Search

Governmental subsidy policy and channel information structure have substantial effects on supply chain emission reduction, operations and marketing decisions. In this paper, we use game theory to study the interplay of government subsidizing arrangement and information asymmetry on manufacturers' emission reduction and retailers' low-carbon promotion. Suppose realistically that the investment coefficients for manufacturers' emission reduction levels and retailer' low-carbon promotion levels are their respective private information. Among diverse governmental subsidy schemes, we find dual subsidizing are the best choice for the defined level of total subsidy under information asymmetry, while it is not always the best choice if the total subsidy level is uncertain. Under information asymmetry, the results show that manufacturer have no incentive to lie under any subsidy policy. However, the retailer has incentive to misrepresent individual information and its misreporting behaviour is related to the coefficient and allocation ratio of governmental subsidies. On this basis, we illustrate that a screening model can be deployed to reduce the negative effects of information asymmetry on supply chain operations. We therefore propose the method of improving the performance of low-carbon supply chains under various situations of information asymmetry and governmental subsidizing schemes to achieve system-wide Pareto improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines trust in public sector institutions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the impact factors. A survey was administered to a convenience sample of 1,372 local and expatriate residents in the United Arab Emirates during 2022–2023. Bivariate and multiple regression analyses were utilized. There was a high level of general public trust among respondents (mean = 4.11), with the highest trust in the police (mean = 4.21) followed by trust in the information disseminated by the government (mean = 4.06) and in the performance of public sector institutions (mean = 3.89). On the bivariate and multivariate levels, demographic variables had an insignificant impact on public trust. General trust was significantly correlated with institutional performance (β = 0.417), institutional integrity (β = 0.397), perceived gains (β = 0.378), and government-disseminated information (β = 0.374). Public trust is a complex reality linked to numerous organizational and nonorganizational factors. Improving public trust requires enhancing ethical conduct—crucial for maintaining trust—as well as good governance practices and leadership behavior. The sample size and quantitative focus might have limited the generalizability of the findings. In the future, researchers should use in-depth interviews or mixed methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does the European Commission respond to external expert reports about member states' non-compliance? We theorise that expert compliance assessments affect the Commission's monitoring costs and information about governments' probability of compliance. More precisely, the Commission is likely to launch infringements, when information is provided by institutions with extensive expertise that reveals practical non-compliance. However, reports about severe non-conformity indicate that governments will not reform their policies. Therefore, the Commission is expected to initiate infringements if the domestic conditions are favourable for compliance (government and societal EU support and active civil society). Analysing 63 EU directives and 27 countries, we find that enforcement depends on external expertise and practical non-compliance. Moreover, the Commission launches infringements against severe non-conformity when it is supported by civil society. Thus, the Commission utilises expert assessments strategically and it does not necessarily prioritise high levels of non-conformity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis qualitative (QL) case study aimed to map and evaluate the localized migrant interventions in Ilocos Norte, a province in northwestern Philippines with a large population of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Using an asset-based approach, this study sought to emphasize the strengths of local government agencies and their problem-solving capacities. Interview and focus group discussion data were collected from 37 participants, specifically from returned OFWs, provincial and local governments’ employees, and volunteers from an OFW family group. Results show that localized migrant interventions include those that were delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely, repatriation and quarantine and testing services. There were social protection services provided pre-pandemic and during the pandemic, including socioeconomic, social, health, and legal assistance, and capacity-building programs. Coordination among government agencies also occurred. Participants evaluated pandemic interventions as inconsistent and lacking, and these interventions were marred by poor communication and coordination. Results also show the centrality of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, which offers many programs but whose service provision received mixed assessment. The other government agencies also had mixed evaluations, marked by limitations in mandate and resources. Lastly, perceptions of the effectiveness of information dissemination by government agencies were varied. Results show that localized interventions are important in providing social protection to distressed OFWs. Policies to promote sustainable reintegration, prepare for future mass repatriation, and improve decentralization are recommended. Findings are useful in promoting awareness of government services and improving the lives of OFWs and their families. Future research can investigate linkages between government levels (e.g., between national and provincial, national and local) and the health status of service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Journalistic activity in Kazakhstan is a complex system that occupies an important place in the development and promotion of a national modernized model of public consciousness. The purpose of the study is to analyze the features of the development of the communicative model of the periodical press of Kazakhstan. The following methods were used to achieve the objectives: systematization, survey, and comparative. The results of the study determined that journalistic activity manifests itself in both professional and civil contexts, while outlining the saturation of content on the Internet. The survey of correspondents and journalists determined that the most influential topic that forms the public consciousness of Kazakhs is politics. Due to the active promotion of innovative technologies and the Internet, the media market is overflowing with various information, including fake, which negatively affects the consciousness of society. In order to effectively create a national model of society, representatives of the mass media must adhere to the principles of ethics, and actively promote the fight against fake information together with government agencies and society. The practical significance lies in the use of the results of the study by academics and specialists in journalism and communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The complexity, high prevalence, and substantial personal and socioeconomic burden collectively render atopic dermatitis (AD) a major public health concern. Using crowdsourced Internet data has the potential to provide unique insights into this concern, as demonstrated by several previous studies. However, a comprehensive comparison across European countries remains lacking. Objectives: The study aimed to investigate AD‐related web searches across Europe to assess spatiotemporal variations and associations between disease‐related and external factors. Methods: AD‐related web search data were extracted for 21 European countries between February 2019 and January 2023. Descriptive analysis and autocorrelation functions were performed to examine spatiotemporal patterns. Correlations (r) were used to evaluate the associations between web searches and disease‐related, socioeconomic and meteorological data. Results: Over 241 million AD‐related web searches were identified, with search volume varying substantially among European countries (p < 0.001) and correlating with AD prevalence and disease burden (both r = 0.51, p = 0.019). Search volume increased between 2019 and 2023 in all countries and seasonally peaked in January and March. Negative correlations with median population age (r = −0.46, p = 0.039), number of general practitioners (r = −0.29, p = 0.226) and specialists (r = −0.27, p = 0.270) were observed. Moderate to strong correlations were found between search volume and cold, humid and windy weather with fewer sunshine hours, while higher online interest typically occurred 1–3 months after such weather conditions. Conclusion: The study highlights the great potential of online crowdsourced data analysis, for example, to investigate the impact of climate change or to identify unmet needs at a population level. Furthermore, the growing online interest in AD and the corresponding seasonal peaks emphasize the necessity of adapting treatment plans, intensifying public health campaigns, and disseminating reliable online information by governments and healthcare providers, especially during these periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the rationality of Japanese government construction forecasts between 1960 and 2019 and investigates whether the construction forecasts have an information advantage over other government's forecasts using a recently developed test under instabilities in forecasting environments. The Japanese government construction forecasts broadly served as a reliable benchmark for most of the economic development process until the 1990s. This finding suggests that those construction forecasts contributed to effective and careful resource allocation planning in the construction and related industries and to the Japanese economy's post-war growth. There were, however, a few irrational construction forecasts after 2000, indicating that recent construction forecasts can be improved by incorporating information from the government's macroeconomic forecasts. The results indicate that misleading results demonstrating that all forecasts were rational were obtained if relying on the standard rationality test. These findings also suggest that governmental agencies in various countries may benefit from publishing construction forecasts because those forecasts would contribute to promoting sustainable development and growth in construction industry, not only in advanced but also developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Freedom of Information Act permits requestors access to government information unless an exemption applies. Exemption (b)(3)(B) permits the government to protect information if there is a specific reference to a FOIA exemption in the withholding statute. Congress created this new requirement in 2009 in order to remove decision making power from administrative agencies and courts and reserve the power to disclose or withhold information with the legislative branch. This exemption poses problems to courts when there is a clear intent to protect information in the withholding statute without a clear reference to Exemption (b)(3)(B). As a result, courts have issued inconsistent holdings regarding the protection or disclosure of information. Broadly, some courts have held that the withholding statute must contain a reference to FOIA Exemption 3 and adhere to the strict requirements of Exemption (b)(3)(B). This approach, however, lies in direct conflict with legislative entrenchment--the notion that a previous legislature may not bind a future legislative body known. Contrasted with the strict approach, other courts have used various interpretative tools to circumvent the requirements of Exemption (b)(3)(B) and held in accordance with the manifest intent of the withholding statute instead. By following either approach, courts are complying with one law at the expense of violating another. These inconsistent holdings demonstrate that Exemption (b)(3)(B) does not fulfill the intent of Congress and should be reappealed or the Supreme Court should decide this fracture as a result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine, backed by frequent nuclear threats, has focused attention on the scope of Russia's nuclear capabilities. The short assessments the United States Government provides are inadequate. Because of the very limited U.S. government information on the scope of Russia's nuclear capabilities, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) estimates are cited globally as if authoritative and definitive; they clearly are not. The numerous FAS numbers are largely undocumented and little documentation apparently exists to support their data. It is possible that the Russian nuclear force may be in the size range that the FAS estimates but it is also possible that it is twice as large or even larger. The Russian nuclear advantage may already be several to one and it is growing. The Russian advantage is particularly notable in non-strategic nuclear weapons. An accurate understanding of Russia's nuclear capability is a critical element in shaping America's nuclear deterrence requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A crucial feature of the democratic life cycle, government stability, has prompted the interest of many scholars across the globe. As a result, research on this matter has established itself as one of the most developed agendas in comparative politics. However, despite the abundance of studies on the drivers of government stability, the ruling parties' capacity to promote policy change when in government remains unexplored. This study aims to fill this lacuna by testing the effect of political constraints on the premature end of cabinets. It does so by leveraging an original longitudinal multilevel dataset comprising information on 429 governments in 20 Western European countries on which event history analyses are performed. The study's findings show that high political constraints significantly increase the risk of cabinet termination, indicating that seeking to survive in office without governing can be an impassable road for ruling parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant global investments in mobile government projects, the adoption of these services has been unsatisfactory, with low user acceptance levels reported by governments. Given the crucial role of user acceptance in the success of m-government, researchers specializing in this field should investigate the factors that influence users' willingness to use these services. This study aims to address this issue in the Republic of Kosovo context. In the study, the reasons for using the Mobile Document Management System (mDMS) were also investigated. The research gathers information from government officials in the Republic of Kosovo through structured questionnaires, and empirically tests the factors that influence the intention to use Mobile Government (m-Government)systems in Kosovo, by amalgamating two models: TAM& DOI, with the incorporation of two new constructs, namely Trustworthiness, and Image. The results have revealed that Perceived Usefulness and Observability were the sole factors that might influence the willingness of the Kosovars to use m-Government andthe mDMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media is commonly used by governments to disseminate information related to transparency and institutional promotion, but its potential for the dissemination of cultural resources is often overlooked. This research proposes a strategy for adopting social media to achieve cultural dissemination in the municipality of Lamas, Peru, which has tourism potential and has been awarded the "Best Tourism Villages" seal of the World Tourism Organisation. Methodologically, we propose a case study at a propositional exploratory level. We start by determining the current state of dissemination of tangible and intangible resources, as well as the practical use of social media, through a survey of 20 officials. The results reveal that crafts are the most widely disseminated tangible resource in the municipality (according to 55% of officials), and intangible resources are occasionally disseminated (50%). We also find that Facebook is the only digital channel used to disseminate cultural information. In this context, we formulate a strategy for adopting social media to improve cultural dissemination, which consists of six phases: (i) forming a work team, (ii) preparing a budget plan, (iii) strengthening capacities, (iv) taking inventory of cultural resources, (v) coordinating community interests and (vi) preparing a cultural dissemination plan. The findings can contribute to formulating public initiatives for the institutionalisation of social media in governments for the purposes of preserving, promoting and guaranteeing the accessibility of cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a harmful mismatch between how information published by the government is perceived—as highly trustworthy—and the reality that it is often not. This Article shows that the government frequently collects information from third-party private entities and publishes it with no review or vetting. Although this information is riddled with errors and inaccuracies, scholars, policymakers, and the public treat the information with unwarranted confidence because it derives from the government. Further, institutional imprimatur (and consequent trust) attaches to information even tangentially associated with the government and to information where the government explicitly disclaims review. This Article highlights the ubiquity of government platforms for private, unvetted information that is easily misinterpreted as authoritative. For example, the EPA encourages the public to rely on emissions data supplied by companies and unreviewed by the agency, the FDA disseminates official-looking information about drugs that is generated by drug manufacturers and posted without agency evaluation, and the CDC publicizes a database of potential vaccine side-effects to which anyone can submit unverified reports. Many policies push open access to government information under the belief that the public can use this information for valuable ends. Greater access to government information is also touted as promoting transparency and democratizing governance. This Article argues that, contrary to scholarly consensus, policies to promote openness may instead spread misinformation, which often works against the goal of the institution disseminating the information and has broader social harms. These harms are aggravated by a growth in public access to government information via private intermediaries. Existing policy tools—disclaimers and sanctions—offer only an incomplete solution to the problem of government misinformation. This Article proposes new solutions including mechanisms to correct inaccurate information and methods to package information in ways that render it less misleading. Without reform, the push towards open access to government information may erode, not build, trust in government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to know the cyberthreat faced by Indonesian society and understand how the government responds towards this threat. This study employs two types of data. The first came from the literature for building the theoretical linkage, and the second came from an online survey of 328 respondents about cyberthreats that they experience, as well as the respondents' perception regarding the government's response. The results were then analyzed systematically along with the literature review analysis. The results show that 64 percent of Indonesian respondents have modest knowledge in terms of cyberthreats and regulations made for it. There are three main arguments for this condition. First, low level of knowledge in cyberthreat within the society. Second, Indonesian people unprepared to face the cyberthreat surrounding their daily life. Third, an inadequate Indonesian government response to prevent and tackle the cyberthreat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine and analyze the effect of information technology utilization, implementation of Local Government Information Systems, and human resource competencies on the quality of Local Government Financial Reports on SKPD in Banjarmasin City. This type of research used is quantitative research. The research data was obtained by using a questionnaire distributed to financial management employees at SKPD in Banjarmasin City. The sampling were determined by using the purposive sampling. The analysis technique used is multiple linear analysis using the IBM SPSS Statistics application. The results of this study indicates that the utilization of information technology affects the quality of Local Government Financial Statements. Meanwhile, the implementation of Local Government Information Systems, and the competence of human resources does not effect the quality of Regional Government Financial Reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste management is a difficult and complicated issue. Since this waste may constitute a threat to persons and the environment, it is vital to guarantee that it is adequately collected. Therefore, new waste collection technologies that adopt modern technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) are the appropriate alternative. Determining the optimal intelligent technology for waste management and tuning its priorities is a complicated task that requires taking into account the dimensions of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Thus, this paper introduces a hybrid methodology for multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) that assesses intelligent waste management technologies utilizing IoT, taking into account multiple criteria. First, eleven decision-making criteria are determined to give a realistic approach. Second, the researchers demonstrated the innovative decision approach established on the combination of the Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking according to the COmpromise Solution (MARCOS) method and the Indifference Threshold-based Attribute Ratio Analysis (ITARA) method, called T2NN-ITARA, under a type-2 neutrosophic numbers (T2NNs) environment. This approach has been used to define the criteria's relative significance. Also, T2NN-MARCOS approach has been established to evaluate and classify intelligent waste management technologies based on IoT and to reveal the most sustainable solution. An illustrative case study evaluating four intelligent waste management technologies based on IoT is presented to prove the validity of the applied methodology. The findings show that the criteria of sustainability and standardization are the two most influential criteria in the evaluation and classification of intelligent waste management technologies based on IoT. It has also been determined that the RFID and GPRS blend for waste management is the most suitable intelligent technology for garbage management. Sensitivity and comparison analyzes were also accomplished to illustrate the stability, strength, and robustness of the suggested approach. The research provides significant information for government and waste practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental governance challenge facing central authorities is how to mitigate the prevalent local protection against non-local firms. We document that judicial fiscal centralization—transferring local courts' budgetary power from local governments to provincial finance departments—significantly increases the winning probability of non-local plaintiffs (defendants) against local defendants (plaintiffs) if lawsuits are tried in the defendant's (plaintiff's) jurisdiction. However, such centralization exhausts local governments' information advantage in keeping local courts accountable. Specifically, the reform shifts local courts' expenditures from public affairs to private welfare and breeds judge corruption. Interestingly, as gifts in the form of pro-local rulings from courts to governments disappear, governments' day-to-day support to courts also weakens, deteriorating the courts' performance. Overall, our paper highlights the depth of the judiciary's political embeddedness and the complexity of fighting against local protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparency laws, such as the Right to Information (RTI) in India and Open Government Information (OGI) in China, seek to confront corruption. They have been able to expand people's space against corruption and other abuses of power, thus demanding accountability from the powerholders. Instead of particular regimes like democratic or authoritarian, we employ the Quality of Government (QoG) as a context to understand corruption control in India and China. Yet, due to various socio-political limitations, QoG remains inadequate in India; and uneven in China: these cripple the promises of transparency laws. Hence, it is necessary that India prioritizes human development, which shall require better QoG and China addresses its weaker areas in QoG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pilot of Accountability Audit of Natural resources (AANR) is an important initiative for the Communist Party of China Central Committee to eradicate environmental pollution and promote the construction of ecological civilization. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between AANR and green innovation in heavily polluting enterprises, so as to promote regional sustainable development. With a sample of the national key monitoring enterprises in China from 2011 to 2018, this paper investigates the impact of AANR on green innovation in heavily polluting enterprises by applying the multi-period difference-in-differences model. The results indicate that AANR significantly promotes green innovation in heavily polluting enterprises. The results of mechanism testing indicate that AANR stimulates green innovation by promoting government environmental governance and government innovation-driven strategy. The heterogeneity testings indicate that the promoting effect of AANR on green innovation in heavily polluting enterprises is more significant in regions with higher environmental carrying capacity, higher pressure of GDP achievement and higher transparency of government environmental information. Therefore, China should deepen the enforcement of AANR to promote the green transformation of heavily polluting enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indonesian Constitution prioritises citizen welfare, intellectual growth, and a just society. Effective development and public services are key to this government. Government purchase of products and services is crucial to national and regional development. However, data transparency difficulties typically lead to procurement fairness conflicts, making government procurement openness difficult. This is addressed by Presidential Regulation Number 16 of 2018 and its revision. In addition, the Indonesian Information Commission has set public information disclosure requirements, including procurement exclusions. This research explains Indonesian government procurement transparency policies and their relationship to excellent local governance. This qualitative study examines government procurement information openness using normative legal literature and primary data from interviews and observations. Transparency in procurement processes promotes good governance, and community input in information disclosure exemption determinations is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the government subsidy programmes for a bioenergy supply chain composed of a power plant and farmers who privately know their quality information of bioenergy. The government offers two types of subsidy programmes to increase the supply of bioenergy: Agriculture Quantity Coverage (AQC) programme that pays the farmers subsidies based on the quantity of bioenergy, and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programme that is triggered when the market price of bioenergy falls below a reference price. With AQC programme, when the quantity of bioenergy is large, farmers may get more subsidies but the wholesale price of bioenergy would decrease, thus hurting the farmers' payoffs. By contrast, with PLC programme, the farmers can get more subsidies with a lower wholesale price, which also undermines the farmers' profitability. In equilibrium, the government prefers the AQC programme when the cost of the non-bioenergy is high, or the cost of the non-bioenergy is low and the government's subsidy payment coefficient in the PLC programme is high. Moreover, social welfare is higher with the PLC programme than that with the AQC programme when the cost of the non-bioenergy is high and the subsidy payment coefficient is low, and is lower otherwise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Supreme Court has constructed key parts of First Amendment law around two underlying assumptions. The first is that the press is a powerful actor capable of obtaining government information and checking government power. The second is that the executive branch is bound by various internal and external constraints that limit its ability to keep information secret. Judges and legislators have long assumed that these twin forces--an emboldened press and a constrained executive--maintain a rough balance between the press's desire to uncover secrets and the executive's desire to keep information hidden. Landmark First Amendment cases such as the Pentagon Papers decision embody this view. Professor Cass Sunstein has described these cases as establishing a "First Amendment equilibrium," one that arises out of the structural competition between the press and the executive. Today, judges and legislators continue to treat the press and the government as equal combatants in these disputes. Yet whatever equilibrium might once have existed between the press and executive branch has been destabilized. The institutional press has been eviscerated in recent years--hemorrhaging talent, expertise, resources, and legitimacy. Wide swaths of the country now qualify as "news deserts," lacking any local press presence at all. Public trust in the mainstream media has also plummeted. At the same time, many internal checks no longer constrain the ability of the executive branch to guard its secrets. This combination of a hollowed-out press and an insufficiently checked executive has given rise to a First Amendment disequilibrium, unsettling the foundations of this critical segment of constitutional law. This Article describes the causes and consequences of this disequilibrium and argues that recalibration is essential to fostering effective democratic self-governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Indonesian government must take anticipatory steps to fight against global infections increasingly unsettling the public. Many media have highlighted the government's way of dealing with the pandemics, such as providing the latest news and information related to Covid-19. In this light, this study aims to identify the rhetorical appeals used in Indonesian government statements in times of Covid-19 pandemics and describe how those rhetorical appeals used by Indonesian government public addresses from The Jakarta Post online edition from March until December 2020. This study is expected to look at how texts and practices during the pandemic and its panic were in line with the Indonesian government to support their case. The result of this study can be used as a reference for the lecturers who want to help their students understand texts and their practices in online media. In addition, this study is expected to add new content to the study of rhetoric and discourse analysis and how the language of the pandemic is represented in the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a lot of discussion on the shift from voluntary to mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its impacts in different countries across the globe. India is unique in this context as the reporting and expenditure of a certain amount under CSR has been mandated for companies. This article analyzes the changes and responses of Indian businesses post‐2014, when new CSR rules were enacted. The key objectives of this study are to assess the level of awareness and compliance, thematic and geographical focus areas for CSR projects, and drivers and barriers to the adoption of mandatory CSR. We performed a secondary analysis of the data from 60 companies, followed by extensive primary research through in‐person interviews and offline questionnaire responses with 100 key CSR professionals from different companies in India. A key finding from the study is that the awareness of CSR policy and the pool of CSR funds has increased. The policy mandates have been a good driver in improving transparency and reporting quality. However, there is a predominant focus on four thematic areas of education, healthcare, hunger, and poverty alleviation despite the government's efforts to expand in other areas. The geographical spread of expenditure is limited to a few key industrial states in India, limiting CSR's contribution towards national development. The study adds to the CSR literature associated with institutional and stakeholder theories by looking at the response of legally bound organizations toward society and the environment. Finally, the study provides valuable information for governments and regulatory authorities considering the mandatory implementation of CSR expenditure across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital age, governments can reach thousands of citizens easily and at a low cost using information and communication technology (ICT). However, little is known about whether such ICT-delivered messages are received by citizens and result in behavioural change. We develop a theory about the barriers that government messages need to overcome if citizens are to receive a message and engage in it. We test the effects of a government health message in a large-scale field experiment among 4,880 representative citizens. The results show that small-scale government information campaigns delivered through ICT can succeed in changing citizen behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the previous literature on green technology adoption has not fully considered information sharing, we consider the impact of demand information sharing on the adoption of green technologies by risk‐averse farmers in a vertical agricultural supply chain. We find that government subsidies and information sharing do not always promote farmers' adoption of green technologies. The accuracy of the information plays a vital role in promoting farmers' adoption of green technologies; however, the increased green technology adoption induced by more accurate information may be detrimental to farmer welfare in the presence of production diseconomies. Information sharing can reduce the amount of government subsidies for promoting green technology adoption, thereby suggesting the substitutable role of information and monetary instruments. Nonetheless, information‐sharing may lead to lower water savings and thus should be adopted with caution. Risk aversion has a nontrivial impact on agricultural technology adoption: farmers are more likely to adopt traditional agricultural technologies when their risk aversion is either very low or very high. Finally, we validate our decision model with U.S. Department of Agriculture cotton production data and propose management insights to help farmers make appropriate adoption decisions under information asymmetry and risk‐averse attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile apps are critical in supporting the Indonesian provincial government during daily operations. Regarding their important role, these apps are the potential to become a target of malicious activity to gain access to government information. Hence, in this research, we conduct a security measurement of mobile apps affiliated with the provincial governments in Indonesia, aiming to provide a source of information for the app's developer to make further security improvements. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to conduct an empirical analysis related to this area, expecting to become a cornerstone for further research. In total, we found 162 mobile apps available on the Google Play Store and correlated to 31 province governments in Indonesia. We conducted standard mobile apps static analysis method, starting from metadata scraping of each provincial government-affiliated app available at the Google Play Store and measured their security based on several indicators, including access to sensitive permission, unprotected exported components, the adoption of binary protection mechanism, and the appearance of third-party tracker libraries. We found that 27.1% (44) government apps request at least two dangerous permission, over 5% of the apps embed the Advertisement library, 10% of the apps have more than five exported Activities, and 44 (25.94%) Indonesian government apps did not adopt any binary protection mechanism. Hence, these results can be tailored as a reference for the provincial government in determining the level of effectiveness and impact of an app when developing mobile-based software in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses one of the key challenges in the China Railway Express (CR Express) service industry, which is the asymmetry of information between the government and a CR Express operator. We formulate the CR Express service delivery problem with asymmetric information and other unique characteristics as the incentive compensation problem via the principal-agent approach. This is the first paper to develop an incentive-compatible (IC) compensation mechanism to improve CR Express service in the presence of adverse selection and moral hazard. Compared to the generic form of compensation, this paper proves that such an IC scheme with a linear compensation contract is optimal. Our optimal compensation mechanism provides a "positive incentive", where the monetary compensation is higher for the CR Express operator with lower operating costs, as opposed to the current compensation policy, which can create a "negative incentive". We find both underestimation and underinvestment problems, which become smaller when the CR Express operator's gross margin is relatively high. When the CR Express service level is discrete-valued, it is optimal to adopt a fixed compensation scheme. Finally, in the scenario with multiple CR Express operators, we propose a generalized Vickrey (GV) auction, which implicitly obtains both true gross margin and service level. The compensation offered by the government is indeed negative in the case of GV auction. Surprisingly, in this scenario, we find problems of both underestimation and overestimation. • This is first paper on compensation mechanism for government and logistics providers. • A novel generalized Vickrey auction can induce providers to tell true information. • The proposed compensation mechanism extends existing principal-agent theory. • Some interesting economic and managerial insights are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using national microdata from Zillow, we examine how U.S. housing markets respond to expanded information on local pollution stemming from a 1998 reporting change to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). Using both a difference-in-differences and a regression discontinuity in time design, we find that news coverage of the new TRI data lowered sales prices of homes near the largest reporting polluters but only within a tight geographic distance. Effects are isolated to homes within 0.5 miles of facilities reporting the largest amount of emissions (> 100 tons). This price capitalization implies public information on local polluters shifted private market behavior, suggesting a role for government as provider of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the effective enhancement of information communication effect through governmental social media in has emerged as a universally concerned issue on government governance within the social media era. As Generation Z represents the primary and frequent users of social media, understanding the factors influencing their behaviors regarding information seeking and avoidance on governmental social media platforms is essential (in China, the principal governmental social media platform is government microblogging). Employing the grounded theory methodology, 31 participants of Chinese Generation Z were recruited for the present study, and data were collected using an in-depth interview. The results showed that the factors influencing the information-seeking behavior of Generation Z towards government microblogging mainly include heuristic seeking factors (personal preference, emotional value, and following hot topics), systematic seeking factors (task demand and expert recommendation), and defensive seeking factors (defending stance, authority seeking, and impression management). The factors influencing the information avoidance behavior of Generation Z towards government microblogging mainly include heuristic avoidance factors (clickbait titles, content layout, excessive length, and high redundancy), systematic avoidance factors (selective ignorance and terminological density), and resource-limited avoidance factors (demand scarcity, time scarcity, and vitality scarcity). This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the government microblogging information behavior of Generation Z. Implications for government microblogging governance, strategy recommendations, and indicates directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to better understand of travelers' risk perception and travel decision in pandemic, this study examines the role of media information and the effect of trust in the government on travel decision making based on the social amplification of risk framework. We perform a structural equation model using 1,156 samples collected through an online survey. The most notable findings are that the exaggeration and volume of media information play significant roles as moderators in the relationship between risk characteristics and perceived risk. In addition, the results reveal that trust in the government completely mediates the relationship between perceived societal risk and travel intention. Based on the findings, this study provides implications for the risk management and travel decision-making process during pandemic crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many local governments, especially in Japan, disseminate multilingual disaster-related information to migrants as part of their disaster education programs to make their disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies more inclusive. However, little is known about the specific content of the information disseminated through such programs and how or why that content is selected. Using an example case of Okayama Prefecture in Japan and its principal city, Okayama City, the current study identifies the content of multilingual disaster-related information, as well as the assumptions behind its selection. To this end, the content of multilingual disaster-related information disseminated by these local governments was inductively analyzed, focusing on (1) what is and is not communicated, (2) how the government views the migrant population, and (3) their goals of information dissemination targeting migrants. As a result of conducting a qualitative content analysis on information disseminated by the Okayama local governments via information booklets and a YouTube video, it was found that the content was largely concerned with calling migrants to be proactive in taking preventive and harm reduction measures, as well as acquiring prerequisite knowledge (e.g., about disasters and their management). The underlying assumptions and expectations behind this content (e.g., how a behavioral change occurs and self-sufficiency as an expectation in disaster preparedness) are discussed, as well as issues associated with these assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open government data (OGD) and information and communication technologies (ICT) are potential enablers in meeting information needs related to finding employment opportunities, but there is little evidence‐based theorization to guide this enablement and avoid the barriers that hinder its use. The potential economic contribution of OGD has been researched in depth, but the potential of OGD for human development, specifically in developing countries, has not been theorized substantially. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate "how the role of ICT and OGD in meeting the employment‐related information needs of unemployed South African youth can be understood better by the application of the Choice Framework". The Choice Framework is Kleine's analytical tool for investigating ICTs for development toward a contextualized understanding of the relationships among the framework's elements, namely structure, agency, the dimension of choice and development outcomes. The research design was a single, exploratory case study; the data was collected in Alexandra Township of the Gauteng Province in South Africa using semi‐structured interviews. Data was collected from 34 participants (between the ages of 18 and 35) who were looking for employment. The data was analyzed thematically and then unpacked in terms of the constructors of the Choice Framework. The findings show that most participants had access to ICT but limited awareness of OGD, and several challenges in using OGD for finding employment‐related information were identified. The findings provide a theory‐based contextual understanding of the research space, including the challenges and recommendations for overcoming said challenges of finding information on employment opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anuario Turismo y Sociedad is the property of Universidad Externado de Colombia, Facultad de Empresas Turísticas y Hoteleras and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We study a model of the rise and fall of illiberal democracies. Voters value both liberty and economic security. In times of crisis, voters may prefer to elect an illiberal government that, by violating constitutional constraints, offers greater economic security but less liberty. However, violating these constraints allows the government to manipulate information, in turn reducing electoral accountability. We show how elements of liberal constitutions induce voters to elect illiberal governments that remain in power for inefficiently long—including forever. We derive insights into what makes constitutions stable against the rise of illiberal governments. We extend the model to allow for illiberal governments to overcome checks and balances and become autocracies. We show that stronger checks and balances are a double-edged sword: they slow down autocratization but may make it more likely. We discuss the empirical relevance of our theoretical framework and its connection to real world examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article adopts a process evaluation approach to identify the challenges and opportunities in scaled implementation of early childhood education (ECE) in Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab. It reports findings from mixed methods, including surveys administered to head teachers, ECE teachers, and parents across 386 schools, and focus groups and in-depth interviews with 25 participants across the different tiers of government. Using the RISE framework as an analytical lens, the article specifically explores issues of delegation, finance, information, and motivation across two accountability relationships – Compact and Management – to assess the extent to which the province's early learning system is coherent around the goal of scaling quality early learning. Research findings reveal multiple incoherences within each relationship of accountability as well as incoherences within similar elements across the two accountability relationships. The resulting insights indicate the need to strengthen the province's early learning system and improve the flow of accountability through effective delegation, including improved coordination, communication, and feedback mechanisms; effective finance, including resources for capacitating actors across all tiers of government; effective information, especially collection and utilization of data on process quality; and effective motivation to address weaker links in teacher allocation, incentives, professional development, and academic support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While digital governance has been adopted by governments around the world to assist in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of its implementation relies on the collection and use of personal information. This study examines the willingness of individuals to engage in information-sharing with governments when adopting health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 4,800 individuals drawn from 16 cities in China in 2021. Tobit regression models were used to assess the impacts of an array of determinants on an individual's willingness to share information with governments when adopting health technologies. Results: Individuals who perceived a higher level of helpfulness, risk, expectations from others, weariness toward privacy issues, and were sensitive to positive outcomes were more willing to share information with governments when adopting health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across all the subgroups, self-efficacy only reduced the willingness to share information with governments for individuals who spent more than seven hours per day online. The negative impacts of being sensitive to negative outcomes on the willingness to share information were only found among females and the less educated group. Conclusions: This study revealed the seemingly paradoxical behavior of individuals who perceived high risks of sharing information and a sense of fatigue toward privacy issues yet continued to be willing to share their information with their governments when adopting health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work highlighted significant differential motivations for sharing information with governments when using health technologies during a pandemic. Tailored policies that resonate with population sub-groups were suggested to be proposed to facilitate crisis management in future situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study is two‐fold. First, we examine the combined effect of small‐and medium‐sized enterprises' (SMEs) adaptability, government support and information technology capability in business resilience. Second, we study the mediating effect of information technology capability on the proposed direct relationships. A total of 211 SMEs participated in this survey voluntarily. The proposed model and hypotheses were tested using variance‐based structural equation modelling. The findings disclosed that SMEs' adaptability and information technology capability are positively related to business resilience. In terms of government support, it is not significantly related to SMEs' business resilience, while a mediation result is uncovered between government support and business resilience. Additionally, the results revealed that information technology capability mediates the relationship between adaptability and business resilience. Based on the theoretical implications of the existing literature on the SMEs' business resilience, this study also provides several useful managerial implications for business resilience enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our study we assess the responsiveness of Hungarian local governments to requests for information by Roma and non-Roma clients, relying on a nationwide correspondence study. Our paper has both methodological and substantive relevance. The methodological novelty is that we treat discrimination as a classification problem and study to what extent emails written to Roma and non-Roma clients can be distinguished, which in turn serves as a metric of discrimination in general. We show that it is possible to detect discrimination in textual data in an automated way without human coding, and that machine learning (ML) may detect features of discrimination that human coders may not recognize. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first attempt to assess discrimination using ML techniques. From a substantive point of view, our study focuses on linguistic features the algorithm detects behind the discrimination. Our models worked significantly better compared to random classification (the accuracy of the best of our models was 61%), confirming the differential treatment of Roma clients. The most important predictors showed that the answers sent to ostensibly Roma clients are not only shorter, but their tone is less polite and more reserved, supporting the idea of attention discrimination, in line with the results of Bartos et al. (2016). A higher level of attention discrimination is detectable against male senders, and in smaller settlements. Also, our results can be interpreted as digital discrimination in the sense in which Edelman and Luca (2014) use this term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"The Declassification Engine: What History Reveals About America's Top Secrets" by Matthew Connelly is a thought-provoking book that sheds light on the state of American archives and access to classified information. Connelly argues that excessive classification of information by the government is hindering public understanding of political events and impeding accountability. He emphasizes the need for a rational, risk management approach to declassification in order to balance national security concerns with the public's right to know. The book also explores the historical origins of secrecy in the US and its implications for democracy. Connelly's research project at Columbia University's History Lab developed algorithms to uncover redacted information in declassified documents, revealing hidden knowledge and challenging the effectiveness of secrecy. The book raises important questions about the role of classification in avoiding accountability and the potential loss of historical records due to the overwhelming volume of classified material. [Extracted from the article]

This study aims to determine and analyze the effect of the Local Government Financial Information System and Auditor Competence on Audit Quality. Data collection using questionnaire techniques involved 32 respondents consisting of auditors and PPUPD at the Bantaeng Regency Regional Inspectorate Office. The analysis method used is multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this observe show that the financial facts system of the nearby authorities and the competence of the auditor have a partially fine and good sized have an effect on audit quality. The local government financial information system and auditor competence simultaneously influence audit quality by 0.414 or 41.4%. This research can be used as evaluation material for the Internal Government Auditor, especially for the Bantaeng District Inspectorate, in improving the quality of their audits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]