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Appropriate target market selection and classification are complex, time-consuming, and strategically important management decisions. The current study proposes and implements a new systematic approach that evaluates and ranks alternative markets’ potential to increase the export volume of Turkey’s fig exports.

The classification approach of potential market alternatives (CAPMA) method, which was developed to evaluate, compare, and classify alternative markets according to their potential, was used in this study. CAPMA, an objective decision-making technique, is based on calculating the classification coefficient and classifying the alternatives into four dimensions, taking this coefficient into consideration. In the current study, 25 alternative markets were analysed on the basis of four evaluation criteria and classified into four dimensions according to their potential to increase export volume.

According to the application results, alternative markets with the greatest potential to increase export volume were identified as the United States of America (USA), Netherlands, China, and Spain. The USA has the greatest potential for expansion of export volume. By implementing correct and effective marketing strategies, fig export volume has the potential to reach very high levels.

The study’s results on alternative markets for fig exports were categorized, countries with greater potential to increase export volume were identified, and findings that could contribute to the development of the sector were obtained. The approach proposed in the current research can be used to determine the target market of many other products, especially agricultural products, whose production is concentrated within a specific geography.

Divers were contracted to carry out a detailed baseline survey which will form the Environmental Impact Assessment. This report presents information about the biodiversity of Cawsand Bay and the impact of installing a subsea tidal energy module. Subsequently, this addresses some of the SDG14 targets: 14.5, conserve coastal and marine areas; 14.7, increase the economic benefits from the sustainable use of marine resources to small island developing states and less developed countries; and 14.8, increase scientific knowledge, research and technology for ocean health. Contracted from November to December 2021 over a four-week period, five SCUBA divers conducted baseline transects over regular intervals of five meters at Cawsand Bay in each cardinal direction. Water and sediment samples were analysed to better understand the habitat and benthos at Cawsand Bay. Sediment samples established the biotope by identifying the benthos: sublittoral seagrass beds (SS.SMp.SSgr.Zmar). The data also revealed Zostera marina, commonly known as eelgrass (seagrass), is the most abundant species in the area, resulting in a high oxygen content within the water samples. In turn, this helps establish an environment capable of sustaining high levels of biodiversity for this time of year and is a more efficient support ecosystem.

In this photo-essay, I engage with bodies in swimwear in both posed and candid fashion. Seeking out models, I put out an open call in my social media that I was looking for subjects who felt comfortable being photographed in their swimwear, without the angle of sexiness. I wanted to negate the sexual gaze on the body and the person, and instead create documentation and study of the body language, dress codes, and comfort levels of the Indian citizen. I juxtapose these photographs with a second set of images I shot is from my trip to Udupi, a small city in the southwestern state of Karnataka. These are photographs of the average Indian citizen, families, and small social groups by the sea in a very local yet touristy beach of South India.

The report is an environmental impact assessment of two conjoining water streams in the lower area of the Wembury catchment where freshwater meets the coast. The assessment was conducted as there were concerns that the streams may be causing exceedances of the Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) due to catchment-based inputs from anthropogenic activities.

Water, sediment samples, and other parameters were collected, measured, and treated to preserve the concentration of nutrients and metals at three sites. A comparison with the neighbouring river Erme was made to determine if the findings were coherent. The report includes recommendations and mitigation strategies needed to improve the environmental quality of the system.

Findings indicate several breaches of EQS: water nitrogen, copper and zinc, and sediment copper. The highest recorded concentrations were mainly at sites one and two, likely from point source inputs from Wembury town and pollution accumulation from upstream land use such as arable and agricultural land. A special precaution must be taken for sediment copper, increasing monitoring to ensure values do not exceed Probable Effects Level (PEL) possibly becoming dangerous for the fauna and flora but also for humans. River Erme showed to also have EQS breaches but to some degree displayed an overall better ecological status. Despite several breaches in the legal limits, Wembury displays an overall good ecological status supporting life above and below water and is therefore an appropriate model for promoting environmental stewardship. It is to be noted that the material of the coursework was further edited after its original submission.

The malfunction variables of power stations are related to the areas of weather, physical structure, control and load behaviour. To predict temporal power failure is difficult due to their unpredictable characteristics. As high accuracy is normally required, the estimation of failures of short-term temporal prediction is highly difficult. This study presents a method for converting stochastic behaviour into a stable pattern, which can subsequently be used in a short-term estimator. For this conversion, K-means clustering is employed, followed by Long-Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) algorithms are used to perform the Short-term estimation. The environment, the operation and the generated signal factors are all simulated using mathematical models. Weather parameters and load samples have been collected as part of a data set. Monte-Carlo simulation using MATLAB programming has been used to conduct experimental estimation of failures. The estimated failures of the experiment are then compared with the actual system temporal failures and found to be in good match. Therefore, for any future power grid, there is a testbed ready to estimate the future failures.

The study underlying this chapter investigates how diverse actors in the Cauvery Delta, India, and the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, understand and live with water salinity. In focusing empirically on river deltas, this chapter addresses some of the SDG14 targets, as SDG14.2 (‘Protect and restore ecosystems’) and 14.5 (‘Conserve coastal and marine areas’) refer to the sustainable management of coastal areas as crucial targets for SDG14. Based on interviews with land users in the two deltas, in tandem with analyses of salinity maps and other policy-level knowledge artefacts, this chapter shows how, in some cases, only particular forms of knowledge are represented at the policy level, while many of the diverse viewpoints of land users are rendered invisible. In this way, delta management only meets the concerns of a select few, often professional elites, and limits land users from taking ownership of their own realities. This chapter concludes with the recommendation for water professionals, scholars, and practitioners alike, to be more open-minded, modest, and attentive to difference, by engaging more seriously with interdisciplinarity and cultivating sensibilities for listening to ‘smaller’ water stories.

The present work focuses on evaluating the physical and mechanical characteristics of geopolymer concrete (GPC) by replacing the sodium silicate waste (SSW) in place of traditional river sand. The aim is to create eco-friendly concrete that mitigates the depletion of conventional river sand and conserves natural resources. Additionally, the study seeks to explore how the moisture content of filler materials affects the performance of GPC.

SSW obtained from the sodium silicate industry was used as filler material in the production of GPC, which was cured at ambient temperature. Instead of the typical conventional river sand, SSW was substituted at 25 and 50% of its weight. Three distinct moisture conditions were applied to both river sand and SSW. These conditions were classified as oven dry (OD), air dry (AD) and saturated surface dry (SSD).

As the proportion of SSW increased, there was a decrease in the slump of the GPC. The setting time was significantly affected by the higher percentage of SSW. The presence of angular-shaped SSW particles notably improved the compressive strength of GPC when replacing a portion of the river sand with SSW. When exposed to elevated temperatures, the performance of the GPC with SSW exhibited similar behavior to that of the mix containing conventional river sand, but it demonstrated a lower residual strength following exposure to elevated temperatures.

Exploring the possible utilization of SSW as a substitute for river sand in GPC, and its effects on the performance of the proposed mix. Analyzing, how varying moisture conditions affect the performance of GPC containing SSW. Evaluating the response of the GPC with SSW exposed to elevated temperatures in contrast to conventional river sand.

Little research is devoted to how salary allocation processes interfere with gender inequality in talent development in universities. Administrative data from a university indicated a substantial salary gap between men and women academics, which partially could be explained by the unequal distribution of men and women in the academic job levels after acquiring a PhD, from lecturer to full professor, with men being overrepresented in the higher job levels, as well as in the more senior positions within each job level. We demonstrated how a lack of transparency, consistency and accountability can disqualify apparent fair, merit-based salary decisions and result in biased gender differences in job and salary levels. This chapter reflects on how salary decisions matter for the recognition of talent and should be an integral part of talent management.