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This study aims to examine the relationship between medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) among pregnant individuals, referral source, mental health, political affiliation and substance use policies in all 50 states in the USA.

This study describes MOUD receipt among pregnant people with an opioid use disorder (OUD) in 2018. The authors explored sociodemographic differences in MOUD receipt, referrals and co-occurring mental health disorders. The authors included a comparison of MOUD receipt among states that have varying substance use policies and examined the impact of these policies and the political affiliation on MOUD. The authors used multilevel binary logistic regression to examine effects of individual and state-level characteristics on MOUD.

Among 8,790 pregnant admissions with OUD, the majority who received MOUD occurred in the Northeast region (71.52%), and 14.99% were referred by the criminal justice system (n = 1,318). Of those who were self-referred, 66.39% received MOUD, while only 30.8% of referrals from the criminal justice system received MOUD. Those referred from the criminal justice system or who had a co-occurring mental health disorder were least likely to receive MOUD. The multilevel model showed that while policies were not a significant predictor, a state’s political affiliation was a significant predictor of MOUD.

The study has some methodological limitations; a state-level analysis, even when considering the individual factors, may not provide sufficient description of community-level or other social factors that may influence MOUD receipt. This study adds to the growing literature on the ineffectiveness of prenatal substance use policies designed specifically to increase the use of MOUD. If such policies are consistently assessed as not contributing to substantial increase in MOUD among pregnant women over time, it is imperative to investigate potential mechanisms in these policies that may not facilitate MOUD access the way they are intended to.

Findings from this study aid in understanding the impact that a political affiliation may have on treatment access; states that leaned more Democratic were more likely to have higher rates of MOUD, and this finding can lead to research that focuses on how and why this contributes to greater treatment utilization. This study provides estimates of underutilization at a state level and the mechanisms that act as barriers, which is a stronger assessment of how state-specific policies and practices are performing in addressing prenatal substance use and a necessary step in implementing changes that can improve the links between pregnant women and MOUD.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore individual-level factors that include mental health and referral sources to treatment that lead to MOUD use in the context of state-level policy and political environments. Most studies estimate national-level rates of treatment use only, which can be useful, but what is necessary is to understand what mechanisms are at work that vary by state. This study also found that while substance use policies were designed to increase MOUD for pregnant women, this was not as prominent a predictor as other factors, like mental health, being referred from the criminal justice system, and living in a state with more Democratic-leaning affiliations.

This study asks whether external auditors enable the transfer of policies to the United Nations organizations that they audit and, if so, what types of policies are transferred.

The empirical research is based on a content analysis of 512 external auditor recommendations from 28 pre- and post-accrual reports of 14 UN bodies.

We find that external auditors do enable policy transfer and that such involvements may, at times, veer into non-neutral policy spaces.

We did not analyze all UN organizations with accruals-based accounting. We also did not engage in a longer longitudinal study.

Our findings raise new questions about international organization accountability, the technocratic and policy-specific influences of external auditors, and open a debate about whether attempted policy transfers can be neutral.

The world’s largest group of international organizations is affiliated with the UN. External auditors help ensure that member-state monies are appropriately utilized. Our study is the first to compare pre- and post-accrual external auditor recommendations for 14 UN bodies. It is also the first to notate and study the attempted policy transfers from external auditors to the audited UN bodies.

This paper aims to examine whether China's grain price support policy has distorted the grain market price.

The time-varying differences-in-differences (DID) model is used to study the impact of support policies on grain prices, and it is combined with the event study method to explore the dynamic effects of price support policy. Panel data model is used to study the effect of the price support policy on price formation for national grain market prices. In addition, we apply the smooth transformation (STR) model to verify whether there is a distortion in the transmission of grain prices among different markets in China and from the international market to China’s market.

China’s grain price support policy plays a significant role in rising grain market prices, weakens the decisive role of the market mechanism in the formation of grain prices, hinders the spatial transmission of market price signals and decreases the effect of price transmission from the world market to China’s market.

In order to ensure both the stability of grain production as well as the market stability, and also to ensure that intervention policies do not distort the food market, the minimum purchase price of grain and market regulation policies should be adjusted as follows: (1) price support policy should be shifted to an income support policy and (2) reasonably determine the scale of reserves and implement a grain minimum purchase price policy in limited areas.

Our findings are relevant for understanding the effect of China's grain price support policies on the implementation regions and the price transmission effect, which provide reference experience for developing countries to implement food price policies.

The purpose of this study is to explore the determinants influencing industrial adoption of green hydrogen amidst the global transition towards sustainability. Recognizing green hydrogen as a pivotal clean energy alternative for industrial applications is critical for understanding its potential integration into sustainable practices.

This research examines the impact of factors such as innovativeness, perceived ease of use, user comfort, optimism and governmental policies on the industrial intention towards green hydrogen usage. Using responses from 227 Indian industry professionals and conducting analysis via the SmartPLS software, the study reveals a discernible discomfort among industrial workers pertaining to the daily application of green hydrogen.

The research presents an array of policy recommendations for stakeholders. Emphasized strategies include the introduction of green hydrogen certificates, sustainable public procurement mechanisms, tax incentives, green labelling protocols and the establishment of a dedicated hydrogen skill development council, all of which can significantly influence the trajectory of green hydrogen adoption within the industrial sector.

This research synthesizes various elements, from industry perception and challenges to policy implications, presenting a holistic view of green hydrogen’s potential role in industry decarbonization and SDG realization. In essence, this study deepens not only the empirical understanding but also pioneers fresh theoretical frameworks, setting a precedent for subsequent academic endeavours.

A debate on whether new ventures should be supported with public funding is taking place. Adopting a position on this discussion requires rigorous assessments of implemented programs. However, the few existing efforts have mostly focused on regional cases in developed countries. To fill this gap, this paper aims to measure the effects of a regional acceleration program in a developing country (Medellin, Colombia).

The economic notion of capabilities is used to frame the analysis of firm characteristics and productivity, which are hypothesized to be heterogeneous within the program. To test these relationships, propensity score matching is used in a sample of 60 treatment and 16,994 control firms.

This paper finds that treated firms had higher revenue than propensity score-matched controls on average, confirming a positive impact on growth measures. However, such financial growth is mostly observed in service firms rather than other economic sectors.

Further evaluations, with a longer period and using more outcome variables, are suggested in the context of similar publicly funded programs in developing countries.

These findings tip the balance in favor of the literature suggesting supportive programs for high-growth firms as opposed to everyday entrepreneurship. This is an insight, especially under the context of an emerging economy, which has scarce funding to support entrepreneurship.

Despite the unique features and potential applications in various industries, widespread blockchain adoption is hindered for several reasons. One of them is the lack of government regulations regarding blockchain and cryptocurrencies. However, a deliberate preliminary analysis of the policy initiatives by various jurisdictions proved otherwise, and a lack of sound academic literature on the policy initiatives on blockchain worldwide was evident. Addressing this gap, this study aims to summarize the policy initiatives of jurisdictions around the world, assessing if governments do not enact many regulations.

A systematic literature review was adopted in this study, in which the authors shortlisted a set of research papers and policy reports using several selection criteria and a screening process.

It was found that numerous policy initiatives have been enacted by governments worldwide, and blockchain applications are also being piloted or practiced successfully in several nations. It was also evident that governments are reluctant to accept cryptocurrencies as legal tender while embracing their underlying technology, blockchain.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper appears to be one of the first attempts to summarize the blockchain policy initiatives contributing to the body of knowledge on blockchain adoption.

The social acceptance of wind energy is increasingly conditioning the Italian Government and regions to authorize the construction of these plants. The proposal of offshore wind farm in the south-west of Sardinia has raised many perplexities both from the marine environmental point of view and from concern about increasing the electricity production in a region that already exports electricity to the peninsula. The purpose of this study is to evaluate what are the factors that most affect the coastal residents’ acceptability of an offshore wind farm.

The data is based on a Sardinia-wide in-person survey with about 512 participants in the period between May and June 2023. Respondents were selected randomly from five different locations in Carloforte region. Multiple regression analysis investigates the factors that influenced acceptability to construction and development of offshore wind power plant. Four independent variables were selected in the regression models such as (i) interest towards wind energy, (ii) attitude towards renewable energy production, (iii) perceived regional energy policy and (iv) attitude towards offshore wind farm. The dependent variables are the rates of coastal local residents’ acceptance of offshore wind farm for respondents in five coastal towns.

Fishermen and summer tourism operators’ respondents expressed significant reluctance to accept the new project because they perceive a strong risk of environmental impact on both tuna fishing and marine recreational activities in the vicinity. The distance between the turbines at sea and local residents along the coast and surrounding small islands does not have an influence to accept wind energy. The energy policy of the Region of Sardinia, which is perceived by respondents as an expansive energy policy in the production of electricity that exceeds their needs, not being accompanied by a scenario of reducing that from fossil fuels, is the variable that led about 70% of respondents to express a negative opinion towards this project.

A potential problem associated with the survey is that local response produced sample selection bias. The proportion of respondents with secondary education and no school certificate is quite high. It is possible that respondents who provided valid questionnaires were more low-educated and therefore, the sample may be biased towards lower-educated people. While this does not invalidate the results of this study, it is important to note that the sample was on average less educated than the overall population in Italy. In addition, people with lower incomes were more likely to complete the questionnaires; the results are more representative of a portion of the population with incomes below the national average.

Results showed how coastal communities are in favour of wind energy within their island, but not within a marine protected area that is considered unique for its beauty and marine ecosystem. Wind energy developers should, before submitting a proposal for an offshore wind farm project, consider among other things the long approval time and understand the activities carried out by local communities and their attachment to those places. Politicians and developers should develop a coherent energy transition policy based on a long-term vision of zero emissions, because according to the findings of this study, it was the regional energy policy that is the most controversial reason for residents to reject the project.

The contribution of this study is to fill a part of the research gap linking to ongoing energy transitions. In particular, this study analysed for the first time in Italy the acceptability level of an offshore renewable energy project considering the environmental implications and risks in the fragile marine ecosystem of Carloforte waters. This study also made it possible to analyse the impact of the regional energy policy on the acceptability of residents towards the development of offshore wind farms, which is scarcely discussed in the literature.

The study aimed to identify the best practices for open educational resources (OER) management in Nigerian open education university libraries and the implications for policymakers.

A mixed-methods approach was used, which included a survey questionnaire administered via Google Forms to academic librarians and other library staff of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The study’s population was 398 and 273 participants responded to the survey. The study included all academic librarians and other library staff representing the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study’s results were presented using frequency counts, percentages tables and the qualitative data analysis was done thematically.

The findings of the study are consistent with existing literature on best practices for managing OER, which emphasized the importance of establishing clear policies and strategies for OER management practices, such as guidelines for acquiring, creating, curating and disseminating OER.

The originality of the study concludes by recommending that policymakers should develop policies that support the implementation of best practices in OER management to improve access to educational resources and reduce costs for students.

Information security (InfoSec) policy violations are of great concern to all organisations worldwide, especially in the financial industry. Although the importance of InfoSec policy has been highlighted for many decades, InfoSec breaches still occur due to a low level of employee compliance and a lack of engagement and competence in high-level management. However, previous studies have primarily investigated the behavioural aspects of InfoSec policy compliance at the individual level rather than the managerial factors involved in constructing InfoSec policy and developing its effectiveness. Thus, drawing on neo-institutional theory and a transformational leadership framework, this research investigated the influence of external mechanisms and transformational leadership on InfoSec policy effectiveness.

The research model was implemented using field survey data from professional managers in the financial sector.

The results reported that neo-institutional mechanisms and transformational leadership shape InfoSec policy effectiveness in an organisation.

This study broadens current InfoSec policy research from an individual level to a managerial perspective and enhances the existing literature on neo-institutional and transformational leadership in the context of InfoSec. It highlights the need to evaluate InfoSec policy based on external factors and to support transformational leadership styles that promote InfoSec policy enforcement and effectiveness.

We investigate connections between the development of Fintech and the blue economy from September 14th, 2020, to August 11th, 2023.

In this research, we use a cutting-edge model-free connectedness approach to investigate the relationships between FinTech and blue bond volatility. Our work is the first to investigate the effects of unknown events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Ukraine–Russia conflicts, on the interconnection of volatility derived from FinTech development and blue bond volatility.

Our results highlight the two-way relationship between the development of Fintech and the blue economy during our sample period. The net total connectedness shows that the blue economy index is a net shock receiver, especially in late 2021 and the second half of 2022, while most of the fintech indexes in our sample are mainly net shock transmitters. The Ukraine–Russia tension threatens the development of a sustainable blue economy. The development of Fintech plays an important role in promoting the blue economy.

Our results have important policy implications for investors and governments, as well as methods from the spillovers across the various indicators and their interconnections. Sharp information on the primary contagions among these indicators aids politicians in designing the most appropriate policies.

Our paper contributes to the literature in at least four ways. First, as previously stated, our article is the first to investigate the relationship between FinTech and blue bond volatility. Second, this study presented a framework for studying volatility interconnections between distinct variables that is more suited to analyzing these interconnections. In this research, we use a cutting-edge model-free connectedness approach to investigate the relationships between FinTech and blue bond volatility. Third, our work is the first to investigate the effects of unknown events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Ukraine–Russia conflicts on the interconnection of volatility deriving from FinTech development and blue bond volatility. Lastly, our research provides a daily dataset for the BNP Paribas Easy ECPI Global ESG Blue Economy UCITS ETF to analyze 50 businesses from various markets that are at the forefront of the responsible application of ocean resources and other ESG standards. The Global X FinTech ETF (FINX) and the ARK FinTech Innovation ETF (ARKF) seek exposure to companies developing financial technology innovations. The development sectors include insurance, investment, fundraising and third-party lending by utilizing cutting-edge mobile and digital technologies. Our time series runs from September 14th, 2020, to August 11th, 2023. By using this database, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the link between the volatilities arising from various markets.