Search Results (1,801)

This study explores how artificial intelligence (AI)-driven labour market analytics can support the alignment of university curricula with emerging skill demands and inform the development of targeted micro-credentials. A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining AI-assisted analysis of approximately 30,000 online job advertisements in Latvia with ESCO-based skill mapping, curriculum analysis, and expert interviews. The study develops and validates a three-layer analytical framework integrating labour market demand, professional standards, and programme learning outcomes. Three occupations—Personnel Specialist, Finance Manager, and Organisation Manager—were analysed at Riga Technical University as proof-of-concept cases. The findings demonstrate that strict one-to-one ESCO matching overestimates curriculum gaps because labour market and educational actors often describe competencies at different levels of abstraction. Composite matching significantly improves alignment estimates by identifying functionally equivalent competencies embedded across curricula. Nevertheless, the analysis reveals a persistent under-representation of digital competencies across all programmes, confirmed by industry experts. Interviews further identify a “pedagogical transfer gap”, where formally acquired competencies are insufficiently applied in practice, and highlight employer support for high-quality micro-credentials focused on technical upskilling. The study contributes an AI-assisted curriculum-monitoring framework that combines large-scale skill extraction, semantic alignment, and stakeholder validation, offering universities a practical tool for evidence-based curriculum renewal and lifelong learning development. Full article

Food safety culture (FSC) is a structured, measurable and enforceable element of the food industry, which is essential for building consumer trust and safeguarding consumer wellness. Regardless of the size of the organisation, FSC plays a pivotal role in safety and quality assurance and should be embedded in the company’s values and beliefs, ultimately manifesting in employee behaviours. FSC’s principal denominators encompass the fundamental principles of leadership, knowledge, engagement, environment, performance, and outcome. These principles collectively form a holistic framework that is pivotal for enhancing the efficacy and efficiency of safety initiatives in the food supply chain. FSC should be integrated into existing food safety standards, aligning with management systems and enjoying support and ownership at all levels and portfolios. Attaining a strong FSC requires commitment and active participation, not only from departments and sections directly involved with food handling, but also from administrative departments and branches. A non-conducive or weak culture, on the other hand, creates barriers to the achievement of safety goals and creates environments that may lead to product safety failures and non-conformances, with potential detrimental impacts on both consumer and business well-being. The absence of a specific culture constitutes a culture in itself, and, therefore, regular, valid, and reliable assessment is crucial for understanding the current state of FSC, without drawing generalised, superficial, or biased conclusions. In this study, the history and context of FSC are discussed, as well as narratives on assessment protocols and improvement initiatives. A trustworthy and ethical assessment is the first step in a three-phase process, involving assessment, alignment, and intervention to improve FSC, constituting various subcategories. The ultimate intent of this study is to provide turn-key solutions through presenting ideas, debating concepts and proposing interventions to guide and inform FSC improvement, culminating in safe and wholesome products. Full article

The paper presents a model for the design and management of metadata that enables the efficient compilation of specialised datasets from large, heterogeneous data collections. The metadata are represented as a typed property graph that facilitates the FAIR principles in data compilation: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable. The representation is general and independent of the modality and format of the data. The graph-based design of the metadata supports the incremental extension of categories and relationships without requiring the migration of existing data. Its feasibility is demonstrated through the use of a graph database, in which the metadata for 689,645 Bulgarian textual data units are combined with a web-based filtering interface. Metadata retrieval is implemented through Cypher queries executed as graph traversals, enabling the extraction of thematic and application-oriented data subsets based on combinations of selection criteria. The application validates the suitability of the graph-based metadata design for compiling specialised datasets for training and fine-tuning large language models and other NLP applications. Full article

This study examines the technical and operational efficiency of publicly listed energy companies operating in Europe, the United States, and Canada during the 2017–2024 energy transition period. The sample includes both traditional electricity utilities and renewable energy producers. Technical efficiency was estimated using output-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), specifically the Charnes–Cooper–Rhodes (CCR) and Banker–Charnes–Cooper (BCC) models. Panel-data models were subsequently applied to identify the financial, organisational, regional, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors associated with firm-level efficiency. The results indicate a moderate average level of technical efficiency, with a substantial share of inefficiency attributable to an inappropriate operating scale. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, renewable energy companies were, on average, less technically efficient than traditional utilities, despite achieving higher ESG and environmental scores. European companies exhibited higher efficiency than firms located in the United States and Canada, suggesting that long-term exposure to climate-policy and regulatory pressures may encourage more effective resource use. The panel-model results did not provide robust evidence that ESG performance directly improves technical efficiency. By contrast, profitability, leverage, and firm size were significantly associated with efficiency outcomes. These findings show that the energy transition depends on more than the expansion of renewable energy capacity. Effective resource allocation, financial resilience, organisational adjustment, and an appropriate operating scale are equally important. The study provides relevant implications for corporate managers, investors, and policymakers involved in energy-sector transformation. Full article

Green brand research has predominantly concentrated on external customers, including the impact of green brand positioning on consumer attitudes, purchasing behaviour, and brand loyalty. However, the ultimate success of a green branding strategy may depend on employees, i.e., the internal customers, who must first understand and embrace the environmental message before delivering it to external customers. This inside-out dynamic remains empirically underexplored. The study fills this void by examining the impact of Green Brand Positioning on Employee Green Behaviour and the moderating role of Employee Environmental Knowledge in the apparel industry, which accounts for up to 10% of global carbon emissions and over 40% of Sri Lanka’s export earnings. The study draws data from 300 employees, using a structured questionnaire and multiple regression with moderation analysis. The findings confirm that Green Brand Positioning positively affects Employee Green Behaviour, with Emotional Green Brand Positioning having a greater impact than Functional Green Brand Positioning. Interestingly, employee environmental knowledge did not moderate either relationship, implying that green brand positioning is a direct and universal internal behavioural driver regardless of employees’ environmental knowledge. The results have important implications for senior management and policymakers aiming to foster sustainable organisational cultures by first reaching internal stakeholders. Full article

The devastation of cultural heritage after the Second World War led to the establishment of international organisations committed to its protection, such as UNESCO. The near-total destruction of Aachen’s historic city centre led to profound changes, including reconstruction and the incorporation of contemporary architecture, which established a new heritage identity. Against the backdrop of the reconstruction and reaffirmation of European identity, Aachen Cathedral was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978. Since then, the concept of heritage has evolved to encompass a broader and more inclusive understanding. In 2013, it incorporated a buffer zone to protect the cathedral’s surroundings. In this scenario, the question arises: how is the coexistance between the historical and the contemporary within a UNESCO heritage context? The main objective is to analyse the coexistance between the heritage of historic and contemporary buildings within the buffer zone of Aachen Cathedral. We base the methodology on a comparative study of the catalogue files of 405 protected buildings, taking into account variables such as the year of protection, date of construction, possible reconstructions and current uses. Preliminary results suggest that only 4% were protected after 2013, or that 55% of the buildings have been rebuilt. The results improve our understanding of the management and evolution of historic urban complexes in the context of UNESCO. It can be concluded that the concept of heritage goes beyond mere historical or universal significance, encompassing aspects such as identity and continuity, as well as the integration of contemporary interventions into the historical fabric. Full article

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is promoted as a collaborative project delivery capable of reducing fragmentation, improving information exchange and supporting sustainable project outcomes. However, the practical implementation of IPD often falls short of the benefits stakeholders expect. This review examines the expectation–reality gap in IPD through a systematic literature review of 56 studies published between 2018 and 2025 and analysed using ATLAS.ti 9. The findings identify 11 expectation clusters and nine reality clusters. The expectation patterns are classified into three broader areas of collaborative practice, commercial and risk management, and governance and delivery, whereas the reality patterns relate to strategic and organisational issues, procedural and relational issues and, lastly, implementation and contractual issues. The discussion shows that IPD should be understood not only as a contractual arrangement but also as a socio-technical and institutional system that requires digital interoperability, trust, aligned objectives, legal readiness, and early stakeholder integration. The paper contributes a pattern–output matrix that links expectation clusters to reality barriers and translates the findings into future research directions for stakeholders. Full article

Bioeconomy has become an increasingly important concept for sustainable development. However, given its inherently complex nature across sectors, its governance remains complex. Currently, bioeconomy governance literature is fragmented across sectors and policy domains. The study aims to analyse bioeconomy governance solutions across the literature. The study employs a systematic literature review, following the PRISMA guidelines and configurative meta-synthesis, analysing 114 studies. The study descriptively determines trends and evolution of the bioeconomy, while for good governance criteria, accountability, transparency, participation, effectiveness/efficiency, equity/fairness, and conflict management are applied as the analytical tool for the meta-synthesis. The descriptive findings show that Europe is predominantly studied, and a persistent disciplinary concentration is in forest-related bioeconomy research. Hybrid and multi-level governance approaches were suggested as the best governance approach across the domain. The meta-synthesis identifies collaboration, policy coherence, political support, stakeholder engagement, transparent information, innovation support, and fair benefit distribution as key solutions for bioeconomy governance. However, these governance solutions in themselves require careful organisation to minimise conflicts, align sectoral objectives, and ensure inclusive decision-making. The study concludes that bioeconomy governance solutions are highly interdependent and that no single good-governance criterion can operate effectively in isolation. Full article

Stenoma catenifer (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae), the avocado seed borer, represents a major phytosanitary threat in Andean avocado production systems. Egg parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma constitute promising biological control agents for this pest; however, their field-level compatibility with agrochemicals commonly used in avocado orchards remains largely uncharacterized. This study evaluated the side effects of 13 commercial pesticide formulations on Trichogramma exiguum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) under two complementary exposure scenarios: (1) residual contact toxicity on adults and (2) susceptibility of parasitized Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs, following International Organisation for Biological Control IOBC/WPRS standardized methodology. Corrected adult mortality was assessed at 1 h and 24 h post-exposure, while parasitism expression at the pupal stage, adult emergence rate, and developmental time were recorded for preimaginal stages. At 24 h, abamectin, acephate, lambda-cyhalothrin, and metalaxyl caused 100% adult mortality (harmful), whereas potassium soap and hexythiazox were classified as moderately harmful. In Bioassay 2, potassium soap completely suppressed parasitism expression and adult emergence (0%), while neem extract showed no significant reduction relative to the water control. Developmental time to adult emergence ranged from 9.7 to 12.0 days across treatments, with no statistically significant differences among them. These results indicate that neem extract and the adjuvant dispersant are broadly compatible with T. exiguum, whereas neurotoxic insecticides and potassium soap are incompatible under both exposure scenarios. These findings provide an evidence-based compatibility hierarchy to guide the strategic integration of chemical inputs and augmentative biological control in avocado integrated pest management programs. Full article

This study investigates carbon monoxide (CO) emission potential and kinetics in two biowaste composting facilities, one of which implements process hermetization in a closed hall, in accordance with the Best Available Techniques (BAT) for Waste Treatment, representing a more sustainable waste management approach due to the reduction in uncontrolled gaseous emissions to the environment. The flux chamber method was used to measure cumulative CO concentrations before and after compost turning across 10 compost piles located either indoors or outdoors. Maximum cumulative CO concentrations (C_COmax) and CO production rate constants (k) were calculated. Results indicate that indoor composting leads to significantly higher net CO emissions, both before and after pile turning. In all indoor piles, cumulative CO concentrations exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1 h and 8 h exposure limits. Post-turning cumulative CO levels reached over 3000 mg CO·m⁻³, with averages ranging from above 15 to over 70 mg CO·m⁻³. These levels pose a serious health risk, potentially causing headaches, collapse, or even loss of consciousness in workers after approximately two hours of exposure. Additionally, compost turning in closed systems resulted in slower CO production, prolonging exposure. The study demonstrated that, although BAT-compliant enclosed systems are beneficial for the environment and support sustainable waste management practices, they may create hazardous conditions for workers. Therefore, continuous monitoring of gas concentrations is essential in closed composting facilities to ensure that environmentally sustainable waste treatment technologies are implemented together with adequate occupational safety measures, supporting a more comprehensive and balanced approach to sustainability. Full article

The Lombardy Region is characterised by relatively moderate seismic activity, particularly in the Alpine area and its western sector. Significant damage has instead been caused by historical earthquakes with magnitudes greater than M_W 5.0 in the eastern and south-western parts of the region. To enhance preparedness and prevention strategies, the Civil Protection Organisational Unit of Regione Lombardia, together with the Eucentre Foundation and the Civil Protection School of Lombardy (PoliS-Lombardia), organised a regional seismic emergency exercise, the so-called EXE.LOMB.EST 2023, which is an initiative aimed to test and train emergency response capabilities in parts of the region most at risk from seismic events. EXE.LOMB.EST 2023 was a civil protection technical–thematic exercise that involved various groups of participants through tailored training paths. With both educational and practical objectives, the exercise was developed over the course of 2023. In the six months leading up to the final event, approximately 12 training sessions were held to prepare participants according to the identified themes. The final field exercise took place from 9–14 October 2023, during the Italian Civil Protection Week, and included the participation of 15 municipalities. The programme was designed to simulate all key phases of regional emergency management, from activating support functions to assessing damage to cultural heritage. Participants included the Italian Civil Protection Department—as an advisor—the Italian Fire Department; UAS networks, the prefectures and provinces of Brescia, Cremona, and Mantua; municipal officials and certified structural damage assessment experts, with the latter sometimes simply identified as technical personnel and/or technical experts in what follows. The exercise was also a valuable opportunity to test and refine the most advanced emergency management technologies and systems in Italy. The paper discusses notable outcomes, in addition to key steps, and also highlights gaps and issues still open for further/future developments of similar exercises in Italy and abroad. Full article

This study examines staff and student experiences of an online sustainability induction module at an Australian university, exploring how such a module can contribute to whole-institution sustainability culture within a higher education institution (HEI). Using Sterling’s transformational framework, we analyse participant perceptions and reflections across module content spanning diverse SDGs, including Indigenous land management (SDG 15), ethical consumption (SDG 12), modern slavery (SDG 8), governance (SDG 16) and community engagement (SDG 17). Findings suggest how staff and students may experience the parallels between working across SDGs and learning about sustainable actions within personal, organisational, and community contexts of HEIs. While some participants appreciated the interconnectedness of sustainability challenges, they also highlighted difficulties associated with the breadth and complexity of addressing multiple SDGs within a single induction experience. This research advances understanding of how transition-oriented learning spaces that are situated between individual and institutional development and those involving affective, cognitive, and intentional dimensions of change can support HEIs in considering how to progress the 2030 Agenda. At the same time, it highlights pedagogical challenges in designing induction modules that integrate multiple SDGs in practice. Full article

AI-driven digitalisation transforms how organisations process personal data and introduces risks that traditional Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) frameworks cannot adequately address. Automated decision-making and large-scale processing in AI, IoT, big data analytics, and blockchain environments create privacy concerns beyond the scope of existing DPIA methodologies. The EU AI Act extends this scope through the Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment (FRIA) under Article 27, which links data protection obligations to broader fundamental rights governance. This study addresses these gaps through a two-phase research design. Phase 1 conducts a systematic literature review of 25 studies and applies framework analysis to identify DPIA implementation challenges across four categories: legal and regulatory, risk assessment, scope, and complexity. AI-specific challenges appear across all four categories. Phase 2 develops a governance framework built on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and organised through a four-level hierarchy of Lifecycle Phase, Risk Management Domain, Control Objective, and Operational Activity. The framework translates relevant requirements of ISO 31000:2018, ISO/IEC 27701:2025, and ISO/IEC 29134:2023 into traceable activities and encompasses algorithmic fairness and socio-ethical impacts. The actionable DPIA framework supports compliance with the GDPR, the EU AI Act and the three ISO standards and will be of interest to company practitioners and other researchers investigating the theoretical and practice-based aspects of digitalisation and data privacy. Full article

At present, the organisational landscape, which aims to provide value through its product and service offerings, must have the necessary infrastructure to deliver at the expected service levels. This requires the appropriate adaptation of existing frameworks, methods, and models to their business models, thereby generating consistent deliverables across time and industries. This is also applicable to Romanian Information Technology (IT) organisations, which face increasing pressure to deliver within the expected quality, time, and budget parameters. This study aims to assess the quality of stakeholder relationship management (SRM) as a higher-order organisational capability in Romanian IT organisations through a stakeholder-oriented subset of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) excellence framework and to explore its contribution to organisational quality, business continuity, and organisational resilience. A pilot study was conducted, using a sample of 52 Romanian IT professionals, to examine the applicability of four stakeholder-oriented MBNQA dimensions—Leadership and Governance, Workforce, Customers and Markets, and Community Engagement—as components of SRM quality. The findings provide preliminary evidence that these dimensions represent relevant elements for assessing SRM quality within the Romanian IT sector. Among them, the Workforce dimension exhibited the strongest association with SRM quality, highlighting the potential importance of employee engagement, Workforce development, and organisational learning in stakeholder-oriented excellence. The results also support the conceptualisation of SRM quality as a multidimensional construct that emerges from the interaction of complementary organisational subsystems. Although limited by its exploratory nature, sample size, and geographical focus, this study provides an initial foundation for applying the stakeholder-oriented subset of the MBNQA framework to stakeholder relationship management in the Romanian IT sector. Future research should validate the proposed model using larger, more diverse samples and examine its applicability across organisational, industrial, and geographical contexts. Full article

Distributed energy systems are increasingly important for strengthening critical infrastructure resilience under conditions of technological, climatic, geopolitical, and cyber disruption. However, existing research on energy resilience is still dominated by technical approaches focused on reliability, renewable energy integration, microgrid control, and storage optimisation, while the role of distributed energy systems in the full crisis-management cycle remains insufficiently conceptualised. This article addresses this gap by combining a scoping review, lexicographic and semantic analysis using IRaMuTeQ version 0.7 alpha 2, and a conceptual-methodological framework for assessing distributed energy systems as instruments of crisis management. The main contribution of the study is the M_ZK-DES model, which integrates technological-infrastructural, decision-operational, legal-institutional, and socio-organisational dimensions with four crisis-management phases: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. The model distinguishes distributed energy systems, distributed energy resources, distributed generation, microgrids, prosumers, energy communities, and energy clusters and links them to measurable resilience indicators. These include SAIDI, SAIFI, energy not supplied, restoration time, share of critical load served, islanding capability, voltage and frequency stability, storage autonomy, procedural readiness, and local coordination capacity. The analysis shows that distributed energy systems may reduce vulnerability to cascading failures, support islanded operation, protect vulnerable consumers, improve emergency power continuity, and strengthen local energy autonomy. The proposed scoring and weighting logic enables future empirical validation, scenario testing, and comparative assessment across regions and crisis types, including extreme weather events, cyberattacks, and supply-chain disruptions. The article contributes to energy resilience and crisis-management studies by offering an integrated and operational framework for evaluating distributed energy systems as practical tools for critical infrastructure protection and continuity of essential public services. Full article