Search Results (2,870)

Agricultural production remains highly susceptible to water-related risks, such as drought and flooding. Although hydrologic forecasting systems, such as the National Water Model (NWM), have advanced considerably, their outputs are rarely used for real-time agricultural decision-making. This study developed the Agricultural Water Risk Indicator (AWRI), a framework that translates NWM streamflow forecasts into crop-specific risk assessment indicators. The AWRI framework has three key components: (1) the hydrological threat and exposure characterization based on NWM streamflow forecasts (B1); (2) crop sensitivity by growth stage and water needs (B2); and (3) adaptive capacity reflecting the presence of irrigation or drainage infrastructure (B3). The AWRI was evaluated across three NWM reach IDs covering five farm sites in the Black Belt region of Alabama, USA. The results show that the AWRI captured variations in hydrologic conditions, risk, and crop tolerance across the research sites within the one- to four-week forecast range. Crops in the reproductive stage were especially sensitive. Without resilience measures, up to 55% of the crops simulated at some sites had high-risk AWRI categories. Including irrigation or drainage decreased risk scores by one to two levels. The AWRI tool provides farmers and stakeholders with critical information to support proactive agricultural water management. Full article

This study introduces the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Measurement Framework (SDG-AMF), a novel analytical tool used to systematically evaluate the relationships between digitalization and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unlike the United Nations (UN) E-Government Development Index (EGDI) and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Digital Government Indicators (DGIs) frameworks, the proposed SDG-AMF links digitalization indicators to specific SDG outcomes using proxy-based time-series analysis. The SDG-AMF provides a unified, statistically grounded approach that connects digital development with measurable sustainability outcomes. Using direct, high-quality time-series data (2010–2024) from internationally recognized sources, the framework maps key digitalization indicators such as Internet penetration, e-government maturity, research and development (RD) expenditure, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and gender participation in information and communication technology (ICT) to the selected SDG targets (SDGs 4, 5, 8, 9, and 16). Through correlation and regression analyses, the study identifies enabling and inhibiting relationships, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s strengths in digital infrastructure and e-government maturity while emphasizing areas for improvement, such as civic participation and RD intensity. Comparative benchmarking with digitally advanced economies underscores Saudi Arabia’s strengths in Internet penetration and e-government maturity, while gaps in RD investment are identified. The SDG-AMF provides policymakers with a replicable roadmap and scalable model to align foundational connectivity and governance reforms with advanced digital transformation, facilitating progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals worldwide. This research contributes original methodological insights and equips stakeholders with practical tools to monitor, compare, and accelerate SDG progress in the digital era. Full article

Background: Port digital transition is central to competitiveness and sustainability, yet existing frameworks devoted to such transition toward smart port are descriptive, technology-centered, or weak on data governance. This study designs and empirically refines a comprehensive and novel ten-step roadmap relative to existing Port/Industry 4.0 models, synthesized from 14 partial frameworks that each cover only subsets of the transition, by considering data governance and consolidating cost, time, and impact in the selection step. Methods: We synthesized recent Industry 4.0 and smart port-related frameworks into a normalized sequence of steps embedded in the so-called roadmap, then examined it in an exploratory case of a technology deployment project in a Canadian port using stakeholder interviews and project documents. Evidence was coded with a step-aligned scheme, and stakeholder feedback and implementation observations assessed whether each step’s outcomes were met. Results: The sequence proved useful yet revealed four recurrent hurdles: limited maturity assessment, uneven stakeholder engagement, ad hoc technology selection and integration, and under-specified data governance. The refined roadmap adds a diagnostic maturity step with target-state setting and gap analysis, a criteria-based selection worksheet, staged deployment with checkpoints, and compact indicators of transformation performance, such as reduced logistics delays, improved energy efficiency, and technology adoption. Conclusions: The work couples theory-grounded synthesis with empirical validation and provides decision support to both ports and public authorities to prioritize investments, align stakeholders, propose successful policies and digitalization supporting programs, and monitor outcomes, while specifying reusable steps and indicators for multi-port testing and standardized metrics. Full article

Background: Spasticity, which occurs with certain neurological conditions, substantially affects quality of life, function, and social participation. Despite widespread botulinum toxin use, variability persists in patient information, access to specialized rehabilitation, and follow-up models. Methods: This two-phase Delphi-Dialogue Patients–Professionals study (DDPP), promoted by SERMEF, integrated perspectives from 77 patients and 141 rehabilitation professionals. Phase 1 used parallel surveys to assess satisfaction, perceived effectiveness of botulinum toxin, communication preferences, and rehabilitation follow-up. Phase 2 applied Real-Time Delphi with 38 experts to generate consensus recommendations to improve spasticity management. Results: Patients and professionals agreed on botulinum toxin benefits, the importance of ongoing rehabilitation, and the value of hybrid (in-person/remote) follow-up. Key gaps concerned access to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation services, clarity and timing of information, and shared goal setting. Experts translated these misalignments into 10 prioritized recommendations, with highest feasibility for actions standardizing access pathways, optimizing botulinum toxin use, reinforcing structured education, and consolidating hybrid rehabilitation models. Conclusions: The DDPP approach offers a reproducible framework to align stakeholder perspectives by converting quantified divergence into consensus-based innovation priorities. Implementing the recommendations—particularly those strengthening communication, education, and hybrid pathways regarding botulinum toxin treatment—may support more accessible, personalized, patient-centered spasticity care. Full article

Wood supply chains are complex, involving many stakeholders, intricate processes, and logistical challenges to ensure the timely and accurate delivery of wood products to customers. Weather-related variations in forest road accessibility further complicate operations. This paper explores the challenges faced by forest managers in targeting many delivery requirements—four or more. To address this, simulation-based optimization, using NSGA-III, a many-objective optimization algorithm, is proposed to simultaneously optimize often conflicting objectives primarily by minimizing delivery lead time, delivery deviations in backlogs, and delivery variation. NSGA-III enables the exploration of a diverse set of Pareto-optimal solutions that show trade-offs across a flexible set of four, or more, delivery objectives. A Discrete Event Simulation model is integrated to evaluate objectives in a complex wood supply chain. The implementation of NSGA-III within the framework allows forestry decision-makers to navigate between different harvest schedules and evaluate how they target a set of preference-based delivery objectives. The simulation can also provide detailed insights into how a specific harvest schedule affects the supply chain when post-processing possible solutions, facilitating decision making. This study shows that NSGA-III could substitute NSGA-II to optimize the wood supply chain for more than three objective functions. Full article

This study presents the first evaluation of plastic particle contamination along a complete drinking water supply chain within the distribution system of Milan, Northern Italy. Fourteen grab water samples were collected from various points, including groundwater extraction, post-treatment stages, a public fountain, and ten household taps. Plastic particles were identified using µFTIR spectroscopy and characterized by polymer type, shape, size, and color. Overall, low concentrations of plastic particles were detected, ranging from 0.3 ± 0.5 particles/L in the accumulation tank to an average of 1.9 ± 1.4 particles/L in household tap water, with no significant increase observed along the supply chain. The entire data set was dominated by cellulose particles (76%), as plastics accounted for only 8%. Microplastics (1 µm–1 mm) were the most commonly detected (90%), while the remaining 10% were large microplastics (1–5 mm). Qualitatively, polyester fibers were the most prevalent particles identified. However, greater variability and higher concentrations were found in private residence samples, suggesting that internal plumbing systems may be a primary source of contamination. Estimated human exposure through this supply system, based on a current theoretical model, was minimal compared to global benchmarks. These findings highlight the necessity of integrating private distribution infrastructure into future regulatory frameworks to assist stakeholders in making informed decisions to mitigate potential plastic contamination. Full article

This study examines the relationship between publicly traded Thai companies’ ESG performance and value as well as how board structures moderate this. In the Thai context, there is a limited number of empirical studies that employ the board of directors’ structure as a moderating variable, despite the importance of the board’s role in corporate management. This study aims to address this research gap. A panel GMM regression model is employed to address endogeneity issues, and our sample consists of 94 Thai listed companies with available ESG data from 2019 to 2023, resulting in 470 firm-year observations. The results demonstrate positive direct impact of ESG score on corporate value. In addition, board independence is positively significant and relates to company value. However, this research found negative moderating effect of board independence on the relationship between ESG score and corporate value. Furthermore, the empirical results indicate that board size does not have a significant direct and moderate impact on corporate value. Moreover, firm size and leverage are not related to corporate value. The results confirm the agency theory and stakeholder theory. Based on the findings, company executives should integrate ESG practices into their strategic plans. Moreover, regulatory authorities should promote expertise diversity and independence within the board and promote ESG standards and disclosure, as well as offer tax incentives for companies with outstanding ESG. This would enable investors to consider ESG performance in their decision-making. This study represents a new contribution to literature, especially in the context of emerging markets. Full article

Diagnostic errors have been a critical concern in healthcare, leading to substantial financial burdens and serious threats to patient safety. The Improving Diagnosis in Health Care report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) defines diagnostic errors, focusing on accuracy, timeliness, and communication, which are influenced by clinical knowledge and the broader healthcare system. This review aims to integrate existing literature on diagnostic error from a systems-based perspective and examine the factors across various domains to present a comprehensive picture of the topic. A narrative literature review was structured upon the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model that focuses on six domains central to the diagnostic process: Diagnostic Team Members, Tasks, Technologies and Tools, Organization, Physical Environment, and External Environment. Studies on contributing factors for diagnostic error in these domains were identified and integrated. The findings reveal that the effectiveness of diagnostics is influenced by complex, interconnected factors spanning all six SEIPS domains. In particular, socio-behavioral factors, such as team communication, cognitive bias, and workload, and environmental pressures, stand out as significant but difficult-to-capture contributors in traditional and commonly used data resources like electronic health records (EHRs), which limits the scope of many studies on diagnostic errors. Factors associated with diagnostic errors are often interconnected across healthcare system stakeholders and organizations. Future research should address both technical and behavioral elements within the diagnostic ecosystem to reduce errors and enhance patient outcomes. Full article

Organisations increasingly combine social innovation and environmentally orientated technologies in response to sustainability and stakeholder pressures. However, empirical evidence remains limited on how organisational actors perceive and cognitively associate social innovation, green technologies, and practices related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in emerging European economies. This study addresses this gap by examining whether employees and managers perceive these dimensions as interconnected and whether green technologies represent a statistically significant indirect association between social innovation and SDG-related organisational practices. Using a cross-sectional online survey of 265 employees and managers from Romanian companies in production, services, IT, and commerce, we estimated an exploratory structural model through partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal strong positive associations between perceived social innovation and SDG-related organisational practices, as well as between perceived social innovation and green technologies. Green technologies are also positively associated with SDG-related practices and exhibit a statistically significant indirect association within the observed pattern of associations. Consistent with perception-based research design, these findings suggest that respondents cognitively group social and technological initiatives as complementary components of a broader sustainability orientation, rather than indicating statistical or process-based mechanisms. The study contributes to organisational sustainability research by integrating social innovation and green technologies within a single organisational-level framework and by providing context-specific evidence from Romania, an under-represented central and Eastern European context. Full article

In the era of digital intelligence, cultural heritage is undergoing a profound transformation. This study investigates how digital technologies facilitate the inheritance and innovation of traditional culture in China, focusing on the case of Huangyan’s Song Rhyme Culture in Zhejiang Province. Drawing on the framework of “glocalized intelligent heritage,” the research explores how global technological systems interact with local cultural practices to produce new forms of cultural continuity. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative case study approach supported by empirical data. It combines policy analysis, semi-structured interviews with twenty-six stakeholders, field observations, and quantitative indicators such as visitor statistics, online engagement, and project investment. This mixed design provides both contextual depth and measurable evidence of digital transformation. The findings show that digital intelligence has reshaped cultural representation, platform-based public engagement, and local sustainability. In Huangyan, technologies such as AI-based monitoring, 3D modeling, and VR exhibitions have transformed heritage display into an interactive and educational experience. Digital media have enhanced public engagement, with more than 1.2 million virtual visits and over 20 million online interactions recorded in 2024. At the same time, the project has stimulated cultural tourism and creative industries, contributing to a 28.6% increase in cultural revenue between 2020 and 2024. The study concludes that digital intelligence can function as a cultural bridge by strengthening heritage mediation, widening access, and enabling platform- and institution-based participation, while noting that embodied intergenerational cultural transmission lies beyond the direct measurement of this research design. Full article

Despite European and international regulatory frameworks promoting circular economy principles, sustainability in the furniture sector is still challenged by the limited access to reliable information about circular materials for designers, manufacturers, and waste managers in the Made-in-Italy furniture ecosystem. This research develops a digital infrastructure to address these information gaps through mixed methodology, combining desk research on regulatory frameworks and existing platforms; field research involving stakeholder mapping and interviews with designers, manufacturers, and waste managers; and the experimental development of AI-enhanced digital tools. The result integrates a web-based platform for circular materials with a CAD plugin supporting real-time sustainability assessment. As AI-assisted data entry showed a reduced form completion time while maintaining accuracy through human verification, testing also revealed how the system effectively bridges knowledge gaps between stakeholders operating in currently siloed value chains. The platform is a critical step in enabling designers to incorporate circular materials during the early design stages, while providing manufacturers access to verified punctual sustainability data compliant with mandatory Green Public Procurement criteria. Beyond the development of an innovative digital tool, the study outlines a corresponding operational model as a practical framework for strengthening the transition toward a circular economy in the Italian furniture industry. Full article

This study explores how small and micro fashion and apparel enterprises (SMFAEs) conceptualize and structure social and environmental responsibility within an industry characterized by fragmented supply chains and limited institutional guidance. A qualitative, exploratory case study design examined four Québec-based enterprises through semi-structured interviews; these were analyzed using a hybrid thematic approach interpreted through stakeholder and legitimacy theories. The findings reveal three interdependent dimensions of responsible entrepreneurship: foundational commitments rooted in personal values; organizing mechanisms combining formal tools and informal learning to support continuous improvement; and contextual constraints related to sourcing and systemic opacity. The study advances understanding of early-stage responsibilization as a dynamic alignment between conviction, method, and feasibility. It contributes an integrative model that reframes sustainability from a compliance-oriented goal to an adaptive practice grounded in dialogue and learning. This perspective shows that meaningful sustainability emerges not from universal standards alone but from strengthening everyday human-scale processes of collaboration and adaptation. Full article

This study explores the empowerment of local communities through homestay management as an innovative strategy for sustainable rural tourism in Yogyakarta. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation with homestay owners, community leaders, and local tourism stakeholders. The findings reveal that homestay management not only enhances economic opportunities for rural households but also strengthens cultural preservation and community participation in tourism governance. Moreover, the integration of traditional hospitality practices with innovative management approaches fosters visitor satisfaction while ensuring sustainability. The study contributes to the literature by highlighting how homestay management can serve as a model of community-based tourism development, offering practical implications for policymakers, local governments, and tourism practitioners in promoting inclusive and resilient rural tourism. Full article

This study examines how corporate social responsibility (CSR) influences sustainable finance outcomes (SFO) in the Ethiopian Insurance industry through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices and institutional challenges (IC). Using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) with data collected from a primary survey, the results show that CSR has both a direct and an indirect positive effect on SFO through ESG. However, the adoption of ESG practices also tends to increase institutional challenges, which in turn negatively influences SFO. This interaction produces a competitive partial mediation effect. The serial mediation path CSR–ESG–IC–SFO is found to be negative, suggesting that enabling and constraining forces operate simultaneously. From a theoretical point of view, the study combines stakeholder, legitimacy, and institutional theories to explain this competitive mediation within a less-studied Sub-Saharan African (SSA) frontier market. On the practical side, the findings highlight the importance of establishing ESG disclosure standards, investing in capacity building, and strengthening governance systems to reduce institutional frictions and make CSR a stronger driver of sustainable finance. Full article

Drought remains a phenomenal disaster of critical concerns in West Africa, particularly within the Niger River Basin, due to its insidious, multifaceted, and long-lasting nature. Its continuous severe impacts on communities, combined with the limitations of existing univariate index-based monitoring methods, worsen the challenge. This paper introduces and evaluates a Hybrid Drought Resilience Empirical Model (DREM) that integrates meteorological, agricultural, and hydrological indicators to improve their concurrent monitoring and early warning for effective decision-making in the region. Using reanalysis hydrometeorological data (1980–2016) and community vulnerability records, results show that the DREM-based composite index detects drought earlier than the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), with stronger alignment to soil moisture and streamflow variations. The model identifies drought onset when thresholds range from −0.26 to −1.19 over three consecutive months, depending on location, and signals drought termination when thresholds rise between −0.08 and −0.82. The study concludes that the DREM-based composite index provides a more reliable and integrated framework for early drought detection and decision-making across the Niger River Basin, and hence, has proven to be a suitable drought monitor for stakeholders in the Niger Basin which can be relied upon and trusted with high confidence. Full article