Realistic project scheduling and control are critical for running a profitable enterprise in the construction industry. Finance-based scheduling aims to produce more realistic schedules by considering both resource and cash constraints. Since the introduction of finance-based scheduling, its literature has evolved from a single-objective model to a multi-objective model and also from a single-project problem to a multi-project problem for a contractor. This study investigates the possibility of cooperation among contractors with concurrent projects to minimize financial costs. Contractors often do not use their entire credit and may be required to pay a penalty for the unused portions. Therefore, contractors are willing to share these unused portions to decrease their financing costs and consequently improve their overall profits. This study focuses on the partnering of two contractors in a joint finance-based scheduling where contractors are allowed to lend credit to or borrow credit from each other at an internal interest rate. We apply this approach to an illustrative example in which two concurrent projects have the potential for partnering. Results show that joint finance-based scheduling reduces the financing cost for both contractors and leads to additional overall profits. Our further analyses highlight the intricate dynamics impacting additional net profit, revealing optimal scenarios for cooperation in complex project networks.

The present work shows an application of the Chan-Vese algorithm for the semi-automatic segmentation of anatomical structures of interest (lungs and lung tumor) in 4DCT images of the thorax, as well as their three-dimensional reconstruction. The segmentation and reconstruction were performed on 10 CT images, which make up an inspiration-expiration cycle. The maximum displacement was calculated for the case of the lung tumor using the reconstructions of the onset of inspiration, the onset of expiration, and the voxel information. The proposed method achieves appropriate segmentation of the studied structures regardless of their size and shape. The three-dimensional reconstruction allows us to visualize the dynamics of the structures of interest throughout the respiratory cycle. In the future, it is expected to have more evidence of the good performance of the proposed method and to have the feedback of the clinical expert, since the knowledge of the characteristics of anatomical structures, such as their dimension and spatial position, helps in the planning of Radiotherapy (RT) treatments, optimizing the radiation dose to cancer cells and minimizing it in healthy organs. Therefore, the information found in this work may be of interest for the planning of RT treatments.

This study aims to evaluate the relationship between financial resilience, exchange rate, inflation, and economic growth from 1996 to 2022 using secondary data from the World Bank. The analysis method uses vector autoregressive to understand the causality dynamics between these variables. The results show that past economic growth positively impacts current economic conditions, but an increase in the exchange rate can hinder economic growth. The exchange rate also tends to be influenced by previous values, but high economic growth does not always increase the exchange rate. Previous conditions significantly affect financial resilience and can be strengthened by a strong currency. Meanwhile, inflation has an inverse relationship with economic growth, where past inflation seems to suppress current inflation, which price stabilization policies can cause. From an institutional economics perspective, this study provides an understanding of the interaction between various economic factors in the structural framework and policies that regulate economic activities. The impulse response function (IRF) shows that economic growth can react strongly to sudden changes, although this reaction may not last long. The exchange rate fluctuates with economic changes, reflecting market optimism and uncertainty. Financial resilience may be strong initially but may weaken over time, indicating the need for policies to strengthen the financial system to ensure economic stability. Furthermore, the role of social capital in economic resilience is highlighted as it can amplify the positive effects of a robust institutional framework by fostering trust and collaboration among economic actors. Inflation reacts differently to economic changes, challenging policymakers to balance growth and price stability. Overall, the IRF provides insights into how economic variables interact with each other and react to sudden changes, albeit with some uncertainty in the estimates. The forecast error decomposition variance (FEVD) analysis in this study reveals that internal factors initially influence economic growth, but over time, external factors such as the exchange rate, financial resilience, and inflation come into play. The exchange rate, which was initially volatile due to internal factors, becomes increasingly influenced by economic growth, indicating a close relationship between the economy and the foreign exchange market. From an institutional economics perspective, financial resilience, which was initially stable due to internal factors, becomes increasingly dependent on global economic conditions, suggesting the importance of a solid institutional framework for maintaining economic stability. In addition, inflation, which was initially explained by economic growth and exchange rates, has gradually become more influenced by financial resilience, indicating the importance of effective monetary policy in controlling inflation. This study highlights the importance of understanding how economic variables influence each other for effective economic governance. Integrating institutional economics and social capital perspectives provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing financial resilience and promoting sustainable economic development in Indonesia.

The study examines the factors shaping inflation in 2022–2023 and explores why inflation in the Hungarian economy has increased more sharply than in neighboring countries with similar structures. The research hypothesis suggests that the inflationary surge, which is notable both globally and within the European Union, is not solely due to market economy mechanisms, but also to specific circumstances in Hungary, including the state’s radical interventions aimed at curbing inflation. The study seeks to highlight these effects and provide recommendations for economic policymakers to develop a more resilient inflation policy. Additionally, it focuses on analyzing inflation in the agricultural sector. The results indicate that, alongside global inflationary pressures, several country-specific factors have driven up the inflation rate in Hungary. Energy prices have risen sharply, and some supply chains from the East have been disrupted. The country under study is less productive, and the impact of the energy price shock on the energy-intensive food industry is higher than in surrounding countries. Consequently, the exchange rate volatility in 2022–2023, combined with short- and medium-term factors, has had a significant impact on food inflation, causing substantial deviations from long-term equilibrium. The research concludes that, in addition to increasing food self-sufficiency, special attention should be given to the domestic development of the agricultural supply chain.

This study examines the aggregate consumption function of Saudi Arabia from 2000 to 2022, focusing on identifying key determinants of household consumption and evaluating the impacts of disposable income, household wealth, government expenditure, interest rates, and oil revenues. the research uses advanced econometric methods, including the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and Johansen cointegration test, to analyze the relationships among these variables. the findings reveal that disposable income, household wealth, and government expenditure significantly and positively influence consumption, whereas interest rates show a negative correlation. oil revenues also play a critical role, reflecting the country’s economic reliance on oil. the study highlights the necessity for economic diversification to reduce the impact of oil price volatility on household income and consumption stability. The results offer crucial insights for policymakers, emphasizing the need for strategies that enhance household income and wealth, maintain robust public sector spending, and effectively manage interest rates. these findings also support the importance of consistent and predictable income sources for sustaining consumption. additionally, this study suggests directions for future research, including developing sophisticated forecasting models to predict consumption trends and exploring other influencing factors such as demographic shifts and technological progress.