Search Results (41)

This study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Consumption Values through a mixed-methods approach (structured interview and structural equation model) to investigate cross-platform disposal behaviors for idle clothing on social media and second-hand platform ecosystems. The study reconstructs traditional theoretical variables: psychological motivation dimension (platform-enabled green attitude, social circle environmental demonstration, and cross-platform behavioral control) and perceived value dimension (functional integration value perception, socialized emotional empowerment, and community identity value). Key findings: Cross-platform behavioral control is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention. In the value dimension, emotional value has the strongest direct impact on disposal intentions, functional integration is key to enhancing behavioral control, and community identity value most significantly impacts the platform-enabled green attitude and the social circle environmental demonstration. Finally, proposing a governance framework of “technological empowerment–emotional resonance–identity motivation”, offering theoretical foundations for optimizing platform interoperability and formulating digital environmental policies. Full article

Cybersecurity represents a critical challenge for data-sharing platforms involving multiple stakeholders, particularly within complex and decentralized systems such as livestock supply chain networks. These systems demand novel approaches, robust security protocols, and advanced data management strategies to address key challenges such as data consistency, transparency, ownership, controlled access or exposure, and privacy-preserving analytics for value-added services. In this paper, we introduced the Framework for Livestock Empowerment and Decentralized Secure Data eXchange (FLEX), as a comprehensive solution grounded on five core design principles: (i) enhanced security and privacy, (ii) human-centric approach, (iii) decentralized and trusted infrastructure, (iv) system resilience, and (v) seamless collaboration across the supply chain. FLEX integrates interdisciplinary innovations, leveraging decentralized infrastructure-based protocols to ensure trust, traceability, and integrity. It employs secure data-sharing protocols and cryptographic techniques to enable controlled information exchange with authorized entities. Additionally, the use of data anonymization techniques ensures privacy. FLEX is designed and implemented using a microservices architecture and edge computing to support modularity and scalable deployment. These components collectively serve as a foundational pillar of the development of a digital product passport. The FLEX architecture adopts a layered design and incorporates robust security controls to mitigate threats identified using the STRIDE threat modeling framework. The evaluation results demonstrate the framework’s effectiveness in countering well-known cyberattacks while fulfilling its intended objectives. The performance evaluation of the implementation further validates its feasibility and stability, particularly as the volume of evidence associated with animal identities increases. All the infrastructure components, along with detailed deployment instructions, are publicly available as open-source libraries on GitHub, promoting transparency and community-driven development for wider public benefit. Full article

This paper examines how Marley Dias’ activism on Instagram promotes racial justice, Black feminist thought, and youth mobilization through digital storytelling, representation, and audience engagement. Using a mixed-methods analysis of 744 posts published between 2016 and 2025, the study combined critical thematic coding, temporal mapping, and engagement metrics to analyze the discursive and emotional strategies behind Dias’ activism. Five key themes were identified as central to her activist work: diversity in literature, lack girl empowerment, racial justice, Black representation, and educational advocacy. The findings reveal that Dias strategically tailors her messages to suit Instagram’s unique features, using carousels and videos to enhance visibility, foster intimacy, and provide depth in education. Posts that focused on identity, aesthetics, and empowerment garnered the highest levels of engagement, while posts that concentrated on structural issues received lower, yet still significant, interaction. The paper argues that Dias’ Instagram account serves as a dynamic platform for youth-led Black feminist resistance, where cultural production, civic education, and emotional impact converge. This case underscores the political potential of digital literacies and encourages a reconsideration of how youth-driven digital activism is reshaping contemporary public discourse, agency, and knowledge production in the social media age. Full article

Upgrading the industrial structure is an essential step for economic growth and the transformation of old and new development drivers. Counties situated at the rural–urban interface hold a comparative advantage in industrial upgrading compared to cities, converting agricultural resource dividends into economic value. However, whether agricultural innovation talent can facilitate this process requires further investigation. Based on a sample of 1771 Chinese counties, this study employs a quasi-natural experiment using China’s “World-Class Disciplines” construction program in agriculture and establishes a difference-in-differences (DID) model to examine the impact of agricultural innovation talent on county-level industrial structure upgrading. The results show that agricultural innovation talent significantly promotes industrial upgrading, with this effect being more pronounced in counties with smaller urban–rural income gaps, greater household savings, and higher levels of industrial sophistication. Spatial spillover effects are also evident, indicating regional knowledge diffusion. Knowledge empowerment emerges as the core mechanism: agricultural innovation talent drives industrial convergence, responds to supply–demand dynamics, and integrates digital and intelligent elements through knowledge creation, dissemination, and application, thereby supporting county-level industrial upgrading. The findings highlight the necessity of establishing world-class agricultural research and talent incubation platforms, particularly emphasizing the supportive role of universities and the knowledge-driven contributions of agricultural innovation talents to county development. Full article

Against the backdrop of China’s urban transformation from incremental expansion to stock regeneration, community regeneration has emerged as a critical mechanism for enhancing urban governance efficacy. As fundamental units of urban systems, the regeneration of communities requires comprehensive approaches to address complex socio-spatial challenges, with public participation serving as the core driver for achieving sustainable renewal goals. However, significant regional disparities persist in the effectiveness of public participation across China, necessitating the systematic institutionalization of participatory practices. Guangzhou, as a pioneering city in institutional innovation and the practical exploration of urban regeneration, provides a representative case for examining the evolutionary trajectory of participatory planning. This research employs Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation theory, utilizing literature analysis and comparative case studies to investigate the evolution of participatory mechanisms in Guangzhou’s community regeneration over four decades. The study systematically examined the transformation of public engagement models across multiple dimensions, including organizational frameworks of participation, participatory effectiveness, diversified financing models, and the innovation of policy instruments. Three paradigm shifts were identified: the (1) transition of participants from “passive responders” to “active constructors”, (2) advancement of engagement phases from “fragmented intervention” to “whole-cycle empowerment”, and (3) evolution of participation methods from “unidirectional communication” to “collaborative co-governance”. It identifies four drivers of participatory effectiveness: policy frameworks, financing mechanisms, mediator cultivation, and engagement platforms. To enhance public engagement efficacy, the research proposes the following: (1) a resilient policy adaptation mechanism enabling dynamic responses to multi-stakeholder demands, (2) a diversified financing framework establishing a “government guidance + market operation + resident contribution” cost-sharing model, (3) a professional support system integrating “localization + specialization” capacities, and (4) enhanced digital empowerment and institutional innovation in participatory platform development. These mechanisms collectively form an evolutionary pathway from “symbolic participation” to “substantive co-creation” in urban regeneration governance. Full article

The accelerated penetration of digital technology into natural ecosystems has led to the digital transformation of forest ecological spaces. Smart forestry, as a key pathway for digital-intelligence-enabled ecological governance, plays an important role in global sustainable development and multi-level governance. However, due to differences in functional positioning, resource capacity, and policy translation mechanisms, semantic shifts and disconnections arise between central policies, local policies, and practical implementation, thereby affecting policy execution and governance effectiveness. Fujian Province has been identified as a key pilot region for smart forestry practices in China, owing to its early adoption of informatization strategies and distinctive ecological conditions. This study employed the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling method to construct a corpus of smart forestry texts, including central policies, local policies, and local media reports from 2010 to 2025. Seven potential themes were identified and categorized into three overarching dimensions: technological empowerment, governance mechanisms, and ecological goals. The results show that central policies emphasize macro strategy and ecological security, local policies focus on platform construction and governance coordination, and local practice features digital innovation and ecological value transformation. Three transmission paths are summarized to support smart forestry policy optimization and inform digital ecological governance globally. Full article

The Industry–Finance Collaboration Pilot (IFCP) integrates governmental green guidance with digital collaboration platforms to promote non-equity-based cooperation between industrial and financial sectors. Using a Difference-in-Differences (DID) approach and a sample of A-share listed industrial firms on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2011 to 2023, this study examines the IFCP’s impact on corporate green innovation (GI). Results show that the IFCP increases the number of green patent applications by 7.5% on average, indicating its effect in stimulating GI. This effect operates through two main mechanisms. First, under governmental green guidance, the IFCP encourages local green fiscal subsidies, increases green investor participation, improves environmental information disclosure, and lowers agency costs. Second, through digital finance empowerment, it mitigates information asymmetry and transaction costs in financial activities, thereby reducing credit costs and enhancing firms’ access to green credit. The effect of the IFCP on GI is more pronounced in regions with stricter environmental regulation, in pollution-intensive industries, and among firms with smaller asset sizes. Further analysis indicates that the IFCP primarily stimulates tactical, low-value GI driven by compliance or opportunistic motives, rather than promoting substantive, high-quality innovation. This study provides empirical evidence and policy insights into how governmental green guidance and digital finance empowerment can jointly promote green industrial development. Full article

The aim of this paper is to clarify the influence mechanism and role paths of the entrepreneurial behavior of the underclass groups (EBUG) involved in urbanization from a microcosmic perspective and propose sustainable development paths for the transition of underclass groups’ entrepreneurship from the subsistence type to the opportunistic type. Based on the theories of planned behavior, the entrepreneurial event model, and social cognitive theory, this study constructs a theoretical framework of “intention–situation–behavior” of the EBUG involved in urbanization. Through a questionnaire survey conducted in three major urban agglomerations in Zhejiang Province, the theoretical model is validated by using structural equation modeling (SEM). On the one hand, perceived desirability, perceived feasibility, and land expropriation all have a significant positive influence on entrepreneurial behavior. On the other hand, land expropriation has a significant moderating effect on entrepreneurial intentions and behaviors. When the moderating role of land expropriation is not considered, underclass groups are more likely to engage in opportunistic-type entrepreneurship, which is primarily driven by perceived desirability such as achievement motivation and innovation orientation. In contrast, when land expropriation is considered, these groups tend to focus on survival entrepreneurship, which is mainly influenced by perceived feasibility factors such as social capital and market opportunities. The future survival and development of underclass groups is contingent upon urbanization, with the potential to influence the stability and sustainable development of society. The government should enhance the underclass groups’ perceived desirability through skill conversion, financial innovation, and digital empowerment; improve their perceived feasibility through the entrepreneurial resilience-building platform and the “Village Sage Mentorship System”; and refine the land expropriation policy by means of the securitization of collective assets, the multifunctional utilization of rural homesteads, and the cultivation of localized new business formats. By doing so, it can promote the transformation of the underclass groups’ entrepreneurship from the “subsistence type” to the “opportunistic type”. Full article

Against the backdrop of the global digital wave and the “dual carbon” goals, the coordinated development of new-quality productivity and digital transformation has emerged as a critical engine for high-quality economic growth. This study constructs an evaluation system for new-quality productivity incorporating 20 indicators, including green innovation and digital infrastructure, and a 17-indicator system for digital transformation. Using the entropy method, modified coupling coordination model, and Dagum Gini coefficient, the spatiotemporal coupling characteristics of 31 provinces in China from 2011 to 2023 are systematically analyzed. The findings reveal a gradient distribution of coupling coordination degree, with higher levels in the East and lower in the West. The Eastern region forms a “technology-ecology” dual-driven model through digital innovation and environmental protection investment, while Central and Western regions face dual constraints of lagging digital infrastructure and insufficient pollution control capacity. Difference decomposition shows that inter-regional disparities contribute 64–70% to overall differences, with green technology innovation and digital infrastructure efficiency identified as core influencing factors. This study proposes a differentiated coordination mechanism of “eastern leadership-central rise-western revitalization”, aiming to promote a sustainable development pattern integrating digital empowerment and ecological protection through improving cross-regional digital infrastructure networks, innovating market-based factor allocation, and establishing green technology sharing platforms. Full article

The present study explores the emerging role of “public affairs live streamers” on the short video platform Kuaishou, examining how these individuals have evolved into new forms of rural elites, expanding opportunities for civic participation and rural governance in China. Through content analysis and case studies, the research identifies six key themes central to the streamers’ discourse: land and property issues, financial aid and subsidies, policy and governance, advocacy for the public, educational outreach, and customs. These themes underscore their role as rural knowledge elites who bridge the gap between the government and rural residents through digital platforms. The study further examines the mechanisms behind the emergence of “public affairs live streamers”. Empowered by the platform, these streamers effectively convert their cultural capital into online social capital, which may then be partially transformed into offline social influence and economic returns. However, their empowerment is constrained by the platform’s algorithm distribution mechanisms and opaque content regulation, making the conversion of capital unstable, traffic-dependent, and challenging to sustain. Linking to the broader socio-political landscape, the study delves into the empowering role of “public affairs live streamers” in society. These online rural elites blend knowledge with digital skills to facilitate public engagement and inspire civic awareness in rural areas through their activities. Nonetheless, their contribution to rural governance and civilization is often limited to informal mediation and emotional expression, with limited capacity to foster rational discourse or deeper improvements in rural governance. Overall, this study contextualizes the rise of rural elites within China’s rapid technological and rural development, offering a fresh perspective on how digital media can supplement governance strategies and enhance grassroots’ civic participation. Based on this analysis, the study proposes recommendations for improving platform governance and integrating public affairs streamers into broader participatory frameworks, thereby stabilizing their empowering effects and promoting sustainable rural governance. Full article

The acquisition, integration, and exchange of digital technologies considerably contribute to the improvement of corporate innovation quality, as autonomous vehicles are a complex amalgamation of multiple industrial chains. In order to address the intense global competition in the autonomous vehicles industry and help China’s enterprises establish a prominent position in technological innovation, this study innovatively integrates the concepts of digital empowerment, digital platform capabilities, and boundary-spanning search into a cohesive framework, examines the pathways of influence, and methodically builds a multiple-chain mediation model. It employs various quantitative models, such as reliability and validity testing, confirmatory factor analysis, common method bias testing, mediation effect analysis, and robustness testing. The study focuses on over a hundred companies related to autonomous vehicles in China, employing software such as SPSS26.0, AMOS26.0, PROCESS4.0, and MPLUS8.3 to conduct this analysis. The findings indicate that digital empowerment is a critical factor in the improvement of innovation quality within autonomous vehicle companies. The relationship between digital empowerment and innovation quality is partially mediated by digital platform capabilities, and the boundary-spanning search also functions as a partial intermediary. Additionally, the quality of innovation and digital empowerment are mediated by the boundary-spanning search and the capabilities of digital platforms. The results of this study provide valuable insights on how to accurately empower the high-quality development of the autonomous vehicle sector with digital technologies, revealing new perspectives on the innovation quality enhancement pathways for autonomous vehicle companies in China, offering pivotal insights amidst the escalating competition within the global autonomous vehicle sector. Full article

This study explored the role of digital platforms in shaping gender dynamics within Christian religious leadership in Nigeria. Historically, religious leadership in Nigerian Christianity has been predominantly male-dominated, with women often relegated to subordinate roles despite their significant contributions as preachers, healers, and founders. The advent of digital platforms has introduced a new paradigm, offering both male and female leaders with avenues to expand their communication, authority, and influence. Utilizing mediatization theory, this research investigated how online spaces allow women to bypass traditional patriarchal structures, engage broader audiences, and influence religious narratives. Through in-depth interviews with twenty religious leaders across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and comment analysis from online community interactions, the study identified eight main themes that reveal the complex interactions between gender, authority, and influence in both digital and offline contexts. The findings suggest that while digital platforms provide women with increased visibility and opportunities, male leaders retain a higher level of authority and reach, even in online spaces. The study highlights the dual nature of digital media as both liberating and limiting for female leaders, presenting an environment where empowerment coexists with persistent gendered expectations. This research contributes to understanding how digital platforms impact gendered access to religious authority, revealing the ongoing struggle for gender equality within Christian leadership in Nigeria. Full article

Tourism development should be economically viable, environmentally responsible, and aligned with community goals. Participation in decision-making ensures that community values are reflected in sustainable tourism guidelines. Traditional methods of public engagement in tourism planning include public meetings, focus groups, and interviews, as outlined in the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) framework, which ranges from education to empowerment. However, the rise of information technology and digital platforms has brought about new participatory channels, such as Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGISs), which use geospatial technologies to improve decision-making. This paper investigates the use of PPGISs in the tourism industry based on a thorough review of peer-reviewed literature from 2000 to 2024. By examining the use of PPGISs in tourism, the study identifies common characteristics and the scope of existing research, emphasizing how PPGISs can be applied across various tourism sectors. The study discovered that PPGIS is a credible alternative to traditional public participation methods and provides useful insights into residents’ perspectives on tourism-related issues. This study contributes to the tourism field by thoroughly understanding PPGIS applications, proposing future research strategies, and suggesting how these technologies can enhance public engagement and decision-making in tourism planning. Full article

Purpose: It is difficult for small- and medium-sized enterprises to modify themselves to achieve digital transformation; a digital empowerment platform can help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to digitalize. Therefore, it is of great significance to identify the key factors of the development of logarithmic words. Design: This study first uses the ISM method to establish a network of influencing factors, identifies key factors from the perspectives of network structure and enterprise competitive advantage, and finally conducts a comprehensive analysis using a six-quadrant matrix. Findings: Capital, talent, and data collection and analysis technology are key factors driving the development of digital empowerment platforms. Standards, accurate and continuous industry information, and efficient and sustained co-operation with empowered industry enterprises and research institutions are key factors in establishing a sustained competitive advantage. This study proposes two development paths for enterprises and two policy recommendations. Originality: (1) The history of digital empowerment platform enterprises is relatively short, and there are relatively few studies on the influencing factors of its development. (2) By employing mathematical network analysis and competitive advantage analysis methods and comprehensively analyzing key factors, this study innovates the multi-factor evaluation method. Full article

Citizen participation is key in urban planning, but traditional methods are often limited in terms of accessibility and inclusion. This study investigates how the use of emerging technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), Digital Twin (DT), Building Information Modelling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can enhance citizen participation in urban planning. Through the review and analysis of existing literature, combined with the study of cases from cities in Eurasia and North America on the implementation of these technologies in urban and environmental planning, the results indicate that the use of multi-reality technologies facilitates immersive visualization of urban projects, allowing citizens to better understand the implications of proposed changes. Furthermore, the integration of real-time monitoring, such as forest and climate surveillance, improves environmental control. Technologies like AI and GIS also enable greater precision and empowerment in participatory decision-making. Nevertheless, the emergence of these technologies presents a challenge that must be addressed, as it is essential to establish a regulatory framework to ensure their responsible use. In conclusion, these platforms not only increase participation and co-creation but also enable more efficient, sustainable, and inclusive urban planning. Greater adoption of these technologies is suggested to optimize the urban decision-making process. Full article