Tool For Sustainable Development Research Articles

Compact City as a Tool for Sustainable Urban Development

Compact City as a Tool for Sustainable Urban Development

Ensuring the environmental safety of a transport company in the direction of achieving sustainable development goals

Objective: to develop approaches to solving problems in the field of sustainable development of a transport organization that can ensure the formation of practical tools and business process management, taking into account the optimization of activities in the field of environmental friendliness. Methods: the work was carried out on the basis of a study of trends in sustainable development of PJSC TransContainer; a comparative analysis of existing methods and tools for assessing and managing sustainable development. When considering issues in the field of risks, approaches, standards and guidelines on control and risk management are taken into account. Results. The conclusions are substantiated that the implementation of the sustainable development Goals in Transcontainer involves the integration of the principles of sustainable development into its business processes. On this basis, the goals of sustainable development and the actions of TransContainer to ensure their achievement have been coordinated, the system of ESG indicators has been modified to objectively assess the state of the Company in each of the aspects of sustainable development, risks in the field of sustainable development and risk management tools have been established. The practical significance lies in the justification of measures to achieve sustainable development in accordance with the principles developed by TransContainer.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AS A BLENDED-LEARNING TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Ponte Academic JournalJan 2023, Volume 79, Issue 1 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AS A BLENDED-LEARNING TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTSAuthor(s): Aderinsola Eunice Kayode ,Lingaliso LindaJ. Ponte - Jan 2023 - Volume 79 - Issue 1 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2023.1.4 Abstract:The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a blended-learning tool into traditional classroom-based teaching and learning has been shown to improve students' academic performance at globe and is essential to economic development. These claims were investigated in a sample of undergraduate students at the faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Based on the goals of the research , a purposeful sample of students was chosen. It used a mixed-method survey design. A total of 117 students completed the online survey (quantitative component); while a focus group interview with 4 students (qualitative component) was conducted. The findings showed significant barriers to, and affordances of, the use of ICT as a blended-learning tool. In addition, the study discusses student access to ICT devices and internet facilities on campus, student proficiency in using these devices and facilities, and the impact these have on students’ academic activities. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are discussed in the context of graduate career opportunities and national economic sustainable development Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

Optimization of university teachers’ remuneration as a tool for sustainable development of higher education

The article is devoted to the study of problems and ways of their solution in the field of remuneration of scientific-pedagogical workers of higher education institutions. In modern pandemic realities the process of education is organized in a new format with the use of information and innovation technologies, which requires from a teacher additional labor inputs for mastering special tools and practices of teaching. That is why development of new approaches to labor remuneration for university teachers that meet modern requirements of economics acquires special significance at the present time. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to analyze the organization of teaching staff labor remuneration on the example of one of the universities in Samara region (Russian Federation) and to develop recommendations for its improvement. The results of the study are based on the study of domestic and foreign scientific literature on the remuneration of higher education teachers, the authors' own materials. The authors of the article systematized the stages of decision making on the problems of increasing the level of higher education institution personnel wages in Russia, performed a comparative analysis of average wages of university lecturers and hired employees of organizations in some subjects of RF in 2014 - 2019, presented an algorithm of building the scale of official salaries of the teaching staff, and proposed and justified specific recommendations for improving the basic part of the wages of the teaching staff.

ESG ratings of rural areas as a tool for sustainable development of agriculture in the region

The goal and result of the study was the development of a new methodology for creating an ESG rating of rural areas, built on the basis of a hierarchical system of private, summary and integral indicators characterizing the environmental, social and corporate components of sustainable development. The proposed approach to constructing an ESG rating is distinguished by a combination of methods of comparative static and trend analysis, differentiation of rural areas into developed, depressed, developing and crisis, which will allow standardizing measures of state support for the sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas in the context of selected types of regions.

Green infrastructure as a tool for sustainable development of urbanized territories

Green infrastructure as a tool for sustainable development of urbanized territories

Transforming Financial Outsourcing Services for Sustainable Business Development: A Review on Green Finance

Introduction. Financial outsourcing services contribute to the effective management of economic relations arising in the process of the formation and use of financial resources. With the unchanged goal of financial outsourcing, its services are being transformed, associated with the development of the financial market and the emergence of innovative financial instruments, technologies and mechanisms.
 Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to form a methodology for studying financial markets, growth points and development trends of "green" finance and tools for sustainable business development that require the transformation of financial outsourcing services.
 Results. A review of sustainable business development based on the methodology of researching the green financial market and financial instruments was carried out, which consists in the use of biometric, predictive, and other methods of analysis that allow timely identification of innovative financial instruments, their development trends, empirical data on their significance, sources of funding, scale, models and trends in the development of economic relations arising in the process of environmental modernization of production. The proposed methodology for researching the financial market will make it possible to transform financial outsourcing services in a timely manner, especially for clients engaged in the development and implementation of engineering innovations aimed at developing a sustainable economy based on green finance.
 Conclusions. The dynamics of the development of green bonds is significantly ahead of the dynamics of the development of the financial market as a whole. The concept of organizing regional sustainable financial systems is proposed, the infrastructure of which includes a financial outsourcer that contributes to the effective attraction and use of financial resources for sustainable business development. A classification of client groups of financial outsourcing services is proposed depending on the size of business entities and the involvement of specific financial instruments and management mechanisms carried out by an outsourcer, which provides capital management using financial management mechanisms, accelerating its turnover and reuse.

Impact of Digital Farming on Sustainable Development and Planning in Agriculture and Increasing the Competitiveness of the Agricultural Business

To develop agriculture, it is crucial to introduce digital farming. This is a fundamentally new management strategy based on digital technologies associated with the use of geographic information systems of global positioning, onboard computers, and smart equipment, as well as managerial and executive processes that can differentiate the methods of farming, fertilization, and adding chemical ameliorants and plant protection products. The study aims at determining the applied aspects and key components within a system of digital farming as a tool for the sustainable development of the agricultural business. The authors chose a mixed type of research, with a predominance of qualitative research methods. In particular, to collect data, the authors analyzed scientific sources on the research problem and conducted an expert survey measuring the degree of consistency of expert opinions with mathematical processing of the results obtained. It was determined that in Russia, it is necessary to consistently introduce the use of digital farming. This includes the introduction of parallel stirring, the ability to turn off the sections of the seeder on the floors, the re-equipment of crop protection sprayers to turn off the sections on the floors, and the acquisition of new equipment for differentiated fertilization. The authors conclude that the introduction of digital farming by agricultural producers is a tool for sustainable development and planning in agriculture and increasing the competitiveness of the agricultural business since it increases the economic (increased yields, reduced crop losses, increased land bank efficiency), environmental (production in risky farming areas), and social (increasing the level of personnel qualification and social standards) efficiency of their activities.

Integrated management system as a tool for sustainable development of the organization

Sustainable development of organizations implies stable socio-economic development without disturbing natural ecosystems and improving the quality of people’s lives, taking into account the economic capacity of the biosphere. The article considers the stages of implementation of integrated management systems on the example of a fuel company. Integrated management systems are essential to the efficient and sustainable operation of an organization. Integrated management systems include two or more international standardized management systems in the field of environmental protection, industrial safety and labor protection. These management systems are interconnected and operate in organizations as a single system. The paper shows the benefits for the organization when using integrated management systems based on the requirements of the ISO 14001 Occupational health and safety management systems and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems standards. Emphasis is placed on innovations in ISO 14000:2015 standards. Methods for determining the opportunities and risks of an organization in the field of industrial safety, labor protection, and the environment are shown. Keywords: sustainable development; integrated management systems; risks.

The formation of strategic portfolio of the development of risk management in telecommunications enterprises during martial law and post-war conditions

The object of research is the processes of interaction of components of the strategic portfolio of development of telecommunications enterprises, which are subject to the principles of economic security and highlight risk management measures, in terms of overcoming the negative consequences of any changes, conflicts, crises, management problems, and stresses from external influences on the development of telecommunications enterprises. One of the most problematic areas is to determine the actual risks of strategic development of telecommunications enterprises caused by threats and challenges due to the war in Ukraine, which resulted in the destruction of infrastructure, reconstruction works, demining, migration of personnel, reduced solvency of the population, investment risks. This requires an adequate response to preserve positions or minimize destruction. At the same time, an important task is the formation of strategic imperatives for the economic security of telecommunications enterprises. In addition, it is important not only to establish a list of such components, but also to substantiate the principles of ensuring the organisational and managerial stability and competitiveness of the telecommunications enterprise by forming a strategic portfolio for the development of risk management in conditions of instability and uncertainty during martial law and post-war conditions and the dynamism of the external environment. In the course of the study, methods of detailed analysis of the current state of the problem, based on information search and methods of empirical research (observation, comparison) were used. As well as the method of synthesis and structural-genetic method (extraction from a complex phenomenon of such elements that significantly affect the rest of the research object, in the case of sustainable development tools). At the same time different sources of information, databases, secondary sources of information, company websites and analytical reports were used. As well as primary sources - interviews of company representatives. The scientific and practical value of the study lies in the formation of the theoretical and methodological foundations of strategic risk management aimed at avoiding or reducing them and at the same time ensuring the desired level of economic security of the telecommunications enterprise. This will allow clearly building the management process in the risk management system in the long term and ensuring the desired level of economic security of the telecommunications enterprise. This allows a reasonable approach to building a business, contributes to the improvement of strategic plans through the relationship with risk management, namely: – possibility of in-depth goal setting to achieve the ultimate goal; – development of the least risky strategic set and an effective system of performance indicators; – improving the efficiency of risk management; – adaptation to changes in the external and internal environment; – increasing the flexibility of the business model.

The Use of Mobile Applications for Sustainable Development of SMEs in the Context of Industry 4.0

Sustainable development of technology in manufacturing motivates entrepreneurs to increasingly introduce technical innovations into their production process. In times of technical progress, the selection and support of qualified personnel are especially important. The process of introducing new technologies or innovations in an enterprise is closely related to the personnel involved in this process. Sustainable development of the enterprise is possible, subject to the sequence of processes, namely, ensuring the adaptation of personnel and collecting feedback. A mobile application can be innovative for a particular enterprise and ensure sustainable development and adaptation to Industry 4.0 technologies. Given the pressure of technology and the environment on small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, it was proposed to conduct a practical study in the conditions of a typical enterprise of this category. To explore the attractiveness of mobile applications as a tool for enterprise sustainable development, an application with basic features that should help provide a framework for integrating Industry 4.0 technologies into the manufacturing process was proposed. In the course of the study, a cycle of innovations and a set of evaluation methods for some of them were proposed. With the help of the proposed assessment methods, as well as the practical use of the mobile application, it became clear that the proposed solution can create a positive effect. The success of this kind of innovation and the further sustainable development of the enterprise is possible if the gradual adaptation of employees will be ensured; it will enable further innovation.

INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES BETWEEN UKRAINE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

The article examines approaches to the study of international investment policy in Ukraine and ways of further cooperation with the European Union. The main approaches are shown in the genesis of this problem. It is emphasized that the modern conduct of international investment activity is closely related to the state programs of Ukraine, the EU and the countries of the world as a whole. Separate areas of international investment support are substantiated. At the same time, it is believed that European investment support is an important tool for sustainable development of the state and ensuring its food security. However, in modern conditions, the issue of the organization of investment support for the country’s economy requires a new approach, improvement of the considered support programs through active measures at the state level, introduction of new financial and credit structures. It is emphasized that during the organization and conduct of close cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, as well as during the development of measures to improve the organizational and economic mechanism of investment activity, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the investment climate, without which it is impossible to achieve a high level of the country’s economic potential.

How does environmental quality perception influence people's fertility intention? Evidence from China

AbstractThe ongoing population aging and few children are major challenges for human sustainable development in the 21st century. While the external environment is a crucial factor determining people's behaviour, the potential effects of subjective environmental quality on an individual's fertility decision‐making remain poorly understood. Using data from the Chinese General Social Survey, this research has examined the relationship between environmental quality perception and fertility intention in China. Results reveal that an increase in environmental quality perception can significantly promote people's fertility intention. Our study proposes and verifies two pathways through which environmental quality perception affects fertility intention, namely, well‐being and future expectation. This facilitating effect is greater for people with poor socio‐economic conditions. The findings indicate that policymakers should coordinate environmental protection and population policies to promote sustainable development and design various tools targeted based on people's socio‐economic background.

Community radio as Information Dissemination Tool for Sustainable Rural Development in Ghana

ABSTRACT Community radio represents the opportunity of placing the means of communication in the hands of grassroot people. In the particular case of this study, it was seen as a tool for rural participatory development. It thus provided the need for a study into how community radio is used for sustainable rural development. The study utilized a qualitative research approach to understand the role of community radio in sustainable rural development in Ghana. As a result, two community radio stations were selected for the study. Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were used to select participants who were interviewed with the aid of semi-structured interviews. In all, qualitative data was collected from 34 participants comprising two programmes’ managers, two radio producers, two radio presenters and 28 listeners. The qualitative research approach enabled in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under study. The study found that both community radio stations allow community members access to information services that addressed their livelihood challenges. In addition, the study found that the community radio stations provided the platform for community members to make inputs into programming which specifically addressed their aspirations, perceptions, and desires. The study establishes the need to resource community radios to embark on more livelihood programmes on radio.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Based Occupant-Centric Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Control System for Multi-Zone Commercial Buildings

Buildings are responsible for almost half of the world’s energy consumption, and approximately 40% of total building energy is consumed by the heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The inability of traditional HVAC controllers to respond to sudden changes in occupancy and environmental conditions makes them energy inefficient. Despite the oversimplified building thermal response models and inexact occupancy sensors of traditional building automation systems, investigations into a more efficient and effective sensor-free control mechanism have remained entirely inadequate. This study aims to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based occupant-centric HVAC control mechanism for cooling that continually improves its knowledge to increase energy efficiency in a multi-zone commercial building. The study is carried out using two-year occupancy and environmental conditions data of a shopping mall in Istanbul, Turkey. The research model consists of three steps: prediction of hourly occupancy, development of a new HVAC control mechanism, and comparison of the traditional and AI-based control systems via simulation. After determining the attributions for occupancy in the mall, hourly occupancy prediction is made using real data and an artificial neural network (ANN). A sensor-free HVAC control algorithm is developed with the help of occupancy data obtained from the previous stage, building characteristics, and real-time weather forecast information. Finally, a comparison of traditional and AI-based HVAC control mechanisms is performed using IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (ICE) simulation software. The results show that applying AI for HVAC operation achieves savings of a minimum of 10% energy consumption while providing a better thermal comfort level to occupants. The findings of this study demonstrate that the proposed approach can be a very advantageous tool for sustainable development and also used as a standalone control mechanism as it improves.

Wildlife health in environmental impact assessments: are we missing a key metric?

Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) aim to assess the predicted effects of future projects on the environment, human health, and the economic potential of a region. They are an instrumental tool for sustainable development and to reduce the impact of large-scale industrial projects on biodiversity. The accurate assessment of the effects of projects on wildlife populations has a variety of ecological, cultural, and economic implications. However, assessments are commonly done using indirect indicators such as the predicted impact of changes in the quantity and quality of wildlife habitat and (or) predicted changes in nonspecific wildlife population metrics (e.g., relative abundance). In recent decades, the interpretation of wildlife health has moved from the classical dichotomous state of “disease presence/absence” to a broader concept that integrates the interaction of biological, social, and environmental health determinants. We sought to determine how wildlife health metrics are used in EIA processes and propose a framework to characterize, quantify, and monitor wildlife health in future EIAs. First, we performed a targeted review of EIA documents from three jurisdictions in Canada to characterize the relevance and use of “wildlife health” in these documents. Then, we reviewed case studies and research examples to understand wildlife health in different contexts associated with conservation biology to propose a framework to incorporate wildlife health into baseline monitoring and mitigation processes in EIAs. Our targeted review illustrates that while wildlife health and related terminology is often invoked in the main and specific objectives of EIAs, it is rarely tracked and quantified in EIAs and related processes. We identified approaches that can be used to effectively incorporate wildlife health in EIAs, including context-specific wildlife health metrics, participatory epidemiology, community-based sampling, and local ecological knowledge. We illustrate case studies where wildlife health can facilitate the inclusion of communities, Indigenous governments, and local ecological knowledge into the evaluation process of projects and developments and into comanagement practices of wildlife. Our work highlights the critical need to move towards incorporating wildlife health into EIA processes to provide a more direct and holistic perspective on the potential environmental impacts and improve the opportunities for early implementation of mitigation measurements.

Education and Training as a Tools for Sustainable Development among Secondary School Teachers in Southwest Nigeria

The educational methodologies that might be used to manage education and in-service training among secondary school teachers in southwest Nigeria were mentioned in the paper. The degree of in-service training and academic qualifications of secondary school teachers in Southwest Nigeria were investigated, as well as male and female teachers' impressions of in-service training and re-training by the government. The study employed survey-style descriptive research. In southwest Nigeria, the population was made up entirely of teachers. The study's sample included 200 teachers who were chosen using a multistage sampling approach that included both simple random sampling and stratified random sampling techniques. The study found that secondary school teachers in southwest Nigeria have a low level of in-service training and a high level of academic qualifications and that there is no significant difference in perceptions of in-service training and academic qualifications between male and female secondary school teachers in southwest Nigeria. It was suggested that the government step up their efforts to organize in-service training for secondary school teachers, such as conferences, seminars, and workshops, in order to impart the necessary knowledge to students in order to achieve sustainable development goals. Additionally, necessary types of machinery should be put in place to improve the performance of the ministry of education and local education authorities in order to upgrade teachers and enhance their performance. In conclusion, there is a lack of teacher training and retraining in southwest Nigeria, as well as a high level of academic qualifications among secondary school teachers.

A trait-based typification of urban forests as nature-based solutions

Urban forests as nature-based solutions (UF-NBS) are important tools for climate change adaptation and sustainable development. However, achieving both effective and sustainable UF-NBS solutions requires diverse knowledge. This includes knowledge on UF-NBS implementation, on the assessment of their environmental impacts in diverse spatial contexts, and on their management for the long-term safeguarding of delivered benefits. A successful integration of such bodies of knowledge demands a systematic understanding of UF-NBS. To achieve such an understanding, this paper presents a conceptual UF-NBS model obtained through a semantic, trait-based modelling approach. This conceptual model is subsequently implemented as an extendible, re-usable and interoperable ontology. In so doing, a formal, trait-based vocabulary on UF-NBS is created, that allows expressing spatial, morphological, physical, functional, and institutional UF-NBS properties for their typification and a subsequent integration of further knowledge and data. Thereby, ways forward are opened for a more systematic UF-NBS impact assessment, management, and decision-making.

Modeling in Mathematics as a Sustainable Development Tool

In this article, mathematical modeling is characterized as a crucial instrument for sustainable development.To ensure prosperity for present generations as well as future ones, sustainable development aims to strike a balance between human requirements in these three areas.To solve the problems our planet is experiencing, mathematical science is used.To comprehend, anticipate, and manage the development process, mathematical modeling might be helpful.For seeing and comprehending occurrences that cannot be grasped just by verbal thinking, mathematical modeling can be a very effective technique.We conclude that building a mathematical model is crucial for sustainable growth. Keywords: Mathematical Modeling; Sustainable Development

Identifying the ‘Different we’s’ in Primary Teachers’ Education for Sustainable Development Discourse—A Positioning Theory Perspective

Education can serve the purpose of trying to mitigate catastrophes. In a school context, teachers can have a role in enacting an interconnection between critical thinking (CT) as a potentially useful tool and education for sustainable development (ESD), in terms of educating and communicating the importance of sustainability to future generations. This paper uses discourse analysis, drawing on post-structuralism, to explore how Norwegian primary school teachers consider CT (skills, dispositions, and civic participation) in relation to ESD. The study draws on social constructivism and positioning theory (PT) in particular to find patterns in teachers’ own shifting standpoints through individual and collective assertations around ESD. Specifically, in this paper we make efforts to implement the PT to study (i) teachers’ own positioning about sustainability through their communication acts within primary-school contexts, and (ii) the functions of education in relation to ESD in this context. We explored the discussion between three teachers from the same school team during one focus group interview, by tracing the teachers’ uses of I and we (as markers) in relation to Biesta’s three functions of education in the discourse. Our discourse analysis has an exploratory character and is carried out on a limited dataset. PT was used as a framework to categorize the teachers’ statements; treated as content of discourse. The pronoun we is identified in the discourse analysis in three different ways: with the underlying meaning of a humanitarian we, an institutional we, and a classroom we. In the one focus group interview, we also identified teachers’ sense of belonging with the environment and nature, generally regarded to be prevalent in Norwegian society.