Search Results (252)

Tourism is a rapidly growing sector in Kazakhstan, yet Almaty city and its surrounding region have experienced stagnant growth despite rich natural and cultural assets. This study identifies governance-related barriers that impede sustainable tourism development and effective stakeholder participation. Using a mixed-methods design centered on semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from government, business, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organization), and community organizations conducted in 2018 and 2024, and supplemented by PEST (Political, Economic, Sociocultural, and Technological factors) analysis and stakeholder mapping, we distill recurring constraints and opportunities. The findings show that, while digitalization, through digital platforms, improved some administrative processes by 2024, the fundamental obstacles identified in 2018 remained largely unchanged. Three core constraints persisted across both periods: fragmented institutional governance, prolonged and opaque permitting procedures that deter investment, and a deep-seated lack of trust between the private sector and public authorities. These systemic failures continue to limit the sector’s potential, especially amid rapid post-pandemic visitor growth. This paper proposes actionable measures to address these challenges: establishing a unified regional tourism coordination authority, streamlining and standardizing regulations and approval processes, and offering targeted capacity building for SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) and local administrations. Implemented together, these reforms can align Almaty’s tourism governance with international good practices and foster more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable tourism growth. Full article

Industry 5.0 (I5) represents a significant evolution in the trajectory of industrial development, emphasizing a human-centric approach that integrates advanced technologies with the goal of promoting sustainable growth, resilience, and enhanced human well-being. While Industry 4.0 already posed considerable challenges for industrial organizations, particularly in terms of technological integration, workforce adaptation, and strategic realignment, the shift toward Industry 5.0 has introduced additional complexities. The accelerated pace of innovation and the evolving expectations for human–machine collaboration have intensified these challenges. Large manufacturing corporations are already facing difficulties in adapting to this new paradigm; thus, the question arises: how are Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which typically operate with limited resources, infrastructure, and financial capacity, managing this transition? This paper presents a scoping review of 17 research papers, chosen from an initial set of 37 publications sourced from Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect on the implementation of Industry 5.0 in SMEs. A comprehensive synthesis of existing research was conducted to elucidate the current state of the topic, identify the research questions addressed, and outline future directions for this emerging paradigm. Full article

Background: Ongoing challenges such as geopolitical conflicts, trade disruptions, economic sanctions, and political instability have underscored the urgent need for large manufacturing enterprises to improve resilience and reduce dependence on global supply chains. Integrating regional and local Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) has been proposed as a strategic approach to enhance supply chain localization, yet barriers such as limited visibility, qualification hurdles, and integration difficulties persist. Methods: This study proposes a comprehensive knowledge graph driven framework for representing and discovering SMEs, implemented as a proof-of-concept in the U.S. BioPharma sector. The framework constructs a curated knowledge graph in Neo4j, converts it to Resource Description Framework (RDF) format, and aligns it with the Schema.org vocabulary to enable semantic interoperability and enhance the discoverability of SMEs. Results: The developed knowledge graph, consisting of 488 nodes and 11,520 edges, enabled accurate multi-hop SME discovery with query response times under 10 milliseconds. RDF serialization produced 16,086 triples, validated across platforms to confirm interoperability and semantic consistency. Conclusions: The proposed framework provides a scalable, adaptable, and generalizable solution for SME discovery and supply chain localization, offering a practical pathway to strengthen resilience in diverse manufacturing industries. Full article

The frequency of technology use is an important factor that can significantly influence employees’ well-being and the perceived quality of their work life in an ever-changing digital workplace. The introduction of new technologies affects the lives of employees. It is therefore important how employees themselves perceive new technologies and the need to digitalize their work tasks. Previous studies have focused more on technology adoption or quality of work life separately. The main aim of the article is to present the results of analyses on how the frequency of technology use is related to employees’ perception of digitalization in their workplace, as well as the impact these factors have on their perceived quality of work life. This study simultaneously examines the impact of perceptions of technological change and frequency of technology use on quality of work life in the context of medium-sized and large industrial enterprises in Slovakia. In this way, it is possible to better understand the connection between digitalization and employee well-being. The research tool was a questionnaire that focused on the perceived quality of work life of employees and questions related to the perception of digitalization and to the frequency of technology use. Hypothesis testing was processed using IBM SPSS version 25 software. Considering the results, it can be stated that a positive perception of technological changes and regular use of technology in the workplace are related to a higher level of quality of work life perceived by employees. The results can be used for multiple strategic and practical applications in organizational development and human-centered approaches to digital transformation. Full article

This study examines the influence of institutional pressures and personal attributes on the perceived importance of financial reporting among micro-entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Survey data from 194 micro-entrepreneurs were analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that institutional pressures from Malaysian regulatory bodies, particularly the Inland Revenue Board, and the financial literacy of micro-entrepreneurs are significantly associated with stronger perceptions of the importance of financial reporting. These findings offer practical insights for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to enhance reporting practices and promote financial literacy within the microenterprise sector. While prior research has largely concentrated on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the financial reporting practices of micro-enterprises remain underexplored, despite their distinctive characteristics and critical role in the economy. By addressing this gap, this study enriches the financial reporting literature and advances a broader understanding of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Full article

This study evaluates the degree to which small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are prepared to adopt smart manufacturing in contrast to large enterprises, a transition that depends on the effective use of the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced analytics. While many large multinational companies have already integrated such technologies, smaller firms still struggle because of tight budgets, limited technical expertise, and difficulties in scaling new systems. To capture these realities, the investigation refines the Initiative Mittelstand-Digital für Produktionsunternehmen und Logistik-Systeme (IMPULS) Industry 4.0 readiness model, which was initially developed to help German SMEs, so that it aligns with the circumstances faced by smaller manufacturers. A thorough review of published work first surveys existing readiness and maturity frameworks, highlights their limitations, and guides the selection of new, SME-specific indicators. The framework gauges readiness across six dimensions: strategic planning and organizational design, smart factory infrastructure, lean operations, digital products, data-driven services, and workforce capability. Each dimension is operationalized through a questionnaire that offers clear benchmarks and actionable targets suited to the current resources of each enterprise. Weaving strategic vision, skill growth, and cooperative support, the approach offers managers a direct path to sharper competitiveness and lasting innovation within a changing industrial landscape. Additionally, a separate Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis is provided for each dimension based on survey data offering decision-makers concise guidance for future investment. The proposed adaptation of the IMPULS framework, validated through empirical data from 31 SMEs, introduces a novel readiness index, diagnostic gap metrics, and actionable cluster profiles tailored to developing-country industrial ecosystems. Full article

This paper seeks to establish the impact of university experiential learning programs on small- to medium-sized enterprises while emphasizing the benefit to rural workforce development and sustainable manufacturing practices. Data were collected from diverse partners of Louisiana State University’s experiential learning program over the last 7 years to illustrate the types of recommendations and implementation statistics for sustainable manufacturing practices. The study found that rural enterprises favored the adoption of short-term, high-saving solutions to mitigate the impact of utility costs resulting from geographical isolation, while there was low implementation of long-term, large investment projects. This highlighted the practical feasibility of a project over a focus on long-term sustainability plans, which require significant capital investment, management planning, and employee training. This study outlines a university-led experiential learning program’s engagement through academic–industrial partnerships that serve student development and the economic advancement of small- to medium-sized enterprises. The data can direct future incentive opportunities for sustainability projects that have more immediate payback, to increase the adoption rate in rural facilities. The larger implication provides a framework and validation that can support the development of similar programs for extension and enterprise engagement to impact sustainable manufacturing practices. Full article

Environmental policy helps policymakers and researchers understand the process and expected effects of policy before the policies are fully implemented. This study aims to estimate the effects of resource-conserving and environmentally friendly policy implemented in the Wuhan metropolitan area and Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan urban agglomeration. The synthetic control method is employed as an estimation method. The results show that policy has positive impacts on economic development and SO₂ emission reduction in the pilot regions but cannot improve wastewater treatment. Compared to large cities, medium-sized and small cities are more sensitive to policies since the large cities have transferred a large number of enterprises with high energy consumption and high emissions to the surrounding medium-sized and small cities. The study also finds that the Wuhan metropolitan area reduces pollution emissions through increasing environmental investment and the efficiency of resource allocation. In the Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan urban agglomeration, policy triggers green technology innovation to improve the environment and boost the economy. Full article

A common challenge faced by global wood-processing enterprises (WPEs) is their frequent exposure to external shocks. The improvement of regional financial development (RFD) may help WPEs enhance their resilience, thereby enabling them to mitigate external shocks. Against this backdrop, it is worth investigating whether RFD’s improvement can enhance WPEs’ resilience. However, the literature that addresses this issue is scarce. Based on the data of WPEs in mainland China from 2008 to 2016, we evaluate RFD’s effect on WPEs’ resilience. The findings are as follows: RFD can positively affect WPEs’ resilience, and multi-dimensional stability tests confirm the robustness of this result. RFD produces indirect positive effects by enhancing WPEs’ financing capacity and reducing their financing costs. Heterogeneity tests reveal that the RFD’s positive effect manifests in three distinct wood-processing sub-sectors. Crucially, its impact proves significantly greater on small and micro WPEs than on medium and large-sized ones. Furthermore, the positive effects are stronger for WPEs located in central and western provinces and non-municipal districts versus those situated in eastern provinces and municipal districts. Compared with technology- and capital-intensive WPEs, labor-intensive ones benefit more from RFD’s improvement. Full article

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face growing challenges in optimizing their sustainable supply chains because of fragmented logistics data and changing regulatory requirements. In particular, globally operating manufacturing SMEs often lack suitable tools, resulting in manual data collection and making reliable accounting and benchmarking of transport emissions in lifecycle assessments (LCAs) time-consuming and difficult to scale. This paper introduces a novel hybrid AI-supported knowledge graph (KG) which combines large language models (LLMs) with graph-based optimization to automate industrial supply chain route enrichment, completion, and emissions analysis. The proposed solution automatically resolves transportation gaps through generative AI and programming interfaces to create optimal routes for cost, time, and emission determination. The application merges separate routes into a single multi-modal network which allows users to evaluate sustainability against operational performance. A case study shows the capabilities in simplifying data collection for emissions reporting, therefore reducing manual effort and empowering SMEs to align logistics decisions with Industry 5.0 sustainability goals. Full article

As we move toward a more digitalized and interconnected world, new cybersecurity challenges emerge. While most related research has focused on large companies, this study aims to fill a gap in the literature by exploring cybersecurity issues in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly in relation to nontechnical, soft-skill, and intellectual capital aspects. This study examines the interplay between cybersecurity awareness and perception and ownership structure in SMEs in the Silesian region of Poland. Unlike the majority of cybersecurity literature, our focus is on how ownership structure influences cybersecurity perception. We surveyed 200 SMEs at random within the respective region and utilized hierarchical and simple linear regression analyses to assess the relationships between these factors and financial performance. Our results indicate that larger enterprises and those without a family-owned structure exhibit significantly greater levels of cybersecurity. Additionally, we found a positive correlation between cybersecurity and a firm’s financial performance and overall health. These findings underscore the importance of cybersecurity awareness and practices for the growth and stability of SMEs. Full article

At the steelmaking temperature, carbon has a strong deoxidation ability. Under the vacuum condition, its deoxidation ability can be further improved, and it can become a stronger deoxidation element than aluminum. The product of carbon deoxygenation is CO, which floats up and detaches from the molten steel in the form of bubbles and does not produce oxide inclusions. Under normal pressure, replacing aluminum with carbon to complete partial deoxidation tasks can not only reduce the generation of inclusions and alleviate the pressure of removing inclusions, but also reduce the consumption of aluminum and save deoxidation costs. In this study, the carbon deoxidation process after the converter was investigated. Firstly, the timing of carbon addition was determined through thermodynamic calculations, and it was found that, in oxygen-enriched molten steel, the priority of the reaction of the deoxidation element was [Al] > [Si] > [C] > [Mn]. Through the carbon and oxygen balance calculation, it is known that the carbon deoxidation effect is greatly affected by the carbon content of the molten steel; for low-carbon steel, carbon can be used for pre-deoxygenation, whereas for medium-carbon and high-carbon steel, carbon can complete most of the deoxidation tasks. Finally, with 45 steel as the research object, the carbon deoxidation process was designed and tested in industry. The results showed that, compared with the aluminum deoxidation process, the number of inclusions in the billet casting of the carbon deoxidation process was reduced by 68.8%, and the carbon deoxidation process had fewer large-sized inclusions in the billet casting. In addition, the carbon deoxidation process uses carbon powder instead of the aluminum block for deoxidation during steel tapping from the converter. The deoxidant cost is reduced by CNY 15.47/ton of steel. From a comprehensive point of view, the application of carbon deoxidation after the converter can reduce aluminum consumption and improve the cleanliness of steel, which is an important way for enterprises to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Full article

Despite the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to face significant challenges in its effective adoption. While prior studies have emphasized strategic benefits and readiness models, there remains a lack of operational guidance tailored to SME realities—particularly regarding implementation barriers, resource constraints, and emerging demands for responsible AI use. This study presents an analysis of AI adoption in SMEs by integrating the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework with selected attributes from the diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory to examine adoption dynamics through a dual structural and perceptual lens. Empirical insights from sectoral and regional contexts are also incorporated. Ten critical challenges are identified and analyzed across the TOE dimensions, ranging from data access and skill shortages to cultural resistance, infrastructure limitations, and weak governance practices. Notably, the framework is expanded to incorporate responsible AI governance and democratized access to generative AI—particularly open-weight large language models (LLMs) such as LLaMA, DeepSeek-R1, Mistral, and FALCON—as emerging technological and ethical imperatives. Each challenge is paired with actionable, context-sensitive solutions. The paper is a structured, literature-based conceptual analysis enriched by empirical case study insights. As a key contribution, it introduces a structured, six-phase roadmap methodology to guide SMEs through AI adoption—offering step-by-step recommendations aligned with technological, organizational, and strategic readiness. While this roadmap is conceptual and has yet to be validated through field data, it sets a foundation for future diagnostic tools and practical assessments. The resulting study bridges theoretical insight and implementation strategy—empowering inclusive, responsible, and scalable AI transformation in SMEs. By offering both analytical clarity and practical relevance, this study contributes to a more grounded understanding of AI integration and calls for policies, ecosystems, and leadership models that support SMEs in adopting AI not merely as a tool, but as a strategic enabler of sustainable and inclusive innovation. Full article

Categorization of enterprises by size provides a fundamental understanding of the composition of the business environment. Small, medium-sized, and large enterprises play a significant role in the national economy through the execution of specific business activities. In their pursuit of enhancing the efficiency of individual business processes and mitigating the risks associated with these activities, enterprises may implement various ISO standards, including quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety (OSH), or corporate social responsibility (CSR) systems. The sources published to date do not clearly explain the mutual relationship that arises when implementing multiple ISO standards that prioritize different activities within a single enterprise. This gap is particularly evident in the context of small enterprises, which often do not have the obligation or capacity to implement ISO standards. This study addresses this research gap by identifying the relationship between implemented ISO standards, priority activities in the risk management process, and the person responsible for these activities. The objective of this article is to examine the relationship of dependency between specific ISO standards and the priority activity in risk management. Furthermore, the study seeks to determine whether the degree of implementation of ISO standards influences the selection of the person responsible for risk management. Additionally, it examines whether dependence exists between the priority activity in risk management and the specific person responsible for risk management. The authors provide statistical hypothesis testing based on data from a nationwide survey conducted across all enterprise size categories. The results obtained from this study confirm the presence of a dependency between the degree of ISO standards implementation and the priority activity in risk management across all enterprise size categories. However, a statistically significant dependency between the degree of implementation of ISO standards and the person responsible for risk management was not confirmed in large companies. The dependency between the selection of the person responsible for risk management and the priority activity in risk management was confirmed only in small enterprises. Full article

The escalating scale and sophistication of cyber threats compel enterprises to urgently adopt data-driven security analytics. This systematic literature review, adhering to the PRISMA protocol, rigorously synthesizes current knowledge by analyzing 65 peer-reviewed studies (2013–2023) from six major databases on enterprise-level cybersecurity analytics. Our findings reveal a significant industry-wide transition from traditional signature-based tools towards advanced cloud-enabled, big-data and artificial intelligence-powered techniques, where machine learning and graph-based models are increasingly prominent in recent works. While large organizations in finance, Information and Communication Technology, and critical utilities spearhead adoption, dedicated research focusing on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains notably limited. Ten thematic observations encapsulate key adoption drivers, an evolving preference for proactive and predictive security strategies, the critical role of heterogeneous log and network data, and persistent implementation challenges-notably data integration, skills shortages, and cost. Furthermore, this review identifies crucial open research avenues, including the development of real-time scalable analytics, unified policy languages, and critically needed SME-oriented solutions. Collectively, these insights provide a robust evidence base to inform future research trajectories and guide the practical deployment of effective cybersecurity analytics in diverse enterprise settings. Full article