Developing Asia’s infrastructure gap results from both inadequate public resources and a lack of effective channels to mobilize private resources toward desired outcomes. The public-private partnership (PPP) mechanism has evolved to fill the infrastructure gap. However, PPP projects are often at risk of becoming distressed, or worst, being terminated because of the long-term nature of contracts and the many different stakeholders involved. This paper applies survival-time hazard analysis to estimate how project-related, macroeconomic, and institutional factors affect the hazard rate of the projects. Empirical results show that government’s provision of guarantees, involvement of multilateral development banks, and existence of a dedicated PPP unit are important for a project’s success. Privately initiated proposals should be regulated and undergo competitive bidding to reduce the hazard rate of the project and the corresponding burden to the government. Economic growth leads to successful project outcomes. Improved legal and institutional environment can ensure PPP success.

Cellulose nanocrystal, known as CNCs, is a form of material that can be produced by synthesizing carbon from naturally occurring substances, such as plants. Due to the unique properties it possesses, including a large surface area, impressive mechanical strength, and the ability to biodegrade, it draws significant attention from researchers nowadays. Several methods are available to prepare CNC, such as acid hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, and mechanical procedures. The characteristics of CNC include X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, etc. In this article, the recent development of CNC preparation and its characterizations are thoroughly discussed. Significant breakthroughs are listed accordingly. Furthermore, a variety of CNC applications, such as paper and packaging, biological applications, energy storage, etc., are illustrated. This study demonstrates the insights gained from using CNC as a potential environmentally friendly material with remarkable properties.

Infrastructure development is critical for sustaining Asia’s economic growth. Unfortunately, huge financing gaps—estimated by a recent Asian Development Bank study to be USD22.5 trillion—constrain the ability of most emerging Asian countries to fully realize the benefits of infrastructure development. For instance, over 70% of infrastructure investments in Asia are still funded by public resources, which pose acute financing challenges for many countries with limited budgets and fiscal constraints. This paper discusses some of the challenges associated with public financing of infrastructure projects in emerging Asian countries, before introducing some new options for alleviating their infrastructure investment needs. In particular, it proposes a new approach to infrastructure financing by utilizing the spillover effects of infrastructure investment, where additional revenues generated from such investment can be channeled back to investors as subsidy to increase the returns to their investment. The paper also argues the need for Asian countries to implement fiscal reforms and to develop a more balanced approach to financing, one that involves both the private and public sector. 

Sweet cherry is a type of fruit that is high on demand in exports for table consumption. Turkey is a gene centre for sweet cherry fruit. Fruits are produced over an extended period because of the ecological richness and large cultivation area, which allows Turkey to remain as the leader of sweet cherry production in the world. The variety, ‘0900 Ziraat’, also known as the Turkish sweet cherry fruit, has the highest production volume. Mazzard and Mahaleb are the commonly used rootstocks for sweet cherry cultivation; and Mazzard is used more frequently than Mahaleb. Clonal rootstocks are used to maintain cultivation in new orchards. The present study provides a detailed information on the current status of sweet cherry fruit cultivation in Turkey as well as its cultivation practices and exports. It is targeted that modern irrigation techniques, good agricultural practices, and increased cultivation areas are established to maintain Turkey’s position as the leader in global sweet cherry production and exports. 

While the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council is sometimes criticized for the potential influence of political agendas on its decisions, while the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is criticized for its limited jurisdiction and dependence on the party's willingness to accept the ICJ's jurisdiction, a crucial concern is raised over the efficiency of the current Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (DRM) for aviation industry related disputes. Unravelling the compelling inquiry that hangs in the air: Just how efficient is the current aviation arbitration legal system? Is the efficiency of this system available to ad hoc arbitration¹ or arbitral tribunals²? The authors aim to analyze the existing legal guidance to navigate the complex arbitration system. This article sheds light on precedent cases by the ICAO Council and the ICJ studying challenges, such as the lack of efficiency of the ICAO Council and the criticism of the Council's ineffectiveness for being hampered by the political interests of Member States. As well as the ICJ as it may be a more powerful authority in resolving such disputes, it also faces multiple challenges including the lack of enforcement, jurisdiction issues, and political influence, which in return makes it unlikely for dispute parties to seek the ICAO or the ICJ for resolution of their disputes, instead parties have now mostly adopted arbitration clauses as their primary dispute resolution method under Air Services Agreements (ASAs) and other aviation related agreements. While ad hoc arbitration has shown effectiveness and success, its secrecy and confidentiality might result in inconsistency and the inability to develop a case law system. The authors note the urgent need for an arbitration institution³ under the United Nations (UN) umbrella specialized in air law and aviation technology disputes, with the power to issue an enforceable, legally binding ruling. The article also examines the realm of arbitration in the aerospace industry, analyzing legal resources, current aviation arbitration systems, centres, and platforms, and further analyzing case studies to assess the results of the efficiency of each Dispute Resolution Mechanism.

The key goal of the study is to identify aspects of the implementation of blockchain technologies in human resource management and argue for the moderating role of institutional support. The need to introduce new technologies at both the tactical and strategic levels is substantiated. It is highlighted that the key core of modern organizations is the human resource management system. The role of integration of blockchain technologies in human resource management, which ensures the effective training of qualified personnel at the right time and in the right place, is argued. It has been determined that the introduction of blockchain technologies in human resource management facilitates the organization of cooperation between countries in updating skills and knowledge based on compliance with competency standards and corporate governance rules. A survey of 300 employees of the pharmaceutical industry in Jordan was conducted, which served as the basis for a multivariate analysis to confirm reasonable hypotheses. The results obtained are valuable and can be applied in practice in terms of determining the impact of the implementation of blockchain technology in the human resource management system and on the UTAUT structure, which in turn provides institutional support.