Search Results (188)

Promoting synergistic economic–resource–environmental development in resource-based cities (RBCs) is a fundamental requirement for ensuring national energy security and advancing regional sustainable and coordinated development. This study innovatively proposes the theoretical framework of “green transformation resilience (GTR)” based on evolutionary resilience theory, and then empirically explores the GTR of 114 RBCs in China from the perspective of urban development stages using multiple data models. The findings indicate that the GTR demonstrated an overall upward trend, though it remained at a consistently low level. Regenerative RBCs exhibited the highest GTR levels. GTR exhibits an uneven spatial distribution, primarily caused by super-variation density. The factor detection results indicate that factors such as government intervention, income level, and human capital have strong explanatory power for the spatial variation of GTR. Interaction analysis confirmed the significant nonlinear enhancement or bivariate enhancement of all pairs of factors. This study provides a basis for the differentiated development paths of GTR in China’s RBCs. Moreover, through factor interaction testing, it also offers guidance on policy combinations and prioritization for RBCs in different development stages. Full article

In an era where economies increasingly rely on knowledge and innovation, sustaining long-term growth depends on understanding how education drives productivity beyond conventional measures. Yet, existing studies on the education–growth nexus remain fragmented, often focusing narrowly on schooling attainment while overlooking the complementary roles of lifelong learning and public investment in human capital. Addressing this critical gap, the present study adopts a multidimensional approach to evaluate how educational attainment, adult learning participation, and government expenditure on education collectively shape economic performance across the 27 European Union (EU) member states. Drawing on an unbalanced Eurostat panel dataset (2013–2022), the study employs a fixed-effects regression model with White cross-section robust standard errors to account for heteroskedasticity and serial correlation. The empirical results reveal that all three educational dimensions exert positive and statistically significant effects on GDP, with government educational expenditure emerging as the most influential driver, followed by adult learning participation, underscoring the transformative role of continuous skill renewal in dynamic labor markets. These findings advance Human Capital Theory by framing education not merely as an individual asset but as an interactive, systemic driver of national productivity and resilience. The study offers actionable insights for policymakers, calling for integrated strategies that align formal education, lifelong learning systems, and sustained public investment to foster inclusive, knowledge-driven, and sustainable economic growth across the EU. Full article

Following and imitating others’ digital innovation decisions is not always grounded in rational judgment; it may also arise from blind conformity, reflecting a “herding behavior”. Drawing on a panel dataset of Chinese listed firms from 2010 to 2022, this study takes firms in the same industry as the reference group to investigate the existence, driving mechanisms, and economic consequences of corporate digital innovation convergence. The findings show that both breakthrough and incremental digital innovation exhibit convergence at the firm level and are jointly driven by information transmission, market competition, and resource dependence. However, the economic consequences of these two types of innovation convergence differ significantly. The convergence of breakthrough digital innovation enhances firms’ total factor productivity, return on equity, and capital market value, representing a positive peer effect, whereas the convergence of incremental digital innovation weakens these core indicators, reflecting a herding behavior. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that breakthrough digital innovation convergence is more pronounced in regions with stronger intellectual property protection and in industries with higher technology intensity, while incremental digital innovation convergence is more pronounced among private firms and in industries with lower technology intensity. Our findings provide valuable insights into the interactive dynamics of corporate digital innovation decisions and carry important implications for both theory and practice. Full article

This article investigates how Web3 decentralization unfolds in practice and asks two guiding questions: (i) How democratic are decentralized governance systems in practice? (ii) Under what institutional conditions can technological decentralization translate into social inclusion? Based on multi-year ethnographic fieldwork (2022–2025) across Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., Europe, and the Global South, this study draws on participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and comparative analysis of seven ecosystems—Ethereum, MakerDAO, Uniswap, Mastodon, Celo, Grassroots Economics, and GoodDollar. The findings show that participation asymmetries are structural: token-based governance is dominated by a small group of technically skilled or capital-rich actors, while voter turnout often remains below ten percent. Intermediaries such as foundations, developers, NGOs, and cooperatives are indispensable for coordination, contradicting the idea of hierarchy-free decentralization. In contrast, projects that institutionalize clear membership, monitoring, and accountability—particularly in cooperative and federated settings—display stronger democratic resilience. Comparative evidence also reveals oligarchic consolidation in Global North ecosystems and infrastructural exclusion in the Global South. These results substantiate what Richard R. Nelson termed “the Moon and the Ghetto” paradox: extraordinary technical innovation without corresponding social progress. Interpreted through innovation systems theory, the study concludes that advancing decentralized technologies requires parallel investment in mission-oriented institutions that ensure participation, equity, and accountability in digital infrastructures. Full article

Gender equality and sustainability remain critical global agendas emphasized in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015. Women entrepreneurs in emerging economies, despite facing structural constraints, hold strategic potential to advance inclusive and sustainable growth. Building on this context, the present study develops and empirically tests an integrative framework that explains how gendered entrepreneurial cognition (GEC) influences sustainable performance (SP) through the mediating roles of women’s intellectual capital (WIC) and women’s social capital (WSC). A sequential explanatory mixed-method design was employed, combining survey data from 653 women entrepreneurs with in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Quantitative results demonstrate that GEC significantly enhances WIC and WSC, which in turn strengthen SP, while the direct effect of GEC on SP is weaker. Qualitative insights reinforce these findings by revealing how women mobilize adaptive knowledge, experiential learning, and trust-based networks to achieve economic, social, and environmental objectives. Theoretically, this study advances an innovative multitheoretical integration of the resource-based view, knowledge-based view, and social capital theory, positioning GEC as a gendered cognitive microfoundation for the creation of intangible resources. Practically, the findings highlight that strengthening women’s entrepreneurial capital—represented by the synergy of WIC and WSC—is crucial for enhancing resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability among women-led SMEs in emerging economies. Overall, this study contributes novel evidence from Indonesia by demonstrating that women’s cognition, knowledge, and social networks operate as interconnected pathways toward sustainable entrepreneurial performance. Full article

Digitization and innovation supported by various innovation systems have become key factors in the sustainable development of companies, countries (including UE countries), and the economy as a whole. The primary objective of this study is to explore the interconnections between the perspectives of the Quintuple Helix model and digitalization as a comprehensive innovation system supporting digitalization in EU countries. The study is grounded in the innovation systems theory, specifically employing the Quintuple Helix Model as a comprehensive framework, and addresses the challenge of digital divide across the EU. The research was conducted using K-means cluster analysis to identify homogeneous groups of countries within the EU. Subsequently, correlation analysis was applied to identify statistically significant relationships between the individual variables examined within the Quintuple Helix model and digitization within EU countries. Based on the results, we identified four distinct clusters of EU countries characterized by different degrees of digitization, governance, and intellectual Capital. It was found that countries with the highest level of digitization are also characterized by the highest levels of governance and intellectual Capital. Correlation analysis confirmed a strong interconnection between the examined perspectives of the Quintuple Helix model and their relationship with digitization. Full article

This paper addresses the core issue of the imbalance between supply and demand for high-level medical–engineering integration talents under the “Healthy China” strategy in the AI+ era. Based on human capital theory and innovation capital theory, it constructs a six-dimensional collaborative theoretical model for the cultivation of medical–engineering integration postgraduates, driven by high-quality employment and guided by innovative financial capital. This model breaks through the disciplinary barriers and institutional constraints of traditional postgraduate education and for the first time creates a knowledge graph curriculum system for medical–engineering interdisciplinary studies. It also establishes a multi-dimensional evaluation index system that integrates the appreciation of innovation capital and the premium of human capital. Through the case of the six-dimensional collaborative research and development and transformation of intelligent medical equipment by our research group, the feasibility and promotion value of this new paradigm for future postgraduate education have been fully verified. Full article

The digital economy is significantly transforming the global economic environment and has emerged as the primary driver behind China’s high-quality development. The comprehensive melding of the cultural and tourism sectors (CTI) serves as a strategic approach to boost regional competitiveness and enhance public welfare. This study investigates the mechanisms and boundary conditions through which the growth of the digital economy across China’s 31 provinces from 2011 to 2023 impacts CTI, aiming to address existing research gaps related to micro-level transmission mechanisms and the analysis of contextual variables. Utilizing a two-way fixed-effects moderated mediation model complemented by instrumental variable (IV-2SLS) regression for testing endogeneity, the research uncovers intricate interactions among the digital economy, CTI, and significant influencing factors. The results strongly suggest that advancements in the digital economy substantially facilitate the integration of cultural and tourism sectors. This beneficial effect is partially mediated through two primary channels: the construction of new infrastructure and enhancements in employment quality, underscoring the critical role of both material and human capital in digital empowerment. Significantly, this research uniquely identifies that new quality productive forces (NQP) have a notable negative moderating impact on the link between the digital economy and cultural–tourism integration. This indicates that in provinces exhibiting high levels of NQP, the positive influence of the digital economy on cultural–tourism integration is considerably diminished. This unexpected finding can be interpreted through mechanisms such as resource dilution, varied integration pathways or maturity effects, along with differences in developmental stages and priorities. Furthermore, it resonates well with the resource-based view, innovation ecosystem theory, and dynamic capability theory. Instrumental variable regression further substantiates the notable positive influence of the digital economy on the integration of cultural tourism. This approach effectively tackles potential endogeneity concerns and reveals the upward bias that may exist in fixed-effects models. The findings contribute significantly to theoretical frameworks by enhancing the understanding of the intricate mechanisms facilitating the digital economy and, for the first time, innovatively designating NQP as a surprising key boundary condition. This enriches theories related to industrial advancement and resource allocation in the digital age. On a practical note, the research provides nuanced and differentiated policy guidance aimed at optimizing pathways for integration across various Chinese provinces at different stages of development. Additionally, it underscores significant implications for other developing nations engaged in digital tourism growth, thereby improving its global relevance. Full article

This study explores the convergence in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and its determinants across 38 OECD countries during the period 1996–2022, employing the novel approach which combined club convergence method with supervised machine learning algorithm Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method. The findings reveal the presence of three distinct convergence clubs shaped by structural economic and institutional characteristics. Club 1 exhibits low energy efficiency, high fossil fuel dependence, and weak governance structures; Club 2 features strong institutional quality, advanced human capital, and effective environmental taxation; and Club 3 displays heterogeneous energy profiles but converges through socio-economic foundations. While traditional growth-related drivers such as technological innovation, foreign direct investments, and GDP growth play a limited role in explaining emission convergence, energy structures, institutional and policy-related factors emerge as key determinants. These findings highlight the limitations of one-size-fits-all climate policy frameworks and call for a more nuanced, club-specific approach to emission mitigation strategies. By combining convergence theory with interpretable machine learning, this study contributes a novel empirical framework to assess the differentiated effectiveness of environmental policies across heterogeneous country groups, offering actionable insights for international climate governance and targeted policy design. Full article

Sustainable tourism development has emerged as a strategic priority across ASEAN countries, yet the role of green innovation and environmentally responsible investment in shaping tourism outcomes remains underexplored. Existing studies often overlook the spatial interdependencies that characterize regional integration and cross-border environmental dynamics. This study investigates how green patents and green foreign direct investment (FDI) influence sustainable tourism development, both within and across ASEAN nations. Drawing on endogenous growth theory, ecological modernization, and FDI spillover frameworks, the analysis employs a Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) using panel data from 2000 to 2023. The findings reveal that green innovation and green FDI significantly enhance tourism development, with notable spatial spillover effects that benefit neighboring countries. These effects are most pronounced in leading ASEAN economies, where institutional capacity and absorptive readiness amplify the impact of green practices. The relationship is further shaped by economic growth, human capital, and political stability, while environmental degradation and inflation pose constraints. The study underscores the nonlinear and regionally heterogeneous nature of green tourism development, offering policy insights for fostering inclusive, resilient, and environmentally sustainable tourism strategies across ASEAN. Full article

The Building Houses on Rented Land Model (BHRLM) was a pivotal land development model that drove Shanghai’s urbanization in the early modern era. This research examines the spatial generative mechanism of the Prepaid Building Houses on Rented Land Model (PBHRLM), prevalent during 1938–1941. It reveals how the wartime economic environment enabled interest alliances constituted with developers, landowners, and tenants to stimulate urban spatial growth. Firstly, we aim to analyze the features of architectural types linked to the PBHRLM using data-driven methods. Secondly, we aim to apply financial capital theory to investigate the innovations of financing methods. Finally, we draw on speculation theory to establish connections between the features of architectural types and the innovations of financing methods. The results include the following: (1) The PBHRLM’s dominant architectural types—new-styled lane houses, semi-shikumen lane houses, and garden houses—shared low-rise, high-density spatial features. (2) The PBHRLM’s innovations of financing methods lie in its convergence of financing and profitability, reflecting developers’ speculative intent. The research concludes that the PBHRLM operated as a spatial actuarial practice. Through risk games, the developers utilized the model to liberate land development from the control of financial capital and achieved multi-stakeholder synergy, generating small-scale, dispersed land development patterns. At the same time, surging housing demand thus perpetuated architectural types catering to the middle class with low-rise, low-tech tectonics and independent dwelling styles that continued to densely populate Shanghai concessions. Full article

This study examines stakeholder perspectives regarding the feasibility, benefits, and challenges associated with the development of multipurpose shipyards that encompass shipbuilding, repair, and recycling within Indonesia’s maritime industry. A convergent mixed-methods approach was utilised to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 37 stakeholders, including managers, employees, shipowners, regulators, subcontractors, academics, and community representatives. The Stakeholder Salience Model and Diffusion of Innovations theory provided the integrated statistical and thematic analysis. Results indicated significant stakeholder support (97.3%) for multipurpose shipyards, with 81.1% expressing positive perceptions and 16.2% very positive perceptions. Results indicate that ship repair (97.3%) and shipbuilding (86.5%) are seen as critical activities, with 59.5% of respondents highlighting the importance of ship recycling. The advantages of the multipurpose yard concept for Indonesia included improved operational efficiency (70.2%), increased market competitiveness (54.1%) and job creation (91.9%). Major challenges identified include technical complexities (62.2%), regulatory ambiguities (45.9%), substantial capital investment (43.2%), and skill shortages (40.5%). The study suggests improvements in governmental regulations, financial support for businesses, and training for the workforce. Phased implementation and stakeholder collaboration can align economic, environmental, and safety objectives, potentially decreasing Indonesia’s dependence on foreign shipping services. This study integrates stakeholder theory with innovation diffusion, providing replicable insights for sustainable practices in shipyards within archipelagic economies like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, where similar geographic and infrastructure challenges shape the maritime industries. Full article

Smallholder farmers, key actors in agri-food supply chains, still face persistent challenges in applying sustainability strategies due to limited resources, context variability, and weak-performance monitoring systems. Their multidimensional needs, across economic, environmental, and social domains, are frequently inadequately captured by traditional key performance indicators (KPIs). This paper proposes an innovative framework to prioritize KPIs tailored to smallholders by integrating a multi-capital approach with expert-based and contradiction-resolving methods. A five-phase methodology is developed that combines Multi-Expert Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment (FQFD) and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). Expert input and field data identified 30 KPIs, narrowed to 19 via a capital-constrained algorithm; TRIZ resolved key contradictions like global warming versus land use efficiency. Expert input and field data are used to identify the sustainability capitals and KPIs, which are then ranked using FQFD and filtered using a capital-constrained algorithm. TRIZ is then used to address contradictions between indicators. Applied to a case study, the framework successfully identified a ranked, coherent set of sustainability KPIs. The sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of the prioritization. TRIZ offered innovative solutions to trade-offs between key indicators (such as environmental impact versus productivity). This is the first known integration of FQFD and TRIZ in sustainability KPIs for smallholders. This approach is adaptable and replicable within similar agricultural contexts, thereby allowing informed and context-sensitive planning for sustainability. It provides actionable insights to guide smallholder-focused agricultural policies globally. Full article

This study examines how Batik Ciprat functions as a vehicle for inclusive creative tourism in Karangpatihan Village, Indonesia, whereby individuals with intellectual disabilities contribute to a socially impactful rural tourism model. Grounded in social capital theory, we analyse how trust, social networks, and inclusive norms enable empowerment and help establish a distinctive, inclusion-oriented tourism identity. Using a qualitatively led mixed-methods (sequential exploratory) design with partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), we identify key pathways through which art-based entrepreneurship supports village branding and visitor engagement. Our findings indicate that when social innovation is embedded in cultural tourism, it catalyses local pride, participation, and quality of life gains. The study contributes to debates on inclusive/accessible tourism, demonstrating that creative industries can act as engines of equitable, community-based development in rural settings. Full article

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often face severe resource constraints and operational fragility during crises. However, little is known about how managerial resilience (MR) translates into performance through time-related psychological resources and innovation—two capabilities that are both scarce and critical under such conditions. Drawing on Temporal Motivation Theory (TMT), this study develops and tests a dual-mediation model in which employee temporal psychological capital (TPC) and employee innovative behavior (EIB) transmit the effects of MR on performance. As a core methodological innovation, we adopt a multi-method analytical strategy to provide robust and complementary evidence rather than a hierarchy of results: Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to examine sufficiency-based causal pathways and quantify the mediating mechanisms; Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification offers a non-parametric predictive validation of how MR and its mediators distinguish high- and low-performance cases; and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) identifies non-compensatory conditions that must be present for high performance to occur. These three methods address different research questions—sufficiency, classification robustness, and necessity—therefore serving as parallel, equally important components of the analysis. A total of 455 SME managers and employees were surveyed, and results show that MR significantly enhances all three dimensions of TPC (temporal control, temporal fit, time pressure resilience) and EIB (idea generation, idea promotion, idea realization), which in turn improve employee performance. SVM classification confirms that high MR, strong TPC, and active innovation align with high performance, while NCA reveals temporal control, idea generation, and idea realization as necessary bottleneck conditions. By integrating sufficiency–necessity logic with predictive classification, our findings suggest that SMEs should prioritize leadership resilience training to strengthen managers’ adaptive capacity, while simultaneously implementing time management interventions—such as temporal control workshops, workload balancing, and innovation pipeline support—to enhance employees’ ability to align tasks with organizational timelines, execute ideas effectively, and sustain performance during crises. Full article