Multiple criteria decision analytical tools in assessing risk for green growth: the case of oil palm biomass in Malaysia

The heightening world issues arises from climate change and energy security has created a strong resonance for sustainable development. The utilisation of biomass resources is amongst one of the best strategies to counter carbon emission and energy security issues for waste-to-wealth. Over the last decade, the Malaysian government has shown its clear intent to be a front-runner in the green economy through its various green economy policies and programs, particularly focus on oil palm biomass industry. However, it is observed that the diffusion rate of the industry remains relatively slow as compared to other developing countries such as Thailand and Philippine. Literature, anecdotal evidence, and advocates as well as businesses have identified that one of the non-technical factors that contribute to this problem is financing difficulties. The complication of biomass value chain creation often engaged with high risk profile, capital intensive and long payback period which is unfavourable for financing based on conventional risk assessment. Thus, this research focusses on developing a full range risk assessment model in aiding the industry stakeholder to comprehend the risk profile in managing and mitigating risk in biomass value chain in Malaysia. Multiple decision analytical tools have been employed and developed to integrate non-quantitative factors in risk assessment and design risk mitigation strategy based on the strengths and preferences of different stakeholders’ role. The outputs can serve as policy recommendation to aid the authorities and policy makers to undertake policy reviews to effectively spur the biomass industry for green growth. Furthermore, financier and investor are recommended to utilise the information to enhance its financing decision, to offer financial products that customised the need of sustainable projects without losing great business opportunity. Last but not least, the framework also offers industry stakeholders a practical decision analysis and making tool to integrate preferences as well as quantitative information to mitigate risks before any losses in venturing into the biomass industry occurred

Logistics and Agri\u2010Food: Digitization to Increase Competitive Advantage and Sustainability. Literature Review and the Case of Italy

This paper examines the current challenges faced by logistics with a focus on the agri\u2010food sector. After outlining the context, a review of the literature on the relationship between logistics and strategic management in gaining and increasing competitiveness in the agri\u2010food sector is con-ducted. In particular, the flow of the paper is as follows: after examining the aforementioned managerial problem and its broader repercussions, the paper proceeds to address two main research questions. First, how and by which tools can digitization contribute to improving supply chain management and sustainability in logistics? Second, what are the main managerial and strategic implications and consequences of this for the agri\u2010food sector in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, cost reduction, and supply chain optimization? Finally, the paper presents Italy as a case study, chosen both for its peculiar internal differences in logistical infrastructures and entrepreneurial management between Northern and Southern regions (which could be at least partially overcome with the use of new technologies and frameworks) and for the importance of the agri\u2010food sector for the domestic economy (accounting about 25% of the country\u2019s GDP), on which digitization should have positive effects in terms of value creation and sustainability

New Trends in Development of Services in the Modern Economy

The services sector strategic development unites a multitude of economic and managerial aspects and is one of the most important problems of economic management. Many researches devoted to this industry study are available. Most of them are performed in the traditional aspect of the voluminous calendar approach to strategic management, characteristic of the national scientific school. Such an approach seems archaic, forming false strategic benchmarks. The services sector is of special scientific interest in this context due to the fact that the social production structure to the services development model attraction in many countries suggests transition to postindustrial economy type where the services sector is a system-supporting sector of the economy. Actively influencing the economy, the services sector in the developed countries dominates in the GDP formation, primary capital accumulation, labor, households final consumption and, finally, citizens comfort of living. However, a clear understanding of the services sector as a hyper-sector permeating all spheres of human activity has not yet been fully developed, although interest in this issue continues to grow among many authors. Target of strategic management of the industry development setting requires substantive content and the services sector target value assessment

Blockchain for supply chain traceability and anticounterfeiting: the oracles’ enabling role

Blockchain and physical oracles in the Collectible Industry. Supply chain fairness and bargaining power in agriculture supply chain: the blockchain effect. Unlocking the Blockchain Potentials through Oracles: Empirical Evidences on Supply Chain Challenges and Performance

China's employment challenges and strategies after the WTO accession

Although China has made impressive progress in economicdevelopment and improving social well-being, it is facing many daunting challenges while transforming toward a knowledge and service-based economy and further opening up to international competition after its WTO accession in the context of knowledge revolution. One of the biggest challenges is how to create 100-300 million new jobs in the coming decade to absorb the millions of laid-offs, rural emigrants and newly added labor force. China has been successful in building high-tech parks and ICT industries, but they are limited in terms of employment generation, while most of the traditional labor-intensive industries are losing competitiveness due to low productivity. In order to combat the unprecedented employment challenge, China must implement a systemic and sustained strategy, which may consist of the following policy thrusts: encouraging the private sector; promoting small and medium enterprises; expanding the service sector; reforming the state-owned enterprises; strengthening the social security system; improving labor market flexibility; and establishing mass retraining programs.Public Health Promotion,Banks&Banking Reform,Municipal Financial Management,Environmental Economics&Policies,Labor Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Banks&Banking Reform,Municipal Financial Management,Health Monitoring&Evaluation