Financial efficiency of Polish enterprises operating in the transport and warehouse sector in the conditions of the Russian-Ukraine war

The study aimed to identify the dependence of the financial results of Poland’s transport and warehousing sector on the current macroeconomic situation and security conditions related to the war in Ukraine. The econometric method was used – a dynamic panel model. Data from January 1, 2007, to June 30, 2023, from the Central Statistical Office and the National Bank of Poland were used. It was found that the impact of macroeconomic factors on the financial efficiency of individual industries in Poland’s warehouse and transport sector varies in terms of direction and strength of effects. Key factors were identified as macroeconomic determinants of the financial condition of this sector and industries (subsectors) sensitive to hostilities in Ukraine were indicated. The implications of the findings for decision-makers, investors, businesses and researchers are outlined

Small sample data pricing research based on Reptile algorithm

Reasonably pricing data resources contributes to the development of the digital economy. However, in the early stage of the development of the data market, the data transaction volume is small, and the resulting small sample problem makes it difficult to accurately model and forecast the price of data. To address this issue, this paper constructs a meta-learning-based data price prediction model: MLP-Reptile. The model introduces a meta-learning tuning module to optimize the weight parameters of the base model, facilitating effective knowledge transfer learned from multiple tasks to enhance prediction accuracy in new tasks. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed MLP-Reptile model excels in small sample data pricing tasks, outperforming other models. Additionally, the paper analyzes the different primary factors influencing data prices in various industries. The methods proposed in this research are universally applicable for addressing the small sample problem in data pricing, providing a reference for solving similar issues

Journal of Civil Engineering and Management: contribution to development and application of MCDM methods in construction management

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods have improved considerably since the 1970s and are applied in many fields, demonstrating that the field of decision research remains important and valuable. Multi-criteria methods contribute to the research in civil engineering and construction management by identifying the optimal alternatives considering conflicting objectives. Researchers are applying MCDM methods in specific areas of civil engineering to resolve conflicts between economic, environmental and technological criteria. On the occasion of the 80th birthday of Prof. E. K. Zavadskas and 30 years of the Journal of Civil Engineering and Management (JCEM), this article aims to summarize the performance indicators of JCEM and its contribution to the development and application of MCDM methods in construction management. The journal’s performance indicators are outlined using bibliometric analysis

Empirical analysis of the impact of technology import on industrial innovation in China: a technology expenditure perspective

Promoting steady industrial innovation through technology import is an important initiative to accelerate innovation-driven and high-quality economic development in China. In this study, a model of the impact of technology import on industrial innovation is constructed from the perspective of technology expenditure, and empirical analysis is made by employing panel data from 2011 to 2019 in China. There exists obvious regional and industrial differences in the level of technological innovation and the intensity of technology import in China. The econometric results indicate that technology import and industrial innovation are complementary generally, but in the eastern region, as well as the labor- and the technology-intensive industries appear to be substitute. There are obvious regional differences when considering the impact of the interaction items, and the acceleration of technology digestion and absorption is conducive to the improvement of innovation, while that on various industries fail the significant test except for the technology-intensive industry

Impact of the war in Ukraine on international trade trends

The ongoing war in Ukraine, which began in 2014, has significantly disrupted global trade, particularly in energy, agriculture, and supply chains. This study integrates economic, trade, and geopolitical theories with empirical data to analyse the conflict’s immediate and long-term effects on international trade. Key findings reveal a sharp decline in Ukraine’s agricultural exports, with grain and oilseed shipments dropping over 40% since 2022, exacerbating global shortages. Fertilizer exports from both Russia and Ukraine have also plummeted, causing a 70% increase in global prices and impacting agricultural productivity in countries like Bangladesh, Egypt, and India. In response, nations have reshuffled trade partnerships, with Egypt increasing wheat imports from India and Brazil, and Indonesia turning to Australia and China for fertilizers, albeit with higher costs and logistical challenges. The conflict has led to a 20% rise in global food prices, worsening food insecurity, especially in vulnerable regions. The study underscores the need for diversified supply sources, enhanced domestic agricultural production, and resilient supply chains to mitigate the impacts of geopolitical conflicts on global trade and food security. Article in English. Ukrainos karo įtaka tarptautinės prekybos tendencijoms Santrauka Besitęsiantis karas Ukrainoje, prasidėjęs 2014 metais, smarkiai sutrikdė pasaulinę prekybą, ypač energetikos, žemės ūkio ir tiekimo grandinių srityse. Šiame tyrime ekonominės, prekybos ir geopolitinės teorijos yra derinamos su empiriniais duomenimis, siekiant išanalizuoti konflikto tiesiogines ir ilgalaikes įtakas tarptautinei prekybai. Pagrindiniai tyrimo rezultatai atskleidžia staigų Ukrainos žemės ūkio eksporto mažėjimą, javų ir aliejinių sėklų eksportas nuo 2022 metų sumažėjo daugiau nei 40 %, dar labiau pablogindamas pasaulinį maisto produktų trūkumą. Trąšų eksportas tiek iš Rusijos, tiek iš Ukrainos taip pat smarkiai sumažėjo, dėl to pasaulinės kainos išaugo 70 % ir paveikė žemės ūkio produktyvumą tokiose šalyse kaip Bangladešas, Egiptas ir Indija. Į tai reaguodamos, šalys pergrupavo prekybos partnerystes, Egiptas padidino kviečių importą iš Indijos ir Brazilijos, o Indonezija kreipėsi į Australiją ir Kiniją dėl trąšų, nors tai ir kelia didesnes išlaidas bei logistinius iššūkius. Konfliktas lėmė 20 % pasaulinių maisto kainų kilimą, o tai dar labiau pablogino maisto saugumo situaciją, ypač pažeidžiamuose regionuose. Tyrime pabrėžiama būtinybė diversifikuoti tiekimo šaltinius, stiprinti vidaus žemės ūkio gamybą ir atsparias tiekimo grandines, siekiant sušvelninti geopolitinių konfliktų įtaką pasaulinei prekybai ir maisto saugumui. Reikšminiai žodžiai: pasaulinė prekyba, Ukrainos karas, trąšų ir kviečių rinkos nepastovumas, žemės ūkio eksportas, maisto saugumo įtaka

Social enterprises as a tool for supporting housing supply in compliance with the Agenda 2030

There is a space at the interface between the public and state sectors and the private profitable, market sector for the operation of the social economy. The social economy is a socially beneficial area in solving social problems in many countries of the European Union and is still consolidating its position in terms of the Agenda 2030. The paper presents a framework of new and unexplored issues, where the novelty a current overview of the role of social enterprises in providing housing support for low-income groups in regions of the Slovak Republic with elevated unemployment rates, in alignment with the objectives set forth in Agenda 2030. We also focus on the potential of social enterprises in solving the issue of housing for people with insufficient income in marginalized communities, as this area has received little attention in Slovakia. As part of the empirical part, we conducted an analysis of the development of social enterprises and their establishment in the regions. Since a quarter of the social enterprises are located in the least developed regions, where unemployment is significantly worse than the Slovak average, we examined by correlation whether there is a dependence between the number of available job seekers of working age in % of the working age population in individual regions of the Slovak Republic and the number of social enterprises established in the regions of the Slovak Republic. From empirical research, we can identify that social housing enterprises are an important tool that helps solve the issue of housing for people who do not have sufficient income to secure it however, the absence of effective financial support results in their uniform composition

Evaluating embedding models for text classification in apartment management

The recent proliferation of embedding models has enhanced the accessibility of textual data classification. However, the crucial challenge is evaluating and selecting the most effective embedding model for a specific domain from a vast number of options. In this study, we address this challenge by assessing the performance of embedding models based on their effectiveness in downstream tasks. We analyze consultation records maintained by an apartment management body in South Korea, and convert this textual data into numerical representations using various embedding models. The vectorized text is then categorized using a k-means clustering algorithm. The downstream task, specifically, the classification of consultation records, is evaluated using a quantitative metric (Silhouette score) and qualitative approaches (domain-specific knowledge and visual inspection). The qualitative approaches yield more reliable results than the quantitative approach. These findings are expected to be valuable for the various stakeholders in property management

Exploring system boundaries for green public-private partnerships

This study addresses the research gap in understanding the intricate dynamics of public-private partnerships (PPP) in fostering sustainable development by proposing a framework delineating eight system boundaries for green PPP. Through analysis across four cases from BRICS countries, the research illuminates the nuanced and interactive nature of these boundaries. The findings underscore the necessity of recognizing green PPP as complex socio-technical systems. The paper emphasizes the diversity and complexity of green PPP’s boundaries and highlights the importance of explicitly delineating them for meaningful comparison across contexts. By clarifying these perspectives, the study contributes to enhancing academic understanding and practical implementation of sustainable development initiatives through PPP

Machine learning of electroencephalography signals and eye movements to classify work-in-progress risk at construction sites

The construction industry has consistently faced high accident rates and delays in recognizing hazards, posing significant risks to onsite personnel. Traditional hazard detection methods are often reactive rather than proactive, emphasizing a pressing need for innovative solutions. Despite advances in safety technology, a considerable gap remains in real-time, accurate hazard recognition at construction sites. Current technologies do not fully leverage physiological data to predict and mitigate risks. This research introduces a groundbreaking approach by employing machine learning to analyze electroencephalography (EEG) signals and eye movement data, enabling real-time differentiation of safe, warning, and hazardous visual cues. A Random Forest model with an impressive classification accuracy of 99.04% has been developed, marking a significant enhancement in identifying potential hazards. The possible impact of integrating EEG and eye movement analyses into wearable devices or onsite sensors is substantial, as it could revolutionize safety protocols in the construction industry, fostering a safer future. First published online 31 December 202

Impacts of human resources management strategies and practices on workers performance in construction industry: a review

Human resource management (HRM) plays a vital role in the growth and sustainability of companies and in achieving company objectives, as HRM relates to the workers’ practices and their functional roles. The main objective of this paper is to identify the HRM strategies, practices and their impact on worker’s performance in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Industry. The method which was used in this study was based on three stages. After the completion of the database and web engine search, the total number of sources found were 149. Next, the sources’ titles and abstracts were reviewed and those marked as relevant to the review were chosen to be retrieved and thoroughly reviewed. The sources were chosen based on the following inclusion criteria: (a) the sources implied in HRM strategies in the AEC industry, (b) the sources released between 2010 and 2023, (c) the online sources, and (d) the English-language sources. Also, the selected sources are reviewed to extract the factors using the content analysis method which is a thorough and systematic study of the contents of a specific body of material. In addition, content analysis is carried out to extract practices of HRM strategies and their impact on worker performance. This can be followed up and observed through the figures and tables that come later. As a final result, which concludes the outputs of the previous stages which results in a first-round total of 31 HRM strategies practice but in the second-round result of reaching 39 different sources from 149 related sources. After that, discussing the most popular between them based on the appearance of it in the sources which reviewed beside that, the impact of it on worker’s performance were viewed in the AEC industry. Based on that, it was found the following 5 categories of strategies: (1) Human Resources Planning; (2) Polarization and Recruitment; (3) Training and Development; (4) Human Resources Following-up; (5) Career Planning. At the same time the most popular practices are based on appearance in sources: In terms of Human Resources Planning Strategy, “The company’s management analyses the functions accurately”. In Polarization and Recruitment Strategy, “The company’s internal resources are the best to provide its human resource needs” and “Selection and recruitment policies are in line with the company’s current and future needs”. In Training and Development of Human Resources Strategy, “The company evaluates the results of development and training programs to achieve the purpose of feedback”. In Human Resources Following-up Strategy, “There is a fair incentive system in the company”. In Career Planning Strategy, “There is a clear description of the relationship of workers to each other”. Finally, human resource management strategies and practices are one of the major players in the AEC industry, which is evidenced by its impact on the performance of workers. First published online 22 October 202