Search Results (1,449)

This study examines how investors’ perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) are associated with investor behavior, focusing on short-term and long-term investment strategies and their implications for investor resilience. While prior research has primarily emphasized the technical capabilities of AI in financial decision making, less is known about how investors perceive these technologies in practice. Using survey data from 221 individual investors and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the study analyzes how different dimensions of AI perception affect investment strategies. The results show that perceived efficiency and positive expectations regarding the future role of AI positively influence both short-term and long-term investment strategies. In contrast, perceived accuracy is associated with lower engagement in short-term strategies, suggesting greater reliance on AI-generated recommendations. Most notably, perceived forecasting ability is negatively related to long-term investment strategies, indicating that stronger belief in AI’s predictive capabilities may encourage a shift toward shorter investment horizons. The findings demonstrate that different dimensions of AI perception are associated with investment behavior in different ways. While some AI-related perceptions may support more disciplined and potentially resilient investment behavior, others may encourage greater dependence on automated forecasts and reduced long-term orientation. The study contributes to understanding the behavioral implications of AI in financial decision making. Full article

Background: The rapid use of social media (SM) has become a central part of university students’ everyday habits. However, its extensive SM surfing, frequently conceptualized as Social Media Addiction (SMA), is accountable for growing worries about the potential relationship with mental health symptoms (MHS). This research paper aimed to explore the interrelationships between SMA and MHS in the Saudi Arabia (SA) context. The paper explored the role of study discipline as a moderator. Methods: Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was used to analyze a set of data collected from 600 university students in SA. Results: The PLS-SEM results showed that Time Management & Performance (TM&P) and Social Comfort (SC) were significantly and positively correlated with stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms among SA university students. TM&P exhibited the strongest association with distress symptoms, while SC also displayed significant positive associations with all mental health symptoms. In contrast, Withdrawal & Health Problems (W&HP) demonstrated weak, negative and significant correlations with stress and anxiety and a non-significant correlation with depression, indicating that different aspects of SMA might be associated with mental health outcomes differently. Moreover, study discipline can significantly moderate several relationships between SMA dimensions and mental health outcomes, signalling that the psychological associations of compulsive social media use vary across disciplinary settings. Conclusion: This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the association between digital addiction and psychological well-being and provides a culturally grounded perspective from the Saudi Arabian context. Full article

Learning agility has become an essential capability for employees working in technology-driven environments characterized by rapid change and uncertainty. Despite increasing attention on learning agility, limited empirical research has examined how different levels of cognitive abilities contribute to its development, particularly among Generation Z employees. This study investigates the cognitive determinants of learning agility by distinguishing between basic cognitive abilities and high-level cognitive abilities and examining their roles across established and start-up companies. A total of 270 Generation Z employees in Indonesia participated in the study, consisting of 135 employees from established companies and 135 from start-up companies. Cognitive abilities were assessed using objective psychometric instruments, where basic cognitive abilities (reasoning, memory, attention, coordination, and perception) were measured using CogniFit, while high-level cognitive abilities were assessed through the Divergent Association Task (DAT) for creativity, the Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal for critical thinking, and the FourSight framework for problem-solving. Learning agility was measured using a multidimensional behavioral scale. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that higher-order cognitive abilities play a more prominent role in shaping learning agility than basic cognitive abilities. Creativity and problem solving consistently demonstrate significant positive relationships with learning agility across organizational contexts, while reasoning, critical thinking, and perception show context-dependent effects across organizational environments. These findings suggest that learning agility is primarily driven by generative and evaluative cognitive processes rather than by basic cognitive efficiency alone. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the cognitive architecture of learning agility and provides insights for organizations seeking to develop adaptive talent in rapidly evolving technological environments. Full article

School discipline disproportionately affects Black students and is associated with diminished academic outcomes. However, the mechanisms through which exclusionary discipline constrains college/university degree attainment—and the role of mental health in this pathway—remain underexplored with longitudinal data from a large urban birth cohort. This study examines whether depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between high school discipline and college/university degree attainment, and whether this mediation pathway varies by race and sex. Using data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 1417), I employed generalized structural equation modeling (GSEM) to test a serial mediation model: school discipline (Year 15) → depressive symptoms (Year 15) → college-going behaviors (Year 15) → college/university degree attainment (Year 22). Bootstrap confidence intervals (1000 replications) tested indirect effects. Moderation analyses examined whether the mediation pathway differed by race, sex, and depressive symptoms’ severity. School discipline significantly predicted higher depressive symptoms (b = 0.46, p = 0.001), which in turn predicted fewer college-going behaviors (b = −0.02, p = 0.001) and lower odds of college/university degree attainment (OR = 0.89, p = 0.001). The total indirect effect through depressive symptoms was significant (b = −0.06, 95% BC CI [−0.134, −0.017]). Sex, but not race (F = 0.24, p = 0.868), moderated the discipline–depressive pathway: discipline increased depressive symptoms more strongly for females (b = 0.78, p = 0.001) than males (b = 0.21, p = 0.251). Depressive symptoms amplified discipline’s effect on college/university degree attainment (interaction OR = 0.39, p = 0.037). Depressive symptoms partially mediate school discipline’s negative effect on college attainment, with the strongest effects among females. Higher education institutions must prepare to support students whose K-12 experiences were marked by exclusionary discipline. Full article

Forest fires cause societal damage, including injuries, burns, and the development and exacerbation of cardiorespiratory diseases. One of the damaging factors of forest fires is carbonaceous particles heated up to high temperatures. These particles are carried from the forest fire front and can interact with human tissue. Three scenarios for the interaction of a heated carbonaceous particle with human tissue are considered. The first scenario involves particle impact on the skin. The second scenario involves particle impact on the nasopharyngeal mucosa. The third scenario involves the impact on the tissues of the upper airways. A two-dimensional mathematical statement is considered in the “carbonaceous particle–human tissue” system. Mathematically, the heat transfer process is described by non-stationary parabolic partial differential equations with corresponding initial and boundary conditions. The problem is solved using locally one-dimensional and finite-difference methods. Difference analogs of the differential equations are solved using the marching method. Temperature distributions for particles of varying sizes and initial heat contents were obtained. The software realization was implemented using the high-level Object Pascal programming language in the RAD Studio environment. Conclusions were drawn regarding the potential practical applications of the developed software in healthcare and environmental protection. Full article

Background: Transformational leadership positively influences safety climate perceptions. Transformational leadership has four dimensions, and safety climate can be operationalized at different levels. Few research efforts, however, have been made to investigate the association between specific transformational leadership dimensions and safety climate at the individual level (i.e., psychological safety climate, PSC). Methods: Drawing on the interactive approach to forming safety climate, this study developed a multiple mediation model linking project team leaders’ intellectual stimulation (IS) to construction personnel’s PSC via safety-specific leader–member exchange (LMX) and team member exchange (TMX). A random sample (N = 292) of construction personnel based in Hong Kong is employed to validate the model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. Results: Both safety-specific LMX (specific indirect effect = 0.189) and safety-specific TMX (specific indirect effect = 0.032) significantly mediate the relationship between IS and PSC, although the direct association between them is insignificant. Age significantly moderates the IS–PSC relationship, with a stronger association for younger personnel (β = 0.481, p < 0.001) than for older personnel (β = 0.195, p = 0.029). Conclusions: The findings reveal that the relationship between IS and PSC is fully mediated by safety-specific LMX and TMX, with vertical exchange (LMX) playing a substantially more prominent mediating role than lateral exchange (TMX). These results suggest that improving construction personnel’s PSC requires developing project team leaders’ intellectually stimulating skills and fostering high-quality leader–follower safety exchange within project teams. Full article

Background: Although green supply chain management (GSCM) has been widely examined, prior studies have often treated it as a homogeneous construct and have paid limited attention to how different types of GSCM practices operate in logistics firms. This study addresses this gap by distinguishing between technical GSCM practices and behavioral GSCM practices and examining how both dimensions influence organizational performance through green innovation culture (GIC). Methods: Drawing on data from a cross-sectional survey of 426 logistics practitioners involved in supply chain, operations, and sustainability-related functions in Guangzhou, China, the study tested the proposed model using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Both technical and behavioral GSCM practices positively influence GIC, with behavioral practices having a stronger effect. GIC significantly improves organizational performance. Technical and behavioral GSCM practices also directly enhance organizational performance, indicating partial mediation. The indirect effect of behavioral GSCM practices through GIC is stronger, suggesting that behavioral governance is especially important for developing an innovation-oriented green culture. Conclusions: The study advances GSCM and green innovation literature and suggests logistics firms can achieve more sustainable performance improvements by combining technological upgrading with leadership support, employee involvement, stakeholder collaboration, and an innovation-oriented green culture. Full article

Background: Circular logistics translates circular economy principles into practical supply chain processes, but its adoption varies across firms because organizations differ in sustainability commitment, circular supply chain motivation, shared circular identity, and digital traceability capability. This study examines how supplier sustainability commitment and circular supply chain motivation influence circular logistics adoption through circular supply chain identity, while also testing the moderating role of digital traceability capability. Methods: Data were collected from 350 supply chain professionals in Saudi Arabia and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results: Supplier sustainability commitment and circular supply chain motivation positively influenced both circular logistics adoption and circular supply chain identity. Circular supply chain identity also positively affected circular logistics adoption and partially mediated the effects of both antecedents. Digital traceability capability acted as a selective moderator: it weakened the circular supply chain motivation–identity relationship, did not significantly moderate the supplier sustainability commitment–adoption relationship, but strengthened the circular supply chain identity–adoption relationship. It also moderated the indirect effect of circular supply chain motivation on circular logistics adoption through circular supply chain identity. Conclusions: Circular logistics adoption is driven not only by commitment and motivation, but also by shared circular identity and digitally enabled traceability. Full article

This paper addresses the input-to-state stability (ISS) in different $L^q$-norms for a class of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations of parabolic type subject to both in-domain disturbances and Dirichlet boundary disturbances, where $q\in [1,+\infty )$. Specifically, we first prove the continuous dependence of solutions to the system on initial data and disturbances in different $L^q$-norms by using the generalized Lyapunov method, and subsequently derive ISS estimates via a density argument. The main challenge arises in handling the nonlinear coupling terms and deriving ISS small-gain conditions within the generalized Lyapunov framework, as each coupling term depends on all other state variables of the system. Full article

Internet memes increasingly move from social media into physical product packaging, yet little is known about how consumers respond when online cultural symbols become package design cues. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework, this study examines how meme-based packaging shapes purchase intention and sharing intention through perceived value, brand warmth, and cultural resonance. A between-subjects survey experiment was conducted with 305 Chinese adult consumers, who evaluated either a meme-based packaging stimulus or a no-explicit-meme conventional packaging control stimulus. Partial least squares structural equation modeling showed that purchase intention and sharing intention followed different dominant mechanisms. Perceived value was the strongest predictor of purchase intention, whereas cultural resonance was the strongest predictor of sharing intention. Visual attractiveness most strongly enhanced perceived value, while playfulness and expression–product fit contributed more clearly to brand warmth and cultural resonance. Mediation results further showed that brand warmth and cultural resonance consistently transmitted the effects of meme-packaging cues, whereas the value route was more selective. These findings show how online cultural symbols can continue to shape consumer evaluation and social transmission after entering physical product interfaces. Full article

We develop a systematic framework for incorporating perturbative correction terms into classical finite difference schemes for Allen–Cahn type stochastic partial differential equations. Three distinct correction approaches are introduced, conceptually motivated by perturbative quantum field theory, quantum coherent state evolution, and WKB (Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin) barrier penetration theory. These quantum-inspired perturbative method (QIPM) corrections function as classical perturbations executing entirely on conventional hardware; quantum-mechanical formalism serves only as a design principle for constructing specific functional forms of correction terms. The primary novelty of this work lies in (i) a generic convergence-preservation theorem establishing sufficient conditions on correction magnitude for any perturbative correction to maintain the base scheme’s accuracy order, and (ii) a systematic translation methodology from quantum-mechanical analogies to explicit, implementable finite difference corrections with rigorous parameter bounds. Through convergence analysis, we demonstrate that appropriately parametrized corrections preserve the accuracy of the underlying numerical scheme, provided the solution possesses sufficient regularity and the parabolic scaling constraint $\Delta t=\mathcal{O}\left(h^2\right)$ holds. Numerical experiments on a spatially discretized domain over a finite time horizon using spatially correlated noise reveal that the anharmonic oscillator correction achieves exceptional accuracy with modest computational overhead, while the amplitude encoding correction provides intermediate accuracy with negligible timing cost. The tunneling-inspired correction exhibits higher error for smooth initial conditions, indicating strong problem-dependence. While these methods enhance accuracy in specific scenarios, genuine speedups on classical hardware are not achieved. The primary value lies in establishing systematic methodologies for perturbative correction design and developing theoretical foundations for future hybrid computational approaches. Full article

Islamic banking is increasingly expected to align Sharia-based intermediation with sustainability objectives, yet empirical evidence remains limited on how sustainability disclosure links financing structures with bank performance. This study examines whether Islamic Sustainable Banking (ISB) functions as a mediating mechanism between profit-sharing financing, debt-based financing, and financial performance in Islamic banks in Indonesia and Malaysia. ISB is measured using an Islamic Sustainable Banking Disclosure Index that integrates Maqasid al-Shariah principles with SDG-oriented disclosure indicators. Using panel data from 23 Islamic banks over 2018–2023 and applying partial least squares structural equation modeling, mediation analysis, PLS-MGA, and permutation tests, the study finds that both profit-sharing and debt-based financing are negatively associated with ISB disclosure, while ISB is positively associated with net profit margin but not return on assets. The mediation results indicate statistically significant negative indirect associations through ISB, suggesting that sustainability disclosure operates as a conditional transmission mechanism rather than an automatic performance driver within the specified PLS-SEM model. Cross-country tests reveal significant differences between Indonesia and Malaysia, particularly in the associations between financing structures and profitability. The study contributes to Islamic sustainable finance by clarifying how Maqasid-oriented disclosure connects financing composition, governance capacity, and profitability, while offering practical implications for bank managers, regulators, and policymakers seeking to integrate sustainability into Islamic banking governance and financing decisions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Promoting psychological well-being is a central goal in healthy aging research. While leisure has been widely recognized as an important contributor to well-being in later life, the underlying psychological mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. This study aims to examine the relative roles of cognitive and experiential mechanisms in shaping psychological well-being among older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 200 older adults participating in community-based leisure programs in South Korea. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. A dual-pathway model was tested, in which leisure attitude represents a cognitive mechanism and leisure satisfaction reflects an experiential mechanism. Results: Leisure attitude significantly influenced both leisure satisfaction and psychological well-being, while leisure satisfaction also had a positive but comparatively weaker effect on well-being. Mediation analysis confirmed that leisure satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between leisure attitude and psychological well-being. Notably, the direct effect of leisure attitude (β = 0.368) was substantially stronger than that of leisure satisfaction (β = 0.150), providing preliminary support for differences in the relative associations of cognitive and experiential pathways. Conclusions: These findings suggest that cognitive appraisal may play a relatively important role in psychological well-being among older adults and provide preliminary support for the relevance of cognitive mechanisms alongside experiential factors in aging research. Interventions aimed at promoting healthy aging should therefore focus not only on improving the quality of leisure experiences but also on fostering positive cognitive orientations toward leisure. Full article

This study examines how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance influences firm financial performance within the ASEAN context by integrating internal mechanisms and external institutional dynamics. Using a quantitative approach, this study analyzes 270 financial and non-financial companies from five ASEAN countries over the period 2019–2023. Structural Equation Modeling using Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) with WarpPLS is employed to test direct, mediating, and moderating relationships, complemented by multi-group analysis to assess cross-country and sectoral differences. The results show that ESG performance has a positive and significant effect on firm financial performance, both directly and indirectly through innovation capacity. At the same time, stakeholder trust and resource efficiency do not exhibit significant mediating effects. Furthermore, institutional quality, policy effectiveness, and cultural sustainability orientation strengthen the ESG–performance relationship, whereas market competition intensity does not play a significant moderating role. The findings also reveal substantial heterogeneity across countries and sectors, indicating that ESG effectiveness is highly context-dependent. Overall, this study highlights that ESG creates value not only through internal capabilities but also through supportive institutional and cultural environments, emphasizing the importance of contextual factors in shaping sustainability outcomes in emerging markets. Full article

Introduction: Oman has transitioned from travel-related dengue cases to local outbreaks since 2018, with heterogeneous patterns across governorates and districts. Understanding how climate, population, and vector indicators jointly shape dengue risk at different administrative levels is essential for targeted control. Methods: This study compiled weekly data (2020–2024) on dengue cases, mosquito surveillance, climate, and population from national sources. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS v4, we modelled constructs for Weather, Population, Vector, and Vector-borne Disease (VBD). Measurement quality was assessed using various statistics and with 5000-sample bootstrapping. Multigroup Analysis (MGA) with permutation and Measurement Invariance of Composite Models (MICOM) tested invariance and compared structural paths across governorates (Muscat, North Al Batinah, Ad Dakhiliyah) and districts (Seeb, Sohar, Bahla). Results: Vector abundance mediated climate and population effects on dengue, with marked spatial heterogeneity. At the governorate level, the Vector → VBD path was strongest in Ad Dakhiliyah (β ≈ 0.436) and negligible in Muscat (β ≈ −0.021); indirect effects from Population and Weather to VBD were significantly higher in Ad Dakhiliyah than comparators. At the district level, Bahla showed stronger Vector → VBD and Weather → Vector relationships than Seeb and Sohar, while Seeb exhibited low explanatory power across paths. MICOM indicated partial measurement invariance, suggesting caution in cross-group comparisons. Conclusions: Dengue risk in Oman is primarily vector-driven but differs by setting. Inland/rural areas are more sensitive to climate–vector dynamics, requiring enhanced surveillance and climate-informed early warning. Urban centers may need models incorporating mobility and behavior. Findings support localized interventions and the integration of trap positivity and density into district-level prediction and control. Full article