Applying quantified indicators in Central Asian science: can metrics improve the regional research performance?

Quantified indicators are increasingly used for performance evaluations in the science sectors worldwide. However, relatively little information is available on the expanding use of research metrics in certain transition countries. Central Asia is a post-Soviet region where newly independent states achieved lower research performance relative to comparators in key indicators of productivity and integrity. The majority of the countries in this region showed an overall declining or stagnating research impact in the recent decade since 2008. This study discusses the implications of research metrics as applied to the transition countries based on the framework of ten principles of the Leiden Manifesto. They can guide Central Asian policymakers in creating systems for a more objective evaluation of research performance based on globally recognized indicators. Given the local conditions of authoritarianism and corruption, the broader use of transparent indicators in decision-making can help improve the positions of Central Asian science in international rankings

オムニチャネル小売業におけるファッション商品の品切れに対する対応のモデル化分析

筑波大学 (University of Tsukuba)201

Human capital and liberalization in Central Asia: comparative perspectives on development (1991 – 2020)

The report includes studies on selected development topics in Central Asian countries. The purpose is to contribute insights on the role played by human capital and liberalization in four essential areas concerning sustainable development: science, foreign investment, renewables, and online presence. Methodologically, the presented studies mainly rely on the analysis of data available from international organizations. The strength of the analysis is derived from the scale of the data on the countries accumulated over the three decades of their independence. The comparative studies offer new ways of understanding Central Asia, considering the distinct features of the countries in the region and how these changed over the period from 1991 to 2020. The authors made an effort to write the report in a manner accessible to non-specialists. Findings and implications could be of interest to policymakers, scholars, and students in the field of Central Asian studies

Non-hydro renewable energy in Central Asia

The cost of renewable energy from wind and solar in 2019 plunged to the low levels that few policy-makers anticipated only several years ago. Such technological developments have broad implications for all Central Asian economies. The share of wind and solar energy in the region remained negligible for a long time due to the abundant supply of cheap energy from fossil or hydro resources. Central Asian countries to a different extent remain dependent on consumption, exports, or transit of fossil fuel. While there was obvious progress in renewables elsewhere in the post-Soviet area, Central Asia until recently has not shown adequate levels of interest in developing wind and solar power. Such approach could lead to loss of opportunities in reducing electricity costs and addressing sustainability issues. Governments in the region can seize the opportunities for introducing a more sustainable energy mix during the major modernization and replacement of power generating capacity expected in the coming years. Foreign investors and specialists in installing renewables capacity can benefit from the planned expansions in the wind and solar facilities in Central Asia

Inflows of foreign direct investments in Central Asian countries between 1991 and 2020

This report aims at identifying common causes, patterns, and effects of changing foreign investments across the countries of Central Asia. Experience of neighboring countries in Central Asia as a distinct region of the world attracting foreign investment is particularly relevant for each country in the area. Therefore, the comparative analysis of the Central Asian countries presented in this report for their first three decades after gaining independence is particularly relevant given the global shifts in 2020. Growth in direct foreign investments was fueled and attracted by extractive industries in entire Central Asia. The development has been highly volatile during the whole studied period. Foreign investments overall declined between 2009 and 2020. Substantial progress in liberalization, human capital, the rule of law, and democratization is needed for Central Asian countries to attract foreign investment beneficial for local populations in the long term

オムニチャネル小売業におけるファッション商品の品切れに対する対応のモデル化分析

筑波大学 (University of Tsukuba)201

The investment climate in Turkmenistan: Challenges and possible ways of attracting foreign investment

This research report was prepared in the framework of the EU-funded project “Central Asian Law: Legal Cultures and Business Environments in Central Asia” (project number 870647 H2020 MSCA-RISE 2019-2023), which runs from 01/03/2020 through 28/02/2024. The project is coordinated by Lund University, and the project consortium includes European universities (University of Zurich, Charles University Prague, Riga Graduate School of Law, Marmara University, University of Latvia, Istanbul Medipol University, University of Manchester) as well as Central Asian partner institutions (Zhetysu University, Khujand Polytechnic Institute of the Tajik Technical University, SIAR Research and Consulting, Tebigy Kuwwat Public Association, Academy of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan, Westminster International University in Tashkent). The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed analysis of the state of FDI in Turkmenistan and to develop a set of recommendations to attract foreign investment. This study attempts to capture as many of the issues surrounding FDI attraction as possible through an analysis that takes into account the most important developments. The timeliness of such an analysis becomes more evident from 2020, as disruptions in global markets caused by the outbreak of a pandemic have made it more of a priority than ever to reduce the reliance on oil and gas exports. The present study attempts to answer the following questions: (i) What might be the potential impact of increased foreign direct investment on Turkmenistan's economic development? (ii) What are the main factors that have hindered greater investment in Turkmenistan since independence? (iii) What measures can the government of Turkmenistan take to attract more foreign direct investment? (iv) How can partner countries and international organizations assist Turkmenistan in attracting more foreign direct investment into the country? (v) Which sectors of Turkmenistan's economy should be a priority for attracting foreign investment in the current environment? The results of this research may be of interest to decision-makers in government, foreign businesses, partner countries and international development agencies

Modeling Response to Stockout of Fashion Products in Omnichannel Retailing

2018【要旨

Inventory Policies Under Service Level Target : Comparison in Terms of Relevant Costs and Bullwhip Effect

Global shifts in technology and demand patterns might necessitate a firm’s switching to another inventory management system. The following five popular types of inventory policies are compared in terms of their impact on relevant inventory costs and bullwhip effect: newsvendor, order-up-to, min-max, reorder-point order-quantity, and economic order quantity. The model of four-stage supply chain presented in this research consists of a retailer, a wholesaler, a distributor, and a supplier. The objective of each member of the supply chain is to set order quantities and reorder points that maintain a required service level of inventory over multiple periods for each policy. Analysis and numerical experiments confirm differences in outcomes between the policies. Comparisons between each policy reveal policies that incur the highest or lowest values of the inventory cost, shortage costs, holding costs, setup costs, variability, and bullwhip effect. The study also provides findings about the possibility of lower bullwhip effect or even its absence with certain inventory policies