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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 4384

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Dr. Marcel Kordoš

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Faculty of Social and Economic Relations, Alexander Dubček University in Trenčín, Trenčín, Slovakia
Interests: international economics; world economy sustainable development issues, global entrepreneurship; Industry 4.0; international business and trade; international management
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the broad topic of “Enterprise Operation and Innovation Management Sustainability” and includes novel research pertaining to operation and innovation management, strategic innovation management, internal and external organizational environments, and how these environments interact with global sustainable business development. We therefore welcome theoretical and empirical articles that address the following topics: the application of innovation management around the world; the synergistic effect of the impacts of low-energy production and sustainable production within innovation processes; concepts related to industry 4.0, with regard to robotics, digitization and artificial intelligence within sustainable industry and economic development; issues related to the international labor market and new jobs and job displacement; international sustainable business development regarding the current energy crisis, which has resulted challenges related to energy and the environment; corporate social responsibility; the smart economy; risk management in relation to the Green Deal; the fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic; modes of international entrepreneurial expansion in global markets; and the corporate and/or personal impact of diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) programs.

We encourage the submission of articles that focus on empirical and non-empirical methods in today’s complex world, as well as those that present novel approaches to addressing international sustainable business development and/or innovation management. This includes the management of enterprise operations and the impact of all other types of social and economic sustainable development on the world’s business and economy. All submissions must contain original unpublished work that is not being considered for publication elsewhere.

Dr. Marcel Kordoš
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

global entrepreneurship issues
social and economic sustainable development
innovation management policy
Industry 4.0
energy and environmental challenges
Green Deal
corporate social responsibility
environmental production
smart economy
international sustainable business development

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 564 KB

Open AccessArticle

Perceived Benefits, Leadership Engagement and AI Maturity in Polish SMEs: A Socio-Technical Perspective on Sustainable Digital Transformation Under Competitive Pressure

by Magdalena Jaciow, Anna Adamczyk, Kamila Bartuś, Katarzyna Bratnicka-Myśliwiec, Kinga Hoffmann-Burdzińska, Anna Skórska, Artur Strzelecki, Grzegorz Szojda and Robert Wolny

Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 4807; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18104807 - 12 May 2026

Viewed by 255

Abstract

Digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) are seen as promising pathways for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enhance performance while preserving environmental and social resources. This paper identifies organizational determinants of AI maturity that can enable SMEs to use AI in a more sustainable, responsible, and capacity-enhancing manner. AI adoption becomes relevant to sustainability not only because a company adopts advanced technology but because this technology is embedded in leadership practices, employee competencies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and organizational learning. From this perspective, perceived benefits and management commitment are not outcomes of sustainability but mechanisms that help explain how SMEs transition from technological awareness to building organizational capacity. Such capacity building can be a necessary prerequisite for subsequent sustainability-oriented outcomes, such as efficient resource utilization, employee upskilling, responsible AI management, and long-term resilience. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 402 managers from Polish SMEs (62 micro, 193 small, 147 medium) across manufacturing, services and trade industries. Respondents (mean age ≈ 42.5 years) assessed perceived benefits of AI, engagement of top leadership, AI maturity and competitive pressure. Partial least-squares structural equation modeling revealed that perceived benefits strongly predicted leadership engagement (β = 0.647), explaining 62.8% of its variance. Perceived benefits (β = 0.384) and leadership engagement (β = 0.362) in turn were the key drivers of AI maturity, with the model accounting for 65.5% of variance in AI maturity. Competitive pressure positively but weakly moderated the relationship between perceived benefits and leadership engagement (β = 0.011), while its moderating effect on the relationship between perceived benefits and AI maturity was not significant (β = −0.008). These findings suggest that articulating clear benefits of AI and securing active leadership engagement are more decisive for advancing AI maturity than external competitive pressure. The contribution of the study is to integrate the perceived benefits of AI, top management commitment and AI maturity into a model, empirically validated and interpreted from a socio-technical perspective of sustainable digital transformation in SMEs, while quantifying the moderating role of competitive pressure in the under-researched context of Central and Eastern Europe. For practitioners, investing in awareness of AI’s benefits and developing committed leadership may yield more sustainable digital transformation than reacting solely to external pressures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enterprise Operation and Innovation Management Sustainability)

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16 pages, 507 KB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Shared Vulnerabilities of Tourist Ski Resorts and Small Islands Destinations—Applying Actor Network and Resource Dependence Theory

by Rachel Dodds and Elodie Manthé

Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4582; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094582 - 6 May 2026

Viewed by 281

Abstract

This manuscript explores a key challenge of sustainability, one of climate change vulnerability across diverse destinations. We propose a cross-pollination approach, examining destinations via a novel, dual framework: the relational perspective of actor-network theory (ANT) and the strategic focus of resource dependence theory (RDT). Applying actor-network theory to compare risks of climate change in a tourism setting, this study broadens academic inquiry, reinforces the legitimacy of trans-destination studies, and offers potential managerial insights to improve management and increased sustainability in the context of uncertainty. We advocate for a cross-pollination approach to research, arguing that insights from one context can enrich understanding and innovation in the other. Examining two types of destinations, ski and islands, this research suggests that sharing can contribute to a deeper understanding of destination resilience, mitigation and adaptation, encouraging more holistic and interdisciplinary strategies to address global vulnerabilities and challenges from a destination management and development lens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enterprise Operation and Innovation Management Sustainability)

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31 pages, 6474 KB

Open AccessArticle

Waste 4.0: Blockchain-Enabled Peer-to-Peer Communication Among Medical Waste Stakeholders

by Nurul Hamizah Mohamed, Jayashri Goddanti, Samir Khan and Sandeep Jagtap

Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4558; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094558 - 5 May 2026

Viewed by 1114

Abstract

Medical waste management has been receiving increasing attention in recent years. The National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom has started planning its waste strategy to comply with its Net Zero Goals. Waste management does not only involve waste disposal; the process includes segregation, collection, storage, and the transportation of waste from one point to another. Unusual characteristics of waste from the healthcare industry are that waste can be infectious and needs special storage conditions and specific transportation criteria to maintain the waste’s quality. However, entities working with the waste lack knowledge about the waste they receive and need assistance to verify the quality of the waste as well. Limited knowledge can lead to injuries, contamination, or the spread of pathogens. The global monitoring guidelines of medical waste are studied to understand the monitoring requirements and the stakeholders who are working with the waste. Application and research contributions to the digitisation of medical waste monitoring are scrutinised to look for the monitoring gaps. This paper proposes a digital system designed to connect all waste stakeholders within a blockchain environment, supported by automated data collection. A framework for stakeholder communication with data is designed. The data gathered from transporters is analysed before sending the status to the blockchain. Furthermore, the paper outlines a dashboard showcasing the digitisation of waste management, backed by a case study used for validation. A hypothetical case study in managing waste using existing manual waste monitoring in the United Kingdom is compared with monitoring using the system. By employing a proving method of all activities approach with blockchain technology, this method has achieved a 25.17% improvement in medical waste management time-taken efficiency and a 27.85% improvement while virtually eliminating the risk of fraudulent documentation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enterprise Operation and Innovation Management Sustainability)

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29 pages, 1570 KB

Open AccessArticle

ESG and Circular Business Models: Towards a Sector-Specific Circular–ESG Integration Framework

by Arnesh Telukdarie and Musawenkosi Hope Lotriet Nyathi

Sustainability 2026, 18(8), 4006; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18084006 - 17 Apr 2026

Viewed by 553

Abstract

Across the globe, companies are facing significant pressure to reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and report their sustainability efforts transparently. ESG frameworks have become essential tools for sustainability transformation. However, traditional business models, based on a linear “take–make–dispose” approach, continue to dominate industries, limiting the impact of ESG efforts. The circular economy offers a compelling alternative: it encourages designing products for reuse, recycling, and regeneration, thus aligning closely with ESG principles. When businesses transition to circular models, they reduce their environmental footprint, create new green jobs and social inclusion opportunities, and strengthen accountability across business value chains. This study explores how selected firms in the mining, energy, consumer cyclical, technology, and healthcare sectors are aligning circular principles with ESG practices. Using a longitudinal, multi-sector comparative analysis of ESG indicators spanning 2014–2024, the research examines sector-level ESG evolution, firm-level ESG leadership, and the alignment of ESG performance with circular business model pathways. Rather than directly measuring circular transformation, ESG indicators are interpreted as signals of emerging circular business model pathways. This study identifies ESG-based ways and enabling conditions through which circularity may be increasingly embedded across different sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enterprise Operation and Innovation Management Sustainability)

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31 pages, 927 KB

Open AccessArticle

Substantiated vs. Vague Circular Economy Claims in Fashion Brands: Claim Support Credibility, Authenticity, and Trust in Greece vs. the UK

by Stefanos Balaskas, Ioanna Yfantidou and Dimitra Skandali

Sustainability 2026, 18(6), 2869; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062869 - 14 Mar 2026

Viewed by 771

Abstract

Circular economy (CE) claims in fashion aim to mobilize consumer participation in reuse and recycling, yet the interpretative flexibility of “circular” language can also enable vague messaging and skepticism. This study investigates how consumers assess CE fashion claims in terms of (a) claim substantiation quality (CSQ) and (b) claim support credibility (CSC), and how these assessments influence perceived green authenticity (PGA), green trust (GTR), and circular purchase intention (CPI) in Greece and the United Kingdom. A cross-national online stimulus-based survey utilizing standardized e-commerce product-card claims for a fictitious circular fashion brand gathered data from Greece (n = 640) and the UK (n = 572). PLS-SEM and multi-group analysis evaluated a model distinguishing CSQ and CSC as complementary message properties. In the overall sample, both CSQ and CSC exhibited a positive correlation with CPI, whereas PGA and GTR emerged as the most significant proximal predictors, with authenticity demonstrating the most substantial impact. Indirect-effect tests showed that CSQ affected CPI through both authenticity and trust. On the other hand, CSC was only effective through authenticity, and there was no clear pathway for CSC trust intention. The multi-group results also showed context sensitivity: Greece exhibited a stronger trust-based path to intention, while the UK had a stronger authenticity-based path to intention. Overall, the results support a dual-route theory of CE claim persuasion. Additionally, they suggest that effective CE fashion communication should combine clear, specific content with credible, externally checkable support cues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enterprise Operation and Innovation Management Sustainability)

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19 pages, 991 KB

Open AccessArticle

Digitization Processes Implementation as an Innovation Management Tool Within Sustainable Development

by Marcel Kordoš

Sustainability 2026, 18(6), 2809; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062809 - 12 Mar 2026

Viewed by 701

Abstract

The digitization of Human Resource (HR) processes is currently regarded as a vital step towards enhancing efficiency, transparency, and employee satisfaction within organizations. This research paper analyzes the circumstances under which the digitization process in human resource management within innovative business entrepreneurship will affect corporate sustainable development. The present study assesses employee satisfaction with the innovative digital HR tools used and identifies the perceived benefits and barriers in assessing the impact of digitization on the functioning of HR processes. The primary objective of the research paper is to estimate the impact of the digitization of personnel management processes, from the perspective of employees, on their satisfaction with the innovative digital personnel tools used, and to determine the extent to which innovative digitization tools would affect the sustainable development of the corporation. The estimation is based on the data assessment approach regarding the questionnaire survey conducted within the framework of the VEGA project output. The primary method employed for hypothesis verification is the chi-square test, accompanied by graphical representation. The findings of this study suggest that corporations must strategically allocate resources to invest in digital tools and cultivate digital competencies within their workforce if they are to reap the full benefits of digitization and innovation processes. The ability to adapt to and leverage innovative, cutting-edge digital technologies will be a key determinant in terms of reinforcing sustainable development in business. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enterprise Operation and Innovation Management Sustainability)

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