An Analysis of Agricultural Production Efficiency of Yangtze River Economic Belt Based on a Three-Stage DEA Malmquist Model

The Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) is a major national strategic development area in China, and the development of the YREB will greatly promote the development of the entirety China, so research on its agricultural production efficiency is also of great significance. This paper is committed to studying the agricultural production efficiency of 11 provinces in the YREB and adopts a combination of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model and the Malmquist index to make a dynamic and static analysis on the YREB’s agricultural production efficiency from 2010 to 2019. Then, a three-stage DEA Malmquist model that eliminates the factors of random interference and management inefficiency is compared to a model without elimination. The results show that the adjusted technological efficiency changes, technological progress, and total factor productivity increased by −0.1%, 0.24%, and 0.22%, respectively. When comparing these values to the pre-adjustment values, the results indicate that the effect of environmental variables cannot be ignored when studying the agricultural production efficiency of the YREB. At the same time, the differences in the agricultural production efficiency in the YREB are reasonably explained, and feasible suggestions are put forward.

Exploring the Marine Ecological Environment Management in China: Evolution, Challenges and Prospects

China’s management of marine ecological environments has experienced a development process that has gone from weak to strong. However, whether there are problems such as lack of systems, invalid systems, and system conflicts in the current management of marine ecological environments, and how to conduct collaborative governance among various complex subjects, remain to be answered. This paper first summarizes how China’s marine ecological environment management policy has evolved, which can be divided into five stages: the foundation stage (1949–1980), the initial establishment stage (1981–1995), the steady advancement stage (1996–2005), the deepening adjustment stage (2006–2010), and the strategic development stage (2011–present), and analyzes its characteristics at different stages. Then, this paper further explores the inherent dilemmas in the Chinese marine ecological environment management system. Finally, combined with the practical experience of marine ecological environment management in developed countries, this paper fully considers the division of responsibilities and mutual checks and balances of different subjects, flexibly configures various policy tools, and explores the mechanism of collaborative governance of marine ecological environment from the levels of government, market, the public and social organizations, so as to gradually improve the modern marine ecological environment management system and provide a reference for the government’s governance activities.

Virtual user geography of library websites

The author generalizes the results of library user survey. The survey was held within the framework of the study “Webometric monitoring of libraries”. The study goal was to assess the virtual geography of library website users and to specify target audience. The user audience of 11 library websites was assessed by following criteria: geographical data (user location, probable user residence area); user demographic data (sex, age); loyalty indicators (bounce rate, visit depth, visit duration); website user desired actions (estimation of desired action conversion). Based on the findings, the author concludes that: library offline services impact website user geography; there is a close interdependence between library location and website traffic; users resident in the library region make the most loyal website users; women prevail in the library user audience. The target website user audience is identified; recommendations are offered for the further strategic development in the web-space. The study conclusions and recommendations would facilitate generated demanded content and efficient promotion of library information resources and services in the web-space.

The Contribution of Innovative Changes to the Strategic Development of Universities in the Context of Achieving Sustainability

This paper constitutes a scientific approach, where there have been highlighted the most important innovative changes that influence the development of a higher education institution and shape the activity of universities towards permanent adaptation to achieve their sustainability. The topicality of the research topic stems from the need to identify effective measures to achieve sustainability in higher education institutions. The aim of the research is to identify the innovative changes that have a positive impact on the strategic development of the universities. The problem of the research lies in highlighting the most important innovative changes that can affect the universities in achieving their sustainability. In this context, we can reiterate that innovative changes have been defined and analysed from the perspective of the need of university change in the direction of their assimilation within institutions. In addition, the innovative potential of the Republic of Moldova was evaluated from the perspective of the analysis of the categories of scientific researchers, of the research fields, of the expenses undertaken by the state for the development of scientific researches. The research methodology focused on the use of several methods: analysis, synthesis, induction, abduction, deduction, qualitative research through documentation, scientific abstraction. In conclusion, we can reiterate that the Republic of Moldova has a valuable innovation potential, which can lead the country to achieve sustainability. The best solution would be the efficient capitalization of the innovative potential of the country but also its direction towards ensuring an ecological-economic-social balance, in the context of applying a management of university sustainability within higher education institutions.

A literature review on Building Integrated Solar Energy Systems (BI-SES) for façades − photovoltaic, thermal and hybrid systems

The building façade has a crucial role in acting as the interface between the environment and the indoor ambient, and from an engineering and architecture perspective, in the last years, there has been a growing focus on the strategic development of building façades. In this sense, this work aims to present a literature review for the Building Integrated Solar Energy Systems (BI-SES) for façades, subdivided into three categories: thermal, photovoltaic and hybrid (both thermal and photovoltaic). The methodology used corresponds to a systematic review method. A sample of 75 works was reviewed (16 works on thermal BI-SES, 37 works on photovoltaic BI-SES, 22 works on hybrid BI-SES). This article summarises the works and later classifies them according to the type of study (numerical or experimental), simulation tool, parametric analysis and performance when applied.

Integration of Gender and Development Approach on Institutional Programs, Activities, and Projects of Higher Education Institution: An Input to Strategic Development Plan

The purpose of this paper is to determine the GAD-aligned Programs, Projects, and Activities' gender-related mandated functions and integration. To obtain the necessary information on individuals in Higher Education Institutions based on specific traits and standards and clearly define the institution's long-term direction based on the institution's aims and objectives. Gender and Development focus on Gender Mainstreaming, which is a technique that incorporates both gender concerns and practices into the strategy, execution, supervision, and evaluation of guidelines, processes, plans, and activities at all levels, ensuring that both genders benefit equally. The study used a descriptive methodology to measure the extent to which gender-related activities integrated into mainstreaming mandatory functions and perceptions on GAD-aligned PPAs. There is no significant link between mandated outcome based on HEI-moderated (LUC or SUC) Instruction, Research, Extension, and Resource Management and perceived level of integration on the gender-related functions of Gender and Development Programs, Activities, and Projects, and GAD-aligned PPAs in mainstreaming. The mainstream GAD-aligned PPAs at the university do not predict the integration of GAD-related functions. The SUC/LUC category did not affect the relationship between the GAD-aligned PPAs and the level of integration when it approached the identified indicators.

Strategic development of scientific and technical potential of industry during the digital transformation of economy

Currently the speeding up of digital transformation makes it obvious that application of digital technologies and the degree of involvement into digital transformation is an essential and significant aspect of scientific and technical potential of an industrial enterprise. The article is devoted to the analysis of trends and prospects of development of basic technologies which are the basis for digital transformation of the world economics: the Internet of things, artificial intelligence, robotization and technologies of the big data processing. The authors present the assessment of the current state of digitalization for Russian industrial enterprises by analyzing the data on the implementation of the above mentioned technologies in business-process.