The Revival of Business Groups’ Risk Sharing: Evidence from Japanese Real Estate Investment Trust Market

We examine the business groups’ risk-sharing hypothesis in the Japanese Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) market in which the unique external management system seems to be reinforcing power relationships among firms affiliated with the modern Japanese business groups, called keiretsu. We find that REITs whose sponsors belong to one of the keiretsu groups (keiretsu REITs) have significantly lower volatility of profitability than REITs whose sponsors do not belong to the keiretsu groups (non-keiretsu REITs). There is no significant difference in profitability between keiretsu REITs and non-keiretsu REITs, controlling for firm and property characteristics. The abnormal portion of the profitability unexplained by firm characteristics is also significantly lower with keiretsu REITs. We also find that the keiretsu affiliation reduces the systematic volatility of affiliated REITs, while such an effect is not observed with the idiosyncratic volatility, suggesting that the risk-sharing effect may be beneficial for the value of REITs. Using the difference-in-differences design with propensity score matching, we find that the negative impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on the profitability was significantly smaller with keiretsu REITs than with non-keiretsu REITs. Keiretsu REITs were also able to stabilize their capital structure by shifting some short-term debts to long-term debts without increasing the cost of loans under the uncertain situation caused by the Earthquake. Keiretsu REITs were able to borrow money from their affiliated group banks even right after the earthquake, while non-keiretsu REITs seem to have struggled to secure loans from those banks.

CarLink: A Real-Time V2X Validation Platform for a Safe and Sustainable Mobility

<div>In this article, we present CarLink, a new simulation platform with hardware-in-the-loop (HiL), designed and implemented to reduce the time spent on field tests through the emulation of a complex vehicular scenario in a controlled laboratory environment. Specifically, CarLink can simulate a generic traffic scenario and let each vehicle in it communicate with a vehicle under test (VUT), which is actually physically available HiL and equipped with long- and short-range wireless communication capabilities. Communication between simulated vehicles and the VUT is provided by an external management unit (EMU) that integrates the virtual word with the physical one. The architecture is also designed to allow the integration of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) testing for the validation of future connected and automated vehicles.</div>

CarLink: A Real-Time V2X Validation Platform for a Safe and Sustainable Mobility

<div>In this article, we present CarLink, a new simulation platform with hardware-in-the-loop (HiL), designed and implemented to reduce the time spent on field tests through the emulation of a complex vehicular scenario in a controlled laboratory environment. Specifically, CarLink can simulate a generic traffic scenario and let each vehicle in it communicate with a vehicle under test (VUT), which is actually physically available HiL and equipped with long- and short-range wireless communication capabilities. Communication between simulated vehicles and the VUT is provided by an external management unit (EMU) that integrates the virtual word with the physical one. The architecture is also designed to allow the integration of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) testing for the validation of future connected and automated vehicles.</div>

Effect of Repeated Plant Debris Reutilization as Organic Amendment on Greenhouse Soil Fertility

Greenhouse agriculture typically generates large amounts of waste with plant residue (agricultural biomass) being the most abundant. This residue is generated on a seasonal basis, which complicates the external management of the material. Recently, the European Union (EU) has been implementing a policy based on sustainability through the circular economy that seeks to minimize waste generation. The effect of reusing 3.5 kg·m−2 tomato plants from the previous season as the only fertilizer versus no fertilization and inorganic fertilization in 215-day tomato cycles after transplanting was studied in this trial. The study was carried out during three seasons in greenhouse agriculture in Almeria (Spain) with the repeated use of the solarization technique. The plant debris had similar production results during two of the three seasons and fruit quality parameters were similar to inorganic fertilization. In addition, some physicochemical variables improved and the biological depressive effect of solarization was mitigated. The results suggest that the reuse of the tomato plant debris as the only fertilizer could be an alternative to conventional fertilization under the conditions tested.

About the role of public organizations in the structure of the housing and communal services system

The practice of public associations entering various spheres of activity in the territories of the state shows that many associations do not fulfill their missions to ensure a comfortable stay for the citizens of the territories, but are engaged in consumer extremism. They solve their consumer tasks and systematically do not participate in the processes of constructive interaction between the authorities, producers and consumers of services. In this article, for the first time, the issues of interaction of public associations in the housing and communal services system with all the elements available in it are considered. The existing structure of the housing and communal services system is shown, which includes such elements as: federal, regional authorities, resource-supplying, related organizations, regional operators in the field of housing and communal services, performers of housing and communal services, public associations and homeowners and tenants. The stages of the organization of public associations are defined, a block diagram of the algorithm of state registration and registration of a legal entity for public associations is constructed. The internal organizational and managerial structure of associations is shown, their functions and their place in the housing and communal services management system are considered. It should be emphasized that the influence of public organizations is carried out through internal and external management in the housing and communal services system to solve the tasks of promoting the formation of housing self-government as an important institution of civil society and an effective tool for improving the housing and communal industry. It is revealed that an essential tool in the management of the housing and communal services system is the presence of public microstructures in the majority of its elements, interaction with which makes it possible to exert a controlling influence on the entire system as a whole, thereby obtaining positive results in protecting the rights of consumers of housing and communal services.

Managing the tension between trust and security: A qualitative study of Norwegian social workers’ experience with preventing radicalisation and violent extremism

In Norway, social workers play a formalised part in the national strategy to prevent radicalisation and violent extremism. This part is played out by engaging with other services and organisations, such as the schools, health services, police and the police security service (PST), in a multiagency cooperation. In addition, social workers engage directly with individuals who have been deemed at risk of further radicalisation and are tasked with providing prevention and follow-up services. Norwegian social workers’ experiences from the work to prevent radicalisation and violent extremism (PVE) have not yet been specifically explored. Thus, this study asks the following main research question: How do Norwegian social workers experience and reflect upon their engagement in preventive work against radicalization and violent extremism? To answer this, an explorative qualitative study was devised utilizing data from 17 in-depth interviews and two focus-group interviews, analysed through an eclectic theoretical framework to reveal new knowledge. Furthermore, the study seeks to contribute to a theoretical development of social work in a new knowledge and practice field, alongside police and PST. The study finds that Norwegian social workers performing PVE experience tension from conflict expectations. First, Norwegian social workers frame and approach the task of PVE as a social issue and lean on common social worker strategies, and trustbuilding, in particular. This is labelled internal expectations. Next, through cooperation with police and PST, they are expected to participate in a more ‘secretive’ practices, where sensitive information flows more smoothly, without clients’ necessarily being aware of this. Analysis of this cooperation indicates that several types of jurisdictional settlements between social workers and the police, and PST in particular, exits. Of these, subordination to PST raise the most apparent ethical dilemmas for social workers. This practice influence and expectations from policy documents are labelled as external expectations. The conflict occurring between these two expectations create tension in the form of emotional dissonance and person role/conflicts. To cope with these, social workers apply emotion management strategies (internal management) as well as social support from peers and support staff (external management). As an extension of social support, where social workers may become aware of how policy and other professional logics influence their practice field, this thesis suggests that social workers may communicate these challenges to managers and policymakers through an offensive policy directed practice. These findings contribute to the development of the role of the social worker itself, influenced by security logics and policy, and suggests how this can be dealt with through a clearer demarcation between what is and what is not included in the tasks and responsibilities of social workers in PVE.

Comunicación y Big Data en las empresas ecuatorianas

<h1>Abstract</h1><p>Big Data is a research technique based on the evaluation of large amounts of data collected by a company, which, when crossed, allow obtaining certain parameters that allow improving the internal and external management of a business. In Ecuador there is a rapid adoption of Big Data within the company, taking advantage of its potential to evaluate trends and new business opportunities, attract and retain consumers and improve sales. In the last three years there has been an exponential increase in data collection for analysis. In the case of communication, the marketing and advertising areas have been widely benefited by this technology, by allowing them to implement strategies adapted to the reality of the target audience with the possibility of being quickly evaluated to improve their effectiveness.</p><p>Through a non-probabilistic sampling, a sample of 14 companies was determined, based on the business ranking of Ekos magazine, and through a questionnaire their perceptions of the use of Big Data were collected to identify current trends in the country. It was concluded that, although it is still an incipient technology, it is being rapidly adopted for the development of better business and communication strategies.</p><h1>Palabras clave</h1><p>Big Data, Ecuador, comunicación organizacional, empresa, marketing, publicidad.</p><h1>Keywords</h1><p>Big Data, Ecuador, organizational communication, business, marketing, publicity.</p>

The effect of conservation policies on wildlife hunting and consumption in north-eastern Madagascar

Summary The Makira Natural Park (Makira) is the largest terrestrial protected area in Madagascar, supporting nearly 200,000 people living around the park, who derive a significant proportion of their animal-source foods from hunting. Makira is currently managed with three different policies: (1) traditional management with no external assistance; (2) community-based forest management (Gestion Contractualisée des Forêts; GCF) with non-governmental support and externally developed policies; and (3) strict external management policies (Zone d’Occupation Controlée; ZOC), meaning a zone of controlled residence for communities inside the core protected area. Here, we longitudinally assess the impacts of these policies on wildlife hunting and consumption by using a difference-in-differences method to evaluate policy efficacy. We found that externally developed conservation policies led to drastically reduced wildlife hunting and consumption in Makira. We also found that public education in the form of environmental awareness-raising, conducted 1 year before adoption, led to a greater concealment of hunting behaviours. Overall, wildlife hunting and consumption have decreased in the Makira region since the adoption of GCF and ZOC policies and could be effective at reducing the unsustainable wildlife hunting across the Makira, particularly when supported by economic development and the creation of alternative sources of livelihood and food.

INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN ENTERPRISES: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

Topicality. This scientific article is devoted to the issues of innovative development of modern enterprises from the standpoint of implementation (implementation) of innovative developments, which is associated with changes in the global environment, transition to a new technological level (increasing new technologies), constant competition, economic and social change. Aim and tasks. The purpose of the work is to introduce an integrated approach in modern enterprises in the implementation of innovations. Research results. The paper forms and substantiates the approaches that should be used in the implementation of innovations depending on the specifics of the enterprise and its management system, namely: system-complex (considers all business processes in the enterprise as a whole); process-effective (use of effective tools for making management decisions based on innovative measures to meet consumer needs); situational (management system is organized to form and implement a strategy based on specific situations and actions); functional (interrelation of management functions for realization of the set purposes of the enterprise); integration (combines internal and external management structures and influences); marketing (motivating actions to promote the product of innovation on the market). The author presents the steps of the algorithm for selecting an effective scheme of innovation management of the enterprise, namely: calculation of the marginal levels of innovation of ideas; determination of the arithmetic mean of the quantitative evaluation of ideas according to certain criteria; comparison of the assessment of intentions for innovation; choice of organizational schemes of innovation management. Conclusion. The paper offers a graphical interpretation of the process of innovation management is the adoption of management decisions for their implementation. It is established that the implementation and implementation of innovative projects is directly related to the rate of economic growth in the country and its regions. This interdependence is also reflected graphically in the article. The basic conditions of introduction of innovative developments by the modern enterprises for their further development are defined, namely: improvement of normative-legal maintenance of realization of innovative business; creating conditions for the formation of a full-fledged competition between modern innovation-active enterprises; creation of motivating factors for enterprises in order to increase the importance of innovative changes; expanding opportunities for financing innovative enterprises; development of programs for the purchase of the latest, innovative equipment; incentive measures to involve young people and scientists in innovation processes at enterprises in the country and regions.

Economic burden and prevalence of malaria in companies in Douala, Cameroon

Background: Malaria is a public health concern in Africa. At the socio-economic level, it represents a brake on the national growth through an increase of health spending, drop of productivity and high rate of absenteeism at the workplace. Some companies have implemented malaria control measures to improve their performance, but the vast majority are slow to follow this approach. Using the cost-of-illness approach, the objective of this study was to estimate the economic impact of malaria in two companies with 24-hour daily activity based in Douala, Cameroon: an agro-food industry nicknamed "AGRO" and a security company nicknamed "SECU".Method: A retrospective analysis of medical and financial records of these companies was carried out to calculate the economic cost of absenteeism, prophylaxis, Internal Management of Malaria cases (IMM) and External Management of Malaria cases (EMM) to these companies. A malaria screening campaign was carried out also in each company in one day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The clinical, anthropometric and socio-demographic data of the employees were collected before the collection of a drop of blood which was subsequently analyzed under the Cyscope fluorescence microscope (Partec-Sysmex, Münster, RFA). Results: Analysis of retrospective data revealed that the prevalence of symptomatic malaria cases had decreased by 8.9% and 25.1% respectively at AGRO and SECU between 2010 and 2012. Regarding the prospective component, 372 employees of the two companies were included in the study. The prevalence of malaria was 26.83% and 26.44% respectively at AGRO in January 2013 and SECU in February 2013. Malaria-related absenteeism accounted for 5% and 17% of general absenteeism at AGRO and SECU respectively. The cost of an EMM accounted for 19.5% and 40.5% of the monthly income of AGRO and SECU workers respectively. Each year, malaria generates a shortfall of US$ 26,426 and US$ 136,824 respectively to AGRO and SECU. Conclusion: Malaria have a negative impact on companies. However, early detection of suspected cases, campaigns to distribute insecticide-treated mosquito nets, Information, Education and Communication within the company could reduce this impact.