The Impact of Corporate Governance and Ethics on Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)—The Case for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, 2009-2019

The paper presents and examines the impact of corporate governance and ethics in particular on sustainable development of the Zimbabwean microfinance sector in the period 2009-2019.The critical microfinance institutions(MFIs)crisis experienced in Masvingo,Zimbabwe recently was not the first one in the world in terms of its severity.The main aim of MFIs in any economy is to serve the poor and vulnerable people of a society through providing them with soft or concessional loans,insurance coverage,and facilities for savings.The study used the descriptive qualitative design to draw research data from MFIs dotted in and around Masvingo Province for presentation,analysis,and interpretation.One of the major findings of the study was that corporate governance and ethics played an indispensable role in the growth and development of MFIs’products and services.The study also realized that good corporate governance and ethical behaviours in business practices were essential for the success of any organization and vice versa and MFIs were no exception.The study therefore concluded that poor capital formation,corporate governance and ethics,human recruitment and selection procedures and fraudulent activities or misappropriation of funds were responsible for the majority of threats faced by MFIs in Masvingo in their growth and development endeavours.Therefore the study recommended that directors of MFIs should craft policies and strategies that are corporate governance and ethics oriented in their desire to grow their business towards sustainable development in the foreseeable future.

The Default Risk Management in Financial Institutions： Case of the Credit Risk in Lebanese MFIs

In Lebanon, as in some countries, the major financial institutions in the economy experienced by the country in the aftermath of independence were banks and insurance companies. However, the operation of these financial institutions obeys to some requirements that are not often likely to allow economic agents with low purchasing power to obtain the necessary funds to finance their production activities. Microfinance therefore comes in as the beginning of seeking effective market oriented solutions to the provision of substantial and effective financial resource for poor groups of people who do not have access to financial service from formal government and private financial institution. Microfinance Institutions （MFIs） are created for a social and sometimes non-profit objective. In Lebanon, many limitations hinder the development of MFIs including the lack of regulations, economic conditions, insecurity, political conflict, financial resources, and the risk of interest rates. Microfinance in Lebanon saw the light during the 1975-1990 Civil War through programs of charitable and community organizations, and really started to develop only in the second half of the 1990s. Capping interest rates may affect the access of poor people to financial services. The problem is that the granting of very small loans involves inevitably higher administrative costs than those offered by traditional bank loans. Therefore, MFIs that seek profitability should have higher interest rates than those charged by traditional banks. By providing money to poor people, how do MFIs in Lebanon reduce the credit risk？ This theme＇s treatment requires a qualitative analysis development. Indeed, after the selection of a representative sample, semi-structured interviews were done with the MFIs managers, and several researches done on this topic were analyzed. The data obtained from the above are treated by the triangulation of different data and the interviews analysis by the method of discourse content analysis. In addition, a literature review was done through scientific journals, books, newspapers, and websites.

Community perspectives on the effectiveness of watershed management institutions in the Himalayas

The sustainability of environmental management initiatives,such as watershed management programs,relies on the presence of effective institutions at the watershed level.However,there needs to be more empirical evidence from evaluating the effectiveness of watershed-level institutions.Therefore,this study presents a pioneering effort to evaluate the effectiveness of Nepal’s first watershed conservation committee at the watershed scale,focusing on the case of the Khageri Khola watershed in Central Nepal.The study involved conducting a household survey,key informant interviews,focus group discussions,and field observations to collect and analyze the data.Descriptive analysis,index value calculation,and chi-square statistics were then employed to summarize the results regarding local respondents’perceptions of twelve institutional characteristics,their rationalities,and their association with socio-demographic variables.The results reveal that the watershed conservation committee was perceived as performing well in managing the watershed.Specifically,good interaction,appropriate scale,technical,environmental,social,organizational,and government rationality were perceived as highly effective,with an average index value of less than 0.36.In contrast,clarity of objectives and economic rationality showed moderate effectiveness,with an average index value ranging from 0.36 to 0.65.However,the results suggested that adaptiveness,compliance capacity,and financial rationality merit increased attention,intending to improve their performance.Further,the results showed the association of socio-demographics with respondents’perceptions of various indicators of institutional characteristics and their rationalities.Therefore,the study provides valuable insights for policymakers,researchers,and development practitioners charged with designing sustainable and effective programs and institutions.To enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of watershed management programs,we recommend establishing a policy-guided institutional mechanism at the watershed scale.This mechanism should be based on various institutional characteristics and rationalities and should consider the extant variability in the socio-demographic and topographic characteristics of the watershed.

Ranking academic institutions based on the productivity,impact,and quality of institutional scholars

Purpose:The quantitative rankings of over 55,000 institutions and their institutional programs are based on the individual rankings of approximately 30 million scholars determined by their productivity,impact,and quality.Design/methodology/approach:The institutional ranking process developed here considers all institutions in all countries and regions,thereby including those that are established,as well as those that are emerging in scholarly prowess.Rankings of individual scholars worldwide are first generated using the recently introduced,fully indexed ScholarGPS database.The rankings of individual scholars are extended here to determine the lifetime and last-five-year Top 20 rankings of academic institutions over all Fields of scholarly endeavor,in 14 individual Fields,in 177 Disciplines,and in approximately 350,000 unique Specialties.Rankings associated with five specific Fields(Medicine,Engineering&Computer Science,Life Sciences,Physical Sciences&Mathematics,and Social Sciences),and in two Disciplines(Chemistry,and Electrical&Computer Engineering)are presented as examples,and changes in the rankings over time are discussed.Findings:For the Fields considered here,the Top 20 institutional rankings in Medicine have undergone the least change(lifetime versus last five years),while the rankings in Engineering&Computer Science have exhibited significant change.The evolution of institutional rankings over time is largely attributed to the recent emergence of Chinese academic institutions,although this emergence is shown to be highly Field-and Discipline-dependent.Practical implementations:Existing rankings of academic institutions have:(i)often been restricted to pre-selected institutions,clouding the potential discovery of scholarly activity in emerging institutions and countries;(ii)considered only broad areas of research,limiting the ability of university leadership to act on the assessments in a concrete manner,or in contrast;(iii)have considered only a narrow area of research for comparison,diminishing the broader applicability and impact of the assessment.In general,existing institutional rankings depend on which institutions are included in the ranking process,which areas of research are considered,the breadth(or granularity)of the research areas of interest,and the methodologies used to define and quantify research performance.In contrast,the methods presented here can provide important data over a broad range of granularity to allow responsible individuals to gauge the performance of any institution from the Overall(all Fields)level,to the level of the Specialty.The methods may also assist identification of the root causes of shifts in institution rankings,and how these shifts vary across hundreds of thousands of Fields,Disciplines,and Specialties of scholarly endeavor.Originality/value:This study provides the first ranking of all academic institutions worldwide over Fields,Disciplines,and Specialties based on a unique methodology that quantifies the productivity,impact,and quality of individual scholars.

System Assimilation of E-Skills in Tertiary Institutions to Empower Graduates in South Africa

The value of system assimilation is to improve working relationships between tutors and learners while increasing workflow efficiency among tertiary institutions with low operational costs. E-skills could be described as electronic education development, to assist ICT professionals to reach their future career goals and aim to help users boost their ICT skills. In a society that is expanding, it is also a crucial issue to take into account. Researchers have turned their attention to this topic because of its significance and contribution to the empowerment of graduates in digital education. Many scholars have proposed many methods for integrating e-skills into society with impressive results, but the rising rate of graduate unemployment in South Africa is gradually becoming a big worry in our society. A model based on Activity Theory (AT) and e-skills will be developed in our tertiary institution to equip graduates with skills that will increase their employability and provide more individualized work opportunities as part of this study’s effort to solve this issue. With the use of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Cronbach’s Alpha for validity and reliability testing, the study will create an experimental performance to assess the approach taken to measure e-skills in tertiary institutions to empower graduates in South Africa. The study established that system development and e-skilled models for tertiary institutions are growing gradually, especially in South African institutions, that empower graduates with profitable employability with experiences to improve work operation in the industries. In conclusion, system development and e-skills are very demanding but important to empower graduate employability to determine competency in the professional workforce.

Digital Transformation:The Impact of e-CNY on Securities Institutions and Financial Systems in China

In recent years,the rapid advancement of emerging technologies such as big data,blockchain,and artificial intelligence has accelerated the transformation of currencies,shifting from materialization towards digitization and electronization.The e-CNY stands out as a prime example of China’s pioneering digital financial innovation globally.Governed by the central bank,it embodies the national agenda.As the e-CNY’s application field and reach expand,its relationship with the financial market grows increasingly intimate.As a significant participant in China’s financial landscape and a proactive responder to national policies,the securities industry is profoundly influenced by the e-CNY across various domains.Therefore,this paper undertakes a theoretical analysis of the e-CNY’s implementation within securities institutions,concluding that it will usher in a new paradigm for the entire financial system.

Current research on alexithymia in elderly people in nursing institutions: a scoping review

To describe and analyze the research status of alexithymia in elderly people in nursing institutions,and summarizes the existing research results and shortcomings.The literature in PubMed,CochraneLibrary,Web of Science,EBSCO,Proquest,Scopus,Sinomed,CNKI,WanFang,VIP was computer searched,and the time frame was build to October 30,2023.A total of 15 articles were included,comprising 10 in Chinese and 5 in English.Among them,14 articles were cross-sectional studies reporting the prevalence and influencing factors of communication disorders in elderly people residing in nursing homes.A total of three assessment tools were used.Additionally,three articles described preventive or intervention measures targeting alexithymia.Alexithymia has a high incidence and severity among elderly individuals in nursing institutions.Currently,there are only a few assessment tools available,and experimental studies are notably scarce.Future research should focus on enhancing the understanding of alexithymia in this population by developing and validating more comprehensive assessment tools,diversifying research methodologies,and conducting intervention studies that consider the various influencing factors.

Analysis of Ophthalmology Drug Clinical Trial Institutions in China: Challenges and Opportunities Under the Registration System

Objective:To analyze the status of ophthalmology drug clinical trial institutions in China following the implementation of the registration system and provide a reference for their development.Methods:An analysis was conducted using data from the Drug Clinical Trial Institution Registration Management Information Platform and the Drug Clinical Trial Registration and Information Publicity Platform of the National Medical Products Administration.The search period was up to April 19,2024.Results:As of April 19,2024,314 ophthalmology-specific institutions were registered nationwide,comprising 274 comprehensive medical institutions and 40 specialized ophthalmology institutions,representing a 245%increase compared to the qualification certification phase.There were 965 major researchers in ophthalmology,accounting for 6.3%of the total number of researchers across all registered ophthalmology institutions.These institutions were predominantly located in economically developed areas such as Guangdong,Zhejiang,and Jiangsu Provinces,with the top five provinces and cities comprising 39.8%of the total registered institutions.Beijing had the highest number of major researchers(126),with their distribution positively correlated with the geographic spread of registered institutions.Furthermore,as of April 19,2024,there were 216 clinical drugs related to eye diseases,with the top three provinces conducting 77.8%of national clinical trial projects.The number of institutions was directly proportional to the volume of clinical trials conducted.Conclusion:The implementation of the registration system has facilitated the release of ophthalmic medical resources.However,regional disparities remain in the number of ophthalmology-specific institutions,the availability of major investigators,and the distribution of clinical trial projects.

Analysis of Reform Strategies for Marxist Philosophy Teaching in Higher Education Institutions

Marxist philosophy is an important indicator of human thought in the process of modern social development,and it is also the theoretical and spiritual support of socialism with Chinese characteristics.With the development and progress of the times,Marxist philosophical theory has gradually integrated the ideas and thinking of the new era,becoming a good medicine to guide the spiritual development of college students.So,as an important political philosophy course offered by higher education institutions,how to effectively achieve the reform and development of Marxist philosophy teaching courses has become a key entry point for higher education institutions to achieve high-quality talent cultivation and implement the goal of moral education and talent development.This article mainly analyzes the curriculum connotation and characteristics of Marxist philosophy in higher education institutions,and explores the teaching reform path of Marxist philosophy in higher education institutions,hoping to provide reference opinions for promoting the improvement of talent education level in higher education institutions.

Research on the Internal Talent Training Path and Performance Evaluation Mechanism of New R&D Institutions in Zhejiang Province

New research and development(R&D)institutions are an important part of the national innovation system,playing an important role in promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.In recent years,new R&D institutions have gradually become the driving force of innovation-driven development in China.Taking new R&D institutions in Zhejiang Province as the research object,this paper studies the internal talent training path and performance evaluation mechanism of new R&D institutions in Zhejiang Province by using the literature research method,comparison method,case verification method,and other methods.The investigation results show that there are problems such as lack of material and spiritual support and neglect of the absorption of local talents in the internal talent training,and there are problems such as unclear standards,insufficient data,and opaque processes in the performance evaluation mechanism,which greatly affect the establishment and improvement of the performance evaluation mechanism.Given the above problems,this paper puts forward a forward-looking,oriented,flexible,and compatible talent training path and performance evaluation mechanism,hoping to optimize the effective internal talent training path of new R&D institutions,improve the evaluation performance,and promote healthy development of new R&D institutions in Zhejiang Province.

The Research on Influencing Factors and Countermeasures of Teacher Career Development in Private Undergraduate Institutions

Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action,this paper explores the influencing factors and countermeasures of teacher career development in private undergraduate institutions through questionnaire surveys.The study finds that teachers generally experience heavy workloads and time pressures,but most believe that the academic atmosphere and research activities at the school have a positive impact on their career development.The evaluation mechanisms and promotion channels are considered fair and effective,but there is still room for improvement.Teachers hold a positive attitude towards career development opportunities and promotion channels,but they perceive limited development space and promotion opportunities.Teachers’personal comprehensive qualities and abilities,as well as the development opportunities and support provided by the school,are considered key factors for career development.Disciplinary professional background,academic accumulation,research capabilities,and teacher collaboration and exchange have significant impacts on career development.Based on the findings,the following strategies are proposed:1)optimizing the work environment and reducing work pressure;2)fostering a positive academic atmosphere;3)improving evaluation mechanisms and promotion channels;4)providing continuous professional training and development support;and 5)strengthening the construction of disciplinary professional background and research capabilities.

Analysis of the Current Situation of Drug Clinical Trial Institutions in Shaanxi Province

To understand the current situation of institutional registration in Shaanxi Province after the implementation ofregistration system management in drug clinical trial institutions.Relevant information was collected on the“Announcement on the Accreditation of Drug Clinical Trial Institutions”issued by the National Medical Products Administration from 2005 to August 2022,the record management information system of drug and medical device clinical trial institutions,and the drug clinical trial registration and information publicity platform.A retrospective analysis was carried out in terms of institutional development,regional distribution,registered majors,principal investigators,and the number of drug clinical trials.After the implementation of institution registration,the number of drug clinical trial institutions in Shaanxi Province increased by 47.4%,884 principal investigators were registered,the number of registered majors expanded from 58 qualified to 117,and the professional scope increased by 50.4%.The policy of institution registration is conducive to promoting the rational use of medical resources and the development of drug clinical trial institutions and improving the healthy development of the pharmaceutical industry in Shaanxi Province.

基于改良衰弱指数评估老年患者衰弱程度对顺式阿曲库铵作用的影响

目的探讨老年患者的衰弱状态对顺式阿曲库铵的起效时间和作用时间的影响。方法选择2022年6月—2024年4月本院收治的择期行腹腔镜下胃癌根治手术的老年患者(年龄大于65岁)作为研究对象,术前访视时根据改良衰弱指数(modified Frailty Index mFI-11)评估量表对老年患者进行改良衰弱指数评估并记录。随机选取没有数据缺失项的患者87例纳入本研究中,采集数据后根据mFI-11指数分为两组:mFI<0.27分为C组(非衰弱组),mFI≥0.27分为D组(衰弱组)。两组患者均行气管插管全麻(麻醉诱导、维持方案一致),入室后均进行肌松监测,分别记录患者入室镇静镇痛药物推注之后加速度肌松监测仪测得的T1及TOfr基础值(TOFrc),顺式阿曲库胺(0.15 mg/kg)推注后TOFr为0的时间(t0)、术中第1次TOFr为0.25的时间(t1)等数据,并进行比较分析。结果两组患者在罹患高血压、糖尿病、周围血管疾病、感觉障碍、生活依赖程度、短暂性脑缺血发作或脑血管意外病史以及脑血管事件伴神经功能受损方面比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组间t0时间比较,D组较C组t0时间明显缩短,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01);两组间t1时间比较,D组较C组t1时间明显延长,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01);两组间T1及TOFrc没有统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论改良衰弱指数评估为衰弱状态的患者与非衰弱状态患者相比,肌松监测下显示顺式阿曲库胺推注后,达到TOFr=0的时间更短、术中恢复到TOFr=0.25的时间更长,即随着衰弱程度的增加,顺式阿曲库胺起效时间更短,肌松开始恢复的时间则需要更长。

医疗机构药品风险管理认知与现状调研

目的了解我国医疗机构药学人员在药品使用过程中对药品风险管理工作的认知和现状,为促进医疗机构药品风险管理体系的完善与发展提供经验和建议。方法采用问卷调查法,面向全国28个省(区、市),采用分层随机抽样,以全国医疗机构的医务工作者、医疗相关药学从业人员群体为研究对象,调查内容包括调查人群信息,医疗机构药品风险管理实施现状,药品风险管理相关概念的认知、含义与流程,医疗机构药品风险管理工作内容及模式;最后,收集完善医疗机构药品风险管理体系建设的建议。采用描述性统计分析对所得数据进行汇总。结果本次调研共回收问卷446份,其中有效问卷420份,无效问卷26份,问卷回收率为100%,有效率为94.17%。51.19%的参研人员对医疗机构药品风险管理认知来源于《药品不良反应报告和监测管理办法》;87.38%的参研人员支持医疗机构药品风险管理的管理范围包括药品使用的全流程。63.33%的参研人员表示自己所在医疗机构设立了医疗机构药品风险管理相关岗位,其中三级甲等及以上医疗机构占比最高(72.17%)。66.43%的参研人员反馈在药品使用全部环节均进行药品风险管理。参研人员针对医疗机构药品风险管理体系发展的建议重点集中在完善制度指导性文件、明确概念内涵、建立信息共享机制等方面。结论目前我国医疗机构药品风险管理总体认知水平较高,其工作正在多环节、多形式地实施开展,但仍需加强相关制度文件、管理规范和体系建设,进一步完善信息共享机制,促进风险管理的社会共治和协作,提高药品管理水平,保障患者用药安全。

党的自我革命的基因生成与制度建构:基于新民主主义革命时期的阐释

新民主主义革命时期党的自我革命遵循了“革命”的基本原理和一般规律,是价值管理、组织变革、行动再造三个因素相互作用、良性互动的结果,也是实践和制度相互转化的结果。根据这一规律,可以从新的视角出发,建立党的自我革命的阐释性分析框架,并运用这一框架对新民主主义革命时期党的自我革命进行梳理和反思。新民主主义革命时期党在自我革命中形成的原创性、初始性制度安排和实践经验,对深入推进党的自我革命、建设长期执政的马克思主义政党具有奠基意义和示范价值。

中东欧中医孔子学院发展前景及对策——以辽宁中医药大学斯洛伐克中医孔子课堂为例

作为教育对外开放和中外人文交流的前沿机构,中医孔子学院是传播中国语言文化和中医药知识的平台和载体。中东欧地区是“一带一路”的重要节点,地缘政治、经济、文化复杂而敏感。文章以斯洛伐克中医孔子学院为研究对象,通过分析其发展现状、前景与未来策略,旨在加强中医药文化舆情、提升中医专业话语权并讲好中医故事、传播好中国声音。

农地确权作为一种制度变迁:来自中国劳动力动态调查的证据

自2008年以来的农地确权,是家庭联产承包责任制实施后,我国农地制度的一次重要制度变迁。农地确权虽为政府推动的强制性制度变迁,但农户与村干部权衡成本收益而做的选择仍会影响到确权进度,故也具有部分诱致性制度变迁的性质。使用中国劳动力动态调查数据(CLDS)的研究揭示,不仅率先确权的村庄有一定特征,即便在村庄内部,农户确权进度也不尽相同。制度变迁的收益越大,则确权进度越快;反之,制度变迁的成本越高,则确权进度越慢。首先,从事农业人数越多、农业毛收入越高,则农户参与确权的积极性越高。其次,村主任学历越高,则出于连任动机更可能推动确权。最后,村庄姓氏人口越集中,则协调成本越高,确权进度越慢。这些结论对农村宅基地确权工作有一定借鉴意义,也提示在评估农地确权的政策效应时应注意可能的内生性。

政府创新补贴对企业创新的影响——兼论从财务补贴到制度补贴的转型

基于2012—2022年A股先进制造业企业面板数据的研究发现,政府创新补贴能够显著提升企业创新数量和质量,但其效果受到补贴发放主体、发放时间、内容性质、项目性质等多重因素的影响。由产业集聚区和地方政府发放的、后补贴的、关键性的和专项的创新补贴具有更为显著的效果。同时,政府创新补贴在不同行业中的作用效果存在较大差异。进一步的因果路径分析表明,政府创新补贴主要通过“信号传递效应”来提升创新数量,通过“资金供给效应”来提升创新质量。此外,政府创新补贴的不同分类与影响机制之间存在特定的匹配关系。基于此,政府应根据补贴的发放主体、设计与实施方式以及行业特性,精细化设计政府创新补贴,以精准对接企业的研发需求。当前,政府创新补贴以财务补贴为主,这可能导致企业对外部资源的过度依赖,削弱其内生创新动力。未来改革方向应着眼于从“显性”财务补贴向“隐性”制度补贴转型,通过系统性的制度创新,为企业的技术进步和新质生产力的培育提供全方位的制度支撑。

制度文本视角下的政务数据治理规则探析

政务数据治理是数字中国与数字政府建设的重要内容。对国家和省级105份制度文本的分析表明,我国政务数据治理的制度建设由自上而下的动力驱动,2015年后制度数量呈现明显的上升趋势,制定主体则具有行政主导和地方为主的特点。现有制度中的治理规则已形成涵盖归集、开放、共享、应用、安全和基础设施建设等治理职能的规则体系。但是,在组织间协同与跨部门合作、多主体的社会参与、发挥数据的生产要素价值以及基于地方具体情境的创新等方面,现有治理规则依然有待继续完善。

“双碳”背景下制度安排对碳排放的影响

在探析制度安排对碳排放影响机理的基础上,构建并行多重中介模型,从产权制度、对外开放、金融制度、环境规制四个方面,实证检验了制度安排通过能源消费结构低碳化、产业结构合理化和高级化、技术进步三条路径影响碳排放的影响效应和作用机制。结果表明:产权制度主要通过推动产业结构合理化与促进技术进步实现碳减排;对外开放增加了碳排放,但中介路径有助于其转向碳减排;金融制度可以直接促进碳减排,其中介路径不显著;环境规制则完全通过推动产业结构合理化和技术进步来抑制碳排放。而且,沿海地区以制度安排抑制碳排放的效果比沿边地区与内陆地区更佳。因此,在尊重市场规律的条件下制定合理的激励相容制度对于促进企业低碳转型具有重要意义。