Virtuous Development Research Articles

Thriving by Design: Can Behavioral Economics and Public Policy Shape Virtuous Lives?

ABSTRACT
 Drawing on behavioral economics, nudges (policy interventions based on choice architecture) have the capacity to strategically shape policymaking, subtly guiding individual behavior by adjusting their decision environment. Applied to enhance vaccinations, boost retirement savings, or promote healthy habits, these interventions align with consensus-defined well-being. As governments adopt nudges, scholars have explored their role in fostering virtues. This paper argues that nudges have the potential to efficiently contribute to virtuous development by instilling and sustaining habits, respecting individual choice, and ensuring deliberation. It introduces the concept of virtue nudges, emphasizing the alignment of habits with virtues for targeted behavioral change and the formation of morally virtuous habits.

Applications of biomimicry to urban planning: interrogating the relevance of emerging approaches to design cities by inspiring from nature.

Cities have an important role to play in tackling the challenges of climate change and the depletion of biodiversity. The way they were built has had a significant impact on biological and terrestrial systems. In this regard, a new generation of urban planners is attempting to address this problem by inventing new urban models, especially using biomimicry to create a real paradigm shift in the discipline. Nonetheless, it introduces a fresh perspective that refrains from viewing nature merely as a supplier of resources and energy, but instead recognizes it as a rich wellspring of wisdom. This approach is now unfolding in the realm of cities and territories as intricate systems. In fact, biomimicry is seen as a means towards more virtuous development models, aiming at the regeneration and resilience of living spaces in symbiosis with the environment. Researchers and theorists have put forth diverse ideas and concepts to incorporate the principles derived from nature into urban projects. However, several challenges are raised when trying to mimic how a biological system works to plan cities which are much more complex due to human social attributes. Although there are a few current examples of biomimicry being applied to urban planning, they need to be assessed to determine if this approach is relevant, particularly in the social field. This study employs a qualitative approach whereby the narrative review of literature has been applied which focusing on the applicability and impact of biomimicry in urban systems. Six-step framework for review articles are used to address three key research questions regarding the adoption of biomimicry principles in urban contexts. We aim to summarize and categorize the variety of applications of biomimicry to urban planning by the literature review method and to initiate an inquiry into their relevance and utility in responding to contemporary urban challenges.

How hospital top managers reason about the central leadership task of balancing quality of patient care, economy and professionals’ engagement: an interview study

PurposeThis study aims to deepen the understanding of how top managers reason about handling the relationships between quality of patient care, economy and professionals’ engagement.Design/methodology/approachQualitative design. Individual in-depth interviews with all members of the executive management team at an emergency hospital in Norway were analysed using reflexive thematic method.FindingsThe top managers had the intention to balance between quality of patient care, economy and professionals’ engagement. This became increasingly difficult in times of high internal or external pressures. Then top management acted as if economy was the most important focus.Practical implicationsFor health-care top managers to lead the pursuit towards increased sustainability in health care, there is a need to balance between quality of patient care, economy and professionals’ engagement. This study shows that this balancing act is not an anomaly top-managers can eradicate. Instead, they need to recognize, accept and deliberately act with that in mind, which can create virtuous development spirals where managers and health-professional communicate and collaborate, benefitting quality of patient care, economy and professionals’ engagement. However, this study builds on a limited number of participants. More research is needed.Originality/valueSustainable health care needs to balance quality of patient care and economy while at the same time ensure professionals’ engagement. Even though this is a central leadership task for managers at all levels, there is limited knowledge about how top managers reason about this.

A Study on Factors Affecting the Value Co-Creation Behavior of Customers in Sharing Economy: Take Airbnb Malaysia as an Example

Starting with corporate and customer factors, this paper establishes a research model of the influencing factors that affect the customers’ value co-creation behavior in a sharing economy. Guided by this model, this study conducted a questionnaire survey on 587 Malaysian Airbnb customers, and analyzed the valid data with software such as SPSS26 and AMOS24. The results show that although the operators of sharing economy platforms do not directly provide products and services, their ethical management, corporate authenticity and corporate image still positively influence customer value co-creation behavior, and that sharing economy customers, whether they are suppliers or demanders, have their own characteristics that influence value co-creation behavior. Based on these results, this study suggests that sharing economy corporations should pay attention to their business operations and customer behavior as well as their APS (Application product services), so as to achieve sustainable and virtuous development.

Investigating the Visual Behavior Characteristics of Architectural Heritage Using Eye-Tracking

The visual quality of architectural heritage is crucial to the preservation of architectural features, enhancement of the environmental quality, and conservation of the sustainable development and adaptive use of architectural heritage. Few studies have explored the visual behavior characteristics of rural architectural heritage and which elements influence visual perception. Our study used eye-tracking technology to explore this issue. The results indicate that participants have different visual behavior characteristics for architectural heritage in different scenarios, with five eye movement metrics showing statistical differences. Featured elements attracted more visual attention. The visual behavior characteristics were related to the area, relative area, distance from center, and perimeter. Based on the results, decision-makers can target the sustainable and virtuous development of architectural heritage and enhance environmental quality.

Waste Landscape: Urban Regeneration Process for Shared Scenarios

The theme of urban redevelopment and regeneration has long been a priority in the international debate and current practices in the field of urban policies and strategic programs for sustainable development, implemented according to the circular economy model. In the contemporary city, there are fragments of unused, residual, abandoned landscapes, defined as “Waste LandScapes” which are the natural consequence of the metabolic process of growth and development of cities, both for the incompatibility of their original use and for the loss of their economic value. These waste landscapes, if inserted in virtuous processes of urban redevelopment, have a great intrinsic value and a considerable regenerative potential, capable of triggering virtuous development processes, not only on an urban scale but also on a territorial level. In this context, the research applied to a degraded area located on the edge of the historic center of Catanzaro (Italy) illustrates an adaptive and multi-methodological, inclusive and site-specific evaluation process, useful to support decision-makers in the selection of a shared scenario, evaluated both in multi-group and multi-criteria terms, capable of generating benefits in terms of cultural enhancement, social inclusion and economic development for a circular city.

ВЗАЄМОЗАЛЕЖНІСТЬ МІЖ ОФІЦІЙНОЮ ДОПОМОГОЮ РОЗВИТКУ ТА МАКРОЕКОНОМІЧНИМИ ПОКАЗНИКАМИ КРАЇН ІЗ РИНКАМИ, ЩО ФОРМУЮТЬСЯ

International development aid is the voluntary transfer of funds in the form of goods, skills, grants, credits and loans, training, exchange of experience from donor countries to recipients of these funds. Alongside with the aid in the traditional sense, other factors are also important, such as trade, migration, investment, environment, security, technology, i.e., everything that constitutes the development strategy and has a significant impact on it. Official development aid is aimed at rebuilding infrastructure, institutions and promoting the economic development of countries, which is a key part of post-war peace agreements. Official development aid (ODA) increases investment in physical and human capital, the ability to import capital goods or technology. ODA does not have indirect effects that reduce investment rates or savings, but is associated with the transfer of technologies that increase capital productivity and promote endogenous technical changes. Among a wide range of funding sources, official development aid plays an important role. It helps launch projects in underdeveloped or underfunded sectors or domains. ODA initiates processes of "virtuous development" and creates favourable dynamics that can help involve all other parties, especially business representatives, in such projects. This creates a multiplier effect that multiplies the impact. It was discovered during the research that official development aid increases investment in physical and human capital, the ability to import capital goods or technology. ODA does not have indirect effects that reduce investment rates or savings but relates to the transfer of technologies that increase capital productivity and promote endogenous technical changes. A study of the impact of official development aid on economic growth and poverty in the 20 countries studied showed that in most countries there was a negative correlation between the indicators of official development aid and gross domestic product, only a few countries showed a positive relationship between the two variables at a high level. The same situation can be observed between ODA and the poverty line. The relationship between the two variables that are not related to the provision of official development aid shows the best result, but ODA does not affect them. This analysis confirmed the theoretical and empirical research of scientists in this field on the lack of connection or weak connection between the studied variables. However, Student's t-test analysis indicates that there is a close relationship between GDP and ODA, as confirmed by the results of the study.

Study on comprehensive utilization technology of low concentration coal bed methane

Aiming at the problems of low utilization rate and serious environmental pollution caused by low concentration coal bed methane emission in a coal mine, the utilization technology of low concentration coal bed methane was studied by means of field investigation and theoretical calculation, and the technical solution of comprehensive utilization of low concentration coal bed methane combining regenerative oxidation and cryogenic liquefaction was obtained, which realized the “coal and gas are co-mined and shared” and constructed the virtuous cycle development of “use to promote pumping, pumping to promote safety”. The research shows that: the low concentration coal bed methane with concentration of about 5% is converted into high temperature flue gas by regenerative oxidation, and the heat energy is extracted to realize the heating in the mining area; the coal bed methane with concentration of more than 35% is purified and liquefied into LNG product by cryogenic liquefaction, so as to realize long-distance transportation. The technology improves the utilization rate of coal bed methane in the mining area and eliminates the burning of coal for heating. The annual utilization of pure gas is 53.38 million m3, generating economic benefits of 211 million yuan and reducing CO2 equivalent by 767,000 t. The safety, economic and environmental benefits are remarkable. This technology has practical significance to improve the utilization rate of gas and promote the realization of the goal of zero gas emission.

Analysis of the Function Mechanism of Incentive Education in the Class Management of Colleges and Universities

In the process of class management in Colleges and universities, the reasonable use of incentive education means can mobilize the enthusiasm and internal drive of college students, and serve the realization of the desired goal. The process of its mechanism is not only the automatic, orderly and linked operation process of the class, but also the circulation process of students' personality, ability, personality and other independent development. In this process, counselors and students, and students interact with each other through incentive factors to form a virtuous development cycle of individuals or groups, and then achieve the development goals of classes and individuals. Incentive education, from the psychological point of view, is a psychological process that motivates students' motivation and makes them full of enthusiasm. In the class management of colleges and universities in China, the rational use of incentive education can mobilize the enthusiasm of students and generate internal driving force, and serve to achieve the desired goal. So, how does the mechanism of incentive education happen and how does it manifest in the class management of colleges and universities? According to the general definition of incentive education and the reality of class management in Colleges and universities, it can be judged that the incentive education mechanism in class management in Colleges and universities refers to the reasonable and effective use of various incentive measures under the guidance and promotion of counselors in the construction and management process of class collective, through the regulation and operation of class collective and individual students themselves, to make class collective enter into automatic, orderly It is a kind of circulation mode which can promote the development and perfection of students' personality, ability and personality. In this cycle, counselors and students, and students interact with each other through incentive factors to form a virtuous development cycle of individual or collective, and then achieve the class and individual development goals.

Sacred Memory and Monastic Friendship in Eadmer of Canterbury’sVita S. Oswaldi

Between the years of 1113-1116, Prior Nicholas and the monks of St. Mary’s, Worcester, petitioned Eadmer of Canterbury to re-write the vita of their monastic founder St. Oswald. The years preceding this request were a period of hardship for the community of St. Mary’s, as the brethren coped with the burning of their church, the death of monastic elders, and the installation of a royal clerk as bishop of Worcester. In the face of such trials, the monks of Worcester turned to St. Oswald to justify their continued existence and consolidate their corporate identity. Yet, their decision to solicit Eadmer raises questions about the devotional function of the new Vita S. Oswaldi for the brethren of Worcester. While Eadmer modelled his text on Byrhtferth of Ramsey’s eleventh-century biography, he altered the nature of St. Oswald’s sanctity by subordinating the saint’s virtuous development to the leadership of the archbishops Oda and Dunstan of Canterbury. Eadmer incorporated St. Oswald into a new sacred hierarchy, whereby the saint’s virtuous life served to support Canterbury’s contemporary claims to English episcopal primacy. The monks of Worcester had maintained an amiable relationship with Canterbury since the Norman conquest, and Nicholas’s decision to commission Eadmer likewise reflects how the chapter of St. Mary’s perceived itself in relation to Canterbury. Nicholas and the monks of Worcester hoped to benefit from Canterbury’s predominance in the English Church, especially regarding the preservation of their corporate rights and influence in future episcopal elections. This article explores the reception of sacred history in the community of St. Mary’s, Worcester, and the manner in which the brethren used the memory of their corporate past to reaffirm their place, identity, and continuity as a monastic body. It further argues that the episcopal priories of Worcester and Canterbury maintained a historical support network, in which members of each community recast information about St. Oswald and England’s ecclesiastical past to reaffirm bonds of monastic friendship and share in sacred prestige.

Casto, il paese del sole. Tradizione, energie rinnovabili e sostenibilità in un paese di montagna nel nord Italia

Un patto di collaborazione tra pubblico, privato e volontariato per lo sfruttamento delle energie rinnovabili in un territorio a forte vocazione industriale ha generato un “caso” di sviluppo virtuoso con importanti vantaggi per l’intera comunità. Lo studio intende prendere in esame l’evoluzione economica negli ultimi vent’anni di Casto, piccolo Comune delle Prealpi bresciane nel nord Italia. Il paese, centro ad antica vocazione nella lavorazione del ferro, è oggi sede di una importante impresa metallurgica, azienda leader in Europa nella produzione di leghe di alluminio, che a partire dagli anni Novanta ha avviato progetti di sostenibilità ambientale collaborando con gli enti locali, nazionali ed europei. Il Comune, dal canto suo, ha raggiunto l’autosufficienza energetica grazie alla realizzazione di una dozzina di impianti fotovoltaici. Le maggiori entrate di bilancio, la fattiva collaborazione con l’azienda e i numerosi volontari hanno consentito di attuare servizi ad uso gratuito a favore della popolazione in ambito scolastico, sportivo, ricreativo e di miglioramento generale della qualità ambientale.

Sostenibilità sociale e declino demografico delle aree rurali. Uno studio di caso

In the last decades, depopulation becomes a central issue of the political agenda in Sardinia as well as in Europe. The essay focuses on the local knowledge of territories, where development practices and policies to counteract demographic decline are based. In this perspective the results of a recent empirical research carried out in an area of Sardinia, Meilogu, are presented. Here more than elsewhere, a substantial process of emptying the territories is taking place. On the other hand, the case study shows that in the same area under investigation several material and immaterial resources and knowledge have allowed the implementation of virtuous development paths in some centers. As a result the strategic value that has been given to local resources has promote opposite trends in terms of depopulation, if referred to adjacent areas. A central issue emerged from the research is related to the transmission of knowledge as a source of human capital, carried out through training paths that integrate into development policies.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE IN BRAZIL: STOCK, BONDS AND SUBSTITUTION

ABSTRACT Purpose: To study the Brazilian bond and stock markets for testing the stock market development theory of Demirgüc-Kunt and Maksimovic (1996). Originality/gap/relevance/implications: This paper tests the substitution hypothesis of stock market development, from debt to stocks, in a context of improved corporate governance, by analyzing the data with cointegration techniques. The findings show that the rejection of substitution hypothesis, as the bond market has a positive and significant association with stock market improvements. The findings also show that improving the quality of corporate governance could lead equity capital and borrower capital sources to be complementary and not substitutes, suggesting that Brazilian stock market reform has created a virtuous development cycle. Key methodological aspects: Positivist research using quantitative methodology. Data from a sample of 171 firms during 20 years, analyzed with cointegration. The null was a negative association between bond and stock markets. Summary of key results: Null rejection, non-consistent to theoretical framework. The results have shown a positive and significant association between stock and debt in an improved corporate governance context. Key considerations/conclusions: Improving the quality of corporate governance could lead equity capital and borrower capital sources to be complementary, and not substitutes, suggesting that Brazilian stock market reform has created a virtuous development cycle.

Friendships of Virtue, Pursuit of the Moral Community, and the Ends of Business

It is argued here that business firms can and do provide an incubator that enables the Aristotelian category of friendships of advantage to develop into friendships of virtue. This contradicts other literature that views acquaintances of utility as the business norm, and expresses pessimism concerning more advanced virtuous development of friendship within the business firm. It is argued here, however, that this virtuous development is integral to the Kantian social aim of pursuing a moral community, an aim which declares the appropriate moral motivation for business, and that certainly should incorporate a role for developing virtuous relations as a component of that pursuit. An atmosphere that encourages the development of relations of virtue is feasible, exists in real business, and is optimal for pursuit of moral business communities.

LA SFIDA DELLA DIVERSITÀ CULTURALE AL LIBERALISMO. ORIGINI FILOSOFICHE E PROSPETTIVE ETICO-POLITICHE: JÜRGEN HABERMAS E CHARLES TAYLOR

This paper analyzes the contemporary philosophical and political debate concerning the difficulties raised by intercultural processes and liberal institutions, showing how today’s liberal system crisis of legitimacy is rooted in the philosophical grounds of occidental cultural identity. Two authors are mainly considered: Charles Taylor and Jurgen Habermas. They both refuse the postmodern theory of the exhaustion of practical reason’s normativity and found the possibility of a reason’s virtuous development on the explanation of its genealogical link with the history of occidental identity.

Principles for consistent value assessment and sustainable funding of orphan drugs in Europe.

The European Orphan Medicinal Products (OMP) Regulation has successfully encouraged research to develop treatments for rare diseases resulting in the authorisation of new OMPs in Europe. While decisions on OMP designation and marketing authorisation are made at the European Union level, reimbursement decisions are made at the national level. OMP value and affordability are high priority issues for policymakers and decisions regarding their pricing and funding are highly complex. There is currently no European consensus on how OMP value should be assessed and inequalities of access to OMPs have previously been observed. Against this background, policy makers in many countries are considering reforms to improve access to OMPs. This paper proposes ten principles to be considered when undertaking such reforms, from the perspective of an OMP manufacturer. We recommend the continued prioritisation of rare diseases by policymakers, an increased alignment between payer and regulatory frameworks, pricing centred on OMP value, and mechanisms to ensure long-term financial sustainability allowing a continuous and virtuous development of OMPs. Our recommendations support the development of more consistent frameworks and encourage collaboration between all stakeholders, including research-based industry, payers, clinicians, and patients.

Presenting the Albergo Diffuso to the Business Community: Best Practices and Traps to Avoid for Local Institutions

The Albergo diffuso is a new form of hotel in which typical rooms and houses are scattered throughout different buildings within the same village, are overseen by one manager to achieve the highest hotel quality and social involvement standard. When this new business opportunity is presented without detailed informations, often confusion occurs. How can we manage the risk? The first thing to do, as shown by many experiences is describing the advantages and the obstacles, in a compete, detailed and realistic way to the interested people. The first trap to avoid is believing that basic information is enough to understand the idea of AD and the way of doing business it requires. Many detailed informations are also required. A good practice is to weigh the quantity of information based on their quality. This must be as bigger as the enterprising and tourism inexperience of interested subjects. Another best practice is managing first informations about the Albergo diffuso and the co-operative way of doing business as one of the key assets for virtuous tourism development. Acting this way allows the local community to be fully aware of the business opportunity.

Città, Grandi Eventi e Mobilità tra globale e locale

It is now a widespread opinion, mainly in administrative field, that the occasion given by great events would foster the competitive impulse of a city. On the contrary, many people affirm that the organization of great events would divert the attention and often hinder durable processes of re-qualification. This paper suggests a reading of the experiences related to the organization of great events in the cities all over the world, in order to define how and, eventually, how much the transformations of the city and, particularly, of the mobility system accomplished to support those events would have contribute, on the one hand, to increase the corporate fixed capital of each urban community and, on the other hand, to raise the competitiveness of the city to the international level. In the first part, the paper aims at identifying the role that the literature of the sector gives to the great events either in local ambit, in contributing to improve urban quality, or in global one, in helping increase the level of competitiveness. In the second part, the paper, by describing the real experiences carried out during the organization of great events in Italy and abroad, points out the urban transformations and those of the mobility system that have really contributed to the city re-qualification and to the increment of competitiveness.In the third part, the paper defines the role played by great events in the Strategic Plans of the big western cities and describes the perspectives of virtuous development related to Naples linked to the organization of the Forum of Cultures 2013, defined as banner project of the Strategic Plan.

Non-linear growth effects of financial development: Does financial integration matter?

Using both macro- and industry-level data this paper analyses the non-linear effects of financial development and international financial integration on economic growth in Europe. Special attention is devoted to modeling threshold effects with respect to the depth of financial markets as a measure of economies' absorption capacity. Results reveal evidence of significant non-linear effects, with less developed European countries gaining more from financial development. In contrast, benefits of international financial integration become significant at higher levels of financial development. The data show that monetary integration in Europe significantly contributed to a higher degree of financial integration. Entry of new EU members to the European Monetary Union may thus be the mechanism ensuring a virtuous development circle, as the adoption of the Euro may allow the development of domestic financial markets and financial integration to go hand-in-hand.

Non-Linear Growth Effects of Financial Development: Does Financial Integration Matter?

Using both macro and industry-level data this paper analyses the nonlinear effects of financial development and international financial integration on economic growth in Europe. Special attention is devoted to modeling threshold effects with respect to the depth of financial markets as a measure of economies' absorption capacity. Results reveal evidence of significant non-linear effects, with less developed European countries gaining more from financial development. In contrast, benefits of international financial integration become significant at higher levels of financial development. The data show that monetary integration in Europe significantly contributed to a higher degree of financial integration. Entry of new EU members to the European Monetary Union may thus be the mechanism ensuring a virtuous development circle, as the adoption of the Euro may allow the development of domestic financial markets and financial integration to go hand-in-hand.