scholarly journals Cultural Influences on Fruit and Vegetable Food-Wasting Behavior in the European Union

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9685
Author(s):  
Corina Pelau ◽  
Roxana Sarbu ◽  
Daniela Serban
Keyword(s):  
National Culture ◽  
Food Waste ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Fruit And Vegetables ◽  
World Population ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

In a context of increased world population and imbalanced access to resources, the concept of food waste has gained increased attention in the past years. The waste of food has a negative impact on the economy, the society and the environment. In order to reduce the quantities of wasted food, it is important to understand the factors and the situations in which food waste occurs. Several studies have shown that food waste happens mostly at the consumer level and that it is determined by a wide range of factors, such as socio-demographic characteristics and consumption patterns. The objective of this paper is to determine the impact of the national culture on the quantity of wasted fruit and vegetables. Based on secondary data, the panel regression analysis was applied for 28 European countries with the purpose of determining the influence of the cultural dimensions as described by Hofstede on the quantities of wasted fruit and vegetables. The results of the research show that the uncertainty avoidance of a culture complemented by the indulgence index influences the quantity of wasted fruit and vegetables, confirming that certain characteristics of the national culture are factors that affect the quantity of wasted food.

Cross-country differences in European firms’ digitalisation: the role of national culture

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 1563-1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Rubino ◽  
Filippo Vitolla ◽  
Nicola Raimo ◽  
Isabel-Maria Garcia-Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
National Culture ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study investigates the relationship between national culture and the country level of firms' digitalisation, by applying Hofstede's cultural framework to the European Union member states. Although many studies have observed the impact of national culture on firms' innovation and information and communication technology (ICT) adoption, there have been no analyses of how cultural dimensions impact firms' digitalisation at the country level. This study intends to fill that gap.Design/methodology/approachUsing a pooled ordinary least square (OLS) model, this study analyses data from 27 European countries over the period from 2014 to 2018.FindingsThe results suggest the existence of a negative, significant, relationship between both masculinity and uncertainty avoidance, and the country level of firms' digitalisation. Indulgence is found to positively and significantly influence a country's level of digitalisation. Contrary to expectations, this study indicates a negative, significant, relationship between individualism and the degree of digitalisation. Power distance is found to have no significant impact.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by showing how a country's various cultural dimensions help or hinder the level of firms' digitalisation in that country. Theoretical and managerial implications are presented, including suggestions for future research.

scholarly journals On the Effectiveness of Sampling for Evolutionary Optimization in Noisy Environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Qian ◽  
Yang Yu ◽  
Ke Tang ◽  
Yaochu Jin ◽  
Xin Yao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Fitness Function ◽  
Evolutionary Optimization ◽  
Function Evaluation ◽  
Noisy Optimization ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
True Value ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

In real-world optimization tasks, the objective (i.e., fitness) function evaluation is often disturbed by noise due to a wide range of uncertainties. Evolutionary algorithms are often employed in noisy optimization, where reducing the negative effect of noise is a crucial issue. Sampling is a popular strategy for dealing with noise: to estimate the fitness of a solution, it evaluates the fitness multiple ([Formula: see text]) times independently and then uses the sample average to approximate the true fitness. Obviously, sampling can make the fitness estimation closer to the true value, but also increases the estimation cost. Previous studies mainly focused on empirical analysis and design of efficient sampling strategies, while the impact of sampling is unclear from a theoretical viewpoint. In this article, we show that sampling can speed up noisy evolutionary optimization exponentially via rigorous running time analysis. For the (1[Formula: see text]1)-EA solving the OneMax and the LeadingOnes problems under prior (e.g., one-bit) or posterior (e.g., additive Gaussian) noise, we prove that, under a high noise level, the running time can be reduced from exponential to polynomial by sampling. The analysis also shows that a gap of one on the value of [Formula: see text] for sampling can lead to an exponential difference on the expected running time, cautioning for a careful selection of [Formula: see text]. We further prove by using two illustrative examples that sampling can be more effective for noise handling than parent populations and threshold selection, two strategies that have shown to be robust to noise. Finally, we also show that sampling can be ineffective when noise does not bring a negative impact.

The Impact of Nontariff Trade Policy of European Union Crude Palm Oil Import on Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Rest of the World Economy: An Analysis in GTAP Framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-52
Author(s):  
Rozy A. Pratama ◽  
Tri Widodo
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Palm Oil ◽  
Computable General Equilibrium ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Trade Policies ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The World ◽  
Trade Analysis ◽  
Global Trade Analysis Project ◽  
The Impact

Indonesia and Malaysia are the largest producers and exporters of palm oil in the world vegetable oil market. Palm oil and its derivative products are the highest contributors to foreign exchange in 2018. This study aims to analyze the impact of the European Union import non-tariff trade policies on the Indonesian and Malaysian economies The analysis uses the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model of world trade on the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) program. The results of this study found that the non-tariff import policy by the European Union had a negative impact on the economies of Indonesia and Malaysia. Moreover, the policy also has a negative impact on countries in Southeast Asia and the European Union. This shows that the enactment of non-tariff import trade policies for Indonesian and Malaysian palm oil products has a global impact.

scholarly journals Profitability Determinants of Big European Banks

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-56
Author(s):  
Vesna Karadžić ◽  
Nikola Đalović
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Annual Data ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Macroeconomic Factors ◽  
Panel Models ◽  
Econometric Methods ◽  
Gdp Growth Rate ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The subject of research in this paper is the profitability of the biggest banks in the European financial market, some of which operate in Montenegro. The profitability of banks is influenced by a large number of factors, including internal banking and external macroeconomic factors. The aim of this paper is to use statistical and econometric methods to examine which factors and with what intensity affect the profitability of large banks in Europe. The empirical analysis used highly balanced panel models with annual data on 47 large banks from 14 European countries over the period 2013-2018. Three static panel models were estimated and evaluated (pooled ordinary least squares, model with fixed effects and model with random effects), as well as dynamic model utilizing general methods of moments. The POLS model was chosen as the best, confirming that all macroeconomic factors have a statistically significant impact on the profitability of big banks, while the impact of internal factors, which are controlled by the bank’s management, is not significant. GDP growth rate, inflation rate and market concentration have a positive effect on profitability, while the membership of the European Union has a negative impact on profit, meaning that banks with headquarters outside the EU are more profitable.

scholarly journals The importance of anemia and health-related quality of life in the elderly

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Raditya Wratsangka ◽  
Rully Ayu Nirmalasari Haryadi Putri
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Hemoglobin Concentration ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
World Population ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Impact

Anemia is a global health problem with an extremely high prevalence and occurring in nearly 25% of the world population, particularly in the elderly group. Currently Indonesia is facing a rapid growth of the elderly population, with around 21 million elderly (8.2% of the total population), that is projected to increase to 33.7 million (11.8%) in the year 2025. Anemia in the elderly is frequently neglected, although the facts show that low hemoglobin concentration is an important marker of physiological decline and functional limitations. Although the factor of intrinsic aging may cause low hemoglobin concentration, anemia in the elderly is known to have a wide range w88ith regard to etiology, underlying disorders, and  possible mechanisms, such that it should be clinically followed up. Whatever its causes or underlying pathophysiological, anemia in the elderly has been proven to play a role in their morbidity and mortality, and may decrease their quality of life, that comprises all aspects of physical, mental, and social health, known as health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The impact of anemia on HRQoL has been studied in various populations, and most studies report the presence of an association between HRQoL and anemia in elderly individuals, which on the subscale level is particularly associated with physical health. Early diagnosis of anemia is important to prevent aggravation of the condition, to retard the progress of the disease, and to improve the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the patient. Prior to determining the treatment plan, the primary diagnosis and the comorbidities, especially treatable disorders, had better be identified first. The available data show that the overall prognosis will improve for anemia in patients with well-managed and corrected chronic disorders.

scholarly journals Analysis and Assessment of New Permanent Teacher Training Activities under the Erasmus+ Program from the Perspective of the Participants of Spain in Times of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 11222
Author(s):  
Daniel Salcedo-López ◽  
Mercedes Cuevas-López
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Training ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Student Mobility ◽  
The European Union ◽  
International Mobility ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Training Activities ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The Erasmus+ program (2014–2020) is one of the main initiatives developed by the European Commission in the field of education and is the final joint evolution of other minor and prior actions that provide schools and teachers with funding to carry out international mobility projects with a variety of formative activities. The benefits of carrying out international mobility activities to strengthen student learning and teacher training are well known and have been researched or reported even from the early stages of a program that was born back in the 1980s but has always been focused on the university level. When considering teachers at early levels (schools and high schools), the 2014–2020 Erasmus+ program was the main source of funding to grant Spanish teachers permanent training activities abroad with a direct positive impact on their careers. The year 2020 is the last year of the first evolution of the Erasmus+ program, which has been renewed, extended, and strengthened for a new six-year term (2021–2027). However, 2020 has also been a significant year. The COVID-19 global pandemic continues to affect the mobility of citizens within the different territories of the union and, thus, have a direct negative impact on international teacher and student mobility. Being 2020 the end of a cycle and a critical moment, it is the perfect time to conduct an analysis of the data associated with the participation of teachers and schools in Spain, their perceptions of the program, the different activities carried out, and the impact of the pandemic. This research study is based on an analysis of an opinion survey through a nationwide sample of teachers participating in KA101 Erasmus+ projects. This paper gathers and presents data and conclusions using information previously not available that most of the time is published in official reports globally without considering the particularities of the different states of the European Union.

scholarly journals Social isolation and quarantine in the COVID-19 pandemic: impacts on mental health and quality of population life

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e30510212535
Author(s):  
Gabriel Kiaro Leite Nunes ◽  
Karinne Alice Santos de Araújo ◽  
Thais Ranielle Souza de Oliveira ◽  
Marcelina da Conceição Botelho Teixeira ◽  
Ieler Ferreira Ribeiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Definitive Treatment ◽  
World Population ◽  
The World ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about major changes in the lifestyle of the world population. Due to the lack of vaccines or a definitive treatment for disease, governments around the world have adopted social isolation and quarantine as methods to control the spread of the virus. Objective: Thus, the objective of this study was to discuss how social isolation and quarantine periods affected people's mental health and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An integrative literature review was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic between March and September 2020, establishing the following guiding question: How did social isolation and quarantine affect the mental health and quality of life of the population in the COVID-19 pandemic? Results: The final sample consisted of nineteen (19) articles, two (2) addressed depression during the pandemic period, three (3) presented the pandemic and the relationship with sociodemographic aspects, five (5) analyzed mental health in the pandemic, four (4) reported the impact of COVID-19 on the population's style and quality of life and the last five (5) demonstrated the quality of human relationships and emotional aspects in the face of the pandemic. Conclusion: It was demonstrated that isolation and the quarantine period had a negative impact on the population's quality of life and long-term mental health.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on the trade of goods and services in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asier Minondo
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Trade Of Services ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the trade of goods and services in Spain. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses monthly trade data at the product, region and firm level. Findings The COVID-19 crisis has led to the sharpest collapse in the Spanish trade of goods and services in recent decades. The containment measures adopted to arrest the spread of the virus have caused an especially intense fall of trade in services. The large share of transport equipment, capital goods, products that are consumed outdoors (i.e., outdoor goods) and tourism in Spanish exports has made the COVID-19 trade crisis more intense in Spain than in the rest of the European Union. Practical implications The nature of the collapse suggests that trade in goods can recover swiftly when the health crisis ends. However, COVID-19 may have a long-term negative impact on the trade of services that rely on the movement of people. Originality/value It contributes to understand how COVID-19 has affected the trade in goods and services in Spain.

Financial participation in Europe —the international dimension

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-75
Author(s):  
Francine Van Den Bulcke
Keyword(s):  
Home Country ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Tax Incentives ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Research Project ◽  
International Dimension ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Financial Participation

This article reviews a research project, based on a survey of 500 companies, to identify the main barriers which European companies face when seeking to extend their financial participation plans in their home country to their employees working for the group throughout the European Union. The research project reveals a reasonable ‘spread’ of financial participation plan types across the EU. The different types of schemes differ with regard to the numbers of eligible workers and participation levels. The country distribution of plans confirms the impact of national regulations and tax incentives, as well as social and cultural influences on the financial participation practices across the EU.

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