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Unveiling financial inclusion dynamics: Fintech's resonance in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Get PDFThis article examines the determinants of financial inclusion in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEANs), with a particular focus on the role of financial technology (fintech). We constructed an extensive and up-to-date Global Financial Inclusion database (2011, 2014, 2017, and 2021) to generate 26,185 observations for seven ASEAN countries over a decade, and conducted a separate case study for Singapore, the region's most financially developed member. The results reveal that financial inclusion and financial technology have experienced robust growth in ASEAN but to varying degrees amongst the member countries. Fintech has a significant impact on financial inclusion over the specified period. The relationship between age and financial inclusion follows an inverted U-shaped pattern, with the turning point occurring between the ages of 29 and 45. Surprisingly, gender does not appear to be a determining factor. These results align with the aspirations of ASEAN policymakers to promote financial inclusion in line with the sustainable development goals
Impacts of ecosystem service message framing and dynamic social norms on public support for tropical forest restoration
Get PDFThe effectiveness of strategic psychology-based marketing techniques for increasing public support for conservation is poorly understood. We assessed how such techniques affect support for tropical rainforest restoration with a controlled online experiment with 1166 nationally representative residents of the United Kingdom. We tested whether support increased when adding ecosystem service (ES) framings to typical nongovernmental organizations’ (NGOs) biodiversity-focused messages that emphasize benefits to UK residents or people living near the tropical restoration site and a dynamic social norm nudge that emphasized increasing popularity of environmental restoration. We considered how respondents’ psychological traits (nature connection, self-efficacy, psychological benefits of supporting charities, awareness of environmental degradation in the Global South, and climate change skepticism) influenced responses. Outcomes included respondents’ reported advertisement sufficiency, sympathetic attitudes, behavioral support, and financial support. The study population typically found advertisements sufficient and exhibited sympathetic attitudes and financial, but not behavioral, support. Younger people exhibited greater conservation support than older respondents. Messages framed solely on biodiversity conservation were as effective as those highlighting additional ES benefits received by UK residents and people near the tropical restoration site. This suggests that framing around ESs, rather than nature's intrinsic value, may not strengthen public support for conservation. The dynamic social norm nudge had perverse effects. It reduced perceived social norms and most outcome variables. Alternative dynamic norm nudges warrant testing, but our results support research suggesting dynamic norm nudges can be ineffective when associated with activism, challenging their use by conservation NGOs. Psychological benefits of supporting charities and perceived self-efficacy increased support for advertisements, highlighting the benefits of including impact statements relating respondents’ support to specific outcomes. Climate change skepticism decreased support, whereas nature connection and perceived static social norms increased it, highlighting the need to increase nature connection and pro-environmental social norms to elevate public support for conservation
On graphs isomorphic with their conduction graph
Get PDFConduction graphs are defined here in order to elucidate at a glance the often complicated conduction behaviour of molecular graphs as ballistic molecular conductors. The graph GC describes all possible conducting devices associated with a given base graph G within the context of the Source-and-Sink-Potential model of ballistic conduction. The graphs GC and G have the same vertex set, and each edge xy in GC represents a conducting device with graph G and connections x and y that conducts at the Fermi level. If GC is isomorphic with the simple graph G (in which case we call G conduction-isomorphic), then G has nullity η(G) = 0 and is an ipso omni-insulator. Motivated by this, examples are provided of ipso omni-insulators of odd order, thereby answering a recent question. For η(G) = 0, GC is obtained by ‘booleanising’ the inverse adjacency matrix A−1(G), to form A(GC), i.e. by replacing all nonzero entries (A(G)−1)xy in the inverse by 1 + δxy where δxy is the Kronecker delta function. Constructions of conduction-isomorphic graphs are given for the cases of G with minimum degree equal to two or any odd integer. Moreover, it is shown that given any connected non-bipartite conduction-isomorphic graph G, a larger conduction-isomorphic graph G′ with twice as many vertices and edges can be constructed. It is also shown that there are no 3-regular conduction-isomorphic graphs. A census of small (order ≤ 11) connected conduction-isomorphic graphs and small (order ≤ 22) connected conduction-isomorphic graphs with maximum degree at most three is given. For η(G) = 1, it is shown that GC is connected if and only if G is a nut graph (a singular graph of nullity one that has a full kernel vector)
Mathematics specialization at high school and undergraduate degree choice: evidence from England
Get PDFThis paper examines the relationship between subject specialization in high school and university undergraduate degree program choices. Focusing on a reform in England that encouraged students to opt for studying mathematics in the last 2 years of high school, the study analyzes its effect on undergraduate enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The findings indicate that the reform increased the likelihood of students pursuing and completing STEM undergraduate degrees. Thus, encouraging mathematics specialization during high school enhances the number of STEM graduates. However, despite the reform’s implementation, gender and socioeconomic disparities in STEM participation remained unchanged, suggesting that interventions during adolescence might not effectively address the underrepresentation of specific groups, such as females, in STEM programs
Metallurgical developments in steam-methane reformer tube alloys
Get PDFAlloy development plays a vital role in the technological advancement in steam-methane reformers, with development remaining stagnant in the past three decades. This critical review aims to provide the overview of previous development strategies and highlight the challenges faced by the future development of reformer alloys. In this review, the physical metallurgy of modern reformer alloys is introduced, demonstrating the significance of the MC, M7C3 and M23C6 carbides commonly observed, and the careful balance between alloying additions and the designed microstructures governing performance. The compositional developments, along with the advancements enabled by the introduction of centrifugal casting, are highlighted. The effects of common alloying additions are also addressed, with implications of the existing knowledge on future alloy development opportunities, discussed
Shaping the Discipline: The Impact of QAA Benchmark Statements on Politics and International Relations
Get PDFThe question ‘What is Politics and International Relations?’ often goes unasked, potentially leading to varied interpretations across universities. The review of the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) Subject Benchmark Statement for Politics and International Relations in early 2022 provided a key moment to define the discipline. For over three decades, benchmark statements have been crucial in the UK higher education, guiding learning assurance and disciplinary self-definition. Despite their significance, the development process and impact of these benchmarks at a disciplinary level are underexplored. This article explores the history, development and influence of benchmark statements on Politics and International Relations, illustrating how they balance commonalities and differences across the UK institutions. It addresses concerns about the potential restrictiveness of these benchmarks and emphasises their voluntary nature. Through insights from four members of the Subject Benchmark Statement advisory group, the article aims to provide a thorough understanding of how benchmark statements shape and reflect the evolving landscape of the teaching of Politics and International Relations
Inclusive intervention design for vulnerable road users: Applying co-design and behaviour change model in Bangladesh
Get PDFIn developing countries, it is debatable whether poor design of facilities or violation of traffic rules by road users is the leading cause of pedestrian injuries and deaths. Professionals, pedestrians and drivers tend to blame each other. Shared responsibility for road safety is crucial for protecting vulnerable road users such as commuting students and workers who face higher injury risks while crossing highways. While the Safe System approach emphasises authorities’ responsibility for safe facilities, understanding user needs and promoting behaviour change remain underexplored. This study investigates the current design practices in Bangladesh. It compares the impact of conventional design with co-design on intervention quality and examines the further benefits of integrating a behaviour change model ‘COM-B’.
Local road agency professionals applied the design process and suggested interventions at four highway sites. Subsequently, four focus group sessions were conducted with students and workers, followed by four design workshops. In each workshop, participants were randomly assigned to two design groups (without and with the application of the behaviour change model), where they designed interventions facilitated by professionals. Lastly, perception ratings of stakeholders and safety assessments by four experts were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of all interventions.
The findings highlight major usability problems in conventional designs, while co-designed interventions demonstrate clear improvements. Notably, integrating a behaviour change model further enhances effectiveness. Stakeholder interviews reveal that co-design fosters shared responsibility and addresses the blame culture. The co-design approach and application of the behaviour change model can address design flaws and promote the proper use of facilities
Playing the system: electoral bias in the 2024 UK general election
Get PDFThe UK’s 2024 general election was the least proportional of modern times. Labour’s substantial parliamentary majority rested on the smallest ever winning party vote share. The Conservatives, meanwhile, suffered one of their worst ever results. While political and economic events during the 2019–2024 Parliament were key to the outcome, the operation of the first past the post electoral system was also important. In 2024, it was strongly biased in Labour’s favour and against the Conservatives, contributing substantially to the scale of their defeat and of Labour’s victory, allowing Labour to parlay modest support into a large majority. This pro-Labour bias was to a large extent a result of the much greater efficiency of Labour’s geography of support. We place the relative Conservative-Labour bias at the 2024 contest into a longer historical perspective, demonstrating that it marked the abrupt end of a ten-year period in which electoral bias had favoured the Conservatives
Changes in bank profitability Post-CEO succession: Does prior CEO experience improve bank performance?
Get PDFBased on a unique hand-collected dataset of CEO succession events in US bank holding companies (BHCs), we find that prior CEO experience of the newly appointed CEO improves bank profitability post-CEO succession, but primarily in underperforming banks. We distinguish prior CEO experience based on where the experience was obtained and find that the performance effect is driven by the experience gained outside the bank. Moreover, our study indicates that new CEOs with previous CEO experience acquired outside the bank are more likely to enhance profitability through earnings manipulation than those who obtained CEO experience within the bank or those without any previous CEO experience
Web application penetration testing with artificial intelligence: a systematic review
Get PDFPenetration testing is an intricate activity, yet vital for the security of web applications and the protection of user data. Due to its time-consuming nature, recent developments have emphasized the use of artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency, shorten testing times, and substantially improve penetration testing results. By combining artificial intelligence with conventional penetration testing techniques, researchers aim to improve the processes, providing organizations with the means to create stronger web applications. This paper presents a thorough review of research conducted between 2013 and 2024 on the application of artificial intelligence in web application penetration testing. We highlight advancements and challenges in employing learning-based methods to enhance penetration testing, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions in the field. Our results show that leveraging artificial intelligence has proven to be more efficient than traditional approaches, but they still face significant challenges
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