Journal Description
World
World
is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on past, present, and future links between economic, political, social, and/or environmental issues, published monthly online by MDPI. World serves as a scholarly forum and source of information on local, regional, national, and international trends, challenges, and opportunities relating to sustainability, adaptation, and the 4th Industrial Revolution.
- Open Access—free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within ESCI (Web of Science), FSTA, AGRIS, RePEc, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: JCR - Q1 (Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 29.5 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 4.3 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the first half of 2026).
- Recognition of Reviewers: Reviewers whose reports are timely and of high quality receive an APC discount voucher for a future publication in an MDPI journal. Become a reviewer.
- World is a companion journal of Sustainability.
Impact Factor:
2.8 (2025);
5-Year Impact Factor:
2.7 (2025)
Latest Articles
Environmental Management and Monitoring in African Ports: An Exploratory Practitioner-Based Self-Diagnosis and Research Agenda
World 2026, 7(9), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090158 - 10 Sep 2026
Abstract
Environmental management and monitoring are essential for translating sustainability goals into operational practices in port systems. However, empirical evidence on how these processes are implemented in African ports remains limited, partly because comparable environmental management data are rarely available across ports. This exploratory
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Environmental management and monitoring are essential for translating sustainability goals into operational practices in port systems. However, empirical evidence on how these processes are implemented in African ports remains limited, partly because comparable environmental management data are rarely available across ports. This exploratory study examines reported sustainability priorities, EMS-related organisational practices, and environmental monitoring arrangements in African ports using a structured practitioner-based self-diagnosis survey. Data were collected from 18 environmental managers, each representing one port, during a dedicated professional workshop. The analysis combines importance scoring of predefined sustainability items, binary self-reported information on EMS-related practices, and qualitative coding of open-ended responses on monitoring indicators, responsible entities, methodologies, and implementation challenges. The results should not be interpreted as statistically representative of African ports as a whole. Rather, they provide preliminary, practitioner-based evidence on recurring patterns and constraints reported by the participating ports. The findings suggest that core EMS-related elements, such as objectives, legal compliance, operational control, and monitoring, are more frequently reported than strategic and resource-intensive practices, including climate change integration, sustainability planning, and green services to shipping. Monitoring practices appear largely compliance-oriented, periodic, and dependent on external actors, reflecting reported constraints related to finance, technical expertise, equipment, and institutional coordination. The study contributes exploratory evidence from an under-researched regional context and develops tentative propositions for future research on environmental management capacity, monitoring integration, and sustainability transitions in African port systems.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Spatial Planning and Sustainable Marine Management)
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Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation in the European Union: From Human Rights Obligations to Effective Green Governance
by
Eliana Díaz-Cruces, Ezequiel Zamora-Ledezma and Simone Belli
World 2026, 7(9), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090157 - 9 Sep 2026
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The climate crisis exacerbates structural inequalities and disproportionately affects women, particularly in rural and low-income contexts where limited access to resources, education and financing undermines their adaptive capacity. This article examines how gender considerations are integrated into European Union (EU) climate adaptation governance,
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The climate crisis exacerbates structural inequalities and disproportionately affects women, particularly in rural and low-income contexts where limited access to resources, education and financing undermines their adaptive capacity. This article examines how gender considerations are integrated into European Union (EU) climate adaptation governance, combining doctrinal analysis of EU and international legal frameworks with a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature. The bibliometric component maps research trends and thematic gaps on gender-responsive climate adaptation. The doctrinal analysis focuses on the European Climate Law, the EU Gender Equality Strategies and selected national instruments, with Spain’s 2021–2030 PNIEC and PNACC as illustrative case studies. These frameworks are assessed against five human-rights-based criteria: substantive equality and intersectionality, participation and empowerment, accountability and access to justice, data and monitoring, and financing and institutional arrangements. The findings reveal a structural “transformation deficit” between normative commitments and operational reality: core climate instruments lack robust requirements on gender impact assessments, sex-disaggregated data, women’s participation and gender-responsive budgeting. The study argues that a truly transformative Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation (GRCA) in the EU requires moving beyond symbolic references toward binding gender-responsive governance mechanisms derived from CEDAW and EU primary law, capable of dismantling structural barriers and ensuring an environmentally effective and substantively just transition.
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Do Local Sports Strategies Matter? Financing and Implementation in Slovak Municipalities
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Michal Varmus, Roman Adámik, Michal Šarlák and Milan Kubina
World 2026, 7(9), 156; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090156 - 8 Sep 2026
Abstract
Sport has become an important area of public policy, with municipalities responsible for translating broad participation, inclusion, and development objectives into concrete funding and implementation choices. This study addresses a gap in the literature on how formal local sport strategies are connected to
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Sport has become an important area of public policy, with municipalities responsible for translating broad participation, inclusion, and development objectives into concrete funding and implementation choices. This study addresses a gap in the literature on how formal local sport strategies are connected to actual policy tools and budgetary patterns in a post-socialist Central European setting. It examines all Slovak municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants (N = 37) through a complete-population institutional survey conducted in 2025, focusing on strategic planning, financing mechanisms, budget allocation, infrastructure, events, and information systems. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations constitute the primary evidence; chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact test, and Cramér’s V are reported only as supplementary exploratory indicators of association within the defined population. The results indicate a mixed implementation pattern: direct municipal financing is more common than combined direct–indirect financing; support remains concentrated on clubs, events, youth, and infrastructure; external funding is limited; and more than half of municipalities do not use a specialized information system for sport funding management. No statistically detectable associations were observed between the existence of a formal sport strategy, the use of IT systems, financing methods, and budget-share categories. These non-significant results are not interpreted as evidence that strategies or digitalization have no effect; rather, they point to an implementation gap in which formal policy tools are not consistently linked to allocation rules, monitoring, or administrative capacity. The study contributes population-based evidence from an under-researched Central and Eastern European context and identifies concrete governance priorities: transparent allocation criteria, implementation indicators, evaluation routines, stronger administrative capacity, and better use of external funding opportunities.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Policy and Sustainable Development: Regional Perspectives)
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Open AccessArticle
Overcoming Resistance to Sustainable Transformation: A Cultural Integration Model for Agribusiness
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Kristina Benesevičienė and Rolandas Drejeris
World 2026, 7(9), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090155 - 3 Sep 2026
Abstract
Sustainability transformations in agribusiness are often constrained by employee and managerial resistance that cannot be explained solely by economic, technological, or regulatory factors. This study examines culture as an independent organizational mechanism for reducing resistance to implementing sustainable solutions and proposes the Cultural
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Sustainability transformations in agribusiness are often constrained by employee and managerial resistance that cannot be explained solely by economic, technological, or regulatory factors. This study examines culture as an independent organizational mechanism for reducing resistance to implementing sustainable solutions and proposes the Cultural Integration Model for Reducing Resistance to Sustainability in Agribusiness (KITP model). The study is based on a systematic literature review and the development of a conceptual decision-making methodology, supported by an expert evaluation involving ten experts with practical experience in agribusiness management, organizational change, and sustainability. The findings show that employee and managerial resistance stems from different factors and therefore requires differentiated cultural integration solutions. Employee involvement in decision-making and strengthening trust-based relationships were identified as the most effective mechanisms for reducing resistance and facilitating sustainability initiatives. Based on the expert evaluation, which addressed the seven employee resistance factors, a KITP decision matrix was developed to prioritize cultural integration solutions according to their effectiveness in addressing specific causes of resistance. Rather than proposing culture as a novel fourth dimension of sustainability, the KITP model extends previous research by conceptualizing cultural integration as a mechanism for reducing resistance and provides a decision-support methodology for prioritizing cultural integration solutions in the investigated agribusiness context.
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(This article belongs to the Section Inclusive and Regenerative Development)
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The Community Sustainability of ICH Festivals: A Dual Mechanism Model of Psychology and Economy
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Tao Xue, Zhe Zhang and Lei Ning
World 2026, 7(9), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090154 - 1 Sep 2026
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Justice has received more and more attention in the management of tourist destinations, but its function in cultural heritage situations is still insufficiently investigated. This research investigates the supportive attitudes of the residents towards the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)-related festivals by using an
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Justice has received more and more attention in the management of tourist destinations, but its function in cultural heritage situations is still insufficiently investigated. This research investigates the supportive attitudes of the residents towards the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)-related festivals by using an integrated framework including the perceived justice, festival identity and perceived economic benefits. A quantitative study was conducted based on 552 returned valid questionnaires. After reliability and validity tests, structural equation modeling, bootstrap mediation analysis, and multi-group structural equation modeling were employed to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that all three aspects of the perceived justice have a positive effect on the festival identity of the residents, which consequently enhances their support for the development of the festival. These findings broaden the justice-based views in tourism research and offer useful suggestions for promoting fair and community-supported festival tourism development.
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The Relationship Between Green Innovations and Perceived Sustainable Competitiveness of Tourism Destinations: The Mediating Role of Perceived Gastronomic Authenticity
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Dragan Vukolić, Tamara Gajić, Haris Muminović, Tijana Babović, Andrija Milutinović, Marko Cilić, Conić Momčilo and Kliment Naumov
World 2026, 7(9), 153; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090153 - 1 Sep 2026
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Green innovations represent an important factor in the sustainable development and competitiveness of gastronomic tourism destinations. This study aims to examine the relationship between green innovations and the perceived sustainable competitiveness of gastronomic tourism destinations, while analyzing the mediating role of perceived gastronomic
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Green innovations represent an important factor in the sustainable development and competitiveness of gastronomic tourism destinations. This study aims to examine the relationship between green innovations and the perceived sustainable competitiveness of gastronomic tourism destinations, while analyzing the mediating role of perceived gastronomic authenticity. The research was conducted on a sample of 245 stakeholders involved in the organization and implementation of five major gastronomic festivals in Serbia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and the proposed conceptual model was tested using the PLS-SEM method. The results indicate that green innovations are positively associated with perceived gastronomic authenticity and the perceived sustainable competitiveness of destinations. Furthermore, perceived gastronomic authenticity is positively associated with perceived sustainable competitiveness and mediates the relationship between green innovations and the perceived sustainable competitiveness of destinations. The findings suggest that the implementation of sustainable practices and the preservation of gastronomic authenticity are associated with stronger long-term sustainability and competitiveness of gastronomic tourism destinations, providing useful guidance for event organizers and tourism policymakers.
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(This article belongs to the Topic Responsible Tourism Planning: Development and Marketing of Sustainable Destinations)
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Does Geographic Proximity Matter for Happiness? Spatial Panel Evidence from the European Union (2015–2024)
by
Jorge de Andrés-Sánchez
World 2026, 7(9), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090152 - 1 Sep 2026
Abstract
This study analyzes the determinants and spatial dependence of happiness across the 27 European Union Member States during 2015–2024. It uses a panel of 270 observations based on the Cantril Ladder and the six explanatory factors from the World Happiness Report: GDP per
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This study analyzes the determinants and spatial dependence of happiness across the 27 European Union Member States during 2015–2024. It uses a panel of 270 observations based on the Cantril Ladder and the six explanatory factors from the World Happiness Report: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. The empirical strategy combines panel models and spatial econometrics. Specification tests support a model with country random effects and year fixed effects. Spatial autocorrelation is assessed using Moran’s I, and random effects (RE), spatial autoregressive random effects (SAR-RE), the spatial error model with random effects (SEM-RE), and the spatial autoregressive model with spatially autocorrelated errors and random effects (SARAR-RE) are considered, using a three-nearest-neighbor matrix. The results show a strong and persistent spatial concentration of happiness. However, the non-spatial model absorbs most of this dependence, leaving no significant residual spatial autocorrelation for the full period. Consistently, neither SAR-RE nor SEM-RE significantly improves model fit, and the information criteria, likelihood-ratio tests, and Baltagi–Song–Koh tests support the non-spatial RE model with year fixed effects. GDP per capita, social support, and freedom show positive associations with happiness, while perceptions of corruption show a negative association. Healthy life expectancy and generosity are not statistically significant. Moreover, all six WHR determinants exhibit significant spatial autocorrelation, suggesting that the geographic clustering of happiness largely reflects the spatial concentration of its underlying socioeconomic, social, health, and institutional determinants rather than a direct contagion of happiness between neighboring countries. The study underscores the importance of considering the spatial dimension in wellbeing analysis and of accounting for shared regional socioeconomic and institutional conditions when designing European wellbeing policies.
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(This article belongs to the Section Inclusive and Regenerative Development)
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Building a Better World Through Sporting Events: Residents’ Perceptions and Support for a Small-Scale Women-Oriented Running Event
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José E. Ramos-Ruiz, José M. Cerezo-López, Paula C. Ferreira-Gomes and David Algaba-Navarro
World 2026, 7(9), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090151 - 1 Sep 2026
Abstract
This study examines residents’ perceptions of the impacts of a small-scale urban running event in Córdoba, Spain, oriented primarily toward women and linked to the visibility of women in sport. The research addresses whether gender bias exists in impact perception, whether a differentiated
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This study examines residents’ perceptions of the impacts of a small-scale urban running event in Córdoba, Spain, oriented primarily toward women and linked to the visibility of women in sport. The research addresses whether gender bias exists in impact perception, whether a differentiated inclusive-sporting dimension emerges alongside the traditional economic, social, and environmental dimensions, whether the structure of perceived impacts and support is compatible with Social Exchange Theory, and whether different resident segments can be identified in line with Social Representations Theory. Data were collected from 536 residents during the event and in the following week. The analysis combined item-level gender comparisons, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and cluster analysis. The results identified four perceived impact dimensions: inclusive-sporting, economic, social, and environmental, together with a differentiated support construct. Women reported more positive perceptions than men in the inclusive-sporting, economic, and social dimensions, whereas no significant gender differences emerged in environmental inconveniences. Three resident segments were identified: Enthusiasts, Supporters, and Detractors. Overall, the findings suggest that women-oriented small-scale sporting events are evaluated not only through economic, social, and environmental impacts, but also through their perceived contribution to inclusion, city image, and gender equality.
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Open AccessArticle
Justice-Adjusted Wind Development: Spatial Conflict, Community Rights and Legal Governance
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Ruiyu Geng, Hong Yu and Jinyu Li
World 2026, 7(9), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090150 - 31 Aug 2026
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Wind-energy expansion is indispensable to decarbonization, but a strong wind resource does not by itself establish that development is spatially suitable, socially legitimate or institutionally deliverable. This article develops an empirical spatial–legal screening framework that converts technical wind opportunity into Justice-adjusted Wind Development
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Wind-energy expansion is indispensable to decarbonization, but a strong wind resource does not by itself establish that development is spatially suitable, socially legitimate or institutionally deliverable. This article develops an empirical spatial–legal screening framework that converts technical wind opportunity into Justice-adjusted Wind Development Potential (JAWDP). The analysis covers Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa and the United Kingdom. A 25 km grid is used for the primary analysis and a 10 km grid for resolution sensitivity. The Wind-Resource Potential Index (WRPI) combines 100 m wind power density with grid remoteness; the Landscape-Conflict Index (LCI) combines protected-area coverage, ecological sensitivity, agricultural land, settlement exposure and cultural-heritage proximity; and the Legal and Justice Friction Index (LJFI) codes nine functional safeguards on a 0–2 scale. Equal component weights and a preregistered symmetric baseline of are used in the multiplicative JAWDP model. The United Kingdom and Denmark rank first and second (0.702 and 0.697), followed by Morocco under a disclosed midpoint legal scenario (0.539). Grid-resolution changes leave ten country ranks unchanged and shift Chile and Germany by one position. Across the full preregistered sensitivity set, eleven countries are classified as stable and Germany as moderately stable. As an external plausibility check, JAWDP correlates with 2024 installed wind-capacity density (Spearman , ) and 2015–2024 capacity-addition density ( , ). An additive equal-weight multicriteria benchmark produces only moderate rank correspondence ( ), illustrating the non-compensatory purpose of the justice adjustment. The framework is intended for comparative screening, not as a prediction of generation, a grid-feasibility model or a substitute for project-level legal review. Additional robustness checks show high stability to sample composition and transmission-vintage perturbation, but the deployment association weakens under wind-suitable-area denominators; the external comparison is therefore interpreted as a denominator-sensitive plausibility check rather than empirical validation.
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From Economic Openness to Strategic Capacity: The European Union as a Hybrid Geoeconomic Actor
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Tomáš Peráček, Daniela Gregušová and Michal Kaššaj
World 2026, 7(9), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090149 - 27 Aug 2026
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The European Union now routinely leverages economic governance to tackle strategic vulnerabilities caused by geopolitical rivalry, foreign dependencies, and supply chain shocks. This article analyses this shift, exploring how the EU adapts its economic toolkit and what restricts its capacity to act as
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The European Union now routinely leverages economic governance to tackle strategic vulnerabilities caused by geopolitical rivalry, foreign dependencies, and supply chain shocks. This article analyses this shift, exploring how the EU adapts its economic toolkit and what restricts its capacity to act as a geoeconomic power. It builds an analytical framework connecting external pressures, strategic vulnerabilities, policy choices, and institutional barriers. Methodologically, the study combines qualitative document analysis of EU policy frameworks with trade metrics and evidence from the Geoeconomic Interconnectivity Index. The findings show a clear expansion in investment screening, anti-coercion tools, targeted industrial policy, and supply-chain diversification—all aimed at safeguarding core sectors and curbing asymmetric exposure. These steps mark a departure from purely regulatory-market logic towards a hybrid model blending market openness, defensive controls, and capacity-building. Persistent institutional splits, conflicting national priorities, technological gaps, and reliance on foreign markets limit the effectiveness of this transition. Ultimately, the EU’s evolving geoeconomic stance aims not for total self-sufficiency, but for the deliberate, strategic management of interdependence.
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Dimensions of Collective Intelligence and Knowledge Sharing in Moroccan Associations: A Structural Analysis
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El Hassan Asmad, Kamal Bouachri, Lhoussaine Alla and Najib Zerrad
World 2026, 7(9), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090148 - 27 Aug 2026
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This study examines the main dimensions of collective intelligence within Moroccan associations, a sector in full expansion, which has more than 259,000 associations in 2022. The objective of the research is to identify, prioritize, and validate the main dimensions of collective intelligence within
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This study examines the main dimensions of collective intelligence within Moroccan associations, a sector in full expansion, which has more than 259,000 associations in 2022. The objective of the research is to identify, prioritize, and validate the main dimensions of collective intelligence within Moroccan associations. A multi-tool research methodology was adopted, combining the review of scientific literature, qualitative interviews, and a quantitative study of 125 Moroccan associations. The results highlight six key dimensions of collective intelligence: social sensitivity, autonomy, motivation, transformational leadership, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. Among the dimensions identified, collaboration and leadership have the highest relative weights in structuring collective intelligence. Social sensitivity and knowledge sharing complement this structuring by promoting quality interactions, fluid communication, and the mobilization of distributed knowledge. Motivation and autonomy are also essential dimensions, supporting the commitment of members and the expression of diverse perspectives within associations. The study provides theoretical contributions by adapting collective intelligence models to the peculiarities of Moroccan civil society. At the applied level, the study proposes a set of recommendations, including strengthening capacity building, developing leadership skills, and adopting collaborative digital platforms. The results in their entirety confirm the strategic importance of collective intelligence in improving the effectiveness of Moroccan associations and enhancing their impact in the face of increasingly complex social challenges.
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The European Union’s Geoeconomic Transformation: Strategic Adaptation in a Fragmented Global Order
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Radoslav Ivančík and Kristína Králiková
World 2026, 7(9), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090147 - 26 Aug 2026
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Geopolitical fragmentation, intensifying geoeconomic competition, and the securitisation of economic relations are reshaping the international environment and changing the conditions under which the European Union (EU) conducts its external economic policy. As economic interdependence has become a source of both prosperity and vulnerability,
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Geopolitical fragmentation, intensifying geoeconomic competition, and the securitisation of economic relations are reshaping the international environment and changing the conditions under which the European Union (EU) conducts its external economic policy. As economic interdependence has become a source of both prosperity and vulnerability, the EU has begun to redefine the relationship between openness, resilience, and economic security. This article examines how these developments are reshaping the EU’s geoeconomic model and its role within an evolving global order. The study develops an analytical framework that links geopolitical pressures, external dependencies, and institutional responses to the Union’s geoeconomic adaptation. The research employs a concept-driven qualitative design combining qualitative content analysis, analytically focused comparison, and process-oriented interpretation of key EU strategic documents and the relevant academic literature. The study shows that the EU is developing a hybrid geoeconomic model that combines openness with resilience, market integration with economic security, and international cooperation with a stronger capacity to manage critical vulnerabilities. This process reflects a longer-term adjustment of the Union’s external economic strategy and its international role. The article advances current debates on geoeconomics, European integration, and global governance by explaining how geopolitical fragmentation is reshaping the EU’s external action in a more contested international environment.
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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle
Women Executives, Crisis Strategies, and Firm Outcomes in Turkish SMEs During COVID-19
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Eyup Kahveci, Tuğrul Gürgür, Batuhan Özkanlı and Özlem Atay
World 2026, 7(9), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090146 - 25 Aug 2026
Abstract
Gendered leadership theories suggest that women executives may adopt distinct crisis management approaches, yet evidence from private-sector small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains limited. This study examines associations between women’s executive presence, crisis strategies, and firm outcomes during COVID-19. Using survey data from
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Gendered leadership theories suggest that women executives may adopt distinct crisis management approaches, yet evidence from private-sector small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains limited. This study examines associations between women’s executive presence, crisis strategies, and firm outcomes during COVID-19. Using survey data from 207 SMEs across 12 sectors in Istanbul, Türkiye, we apply non-parametric tests and regression models controlling for firm age, size, and sector. Firms with women executives reported stronger cash-flow sustainability and cost management outcomes but no significant differences in revenue generation or overall performance. They also scored higher on a composite defensive strategy index, although measurable outcome differences were limited to the cost-related dimension. These findings suggest that the association between women’s executive presence and crisis outcomes is domain-specific rather than uniform across performance dimensions. Because the indicator captures executive presence rather than decision-making authority, these associations may also reflect organizational characteristics with which women’s executive presence coincides.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Corporations, Economic Transformation and Sustainable Development in the Post-COVID-19 Era)
Open AccessArticle
National Societal, Economic, and Religious Factors Underlying Perceived Happiness
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Ilkka Tiihonen, Olavi Louheranta, Jussi Kauhanen, Jari Tiihonen and Olli-Pekka Ryynänen
World 2026, 7(9), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090145 - 25 Aug 2026
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Various explanatory factors for perceived happiness have been identified in cross-country comparisons, but their relative importance and causal relationships remain unknown. Associations and causality were studied between 17 societal, economic, and religious variables contributing to happiness scores on the World Happiness Report (WHR)
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Various explanatory factors for perceived happiness have been identified in cross-country comparisons, but their relative importance and causal relationships remain unknown. Associations and causality were studied between 17 societal, economic, and religious variables contributing to happiness scores on the World Happiness Report (WHR) in 147 countries. In a correlation analysis, the strongest association with national happiness scores was observed for the median gross domestic product (GDP)/capita (r squared 0.69), followed by the mean GDP/capita (0.65), tertiary education (0.42), corruption (−0.41), democracy index (0.35), religious non-affiliation (0.31), and consanguinity (−0.25). Bayesian statistical analysis indicated strong causal cascades originating from democracy (a positive effect) and, to a lesser degree, corruption (a negative effect) during the years 1945–1985 to subsequent national happiness levels, with a delay of several decades. The results were confirmed to have good reproducibility with Bootstrap resampling, indicating robust findings. Although the median GDP/capita had the strongest association with happiness in the cross-sectional analysis, it was not identified as a primary causal factor in the Bayesian analysis, in which high levels of democracy and low levels of corruption were entangled with median GDP/capita as apparent prerequisites for perceived happiness. Our results suggest that the median GDP should be used as an indicator of the economic prosperity of citizens instead of the currently established mean GDP when studying the links between economy, democracy, and well-being across countries.
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Open AccessReview
Structure, Trends, and Research Gaps in Climate Change and Heat Stress in Poultry Production: A Bibliometric Analysis
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Érik dos Santos Harada and Késia Oliveira da Silva-Miranda
World 2026, 7(9), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090144 - 25 Aug 2026
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Climate change has intensified heat stress in poultry production systems, raising concerns about productivity, animal welfare, and system sustainability. This study aimed to analyze the evolution, structure, and emerging trends of scientific research on climate change and heat stress in industrial poultry production
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Climate change has intensified heat stress in poultry production systems, raising concerns about productivity, animal welfare, and system sustainability. This study aimed to analyze the evolution, structure, and emerging trends of scientific research on climate change and heat stress in industrial poultry production using a bibliometric approach. Records were retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection databases. After deduplication and eligibility screening, 342 documents published between 1974 and 2025 were retained. Bibliometric analyses were performed using Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny in RStudio, including publication dynamics, international collaboration, author co-citation, conceptual structure, thematic evolution, trend topics, and keyword co-occurrence. Scientific production increased markedly in recent years, with an annual growth rate of 8.36% and international co-authorship in 22.51% of the publications. China and the United States were the leading contributors. At the same time, the international research structure showed interconnected collaboration networks and complementary intellectual communities focused on physiological and neuroimmune responses, cellular and oxidative mechanisms, and nutritional and management-based mitigation. Heat stress was the main conceptual hub, connecting thermoregulation, oxidative stress, immunity, welfare, productive performance, and product quality. Heat tolerance, thermotolerance, chronic heat stress, and genetic adaptation showed recent or developing bibliometric visibility, although their structural and temporal patterns differed across analyses. However, heat waves, long-term resilience, validation under commercial conditions, climate-vulnerable regions, environmental engineering, and digital monitoring exhibited lower bibliometric representation and network centrality within the analyzed corpus. Future research should combine nutritional, physiological, genetic, environmental, and precision-monitoring approaches to support economically viable and climate-resilient poultry production.
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(This article belongs to the Topic The New Era of Food and Agriculture: Sustainable Strategies to Achieve Zero Hunger: 2nd Edition)
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Open AccessArticle
Digital Data Engagement and Health Behavior Diversity Among Smartwatch Users
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Fang-Wu Tung and Liang-Ming Jia
World 2026, 7(9), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7090143 - 24 Aug 2026
Abstract
Smartwatches generate continuous personal health data, yet their value for self-care depends on users’ ability to engage with these data meaningfully. Using a cross-sectional survey of 838 adult smartwatch users in Taiwan, this study examined digital data engagement (DDE) as a data-specific construct
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Smartwatches generate continuous personal health data, yet their value for self-care depends on users’ ability to engage with these data meaningfully. Using a cross-sectional survey of 838 adult smartwatch users in Taiwan, this study examined digital data engagement (DDE) as a data-specific construct linking smartwatch use to everyday self-care. DDE captured monitoring, interpretation, verification, and goal-oriented use of smartwatch-generated data, while health behavior diversity (HBD) represented the breadth of routine self-care practices across preventive, mind–body, physical activity/exercise, and restorative or expressive domains. The DDE-centered model showed that DDE was positively associated with health motivation, body awareness, and HBD. Health motivation showed the strongest association with HBD, whereas body awareness was not directly associated with HBD, suggesting that bodily cue awareness alone may not broaden self-care repertoires. HBD analysis further showed that smartwatch-enabled self-care was not merely exercise-oriented; preventive self-care had the highest item-adjusted coverage. Gender differences appeared mainly in domain composition, whereas health concern profiles were associated with both repertoire breadth and domain composition. These findings contribute a data-engagement perspective to smartwatch research and introduce HBD as a multidomain lens for evaluating everyday digital self-care beyond device access, tracking frequency, or single behavior change.
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(This article belongs to the Section Health, Population, and Crisis Systems)
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Open AccessArticle
Circular Agricultural Model Integrated with Health Products and Experiential Tourism: A Case Study of Tam Dao Mushroom Cooperative
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Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Hoang Thanh Tung, Mai Thi Dung, Nguyen Thi Huong, Nguyen Quoc Huy, Dinh Nguyen Van Khanh, Truong Thi Tuyet, Nguyen Hoang Bach and Ngo Bao Chau
World 2026, 7(8), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7080142 - 21 Aug 2026
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Amid accelerating climate change, natural resource depletion, and rising consumer demand for sustainable, health-promoting products, circular agriculture has emerged as a strategic pathway for reconciling agricultural productivity with environmental and social sustainability; however, empirical evidence on how circular production, health-product innovation, and experiential
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Amid accelerating climate change, natural resource depletion, and rising consumer demand for sustainable, health-promoting products, circular agriculture has emerged as a strategic pathway for reconciling agricultural productivity with environmental and social sustainability; however, empirical evidence on how circular production, health-product innovation, and experiential tourism can be jointly evaluated within a single model remains limited. This study aims to propose a multidimensional value assessment framework for circular agriculture through a case study of the Tam Dao Mushroom Cooperative (TDMC) in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam, centered on the cooperative’s Cordyceps militaris-based production system, nanotechnology-enabled health-product processing, most notably the Nano Cordy Milk functional beverage and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-oriented experiential tourism activities, comprising guided production tours, hands-on cultivation and processing demonstrations, and on-site product tastings offered to school and university groups, domestic and international tourists, and visiting farmers and cooperatives. The research integrates a case study approach with the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy-AHP) to determine the priority weights of value dimensions based on the evaluations of seven experts. The findings identify five key dimensions of value generated by the circular agricultural model: economic value, environmental value, social value, educational value, and tourism value. The Fuzzy-AHP results indicate that economic value has the highest priority weight (Best Non-fuzzy Performance, BNP = 0.4050), followed by environmental value (0.2715), social value (0.1307), educational value (0.1313), and tourism value (0.0621). The study demonstrates that the circular agriculture model not only generates economic benefits but also simultaneously creates significant environmental, social, educational, and tourism values. These findings contribute to the theoretical foundation for assessing the multidimensional value of circular agriculture while providing practical references and policy implications for the sustainable development of circular agricultural models.
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Open AccessArticle
Diagnosing ESG Disclosure Usability for LCSA and Environmental Security Risk Analysis in Bulgaria and Moldova
by
Radosveta Krasteva-Hristova and Luminita Diaconu
World 2026, 7(8), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7080141 - 21 Aug 2026
Abstract
Reliable sustainability analysis requires more than the presence of ESG disclosure; it requires information that is specific, traceable and analytically usable. This exploratory study assesses a purposive corpus of 36 organisations in Bulgaria and Moldova (18 per country) using a Data Gap Matrix
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Reliable sustainability analysis requires more than the presence of ESG disclosure; it requires information that is specific, traceable and analytically usable. This exploratory study assesses a purposive corpus of 36 organisations in Bulgaria and Moldova (18 per country) using a Data Gap Matrix covering 15 ESG indicators. The revised framework explicitly separates three observed disclosure-quality dimensions—availability, granularity and auditability—from two framework-assigned analytical overlays—LCSA relevance and environmental-risk relevance. Environmental security is retained only as a framework-based interpretive lens for the environmental-risk overlay and is not treated as an observed outcome. The matrix generated 540 organisation–indicator coding units. Medians, interquartile ranges and score frequencies are the primary descriptive summaries; country and sector tests are retained only as secondary, sample-specific checks and are restricted to the three observed dimensions. Auditability is the principal weakness (median = 1.00), with only 7 of 540 coding units receiving the maximum score, while Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions constitute the weakest observed indicator. No Holm-adjusted country or sector difference is established for the observed disclosure-quality dimensions, consistent with limited statistical power. The findings diagnose limited disaggregation, source traceability and assurance readiness, but do not measure organisational ESG performance, conduct an LCSA, or establish environmental-security outcomes. Interpretation is constrained by purposive sampling, heterogeneous report types, common-indicator applicability and the absence of independent double coding.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Economy and Sustainable Economic Development)
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Open AccessArticle
Beyond Sacred Texts: Religions, Historical Mediation and the Environmental Question
by
Isabella Gagliardi
World 2026, 7(8), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7080140 - 17 Aug 2026
Abstract
This article reconsiders the relationship between religions and the environment from a historical and methodological perspective. It argues that the ecological orientation of a religious tradition cannot be deduced directly from its sacred texts, since texts become socially effective only through a range
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This article reconsiders the relationship between religions and the environment from a historical and methodological perspective. It argues that the ecological orientation of a religious tradition cannot be deduced directly from its sacred texts, since texts become socially effective only through a range of mediating processes such as interpretation, preaching, ritual, education, institutional authority, devotional practice, and political use. This is especially evident in ancient and medieval societies, where most believers encountered Scripture through mediators rather than as individual readers. The article discusses the influential paradigm inaugurated by Lynn White, the critical contribution of ecofeminism, and recent theological genealogies linking Christian doctrines to ecological and colonial violence. While recognising the importance of these approaches, it stresses the need to avoid anachronism and overly linear explanations. Concepts such as “nature” and “environment” have changed over time, and the environmental question, as currently understood, belongs to the modern and contemporary world. The article also criticises the public tendency to rank religions according to their supposed ecological value. Religious environmentalism is interpreted as a contemporary process of reinterpretation, in which inherited symbols, doctrines, and practices are resemanticised in response to the ecological crisis. In doing so, it proposes mediation as a central category for studying religions and environmental thought historically.
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Open AccessSystematic Review
Sustainable Business Models: Bridging Theory and Practice Through an Integrative Conceptual Review
by
Timur Kogabayev, Bakytzhan Akan, Assel Akan, Meruyert Bekturganova and Rando Värnik
World 2026, 7(8), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/world7080139 - 7 Aug 2026
Abstract
Sustainable business models (SBMs) describe how organizations create, deliver, and capture value while simultaneously generating economic, environmental, and social benefits for a broad set of stakeholders. Although the field has expanded rapidly since the late 2000s, the literature remains conceptually dispersed: definitions proliferate,
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Sustainable business models (SBMs) describe how organizations create, deliver, and capture value while simultaneously generating economic, environmental, and social benefits for a broad set of stakeholders. Although the field has expanded rapidly since the late 2000s, the literature remains conceptually dispersed: definitions proliferate, design tools and archetypes coexist without integration, and findings on the link between sustainability practices and firm performance remain inconsistent. To address this fragmentation, this study conducts a PRISMA 2020-guided systematic literature review of foundational and recent contributions published between 2008 and 2025. Of 300 records identified through database searching, 30 studies met the eligibility criteria and were synthesized qualitatively; these are interpreted together with complementary theoretical and methodological literature. Rather than reporting bibliometric indicators, the review synthesizes the field across three dimensions: the evolution of the SBM concept, its dominant design logics and archetypes, and its contemporary thematic landscape. The findings trace a progression from foundational triple-bottom-line conceptualization, through archetype- and tool-based design approaches such as the Triple-Layered Business Model Canvas and pattern taxonomies, toward digitally enabled, circular, and resilience-oriented models. These patterns are interpreted through complementary theoretical lenses—the resource-based and natural-resource-based views, dynamic capabilities, information-processing theory, and stakeholder theory. The review consolidates these insights into an integrative conceptual framework that links theoretical foundations, value-design dimensions, enabling capabilities, and triple-bottom-line outcomes. It further discusses implications for managers and outlines a research agenda emphasizing digital and circular enablers, longitudinal designs, and the under-examined context of emerging markets, with an applied emphasis on Central Asia and Kazakhstan.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Development Toward Sustainable Growth)
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