This research article examines the relationship between the level of social welfare expenditure and economic growth rates, based on unbalanced panel data from 38 OECD countries covering the period from 1985 to 2022. Four hypotheses are formulated regarding the impact of social expenditure on economic growth rates. Through multiple iterations of regression model building, employing various combinations of dependent and independent variables, and conducting tests for stationarity and causality, compelling empirical evidence was obtained on the negative influence of social welfare spending on economic growth rates. The study takes into account both government and non-governmental expenditures on social welfare, a novelty in this field. This approach allows for a detailed examination of the effects of different components on economic growth and provides a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships. The findings indicate that countries with high levels of social welfare spending experience a slowdown in economic growth rates. This is associated with increasing demands on social security systems, their growing inclusivity, and the escalating required levels of financing, which are increasingly covered by debt sources. The research highlights the need to strike a balance between social expenditures and economic growth rates and proposes a set of measures to ensure economic growth outpaces the indexing of social expenditures. The abstract underscores the relevance of the study in light of the widespread recognition of the necessity to combat inequality, poverty, and destitution, and calls on OECD countries’ governments to pay increased attention to social policy in order to achieve sustainable and balanced economic growth.

More and more urban studies researchers and students are using images. This choice often stems from the need to illustrate, analyse and understand territories and urban phenomena. This contribution seeks to demonstrate, on the basis of examples drawn from scientific productions in Greater Lomé, how the photographic approach makes it possible to apprehend the urban phenomenon. Three forms of image use can be identified in the documents consulted. On the one hand, images are a source of data to support information received through observation. On the other hand, photography is a technique for collecting metadata which, when triangulated with several sources, enables a query to be answered. Finally, the diachronic and chronological analysis of images of a social reality enables us to detect the visible and the invisible in order to take a critical look at the social world and the dynamics of social relationships.

This paper discusses the concept of creating a new reality using the approaches of smart cities to develop eco-cities, in which the necessary balance between nature and progress can be maintained. The authors propose that the concept of smart cities should be used as a tool for the creation of eco-cities, and argue that the positive synergies between the two will be strongest if the smart concept acts as a tool for the creation of eco. The core elements of a smart eco-city are identified as smart sustainable use of resources, a smart sustainable healthy community, and a smart sustainable economy. The results of the article were the foundation for the development concept for Vision Bratislava 2050—the vision and strategy for the development of the capital of the Slovak Republic. The authors also discuss the challenges of transforming cities into smart eco-formats, including the need for digital resilience in the face of potential cataclysms. They suggest that this is a promising area for further research into the concept of smart eco-cities.

This academic paper explores the impact of multi-entity cooperation on the effectiveness of public service provision in China. It examines the social governance pattern proposed by the 19th National Congress of the CCP and the emphasis on co-building, co-governing, and sharing. The paper highlights the need for collaboration among various entities and the transition from sole government provision to improve urban public services. It aims to investigate the moderating effects of institutions, policies, and public participation. The study will involve quantitative and qualitative phases in three cities in Guangdong Province and target governmental departments, commercial organizations, non-profit social organizations, and local residents. The research aims to provide policy recommendations, innovate institutional policies, enhance public engagement, and improve multi-party cooperation and urban public services. It seeks to contribute practical models and measures for effective government public management and service implementation.

The urgency of adapting urban areas to the increasing impacts of climate change has prompted the scientific community to seek new approaches in partnership with public entities and civil society organizations. In Malaysia, Penang Island has developed a nature-based urban climate adaptation program (PNBCAP) seeking to increase urban resilience, reduce urban heat and flooding, strengthening social resilience, and build institutional capacity. The project includes a strong knowledge transfer component focused on encouraging other cities in the country to develop and implement adaptation policies, projects, and initiatives. This research develops a model adopting the most efficient processes to accelerate the transfer of knowledge to promote urban adaptation based on the PNBCAP. The methodology is developed based on a review of literature focused on innovation systems and change theories. The integration of success strategies in adaptation contributes to informing the creation of solutions around the alliance of local, state, and national government agencies, scientific institutions, and civil society organizations, in a new framework designated the Malaysian Adaptation Sharing Hub (MASH). MASH is structured in 3-steps and will function as an accelerator for the implementation of urban climate adaptation policies, with the target of creating 2 new adaptation-related policies to be adopted annually by each city member, based on knowledge gathered in the PNBCAP. It is concluded that, to speed up urban adaptation, it is necessary to reinforce and promote the sharing of knowledge resulting from or associated with pilot projects.

Urban infrastructures and services—such as public transportation, innovation bodies and environmental services—are important drivers for the sustainable development of our society. How effectively citizens, institutions and enterprises interact, how quickly technological innovations are implemented and how carefully new policies are pursued, synergically determine development. In this work, data related to urban infrastructure features such as patents and recycled waste referred to 106 province areas in Italy are investigated over a period of twenty years (2001–2020). Scaling laws with exponents characterizing the above mentioned features are observed and adopted to scrutinize whether and how multiple interactions within a population have amplification effects on the recycling and innovation performance. The study shows that there is a multiplication effect of the population size on the innovation performance of territories, meaning that the dynamic interactions among the elements of the innovation eco-systems in a territory increase its innovation performance. We discuss how to use such approach and the related indexes for understanding metropolitan development policy.