bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Operating of Gasoline Engine Using Naphtha and Octane Boosters from Waste as Fuel Additives
Authors: Ali Obed Majeed , Alomar Omar Rafae , Ali Omar Mohammed , Alwan Naseer T. , Yaqoob Salam J. , Nayyar Anand , Askar Sameh , Abouhawwash Mohamed
Published: December 2021

Fuel quality is an important indicator for the suitability of alternative fuel for the utilization in internal combustion (IC) engines. In this paper, light naphtha and fusel oil have been introduced as fuel additives for local low octane gasoline to operate a spark ignition (SI) engine. Investigated fuel samples have been prepared based on volume and denoted as GN10 (90% local gasoline and 10% naphtha), GF10 (90% local gasoline and 10% fusel oil), and GN5F5 (90% local gasoline, 5% naphtha and 5% fusel oil) in addition to G100 (Pure local gasoline). Engine tests have been conducted to evaluate engine performance and exhaust emissions at increasing speed and constant wide throttle opening (WTO). The study results reveal varying engine performance obtained with GN10 and GF10 with increasing engine speed compared to local gasoline fuel (G). Moreover, GN5F5 shows higher brake power, lower brake specific fuel consumption, and higher brake thermal efficiency compared to other investigated fuel samples over the whole engine speed. The higher CO and CO2 emissions were obtained with GN10 and GF10, respectively, over the entire engine speed and the minimum CO emissions observed with GN5F5. Moreover, the higher NOx emission was observed with pure local gasoline while the lowest was observed with GF10. On the other hand, GN5F5 shows slightly higher NOx emissions than GF10, which is lower than GN10 and gasoline. Accordingly, GN5F5 shows better engine performance and exhaust emissions, which can enhance the local low gasoline fuel quality using the locally available fuel additives.
Sustainable Transformation of Consumer Behavior—Vector Modeling in Determining the Decision to Choose a Medical Service in the Context of COVID-19
Authors: (Popa) Chivu Raluca-Giorgiana , Popa Ionuț-Claudiu , Mociu Adrian , Savin Petre-Sorin , Popa Robert-Ionuț , Orzan Anca-Olguța
Published: December 2021

Consumer behavior has been a topic of interest since ancient times, from the point of view of both the socio-human sciences (psychology, sociology) and the economy; the consumer is seen as a producer of income. With the emergence and development of services in the economic sphere, the consumer has become the beneficiary of those services, with the same role of generating revenue and profits for suppliers. In the field of healthcare provision, the analysis of consumer behavior is a delicate subject because there are no standard behavioral models (not only due to the confidentiality of information that does not allow data to be obtained by researchers but also due to individual particularities regarding the need for health services). Moreover, in the context of COVID-19, the attitude of their beneficiaries toward health services has changed compared to what experts have recorded in the past, as pandemic restrictions and fear of the new virus have led to changes in behavior and people’s decisions regarding health services. For this study, quantitative research was conducted, complemented by a conceptual, behavioral model, on the satisfaction levels of health service beneficiaries in the context of COVID-19. In this research, numerous variables were analyzed regarding the protection measures implemented by medical institutions whose services have benefited from the perceived urgency. The research was conducted in Romania on a sample of 100 people from the southeast region, in order to observe to what extent the analyzed factors inform their decisions. According to government statistics, only 80% of Romania’s population uses medical services. Given the sample size, the PLS-SEM method of analysis was used, which, according to the recommendations identified in the literature, is the most appropriate technique for small samples due to the individual method of analyzing the links between variables, leading to significant results. Technological evolution and the digitization of some procedures within the medical services (such as making online appointments and online or telephone consultations) represents only one factor analyzed in the process of determining the satisfaction levels of the beneficiaries of health services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Options to Support Sustainable Trajectories in a Rural Landscape: Drivers, Rural Processes, and Local Perceptions in a Colombian Coffee-Growing Region
Authors: Valbuena Diego , Chenet Julien G. , Gaitán-Cremaschi Daniel
Published: December 2021

Trajectories of many rural landscapes in Latin America remain unsustainable. Options to support sustainable rural trajectories should be comprehensive and rooted in the interests of rural actors. We selected a municipality in a coffee-growing region in Colombia with an increasing urban–rural nexus to describe interactions between rural processes and their drivers while identifying and contextualising the perceptions of local actors on major constraints and opportunities for more inclusive and sustainable rural trajectories. We described these interactions by combining secondary data on main drivers, agricultural census data, and interviews with different local actors. Changes in population structure, volatility in coffee prices, in-/out-migration, deagrarianisation, and rurbanisation, among others, are reconfiguring the rural trajectories of the study area. Despite not being a major coffee region, farmers in the study area have developed different strategies, including intensification, diversification, replacement or abandonment of coffee production, and commercialisation. The perceptions of local actors and the multiplicity of agricultural households, food/land use systems, rural processes, and drivers described in this study suggest that more sustainable rural transitions need to be supported by inclusive, integrated, and transformative landscape planning approaches that align with local priorities. However, this transformation needs to be accompanied by changes at a systemic level that address the fundamental bottlenecks to real sustainability.
The Role of Housing in Facilitating Middle-Class Family Practices in China: A Case Study of Tianjin
Authors: Wang Lu , Gilroy Rose
Published: December 2021

This paper, drawn from a wider doctoral study that investigates how middle-class Chinese families manage and balance their resources to negotiate family duties across generations, focuses on the role of home ownership and property. The research considers intergenerational equity, which is a key part of social sustainability, and uses this to explore the shifting care expectations between generations and the inherent tensions between socioeconomic opportunities that have changed the shape of families and the belief in the importance of the family unit as a vehicle to deliver care. The research draws on the narratives of whole families in a ten-family study undertaken in the Chinese city of Tianjin. The findings reveal the critical role of housing resources in presenting alternative solutions to the performance of care. Firstly, the opportunity to make new choices in the face of shifting priorities across the life course is facilitated by property ownership. Secondly, it facilitates the possibility of living close by, but not together, maintaining the privacy of the nuclear family, but fulfilling care roles. Thirdly, housing resources promote variations on the traditional co-residence pattern for supporting frail elders and, finally, new forms of co-residences where care flows to the young family and their children.
Framework Proposal for Achieving Smart and Sustainable Societies (S3)
Authors: Turrén-Cruz Thalía , López Zavala Miguel Ángel
Published: December 2021

This article introduces a Smart and Sustainable Societies (S3) framework, based on what is necessary to achieve the UN agenda by 2030. The proposed model is based on the integration of three smart strategies: (1) water provision that consists of the use of greywater and rainwater; (2) sanitation provision that comprises the nutrients recovery from excreta and organic solid waste and; (3) resource-oriented agriculture that conceives the use of the water provision system for the production of food with the use of nutrients recovered from the sanitation system. The S3 framework has the potential to increase the well-being, human development, water availability, food safety, poverty alleviation, and healthy environments of societies through the provision of safely managed basic services as well as the recycling of nutrients and water to achieve sustainability at household and community levels.
The Role of Education in Sustainable Dietary Patterns in Slovenia
Authors: Kirbiš Andrej , Lamot Monika , Javornik Marija
Published: December 2021

The most sustainable dietary patterns involve the consumption of plant-based (vegan) foods, excluding or reducing animal products, including meat, fish, and dairy, yet there is a lack of research on determinants of sustainable dietary patterns in central European countries. The present article aimed to examine the prevalence of sustainable dietary practices and attitudes among the Slovenian public and to investigate the role of education in fostering sustainable dietary patterns. We analyzed a representative national sample of Slovenians, with data gathered in 2019 (ISSP/Slovenian Public Opinion; N = 1079; 51.2% females). The results indicate that most Slovenians do not have sustainable dietary practices or attitudes with regard to health, the environment, animals, and dietary minorities. One in four Slovenians consume meat at least once per day and one in two consume meat three to six times per week. In addition, 78.2% of Slovenians consume milk at least three times per week; more than half consume milk daily or more often. Fish consumption is the least frequent among the three food groups. At least two-thirds of Slovenians also hold attitudes that are low in sustainability. Results also show that, after controlling for confounding variables, higher educational level emerged as an independent predictor of lower meat consumption, but not of lower fish or milk consumption. Furthermore, those in the lowest educational group are significantly less likely to hold sustainable attitudes than those in the higher educational group. Finally, current student status only decreases meat consumption. Since our results show an educational gradient in meat consumption and attitudes, public health and environmental campaigns should focus on the less-educated groups, encouraging them to reduce meat intake and fostering more sustainable attitudes.
Techno-Economic Assessment of a Hybrid Gas Tank Hot Water Combined Heat and Power System
Authors: Skabelund Brent B. , Elio Joseph , Milcarek Ryan J.
Published: December 2021

Combined heat and power (CHP) systems with an integrated solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is a promising technology to increase overall efficiency of traditional residential combustion systems. One potential system is gas tank hot water heaters where partial oxidation of the fuel serves as a means of fuel reforming for SOFCs while producing thermal energy for heating water. In this study, a residential hybrid gas tank hot water heater with an integrated SOFC model was developed and a thorough techno-economic analysis was performed. Fuel-rich combustion characterization was performed at equivalence ratios 1.1 to 1.6 to assess synthesis gas production for the SOFC. The effect of fuel utilization and operating voltage of the model SOFC stack were analyzed to provide an in-depth characterization of the potential of the system. CHP and electrical efficiencies over >90% and >16% were achieved, respectively. The techno-economic analysis considers the four major census regions of the United States to evaluate regional savings based on respective utility costs and hot water demand. The results show the hybrid system is economically feasible for replacement of an electrical water heater with the longest payback period being approximately six years.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Solid Waste Generation in the Perspectives of Socioeconomic and People’s Behavior: A Case Study in Serdang, Malaysia
Authors: Arumugam Veknesh , Abdullah Ismail , Yusoff Irwan Syah Md , Abdullah Nor Liza , Tahir Ramli Mohd , Nasir Ahadi Mohd , Omar Ammar Ehsan , Ismail Muhammad Heikal
Published: December 2021

Malaysia has enforced several phases of Movement Control Order (MCO) as a quarantine period since 18 March 2020 with the intended purpose of containing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. The quarantine has affected people’s daily lives with frequent job dismissal and retrenchment due to the struggling economic conditions of particularly small and medium businesses. This study aimed to understand the impact of MCO on solid waste management in Serdang, Selangor from the aspects of socioeconomic and people’s behavior. Solid waste generation data in Serdang, Selangor was collected by KDEB Waste Management through waste weighing daily throughout 2019 and 2020. The collection was conducted according to different housing areas of Serdang. The quantitative findings have recorded a decline of 9.94% in solid waste data generation subjected to COVID-19 lockdown. In conjunction with that, an online questionnaire participated by 310 respondents was conducted on understanding the effect of the lockdown on people’s behavior and socioeconomic aspect with respect to solid waste management. This study revealed that June onwards (after MCO Phase 1) generated the most solid waste. Indeed, solid waste generation due to MCO according to the waste refusal behavior is the consensus in favor of Malaysia’s appropriate need for stricter policies.
“I Still Love Them and Wear Them”—Conflict Occurrence and Management in Wearer-Clothing Relationships
Authors: Neto Ana , Ferreira João
Published: December 2021

The reasons why people use their clothes for longer are complex, but essential to understand how to promote longer clothing lifetimes. We conducted an online survey with open-ended questions, asking 170 female participants to write about one of their oldest garments still in use. When analysing our qualitative data, we found that many participants reported going through some mishaps with their item, a situation which is identified in existing literature as a reason for garment disposal. Following ongoing research which compares wearer-clothing relationships with human relationships, we analysed our qualitative data in the light of theory on interpersonal relationships to understand why conflict did not lead participants to dispose of their garments. The findings suggest that the way people manage conflict with their clothes is more critical for garment longevity than the conflict per se, which is bound to happen at some point in time. This paper presents different approaches to conflict in wearer-clothing relationships and illustrates them with testimonies from our survey. We discuss our findings through relevant literature and their implications to specific strategies for garment longevity.
Graduate Students’ Experience and Academic Achievements with Online Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Omar Halima Ahmed , Ali Eqlima Mohamad , Belbase Shashidhar
Published: December 2021

Higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) adopted a distance/online learning approach during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to ensure that students were safe while they received an uninterrupted, high-quality education off-campus. This was the first time that all of the higher education institutions adopted this approach. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct this study to gain insight into graduate students’ experiences in distance learning and to verify whether these experiences are linked to their achievements. The purpose of this study was to examine graduate students’ experiences toward online and distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in the academic year 2020–2021 and their academic achievement. A questionnaire was developed for this study and sent online to graduate students’ emails with the coordination of the College of Graduate Studies at a higher education institution in the UAE. The study received 138 responses. The data was analyzed using IBMSPSS-26. The findings of the study showed that graduate students’ level of Engagement, ease of Communication, and quality of learning Experience with online/distance learning were related significantly to their overall academic achievement.
Perception and Prioritization of Ecosystem Services from Bamboo Forest in Lao PDR: Case Study of Sangthong District
Authors: Lee Bohwi
Published: December 2021

Bamboo is a widely used natural resource, yet it cannot be managed sustainably without considering its social and environmental potentials. This study compared and evaluated the difference in demands and values of two stakeholder groups (local community and forestry experts) toward various ecosystem services for local bamboo forests and suggested interventions for decision-makers in Laos. This study selected six provisioning, five regulating, two cultural, and two habitat services and evaluated each group for its public perception of and priorities for bamboo forests using a 4-point Likert scale and 100 preference points. Both groups showed higher perceptions and priorities for provisioning and cultural services, which are helpful for sustaining livelihoods. The perceptions and priorities of the community group concerning regulating services (e.g., natural hazard regulation, water purification, and fresh air regulation) to improve crop production were higher than those of the expert group, but regarding the carbon sequestration, the expert group scored higher. Carbon sequestration, a public good provided on a large scale, could be perceived when there is a high level of understanding and interest in bamboo forests through environmental education. In habitat services, there was no significant difference between the groups. Experts should actively consider these differences in demands and public perception when making decisions about bamboo management to promote services that villagers have difficulty perceiving and draw intervention points accordingly in national policies for bamboo resources.
Digital Marketing of Bulgarian Natural Heritage for Tourism and Recreation
Authors: Mitova Radenka , Borisova Bilyana , Koulov Boian
Published: December 2021

The need for a closer and enhanced connection with nature, as the basis for human wellbeing, reinforces the importance of natural heritage governance, including wider and much improved access to information about nature-based tourism and recreation. This research seeks to reveal how Internet content can support the digital identification of nature sites and their branding as tourist destinations. To this end, it analyzes 20 exemplary websites, each known around the world, and highlights important current trends in the structuring and attractiveness of the information provided. Based on the devised benchmarking criteria, the study develops a benchmarking approach that improves digital “packaging” and marketing of natural heritage for the purposes of tourism, recreation, leisure, and sports, and then tests it in Bulgaria. The procedure includes the selection of 57 natural heritage sites and rating the content of their official websites. The results show an unsatisfactory level of representation of the heritage value of the Bulgarian NH and a severe depreciation of the provision of the necessary tourism and recreation information, in comparison to the selected global benchmark. Besides the outline of the most frequent gaps and shortcomings, the results provide managers with suggestions about the development of a “natural heritage” brand for tourism and recreation, which features amplification of site identity and messaging, plus enhancement of its visibility. The conclusions are applicable to a wide variety of geographical contexts and audiences in nature-based destination governance.
Sustainable Smart Cities: Convergence of Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain
Authors: Sharma Ashutosh , Podoplelova Elizaveta , Shapovalov Gleb , Tselykh Alexey , Tselykh Alexander
Published: December 2021

Recently, 6G-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining attention and addressing various challenges of real time application. The artificial intelligence plays a significant role for big data analytics and presents accurate data analysis in real time. However, designing big data analysis through artificial intelligence faces some issues in terms of security, privacy, training data, and centralized architecture. In this article, blockchain-based IoT framework with artificial intelligence is proposed which presents the integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain for IoT applications. The performance of the proposed architecture is evaluated in terms of qualitative and quantitative measurement. For qualitative measurement, how the integration of blockchain and artificial intelligence addresses various issues are described with the description of AI oriented BC and BC oriented AI. The performance evaluation of proposed AI-BC architecture is evaluated and compared with existing techniques in qualitative measurement. The experimental analysis shows that the proposed framework performs better in comparison with the existing state of art techniques.
Machine-Learning-Based Prediction of Land Prices in Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Kim Jungsun , Won Jaewoong , Kim Hyeongsoon , Heo Joonghyeok
Published: December 2021

The accurate estimation of real estate value helps the development of real estate policies that can respond to the complexities and instability of the real estate market. Previously, statistical methods were used to estimate real estate value, but machine learning methods have gained popularity because their predictions are more accurate. In contrast to existing studies that use various machine learning methods to estimate the transactions or list prices of real estate properties without separating the building and land prices, this study estimates land price using a large amount of land-use information obtained from various land- and building-related datasets. The random forest and XGBoost methods were used to estimate 52,900 land prices in Seoul, South Korea, from January 2017 to December 2020. The models were also separately trained for different land uses and different time periods. Overall, the results revealed that XGBoost yields a higher prediction accuracy. Whereas the XGBoost models were more accurate on the 2020 data than on the 2017–2020 data when analyzing residential areas, the random forest models were more accurate on the 2017–2020 data than on the 2020 data. Further analysis will extend the prediction model to consider submarkets determined by price volatility and locality.
Direct Payments and Sustainable Agricultural Development—The Example of Poland
Authors: Sadłowski Adrian , Wrzaszcz Wioletta , Smędzik-Ambroży Katarzyna , Matras-Bolibok Anna , Budzyńska Anna , Angowski Marek , Mann Stefan
Published: December 2021

This paper aims to explore the importance of the direct-payments scheme as a tool for supporting the sustainable development of agriculture in Poland, and to assess the effects of the 2015 Common Agricultural Policy reform in this context. In particular, the study attempts to investigate the impact of different fund-allocation criteria on the regional distribution of direct payments. The research employs a simulation method in the form of variant analysis (the “what if” model)—a mathematical method with elements of statistical description, based on the complete dataset. For the purposes of one of the variants, a multi-criteria composite indicator was constructed, including stimulants and destimulants of the level of environmental sustainability of agricultural plant production. The analysis was conducted at the NUTS 2 level (voivodeships). The timeframe of the study covered the period 2010–2019. The data published by Statistics Poland and the Agency for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture were used as the source material. The analysis indicated that the 2015 Common Agricultural Policy reform redistributed public funds away from sustainable agricultural management principles. Applying some basic sustainability criteria in order to internalise environmental externalities would lead to a radical redistribution of first-pillar Common Agricultural Policy payments. The paper concludes that a real greening of the European Union’s agricultural policy is a task still to be accomplished.
Improving Ecological Functions and Ornamental Values of Traditional Pear Orchard by Co-Planting of Green Manures of Astragalus sinicus L. and Lathyrus cicera L.
Authors: Zhang Qin , Peng Yutao , Wang Jingxin , Li Longcheng , Yao Danjun , Zhang Aihua , Wang Wenhua , Kuang Shengjian , Liao Heng , Zhu Qing , Zhang Bangxi
Published: December 2021

Traditional orchards received little attention in ecology. In order to enhance the ecological function of traditional pear orchard, it is an effective strategy to co-plant the ornamental green manure (GM) under the pear forest. In this study, two kinds of GM, i.e., Astragalus sinicus L. (AS) and Lathyrus cicera L. (LC), were co-planted in pear tree orchard to elevate its landscape benefits of spatiotemporal distribution of flowers, the nutrient benefits and oxygen production. The results showed that the flower height of AS and LC arrange between 20~30 cm, and the flowering period covers the March. LC has a large number of flowers, a small area of single flower, and high yield of fresh grass. AS has a small number of flowers, a large area of single flower, and low yield of a single fresh grass. Among them, 35% AS + 65% LC and 50% AS + 50% LC are more suitable in achieving the well tourism value and potential good production of pear orchard. Nutrient accumulation, total carbon fixation and oxygen production, flower number of 35% AS + 65% LC are larger than other treatments, while the flower period of 50% AS + 50% LC is longest. This study proposed a “win-win” GM planting strategy for sustainable orchard development, by enhancing ecology functions and the landscaped value of the traditional fruit orchard.
A Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Link between Modernization, Anthropomorphism and Attitude to Wildlife
Authors: Gomez-Melara Jose Luis , Acosta-Naranjo Rufino , Izar Patricia , Sah Shahrul Anuar Mohd , Pladevall Jordi , Maulany Risma Illa , Ngakan Putu Oka , Majolo Bonaventura , Romero Teresa , Amici Federica
Published: December 2021

Anthropogenic pressure has significantly increased in the last decades, often enhancing conflicts at the human–wildlife interface. Therefore, understanding peoples’ value orientations, attitudes and behavioural intentions towards wildlife is a crucial endeavour to reduce the occurrence of conflicts between humans and wildlife. Previous research in the USA has shown a consistent link between modernization and increased anthropomorphism (i.e., the tendency to attribute human mental or physical characteristics to other entities), leading to positive changes in value orientations, attitudes, and behavioural intentions towards wildlife. In this paper, we aimed to address whether this link is also present in other cultures, by testing participants (N = 741) in five different countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, and Spain). Our study shows that while the positive link between anthropomorphism, positive attitudes and behavioural intentions towards wildlife is universal, the link between modernization and anthropomorphism is culturally mediated. In some countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Spain), modernization increased anthropomorphism, while in others modernization predicted no differences (Brazil) or even a decrease in anthropomorphism (Mexico), ultimately deteriorating individuals’ attitude and behavioural intentions towards wildlife. These results call for caution when generalizing findings from western industrialized countries to inform conservation policies worldwide.
Sustainable Development of Education in Rural Areas for Rural Revitalization in China: A Comprehensive Policy Circle Analysis
Authors: Xue Eryong , Li Jian , Li Xingcheng
Published: December 2021

Rural revitalization to promote sustainable rural development is a key strategy promoted by the Communist Party of China. We conducted a comprehensive policy analysis to explore the development of sustainable rural education for promoting rural revitalization in China. Integrity, openness, and endogeneity are critical in the development of sustainable rural education. We investigated the formulation and implementation of sustainable development policies supporting rural education in China through an in-depth analysis of the rural education policy circle (policy design, content, and implementation) and administered a survey among rural education administrators and teachers to elicit their perspectives. Education personnel employed in rural areas within 10 provinces, including school and education administrators, teaching staff and researchers, and teachers (in kindergartens, primary schools, and middle schools) were recruited for the study. A total of 741 questionnaires were sent out and returned (a recovery rate of 100%). Our findings indicated that the policy design was unreasonable, and its focus on rural-based care was inadequate. Moreover, integration and symbiosis of policy content was lacking, and the governance system was also inadequate, leading to poor policy implementation associated with insufficient support of teacher resources. In addition to addressing the above issues, we suggest that the policy should have a rural orientation to enhance integration and symbiosis, with a focus on building and consolidating the ranks of rural teachers.
Sustainable Urban Delivery: The Learning Process of Path Costs Enhanced by Information and Communication Technologies
Authors: Russo Francesco , Comi Antonio
Published: December 2021

Today, local administrations are faced with the presence of greater constraints in terms of the use of space and time. At the same time, large amount of data is available to fleet managers that can be used for controlling their fleets. This work is set in the context defined by sustainable city logistics, and information and communication technologies (ICTs), to formalize the three themes of the smart city (transport, ICTs and energy savings) in a single problem. Following this, the main purpose of the study is to propose a unified formulation of the basic problem of fleets, i.e., the traveling salesman problem (TSP), which explicitly includes the use of emerging information and communication technologies (e-ICTs) pointing out the learning process of path costs in urban delivery. This research explores the opportunity to extend the path cost formation with a within-day and day-to-day learning process, including the specification of the attributes provided by e-ICTs. As shown through a real test case, the research answers to queries coming from operators and collectivities to improve city liveability and sustainability. It includes both economic sustainability for companies/enterprises and environmental sustainability for local administrations (and collectivities). Besides contributing to reduce the times and kms travelled by commercial vehicles, as well as the interference of freight vehicles with other traffic components, it also contributes to road accident reduction (social sustainability). Therefore, after the re-exanimation of TSP, this paper presents the proposed unitary formulation and its benefits through the discussion of results obtained in a real case study. Finally, the possible innovation guided by e-ICT is pointed out.
Study on Spatial Structure Characteristics of the Tourism and Leisure Industry
Authors: Zhao Mingyu , Liu Jianguo
Published: December 2021

By taking Beijing as the case site, using open-source Point of Interest data, and employing spatial visualization techniques, this study explores the spatial structural characteristics of the Beijing tourism and leisure industry and its sub-sectors. It has been found that (1) the nearest neighbor indexes of the tourism and leisure industry and its sub-sectors are all less than 1, indicating that the tourism and leisure industry and its sub-sectors in Beijing exhibit a spatial clustering distribution. Scenic spots have the largest R-value of 0.52 and, thus, the lowest degree of clustering. The minimum R-value of 0.15 is found in catering, marking the highest degree of clustering in the industry; (2) the main directional trend of the tourism and leisure industry and its sub-sectors in Beijing is the “northeast-southwest” direction, the south-north directional dispersion is dominant, and scenic spots demonstrate a more noticeable trend of spatial dispersion; (3) within the area from Sanlitun Street in the north to Panjiayuan Street in the south, and from Chaoyangmen Street in the west to Liulitun Street in the east, is situated the largest portion of cluster centers with the highest degree of clustering in Beijing’s tourism and leisure industry. The contiguous high-density cluster center of catering starts from Sanlitun Street in the north to Jinsong Street in the south, and from Chaoyangmen Street in the west to Liulitun Street in the east. The cluster of shopping and entertainment shows a checkerboard pattern in the CZCF and NUDZ. The high-value cluster of accommodation occurs primarily around Sanlitun, Panjiayuan, and Qianmen; (4) the distribution of three grades of hot spot areas and non-significant areas of tourism and leisure, catering, accommodation, and shopping and entertainment in Beijing demonstrates a circular pattern that centers around the CZCF and expands outward in sequence. High-value hot spot streets for this area are dominated by Beixinqiao Street, Hepingli Street, Sanlitun Street, Heping Street, and Tuanjiehu Street; and the high-value cold spot streets of the area are chiefly in Fuzizhuang Township, Wangping Town, Miaofeng Mountain Town, and Tanzhesi Town.
Significant Life Events and Career Sustainability: A Three-Wave Study
Authors: Udayar Shagini , Canzio Leandro Ivan , Urbanaviciute Ieva , Masdonati Jonas , Rossier Jérôme
Published: December 2021

Over the last three decades, the professional landscape has changed, and career paths have become more plural, complex, and flexible, as well as less predictable. Consequently, career sustainability has become a major concern. Since the framework of sustainable careers captures the complexities of modern careers, we used it in the present study to understand how various types of significant life events (i.e., negative work events, negative nonwork events, positive work events, and positive nonwork events) hinder or foster career sustainability among 870 professionally active adults in Switzerland using a longitudinal design. We used repeated measures analysis of variance to study changes in health (i.e., self-rated health and stress at work), happiness (i.e., life satisfaction, quality of life, and job satisfaction), and productivity (i.e., employability and career prospects) by the type of significant life events over time, from 1 year before the event (T0) to 1 year after the event (T2). Results indicated that work events are important to consider when studying career sustainability as there is evidence for spillover effects from work to life. Specifically, experiencing positive work events seems to foster career sustainability, and these effects seem to be stronger than the negative effect of negative work or nonwork life events on health, happiness, and productivity.
Evidence on the Relationship between Place Attachment and Behavioral Intentions between 2010 and 2021: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Dang Lisa , Weiss Jan
Published: December 2021

Place attachment is a key concept in understanding affective person–place relationships, and it provides an appropriate approach for the study of human behavior. This systematic literature review based on the PRISMA guidelines focuses on the relationships between place attachment and behavioral intentions. Due to the high number of studies that used place attachment as an independent or mediating variable, we categorized the studies into different research areas, which include business and management, risk and crisis, urban planning, environmental psychology, leisure, and hospitality and tourism. The results of the qualitative analysis revealed that most of the studies provided empirical evidence of a significant relationship between place attachment and willingness to pay, loyalty, risk coping behavior, land management practices, civic engagement, pro-environmental behaviors, and pro-tourism behaviors such as revisit and recommendation intentions. After we present our results and conclusion, we provide an outlook on the need for further research.
Self-Assessment Adaptive Capacity Indicators of Health Risks from Air Pollution
Authors: Thanvisitthpon Nawhath , Rintra Jarasphol , Sittiprapaporn Phakkharawat , Bumrungpert Akkarach , Trakulkongsmut Phaisit
Published: December 2021

This research proposes a set of 12 self-assessed air pollution adaptive capacity (APAC) indicators to determine and mitigate individual-level air pollution-related health risks. In the study, the APAC indicators were first statistically validated based on data from panels of experts using structural equation modeling. The validated indicators were subsequently transformed into a questionnaire to measure the individual-level APAC index. For ease of interpretation, the APAC index was converted into an APAC grade. The APAC grade was compared against the grading criteria based on Air Quality Index (AQI) levels to assess the individual-level health risks from air pollution. The proposed APAC-based self-assessment program to determine the individual-level health impacts from air pollution could be adopted as an economical and efficient alternative to costly and complicated clinical assessment.
Supply Chain Governance Mechanisms, Green Supply Chain Management, and Organizational Performance
Authors: Lee Sang M. , Choi Donghyun
Published: December 2021

While firms understand that implementing green supply chain management (GSCM) is important, they seem uncertain about how to manage their green initiatives by looking beyond their own facilities. Building a green supply chain requires the participation of all partner firms across the supply chain. However, partner firms are different in size, situation, capabilities, and even industries. Thus, encouraging them to participate in green initiatives is difficult. Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) hesitate to comply with green initiatives as they require a substantial amount of investment. This study empirically examines the causal relationship between the partnership governance mechanism and the success of GSCM. Based on transaction-cost economics theory (i.e., opportunism) and relational perspectives (i.e., trust) as the theoretical background, this study found that governance mechanisms between suppliers and manufacturers are positively related to GSCM performance. It showed that formal governance is important in the process-management side, while relational governance is critical for sharing knowledge in GSCM. The implications of the study results provide strategic insights on how the choice of governance mechanism affects GSCM performance and thus a firm’s competitiveness.
Role of Mangrove Rehabilitation and Protection Plans on Carbon Storage in Yanbu Industrial City, Saudi Arabia: A Case Study
Authors: Al-Guwaiz Sarah M. , Alatar Abdulrahman A. , El-Sheikh Mohamed A. , Al-Gehni Ghazi A. , Faisal Mohammad , Qahtan Ahmed A. , Abdel-Salam Eslam M.
Published: December 2021

Mangroves are one of the main considerations that might be used to mitigate the effects of climate change in coastal areas. Mangrove populations can be affected by industrial and civil activities on coasts. According to the Kyoto Protocol, protection and rehabilitation programs may play a pivotal role in conserving mangroves in industrial areas. Therefore, this study was designed to examine and evaluate the possible impact of conservation plans, implemented by the Royal Commission of Yanbu, in preserving mangrove trees’ ability to store carbon in the soil. Soil and plant samples were collected from three distinct locations, including a mangrove conservation site in Yanbu and natural unprotected sites in Umluj and Ar-Rayis. Organic-carbon (OC) stock, in both soil and plants, was calculated. Our results showed that at different depths, soil bulk density (SBD) in Yanbu ranged between 0.32–0.94 g cm−3. In Ar-Rayis and Umluj, SBD ranged between 1.43 to 1.99 and 0.90 to 1.57g cm−3, respectively. The average SBD values in Yanbu, Umluj, and Ar-Rayis were 0.68, 1.71, and 1.20 g cm−3, respectively. Similarly, the average soil OC density in Yanbu, Umluj, and Ar-Rayis was 165.19, 30.82, and 18.90 g C cm−3, respectively. Generally, the conserved mangrove tress grown in Yanbu industrial city showed higher (P ≤ 0.001) soil OC stock (0.39 t C ha−1) compared to the unprotected trees grown in Umluj (0.12 t C ha−1) and Ar-Rayis (0.11 t C ha−1) cities. Similarly, the highest (P ≤ 0.001) plant OC stocks (13.93 t C ha−1) were observed in protected mangroves of Yanbu, compared to the plant OC stocks observed in Umluj (8.06 t C ha−1) and Ar-Rayis (8.80 t C ha−1) cities. The results of the current study showed that the protected mangrove trees grown in Yanbu industrial city store more carbon in their sediments than those grown in the Umluj and Ar-Rayis sites without conservation or rehabilitation. These findings may provide evidence for the beneficial role of protecting mangrove forests in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Spatiotemporal Trends and Driving Factors of Urban Livability in the Yangtze River Delta Agglomeration
Authors: Yang Yichen , Fang Shifeng , Wu Hua , Du Jiaqiang , Tu Haomiao , He Wei
Published: December 2021

With the development of cities, the relationship between cities is becoming closer, and the study of urban livability based on a single city can no longer meet the guidelines and suggestions for urban agglomerations. A scientific evaluation of livability in urban agglomerations can better help cities to recognize the advantages and disadvantages. However, most studies on urban livability focus on its connotation and history and neglect simulations and analyses of the future. Based on the Yangtze River Delta agglomeration, this paper establishes an index system using data from 2011 to 2019 to simulate urban livability from 2020 to 2025 through the ARIMA model and analyzes the historical and future data by using GIS methods. The results show the following: (1) The ARIMA model has good simulation accuracy when applied to urban livability analysis and can provide a reference for future urban livability development. (2) The urban livability of the Yangtze River Delta agglomeration has obviously changed both on the whole and in subsystems. Cities in the upper ranking of livability have developed rapidly, and the difference in urban livability has increased. (3) The spatial autocorrelation of urban livability in the Yangtze River Delta agglomeration is obvious both on the whole and in subsystems. (4) The influencing factors of urban livability development are diverse. The general public budget expenditure for social security and employment, fixed assets investment in municipal public facilities, total retail sales of consumer goods, and education and medical expenditures have positive effects on the development of urban livability, while industrial SO2 emissions have a negative effect. The results show that cities should strengthen inter-city relationships, promote the coordinated development of inter-regional cities, and formulate relevant policies to improve the level of urban environmental governance in the region.
Sustainable Performances of Small to Medium-Sized Airports in the Adriatic Region
Authors: Mancinelli Enrico , Canestrari Francesco , Graziani Andrea , Rizza Umberto , Passerini Giorgio
Published: December 2021

The aim of the present paper is to evaluate the greenhouse gas savings and economic benefits associated with sustainable water and energy management at six small-to-medium airports in the Adriatic region. All the data were provided by the airport authorities in terms of the consumption of water, electricity, and energy for heating and company-operated vehicles for three years (2016–2018), as well as information about good practices and the sustainable use of water and energy resources. For the water and energy benchmarks, the most plausible predictive variables were selected according to the literature relevant to the environmental benchmarking of airports. The stepwise linear regression method was used to select the most significant predictive variables in explaining the dataset. The airports showed positive steps towards sustainability, such as a higher share of natural gas in the mix of fuel used for heating, and a green electricity tariff. The CO2 emissions and budget related to motor fuels were less than a quarter of the emissions and budget for energy consumption for heating and electricity. To achieve the goal of zero-emission airports, the decarbonisation of motor fuels and transport should follow the actions aimed at increasing energy efficiency and clean energy for heating and electricity.
The Significance of Monetary Policy Transmission Mechanism in the Sustainable Development of the SAARC Economic Community
Authors: Zahid Muhammad , Khalid Faiza , Ramzan Muhammad , Haq Muhammad , Lee Wonseok , Hwang Jinsoo , Shim Jimin
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine the monetary policy transmission mechanisms in seven South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to discover the viability of the convergence of the SAARC into a monetary and economic union based on common monetary channels. By employing optimal currency area theory, we used the restricted VAR analysis on the annual data from 1978 to 2017. We find that the money channel response provides proof for the presence of an exchange rate and credit channels. Furthermore, the real sector also responds to changes in fiscal and monetary shocks through the exchange rate and credit channels over short-run to long-run time horizons. This implies that the SAARC is a good candidate due to common exchange rate and credit channels. The function of the variance decomposition and the impulse for forming a monetary and economic union is that they share a coincidental pattern of dynamic reactions of inflation and growth to exogenous shocks. If the SAARC monetary and economic union is created, it will reap overall economic benefits inside and outside of Asia just like the European Union (EU).