In the contemporary landscape characterized by technological advancements and a progressive economic environment, the utilization of currency has undergone a paradigm shift. Despite the growing prevalence of digital currency, its adoption among the Vietnamese population faces several challenges, including limited financial literacy, concerns over security, and resistance to change from traditional cash-based transactions. This research aims to identify these challenges and propose solutions to encourage the widespread use of digital currency in Vietnam. This research adopts a quantitative approach, utilizing Likert scale questionnaires, with a dataset of 330 records. The interrelationships among variables are analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The analysis results substantiate the viability of the research model, confirming the hypotheses. The findings demonstrate a positive relationship and the significance impact of factors such as perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived trust (PT), social influence (SI), openness to innovation (OI), and financial knowledge (FK) to intention to use digital currency (IUDC). Thereby aiming to inform policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the wider community, fostering a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and providing solutions to enhance the adoption of digital currency in the evolving landscape of digital finance.

The reference urban plan is an urban planning tool often used to orient the development of Chadian cities. However, expanding Chadian urban centers, such as Sarh, face challenges in implementing urban planning orientations of their urban plans within the set deadlines. The objective of this study is to identify the factors impeding the effective implementation of the reference urban plan for Sarh town. The methodology employed encompasses a literature review, individual interviews with urban planning experts, geographic information system (GIS) data, household surveys and statistical analysis. The results revealed that less than a quarter (19.72%) of the households surveyed were aware of the reference urban plan. The applied logistic regression model identified age, occupation and level of education as the main factors influencing public participation in the preparation of the reference urban plan. On average, 33.33% of the urban planning guidelines and 21.74% of the projected urban projects were implemented, with a difference of 1631.28 hectares (ha) between the projected plan and the actual plan for the town. Five factors were identified as contributing to the failure to implement the reference urban plan for Sarh town, including low funding, inadequate land management, a lack of political will, weak governance and poor communication. Consequently, participatory and inclusive planning approaches, effective financial mobilisation, strong governance, and the use of modern technologies such as GIS tools are recommended to enhance the implementation of urban planning tools.

The area of lake surface water is shrinking rapidly in Central Asia. We explore anthropogenic and climate factors driving this trend in Shalkar Lake, located in the Aral Sea region in Kazakhstan, Central Asia. We employ the Landsat satellite archive to map interannual changes in surface water between 1986 and 2021. The high temporal resolution of our dataset allows us to analyze the water surface data to investigate the time series of surface water change, economic and agricultural activities, and climate drivers like precipitation, evaporation, and air temperature. Toward this end, we utilize dynamic linear models (DLM). Our findings suggest that the shrinking of Shalkar Lake does not exhibit a systemic trend that could be associated with climate factors. Our empirical analysis, adopted to address local conditions, reveals that water reduction in the area is related to human interventions, particularly agricultural activities during the research period. On the other hand, the retrospectively fitted values indicate a semi-regular periodicity despite anthropogenic factors. Our results demonstrate that climate factors still play an essential role and should not be disregarded. Additionally, considering long-term climate projections in environmental impact assessment is crucial. The projected increase in temperatures and the corresponding decline in lake size highlights the need for proactive measures in managing water resources under changing climatic conditions.

This inquiry endeavors to meticulously examine the intricate dynamics of the symbiotic developmental interplay among the gaming, tourism, and economic sectors in Macau. Utilizing the methodology of deviation standardization, the data undergoes scrupulous processing, invoking the entropy method to ascertain the weights of diverse evaluative indices. The developmental trajectories of Macau’s gaming, tourism, and economic domains spanning the years 2011 to 2021 are fastidiously gauged. Subsequently, a sophisticated coupled coordination model is employed to delve into the nuanced systemic interdependencies characterizing their developmental relationships. From 2011 to 2021, the holistic progression of Macao’s gaming and tourism sectors has exhibited a discernible ascent over the temporal continuum. Concurrently, the degree of coupling coordination has advanced from a state of near coordination to a commendable level of synchronized development. The overarching system of Macau’s gaming and tourism industries has transitioned from a state of disarray to one of ordered harmony, with the correlative impact of Macau’s tourism sector being adeptly realized. The supporting role played by Macau’s gaming industry in fortifying the tourism sector is conspicuously manifest. The alignment and coordination between Macau’s gaming and tourism sectors exhibit fluctuations across distinct developmental stages. During phases of nascent development in both the gaming and tourism domains, a palpable imbalance prevails. Elements such as the proliferation of gaming enterprises, international tourism revenue, aggregate output value of gaming establishments, market share held by gaming enterprises, and the profit margins thereof have, to a certain extent, impinged upon the harmonized evolution of the tripartite subsystems. This study proffers recommendations to foster the optimization and elevation of the industrial structure while championing the integration and advancement of diverse sectors. It advocates for the amplification of the propulsive impetus intrinsic to the gaming industry, coupled with the enrichment of the tourism product portfolio. Furthermore, it espouses the establishment of an effective mechanism for high-quality development, tailored to the exigencies of the contemporary era. This involves the implementation of precise policies, the facilitation of amalgamated progress in gaming and tourism, and an unwavering commitment to sustainable development through the interconnected alignment of gaming, tourism, and the broader economy. The findings of this study furnish a scientific foundation for the strategic industrial planning and developmental initiatives undertaken by relevant departments in Macau.

Given the issues of urban-rural educational inequality and difficulties for children from poor families to succeed, this study explores the impact mechanism of internet usage on rural educational investment in China within the context of the digital divide. Using data from the 2019 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS), this study analyzed the educational investment decisions of 2064 rural households. Results indicate that in the Eastern region, a high level of educational investment is primarily influenced by the per capita income of the family, with social capital and internet usage also playing supportive roles. In the Northeastern region, the key factor is the diversity of internet usage, specifically using both a smartphone and a computer. In the Central region, factors such as the diversity of internet usage, subjective risk attitudes, the appropriate age of the household head, and per capita income of the family contribute to higher levels of educational investment. In the Western region, the dominant factors are the diversity of internet usage, subjective usage and per capita income of the family. These factors enhance expected returns on the high level of educational investment and boost farmers’ confidence. High internet usage rates significantly promote diverse and stable educational investment decisions, providing evidence for policymakers to bridge the urban-rural education gap.