Search Results (630)

This study examines the regional disparities in public perceptions of decarbonization and the acceptance of the bioeconomy within Western Macedonia, a Greek region undergoing structural economic change. While the environmental benefits of decarbonization, such as reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality, are widely acknowledged, perceptions of economic and social outcomes, including investments, new business development, and policy support, vary significantly across sub-regions. To this end, a structured survey was conducted among 765 residents, utilizing Likert-scale items to assess attitudes, with demographic data providing a contextual framework. Statistical analyses, incorporating techniques such as one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal–Wallis, and multiple regression, were employed to explore spatial variations and identify the primary drivers of bioeconomy acceptance. The results indicate that perceived government action, visible investment, new enterprises, and a positive view of public sentiment are all significant predictors of acceptance, with institutional support showing the strongest influence. The findings reveal that certain areas feel less engaged in the transition, expressing skepticism about its benefits, while others report more optimism. This disparity in perception underscores the necessity for targeted policy interventions to ensure inclusive and equitable participation. The study emphasizes the necessity for regionally responsive governance, enhanced communication strategies, and tangible local development initiatives to cultivate public trust and support. The study makes a significant contribution to the broader discourse on just transitions by emphasizing the role of place-based perceptions in shaping sustainable change. Full article

This paper examines the moderating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the relationship between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions and investor decision-making in Jordan. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed for institutional investors and financial analysts, capturing perceptions of ESG, CSR, and investment behavior. A stratified random sample of 350 professionals across the financial, industrial, and service sectors was surveyed. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The findings show that environmental and social dimensions have positive effects on investor decisions, with governance dimensions having a negative effect. Notably, CSR has a negative moderating effect on the governance dimensions and investor decision, with no observed statistical moderating effect for environmental or social dimensions. This research unravels the multidimensional role of CSR in building the ESG-investor decision interface and identifies a counterintuitive negative moderating impact of CSR on governance, contributing to the existing literature on sustainability alignment in emerging markets. The results offer practical implications for companies aiming to attract sustainability-oriented investors by indicating the necessity for an integrated and genuine CSR and ESG approach. Full article

Prior research often portrays Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a coercive institutional force compelling firms to passively conform for legitimacy. More recent studies, however, suggest firms actively pursue CSR to gain sustainable competitive advantages. Yet, how and when CSR buffers firms against adverse shocks of crises remains insufficiently understood. This study addresses this gap by using multiple regression analysis to examine the buffering effects of CSR investments during the COVID-19 crisis, which severely disrupted capital markets and firm valuation. Drawing on signaling theory and CSR literature, we analyze the stock market performance of China’s A-share listed firms using a sample of 2577 observations as of the end of 2019. Results indicate that firms with higher CSR investments experienced significantly greater cumulative abnormal returns during the pandemic. Moreover, the buffering effect is amplified among firms with higher debt burdens, greater financing constraints, and those operating in regions with stronger social trust and more severe COVID-19 impact. These findings are robust across multiple robustness checks. This study highlights the strategic value of CSR as a resilience mechanism during crises and supports a more proactive view of CSR engagement for sustainable development, complementing the traditional legitimacy-focused perspective in existing literature. Full article

Urban growth often surpasses the actual needs of the population, leading to inefficient land use and long-term environmental challenges. This study provides an integrated perspective on urban landscape transformation by linking socio-demographic dynamics with ecological consequences, notably vegetation loss and increased impervious surfaces. The study area is Năvodari Administrative-Territorial Unit (ATU), a coastal tourist city located along the Black Sea in Romania. By integrating geospatial datasets such as Urban Atlas and Corine Land Cover with population- and construction-related statistics, the analysis reveals a disproportionate increase in urbanized land compared to population growth. Time-series analyses based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) from 1990 to 2022 highlight significant ecological degradation, including vegetation loss and increased built-up density. The findings suggest that real estate investment and tourism-driven development play a more substantial role than demographic dynamics in shaping land use change. Understanding urban expansion as a coupled social–ecological process is essential for promoting sustainable planning and enhancing environmental resilience. While this study is focused on the coastal city of Năvodari, its insights are relevant to a broader international context, particularly for rapidly developing tourist destinations facing similar urban and ecological pressures. The findings support efforts toward more inclusive, balanced, and environmentally responsible urban development, aligning with the core principles of Sustainable Development Goal 11, particularly Target 11.3, which emphasizes sustainable urbanization and efficient land use. Full article

This study employs a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model with Bayesian estimation to rigorously evaluate China’s macroeconomic responses to cost-push, monetary policy, and foreign income shocks. This analysis leverages quarterly data from 2000 to 2024, focusing on critical variables such as the output gap, inflation, interest rates, exchange rates, consumption, investment, and employment. The results demonstrate significant social welfare losses primarily arising from persistent inflation and output volatility due to domestic structural rigidities and global market dependencies. Monetary policy interventions effectively moderate short-term volatility but induce welfare costs if overly restrictive. The findings underscore the necessity of targeted structural reforms to enhance economic flexibility, balanced monetary policy to mitigate aggressive interventions, and diversified economic strategies to reduce external vulnerability. These insights contribute novel policy perspectives for enhancing China’s macroeconomic stability and resilience. Full article

This study aims to explore how Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) influences Jordanian banks’ performance. It focuses on four CDR dimensions—“social, technological, economic, and environmental”—and examines the mediating role of firm size in these relationships. This study is the first to empirically test the mediating effect of firm size in the relationship between CDR and firm performance in the Jordanian banking sector, providing a novel perspective on how digital ethics shape organizational success. Data were collected through a structured survey from 299 bank employees in Jordan. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to assess the direct and indirect effects of CDR dimensions on firm performance, with firm size tested as a mediating variable. All four dimensions of CDR significantly and positively affect firm performance. Additionally, firm size plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between CDR and firm performance, indicating that larger banks may better leverage digital responsibility initiatives to enhance performance. The study relies on self-reported data from a single country (Jordan), which may limit generalizability. Future studies could adopt a longitudinal design or expand to other MENA countries for comparative analysis and broader insights. The findings suggest that Jordanian banks should invest in and prioritize CDR strategies, especially in economic and technological domains, to improve their organizational outcomes and stakeholder relationships. Enhancing firm size may amplify the positive impact of CDR. The findings of this study are robust, as validated by further analysis utilizing data from a customer survey. The results derived from customer viewpoints correspond with staff data, substantiating the beneficial influence of Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) on banking performance and affirming the substantial mediating effect of company size. Full article

Cross-docking operations in Eastern and Central European markets face increasing complexity amid persistent uncertainty and inflationary pressures. This study provides the first comprehensive comparative analysis integrating economic efficiency with sustainability indicators across strategic locations. Using mixed-methods analysis of 40 bibliographical sources and quantitative modeling of cross-docking scenarios in Bratislava, Prague, and Budapest, we integrate environmental, social, and governance frameworks with activity-based costing and artificial intelligence analysis. Optimized cross-docking achieves statistically significant cost reductions of 10.61% for Eastern and Central European inbound logistics and 3.84% for Western European outbound logistics when utilizing Budapest location (p < 0.01). Activity-based costing reveals labor (35–40%), equipment utilization (25–30%), and facility operations (20–25%) as primary cost drivers. Budapest demonstrates superior integrated performance index incorporating operational efficiency (94.2% loading efficiency), economic impact (EUR 925,000 annual savings), and environmental performance (486 tons CO₂ reduction annually). This is the first empirically validated framework integrating activity-based costing–corporate social responsibility methodologies for an emerging market cross-docking, multi-dimensional performance assessment model transcending operational-sustainability dichotomy and location-specific contingency identification for emerging market implementation. Findings support targeted infrastructure investments, harmonized regulatory frameworks, and public–private partnerships for sustainable logistics development in emerging European markets, providing actionable roadmap for EUR 142,000–EUR 187,000 artificial intelligence implementation investments achieving a 14.6-month return on investment. Full article

This article examines the impact of everyday life infrastructure on well-being through the lens of feminist economics, with a specific focus on gender disparities within the European context. Combining the capability approach (CA) and subjective well-being (SWB) theory, this study introduces a gender-sensitive well-being budget indicator, the Well-being and Infrastructure by Gender Index, or just WIGI, to assess the differential impacts of public expenditures on women and men. Drawing on feminist critiques of infrastructure planning, it highlights how gendered patterns of access and use shape experiences of well-being. The literature review synthesizes recent contributions on well-being measurement, gendered capabilities, and the role of public infrastructure in supporting everyday life. The research utilizes the Benefits of Gender Equality through infrastructure Provision (BGGEIP) survey from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) from 28 EU member states in 2015 to evaluate the contribution of key public services—such as transport, childcare, and healthcare—to individual capabilities and subjective well-being outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of integrating gender-sensitive methodologies into infrastructure planning and public policy to promote social inclusion and equitable well-being outcomes. This article concludes by advocating for feminist economics-informed policies to enhance the responsiveness of public investments to the lived experiences of women and men across Europe. Full article

This study investigates the impact of outsiders’ demand for more information (or transparency) on corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Drawing on a dataset of U.S. companies from 2010 to 2023, CSR performance is measured using ASSET4 ratings, while CSR disclosure levels are captured through the number of words and sentences in reports. Utilizing within-industry and -firm OLS regressions, our analyses reveal a positive relationship between the demand for more information and future CSR investments, showing that firms with higher demand for information not only enhance their CSR performance but also expand the length of their CSR reports. These results suggest that increased pressures for information encourage organizations to engage more deeply with social responsibility, resulting in more robust CSR activities and more comprehensive reporting practices. This study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the strong predictive role of outsiders’ demand for more information in promoting CSR investment and disclosure, and by offering important insights for policymakers and practitioners on fostering corporate responsibility through enhanced transparency. Full article

As digital connectivity transforms financial decision-making, this study offers one of the first empirical investigations into the relationship between social media use and socially responsible investing (SRI). Using data from the 2021 National Financial Capability Study, multinomial regression analysis was used to explore whether people who rely on social media for investment decisions were more likely to invest in ways that reflect their values. The results show that investors who use social media for investment information are more likely to value being socially responsible as an important reason for investing. Younger, less experienced, and more risk-tolerant investors were especially likely to follow SRI strategies, and certain platforms like Twitter were more associated with SRI interest than others. These findings suggest that social media is not just a platform for sharing information; it may also shape how people think about investing and the role their money can play in making a societal difference. As online platforms continue to influence financial behavior, understanding their impact on values-based investing becomes increasingly important. This research contributes novel insights to the emerging intersection of social media, behavioral finance, and values-driven investing. Full article

This study investigates how climate-resilient city construction (CRCC) influences the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of Chinese listed firms, employing a difference-in-differences (DID) model with firm-year data from 2012 to 2023. The empirical results demonstrate that CRCC exerts a significant positive effect on firms’ ESG performance, with particularly pronounced improvements in the environmental and social dimensions. The mechanism analysis reveals that strengthening government environmental guidance and stimulating firms’ environmental response strategies are the key channels via which CRCC improves firms’ ESG performance. The heterogeneity tests show more pronounced effects for the central–eastern regions, state-owned firms, non-regulated industries, and non-heavily polluting sectors. A further analysis indicates that better ESG performance drives firms to increase their environmental investment, upgrade their value chains, and enhance new quality productive forces. This study extends the framework of ESG determinants by integrating climate adaptation policies, offering insights for urban climate governance and firms’ low-carbon transitions. Full article

In the current context, where environmental concerns are gaining increased attention, the transition toward sustainable urban mobility stands out as a necessary and responsible step. Technological advancements over the past decade have brought private autonomous vehicles, particularly those defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers Levels 4 and 5, into focus as promising solutions for mitigating road congestion and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the extent to which Autonomous Vehicles can fulfill this potential depends largely on user acceptance, patterns of use, and their integration within broader green energy and sustainability policies. The present paper aims to develop an integrated conceptual model that links behavioral determinants to environmental outcomes, assessing how individuals’ intention to adopt private autonomous vehicles can contribute to sustainable urban mobility. The model integrates five psychosocial determinants—perceived usefulness, trust in technology, social influence, environmental concern, and perceived behavioral control—with contextual variables such as energy source, infrastructure availability, and public policy. These components interact to predict users’ intention to adopt AVs and their perceived contribution to urban sustainability. Methodologically, the study builds on a narrative synthesis of the literature and proposes a framework applicable to empirical validation through structural equation modeling (SEM). The model draws on established frameworks such as Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Theory of Planned Behavior, and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, incorporating constructs including perceived usefulness, trust in technology, social influence, environmental concern, and perceived behavioral control, constructs later to be examined in relation to key contextual variables, including the energy source powering Autonomous Vehicles—such as electricity from mixed or renewable grids, hydrogen, or hybrid systems—and the broader policy environment (regulatory frameworks, infrastructure investment, fiscal incentives, and alignment with climate and mobility strategies and others). The research provides relevant directions for public policy and behavioral interventions in support of the development of clean and smart urban transport in the age of automation. Full article

Presenteeism, characterized by going to work sick, has become increasingly prevalent in nursing, a profession with high social and interpersonal demands. It is associated with a deterioration of the health of nurses, a reduction in the excellence of care, and a decrease in safety for users. Burnout is related to stress and mental overload and is characterized by exhaustion and fatigue. Objective: To map the evidence on the relationship between presenteeism and burnout in nurses. Methods: A literature review was carried out using the EBSCOHost Research search engine in various databases. Eight studies were selected and analyzed. Results: The studies identify a consistent relationship between burnout and presenteeism in nurses. Emotional exhaustion, resulting from burnout, can lead nurses to go to work despite being ill, due to a sense of responsibility, ethical duty, or organizational pressures. Most studies are cross-sectional, which limits the ability to establish causal relationships and identify specific interventions to reduce burnout-related presenteeism in nursing. Conclusions: It is essential to invest in health management policies for nurses to reduce burnout and minimize the consequences of presenteeism. Full article

This study investigates the yield-seeking behavior of income-oriented institutional investors, who are essential players in financial markets. While external pressures compelling firms to “reach for yield” are well-documented, the firm-level behavioral drivers underlying this phenomenon remain largely underexplored. Drawing on the behavioral theory of the firm, this study argues that an investor’s performance relative to their social aspiration level (the peer average) influences their yield-seeking decisions, and that this effect is moderated by “portfolio slack,” defined as unrealized gains or losses. To test this theory in the context of persistent low-yield pressure, this study constructs and analyzes a panel dataset of Japanese life insurance companies from 2000 to 2019. The analysis reveals that these investors increase their portfolio income yield after underperforming their peers and decrease it after outperforming. Furthermore, greater portfolio slack amplifies yield increases after underperformance and mitigates yield decreases after outperformance. In contrast, organizational slack primarily mitigates yield reductions after outperformance. This research extends the behavioral theory of the firm to the asset management context by identifying distinct performance feedback responses and proposing portfolio slack as an important analytical construct, thereby offering key insights for investment managers and financial regulators. Full article

This study analyzes the integration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and 15 (Life on Land) into the tourism development strategies of Lago Agrio Canton, Sucumbíos Province, Ecuador. The main objective is to assess how tourism can serve as a driver for sustainable infrastructure development, environmental conservation, and inclusive local growth, in alignment with the 2030 Agenda. A qualitative methodology was adopted, involving documentary analysis with exploratory and descriptive scopes. The sources included national development plans, regional policy frameworks, institutional reports, and the relevant academic literature. This study employed territorial indicators related to infrastructure quality, ecosystem protection, and stakeholder participation to evaluate SDG alignment. The results highlight that sustainable tourism practices—particularly those incorporating corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship—can stimulate innovation and enhance resilience in underdeveloped territories. Wetlands and forested areas emerge as key natural assets with strong potential for ecological tourism and sustainable investment. The findings suggest that collaborative actions between the public and private sectors, guided by SDGs 9 and 15, can generate long-term benefits, including biodiversity preservation, improved service infrastructure, and economic inclusion for local communities. Overall, the research underscores the potential of sustainable tourism as a practical mechanism for localizing the SDGs in fragile yet high-value ecological regions. Full article