Comparison and Evaluation of China’s Urban Social Security Financing System Before and After the Reform

The sustainability of China’s urban social security financing system has recently been seriously questioned. This article divides the financing system’s development into two periods (before and after reform). It compares the capital collection and the distribution and circulation structures and reviews the financing system before and after reform. In this study, we also discuss and explain the ‘empty account’ phenomenon, which severely undermines the financing system’s sustainability. We allege that the money accumulation system adopted after reform, which correlates personal accounts with the social pool, is not running as designed but as a ‘pay-as-you-go’ system. After evaluating the efficiency and cost performance of both periods, testing the financing system’s sustainability and correlating the system during both time periods with economic and social development, we find that the financing systems’ operation after reform corresponds with theories proved by case studies in other advanced states.

THE ROLE OF SHARING CREATIVE IDEAS: PROFESSIONAL DESIGNERS ABOUT THEIR WORK

A characteristic feature of the transition from industrial to post-industrial society is basing a significant part of production on the “intangible” value (software production, audiovisual production, advertising, design, cultural activities, etc.). The individual is perceived as the main actor in management processes where professional success depends on readiness for dialogue and exchange of owned capital (not only economically). It means a different definition of work, perceiving it as an element of shaping – understood in many dimensions – social, economic and cultural relations. Dematerialization of work means therefore giving primacy to the handling of information. This phenomenon can also be seen as a manifestation of cognitive capitalism characterized as a different accumulation system which is based on knowledge and creativity, in other words, on forms of intangible investment. Therefore, it seems that it would be particularly valuable to examine the potential of groups that have this knowledge capital as the basis of their activity. The article will discuss the theoretical concept of the exchange and sharing of creative ideas in the design field. It also presents original research devoted to this issue, conducted in the environment of Polish designers.

Experimental investigations of the processes in gas generator of hydrogen-air energy storage

This paper describes the results of experimental investigation of the sample of the hydrogen-air gas generator unit with the expected average power of 65 kW. In total 5 test runs were made. Two tests showed that the mass flow and outlet gas temperature was in an agreement with the designed parameters. Additional attention should be paid to the cooling system design for the combustion chamber. In future such a gas generator in couple with the suitable gas turbine unit could be a part of the renewable energy accumulation system e.g. of hydrogen-air energy storage.

Variability and Main Controlling Factors of Hydrocarbon Migration and Accumulation in the Lower Paleozoic Carbonate Rocks of the Tazhong Uplift, the Tarim Basin, Northwest China

Hydrocarbon migration patterns and pathways were studied on the basis of three-dimensional seismic interpretation, drilling, geochemistry, production performance, and other data. Using these findings, the main factors controlling hydrocarbon migration and accumulation in the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks of the Tazhong Uplift were discussed. The spatiotemporal relationship between the hydrocarbon kitchens and pathway systems of the Tazhong Uplift and the spatial pattern of pathway systems were considered the main factors causing differences in hydrocarbon enrichment. Results also revealed that the Lower Paleozoic carbonates of the Tazhong Uplift have two hydrocarbon accumulation systems (inside and outside the source rocks). For the accumulation system within the source rocks, hydrocarbon migration and enrichment are vertically differentiated. Middle Cambrian gypsum salt rocks serve as the boundary, above which thrust and strike-slip faults mainly allow vertical transport of hydrocarbons. A multistage superposition pattern of strike-slip faults controls the differences in hydrocarbon enrichment on the periphery of the fault zone. Beneath the gypsum-salt rocks, hydrocarbon migration and enrichment is controlled by the topography of paleostructures and paleogeomorphology. For the hydrocarbon accumulation system outside the source rocks, hydrocarbon migration and enrichment are restricted by the layered pathway system, and the topography of the paleostructures and paleogeomorphology is the key factor controlling hydrocarbon enrichment. The Tazhong No. 1 Fault is the main vertical pathway system in the area underlain by no source rocks, and hydrocarbons are enriched at the periphery of the Middle-Lower Cambrian and No. 1 Fault Zone.

Definition of Probability That Energy Production Differs from Demand, a Statistical Approach

Starting from the average trend of energy demand and energy production related to a specific user, the goal is to produce an immediate estimate, as close as possible to the true value (clearly achievable only through a precise and punctual measurement), of the difference existing between these two values, in order to “a priori” understand whether an energy production surplus should be expected, or the opposite trend will occur. If energy produced exceeds the request, two solutions will be possible. An accumulation system can be provided, that allows to avoid taking energy from the grid whenever the trend reserves and the demand exceeds the production. The second solution consists in directly introduce the whole surplus of energy produced in the electricity grid. Similarly, even if the energy required exceeds the amount of energy produced, two different solutions can be envisaged. In both cases, it will be necessary to take energy from the electricity grid. An accumulation system could be created, sized on the maximum difference between production and energy demand, evaluated when the production exceeds the request (if the production never exceeds the request, it would not make sense to talk about accumulation) or, even in this case, a direct exchange might be promoted, both incoming and outgoing, with the electricity grid. Topic of the present paper is to not reasoning any more in terms of energy performances as a function of time but, on the contrary, determine the probability that the difference existing between production and demand assumes a certain value and, based on this, estimate the amount of energy to be stored and/or exchange with the grid.

The Pension System in Ukraine – Some Aspects of Reforming

This publication is aimed at studying the processes and defining the main problems in reforming the pension system of Ukraine. The article analyzes the state of functioning and development of three levels of pension provision at the present stage of socio-economic development of the country. It is determined that only level 1 actually works in Ukraine – the solidarity system of compulsory State-controlled pension insurance, while the mandatory accumulation system has not acquired its development, and the voluntary accumulation system has an extremely low share in the general pension system. Some financial results of the Pension Fund of Ukraine for 2020 and the approved budget for 2021 are analyzed. Substantiated conclusions have been drawn about the problems of the solidarity system, such as: the existing budget deficit of the Fund, which leads to the formation of its debts; low, socially unadapted level of pensions; disparities in the size of pensions assigned in different years. The rating of currently operating non-State pension funds of Ukraine (the third level of pension provision) are analyzed according to the criteria of asset value, number of participants, amounts of pension payments and profitability, as well as the dynamics of some basic indicators of their activity. It is determined that the functioning of the non-State pension system in the country is hampered, in particular, for psychological reasons due to the population’s distrust of non-State institutions. Since the second level of pension provision – the mandatory accumulation system – has not yet started working in the country and taking into account the problems of the first and third levels, a reasonable conclusion has been made on the inhibition of the pension reform in Ukraine and the need to intensify the work on the implementation of all three levels of pension provision in order to achieve a sufficient level of social protection of citizens.