Bridging the Gap: A National Study Analyzing the Process of Toll Road Governance, Finance and Revenue Allocation

Despite strong interest in toll finance, the process of decision making and revenue allocation is not well understood. This study examined toll road data over 10 years, to understand how revenue was spent, and whether there were differences by governance structure. A representative sample of 60 toll roads across 20 US states was catalogued, selected based on their governance structure, centerline miles, and rate of toll increase since 2007. Archival sources were examined to identify whether/how much tolls had increased/decreased, and the question of how governance methods affected spending outcomes was addressed through interviews with staff and elected officials from four toll road authorities. The study found strong incentives toward profit in private and public–private partnership roads, but weak incentives to encourage transparency. The study identified barriers to using revenue toward expenditures intended to soften the impact of toll increases on low-income populations. This was because of debt covenants and incentives to distribute money toward new projects within an agency’s outer boundaries, thus failing to address the equity concerns that hamper public confidence in tolls as a revenue source. Nesting a toll road within a multimodal transportation authority could mitigate this, providing incentives to subsidize public transit, and taxing powers that make debt less necessary—an institutional design which could mitigate equity concerns that have hampered public acceptance of tolls as a revenue source.

Benefit-Based Revenue Streams and Financial Health: The Case of Arts and Cultural Nonprofits

A large number of empirical studies have discussed the revenue diversification strategy for nonprofits, but little attention has been paid to the components of revenue portfolios, even though each revenue source flows into a nonprofit with its own characteristics. Drawing on Young’s benefits theory, this study tests the proposition that a nonprofit would be stronger financially if its income portfolio reflected the mix of benefits it provides. We find evidence that the benefit-based revenue strategy is associated with better financial outcomes using the data set from DataArts (2008–2016). Yet, this relationship is not linear, and the positive relationship is seen only when the share of benefit-based revenues is above a certain threshold. A detailed examination reveals that the benefit-based revenue strategy should be employed judiciously, depending on each organization’s own capacity. We discuss the ways nonprofits can employ benefit-based financing while diversifying revenue streams.

Transformation of the Turkish Automotive Sector

As an experienced automotive manufacturer, Turkey is following the global trend of the EV transition and on an enthusiastic start. A government-led action group for EV production called TOGG was initiated in 2018. Automotive sector in Turkey yields (but is not limited to) the following titles at the same time: a strength, a public revenue source, a trade dilemma, an (national) ambition. To tackle power grid problems due to increasing demand, renewable energy usage seems both challenging and necessary. There is a potentially favorable demand for EVs. Promoting the EVs for the customers requires strong infrastructure which seems lacking in Turkey. The EVCSs have been scarce against large land area of the country. On the contrary, consumers in Turkey buy too much BEVs against PHEVs compared to the EU which needs to be directed by the government accordingly to make a healthy transition in the future.

Analysis and Design of Activity Degree Monitoring Algorithm

DAU (Daily Active User) is the number of daily active users, often used to reflect the operation of websites, Internet APPs and games [1]. DAU usually counts the number of users who have logged in or used a product (removing users who are repeatedly logged in) within one day (statistical day), which is similar to the concept of visitors (UV) in the traffic statistics tool. As we all know, the revenue source of some Internet applications lies in the revenue of advertising, and the amount of advertising revenue depends on the size of DAU. Therefore, the design strategy and algorithm to monitor the fluctuations of DAU can better help people analyze and improve our products, thus bringing improvements to the products. Therefore, this paper will design a variety of algorithm construction models to monitor the fluctuation of DAU, and achieve alarm announcement, analysis and location of the abnormal fluctuation of DAU, so as to explore of the value of DAU.

Taxes

This chapter places Texas and California on the national spectrum of state tax policy and shows how they occupy opposite poles. Texas has maintained a low overall tax burden and is one of a small number of states that has steadfastly refused to adopt an income tax. Advocates of the Texas tax system argue that it protects personal freedom, promotes economic growth, and provides the state a crucial advantage in attracting new residents and businesses. Critics say the system is regressive and fails to produce adequate funding for government programs. By comparison, California has embraced a far higher tax burden and a progressive tax structure. Its largest revenue source, the personal income tax, is the highest in the nation. Advocates say California’s tax system generates needed funding for government programs and appropriately shifts the tax burden to those most able to pay, while critics say these taxes are excessive and help drive residents and businesses out of the state.

eSports Sponsorship

Previous chapters have articulated that eSports has arrived and is worth deep investigation and consideration. Billions of participants, a competitive gaming market, technology advances, and celebrity athletes are among many other positive characteristics. As seen in other properties with characteristics like this, sponsorship becomes a viable revenue source as brands are able to reach engaged consumers/fans and seek to achieve their own business objectives. This chapter introduces the marketing tactic of sponsorship, applies and examines it in eSports and assesses its future potential.

All Sins are not Created Equal: The Factors that Drive Perceptions of Corruption Severity

Despite corruption’s effects on citizen welfare, there is substantial variation in when citizens are willing to sanction government wrongdoing. This paper uses a conjoint survey experiment, conducted in Uganda, to test how information about the position a corrupt official holds, and the details of an act of embezzlement affect citizens’ perceptions of corruption severity and willingness to punish. I find that the revenue source of stolen funds and the sector to which the funds had been allocated have the largest impact on perceived severity, followed by whether stolen funds are spent privately or recirculated through patronage or clientelism. The position the corrupt official holds has a smaller impact on severity, including whether the official was elected and whether he was a central or local official.

The Destruction of Buddhas: Dissonant Heritage, Religious or Political Iconoclasm?

This article attempts to explore the main impulses that might have led to the destruction of Buddha statues by Taliban in the Bamiyan Valley of Afghanistan. Drawing on existing literature, and anecdotal evidence, this article suggests that the main impulses that have led to destruction are rather linked to the overall political context of that time (i.e., political iconoclasm) rather than to pure Islamic iconoclasm or an explicit condition of disharmony in heritage (i.e., dissonant heritage). First, the Taliban did not consider the statues as "their" cultural heritage. The act of destruction, therefore, cannot be subscribed to the Afghan cultural dynamics but rather to the political–religious ideology imported by Taliban from outside of the country. Secondly, it seemed that Mullah Omar was viewing the statues as a revenue source at the beginning and as a political bargain chip at the end. In both circumstances, religion seems not to have played the main role. Lastly, the destruction seems a political iconoclasm—that is, a political exploitation, if not a direct political act. The Taliban and especially their external allies were very well aware of the consequences of the act of destruction. It seems implausible to suggest that there were no religion and/or culture in play when ordering the destruction of the statues. The latter is the least what this article aims for. However, to conclude that the destruction was solely triggered by theological and cultural factors might also be improbable. The author does not, in any way, attempt to rationalize the act of destruction, let alone justify the barbaric act.

Artificial Intelligence and Music: Open Questions of Copyright Law and Engineering Praxis

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) to music stretches back many decades, and presents numerous unique opportunities for a variety of uses, such as the recommendation of recorded music from massive commercial archives, or the (semi-)automated creation of music. Due to unparalleled access to music data and effective learning algorithms running on high-powered computational hardware, AI is now producing surprising outcomes in a domain fully entrenched in human creativity—not to mention a revenue source around the globe. These developments call for a close inspection of what is occurring, and consideration of how it is changing and can change our relationship with music for better and for worse. This article looks at AI applied to music from two perspectives: copyright law and engineering praxis. It grounds its discussion in the development and use of a specific application of AI in music creation, which raises further and unanticipated questions. Most of the questions collected in this article are open as their answers are not yet clear at this time, but they are nonetheless important to consider as AI technologies develop and are applied more widely to music, not to mention other domains centred on human creativity.