Search Results (273)

Driven by the digital transformation of territorial spatial governance, traditional urban planning is irreversibly shifting towards a data-driven empirical paradigm. However, constrained by mimetic isomorphism and path dependence, many geography-based regional universities remain trapped in an educational dilemma: they overemphasize morphological representation while marginalizing quantitative decision-making, fostering a structural mismatch between graduate competencies and industry demands. To explore a systematic pathway out of this dilemma, this study chronicles a three-year pedagogical intervention utilizing a mixed-methods design with a historical control cohort (N = 275) within the urban planning program of Gansu Agricultural University—a regional institution situated in a less-developed frontier where territorial renewal demands macro-spatial synthesis over aesthetic forms. The intervention strategically redefined the graduate competency profile as “spatial data analysts”, constructing a pedagogical model comprising foundational algorithmic training, cross-disciplinary faculty collaboration, and real-world Project-Based Learning (PBL), coupled with a restructured, evidence-based evaluation system. Longitudinal tracking and quantitative analyses indicate a structural alignment with elevated educational efficacy. At the macro level of employment trajectories, the proportion of graduates securing knowledge-intensive data positions experienced a structural shift, rising from a baseline of 14.5% to 42.5%, reflecting an enhanced capacity to capitalize on expanding societal demands. At the meso level of practical competence, the award rate in high-level professional competitions increased by 35.4%. At the micro cognitive level, the new evaluation mechanism is associated with a successful redirection of students’ cognitive resources toward algorithmic logic and policy translation (p < 0.001) while highly significantly enhancing their self-efficacy in tackling complex, wicked engineering problems (p < 0.001). Rather than isolating pure causal mechanics, this study interprets these systemic gains as a contextual realignment of academic supply. It provides a context-sensitive, reproducible methodological reference for cultivating professional distinctiveness and reshaping the spatial planning education system in the digital era. Full article

The circular economy (CE) is increasingly recognized as a strategic approach that enables firms to address environmental challenges while enhancing competitiveness and long-term value creation. However, evidence regarding its impact on business performance remains fragmented across sectors, performance dimensions, and organizational contexts. This study presents a systematic literature review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines to examine how CE practices influence business performance. The review synthesizes evidence from 79 peer-reviewed publications published between 2015 and 2025. The findings identify five major channels through which CE practices affect business performance: (1) economic, environmental, and social performance, (2) operational and supply chain performance, (3) competitive advantage and strategic positioning, (4) financial and environmental performance, and (5) barriers and performance in SMEs. Across these dimensions, CE practices are frequently associated with improved resource efficiency, cost reduction, innovation capacity, supply chain resilience, and enhanced environmental outcomes, including waste reduction and lower emissions. The review suggests that the performance effects of CE are contingent upon contextual factors such as firm size, ownership structure, industry characteristics, regulatory environment, and digital capabilities. While large firms often benefit from greater resources and organizational capacity, SMEs face significant barriers related to finance, technology, and governance, although these can be mitigated through collaboration networks and digitalization. The study contributes to the Strategic Environmental Management literature by indicating that CE practices may function not only as environmental initiatives but also as strategic capabilities that support competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability transitions. The findings provide implications for managers seeking to integrate circularity into business strategy and for policymakers designing institutional conditions that enable circular business transformation. Full article

The rise in large language models (LLMs) has sparked renewed interest in how firms, particularly multinational aid organizations, can enhance learning related to meta-dynamic capabilities (DCs), such as agility, sensing, and adaptation, in response to disasters and humanitarian crises. A key strategic priority is developing meta-rules that combine general engagement frameworks with locally tailored action plans, grounded in cultural and institutional contexts. LLMs offer potential in supporting this need, but premature deployment risks harmful or misleading outcomes. This underscores the critical importance of collaboration between artificial and human intelligence (AI-HI). While AI brings computational power, it lacks the tacit knowledge—encompassing cultural, contextual, and intuitive understanding—that is essential in high-stakes, unpredictable environments. Our experimental study provides two core insights: (1) AI alone cannot effectively handle tasks requiring tacit knowledge, and (2) AI-HI collaboration thrives when human input guides AI using deep awareness of local social and political dynamics. We contribute to the discourse on dynamic capabilities in multinational contexts during catastrophic situations by offering practical strategies to support successful AI-HI partnerships and a framework for organizations aiming to enhance meta-DCs through responsible, human-centered use of disruptive technologies. Our findings clarify how the international dimensions of these capabilities influence their effectiveness across diverse cultural and institutional environments. Full article

Climate resilience has evolved and transitioned from a concept focused on disaster risk to a strategic development paradigm. It has become a core area of focus for researchers, professionals, and policymakers due to the increasing frequency and severity of climate change hazards. The academic landscape persists in a fragmented state in spite of its significant prominence due to diverse conceptual frameworks, various definitions, and a lack of precise indicators to assess climate resilience across sectors. The crucial objective of this research is to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the academic literature on climate resilience, measure the scientific influence, and identify gaps and opportunities. This bibliometric review was conducted using data from Web of Science, consisting of 1096 articles published between 2015 and 2025. Vosviewer represents the main software used to evaluate the network of leading authors, journals, international collaborations, and the dominant countries. Terms such as climate change, resilience, and indicators received particular attention, representing the main conceptual connections. This study reveals an overview of the field’s progression, themes, trends, and challenges. The results reveal a sustained increase in research output and a heterogeneous landscape organized around key domains, including urban resilience, ecosystem dynamics, agricultural systems, governance, climate impacts, and sustainability transitions. Resilience is assessed using diverse, context-specific indicators, with governance, vulnerability, and adaptive capacity frequently identified as core dimensions. However, measurement approaches remain inconsistent and lack standardization. Scientific production is concentrated in a limited number of countries, although international collaboration is gradually expanding. These findings underscore the multidimensional and evolving characteristics of climate resilience research, with no clear movement toward a unified measurement framework. Full article

Since launching the Saudi Vision 2030, it has witnessed a reflective sustainability action (SA) transformation. However, robust theoretical models investigating the multifaceted catalysts and consequences of SA in this less-developed country are still lacking in investigation. This lag prompted us to advance and validate a composite framework integrating multiple theories (e.g., institutional theory, the resource-based view (RBV), stakeholder theory, dynamic capabilities theory, and contingency theory) elucidating how policy direction (PD), market incentives (MIs), and knowledge collaboration (KC) stimulate SA adoption encompassing its environmental practices (EPs), social practices (SPs), and circular economy practices (CEPs). The investigation also probes how SA thereafter drives sustainable performance outcomes. A machine-learning approach using the PLS-SEM facility was applied based on 400 questionnaires targeted at managerial positions working in the tourism and hospitality segment based in Saudi Arabia. The findings reveal that all the proposed relationships were supported, providing strong empirical support for the proposed sustainability framework in the Saudi tourism and hospitality context. Institutional pressure and the governance/regulatory environment also showed a significant impact on environmental practices, sustainable performance, and circular economy practices, whereas cost efficiency, competitive advantage, customer demand for sustainability, and knowledge collaboration also demonstrated a positive impact on sustainability actions and outcomes. Furthermore, robust analysis shows that larger firms respond more strongly to MI in terms of cost efficiency, competitive advantage, and customer demand, while CEP produces a modest improvement in hotels compared with restaurants. Our model develops a theoretical synthesis beyond fragmented views. It also provides tangible guidance for industry leaders and regulators in driving strategic alignment with the SDGs and in developing a resilient, situational model that promotes regenerative tourism in high-growth, vulnerable destinations. Full article

In the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) era, platform enterprises face the critical challenge of balancing flexibility and controllability to sustain competitive advantage. Existing studies have examined these two dimensions separately but offer limited insight into their synergistic mechanisms within complex adaptive ecosystems. Drawing on the structural, cognitive, and relational dimensions of social capital theory, with a particular emphasis on institutional-level collaborative social capital among platform enterprises and their supply-chain partners, this study employs dynamic fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to identify the configurational pathways through which Chinese platform enterprises achieve high sustainable development performance. Using panel data from Chinese A-share listed platform enterprises (2014–2024), we identify three equifinal configurational pathways sufficient for high sustainable development performance: (1) a cognitive-relational alliance-driven path, (2) a structural-relational hybrid synergy path, (3) a structural-cognitive flexible innovation path. Innovation value consensus emerges as a core condition across all pathways. These configurations are sufficient for platforms to exhibit flexible market responsiveness and strategic controllability under varying environmental conditions. The study advances social capital theory by demonstrating the multidimensional, synergistic, and context-sensitive nature of flexibility-controllability coupling in platform governance. It also provides managers with actionable insights for tailoring social capital investments to specific regional and strategic contexts. Full article

Copernicus, the Earth Observation component of the European Union Space Programme, plays a key role in monitoring planetary health and informing global sustainability agendas. Enhancing its uptake offers a strategic opportunity to translate climate information into actionable knowledge for sustainable institutional governance. This study examines how data visualization, translating complex climate information into context-relevant formats, can strengthen the uptake of Copernicus Climate Change and Atmosphere Monitoring Service by national institutions. Using the Italian initiative for the National Collaboration Programme of the Copernicus Climate Change Service as an empirical setting, we adopt a mixed-method design to bridge expert visualization practices with institutional stakeholders tasked with sustainability transitions. The findings show that users widely recognize the value of Copernicus. Nonetheless, uptake depends largely on how easily visual outputs can be integrated into workflows and decision procedures. By linking uptake to visualization practices, the study reveals a previously underexplored user–expert gap between production and use contexts. We introduce “adaptive translation” as a framework to align scientific integrity with usability through progressive disclosure, defensibility-oriented design, and iterative feedback loops. The results provide context-sensitive guidance for designing “workflow-ready” visual products in similar national institutional settings, enhancing the capacity of institutional actors to design the climate-resilient actions that are essential for a sustainable future. Full article

Internationalization at home through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) has become established as a strategic way to expand intercultural experiences without the need for physical travel. However, little research has been done on the initial diagnosis of students before starting these projects, especially in Hispanic American contexts. This study addresses this gap by characterizing perceived preparedness, intercultural development expectations and the initial assessment of the evaluation device in a COIL project between a Spanish university and a Chilean university. Methodologically, a descriptive comparative quantitative approach with a pre-intervention design, oriented toward describing the students’ perspective, was adopted. The data were collected using a questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistical techniques and Welch’s t-tests, including effect size. The results show significant differences between universities in the expectations of intercultural skills development (p < 0.01) and a high internal consistency of the scale (α = 0.92). Prior to its implementation, students express positive expectations towards the COIL experience. These findings highlight possible previous institutional gaps in intercultural preparedness and underscore the original contribution of the study as an initial diagnosis to guide the pedagogical design and equitable implementation of COIL projects in higher education institutions. Full article

Background: In the context of a multi-stakeholder program promoted by Regione Lombardia in collaboration with Fondazione The Bridge and the University of Pavia, the present study investigates the organization and availability of hospital-based vaccination services for high-risk patients. Framing hospitals as strategic hubs for vaccination delivery, the study aimed to map service availability, operational settings and dedicated pathways across the region. Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered in 2025 to 40 healthcare organizations, encompassing 114 hospital facilities, including Local Health and Social Care Authorities (ASSTs) and both public and private Scientific Institutes for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCSs). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed, and findings were compared with those from the 2023 and 2024 editions of the same survey, developed within the “Vaccination—an opportunity for high-risk patients” project, using Pearson’s chi-square test. Results: In 2025, 99 facilities (86.8% of respondents) reported providing vaccination services for at-risk individuals. Dedicated vaccination pathways were generally available in more than 50% of facilities for nearly two-thirds of the risk categories considered. Vaccination services for diabetic patients were available in 70.7% of facilities. Among healthcare workers, influenza (93%) and SARS-CoV-2 (89.5%) vaccines were the most frequently offered, with rates approximately ten percentage points higher than those of other vaccines. Conclusions: Overall, these findings indicate a regional model progressively consolidating hospital-based vaccination for high-risk groups, with a consistent upward trend in service availability from 2023 to 2025. Full article

The climate emergency in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has transformed sustainability from an aspirational goal into a strategic imperative, particularly in the context of decoupling economic growth from natural capital depletion. This research analyzes eco-innovation within the frameworks of the National Innovation System (NIS), open innovation, and absorptive capacity, with the objective of examining the moderating role of collaboration in overcoming financial, knowledge, and market-related obstacles to innovative behavior. Employing a quantitative methodology using firm-level microdata from the Latin American Harmonized Innovation Surveys (LAIS) between 2007 and 2017, this study focuses on eco-innovative outcomes specifically linked to reductions in energy and material consumption. By estimating models that assess the role of technical cooperation and public policy support, this study seeks to determine whether collaborative strategies operate as an effective buffer against uncertainty and the limitations of local innovation systems. Expanding the scope of previous analyses centered on a single country, this work provides a regional perspective that underscores institutional and sectoral disparities in emerging contexts. Ultimately, this research examines how integrating an environmental purpose into corporate strategy and strengthening absorptive capacity enable LAC firms to transform ecological pressures into sustainable competitive advantages, mitigating the barriers that traditionally hinder technological progress in the region. Full article

Background: The National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) aims to enhance capacity in the biomedical research workforce through mentorship, professional development, and networking. This study focuses on the Strategic Empowerment Tailored for Health Equity Investigators (NRMN-SETH) program, which supports early-stage investigators (ESIs), including those from underrepresented groups, in developing grant-writing skills. Using a realist evaluation framework, this study explores the contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes contributing to the program’s effectiveness. Methods: A directed content analysis approach was employed, guided by the realist evaluation framework. Data sources included speaker slides, moderator notes, and participant observations from the 2024 RCMI NRMN-SETH session. Context-mechanism-outcome configurations were analyzed to identify key stakeholders, enabling factors, and barriers to success. Results: Five key mechanisms emerged: social support, peer accountability, knowledge of grant-writing strategies, technical grant-writing knowledge, and access to mentoring. Critical contexts included protected time for grant writing, access to subject-matter experts, and participant readiness. Institutional leadership support and cross-institutional collaborations were identified as essential for sustainability. Conclusions: The NRMN-SETH program effectively supports ESIs through mentorship and technical guidance, fostering equitable participation in biomedical research. Future efforts should focus on institutional investment in mentorship, grant readiness, and expanded access to subject-matter experts to enhance the program’s scalability and long-term impact. Full article

How non-dominant specialized firms sustain systemic innovation influence in modular service ecosystems without occupying architectural control positions remains theoretically underdeveloped. This study develops a dual-path Resource–Strategy–Capability (R–S–C) mechanism framework to explain how structurally distinct network positions generate divergent innovation trajectories among non-dominant firms. The empirical analysis draws on large-scale patent collaboration network data from China’s autonomous driving industry, covering 26 hidden champion firms and 14 global leading enterprises across 2009–2023. The framework identifies two divergent pathways: firms occupying structural hole positions adopt specialization-deepening strategies that build module-anchoring capabilities, while firms with high betweenness centrality adopt T-shaped strategies that build interface-bridging capabilities—both enabling systemic influence without architectural control. To make the resource construct theoretically precise, the framework distinguishes four categories of network-derived resources operative in the R–S–C mechanism—informational, coordination, reputational, and module-definition resources—and specifies three microfoundational processes through which strategic orientation translates into capability: experiential learning, codification of routines, and legitimation through external recognition. Institutional policy environments moderate these mechanisms by reshaping network structural heterogeneity rather than directly driving firm outcomes. The study challenges the canonical prediction of structural hole theory by demonstrating that brokerage positions generate specialization deepening rather than scope expansion when absorptive capacity constraints are binding, extends service ecosystem theory by introducing non-dominant firm pathways to systemic value co-creation, and reframes institutional policy as a network-structural moderator with transferable implications beyond the Chinese context. Full article

Food systems are currently challenged by a difficult balance: they rely heavily on natural resources while simultaneously generating significant volumes of waste, all under increasing pressure to decarbonize operations and close material loops. In this context, this study proposes strategic pillars for circular practices in the food industry, with an emphasis on the transformation of waste and by-products into high value-added resources through bio-based processes supported by biorefineries, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To underpin this proposal, a PRISMA-guided content analysis of the literature published between 2019 and 2024 (Scopus) identified 30 recurrent CE elements. These elements were systematized into five strategic pillars: valorization of residues and by-products; digitalization of the food supply chain; sustainable education and stakeholder engagement; strategic partnerships for circular business; and regenerative practices based on renewable resources. Together, these pillars point to practical pathways, including the reuse of residues to produce functional ingredients and nutraceuticals, the creation of innovative, sustainable packaging, the generation of renewable energy from biomass, the strengthening of local supply networks, and the use of digital technologies to enhance traceability and transparency. By integrating and organizing fragmented evidence, the proposed framework delivers effective guidance to food industry actors, helping overcome economic and operational barriers to circular practices while supporting collaboration with local partners and research institutions. In doing so, it additionally contributes to advancing key SDGs, particularly SDGs 2, 7, 9, 12, 13, and 17. Full article

Knowledge management platforms are increasingly important for strengthening governance, scientific collaboration, and evidence-based decision making in complex regional networks. This study analyses the prospective intention to adopt two strategic digital mechanisms of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OCTA): the Amazon Regional Observatory (ORA) and the Network of Amazonian Research Centres (REDCIA). Adapting the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to a pre-implementation context, the study focuses on performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions, while operationalizing these constructs through a Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) survey. Using a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design, penalized ordinal logistic regression models were estimated from 162 responses collected from institutional actors and experts across eight Amazonian jurisdictions. The results show that social influence is the only statistically significant predictor of intention to use in both mechanisms, whereas performance expectancy and facilitating conditions are not significant in the estimated models. These findings suggest that, in the Amazonian cooperation context, adoption is driven less by individual evaluations of utility or technical feasibility than by institutional legitimacy, peer expectations, and collaborative norms. The study contributes to the information systems literature by providing an ex ante analytical approach for assessing technology acceptance in the absence of an operational artefact. It also offers practical guidance for OCTA by highlighting the importance of change management, political endorsement, and network-based incentives to support future implementation. Full article

Simulation is increasingly recognised as a strategic approach in nursing education for developing clinical competencies within safe learning environments. However, there is limited understanding of how virtual patient simulation supports the early development of clinical reasoning from the perspective of nursing students. Aim: To explore the perceptions of first-year undergraduate nursing students regarding the development of clinical reasoning and collaborative decision-making through virtual patient simulation. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory design was adopted. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 73 first-year undergraduate nursing students. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis following Bardin’s approach. Results: Students perceived virtual patient simulation as a meaningful and high-impact learning strategy. Realism, interactivity, and group collaboration emerged as key strengths. Engagement with dynamic clinical scenarios supported the integration of theoretical knowledge into practice, enhanced prioritisation skills, and promoted structured clinical reasoning. Collaborative learning facilitated shared reflection and collective problem-solving, while immediate feedback enabled learning through error within a psychologically safe environment. Participants also reported increased confidence and autonomy in decision-making. At the same time, students identified limitations related to software constraints and the alignment between automated assessment and their reasoning processes. Conclusions: Group-based virtual simulation appears to support the early structuring of clinical reasoning, extending beyond technical skill acquisition to foster reflective and collaborative practice. Its educational value, however, depends on intentional curricular integration and strong pedagogical alignment including structured facilitation, alignment between assessment and learning objectives, and opportunities for guided reflection. These findings contribute to a process-oriented understanding of how novice learners make sense of clinical reasoning in simulated contexts. Full article