Organizations have several objectives, including competitiveness, high profit and long-term survival. However, sustainability has become a diligent act of business and non-business organizations because it moves organizations toward superior performance. Sustainability does not come itself; it requires enough resources and capabilities. Extant studies have examined the factors that influence sustainability, but have rarely touched on innovation in this perspective. The present study examines the influence of management innovation and technological innovation on organization performance with the mediating role of sustainability. To test the model, we applied structural equation modeling in the analysis of a moment structures (AMOS) on the empirical evidence collected from 304 Pakistani CEOs and top managers. The results indicate that management innovation and technological innovation significantly positively contribute to sustainability and organization performance. Sustainability plays a partial mediating role between management innovation and organization performance and also a partial mediating role between technological innovation and organization performance. We recommend CEOs and top managers to give due attention to management innovation and technological innovation to enhance sustainability and survive the long run. Implications are discussed. Full article

With the depletion of fossil energy, offshore wind power has become an irreplaceable energy source for most countries in the world. In recent years, offshore wind power generation has presented the gradual development trend of larger capacity, taller towers, and longer blades. The more flexible towers and blades have led to the structural operational safety of the offshore wind turbine (OWT) receiving increasing worldwide attention. From this perspective, health monitoring systems and operational safety evaluation techniques of the offshore wind turbine structure, including the monitoring system category, data acquisition and transmission, feature information extraction and identification, safety evaluation and reliability analysis, and the intelligent operation and maintenance, were systematically investigated and summarized in this paper. Furthermore, a review of the current status, advantages, disadvantages, and the future development trend of existing systems and techniques was also carried out. Particularly, the offshore wind power industry will continue to develop into deep ocean areas in the next 30 years in China. Practical and reliable health monitoring systems and safety evaluation techniques are increasingly critical for offshore wind farms. Simultaneously, they have great significance for strengthening operation management, making efficient decisions, and reducing failure risks, and are also the key link in ensuring safe energy compositions and achieving energy development targets in China. The aims of this article are to inform more scholars and experts about the status of the health monitoring and safety evaluation of the offshore wind turbine structure, and to contribute toward improving the efficiency of the corresponding systems and techniques. Full article

Bioenergy, mostly from wood biomass, is now widely seen as an important element in the efforts to tame dangerous climate change. At the same time, foresters and development specialists note that wood-based energy production can contribute to rural development. However, to deliver on these two goals without generating negative side effects, wood-based energy has to be sustainable, while currently, the sector is developing rapidly in ways that are technologically advanced, with questionable sustainability. How can sustainability be achieved in bioenergy production, to make it a viable element of climate change mitigation, adaptation, and rural development? Arguing for the need to mainstream sustainability thinking into wood-based energy production, the article draws on a critical literature review to identify four different levels of sustainability in the existing research on bioenergy from wood. It shows two possible strategies for integrating sustainability in wood bioenergy production. A top-down approach draws on global forestry governance instruments, while a bottom-up approach uses best-practices in forest plantations for bioenergy purposes, as illustrated by a case study from rural Paraguay. Using aggregated and visualized sustainability indicators, the article exemplifies what sustainable bioenergy production means in more tangible terms. Full article

This paper aims at providing a methodology for analyzing and measuring the experiences offered by a large territory by investigating online conversation on the “things to do” or in other words the experiences by TripAdvisor platform. Opinions and comments are able to influence the choice of the tourist destination and to raise specific expectations, in order to find corrective measures to be taken to preserve or enhance the interest of a tourist destination. By applying the methodology advanced, Destination Management Organization (DMO) can collect useful information in order to make decisions and take action to protect and/or increase the competitiveness of the destination. The empirical observation, thought the methodology described herein, was applied in the Province of Brescia, Italy, a large territory marked by the presence of different destinations and experiences and Bresciatourism—Visit Brescia, the DMO of this territory, was involved. Full article

Much of the rapid urbanization of China’s cities has occurred at the expense of the existing urban fabric. Across the nation, whole city blocks have been replaced with new structures, requiring large numbers of buildings to be demolished while still serviceable. This curtailed lifespan of existing buildings not only comes with an economic cost, but results in loss of urban culture, wastes resources, degrades the environment, exacerbates pollution, and inflames social conflict and instability. For the purpose of evaluating the merits of building demolition, this study develops a decision support system (DSS) for building demolition in the China context from the perspective of sustainable urban renewal. The indicators of this system cover economic, social, environmental, and institutional aspects of sustainable development. Meanwhile, both the individual characteristics of buildings and the external or extrinsic indicators at the neighborhood, local, or city level are taken into account. Based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), 24 critical indicators containing qualitative and quantitative factors are identified. These indicators are classified into six parameters: (1) service performance; (2) economic impact; (3) social identity; (4) local development; (5) building location; and (6) building safety. Empirical results reveal considerations of local development to be of greatest significance with the value of standardized factor loading standing at 0.911, followed by service performance (loading = 0.870) and building location (loading = 0.863), with social identity (loading = 0.236) ranking substantially lower. The findings contribute to the practice of urban renewal and, in particular, provide practical guidance to the building demolition decision-making process. Full article

This study evaluated the environmental conditions of two watersheds selected on the basis of similarities in land use. The environmental conditions of the watersheds were analyzed using two geoprocessing methods and in situ evaluations by applying the rapid assessment protocol (RAP). Geospatial image processing was used to analyze land use, slope, soil classification, and rainfall, while RAP was used to evaluate the connectivity and size of riparian corridors. The results revealed varied uses of land with the landscape matrix in both watersheds, composed of agriculture, pasture, and urban centers. Urban centers were defined as spots and riparian zones as corridors. The analysis of environmental fragility considering all the geospatial variables, classified both watersheds as having medium fragility. The most fragile sites were the urban centers, which had a high slope and degraded riparian zone. Onsite assessments have shown that corridors do not have the size required by legislation; they are fragmented and unstructured, and they contain exotic species. We also propose that a multi-factorial approach be used to evaluate watersheds, associating geospatial assessments and onsite analyses that consider the limitations pointed out in each protocol. This reduces sampling errors and shows the actual state of conservation in riparian zones. Full article

Mountainous areas are expected to face increasing societal pressure due to mass tourism and the rising intensity and frequency of natural hazards triggered by climate change. Therefore, the development of proper strategies for the management of environmental risks will be crucial to ensure their liveability. Against this backdrop, concepts such as territorial resilience and Social–Ecological Systems (SES) can support the prioritisation of protective efforts. This paper presents a conceptual framework to be applied to areas subject to natural hazards. Its aim is to support the integration of different measures, with a special focus on protection forests and other Nature-based Solutions, into current risk management strategies. The framework considers (i) the definition of SES boundaries; (ii) the identification of the main goals to be achieved; (iii) the quantification of the supply and demand of the ecosystem protection service; and (iv) the development of risk management strategies able to include the management of protection forests among the adopted solutions. This framework is intended as a tool to be adopted by local and regional decision-makers as a tool to identify the areas at risk, to recognise the potential role of protection forests, and to operationalise the concept of resilience through the deployment of “grey-green” strategies. Full article

International trade shifts production of a large amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions embodied in traded goods from the importing country to the exporting country. The European Union (EU) plays a prominent role in the flow of international-related emissions as it accounts for the second largest share of global exports and imports of goods. Consumption-based accountings (CBA) emerged as alternative to the traditional emission inventories based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines. According to the IPCC criteria, countries where products are consumed take no responsibility for the emissions produced by exporter countries, thus neglecting the emissions embodied in trade. By taking this aspect into account, CBA are considered of great importance in revealing emissions attributed to the final consumer. Using a CBA approach, this paper evaluates the impact of international trade in the EU in terms of CO2 emissions, looking both at the internal trade flows within the EU-28 and at the external trade flows between the EU and the rest of the world during the period 2012–2015. We find that the EU is a net importer of emissions as its emissions due to consumption exceed those due to production. In particular, in 2015 the ratio between import- and export-embodied emissions was more than 3:1 for the EU-28 that imported 1317 Mt CO₂ from the rest of the world (mainly from China and Russia) while exporting only 424 Mt CO₂. Concerning emissions flows among EU countries, Germany represents the largest importer, followed by the UK. To get a deeper understanding on possible environmental implications of Brexit on UK emission responsibilities, the paper also advances a few hypotheses on how trade flows could change based on the existing trade patterns of the UK. Data analysis shows that a 10% shift of UK imports from EU partners to its main non-EU trading partners (India, China, and US) would increase its emission responsibility by 5%. The increase in UK emission responsibility would more than double (+11%) in case of a 30% shift of UK imports. Similar results would apply if UK replaced its current EU partners with its main Commonwealth trading partners as a result of Brexit. Full article

The functioning of the “territorial army” of Poland is described in military history alongside that of the regular active combat troops. The main aim in creating “territorial troops” was to strengthen the state’s defence system. In countries with relatively long traditions concerning such troops, they now constitute an important link in the state’s defence system, counting close to the regular operational forces. Their purpose, and thus the goals and tasks set for them, depend on the specific needs related to the security of a given state, and are adequate in addressing the occurrence of possible threats. Given international guidelines for the proper use of the military in natural disasters and the rapidly changing landscape required for emergency assistance, Poland has recreated disaster-related operations of the existing Territorial Defence Force, now under the designated Territorial Defence Force, which will be limited to the territory of the country and largely focused on cooperation with the civilian sector. This article is written for two major reasons: One to both present the conditions and possibilities of cooperation between the Territorial Defence Force and public administration in the event of a natural disaster within Poland, and two to foster shared guidance and feedback from countries undergoing similar advancements. This is especially crucial in recognition that natural disasters are increasingly impacted by cross-border factors such as climate extremes, biodiversity losses, rapid and often unsustainable urban population growth, refugee migrations, growing scarcities of water, energy and food, and increasing risks of internal conflict all of which place increasing demands on Poland and its neighbors to begin a larger dialogue of cooperation. Full article

Ritualization operated by analyzing macro-sectors in a city (e.g., neighborhoods) has concluded irreversibly for condemning some dilapidated areas instead of others. Taking its cue from the scenario of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11—Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (United Nations)—the realized analysis links a sustainable urban design with the citizens’ role in the city in a particular urban landmark, the “local town market area” (LTMA), with a focus on developing the well-being of the local community, also referred to as the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development. Principal methods of inquiry used, along a geospatial Google-driven investigation, were self-observation and self-assessment, which reflect both the study of self-organizing systems in the context of complexity and systemic theory, choosing to detect the spatial state of a specific area, as it has neither official nor institutional boundaries. The approach to crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is therefore discussed through the maximizing of the LTMA functional urban unit in Enna, Sicily, to reach the idea of a community that is innovative and participatory. Full article

This novel study explores the driving forces and dynamics of rapid urbanization, highlighting the main causes and effects of urban explosion, environmental disruption, and city pattern transformation. This study was carried out that how urbanization and urban sprawl have influenced the structure of the city of Sulaymaniah in Kurdistan region of Iraq. This is because over the years many urban areas have experienced dramatic growth and population explosion that has resulted in the exhaustion of social amenities in the concerned communities. For this purpose, a qualitative method is used based on in-depth face-to-face interviews with local authority, including planners, architects, and experts of master planning, as well as professors in the academic institutions. This study also utilizes extensive document analysis to present the evolution of urban growth. The findings reveal that the autonomy, political conflict, non-implementation of master plans, and economic prosperity are the driving forces which are accelerating this urbanization process. It is proposed that the practical policies and strategic urban development plans are urgent requirement to control the unplanned urban growth and stimulate the desired sustainable future urban development. Full article

The purpose of this study is to systematically identify and design improvement planning for supply chain resilience (SCRES) for a higher level of sustainability and a competitive advantage. Literature-based interpretive structural modelling (ISM), a pairing of the systematic literature review (SLR) and ISM approaches, is proposed for investigating and identifying a set of key performance measures of resilience for supply chain (SC) management. In line with previous research, we identified and updated 13 key SC capabilities out of 24 as core performance measures of supply network resilience. Furthermore, our findings categorised each capability and element into one of four types of influential power variables (drivers, dependent, autonomous, or linkage). This study (i) lends support to and updates previous research that examined the core capabilities of SCRES and (ii) provides complementary classifications for the influential powers of SCRES capabilities and elements. The literature indicates that there has been no research that has integrated SLR as a basis to ISM for an effective way to utilize existing studies for increasing awareness and developing managerial guidelines to achieve SCRES. Full article

Community contextual factors including community perceptions and institutional capacity are among the key determinants in community-based water resource management. The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework proposed by Ostrom is commonly employed to examine the outcome of common-pool resource management including water resources. However, community perceptions typically examined in behavioral economics and comparative community analysis literature are rarely incorporated in institutional analysis studies. This study draws on the IAD framework to investigate smallholder farmer communities’ responses to water scarcity in arid northwestern China. Adopting alternating multiple regression and multivariate regression models, this study conducts an empirical analysis using farmer survey data. The results show that the perceptions of water scarcity promote community actions in coping with water shortage. The perception of production risks encourages overall community responses, as well as farming- and irrigation-related responses. Communities with a stronger institutional enforcement are more responsive in taking farming-, irrigation-, and infrastructure-related actions, as well as having better overall responses. The analysis also shows that community interactional capacities and socio-economic factors may influence community actions to mitigate and adapt to adverse effects of local water scarcity. Our findings provide insights for understanding social and institutional aspects of rural farming communities toward sustainable response decisions to overcome water scarcity challenges. Full article

Autonomous vehicles promise to revolutionize the automobile market, although their implementation could take several decades in which both types of cars will coexist on the streets. We formulate a model for a circular city based on continuous approximations, considering demand surfaces over the city. Numerical results from our model predict direct and indirect effects of connected and autonomous vehicles. Direct effects will be positive for our cities: (a) less street supply is needed to accommodate the traffic; (b) congestion levels decrease: travel costs may decrease by 30%. Some indirect effects will counterbalance these positive effects: (c) a decrease of 20% in the value of travel time can reduce the total cost by a third; (d) induced demand could be as high as 50%, bringing equivalent total costs in the future scenario; (e) the vehicle-kilometers traveled could also affect the future scenario; and (f) increases in city size and urban sprawl. As a conclusion, the implementation of autonomous vehicles could be neutral for the cities regarding travel time costs. City planning agencies still have to promote complementary modes such as active mobility (walking and bicycle), transit (public transportation), and shared mobility (shared autonomous vehicles and mobility as a service). Full article

Based on the stakeholder theory, this paper takes the 2016 data of China’s A-share listed enterprises as a sample. It then uses SPSS 22 to conduct statistical analyses on the sample data to study the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and technological innovation investment, particularly the role of the atmospheric environment in regulating the relationship between the two. This paper shows that there is a significant positive correlation between CSR and an enterprise’s technological innovation investment. Further research has found that in the case of a poor atmospheric environment, the government’s environmental regulations have increased the operating costs of enterprises and weakened the intensity of technological innovation investment. However, when there is public pressure, CSR will improve. Consequently, the correlation between CSR and technological innovation investment is weak. In the case of a good atmospheric environment, enterprises do not need to increase their operating costs. To establish a good image and increase profitability, enterprises lean towards fulfilling their social responsibilities and enhancing their investment in technological innovation. This will also boost the positive correlation between CSR and technological innovation investment. Full article