This study aims to empirically analyze the impact of budget allocation by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) on national research competitiveness, thereby reassessing the value of investing in research infrastructure within a knowledge-based society. In the 21st century, research and development (R&D) have emerged as a pivotal element of national competitiveness, underlining the increasing importance of investments aimed at constructing and enhancing research infrastructure. However, empirical studies examining the causal relationship between research infrastructure investment and national research competitiveness are still notably scarce. Accordingly, this research endeavors to systematically delineate the effect of research infrastructure investment, with a focus on KISTI’s budget allocation, on enhancing national R&D outcomes. To achieve this, the structural relationship between KISTI’s budget, national R&D budget, and various academic and industrial performance indicators was analyzed using multiple regression and simple regression analysis. In particular, by demonstrating the mechanism through which the budget management of research support organizations like KISTI contributes to strengthening national research competitiveness, this study aims to shed new light on the strategic value of research infrastructure investment in a knowledge-based society. Furthermore, these findings are expected to provide valuable evidence for the formulation of national R&D policies in Korea and the strategic planning of budget operations for research support organizations. Through strategic investment of limited budgets, this could enhance the efficiency of national R&D investments and contribute to strengthening the capacity for scientific and technological innovation required in a knowledge-based society.

This financial modelling case study describes the development of the 3-statement financial model for a large-scale transportation infrastructure business dealing with truck (and some rail) modalities. The financial modelling challenges in this area, especially for large-scale transport infrastructure operators, lie in automatically linking the operating activity volumes with the investment volumes. The aim of the paper is to address these challenges: The proposed model has an innovative retirement/reinvestment schedule that automates the estimation of the investment needs for the Business based on the designated age-cohort matrix analysis and controlling for the maximum service ceiling for trucks as well as the possibility of truck retirements due to the reduced scope of tracking operations in the future. The investment schedule thus automated has a few calibrating parameters that help match it to the current stock of trucks/rolling stock in the fleet, making it to be a flexible tool in financial modelling for diverse transport infrastructure enterprises employing truck, bus and/or rail fleets for the carriage of bulk cargo quantifiable by weight (or fare-paying passengers) on a network of set, but modifiable, routes.

Political representation is responsible for choices regarding the supply and the management of transport infrastructure, but its decisions are sometimes in conflict with the will and the general interest expressed by citizens. This situation has progressively prompted the use of specific corrective measures in order to obtain socially sustainable decisions, such as the deliberative procedures for the appraisal of public goods. The standard Stated Choice Modelling Technique (SCMT) can be used to estimate the community appreciation for public goods such as transport infrastructure; but the application of the SCMT in its standard form would be inadequate to provide an estimation that expresses the general interest of the affected community. Hence the need to adapt the standard SCMT on the basis of the operational conditions imposed by deliberative appraisal procedures. Therefore, the general aim of the paper is to outline the basic conditions on which a modified SCMT with deliberative procedure can be set up. Firstly, the elements of the standard SCMT on which to make the necessary adjustments are identified; subsequently, modifications and additions to make to the standard technique are indicated; finally, the contents of an extensive program of experimentation are outlined.

This paper examines the relationship between renewable energy (RE) generation, economic factors, infrastructure, and governance quality in ASEAN countries. Based on the Fixed Effects regression model on panel data spanning the years 2002–2021, results demonstrate that domestic capital investment, foreign direct investment, governance effectiveness, and crude oil price exhibit an inverse yet significant relationship with RE generation. An increase in those factors will lead to a decline in RE generation. Meanwhile, economic growth and infrastructure have a positive relationship, which implies that these factors act as stimulants for RE generation in the region. Hence, it is advisable to prioritise policies that foster economic growth, including offering tax breaks specifically for RE projects. Additionally, it’s crucial to streamline governance processes to facilitate infrastructure conducive to RE generation, along with investing in RE infrastructure. This could be achieved by establishing one-stop centres for consolidating permitting processes, which would streamline the often-bureaucratic process. However, given the extensive time period covered, future research should examine the short-term relationship between the variables to address any potential temporal trends between the factors and RE generation.

The Bini people of Edo State, located in the Edo South senatorial district, have been the focus of a study investigating the impact of international migration on Nigerian infrastructure. The study employed a descriptive-qualitative approach, using a survey research methodology and structured questionnaires to gather data from 401 respondents. The study used regression and thematic analysis to examine the collected data, focusing on the connection between migration and the advancement of infrastructure. The findings suggest that low incomes, job insecurity, and the development of domestic infrastructure contribute to the momentum behind international migration movements. The study suggests that remittances from migrants and investments are needed to alleviate the situation, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and sustainable approach to addressing the challenges faced by the Bini people in Edo State.

It has become commonplace to describe publicly provided infrastructure as being in a sorry state and to advance public-private partnership as a possible remedy. This essay adopts a skeptical but not a cynical posture toward those claims. The paper starts by reviewing the comparative properties of markets and politics within a theory of budgeting where the options are construction and maintenance. This analytical point of departure explains how incongruities between political and market action can favor construction over maintenance. In short, political entities can engage in an implicit form of public debt by reducing maintenance spending to support other budgetary items. This implicit form of public debt does not manifest in higher interest rates but rather manifests in crumbling bridges and other infrastructure due to the transfer of maintenance into other budgetary activities.