Ukraine coal shortages risk winter crisis

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mines ◽  
Heating Power ◽  
Coal Extraction ◽  
Energy Problem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Power Stations ◽  
The Government

Subject Kyiv's next energy problem. Significance Although Ukraine and Russia have agreed a new so-called 'winter package' gas deal until March 2016, Kyiv faces another energy problem. With so many of Ukraine's coal mines lying in war-ravaged Donbas, the nation's coal extraction has fallen significantly and the government is facing shortages. Impacts If Ukraine's heating power stations enter winter with inadequate reserves of coal, this will create a season of power cuts. Unprecedented energy economising may accelerate, which could lead to increased public discontent. The coal industry's inefficiency will keep the issue of privatisation on the government's agenda, but economic woes will hinder this.

Trade war with rebels reduces Ukraine's options

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Power Stations ◽  
Freight Traffic ◽  
Anthracite Coal ◽  
Trade War ◽  
The Government ◽  
Economic Warfare

Significance The rebel takeover of Ukrainian-owned businesses is a response to Kyiv's decision yesterday to halt freight traffic to and from the region, as economic warfare temporarily takes precedence over armed conflict. Kyiv's trade ban in effect institutionalises a railway blockade that has interrupted Ukraine's coal supplies since January and was opposed until now by the government. Impacts If the government hopes to use the trade ban as a negotiating tool to pressure the rebels, it is a high-risk strategy liable to backfire. A step intended to show strength makes the government look weak and invites opposition pressure, including calls for early elections. Kyiv must urgently find new suppliers of the anthracite coal on which half its power stations run.

China’s push for growth will put safety second

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Coal Mines ◽  
White Collar ◽  
Chemical Plants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Services ◽  
Workplace Accidents ◽  
International Image ◽  
The Government

Subject Workplace accidents in China. Significance Major and well-publicised accidents in workplaces such as coal mines and chemical plants have damaged China’s international image and fed popular anger within the country about official incompetence and a culture of ‘bloodstained GDP’ that tolerates businesspeople putting ‘money before morality’. However, the number of workplace deaths fell by 8.6% last year to 34,600, according to official figures out this month, while the number of accidents fell by 6.5% to 49,000. The figures have declined continually each year for well over a decade. Impacts A shift in employment from industry to urban services will mean more deaths from smaller, less dramatic accidents. The government is determined to eliminate major accidents that make headlines, but largely ignores smaller ones. Low-paid workers face additional hazards on journeys to and from work, and in dangerously cramped, poorly built housing. White-collar professionals too are increasingly at risk of illness and even death from overwork.

New Zambia constitution to boost long-term stability

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
National Development ◽  
Civil Servants ◽  
Legislative Elections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Power Stations ◽  
Worker Housing ◽  
The Government

Subject Political outlook in Zambia. Significance On March 10, the deputy leader of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), Geoffrey Mwamba, appeared in court on charges of training an illegal militia, which he denies. Tensions are rising ahead of presidential and legislative elections scheduled for August 11 -- the first polls to be run under amended rules established by the Constitution of Zambia Amendment Bill, signed into law on January 6. Impacts Some media outlets may self-censor by avoiding reports critical of the PF in an attempt to avoid clampdowns by the government. The 275-million-dollar Chinese loan for a public-sector worker housing fund, agreed in December, may bolster PF support from civil servants. Turkish firm Karadeniz's floating power stations, docked at Mozambique's Nacala port, will help to help offset Zambia's power crisis.

A benchmarking study of Indian seaports

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-102
Author(s):  
Sajeev Abraham George ◽  
Anurag C. Tumma
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Operational Parameters ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Port Authorities ◽  
Financial Performance Measures ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to benchmark the operational and financial performances of the major Indian seaports to help derive useful insights to improve their performance. Design/methodology/approach A two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology has been used with the help of data collected on the 13 major seaports of India. The first stage of the DEA captured the operational efficiencies, while the second stage the financial performance. Findings A window analysis over a period of three years revealed that no port was able to score an overall average efficiency of 100 per cent. The study identified the better performing units among their peers in both the stages. The contrasting results of the study with the traditional operational and financial performance measures used by the ports helped to derive useful insights. Research limitations/implications The data used in the study were majorly limited to the available sources in the public domain. Also, the study was limited to the major seaports which are under the Government of India and no comparisons were carried out with other local or international ports. Practical implications There is a need to prioritize investments and improvement efforts where they are most needed, instead of following a generalized approach. Once the benchmark ports are identified, the port authorities and other relevant stakeholders should work in detail on the factors causing inefficiencies, for possible improvements in performance. Originality/value This paper carried out a two-stage DEA that helped to derive useful insights on operational efficiency and financial performance of the India seaports. A combination of the financial and operational parameters, along with a comparison of the DEA results with the traditional measures, provided a different perspective on the Indian seaport performance. Considering the scarcity of research papers reported in the literature on DEA-based benchmarking studies of seaports in the Indian context, it has the potential to attract future research in this field.

The cost-effectiveness of insulin analogs and regular insulin for diabetes control: a case study in Iran

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 323-331
Author(s):  
Mohsen pakdaman ◽  
Raheleh akbari ◽  
Hamid reza Dehghan ◽  
Asra Asgharzadeh ◽  
Mahdieh Namayandeh
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Regular Insulin ◽  
Diabetes Control ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Insulin Analogs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Patients With Diabetes ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Cost

PurposeFor years, traditional techniques have been used for diabetes treatment. There are two major types of insulin: insulin analogs and regular insulin. Insulin analogs are similar to regular insulin and lead to changes in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. The purpose of the present research was to determine the cost-effectiveness of insulin analogs versus regular insulin for diabetes control in Yazd Diabetes Center in 2017.Design/methodology/approachIn this descriptive–analytical research, the cost-effectiveness index was used to compare insulin analogs and regular insulin (pen/vial) for treatment of diabetes. Data were analyzed in the TreeAge Software and a decision tree was constructed. A 10% discount rate was used for ICER sensitivity analysis. Cost-effectiveness was examined from a provider's perspective.FindingsQALY was calculated to be 0.2 for diabetic patients using insulin analogs and 0.05 for those using regular insulin. The average cost was $3.228 for analog users and $1.826 for regular insulin users. An ICER of $0.093506/QALY was obtained. The present findings suggest that insulin analogs are more cost-effective than regular insulin.Originality/valueThis study was conducted using a cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate insulin analogs versus regular insulin in controlling diabetes. The results of study are helpful to the government to allocate more resources to apply the cost-effective method of the treatment and to protect patients with diabetes from the high cost of treatment.

The 2016 Police and Crime Commissioner elections

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Joyce
Keyword(s):  
Public Awareness ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Source Material ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the 2016 elections for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and to compare them with those that took place in 2012. It seeks to evaluate the background of the candidates who stood for office in 2016, the policies that they put forward, the results of the contests and the implications of the 2016 experience for future PCC elections. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based around several key themes – the profile of candidates who stood for election, preparations conducted prior to the contests taking place, the election campaign and issues raised during the contests, the results and the profile of elected candidates. The paper is based upon documentary research, making particular use of primary source material. Findings The research establishes that affiliation to a political party became the main route for successful candidates in 2016 and that local issues related to low-level criminality will dominate the future policing agenda. It establishes that although turnout was higher than in 2012, it remains low and that further consideration needs to be devoted to initiatives to address this for future PCC election contests. Research limitations/implications The research focusses on the 2016 elections and identifies a number of key issues that emerged during the campaign affecting the conduct of the contests which have a bearing on future PCC elections. It treats these elections as a bespoke topic and does not seek to place them within the broader context of the development of the office of PCC. Practical implications The research suggests that in order to boost voter participation in future PCC election contests, PCCs need to consider further means to advertise the importance of the role they perform and that the government should play a larger financial role in funding publicity for these elections and consider changing the method of election. Social implications The rationale for introducing PCCs was to empower the public in each police force area. However, issues that include the enhanced importance of political affiliation as a criteria for election in 2016 and the social unrepresentative nature of those who stood for election and those who secured election to this office in these contests coupled with shortcomings related to public awareness of both the role of PCCs and the timing of election contests threaten to undermine this objective. Originality/value The extensive use of primary source material ensures that the subject matter is original and its interpretation is informed by an academic perspective.

The nexus between the increasing involvement of youth in betting games and unemployment: the Nigerian perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gbemi Oladipo Olaore ◽  
Bimbo Onaolapo Adejare ◽  
Ekpenyong Ekpenyong Udofia
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Industry ◽  
Youth Involvement ◽  
Technology Advancement ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
The Government ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Betting games have become a global industry worth billions of dollars providing employment to millions and contributing to the gross domestic product (GDP) of several countries. While there are debates and controversies surrounding betting games discourse, a growing body of literature shows that it has been exacerbated by growing unemployment rates. This paper aims to examine the nexus between the increasing involvement of youth in betting games and unemployment from the Nigerian perspective. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts simple random and stratified sampling techniques to select participants for the study. Three hypotheses were tested for this study and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. Findings The three hypotheses tested in this study were coined from previous literature. The study established a direct link between technology advancement, promises of winning big coupled with bonuses while unemployment was not significant to youth involvement in betting games. The study also showed that playing betting games provides another source of income to the youth, who are already engaged in one form of work or another. Finally, youth involvement in betting games has created awareness regarding different sports in the world, while contributing to Nigeria’s economy. Practical implications As betting games centre as a business in Nigeria has contributed substantially and positively to unemployment in Nigeria; the Government of Nigeria are encouraged to streamline and regulate the activities of the sector such that they can contribute significantly to the country GDP and provide employment opportunities to the youths. Originality/value The research shows that the reason why betting games have a massive turnaround of youths in Nigeria is not majorly because of unemployment but as another means to a substantial financial individual/family income. Thus, Nigerian youths see betting games as an avenue to make more money. The study is the first of its kind to examine the nexus between betting games, technology and unemployment hence, its contribution to knowledge.

Assessing sustainability marketing from macromarketing perspective: a multistakeholder approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soha Abutaleb ◽  
Noha El-Bassiouny
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Planned Behavior ◽  
Planned Behavior ◽  
Purchase Intentions ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantitative Research Methods ◽  
Sustainable Products ◽  
Government Role ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe paper examines three main stakeholders in the market and their roles toward achieving sustainability marketing. Those stakeholders are consumers, companies and policymakers. The current study is examining consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability marketing and their purchase intentions of sustainable products through the use of theory of planned behavior. The paper is also examining the role of companies and policymakers in encouraging consumers to consider sustainability in their purchasing decisions.Design/methodology/approachConcurrent research study is applied, where qualitative and quantitative research methods are conducted at the same time for different purposes with equal weights. Qualitative interviews were applied with fast-moving consumer goods companies and policymakers, while quantitative surveys were applied with Egyptian consumers.FindingsThe results showed that companies are taking serious and effective steps in transforming their marketing strategies into sustainable marketing ones. The government role is still limited as there are no strict laws and regulations that force companies and factories in Egypt to develop sustainability marketing strategies. Consumers’ attitudes were highly affected by firms' sustainable practices as well as subjective norms that led to influencing their intentions toward purchasing sustainable products.Originality/valueAlthough the topic of sustainability marketing is considered by a plenty of researchers in the academic discipline, there are no studies that have combined the main three stakeholders' roles in achieving sustainability marketing in one study. The study highlights the impact of government role and firms' role on consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions toward sustainable products, especially convenient products. This was done through the adoption of the theory of planned behavior.

scholarly journals Monopoly behavior of China’s manufacturing enterprises

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-179
Author(s):  
Guidong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Rent Seeking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Manufacturing Enterprises ◽  
Slow Decline ◽  
State Capital ◽  
The Government ◽  
Do So ◽  
Initial Jump

Purpose With the increase of state capital, corporate total factor productivity (TFP) has a tendency to jump up at first and then slowly decrease. Generally, no significant “productivity paradox” can be observed in China’s manufacturing industry. With the increase of export density, corporate TFP also shows a trend of initial jump growth and subsequent slow decline. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Using the 1996–2013 China Industrial Enterprise Database, this paper studies the monopolistic behavior of Chinese manufacturing enterprises through the measurement of TFP and corporate monopoly power. Findings Results show that China’s manufacturing monopoly enterprises are generally innovation-oriented rather than rent-seeking. However, there are certain differences between diversified types of monopoly enterprises: the ones with state capital are more inclined to innovate than those without, whereas the ones with export delivery value are more inclined to seek rent than those without. Originality/value Therefore, the government should implement differentiated policies for diversified types of monopoly enterprises, and do so in a targeted manner fully reflecting the containment of rent-seeking and the encouragement of innovation.

Development land valuation accuracy in China – a case study of Beijing

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengmeng Dou ◽  
Lesley Anne Hemphill ◽  
Lay Cheng Lim
Keyword(s):  
Market Price ◽  
Market Dynamics ◽  
Industrial Land ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Market ◽  
Transaction Prices ◽  
Land Valuation ◽  
Market Transaction ◽  
The Government ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe paper aims to quantitatively investigate vacant industrial land valuation accuracy in China, given the importance of the industrial market as an underlying pillar to promote urban growth especially in emerging economies.Design/methodology/approachIn China, the government formulates a Land Benchmark Price (LBP) to serve as a price reference point to sell land rights. To gain an in-depth understanding of the valuation practice by LBP, this paper uses correlation analysis to investigate the varying dynamics between the transaction-based prices and LBP appraisal-based estimates. Furthermore, a margin of error examination investigates the distortion in LBP land appraisals, with an amended LBP presented to improve the accuracy of the current LBP method.FindingsDifferent influencing factors are identified to impact the actual market transaction prices and the LBP construction, leading to a large discrepancy in industrial land appraisals. A systematic problem is recognised that the construction of the LBP follows urban bid curve theory, whereas the land transaction prices do not, demonstrating that an urgent LBP update is needed to capture the market dynamics for industrial market.Practical implicationsThe paper sets out discrepancies in valuation accuracy surrounding the application of the LBP valuation approach in China. This has practical implications for valuers in terms of raising their awareness of the deficiencies in the approach and the pitfalls they need to guard against in their appraisals. It also has implications for developers and investors who rely on valuer appraisals to assess the viability of land purchases; hence, they need to express caution in the appraisal advice sought. Finally, the results demonstrate to the standard setters how they need to modify the LBP equations to better capture market dynamics.Originality/valueThe paper examines valuation accuracy in transitional economies, through valuation differentials between appraised price and the transacted price. The value of the work lies in the analysis of the fundamental differentials between market price and appraised value, which is of importance to investors/developers, practicing valuers, as well as government officials responsible for setting the valuation standards.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document