Future universities in smart cities how to make smart use of a university hospital

Scientific institutions have a significant impact on the development and growth of regions. These include economic and social impacts ranging from the offer of employments and trainee positions to the economy’s supply side with qualified labor force, the provision of information and transfer of knowledge and technology as well as cultural opportunities. This holds in particular for university hospitals with their wealth of differ-ent disciplines extending into other academic fields and attracting addi-tional research institutes for intense collaboration. Considering this situa-tion leads immediately to the question, how to make best or “smart” use of an institution, such as a university hospital, that a larger city needs anyway? The term “smart” use refers, of course, to the economic impact, which is associated with this institution. However, before it is possible to provide a thorough answer to this ques-tion, we have to classify the various potential effects. There are, first of all, the so-called demand effects, pointing to resources the institution con-sumes, because it employs medical and administrative personnel, because it teaches and trains medical students, because it needs a large variety of medical supplies, and because it constantly needs to repair equipment and buildings or invest in new ones. The so-called supply effects are more difficult to investigate. They refer in particular to the attractiveness of the institution – due to its research ac-tivities, or due to the quality of the students leaving the institution with an academic degree – for other public or private research institutes settling in the neighborhood of the university hospital (sometimes referred to as “knowledge spillover”). The paper focuses in a first step on the demand effects, which include, however, also the demand effects associated with the institutions attracted through the university hospital. By comparing these effects for university hospitals in different regions or countries, it is possible to get some insight into the framework conditions, of relevance for strong supply effects. In a second step, the required conditions for an “optimal” regional impact lead-ing to substantial employment effects or outstanding innovation activities have to be investigated. This will then allow to optimize the framework conditions for the university hospital, to make “smart” use of this institu-tion. The methodology is characterized by an incidence analysis and specifies the Keynesian multiplier analysis in order to provide a framework for discov-ering and quantifying several regional economic effects and applies this analysis to university hospitals in Germany and Russia. The quantitative analysis shows the importance of these institutions for regional economic development. Differences regarding the size of the various multipliers re-sult from differences in relevant framework conditions, thus providing room for policy implications. The analysis investigates the university hospital in Leipzig (UML) in Ger-many, and the Siberian State Medical University (SSMU) in Tomsk, Rus-sia. Both institutions have a long history as research institutions, UML is larger in terms of the number of employees and the number of students, however SSMU serves a much larger area than UML. Moreover, these are-as are different regarding climatic and geographic conditions and regarding the density of the population. The results based on direct, indirect and induced demand effects show that UML reveals an employment multiplier of approximately 2, and SSMU of appropriately 1.5, implying that each full-time position in the hospitals leads to an additional full-time position in the vicinity of UML, and to an additional half-time position in the vicinity of SSMU. A more careful analysis shows that UML succeeds in attracting more additional research institutions, although SSMU supports more employees in the supplier in-dustries. Summarizing, the analysis points to significant differences regarding supply effects originating from university hospitals. Thus, it should be the concern of “smart” cities to make “smart” use of their university hospitals. A more detailed analysis regarding the second step mentioned above is required to provide further insight into the relevant framework conditions

Systemic change: The complexity of business in a circular economy

The transition to a circular economy is often associated with appropriate business models, which should, among other things, help replace the conventional `end-of-life´ concept regarding commodities with restoration and environmental design. This systemic change appears to be closely linked to the waste hierarchy: prevention of waste, reuse of old commodities, and recycling of waste. The paper shows that there are various problems for businesses to maintain the waste hierarchy in the context of a circular economy. The intrinsic nature of environmental commodities and, in particular, societal path dependencies present some challenges. These societal path dependencies are related to the benefits of decentralized decision-making in a market economy. In the short term, appropriate environmental policies can help alleviate some of these problems, but in the long term, these societal path dependencies need to be reoriented. The paper contains practical examples of all issues raised. © 2020, National Research University, Higher School of Econoimics. All rights reserved.The work was supported by Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, contract № 02.A03.21.0006

Contributions of tourism to the development of regions in Russia and Germany. Bashkortostan and saxony

1 In the last decades the growth of the tourism industry in Russia has slowed down, and its lack of competitiveness has been the topic of various publications. Similarly, the touristic potential of the Republic of Bashkortostan is not exhausted with tourism still making an unsatisfactory contribution to the GRP of the region. Bashkortostan and Saxony are of the same size - in terms of population. Population density, however, is much higher in Saxony. In addition, differing historic roots affect any efforts to develop the touristic potential of Bashkortostan. It is then the goal of this paper to provide recommendations for sustainable tourism with a long-Term perspective by analyzing consequences of these facts on the touristic infrastructure, on competitive forces, on the tasks of a tourism-marketing bureau, among others -Always in comparison to the situation in Saxony (the case study method). Thus, this comparative analysis helps to restructure tourism in Bashkortostan in a situation with insufficient reliable touristic data. In the conditions of deceleration of global economic growth, depletion of natural resources, it is highly important to secure proper functioning of economic systems by means of using the available potential possibilities and searching for new reserves of economic growth. Tourism has a huge potential of development and can be an additional source of economic growth in Bashkortostan.Russell Sage Foundation, RSF: 15-18-20029Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD: A1400432This research has been supported by Grant RSF No 15-18-20029 Projection of optimal socio-economic systems in the turbulence of external and internal environment" and by Grant of DAAD (Project No A1400432)

Integrated environmental policy: A review of economic analysis

Holistic environmental policies, which emerged from a mere combination of technical activities in waste management some 40 years ago, constitute the most advanced level of environmental policies. These approaches to environmental policy, among them the policies in integrated waste management, attempt to guide economic agents to an environment-friendly behaviour. Nevertheless, current holistic policies in waste management, including policies on one-way drinks containers and waste electrical and electronic equipment, and implementations of extended producer responsibility with further applications to waste electrical and electronic equipment, reveal more or less severe deficiencies – despite some positive examples. This article relates these policy failures, which are not necessarily the result of an insufficient compliance with the regulations, to missing constitutive elements of what is going to be called an ‘integrated environmental policy’. This article therefore investigates – mostly from a practical point of view – constitutive elements, which are necessary for a holistic policy to serve as a well-functioning allocation mechanism. As these constitutive elements result from a careful ‘integration’ of the environmental commodities into the economic allocation problems, we refer to these policies as ‘integrated environmental policies’. The article also discusses and illustrates the main steps of designing such a policy – for waste electrical and electronic equipment and a (possible) ban of Glyphosat in agriculture. As these policies are dependent on economic and political stability with environmental awareness sufficiently developed, the article addresses mostly waste management policies in highly industrialised countries. © 2016, © The Author(s) 2016

Управление твердыми коммунальными отходами в соответствии с критериями экономики замкнутого цикла: на примере России

In Russia, increasing amounts of municipal solid waste (MSW) accompanied by environmental degradation have recently led to changes in legislation. Their main goal is to reduce landfilling, to increase utilisation, to introduce the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR). These are first steps towards a circular economy. The main purpose of the paper is to study how to improve the efficiency of Russian MSW management using circular economy criteria. The study relies on methods such as systemic analysis and synthesis, comparison and generalisation, stakeholder analysis. The detailed analysis of current MSW management system in Russia showed contradictions between its participants regarding the distribution of material waste streams and financing, which leads to difficulties in EPR principle implementation and to possible problems in achieving the goals of the entire MSW management system. According to its current design, recycling receives maximum government support, opposite to reuse and prevention of waste: companies involved in these activities are still outside the scope of MSW management system, and the authors recommend considering their legislative inclusion in it. The critical analysis of Russia's EPR design compared with EU experience showed problems such as low environmental fees, low utilisation standards and the lack of households' involvement, which makes EPR design inefficient. The current regulations may help divert some waste from landfills to utilisation and recycling, but beyond that the incentives do not yet correspond to those required for implementing the EPR principle and a circular economy. Consequently, the paper provides recommendations for amending this, which can be used by decision makers at the federal level to improve MSW management system and increase its efficiency. © 2020 Institute of Economics, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.The work was supported by the Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, contract № 02.A03.21.0006

Smart Institutions for Smart Cities

Smart cities employ creativity of the population for innovations supporting social and economic development. In this context, this paper explores the role of framework conditions on special supply effects of university hospitals, which can invite further research institutions for intense collaboration, thereby stimulating innovations. The case study, comparing a hospital in Russia with one in Germany, is based on the concept of the employment multiplier. The results show that exogenously given, but, more importantly, also modifiable framework conditions lead to large differences regarding the employment multiplier. Thus, it should be the concern of smart cities to make smart use of their institutions, such as university hospitals, by adjusting the conditions, under which they are operating. © 2018 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved

Управление твердыми коммунальными отходами в соответствии с критериями экономики замкнутого цикла: на примере России

In Russia, increasing amounts of municipal solid waste (MSW) accompanied by environmental degradation have recently led to changes in legislation. Their main goal is to reduce landfilling, to increase utilisation, to introduce the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR). These are first steps towards a circular economy. The main purpose of the paper is to study how to improve the efficiency of Russian MSW management using circular economy criteria. The study relies on methods such as systemic analysis and synthesis, comparison and generalisation, stakeholder analysis. The detailed analysis of current MSW management system in Russia showed contradictions between its participants regarding the distribution of material waste streams and financing, which leads to difficulties in EPR principle implementation and to possible problems in achieving the goals of the entire MSW management system. According to its current design, recycling receives maximum government support, opposite to reuse and prevention of waste: companies involved in these activities are still outside the scope of MSW management system, and the authors recommend considering their legislative inclusion in it. The critical analysis of Russia’s EPR design compared with EU experience showed problems such as low environmental fees, low utilisation standards and the lack of households’ involvement, which makes EPR design inefficient. The current regulations may help divert some waste from landfills to utilisation and recycling, but beyond that the incentives do not yet correspond to those required for implementing the EPR principle and a circular economy. Consequently, the paper provides recommendations for amending this, which can be used by decision makers at the federal level to improve MSW management system and increase its efficiency.В России рост количества твердых коммунальных отходов (ТКО), сопровождающийся ухудшением состояния окружающей среды, стал причиной для недавних изменений в законодательстве. Их основная цель - сократить количество полигонов ТКО, увеличить объем переработки отходов, внедрить принцип расширенной ответственности производителя (РОП). Это первые шаги к экономике замкнутого цикла. Основная цель статьи - изучить способы повышения эффективности управления ТКО в России с использованием критериев циркулярной экономики. Исследование опирается на такие методы, как системный анализ и синтез, сравнение и обобщение, анализ стейк-холдеров. Детальный анализ действующей системы управления ТКО в России показал, что существуют противоречия между ее субъектами в отношении распределения материальных и финансовых потоков, что приводит к трудностям в реализации принципа РОП и возможным проблемам в достижении целей всей системы управления ТКО. В настоящее время максимальную государственную поддержку получает мусоропереработка, в отличие от повторного использования и предотвращения образования отходов: компании, занимающиеся этой деятельностью, все еще находятся вне системы управления ТКО, и авторы рекомендуют рассмотреть возможность их законодательного включения в нее. Критический анализ РОП в России в сравнении с опытом ЕС выявил такие проблемы, как низкие экологические сборы, низкие стандарты утилизации отходов и недостаточное участие в системе домашних хозяйств, что делает РОП неэффективной. Действующее законодательство может способствовать направлению части отходов с полигонов на утилизацию и переработку, однако этого не достаточно для реализации принципа РОП и перехода к циркулярной экономике. Таким образом, в статье представлены рекомендации по корректировке ситуации, которые могут быть использованы для улучшения системы обращения с ТКО и повышения ее эффективности лицами, принимающими решения на федеральном уровне.The work was supported by the Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, contract № 02.A03.21.0006.Работа поддержана Постановлением 211 Правительства РФ, договор № 02.A03.21.0006

Equity as a Prerequisite for Stability of Cooperation on Global Public Good Provision

Analysing cooperative provision of a global public good such as climate protection, we explore the relationship between equitable burden sharing on the one hand and core stability on the other. To assess the size of the burden which a public good contribution entails for a country, we make use of a specific measure based on Moulin (Econometrica 55:963-977, 1987). In particular, we show that a Pareto optimal allocation which is not in the core can always be blocked by a group of countries with the highest Moulin sacrifices. In this sense, it is the 'overburdening' and thus 'unfair' treatment of some countries that provides the reason for core instability. By contrast, a Pareto optimal allocation is in the core if the public good contributions are fairly equally distributed according to their Moulin sacrifices. The potential implications of our theoretical analysis for global climate policy are also discussed

Contract equilibria on housing markets

SIGLEDEGerman

Awareness of climate change: differences among Russian regions

In the Russian Federation with vulnerable permafrost areas and large forested areas as elsewhere, climate change affects the lives of citizens. Action depends on levels of awareness, a latent variable, calculated by means of a multiple-indicator-multiple-causes (MIMIC) model and indicators derived from regional search entries in Yandex®. The results show that climate change awareness increases with gross regional product per capita, decreases from east to west, and declines and varies seasonally with increasing average temperature. The United Nations Climate Change Conference affected awareness positively, but the devaluation of the Russian rouble in 2014–15 had no measurable impact. © 2018, © 2018 Regional Studies Association