The Intellectual Property (IP) chapter of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is recognized for its extensive coverage, encompassing a broad range of innovation areas such as patents, trademarks, geographical indications, and copyright. This chapter sets a new global benchmark for IP protection, posing significant challenges to the existing legal frameworks of member countries and necessitating rapid adaptation, particularly for developing members like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Mexico. These nations have undertaken comprehensive revisions to their IP laws to align with the international standards established by the CPTPP. Despite their unique national contexts, the legal amendments reflect distinct strategies and methodologies in meeting international standards. This paper conducts a qualitative analysis of Vietnam, Malaysia, and Mexico, comparing their law amendment strategies, contents, and techniques across three dimensions. It highlights the distinctive characteristics and impacts of their legal revisions, offering valuable insights for other prospective developing members within the CPTPP framework on the practice of IP law reform.

Objective: This research aims to investigate the legal dynamics of leasing agricultural land plots integrated with protective plantings, motivated by recent legislative changes that significantly influence both agricultural productivity and environmental conservation. Methods: The authors of the article used the methods of axiological, positivist, dogmatic, historical, and comparative-legal analysis. Results: The study considers the recent legislative amendments that grant agricultural producers the right to lease land with forest belts without the need for bidding. It traces the historical development of forest plantations, highlighting their major role in intensifying agricultural production. Our results reveal that the new legislative framework allows agricultural producers to lease lands with protective forest belts without bidding, a change that highlights the complexities of balancing economic efficiency with ecological sustainability. Conclusions: The research emphasizes the unique legal challenges and opportunities presented by forest belt leasing in the agricultural context. It stipulates the need for a balanced legal framework that preserves environmental integrity, protects property rights, and supports sustainable agricultural practices. This study dwells on the evolving legal landscape of forest belt leasing and its implications for agricultural land management in Russia and similar regions. The significance of this research in its comprehensive analysis of the legal, economic, and ecological dimensions of land leasing, offering a nuanced understanding of how legislative changes shape land use strategies.

In the context of digital transformation, Chinese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) face significant challenges and opportunities in adapting to market dynamics and technological advancements. This study investigates the impact of coopetition strategy on the core competencies of SMEs, with a particular focus on marketing, technological, and integrative competencies. Data were collected from a sample of 300 SMEs in Anhui Province through an online survey, and reliability and validity were tested using SPSS and AMOS. The results indicate that dependency and trust significantly enhance the effectiveness of coopetition strategy from an external perspective, while managerial ambidexterity and strategic intent are critical internal factors driving the successful implementation of coopetition strategies. Both external and internal factors positively impact the core competencies of SMEs. Additionally, environmental uncertainty moderates the relationship between coopetition strategy and core competencies, underscoring the need for flexibility and adaptability in dynamic market environments. The findings suggest that SMEs can better integrate internal and external resources, optimize resource allocation, and improve operational efficiency through coopetition strategy, thereby enhancing their core competencies. This study provides valuable insights and practical guidance for policymakers and business practitioners aiming to support the digital transformation of SMEs.

the development of digital technologies and their popularity in e-commerce is undeniable. However, consumers need to have a certain level of digital skills. The main aim of the paper was to examine and evaluate the development of consumers’ digital skills in the European Union and to identify the potential significant impact on online shopping. The EU countries studied experienced an increasing trend in both internet users and online consumers over the period under review, with Romania and Estonia experiencing the most significant year-on-year increases in internet users and online consumers respectively. The trend of consumers with digital skills was volatile and in some EU countries it was decreasing year-on-year. When comparing the share of online consumers and the share of consumers with digital skills, it was not possible to generalize the results as in some countries the values were at comparable levels, but in selected countries the share of consumers with digital skills was higher than the share of online consumers and in other countries the opposite was true. The results showed the existence of a significant impact of the level of digital skills on online shopping and also of the use of the internet for online shopping. The results obtained can provide a basis for online retailers to promote the increase of consumers’ digital skills, which will ultimately lead to the growth of e-commerce.

Managing the spread of “disinformation” is becoming an increasingly difficult task of our time, with an emphasis on digital marketing and its influence on organizational reputation. This paper aims to analyze the phenomenon of disinformation, with emphasis on the role of digital marketing and the consequent effect on organizational image. Thus, using the systematic literature review methodology, the study defines and categorizes different types of disinformation, namely fake news, misinformation, and propaganda, and how they are spread across different channels. Using the research, it is possible to conclude that digital marketing is more effective in spreading disinformation than traditional media and word-of-mouth; social media management and content marketing are the most effective. The work also evaluates the catastrophic impact of disinformation on an organization’s image, fiscal health, and the trust of its stakeholders. Using the Chi-Square Test for Independence and Logistic Regression, the study determines the factors likely to lead to severe consequences of disinformation campaigns. Last but not least, the paper also suggests ways of preventing the spread of disinformation, which include improved education on the use of digital platforms, better fact-checking systems, and an improved code of ethics in digital marketing.

Professional judgments in business valuation should be based on persuasive comparative data and conclusive empirical studies. However, these judgments are frequently made without these conditions, causing professional skepticism. An appraiser should explain in detail what was done to get the market value because valuation is the initial crucial step in the investment decision process. In socially responsible investment schemes, an appraiser has a fiduciary duty and a vital role in protecting the public from fraud and the risk of asset value destruction. Professional skepticism is essential to direct the appraiser’s judgment towards independent valuation for the public interest, assisting in evaluating the relevance and reliability of information, especially relating to social, environmental, and ethical issues. This paper studies the business valuation process from a behavioral finance perspective in the United States and Indonesia, aiming to tweak business valuation practices, identify biases, and mitigate them to ensure the market value does not shift far from fairness opinion. The case study explores experiences from the professional role-learning process. The results highlight the need for an appraisal protocol in business valuation, improvements in the discount for lack of marketability application, and these findings are pertinent to business appraisers and regulators. Recommendations include enhancing the clarity of professional judgments and the integration of recent empirical studies into practice.