VGTU Journals (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University - Vilnius Tech)
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The creativity of Iban sub-ethnic group of Dayak people community in maintaining and preserving customary forests in Sungai Utik Hamlet, Batu Lintang Village, Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Borneo
No full textThis study aims to analyze the creativity of the Iban sub-ethnic group of Dayak people community in Sungai Utik Hamlet, Batu Lintang Village, Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Borneo, in maintaining and preserving customary forests from the perspective of Earth ethics theory and Weberian social actions. The research model used community-based participatory research which consists of four phases, namely: 1) building basic principles and concepts of the research; 2) research planning; 3) information collection and analysis; and 4) action on findings. The results of the research showed that the community has creativity in managing customary forests, by communities while maintaining integrity, stability, and beauty. The motives for social actions to preserve customary forests were viewed from Max Weber’s theory, namely: 1) traditional actions – communities want to preserve customary forests for generations; 2) effective actions – customary forests were believed to be blood, breath, and considered as the father and mother of the community; 3) instrumental rationality – it can be seen that the central, regional, and traditional heads and Iban sub-ethnic group of Dayak people community strongly support the process of implementing customary forest management traditions; and 4) rationality of values – indigenous peoples had obtained an example of knowledge of integrity, stability, and beauty in customary forest management from their ancestors. Research findings show that the Iban sub-ethnic group of Dayak people community has a genius local concept in customary forest management. Knowledge and values applied in the creativity of customary forest management become an example of life values that are very meaningful and useful for indigenous peoples in understanding forest ecology. Future research still needs to increase creativity in customary forest management
Development of a visual tool for natural disaster risk assessment for the communities of the Republic of Georgia
No full textThe National Risk Index, developed by us, provides a relative measurement of national-level natural hazard risk across communities. The risk is defined as the potential for adverse impact from a natural hazard. Local and national authorities require information on the frequency and impact of hazardous events that have occurred or may occur in the future as a basis for risk-informed planning. Generally, most local authorities do not have the technical expertise to develop tools for this, and therefore, it is important to provide national-scale platforms for disaster risk assessment. This paper presents a national multi-hazard risk profiling platform for administrative units within Georgia, located in the Caucasus. The risk calculation is based on a method that uses historical disasters and their frequencies of hazardous phenomena such as landslides, floods, and earthquakes. We calculate the risk for the communities of Georgia. Most methods require detailed data from different sources to calculate risk, and data availability and quality are one of the main challenges in this type of work. This problem is particularly evident in developing countries, where there are limited resources to collect and analyze data quality. Our method is original because it allows for risk calculation, risk assessment, and online visualization of data based only on disasters, recorded in the country’s territory. The interactive map can be used as a visual tool for disaster risk assessment by the parties concerned as well as decision-makers
Integration of aerial photo and LiDAR data for determining the position and height of oil palm trees using object-based analysis and canopy height model algorithm
No full textThe monitoring of oil palm trees using various technologies, methods, and software is conducted to replace the traditional techniques that are less effective. In this study, an analysis was conducted on the automatic detection results of oil palm trees to determine the estimated height of the trees. The trees were automatically extracted and calculated using eCognition Developer and eCognition Oil Palm Application (OPA) with the Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) algorithm on three sample areas: homogeneous, semi- homogeneous, and heterogeneous. The performance test of the two software on the three samples showed that the detection accuracy reached more than 80%. The automatic detection results were used to calculate the tree height using the Canopy Height Model (CHM). The Root Mean Square error (RMSe) was calculated for all centroid samples to evaluate the accuracy of the tree position detection and as a basis for determin- ing the height. The RMSe position result of eCognition OPA was lower than that of eCognition Developer. The RMS values for the homogeneous; semi-homogeneous; and heterogeneous areas were 0.8149; 0.7772; and 0.02118 for eCognition OPA, respectively, which are lower than the values of 0.7718; 0.9044; and 1.0517 for eCognition Developer, this indicates better estimated tree height results
Contemporary designs in historic context: Eleftheria square in Cyprus as a bridge between new and the old
No full textContemporary design within a historical context is a special topic of architectural conservation that needs considerations. New designs should be reversible and compatible with existing; however it needs to be legible and distinguishable as well. Creating the compatibility between new and the old is a challenging process. The originality of the heritage should be preserved while adding another layer and value to the heritage.
The international preservation standards and charters provide guideline for contemporary designs in historical settings. The aim of the study is to examine the selected field study by following these principles. Eleftheria square in Cyprus that is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects is the main study area of the paper.
Eleftheria square is a public space located in Nicosia, Southern Cyprus that design has recently completed. It includes design of a moat, which is located next to the historic city walls and designing a bridge that connect the historic part of the city with the new development area. Although the project brought a new life to the neglected part of the city, the design approaches of the project should be examined through conservation principles. Within the scope of the study, the completed project has been examined through preservation principles, which is suggested in selected standards and charters
The impact of Search Volume Index on FDI outflow: the moderating role of uncertainty avoidance
No full textThis study examines the relationship between the Search Volume Index (SVI) and FDI outflow levels and tests whether the level of national culture, particularly whether the Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), moderates such a relationship. The authors document that SVI is positively associated with FDI outflow in the sample of 69 countries. When we distinguish between low and high-uncertainty avoidance countries, we find that this positive association is significant at the current value of SVI for countries with low uncertainty avoidance. However, the relationship becomes stronger for countries with high uncertainty avoidance at the one-year time lag of SVI. Moreover, the results remain intact after various robustness checks. These results imply that the level of national culture may cause individuals to hesitate to invest through internet search queries. Our empirical findings should be particularly informative for investors from countries whose governments exhibit high levels of uncertainty avoidance, as they spend more time on investment planning than investors from countries whose governments exhibit low uncertainty avoidance
Unveiling leadership dynamics and tournament incentives: insights from the environmental misconduct of Chinese listed companies
No full textThis study investigates whether the tournament compensation motivate executives to adopt environmentally responsible practices and reduce environmental violations. Focusing on CEO characteristics, we also examine whether politically connected CEOs and CEO gender enhance the effectiveness of these incentives in mitigating corporate environmental violations. Using a fixed-effects model, two stage least square (2-SLS) and the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) on data from Chinese companies, spanning from 2010 to 2023, this study finds that executive tournament incentives play a significant role in reducing environmental violations. Our results further reveal that political connections and female CEOs strengthen the negative relationship between tournament incentives and environmental violations, demonstrating the critical influence of leadership diversity and institutional ties in driving corporate sustainability. Additionally, our findings provide robust support for tournament theory, highlighting the pivotal role of CEOs in shaping corporate environmental behaviour. This study provides pertinent insights for regulators and policymakers, assisting them to develop tailored strategies, regulations and legislative frameworks to reduce environmental violations and improve sustainable development
Autonomous modular construction strategy using robotized crane based on deep learning and reinforcement learning
No full textModular construction offers significant advantages including faster construction time, higher quality control and less environmental impact. To further enhance its advantages, advanced robotic construction technologies are being developed. This research develops an automated modular construction framework that incorporates the robotic kinematics, deep learning and deep reinforcement learning using a robotized crane. The proposed modular construction strategy utilizes YOLOv5-S for modular container identification and localization. An improved proximal policy optimization (PPO-I) is developed and implemented in this strategy for collision-free three-dimensional (3D) lifting path planning and modular container transportation. States and rewards of the PPO-I and robot kinematics design of a real mobile crane are developed. The feasibility of the proposed modular construction strategy is verified through four case studies in 3D virtual environments. More than 97% success rate is observed meaning that the proposed strategy can be implemented in the robotized crane to localize the modular container and transport it to the target position with collision avoidance. The results indicate the potential of the proposed robotic-assisted modular construction strategy in the field of automated construction
Exploring spatial programming through modularity based evolutionary computation
No full textThe application of evolutionary computing in architecture has advanced beyond active feedback to designers by integrating natural processes with computation to synchronize input from the final solution. Following knowledge in digital morphogenesis, new approaches can be formed by examining design issues deemed non-pragmatic and abstract, such as function in spatial programming. The study presented in this paper explores an approach based on the principle of modularity, which describes a biological system’s ability to organize distinct, independent units to increase the system’s adaptability. By employing modularity in evolutionary computation, we can characterize function as an abstract feature of phenotypes. The basic modularity method is simulated by developing a spatial program with dynamic programmatic functions to see how adaptable units are as spatial program components
The importance and effects of colors in accommodation units for homeless people
No full textDesigning accommodation for homeless people requires a specific approach based on analysis, based on knowledge of the mental and physical condition of a person, their needs, and demands. The color of the living space can play an important role in a person’s social inclusion, a faster and more continuous return of a person to a full life. The research aimed to verify how much the preferences for the use of color in the interior match among the homeless people and to draw recommendations for the color application. The theoretical analysis deals with the influence of architecture on our senses. Special attention is paid to the effects of sunlight, especially on the visible light spectrum, the originator of color vision. In the research methodology, the article defines the target group of homeless people using social service accommodation and data collection procedures. The results and discussion provide an overview of color preferences among respondents and the interpretation of findings. It has been shown that homeless people form a relatively homogeneous group for which it is possible to define general color selection requirements and to set key recommendations for the application of color schemes in social services accommodation units
Exploring business students\u27 perceptions of artificial intelligence\u27s impact on the labor market: a pilot study
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on a large array of economic and social facets has recently become one of the most debated topics both in academic and civic environment. Existing literature varies from topics touching on the AI ethics to the future of the labor market. Current research highlights significant divergences and a lack of consensus on the future implications of AI, leading to a heterogeneous perception among the general public. In this context, our research explores the intersection between AI and its profound impact on the labor market, focusing on business students’ perceptions of AI impact on skills, productivity and employment dynamics. The study examines how personal AI competencies, risk perception, and anticipated economic effects of AI technologies shape labor market expectations using structural equations modelling. Seven hypotheses were tested which summarize the correlations between six reflective constructs. Findings reveal that students generally perceive AI positively, recognizing its potential to increase organizational efficiency and work productivity. Our research highlights the dual impact of AI, exploring students’ perceptions of the effects of AI on society, organizations and the labor market and revealing the key links between these views and efficiency