Earnings disparities in South Africa, and specifically the Eastern Cape region are influenced by a complex interplay of historical, socio-economic, and demographic factors. Despite significant progress since the end of apartheid, persistent disparities in earnings continue to raise questions about the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing inequality and promoting equitable social system. Individual-level dataset from the 2021 South African general household survey were subjected to exploratory analysis, while Heckman selection model was used to investigate the determinants of earnings disparities in the study area. The results showed that majority of the population are not working for a wage, commission or salary, which also pointed to the gravity of unemployment situation in the area of study. Most of the working population (both male and female) are lowest earners (R ≤ 10,000), and this also cuts across all age-group categories. Majority of working population have no formal education, are drop out, or have less than grade-12 certificate, and very few working populations with higher education status were found in the moderate and relatively high earnings categories. While many of the working population are engaged in the informal sector, those in the formal sector are in the lowest earners group. Compared to any other race, the Black African group constituted the majority of non-wage earners, and most in this group were found in the lowest earners group. Some of the working population who were beneficiaries of social grants and medical aids scheme were found in the lowest, low, and moderate earnings categories. The findings significantly isolated the earnings-effect of age, marital status, gender, race, education, geographic indicators, employment sector, and index of health conditions and disabilities. The study recommends interventions addressing racial, gender, and geographic wage gaps, while also emphasizing the importance of equitable access to education, health infrastructure, and skills development.

This study examines the determinants of inflation in Tunisia from 1998 to 2023, with a particular focus on the role of fiscal policy. The study analyzes the long-run and short-run relationships between inflation and key macroeconomic variables, including government expenditure, government revenue, money supply, balance of trade, and budget deficits using ARDL model. The empirical findings reveal that budget deficits have a significant and positive impact on inflation, underscoring the critical role of fiscal imbalances in driving price instability. In contrast, government expenditure, government revenue, money supply, and balance of trade do not exhibit statistically significant long-term effects on inflation. The results highlight the importance of fiscal discipline and effective coordination between fiscal and monetary policies to achieve price stability. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers in Tunisia and other developing economies facing similar inflationary pressures, emphasizing the need for prudent fiscal management and structural reforms to mitigate inflation volatility and ensure macroeconomic stability.

The Yangjiabu Kite Festival, originating over 2000 years ago in Shandong Province, China, stands as a testament to the enduring cultural heritage and artistic traditions of kite flying. This research explores the historical origins, cultural symbolism, festival format, community engagement, and international exposure of the Yangjiabu Kite Festival, shedding light on its evolution and impact over time. Findings reveal the festival’s deep roots in ancient Chinese traditions, its role as a platform for showcasing cultural diversity and craftsmanship, and its significance in promoting tourism, cultural exchange, and soft power projection for Shandong Province. Lessons learned from the Yangjiabu Kite Festival offer valuable insights for cross-cultural application, event management, cultural diplomacy, and community development. Suggestions for future research include comparative studies, longitudinal assessments, audience research, and policy analysis to further explore the dynamics and implications of cultural festivals in a global context. Overall, the research underscores the importance of cultural festivals as vehicles for cultural preservation, tourism promotion, and intercultural dialogue, fostering mutual understanding and appreciation across borders.

The growing attention paid to industrial tourism can be seen as one of the major trends in cultural tourism and marketing and has given currency to the proposition that customer experience of industrial tourism acts as a direct personal source of information about their perceptions of companies visited and is essential for customer relationship management of companies. This study applies the service theater theory and proposes a model to explore the structural relationships among theatrical elements of industrial tourism (including setting, performance, and actor), the dimensions of customer experience (enjoyment, learning, and escape), and customers’ behavior intentions. A survey of 500 industrial tourists in a transparent factory in the health food industry was conducted in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China. The results of structural equation modeling indicate that two theatrical factors (setting and performance) relate positively to all dimensions of customer experiences. In contrast, the theatrical factor “actor” only relates positively to the learning experience. Furthermore, all dimensions of customer experience, in turn, positively affect customers’ behavioral intentions. This study will be helpful for corporate managers and tourism organizers who aim to develop and implement marketing strategies based on the service theatre theory to improve their services.

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.