Hasil untuk "Commercial geography. Economic geography"

Mario Zanon

Stability of economic model predictive control can be proven under the assumption that a strict dissipativity condition holds. This assumption has a clear interpretation in terms of the so-called rotated stage cost, which must have its minimum at the optimal steady state. However, contrary to dissipativity, for strict dissipativity the storage function cannot be immediately related to the value function of an optimal control problem formulated with the economic stage cost. We propose the novel concept of two-storage strict dissipativity, which requires two storage functions to satisfy dissipativity and be separated by a positive definite function. This new condition can be immediately related to optimal control by means of value functions and might be easier to verify than strict dissipativity. Furthermore, we prove that two-storage strict dissipativity is sufficient and necessary for asymptotic stability, it is related to strict dissipativity, and also to alternative approaches relying on the so-called cost-to-travel. Finally, we discuss commonly used and new terminal cost designs that guarantee asymptotic stability in the finite-horizon case.

Lisa Capretti, Lorenzo Tonni

The empirical literature on the relationship between income inequality and economic growth has produced highly heterogeneous and often conflicting results. This paper investigates the sources of this heterogeneity using a meta-analytic approach that systematically combines and analyzes evidence from relevant studies published between 1994 and 2025. We find an economically small but statistically significant negative average effect of income inequality on subsequent economic growth, together with strong evidence of substantial heterogeneity and selective publication based on statistical significance, but no evidence of systematic directional bias. To explain the observed heterogeneity, we estimate a meta-regression. The results indicate that both real-world characteristics and research design choices shape reported effect sizes. In particular, inequality measured net of taxes and transfers is associated with more negative growth effects, and the adverse impact of inequality is weaker - or even reversed - in high-income economies relative to developing countries. Methodological choices also matter: cross-sectional studies tend to report more negative estimates, while fixed-effects, instrumental-variable, and GMM estimators are associated with more positive estimates in panel settings.

VĂDUVA CECILIA ELENA

In the digital age, competition is changing, and economic participants are creating new markets where they aspire to monopolize. Products in these digital markets are evolving rapidly, which makes it difficult for antitrust authorities to analyze or react in a timely manner. The digitalization of the economy brings significant benefits, but it also comes with costs. Large companies have access to detailed information about consumer requirements, which makes the digital economy an integral part of everyday life. There are situations in which digital technologies influence the market power of products and can be used for anticompetitive practices, involving giants such as Google and Microsoft. Thus, the digital economy introduces new mechanisms of competition in a global world based on knowledge and innovation. Innovations and new technologies are crucial for the development of economies, having a major impact on businesses. Digitalization, similar to electrification and industrialization, brings significant changes, but also amplifies the digital divide. This gap, initially related to access to digital technologies, has expanded to include other factors affecting the distribution of socio-economic goods, highlighting inequalities in access to technology and information.

NEACȘU NICOLETA ANDREEA, POPESCU ANCA

Design and aesthetic elements are increasingly important in a company's marketing policy, as they significantly influence how consumers perceive and interact with products. These elements contribute to creating the first image of the product, which is essential in shaping the purchase decision. In the highly competitive dermatocosmetic sector, visual identity, packaging design, and overall product aesthetics can differentiate a brand and build consumer trust. As product functionality and quality have become increasingly similar across competitors, companies are shifting their focus toward intangible features such as design and aesthetic appeal. In this context, design is not merely a visual component but a strategic one, reflecting brand values, evoking emotional responses, and contributing to customer loyalty. This article aims to identify the role of design and aesthetic elements in the Romanian dermatocosmetic products market. To achieve this objective, the authors conducted quantitative market research on a relevant sample of consumers. The results reveal that design elements play an essential role in the dermatocosmetic product market, directly influencing how consumers perceive the product, the emotional connection they develop with it, and, ultimately, their purchase decisions.

Patrik Valábek, Michaela Horváthová, Martin Klaučo

This paper presents a deep Koopman-based Economic Model Predictive Control (EMPC) for efficient operation of a laboratory-scale pasteurization unit (PU). The method uses Koopman operator theory to transform the complex, nonlinear system dynamics into a linear representation, enabling the application of convex optimization while representing the complex PU accurately. The deep Koopman model utilizes neural networks to learn the linear dynamics from experimental data, achieving a 45% improvement in open-loop prediction accuracy over conventional N4SID subspace identification. Both analyzed models were employed in the EMPC formulation that includes interpretable economic costs, such as energy consumption, material losses due to inadequate pasteurization, and actuator wear. The feasibility of EMPC is ensured using slack variables. The deep Koopman EMPC and N4SID EMPC are numerically validated on a nonlinear model of multivariable PU under external disturbance. The disturbances include feed pump fail-to-close scenario and the introduction of a cold batch to be pastuerized. These results demonstrate that the deep Koopmand EMPC achieves a 32% reduction in total economic cost compared to the N4SID baseline. This improvement is mainly due to the reductions in material losses and energy consumption. Furthermore, the steady-state operation via Koopman-based EMPC requires 10.2% less electrical energy. The results highlight the practical advantages of integrating deep Koopman representations with economic optimization to achieve resource-efficient control of thermal-intensive plants.

M J Plank, M Sushames, T Fisher-Taylor et al.

In an emerging pandemic, policymakers need to make important decisions with limited information, for example choosing between a mitigation, suppression or elimination strategy. These strategies may require trade-offs to be made between the health impact of the pandemic and the economic costs of the interventions introduced in response. Mathematical models are a useful tool that can help understand the consequences of alternative policy options on the future dynamics and impact of the epidemic. Most models have focused on direct health impacts, neglecting the economic costs of control measures. Here, we introduce a model framework that captures both health and economic costs. We use this framework to compare the expected aggregate costs of mitigation, suppression and elimination strategies, across a range of different epidemiological and economic parameters. We find that for diseases with low severity, mitigation tends to be the most cost-effective option. For more severe diseases, suppression tends to be most cost effective if the basic reproduction number $R_0$ is relatively low, while elimination tends to be more cost-effective if $R_0$ is high. We use the example of New Zealand's elimination response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 to anchor our framework to a real-world case study. We find that parameter estimates for Covid-19 in New Zealand put it close to or above the threshold at which elimination becomes more cost-effective than mitigation. We conclude that our proposed framework holds promise as a decision-support tool for future pandemic threats, although further work is needed to account for population heterogeneity and other factors relevant to decision-making.

Emmanuel Ndhlovu

Ensuing climate change is one of the most defining problems of the 21st century. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), natural hazards such as floods, storms, droughts, and epidemics are among the major causes of human displacement. Existing studies, however, mainly explore these hazards’ economic and environmental impact while limited attention is given to the social impact. This has significant practical and policy implications as the social fabric is underacknowledged. To close this research gap, this article identifies dominant extreme weather events in SSA, examines human displacement related to these events, and proposes social policy-based interventions. Underpinned by a quantitative approach, the article is based on displacement data on Africa purposefully selected from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Simple descriptive data analysis was deployed. The article also benefits from secondary literature on climate change and social policy. The study shows that extreme events, declining rainfall, and increasing temperatures under climate change ignite human displacement and unplanned migration. This disrupts food production, promotes political instability, and worsens the spread of diseases. The article shows how transformative social policy interventions focusing on production, reproduction, social cohesion, protection, and accumulation wields much potential as an adaptive and resilient mechanism.

Gulmira Andabayeva, Vasily Movchun, Mayya Dubovik et al.

Abstract Understanding labor market dynamics remains a pivotal aspect within contemporary economic discourse, as necessitates the pursuit of effective employment models to ensure steady progress in the conditions of changes in the economic structure. The aim of the research is to examine the dynamics of the labor market in developing countries, with particular emphasis on China and Kazakhstan, taking into account economic, social, and technological trends. The methodology includes the analytic and comparison of trends in the labor market in developing countries, such as China and Kazakhstan over the past 20 years, and also monitoring the socio-economic nature of the labor process. The study identified changes in the labor market and provided empirical evidence for new forms of employment, utilizing comparative analysis and data visualization of the sectoral structure of the economy and global labor market trends up to 2027. The obtained results provide three main conclusions: a decrease in demand for low-skilled workers and an increase in demand for highly qualified individuals; the emergence of jobs with low levels of social protection; new forms of employment-oriented towards workers outside the social security system, domestic workers, and self-employed individuals. These types of employment can fill jobs in platform and piecework economies, cooperativism, and the sharing economy, which allows employers in developing markets to optimize employment. The findings of the study can contribute to understanding the functioning of the labor market in developing countries including the development of small and medium-sized businesses, startups, and innovative projects, and may be applicable in the development of economic and social policies for sustainable economic growth and social stability.

Souleyman Beghni, Meriyam Gourari

This study investigates the impact of innovation inputs and outputs on the growth of Algeria's manufacturing sector from Q1 2011 to Q4 2022, employing an ARDL model to analyze 44 quarterly observations. The results indicate that innovation inputs, such as institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, and business sophistication, have a statistically significant negative impact on manufacturing growth, suggesting inefficiencies or delays in realizing the benefits of innovation investments. Conversely, innovation outputs, including knowledge and technology outputs and creative outputs, exhibit a weaker and statistically insignificant negative correlation with manufacturing growth. The error correction term is highly significant, indicating a rapid adjustment towards long-run equilibrium, with 47.2% of deviations corrected each quarter. The model's strong fit, reflected by an R-squared value of 0.693658, underscores its explanatory power. However, the ARDL model oversimplifies the complex economic interactions in Algeria, potentially overlooking numerous mediating factors and the influence of regional stability and security issues on manufacturing performance. Furthermore, the context-specific findings may not be applicable to countries with different economic structures. Enhancing the efficiency of innovation investments could lead to significant growth in Algeria's manufacturing industries, with potential social impacts including broader economic development, increased employment, and social stability. This study offers valuable insights into the relationship between innovation and manufacturing growth in Algeria, highlighting the importance of efficient innovation strategies for economic development. Key words: Innovation, Knowledge, Manufacturing, ARDL Model, Algeria.

Davit Gondauri, Ekaterine Mikautadze

The research and development (R&D) phase is essential for fostering innovation and aligns with long-term strategies in both public and private sectors. This study addresses two primary research questions: (1) assessing the relationship between R&D investments and GDP through regression analysis, and (2) estimating the economic value added (EVA) that Georgia must generate to progress from a BB to a BBB credit rating. Using World Bank data from 2014-2022, this analysis found that increasing R&D, with an emphasis on AI, by 30-35% has a measurable impact on GDP. Regression results reveal a coefficient of 7.02%, indicating a 10% increase in R&D leads to a 0.70% GDP rise, with an 81.1% determination coefficient and a strong 90.1% correlation. Georgia's EVA model was calculated to determine the additional value needed for a BBB rating, comparing indicators from Greece, Hungary, India, and Kazakhstan as benchmarks. Key economic indicators considered were nominal GDP, GDP per capita, real GDP growth, and fiscal indicators (government balance/GDP, debt/GDP). The EVA model projects that to achieve a BBB rating within nine years, Georgia requires $61.7 billion in investments. Utilizing EVA and comprehensive economic indicators will support informed decision-making and enhance the analysis of Georgia's economic trajectory.

Maximilian Degner, Raffaele Soloperto, Melanie N. Zeilinger et al.

We consider the problem of optimizing the economic performance of nonlinear constrained systems subject to uncertain time-varying parameters and bounded disturbances. In particular, we propose an adaptive economic model predictive control (MPC) framework that: (i) directly minimizes transient economic costs, (ii) addresses parametric uncertainty through online model adaptation, (iii) determines optimal setpoints online, and (iv) ensures robustness by using a tube-based approach. The proposed design ensures recursive feasibility, robust constraint satisfaction, and a transient performance bound. In case the disturbances have a finite energy and the parameter variations have a finite path length, the asymptotic average performance is (approximately) not worse than the performance obtained when operating at the best reachable steady-state. We highlight performance benefits in a numerical example involving a chemical reactor with unknown time-invariant and time-varying parameters.

Jacob D. Leshno, Elaine Shi, Rafael Pass

Bitcoin demonstrated the possibility of a financial ledger that operates without the need for a trusted central authority. However, concerns persist regarding its security and considerable energy consumption. We assess the consensus protocols that underpin Bitcoin's functionality, questioning whether they can ensure economically meaningful security while maintaining a permissionless design that allows free entry of operators. We answer this affirmatively by constructing a protocol that guarantees economic security and preserves Bitcoin's permissionless design. This protocol's security does not depend on monetary payments to miners or immense electricity consumption, which our analysis suggests are ineffective. Our framework integrates economic theory with distributed systems theory, and formalizes the role of the protocol's user community.

Asma KOROGHLI

This study aims to shed light on the entrepreneurial ecosystem and its contribution to startups success, as well as presenting the Turkish experience in this field. To achieve these objectives, a combination of three methods has been used: the descriptive and analytical method, the case study method, and the comparative method. The study reached a set of results, the most important, is that the entrepreneurial ecosystem is the platform that supports the creation and the growth of startups, through its contribution in creating opportunities and providing an appropriate environment that helps entrepreneurs launching their startups; and that the Turkish entrepreneurial ecosystem reached a new level, due to the efforts of both public and private sectors, in providing a suitable environment for the activity of startups.

M. Biassoni, A. Caminata, S. Caprioli et al.

Plastic scintillators have become increasingly important in particle physics for time-of-flight and calorimetry measurements. Their light yield and the possibility of customizing their geometry make them also attractive for the construction of active vetoes in rare event physics experiments. For this purpose, some commercial plastic scintillators (purchased from Eljen Technology) were tested in cryogenic environments (liquid nitrogen and liquid helium). Their relative light yield was estimated by comparing the data acquired at room temperature with those acquired at cryogenic temperatures. Finally, estimates of the variation of the light yield at cryogenic temperatures were obtained.

Alvise De Biasio, Nicolò Navarin, Dietmar Jannach

Many of today's online services provide personalized recommendations to their users. Such recommendations are typically designed to serve certain user needs, e.g., to quickly find relevant content in situations of information overload. Correspondingly, the academic literature in the field largely focuses on the value of recommender systems for the end user. In this context, one underlying assumption is that the improved service that is achieved through the recommendations will in turn positively impact the organization's goals, e.g., in the form of higher customer retention or loyalty. However, in reality, recommender systems can be used to target organizational economic goals more directly by incorporating monetary considerations such as price awareness and profitability aspects into the underlying recommendation models. In this work, we survey the existing literature on what we call Economic Recommender Systems based on a systematic review approach that helped us identify 133 relevant papers. We first categorize existing works along different dimensions and then review the most important technical approaches from the literature. Furthermore, we discuss common methodologies to evaluate such systems and finally outline the limitations of today's research and future directions.

HULPUȘ IOANA , HULPUȘ ALEXANDRU

In the field of Romanian sports, the cultural diversity is fully manifested in most of the sports branches, bringing increased sports performances and many other benefits. Using a concrete example from Romanian youth basketball, the paper analyzes challenges of cultural diversity, proposing an analysis model for sports managers in the field of diversity management. The paper starts from the analysis of the impact of organizational culture as a tool to generate commitment and acceptance of diversity, analyzed in interrelation with the cultural "models" that characterize different nations. We aim to analyze the extent to which we can take models of good practices, the conclusion being that it is necessary to first analyze the cultural dimensions and adapt practices accordingly.

Tamay Besiroglu, Nicholas Emery-Xu, Neil Thompson

Since its emergence around 2010, deep learning has rapidly become the most important technique in Artificial Intelligence (AI), producing an array of scientific firsts in areas as diverse as protein folding, drug discovery, integrated chip design, and weather prediction. As more scientists and engineers adopt deep learning, it is important to consider what effect widespread deployment would have on scientific progress and, ultimately, economic growth. We assess this impact by estimating the idea production function for AI in two computer vision tasks that are considered key test-beds for deep learning and show that AI idea production is notably more capital-intensive than traditional R&D. Because increasing the capital-intensity of R&D accelerates the investments that make scientists and engineers more productive, our work suggests that AI-augmented R&D has the potential to speed up technological change and economic growth.

Zhiheng Yi

Since Reform and Opening-up 40 years ago, China has made remarkable achievements in economic fields. And consumption activities, including household consumption, have played an important role in it. Consumer activity is the end of economic activity, because the ultimate aim of other economic activities is to meet consumer demand; consumer activity is the starting point of economic activity, because consumption can drive economic and social development. This paper selects the economic data of more than 40 years since Reform and Opening-up, and establishes the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model and Vector Error Correction (VEC) model, analyzing the influence of consumption level and total consumption of urban and rural residents on economic growth. The conclusion is that the increase of urban consumption and rural consumption can lead to the increase of GDP, and in the long run, urban consumption can promote economic growth more than rural consumption. According to this conclusion, we analyze the reasons and puts forward some policy suggestions.

Mondher FETOUI, Fatma Aribi, Farah Chouikhi et al.

This paper presents a livelihood vulnerability assessment and compares the levels of exposure, sensitivity and adaptation to climate change of the local populations in mountains area and coastal plains in Tunisian arid regions. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change vulnerability index (LVI-IPCC) has been adapted and applied to assess this livelihood vulnerability, based on socio-economic surveys and semi-structured interviews with the local populations. Findings show that households in coastal plains are more vulnerable in terms of socio[1]demographic profile, food security, social networks, access to water and climate variability. This territory is much more exposed to climate change, despite being slightly less sensitive. On the other hand, households in mountainous territory are more vulnerable in terms of livelihood strategies, land tenure and health, despite their adaptation capacity, which reduces their vulnerability to climate change. Based on this vulnerability assessment, this work suggests specific adaptation strategies and measures for livelihoods sustainability in each territory.

COCIȘ ANDREAS-DANIEL

Financial performance is a method of subjective measurement used as an alternative to measuring overall health from a financial point of view. Financial performance shows the ability of a company to generate and control its own resources. A lot of researchers use financial performance indicators to compare similar companies from the same industry in order to determine the strengths and weaknesses of a company. This article highlights the way in which airlines are appraised based on financial indicators. The purpose of the paper is to create a ranking of the largest airlines in Europe, which we will differentiate in terms of their financial performance. The sample includes 15 companies from the European airline industry, which are in the top 20 largest companies in Europe in terms of the number of passengers on board. A number of 6 financial ratios were used, these being the most used in scientific research when it comes to measuring financial performance. The analyzed period was 3 years, from 2016 to 2018. The performance indicators aggregation method was determined using the ARAS method, a method of analysis with several criteria. This method helps us optimize the values of companies with certain ideal values. The results showed that Rayanair, which had the most passengers transported during the analysis period, does not record the best financial appraisals in the sample.