Since 2019, Togo has resolutely engaged in the decentralization process marked by communalization and elections of municipal councilors. Financial autonomy constitutes an essential lever for the free administration of municipalities, allowing them to ensure decision-making and the implementation of development projects. However, despite a legal and regulatory framework defining taxation specific to local authorities, Togolese municipalities are often perceived as needing more financial resources. This study aims to map the financing mechanisms for decentralization in Togo and analyze their contribution to municipal budgets. By adopting a quantitative approach combining documentary analysis and interviews with 188 experts and practitioners of local finance from various Togolese structures, four main financing mechanisms were identified: local, national, Community, and international. Among these mechanisms, own resources (in particular from the sale of products and services, fiscal and non-fiscal taxes) and state transfers via the Support Fund for Local Authorities emerge as the primary sources of financing for municipalities. However, the study reveals that several instruments of local mechanisms, although institutionally defined, still need to be updated in many municipalities, thus limiting their effectiveness in resource mobilization. These results highlight the importance of optimizing the management of local mechanisms to strengthen municipalities’ financial autonomy and support territories’ sustainable development.

Electrical energy is known as an essential part of our day-to-day lives. Renewable energy resources can be regenerated through the natural method within a reasonably short time and can be used to bridge the gap in extended power outages. Achieving more renewable energy (RE) than the low levels typically found in today’s energy supply network will entail continuous additional integration efforts into the future. This study examined the impacts of integrating renewable energy on the power quality of transmission networks. This work considered majorly two prominent renewable technologies (solar photovoltaic and wind energy). To examine the effects, IEEE 9-bus (a transmission network) was used. The transmission network and renewable sources (solar photovoltaic and wind energy technologies) were modelled with MATLAB/SIMULINK^®. The Newton-Raphson iteration method of solution was employed for the solution of the load flow owing to its fast convergence and simplicity. The effects of its integration on the quality of the power supply, especially the voltage profile and harmonic content, were determined. It was discovered that the optimal location, where the voltage profile is improved and harmonic distortion is minimal, was at Bus 8 for the wind energy and then Bus 5 for the solar photovoltaic source.

The increasing use of social media has played a prominent role in shaping opinions and forming attitudes, especially among university students. They use them increasingly to transfer information, exchange data, and disseminate topics among students and all members of society. Therefore, this study aims to examine these networks and their role in public life, especially in shaping public opinion among university students. The study adopted a descriptive survey approach to achieve its objectives. The study was conducted on a sample of undergraduate students from four Jordanian universities, totaling 832 participants selected through purposive sampling and using the equal distribution method according to variables (gender, university, specialization). The study relied on a questionnaire as a method of data collection and filling out the data from the respondents in the questionnaire. The study found that social media plays a significant role in shaping opinions, beliefs, and ideas, and that its role is unparalleled. Also, the study showed that social media had a significant impact on shaping public opinion in Jordan among university students who use social media extensively and exchange opinions, ideas, and information, contributing to shaping a series of opinions among young people and contributing to their adoption of new ideas or changing their old ones through the dialogue facilitated by these networks, as users exchange and adopt ideas, contributing to shaping a public opinion on an issue. These findings underscore the importance of understanding and leveraging social media and online platforms to effectively communicate with and engage students.

Most countries have adopted a more liberal policy to socialize public relations under the influence of neoliberalism and lobbying by economic elites to strengthen the role of market mechanisms and citizens’ entrepreneurial activity. The nature, scale, sequence, and strategy of economic and social reforms in each country have their specifics. Today multi-vector and large-scale changes are taking place in social and labor policy, and they do not always have an internal logic. The study assesses prospects for the development of the labor market in the context of global transformations. Within the framework of this study, the collected information was processed gradually. Data processing was modified during the study phase. At the first stage, data processing results were used to determine total and non-farm self-employment for two groups of countries with developing economies and estimate the scale of vulnerable employment. At the second stage, indicators were identified that characterize various categories of economically active population that belong to the precariat. At the third stage, the authors analyzed data on non-standard forms of employment. The authors assumed that these forms have a right to exist and will be implemented more often. There is an imbalance between standard and non-standard forms of employment. Further research should consider the transformation of labor from material and intangible dominants to creativity.

This study investigates the willingness of Indonesian consumers, particularly in West Java, to pay for green products by applying and expanding the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). It examines how perceived green product value and willingness to pay premiums influence consumer intentions and behavior toward green purchases. The research highlights the gap between consumers’ willingness to pay for environmentally friendly products and the actual sales of such products. By incorporating perceived value and willingness to pay into the TPB framework, the study aims to find what factors that can address the gap particularly in a developing country context to contribute to shaping a pro-environmental socio-cultural community in Indonesia and mitigates country’s significant environmental challenges. In the context of 251 young consumers in Indonesia, this study finds that subjective norms do not significantly influence purchase intentions. However, attitudes and behavioral controls do effectively encourage green behavior, suggesting that societal norms for green behavior may not be fully established. In addition, while willingness to pay a premium and perceived value of green purchases can influence green behavior, consumers are generally reluctant to pay higher prices for environmentally friendly products.

This study aimed to explore university students’ awareness levels about entrepreneurship’s role in promoting entrepreneurship in acquiring social and economic balance within Emirati society. A descriptive-analytical method was used, with data gathered from 365 participants through a questionnaire. The findings revealed that university students demonstrated a strong awareness of the impact of entrepreneurship on achieving entrepreneurship in acquiring social and economic balance equilibrium in the UAE. In particular, students from Ajman University expressed highly positive views on the entrepreneurship in fostering this balance. Additionally, the results showed no significant statistical differences in awareness levels based on gender or academic year. However, there were notable differences between students in scientific and humanities colleges, with the significance level below 0.05. The study recommends supporting students in launching entrepreneurial initiatives that contribute to entrepreneurship in acquiring social and economic development. Moreover, efforts should be made to eliminate barriers that hinder the understanding and practice of entrepreneurship.