Topic Review
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem services are the many and varied benefits to humans gifted by the natural environment and from healthy ecosystems. Such ecosystems include, for example, agroecosystems, forest ecosystems, grassland ecosystems and aquatic ecosystems. These ecosystems, functioning in healthy relationship, offer such things like natural pollination of crops, clean air, extreme weather mitigation, human mental and physical well-being. Collectively, these benefits are becoming known as 'ecosystem services', and are often integral to the provisioning of clean drinking water, the decomposition of wastes, and resilience and productivity of food ecosystems. While scientists and environmentalists have discussed ecosystem services implicitly for decades, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) in the early 2000s popularized this concept. There, ecosystem services are grouped into four broad categories: provisioning, such as the production of food and water; regulating, such as the control of climate and disease; supporting, such as nutrient cycles and oxygen production; and cultural, such as spiritual and recreational benefits. To help inform decision-makers, many ecosystem services are being valuated in order to draw equivalent comparisons to human engineered infrastructure and services.
  • 1.8K
  • 28 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Human Remains Detection Dogs
Human remains detection dogs (HRDDs) are powerful police assets to locate a corpse. However, methods used to select and train them are as diverse as the number of countries with such a canine brigade. First, a survey was sent to human remains searching brigades (N Countries = 10; N Brigades = 16; N Handlers = 50; N questions = 9), to collect their working habits. It confirmed the lack of optimized selection and training procedures. Second, a literature review was performed in order to outline the strengths and shortcomings of HRDDs training. A comparison between the scientific knowledge and common practices used by HRDDs brigade was then conducted focusing on HRDDs selection and training procedures. We highlighted that HRDD handlers explained to select their dogs by focusing on behavioral traits while neglecting anatomical features, which have shown their importance. Most HRDD handlers reported to use a reward-based training, which is in accordance with training literature for dogs. Olfactory training aids should be representative of the odor target to allow a dog to reach optimal performances. The survey highlighted the wide diversity of homemade olfactory training aids, and the need to optimize their composition. In the present document, key research topics to improve HRDD works are also provided.
  • 1.8K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Digital Twin in Supply Chain and Logistics
A digital twin is a virtual representation that replicates a physical object or process over a period of time. These tools directly assist in reducing the manufacturing and supply chain lead time to produce a lean, flexible, and smart production and supply chain setting. Digital twin technology creates relatively close connectivity between both the virtual and physical worlds, allowing you to monitor and command systems and components remotely. Moreover, it is now possible to run simulation models to test and forecast resource and process-related changes in various “what-if” scenarios. Hence, organizations are now getting significant benefits from digital twin technology that assists in mapping and analyzing details related to operations performance, product and service innovation, and shorter on time delivery.
  • 1.8K
  • 17 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Interaction Between Monetary and Fiscal Policies
Fiscal policy and monetary policy are the two tools used by the state to achieve its macroeconomic objectives. While for many countries the main objective of fiscal policy is to increase the aggregate output of the economy, the main objective of the monetary policies is to control the interest and inflation rates. The IS/LM model is one of the models used to depict the effect of policy interactions on aggregate output and interest rates. The fiscal policies have a direct impact on the goods market and the monetary policies have a direct impact on the asset markets; since the two markets are connected to each other via the two macrovariables output and interest rates, the policies interact while influencing output and interest rates. Traditionally, both the policy instruments were under the control of the national governments. Thus traditional analyses were made with respect to the two policy instruments to obtain the optimum policy mix of the two to achieve macroeconomic goals, lest the two policy tools be aimed at mutually inconsistent targets. But more recently, owing to the transfer of control with respect to monetary policy formulation to central banks, formation of monetary unions (like European Monetary Union formed via the Stability and Growth Pact), and attempts being made to form fiscal unions, there has been a significant structural change in the way in which fiscal and monetary policies interact. There is a dilemma as to whether these two policies are complementary, or act as substitutes to each other for achieving macroeconomic goals. Policy makers are viewed as interacting as strategic substitutes when one policy maker's expansionary (contractionary) policies are countered by another policy maker's contractionary (expansionary) policies. For example: if the fiscal authority raises taxes or cuts spending, then the monetary authority reacts to it by lowering the policy rates and vice versa. If they behave as strategic complements, then an expansionary (contractionary) policy of one authority is met by expansionary (contractionary) policies of the other. The issue of interaction and the policies being complements or substitutes for each other arises only when the authorities are independent of each other. But when the goals of one authority are made subservient to those of the other, then one authority solely dominates the policy making and no interaction worthy of analysis would arise. Also, fiscal and monetary policies interact only to the extent of influencing the final objective. So long as the objectives of one policy are not influenced by the other, there is no direct interaction between them.
  • 1.8K
  • 02 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Economic Innovation Caused by Digital Transformation
Different drivers trigger economic innovation in different times. Digital economic innovation results in changes in the industrial structure and helps productivity improvement and cost reduction in the production sector. The impact of economic innovation on technology and society spheres interacts with economic innovation. 
  • 1.8K
  • 07 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Road Traffic Congestion
Traffic congestion is a perpetual problem for the sustainability of transportation development. Traffic congestion causes delays, inconvenience, and economic losses to drivers, as well as air pollution. Identification and quantification of traffic congestion are crucial for decision-makers to initiate mitigation strategies to improve the overall transportation system’s sustainability. This study summarizes the current road traffic congestion measures and provides a constructive insight into the development of a sustainable and resilient traffic management system.
  • 1.8K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Fintech and Sustainability
Current concerns about environmental issues have led to many new trends in technology and financial management. Within this context of digital transformation and sustainable finance, Fintech has emerged as an alternative to traditional financial institutions. This paper, through a literature review and case study approach, analyzes the relationship between Fintech and sustainability, and the different areas of collaboration between Fintech and sustainable finance, from both a theoretical and descriptive perspective, while giving specific examples of current technological platforms. Additionally, in this paper, two Fintech initiatives (Clarity AI and Pensumo) are described, as well as several proposals to improve the detection of greenwashing and other deceptive behavior by firms. The results lead to the conclusion that sustainable finance and Fintech have many aspects in common, and that Fintech can make financial businesses more sustainable overall by promoting green finance. Furthermore, this paper highlights the importance of European and global regulation, mainly from the perspective of consumer protection. 
  • 1.8K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Prediction of Customer Churn in Retail E-Commerce Business
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is defined as a process in which the business manages its interactions with customers using data integration from various sources and data analysis.
  • 1.8K
  • 18 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Iranian Subsidy Reform Plan
The economy of Iran includes a lot of subsidies. The Iranian targeted subsidy plan (Persian: طرح هدفمندسازی یارانه‌ها‎), also known as the subsidy reform plan, was passed by the Iranian Parliament in 2010. The government described the subsidy plan as the "biggest surgery" to the nation's economy in half a century and "one of the most important undertakings in Iran's recent economic history". The goal of the subsidy reform plan is to replace subsidies on food and energy (80% of total) with targeted social assistance, in accordance with a Five Year Economic Development Plan and a move towards free market prices in a 5-year period. The subsidy reform plan is the most important part of a broader Iranian economic reform plan. According to the government, approximately $100 billion per year is spent on subsidizing energy prices ($45 billion for the prices of fuel alone) and many consumable goods including bread, sugar, rice, cooking oil and medicine. However, some experts believe direct subsidies are about $30 billion, depending on oil prices. The subsidy system has been inherited from the Iran–Iraq War era but was never abolished. Iran is one of the largest gasoline consumers in the world, ranking second behind the United States in consumption per car. The government subsidy reform has been years in the making, for reasons which are unclear. Iran's Supreme Leader has backed the government’s subsidy reform plan.
  • 1.8K
  • 13 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Euronext
Euronext is a European stock exchange seated in Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Lisbon, Dublin and Paris. In addition to cash and derivatives markets, the Euronext group provides listing market data, market solutions, custody and settlement services. Its total product offering includes equities, exchange-traded funds, warrants and certificates, bonds, derivatives, commodities and indices as well as FX platform. In 2018, Euronext is the largest in continental Europe with 1,300 issuers representing a €3.8 trillion market capitalization. Euronext merged with NYSE Group, Inc. on April 4, 2007 to form NYSE Euronext (NYX). On November 13, 2013 Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), completed acquisition of NYSE Euronext. In June 2014 Euronext completed an initial public offering making it a standalone company again.
  • 1.8K
  • 18 Oct 2022
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