Sustainable Development Of Society Research Articles

Synergistic Integration of EVs and Renewable DGs in Distribution Micro-Grids

This paper proposes a multi-objective optimization framework for safe, reliable, and economic integration of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable distributed generators (DGs) in distribution micro-grids. EV and DG coordination optimization with the use of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology along with system reconfiguration optimization is developed to provide collective revenues and address integrational complications that may occur by additional system loading due to EV charging and EV-DG energy exchanges. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimizes the EV charging/discharging in synergies with renewable DGs to maximize benefits that can be captured by their collaborative participation in electricity market and through renewable energy arbitrage. The developed EV charging/discharging optimization is implemented in a real 134-bus distribution network and is evaluated for its potential operational implications, namely, increased system losses. A system reconfiguration is then proposed to reduce the system losses by optimizing the flow of power through switching on/off the connections within the micro-grid and/or with other distribution systems. Simulation results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method in not only providing collective revenues, but also in enhancing the system operation by reducing the losses of the distribution grid. The collective benefits proposed by the developed optimization and validated by the simulation results facilitate transitioning to clean and eco-friendly sources of energy for generation and transportation, which in turn leads to more sustainable development of societies and communities.

PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF DUAL EDUCATION FOR THE POST-WAR RECOVERY OF UKRAINE

The relevance of the article is determined by the need to identify the most effective mechanisms for using the experience of introducing the dual form of education to improve the professional training of future specialists and accelerate the post-war recovery of Ukraine. The aim is to summarize the experience of the dual form of education in Ukraine, to identify the reasons for its inhibition and promising directions of its development for the post-war recovery of Ukraine. Methods: study of scientific sources, legislative, regulatory and legal documents, empirical data to determine the state of functioning of the dual form of education in Ukraine; theoretical analysis and synthesis, generalization of scientific views on the problem under study in order to identify the causes of inhibition and promising directions for the development of dual education for the post-war recovery of Ukraine. Results: the experience of pilot projects for the introduction of dual education in educational institutions of different levels is analyzed; scientific publications of domestic researchers are summarized; the reasons for inhibition and promising directions for the development of dual education are identified; the importance of dual education and its compliance with the main goals of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Society and Post-War Reconstruction of Ukraine are substantiated; dual education is characterized as an element of a new worldview paradigm that is being formed under martial law. Conclusions: the main reasons that hindered its development and reduced the effectiveness of dual education (quarantine restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic; military operations; increased migration flows caused by the war; reduction in the number of students, workload for teachers and, accordingly, reduction in staff at the departments; destruction, relocation, closure of many enterprises participating in the training of specialists in the dual form of education; low level of awareness of the benefits of dual education among students, teachers and employers; promising areas of its development are outlined (strengthening career guidance and information campaigns on dual education opportunities; reducing the level of bureaucratization of the educational process in educational institutions; providing state support for those educational institutions that will implement full-fledged dual education to retain teaching staff and encourage them to update and modernize educational programs to meet the needs of dual education; improving the training of heads of educational institutions for the development of public-private partnerships, and future teachers - for pedagogical activities in the context of dual education); the dual form of education is presented as an element of a new worldview paradigm, which in times of military aggression continues to transform in three main vectors (the development vector, which focuses domestic scientists and teachers on studying the European experience of implementing dual education; the security vector, which directs the national education and science system to implement this experience to protect Ukraine's national interests; the responsibility vector, which demonstrates the commitment of the post-war educational paradigm to strengthening employers' responsibility for the quality of training and strengthening their influence on the content of educational programs).

Business Management as a Link Between Competitiveness and Sustainable Development in the Textile Sector

Efficient resource management plays a crucial role in the sustainable development of companies, aiming to maximize economic performance, minimize environmental impacts, and contribute to social welfare. This quantitative and explanatory study analyzed resource management in textile microenterprises in Metropolitan Lima, with a sample of 370 participants. The methodology used was non-experimental and cross-sectional, allowing for a detailed analysis of the relationship between business management and sustainable development in this specific context. Two questionnaires of 20 questions each were administered. Both instruments were validated by five experts in the business area. The Aiken's V for the first instrument was 0.83 and for the second instrument was 0.79. Additionally, a pilot test was conducted for instrument reliability, obtaining 0.89 for the first instrument and 0.81 for the second. The results highlight the significant relationship between business management and sustainable development, especially in terms of competitiveness and general management aspects. However, there is a relatively lesser association of eco-efficiency, eco-effectiveness, and continuous improvement in the variability of sustainable development. It is concluded that, while business management is considerably related to sustainable development, aspects such as eco-efficiency and continuous improvement show a less pronounced relationship in sustainable development variability. These findings underscore the importance of sustainability-focused business management to enhance competitiveness and foster equitable and long-term sustainable development.   Received: 15 February 2024 / Accepted: 26 April 2024 / Published: 5 May 2024

Deep learning approaches to the game of Connect6

Especially with the rise of artificial intelligence, people need more ability to think logically and make judgments than before. Board games can be used as a tool for training logic, which has a positive effect on the sustainable development of society. Connect6 is a very popular board game because it is a fair and highly complex game with simple rules. This research aims to address the technical challenges of building a game-based logical learning system with a deep neural network for Connect6. We used heuristic knowledge to establish the knowledge base. Our novel algorithm, based on residual deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs), outperforms conventional approaches. We compare neural network architectures, demonstrating the superiority of residual DCNNs.Our AI program, “Kavalan,” achieves remarkable search performance. Furthermore, the introduced approaches lend themselves to application in other sudden-death board games, such as Gomoku, the endgame of Chess and Shogi.

An effective way to utilize solid waste resources: The application of modified fly ash in removing Cu2+ and Pb2+ in wastewater

The sustainable development of society requires the support of developed industrial production, which inevitably produces a series of industrial by-products, including heavy metal-containing wastewater and solid waste. Using solid waste to adsorb heavy metal ions in wastewater is a sustainable way. This not only reduces the environmental threat caused by solid waste accumulation, but also reduces the treatment cost of heavy metal ions in wastewater. In this study, fly ash was modified to prepare magnetic adsorbent (M-AT), which was used to adsorb Cu2+ and Pb2+ in wastewater. The results showed that M-AT has a good adsorption effect on Cu2+ and Pb2+ in wastewater. Its maximum adsorption capacity for Cu2+ and Pb2+ was 53.18 and 85.86 mg/g, respectively. Ion exchange and complexation reaction were major adsorption mechanisms of M-AT for Cu2+ and Pb2+, they played an important role in the adsorption process. M-AT maintained a good adsorption effect on Cu2+ and Pb2+ under different influence factors. This ensured that M-AT can be used in complex application environments. In addition, M-AT exhibited good reusability, its removal rate for Cu2+ and Pb2+ reached 50.21 % and 75.15 % after 5 adsorption–desorption cycles. And the removal rate of M-AT for Cu2+ and Pb2+ in domestic sewage treatment plant influent, tailings drainage, industrial wastewater was 82.80 %, 87.12 %, 85.12 % and 95.10 %, 91.20 %, 93.13 %, respectively. These results proved the feasibility of M-AT in treating Cu2+ and Pb2+ in wastewater. This study provides a new way for the resource utilization of fly ash. Applying solid waste to treat heavy metal-containing wastewater is a sustainable way to treat industrial waste.

Evolutionary Game Analysis of Green Supply Chain Management Diffusion under Environmental Regulation

The continuous deterioration of the ecological environment and the increasing scarcity of resources have posed a serious challenge to the survival and development of human beings, and the implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM) in this context is an effective means to ensure the sustainable development of society and the economy. In order to seek the optimal strategy of evolutionary game in the implementation of green supply chain management and explore the influence of environmental regulation intensity and public preference degree on the evolution process of green supply chain management diffusion development, this paper takes the study of green supply chain management diffusion as the core innovation point, and under the premise of environmental regulation, selects the government, the core enterprise, and the public as the participating bodies of green supply chain management diffusion, and uses the theory of evolutionary game to construct a diffusion model of green supply chain management. Using evolutionary game theory to construct a diffusion model, and with the help of MATLAB and other mathematical tools for numerical simulation analysis, we discuss the diffusion of the green supply chain and derive the optimal combination strategy. The results of the study show that: (1) there are four evolutionary stable states in the process of green supply chain management diffusion: preliminary diffusion, extinction, semi-diffusion, and full diffusion; (2) it will be beneficial for the government to promote the evolutionary diffusion of green supply chain management by implementing a higher intensity of pollution tax policy while implementing green supply chain incentive strategies; (3) the government, while implementing environmental regulation policies, should also pay attention to the guidance of the public’s awareness of environmental friendliness and greenness, and focus on the role of the comprehensive strategy selection of the three parties of the game in reaching the optimal state. The conclusions of the study provide theoretical guidance and decision support for the implementation and diffusion of green supply chain management under environmental regulation.

TUTORIAL SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS IN SHIP NAVIGATION

The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that in modern society, one of the main ways to ensure sustainable development of society in the context of signs of environmental crisis is the formation of environmental competence, the inclusion of environmental safety factors in the context of professional training and formation of future specialists. The aim of the study is to identify and substantiate the most important aspects of tutor support for the formation of environmental competence of future specialists in ship navigation. Methods: theoretical methods of systematic analysis of philosophical, psychological and pedagogical literature to reveal the main provisions of the problem under study; analysis of current dissertation research; generalization and systematization to formulate own views on the problem of forming the environmental competence of future specialists in ship navigation. Results: various aspects of the concept of tutor support for the formation of environmental competence of future specialists in navigation are analyzed. The peculiarity of the study is the identification of innovative productive conditions and means of environmental education in higher education. Based on the idea of the need to organize purposeful environmental and vocational education, based on the use of active, practice-oriented teaching tools and technologies, the tutoring support is characterized, which allows the student to act as an initiative subject performing personally meaningful activities aimed at meaningful solution of ecological problems and improvement of the environment. The principles of the tutor form of interaction between teacher and student, the essence of the tutor's position and tutor support in the process of forming the environmental competence of future specialists in ship navigation are determined. Support, accompaniment, and facilitation are considered as effective forms of tutoring. Explaining the importance of openness of the educational and socio-cultural space within which the formation of environmental competence is carried out, the forms and technologies, as well as key aspects of tutoring support for the formation of environmental competence of future maritime transport specialists are listed. Conclusions: the prospects of using tutoring are due to the possibility of implementing a personal education strategy and the variability of using various resources of the socio-cultural environment based on the student's own potential and the content aspects of the main activity. The current ecological situation determines the need for a reasonable and responsible attitude to the environment. At the same time, the success of environmental protection and nature-transforming activities depends on the level of maturity of ecological thinking of specialists providing all spheres of life. The formation of high levels of environmental competence is the basis for the development of citizenship and patriotism, and therefore requires the search for effective approaches, forms and methods. Tutoring support in the framework of the formation of environmental competence of future maritime professionals allows to create optimal conditions for the actualization and development of a responsible and proactive attitude to the problems of preserving and improving the environment through a special emphasis on the manifestation of activity and initiative during professional activities to solve environmental problems and environmental protection, drawing up and implementing a personal trajectory of professional development of the student, development of the socio-cultural, communicative, leadership, and moral potential of the future specialist, which will allow the student to form his or her own environmental behavior model and effectively carry out professional activities based on the experience of solving environmental problems.

[Interpretation of specification for service of cancer screening for workers].

As the backbone force of China's social and economic construction, the health status of workers is closely related to the nation's productivity and social development. Currently, cancers have become one of the major diseases threatening the health of workers. However, there are still many shortcomings in the cancer screening services for the workers. To standardize cancer screening services for workers, ensure the quality of screening services, and improve the overall screening effectiveness, 19 institutions, including Peking Union Medical College Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, have jointly formulated the Group Standard "Specification for service of cancer screening for workers (T/CHAA 023-2023)". This standard follows the principles of "legality, scientific rigor, advancement, and feasibility" and combines the frontier scientific advances in cancer screening. It clarifies the relevant requirements for service principles, service design, service delivery, service management, service evaluation, and improving worker cancer screening. Implementing this group standard will help connect the common screening needs of workers, employers, and cancer screening service providers, standardize the screening process, improve screening quality, and ultimately increase the early diagnosis rate and survival rate of cancer patients. Consequently, this group standard will help safeguard workers' health rights and interests, ensure the labor force resources, promote the comprehensive coordinated and sustainable development of society, and contribute to realizing the "Healthy China 2030" strategic policy.

THE ROLE OF THE ACCOUNTING ASPECT OF INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES OF REGIONAL ENTERPRISES IN ENSURING THEIR ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

In a world of rapid and continuous change and constant competition, innovation is becoming an important element in the sustainable development of companies and regions. A key factor in the success of innovation processes is the accounting aspect, which involves the systematisation, analysis and documentation of innovative changes. The study of this topic is becoming increasingly relevant due to the need to identify and solve problems related to innovation accounting. It aims at combining two strategically important areas – innovative development of enterprises and modern approaches to accounting and financial management. Purpose of the article. The purpose of the publication is to identify the key aspects of the problems associated with accounting for innovation activities at enterprises, as well as to reflect the role of such accounting in ensuring their economic sustainability. Methodology. The methodological basis of the work was formed by general scientific and special research methods: comparison, analysis, generalisation, graphic and tabular. The information base is based on official statistics, company reports and accounts, Internet resources and publications, and the results of the authors' own research. Practical implications. The research examines the problems of accounting for innovation activities of enterprises and makes proposals for their solution. The Ukrainian legislation regulating accounting lacks a coherent methodology for accounting for innovation costs. In order to provide the necessary analytical information on the costs of innovation activity, it is recommended to use accounts of the eighth class, opening sub-accounts of the third, fourth and higher order. Value/originality. The sources of financing and peculiarities of accounting for innovation activities of enterprises are studied, the main of which are the state resources and resources of enterprises and other business entities. Among the non-traditional sources of financing are venture capital funds, business incubators, business angels and crowdfunding.

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICE BY INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS AS THE BASIC MEANS OF PREVENTING VIOLATIONS OF PUBLIC INTEREST OF CITIZEN INVESTORS

The article is devoted to the analysis of the concept of "responsible business conduct" from the point of view of public interest. It is noted that responsible corporate governance has its origins in the concept of "corporate social responsibility", which became widespread in the 1970s in the US and the UK as a result of increased public and consumer attention to the overall image of companies. At the international level, many documents have been adopted to regulate corporate social responsibility. However, not enough has been done in Ukraine to introduce this category into economic activity. The purpose of the research is to analyse the legal grounds and theoretical approaches to the formation of the concept of "responsible business conduct" and to present the author's approach to the essence of the concept of "responsible business conduct of institutional investors" from the point of view of the protection of the public interest. According to the purpose of the article, several scientific methods of modern epistemology were used in the scientific research. The methodological basis of the study was the theory of legal cognition developed by prominent experts in the field of investment law. In addition, special research methods were used, in particular: comparative – to compare the rules of international and national law; historical and legal – for retrospective analysis of the concept of social responsibility; special legal – for in-depth analysis of the regulations governing the procedure of investment; systematic approach and logical-legal method – to analyse the impact of some factors on the investment activity of individuals and some elements of the formation of logical and specific theoretical and applied conclusions. In conclusion, the authors define responsible business as a set of generally accepted norms, rules and principles that are voluntarily implemented by companies in order to achieve the goals of sustainable development of society; they are not part of the national legislation of Ukraine, but their observance indicates a certain business reputation of the business entity. For institutional investors, responsible corporate governance includes two main groups of activities of an institutional investor: "responsible attraction" of funds and "responsible investment" of funds of individual investors. The authors proposed to divide the responsible business conduct of an institutional investor to manifest its social responsibility into "responsible attraction" of funds and "responsible investment" of funds.

Dynamical Downscaling of Daily Extreme Temperatures over China Using PRECIS Model

As global warming intensifies and the frequency of extreme weather events rises, posing a major threat to the world’s economy and sustainable development, accurate forecasting of future extreme events is of great significance to mankind’s response to extreme weather events and to the sustainable development of society. Global Climate Models (GCMs) have limitations in their applicability at regional scales due to their coarse resolution. Utilizing dynamical downscaling methods based on regional climate models (RCMs) is an essential approach to obtaining high-resolution climate simulation information in future. This study represents an attempt to extend the use of the Providing REgional Climates for Impacts Studies (PRECIS) regional climate model by employing the BCC-CSM2-MR model from the Beijing Climate Center to drive it, conducting downscaling experiments over China at a spatial resolution of 0.22° (25 km). The simulation and prediction of daily maximum and minimum temperatures across the China region are conducted, marking a significant effort to expand the usage of PRECIS with data from alternative GCMs. The results indicate that PRECIS performs well in simulating the daily maximum and minimum temperatures over the China region, accurately capturing their spatial distribution and demonstrating notable simulation capabilities for both cold and warm regions. In the annual cycle, the simulation performance of PRECIS is superior to its driving GCM, particularly during cold months (i.e., December and from January to May). Regarding future changes, the daily extreme temperatures in most regions are projected to increase gradually over time. In the early 21st century, the warming magnitude is approximately 1.5 °C, reaching around 3 °C by the end of the century, with even higher warming magnitudes exceeding 4.5 °C under the SSP585 scenario. Northern regions will experience greater warming magnitudes than southern regions, suggesting faster increases in extreme temperatures in higher latitudes. This paper provides forecasts of extreme temperatures in China, which will be useful for studying extreme events and for the government to make decisions in response to extreme events.

Demoeconomics: the interconnection of water resources and demoethical values

Object: Application of conceptual analysis within the framework of the concept of demoeconomics to study the relationship of water resources with the values of “Demoethics” as a tool for society sustainable development. Methods: This work uses a systematic approach to research, which includes a wide variety of techniques, such as the method of logical synthesis, goal setting, goal decomposition, etc.
 Findings: The implementation of the demoeconomics concept, based on the demoethics values in the context of “spirituality and morality”, “rationality”, “responsibility”, “justice” and “security” contributes to the effective provision of rational use of water resources and basic needs of the population. The results of the Concept are aimed at achieving ethical rationality. Harmonizing with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), they not only promote economic growth and meet the needs of society, but also create the preconditions for reducing socio-economic inequality, increasing economic responsibility and respect for cultural and spiritual values.
 Conclusions: The sustainability of ethical rationality requires the transformation of the values of members of society when using natural resources based on the concept of demo-economics, based on the values of demo-ethics in the context of “spirituality and morality”, “responsibility”, “justice”, “rationality” and “security”, which can provide a balance between economic, social and environmental needs of humanity, to the manifestation of moral behavior in any life situation, contributing to the sustainability of the quality of life of members of society and the competitiveness of the region.

Regional ecosystems of socially oriented entrepreneurship in Southern Kazakhstan

Goal – scientific work is based on defining conceptual approaches to the formation of regional ecosystem model of socially oriented entrepreneurship and identifying opportunities for its implementation for sustainable growth of socio-economic development of regions. Methods – bibliographic analysis of scientific articles in this area. The modeling method contributed to justifying the need to form a regional “business ecosystem”. The statistical method allowed to draw conclusions about the state and prospects for expanding social entrepreneurial activity in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Results – a review of literature sources made it possible to identify a direction aimed at solving social problems as the basic form of manifestation of socialization and inclusiveness of modern economy, ensuring its sustainable development by achieving not only the social efficiency of entrepreneurial initiative, but also economic profitability; the importance of various types of social projects is shown, which is based on fundamental principle of entrepreneurial practice, the essence of which is to ensure its self-sufficiency: non-profit organizations (NPO), including socially oriented ones. Conclusions – for effective and efficient use of potential of social startups in the context of sustainable development of society, it is necessary to study their phenomenon and develop ecosystem of corporate social responsibility not only at microeconomic level in individual and collective forms of the enterprise, but also in the macroeconomic format of the institution of regional ecosystem of socially oriented entrepreneurship, which is being formed as a network of interrelations between subjects of commercial, non-profit and public sectors, establishing the interaction of supply and demand for social value created. The main elements of ecosystem should be the state, social capital, market for social services and infrastructural support.

Landscape Analysis and Ecological Risk Assessment during 1995–2020 Based on Land Utilization/Land Coverage (LULC) and Random Forest: A Case Study of the Fushun Open-Pit Coal Area in Liaoning, China

China’s Fushun open-pit mine is the largest century-old coal mine in Asia. Large-scale mining and the use of coal has caused dramatic changes in the regional urban landscape pattern, seriously affecting the ecological function and ecosystem stability of its surrounding landscape. Evaluating the ecological risks of the landscape in the urban areas of open-pit mines contributes to the risk management of regional ecosystems and the sustainable development of society. This study selected six-phase Landsat ETM/OLI remote sensing images from 1995 to 2020 and combined them with the random forest model to carry out an LULC classification of the open-pit mine and its surrounding areas and, on this basis, discusses the evolution of its landscape pattern and evaluates the ecological risks. It fills the gap in the research on the evolution of regional landscape patterns and ecological risks in the study area and improves the automatic classification efficiency of LULC for use in open-pit mines. The results show that the classification accuracy of LULC regarding open-pit mines based on image pixels and the random forest model can reach 30 m, and the rate of accuracy can reach 92–97%. From 1995 to 2020, the coverage area of forest land and building land in the study area has increased and is mainly composed of grassland and undeveloped land. The use of land was transferred to the mining area, the water body area maintained a relative dynamic balance, and the overall vegetation coverage of the mining area was greatly improved; the forest land began to expand from the surrounding area to the mining area in 2010, and the construction land began to move from the areas surrounding the mining area to the surrounding valleys in 2015. The landforms have extended radially, and the landscape sprawl index has increased, indicating the optimization of the ecological environment; the high- and medium-risk areas decreased by 75.51 km2, the low-risk areas expanded by 461.48 km2, and the overall ecological risk index decreased. From this, it is possible to conclude that the landscape restoration project adopted in the study area has achieved great results, and the improvement of the ecological environment also directly affects the increase of construction land. These research results can provide scientific guidance for the rational utilization and sustainable development of land resources in urban areas of open-pit mines.

The Influence of Geographical Environment on Public Social Trust: What Role Do Tourism Activities Play?

Social trust is derived from the interaction of environmental and social factors, which has important significance for the sustainable development of society and social governance. In particular, in the post-pandemic era, tourist activity will receive special attention in terms of its role in the development of the public's social trust. On the basis of the sample of big data, this research takes China as an example to study the influences of different geographical and environmental elements on individuals' social trust as well as the common role played by the tourist activity. The research showed that the geographical environment and tourism activities have interacting effects on public social trust. This influencing mechanism is specifically manifested as the rice-growing ratio and tourist reception level can have interacting effects on the social trust of the residents in a tourist destination; pathogen stress and tourist supply level can exert interacting effects on the social trust of the residents in an area from which tourists originate; and economic development and tourist reception level can have interacting effects on the social trust of the residents in a tourist destination. By doing so, this research provides theoretical support and practical suggestions for the recovery of the public's social trust from the perspective of tourism geography in the post-pandemic era.

How does the environmental attention of local governments affect regional green development? Empirical evidence from local governments in China

Due to the continuous progress of constructing sustainable environments in China, the role played by the Chinese central government as the main body for promoting green development is worth studying. Because China’s ecological civilization building has been steadily progressing. Governments at all levels in China have prioritised the development of environmental civilization as a key aspect of regional growth. However, the actual impact and mechanisms of influence of this construction still require further investigation. This paper constructs a government environmental attention index using word frequency found in the Report on the Work of the Government. It uses a long difference model to study the impact and mechanism of government environmental attention on urban green efficiency, carbon emissions and air quality. The results show that the government’s ecological attention can improve green efficiency, and air quality, but it can also lead to increased carbon emissions, and the impact is particularly evident in the eastern and western regions of the country. This is because the government’s emphasis on the environment significantly impacts on environmental regulations and technological progress, and is directly influenced by fiscal bias and financial pressure. Given the results, we put forward some policy suggestions that local governments should improve the intensity of local environmental regulation, encourage green technology innovation, provide encouraging conditions for environmental development, and establish a long-term strategic vision. The findings in this study has implications for promoting the implementation of local governments’ environmental protection and the development of sustainable societies in China.

Discrimination against Women in the Workplace

Although China has made great progress in women's equality, the awareness of gender equality continues to improve, Chinese contemporary environment has given women more job hunting and employment opportunities, but women still suffer from a lot of gender discrimination in job hunting and employment, resulting in female employment is seriously hindered the low employment rate. The influence of gender stereotypes and the unique physiological characteristics of women are the main reasons that make women suffer discrimination in job hunting and employment. The study highlights the persistent gender pay gap as the main discrimination women face in the job market. Women are often paid less than men, despite having the same educational background and qualifications. This pay inequality reflects a deep-seated gender bias against women. Biased hiring also contributes to discrimination against women in the workplace. Addressing these issues requires implementing policies that promote gender equality in employment, encouraging employers to adopt diversity and inclusion initiatives, and valuing women's rights. Educational programs and campaigns to promote a more inclusive work environment. By fostering a culture of gender equality, we can fully tap the potential of the female labor force, thereby improving social productivity and promoting economic growth. Discrimination against women in the workplace is a complex issue that requires concerted and multifaceted efforts from all sectors of society. By addressing the root causes of discrimination and taking positive measures to achieve fair employment in the workplace, we will provide an economic catalyst for the sustainable development of society.

An Integrated Model for Risk Assessment of Urban Road Collapse Based on China Accident Data

With the deepening development and utilization of urban underground space, the risk of urban road collapse is becoming increasingly prominent, which is a serious threat to the safety of life and property. Therefore, the risk assessment of urban road collapse has vital significance for the safety management of cities. The main idea is to predict ongoing accidents by analyzing historical accident cases in depth. This paper explores the combination of Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) and Bayesian Networks (BNs) to construct a risk assessment model of road collapse. First, the main risk factors of road collapse and their coupling relationships are identified, which is used to increase the low reliability of complex systems. Then, the risk factors of road collapse are logically divided by ISM to obtain the BN hierarchy. Finally, the BN node probabilities are evaluated by the Expectation–Maximization (EM) algorithm using the collected 92 real road collapse accident cases. The model can be used to quantify the coupling strength and influence degree of each risk factor on the occurrence of road collapse accidents, which in turn can predict the probability of road collapse accidents in a given scenario. This study can provide a theoretical basis for urban safety management and reduce the risk of road collapse and potential loss of life and property, which is important for the sustainable development of societies.

ASSESSMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES OF MODERN CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR LIQUID FINISHING OF LEATHER

Natural leather is a by-product of the meat industry, which turns into a valuable product that has high strength, stability, comfort, breathability and is considered one of the best products of the circular economy. In addition, less materials from non-renewable sources are used in leather production than in other industries, recycling of waste is practiced, which contributes to the protection of the environment and sustainable development of society. The choice of processing method, type of equipment and chemical materials is of great importance for the quality of leather and the ecological imperative of its manufacturing technology. At the same time, despite the progress of modern chemical technology, the leather industry constantly needs to find and introduce new, more effective means, which would not only be stable in their properties, available and compatible with the components of the «collagen-chemical material» system, but would also contribute the formation of this system in the direction of creating quality products while reducing the harmful load on the environment. The results of previous studies indicate the prospects of modified liquor materials and polymer compounds. Taking into account the above, the technological capabilities of modern commercial chemical materials - modified fats of various origins and acrylic polymer - were analyzed by using them in the liquid decoration of semi-finished Wet-blue half skin. Using the methods of organoleptic assessment, chemical analysis, physico-mechanical tests and microscopy, the advantages of these materials compared to those known during retanning-filling and liquoring have been established. The improvement of the indicators of the content of unbound fat in the leather, the limit of tensile strength and elongation at a stress of 10 MPa was revealed. Good elastic-plastic properties and no difference between the strength of the test skins as a whole and their front layer indicate a more even distribution of materials in the structure of the dermis. This correlates with the results of microscopic studies and allows predicting an increase in area yield, that is, a more rational use of scarce leather raw materials. The results of the work will be used in further studies devoted to the optimization of the parameters of the technology of liquid finishing of natural leather.

The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Implementation on Enterprises’ Financial Performance—Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies

Along with the constant changes in the current business environment, more and more enterprises have recognised the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Considering that profit maximisation is the eternal pursuit of enterprises and that some studies have already linked the financial performance of enterprises and their implementation of social responsibility together, this study will try to further explore the impact of social responsibility initiatives on enterprises’ financial performance within the context of emerging economy. Given that enterprises’ sustainable development is closely related to their implementation of CSR, an improvement in their corresponding financial performance due to effective social responsibility practices can incentivise enterprises to take part in CSR initiatives aimed at enhancing the sustainable development of society and the environment. Through using the panel data from Chinese Listed Companies, this research finds that responsibility’s implementation is positively related with enterprises’ financial performance, and that relationship is non-linear. Additionally, as a critical regulatory institution, government fails to function as a mediator within the above-mentioned relationship based on the robust empirical test. At the same time, the fulfilment of CSR can not be achieved at the expense of profit maximisation. The non-linear relationship between CSR and enterprises’ financial performance (CFP) demonstrated in this research suggests that the financial performance of a firm can be optimised when it moderately fulfils its social responsibility. This finding offers a potential optimal strategy for the sustainable development of the firm as well as society. Also, the role of government deserves further exploration and utilisation, considering its significant linkages with enterprises and social development.