This paper contributes to the understanding of how flexibility in the number of members in a decision-making committee in a multistage project can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the decisions taken. While most projects typically employ a fixed number of decision makers, the paper demonstrates the advantages of adjusting the committee size according to the project’s varying complexity at different phases of the project. In particular, we show that allowing for flexibility in the size of a committee increases the likelihood of reaching a correct decision under the unanimity rule. We analyze this issue when the decision maker’s competence is independent of the state of nature and when it is not. The results are compared to those under the simple majority rule.

Previous studies support the direct relationship between outdoor physical activity and natural spaces in cities. The Active City and Nature concept explores the relationship between urban, green and active environments; it aims to demonstrate the scientific evidence for the need for action to be taken to increase participation in active living and sport, leading to healthier cities and communities. Our research seeks to analyse the city’s natural spaces as scenarios to encourage physical activity and sport, through a combined study of qualitative research techniques: the use of a digital webGIS platform, collaborative maps made by citizens, and surveys conducted with citizens and the local government. This methodology has been tested in the city of Malaga, the European City of Sport 2020. The study of the city’s main sport areas, the waterfront and natural green spaces provided data on the types of physical activity taking place in each of these areas and the physical activity needs of citizens. This research argues that it is important to know the criteria of local communities for physical activity and/or sport in natural environments, as well as the main demands expressed. This will provide valuable information to design and manage natural public spaces as a means of promoting physical activity and healthy habits.

This study examines factors associated with an increasingly poor perception of the novel coronavirus in Africa using a designed electronic questionnaire to collect perception-based information from participants across Africa from twenty-one African countries (and from all five regions of Africa) between 1 and 25 February 2022. The study received 66.7% of responses from West Africa, 12.7% from Central Africa, 4.6% from Southern Africa, 15% from East Africa, and 1% from North Africa. The majority of the participants are Nigerians (56%), 14.1% are Cameroonians, 8.7% are Ghanaians, 9.3% are Kenyans, 2% are South Africans, 2.1% are DR-Congolese, 1.6% are Tanzanians, 1.2% are Rwandans, 0.4% are Burundians, and others are Botswana’s, Chadians, Comoros, Congolese, Gambians, Malawians, South Sudanese, Sierra Leoneans, Ugandans, Zambians, and Zimbabweans. All responses were coded on a five-point Likert scale. The study adopts descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis for the data analysis. The descriptive analysis of the study shows that the level of ignorance or poor “perception” of COVID-19 in Africa is very high (87% of individuals sampled). It leads to skepticism towards complying with preventive measures as advised by the WHO and directed by the national government across Africa. We adopted logistic regression analysis to identify the factors associated with a poor perception of the virus in Africa. The study finds that religion (belief or faith) and media misinformation are the two leading significant causes of ignorance or poor “perception” of COVID-19 in Africa, with log odd of 0.4775 (resulting in 1.6120 odd ratios) and 1.3155 (resulting in 3.7265 odd ratios), respectively. The study concludes that if the poor attitude or perception towards complying with the preventive measures continues, COVID-19 cases in Africa may increase beyond the current spread.

This study aims to identify the impact of inheritance literacy, inheritance socialization, inheritance stress, and peer influence on the inheritance behaviors among FELDA communities in Malaysia. Inheritance literacy pertains to individuals’ comprehension of wealth transfer and estate planning, while peer influencer evaluates friends’ impact on inheritance attitudes; inheritance socialization explores family interactions’ role in shaping inheritance attitudes, and inheritance stress measures emotional strain in inheritance matters, with inheritance behaviors encompassing asset management and wealth transfer decisions for future generations by individuals and families. Understanding inheritance behaviors is crucial, as it helps individuals depict their inheritance knowledge and attitudes toward FELDA inheritance better, fostering a more favorable inheritance attitude. Through self-administered survey questionnaires, data related to FELDA communities are obtained using convenience sampling from 413 respondents. This study applies Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique to test the research hypotheses. The present study’s outcome confirms that two determinants, which are inheritance literacy and inheritance socialization significantly influence the inheritance behavior of FELDA communities. However, inheritance stress and peer influence determinants have statistically insignificant influence inheritance behavior. This study’s theoretical framework enriches the discussions on wealth management and financial behavior by refining and expanding upon existing financial behavior theories to incorporate inheritance-specific behaviors. The present study is exclusive in its effort to ascertain the relative importance of both inheritance behavior and the FELDA communities. This paper will assist the government, inheritance service providers, and policymakers in offering innovative economic schemes and designing policies that may enhance the inheritance behavior wellbeing of FELDA communities. This article also provides a roadmap to guide future research in this area.

This study aims to identify and the implementation of ASN Management policies on career development aspects based on the merit system in the West Java Provincial Government and 6 Regency/City Governments in West Java Province. The failure of the institutionalization of the meritocratic system in ASN career development is partly triggered by the symptoms of the appointment or selection of officials in the central and regional levels not based on their professionalism or competence except for subjective considerations, political ties, close relationships and even bribery. This study uses a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. The operationalization concept in this study uses Merilee S. Grindle’s Policy Implementation theory which consists of dimensions of policy content and its implementation context. The factors that cause the implementation of the policy to be less than optimal include: 1. Uneven understanding of meritocracy; 2. Slowness/unpreparedness in synchronizing central and regional rules/policies; 3. The information integration system between the center and regions has not yet been implemented; 4. Limited supporting infrastructure; 5. Limited permits for related officials; 6. Transparency; 7. Collaboration across units/agencies; 8. External intervention; 9. Use of information systems/technology. To optimize these factors, an Accelerator of Governmental Unit’s Success (AGUS) model was created, which is a development of the Grindle policy implementation model with the novelty of adding things that influence implementation, including top leader’s commitment and wisdom, effectiveness of talent placement, on-point human development, technology savvy, cross-unit/agency collaboration, and monitoring and evaluation processes.