Search Results (1,104)

This theoretical study rigorously investigates how generative artificial intelligence reshapes decision-making in social entrepreneurship by modeling the opportunity search process through the lens of optimal stopping theory. Social entrepreneurs often face high uncertainty and resource constraints, requiring them to strategically balance the cost of continued searching with the chance of identifying socially impactful opportunities. This study develops a formal model that captures two core mechanisms of generative AI: reducing search costs and increasing the probability of mission-aligned opportunity success. The theoretical analysis yields three key findings. First, generative AI accelerates the optimal stopping point, allowing social entrepreneurs to act more quickly on high-potential opportunities by lowering cognitive and resource burdens. Second, the influence of increased success probability outweighs that of reduced search costs, underscoring the strategic importance of insight quality over efficiency in socially embedded contexts. Third, the benefits of generative AI are amplified in uncertain environments, where it helps navigate complexity and mitigate information asymmetry. These insights contribute to a deeper conceptual understanding of how intelligent technologies transform the cognitive and strategic dimensions of social entrepreneurship, and they offer empirically testable propositions for future research at the intersection of AI, innovation, and mission-driven opportunity pursuit. Full article

This study investigates the effectiveness of passive design in low-rise residential buildings located in arid desert climates, using the Dubai Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME) competition as a case study. This full-scale experiment offers a unique opportunity to evaluate design solutions under controlled, realistic conditions; prescriptive, modeled performance; and monitored performance assessments. The prescriptive assessment reviews geometry, orientation, envelope thermal properties, and shading. Most houses adopt compact forms, with envelope-to-volume and envelope-to-floor area ratios averaging 1 and 3.7, respectively, and window-to-wall ratios of approximately 17%, favoring north-facing openings to optimize daylight while reducing heat gain. Shading is strategically applied, horizontal on south façades and vertical on east and west. The thermal properties significantly exceed the local code requirements, with wall performance up to 80% better than that mandated. The modeled assessment uses Building Energy Models (BEMs) to simulate the impact of prescriptive measures on energy performance. Three variations are applied: assigning minimum local code requirements to all the houses to isolate the geometry (baseline); removing shading; and applying actual envelope properties. Geometry alone accounts for up to 60% of the variation in cooling intensity; shading reduces loads by 6.5%, and enhanced envelopes lower demand by 14%. The monitored assessment uses contest-period data. Indoor temperatures remain stable (22–25 °C) despite outdoor fluctuations. Energy use confirms that houses with good designs and airtightness have lower cooling loads. Airtightness varies widely (avg. 14.5 m³/h/m²), with some well-designed houses underperforming due to construction flaws. These findings highlight the critical role of passive design as the first layer for improving the energy performance of the built environment and advancing toward net-zero targets, specifically in arid desert climates. Full article

The logistics industry faces challenges from evolving consumer expectations, technological advances, sustainability demands, and market disruptions. Logistics collaboration is in theory perceived as one of the most promising solutions to solve these issues, but here are still a lot of challenges that needs to be better understood and addressed. While vertical collaboration among supply chain actors is well advanced, horizontal collaboration among competing service providers remains under-explored. This study developed a novel methodology based on the COM-B behaviour-change framework to better understand the main challenges, opportunities, capabilities and drivers that would motivate competing companies to exploit the potential of horizontal logistics collaboration. A survey was designed and conducted among 71 logistics service providers in Slovenia, chosen for its fragmented market and low willingness to collaborate. Statistical analysis reveals cost reduction (M = 4.21/5) and improved vehicle utilization (M = 4.29/5) as the primary motivators. On the other hand, maintaining company reputation (M = 4.64/5), fair resource sharing (M = 4.20/5), and transparency of logistics processes (M = 4.17/5) all persist as key enabling conditions. These findings underscore the pivotal role of behavioural drivers and suggest strategies that combine economic incentives with targeted trust-building measures. Future research should employ experimental designs in diverse national contexts and integrate vertical–horizontal approaches to validate causal pathways and advance theory. Full article

Industry 4.0 represents a significant transformation in industrial systems through digital integration, presenting both opportunities and challenges for aligning the workforce, especially in emerging economies like Thailand. This study adopts a sequential exploratory mixed-method approach to investigate how strategic human resource development (HRD) contributes to sustainable transformation, defined as the enduring alignment between workforce capabilities and technological advancement. The qualitative phase involved case studies of five Thai manufacturing firms at varying levels of Industry 4.0 adoption, utilizing semi-structured interviews with executives and HR leaders. Thematic findings informed the development of a structured survey, distributed to 144 firms. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships among business pressures, leadership support, HRD preparedness, and technological readiness. The analysis reveals that business pressures significantly influence leadership and HRD, which in turn facilitate technological readiness. However, business pressures alone do not directly enhance readiness without the support of intermediaries. These results underscore the critical role of integrated HRD and leadership frameworks in enabling sustainable digital transformation. This study contributes to theoretical perspectives by integrating HRD, leadership, and technological readiness, offering practical guidance for firms aiming to navigate the complexities of Industry 4.0. Full article

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and blockchain technologies within the digital economy presents transformative opportunities for promoting low-carbon urban development. However, a systematic understanding of how these digital innovations influence urban carbon mitigation remains limited. This study addresses this gap by proposing two research questions (RQs): (1) What are the key success factors for artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain in urban carbon emission reduction? (2) How do these technologies interact and support the transition to low-carbon cities? To answer these questions, the study employs a hybrid methodological framework combining the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and interpretive structural modeling (ISM) techniques. The data were collected through structured expert questionnaires, enabling the identification and hierarchical analysis of twelve critical success factors (CSFs). Grounded in sustainability transitions theory and institutional theory, the CSFs are categorized into three dimensions: (1) digital infrastructure and technological applications; (2) digital transformation of industry and economy; (3) sustainable urban governance. The results reveal that e-commerce and sustainable logistics, the adoption of the circular economy, and cross-sector collaboration are the most influential drivers of digital-enabled decarbonization, while foundational elements such as smart energy systems and digital infrastructure act as key enablers. The DEMATEL-ISM approach facilitates a system-level understanding of the causal relationships and strategic priorities among the CSFs, offering actionable insights for urban planners, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to sustainable digital transformation and carbon neutrality. Full article

The development of Industry 4-oriented facilities in academia for training and research purposes is playing a significant role in pushing forward the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This study can serve academic staff who are intending to build their Industry 4 facilities, to better understand the key features, constraints, and opportunities. This paper presents a systematic literature review of 145 peer-reviewed studies published between 2011 and 2023, which are identified across Scopus, SpringerLink, and Web of Science. As a result, we emphasise the significance of developing Industry 4 learning facilities in academia and outline the main design principles of the Industry 4 ecosystems. We also investigate and discuss the key Industry 4-related technologies that have been extensively used and represented in the reviewed literature, and summarise the challenges and roadblocks that current participants are facing. From these insights, we identify research gaps, outline technology mapping and maturity level, and propose a strategic roadmap for future implementation of Industry 4 facilities. The results of the research are expected to support current and future participants in increasing their awareness of the significance of the development, clarifying the research scope and objectives, and preparing them to deal with inherent complexity and skills issues. Full article

In order to fulfill the commitment to the “dual carbon goal” at an early date, China has implemented a series of carbon control policies. However, the actual impact of these policy combinations on green innovation in Chinese cities remains unknown. Taking the implementation of the low-carbon pilot policy (LCP) and the carbon emission trading pilot policy (CET) as the research opportunity, this paper uses panel data from 276 prefecture-level cities and a multiple-period difference-in-differences (DID) model to explore the impact of carbon control policy combination on green innovation in China and their mechanisms. The results indicate the following: A single LCP or CET can significantly boost green innovation. However, the impact of cross-tool carbon control policy combination on green innovation is notably greater than that of a single policy, with a trend of increasing effectiveness over time. Even after a series of robustness tests, this conclusion remains valid. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the promotion effect is more significant in the eastern region and high-level administrative cities. The policy combination incentivizes green innovation through fiscal technology expenditure and public environmental awareness, focusing more on fostering strategic green innovation. Consequently, the Chinese government should tailor policy combinations to specific contexts, expand their implementation judiciously, and consistently drive forward green innovation. Full article

Collaborative business ecosystems (CBEs) are increasingly exposed to disruptive events (e.g., pandemics, supply chain breakdowns, cyberattacks) that challenge organizational adaptability and value creation. Traditional approaches to resilience and robustness often fail to capture the full range of systemic responses. This study introduces a unified mathematical framework to evaluate four crisis response modes—plasticity, resilience, transformative resilience, and antifragility—within complex adaptive networks. Grounded in complex systems and collaborative network theory, our model formalizes both internal organizational capabilities (e.g., adaptability, learning, innovation, structural flexibility) and strategic interventions (e.g., optionality, buffering, information sharing, fault-injection protocols), linking them to pre- and post-crisis performance via dynamic adjustment functions. A composite performance score is defined across four dimensions (Innovation, Contribution, Prestige, and Responsiveness to Business Opportunities), using capability–strategy interaction matrices, weighted performance change functions, and structural transformation modifiers. The sensitivity analysis and scenario simulations enable a comparative evaluation of organizational configurations, strategy impacts, and phase-transition thresholds under crisis. This indicator-based formulation provides a quantitative bridge between resilience theory and practice, facilitating evidence-based crisis management in networked business environments. Full article

Demre is one of the most important tourist destinations in Antalya province in terms of its natural and cultural heritage values, historical texture, and ecological diversity. Evaluating these potentials and managing them sustainably is of great importance. Management strategies that focus solely on improving ecological elements often fail to deliver the desired results because they tend to neglect the needs and perspectives of stakeholders. Participatory approaches are important for determining and prioritizing tourism strategies because they encourage participation and awareness, thereby facilitating the development of sustainable and effective management strategies. In this context, this study, which aims to contribute to the protection and sustainable management of tourism areas in Demre district using a participatory approach, conducted a SWOT analysis to assess the state of environmental management. Based on the data obtained, internal strategic factors scored 3415 points, while external strategic factors scored 2899 points. Ten sustainable tourism strategies were developed, primarily focusing on the SO strategy, which leverages the potential of the area by focusing on internal strengths and external opportunities, with the aim of increasing tourism opportunities in the region and developing and implementing effective management strategies. At the end of the study, tourism strategies were prioritized using the TOPSIS analysis. Full article

The worldwide agriculture industry is facing increasing problems due to rapid population increase and increasingly unfavorable weather patterns. In order to reach the projected food production targets, which are essential for guaranteeing global food security, innovative and sustainable agricultural methods must be adopted. Conventional approaches, including traditional breeding procedures, often cannot handle the complex and simultaneous effects of biotic pressures such as pest infestations, disease attacks, and nutritional imbalances, as well as abiotic stresses including heat, salt, drought, and heavy metal toxicity. Applying phytohormonal approaches, particularly those involving hormonal crosstalk, presents a viable way to increase crop resilience in this context. Abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellins (GAs), auxin, cytokinins, salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene, and GA are among the plant hormones that control plant stress responses. In order to precisely respond to a range of environmental stimuli, these hormones allow plants to control gene expression, signal transduction, and physiological adaptation through intricate networks of antagonistic and constructive interactions. This review focuses on how the principal hormonal signaling pathways (in particular, ABA-ET, ABA-JA, JA-SA, and ABA-auxin) intricately interact and how they affect the plant stress response. For example, ABA-driven drought tolerance controls immunological responses and stomatal behavior through antagonistic interactions with ET and SA, while using SnRK2 kinases to activate genes that react to stress. Similarly, the transcription factor MYC2 is an essential node in ABA–JA crosstalk and mediates the integration of defense and drought signals. Plants’ complex hormonal crosstalk networks are an example of a precisely calibrated regulatory system that strikes a balance between growth and abiotic stress adaptation. ABA, JA, SA, ethylene, auxin, cytokinin, GA, and BR are examples of central nodes that interact dynamically and context-specifically to modify signal transduction, rewire gene expression, and change physiological outcomes. To engineer stress-resilient crops in the face of shifting environmental challenges, a systems-level view of these pathways is provided by a combination of enrichment analyses and STRING-based interaction mapping. These hormonal interactions are directly related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action). This review emphasizes the potential of biotechnologies to use hormone signaling to improve agricultural performance and sustainability by uncovering the molecular foundations of hormonal crosstalk. Increasing our understanding of these pathways presents a strategic opportunity to increase crop resilience, reduce environmental degradation, and secure food systems in the face of increasing climate unpredictability. Full article

West Africa faces persistent food and nutrition insecurity despite agricultural efforts, exacerbated by population growth, climate change, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. This study argues that integrating food processing principles with nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) and nutrition-smart agriculture (NSmartAg) offers a transformative solution for human health. Therefore, we delineate these interconnected concepts and highlight their synergistic potential for a nutrition-focused food system. Likewise, critical analysis of key regional challenges, including infrastructural weaknesses, policy gaps, and gender inequities, was made prior to identifying significant opportunities for leveraging food processing as a strategic entry point to accelerate the implementation of NSA and NSmartAg. Based on these insights, six strategic pathways are proposed to achieve this objective: (i) integrating food processing into policies; (ii) investing in interdisciplinary R&D that puts nutrition and health benefits at the forefront of desired outcomes along with others; (iii) strengthening farmer and food processor capacities; (iv) improving agri-food infrastructure; (v) fostering multi-sectoral collaboration; and (vi) prioritizing youth engagement and market development. By adopting these integrated strategies, West African countries can build more resilient, equitable, and nutrition-centered food systems, ultimately improving public health outcomes and fostering sustainable regional development. Full article

In alignment with global educational trends, Australia has adopted a pluralistic approach to initial teacher education (ITE), encompassing traditional university-based programs, employment-integrated models and vocational training routes. This diversification of pathways has emerged as a strategic response to persistent workforce challenges, including chronic shortages, uneven distribution of qualified educators, and limited demographic diversity within the profession. Rather than supplanting conventional ITE models, these alternative pathways serve as complementary options, broadening access and enhancing system responsiveness to evolving societal and educational needs. The rise in non-traditional routes represents a deliberate response to the well-documented global teacher shortage, frequently examined in comparative educational research. Central to their design is a restructuring of traditional program elements, particularly duration and delivery methods, to facilitate more flexible and context-sensitive forms of teacher preparation. Such approaches often create opportunities for individuals who may be excluded from conventional pathways due to socioeconomic constraints, geographic isolation, or non-linear career trajectories. Significantly, the diversity introduced by alternative entry candidates has the potential to enrich school learning environments. These educators often bring a wide range of prior experiences, disciplinary knowledge, and cultural perspectives, contributing to more inclusive and representative teaching practices. The implications for student learning are substantial, particularly in disadvantaged communities where culturally and professionally diverse teachers may enhance engagement and academic outcomes. From a policy perspective, the development of flexible, multifaceted teacher education pathways constitutes a critical component of a sustainable workforce strategy. As demand for qualified teachers intensifies, especially in STEM disciplines and in rural, regional and remote areas, the role of alternative pathways is likely to become increasingly pivotal in achieving broader goals of equity, quality and innovation in teacher preparation. Full article

Small-scale farms deserve attention and support because they play crucial and important roles. Apart from ensuring provision of food security, they also provide other economic, environmental, and social–cultural benefits. In the United States of America, these farms are agriculturally, culturally, and geographically different. They have varied needs that trigger an array of distinct biophysical, socioeconomic, and institutional challenges. The effects of these challenges are exacerbated by economic uncertainty, technological advancements, climate change, and other environmental concerns. To provide ideal services to the small-scale farm audience, it is necessary to understand these challenges and opportunities that can be leveraged to enhance their productivity and profitability. This article reviews the challenges faced by small-scale farming in the United States of America. It then reviews possible pathways to enhance their productivity and profitability. The review revealed that U.S. small-scale farms face several challenges. They include accessing farmland, credit and capital, lack of knowledge and skills, and technology adoption. Others are difficulties to insure, competition from corporations, and environmental uncertainties associated with climate change. The paper then reviews key pathways to enhance small-scale farmers’ capacities and resilience with a positive impact on their productivity and profitability. They are enhanced cooperative extension services, incentivization, strategic marketing, annexing technology, and government support, among others. Based on the diversity of farms and their needs, responses should be targeted towards individual needs. Since small-scale farm products have an effect on human health and dietary patterns, strategies to increase productivity should be linked to nutrition and health. Full article

Energy-intensive industries (EIIs) face mounting pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining international competitiveness—a balance that is central to achieving the EU’s 2030 and 2050 climate objectives. In this context, energy management (EM) emerges as a strategic instrument to decouple industrial growth from fossil energy consumption. This study proposes a redefinition of EM to support carbon-neutral supply chains within the European Union’s EIIs, addressing critical limitations of conventional EM frameworks under increasingly stringent carbon regulations. Using a modified systematic literature review based on PRISMA methodology, complemented by expert insights from EU Member States, this research identifies structural gaps in current EM practices and highlights opportunities for integrating sustainable innovations across the whole industrial value chain. The proposed EM concept is validated through an analysis of 24 EM definitions, over 170 scientific publications, and over 80 EU legal and strategic documents. The framework incorporates advanced digital technologies—including artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics—to enable real-time optimisation, predictive control, and greater system adaptability. Going beyond traditional energy efficiency, the redefined EM encompasses the entire energy lifecycle, including use, transformation, storage, and generation. It also incorporates social dimensions, such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) and stakeholder engagement, to cultivate a culture of environmental stewardship within EIIs. This holistic approach provides a strategic management tool for optimising energy use, reducing emissions, and strengthening resilience to regulatory, environmental, and market pressures, thereby promoting more sustainable, inclusive, and transparent supply chain operations. Full article

The commercialization of Km 0 agricultural and livestock products represents a strategic opportunity to enhance rural economic resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the food sector. This paper presents an original, policy-oriented framework that connects Km 0 distribution models with measurable CO₂ reductions, proposing a structured system of economic incentives to support their adoption. Grounded in a mixed-methods approach, including normative analysis, empirical modeling, and a regional case study in Galicia, Spain, we demonstrate the alignment of Km 0 policies with the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Findings reveal substantial potential for environmental mitigation, improved farm profitability, and revitalization of rural economies. This work provides a comprehensive roadmap for integrating Km 0 into national agricultural strategies, supported by data-driven justification and scalable implementation models. Full article