European Journal of Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development as a Wicked Problem: The Case of the Brazilian Amazon Region

Marcelo Machado, Aline Rocha, Natalia Tartarotti — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The global importance of the Amazon rainforest is abundantly evident. It is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, home to incredible biodiversity, and arguably an essential part of the earth’s already fragile climate system. Exploiting the Amazon beyond planetary boundaries, in other words, beyond a threshold the forest cannot regenerate itself from, may have catastrophic, global impacts. Conversely, Brazil is an industrialized yet developing country far from realizing its potential to become an economic superpower. To this day, millions of Brazilians still live below the poverty line. Hence, Brazil cannot afford to ignore the economic potential of the Amazon’s vast resources. The issue becomes how to use those resources effectively and efficiently for economic development. The key is perhaps a sustainable development approach. Considering the diversity of internal (i.e., Brazilian) and external (i.e., foreign) stakeholders, there is no agreement of what sustainable development would mean when it comes to the Brazilian Amazon Region (BAR). The challenge is the fact that environmental and social problems are not just complex problems. According to Brown et al (2010), they are very hard to properly define. Buchanan (1992) concluded these types of problems do not fit within any specific subject matter. In this research, we propose the sustainable development of the BAR as a wicked problem (Rittel and Webber, 1973). The main purpose of this study is to conduct an analysis of stakeholders to confirm this hypothesis. This study employs systems thinking, specifically Peter Checkland’s (1989) Soft System Methodology as the conceptual foundation of the analysis of evidence from the field. Preliminary findings are summarized, and conclusions with conceptual and practical considerations are provided. Limitations and opportunities for future studies are also included.

Keywords: sustainable development, wicked problems, Brazilian Amazon, system thinking, soft system methodology.

Supporting Policies for the Renewal of Public Vehicle Fleets to Achieve Efficient Carbon Mitigation

Tibor Princz- Jakovics, György Ádám Horváth — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The aim of the research is to establish an assessment framework for evaluating transport-related carbon emission reduction options. The reduction of fleet-related emissions must build momentum, as the transport sector remains a substantial contributor to global carbon emissions. Through the use of this framework, better supporting policy for the transition of public service vehicle fleets to electromobility would be prepared. The greatest impact for investment can be achieved by facilitating the transition of vehicles with the largest distances driven. Hence, careful consideration of the operational conditions and the level of efficiency of different modes of public transport would be subject of analysis. The energy consumption of public vehicles can be calculated on the basis of the specific fuel consumption patterns and operational data of fleets. This method can be used to estimate the decarbonisation potential of different vehicle types, which may nevertheless differ significantly. The assessment framework will make abatement costs comparable and provide a basis for the targeted application of supporting policies. As preference should be given to vehicles with the lowest marginal abatement costs to effectively reduce the sector's carbon emissions, these must be identified. The theoretical contribution of this research is an evaluation framework that provides relevant data for decision makers to assess the long-term financial and social impacts of different public fleet renewal supporting strategies.

Keywords: assessment framework, emission calculations, electromobility, supporting policies, marginal abatement costs.

Sustainable Development in Public Administration: Research, Practice, and Education

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Sustainable development has become a critical concern for public administration, spanning research, practice and education. The aim of this paper is to explore the current state of sustainable development in public administration from the perspective of recent research, specialist student practice and university education. The research carried out considered the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of sustainable development in public administration. it also highlighted the innovative approaches and tools that are being developed to address these challenges. The results obtained contribute to a better understanding of how sustainable development can be integrated into public administration practices, policies and curricula and provide insights into actions that can be taken to promote its implementation. The methodology for this paper involved a comprehensive review of the literature on sustainable development in public administration, including academic articles, books, and reports from international organizations. Case studies of sustainable development practices in public administration were also analyzed to provide practical insights into how sustainable development is implemented in practice. Interviews were conducted with experts in the field to gather additional insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable development in public administration. Data collected through literature review, case studies and interviews were analyzed thematically to identify key themes and patterns. The findings were used to develop a comprehensive understanding of sustainable development in public administration and to provide insights into the challenges and opportunities for its implementation. By identifying the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable development in public administration, the paper highlights the need for innovative approaches and tools to promote its implementation.

Keywords: public administration, sustainable development, research, practice, education

Sustainable Inland Waterway Transportation Systems: Framework Proposal

João Pratas, Susana Garrido, Carina Pimentel — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Large cities are widely recognized as major contributors to climate change due to their high energy demand and heavy reliance on on-road transportation. Urban mobility today brings additional concerns about predicted demands arising from people's necessities of living in cities and their respective needs to travel in different forms, either for personal or professional purposes. This study based on a literature review and case studies analysis proposes a framework to support the implementation of Sustainable Inland Waterway Transportation Systems as an alternative to road transport. The proposed framework is tested in São Paulo City (Brazil). In the implementation of a sustainable inland waterway transportation system, the following factors were identified as strategic: user characteristics and behaviour, operators’ characteristics and behaviour, investment in infrastructures, regulation and taxation, and Government. Infrastructure and strategic planning are areas that deserve further investigation. Research could focus on developing strategies for efficient routing, taking into account various potential limitations, water navigability, vessel capacity, traffic management, and transshipment locations. Intermodality between different transport modes is a crucial area that needs to be addressed to ensure full integration into the multimodal network. Investigating connectivity and information sharing systems between modes would enhance the overall efficiency and attractiveness of waterway transportation in the city's ecosystem.

Keywords: transportation, waterway, framework, sustainability, case studies.

Act Locally, Think Globally: SDGs as Core Content for a 24 Course EAP Program

Sean Eric Kil Patrick Gay, Cristina R. Tat — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This study will detail how a Sustainable Development Goals-centered English for Academic Purposes (EAP) curriculum was created and implemented at a Japanese university. In 2019, a school of policy studies at a university in Western Japan decided to revamp its undergraduate and graduate curricula to focus on offering most courses in English. Students wishing to pursue courses in International Affairs, Public Policy, and Media Studies would have to be able to write, speak, and attend lectures delivered in English with minimal Japanese language support. To prepare students, the first two years of their undergraduate studies they must enroll into a rigorous EAP program focused on the themes of the Sustainable Development Goals. The program seeks to achieve lateral as well as vertical integration of the four skills Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. This paper will explain the curriculum development process, as well as discuss the successes and failures after one year of implementation. The focus will be on how an increase in socially relevant content, the SDGs, was perceived by students and teachers and how it affected students’ academic development.

Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Curriculum Development; Materials Development; English for Academic Purposes (EAP); Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL).

Education for Sustainability: Innovative Teaching on Photosynthesis of Aquatic Plants in Ecological Context

Renata Ryplova, Jan Pokorny, Marek Baxa — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Eutrophication due to high load of nutrients from the catchment is significant worldwide problem causing impairment of water ecosystems and water quality. The reason is tight connection of eutrophication with photosynthetic biomass production of blue green algae resulting in extreme changes of oxygen level, anoxia at the bottom and release of toxic substances in water. Acceleration and extension of eutrophication due to human activities together with insufficient human understanding of the ecological role of photosynthesis of aquatic plants leads to inappropriate water and landscape management resulting in further loss of clear water. To save enough clear water supplies for future generation it is necessary to improve human understanding of these processes starting already from school education. This contribution brings results of a survey aimed on the impact of developed innovative teaching activity on photosynthetic biomass production of aquatic plants in ecological context and using digital technologies which was implemented into the education at Czech upper secondary schools. Significant improvement of student understanding of ecological function of photosynthetic biomass production in water and increase of attractiveness of plant education for students were proved. The contribution of innovative teaching on photosynthetic biomass production in ecological context for sustainable education is discussed.

Keywords: Plant blindness, Aquatic plants, Eutrophication, Sustainable Education, Water.

Incorporating Sustainable Education in the Undergraduate Curriculum: The Experience of a Young University in Singapore

Intan Azura Mokhtar, Ethan Yih Tng Chong, Steve Kardinal Jusuf — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

In recent years, learning about sustainable development and sustainability has become an increasingly significant component in universities’ degree programs and curricula. As the world races to achieve the 17 United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) by the year 2030 and abide by the framework proposed by the Paris Agreement ratified in 2015, our educational landscapes have simultaneously evolved. In universities, lessons in and opportunities for sustainable development and sustainability have redefined the university curricula and set the trajectory for our young people to take the lead in co-creating solutions for a better world. In this paper, background information of Singapore, a small city-state in Southeast Asia, is first presented, against the backdrop of how the nation’s national constraints that are aligned to the UN SDGs have shaped its national agenda and national education, including its higher education landscape. This is followed by a brief discourse of curriculum initiatives that revolved around themes of sustainable development and sustainability in a young university in Singapore. These initiatives and projects were driven by the desire to provide a university education that is relevant and able to address current local, regional, and global demands, and carried out with interdisciplinarity and sustainability as beacons.

Keywords: higher education; Singapore; sustainable development; sustainability; undergraduate education.

Labor Market - Evolution and Trends in Post-Pandemic Times

Jianbo WANG, Raluca-Elena GHINEA, Cristina STATE, Xiaoliang ZHANG — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Since the appearance of the first entrepreneurial activities, people have noticed that the most important resource, without which they will not be able to be successful, is the human resource. Over time, industries and fields of activity have evolved and this is obvious to everyone, but this would not have been possible without well-trained, involved and eager people to achieve performance.

Therefore, whatever resources are involved in a business, regardless of the field, country, coverage area, the human resource remains the most valuable. The business sector is constantly evolving and, along with it, the labor market also shows a dynamic that is at least directly proportional.

The pandemic period strongly affected almost all economic sectors and, at the same time, a very large number of employees were directly affected by these changes: either they became unemployed, or they were laid off, or (the happiest ones) they continued the flow of work, without being strongly affected by what happened in the market. We have analysed these changes at the international level in order to outline the evolution of the labor market in recent years and its future trends.

Through this article, with the help of the synthesis of case studies carried out by accredited institutions as well as the specialized literature, we propose to identify what was, with the total or partial return to normality, the dynamics of the labor market and how the companies managed to straighten and fold with the new realities of the markets.

Keywords: pandemic, human resources, business growth, crisis, labor market

Implementation of an Ethical Circular Hub: Framework Proposal

Susana Garrido, Carmina S. Nunes — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

There are significant regional disparities regarding circular material use rates between Western European countries and other regions in the EU. Hence, there is a severe risk that the circular transition will remain slow and unevenly distributed across EU regions. Business ethics related to circular change involves some principles and practices that guide the ethical conduct of businesses operating within the circular economy. The study aims to recommend a framework to guide regional entities to implement an Ethical Circular Hub to identify new solutions and challenges regarding stakeholder collaboration, ethical circular value chains, social equity, fair labor practices, and transparency, suggesting innovative business models. This framework proposal is based on the literature review and analysis of case studies to identify and promote the best practices in terms of Ethical Circular Hubs implementation. The outcomes of this study will help improve the regional development of policy instruments in the field of Ethical Circular Hubs, identifying ethical and circular best practices to overcome transition problems, will enable countries’ regions to integrate and benchmark successful experiences and policies from other regions into their own regional reality and contribute to a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive society.

Keywords: ethics, circular economy, ethical circular hubs, social impact, policies

School for Sustainable Living: Assessing the Energy Related Topics Among Young People

Uros Breskvar — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

We associate modern man with a sustainable way of life. The very concept of sustainability is closely linked to the energy we need for our lives. The amount of energy is limited by planet Earth itself and by technology for transformation/capturing energy. Man has always strived to have as much energy as possible, as it significantly affects the quality of life. With a population growth and slowly decreasing reserves of fossil fuels, it is increasingly important to make the most of a given energy and move to clean energy sources. The article conducted research on how well young people know the basic energy values for everyday needs and how familiar they are with current technologies that enable better use of energy. According to the results of the research, suggestions are made for improving general energy literacy among young people.

Keywords: energy, sustainable competences, education, knowledge examination

Anaemia and Nutritional Status of Adolescent girls and Policy interventions in India: A Roadblock for Sustainable Development

Upma Gautam, Deeksha Bajpai Tewari, Upma Gautam, Priya Das — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Thesis Statement: National and international policy documents have consistently placed a premium on adolescent nutrition improvement. While the health and well-being of children aged 14 to 19 is a critical indicator of a country's economic growth, the same is always argued to be even more so for females of the same age. Malnutrition's detrimental effects on young females aged 14–19 is of particular concern to health planners.

Methodology: Using data from the NFHS-03 (2005–06), NFHS-04 (2015–16), and NFHS-05 (2019-20) surveys, the current study examines the impact of two key policies, the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthaya Karyakram (2019-20) and the Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health Program (2005–2014) on the health status of adolescent girls.

Results: The study found a strong link between adolescent nutritional and anaemic status, teen pregnancy, and child marriage. Additionally, the disparity between resources allocated and expenditure under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthaya Karyakram has a detrimental effect on the nutritional status of adolescent girls in Indian states.

Conclusion and implications: Given that, despite legal interventions, child marriage and teenage pregnancy continue to occur in Indian states, policy interventions and serious implementation become essential for not only improving the health of the female cohort, but also for the future well-being of the next generation. Literacy levels of women and their anaemic status bear a significant negative correlation. Not just the literacy levels, but longer the time the girls have attended school also has a significant negative impact on their anaemic status. Thus, literacy and health and wellbeing of adolescent Indian women bear a significant relationship and poses to be two sides of a coin.

Keywords: Adolescent girls, Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health Program, Anaemia, Nutrition, Sustainable development goals

The Quality of Environmental Data Disclosure. The case of Public Companies from the European Union Countries

Małgorzata Janicka, Artur Sajnóg — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

In the 21st century business entities are required to change priorities and move to a sustainable relationship between environmental, social, and economic well-being. Climate and environment are phenomena of transnational and global nature, and for this reason, actions in this area should be taken at a supranational level. Nowadays, the European Union (EU) countries have been implementing directives concerning environmental changes and taxonomy for non-financial reporting. According to their requirements, public companies must disclose high-quality data in the ESG area, including the environmental indicator (E) and its components. The purpose of the study is to discuss the current state of disclosure of environmental data by public companies listed on the regulated markets of the European Union. Special emphasis is devoted to energy consumption, water, waste production, and CO2 emissions. To test the quality of environmental indicators, we used the Refinitiv database. The research period covers 2012–2021. The research sample consists of public companies listed on the leading stock markets in 27 EU member states. The findings support the clear advantage of the quality of environmental data disclosure in the ‘old’ EU member states (which joined before 2004) as to compared to the ‘new’ EU member states.

Keywords: environmental disclosure, environmental reporting, ESG, European Union, public companies.

Exploration of Healthcare Sensitive Systems and Services for Supporting Ambient Assisted Living of Diversified Social Groups in South Korea

Seongju Chang, Hyunjae Nam — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Different social groups normally have specific sets of requirements and priorities in relation to their surrounding living environment. In our research, we conducted an extensive survey on the preferred conditions and demands for four different domains of daily life: healthcare, environment, activity, and information. Carefully composed sets of questionnaires were distributed to 800 people representing diversified social groups in South Korea classified by gender, age, occupation, co-residents, home location, housing style, economic level, and chronic disease. Their responses were collected and analyzed through cross-tabulation to identify characteristic preference patterns concerning their immediate housing unit, residential cluster, and close neighborhood environment and services. Based on the extracted socio-environmental preferences of the different social groups in South Korea, we developed a web-based information system called AALPSS (Ambient Assisted Living Pattern Support System), which includes a total of 100 selected healthcare-sensitive system/service patterns to support the optimum design and operation of artifacts and facilitate the promotion of a healthy silver life. Each pattern is organized based on Christopher Alexander's 'Pattern Language' format and can be browsed and rated by different online users with diverse social profiles. This information system, therefore, has the potential to evolve into a better-tuned healthcare-related system/service decision support system, enhancing social sustainability within a community.

Keywords: social group, ambient assisted living, preferred life pattern, healthcare sensitive environment, online information system

Corporations vs. Countries. Fostering Governance Sustainability in a Global Environment

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This research study integrates the results from theoretical and real-world scenarios in the frameworks of corporate governance, state governance, and public administration. Whether it be via the tight examination of the private sector or the public sector, the strategy adopted in this research involved constructing a 360-degree focus on real occurrences that generate the formal and informal processes that keep the globe going. In the first portion of the article, the global mechanism as viewed from the perspective of business and the worldwide mechanism as seen from the standpoint of the economy are both given their own section.

Keywords: corporate governance, economic growth, free trade, global accountability

Innovative ICT Applications to Increase Social Acceptance of Transport Investments

Tibor Princz- Jakovics, Márton Szemenyei — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Consideration of the environmental impact of transport investments is typically one of the critical aspects in the preparation phase of decisions, strongly influenced by the degree and quality of public participation. Environmental regulation often uses instruments that favour direct government intervention, while other methods based on agreements has minor attention. An overview of the environmental economics of transaction costs and exploring of the processes leading to agreements will be the basis of our work. Then, we summarise existing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services are already available to understand and address the environmental problems. These services are usually limited to certain functions, however additional ICT solutions would increase the level of cooperation between investors and stakeholders. The aim of this research is to propose an ICT platform for facilitating agreements that improve environmental quality. We present the structure of the ICT platform, its essential features and possible implementations. Our platform may contribute to the preparation phase of several types of projects and provide an innovative tool for optimal level of pollution. Through practical examples the potential applications of the proposed ICT system in transport and urban development schemes will be shown and the estimation of achievable benefits will be given.

Keywords: environmental sustainability, social acceptance, information and communication technologies, transaction costs, transport investments.

Research of Adverse Social Effects and Prevention Challenges in the Context of Sustainable Societal Development

Aldona Kipāne, Andrejs Vilks — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The sustainable development of society is determined by activities aimed at ensuring the well-being of society, integrated and balanced evolution of the environment and economy, at the same time, without jeopardising the possibilities of meeting the needs of future generations. Improving the quality of life of every member of society by improving economic activities, promoting social cohesion and security are of great importance. In today’s society, crime, corruption and other adverse social phenomena have a major impact on the sustainable development of society by reducing investment in the development and implementation of full-fledged growth programmes. During the crisis and post-crisis period, social pathologies are growing and their adverse effects are increasing too. The true indicators of their prevalence and negative impact are objectively sufficiently not known. Adverse social phenomena have a particularly negative impact on the sustainable development of society, which has various and diverse forms of influence. Large financial, material, intellectual and other resources, which could be used in the sustainable development of society, are accumulated in the research of adverse phenomena, assessment of their impact, combating and prevention.

Keywords: development, prevention, research, social effects, social sustainability.

Work Alienation and Work Engagement. The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support

Dan Florin Stănescu, Marius Constantin Romașcanu — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

In the present research, we aimed to study the relationship between work alienation and work engagement and the mediating role of perceived social support. The current study used data from 178 participants (48 men and 130 women) aged 21 to 53 years (M=30.88, SD=9.00). Participants were invited to complete the following instruments: Work Alienation Scale (Nair & Vohra, 2009), The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988), and The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003). Findings indicate that work alienation and work engagement correlate significantly negatively (r=-.755, p<.01). Similarly, work alienation also correlated significantly negatively with perceived social support (r=-.744, p<.01). Also, perceived social support has proven to be an important mediator between work alienation and work engagement (z=-10.17, p<.01).

Keywords: work alienation, work engagement, perceived social support, mediation.

Determinants of the Probability of Non-repayment of Loans Granted to Individuals

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This paper presents non-performing loans granted to individuals as well as methods of prevention and recovery. This risk of non-repayment is recorded when the debtor cannot honor his due obligations to the bank in time according to the credit agreement. The objectives of the homework are to understand the credit system of natural persons, to know and carefully analyze the client's file with the aim of making or not the credit decision and finally granting the loan. Credit restructuring is an essential method in counteracting the appearance of non-performing loans, which aims to support a bank's customers, so that they can deal with financial impasse situations that have temporarily arisen in the various stages of the development of credit contracts. The process of periodic verification of the contract with the borrower, the guarantees offered, including visits to the place where the client operates are essential factors in order to prevent the risk of default. Loans approved for borrowers who, during the course of the lending period, experience a worsening economic-financial situation are called non-performing loans, that is, they can no longer meet the terms of repayment of the loan, nor can they cover the interest expense and related commissions.

Key words: bank, COVID-19, credit, loans

Effect of Climate Change in Years 2006-2019 on Crop Yields in Poland

Elżbieta Wójcik- Gront, Dariusz Gozdowski — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

In recent years, especially since 2005, a substantial increase in temperature has been observed worldwide, including in Poland. Crop production is very important for livestock feeding and food production. In this study, the effect of climate change from 2014 to 2022 on selected crops, especially winter rye yield, was evaluated. The data for the analyses were obtained from the FAOSTAT database and post-registration cultivar trials. The effect of climate change was evaluated for cereals, potatoes, and sugar beets. The trends of crop yields were evaluated using analysis of regression. The results of the study proved a positive correlation between precipitation and crop yield and a negative correlation between temperature and crop yield. The most significant effect of weather conditions was observed in the April-June period.

Keywords: climate change, rye yield, forecast.

The Role of Professional Competencies in Developing a Culture of Safety in the Workplace

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The paper considers the concept of occupational competencies as an integral part of building a culture of occupational safety in the organization. The paper provides examples of competencies that employees need to effectively perform their job safety responsibilities. It also discusses professional education and training issues related to the development of occupational safety competencies. It is believed that the development of occupational health and safety competencies not only influences the design of appropriate and safe working conditions, but also reduces the risk of occupational accidents and diseases. There are two types of occupational competencies: general and vocational. General occupational competencies are required for effective occupational activities to ensure safe work, regardless of the sector. The sectoral nature of occupational health and safety is reflected in the availability of specific occupational competencies.

The article discusses various methods and approaches for building a new national model for professional skills development. The model is based on the introduction of a risk-based approach in Kazakhstan. Occupational risk assessment is considered as the basis for designing training programs and acquiring the occupational competencies needed for comprehensive protection against risks. The development of a culture of occupational safety and professional competencies is a key factor in the sustainable development of the company and the improvement of the quality of life of its employees.

Keywords: safe work, risk-oriented approach, professional competencies, industrial accident, training programs.

SMEs’ Drivers and Barriers to Decarbonisation in the East of England

Fatemeh Khosravi, Sam Jelliman, Chidinma Uchendu — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Most businesses in the UK have under 250 employees and thus count as SMEs. SMEs account for a significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions and so there is a need for urgent action to be taken by SMEs in the journey to achieve net zero. This is currently recognised by SMEs as they are increasingly taking up decarbonisation actions, but their efforts are impeded by several barriers. Our research sought to provide insights into the barriers SMEs face when decarbonising business operations through an online survey and interview. Although our research confirms that financial constraints has been identified as the principal barrier to decarbonisation from SMEs perspectives, more than half of SMEs confirmed they lack the knowledge (34%, n=33) and skill (21%, n=20) was the main reason for not measing their carbon emission and starting their journey towards decarbonisation.

Keywords: SMEs, Barriers, decarbonisation journey, Net Zero.

Metaverse Marketing – The Future of Sustainable Marketing

Daniel MOISE, Amelia DIACONU, Mihaela Diana OANCEA NEGESCU, Mihai DINU — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Society is evolving and even trying to “conquer” new universes, no matter if they are physical, virtual online. The CoVid-19 Pandemic, wars, natural catastrophes, are pushing humans to adopt and to spend more time in Metaverse platforms, as a means of escaping the ordinary and their daily problems. Where there are potential customers, companies, or organizations will follow in order to change the behavior and make them purchase products, or services, increase the brand awareness, or in the case of politicians, or politics, determine them to vote, or agree with the wanted strategies. Not only will the customers have avatars, as well as organizations are becoming more humane and attractive towards users. Organizations are investing in technologies related to AI (artificial intelligence) and technologies related to multiverse as the attractiveness of these virtual universes are more and more appealing. In this study, we are conducting research in order to discover what the benefits are, but also how brands, companies and organizations that are joining, use marketing strategies, policies and tactics to increase their sales. In the Metaverse platforms, there will not be only the place to spend leisure time, socialize, do the shopping, even working, or why not, even voting, there being practically no limits. We have discovered in this study that customers would also like some sort of regulations, which relate to how marketing and experiential marketing are conducted in Metaverse platforms. Like the Internet, the Metaverse has the power to drastically change economic and social life for all the parties involved.

Keywords: Metaverse, marketing, experiential marketing, customer behavior, AI

Sustainable Education for Middle-Aged and Elderly: Learning to Know, Learning to do for Sustainable Living

Hualan Gou — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

etc. Resulting in new and popular symbols. While these are convenient for young people, but many middle-aged and elderly people are forced to be blind because of these new, unfamiliar and fragmented symbols, making it difficult for them to learn to know and learn to do for sustainable living, discussing the changes in P.C.R through 2013-2023." Our vision is to transform lives through education, recognizing the important role of education as a main driver of development" (Mundial, G.B.&UNICEF, 2016). The middle-aged and elderly can join sustainable development by changing their behaviors and coping with life through education, not just formal education in schools, but also 'modern' adult education( that combines individual and collective experiences in a contextual way) for the technological age, and online course that allow the middle-aged and elderly to increase the accessibility and availability of information, as well as to integrate sustainable knowledge in an easily understandable way. This paper expands on the target group for sustainable education and how to make the information more accessible and acceptable to middle-aged and elderly in new, unfamiliar and fragmented symbols and to educate as a top-down sustainability education for next generation.

Keywords: Sustainable education、Modern adult education、Top-down sustainability education、Remote education、Symbol

Sustainable Science Through a Case Study of Sample Preparation Using 3D Printed Tools.

Lawrence Whitmore — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The combination of cloud-based resources, user-friendly cloud-based design applications and 3D printing (3DP) is making possible a new sustainable paradigm in scientific research. Tools and components can be self-made by downloading model designs, optimizing those designs for individual experiments and printing locally. Together with the use of materials for 3DP filaments derived from renewable resources and recycling of old printed structures, science labs and institutes can significantly reduce their carbon footprint to meet their Sustainable Development Goals. This new sustainable paradigm is evaluated through a case study of sample preparation - a fundamental aspect of materials science. For high quality investigation of material microstructures, even to the atomic scale, sample preparation is critical. A range of 3DP plastic tools for preparing samples has been developed. The design and fabrication of a 3DP vibrational polishing machine and a 3DP dimpling machine are described along with test results from microstructural analyses of brass and silicon that show the high-quality scientific studies possible using these low-CO2e tools.

Keywords: 3D printing, sustainable development, sustainability mindset, carbon footprint, materials science, sample preparation.

Prevention as a Factor of Economic Sustainability of Workplace Accident Insurance Programs

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

In the scientific article, the positive impact of preventive accident insurance programs in the workplace is studied. Such programs are the most common and strategically significant type of social security in many countries. Insurance programs often include medical services, vocational rehabilitation, and benefits for injured workers or family members of deceased breadwinners. However, considering current trends, preventive measures aimed at stimulating the improvement of working conditions and occupational safety, active support, and funding of informational and preventive measures remain relevant. The article provides an overview of the use of preventive measures in insurance programs and suggests improving their effectiveness in enhancing working conditions. Firstly, it is proposed to create a unified information database for monitoring insurance contracts, controlling insurance flows on an industry-specific basis, for each enterprise and specific profession, as well as supervising the completeness and quality of preventive measures and the timely provision of compensation to injured workers and rehabilitation measures. Secondly, within the framework of assessing insurance risk, it is suggested to implement comprehensive assessment of occupational risk through the insurance fund. The results of the occupational risk assessment will serve as the basis for applying a two-component insurance tariff, taking into account a surcharge if the working conditions are unsafe. Thirdly, it is proposed to provide occupational health and safety training through insurance financing.

Keywords: safe work, risk-oriented approach, insurance, industrial accident, prevention.

Rural Area Infrastructural Challenges and the Role of Architecture in Urban-Rural Development in Nigeria

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Urban and rural areas are diametrically opposed but related phenomena. It is often difficult to ascertain where the rural areas end and where the city begins; because in city’s growth process, the surrounding countryside is absorbed. Part of it disappears forever, but many of its elements are preserved, fitting into the urban environment with marked differences of infrastructure facilities. These Community infrastructures are the framework of physical facilities needed to support and sustain inhabitants to live and work. However, rural societies suffer neglect. Many elderly people retire and return to rural areas for the comfort, slow and communal lifestyle it offers. Yet, as the world advances at a rapid pace, rural areas and people are left behind. Employing a qualitative literature review, the study delves into the current state of rural infrastructure development in Nigeria, and review various programmes implemented by the government in years past. The findings reveal three phases of rural infrastructural development. It highlights the issues and challenges stemming from the neglect of rural infrastructural needs, and the role of architecture in facilitating urban-rural development. It concludes that focus must be turned to rural areas with architects playing significant role in advancing the quality of rural life.

Keywords: Infrastructure facilities, Rural development, Architecture, Environment, Urban-rural.

A Conceptual Framework for Subdomain Specific Pre-Training of Large Language Models for Green Claim Detection

Wayne Moodaley, Arnesh Telukdarie — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Detection of false or misleading green claims (referred to as “greenwashing”) within company sustainability disclosures is challenging for a number of reasons, which include the textual and qualitative nature, volume, and complexity of such disclosures. In recent years, notable progress made in the fields of artificial intelligence and specifically, large language models (LLMs), has showcased the capacity of these tools to effectively analyse extensive and intricate textual data, including the contents of sustainability disclosures. Transformer-based LLMs, such as Google’s BERT architecture, were trained on general domain text corpora. Subsequent research has shown that further pre-training of such LLMs on specific domains, such as the climate or sustainability domains, may improve performance. However, previous research often uses text corpora that exhibit significant variation across topics and language and which often consist of heterogeneous subdomains. We therefore propose a conceptual framework for further pre-training of transformer based LLMs using text corpora relating to specific sustainability subdomains i.e. subdomain specific pre-training. We do so as a basis for the improved performance of such models in analysing sustainability disclosures. The main contribution is a conceptual framework to advance the use of LLMs for the reliable identification of green claims and ultimately, greenwashing.

Keywords: greenwashing, artificial intelligence, sustainability, sustainability reporting, sustainability disclosures.

Sustainable - Lifelong Learning in Transit from TVET to the University: A Recognition of Prior Learning Phenomenon

Charles S Masoabi — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This study seeks to explore the application of recognition of prior learning (RPL) process on N6 students from Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) at the university of technology (UoT). In the context of this study RPL is seen as a vehicle that promotes lifelong learning for sustainable development among youth. The researcher employs case study design situated in qualitative research approach. The target group of participants are heads of departments (HODs) in the UoT from faculties that render similar studies as those found in the neighbouring TVET college. The HODs are the custodians of admission process. Open-ended question online survey will be developed on Question-pro and emailed to the respective HODs for their response. Content analysis will also be used on documents such as institutional and the department of higher education (DHET) RPL policies. The study revealed that the RPL process is a lengthy and costly exercise, and there are no funds dedicated to the assessment process. Although the institution under study has RPL policy, it is rather inadequate to guide HODs in promotion of lifelong learning for sustainable development of human resources.

Keywords: Recognition of prior learning, lifelong learning for sustainable development, TVET.

Green Growth and Technology: Is there a Relationship with Green Innovation?

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This study intends to analyze how the adoption of Green Innovation (GI) practices by companies of the industrial sector promotes the development of Green Technologies (GT) and Green Growth (GG) in Developed Countries (DC) and Emerging Countries (EC). The survey sample consisted of 8659 observations from DC industrial companies and 1958 observations from EC companies, from data collected from Thomson Reuters and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Structural Equation Modeling was used for variable relationship analysis. The results pointed out that, in DC, GI practices impacts positively the GT of the countries, but this does not occur with the GG, which are negatively affected by the adoption of GI practices by the companies. On the other hand, in EC, only environmental investments positively affected the development of GT in these countries. And in relation to the GG, the GI practices of Environmental Management and Environmental Policies positively influenced this growth. The survey results contribute to discussions on regional differences in the benefits of green innovation by companies in promoting sustainable development. In addition, it can contribute with possible paths for companies and governments in setting goals to achieve SDG-8, SDG-9 and SDG-10.

Keywords: green innovation; green technology; green growth; SDG.

Truth in Criminal and Civil Proceedings: Ensuring Sustainable Development of Society and Social Peace

Inga Kudeikina, Sandra Kaija — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The right to a fair trial is a key element of the rule of law. It should be noted that the right to a fair trial has a complex structure, because securing this right is both a goal, or a state’s positive commitment to ensuring citizens’ rights, and a means of achieving this goal. The obligation to tell the truth as a principle of procedure constitutes the core of a fair trial. The concept of ‘fair trial’ would be a mere fiction if the state would not demand that parties to the case tell the truth in proceedings. There is no doubt that a dispute can be solved in reliance on true facts, true statements. This is a pre-requisite for the legal resolution of disputes, which means confidence in the judiciary as an element of state’s sustainability in the long run. The objective of the research is to examine the scope of the obligation to tell the truth in procedural relations in conjunction with the need for the fair settlement of legal relationships in the context of the sustainability of society in order to formulate suggestions for improving the legislation, thereby minimising opportunities to avoid the truth for the parties to proceedings.The research has employed descriptive and analytical, deductive and inductive methods. These methods have been used to analyse laws and the opinions of legal scholars and formulate conclusions and suggestions.

Keywords: civil proceedings, criminal proceedings, obligation to tell the truth

Through Circularity Towards Sustainability: Assessing the Progress and Challenges of the Circular Economy in the EU and Slovakia

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Sustainable development poses a significant challenge to modern civilization. The current problems and crises underscore the urgent need to establish a sustainable society, marking a crucial milestone in human evolution. The concept of sustainability has gained increasing prominence as a scientific, social, and political concern. The European Union strongly emphasizes the transition to a circular economy as a sustainable approach to economic growth. This circular economy model, one of the transformative policies of the Green Deal, is intended to pave the way for a sustainable future. It is now recognized as one of several approaches to achieving sustainability, as it encompasses and interconnects the economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainable development. The main objective of this paper is to assess the present state and progress of the circular economy in Slovakia, employing selected indicators within the context of transitioning from a linear to a circular economy.

Keywords: Circular economy. Sustainability. Municipal waste. Recycling rate. European Union countries.

Future Actions towards Climate Change: The Role of Threat Perception and Emotions

María del Carmen Aguilar-Luzón, Beatriz Carmona, Ana Loureiro — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This work explores the emotional activation (anxiety, fear, and anger) resulting from the cognitive-emotional process related to the perception of climate change: a) when climate change is considered the result of human action (anthropogenic) and b) when climate change is considered the result of the planet’s natural activity. An experimental study was conducted with 104 participants exposed to two types of messages about the causes of climate change. The results showed that exposure to the anthropogenic influence led to greater perception of threat to humans. Moreover, the participants in the anthropogenic sample expressed more anxiety and anger (negative emotions) than did the participants believing that climate change was due to the planet’s natural activity. Fear was not significant. Additionally, we verified the differential role of emotions, depending on the type of future behavior intention: emotions act as mediators between the perception of future climate threats and future collective pro-environmental behavior action, while the perception of threat acts directly on future individual pro-environmental behavior intention.

Keywords: Global warming, negative emotions, threat perception, pro-environmental behavior intention.

Environmental and Climate Culture for Sustainability: Experiences from Engineering Undergraduate Programs

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The educational system should contribute to the resolution of the socio-environmental crises that society faces today. Climate change is one of those problems that affects everyone on the planet. In fact, research is beginning to emerge about the importance of educating for the climate and sustainability; particularly, the identification of some practices and engineering projects related to climate change. However, this issue needs to be included in the teaching-learning processes in all educational programs. This analysis presents the perception of engineering students about climate change and sustainability, as well as its application in climate and sustainable action projects. This research was qualitative, focusing on the 'sustainable development' course delivered at the Tecnologico Nacional de Mexico, from educational practice in seven engineering undergraduate programs. A combination of four exploratory questions and project-based learning were applied to engineering students to identify key elements in the perception and conceptualization of climate change, sustainable development, and climate education. The results show that the students are aware of what is happening with the earth's temperature and global warming; some of them also showed project initiatives to address a climate or environmental problem. Engineering education have great potential to contribute to solving environmental and climate problems.

Key Words: climate education, environment, sustainable development, engineering education, Mexico.

Effective Leadership and the Quest for Environmental Sustainability in Africa

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The African continent is undeniably blessed with immense resources that spans from natural to human. The remarkably blessed natural resources and the unique environment accounts for the abundance of food and raw materials that keep the various industries around the world operational. In other words, Africa and its numerous natural resources cannot be undermined in the world’s food-chain and supplies of raw materials that keep industrial world functional. This beautiful horizon of Africa’s natural environment remains the home of various species of unique animals and plants. However, in recent times, the rich African environment and natural resources have been under threats by various human activities and natural disaster such as Gas flaring, Deforestation, flood, wild fire, hunting, oil explorations etc. These human and natural disaster have put the African continent and indeed its beautiful natural environment at the threshold of near collapse, unproductivity, risk of extinction of unique plants and animals and of course other unimaginable problems, if not properly handled. Leadership crisis and indeed poor leadership in Africa have not only contributed to the socio-political and cultural problems in Africa, but to the environmental crisis and mismanagement of various resources that can aid the progress of Africa. This paper affirms that effective leadership remains a propitious tool of environmental sustainability in Africa.

Keywords: Leadership, Effective leadership, Environmental sustainability in Africa

Students’ Social Initiatives as A Prerequisite for Sustainable Development of Social Entrepreneurship: A Case Study in Bulgaria

Vyara Kyurova, Blagovesta Koyundzhiyska-Davidkova — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Social entrepreneurship is an important source of economic growth and a driver of the social economy. An important condition for its development and the creation of a business in this sphere is the participation of the individual in social initiatives. Summarizing the scientific ideas shows that the issue of social entrepreneurship is relatively well understood, while that of social initiatives is very poorly addressed. Considering this fact, the authors seek to obtain more information regarding the essence of social initiatives and the readiness of students to participate in its. The aim of the present study is to determine the desire and opportunities among students for their involvement in social initiatives and their attitudes towards starting a social entrepreneurial business. To achieve the goal, students from Bulgarian higher education institutions were surveyed using the respondent method. The application of this method is appropriate because of its adequacy in terms of the specificity of both the subjects studied and the data to be obtained. The survey used in the study contains close-ended questions aimed at ascertaining students' participation in social initiatives, as well as their views on starting a social entrepreneurial business. The findings of the study show that there are certain problems related to the organization of social initiatives and in terms of starting a social entrepreneurial business. A significant result of the study is that the enabling environment for the development of social entrepreneurship significantly influences the possibility of creating student social initiatives at the university. The study can be used as a model for analysis of the relationship between social entrepreneurship and students’ social initiatives.

Keywords: social entrepreneurship, social initiatives, students, Bulgaria

Career Planning of Scientific-Pedagogical Personnel in Higher Education Institutions

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The article systematizes approaches to the interpretation of the concepts "career" and "career planning" of scientific-pedagogical personnel in higher education institution. The structural-logical scheme for the step-by-step career planning of higher education institutions’ scientific-pedagogical personnel is developed in the article. It is proposed to use 6 consecutive stages for planning the career of scientific-pedagogical personnel: making a management decision on the feasibility and necessity of organizing the career planning of scientific-pedagogical personnel in higher education institution, developing a plan-schedule for planning the career of scientific-pedagogical personnel of higher education institution, formation of initial database of individual data of higher education institutions’ scientific-pedagogical staff, assessment of professional and personal qualities of scientific-pedagogical staff of higher education institution, development of individual career planning maps of scientific-pedagogical staff of higher education institution, formation of favorable social and psychological conditions of successful career advancement of scientific-pedagogical staff of higher education institution. In addition, at each stage, it is absolutely necessary to monitor the implementation of the career plan of scientific-pedagogical personnel.

With the help of correlation analysis, the conformity indicators of scientific-pedagogical personnel (which must be used at the stage of evaluating their professional and personal qualities) are determined.

Keywords: Career; Planning; Education, Conformity Indicators; Correlational Analysis

Testing Pair-Wise Convergence of Western Balkan and European union Countries

Enton Duro, Ergita Kokaveshi, Klodian Muço — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The present research performs the GDP per capita convergence analyses of Western Balkan (WB) countries to European Union (EU) countries. There are few testing convergence methods based on theoretical insights on the neoclassical model, however pairwise convergence method doesn’t seem usually applied in the case of WB and EU countries. The test of convergence hypothesis in this research is based on the GDP per capita’s data, constant 2017 international $ in PPP terms, made available by the World Bank. The pairwise convergence test suggested here can be considered as an extension of Webber and While (2003, 2004, 2009) methodology. The outcomes have been compared to Bernard, Durlauf (1995) and Pesaran (2006) methodology of the pairwise convergence, by adapting ADF time series tests of the stationarity. In conclusion, despite to the controversy of one pair case, the comparative process of both methods seems to be aligned. However, further investigation needs to be performed to confirm the effectiveness and efficiency of this suggestion.

Keywords: GDP per capita, pairwise convergence, Western Ballkan countries, methodology

Economic impact of productive use of renewable energy: A case of a women-collective from rural Maharashtra (India)

Chandrakant K. Ingole — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Development activities and energy access are intertwined; however, they also contribute towards climate change. Therefore, climate friendly activities are needed to be promoted to ensure socio-economic development. Productive use of renewable energy for income generation is an emerging area of development in developing countries and is under-explored; therefore, there is a need to study the impact of such interventions on income generation. In this context, this paper attempts to estimate the impact of a renewable energy based, women managed collective from rural Maharashtra (India) on the income of beneficiaries using interview-based survey design. An analysis of the data indicates a significant change in beneficiaries’ income with associated multiplier effect vis-à-vis non-beneficiaries’, depicting such initiatives have potential to effect socio-economic development while being environment friendly. This is vital as India foresees an important role for renewable energy to address development issues, rural infrastructure gaps, and climate goals.

Keywords: Climate Change, Sustainable Development, Renewable Energy, Collective, Women Empowerment

Determinants of Children U5 Mortality due to Malaria in Ghana

Martha Amoako, Martin Potůček, Nahanga Verter — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Sustainable development cannot be fulfilled without developing an effective health sector to address health-related issues among children, especially in underdeveloped countries like Ghana. Malaria, in particular, has been identified as a significant disease and cause of death among children under five years of age (U5) in Ghana, although it has drastically reduced in recent years. Against this background, this paper attempts to assess some factors that may have determined the development of U5 mortality due to malaria in Ghana using time series data from 2000-2019. The OLS regression results indicate that domestic government health expenditure, clean drinking water and insecticide-treated nets have a negative connection with children U5 mortality due to malaria in the country. The findings also show a weak positive relationship between malaria infection prevalence and U5 mortality from malaria. Contrary to prior expectations, the results reveal a negative relationship between low birth weight, overweight, stunted, and children U5 mortality from malaria infection. The study concludes that addressing malaria cases among children U5 would greatly depend on building and sustaining resource redistribution through strategic policy, reliable funding, and effective health institutions to tackle malaria incidence and deaths among U5 in the country.

Keywords: healthcare, health expenditure, ITNs, malaria, potable water, U5 mortality

The Role of Tax Policies in Sustainable Economic Growth. Evidence From Dynamic Panel Data Analysis

Elida Liko, Ledjon Shahini — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This paper analyses the role of tax policies in supporting economic growth, based on the dynamic panel data model, for twenty-four Eastern European and Asian countries, divided in EU countries and non-EU countries, for the period from 2008 to 2022. Both, global financial crisis and Covid -19 Pandemic, imposed challenges for optimal tax policies that countries applied. The paper examines the main tax policies changes undertaken to support economic activity and estimates the expected effect on growth.

The study has found evidence of a positive effect of total taxes and indirect taxes on economic growth, strong and significant. Our results do not support the theory that direct taxes are harmful to growth. The impact of direct taxes is positive bot not statistically significant in most of the estimated regressions.

Keywords: Tax structure, sustainable development, panel data

International Marketing Strategies for Sustainable Development of Enterprises

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

A mechanism for developing and implementing an international marketing strategy for an agricultural enterprise to ensure its sustainable development, a feature of which is to adapt to the new conditions of international markets, is proposed. It is proved that the introduction of a mechanism for developing and implementing an international marketing strategy for an agricultural enterprise will result in a prompt response to changes in the relevant segments of the international market environment through the development and implementation of market research and development activities, preparation of alternative and flexible management solutions aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of the agricultural enterprise.

The article develops an approach to identifying suitable markets for the export of the commodity group "1001 Wheat", where there are favorable business conditions for enterprises from Ukraine. The proposed approach is based on the application of global indicators of business conditions in international markets.

The foreign markets that demonstrate favorable conditions for doing business in them are identified, which indicates the existence of conditions that are a prerequisite for the formation and implementation of international marketing strategies to ensure the sustainable development of domestic agricultural enterprises producing the "1001 Wheat" product group in the German, Dutch, Belgian, British, Portuguese and Austrian international markets.

It is proved that the proposed mechanism for developing and implementing an international marketing strategy for an agricultural enterprise in the postwar period will promote the sustainable development of Ukrainian agricultural enterprises and the recovery of the Ukrainian economy as a whole.

Keywords: favorable business conditions, assessment of global indicators, sustainable development strategy, innovative tools for assessing potential markets, markets convergent for the export, sustainable development of enterprises

The Reality of Practicing Environmental Citizenship Behaviors "A Study Applied to Beneficiaries from Community Associations Services in Ha'il"

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The study aimed at investigating the reality of environmental citizenship behaviors practice among the beneficiaries from community associations in Ha'il. These behaviors are identified scientifically by national organizations to include environmental personal responsibility, environmental justice and environmental participation. The researchers utilized the sample social survey as an instrument for measuring environmental citizenship behaviors. The research population included 1030 beneficiaries. A random sample of 10%, hundred and three (103) participants, out of the total research population was drawn using the random tables method. Data was collected in the period from (23/5/2022 to 10/11/2022). Findings revealed the highest practiced behaviors as: environmental personal responsibility, environmental justice, and environmental participation with averages of 4.33, 4.23 and 4.08, respectively. Researchers recommended using training programs and providing a local database of individuals' activities that support environmental citizenship behaviors

Key Words: Environmental citizenship behaviors, Environmental personal responsibility, Environmental justice, Environmental participation, Community associations, Ha'il city

Assessment of the Regions' Investment Attractiveness for Post-War Recovery: The Case of Ukraine

Natalia Osadcha, Valentyna Zatyshniak — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The paper analyzes the directions for Ukrainian economic recovery after the war. The successes stories of the countries, that restored their economies after the war, were explored. As a result, the best practices of Israel seem most suitable for Ukraine.

Also, present research determines the priority areas for raising the investment attractiveness of the Ukrainian regions and tests the practical application of the results of their investment appeal evaluation, primarily on the basis of our own approach for their marketing, advancement and disclosure the capability. The paper's uniqueness lies in its emphasis on the proposed marketing territorial investments, in accordance with the results of a comprehensive monitoring of the region-specific investment climate in Ukraine.

A number of indicators effects on the regions' investment attractiveness. Comparing the regions among themselves, according to its figures, gives a new leader every time. The proposed Rasch mathematical model allows obtaining an integral assessment of the regions' investment attractiveness with the appropriate ranking. Such estimates can be used both by investors at the initial stages of choosing a region for investment and by representatives of local authorities to assess the investment attractiveness of the territory for a certain period. The future recalculation of these data will be based on the situation at the front and changes in the economic structure of each region. After the war, the casualties of each region must be assessed and an international audit conducted.

Key words: Ukraine, post-war recovery, investment attractiveness, Rasch model, assessment.

Jel Classification: E 22

Precariat As an Anomic Vector of the Shadow Economy: Challenges and Threats to the Sustainable Development of Society

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This article delves into the theoretical understanding of the precariat as an emerging social class, which challenges the established norms of economic life. As modern society undergoes constant changes in its social structure, the concept of precariat has gained prominence in scientific discourse. However, despite its significance, the precariat remains inadequately defined, with various interpretations and debates surrounding its characterization. The primary objective of this research is to define the precariat, outline its distinctive attributes, and explore its role in contemporary society. Through a comprehensive analysis of relevant scientific literature, the authors aim to highlight the risks and challenges posed by the precariat to the sustainable development of society, with a particular focus on its impact on the economic realm. This article sheds light on the precariat’s origins, its position in the social structure, and its defining characteristics. It becomes evident that the precariat’s definition remains controversial, with different countries offering distinct interpretations of the concept. One significant factor contributing to the emergence of the precariat is the transition towards a new societal paradigm with novel social configurations. This class is characterized by its lack of stability, precarious employment conditions, absence of social benefits, insecure rights, and a sense of alienation not only from labor but also from society as a whole. Furthermore, the precariat predominantly occupies the lowest income positions within the social hierarchy. The precarious and vulnerable position of the precariat renders it susceptible to manipulation by other social actors for their own interests. Additionally, precariat groups may rise against their own circumstances. Failure to address the challenges faced by the precariat could lead to the evolution of a “dangerous class” within society, potentially instigating radical transformations in social life. In conclusion, this article provides an in-depth exploration of the precariat as a novel social class, shedding light on its defining features and its implications for modern society. Understanding the precariat’s role is essential for devising strategies to mitigate its risks and challenges, ensuring a more sustainable and equitable economic space for all. By addressing the vulnerabilities and uncertainties faced by the precariat, societies can strive for a future where opportunities are equitably distributed, contributing to the overall development and progress of humanity as a whole. The findings of this research contribute to a better understanding of the precariat's role as an anomic vector of the shadow economy and its potential challenges and threats to sustainable development in contemporary societies.

Keywords: precariat, shadow economy, social class, sustainability, societal impact, uncertainty, inequality.