with respect to the lactose-free culture medium. An increase in fat (3.76%), ash (5.57%) and protein (7.12%) content was observed when adding agave fructans. There was an important change in the diversity of microorganisms with an absence of lactose. These compounds have the potential to be used as a carbon source in a medium culture to increase kefir granule biomass. There was an important change in the diversity of microorganisms with an absence of lactose, where the applied image digital analysis led to the identification of the morphological changes in the kefir granules through modification of the profile of such microorganisms.

Implications of Schumpeter’s and Kirzner’s Economic Models of Entrepreneurship for Indian Women

The importance of fostering entrepreneurship is inevitable in poverty alleviation programmes because it is the best way to create capabilities. Nurturing women entrepreneurship in a competent outfit will be a way to fight poverty. Schumpeter’s and Kirzner’s economic models of entrepreneurship show how women’s entrepreneurship should be identified, recruited, mentored and encouraged. So, the notion of eradicating poverty through profit in rural India can be by women entrepreneurs taking up radical and incremental innovation and achieving profitability, self-fulfilments and thus the positive economic outcome. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are vehicles in which women entrepreneurship thrives, are very conducive for rural women. The unique qualities and skills which women entrepreneurs introduce into SMEs constitute a real potential source of innovation for economies. To Schumpeter, while the identification and exploitation of this source of opportunities involve radical innovations, Kirzner’s incremental innovations are brought to market and exploited by alert entrepreneurs.

Determinan Kepuasan Kerja Karyawan: Analisis Konseptual

Innovation is becoming even more important as the environment undergoes a change of pace. Most of the best sources of innovation are likely to be ideas created in an organisation, usually by its employees. The result of this could be job dissatisfaction, due to excessive turnover and poor productivity which can have a severe impact on the organisation. Understanding why employees do not feel satisfied with work is very important, since it will help to determine the reasons and areas in which they are unhappy. In order to improve the level of employee satisfaction, change and adaptation of organisational policies, organisation structure and employment patterns may be made by means of this understanding. The three most important factors affecting job satisfaction in the workplace were concentrated on by this study, which are working stress, lack of communication and pay. In general, a factor affecting job satisfaction was considered to be the stress of work. It is more likely that an employee will not feel happy and fulfilled with his job, when stress levels are high. Employees are less satisfied with work as they tend to take part in a lower level of activities when feeling neglected, because communication is lacking or poorly communicated. Moreover, a lack of communication may also lead to confusion between the management and other staff throughout the organisation which could give rise to feelings of frustration or resentment. As employees, and as human beings, they should be treated with respect. A healthy remuneration scheme, where there is scope for bonuses and increases in salary, can contribute to employee satisfaction and organisational retention. Knowing the factors, organisations may be aware of symptoms before they occur and have taken steps to ensure that their employees attain a good level of satisfaction at work. The long-term solution to retention of talent and improved performance and efficiency is job satisfaction, enabling organisations to survive and grow their businesses.

Becoming global billionaires from mainland China: 2004–2018

This paper documents the increase in the number of global billionaires from mainland China between 2004 and 2018. One of the key findings is that under conditions of an open economy, grassroots billionaire entrepreneurs (e.g., Jack Ma) could mitigate political economy as well as financial frictions via capital injections from foreign venture capitalists. By building a unique database, I report that (i) the politically unconnected billionaire entrepreneurs financed by foreign venture capitalists are more likely to go public their companies outside mainland China (mainly in Hong Kong and the USA), use offshore financing vehicles, and enter the innovation sector and (ii) the politically connected global billionaire entrepreneurs, however, are closely associated with a record of state-owned enterprise (SOE) restructuring.Plain English SummaryThe increase in the number of billionaire entrepreneurs (e.g., Jack Ma) from mainland China between 2004 and 2018 is a new phenomenon, which necessitates a reassessment of the crony capitalism arguments, the types of entrepreneurs, and the sources of innovation. This paper has important implications for future research on entrepreneurship in a global economy and the design of relevant policies.

Ready to innovate during a crisis? Innovation governance during the first wave of COVID-19 infections in Iceland

ABSTRACT Previous studies on innovation governance have focused on the governance of science, technology, and innovation from a long-term perspective. In this article we focus on the short term by exploring the generation and use of new scientific and technical knowledge to address an urgent societal crisis. We empirically analyse the emergency response during the first wave of COVID-19 infections in Iceland using a conceptual framework based on three theoretical components, namely, emergency management, innovation governance, and the innovation process as a problem-solving process. The empirical analysis is built on a systematic analysis of secondary data. Based on the results, we conclude that improvisation processes using existing knowledge and capabilities and triggered by unanticipated problems during a crisis are in some cases sources of successful innovation. In these cases initial problem-solving processes characterized by improvisation can be interpreted as blind variations that are retained and diffused through a series of complementary problem-solving processes that generate and use new scientific and technical knowledge. Furthermore, we extend the concept of innovation governance readiness to include both the readiness to exploit technological opportunities and the readiness to address unanticipated problems during a crisis and propose that our extension is useful for integrating long-term and short-term aspects of innovation governance.

Networking in Academic Medicine: Keeping an Eye on Equity.

Networking in Academic Medicine: Keeping an Eye on Equity.

APA Foundation Welcomes 2023 Class of Fellows

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article APA & MeetingsFull AccessAPA Foundation Welcomes 2023 Class of FellowsSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:24 May 2023https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.06.7.13The American Psychiatric Association Foundation has announced the names of its 2023 class of fellows. With a total of 116 members, the 2023 class is its largest ever, as well as its most diverse—over 77% of participants self-identify as people of color, 61% as women, and 24% as LGBTQ+.The APA Foundation Resident Fellowship Program complements psychiatry residency training by providing experiential learning, mentorships, and professional development opportunities. Twenty-seven U.S. states and 80 medical institutions are represented in this class.“We couldn’t be more excited to add this impressive class into our community of fellows and fellowship alumni at this critical time in mental health care,” said APA Foundation Executive Director Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq. “This cohort has already proven themselves to be a valuable source of talent and innovation. The future of psychiatry is in good hands.”Each fellow participates in one of nine fellowships on such topics as child and adolescent psychiatry, psychiatric research, and public psychiatry. They will join 61 second-year fellows for a total of 177. ■The names of the fellows. ISSUES NewArchived

Salinity gradient power using in the Black Sea regions (in frame of the blue growth development)

Problem Statement. Today, humanity is in search of new sources of energy to make the economy more sustainable, as well as the need for a transition to energy that works on the principles of Carbon-Free Technology. For the Black Sea, this is expressed in the desire for successful implementation of the program Blue Growth Accelerator, which is aimed at the introduction of innovative technologies and alternative energy sources in the energy sector of the Black Sea countries, for the development of the "Blue Economy" and the achievement of its healthy, productive and sustainable state. Salinity gradient power (SGP) is one of the new renewable energy sources. The most studied methods for obtaining SGP energy are technologies based on: Reverse Electrodialysis and Pressure Retarded Osmosis. The interaction of fresh and salt water can provide, in fact, unlimited, free and clean energy. The basis for the generation of such energy is the so-called salinity gradient that occurs when two types of water are mixed. After decades of work and numerous experiments, scientists have developed a way to use the energy of the salinity gradient to generate electricity. This type of electricity is also called "Blue Energy" by association with the color of mixing freshwater and salt water when rivers flow into the ocean. Places (estuaries or deltas), where rivers flow into the oceans and seas, have a truly enormous energy potential. The aim of this study is to identify sites in the northwestern Black Sea region with the necessary conditions for the development of Salinity Gradient Power energy, as well as to assess their potential using the example of estimating the maximum theoretical power of the Pressure Retarded Osmosis process. Research Methodology. In a PRO system, the less concentrated solution flows towards the more concentrated solution due to the positive osmotic pressure difference as long as this difference remains greater than the hydrostatic pressure difference. It is by this principle that osmotic power is produced. Theoretically available amount of energy released when mixing 1 m3 of saturated brine (5 mol/l NaCl solution) and 1 m3 of sea water (0.5 mol/l NaCl) at 293 K is 10 MJ. In the northwestern Black Sea region, along the coast between the Danube and Dnieper rivers, there are 21 limans (lagoons) of which some can be used to generate of Salinity Gradient Power. Results. The results of calculating the maximum net power showed that highest values obtained in the summer months, when the salinity in limans reaches its maximum and, consequently, its difference with the salinity of sea (river) water increases. Proceeding from maximum net power, obtained for the Western Sivash, where the salinity is maintained artificially at certain values, it can be seen that the annual amplitude has a smaller value, which provides more stable conditions. There are objects in the northwestern Black Sea region, in the waters of which, as soon as technologies become available, it will be possible to implement SGP projects. The Kuialnyk Liman, Sasyk- Sivash lake and Western Sivash have the most favorable conditions, where the highest power indicators are shown when using the sea water – hypersaline solution scheme, in which freshwater is not consumed.

Equity Crowdfunding: A Bibliometric Analysis of the State of Research

Purpose: Equity crowdfunding is a growing practice in the expansion of entrepreneurial finance. Young entrepreneurs and investors find it very effective due to the high penetration of the internet and social media in this globalized world. This innovative source of entrepreneurial finance has certainly fostered small businesses and entrepreneurship. The primary objective of this research is to examine in an exhaustive and systematic way the studies of crowdfunding in actions. Methodology: This study has employed a Systematic Review of Literature and Bibliometric Analysis has been conducted. This study seeks to comprehend the current development, benefits, and challenges within the domain of equity crowdfunding. Findings: In addition to the potential benefits, the study also highlights the opportunities and challenges of fundraising through equity crowdfunding platforms for fundraisers and investors around the world. Crowdfunding and entrepreneurship, equity crowdfunding is often used for sustainability, development, finance, and investment and is mainly studied with reference to the UK region. Originality: The research study makes a contribution to the existing literature by highlighting the current developments and the contributions made by scholars around the world with the assistance of content and bibliometric analysis.

Overcoming Network Resource Limitations for Innovation in Tunisian Hotels: A Study on the Role of Creativity

This paper investigates the role of personal network resources in promoting innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Innovation is a key driver of economic growth and competitiveness, and SMEs are widely recognized as important sources of innovation. However, SMEs often face resource constraints that limit their ability to innovate. Personal networks are one potential source of accessible and cost-effective resources that entrepreneurs can use to overcome these constraints. Using a sample of 94 Tunisian entrepreneurs, we estimated a structural equation model (SEM) to test the relationship between personal network resources, creativity, and innovation. Our study aimed to provide insights into the complex interplay between personal networks, creativity, and innovation in the context of SMEs. Contrary to expectations, our study did not find a significant effect of personal network resources on innovation. Additionally, creativity did not mediate the relationship between resources and innovation. These findings suggest that personal network resources may not be as important for promoting innovation in SMEs as previously thought. Despite the lack of significant results, our study makes important contributions to the literature on innovation in SMEs. In the full paper, we will discuss the implications of our findings in more detail and provide recommendations for future research.

Collaboration strategies and SME innovation performance

There is a growing recognition that collaboration is a key source of new knowledge and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Bridging the gap in the open innovation in SMEs literature on returns to open innovation our study demonstrates that a type of partner and its geographical proximity predict innovation performance in SMEs. Controlling for selection bias and endogeneity and using the panel data on 9,213 SMEs in the United Kingdom (UK) during 2002–2014, we found that collaboration with suppliers and customers domestically and internationally, collaboration with universities domestically and competitors internationally facilitate innovation in SMEs. The results offer implications for policymakers, scholars, entrepreneurs and SME managers.

Characteristics of the far-field source signature and its ghost effect of a marine single air gun

The estimation of the air gun source signature is a crucial topic in marine seismic. Typical approaches such as numerical modelling or near-field measurement-based inversion normally work in practice, but suffer from lack of knowledge on the varying sea surface reflection coefficient, the signature directional consistency and the dynamically changed source geometry. For better understanding of the above uncertainties, real far-field air gun source signatures were acquired. A customized approach combined with sparse f-k transformation and adaptive subtraction is applied to deblend the source signature from the sea-floor reflections. Characteristic of the ghost notch distribution and bubble oscillation period indicate an overall good match to the simulated results, except the latter part due to the unexpected air-leakage. Amplitude decay with incidence-angle increase is observed, indicating that the point-source spherical theory for directional signature estimation may be questionable. The sea-surface reflection coefficient appears time-variant and frequency-dependent which challenges the assumption of flat sea surface in signature estimation. An innovative notional source inversion workflow is adapted to the frequency-dependent reflection coefficient. The notional signature inversed through the adapted approach results in less ghost residuals and weaker spectral notch effect comparing with the normal inversion result, i.e., based on a constant reflection coefficient.

A Survey of Methods and Input Data Types for House Price Prediction

Predicting house prices is a challenging task that many researchers have attempted to address. As accurate house prices allow better informing parties in the real estate market, improving housing policies and real estate appraisal, a comprehensive overview of house price prediction strategies is valuable for both research and society. In this work, we present a systematic literature review in order to provide insights with regard to the data types and modeling approaches that have been utilized in the current body of research. As such, we identified 93 articles published between 1992 and 2021 presenting a particular technique for house price prediction. Subsequently, we scrutinized these works and scored them according to model and data novelty. A cluster analysis allowed mapping of the property valuation domain and identification of trends. Although conventional methods and traditional input data remain predominant, house price prediction research is slowly adopting more advanced techniques and innovative data sources. In addition, we identify opportunities to include more advanced input data types such as unstructured data and complex spatial data and to introduce deep learning and tailored methods, which could guide further research.

Spatial distribution of non-point source pollution from total nitrogen and total phosphorous in the African city of Mwanza (Tanzania)

Rapid urbanization has caused widespread environmental pollution in Africa, restricting sustainable development programs. Today, non-point source pollution has become a major threat to many African cities. In this study, we have classified urban land use followed by the identification of urban functional areas based on multi-source data. We have then evaluated non-point source pollution based on nitrogen and phosphorus loads at a spatial scale in Mwanza city (Tanzania). We have estimated the spatial distribution of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads at a scale of 1 square kilometer grid. The results show that ① the built-up area of the city was identified as 28.9 km2, accounting for 6.8% of the total area of the city. The area of informal settlements was 56.9 km2, accounting for 13.4% of the total area of the city. About 90.38% of 2.41×105 kg of the total TN load and 87.23% of 4.00×104 kg of the total TP load in the city were derived from the informal settlements alone in 2020. ② The average load intensities of TN and TP in Mwanza city were 6.90 kg·hm-2·yr-1 and 1.14 kg·hm-2·yr-1, respectively. The average TN and TP intensities in Mwanza city were slightly higher than the average TN and TP load intensities in the Lake Victoria basin. However, given the high population density of the Mwanza city area, the average TN and TP intensities were found to be consistent. ③ The TN and TP pollution loads were relatively concentrated in the inner urban area, including the lower reaches of the Mirongo River basin, the eastern side of the Nyamagana Peninsula, and the lakeside area extending north and south from the peninsula, and gradually decreased toward the city’s outskirts. We propose that the identified riparian areas in our study should be prioritized as potentially key construction zones for pollution treatment plant facilities and urban renewal pilot programs for restraining the widespread informal settlements. This study contributes to the development of an innovative urban non-point source pollution control measure, which may be applicable to low-income countries in Africa and elsewhere.