Search Results (219)

Background/Objectives: As part of China’s efforts to build a high-quality and efficient integrated healthcare delivery system, tightly knit urban medical groups (TKUMGs) have emerged as a key model for promoting inter-institutional collaboration. While existing studies have focused on organizational outcomes, limited empirical evidence is available regarding the personal benefits experienced by healthcare professionals within TKUMGs. Methods: This study evaluated 2200 healthcare professionals’ perceived benefits from TKUMG participation in six pilot medical groups across two Chinese cities to identify factors associated with variations in career development outcomes. Results: Three distinct latent classes were identified: (1) A Limited Growth Group (32.4%), with minimal improvement across all dimensions; (2) a Skill Recognition Group (35.6%), with improvements in recognition and expertise utilization but limited gains in compensation and promotion; and (3) a Comprehensive Growth Group (32.0%), with comprehensive improvements in all six areas. Higher levels of participation and more positive attitudes toward TKUMG construction were significantly associated with inclusion in the more advanced development groups. Other significant factors included age, educational attainment, institutional role (leading vs. member), and departmental affiliation. TKUMG construction has generated heterogeneous benefits for healthcare professionals. Active engagement and institutional environments play critical roles in shaping individual development trajectories. Conclusions: Despite limitations related to this study’s cross-sectional design and self-reported data, these findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to design incentive mechanisms, optimize human resource allocation, and enhance the sustainability of integrated healthcare models in urban China. Full article

Regional agricultural carbon balance studies are crucial for promoting coordinated development and achieving carbon neutrality. This research quantifies agricultural carbon emissions and sinks across 190 counties in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region from 2013 to 2022. The methodology involved the carbon emission factor approach and crop productivity models to assess the agricultural carbon balance. Furthermore, this study employed the carbon load model and the carbon output technical elasticity model to analyze the per-unit contribution of agricultural products and the carbon implications of augmented agricultural output. The findings reveal the following: (1) Total agricultural carbon emissions followed a fluctuating, inverted “U”-shaped trajectory, peaking in 2015. Emission reductions were primarily driven by decreases in agricultural energy consumption and land utilization, followed by crop cultivation. Conversely, agricultural net carbon sequestration and the carbon offset ratio show a fluctuating upward trend. (2) The agricultural carbon balance exhibits a distinct north–south differentiation. There has been a year-on-year reduction in carbon deficit counties, while the spatial aggregation of the carbon balance has become increasingly pronounced over time. (3) The marginal contribution of the agricultural carbon balance across the five primary agricultural zones positively correlates with the scale of agriculture and the prevailing crop cultivation regimes. Specifically, the Central Hebei Plain agricultural zone demonstrated the highest contribution, while the Daming agricultural zone exhibited the lowest. (4) Driven by the synergistic effect of internal and external factors, the BTH region has optimized its production elements. This has led to an elevated agricultural carbon balance and reduced inter-regional disparities. The region’s agricultural carbon balance demonstrates a favorable trajectory, suggesting sustainability under a low-carbon development paradigm. This study offers sustainability recommendations based on four pillars: establishing rigid production systems, enhancing compensation and trading mechanisms, optimizing industrial structures and integration strategies, and reinforcing regional coordination and incentive frameworks. Full article

Part-time employment is an increasingly important feature of the U.S. labor market, yet little is known about how earnings determinants differ between full-time and part-time pharmacists. Few prior studies have compared earnings models across these groups, but most have relied on small or geographically limited samples. Moreover, the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of the labor market makes this study especially timely, as most prior research on pharmacist earnings is based on older data. This study examined earnings determination separately for full-time and part-time pharmacists, estimating the influence of work input, human capital, demographic characteristics, and job-related features within each group. Data were obtained from the 2019–2022 American Community Survey (ACS), a large, continuous, nationally representative survey conducted annually by the U.S. Census Bureau. The sample included 12,064 pharmacists (4667 men and 7397 women) aged 25–64 years, practicing in the U.S. Ordinary least-squares equations were estimated separately for male and female pharmacists within each employment category, allowing comparison of the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of covariates across groups. Results revealed notable differences in the earnings effects of several factors between full-time and part-time pharmacists, highlighting the interaction of individual choices and structural market forces in shaping compensation. These findings can inform workforce planning and guide the development of targeted job-related incentives to support retention and satisfaction across employment types. Full article

Recent international studies on CEO pay in Europe, Japan, and South Korea reveal significant differences from the U.S. in the use and effectiveness of equity-based CEO compensation, raising questions about the ability of conventional contracts based on agency theory to align with actual CEO compensation practices. Our study contributes to this debate by evaluating nine hypotheses from an extended principal–agent framework in which CEO equity and cash incentives are jointly determined in the shareholder return-maximizing contract. The extended model also incorporates the noisy market valuation relationship between firm income and its market equity value, and distinguishes between firm ‘business risk’ and ‘equity risk’. Our empirical results show that CEO cash incentives increase with firm growth prospects and equity risk and decline with firm business risk and firm scale as predicted by the model; meanwhile, CEO equity incentives are partially consistent. Overall, given the dominance of equity compensation in U.S. CEO pay, our results show that cash pay tied to firm business performance (e.g., operating cash flow) is efficient and plays an important role in aligning CEO and shareholder interests and reducing corporate governance risks associated with agency misalignment. Full article

Microgrids (MGs) have emerged as pivotal players in the energy transition by enabling the efficient integration of distributed energy resources and the provision of ancillary services to the power system. Despite their technical capabilities, MGs still face economic and regulatory barriers that hinder their widespread deployment in electricity markets. This paper presents a structured methodological framework to assess the economic viability of MGs delivering services such as peak shaving, loss compensation, and voltage support, among others. The proposed approach considers three distinct scenarios: (1) MGs supplying energy to local loads, (2) hybrid MGs combining local supply with ancillary services, and (3) MGs exclusively dedicated to ancillary services. The framework incorporates adjusted levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), levelized avoided cost of electricity (LACE), and net value metrics, while accounting for tax incentives and market price signals. A case study based in Colombia (Cali and Camarones) validates the framework through simulations conducted in HOMER Pro V3.18.4 and MATLAB Online. The results indicate that remuneration schemes based on availability and service utilization significantly enhance the viability of MGs. The proposed methodology is applicable to emerging regulatory environments and offers guidance for designing public policies that promote the active participation of MGs in supporting grid operations. Full article

In the context of China’s rapid urbanization and the era of stock planning, urban renewal policies play a significant role in enhancing urban quality and promoting sustainable development. To reveal the thematic structure and evolution of China’s urban renewal policy system, this study applies the BERTopic model to conduct semantic mining and evolutionary analysis on 1144 policy documents issued by central and local governments. Research findings: The study identifies 34 distinct themes in urban renewal policies, grouped into five main directions: Spatial Improvement and Facility Upgrades, Project Collaboration and Approval, Land Acquisition and Compensation, Fiscal Incentives and Funding Support, and Institutional Guarantees and Governance. Each of these directions exhibits distinct evolutionary trends over time. While urban renewal policies in the Central, Western, Eastern, and Northeastern regions share common characteristics in key aspects such as land acquisition and compensation, funding assurance, and residential quality enhancement, they also reflect regional differences due to varying stages of development, economic conditions, and geographic factors. This demonstrates both the shared and distinct policy focus areas across different regions of China. By identifying underlying themes and their trajectories, this study provides critical insights into the structural characteristics of urban renewal policies and offers valuable references for government authorities to improve and optimize policy systems. At the same time, it provides the Chinese experience for urban renewal in other countries. Full article

Aiming at the uncertainty in load demand and wind-solar power output during multi-energy virtual power plant (VPP) scheduling, this paper proposes a robust optimal scheduling method incorporating incentive-based demand response (IDR). By integrating robust optimization theory, a ladder-type carbon trading mechanism, and IDR compensation strategies, a comprehensive scheduling model is established with the objective of minimizing the operational cost of the VPP. To enhance computational efficiency and adaptability, we propose a hybrid approach that combines the Column-and-Constraint Generation (C&CG) algorithm with Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) condition linearization to transform the robust optimization model into a tractable form. A robustness coefficient is introduced to ensure the adaptability of the scheduling scheme under various uncertain scenarios. The proposed framework enables the VPP to select the most economically and environmentally optimal dispatching strategy across different energy vectors. Extensive multi-scenario simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance of the model, demonstrating its significant advantages in enhancing system robustness, reducing carbon trading costs, and improving coordination among distributed energy resources. The results indicate that the proposed method effectively improves the risk resistance capability of multi-energy virtual power plants. Full article

Apologies can offer solace and compensate for intangible and emotional harm in social and legal contexts. In some areas of law, an apology offered by a defendant will be factored into the assessment of damages awarded to vindicate the plaintiff’s rights and compensate for loss. This is the case in Australia, the jurisdiction primarily considered in this article, and in many other jurisdictions. There is a danger, however, of assuming that because apologies are compensatory in some sense, they can be used as a basis to reduce damages in tort law more generally. Even though general damages for non-pecuniary loss in fault-based torts are incommensurate to a monetary amount, they are still intended to compensate for actual loss. Empowering defendants to reduce their damages exposure by apologizing might incentivize meaningful apologies which are valued by plaintiffs. It might also create perverse incentives for plaintiffs and defendants alike, further unbalancing a system in which plaintiffs are already at risk of under-compensation. And it raises uncomfortable questions of evidence, reciprocity, agency and expertise which are yet to be fully explored. We argue for these reasons that it is not currently defensible to reduce an award of general damages for negligence, especially for personal injuries, on the basis of an apology by the defendant. Full article

Enhancing farmers’ digital literacy is both an inevitable requirement for adapting to the digital age and an important measure for promoting the sustainable development of livestock and poultry manure resource utilization. This study surveyed and obtained data from 1047 farm households in Ningxia and Gansu, two provinces in China that have long implemented livestock manure resource utilization policies, from December 2023 to January 2024, and employed the binary probit model to analyze how digital literacy influences farmers’ willingness to adopt two livestock manure resource utilization modes, as well as to analyze the moderating role of three policy regulations. This paper also explores the heterogeneous results in different village forms and income groups. The results are as follows: (1) Digital literacy significantly and positively impacts farmers’ willingness to adopt both the “household collection” mode and the “livestock community” mode. For every one-unit increase in a farmer’s digital literacy, the probability of farmers’ willingness to adopt the “household collection” mode rises by 22 percentage points, and the probability of farmers’ willingness to adopt the “livestock community” mode rises by 19.8 percentage points. After endogeneity tests and robustness checks, the conclusion still holds. (2) Mechanism analysis results indicate that guiding policy and incentive policy have a positive moderation effect on the link between digital literacy and the willingness to adopt the “household collection” mode. Meanwhile, incentive policy also positively moderates the relationship between digital literacy and the willingness to adopt the “livestock community” mode. (3) Heterogeneity analysis results show that the positive effect of digital literacy on farmers’ willingness to adopt two livestock manure resource utilization modes is stronger in “tight-knit society” rural areas and in low-income households. (4) In further discussion, we find that digital literacy removes the information barriers for farmers, facilitating the conversion of willingness into behavior. The value of this study is as follows: this paper provides new insights for the promotion of livestock and poultry manure resource utilization policies in countries and regions similar to the development process of northwest China. Therefore, enhancing farmers’ digital literacy in a targeted way, strengthening the promotion of grassroots policies on livestock manure resource utilization, formulating diversified ecological compensation schemes, and establishing limited supervision and penalty rules can boost farmers’ willingness to adopt manure resource utilization models. Full article

This paper proposes a ladder carbon trading-based low-carbon economic dispatch model for integrated energy systems (IESs), incorporating flexible load optimization and hybrid energy storage systems consisting of battery and thermal energy storage. First, a ladder-type carbon trading mechanism is introduced, in which the carbon trading cost increases progressively with emission levels, thereby providing stronger incentives for emission reduction. Second, flexible loads are categorized and modeled as shiftable, transferable, and reducible types, each with distinct operational constraints and compensation mechanisms. Third, both battery and thermal energy storage systems are considered to improve system flexibility by storing excess energy and supplying it when needed. Finally, a unified optimization framework is developed to coordinate the dispatch of renewable generation, gas turbines, waste heat recovery units, and multi-energy storage devices while integrating flexible load flexibility. The objective is to minimize the total system cost, which includes energy procurement, carbon trading expenditures, and demand response compensation. Three comparative case studies are conducted to evaluate system performance under different operational configurations: the proposed comprehensive model, a carbon trading-only approach, and a conventional baseline scenario. Results demonstrate that the proposed framework effectively balances economic and environmental objectives through coordinated demand-side management, hybrid storage utilization, and the ladder-type carbon trading market mechanism. It reshapes the system load profile via peak shaving and valley filling, improves renewable energy integration, and enhances overall system efficiency. Full article

This study evaluates the current Spanish insurance framework for catastrophic flood risk, administered by the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (CCS), based on nationwide loss data reported by the CCS for the period 1996–2020. The analysis of historical claims data enables a clear differentiation between frequent, low-cost events and infrequent, high-impact catastrophes. While the CCS has fulfilled a critical role in post-disaster compensation, the findings highlight the parallel need for ex ante risk mitigation strategies. The study proposes a more efficient, two-tier risk coverage model. Events whose impacts can be managed through standard insurance mechanisms should be underwritten by private insurers using actuarially fair premiums. In contrast, events with catastrophic implications—due to their scale or financial impact—should be addressed through general solidarity mechanisms, centrally managed by the CCS. Such a risk segmentation would improve the financial sustainability of the system and create fiscal space for prevention-oriented incentives. The current design of the CCS scheme may generate moral hazard, as flood exposure is not explicitly priced into the premium structure. Empirical findings support a shift towards a more transparent, incentive-aligned model that combines collective risk sharing with individual risk responsibility—an essential balance for effective climate adaptation and long-term resilience. Full article

Applying the resource-based view and dynamic capability theory, this study employs panel data analysis to examine how financial flexibility influences corporate innovation efficiency from an integrated resource-capability perspective. Analyzing data from Chinese A-share listed companies during 2013–2022, we discovered three key results. First, as an organizational liquidity buffer, financial flexibility reduces transaction costs, enhances incentives for technical talent retention, and better aligns executive compensation with innovation objectives. Second, as a manifestation of financial dynamic capabilities, financial flexibility significantly boosts a firm’s overall dynamic capabilities, thereby increasing innovation efficiency. Third, institutional investor engagement positively moderates this relationship through enhanced governance oversight. These investors strengthen governance oversight and reduce information asymmetry. Our findings advance the financial flexibility literature and offer actionable strategies to optimize innovation resource allocation and sustain R&D competitiveness. Companies should strategically build financial reserves to enhance innovation efficiency and achieve sustainable development. Full article

In practice, the new generation of knowledge-based employees often exhibits a “lying flat” attitude. This reflects the failure of organizational incentive mechanisms. In order to improve the incentive system and encourage employees to be proactive, the study explores and compares the synergistic effects of different rewards tools on various forms of proactive behavior in the new generation of knowledge employees. After conducting fsQCA and NCA analyses on paired data from 93 leaders and 210 employees based on the ERG theory, the findings indicate that no single reward tool is a necessary condition for triggering high proactive behavior. Instead, different reward tools need to work in synergy to produce effective motivation. Three patterns drive employees to exhibit high individual task proactivity. They are the “Dual-Drive Salary Security and Moderate Labor Dominant” pattern, the “Moderate Labor Dominant” pattern, and the “Salary Security Dominant” pattern. Two patterns drive employees to demonstrate high team member proactivity, namely the “Employee Care Dominant High-Investment” pattern and the “Pay Fairness Dominant High-Investment” pattern. Additionally, good work experience (i.e., colleague relationships) in the workplace has a significant impact on both types of proactive behavior. The research conclusions will provide insights and references for enterprise managers to design more targeted compensation incentive policies and unleash the vitality of the new generation of knowledgeable employees. Full article

Under the “Dual Carbon” strategy, collaborative governance of port atmospheric pollutants and carbon emissions is critical for low-carbon transformation. Focusing on Ningbo-Zhoushan Port (48% regional ship emissions), this study examines government, port enterprises, and public interactions. A tripartite evolutionary game model with numerical simulation reveals dynamic patterns and key factors. The results show the following: (1) A substitution effect exists between government incentive costs and penalty intensity—increased environmental governance budgets reduce the probability of government incentives, whereas higher public reporting rewards accelerate corporate emission reduction convergence. (2) Public supervision exhibits cyclical fluctuations due to conflicts between individual rationality and collective interests, with excessive reporting rewards potentially triggering free-rider behavior. (3) The system exhibits two stable equilibria: a low-efficiency equilibrium (0,0,0) and a high-efficiency equilibrium (1,1,1). The latter requires policy cost compensation, corporate emission reduction gains exceeding investments, and a supervision benefit–cost ratio greater than 1. Accordingly, the study proposes a three-dimensional “Incentive–Constraint–Collaboration” governance strategy, recommending floating penalty mechanisms, green financial instrument innovation, and community supervision network optimization to balance environmental benefits with fiscal sustainability. This research provides a dynamic decision-making framework for multi-agent collaborative emission reduction in ports, offering both methodological innovation and practical guidance value. Full article

It is a popular assumption that people learn certain practices for handling media in the course of their adolescence and adulthood, which make it difficult for them to develop new patterns for the use of media at a later point in their lives. From this theoretical standpoint, it is a challenge for older people to learn how to handle new media and integrate them into their current living situation. Beyond theoretical assumptions, there has formerly been a lack of exploratory investigations pursuing the conditions under which older adults take up digital media with which they were previously not familiar and incorporate them into their daily lives. Between October 2023 and March 2024, 32 semi-standardised individual interviews were conducted with a group of people between 80 and 93 years of age, who had recently acquired a digital medium and integrated it into their everyday lives. The decisive factor here was the presence of certain motives that generate plausible incentives to make permanent use of new media. The interviewees have purposefully acquired new media. It is notable that acquisition processes were strongly initiated by significant changes in life circumstances. In the case of most interviewees, the intention to acquire an internet-enabled medium was based on the wish to use a few selected functions. New options for online use were only explored after a while. The following patterns were identified regarding the motives and gratifications of acquisition: new media as…(1) hobby extension, (2) support network, (3) compensation tool, (4) connection opportunity, (5) escape from everyday life. It can be assumed that older people experience the use of new media as purposeful if they have specific motives for doing so. Biological, psychological and social correlations as well as ways of coping and dealing with age(ing) are relevant here. If daily use potentials are perceived as beneficial, older people show a high level of adaptability in terms of new media. Against this background, a gratification-orientated model appears to be a promising starting point for explaining the prerequisites for media adoption based on motives that generate plausible incentives for learning how to use new media at an older age. Full article