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Challenges, drivers and incentives to private sector participation in public-private partnership projects in developing countries: evidence from Zambia
No full textPurposeGovernments in developing countries seeking to meet their infrastructure backlog are increasingly turning to public–private partnerships (PPP) due to a lack of public funds. However, while there are factors which drive the current uptake of projects, there are challenges with attracting private finance, and it is not clear what incentives can be used to attract more private participation, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Therefore, this study aims to examine challenges, drivers and incentives that affect private participation in PPP projects in Zambia.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews with participants who had first-hand experience working on the administration of PPP projects. The participants were predominantly from the public sector, and so the results are largely a public sector perspective on the matter.FindingsThe findings show that bureaucracy and a poor business environment emanating from poor policies, long procedures and a poor economic environment are the main challenges affecting PPP projects. The current demand for the projects is being driven by a stable business and economic environment while incentives include enhancing the business environment by improving procedures and policies.Originality/valueThe study contributes to extant literature by proposing an overarching theory about the challenges affecting the implementation of PPP projects in Zambia, in particular, and in SSA, in general. The results show areas where governments and government agencies responsible for PPP projects can focus attention to promote private participation
Physical, mental, and behavioral health after adverse and benevolent childhood experiences: a comparison of two adversity conceptualizations
Get PDFObjective: Adverse and benevolent childhood experiences (ACEs, BCEs) impact health across the lifespan. No known study has investigated these associations across different health domains using a representative adult sample. This study examined the associations between adult physical, mental, and behavioral health with ACEs and BCEs based on two ACEs conceptualizations. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted in Hong Kong. Thirteen ACEs were measured and conceptualized as cumulative ACE scores and ACE patterns. Selfreports of BCEs; ten physical health problems; current mental health; posttraumatic stress; history of diagnosed mental illness; suicidal thought and suicide attempt; and engagement in three health-risk behaviors (smoking, illicit substance misuse, binge drinking) were also included. A series of regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between childhood experiences and health. Results: In a random sample of 1,070 Hong Kong adults (mean age, 41.78 years; 53.93% female; mean ACEs=1.64), 649 (60.65%) reported at least one ACE. Four ACE patterns were identified (Low ACEs, Household Instability, Household Violence, and High ACEs). Higher ACE scores associated with poorer health in a dose-response fashion. Two ACE patterns shared similar average ACE scores but differentially linked with outcomes across health domains. High BCEs negatively associated with mental and behavioral health problems
Synthesising Diverse and Discriminatory Sets of Instances using Novelty Search in Combinatorial Domains
Get PDFGathering sufficient instance data to either train algorithm-selection models or understand algorithm footprints within an instance space can be challenging. We propose an approach to generating synthetic instances that are tailored to perform well with respect to a target algorithm belonging to a predefined portfolio but are also diverse with respect to their features. Our approach uses a novelty search algorithm with a linearly weighted fitness function that balances novelty and performance to generate a large set of diverse and discriminatory instances in a single run of the algorithm. We consider two definitions of novelty: (1) with respect to discriminatory performance within a portfolio of solvers; (2) with respect to the features of the evolved instances. We evaluate the proposed method with respect to its ability to generate diverse and discriminatory instances in two domains (knapsack and bin-packing), comparing to another well-known quality diversity method, Multi-dimensional Archive of Phenotypic Elites (MAP-Elites) and an evolutionary algorithm that only evolves for discriminatory behaviour. The results demonstrate that the novelty search method outperforms its competitors in terms of coverage of the space and its ability to generate instances that are diverse regarding the relative size of the "performance gap" between the target solver and the remaining solvers in the portfolio. Moreover, for the Knapsack domain, we also show that we are able to generate novel instances in regions of an instance space not covered by existing benchmarks using a portfolio of state-of-the-art solvers. Finally, we demonstrate that the method is robust to different portfolios of solvers (stochastic approaches, deterministic heuristics and state-of-the-art methods), thereby providing further evidence of its generality
Mitigating Financing Constraints under Economic Uncertainty: The Role of Implicit Government Guarantees in China
No full textIn the context of economic policy uncertainty (EPU), firms face significant financing constraints, especially in accessing credit. To address this, governments often provide implicit government guarantees (IGG) to alleviate these constraints. This study examines the effects of EPU on firm credit financing activities from an IGG perspective, using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2010 to 2020. The findings indicate that EPU negatively impacts firm credit financing activities, but the presence of IGG mitigates these effects. The heterogeneous analysis reveals that IGG primarily benefits firms taking more risks or facing severe financial constraints. Regionally, IGG is more effective in provinces with lower marketisation and higher fiscal strength, helping distressed firms secure more bank credit at lower costs. These results have important implications for policymakers, shareholders, and stakeholders regarding the role of IGG in moderating the impact of EPU on firm credit financing activities
The structure of Benevolent Childhood Experiences: A latent class analysis and association with mental health outcomes and psychological factors in a large adult UK sample
Get PDFThe aims of this study were firstly to explore the relationship between Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) and demographic variables, secondly to investigate the taxonic structure of BCEs without considering the confounding effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), thirdly to explore associations between latent classes of BCEs and a range of mental health and psychological factors and fourthly to examine the linear vs. non-linear relationship between BCEs and mental health outcomes. The sample analyzed here consisted of n = 2058 UK general population participants. Our findings revealed weak effects of gender, age, and education across the BCEs. A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) revealed four classes: High BCEs (42%), Intermediate BCEs with opportunity (35%), Intermediate BCEs (17%), and Low BCEs (4%). These classes were associated with psychological factors and mental health outcomes, with higher BCE clusters exhibiting better psychosocial functioning overall. Analysis of quadratic terms yielded no significant results. Implications for further research in this area are discussed
Good Laboratory Practice Buffer Preparation Exercise Workbook
Get PDFThis workbook and the accompanying video have been commissioned by Skills Development Scotland and prepared by Edinburgh Napier University with support from a member of the Life and Chemical Sciences Skills Group. The aim is to help you understand Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) by showing you the process and documentation that apply to a simple example: making a blocking buffer.Any industry laboratory that carries out studies related to medicines will have to follow the GLP set of quality standards by law, and awareness of this is very helpful for anyone wanting to get a job in the life and chemical sciences sector, e.g. in the pharmaceutical industry.Please bear in mind that most modern companies use a computer system to log all the data and documentation related to GLP. This exercise shows you the process in a simplified paper-based way to aid understanding
Generation Z’s Travel Behavior and Climate Change: A Comparative Study for Greece and the UK
Get PDFClimate change is one of the most pressing global threats, endangering the sustainability of the planet and quality of life, whilst urban mobility significantly contributes to exacerbating its effects. Recently, policies aimed at mitigating these effects have been implemented, emphasizing the promotion of sustainable travel culture. Prior research has indicated that both environmental awareness and regulatory efforts could encourage the shift towards greener mobility; however, factors that affect young people’s travel behavior remain understudied. This study examined whether and how climate change impacts travel behavior, particularly among Generation Z in Greece. A comprehensive online survey was conducted, from 31 March to 8 April 2024, within a Greek academic community, yielding 904 responses from Generation Z individuals. The design of the survey was informed by an adaptation of Triandis’ Theory of Interpersonal Behavior. The study also incorporated a comparative analysis using data from the UK’s National Travel Attitudes Survey (NTAS), offering insights from a different cultural and socio-economic context. Blending an Exploratory Factor Analysis and latent variable ordered probit and logit models, the key determinants of the willingness to reduce car use and self-reported reduction in car use in response to climate change were identified. The results indicate that emotional factors, social roles, and norms, along with socio-demographic characteristics, current behaviors, and local environmental concerns, significantly influence car-related travel choices among Generation Z. For instance, concerns about local air quality are consistently correlated with a higher likelihood of having already reduced car use due to climate change and a higher willingness to reduce car travel in the future. The NTAS data reveal that flexibility in travel habits and social norms are critical determinants of the willingness to reduce car usage. The findings of the study highlight the key role of policy interventions, such as the implementation of Low-Emission Zones, leveraging social media for environmental campaigns, and enhancing infrastructure for active travel and public transport to foster broader cultural shifts towards sustainable travel behavior among Generation Z
Officially cancelled but eternally remembered: The queering paradox of Chinese comedic influencers through multi-platform mediation
No full textThis article explores an alternative, comedic, lowbrow and queer(ed) group of Internet celebrities and influencers who developed a significant following amongst Chinese Internet vernacular cultures. These personalities sit at the intersection of state censorship, platform commercialisation, and subcultural resistance in an everyday sense, mediating gendered, classed, and sexualised discourses on Chinese social media platforms such as TikTok (Douyin) and Bilibili. Using a unique case of Guo Laoshi (郭老师 Guofucius) and her comedic Guotian (Guo language) with a cult following of 7 million, we demonstrate how gendered, classed and (de)sexualised groups benefit from the production and consumption of non-conforming narratives, humorous tropes and tactics, who are otherwise rendered invisible and hardly known in the Chinese mediascape. We argue that marginalised groups are empowered through alternative place-making where their identities get recognised, performed, rehearsed, and presented into being. We further offer critique on how such supposedly empowering tactics and place-making get appropriated and co-shaped by platformisation and state censorship in a Chinese context using a concept of ‘queering paradox’, where queered subjects and discourses get targeted and officially cancelled by the state while being regenerated and remembered through playful prosumption of fans from marginalised groups in China. The platformisation and commercialisation of such celebrity fame offers a paradoxical intervention to such a process where fans’ rebellious discourses can be mobilised and sustained, given that othered options and identities are virtually unavailable to them.
Cognitive benefits of hearing intervention vary by risk of cognitive decline: A secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE trial
Get PDFINTRODUCTION: Results from the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) trial suggest hearing intervention may not reduce 3‐year cognitive decline in all older adults with hearing loss but may be beneficial in certain groups. This secondary analysis investigated if participants with multiple risk factors for cognitive decline received greater benefits. METHODS: We used a sample of dementia‐free participants (N = 2692) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort to develop a predictive model for cognitive decline. The model was applied to baseline measures of ACHIEVE participants (N = 977) to estimate predicted risk. We tested an interaction between predicted risk and randomization to hearing intervention or health education control. RESULTS: Among ACHIEVE participants in the top quartile of predicted risk, 3‐year cognitive decline in the hearing intervention was 61.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.7%–94.1%) slower than the control. DISCUSSION: The effect of hearing intervention on reducing 3‐year cognitive decline was greatest among individuals with multiple baseline risk factors associated with faster cognitive decline. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03243422 Highlights: The Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) trial tested the effect of hearing intervention on cognitive decline. Participants were recruited from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort or de novo from the local community. A 48% reduction in cognitive decline was observed in ARIC cohort participants. In this secondary analysis, there was an interaction between hearing intervention and predicted risk of cognitive decline. Among participants in the top quartile of predicted risk of cognitive decline, hearing intervention slowed cognitive decline by 62%
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