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Balancing Growth, Equity and Environment: A Temporal Evaluation of Sustainability in BRICS Economies
No full textThis research investigates the sustainable development trajectories of the BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – and the group's recent members, namely Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Iran, and Indonesia. The analysis focuses on the three fundamental pillars of sustainability: the social, economic, and environmental dimensions, over the period 2000–2022. The construction of an interdisciplinary framework, based on few indicators such as poverty rates and education levels in the field, GDP per capita and unemployment rates in the economic sphere and CO2 emissions and natural resource use in the environmental sector enables the research to make a comparative and temporal analysis of the sustainability performance of these emerging economies. Results document diversified patterns of development, with impressive economic progress, pervasive social inequalities, and increasing environmental pressures. Research further points to structural divergence among the initial BRICS members and new entrants to highlight the limits of such economies in combining social inclusion, protection of the environment, and economic growth. These results form part of the broader literature on sustainable development among the emerging economies and raise critical questions regarding the long-term sustainability of the BRICS model of advancing global sustainability objectives
Comparative clinical evaluation of "memory-efficient" synthetic 3d generative adversarial networks (gan) head-to-head to state of art: results on computed tomography of the chest
Full text linkGenerative Adversarial Networks (GANs) are increasingly used to generate synthetic medical images, addressing the critical shortage of annotated data for training Artificial Intelligence systems. This study introduces CRF-GAN, a novel memory-efficient GAN architecture that enhances structural consistency in 3D medical image synthesis. Integrating Conditional Random Fields within a two-step generation process allows CRF-GAN improving spatial coherence while maintaining high-resolution image quality. The model's performance is evaluated against the state-of-the-art hierarchical (HA)-GAN model. Materials and Methods: We evaluate the performance of CRF-GAN against the HA-GAN model. The comparison between the two models was made through a quantitative evaluation, using FID and MMD metrics, and a qualitative evaluation, through a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) test completed by a pool of 12 resident radiologists, to assess the realism of the generated images. Results: CRF-GAN outperformed HA-GAN with lower FID and MMD scores, indicating better image fidelity. The 2AFC test showed a significant preference for images generated by CRF-Gan over those generated by HA-GAN. Additionally, CRF-GAN demonstrated 9.34% lower memory usage and achieved up to 14.6% faster training speeds, offering substantial computational savings. Discussion: CRF-GAN model successfully generates high-resolution 3D medical images with non-inferior quality to conventional models, while being more memory-efficient and faster. The key objective was not only to lower the computational cost but also to reallocate the freed-up resources towards the creation of higher-resolution 3D imaging, which is still a critical factor limiting their direct clinical applicability. Moreover, unlike many previous studies, we combined qualitative and quantitative assessments to obtain a more holistic feedback on the model's performance
L’intrusione. Uno sguardo al laboratorio letterario di Franz Kafka
Full text linkThe present paper will show how semiotics can discuss the condition of possibility of philology and genetic critics. The case study consists of some literary exercises by Franz Kafka. A recurring exercise in Kafka’s Diaries consists of rewriting a passage, often extending it with respect to its original version. Greimas’ generative trajectory allows to describe a constant narrative structure, that of intrusion, linking the different fragments. Kafka uses it several times by varying the elements of the semio-discursive level. Starting from this description, it is possible to distinguish different types of semiotic work performed by the enunciator to articulate and coordinate the planes of expression and content. Finally, these rewritings presuppose a dividual model of enunciation, whose subject is split into a pragmatic instance that selects and projects the elements on the level of the phrase and a second judgmental, cognitive instance that criticizes and amends the work of the previous one
Success in Internationalization of Fragile Companies Amid Global Crisis
No full textIn an era of heightened global volatility, fragile firms—such as SMEs, international entrepreneurs, and internationalizing B2B companies—face unique challenges in sustaining their internationalization efforts. This dissertation examines the mechanisms by which these firms navigate international expansion amid global crises, focusing on the interplay between dynamic capabilities. The study employs a mixed-method approach, combining fsQCA analyses, qualitative case studies, and a grounded theory approach. Findings illustrate how fragile firms can not only survive but thrive in global markets by upgrading their dynamic capabilities. This research provides actionable insights into strategic resilience for fragile firms, underscoring the importance of sustainable internationalization strategies and crisis-adaptable global value chain management. This work contributes to the fields of international business and global strategy by elucidating the specific configurations that enable fragile firms to succeed in uncertain environments, providing a practical roadmap for resilience in a volatile global landscape
Modelli di business di nano e micro content creators nell’ecosistema della creator economy italiana
No full textThis thesis investigates the business models of nano and micro content creators within Italy’s creator economy, focusing on how small-scale creators develop monetization strategies and navigate platform dependency challenges. The study employs a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with Italian nano and micro creators and key figures in influencer marketing, including CEOs and talent managers from agencies. Data analysis, grounded in coding through NVivo, reveals recurring themes in monetization practices and power dynamics that shape the creator economy ecosystem.
Findings indicate that Italian nano and micro creators utilize a combination of monetization strategies, from sponsorships to digital product sales, and view authenticity as a crucial resource to sustain trusted relationships with their audience. While platform dependency is strong, there is a growing trend among creators to establish their own brands to reduce reliance on digital platforms. The role of intermediaries and agencies is highlighted as essential in supporting creators’ growth and managing commercial relationships, with emerging decentralized models, such as blockchain and NFTs, offering potential paths to greater financial autonomy.
The study is limited to the Italian context and small-scale creators, which may affect the generalizability of its findings to other countries or larger-scale creators. The qualitative nature of the research could also reflect subjective views, suggesting that quantitative studies could further validate these insights.
By focusing on nano and micro creators and examining the role of decentralized platforms, this thesis contributes to the growing field of creator economy studies and offers an original perspective on how creators can diversify their income streams, promoting a more sustainable and independent digital ecosystem
Creative industries and tourism. A framework to measure creative capital and tourism competitiveness of a destination.
No full textThe purpose of this thesis is to create a novel framework to assess how cultural and creative industries, tourism, and sustainability interact with each other in urban settings. Specifically, it aims to complement the Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor by incorporating additional tourism and sustainability indicators, offering a more holistic view on urban destinations’ competitiveness.
To achieve this goal, the study adopts a multi-indicator approach, drawing from established frameworks to examine creative, tourism and sustainability performance of twenty European cities. Then, it ranks the cities based on these dimensions to provide comparative insights on their strengths and weaknesses. The methodology is enriched with correlation analyses between indicators to measure the robustness and internal consistency of the new index.
The findings reveal that combining cultural and creative industries with tourism enhances both urban sustainability and global competitiveness, providing cities with a strategic advantage over competing destinations. The rankings resulting from the analysis show how cities that skillfully integrate their creative assets with tourism resources and sustainable development principles tend to create more resilient, urban environments that appeal to both residents and visitors. The study also identifies several success factors, such as effective resource management, transparent governance, and the strategic use of unique cultural and creative assets to cultivate distinct destination brands. Last but not least, the index developed in this thesis can serve as a tool for cities to benchmark their performance, offering valuable insights for policymakers aiming to drive sustainable urban growth.
The novelty of the thesis lies in the significant expansion of the Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor aimed at capturing not only the creative capital but also the tourism sector and sustainable foundations of a destination, two areas that are currently overlooked by the Monitor. By bridging these fields, the research therefore proposes a holistic tool to measure the competitiveness of creative cities and guide sustainable urban growth
