Search Results (117)

Temporary agency work (TAW) has expanded globally as organizations seek flexibility amid skill shortages and demand volatility. In 2015 the United Nations recognized ‘decent work’ as Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 8), emphasizing sustainable economic growth, fair employment opportunities accessible to all without discrimination, environmental responsibility, and social inclusiveness. This study examines why user organizations (clients) adopt TAW and how these drivers materialize in stakeholder practices that align—or fail to align—with SDG-8 dimensions of decent work. Within a qualitative-dominant, explanatory sequential mixed-methods case study, documentary and statistical analyses were combined with 19 semi-structured interviews across agencies, clients, agency workers, trade unions, and relevant authorities. Inductive thematic analysis identified seven demand-side driver categories and assessed their effects using the SDG-8 pillars as an analytical lens (employment creation, rights at work, social protection, social dialogue). Findings indicate that TAW is primarily deployed to buffer volatility and labour shortages, accelerate hiring, and shift HR administration and parts of risk to agencies, with limited integration of SDG-8–consistent practices. Three cross-cutting gaps emerged: (i) social dialogue is narrow and compliance-oriented, with little strategic focus on decent-work outcomes; (ii) agency-worker voice and representation are weak, and agencies are not consistently recognised as social partners; and (iii) social-sustainability efforts are sparse and ad hoc, with few structured measures for skill development, equal treatment, or clear conversion pathways, while environmentally friendly initiatives are almost completely absent. In Slovenia, TAW fills systemic labour gaps but remains weakly integrated with SDG-8 practices. The study links demand-side drivers to specific decent-work shortfalls and proposes a multi-level policy roadmap—regulatory, industry, TAW agency, and social-dialogue platforms—to advance progress toward social sustainability and environmental responsibility. Full article

The Trump administration signalled a shift toward protectionism in U.S. trade policy, imposing tariffs on imports from both strategic partners and competitors, which generated renewed uncertainty in international trade relations and the future of existing frameworks such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). Earlier analysis has shown that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the United States can be trade-creating and lead to improved macroeconomic outcomes in SACU countries. However, these positive effects decline over time, with varying impacts across different industries, influenced by initial tariff levels and export orientation relative to the US. This paper examines whether there are economic and strategic incentives for SACU to negotiate a more beneficial agreement than a simple across-the-board elimination of ad valorem import tariffs. Using a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, the paper examines the outcomes if cereals, poultry, dairy products, red meat, and sugar products—often classified as sensitive due to their labour intensity, food security implications, and exposure to import competition—were to retain some level of protection under a SACU–US Free Trade Agreement. The results suggest that while the FTA boosts key macroeconomic indicators in the short run, gains taper off over time. Crucially, real wages and employment remain stagnant, and terms of trade deteriorate, raising questions about the inclusivity and sustainability of such a deal. Shielding vulnerable sectors initially enhances SACU’s exports and supports some industry growth, particularly in agriculture. However, without broader reforms and export diversification, long-term competitiveness remains weak. A nuanced FTA design, combined with structural support policies, is essential to unlock lasting and inclusive trade benefits. Full article

This study examines the patterns of renewable energy consumption across 29 European countries from 2000 to 2024. We utilised Bias-Corrected estimation techniques to analyse the relationship between renewable energy consumption, Human Development Index (HDI), labour force, and population dynamics, employing three distinct estimation models: global, rural, and urban. The results indicate that higher levels of human development and a larger labour force are positively associated with renewable energy consumption in the global and rural models, while the urban model shows an opposite effect for the labour force. Conversely, population growth is negatively related to renewable energy consumption in the global and rural contexts but positively in urban areas. These findings underscore the importance of socio-economic and demographic contexts in shaping renewable energy outcomes. They suggest that renewable energy can support economic and social development, but its effectiveness depends on regional structural conditions. From a policy perspective, the renewable transition should be approached as both an environmental and socio-economic strategy, aligning clean energy goals with employment generation, education, and inclusion, particularly in line with SDGs 7, 8, 10, and 13. Policies that promote green skills, innovation, and equitable regional investment can enhance social acceptance, competitiveness, and sustainable growth across Europe. Full article

This study provides a structured and differentiated review of the literature on platform labour from the workers’ perspective, examining how platform-mediated work affects multiple dimensions of workers’ employment conditions and well-being as well as their subjective experiences. Platform labour is a new form of work where companies create online platforms which match consumers with service providers, thereby providing workers with a new type of employment opportunity, casually referred to as “being your own boss”, accompanied by a certain degree of flexibility and autonomy. However, it is important to note that this flexibility and autonomy is limited by factors such as algorithmic management, and it has also led to the spread of increased precarity and social inequality. Existing studies highlight that these effects vary substantially across types of platforms, worker groups and socio-institutional contexts. The subjective experience of platform workers is neither an absolute “good” nor “bad” experience, but is a function of their own unique work and life experiences and personal needs. Based on these themes, we suggest that attention to the needs of different groups of platform workers, their diverse identities and interests, and to labour equity and social protection is key to the sustainable development of the platform economy. Future research could further prioritise cross-regional differences, algorithmic governance (including emerging technologies), the effectiveness of regulatory and organisational innovations in advancing labour equity and social protection, and the long-term, intersectional effects of platform labour, with a view to promoting a more inclusive and sustainable platform ecosystem. Full article

Three-dimensional (3D) concrete printing (3DCP) is an emerging digital construction technology that enables geometrically complex structures with reduced labour, material waste, and formwork. However, the sustainability of 3DCP remains constrained by its heavy reliance on Portland cement, a major source of global CO₂ emissions. This study systematically examines metakaolin (MK) and biochar (BC) as sustainable additives for 3DCP, focusing on their independent effects on mechanical performance, printability, dimensional stability, and environmental impact. A comprehensive literature review (2015 to June 2025) identified 254 publications, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria for quantitative meta-analysis, contributing a total of 95 datasets for compressive and flexural strength. Pooled effect sizes were calculated using a random-effects model, supported by risk-of-bias and heterogeneity analyses. The results indicate statistically significant improvements in mechanical properties, with an overall pooled ratio of means (ROM) of 1.12 (95% CI: 1.06–1.20; I² = 48.9%), representing the overall mechanical performance effect across all datasets, while ROM for compressive and flexural strength was calculated separately in the main analysis. Meta-regression revealed that BC increased compressive and flexural strengths by 7% and 9%, respectively, while MK achieved greater enhancements of 21% and 13.4%. Optimum performance was observed at 15–20% MK for compressive strength and 10–15% for flexural strength, whereas BC performed best at 3–5% and 2–5%, respectively. BC contributed to CO₂ reductions of up to 43% through clinker substitution and biogenic carbon sequestration. These findings demonstrate that MK and BC are complementary eco-efficient modifiers capable of enhancing both structural and environmental performance in 3DCP. Future research should address long-term durability, standardisation of printing parameters, and cradle-to-grave life cycle assessments to strengthen practical implementation. Full article

While the crucial role of cooperative enterprises in promoting economic and social sustainability is well established, their capacity to sustain employment and labour remuneration compared with capitalist firms is still largely unexplored. This study addresses this gap by analysing a unique panel of all Italian firms active between 2014 and 2023. We first show that, up to the COVID pandemic, cooperatives exhibit a stronger employment resilience than capitalist firms. However, cooperative resilience declines in later years, suggesting severe challenges in sustaining employment under prolonged stress. Second, using a novel econometric approach that accounts for unobserved heterogeneity and confounding factors, we investigate whether cooperatives display a stronger commitment to labour remuneration. Our findings reveal that cooperatives consistently allocate a higher share of value added to labour than capitalist firms, reflecting a structural commitment to workers’ remuneration. This engagement persists even during downturns, highlighting the important role of cooperatives during economic shocks. Overall, the findings highlight both the contribution and the difficulties of the cooperative model in enhancing inclusive and resilient economic systems, providing insights relevant to public policy in view of the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

Sandstone quarrying in Lekokoaneng contributes to both local and national economic development, yet it raises concerns about environmental degradation and community livelihoods. Using a mixed-methods design framed by the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) and the Sustainable Development Theory (SDT), 203 households were surveyed across five buffer zones (0–1000 m) around the formal quarry site in Lekokoaneng, Berea District, Lesotho. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis and were transformed into quantifiable categories. Quarrying generated employment and small-business opportunities concentrated within 0–600 m of the site, alongside elevated reports of dust, soil degradation and water contamination that undermined agriculture and health. Households nearest the quarry reported the highest income benefits (e.g., 35% via employment) but also the greatest environmental burdens. Households furthest away reported fewer risks but also limited economic gain. Thematic analysis yielded four domains: Socio-Economic Empowerment, Livelihood Vulnerability, Health and Safety Risks, and Environmental Degradation and Control. Integrating SLF and SDT shows quarrying as a double-edged livelihood system with short-term financial gains that coincide with erosion of natural, human and social capitals. Targeted environmental safeguards, labour formalisation and community-inclusive governance are essential to realign quarrying with resilience and sustainability goals. Full article

Purpose: This study investigates how South Africa’s sectoral stock market performance responds to monetary and fiscal policy shifts across two macroeconomic regimes: the pre-inflation targeting (Pre-IT) and the inflation targeting (IT) periods. Design/methodology/approach: Employing a Markov Switching Dynamic Regression (MS-DR) model, the paper explores non-linear and state-dependent relationships between policy instruments (interest rate, money supply, government expenditure, tax revenue, exchange rate, and inflation) and the performance of the industrial, financial, and resource sectors. Findings: The results reveal regime- and sector-specific heterogeneities. In the Pre-IT era, monetary policy exhibited stronger contractionary effects, while fiscal policy had mixed impacts. Under IT, sectoral responses were moderated, with inflation stability supporting industrial and financial sectors during expansions but dampening resource sector performance in recessions. Practical implications: The findings highlight the need for sector-specific and state-contingent policy designs to enhance macroeconomic stability and inclusive growth. Industrial and resource sectors, being more labour-intensive, require tailored support during downturns. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the literature by providing novel evidence on how structural changes in policy regimes affect the transmission of macroeconomic policies to different stock market sectors in South Africa. Full article

The paper investigates the economic, social, and environmental determinants of Vietnam’s Human Development Index (HDI) for the years 1990–2023. Using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing method, short-run and long-run relationships between HDI and GDP per capita growth, life expectancy, CO₂ emissions, trade openness, and unemployment are investigated. The results indicate that GDP per capita growth, CO₂ emissions, and trade openness positively and significantly influence HDI in both time periods, while unemployment has a negative influence. Life expectancy has a significant positive influence in the short term but is insignificant in the long term. Diagnostic tests validate the robustness of the model, and stability tests indicate parameter constancy. Robustness tests through the use of FMOLS, DOLS, and CCR estimators validate the main findings. The report provides policy-relevant suggestions for sustaining Vietnam’s human development gains, emphasizing how to reconcile economic growth with environmental sustainability and labour market inclusion. Full article

This study investigates whether targeted progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 7, 8, and 9) can cushion the impact of oil dependence on unemployment in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies. Using panel data for six countries from 2000 to 2021 and regression models with country fixed effects and system GMM, we incorporate interaction terms between oil rents and both disaggregated and composite SDG indicators. The results show that SDG 8 (Decent Work) exerts the strongest stabilizing effect, significantly reducing unemployment sensitivity to oil rents. SDG 7 (Clean Energy) exhibits transitional dynamics, with short-term adjustment costs during early stages of the energy transition. SDG 9 (Infrastructure) does not display consistent short-run effects. A composite SDG index also moderates the oil–unemployment link, though this effect is largely driven by SDG 8. Overall, the findings suggest that inclusive labour institutions and clean energy reforms enhance labour market resilience in resource-dependent economies, reducing vulnerability to external shocks and supporting more sustainable development pathways. Full article

Street art increasingly reshapes aesthetic hierarchies by introducing previously marginalised media into the public sphere. A compelling example is the artistic practice of the Polish artist NeSpoon (Elżbieta Dymna), whose work merges the visual language of traditional lace with the communicative strategies of contemporary urban art. Active since the late 2000s, NeSpoon combines stencils, ceramic lace imprints, and large-scale murals to translate the intimacy of handcraft into the visibility of public space. Her works function as both aesthetic interventions and acts of civic pedagogy. This study employs a qualitative visual research design combining multi-site digital inquiry, iconological and semiotic analysis, and mini focus group (N = 22). Three purposefully selected cases: Łódź, Belorado, and Fundão, were examined to capture the site-specific and cultural variability of lace murals across Europe. The analysis demonstrates that lace functions as an agent of cultural negotiation and a medium of heritage literacy, understood here as embodied and place-based learning. In Łódź, it monumentalises textile memory and women’s labour embedded in the city’s industrial palimpsest. In Belorado, micro-scale responsiveness operates, strengthening the local semiosphere. In Fundão, lace enters an intermedial dialogue with azulejos, negotiating the boundary between craft and art while expanding local visual grammars. The study introduces the conceptualisation of the monumentalisation of intimacy in public art and frames heritage literacy as an embodied, dialogic, and community-oriented educational practice. Its implications extend to feminist art history, place-based pedagogy, urban cultural policy, and the preventive conservation of murals. The research elucidates how domestic craft once confined to the private interior operates in public space as a medium of memory, care, and inclusive aesthetics. Full article

Minimum wage changes have long influenced labour market debates, raising interest in their effects on youth workers and on policies that aim to reduce wage disparities while fostering sustainable economic growth. This article examines the relationship between minimum wage adjustments and youth unemployment in five CEE countries: Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Institutional arrangements related to the minimum wage are complex and the study outlines both potential benefits and risks for inexperienced employees. A fixed-effects panel regression over 2010–2024 is employed, with the econometric model implemented in Python (version 3.11) to assess the impact of minimum wage increases on youth unemployment. The variables considered are minimum wage levels, youth unemployment, labour productivity, inflation, GDP per capita and NEET rate. The results reveal a positive and statistically significant relationship, suggesting a trade-off between higher minimum wages and youth opportunities in the region. However, the impact varies depending on each country’s institutional context. Moreover, market-oriented policies and inclusive institutions are essential for achieving a sustainable balance between income protection and employment opportunities. Overall, the article contributes to developing context-specific labour market policies within the framework of sustainable development, stressing the importance of wage-setting institutions in promoting resilient and inclusive employment. Full article

This study examines how large-scale school infrastructure reforms shape teaching practice, using Australia’s Building the Education Revolution (BER) initiative as a case example. Guided by Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), the research explores how redesigned learning environments act as mediating tools that influence pedagogy, collaboration, and teacher wellbeing. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed, combining survey data from 34 teachers with focus group interviews involving 13 participants in a redeveloped Victorian Primary School, Australia. Quantitative results showed that 70.5% of teachers reported changes in their teaching practices directly linked to the new infrastructure, with 100% affirming that they had enhanced collaboration opportunities. Qualitative findings revealed that features such as breakout rooms, shared learning zones, and transparent sightlines enabled differentiated instruction, co-teaching, and improved supervision, while also fostering professional pride and collegial support. Contradictions emerged around automated lighting systems, limited display space, and partial teacher consultation during the design process. CHAT analysis demonstrated how physical spaces interact with rules, community, and division of labour within the school activity system, producing both enabling conditions and systemic tensions. The study underscores the need for infrastructure planning to be pedagogically informed, inclusive of teacher voice, and designed to support adaptive, collaborative, and inclusive teaching practices. Full article

Social inclusion, particularly in the cultural domain, is a fundamental pillar for ensuring the full participation of all individuals in community life, fostering equity, well-being, and the recognition of diversity. This article has two objectives. Firstly, it aims to conduct a systematic review to diagnose the factors that exclude vulnerable groups from cultural access. Secondly, the aim is to understand how a group of young people with disabilities perceive the role of culture as a tool for social and labour inclusion. In October 2023, a systematic review was conducted in the Web of Science and Scopus electronic databases. A total of 37 articles were included in the review and classified into the following five areas of interest. The categories were as follows: (1) the relationship between cultural participation and physical and emotional well-being; (2) universal accessibility as a right to guarantee equitable access to culture; (3) the ability of people with disabilities to participate in culture; (4) the role of cultural policies as facilitators or barriers to inclusion; and (5) participation in contexts of cultural diversity as a means of social integration. These categories guided discussions with two focus groups comprising 15 young people. The positive impact of cultural participation, especially in its social dimension, was highlighted. The data point to the value of technology as a facilitator of access to culture, particularly for young people. Policies should focus on diverse cultural expressions and promote cognitive accessibility. Full article

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of dietary Saponaria officinalis inclusion in the diet of dairy cows during the dry period on colostrum and milk quality, focusing specifically on the somatic cell count (SCC), the physicochemical composition and fatty acid (FA) profile. The effect of the addition on various biochemical parameters was evaluated in the serum of cows and their calves. This study was conducted on Ukrainian Black and White cattle. Twenty-four cows were selected from the herd twenty-one days prior to their expected calving date. They were allocated into three groups of eight cows each (n = 8) and began to be fed soapwort, as outlined below. Group C was fed a conventional TMR diet (0 g/cow per day); Group E1—TMR and 20 g of dry soapwort root powder per cow per day; and Group E2—50 g of dry soapwort root powder per cow per day. Blood samples were collected from the cows 21 d before labour and on the day of calving, and from calves on day 3, in week 2, and in week 6. Biochemical profiles of the liver, lipids, and kidneys were evaluated in the collected samples. Colostrum was collected from the cows two hours after calving during the initial complete milking, and milk was collected in the eighth week of lactation. The fundamental composition, SCC, and FA profiles were assessed in colostrum and milk. Higher protein levels were found in the serum of calves in the second week of life in groups E1 (p < 0.01) and E2 (p < 0.05) compared to group C. In calves, serum ALT levels were higher in group C than in groups E1 and E2 at 2 and 6 weeks of age (p < 0.05). The addition did not affect the biochemical profiles of lipids, liver, or kidneys in cows. The SCC in the colostrum was higher in group E2 than in group C (p < 0.05). A decrease (p < 0.01) in SCC was noted in the milk of groups E2 and E3 compared to the control group. In the colostrum of cows in group E2, an increase in UFA levels was observed, including beneficial acids, such as C18:2n6c, C22:6n3, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), while trans isomers decreased. The results suggest that Saponaria officinalis can be used as a supplement in the feeding of cows during the dry period to improve colostrum quality and also support the physiological development of calves and the health of the cows’ mammary glands. Full article