Search Results (206)

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into organizational workflows is re-shaping traditional patterns of interaction between leaders and employees. Grounded in power dependence theory, this study investigates how employees’ voluntary dependence on AI influences leader–subordinate power relations and, consequently, influences employees’ voice behavior. We propose that employees’ dependence on AI can increase their perceived power when interacting with leaders, which subsequently enhances their willingness to offer constructive suggestions or question established practices. Furthermore, we propose that the extent to which leadership tasks can be substituted by AI plays a moderating role in this process. Coaching leadership, characterized by its emphasis on guiding task performance and developing employee skills, may be particularly sensitive to such substitution. Using two experimental studies and two survey investigations, we provide evidence that employees’ AI dependence is positively associated with voice behavior through heightened perceptions of personal power, and that this relationship is strengthened under high levels of coaching leadership. These findings advance leadership theory by explicating how AI adoption alters foundational power structures in the workplace and by identifying a novel, power-based pathway linking AI use to proactive employee behaviors. The study contributes to emerging discussions on effective leadership in technologically augmented organizations and offers empirical insights into how leaders can adapt their roles and behaviors in the new era of AI-driven work. Full article

This study presents an integrated evaluation framework for textile-based electrical muscle stimulation smartwear electrodes, combining physiological and user-centered assessments to ensure comprehensive performance analysis. Four electrode types—lock stitch, knit, hot stamping, and moss stitch—were examined using a systematic five-step process with nine participants. Quantitative measurements were obtained using electromyography to determine maximum voluntary contraction and tensiomyography to assess muscle contraction velocity. The knit electrode demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in maximum voluntary contraction following stimulation (W = 2.0, p = 0.012, Cohen’s d = 0.58), indicating effective neuromuscular activation and fatigue induction. The moss stitch electrode also showed a notable trend toward reduced muscle activation (W = 6.0, p = 0.055, d = 0.37). In contrast, the lock stitch and hot stamping electrodes exhibited negligible changes. User experience surveys revealed overall high acceptance across all electrode types (4.0–4.5 of mean scores on a 5-point scale), with the moss stitch electrode receiving the highest ratings for perceived safety and minimal skin discomfort, while the hot stamping electrode scored lowest in breathability. The proposed framework enables balanced evaluation of both functional performance and user experience, offering practical design guidance for optimizing textile electrodes across applications ranging from high-intensity athletic training to low-intensity rehabilitation. Full article

This study examines whether integrated reports that are more closely aligned with the International Integrated Reporting Framework (IIRF) are differently associated with firm value compared to those less aligned. Using panel estimated generalised least squares and other robust estimations, the analysis covers the Top 100 firms listed on South Africa’s Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the United Kingdom’s London Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2018. South Africa presents a mandatory integrated reporting (IR) setting, while the UK adopts a voluntary approach, offering a natural comparative context. An IR quality index was constructed to measure the degree of alignment with the IIRF, and market value of equity and Tobin’s Q are used as proxies for firm value. The results show no evidence of capital market differentiation in South Africa between more and less IIRF-aligned reports. In contrast, UK capital markets may differentiate, with less-aligned reports showing a significant negative association with firm value. These findings suggest that low-quality integrated reports may undermine firm value in voluntary IR settings. Full article

Zoological establishments have five main roles: education, conservation, recreation, research, and provision of positive welfare to exhibited and housed animals. This review highlights the effect direct human–animal interactions had on the non-human animals’ physical and psychological wellbeing in relation to short- and long-term education and conservation engagement and action. The literature was reviewed from worldwide English sources, which focused on welfare, direct animal interactions, and alternative provisions. With over 700 million visits made to zoological establishments annually, only USD350 million in funds were reported to be reinvested into conservation efforts worldwide, with the true outcome and impact of this effort unknown. Currently, the main focal area is recreation, with 75% of those surveyed (N = 1241) worldwide found to offer direct human–animal interactions. This review takes a holistic approach to human–animal interactions and highlights key opportunities that are missed in the delivery method of these. Worldwide, direct human–animal interactions during the last 30 years have had no to limited regulations. Organisations such as Pan-Africa Association of Zoos and Aquaria and British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria aim to regulate and monitor welfare, breeding, and husbandry within collections; however, joining is entirely voluntary. This has led to only 13 zoological establishments in Africa accredited under PAAZA, compared to over 100 establishments accredited under BIAZA in the United Kingdom. This review highlights that clear training plans need to be implemented before and during human–animal interactions with particular focus on feeding time demonstrations, CGI models, film rooms, and no-contact interactive areas. Further research needs to quantify the significance of the taxonomy used in direct interactions. Full article

The rapid advancement of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has enhanced fashion design creativity by introducing aesthetics beyond conventional norms. With its unique and novel aesthetics, AI-generated clothing has sparked widespread discussion on social media. However, little is known about how consumers respond when these virtual designs are transformed into wearable physical products. This study examines factors influencing Chinese consumers’ acceptance of physicalized AI-generated clothing (PAGC), which is a sustainable fashion category that improves design efficiency and enables small-scale experimental production. Grounded in the Theory of Consumption Values (TCV), eight variables across four value dimensions—functional, social, emotional, and epistemic—were identified, along with demographic characteristics. Using a non-probability voluntary sampling method, 661 valid responses from Chinese consumers were collected and analyzed through a multinomial logistic regression model. The study found that perceived algorithmic creativity, perceived novelty, and social identity are the three most influential factors on acceptance. Consumers with higher education, lower income, or fashion- and technology-related backgrounds were more likely to accept PAGC. By situating PAGC within the context of sustainable fashion innovation, this study enhances understanding of Chinese consumers’ decision-making and offers managerial insights for fashion brands striving to balance creativity and social responsibility in the GenAI era. Full article

This article examines how digitalization reshapes the research subject in social inquiry. We ask, “What counts as a research subject in digital social research, and how do we ethically account for people represented through data, traces, and algorithmic profiles?” We argue that data are inseparable from the people who produce and are affected by them and describe a three-pronged separation—between data and persons, persons and bodies, and researchers and persons—that risks dehumanization. Drawing on examples of native and digitized data and on voluntary, unintentional, and infrastructural traces, we map key harms, including privacy breaches, dataveillance, manipulation, and discrimination. We then revisit core ethical principles—consent, anonymity, and confidentiality—considering open science and platform-mediated environments, and highlight the role of algorithmic awareness. The paper offers a conceptual reframing of the “subject” in digital social research and provides a set of practical implications for responsible practices. We conclude with recommendations to re-humanize data through relational ethics, transparent methods, and participant education. Full article

Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) have emerged in Latin America as an alternative to conventional market-driven certification, offering a community-based framework to validate sustainable agricultural and social practices. Rooted in collective responsibility and dialogue between producers, consumers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and state institutions, PGS aim to empower smallholders by reducing certification costs and strengthening agroecological transitions. This review examines their development across diverse Latin American contexts, highlighting both their innovative potential and the persistent challenges that limit their scalability and formal recognition. A literature-based approach combined with a stakeholder analysis was employed, integrating case studies from Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, and other countries. To systematize findings, SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) and TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, Strengths) frameworks were applied, assessing strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of producers and consumers and formulating strategies to enhance resilience and legitimacy. Results show that PGS foster social capital, technical learning, and access to local markets; however, they are constrained by high time commitments, reliance on voluntary labour, uneven participation, and limited consumer awareness. The analysis indicates that the most promising pathway is a combination of growth strategies, including leveraging short supply chains, community-based fairs, and digital platforms, with recovery strategies centred on consumer education and producer capacity building. More conservative strategies remain crucial in specific contexts: redistributing workloads, introducing compensation for administrative tasks, and strengthening conflict mediation can help preserve system viability when engagement or resources are scarce. Defence strategies, aimed at reinforcing autonomy and reducing dependence on external actors, are better conceived as long-term goals under current conditions. Full article

Green manufacturing is an important path for accelerating the green transformation of the industrial development model. “Green Factories” certification serves as an innovative approach to voluntary environmental regulation, designed to guide firms toward optimal decision making in green manufacturing. Can the voluntary environmental regulation policy be effective, particularly in the absence of a mandatory, strictly environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework environment? Utilizing the “Green Factories” certification pilot policy released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in 2016 as a quasi-natural experiment, this study employs the staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to estimate the impacts of the voluntary environmental regulation policy on corporate ESG performance. Using a panel dataset of 2585 Chinese A-share listed enterprises from the industrial sector spanning 2012 to 2021, the results show that the “Green Factories” certification pilot policy significantly improves corporate ESG performance, and the results remain consistent after robustness tests. The mechanism analysis reveals that the influencing channel mainly works through green technology innovation, total factor productivity (TFP), and digital transformation. Heterogeneity tests further indicate that the green manufacturing pilot policy has a stronger effect on larger, heavily polluting, private enterprises that receive greater investor attention. This study provides empirical evidence at the micro level on the determinants of corporate ESG performance and voluntary environmental regulation policy evaluation, offering practical insights for promoting green manufacturing engineering development. Full article

Climate change is driving the need for forest management strategies that simultaneously enhance ecosystem resilience and contribute to climate change mitigation. Voluntary carbon markets (VCMs), regulated in the European Union by the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), offer potential financial incentives for such management, but eligibility criteria—particularly biodiversity requirements—limit the applicability of certain species. This study assessed the ecological and economic outcomes of six alternative management scenarios for a 4.7 ha, 99-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stand in western Hungary, comparing them against a business-as-usual (BAU) regeneration baseline. Using field inventory data, species-specific yield tables, and the Forest Industry Carbon Model, we modelled living and dead biomass carbon stocks for 2025–2050 and calculated potential CO₂ credit generation. Economic evaluation employed total discounted contribution margin (TDCM) analyses under varying carbon credit prices (€0–150/tCO₂). Results showed that an extended rotation yielded the highest carbon sequestration (958 tCO₂ above BAU) and TDCM but was deemed operationally unfeasible due to declining stand health. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) regeneration provided high mitigation potential (690 tCO₂) but was ineligible under CRCF rules. Grey poplar (Populus × canescens) regeneration emerged as the most viable option, balancing biodiversity compliance, climate adaptability, and economic return (TDCM = EUR 22,900 at €50/tCO₂). The findings underscore the importance of integrating ecological suitability, market regulations, and economic performance in planning carbon farming projects, and highlight that regulatory biodiversity safeguards can significantly shape feasible mitigation pathways. Full article

Animal welfare education requires pedagogical models that bridge conceptual knowledge with practice. This study presents GamifyWELL, a biomimetic, gamified learning environment for students, farmers, and veterinary technicians. Grounded in ecological principles of adaptation, diversification, and niche specialization, the design emulates how living systems evolve through feedback and cooperation. These principles were translated into an instructional model that integrates a core pathway (Pre-Test, Levels 1–4, Post-Test) with optional enrichment tasks and a role-specific Reward Marketplace. Question formats are constant across levels (MCQ, image-based, video-based) while cognitive difficulty increases, culminating in Positive Welfare scenarios. We describe the learning design structure and report preliminary implementation observations using a mixed-methods evaluation plan (pre/post knowledge assessments and engagement indicators). Results from early deployment indicate strong usability and engagement, with high voluntary uptake of enrichment tasks and positive learner feedback on role-tailored rewards; full empirical testing is in progress. Findings support the feasibility and pedagogical promise of biomimetic gamification to enhance knowledge, motivation, and intended practice in animal welfare education. GamifyWELL offers a replicable framework for nature-inspired instructional design that can be extended to allied sustainability domains. Full article

Quality Infrastructure (QI) underpins safe, sustainable, and competitive markets through metrology, standardization, accreditation, conformity assessment, and market surveillance. While mandatory schemes address immediate safety concerns, voluntary conformity assessments offer strategic advantages for emerging technologies by enabling market differentiation, regulatory anticipation, and gradual adaptation without compliance burdens. Focusing on Brazil’s National Institute of Metrology, Quality, and Technology (Inmetro), this study addresses operational gaps in implementing voluntary schemes under the modernized regulatory framework introduced by Inmetro’s Ordinance No. 30/2022. Using electric mobility to illustrate sustainability pathways, we show how voluntary assessments can operationalize and enable measurement of environmental and social co-benefits. Our five-stage qualitative methodology integrated documentary analysis of Brazilian regulations; comparative examination of approaches in the European Union, the United States, and South Korea; development of a 14-step methodological roadmap aligned with ISO/IEC standards; expert validation through a structured questionnaire with twelve specialists from government, industry, academia, and certification bodies; and systematic consolidation of feedback. The roadmap provides operational guidance on product definition, technical requirements, certification processes, and continuous improvement, with optional modules for advanced technologies and ESG criteria. Expert validation confirmed viability while identifying barriers (costs, laboratory capacity, cultural limitations) and enablers (fiscal incentives, procurement recognition). When applied to electric mobility, voluntary battery certification enhances safety and performance, charging infrastructure assessment improves reliability, and component schemes enable circular economy principles, directly supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. We conclude that strategically designed voluntary conformity schemes can accelerate regulatory convergence, strengthen competitiveness, and contribute to sustainability outcomes in modernizing economies. Full article

Objectives: This study assessed the influence of oral and topical sodium bicarbonate (SB) on recovery and soccer-specific performance after exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group design, 24 soccer players were allocated to oral SB, topical SB (PR Lotion, Momentous), or placebo (PLA) (n = 8 per condition) and attended six laboratory sessions: (i) familiarization, (ii) baseline measures, and (iii) four experimental trials on consecutive days. Muscle damage was induced on day 1 using 40 × 15 m sprints, after which either 0.3 g·kg⁻¹ body mass (BM) SB (SB-ORAL), 0.9036 g·kg⁻¹ BM PR Lotion (SB-LOTION), or an equivalent PLA was given. Recovery outcomes were measured post-EIMD, 1 d, 2 d, and 3 d post (day 1–4). Soccer-specific performance was repeated 3 d post, with supplements administered again 2 h pre-exercise. Recovery measures included muscle soreness, vertical jump height, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Illinois agility test (IAT), 8 × 25 m repeated sprints, and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) were assessed as soccer-specific performance. Results: Neither SB-ORAL nor SB-LOTION accelerated indices of recovery but decline in soccer-specific performance from baseline to 3 d post was attenuated for SB-ORAL, with significant effects for IAT (p = 0.032, g = 1.69) and Yo-Yo IR2 (p = 0.026, g = 1.61) compared with PLA. Conclusions: SB did not accelerate recovery following EIMD but prescribing oral SB before subsequent exercise might rescue key performance indicators. These findings offer implications for practitioners working with soccer players during periods where full recovery is not achieved. Full article

Individuals often lack field-based tools to monitor exercise effectiveness. New sensing methods may allow for an improved measurement of the individualized response to exercise by monitoring oxygen kinetics directly in muscle tissue. This study aimed to validate a non-invasive wearable sensor capable of measuring muscle oxygen saturation (SmO₂) using continuous-wave near-infrared spectroscopy (CW-NIRS) against a laboratory-validated frequency-domain NIRS (FDNIRS) device. Ten physically fit adults performed an incremental cycling test until voluntary exhaustion. Devices were placed on contralateral rectus femoris muscles. SmO₂ was simultaneously measured continuously for the duration of the protocol. Time series alignment was performed using linear interpolation to enable direct comparison between devices at matched time points. Z-score normalization accounted for inter-individual differences in a group-level analysis. Individual subject validation showed strong correlations between the two devices (r = 0.792, range: 0.69–0.88, p < 0.001) with an RMSD < 5% for most subjects, a mean bias of 0.005 and low proportional bias (−0.199) between all paired measurements. Group-level analysis demonstrated a correlation of r = 0.788. Bland–Altman analysis revealed that 95% of all measurements fell between −8.1% and 7.6% SmO₂. The CW-NIRS device delivered reliable performance compared to the FDNIRS device, offering potential applications for real-time physiological monitoring during exercise and performance assessment. Full article

The management of chronic rumination syndrome in professionally cared-for animals requires a comprehensive and individualized approach. In this case study, a multimodal approach incorporating pharmacological treatment, feeding modifications, and behavioral management was applied to a California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) with rumination syndrome, megaesophagus, and hypothyroidism. Behavioral observations were collected through video recordings both prior to and post-intervention. Interventions included oral naltrexone and contingent reinforcement post-feed to provide alternative enrichment activities after feeding sessions to reduce rumination syndrome, as well as levothyroxine for hypothyroidism. Additionally, dietary modifications involved offering smaller food portions, spreading meals across longer time periods, and feeding in a more upright position to facilitate esophageal passage. Results showed a reduction in the frequency of rumination syndrome, with no visible regurgitated material observed five months post-intervention. The sea lion demonstrated improved engagement in training sessions, voluntary husbandry tasks, and open-water activities, as well as improved interactions with conspecifics. The combination of pharmacological, dietary, and behavioral strategies reduced rumination behavior and improved the animal’s overall quality of life, reinforcing the value of individualized care strategies and multimodal treatment plans in addressing complex medical and behavioral comorbidities. These findings show the importance of individualized, multimodal care plans in managing complex behavioral and medical conditions, and they contribute to advancing animal-welfare practices across species. Full article

In rehabilitation research, coarse clinical outcome measures may limit the sensitivity of trials by failing to detect meaningful intervention-induced changes. Sensorized robotic platforms can potentially improve the evaluation of motor function, yet their reliability compared to skilled therapists remains unclear. This study utilized a robotic device to measure two fundamental impairments that are critical to ankle function: range of motion (ROM, active and passive) and dorsiflexion maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). In 34 chronic hemiparetic post-stroke individuals, we assessed test–retest reliability over two days for the robot and experienced therapists, who used a goniometer and manual muscle testing (MMT). We also evaluated robotic test–retest reliability in 36 young and 26 older unimpaired adults. Reliability for robotic and therapist-based AROM and MVC measures was high (ICC > 0.86), consistent across all groups. Robotic AROM and PROM measurements correlated strongly with therapist assessments (r > 0.60, p < 0.001) but were 120% and 37% larger than therapist assessments (p < 0.001), respectively. For the MVC measurement, the therapist assigned 85% of participants a score of 1 on the MMT, but their MVC torque was distributed from 0 to ~20 Nm. Measurement differences between methods likely arose from the robot’s constrained setup, allowing for compensatory muscle activation. The increased granularity provided by robotic MVC measurements could enable more precise tracking of motor recovery and facilitate tailored rehabilitation strategies. These results support the clinical utility of robotic platforms for ankle assessment, offering detailed, objective measurements that can augment traditional evaluations, and provide a benchmark dataset for other researchers. Full article