Inequality in the Income of the Population as a Determinant of the Country's Economic Growth

In this article, there is explored the dependence of economic performance and economic growth on income inequality expressed by Gini coefficient and S80/S20 ratio. Analysis is based on data collected upon EU countries in years 2007, 2012 and 2017. Cluster analysis points out to heterogeneity of EU countries in observed characteristics and enables creation of three groups of countries: postsocialistic, southern and northern. Regression analysis, which takes into account groups of countries, was used to assess and illustrate the dependence. The results show that income inequality has a negative impact on the country's GDP per capita, and its impact on economic growth differs for particular groups of countries.O

PENGARUH DANA PERIMBANGAN TERHADAP BELANJA MODAL PADA PEMERINTAH DAERAH KABUPATEN DAN ATAU KOTA SE-JAWA TENGAH

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dan menguji pengaruh Dana Perimbangan yang terdiri dari Dana Bagi Hasil (DBH), Dana Alokasi Umum (DAU), Dana Alokasi Khusus (DAK) terhadap Belanja Modal baik secara parsial maupun simultan pada Pemerintah Daerah Kabupaten dan atau Kota Se-Jawa Tengah di tahun 2011 hingga 2013. Populasi dalam penelitian ini merupakan data keuangan daerah seluruh pemerintah kota/ kabupaten di Jawa Tengah pada tahun 2011–2013 yang berjumlah 105 laporan keuangan yang diperoleh dari situs resmi BPS Jawa Tengah. Penelitian ini menggunakan analisis regresi linier berganda dengan uji t, uji F, dan koefisien determinasi dengan menggunakan alat analisis SPSS versi 20. Berdasarkan hasil analisis regresi linear berganda dengan tingkat signifikansi 5%, didapatkan hasil bahwa: secara parsial variabel DBH berpengaruh terhadap Belanja Modal yang ditunjukkan dengan hasil thitung sebesar 3,268 > 1,98397 dengan tingkat signifikansi 0,001 1,98397 dan memiliki tingkat signifikansi 0,000 0,05. Dan secara simultan Dana Perimbangan berpengaruh terhadap Belanja Modal yang ditunjukkan dengan hasil Fhitung sebesar 30,303 > 2,69 dan nilai probabilitas 0,000 < 0,05

Conflicts around Germany’s Energiewende: Discourse patterns of citizens’ initiatives

Especially since the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe (2011), Germany has expanded its renewably sourced energies. Nuclear power is to be phased out by 2022. What is central to federal policy is the expansion of wind-generated energy. Plans for new wind farms have, however, faced opposition. And the transportation of electricity from the windy north to the high-use south entails an expansion of the existing power grid, which also provokes conflict. The article scrutinises dominant patterns of discourse on these issues. Based on current discourse theory, the research sheds light on the argumentative power of citizens’ initiatives with respect to nature conservation, landscape, health and economics

E-grocery challenges and remedies: Global market leaders perspective

The purpose of the study is to identify logistic elements germane to e-grocery businesses, and to reveal the challenges collateral with each logistic element. Further, it strives to create a better understanding of specific remedies that have been employed by top e-grocery retailers to overcome existing challenges while aligning identified challenges with Turban’s framework. Extensive semi-structured interviews were conducted with management staff in three of the top ten global online grocery retailers and another that was a market leader in a European country. The qualitative data collected was transcribed and coded using a non-hierarchical axial coding to identify emerging themes in content analysis. The results expose a range of challenges that could be compartmentalised into three broad categories, in harmony with the different stages of the order fulfilment process. Interestingly, the study found that most challenges were operational rather than tactical or strategic in nature. While the study expands existing knowledge, its revelation that most challenges lie in the management of roles and responsibilities domain is instructive. This makes it imperative for practitioners to focus on this specific area if meaningful improvement in e-grocery retailing performance is to be realised. This research offers a systematic understanding of supply and distribution challenges, including remedies utilised to ameliorate the effect of the challenges from the perspectives of the top companies in the industry. These remedies can be invaluable for existing and emerging e-grocers

An omnichannel approach to retailing: demystifying and identifying the factors influencing an omnichannel experience

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.The purpose of this research is to identify the factors that influence an omnichannel experience. Omnichannel is an emerging approach to retailing that responds to the changing nature of how customers shop in alternation between online and offline shops, and the increasing use of digital devices (e.g. smartphones and tablets) retailers are focusing and establishing a seamless integrated approach to their services. Omnichannel is now a hot topic in retailing but there is a lack of empirical studies into the factors that influence an omnichannel experience. Using a mixed methods approach, we propose and empirically test a conceptual model that identifies four factors influencing an omnichannel experience: brand familiarity; customisation; perceived value, and technology readiness. We conceptualise omnichannel to include three key channels; in-store, online and mobile. 246 questionnaires were collected and analysed using PLS-SEM and 11 interviews with marketing/omnichannel professionals. Our results indicate that brand familiarity has a strong influence on omnichannel (in-store, online and mobile) while perceived value has a negative impact on mobile experience. Our results show that retailers need to consider multiple factors, such as brand familiarity customisation, perceived value and technology readiness as influencing factors of an omnichannel experience, and plan the use of multiple touchpoints simultaneously to enhance their overall customer’s experience. Although this study demonstrates the significant factors influencing an omnichannel experience, questions remain regarding the exact use of each touchpoint by customers and the extent of overlap between the touchpoints. Our research attempts to address the lack of academic research on what factors influence an omnichannel experience

Online Information on Dysmenorrhea: An Evaluation of Readability, Credibility, Quality, and Usability

Aims and objectives To evaluate online information on dysmenorrhoea, including readability, credibility, quality and usability. Background Menstrual pain impacts 45%–95% of women of reproductive age globally and is the leading cause of school and work absences among women. Women often seek online information on dysmenorrhoea; however, little is known about the information quality. Design This was a descriptive study to evaluate online information on dysmenorrhoea. Methods We imitated search strategies of the general public. Specifically, we employed the three most popular search engines worldwide—Google, Yahoo and Bing—and used lay search terms, “period pain” and “menstrual cramps.” We screened 60 web pages. Following removal of duplicates and irrelevant web pages, 25 met the eligibility criteria. Two team members independently evaluated the included web pages using standardised tools. Readability was evaluated with the Flesch–Kincaid Reading Ease and Flesch–Kincaid Grade formulas; credibility, quality and usability were evaluated with established tools. We followed the STROBE checklist for reporting this study. Results For readability, the mean Flesch–Kincaid level was 10th grade. For credibility, 8% of web pages referenced scientific literature and 28% stated the author's name and qualifications. For quality, no web page employed user‐driven content production; 8% of web pages referenced evidence‐based guidelines, 32% of web pages had accurate content, and 4% of web pages recommended shared decision‐making. Most web pages were interactive and included nontextual information. Some nontextual information was inaccurate. Conclusion Online information on dysmenorrhoea has generally low readability, mixed credibility and variable quality. Relevance to clinical practice Strategies to improve health information on dysmenorrhoea include avoiding complex terms, incorporating visual aids, presenting evidence‐based information and developing a decision aid to support shared decision‐making. Healthcare providers should be aware of the problematic health information that individuals are exposed to and provide education about how to navigate online health information

Why alternative teenagers self-harm: exploring the link between non-suicidal self-injury, attempted suicide and adolescent identity

Background: The term ‘self-harm’ encompasses both attempted suicide and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Specific adolescent subpopulations such as ethnic or sexual minorities, and more controversially, those who identify as ‘Alternative’ (Goth, Emo) have been proposed as being more likely to self-harm, while other groups such as ‘Jocks’ are linked with protective coping behaviours (for example exercise). NSSI has autonomic (it reduces negative emotions) and social (it communicates distress or facilitates group ‘bonding’) functions. This study explores the links between such aspects of self-harm, primarily NSSI, and youth subculture.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Methods: An anonymous survey was carried out of 452 15 year old German school students. Measures included: identification with different youth cultures, i.e. Alternative (Goth, Emo, Punk), Nerd (academic) or Jock (athletic); social background, e.g. socioeconomic status; and experience of victimisation. Self-harm (suicide and NSSI) was assessed using Self-harm Behavior Questionnaire and the Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation (FASM).&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Results: An “Alternative” identity was directly (r ≈ 0.3) and a “Jock” identity inversely (r ≈ -0.1) correlated with self-harm. “Alternative” teenagers self-injured more frequently (NSSI 45.5% vs. 18.8%), repeatedly self-injured, and were 4–8 times more likely to attempt suicide (even after adjusting for social background) than their non-Alternative peers. They were also more likely to self-injure for autonomic, communicative and social reasons than other adolescents.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Conclusions: About half of ‘Alternative’ adolescents’ self-injure, primarily to regulate emotions and communicate distress. However, a minority self-injure to reinforce their group identity, i.e. ‘To feel more a part of a group’