The urban fringe – the zone lying between urban areas and the countryside, - offers valuable opportunities for commercial and residential development as well as for recreational activities, but it is often characterised by a number of land use problems and environmental conflicts. Within the UK, the urban fringe can be seen as a contested and dynamic space, yet for almost 70 years statutory town planning policies for the urban fringe have been largely concerned with containment designed to stop urban encroachment into the countryside. However, in 1970s a number of experimental urban fringe management projects were established around town and cities within the UK, culminating in the creation of the Groundwork projects, and here the focus was on a wider and more flexible approach, and more specifically on providing a range of opportunities for recreation, and to attempt to reconcile environmental conflicts. This paper explores the evolution of Groundwork, and more specifically focuses on two Research Questions namely, what was the initial rationale and aims of Groundwork? and secondly what is its current focus and future direction?

The research addresses the importance of ethics in public administration, focusing on public servants in the municipality of Rionegro, Colombia. Ethics is presented as an essential element to promote transparency and combat corruption in public management. Despite the fact that the 1991 Constitution establishes ethical principles, their application in practice remains a challenge, with a high level of immorality in public service. The study highlights the diversity of professional profiles in public servants, which hinders consistent ethical management. In addition, it mentions that many civil servants lack political training and understanding of the importance of their role, which contributes to corruption. Ethics, according to the authors, is a key tool for strengthening institutions and regaining public trust. The research evaluated the impact of a professional ethics training program on public servants, finding significant improvements in their ethical knowledge and behavior. It concludes that, although ethics will not solve all corruption problems, it is an indispensable component for strengthening accountability and justice in public administration. It underscores the need to implement continuous training programs that promote ethical values as part of a strategy to improve efficiency and transparency in public institutions.

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.

Cyber-physical Systems (CPS) have revolutionized urban transportation worldwide, but their implementation in developing countries faces significant challenges, including infrastructure modernization, resource constraints, and varying internet accessibility. This paper proposes a methodological framework for optimizing the implementation of Cyber-Physical Urban Mobility Systems (CPUMS) tailored to improve the quality of life in developing countries. Central to this framework is the Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) approach, augmented with advanced artificial intelligence techniques. The DSM facilitates the visualization and integration of CPUMS components, while statistical and multivariate analysis tool such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and artificial intelligence methods such as K-means clustering enhance complex system the analysis and optimization of complex system decisions. These techniques enable engineers and urban planners to design modular and integrated CPUMS components that are crucial for efficient, and sustainable urban mobility solutions. The interdisciplinary approach addresses local challenges and streamlines the design process, fostering economic development and technological innovation. Using DSM and advanced artificial intelligence, this research aims to optimize CPS-based urban mobility solutions, by identifying critical outliers for targeted management and system optimization.

Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are gaining prominence in healthcare systems worldwide to standardize potential payments to hospitals. This study, conducted across public hospitals, investigates the impact of DRG implementation on human resource allocation and management practices. The research findings reveal significant changes in job roles and skill requirements based on a mixed-methods approach involving 70 healthcare professionals across various roles. 50% of respondents reported changes in daily responsibilities, and 42% noted the creation of new roles in their organizations. Significant challenges include inadequate training (46%), and coding complexity (38%). Factor analysis revealed a complex relationship between DRG familiarity, job satisfaction, and staff morale. The study also found a moderate negative correlation between the impact on morale and years of service in the current hospital, suggesting that longer-tenured staff may require additional support in adapting to DRG systems. This study addresses a knowledge gap in the human resource aspects of DRG implementation. It provides healthcare administrators and policymakers with evidence to inform strategies for effective DRG adoption and workforce management in public hospitals.

This article is devoted to studying the principles of the relationship between democracy and demoethics as tools for transforming the sustainable development of society. The study is based on the assumption that the effective functioning of democracy is associated with such social phenomena as elections and electoral behavior. The study examined electoral behavior and surveyed members of society about the qualities of candidates to which they pay special attention. An analysis of qualitative and quantitative data demonstrating the democratic foundations of elections of members of society was conducted, and an analysis of the choice of voters in the extraordinary elections of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan by region was conducted. In this study, Bayesian network modeling is experimentally applied to formalize the problem of identifying and analyzing the behavior of virtuous personality traits. A sociological survey of public opinion was conducted using the questionnaire method with the participation of 826 people from all regions of Kazakhstan from May to June 2023. A questionnaire was used to collect data, the main purpose of which was to compare attitudes and find out what values are considered important for people, what norms of behavior are considered acceptable, and to understand what values and norms prevail in society. It is concluded that the concept of demoethics promotes a positive transformation of humanity and helps to form a new leader of virtue, a ruler of the city, capable of making ethical rational decisions that can ensure a balance between the economic, social, and environmental needs of humanity.

This study aims to analyse the current state of library and information science (LIS) education in South Korea and identify educational challenges in building a sustainable library infrastructure in the digital age. As libraries’ role expands in a rapidly changing information environment, LIS education must evolve. Using topic modelling techniques, this study analysed course descriptions from 37 universities and identified 10 key topics. The analysis revealed that, while the current curricula cover both traditional library science and digital technology topics, focus on the latest technology trends and practical, hands-on education is lacking. Based on these findings, this study suggests strengthening digital technology education by incorporating project-based learning; integrating emerging technologies, such as data science and artificial intelligence; and emphasising community engagement and soft skills development. This study provides insights into improving LIS education to better align with the digital era’s evolving demands.

Plastic products, including plastic packaging, were products whose increasing demand continued because the community still needed plastic as packaging. On the other hand, plastic waste, which was increasingly high and difficult to decompose, was a problem that needed to be solved together. This study aims to understand how plastic company packaging implements TQM, its environmental impact, and how plastic packaging companies are taking steps towards green manufacturing. This research used a qualitative phenomenological method to understand the problem based on the actor’s perspective. The data collection method was in-depth interviews with informants from 3 plastic companies in East Java, Indonesia, followed by observation and FGD. We carried out Triangulation, member checking, and professional involvement to determine the data’s validity, reliability, and trustworthiness. The results of this study indicated a management system that promotes quality as a business strategy and is oriented towards customer satisfaction by involving all members of the organization. TQM emphasized continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, and employee involvement. By implementing aspects of TQM, plastic packaging companies could improve their production processes and reduce waste, increasing efficiency and profitability. In addition, TQM could also contribute to the company’s green performance by promoting environmentally friendly practices, including using electric machines to replace hydraulic machines, thereby reducing the use of electrical energy and CO₂ emissions. The use of solar panels was a step towards green manufacturing. Companies that adopt TQM principles are more likely to implement environmentally friendly initiatives such as reducing energy consumption and using recyclable materials and can demonstrate a commitment to corporate social responsibility. The company’s membership in EcoVadis and SMETA further strengthens the company’s direction towards Green Manufacturing and competitive advantage.