The safeguarding of agricultural land is rooted in national land surveys and remote sensing data, which are enhanced by contemporary information technology. This framework facilitates the monitoring and regulation of unauthorized alterations in cultivated land usage. This paper aims to analyze land policies at the national, provincial, and local levels, investigate the cultivated land protection strategies implemented within the research region, where the policies have gained societal acceptance, and propose recommendations and countermeasures to enhance the development and utilization of land resources. The central issue of this study is to identify the challenges in achieving a balance between human activities and natural ecosystems. To address this issue, the research employs a combination of literature review, semi-structured interviews, text analysis, and content analysis, emphasizing the integration of empirical fieldwork and theoretical frameworks. Key areas of focus include: (a) the current state of the farmland protection system, (b) the legal foundations for local enforcement, (c) the systematic mechanisms for implementing arable land protection, and (d) the coordinated oversight system involving both the Party and government. Notably, the practice of cultivated land protection faces several challenges, primarily stemming from two factors. Firstly, there exists a disconnect between the economic interests of certain illegal land users and the objectives of land management, which hinders effective enforcement. Secondly, environmental repercussions arise from misinterpretations of land policy or non-compliant land development practices aimed at profit, which contradict the goals of ecological sustainability. The study examines two approaches to address the issue: the distribution and effective use of land resources, and the capacity for monitoring and early warning systems. Findings indicate that Dongtai City in Jiangsu Province has rigorously implemented all national land management policies, while also preserving the adaptability of local townships in practical applications, thereby ensuring the consistency of both the quality and quantity of arable land.

Starting from the ‘90s, there has been a significant increase in PPP use in the public sector in Europe, benefiting the implementation of infrastructure projects. In Italy, PPP is still much more limited than in such countries as the UK and France: the projects funded are smaller and the sectors involved are less appropriate. Based on the economic literature, European initiatives and international comparisons, the paper examines aspects of regulations that could encourage the appropriate use of PPP and considers the problems with the Italian regulations, while proposing some corrective measures. The main limitations involve: i) the absence of adequate preliminary assessments about the advantages of using PPP rather than the traditional procurement, ii) the relative lack of attention to the contract terms, iii) inadequate safeguards to ensure the bankability of the projects, and iv) limited information transparency and accessibility.

The focus of the article is the evaluation of the interaction between regional state bodies and business structures in Kazakhstan, specifically in terms of the development of public-private partnerships. The purpose of the research is to enhance the understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of the mechanism of interaction between the state and business structures. Through an examination of the various structural components of the partnership development strategy, the study aims to identify the elements of the mechanism for the implementation of the state and business development strategy. Additionally, the research seeks to establish the correlation between the outcomes of the joint entrepreneurship mechanism and the criteria used to evaluate the performance of regional state bodies. To assess the effectiveness of the interaction between business and government at the regional level in Kazakhstan, a survey-based evaluation was conducted to measure the satisfaction levels of public utilities, entrepreneurs, and businesses with the activities of local authorities. The survey also evaluated the degree of corruption among local authorities. A matrix of interaction between business and government was created, and various models and algorithms for the interaction between government representatives and business structures were studied. The research findings highlight the importance of enhancing the collaboration between the state and the business sector, promoting the implementation of public-private partnerships, and establishing social partnerships to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships.

The economic viability of a photovoltaic (PV) installation depends on regulations regarding administrative, technical and economic conditions associated with self-consumption and the sale of surplus production. Royal Decree (RD) 244/2019 is the Spanish legislation of reference for this case study, in which we analyse and compare PV installation offers by key suppliers. The proposals are not optimal in RD 244/2019 terms and appear not to fully contemplate power generation losses and seem to shift a representative percentage of consumption to the production period. In our case study of a residential dwelling, the best option corresponds to a 5 kWp installation with surplus sale to the market, with a payback period of 18 years and CO₂ emission reductions of 1026 kg/year. Demand-side management offers a potential improvement of 6%–21.8%. Based on the increase in electricity prices since 2020, the best option offers savings of up to €1507.74 and amortization in 4.24 years. Considering costs and savings, sale to the market could be considered as the only feasible regulatory mechanism for managing surpluses, accompanied by measures to facilitate administrative procedures and guarantees for end users.

Purpose: The study examines the mediating effect of self-emotion appraisal and other-emotion appraisal on psychological safety, individual resilience, and organizational commitment at the workplace. Design/methodology/approach: This study generated 140 survey responses from workers in diverse occupations and industries during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods data analysis was conducted. Hierarchical regression analysis was employed to test the hypotheses, and process macroanalysis was used to generate the mediation analysis. Qualitative data analysis through thematic coding was adopted to interpret the respondents’ written opinions and narratives. Findings: The results revealed that self-emotion appraisal strongly correlates to resilience, but evaluation of self-emotion has no effect on organizational commitment. Other-emotion appraisal and psychological safety are not significant predictors of resilience at the workplace. Rather, psychological safety is a significant predictor of organizational commitment. The qualitative analysis generated from the respondents’ narratives provides deeper insight into the quantitative results. Additional data that emerged from the qualitative interpretation revealed other factors that are related to emotional appraisal, psychological safety, resilience, and organizational commitment. Practical implications: The findings shed light on the need to understand an individual’s emotional appraisal when instilling workplace resilience. Further, promoting psychological safety, such as by involving employees in the change process, managing fairness perception, and eliciting trust, enhances organizational commitment in the workplace. Integrating open communication, management intervention, and coaching programmes should form part of the employee engagement and development functions to help build organizational resilience and commitment. Originality/value: This research is an original contribution conducted during the global health crisis that led to abrupt changes in the workers’ lives and the workplaces in Singapore. Research implications: This present study demonstrated constructive findings on emotion regulations and perceived psychological safety associated with resilience and commitment amid the disruptive changes in work practices at the workplace. Further, the outcome of the study shows the mediating effect of self-emotional appraisal on psychological safety and resilience. The result draws parallels with past literature that showed that individuals who appraised their emotions tended to recalibrate and recognize their subjective behaviour and take actions to modify it. Social implications: Emotion regulation connotes employees’ emotion coping strategies, and research showed that emotion reappraisal produces a positive effect on workplace relationship quality. 

Over the last few decades, demographic growth combined with poorly controlled urbanization has confronted African cities with a variety of environmental protection challenges. As part of a gradual awareness-raising process, African countries have ratified conventions and adopted a series of laws to protect the environment. Since independence (1960), Gabon has adopted legal instruments to provide a better framework for environmental protection. Despite the existence of well-developed legislation, the Libreville conurbation faces difficulties in waste management. This situation contributes to the degradation of the coastal zone. This study aims to analyse stakeholders’ perceptions of environmental protection regulations in solid waste management practices along the coastline of the Libreville metropolitan area in Gabon. The methodology includes documentary research, field observations, and surveys of 300 study area participants. The results show that the degradation of the coastline is due to a lack of awareness and compliance with the laws governing environmental protection and waste management. As a result, waste disposal practices such as dumping in nature, waterways, illegal dumps, and gutters are commonplace among the population. To achieve sustainable coastal zone management, it is essential to apply regulatory texts and involve stakeholders in improving planning and the quality of the coastal environment.