The objective of this research paper is to investigate potential avenues for value creation in the refined sugar market for domestic use, a market currently facing a critical juncture. The growing concerns about the health impacts of sugar have resulted in a notable decline in demand. Furthermore, changes in European Union regulations have introduced additional operators into the Spanish market, increasing competition and amplifying the need for innovation. This study examines how brands can respond to these challenges by enhancing their value proposition through market segmentation, targeted marketing strategies, and adaptive packaging solutions. To achieve this objective, we have conducted market research, which involved an in-depth interview, and a questionnaire distributed to 402 individuals responsible for household purchases. The findings suggest potential approaches for addressing the needs of consumers with a focus on health and well-being, while simultaneously enhancing the durability of products, thus facilitating greater brand differentiation. Furthermore, the study underscores the pivotal role of public policies and regulatory frameworks in influencing consumer behavior and market dynamics. Policies promoting sugar alternatives, labelling requirements, and packaging innovations have been demonstrated to impact brand strategies and consumer preferences. By aligning with these policy-driven shifts, companies can enhance their positioning in a mature and competitive market. This research contributes to the existing literature on brand value in commodity markets by integrating insights into the impact of regulation and consumer segmentation. Our recommendations emphasize the importance of marketing strategies that are informed by an understanding of the policy context, which not only enhances brand equity but also promotes sustainable growth in the retail sugar industry.

Over the last few decades, countries in the South have been undergoing rapid urbanization, as if to make up for lost time. Sub-Saharan Africa is characterized by a very low urbanization rate compared to0 the rest of the world. Although the African continent reached its urban transition in 2015, Niger remains by far the least urbanized country, with a rate of 17%. The city of Niamey is the main urban center, with an estimated population of 1,449,801 hbts in 2023, spread over an area of around 33,100 ha. The aim of this study is to analyze the spatial expansion of the city of Niamey from 1984 to 2023. The main data used in this study are raster images from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), vector data from Open Sources Map (OSM) and GoogleEarth, secondary data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) and field observation. This study enabled us to conclude that between 1984 and 2023, the city of Niamey underwent very strong spatial expansion. The city grew from 4,690 ha to 33,100 ha, i.e. 28,410 ha absorbed in 39 years, with exceptional growth between 2014 and 2023, when the urban area doubled. Its population has risen from 397,437 at the time of the 1988 general population and housing census to an estimated 1,449,801 in 2023 (INS), an increase of 1,052,364 in 35 years. Between these two dates, population density fell from 87.7 to 43.8 inhabitants/km², i.e. half that of 1984. This spatial expansion has resulted in unprecedented peri-urbanization.

Real estate appraisal standards provide guidelines for the preparation of reliable valuations. These standards emphasize the central role of market data collection in market-oriented valuation methodologies such as the Market Comparison Approach (MCA), which is the most commonly used. The objective of this study is to highlight the difficulties in data finding, as well as the gap between the standards and the actual appraisal practices in Italy. Thus, a detailed comparison was made between the real estate data considered necessary by the standards and those ones reasonably detectable by appraisers, showing that some important market information is not reachable due to legal, technical and economic factors. Finally, a case study is presented in which the actual appraisal of a residential property is schematically described to support what is claimed with the research question and thus the degree of uncertainty around an estimate judgment.

South Korea has experienced rapid economic development since the 1960s. However, pronounced regional disparities have concurrently emerged. Amid the escalating regional inequalities and persistent demographic challenges characterized by low fertility rates, regional decline has become a pressing issue. Therefore, the feasibility of expanding transportation networks as a countermeasure to regional decline has been proposed. This study utilizes the synthetic control method and spatial difference-in-differences methodologies to assess the impact of the 2017 opening of Seoul–Yangyang Expressway on economic development and population inflow within Hongcheon-gun, Inje-gun, and Yangyang-gun. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of highway development as a policy instrument to mitigate regional decline. Findings from the synthetic control method analysis suggest a positive impact of the opening of the expressway on Hongcheon-gun’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2018, as well as Yangyang-gun’s net migration rates from 2017 to 2019. Conversely, the spatial difference-in-differences analysis, designed to identify spillover effects, reveals negative impacts of the highway on the GRDP and net migration rates of adjacent regions. Consequently, although targeted transportation infrastructure development in key non Seoul Metropolitan cities may contribute to ameliorating regional imbalances, results indicate that such measures alone are unlikely to suffice in attracting population to small- and medium-sized cities outside the Seoul Metropolitan Area.

In this study, the entropy weight method, the α convergence model, the absolute β convergence model and the conditional β convergence model are used to evaluate the 31 provinces’ innovative potential in China from 2011 to 2022. It is found that the innovative potential in nationwide China and in various regions are all increasing year by year, and the innovative potential in the eastern region is obviously better than that in the central region and western region. No matter considering the influence of external factors or not, the gap of innovative potential among provinces in different regions will gradually expand over time, with the largest gap among provinces in the eastern region, followed by the central region and the smallest in the western region. The conclusion of this study is instructive to enhance the innovative potential of China and promote the balanced development of regional innovative potential in China.