Current Issue : October-December Volume : 2021 Issue Number : 4 Articles : 5 Articles
Based on the development status of the apple industry in Shandong Province, using the SCP paradigm to analyze the market structure, market behavior and market performance of the apple industry in Shandong Province, it is found that the organizational structure of the apple industry in Shandong Province mainly has the following problems: The apple industry in Shandong Province is relatively low in concentration and the phenomenon of small-scale in production and operation is widespread. Most of the apples are late-maturing and fresh products, and the degree of product differentiation is low; sales channels are narrow; cooperatives have a low level of organization and lack of leading enterprises. Therefore, the planting area and variety structure should be adjusted to optimize the market structure; the promotion channels and the scope of cooperation should be broadened, and innovation capabilities should be improved to improve market behavior, thereby improving market performance....
One of the daunting challenges facing the effective operations of Local Councils in Sierra Leone, particularly the Bo District Council is the quality of support services that drive accountability in the use of scarce financial resources. It is on this note that the study is intended to assess management supports towards the internal audit system. The study was conducted in Bo District Council located in the Southern Region of Sierra Leone. Bo District Council consists of 16 Chiefdoms, 25 Councilors, 3 Paramount Chiefs, 25 Wards, 16 Committees, 11 Constituencies, and 13 Core Staff Members. The secondary objectives were: 1) to assess the level of respondents’ perceptions on management support to the internal audit system; 2) to identify the scale of management support to the internal audit effectiveness, and 3) to establish the relationship between management support and internal audit effectiveness. The instruments employed for data collection include: questionnaires and documentary analysis. The sample population of the study is thirteen (13) core staff members that represents the sample size of the study, and includes all the departments and units of the Bo District Council. The 13 core staff members were selected by stratified sampling selection technique. The study employed descriptive design and results discussed in qualitative and quantitative methods. The reliability test was conducted 0.765 using the Crumb Alpha Test and was considered valid. The key findings of the study include: Lack of full support to the audit committee; lack of independence of the internal audit system; insufficient allocation of budget. It is recommended that the Local Service Commission should let the internal audit system being independent by creating a directorate of the internal audit department....
This study explores the effect of human capital on energy efficiency in a panel of developing countries from 1990 to 2017. Using the stochastic frontier model and the energy demand function, our results show that human capital can increase energy efficiency. Even after controlling for certain factors, the variable for human capital result remains unchanged. With regards to the controls, green innovation increased energy efficiency, while institutional quality showed an insignificant relation with energy efficiency. In general, the research results show that one essential positive externality of human capital development is that it promotes a greener future through energy conservation. Our findings can provide policymakers and governments with good reasons why more attention should be paid to human capital development to stimulate energy efficiency and a green future....
Based on the theory of sustainable development, in order to promote the sustainable development of population-nature-economy-society-environment in Northwest China. Taking advantage of the traction effect of superior resources and the binding effect of inferior resources, the factors under natural resources in the study area are expanded, and social and environmental factors are added to improve the traditional resource carrying capacity model. Using the improved theory and research method of relative resource carrying capacity, taking the whole country and Shaanxi Province as reference areas, the relative resource carrying capacity of Baoji City from 2010 to 2019 was calculated, and the evolution of these three factors was analyzed. The results show that: 1) Compared with the overload of resources carrying capacity in Baoji under the traditional model, the improved resource carrying capacity model shows that the relative resource carrying capacity of Baoji City is still in a surplus state. 2) The contribution rate of social resources carrying capacity and economic resources carrying capacity in Baoji city is on the rise, which is the main carrying resource of Baoji city’s population. The contribution rate of natural resources carrying capacity and environmental resources carrying capacity to comprehensive resources carrying capacity is declining, and the overall resources carrying capacity is relatively balanced. 3) The comprehensive carrying capacity index of Baoji City shows a downward trend, which indicates that the surplus scale of resource carrying capacity of Baoji City is shrinking....
As Sub-Saharan Africa economies boomed in the early 90s, formal retail trade grew as well. However, most of the Sub-Saharan economies’ wealth depends on commodity price performance which in turn has impeded the growth of retail sector. The focus on Africa from the major retailers’ perspective has always been short-term. As the challenges continue eroding opportunities, many are re-thinking whether there is hope in the long-term. While there is no heterogeneity, as each country is at a different stage in retail development, challenges of inflation, forex shortages, poor infrastructure development, policy shifts, and general government inefficiencies are not uncommon. Almost 90% of informal trade makes up the retail sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. The informal retail growth, riding on the political support of the governments, is crowding out the formalized retail growth. This work explores the body of existing knowledge on formalized retailing in Sub-Saharan Africa and focuses on how retailing has evolved in Sub-Saharan countries of Nigeria, Angola, South Africa, Zambia, and Malawi. The paper concludes by identifying the retail growth gaps from retail chains and the governments in the Sub-Saharan region. Recommendations for sustainability are highlighted. Future research gaps are equally identified to advance the understanding of formalized retail importance, challenges, and prospects for Sub-Saharan Africa....
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