Can Bitcoin be the Future of Digital Payments?

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 489-500
Author(s):  
Andrea Valente ◽  
◽  
David Atkinson ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Price Volatility ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Future ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Digital Payments ◽  
Robust Regulation ◽  
Stakeholder Acceptance

This study aimed to investigate the conditions in which Bitcoin has developed as a leading cryptocurrency and, according to Nakamoto (2008), could become an instrument for everyday payments around the world. In comparison to other digital payment solutions, Bitcoin is based on a peer-to-peer electronic cash system using “the blockchain”. This innovative technology allows for decentralised storage and movement of currency in a fully anonymous way, introducing advantageous methods for encrypted security and faster transactions (Hagiu & Beach, 2014). Scepticism regards Bitcoin’s foundation, energy consumption and price volatility, however, did not take long to arise (Holthaus, 2017). Ten years from its white paper release, Bitcoin is further supported by the same drivers which could sustain its growth as the future of digital payments (Russo, 2018). In order to investigate the key drivers and feasibility of acceptance, a London based survey was used to understand the desirability of Bitcoin as a day-to-day tool for digital payments. Additionally, this research analysed Bitcoin’s stakeholders and forecast drivers of sustainability for its application to become the future of the payment industry. A space which relies on policies that involve multiple layers of society, governments, regulators and tech-firms, all on a global scale. The findings confirmed how the increasing lack of trust of political and financial institutions, coupled with the increasing cases of data-breaches by tech-firms, encouraged over 70% of respondents to consider more decentralised and anonymous methods for their day-to-day actions; like payments. Policy makers need to cope with societies increasingly separating politically but gathering together digitally (LBS, 2017). For Bitcoin to truly establish itself as a global digital payment solution, key stakeholder acceptance must converge alongside the introduction of more robust regulation.

Hill farming - An opinion on the future

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
G.W. Sheath
Keyword(s):  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Future ◽  
Hill Farming

This paper is not a formal review of hill farming literature. Rather, it is my view on the critical challenges and changes that we need to deal with if mixed livestock farming on hill lands is to be successful over the next 20 years. It is my hope that industry leaders, policy makers and agribusiness managers will give consideration to these views. Some people say that it is not smart to look into the rear-vision mirror, but I do not agree. Having a better understanding of the consequences of past events can help guide future decisions and changes.

Editor’s Pick: Regulatory and Ethical Issues in the New Era of Radiomics and Radiogenomics

EMJ Radiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippo Pesapane
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Medical Images ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
New Era ◽  
Naked Eye ◽  
Disease Characteristics ◽  
The Future ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

Radiomics is a science that investigates a large number of features from medical images using data-characterisation algorithms, with the aim to analyse disease characteristics that are indistinguishable to the naked eye. Radiogenomics attempts to establish and examine the relationship between tumour genomic characteristics and their radiologic appearance. Although there is certainly a lot to learn from these relationships, one could ask the question: what is the practical significance of radiogenomic discoveries? This increasing interest in such applications inevitably raises numerous legal and ethical questions. In an environment such as the technology field, which changes quickly and unpredictably, regulations need to be timely in order to be relevant.  In this paper, issues that must be solved to make the future applications of this innovative technology safe and useful are analysed.

Asian American and Pacific Islanders Serving Institutions: The Motivations and Challenges behind Seeking a Federal Designation

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Park ◽  
Mitchell Chang
Keyword(s):  
Asian American ◽  
Pacific Islander ◽  
Pacific Islanders ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Federal Support ◽  
The Future

This article examines the development of legislation to create a federal designation for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) serving institutions. Specifically, the article draws from interviews with nineteen policy makers, congressional staffers, and community advocates in order to address their motivations for establishing this designation and the related challenges that they encountered. Besides the complexities of ushering legislation through Congress, one of the major challenges highlighted includes the lack of political infrastructure for advocating Asian American issues related to education. Recommendations for the future sustainability of federal support for AAPI serving institutions are also discussed.

scholarly journals Shared socioeconomic pathways for climate change research in Finland: co-developing extended SSP narratives for agriculture

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heikki S. Lehtonen ◽  
Jyrki Aakkula ◽  
Stefan Fronzek ◽  
Janne Helin ◽  
Mikael Hildén ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
National Level ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Change Scenario ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Climate Change Research ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
Agriculture And Food ◽  
Farm Subsidies

AbstractShared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), developed at global scale, comprise narrative descriptions and quantifications of future world developments that are intended for climate change scenario analysis. However, their extension to national and regional scales can be challenging. Here, we present SSP narratives co-developed with stakeholders for the agriculture and food sector in Finland. These are derived from intensive discussions at a workshop attended by approximately 39 participants offering a range of sectoral perspectives. Using general background descriptions of the SSPs for Europe, facilitated discussions were held in parallel for each of four SSPs reflecting very different contexts for the development of the sector up to 2050 and beyond. Discussions focused on five themes from the perspectives of consumers, producers and policy-makers, included a joint final session and allowed for post-workshop feedback. Results reflect careful sector-based, national-level interpretations of the global SSPs from which we have constructed consensus narratives. Our results also show important critical remarks and minority viewpoints. Interesting features of the Finnish narratives compared to the global SSP narratives include greater emphasis on environmental quality; significant land abandonment in SSPs with reduced livestock production and increased plant-based diets; continued need for some farm subsidies across all SSPs and opportunities for diversifying domestic production under scenarios of restricted trade. Our results can contribute to the development of more detailed national long-term scenarios for food and agriculture that are both relevant for local stakeholders and researchers as well as being consistent with global scenarios being applied internationally.

scholarly journals Elite attitudes and the future of global governance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Aart Scholte ◽  
Soetkin Verhaegen ◽  
Jonas Tallberg
Keyword(s):  
Global Governance ◽  
The United States ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Global Institutions ◽  
The Future ◽  
Medium Level ◽  
Government Bureaucracy ◽  
Governance Institutions ◽  
Problem Solvers

Abstract This article examines what contemporary elites think about global governance and what these attitudes might bode for the future of global institutions. Evidence comes from a unique survey conducted in 2017–19 across six elite sectors (business, civil society, government bureaucracy, media, political parties, research) in six countries (Brazil, Germany, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, the United States) and a global group. Bearing in mind some notable variation between countries, elite types, issue-areas and institutions, three main interconnected findings emerge. First, in principle, contemporary leaders in politics and society hold considerable readiness to pursue global-scale governance. Today's elites are not generally in a nationalist-protectionist-sovereigntist mood. Second, in practice, these elites on average hold medium-level confidence towards fourteen current global governance institutions. This evidence suggests that, while there is at present no legitimacy crisis of global governance among elites (as might encourage its decline), neither is there a legitimacy boom (as could spur its expansion). Third, if we probe what elites prioritize when they evaluate global governance, the surveyed leaders generally most underline democracy in the procedures of these bodies and effectiveness in their performance. This finding suggests that, to raise elites' future confidence in global governance, the institutions would do well to become more transparent in their operations and more impactful problem-solvers in their outcomes.

The development of biomedical gerontology in Ukraine – a historical priority

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (2b) ◽  
pp. 35-40
Author(s):  
I. Stambler ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Discipline ◽  
National Development ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Social Significance ◽  
International Growth ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
Further Development

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence, it is important to remember the historical achievements of Ukrainian science, to honor the heroes of the science of the past and to draw inspiration from their achievements for the development of science of the future. In this regard, the history of medicine, as a special academic discipline, plays a vital role an important academic and civic role, as it helps to trace the medical scientific achievements of the past and draw conclusions about their strengths and priorities for future national and international growth and development. Analyzing the scientific strengths and priorities of science and medicine in Ukraine, it is safe to say that biomedical gerontology is one of the most important scientific and historical values and priorities of Ukraine on a global scale. There are good reasons to continue and develop this tradition, building on the strengths that exist, drawing inspiration from the past and looking to the future. Currently, the development of biomedical gerontology is becoming increasingly important for Ukraine, given the rapid aging of the country's population. The resulting economic and social problems are related to the aging population, which puts biomedical gerontology as a discipline that seeks solutions to achieve healthy and productive longevity, at the forefront of social significance, demanding further development and support of this field for the sake of internal national stability, and to preserve the country's international contribution. It is hoped that the outstanding history of biomedical gerontology in Ukraine, its honorable historical place in national development and international cooperation, will inspire further growing support and development of this field in Ukraine and abroad.

Models for Codifying International Rules for Jurisdiction, Liability, Safety and Accident Investigation for Commercial Passenger Spaceflight

2014 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricky J. Lee ◽  
Sarah L. Steele
Keyword(s):  
International Community ◽  
Civil Aviation ◽  
Flight Safety ◽  
Accident Investigation ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Maritime Law ◽  
Space Tourism ◽  
The Future

The prospect of commercial passenger spaceflight presents an unique opportunity to the space community, comprised not only of the scientists, engineers, enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, but also diplomats, governments, policy makers and legislators, to formulate an internationally acceptable set of requirements, standards and procedures that would give international consistency to operators of commercial passenger spaceflight, both for space tourism and for terrestrial transportation. It is important that the international community avail itself of this opportunity before various countries decide to become “flags of convenience” or to impose more stringent standards than overseas operators can comply with so as to protect a budding industry of their own. This article will explore, from parallels in maritime law and civil aviation law, and drawing from existing domestic examples of regulation, what lessons may be learnt from such existing bodies of law and regulation that may provide some guidance for the future formulation of regulations for on range safety, flight safety or accident investigation relating to commercial passenger spaceflight.

Hong Kong and Shanghai: current and/or future international financial centres?

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-193
Author(s):  
John Adams ◽  
Andrew YC Wong
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Centre ◽  
Future Success ◽  
The Future ◽  
Future Policy ◽  
First Time

Purpose – This paper publishes summary results for the first time of a major survey of senior financial practitioners undertaken in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 2005, and compares these with the Global Financial Centre Index first created in 2007 to determine the extent to which both are consistent. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on a detailed survey and utilizes principal-components analysis to determine the primary factors relevant to the development of both cities as international financial centres (IFCs) and those which the respondents consider will be relevant in the future. Findings – The paper demonstrates that the key “success factors” for both cities in 2005 remain very important in the global financial centres index (GFCI) analysis ten years later but not necessarily by the same ranking. We also found that a number of the “primary” factors change when respondents are asked to consider future success factors. Research limitations/implications – The survey was conducted ten years ago; however, the results continue to have significant reliability and validity - especially when compared with the results of the GFCI report of 2014. Practical implications – The paper should enable policy makers and practitioners to better understand the future policy environment needed for extending the financial centre status of both Hong Kong and Shanghai. Originality/value – This is the first time (some) of the survey findings that have ever been published, and they represent a rich source of information – however, the authors will be examining the survey data for future publications.

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