Academic literature on the topic 'Indicators and indicators of financial potential assessment'

The article analyses the selection of profitability indicators for the evaluation of corporate financial performance. Both theory and practice, address a variety of profitability indicators, therefore, it is essential to understand the possibilities of using the information they provide, as well as to be able to identify potential reasons of indicator value deviations, and to assess the conditions causing the analysis performed based on these indicators to provide incomplete or unreliable information. The aim of the study is to analyse the main profitability indicators, their potential disadvantages, and possible issues in the analysis and interpretation of these indicators. Methods of logical and comparative analysis of the scientific literature, synthesis and generalisation, statistical data analysis and interpretation were used in this article. The results of the analysis show that there is no universal profitability indicator, that would cover all areas of company performance, because profitability indicators’ reliability, as well as objectivity of comparison to other entities, are influenced by national accounting standards, different prime cost calculation methods, long-term assets depreciation methods, reserve assessment, and other methods.

The paper considers a set of theoretical, practical and methodological issues related to determining the level of competitiveness of publishing companies by forming an integral assessment. The methodology of the study is the application of the ranking system, the Fishburne method, the definition of the specific weights of indicators, allowing you to assess financial competitiveness of companies, the tools of graphic analysis to calculate the overall integrated indicators that characterize the level of competitiveness of the publishing company. The main findings of the study are to determine the level of competitive potential (LCP) of companies, through integral evaluation. The advantage of the assessment method used is the application of a system of financial, marketing and reputational indicators. This indicator system has made it possible to more accurately determine the level of financial competitiveness and improve the effectiveness of financial and investment decisions made in the publishing industry.

The generalization of scientific approaches to the assessment of the financial stability of the banking system has demonstrated the multivariance of views on structuring and listing of financial stability indicators and has made it possible to distinguish three main ones: on the basis of macroeconomic and macro financial indicators; on the basis of separate indicators; based on synthetic indicators. It is proved that the latter is most effective since the large number and variability of financial ratios used by different authors to assess the level of financial stability of banking systems does not allow for unambiguous results. A hierarchic structure of indicators of the stability of the banking system is proposed, which is characterized by the simultaneous existence of a certain number, not ordered in a heterarchic manner. In accordance with it, the integral index of financial stability of the banking system includes subindices: stability of the NBU, stability of system banks, banks with foreign capital, banks with private capital, financial vulnerability of the banking system. The expediency of accounting for the indicators of financial risk assessment: credit, liquidity risk, interest rate, investment risk, unstable resource base risk, which are characterized by such financial ratios as part of provisions for depreciation of loans in the loan portfolio, is justified in the composition of such a synthetic indicator of the financial stability of the banking system; the norm of instant liquidity; net interest margin; part of the provision for depreciation of securities in the securities portfolio; coefficient of instability of the resource base. Also, indicators for assessing the stability of the central bank were proposed: indicators of the adequacy of reserves; indicators of the effectiveness of monetary policy; indicators of the effectiveness of foreign exchange regulation; indicators of compliance of banking supervision with the main principles of efficiency. This approach will allow taking into account all the structural components of the banking system in the process of assessing financial stability, on the one hand, and in time to identify potential threats to the loss of stability, on the other.

Building an adequate system of indicators to assess the financial development of countries and its practical application can improve the robustness and effectiveness of government decision-making. This paper aims to create such a system. The study used the methods of structured system, comparative, matrix, and gap analysis. The key outcome of the study is a matrix system of indicators for assessing the financial development of countries. This indicator system is based on a matrix of all financial assets. Elements of the matrix of financial assets were calculated in relation to the population and used as indicators of the level of financial development of countries as a whole and in the context of financial instruments and sectors of the economy. Simultaneous recording of financial assets across the entire range of financial instruments and sectors of the economy, as well as their interrelations, is a relatively new direction for financial development assessment. The study produced criteria for the qualitative assessment of the level of the financial development of countries. Testing of the developed matrix system of indicators and criteria for financial development was carried out on current and potential members of OECD (OECD+) for the period 2018–2019. As part of the testing, the level of financial development of the analyzed countries was calculated, their ranking was gauged, and international positions were determined. A structural analysis of the financial development of OECD+ countries in terms of types of financial assets (instruments) and sectors of the economy was carried out. Promising areas of Italy’s financial development have been identified. The test results confirmed that the matrix system of indicators and the developed criteria are an objective and convenient tool for assessing the level of financial development of countries. Their use makes it possible to increase the complexity and quality of the analysis of financial development, and it also forms a platform for making evidence-based and effective decisions in the development of national strategic documents.

<p>Theoretical background: The need for national industrial revival requires the assessment process of the financial and investment components of industrial potential, since such process allows for the development of a further strategy of industrial development of the country, taking into account the available opportunities as well as implementing effective government controls aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the national economy.</p><p>Purpose of the article: The development of a methodological foundation for a complex economic assessment of financial and investment components of industrial potential.</p><p>Research methods: A comparative analysis was used to study methodological approaches to the economic assessment of potential, laying the groundwork for conceptual foundations of a comprehensive economic evaluation of the financial and investment components. The types of analysis used were: a system analysis – to set the system of assessment indices and indicators of financial and investment components of industrial potential; an integral assessment analysis – to determine the integral levels of the potential development for certain types of industrial activity based on standardisation of indicators reflecting the development of financial and investment components; a statistical analysis – to identify changes in the development level of the financial and investment components of potential for certain types of industrial activity; and an abstract-logical analysis to draw conclusions and formulate theoretical generalisation of the obtained results.</p><p>Main findings: Our research collected the experiences of former scientists and developed methodological bases in order to study industrial potential as a complex economic category, the development of which is conditioned by the development level of its financial and investment components. The authors’ approach to a comprehensive economic assessment of the financial and investment components of industrial potential is based on the identification of both input and output indicators. Such allocations allowed the determining of the reproductive potential of the financial and investment components as a potential opportunity to attract relevant resources, as well as implemented potential, which characterises the effectiveness of their use (the opportunity used). Next, the input indicators were further split into general indicators – which are characterised by quantitative parameters of the scope of the resources, and reflect the involvement scale – and partial indicators, which reflect the qualitative resources characteristics. The proposed integrated indicators of the development levels of financial and investment components have a complex hierarchical structure. For example, the first level generates a set of indicators that provide for a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the development state, the second level determines the integral indices in terms of individual types of indicators, while the third level is based on the potential type (reproductive and implemented). A modified Harrington’s scale was proposed to draw a conclusion on the development level achieved for the financial and investment components of industrial potential. Research was conducted using the methodology proposed, on the development levels of financial and investment components of potential for various types of industrial activity. The results showed the existence of a high level of both reproductive and implemented potential in the production of computers, electronics and optical devices, and basic pharmaceutical products, which demonstrates the technological progress in the structural industrial potential transformation. The proposed methodological approach will allow for the definition of a “critical area” in the financial and investment components development necessary for the adoption of appropriate management decisions with regard to adjusting industrial potential development strategies.</p>

The purpose of the research is to improve the methodological approach to assessing the financial security of the region in the context of decentralization, which, unlike the existing ones, makes it possible to determine the ways of ensuring the financial security of the regions through an integrated assessment of the contribution of individual factors and types of regulation to the final state of the financial security of the territories. Methodology. The methodological approach to the assessment of the financial security of the region under decentralization has been improved based on the application of normalization of the system of indicators and construction of integral indices by the type of impact indicator (exogenous or endogenous) and factors: decentralization, socio-economic status and fiscal policy of the regions. Individual time series have been identified and evaluated for each of these integrated indicators. Results. Based on the research, the methodological approach to the assessment of the financial security of the region under decentralization conditions has been improved, which makes it possible to determine the ways of ensuring the financial security of the regions by assessing the contribution of individual factors and types of regulation to the financial security. These individual contributions are grouped together to reflect the type of impact indicator (exogenous or endogenous) and factors such as decentralization, socio-economic status and fiscal policies of the regions. The categories of integrated indicators proposed in the article are useful for monitoring financial security drivers, making it clear what affects the financial security of a country under decentralization, how systemic events in the process of decentralization affect the financial security of regions over time. Practical meaning. The research identified three groups of regions of Ukraine in terms of their financial security: financially secure regions, which during the entire observation period were ascertained: a high integral financial security index (Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv regions) and a sufficient integral financial security index (Lviv, Zaporizhzhya, Odesa, Poltava and Kharkiv regions); financially unstable regions where there is a potential for strengthening financial security (Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Cherkasy regions), but there is also a likelihood of aggravation of a negative financial situation (Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Kherson, Khmelnytsky, Chernihiv regions); financially dangerous regions, which are dependent on state support, are not able to independently fulfill the majority of delegated to the local level of authority and to finance the economic development of the region (Volyn, Luhansk, Transcarpathian, Rivne, Ternopil, Chernivtsi regions). Therefore, the advantage of using this system of integrated indicators is that they give the developers of national regional policy and internal regional policy an up-to-date picture of the financial security situation in the region, wider than that provided only by some unsystematic indicators. Prospects for further research. The prospect for further research should be to improve methodological support for the financial security of Ukrainian regions.

Abstract. Purpose. The article tests the methodology of determining an integral indicator of the resource potential of agricultural organizations of the Kurgan region in the context of districts. Based on the results obtained, internal and external threats were systematized according to the functional components of the resource potential, which will make it possible to develop the right set of actions to overcome or level them, as well as the need to find new approaches to increasing investment attractiveness, especially in rural areas. The purpose of the proposed methodology is to assess resource potential, identify threats and determine investment-attractive territories by the types of investments attracted (private, public). Methodology and methods. The methodology is based on the assessment of the following types of functional components of the resource potential: land, labor, material, innovative, financial. For each type, a system of indicators was selected that reflect the state and effectiveness of their functioning. In order to avoid accidental fluctuations, a sample of indicators for 3 years was made with subsequent averaging. Each indicator system undergoes a normalization procedure. All this makes it possible to bring the system of heterogeneous indicators to a single foundation, and, therefore, makes it possible to integrate their influences. Taking into account the significance of each indicator participating in the calculation, an integral assessment is formed for each group of indicators, and then, by simple summation, an integral indicator of the resource potential. Results and scope. The methodology was tested according to the annual reporting of agricultural organizations of the Kurgan region. The sample was made for three years in the regions of the region. The calculations make it possible to arrange the territories according to the level of resource potential and its functional components. Moreover, the methodology allows you to identify the weakest aspects of resource potential, and, therefore, to correctly develop a set of measures to eliminate threats and determine investment-attractive territories by the types of investments attracted (private, public). Scientific novelty. The advantage of this approach is the ability to determine the level of resource potential of both an individual business entity and a certain territory. Moreover, the system of indicators included in the model may vary depending on the purpose of the study, the composition of the functional components. The mathematical tools used, the information base make the technique available for use, conducting analytical studies.

Trends in the development of Ukrainian mining companies have shown that it is important to increase their financial potential. This necessitates an assessment of the financial capacity of business entities to determine the directions, methods for attracting additional and optimizing existing financial resources. The aim of this research is to determine a methodological approach to determining the level of financial potential of economic entities through the use of mathematical and statistical methods to identify the current financial status of economic entities and financial reserves of development. General scientific and special research methods, analysis and synthesis, graphical analysis, taxonomic analysis, cluster analysis, as well as abstract and logical methods were used to achieve the goal. Theoretical approaches to defining the essence of the concepts of “potential”, “financial potential of economic entities” were systematized to specify the boundaries of each of the concepts, its components. Definition of the essence of the “financial potential of economic entities” concept was proposed. A set of financial indicators to assess the level of financial potential through a priori ranking based on the analysis of literature sources was developed. The selected financial indicators were grouped according to the financial potential components; the integral indicators for each group were calculated. Business entities in the mining industry in Ukraine were grouped into clusters according to calculated taxonomic indicators. Besides, the level of financial potential for each cluster was determined. The methodological approach to the diagnosis of the level of financial potential of economic entities was developed using mathematical and statistical methods. This made it possible to identify trends in the development of financial potential, which allows forming measures to increase it.

The article discusses the concepts of financial stability, solvency, solvency ratios, financial reporting, financial analysis, liquidity indicators, solvency indicators, balance sheet, report on financial results, considers the advantages of implementing software products for the automatic generation of financial indicators based on financial statements. Financial management is becoming a time-consuming and priority task facing the management personnel of any modern enterprise, regardless of its field of activity. The financial stability of an enterprise is a complex concept that reflects a financial condition in which the enterprise is able to freely dispose of funds, balance financial flows, carry out effective activities in conditions of entrepreneurial risk and a dynamically changing environment, while maintaining solvency, having investment potential and a number of competitive advantages. The system of indicators characterizing the solvency and financial stability of the enterprise is the most important aspect, therefore, this article also discusses the indicators of financial stability, solvency, their calculation procedure, as well as the size and results. Methods for assessing the information contained in the financial statements are determined, examples of calculating the liquidity and solvency ratios of enterprises are given. The ways of increasing the financial stability and solvency of companies are described and considered.

The major problem of the current financial system of Ukraine is the critical condition of public debt. Its formation was unsystematic with operational financing of current budget expenditures that influenced its structure and dynamics. Ensuring the stability of the financial system and keeping the debt burden within safe limits, or at least ensuring its permanence, are Ukraine's debt policy's primary tasks. Simultaneously, the system of debt security indicators is an instrument for assessing the country's financial system's ability to meet its debt obligations. The article provides a list of key indicators of debt security, compares their limits in Ukraine and in world practice. This study is aimed to outline the scientific and methodological approach to determining the state debt security condition. It was developed on the basis of a quantitative assessment of relevant indicators, their further grouping, which allows analyzing the potential threats and sources of instability, predicting their future dynamics, and calculating the integrated debt security index of Ukraine. The main idea of the methodology for assessing the integrated debt security index is to evaluate the country`s debt security level in a certain period as a single summary indicator. Indeed, all threats and destabilizing factors measured by some debt security indicators might be taken into special consideration. However, their cumulative impact provides an overall result and allows assessing the overall debt security level. The analysis of the calculated integrated debt security index will allow timely react to potential threats and neutralize the risks caused by an excessive debt burden. Methods for rationing debt security indicators have been reviewed, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods – the optimal one has been chosen. The study covers the period from 2009 to 2019. The analysis of the debt security dynamics and the integrated index let on concluding that the debt situation in Ukraine is unstable, and there is a significant increase in debt over the past 11 years. Unsatisfactory values of both individual debt security indicators and the integrated index indicate the need for serious attention of public authorities and the need to optimize the management of Ukraine’s debt security in the system of economic security.

Магістерська дисертація складається зі вступу, 3-х розділів, висновків, списку використаних джерел та додатків. Робота містить 113 сторінок друкованого тексту, 32 таблиці, 19 рисунків та 6 формул. Список використаних джерел нараховує 88 найменувань. Мета роботи полягає у обґрунтуванні науково-методичних засад та практичних рекомендацій щодо вдосконалення управління фінансовим потенціалом підприємства з метою підвищення його ефективності. При написанні дипломної роботи було використано такі наукові методи: метод спостережень, який полягав у проведенні спостережень за зміною основних показників фінансової діяльності та стану підприємства; метод математичного аналізу, за допомогою якого було проведено таксономічний аналіз чинників формування ефективної системи управління фінансовим потенціалом; метод ситуаційного моделювання – для визначення оптимального варіанту підвищення ефективності управління фінансовим потенціалом підприємства. В роботі запропоновано стратегічне управління фінансовим потенціалом шляхом встановлення установки електронно-променевої плавки титану та оптимізації структури капіталу ПрАТ «СКФ Україна» з використанням механізму фінансового левериджу. Даний проект є одним з можливих шляхів підвищення ефективності управління фінансовим потенціалом, оскільки під час впровадження проекту прискориться оборотність грошових активів, а також за рахунок отриманого прибутку збільшиться частка власних фінансових ресурсів підприємства. Об’єктом дослідження є сукупність процесів організації, планування, контролю та управління фінансовим потенціалом ПрАТ «СКФ Україна» з метою підвищення його ефективності. Предметом дослідження є сукупність теоретичних, методичних і практичних підходів до управління фінансовим потенціалом підприємства.
The work contains 113 pages of printed text, 32 tables, 19 figures and 6 formulas. List of used sources has 88 names. The purpose of the work is to substantiate the scientific and methodological principles and practical recommendations for improving the management of the financial potential of the enterprise in order to increase its efficiency. When writing the thesis, the following scientific methods were used: the method of observation, which consisted in conducting observations on changes in the main indicators of financial activity and the state of the enterprise; a method of mathematical analysis, by means of which taxonomic analysis of the factors of formation of an effective system of management of financial potential was conducted; situational modeling method - to determine the optimal option for improving the management of the financial potential of the enterprise. The paper proposes strategic management of financial potential by installing a titanium electron-beam tile and optimizing the structure of the capital of PJSC "SKF Ukraine" using the financial leverage mechanism. This project is one of the possible ways to increase the efficiency of management of financial potential, as during the implementation of the project, the turnover of cash assets will accelerate, as well as at the expense of the profit will increase the share of own financial resources of the enterprise. The object of the research is the totality of processes of organization, planning, control and management of financial potential of PJSC "SCF Ukraine" in order to increase its efficiency. The subject of the study is a set of theoretical, methodological and practical approaches to managing the financial potential of the enterprise.

1. Poddierohin A. M. Finansy pidpryiemstv : navch. posib. Kyiv : KNEU. 2012. 406 s.
The focus is on conducting a comprehensive assessment of the financial condition of airlines. The advantages and disadvantages of conducting a comprehensive analysis are highlighted. Taking into account the defined preconditions, the sequence of conducting a comprehensive assessment of the financial condition of airlines has been determined.

Teacher collaboration is being implemented in many schools for a number of reasons with various claimed benefits. Collaboration is being heralded by many as a fix for many of the problems affecting teachers. This study shows that teachers believe that collaboration improves their ability to teach subject content, improves teaching methods, improves teacher's ability to manage students, and provides benefits to teachers in general. The majority of participants in this survey, whether currently participating in collaboration or not, indicated that they agree that collaboration provides these benefits. This study also examines four potential indicators of teacher attrition: administrative support, teacher salaries, excitement and enthusiasm toward teaching, and intent to stay in the teaching profession. The data showed that the effect of participation in collaboration has a slight positive effect on the indicators of potential attrition but not a statistically significant influence. Low teacher salaries remain a major area of frustration for the majority of teachers and should be further examined as a contributor to teacher attrition. Teacher attrition is a problem that must be addressed if a solution to the current and future teacher shortage is to be found. Further studies need to be conducted into this critical issue to determine the causes of this problem and find solutions.

In this thesis, different ways to evaluate social business are compared and discussed.The relatively new concept “social business” is used to describe a private sector enterprise, the purpose of which is not primarily to maximise profit but to achieve a social mission. However, in doing so, it needs to be sustainable in financial terms, and this means that sufficient profitability is a necessary condition. (Environmental sustainability is another important prerequisite, which is not discussed in depth here).Assessing the success of a social business, it is therefore necessary to evaluate both the social impact and the financial viability. This means, on one hand, using appropriate evaluation methods that have mainly been developed for the public sector and the civil society. Such methods are based on unequal power relations requiring accountability – a concept not normally used in the private sector, where funding is based on a voluntary exchange of money for goods or services. On the other hand, not all traditional methods for assessing performance in a private sector company are suitable for determining financial sustainability in a social business. Nevertheless, existing methods should be used where appropriate.Among the findings are:- the importance of the local context and particular features, which makes comparisons between different social businesses difficult, and which necessitates adaptions of assessment methods- that several financial indicators, used for for-profit business, may also be useful for social business (especially those related to revenue trends and liquidity). However such indicators are based on accounting (history) rather than a forward-looking analysis of the business environment, and may not be fully comparable.- that the main purpose of impact evaluation is the need to improve operations, but also to enhance legitimacy among stake-holders and – to some extent – regulators and prospective investors. Stake-holder involvement is therefore normally an advantage.- that methods that build on monetising outcomes and impacts (for example Social Return on Investment) are normally less appropriate than models that use non-monetary forms for publishing evaluation results, eg. anecdotal analyses- that with the exception of evaluations done by the academia to increase knowledge, available resources will normally not be sufficient to carry out fully fledged external evaluations using methods to establish a counterfactual situation.The development of social business also challenges traditional economic assumptions of the profit maximising individual through introducing such concepts as solidarity, social capital and citizenship. The fact that in several ways, social business crosses the borderline between on one hand the private sector and on the other hand public sector and civil society makes it necessary for representatives from many different academic fields to cooperate closely in future research: economics, business administration, political and social scientists etc.

Diploma´s thesis evaluates financial situation of the company UNIPHARMA a.s. within the period of years 2002 till 2009 by selected indicators of the financial analyzes. It analyzes problems and proposes possible solutions, which will lead to the improvements of the company financial situation in the future. Future performance is introduced in alternatives of financial plan with proposals for improvement included. Quality of financial plan is evaulated by analysis of ratio indicators.

Thesis advisor: Callista Roy
Assessing pain in nonverbal children with intellectual disability (ID) is challenging. These children are at risk for having pain from complex medical conditions and treatments for these conditions (Breau, Camfield, McGrath, Finley, 2004). Compounding this, their pain cues are often misunderstood, given that they are nonverbal and limited by their physical abilities. Although, pain assessment tools for this population exist, there is a need for tools appropriate for a range of exhibited pain expressions. The general purpose of this study was to examine the words that parents of children with ID use to describe their child's pain responses in order to improve pain recognition and management. Specifically, the aims were to: 1) Identify common pain responses; 2) Examine the relationship between type of pain response and demographic characteristics; 3) Compare common pain responses to cues in the literature. A non-directed summative content analysis identified patterns in 335 parent described pain responses of 50 nonverbal children with ID ages 6-18 years. The relationships between type of pain response and selected demographic factors were examined. Then pain responses were compared to items of pain tools for this population. Seven distinct categories of pain expression were identified in the content analysis. The greatest percentage of pain cues were within the categories of vocalization (39.4%), social behavior (21.8%) and facial expressions (16%). Four categories: vocalization, social behavior, muscle tone and activity level included opposite responses to pain. Significant relationships between type of parent described pain expression and 1) pain severity; 2) causes of ID and; 3) the gender of the child found that type of pain expression changes with severity; that patients with seizure disorders expressed pain with vocal pain expression; and that females expressed pain with more social pain expression while males expressed with more vocalizations. The results support published evidence that parents can articulate their child's pain responses. The study also provides evidence of: 1) opposite pain responses within general categories of pain; 2) a significant relationship between type of pain responses and severity of pain, cause of ID and child gender and; 3) the comprehensiveness of pain assessment tools vary greatly
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2010
Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing
Discipline: Nursing

An ecological risk assessment was conducted on the risk to fish of chemical contaminants detected in the habitat of Albula vulpes in South Florida, to evaluate whether contaminants may be a driver of declines in the recreational bonefish fishery. All available contaminant detection data from Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, and the Florida Keys were compared to federal and state guidelines for aquatic health to identify Contaminants of Potential Ecological Concern (COPECS). For these COPECs, species sensitivity distributions were constructed and compared with recent detections at the 90th centile of exposure. Copper in Biscayne Bay was identified as the highest risk of acute and chronic effects to fish, followed by a risk of chronic effects from both the recently phased-out pesticide endosulfan in Florida Bay, and the pharmaceutical hormone estrone in the Florida Keys.

Для соблюдения оптимального объема оборотных активов и источников их финансирования управленческому персоналу предприятия необходимо регулярно проводить мониторинг и оценку финансовой устойчивости. Короткий срок хранения товара с учетом его наибольшей доли в составе запасов компании и высокие значения кредиторской задолженности при практике отсроченных платежей создают риск повышения уровня долговых обязательств у предприятий розничной торговли продовольственными товарами. Целью магистерской диссертации является разработка научно-методических рекомендаций по совершенствованию оценки финансовой устойчивости предприятий розничной торговли продовольственными товарами. В работе рассматривается понятие финансовой устойчивости, теоретические и методические основы ее анализа, вопросы оценки финансовой устойчивости предприятий розничной торговли продовольственными товарами. При написании работы применялись методы общенаучного исследования, логический подход, сравнение изучаемых показателей, метод финансовых коэффициентов, системный подход и др. В магистерской диссертации был разработан методический подход к оценке финансовой устойчивости предприятий розничной торговли продовольственными товарами, результатом которого стали сформированный специфический комплекс показателей финансовой устойчивости для предприятий розничной торговли продовольственными товарами, отличающийся оптимальным количеством показателей, исключением дублирования применяемых коэффициентов, который позволяет повысить точность оценки, а также усовершенствованный метод сравнительной диагностики и мониторинга финансовой устойчивости, включающий специфический способ объединения показателей в рейтинговой оценке, который позволяет принимать лучший конечный итог по рейтингу в качестве эталонного (нормативного) при принятии решений по повышению финансовой устойчивости.
To comply with the optimal volume of current assets and sources of their financing, the management personnel of the enterprise must regularly monitor and assess financial stability.The short shelf life of the goods, taking into account its largest share in the company's inventory, and the high values of accounts payable in the practice of deferred payments, create the risk of an increase in the level of debt obligations of food retailers. The aim of the master's thesis is to develop scientific and methodological recommendations to improve the assessment of the financial stability of retail food retail enterprises. The paper discusses the concept of financial stability, theoretical and methodological foundations of its analysis, issues of assessing the financial stability of retail food retail enterprises. When writing the work, the methods of general scientific research, a logical approach, comparison of the studied indicators, the method of financial ratios, a systematic approach, etc. were used. In the master's thesis, a methodological approach to assessing the financial stability of food retail enterprises was developed, which resulted in a specific set of financial stability indicators for food retail enterprises, characterized by the optimal number of indicators, excluding duplication of the applied coefficients, which improves the accuracy of the assessment, and also an improved method for comparative diagnostics and monitoring of financial stability, which includes a specific way of combining indicators in a rating assessment, which allows taking the best final rating result as a reference (normative) one when making decisions to improve financial stability.

The Santa Ana River (SAR) is the largest river in Southern California. The flow of the SAR begins in the San Bernardino Mountains and discharges into the Pacific Ocean at Huntington Beach. The SAR contains one of the most essential and rare biodiversity hotspots on earth. In order to protect the wildlife, and suit population demands, the SAR must meet the Clean Water Act (CWA) regulations. The SAR Reach 6 is the uppermost segment of the river, and is currently listed under the CWA 303(d) List for impaired water due to contamination of cadmium, copper, and lead from an unknown source based on limited data provided in 1997 by the San Bernardino County Flood Control District (SBCFCD). This project focused on confirming the contemporary occurrence and identifying the potential source(s) of Cd, Cu, and Pb by comparing new water sample data with that of previous studies The analysis of previous data identified an interesting correlation between high water hardness and elevated lead levels. The new results from this study suggest that there continues to be a source of these metals in the upper parts of Reach 6 of the SAR. Moreover, the limited data obtained in this study suggests that the source of the contamination is upstream to the northeast of the primary sampling site, possibly on private lands. Future, more comprehensive studies will be required to determine whether Reach 6 of the SAR should remain on the 303(d) list. Source identification if necessary, will be a further challenge.

The issues of setting goals, planning and forming a system of indicators of the effectiveness and efficiency of the penal system are considered. The criteria for determining the goals-tasks that are adequate to the public goals of the system are justified. Quantitative indicators corresponding to the criteria were developed, based on the contribution of the criminal justice System to reducing the socio-economic losses of society from recidivism. The contribution of the system is determined by changes in the criminal potential of convicted persons during the period of serving a sentence under a court sentence. Criminal potentials are estimated by predictive values of the aggregate of three groups of characteristics of the criminal potential of convicts, determined by the stages of the cycle of recidivism. The practical results of the use of sound methods and developed tools are based on the use of a significant amount of empirical data on the institutions of the criminal justice system and its systematic expert and statistical analysis. The monograph is a generalization and development of the works carried out by the authors during 2012-2017 in the process of preparing masters of Management for the penal system. It is intended for managers and specialists of the bodies and institutions of the Criminal Justice System, researchers, teachers of higher educational institutions who train specialists for law enforcement agencies.

The monograph presents the generalized results of the author's scientific activity related to the diagnosis and phenomenological description of the state of self-consciousness and the Self-concept of persons with developmental disorders, in particular with mild mental retardation. The variants of self-awareness diagnostics and a comprehensive assessment of the personal adaptive potential of subjects of different ages with intellectual disabilities are presented and methodologically justified. The presented methods allow us to form an individual adaptive profile based on a quantitative assessment of qualitative indicators of adaptability/maladaptivity. The content aspects of the formation of the antisocial potential of a person with mild mental retardation, in particular, the problems of suggestibility, indoctrination and the participation of persons with intellectual disabilities in criminal communities, are separately identified. It will be useful for students, postgraduates, researchers and practitioners in the field of pedagogy, psychology, law.

The monograph is devoted to the place and role of ecology and environmental safety in ensuring sustainable socio-economic development of society. In the conditions of the forced transition of the economies of the leading countries of the world from an industrial type to a new formation of a green economy aimed at ensuring the preservation of ecological systems and the maximum reduction of damage to the biodiversity of ecological systems, the Russian Federation faces the task of forming a new course of socio-economic development of society focused on the preservation of natural potential and ecology at a level normal for the maintenance of the vital activity of society, flora and fauna in the foreseeable future and in the long term. The role and importance of environmental safety in the system of ensuring the economic security of the state are outlined, the concept of the ideology of "Global Commons" in ensuring sustainable socio-economic development of society is considered, the problems and prospects of the implementation of the program "Green Course of Russia" are analyzed, special aspects of environmental audit, accounting and control, damage assessment in the field of ecology are investigated. Special attention is paid to the forecast of the dynamics of key environmental indicators for the medium term. The main directions of increasing the effectiveness of the mechanism for ensuring environmental safety in a market economy are proposed. For a wide range of readers interested in environmental economics. It will be useful for students, postgraduates and teachers of economic universities.

Rapid decarbonization requires additional research, development, and demonstration of low-carbon energy technologies. Various financing instruments are in place to support this development. They are frequently assessed through indicator-based evaluations. There is no standard set of indicators for this purpose. This study looks at the Nordic countries, which are leading countries with respect to eco-innovation. Different indicators to assess financing instruments are analysed with respect to their acceptance, the ease of monitoring, and their robustness. None of the indicators emerges as clearly superior from the analysis. Indicator choice is subject to trade-offs and leaves room for steering evaluation results in a desired direction. The study concludes by discussing potential policy implications of biases in indicator-based evaluation.

The primary focus is to provide landholders, catchment groups, catchment and land protection boards, and rural communities with the best tools that science has so far developed for benchmarking and monitoring the condition of the land and water resources in the catchments. A diverse range of potential indicators has been reviewed and the most appropriate suite of indicators assembled to aid this focus. The proposed indicators cover farm productivity and financial performance, product quality, soil health, water quality and landscape integrity.

Hard coal mining is characterised by features that pose numerous challenges to its current operations and cause strategic and operational problems in planning its development. The most important of these include the high capital intensity of mining investment projects and the dynamically changing environment in which the sector operates, while the long-term role of the sector is dependent on factors originating at both national and international level. At the same time, the conditions for coal mining are deteriorating, the resources more readily available in active mines are being exhausted, mining depths are increasing, temperature levels in pits are rising, transport routes for staff and materials are getting longer, effective working time is decreasing, natural hazards are increasing, and seams with an increasing content of waste rock are being mined. The mining industry is currently in a very difficult situation, both in technical (mining) and economic terms. It cannot be ignored, however, that the difficult financial situation of Polish mining companies is largely exacerbated by their high operating costs. The cost of obtaining coal and its price are two key elements that determine the level of efficiency of Polish mines. This situation could be improved by streamlining the planning processes. This would involve striving for production planning that is as predictable as possible and, on the other hand, economically efficient. In this respect, it is helpful to plan the production from operating longwalls with full awareness of the complexity of geological and mining conditions and the resulting economic consequences. The constraints on increasing the efficiency of the mining process are due to the technical potential of the mining process, organisational factors and, above all, geological and mining conditions. The main objective of the monograph is to identify relations between geological and mining parameters and the level of longwall mining costs, and their daily output. In view of the above, it was assumed that it was possible to present the relationship between the costs of longwall mining and the daily coal output from a longwall as a function of onerous geological and mining factors. The monograph presents two models of onerous geological and mining conditions, including natural hazards, deposit (seam) parameters, mining (technical) parameters and environmental factors. The models were used to calculate two onerousness indicators, Wue and WUt, which synthetically define the level of impact of onerous geological and mining conditions on the mining process in relation to: —— operating costs at longwall faces – indicator WUe, —— daily longwall mining output – indicator WUt. In the next research step, the analysis of direct relationships of selected geological and mining factors with longwall costs and the mining output level was conducted. For this purpose, two statistical models were built for the following dependent variables: unit operating cost (Model 1) and daily longwall mining output (Model 2). The models served two additional sub-objectives: interpretation of the influence of independent variables on dependent variables and point forecasting. The models were also used for forecasting purposes. Statistical models were built on the basis of historical production results of selected seven Polish mines. On the basis of variability of geological and mining conditions at 120 longwalls, the influence of individual parameters on longwall mining between 2010 and 2019 was determined. The identified relationships made it possible to formulate numerical forecast of unit production cost and daily longwall mining output in relation to the level of expected onerousness. The projection period was assumed to be 2020–2030. On this basis, an opinion was formulated on the forecast of the expected unit production costs and the output of the 259 longwalls planned to be mined at these mines. A procedure scheme was developed using the following methods: 1) Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) – mathematical multi-criteria decision-making method, 2) comparative multivariate analysis, 3) regression analysis, 4) Monte Carlo simulation. The utilitarian purpose of the monograph is to provide the research community with the concept of building models that can be used to solve real decision-making problems during longwall planning in hard coal mines. The layout of the monograph, consisting of an introduction, eight main sections and a conclusion, follows the objectives set out above. Section One presents the methodology used to assess the impact of onerous geological and mining conditions on the mining process. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is reviewed and basic definitions used in the following part of the paper are introduced. The section includes a description of AHP which was used in the presented analysis. Individual factors resulting from natural hazards, from the geological structure of the deposit (seam), from limitations caused by technical requirements, from the impact of mining on the environment, which affect the mining process, are described exhaustively in Section Two. Sections Three and Four present the construction of two hierarchical models of geological and mining conditions onerousness: the first in the context of extraction costs and the second in relation to daily longwall mining. The procedure for valuing the importance of their components by a group of experts (pairwise comparison of criteria and sub-criteria on the basis of Saaty’s 9-point comparison scale) is presented. The AHP method is very sensitive to even small changes in the value of the comparison matrix. In order to determine the stability of the valuation of both onerousness models, a sensitivity analysis was carried out, which is described in detail in Section Five. Section Six is devoted to the issue of constructing aggregate indices, WUe and WUt, which synthetically measure the impact of onerous geological and mining conditions on the mining process in individual longwalls and allow for a linear ordering of longwalls according to increasing levels of onerousness. Section Seven opens the research part of the work, which analyses the results of the developed models and indicators in individual mines. A detailed analysis is presented of the assessment of the impact of onerous mining conditions on mining costs in selected seams of the analysed mines, and in the case of the impact of onerous mining on daily longwall mining output, the variability of this process in individual fields (lots) of the mines is characterised. Section Eight presents the regression equations for the dependence of the costs and level of extraction on the aggregated onerousness indicators, WUe and WUt. The regression models f(KJC_N) and f(W) developed in this way are used to forecast the unit mining costs and daily output of the designed longwalls in the context of diversified geological and mining conditions. The use of regression models is of great practical importance. It makes it possible to approximate unit costs and daily output for newly designed longwall workings. The use of this knowledge may significantly improve the quality of planning processes and the effectiveness of the mining process.

AbstractThis chapter addresses the concepts and methods to assess quantitative indicators of Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) at stand and management unit levels. First, the basic concepts for developing a framework for assessing CSF were reviewed. The suitable properties of indicators and methods for normalization, weighting, and aggregation were summarized. The proposed conceptual approach considers the CSF assessment as an adaptive learning process, which integrates scientific knowledge and participatory approaches. Then, climate smart indicators were applied on long-term experimental plots to assess CSF of spruce-fir-beech mixed mountain forest. Redundancy and trade-offs between indicators, as well as their sensitivity to management regimes, were analyzed with the aim of improving the practicability of indicators. At the management unit level, the roles of indicators in the different phases of forest management planning were reviewed. A set of 56 indicators were used to assess their importance for management planning in four European countries. The results indicated that the most relevant indicators differed from the set of Pan-European indicators of sustainable forest management. Finally, we discussed results obtained and future challenges, including the following: (i) how to strengthen indicator selections and CSF assessment at stand level, (ii) the potential integration of CSF indicators into silvicultural guidelines, and (iii) the main challenges for integrating indicators into climate-smart forest planning.

AbstractWe present a new approach to advance methods of climate change impact and adaptation assessment within a risk framework. Specifically, our research seeks to test the feasibility of applying impact models across sectors within a standard analytical framework for representing three aspects of potential relevance for policy: (i) sensitivity—examining the sensitivity of the sectors to changing climate for readily observable indicators; (ii) urgency—estimating risks of approaching or exceeding critical thresholds of impact under alternative scenarios as a basis for determining urgency of response; and (iii) response—determining the effectiveness of potential adaptation and mitigation responses. By working with observable indicators, the approach is also amenable to long-term monitoring as well as evaluation of the success of adaptation, where this too can be simulated. The approach focuses on impacts in climate-sensitive sectors, such as water resources, forestry, agriculture or human health. It involves the construction of impact response surfaces (IRSs) based on impact model simulations, using sectoral impact models that are also capable of simulating some adaptation measures. We illustrate the types of analyses to be undertaken and their potential outputs using two examples: risks of crop yield shortfall in Finland and impact risks for water management in the Vale do Gaio reservoir, Portugal. Based on previous analyses such as these, we have identified three challenges requiring special attention in this new modelling exercise: (a) ensuring the salience and credibility of the impact modelling conducted and outputs obtained, through engagement with relevant stakeholders, (b) co-exploration of the capabilities of current impact models and the need for improved representation of adaptation and (c) co-identification of critical thresholds for key impact indicators and effective representation of uncertainties. The approach is currently being tested for five sectors in Finland.

AbstractThe paper gives a snapshot of the potential of LCA (life cycle assessment) data-based optimizations in control systems. The environmental burden of existing infrastructure can be significantly reduced during use phase. Four Siemens’ applications in different fields with different lead indicators show how LCA assessments can be adapted to fulfil the requirements of such applications. The applications are power and air quality management use cases in the field of eMobility, building management, industrial process control and traffic management. The main methodological challenge solved is the provision of the necessary temporal and special resolution, as well as forecasting of parameters for scheduling of processes.

AbstractBecause of the sparseness of the ground monitoring network, precipitation estimations based on satellite products (PESPs) are currently requisite tools for hydrological simulation research and applications. The evaluation of six global high-resolution PESPs (TRMM 3B42V7, GPGP-1DD, TRMM 3B42RT, CMORPH-V1.0, PERSIANN, and PERSIANN-CDR) is the ultimate purpose of this research. Additionally, the distributed Hydrological River Basin Environmental Assessment Model (Hydro-BEAM) is used to investigate their potential effects in streamflow predictions over the Blue Nile basin (BNB) during the period 2001 to 2007. The correctness of the studied PESPs is assessed by applying categorical criteria to appraise their performances in estimating and reproducing precipitation amounts, while statistical indicators are utilized to determine their rain detection capabilities. Our findings reveal that TRMM 3B42V7 outperforms the remaining product in both the estimation of precipitation and the hydrological simulation, as reflected in highest NSE and R2 values ranges from 0.85 to 0.94. Generally, the TRMM 3B42V7 precipitation product exhibits tremendous potential as a substitute for precipitation estimates in the BNB, which will provide powerful forcing input data for distributed hydrological models. Overall, this study will hopefully provide a better comprehension of the usefulness and uncertainties of various PESPs in streamflow simulations, particularly in this region.

Abstract This chapter provides an assessment of trends in institutional and human-resource capacity in Africa's tertiary education sector and, specifically, in its tertiary agricultural education (TAE) sector. Sections 5.2 and 5.3 focus on the changing institutional landscape since the 1970s, including an analysis of whether more recent TAE expansion mirrors overall growth in the tertiary education sector. Sections 5.4 and 5.5 present an overview of growth in enrolments within Africa's tertiary education sector, along with information on student populations for sample countries and institutions for which TAE data are available. Section 5.6 provides an overview of developments in TAE teaching capacity across these sample countries, both over time and by various demographic indicators. The chapter concludes with an analysis of estimated future demand for PhD graduates in TAE compared with the potential supply, followed by a discussion of implications and recommendations.

AbstractThis paper discusses the use of biomarkers within the environmental protection framework that has evolved since the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) was given a broad mandate for the protection of the environment under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA) in 2000. Unique insights have been obtained through environmental assessments for major nuclear projects conducted under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, and through the Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) requirements at uranium mines and mills (Metal Mining Effluent Regulations under the Fisheries Act (FA)). Altogether, the Canadian nuclear sector now has 17 years of experience in applying biological evidence in decision-making. Key examples are discussed where improved effluent controls were implemented at uranium mines for three substances (U, Mo, Se) based on risk assessments and supporting biological evidence. In the case of U, potential for localized harm from the chemical toxicity rather than radiological toxicity of U was identified at three older mines through environmental risk assessment. Evidence of potential harm in the field was also obtained from a community ecology bioindicator (benthic invertebrate biodiversity). This led to the improvement of effluent controls for U that were straightforward to implement under the NSCA. In the case of Mo, the weight of evidence for potential health effects on moose and other riparian wildlife from ecological risk assessments (supported by field evidence from Sweden) prompted improved controls based on precaution and pollution prevention. A technological solution was readily available for reducing Mo in effluent and was therefore implemented. In the case of Se, population level effects in fish and individual level effects in waterfowl in the USA led to selenium risks being evaluated downstream of uranium mines. Biomarkers (larval teratogenic deformities) played a pivotal role in attributing observed effects (harm) to the probable cause (selenium accumulation in the environment). However, as technological solutions were not straightforward, effort was required to build a consensus on achievable effluent control targets in a multi-stakeholder and multi-jurisdictional context. Through site-specific research and the latest scientific literature, criteria for selenium risk evaluation and water treatment system improvements were agreed upon and implemented. Within the EEM program, similar issues have arisen in managing a robust and defensible regulatory framework for controls on multiple hazardous substances across many mining sectors. However, an initial review of biomarkers resulted in the selection of only ecologically-relevant parameters (fish health and population indicators, benthic invertebrate biodiversity) as triggers for regulatory action. Altogether, these and other parallel experiences are discussed in terms of the desirable attributes of biological effects monitoring in a Canadian regulatory context.

The appropriate allocation of valuable human and financial resources requires a decision-making process based upon the most accurate information available. A community diagnostic assessment provides the framework to determine the important issues, propose potential solutions, and empower the community’s constituents. In this chapter, several theoretical models which can guide the assessment process are delineated along with six methods of needs assessment (key informant, public issues forum, service utilization, public records - social indicators, and field survey). For each method of assessment, its applicability, strengths and limitations are examined. The use of telecommunication technologies and Internet resources are incorporated throughout the chapter.

Violence threat and insider threat assessment rely on successfully identifying, interpreting, and responding to concerning or malicious behaviors before egregious harm is done. Both types of threats benefit from multidisciplinary teams of experts skillfully putting together data points before physical, emotional, financial, reputational, or informational harm occurs. Usually the identified character (e.g., decision-making, interpersonal style, work style), stressors, and concerning behaviors demonstrated do not clearly indicate whether a person will assault coworkers, steal classified/proprietary information, sabotage systems, or proceed normally as a responsible employee. Empirically based risk factors and threat indicators provide opportunities to evaluate potential threats more appropriately earlier in the assessment process. This chapter is an overview of insider threat definitions and programs, what it takes to become an insider threat, and how research psychologists bring rigorous science to insider threat detection, providing a solid understanding of what is known and not known about nonviolent insider threats.

Agriculture is one of the most important types of economic activity for the Ukrainian economy, since together with other related economic activities it forms more than half of Ukraine’s GDP and the share of agriculture in the production of goods and services tends to increase. In such conditions, an important and urgent task is a retrospective study of the architectonics of financing of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine, the factors influencing it and the substantiation of the prospects for its optimization. The aim of the study is the empirical assessment of the formation of architectonics of financing of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine under the influence of macroeconomic factors and industry factors. For the empirical assessment of the architectonics of financing of agricultural enterprises of Ukraine, a system of absolute and relative indicators, regression and correlation analysis were applied. An empirical assessment of the financial support of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine in the context of agricultural development allowed to distinguish three periods: 2010-2013 – an increase of financial resources of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine subject to excess of equity, ensuring of financial stability of enterprises; 2014-2015 – reduction of financial resources of agricultural enterprises subject to excess borrowed funds, partial loss of financial stability of enterprises; 2016-2018 – an increase of financial resources of agricultural enterprises in the direction of restoring the potential of financial stability and a deterioration in the payment discipline of the resources of agricultural enterprises.

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have the potential to be an important component of the worldwide nuclear renaissance. Whilst requiring more diluted investment than Large Reactors (LRs), SMRs are simpler build and operate as well as being suitable for deployment in harsh environmental conditions. In addition, useful by-products such as desalinated water and process heat are generated. The economic competitiveness of SMRs with respect to LRs must be carefully evaluated since the economies of scale label these reactors as not economically competitive. As such, a variety of financial and economic models have been developed by the scientific community in order to assess the competitiveness of SMRs. One of these, the INCAS model (Integrated model for the Competitiveness Assessment of SMRs), performs an investment project simulation and assessment of SMR and LR deployment scenarios, providing monetary indicators (e.g. IRR, LUEC, total equity invested) and not-monetary indicators (e.g. design robustness, required spinning reserve). The work in this paper investigates the attractiveness of SMRs for a given scenario, the Indian state, through application of the INCAS model. India is the second most populated country in the world with rapid economic growth and a huge requirement for energy. There is also both good public acceptance and political support for nuclear power in India, important factors favoring the deployment SMRs in particular. India seems particularly suitable for SMR deployment because (i) its energy intensive industrial sites are located far from existing grids, (ii) rapid growth in the region and (iii) the requirement for plants to provide fresh water for the population, as well as for agriculture and industry. The results show that SMRs have roughly the same financial performance of LRs, however they have a competitive advantage as a result of non-financial factors such as co-generation application, higher local content and better management of the spinning reserves in a country with an electricity deficit.

Purpose – The article presents the results of a study evaluating the efficiency, benefits, and contribution to the sustainable development of destination of the Certification Leading Quality Trails – Best of Europe in the Czech Republic in Lužnice Valley Hiking Trail. Methodology – The cost-benefit analysis was used for the evaluation of the efficiency of the certification. HEAT (Health economic assessment tool) method was used for quantification of the economic benefits from improving health due to hiking activity on the monitored route. The evaluation of non-financial benefits was based on indicators of the sustainability of destination development in the economic, social, and environmental areas, and on the aspect of visitors´ satisfaction. Findings – The economic efficiency of the certification is low. However, the non-financial benefits of the certified trail are significant. The research showed the benefits of the trail certification in several aspects: the improvement of the quality of the tourist hiking trail led to greater satisfaction of tourists and their better experience. Another benefit is the increase of the image of the destination (Toulava). The certification of the trail contributed also to the sustainable development of the destination in all three pillars. Contribution – The investigation confirmed the importance and benefits of the trail certification. There was a significant improvement in the quality of the route and increased tourist satisfaction. This creates potential for further sustainable development of the destination and related services. Therefore, it is recommended that other hiking trails in the Czech Republic also undergo certification.

Abstract Molecular Sieve Dehydration units are used for dehydration of natural gas prior to gas processing or transportation. A molecular sieve dehydration system consists of multiple adsorbers which remove water during adsorption cycle until they get saturated with water. Regeneration of a saturated adsorber is performed by passing a hot regeneration gas stream through the adsorber. The hot regeneration gas after passing though the adsorber is then cooled before sending to regeneration gas compression. If an aircooled exchanger is used to cool the hot regeneration gas, heat available in the hot spent regeneration gas ends up in the atmosphere. In this context, an in-house study was performed to examine techno-economic viability of waste heat recovery from the hot spent regeneration gas using a modified regeneration scheme at one of the gas processing sites. The modified scheme involves installation of a new waste heat recovery (WHR) exchanger to exchange the heat available in the hot regeneration gas with regeneration heater's inlet regeneration gas thereby reducing the fuel gas consumption in the regeneration heater as well as power consumption in regeneration gas cooler fans. The study comprised design and operation data collection and analysis followed by assessment of key challenges. The key challenges include performance of the heater in WHR case (i.e. lower fuel gas consumption), space availability for the new WHR exchanger and modifications in the existing system. A thermodynamic model was developed for running various operating scenarios and estimating the WHR potential, including heater's specific fuel gas consumption analysis at varying temperatures, to establish realistic fuel gas savings. Overall, the study has indicated significant energy savings with good financial indicators for the proposed regeneration scheme. It has also showed reduction of peak heat duty of heater & cooler, thus providing an additional advantage of reduced CAPEX for future projects.

There have been changes in public financial indicators in Turkey after the year of 2000. In this paper, these changes were evaluated together with the budget data. In this context, this paper aims to reveal positive or negative effects of budget data on public financial indicators. The 2008 global financial crisis formed the external direction of the negativity in public financial indicators. In particular, before and after 2008, negative developments have been experienced in public financial indicators except for some years. The 2008 global financial economic crisis had also negative impacts on public financial indicators. Moreover, both general and local elections are a negative factor in public spending discipline in Turkey. Since the local elections, the ruling government has chosen extender budget policies as fiscal policies to win the elections. According to the findings of this study, it was determined that Turkey moved away from the Maastricht criteria after 2008, which stemmed from negative developments in budget data.

The paper is aimed at quantitative evaluation of the level of countries’ financial solvency based on the use of a multidimensional methodical toolkit for evaluating financial indicators of a country’s development, which results in the construction of the appropriate integral security indices. Unlike other methods to assess the level of security, the proposed approach makes it possible to determine not only the integrated level of a financial component of the economic security but also to calculate the quantitative thresholds of the financial indicators aggregated in the integral index (gold and currency reserves, external debt per capita, changes in the official local currency rate, budget deficit/surplus to GDP); going beyond the threshold values is a signal of the increased risk and lack of solvency. Comprehensive consideration of the financial indicators, taken from the official statictic databases or calculated basing on the official statictics, in the structure of the integral index helps quantify the level of a financial component in the system of ensuring countries’ economic security. The proposed approach is approbated in terms of the countries for which the level of a component of the financial solvency (critical, dangerous, unsatisfactory, safe, and optimal) has been calculated. From the practical viewpoint, the proposed toolkit makes it possible to identify actual and potential threats to the countries’ sustainable development. The obtained integral indices of security can be used as the variables in economic and mathematical models while evaluating the effect of security status on the global economic development and positions of certain countries, communities, and regions in the system of world economic relationships.

The article deals with the problem of developing the digital competitiveness of Russian regions. For this purpose, the main indicators that characterize the digital environment of the regions were identified. A new index of the development of digital competitiveness of the regions was proposed. Clustering made it possible to rank regions according to the degree of development of the digital environment, to identify groups of leading and outsider regions, and to build a map of their distribution.

FinTech industry development creates the conditions for financial inclusion, which in turn enables the achievement of 8 out of 17 SDGs towards global sustainable development. Accordingly, to achieve sustainable econom-ic development, full financial inclusion and the SDGs, it is crucial to achieve sustainable FinTech industry development and clarify its relationship with the SDGs, since research to date is limited and examines the connection in the narrow sense. Therefore, this paper presents the pilot study on the contribution of SDG indicators to the sustainable FinTech industry development, indicates the main drivers and provides recommendations for further development of FinTech industry in terms of sustainability. The pilot results of expert assessment show that SDG 8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth” contributes to the sustainable FinTech industry development the most, followed by SDG 9 “Industry, Innova-tion and Infrastructure”, SDG 4 “Quality Education”, SDG 16 “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”. The pilot results of the multicriteria assessment show that out of 15 European countries, Lithuania has the most sustainable development in terms of FinTech industry, followed by Estonia, Denmark, Finland. These results suggest that Northern Europe is the most suitable European region for sustainable FinTech industry development.

Solar energy systems are becoming potential option for numerous applications. It has been shown that the application of solar energy system is strongly dependent on criteria’s used in their evaluation. Single criteria evaluation of solar energy systems has shown its deficiency due to limited possibility to compare them with other potential options. In particular, present economic system is based on the econometric analysis with priority given to the optimum obtained by the economically justified optimization function. For this reason, it has become needed to introduce multi-criteria evaluation procedure in the assessment of solar energy system and its comparison with other potential options. This paper presents evaluation of the solar photovoltaic system and its comparison with other renewable energy system options for stand-alone application. In this evaluation following energy systems will be taking into a consideration: grid electric energy supply, wind energy system, gas turbine with cogeneration, small hydro energy system and solar photo-voltaic energy system. In the evaluation of these systems the multi-criteria evaluation procedure is used. The multi-criteria evaluation procedure will comprise a following criteria’s: economic, environmental, technological and social indicators. Each of indicators will be based on the sub-criteria which are defined in the paper. The sustainability index as the agglomeration function indicators will be used in the determination of the rating among the options under consideration. Special emphasize in evaluation is given to to the conditional priority of indicators leading to the investigation of the effect of the indicator priority to the finale rating among options.

The performance of 26 PVT-Systems was analysed and compared in IEA-SHC Task 60. The systems are located in countries with different climatic conditions. The applications range from direct domestic hot water production and heating of public swimming pools to heat pump systems with PVT as the main heat source of the heat pump. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) determined for the different PVT solutions give the possibility to compare the systems despite their diversity. The goal was to show the potential of PVT collectors in different fields of application. The results show that the integration of PVT collectors in different kinds of well-dimensioned systems leads to competitive solutions, both from an energy and a financial perspective. Additionally the answers to a survey about control strategies for PVT systems, showing some main problems and possible solutions, are summarised.

The article considers the issues of assessing the level of financial security of the bank. An analysis of existing approaches to solving this problem. A scientific and methodological approach based on the application of comprehensive assessment technology is proposed. The computational algorithm is presented in the form of a four-stage procedure, which contains the identification of the initial data set, their normalization, calculation of the partial composite indexes, and a comprehensive index of financial security. Results have interpretation. Determining the levels of financial security and the limits of the relevant integrated indicator is based on the analysis of the configuration of objects in the two-scale space of partial composite indexes, which is based on the division of the set of initial indicators by content characteristics. The results of the grouping generally coincided with the results of the banks ranking according to the rating assessment of their stability, presented in official statistics. The article presents the practical implementation of the proposed computational procedure. To automate calculations and the possibility of scenario modeling, an electronic form of a spreadsheet was created with the help of form controls. The obtained results allowed us to identify the number of levels of financial security and their boundaries.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.

The present article reviews various concepts of participatory science and research and discusses their potential to exhibit impact on the relationship between science and society. Starting with an overview of rationales, concepts and challenges, different forms and intensities of participatory approaches in research and innovation are discussed. We then look at the situation in Austria and sort selected Austrian funding programmes and initiatives into a diagram according to the intensity of participation as well as the social groups involved in each case. Finally, we try to gain more precise indications of the impact of participatory programmes on the relationship between science and society. Many questions remain unanswered, as precise analyses and evaluation results are usually lacking. While different surveys provide insights into society’s level of information on a general level, interest, involvement and attitude towards science and research, approaches for impact assessment are fragmented and remain on the surface. We therefore propose to develop an analytical framework based on existing approaches and to include collaboratively developed indicators in it.

Mission-oriented policies (MOIP) have become important means to foster transformative change in many countries. Yet, approaches for assessing these policies' impacts are still in their infancy, not least due to the complexity of MOIP. To address this gap, we propose a toolbox approach that supports policy-makers during policy design and implementation, and allows for an identification of potential impacts by a theory-based approach. To disentangle the complexity of missions, we first conceptualize MOIPs as multiple translation processes from mission formulation and design to implementation. Each translation step shapes the policies' impacts. Based on this framework, we develop a set of specific analytical tools that are intended to support the process of bringing missions into realization, but also help to assess whether missions contribute to the postulated goals. These tools include a mapping of the socio-technical systems, a typology to explore the transformative ambition of missions, a process to develop impact pathways, an inventory of policy instruments to support the mission design, and indicators to measure mission progress along the developed pathways. Finally, we propose several analytical questions to explore the context for the development of potential impacts.

Purpose/Background: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have an impact on health throughout the lifespan (Filletti et al., 1999; Hughes et al., 2017). These experiences range from physical and mental abuse, substance abuse in the home, parental separation or loss, financial instability, acute illness or injury, witnessing violence in the home or community, and incarceration of family members (Hughes et al., 2017). Understanding and screening for ACEs in children with urinary incontinence can help practitioners identify psychological stress as a potentially modifiable risk factor. Methods: A 5-month chart review was performed identifying English speaking patients ages 6-11 years presenting to the outpatient urology office for an initial visit with a primary diagnosis of urinary incontinence. Charts were reviewed for documentation of individual or family risk factors for ACEs exposure, community risk factors for ACEs exposures, and records where no related documentation was included. Results: For the thirty-nine patients identified, no community risk factors were noted in the charts. Seventy-nine percent of patients had one or more individual or family risk factors documented. Implications for Nursing Practice This chart review indicates that a significant percentage of pediatric, school-aged patients presenting with urinary incontinence have exposure to ACEs. A formal assessment for ACEs at the time of initial presentation would be helpful to identify those at highest risk. References: Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, Koss MP, Marks JS. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: the adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. Am J Prev Med. 1998;14:245–258 Hughes, K., Bellis, M.A., Hardcastle, K.A., Sethi, D., Butchart, D., Mikton, C., Jones, L., Dunne, M.P. (2017) The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health, 2(8): e356–e366. Published online 2017 Jul 31.doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(17)30118-4 Lai, H., Gardner, V., Vetter, J., & Andriole, G. L. (2015). Correlation between psychological stress levels and the severity of overactive bladder symptoms. BMC urology, 15, 14. doi:10.1186/s12894-015-0009-6

Review question / Objective: The role of telemedicine has been highlighted by researchers in many fields as a potential advantage for improving quality of life, increasing patient adherence, and alleviating patient concerns. Telemedicine is patient-acceptable with high satisfaction rates in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is a lack of consistent results among important indicators regarding RA, such as patient pain assessment and health-related quality of life. Thus, we plan to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of telemedicine on patients with RA. Information sources: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases.

[Extract from Executive Summary] The collection of additional data to facilitate fisheries management has been identified as a priority at the national level via the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Strategy, and at the local level in the management plans of Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups. Data collection implemented by industry offers a potentially cost effective means by which to provide additional information to enhance current stock assessment programmes, and to produce empirical indicators to inform fisheries management. The fundamental driver for data collection should be the purpose for which it is required; however, the regionalisation of fisheries management and increased, and often competing, demands, on our marine space mean that there are many potential uses for industry derived data. This report presents the findings of a single work package in the wider prototypic Scottish Inshore Fisheries Integrated Data System (SIFIDS) project; looking at ways in which inshore fisheries data collection can be improved on. The propose of this work package was to review and evaluate current inshore (shellfish) fisheries data collection and stock assessments in order to determine where it might be possible for industry derived data collection to provide a positive contribution. For the purposes of this work package the focus was limited to brown crab, lobsters, and scallops.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (GLCA) encompasses more than 0.5 million ha (1.25 million ac) and extends over 322 km (200 mi) from its northern boundary in southern Utah to its southern boundary in northern Arizona. It is one of the most rugged, remote, and floristically diverse national parks on the Southern Colorado Plateau (Thomas et. al 2005) and has more than 4,900 km (3,045 mi) of waterways flowing through its eight Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC 8) watersheds. GLCA’s larger perennial rivers include the Colorado, Escalante, Dirty Devil, San Juan, and Paria, with smaller perennial and intermittent streams flowing into each of these rivers. After the creation of the Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell formed, covering 13% of the park’s total land area when full and the national recreation area attracts over 4 million visitors annually, and in 2019 GLCA ranked 19th highest in recreational visits out of all national parks. The National Park Service Natural Resource Condition Assessment Program selected GLCA to pilot its new NRCA project series. NRCA projects evaluate the best available science to provide park managers with reliable, actionable information pertaining to natural resource conditions in their park. For the park-selected focal study resources, this includes consideration of drivers and stressors known or suspected of influencing resource conditions; assessment of current conditions and trends for indicators of condition; and potential near-term and future activities or actions managers can consider, improving their knowledge and management of natural resources in parks. For focal resources that lack adequate data to assess current conditions, a gap analysis is provided (in lieu of a condition assessment) to highlight the present status of knowledge of the resource and to suggest useful indicators, data, and studies for further consideration and investigation. Park managers are encouraged to identify information needs and pose questions during the NRCA scoping process, with the understanding that information will be provided to help address those needs and answer those questions when possible. For a comprehensive list of GLCA managers’ questions and needs, please refer to Appendix A, Table A-1. The focus of GLCA’s NRCA study was the water-dependent resources—tinajas, springs & seeps, including water quality, riparian zone, amphibians, including the northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens), and small, native fishes—that are found off the mainstem Colorado River. Managers were interested in these particular environments and the natural resources that depend on them because they are less studied, and the habitats are “biodiversity hotspots” due to the intersection of complex desert and freshwater ecosystems in a region limited by water. The following summaries highlight the key findings of GLCA’s focal resource drivers and stressors (Chapter 2), states (Chapter 3), and manager responses (Chapter 4).

Risk induced by natural hazards and climate change has been accelerating worldwide, leading to adverse impacts on communities' well-being. Dealing with this risk is increasingly complex and requires cross-sectoral action. Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) has emerged as a promising approach to strengthen the resilience of communities by integrating Social Protection (SP), Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) efforts. To inform this integration and thereby support the development of a functional ASP approach, the identification and provision of relevant data and information are vital. In this context, risk assessments are crucial as they establish the groundwork for the design of effective ASP interventions. However, despite the importance of risk information for ASP and the abundance of sectoral assessments, there is not yet a comprehensive risk assessment approach, a reality that also applies to Indonesia. Although the country is one of the international pioneers of the concept and has enshrined ASP at the highest national level in its development plans, this emphasis in policy and practice has been hampered by the absence of more unified assessment methods. The Hazard, Exposure and Vulnerability Assessment (HEVA) presented here takes a unique approach to develop such a cross-sectoral risk assessment and apply it throughout Indonesia. The HEVA brings together different risk understandings of key actors both internationally and domestically within SP, DRM and CCA, as well as identifying commonalities across sectors to establish a joint understanding. The HEVA not only considers risk as an overarching outcome but also focuses on its drivers, i.e. hazards, exposure and vulnerability, to identify why specific communities are at risk and thus customize ASP interventions. Subsequently, risks are assessed for Indonesia’s regions and provinces based on this cross-sectoral risk understanding. Secondary data has been acquired from various existing sectoral assessments conducted in Indonesia, and in total, data for 44 indicators has been compiled to calculate hazard, exposure and vulnerability levels for all 34 Indonesian provinces. Findings of the HEVA suggest that overall risk is high in Indonesia and no single province can be characterized as a low-risk area, demonstrating a strong relevance for ASP throughout the whole of the country. Papua, Maluku, and Central Sulawesi were identified as provinces with the highest overall risk in Indonesia. However, even Yogyakarta, which was identified as a comparatively low-risk province, still ranks among the ten most hazard-prone provinces in the country and has a demonstrated history of severe impact events. This also underlines that the composition of risk based on the interplay of hazard, exposure and vulnerability differs significantly among provinces. For example, in Papua and West Papua, vulnerability ranks as the highest in Indonesia, while hazard and exposure levels are comparatively low. In contrast, East Java and Central Java are among the highest hazard-prone provinces, while exposure and vulnerability are comparatively low. The results provide much more comprehensive insight than individual sectoral analyses can offer, facilitating the strategic development and implementation of targeted ASP interventions that address the respective key risk components. Based on lessons learned from the development and application of the HEVA approach, as well as from the retrieved results, the report provides recommendations relevant for policymakers, practitioners and researchers. First, recommendations regarding risk assessments for ASP are given, emphasizing the need to bring together sectoral understandings and to consider the interconnection of hazards, exposure and vulnerability, including their drivers and root causes, to assess current and future risk. It is also recommended to complement national level assessments with more specific local assessments. Secondly, recommendations regarding ASP option development in general are provided, including the importance of considering side effects of interventions, root causes of risks, the potential of nature-based solutions and barriers to implementation due to local capacities when designing ASP interventions. Third, recommendations regarding focal areas for ASP programmes are outlined for the case of Indonesia, such as prioritizing interventions in risk hotspots and areas characterized by high readiness for ASP solutions. At the same time, it is vital to leave no region behind as all provinces face risks that potentially jeopardize communities’ well-being.