Search Results (13)

The durable nature of supply chains in the Middle Eastern region is critical, given the region’s strategic role in global trade corridors, yet geopolitical conflicts, territorial disputes, and governance challenges persistently disrupt key routes like the Suez Canal, amplifying vulnerabilities. This study addresses the urgent need to predict and mitigate supply chain risks by evaluating machine learning (ML) models for forecasting economic complexity as a proxy for resilience across 18 Middle Eastern countries. Using a multidimensional secondary dataset, we compare gated recurrent unit (GRU), support vector regression (SVR), gradient boosting, and other ensemble models, assessing performance via MSE, MAE, RMSE, and R². The results demonstrate the GRU model’s superior accuracy (R² = 0.9813; MSE = 0.0011), with SHAP, sensitivity, and sensitivity analysis confirming its robustness in identifying resilience determinants. Analyses reveal infrastructure quality and natural resource rents as pivotal factors influencing the economic complexity index (ECI), while disruptions like trade embargoes or infrastructure failures significantly degrade resilience. Our findings underscore the importance of diversifying infrastructure investments and stabilizing governance frameworks to buffer against shocks. This research advances the application of deep learning in supply chain resilience analytics, offering actionable insights for policymakers and logistics planners to fortify regional trade corridors and mitigate global ripple effects. Full article

The promotion of the simultaneous advancement of digitalization and sustainability has emerged as a crucial concern for achieving high-quality economic growth within the framework of the ‘dual-carbon’ objective. Based on the micro data of Chinese A-share listed companies between 2009 and 2022, this paper systematically examines how digital transformation affects the ESG performance of enterprises in order to explore the effective path for digitalization to promote the sustainable development of enterprises. The results indicate that implementing digital transformation can enhance the ESG performance of enterprises, which in turn boosts their capacity for sustainable development. The test of the mechanism indicates that enhancing internal total factor productivity and optimizing external financial allocation efficiency are the key strategies for driving ESG performance improvement in companies through digital transformation. Further analysis reveals that the improvement effect of digital transformation on corporate ESG performance is more prominent in state-owned enterprises, non-heavily polluted industries, central and western, and low-marketization regions. In addition, while digital transformation enhances the ESG performance of enterprises themselves, it also creates beneficial ripple effects on the ESG metrics of their suppliers and customers, ultimately boosting the sustainable growth of the entire supply chain. The conclusions of this paper help to deepen the potential value of digital transformation and provide policy and practical insights for achieving sustainable economic development. Full article

Oxygen is crucial for the survival of marine species. Yet, the ocean has experienced a loss of approximately 2% of its oxygen inventory since the last century, resulting in adverse impacts on marine life and ecosystems. In particular, changes in the gap between the supply and demand for dissolved oxygen lead to physiological and ecological variations, which cause alterations in habitats and food webs for fish and ecosystem services. These changes vary over time and by region, and the heterogeneous characteristics of marine species bring about non-linear consequences to human society. Despite this, identifying the potential ripple effects of deoxygenation on human society is challenging due to the integrated impacts of other stressors, such as global warming and ocean acidification, and their varying changes depending on environmental conditions and regions, such as upwelling and eutrophication. Therefore, we conducted a literature review on ocean deoxygenation and its effects on fish dynamics and the ecosystem, with a focus on the environmental and societal impact, to present crucial considerations and pathways for future research on ocean deoxygenation. We found that quantitative approaches are necessary to assess the dynamic changes under deoxygenation, and the consequent effects on marine ecosystems should be verified to exploit the natural resources from the ocean. One of the most reliable approaches to quantifying the ripple impacts of deoxygenation is to model spatial and temporal changes with other climate stressors, forming a global network encompassing socio-economic and regional effects of this global change to facilitate and improve capabilities to address the impacts of ocean deoxygenation. Full article

The growing number of photovoltaic installations has created competition in land use between the need for electricity and food. Agrivoltaic systems (AVSs) can help solve this problem by increasing land use efficiency through the co-production of electricity and food. However, in Japan, where more than 2000 AVSs have been installed, some undesirable AVS cases have led to new problems. In this study, we developed an AVS installation model that is compatible with a regional society and limits the scale of AVS installation to a low-risk level. AVS projects have also entered local industrial clusters and stimulated the local economy. In this study, we used public information and geographic information systems to ensure quantifiability and applicability. The results revealed that the rural area targeted in this study had an AVS generation potential of 215% (equal to 17.8 GWh) of the region’s annual electricity consumption and an economic ripple effect of 108.9% (EUR 47.8 million) of the region’s gross regional product. Furthermore, the levelized cost of electricity was estimated to be 14.94–25.54 Euro cents/kWh under secure settings. This study provides solutions to food, economic, and energy problems in rural areas by promoting the installation of AVSs. Full article

Ports play a vital role in the development of cities. In order to study the contribution of seaports to the urban economy, this paper uses the input–output method and multiplier theory to calculate the direct, indirect, and ripple economic contribution of ports to cities. Then, this paper selects Xiamen Port as an example to calculate the economic contribution. Xiamen Port is a major port on the southeast coast of China and an important node of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It can provide a reference for other port cities. A more detailed index system for evaluating the economic contribution is also constructed. Next, the time series ARIMA model is used to predict the cargo throughput and container throughput of Xiamen Port in the next four years. Finally, there are some suggestions put forward for the development of Xiamen Port. The results show the total economic contribution of Xiamen Port to the city accounted for 10.48% of the city’s GDP in 2017. Direct, indirect, and ripple economic contributions accounted for 2.84%, 2.13%, and 5.51%, respectively. The contribution of Xiamen Port to the city is in line with the growth pole theory, which not only allows for rapid growth in Xiamen Port itself but also drives the development of the entire region through the multiplier effect. The cargo throughput and container throughput of Xiamen Port will maintain continuous growth in the next four years. Therefore, the development of Xiamen Port should be accelerated to enhance its economic contribution to the city. Full article

The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of attracting a mega-sport facility on the development of a small town. As a case study, we took a close look at the changes occurring since Muju County attracted Taekwondowon in 2014 and its significance to urban development and city branding. Data were collected by individual interviews with five research participants engaged in the business and the regional development of Taekwondowon and the Muju County Office (MCO). As a result, the study produced the following outcomes: First, MCO has established an administrative and legal system to actively utilize Taekwondowon and spur urban development. Second, the regional ripple effects include the local economic consumption by the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation (TPF), purchasing local agricultural products by the TPF, and increasing income for local lodging and catering businesses generated by taekwondo events held at Taekwondowon. Third, and most importantly, Muju has been pursuing a transformation into a sustainable international tourism city by becoming the mecca for taekwondo. To achieve this goal, Taekwondowon has been taking some existing functions of Kukkiwon, and the MCO constructed the Taekwon Village, Taekwon Park, and Taekwon V Land throughout Muju. In addition, the social overhead capital necessary for a tourist destination, such as road expansion and a new express bus system between the international airport and Muju, has been reinforced. Furthermore, various tourism products using Taekwondowon have been provided to continue its city branding. In summary, it was found that Taekwondowon has played a pivotal role in Muju’s journey toward achieving sustainable development as the mecca for taekwondo. Full article

Airport development and operation has a significant impact on local economy. However, the impact is assessed differently from different perspectives. In this paper, the authors investigated how the public think on the benefit of airport development and operation from a regional perspective. More specifically, the paper focuses on what the main factors are in public perceptions on the regional benefit of airport development and operation. The authors analyzed a survey collected in South Korea using structural equation models. The authors assigned five categories of perception factors and examined these factor relationships regarding the ripple effects caused by airport development and operation on each region. The five factors were “increased use in air transportation”, “increased exchange with other regions”, “regional economic benefit”, “regional development”, and “dis-benefit to the region”. The model was verified with structural equations and path analysis results for each factor. It was revealed that people perceive the increased use in air transportation and the increased exchange with other regions as bringing about the most significant ripple effects, followed by regional development and regional economic benefit in this order, according to the order of path groups. The results of this paper are expected to provide stakeholders’ perspectives and insights when planning airport development and operation. Full article

A competitive smart tourism city can be a solution for building resilience to address current and future crises and even be a booster of the economic effects of tourism, since it has an economic ripple effect both inside and outside of the city. This study tried to estimate the intra- and inter-regional economic effects of the smart tourism city Seoul, which has high competitiveness as a smart tourism city. First, this study tried to objectively clarify the scope of smart tourism based on a Delphi survey and then adopted the inter-regional input–output model. The results showed that smart tourism city Seoul is expected to create high income, high value-added, and job creation effects inside the city, and will greatly contribute to securing tax revenue. Outside of the city, smart tourism city Seoul is expected to induce high production effects. Based on these results, this study highlights the economic effects of a smart tourism city, which describes the convergence of technology and tourism. Full article

The regional economic impacts of the construction of timber and concrete check dams in Akita prefecture, Japan, were compared. When functions are appropriately unified, a concrete check dam is cheaper to build than a timber one; the difference in construction costs can be used by the government to issue premium vouchers as a regional promotion measure. To evaluate the effect of this, we extended the latest input–output table for Akita Prefecture to include timber and concrete check dam construction sectors. Concrete check dam construction with premium-voucher issuance had a total effect of 46,064,000 yen (economic impact ratio: 1.49; increased employment: 4.68 people). It also had an indirect economic impact on the plywood sector, since plywood was used as formwork, and issuing premium vouchers had a ripple effect on many industries in the region. However, timber check-dam construction had a total effect of 57,706,000 yen (economic impact ratio: 1.86; increased employment: 5.11 people) and a larger effect on the timber, logs, and silviculture sectors. Therefore, despite higher initial costs, timber check dam construction has the greater economic and employment impact on a region through its large ripple effects on the forestry and wood industries. Full article

Hot water supply is one of the leading consumers of energy in the building sector in cold climate areas. The use of woody biomass is effective in reducing CO₂ emissions in hot-water supply systems. This report deals with a system that combines a wood pellet boiler (PB) and a heat pump system with CO₂ (CO₂HP) that is used in a facility for disabled people. The following research was conducted. The operation of a hybrid system combining a PB and CO₂HPs was investigated. While operating the system, four specific operations were developed as countermeasures to save on costs and reduce system troubles while reducing CO₂ emissions. The processes and results are introduced. Numerical simulations were carried out to optimize the operation. The hot water temperature, water volume, and hot water loads were simulated. The influence of the water volume ratio on the cost and primary energy consumption under the requirements for safe system operation was studied. The regional economic ripple effects (REREs) of this system were studied. The wood pellet boiler is not only a measure for reducing primary energy consumption but can also play an important role in a regional economy for sustainable development in countries that import energy resources such as Japan. Full article

The knowledge economy plays a leading role in current socioeconomic development and has changed industrial development. This study addresses whether changes in industrial development have improved the knowledge innovation, technical level, and productive efficiency of industries. Taiwanese industries were typically labor and technology-intensive and policy-oriented manufacturing industries in the past. This study analyzes the change in the spatial distribution of industries in southern Taiwan, and further examines the effect of knowledge interactions between industries and the region on industrial development, as well as the restrictions and opportunities for future development. Industries in southern Taiwan have formed a solid foundation based on policies promoted in the past. Nevertheless, an over-reliance on policy guidance has impeded breakthroughs and motivation to learn. Analytical results indicate that industries with stable and changing clusters achieve sustainable economic growth by creating links for innovative knowledge interactions through collaboration with suppliers and competitors. Accordingly, knowledge sources depend not only on internal research and development but also on external interactions to stimulate innovation. Restated, the input of key knowledge generates a high output, provides opportunities for industry transformation, and decreases resource consumption to achieve environmental sustainability during development. Additionally, the ripple effect of innovation, research, and development enhances structural evolution in industries, generating sustainable economic development. Full article

As a consequence of past decades of extensive afforestation in Norway, mature forest volumes are increasing. National forestry politics call for sustainable and efficient resource usage and for increased regional processing. Regional policies seek to provide good conditions for such industries to be competitive and to improve regional value creation. We demonstrate how methods from operations research and regional macro-economics may complement each other to support decision makers in this process. The operations research perspective is concerned with finding an optimally designed wood value chain and an aggregated planning of its operations, taking a holistic perspective on strategic-tactical level. Using Input-Output analysis methods based on statistics and survey data, regional macro-economics helps to estimate each industry actor’s value creation and impact on society beyond immediate value chain activities. Combining these approaches in a common mathematical optimization model, a balance can be struck between industry/business and regional political interests. For a realistic case study from the northern part of coastal Norway, we explore this balance from several perspectives, investigating value chain profits, economic ripple effects and regional resource usage. Full article

Biocultural heritage-based products, including regional specialty foods, are increasingly part of sustainable rural development strategies. While export-oriented biocultural products are often the most visible, we examine the role of campesino gastronomic heritage in the Central Valley of Tarija, Bolivia, as a case study of a local market-centered biocultural resource-based development strategy reflected in an alternative agri-food network. We develop a biocultural sustainability framework to examine this network from ecological, economic and sociocultural perspectives. Data are drawn from interviews (n = 77), surveys (n = 89) and participant observation, with primary and secondary producers of traditional and new products, as well as restaurant owners, market vendors and local consumers. We find that campesino biocultural heritage and the alternative agri-food network surrounding it represent an influential territorial project that underpins many household economies, particularly for women. We conclude that the relatively small investments by local governments to promote campesino gastronomic heritage are having positive ripple effects on small-scale producer livelihoods and on biocultural sustainability. We suggest that further support to increase market access and reduce other barriers to participation in alternative food networks will likely increase the options and benefits available to small-scale producers mobilising campesino gastronomic heritage within the local economy. Full article