Search Results (1,678)

This study examines the role of human capital, technological investment, and institutional quality in promoting economic complexity in South Africa, with implications for sustainable development and the strategic role of Small and Medium Enterprises. Motivated by the growing importance of productive sophistication for long-term development in emerging economies (notably SDG 8 and SDG 9), the study examines both long-run and short-run dynamics using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach, with robustness checks via Fully Modified Least Squares, Dynamic Least Squares, and Canonical Cointegration Regression. Structural Vector Autoregression is employed to assess the persistence of shocks, while the Toda–Yamamoto causality test evaluates causality. The results reveal that institutional quality significantly enhances economic complexity in the long run, while technological investment exhibits a negative long-run impact, potentially indicating absorptive capacity constraints within industries. Though human capital and income per capita do not influence complexity in the long run, they have short-term effects, with income per capita having the most immediate influence. Variance decomposition shows that shocks to technological investment are essential for economic complexity, and are the most persistent, followed by human capital and institutional quality. These findings show the need for institutional reforms that lower entry barriers for SMEs in industries, targeted innovation policies that support upgrading, and human capital strategies aligned with driven industrial transformation. The study offers insights for policymakers striving to influence structural drivers to advance sustainable industrial development and achieve the SDGs. Full article

This systematic literature review explores the socio-ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in contemporary media content generation. Drawing from 44 peer-reviewed sources, policy documents, and industry reports, the study synthesizes findings across three core domains: bias detection, storytelling transformation, and ethical governance frameworks. Through thematic coding and structured analysis, the review identifies recurring tensions between automation and authenticity, efficiency and editorial integrity, and innovation and institutional oversight. It introduces the Human–AI Co-Creation Continuum as a conceptual model for understanding hybrid narrative production and proposes practical recommendations for ethical AI adoption in journalism. The review concludes with a future research agenda emphasizing empirical studies, cross-cultural governance models, and audience perceptions of AI-generated content. This aligns with prior studies on algorithmic journalism. Full article

This study investigates the concept of landscape services (LS), which integrate environmental and sociocultural dimensions of sustainable development. Recognizing landscapes as essential to daily life and well-being, the research aims to support sustainable spatial planning by analyzing both their potential and their actual use. The study has three main objectives: (1) to assess the potential of 16 selected landscape types to provide six key LS through expert evaluation; (2) to determine actual LS usage patterns among the local community (residents); and (3) to identify agreements and discrepancies between expert assessments and resident use. The services analyzed include providing space for daily activities; regulating spatial structure through diversity and compositional richness; enhancing physical and mental health; enabling passive and active recreation; supporting personal fulfillment; and fostering social interaction. Expert-based surveys and participatory mapping with residents were used to assess the provision and use of LS. The results indicate consistent evaluations for forest and historical urban landscapes (high potential and use) and mining and transportation landscapes (low potential and use). However, significant differences emerged for mountain LS, rated highly by experts but used minimally by residents. These insights highlight the importance of aligning expert planning with community needs to promote sustainable land use policies and reduce spatial conflicts. Full article

Marine biomass, particularly from waste streams, by-products, underutilized, invasive, or potential cultivable marine species, offers a sustainable source of high-value biopolymers such as collagen and chitin. These macromolecules have gained significant attention due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, functional versatility, and broad applicability across health, food, wellness, and environmental fields. This review highlights recent advances in the uses of marine-derived collagen and chitin/chitosan. In alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we analyze how these applications contribute to sustainability, particularly in SDGs related to responsible consumption and production, good health and well-being, and life below water. Furthermore, we contextualize the advancement of product development using marine collagen and chitin/chitosan within the European Union’s Blue bioeconomy strategies, highlighting trends in scientific research and technological innovation through bibliometric and patent data. Finally, the review addresses challenges facing the development of robust value chains for these marine biopolymers, including collaboration, regulatory hurdles, supply-chain constraints, policy and financial support, education and training, and the need for integrated marine resource management. The paper concludes with recommendations for fostering innovation and sustainability in the valorization of these marine resources. Full article

This study explores how corporate governance reforms can enhance financial reporting quality and organizational transparency, focusing on Greece’s transition from Law 3016/2002 to Law 4706/2020. The legislative reform aimed to modernize governance structures, align national practices with international standards, and strengthen investor protection in a post-crisis economic environment. Moving beyond a simple legal comparison, the study examines how Law 3016/2002’s formal compliance model contrasts with Law 4706/2020’s more substantive accountability framework. We hypothesize that Law 4706/2020 introduces substantively stronger governance mechanisms than its predecessor, thereby improving transparency and investor protection, while compliance with the new law imposes materially greater administrative and financial burdens, especially on small- and mid-cap firms. Methodologically, the research employs a narrative literature review and a structured comparative legal analysis to assess the administrative and financial implications of the new law for publicly listed companies, focusing on board composition and diversity, internal controls, suitability policies, and disclosure requirements. Drawing on prior comparative evidence, we posit that Law 4706/2020 will foster governance and disclosure improvements, enhanced oversight, and clearer board roles. However, these measures also impose compliance burdens. Due to the heterogeneity of listed companies and the lack of firm-level data following Law 4706/2020’s implementation, the findings are neither fully generalizable nor quantifiable; future quantitative research using event studies or panel data is required to validate the hypotheses. We conclude that Greece’s new framework is a critical step toward sustainable corporate governance and more transparent financial reporting, offering regulators, practitioners, and scholars examining legal reform’s impact on governance effectiveness and financial reporting integrity. Full article

Urban transport is a key driver of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, making its decarbonization essential to achieving EU climate neutrality targets. This study examines how European strategies, such as the Green Deal, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and the Fit for 55 package, are reflected in Romania’s transport policies, with a focus on implementation challenges and urban outcomes in Bucharest. By combining policy analysis, stakeholder mapping, and comparative mobility indicators, the paper critically assesses Bucharest’s current reliance on private vehicles, underperforming public transport satisfaction, and limited progress on active mobility. The study develops a context-sensitive reform framework for the Romanian capital, grounded in transferable lessons from Western and Central European cities. It emphasizes coordinated metropolitan governance, public trust-building, phased car-restraint measures, and investment alignment as key levers. Rather than merely cataloguing policy intentions, the paper offers practical recommendations informed by systemic governance barriers and public attitudes. The findings will contribute to academic debates on urban mobility transitions in post-socialist cities and provide actionable insights for policymakers seeking to operationalize EU decarbonization goals at the metropolitan scale. Full article

Political polarization in policy evaluations arises from identity-driven cognitive–affective dynamics, yet the neural mechanisms underlying the real-time processing of policy texts remain unexplored. This study bridges this gap by employing EEG to capture neurobehavioral responses during a COVID-19 vaccine mandate judgment task. The analysis of 70 politically stratified participants revealed significantly elevated gamma1 (30–50 Hz) activity in the right prefrontal cortex among policy supporters, reflecting enhanced attentional engagement and value integration. These topographically specific neural dissociations demonstrate how ideological alignment modulates cognitive–affective processing. Our findings establish EEG as a robust tool for quantifying implicit identity-driven evaluations, offering new pathways to decode polarization in contested policy contexts. Full article

Global supply chains often face uncertainties in production lead times, fluctuating exchange rates, and varying tariff regulations, all of which can significantly impact total profit. To address these challenges, this study formulates a multi-country supply chain problem as a Semi-Markov Decision Process (SMDP), integrating both currency variability and tariff levels. Using a Q-learning-based method (SMART), we explore three scenarios: (1) wide currency gaps under a uniform tariff, (2) narrowed currency gaps encouraging more local sourcing, and (3) distinct tariff structures that highlight how varying duties can reshape global fulfillment decisions. Beyond these baselines we analyze uncertainty-extended variants and targeted sensitivities (quantity discounts, tariff escalation, and the joint influence of inventory holding costs and tariff costs). Simulation results, accompanied by policy heatmaps and performance metrics, illustrate how small or large shifts in exchange rates and tariffs can alter sourcing strategies, transportation modes, and inventory management. A Deep Q-Network (DQN) is also applied to validate the Q-learning policy, demonstrating alignment with a more advanced neural model for moderate-scale problems. These findings underscore the adaptability of reinforcement learning in guiding practitioners and policymakers, especially under rapidly changing trade environments where exchange rate volatility and incremental tariff changes demand robust, data-driven decision-making. Full article

Amid intensifying global ESG regulations and the expanding influence of green finance, China’s digital economy policies have emerged as key institutional instruments for promoting corporate sustainability. Leveraging the implementation of the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone as a quasi-natural experiment, this study utilizes panel data of Chinese listed firms from 2009 to 2023 and applies multi-period Difference-in-Differences (DID) and Spatial DID models to rigorously identify the policy’s effects on corporate ESG performance. Empirical results indicate that the impact of digital economy policy is not exerted through a direct linear pathway but operates via three institutional mechanisms, enhanced information transparency, eased financing constraints, and expanded fiscal support, collectively constructing a logic of “institutional embedding–governance restructuring.” Moreover, disruptive technological innovation significantly amplifies the effects of the transparency and fiscal mechanisms, but exhibits no statistically significant moderating effect on the financing constraint pathway, suggesting a misalignment between innovation heterogeneity and financial responsiveness. Further heterogeneity analysis confirms that the policy effect is concentrated among firms characterized by robust governance structures, high levels of property rights marketization, and greater digital maturity. This study contributes to the literature by developing an integrated moderated mediation framework rooted in institutional theory, agency theory, and dynamic capabilities theory. The findings advance the theoretical understanding of ESG policy transmission by unpacking the micro-foundations of institutional response under digital policy regimes, while offering actionable insights into the strategic alignment of digital transformation and sustainability-oriented governance. Full article

Previous reviews have examined specific facets of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in transportation planning, such as transit-focused applications and open source geospatial tools. However, this study offers the first systematic, PRISMA-guided longitudinal evaluation of GIS integration in transportation planning, spanning thematic domains, data models, methodologies, and outcomes from 2004 to 2024. This study addresses this gap through a longitudinal analysis of GIS-based transportation research from 2004 to 2024, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. By conducting a mixed-methods analysis of 241 peer-reviewed articles, this study delineates major trends, such as increased emphasis on sustainability, equity, stakeholder involvement, and the incorporation of advanced technologies. Prominent domains include land use–transportation coordination, accessibility, artificial intelligence, real-time monitoring, and policy evaluation. Expanded data sources, such as real-time sensor feeds and 3D models, alongside sophisticated modeling techniques, enable evidence-based, multifaceted decision-making. However, challenges like data limitations, ethical concerns, and the need for specialized expertise persist, particularly in developing regions. Future geospatial innovations should prioritize the responsible adoption of emerging technologies, inclusive capacity building, and environmental justice to foster equitable and efficient transportation systems. This review highlights GIS’s evolution from a supplementary tool to a cornerstone of data-driven, sustainable urban mobility planning, offering insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to advance transportation strategies that align with equity and sustainability goals. Full article

This article introduces the Index of Distributive and Developmental Outlook (IDDO), a composite indicator designed to jointly assess economic performance and income inequality across EU-27 Member States. While GDP per capita is widely used to evaluate national prosperity, and the Gini coefficient captures income distribution, their separate use often obscures the interaction between growth and equity—an essential dimension of sustainable development. To address this gap, the IDDO integrates normalized values of both indicators using arithmetic and geometric means. The study applies the IDDO to a longitudinal dataset covering the years 2005, 2014, and 2024, allowing for comparative and temporal analysis. Based on IDDO scores, countries are classified into four development types: balanced development, growth with inequality, equity with stagnation, and dual vulnerability. Results show that while some Member States, such as Luxembourg, Czechia, and Slovenia, maintain consistently high IDDO levels, others—including Bulgaria, Romania, and Latvia—exhibit persistent challenges in aligning growth with equitable outcomes. The findings underscore the need for cohesion policies that prioritize not only economic convergence but also distributive fairness. The IDDO provides a practical and adaptable tool for diagnosing development patterns, benchmarking performance, and informing policy design within the EU framework. Full article

Urban areas are facing increasing traffic congestion, pollution, and infrastructure strain. Traditional urban transportation systems are often fragmented. They require users to plan, pay, and travel across multiple disconnected services. Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) integrates these services into a single digital platform, simplifying access and improving the user experience. This review critically examines the role of MaaS in fostering sustainable mobility ecosystems. MaaS aims to enhance user-friendliness, service variety, and sustainability by adopting a customer-centric approach to transportation. The findings reveal that successful MaaS systems consistently align with multimodal transport infrastructure, equitable access policies, and strong public-private partnerships. MaaS enhances the management of routes and traffic, effectively mitigating delays and congestion while concurrently reducing energy consumption and fuel usage. In this study, the authors examine MaaS as a new mobility paradigm for a sustainable transportation system in smart cities, observing the challenges and opportunities associated with its implementation. To assess the environmental impact, a sustainability index is calculated based on the use of different modes of transportation. Significant findings indicate that MaaS systems are proliferating in both quantity and complexity, increasingly integrating capabilities such as real-time multimodal planning, dynamic pricing, and personalized user profiles. Full article

As the global energy transition accelerates, the integration of solar power and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies offers new pathways for sustainable local development. This study examines four Serbian municipalities—Šabac, Sombor, Pirot, and Čačak—to assess how AI-enabled solar power systems can enhance energy resilience, reduce emissions, and support community-level sustainability goals. Using a mixed-method approach combining spatial analysis, predictive modeling, and stakeholder interviews, this research study evaluates the performance and institutional readiness of local governments in terms of implementing intelligent solar infrastructure. Key AI applications included solar potential mapping, demand-side management, and predictive maintenance of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Quantitative results show an improvement >60% in forecasting accuracy, a 64% reduction in system downtime, and a 9.7% increase in energy cost savings. These technical gains were accompanied by positive trends in SDG-aligned indicators, such as improved electricity access and local job creation in the green economy. Despite challenges related to data infrastructure, regulatory gaps, and limited AI literacy, this study finds that institutional coordination and leadership commitment are decisive for successful implementation. The proposed AI–Solar Integration for Local Sustainability (AISILS) framework offers a replicable model for emerging economies. Policy recommendations include investing in foundational digital infrastructure, promoting low-code AI platforms, and aligning AI–solar projects with SDG targets to attract EU and national funding. This study contributes new empirical evidence on the digital–renewable energy nexus in Southeast Europe and underscores the strategic role of AI in accelerating inclusive, data-driven energy transitions at the municipal level. Full article

Whilst there has been an increasing trend of women holding academic positions in European Higher Tertiary Institutions (HTIs), leadership positions are held predominantly by men. The study draws on radical feminism theory with which its methodology is aligned by investigating the perceptions of both genders. To that end, the study categorizes the impediments holding women back from breaking the glass ceiling into endogenous and exogenous factors. By doing so, the authors are in a better position to recommend the implementation of policies and procedures to address this inequality and navigate towards achieving sustainable gender equality. The research was conducted using an online survey questionnaire administered among all academic and administrative staff of universities in the Republic of Cyprus, the country with the highest glass ceiling in the EU. The authors found that the binary genders differ in their perceptions of what keeps women from breaking the glass ceiling and that this is attributable to exogenous factors, namely, (a) the walls created by male leaders, reinforcing a feeling of marginalization and mansplaining; and (b) family obligations enhancing women’s experiencing a lack of time and burnout. Furthermore, the exogenous factors and the extremely gendered higher echelons of HTIs underpin the endogenous factor of self-sabotage, making women feel they would rather avoid the toxic leadership environment with its lack of professional credit, a view supported by radical feminism theory. The authors suggest practical policy implications to rectify the gender imbalance in leadership in HTIs and suggest directions for future research. Full article

The integration of renewable energy into power grids is imperative for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating reliance on depleting fossil fuels. In this paper, we develop symmetric and asymmetric evolutionary game-theoretic models to analyze how user–grid cooperation in peak shaving can be enhanced by incorporating whole-process democracy (deliberative governance) into decision-making. Our framework captures excess returns, cooperation-driven profits, energy pricing, participation costs, and benefit-sharing coefficients to identify equilibrium conditions under varied subsidy, cost, and market scenarios. Furthermore, this study integrates the theory, path, and mechanism of deliberative procedures under the perspective of whole-process democracy, exploring how inclusive and participatory decision-making processes can enhance cooperation in renewable energy systems. We simulate seven scenarios that systematically adjust subsidy rates, cost–benefit structures, dynamic pricing, and renewable-versus-conventional competitiveness, revealing that robust cooperation emerges only under well-aligned incentives, equitable profit sharing, and targeted financial policies. These scenarios systematically vary these key parameters to assess the robustness of cooperative equilibria under diverse economic and policy conditions. Our findings indicate that policy efficacy hinges on deliberative stakeholder engagement, fair profit allocation, and adaptive subsidy mechanisms. These results furnish actionable guidelines for regulators and grid operators to foster sustainable, low-carbon energy systems and inform future research on demand response and multi-source integration. Full article