Economic Vision Research Articles

Policy visions of big data: views from the Global South

Government intentions stand at the heart of debates about how big data can and should be used in the Global South. This paper provides new insights by examining the political and economic visions promoted by emerging power governments in Brazil, India and China (the BICs). Doing so is crucial as these countries not only comprise some of the world’s largest populations, but have also demonstrated their initiative in national and international promotion of big data politics. Drawing on a content analysis of strategic and legal documents discussing the use of big data, we identify potential areas for big data cooperation among the BICs by determining the compatibility of national policy visions. Three visions are apparent: data as a force for political liberation or repression, for improving public services and for facilitating development. Successful BIC cooperation is likely related to the latter two, but less probable for the liberation/repression vision. We conclude by identifying the implications of BIC engagement with big data for the Global South more broadly.

Territorios tradicionales y aprovechamientos económicos en Urabá, Colombia. Ordenamientos productivos en ecosistemas de humedales

En la región de Urabá, Colombia, se han dado prácticas intensivas de monocultivos bananeros y ganadería extensiva en los humedales del río León y la ciénaga de Tumaradó, habitados por poblaciones campesinas y afrodescendientes. Apoyados en el enfoque socioespacial y el análisis escalar, se describen las características naturales del humedal y las políticas del agua que enmarcan los procesos poblacionales, económicos, y bélicos que lo configuran y transforman. Los resultados muestran la configuración de espacialidades simultáneas que yuxtaponen en los humedales proyecciones económicas y visiones de conservación, poniendo en riesgo la sobrevivencia de un ecosistema vital para el planeta y la región.

Territorialidad campesina y agroindustria en el río Cimitarra

El municipio de San Pablo, en el sur del departamento de Bolívar, presenta conflictos territoriales debido a los diversos intereses y relaciones de poder que se dan en dicho espacio geográfico. Esto no se puede comprender en su totalidad sin tener presente el agua como un factor que influye directamente en la construcción del territorio. En el presente documento se abordan dos aspectos fundamentales de la territorialidad en el río Cimitarra: la relación de los campesinos con el agua en su diario vivir y el monocultivo de palma de aceite, el cual se vincula con el agua bajo una visión netamente económica. El desarrollo analítico de estos dos aspectos es fundamental para comprender las diferentes construcciones territoriales que hacen los actores en un mismo espacio geográfico y los conflictos que se desprenden de ellas.

The status of licensed pharmacy workforce in Saudi Arabia: a 2030 economic vision perspective

BackgroundThe economy of Saudi Arabia is currently undergoing a major transformation which will have an impact on employment in the pharmacy sector. However, quantitative data characterizing the pharmacy workforce in the Kingdom are currently not available. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the current status of the licensed pharmacy workforce in the pharmacy field in Saudi Arabia.MethodsDescriptive statistics were performed on data from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) as of March 2017.ResultsThe labor market for pharmacists in Saudi Arabia is dominated by expatriates. Saudi nationals constitute less than 20% of the pharmacists employed in the Kingdom. The underemployment of Saudis is most evident in the largest sectors of the pharmacy field, namely, private health care establishments, community pharmacies, and pharmaceutical companies.ConclusionThere is an unmet need to train Saudi citizens as pharmacists and retain them in the workforce. Addressing this issue should become an important objective in Saudi Arabia’s Vision for 2030.

VISION SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IN ECCENTRICITY TESTING FOR KWH METER UPPER BEARING

Eccentricity measurement techniques are developed to ensure optimization of operational work s , either for large or small objects such as upper bearing kWH meter. S mall object eccentricity testing has been done by using precise and sensitive touch trigger prob ing and a special sofware that makes it expensive . This study developed a more economical vision system in eccentricity testing. It consist s of bearing holder and CCD microscope as an image recorder and computerized image processing. It uses three tested bearing during image recording process, which obtained 12 imag es from each tested bearing taken from every 30 o angle , and one image as registration reference. Image registration process is conducted to correct imperfections bearing mounting into its holder and use centroid method to test the eccentricity of upper bearing kWH meter. This study is succeed in making a n eccentricity testing prototype of upper bearing kWH meter which obtained result of 2 nd bearing has its largest standard deviation. From all standard deviation value obtained that x -axis (horizontal) standard deviation is larger than y-axis (vertical) which means that detection of x direction is more accurate than y direction. To enhance precision image acquisition in the next study , it is expected the use of a computer system with homogeneous illumination is enabled .

Discerning the Body of Christ: Paul, Poverty and the Powers

For Paul, the powers pervade all aspects of human existence. Yet attempting to trace the connection between economic arrangements and the powers in Paul’s thought is not an easy task. This article will first show how the concepts of weakness and powerlessness serve as the hinge that holds together poverty and the powers in Paul’s thought. Christ’s confrontation with the powers on the cross is possible because Christ adopted a weak and powerless state. The very same concepts of weakness and powerlessness provide Paul with the linguistic and theological resources needed to sketch his economic vision for believers. In this vision the body of Christ (crucified and gathered) becomes the space where the powers are unmasked and defeated.

Rethinking the ontology of peacebuilding. Gender, spaces and the limits of the local turn

Following acknowledgements on the ‘confusing’ ontological status of peacebuilding, this article proposes to rethink ontologically the domain as a discursive formation encompassing theory on, and practices of, peacebuilding. The first section discusses the notion of discursive formation, explains how this ontology allows for a more elaborated understanding of the field, and presents three components of peacebuilding as a discursive field: peace visions, peace strategies and programming components. In the following sections, the economic, liberal, critical and feminist visions and strategies for peace are fleshed out, emphasising their tensions, limitations and contradictions. In particular, the article illustrates how the differences in peace visions generate silos and contribute to a highly gender-segregated field. In a final section, building upon research in Indonesia (Ambon), the article discusses elements of the programmatic agenda in peacebuilding. The question of the ‘local turn’ is analysed to problematise its gender-blindness, as well as its implicit reproduction of hierarchisation between the international and the local, fuelling and reinforcing power relationships. The article concludes by pointing to some potential areas for synergies between different discursive formations of peacebuilding, which could contribute to overcome the theoretical/practical, problem-solving/critical, mainstream/gender tensions in the discursive formation of peacebuilding.

The Institutional Justice of the Market Process: Entrepreneurship, Increasing Returns, and Income Distribution.

We argue in this chapter that the transformation in the vision of economics from one in terms of processes to one in terms of equilibrium would in turn yielded public policy implications regarding the role of government and distributive justice. Although classical political economists had made a case regarding the institutional justice of the market process, this argument became overshadowed in the late 19th century and early 20th century by early neoclassical economists, who defended the market in terms of the equilibrium pricing of factor payments. Justice according to the early neoclassical economists was defined in terms of market outcomes that approximate the marginal valuation of the productive contribution of each factor of production. The persistence of this equilibrium paradigm today, among both proponents and critics of the market, has led to the notion that income equality is a substitute, not a complement to economic prosperity.

Çin’in Kuşak ve Yol Girişimi Işığında Yumuşak Gücü Yeniden Düşünmek

This paper investigates how China appeals to other countries by utilizing soft power in ensuring their participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which seeks to revive ancient Silk Road through infrastructure, trade, finance and other linkages. By employing a behavioral and contextualized explanation for soft power, this investigation reveals that Chinese state actively pursues a soft power-oriented economic diplomacy for BRI and relies on hard power resources for its effectiveness. Furthermore, China takes advantage of the power vacuum in the global economy and embraces a liberal economic vision for the international system in its diplomatic activities emphasizing the importance of globalization, free trade, infrastructure investment, and win-win cooperation in achieving high levels of economic development. While China frames BRI mainly in terms of economic development purposes, China’s soft power appeal to other countries is likely to have important political and security implications for the international system.

Alcance normativo del régimen de protección al consumidor de los servicios de salud

Con sustento en el rediseño que tuvo la prestación de los servicios de salud a partir de una visión económica de los mismos y las consecuencias que ello acarrea; el presente escrito expondrá si en efecto existe un régimen más garantista de los derechos que como consumidor detenta quien es usuario de los servicios de salud, a quien a falta de regulación en el estatuto general, por vía de otras alternativas, se le han salvaguardado todas sus facultades; en comparación con la regulación ofrecida para los consumidores de otro tipo de servicios. Para ello y a través de una metodología teórica de corte analítico, se identificará la afinidad y disparidad normativa, determinándose que en la actualidad coexisten regímenes que se complementan en procura del bienestar de los pacientes-consumidores.

Contingent Valuation Method and the beta model: an accounting economic vision for environmental damage in Atlântico Sul Shipyard

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to apply the beta model as an alternative to the Valuation Method in order to estimate the environmental asset Willingness to Pay (WTP) so that the Tribunal de Contas do Estado de Pernambuco (TCE/PE) can supervise the Atlântico Sul Shipyard (ASS) as a negative environmental externality, which is discussed here from an accounting perspective. Our methodology is exploratory, and the beta regression model was used in the contingent valuation to estimate the environmental asset. The results allowed estimating the value of the Ipojuca mangrove at US$ 134,079,793.50, and the value of the environmental damage caused by the shipyard to the public asset was valued at US$ 61,378,155.37. This latter value is object of interest to the inspection body. However, the final estimated value of the Ipojuca mangrove prompts a discussion about the implications from an accounting point of view, such as the attribution of monetary value to a public asset that does not have a financial value, problems regarding the conceptualization and valuation of public assets for governmental patrimony. It is concluded that the beta regression model to estimate the WTP for contingent valuation will serve as a contribution to the research on accounting measurement techniques for public assets.

'Taking Back Control' of Banking: Populist Romanticism and the Global Politics of Ambiguous Post-Crisis Reform in the UK

10 years after the global financial crisis began, in a context of rising political populism, this paper asks why, despite growing political turmoil, financial regulation has changed so little. Is it, as populists might maintain, because power has been taken away from ‘the people’ by faceless international technocrats? Careful process-tracing of the global politics shaping UK post-crisis banking reform is used to identify forces promoting continuity and potential sources of change. I conclude that the populist impulse is somewhat correct in its diagnosis but romantic in its desire to ‘take back control’ nationally. Complex opaque global processes did limit UK reform at the margins. However, continuity was produced by interaction between international and domestic factors. The structural dominance of international finance in the UK economy, combined with weak global consensus on change, meant a polarised choice between the status quo and truly radical reform. Despite public anger and some regulator activism, the social conditions (particularly a new economic vision and politically viable strategy for achieving it) for radical change were not present. The task of building those social conditions will be slow, complex and risk-filled. Whilst populism is producing a certain political energy, it’s desire for simple solutions is ill-suited to such a task.

The tangled politics of conservation and resource extraction in Mozambique's green economy

This article explores how Mozambique's green economy has been produced through the intersection of global ideas about green development, regional economic development dynamics, and local debates and political pressures around extraction and conservation. Mozambique's green economy aims to compress many of its current challenges into a seemingly attractive and compelling agenda. The green economy discourse has produced a new relationship between the conservation and extractives sector, characterized by 'green' financing and offsetting measures intended to handle (at least on paper) the contradictions between extractives-led growth and sustainable development. However, the green economy vision has also provided specific actors with ways to contest extraction. The article provides a lens onto the production of green economy policies and institutions in Mozambique, the way the policy combines neoliberal and non-neoliberal political ideas, and how green economy ideas are played out in the situated politics of debates over conservation and extraction. I consider how 'the' green economy is reworked through tracing a particular case – the recent debates over whether a large coal port should be built in the Ponta do Ouro Marine Reserve. This foregrounds the multiple and often ambiguous uses of green economy discourses to pursue different, and sometimes contradictory agendas. The article contributes new empirical information on the roll-out of green economies in a developing country context, while also seeking to expand current political ecology literature on neoliberalism and green economies more generally.Key words: Mozambique, green economy, neoliberal nature, extractives, conservation, assemblage

Economic vision for R & D projects of university

The university as a center of teaching and research training requires extensive work supported by the articulation and development of research projects. At work an economic vision for the conclusion and management of research and development projects promoted by the university, which will allow the educational institution to play a significant role in their community function linked to the formation of future professional's displays.

The Impact of Economic Reform on Political Reform: Jordan as a Model

The objective of this study is to identify the impact of economic reform on political reform in Jordan. This is achieved in three stages, commencing with developing the methodological framework of the study. This was followed by creating a theoretical scale of the relationship between economic and political reform by the use of moderating variables, which was applied to the Jordanian experience in the third and final stage of the research. The study results revealed that the economic reform (the independent variable) had a moderate impact on political reform (dependent variable) during the study period (1989-2016). The overall value of the six indices of economic reform was moderate, as was the overall value of the six indices pertinent to political reform. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that Jordan’s political regime is partly free, with restricted democracy that has presently not fully matured, as it suffers from governmental and parliamentary instability, weak political participation, widespread corruption and weak governmental efficiency. The results also suggest lack of political will to achieve the desired reform and absence of an economic vision to lead the country to a better future.

The Role of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment in the Implementation of Circular Economy Principles in Organizations

Some of the targets included in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 “ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns” are aligned with the circular economy vision of decoupling economic growth from resource constraints. However, only limited guidance is available to companies on how to make circular economy operational in their activities. The British Standard BS 8001:2017, “Framework for implementing the principles of the circular economy in organizations” provides guidelines to organizations in the transition towards a more circular and sustainable mode of operation. This paper discusses how the six principles and eight-stage flexible framework proposed in the standard can benefit by the integration with the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment framework and what are the challenges for the food and drink sector.

Myśl polityczna polskiego konspiracyjnego ruchu narodowego w czasie II wojny światowej

Nationalists were one of the numerous Polish political movements during World War II. Actively engaging in the fight against the occupying forces, they suffered heavy losses, but does not prevent them in the creation of significant heritage in the field of political thought. The aim of the article is to present the political thought of Polish national movement during the Second World War. Historical, qualitative and comparative methods were used. The whole has been divided into several parts,, in which author examines the with issues of political thought as: Polish war aims, vision of state borders, ratio to national minorities, vision of the political system, economic vision, vision of national security, education and upbringing. The whole article has to show how rich the heritage of those generations.

Is Mainstream Economics a Science Bubble?

ABSTRACTThis article uses George Soros’ theory of boom–bust cycles to argue that mainstream economics, as built on Samuelson’s Foundations, followed a similar boom-bust cycle. It underwent a reflexive, positive feedback pattern of development before 1980 followed by a reflexive, negative feedback pattern of development after 1980, making it a science bubble. The positive feedback pattern was associated with the ‘misconception’ that when economics is framed as a natural science as per Samuelson, it improves its descriptive capacities as a science; the negative feedback pattern was associated with increasing recognition that this was a ‘misconception’ and the emergence of mainstream economics’ performative ambition—the idea that economics aims to construct the world in its own image rather than describe it. The article discusses how this latter aim is embodied in later game theory, ‘new’ behavioral economics and mechanism-design theory. Yet the vision of economics as a performative science is inconsistent with Samuelson’s natural science model of economics. Thus, mainstream economics turns out to be a science bubble much like many other mistaken, superseded research programs in the history of science.

Analytical View of Bahrain’s Government Schools’ Performance: A Quality Perspective

Since 2005, education in the Kingdom of Bahrain has undergone major reforms as part of the National Education Reform Project to achieve the goals of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030. The Education & Training Quality Authority (BQA) was created by a Royal Decree as an independent entity established that is responsible for ensuring quality in education and training in the Bahrain. The Directorate of Government Schools Review (DGS) is under the umbrella of BQA and responsible for conducting quality reviews for all Bahraini government schools. Upon successfully completing two cycles of school reviews (review cycle average is 4 years), this article compares the findings of two DGS review cycles. In December 2014, the DGS completed its second review of 206 schools. Generally, the results showed an increase in the polarity of the ratings. Analysis of the results showed the following: In terms of schools’ environments, it is generally safe with equal infrastructure and learning resources among most schools; the performance gap between male and female students is widening; the field of technical and commercial education still faces challenges; parental involvement is limited, despite opportunities for participation; and available technology is used inconsistently. In addition, some schools that are judged inadequate face increased challenges to improvement.

Entrepreneurship: A New Era for Bahrain's Economy?

AbstractThe entrepreneur eco‐system has drastically evolved over the past seven years in Bahrain. From government driven initiatives focusing on building awareness and various grants offered through Bahrain's Labor Fund (Tamkeen): A whole cultural movement towards a more entrepreneurial society has uncovered from both the public and private sector perspectives. It is now the time where we can see that both the public and private sector are aligned as to the importance of building an entrepreneurial economy building up Bahrain's economy to reach various strategic national goals, such as the Economic Vision 2030.