This paper uses Public Choice analysis to examine the case for and experience with Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). A PPP is a contractual platform which connects a governmental body and a private entity. The goal is to provide a public sector program, service, or asset that would normally be provided exclusively by a public sector entity. This paper focuses on PPPs in developed countries, but it also draws on studies of PPPs in developing countries. The economics literature generally defines PPPs as long-term contractual arrangements between a public authority (local or central government) and a private supplier for the delivery of services. The private sector supplier takes responsibility for building infrastructure components, securing financing of the investment, and then managing and maintaining this facility.

However, in addition to those formed through contracts, PPPs may take other forms such as those developed in response to tax subvention or coercion, as in the case of regulatory mandates. A key element of PPP is that the private partner takes on a significant portion of the risk through a schedule of specified remuneration, contingency payments, and provision for dispute resolution. PPPs typically are long-term arrangements and involve large corporations on the private side, but may also be limited to specific phases of a project.

The types of PPPs discussed in this paper exclude arrangements which may result from government mandates such as the statutory emission mandates imposed on automobile manufacturers and industrial facilities (e.g., power plants). It also excludes PPP-like organizations resulting from US section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which provides tax subsidies for certain public charities, scientific research organizations, and organizations whose goals are to prevent cruelty to animals or erect public monuments at no expense to the government. This paper concludes that an array of Public Choice tools are applicable to understanding the emergence, success, or failure of PPPs. Several short case studies are provided to illustrate the practicalities of PPPs. 

This project is carried out to assess the remediation effect on soil contaminated by molybdenum (Mo), one of heavy metals, through the use of an energy crop, sunflowers. This project explores the integration of phytohormones and chelates in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals, and further assesses the operational measures of remedying heavy-metal contaminated soil with sunflowers, in addition to the related environmental factors. Then the project explores phytohormones and heavy metals on the growth scenario explants (explants morphological analysis) through the experiment. The results indicate that GA₃ can increase the growth rate of the plants. The average incremental growth of the heavy-metal-added-only group is 21.0 cm; of the GA₃-added group it is 21.9 cm; of the EDDS-added group, it is 20.3 cm; of the GA₃+ EDDS-added group, it is 21.7 cm. Compared with the conventional methods of phytoremediation, these integrated measures can actually spur the growth of plants.

This study evaluated the efficiency and productivity of the manufacturing industries of Singapore. Singapore is one of the world’s most competitive countries and manufacturing giants. All 21 manufacturing industries as classified by Singapore’s Department of Statistics were included in the study as decision-making units (DMUs). Using the Malmquist DEA on data spanning 2015–2021, we found that excerpt for the Paper and Paper product industry, all industries recorded positive total factor productivity (TFP). TFP ranged from 0.977 to 1.481. In terms of technical efficiency, 14 out of 21 industries showed positive efficiency change. The highest TFP was recorded in 2020 and the lowest in 2016. By measuring and improving efficiency, industries in Singapore can achieve cost savings, increase output, and enhance their competitiveness in the global marketplace. In addition, efficiency measurement can help policymakers identify potential areas for improvement and develop targeted policies to promote sustainable economic growth. Given these benefits, performance measurement is inevitable for industries and policymakers in Singapore to achieve economic objectives. Manufacturing industries need to find ways to manage the size and scale of operations as we flag this as an area for improvement.

Creative cities as a study discipline have garnered extensive attention and research in theory and practice as a practical approach to urban revitalization and sustainable development. This study conducted a systematic review of academic research on creative cities. Utilizing the visual analysis tools Citespace and VOSviewer, a comprehensive analysis was performed on 570 relevant articles from the Web of Science database. This study analyzed the most influential publications, authors, journals, institutions, and countries within the sample. The investigation spans various disciplinary domains, including geography, environment, culture, and others. Additionally, an exploration of the structure and characteristics of co-cited references was undertaken to enhance our understanding of the theoretical foundations of creative cities research further. Among these, the focal points of the study encompass urban development, urban policies, and the challenges faced. Finally, through co-occurrence analysis of keywords and examining the evolutionary process, the study forecasted that future trends will focus on the practical application of cities to enhance the urban image and improve urban governance from multi-dimensional perspectives such as creativity-related cultural places, public art, and so forth, exploring novel models of creative cities from case to universal. The results of this study can support scholars in grasping the development trends and exploring focal points.

This study investigates the integration of Yao ethnic cultural history into sustainable jewelry design and its implications for human resource planning, organizational management, and employee engagement techniques within creative sectors. The research emphasizes new approaches to improving employee well-being, work happiness, and organizational commitment by integrating cultural authenticity with circular economy concepts. The study specifically aims to (1) use Yao cultural elements to strengthen the organization’s identity and boost employee pride, (2) evaluate how consumers respond to circular economy ideas and how these ideas impact employee motivation and performance, and (3) explore how sustainability efforts based on culture affect consumer behavior and the morale of the workforce. We used a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews with fifteen experts in design, sustainability, and cultural heritage with a quantitative survey of 240 participants. Research indicates that using Yao motifs—such as traditional needlework and nature-inspired designs—enhances market attractiveness and promotes more employee alignment with business ideals, hence improving satisfaction and performance. The increasing customer acceptance of recycled and upcycled items enhances employees’ sense of purpose and engagement. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating sustainable HR practices, including culturally oriented training and open ethical principles, to enhance labor relations and foster equity. Utilizing cultural heritage in design innovation serves as a strategic instrument to enhance human capital and promote long-term organizational sustainability.

HRIS is a crucial tool for HR departments as it provides a digital platform for managing and automating various HR functions. HRIS is a comprehensive solution that integrates HRM functions with IT, enhancing the daily operations of HR professionals. In today’s knowledge-based economy, business success relies heavily on the performance of its human resources, which are essential in a rapidly changing global environment. Businesses continually strive to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving technology landscape to thrive in the market. Some scholars have highlighted the negative impact of Human Resource Information Systems, primarily focusing on the invasion of privacy as the main disadvantage. The study indicates that implementing a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) enhances business performance in the tourism and hospitality industry of the Maldives. It highlights that user satisfaction and ease of use are positively influenced by these systems. The research surveyed 211 professionals and managers from the Maldives tourism and hospitality sector using a Likert Scale questionnaire to assess the impact of the HRIS on business performance. The study used SPSS 22.0 to analyze the impact of the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) on the dependent variable. The findings indicate that managerial personnel and human resource specialists in organisations find a user-friendly and satisfying HRIS motivating and beneficial for enhancing their performance. Organisations implement the HRIS to achieve their goals, identify system shortcomings, and develop strategies to improve business performance in the Maldives’ tourism and hospitality sector.