Manuscript Type
Empirical
Research Question/Issue
This study aims to understand the implications of the corporate governance arrangements in state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) that are publicly listed in ...terms of firm performance relative to that of private firms.
Research Findings/Insights
Using a new database of 477 large, listed SOEs observed between 1997 and 2012 in 66 developed and emerging countries, we use matching techniques to show that these firms do not underperform similar private firms, except when the former face shocks that prioritize their social and political objectives, such as during severe recessions. These findings demonstrate the need to revise existing theories of SOE underperformance.
Theoretical/Academic Implications
We expand the traditional agency view of SOEs by introducing principal–principal conflicts that prevail in publicly traded firms. We argue that governments try to steer SOEs to pursue social and political objectives, which can lead to inefficiencies, but they also provide them rents and protection, factors that should lead them to perform as well or better than similar private firms. Thus, our theory of state ownership argues that their advantage or disadvantage over similar private firms cannot be identified from the theory and thus needs an empirical test.
Practitioner/Policy Implications
We modify the simplistic view that SOEs are inefficient and highlight that SOEs that compete with private firms may have advantages that give them a competitive edge. This has implications not only for firm‐level strategy, but also for competition policy worldwide.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Fertilizer-replacement programs by the ministry of agriculture and rural affairs are extraordinary actions for environment protection and sustainable agriculture in China. A national-level survey was ...performed to acquire consensuses of bio-physiochemical properties for composts. A total of 116 compost samples collected from 16 provinces in China were analyzed by high throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons. The germination index and bacterial alpha-diversity were lower in composts from poultry manure than others. This large-scale survey revealed that bacterial communities were distinct among different composts and slightly explained by pH, moisture and total nitrogen, but not by raw material or composting process. Nevertheless, 26 OTUs affiliated with Firmicutes (Cerasibacillus, Atopostipes and Bacillus) and Actinobacteria (Thermobifida, Actinomadura and Nocardiopsis) were present in most (>90%) composts and majority of these bacterial species were possibly associated with the biodegradation of organic materials. Surprisingly, 629 potential human or animal bacterial pathogens accounting an average of 1.21% of total 16S rRNA gene were detected and these bacteria were mainly affiliated with Helicobacter, Staphylococcus, Acinotobacter, Streptococcus, Mycobacterium and Enterococcus. In summary, this study provides baseline data for the diversity and abundance of core microbiome and potential pathogens in composts.
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•Microbiome was analyzed for 116 composts from 16 provinces in China.•Core microbiome consisting of 26 OTUs affiliated with Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were identified.•A total of 629 potential human or animal bacterial pathogens accounting an average of 1.21% of total 16S rRNA gene were detected.•Bacterial communities were slightly explained by pH, moisture and total nitrogen, but not by raw material or composting process at large scale.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
National-level marine ranching plays an important role in enhancing the marine ecological environment, fostering social and economic development, and bolstering human well-being. Quantitatively ...analyzing the level of coordinated development of its “ecological-economic-social” benefits and the factors influencing them is of great theoretical significance and practical value for refining the new round of development planning and guiding its construction and management. Therefore, on the basis of establishing a theoretical framework for the interaction of “ecological-economic-social” benefits, shellfish and algae were selected as research objects. We calculated the levels of ecological, economic, and social benefits, explored the interrelationships among the three using the coupled coordination model, and analyzed the influencing factors by using multivariate linear regression and geographically weighted regression. The results showed that: (1) In 2015 and 2021, the ecological and economic benefits of national-level marine ranching for shellfish and algae were better than the social benefits, in which the ecological and social benefits were stable, while the economic benefits were more variable; (2) The degree of coordination of the coupling between the three benefits in each province was mostly low, with most experiencing severe disorder; (3) The level of openness to the outside world and the standard of living of fishermen contributed positively to the coordination of benefit coupling between shellfish and algae. Conversely, the level of science and technology, innovation capacity, and the level of social development had a slightly negative impact. In conclusion, shellfish and algal aquaculture in China's national-level marine ranching significantly contributes to the ecological, economic, and social systems. However, the merits and demerits of natural, social, and economic factors must be comprehensively considered to promote the sustainable development of marine ranching.
•Shellfish and algae, as the main species of China's marine organisms, provide a guarantee for the country's food security.•The assessment of shellfish and algae benefits reflects the sustainable development level of marine ranching.•The relationships of shellfish and algae benefits vary due to factors, leading to discrepancies between theory and practice.•Integrating domestic and international marine ranching developments offers insights for China's marine ranching construction.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Urban expansion points between 1990 and 2010 in China.
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•Spatial autocorrelation is significant in determinant analysis of urban expansion.•Driving forces of urban expansion in China ...presented spatial heterogeneity.•Determinants of urban expansion tended to be more complex and diverse over time.•Constraining effects of natural conditions on urban expansion gradually weakened.
Identifying the driving mechanisms and forces of urban expansion is an important step toward better understanding of the spatial pattern, process, and consequences of urban expansion, which is essential for making effective urban growth planning and policies. Despite many previous studies devoted to investigating urban expansion patterns and mechanisms, the spatial-temporal dynamics of driving forces and their regional differences have not been well-documented. This study examines drivers of urban expansion and their effects across different regions in China in different periods. A spatial Probit model is employed, with data selected based on a national-level sampling strategy, to model urban expansion probability from a spatially explicit perspective. Results indicate that multiple factors including socioeconomic, physical, proximity, accessibility, and neighborhood factors have driven urban expansion in China. Driving factors for urban expansion vary between national and regional levels, suggesting that analyses on different spatial scales are necessary. The dynamics and driving forces of urban expansion in China have been spatial heterogeneous. Furthermore, driving forces have trended toward more diversity over time, and the constraining effects of natural conditions on urban expansion have gradually decayed. These findings aid in gaining a better understanding of the urban expansion process in China, which will in turn benefit urban planning and management across different regions. Lastly, important policy implications are inferred.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Air pollution increases the risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and respiratory mortality across China. However, the urban-rural differences in the associations between air ...pollution and mortality have not been clearly identified. In this study, a distributed lag nonlinear model was used to examine whether the air pollutants-mortality associations vary between urban and rural areas. Then, we used logistic regression analyses to evaluate the air pollutants-mortality relations. Also, generalized additive models were simulated to evaluate the nonlinear curves. Our results showed that the relative risks of air pollution-related mortality were generally higher in rural areas, where PM2.5 pollution was the dominant factor (p-value < 0.05). Mortality risks for all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory will increase when average annual PM2.5 concentrations exceed approximately 38 μg/m3, 41 μg/m3 and 41 μg/m3, respectively, all of which exceed the annual Grade II standards. In urban areas, PM10-2.5 and NO2 were associated with mortality (p-value < 0.05). We proposed some area-specific strategies for controlling the NO2 pollution and PM10-2.5 pollution in urban areas and the PM2.5 pollution in rural areas to eliminate the gaps. Our findings identify that rural residents are more sensitive to air pollution than urban residents in China, and this result challenges previous assumptions about the more adverse effects of urbanization on residents’ health in developing countries.
•Risks of air pollution-related mortality were higher for rural residents in China.•PM10-2.5 and NO2 pollution were associated with mortality in urban areas.•PM2.5 pollution was the dominant factor for mortality in rural areas.•Different area-specific strategies should be developed in China.
Our researches contribute to the limited evidence on air pollution’s effects on rural residents’ mortality in China.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Exposure to NO2 pollution has a significant adverse effect on residents' health. However, few studies have assessed the health effects associated with NO2 pollution. Compared with PM2.5 pollution, ...the harmfulness of NO2 pollution has not been quantitatively studied or clearly identified. In this study, we assessed the NO2 exposure-related health effects by non-linear and linear methods, taking advantage of online monitoring and survey data. We also assessed the economic cost of NO2 pollution in 338 cities in China. Our results showed that the average annual concentration of NO2 in the top fifteen cities with more than ten million permanent residents (except for Shenzhen, in the Guangdong province) exceeded the annual Grade II standards (40 μg/m3). The estimated national NO2-related all-cause mortality for non-linear and linear methods were 388.5 × 103 (95% CI: 198.1 × 103–748.2 × 103) and 374.1 × 103 (95% CI: 194.3 × 103–695.9 × 103), respectively. The total calculated national economic cost was about 28.8 billion US$ (95% CI: 14.7–55.4) in 2016. In addition, the comparison results showed that the harm caused by PM2.5 pollution was about four times that of NO2 pollution. Our statistics contribute to the limited research on NO2 pollution's effects on health and the economy in China.
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•Total all-cause mortality attributed to NO2 was 388,500 using non-linear method.•The total calculated national economic cost was about 28.8 billion US$ in 2016.•The mortality caused by PM2.5 pollution was about four times that of NO2 pollution.•Megacities were the control focus of NO2 pollution from the view of efficiency.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•A framework for designing Sankey diagrams for national level analysis is presented.•Provided insights of how Sankey diagrams can be designed for various objectives.•Identified areas for energy ...savings by overlaying energy and exergy flow diagrams.
Energy flow diagrams in the form of Sankey diagrams have been identified as a useful tool in energy management and performance improvement. However there is a lack of understanding on how such diagrams should be designed and developed for different applications and objectives. At the national level, a framework matching features of Sankey diagrams with various objectives of energy performance management provides better understanding how Sankey diagrams can be designed. As part of the framework, boundaries outlined around a group of facilities provide a refined representation of sub-systems that trace energy use in various conversion devices, products and services, which identifies potential areas for energy savings. There are some differences between energy flows and exergy flows represented in Sankey diagrams. Furthermore, exergy flow Sankey diagrams offer advantages in identifying potential areas for energy savings. This is illustrated at a national level, using UK’s industrial heating processes that overlays both energy and exergy flow diagrams.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Land cover has been demonstrated to have substantial impacts on climate and dry-wet environment, but potential influence of landscape pattern dynamics accompanying land cover change on drought ...remains unclear. In this study, response of dry-wet dynamics to landscape pattern in China was examined. Results suggest that landscape pattern in China's nine agricultural districts had transformed to varying extents and showed spatiotemporal heterogeneity from 1980 to 2018. For forest landscape, the highest annual average Percentage of Landscape (PLAND) was recorded in SC, reaching 62.26%; and the highest Largest Patch Index (LPI) was presented in YGP, followed by SC, with annual values of 53.79% and 46.26% respectively. The QTP has the most prominent forest connectivity in spite of its lower abundance. For grass landscape, the highest abundance and dominance were recorded in QTP, with annual PLAND fluctuation range of 49.66%—63.52% and annual LPI variation range of 34.10%—58.46%, which is associated with its climate and altitude. The most prominent crop landscape abundance and dominance were recorded in HHHP, with annual PLAND fluctuating interval of 56.53%—60.64%, indicating the highest agricultural development level in this district. At landscape level, dry-wet circumstance could be improved with enhancements in the largest patch percentage, patch density and spatial connectivity, while worsen with increases of landscape fragmentation and separated degree. At class level, increases in abundance and dominance of forest and crop landscapes would reduce drought risk, while it was opposite for grass landscape. Improved forest connectedness would optimize dry-wet environment and reduce drought risk. The PLAND of forest and crop landscapes contributed the most prominent effect to alleviate drought intensity. Compared with forestland and grassland, determining suitable crop landscape configuration to reduce drought risk is more complex because the balance between agricultural economic benefits and ecological landscape effects should be taken into account.
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•Response of dry-wet dynamics to landscape pattern was examined.•Increased abundance in forest and crop landscapes can reduce drought risk.•Enhanced forest connectivity can optimize dry-wet environment.•Large-scale grass landscape would increase extreme drought risk.•Balance between agricultural benefit and crop landscape effect should be considered.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Although urbanization has been widely examined in individual city and urban agglomeration scales, urban expansion patterns and dynamics in large-scale agricultural districts remain absent. In this ...study, multifaceted characteristics in urban expansion were quantified in China's nine national-level agricultural districts, and responses of dry-wet circumstances to urban sprawl were evaluated. From 1980 to 2018, China has undergone an extensive urban sprawl. Huang-Huai-Hai Plain (HHHP) has the maximum urban coverage extent, followed by Middle-lower Yangtze Plain (MLYP) and Southern China (SC). The largest annual increase was recorded in MLYP, reaching 816.12 km2; followed by HHHP, with an annual increase of 725.22 km2. There are prominent heterogeneities in expansion rate and direction among various districts. The dominating growth patterns were edge- and leapfrogging-expansion, accompanying by a less percentage of infilling-expansion. Accompanying by urbanization, connectedness in urban landscapes gradually improved, while separation degree decreased. Upon many occasions, holistic average dry-wet circumstances in non-urbanized areas are superior to those in urban areas, although this is not absolute for all the districts or periods. In urbanization progress, the development of leapfrogging-expansion has a potential to ameliorate dry-wet circumstances in both urban and non-urban zones, while infilling- and edge-expansion would constitute an inverse effect. In comparison to urban zones, leapfrogging-expansion would cause a more prominent effect on dry-wet environment in non-urbanized zones. Increased connectivity in urbanized landscapes would improve dry-wet environments, especially for urbanized zones. Inversely, increased spatial separated extent among urban landscapes would perform an opposite effect. This study provides a potential for understanding the dynamic features of urban expansion in large-scale agricultural districts. Moreover, the results can also provide a potential opportunity for optimizing dry-wet environments by regulating urbanization pattern and landscape configuration.
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•There is heterogeneity in urbanization dynamics among various agricultural districts.•Edge- and leapfrogging-expansion are dominant urban sprawl patterns.•Urban landscape connectedness improved while separation decreased.•Advances in leapfrogging-expansion and connectivity may ameliorate dry-wet condition.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Life cycle assessment was performed using a bottom-up approach combined with national and regional statistical data to estimate the environmental footprint of aluminum production in China. In the ...footprint of aluminum production, the environmental effects of bauxite, aluminum oxide, and electrolytic aluminum accounted for approximately 1.4%, 8%, and 90.6% of the overall environmental burden, respectively. The amounts of CO2, particulates, NOX and SO2 generated in the aluminum industry accounted for approximately 3.53%, 1.99%, 3.47%, and 5.34% of the total national emission in China in 2012, respectively. More than 94% of the global warming and fossil depletion potential impacts can be saved through aluminum recycling. Electricity and natural gas consumption, transport, and solid waste disposal were the dominant contributors to primary and secondary aluminum production. The use of bitumen and inorganic chemicals also influenced primary and secondary aluminum production, respectively. Effective approaches to reduce the environmental burdens of aluminum production include replacing coal with clean energy sources for electricity production, improving the efficiency of energy and raw material consumption, and increasing the national recycling rate of aluminum.
•Aluminum production in China was subjected to bottom-up-based LCA.•Regionalized LCIA assessment model and national statistical data were used.•Primary aluminum production generates the most environmental burden.•The dominant contributor to environmental impact is energy consumption.•Changing electricity structure and improving energy use efficiency are vital.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
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