bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Data Cloning Estimation and Identification of a Medium-Scale DSGE Model
Authors: Chaim Pedro , Laurini Márcio Poletti
Published: December 2022

We apply the data cloning method to estimate a medium-scale dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model. The data cloning algorithm is a numerical method that employs replicas of the original sample to approximate the maximum likelihood estimator as the limit of Bayesian simulation-based estimators. We also analyze the identification properties of the model. We measure the individual identification strength of each parameter by observing the posterior volatility of data cloning estimates and access the identification problem globally through the maximum eigenvalue of the posterior data cloning covariance matrix. Our results corroborate existing evidence suggesting that the DSGE model of Smeets and Wouters is only poorly identified. The model displays weak global identification properties, and many of its parameters seem locally ill-identified.
How Does COVID-19 Risk Perception Affect Wellness Tourist Intention: Findings on Chinese Generation Z
Authors: Li Chaojun , Huang Xinjia
Published: December 2022

Understanding the influencing mechanism of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s travel intentions is key to creating effective strategies to restore and enhance confidence in tourism. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), an extended model was proposed to investigate the Chinese Generation Z’s perception of risk and its effect on the consequences of behavioral process toward wellness tourism. A total of 727 respondents were surveyed by using an online questionnaire. The relationships among the perceptions of risks, three key explanatory variables (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) in the TPB, and wellness tourism intention were evaluated. This study verified that both the perceived health risk and the perceived psychological risk negatively impacted the wellness tourism intentions of Gen Z. Attitude is a partial mediator between subjective norms, perceived behavior control, and travel intentions, respectively. The findings are discussed from the perspective of the theoretical and managerial implications, as well as of future research directions.
Impact of Curing Temperature on the Life Cycle Assessment of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash as a Partial Replacement of Cement in Mortars
Authors: Francioso Vito , Lopez-Arias Marina , Moro Carlos , Jung Nusrat , Velay-Lizancos Mirian
Published: December 2022

Sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), a biomass waste resulting from sugarcane bagasse burning for electricity production, has shown to be a viable alternative option as a partial cement replacement due to its chemical composition and physical properties. Besides, previous research indicates that higher curing temperature may improve the mechanical properties of mixes containing SCBA as cement replacement. However, the environmental assessment of those mixes is lacking in the literature. This study aims to understand how curing temperature impacts the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of SCBA as a partial replacement of cement in mortars. An LCA was performed from the extraction of the raw materials to the material production part of the life cycle, including transport. This study shows that the reduction of environmental impact when using SCBA highly depends on the curing temperature. When mortars were cured at 45 °C, the use of SCBA reduced the environmental impact of mortars two times with respect to the reduction at 21 °C (31% reduction when cured at 45 °C vs. 14% at 21 °C, with a 20% replacement). This difference is mainly related to the fact that the higher the curing temperature, the better SCBA mortars perform in terms of strength, thus, net savings of cement required to achieve a given performance are higher. Results indicate that the sustainability of SCBA utilization as a partial replacement of cement will be better when mortar is poured in hot regions or during days with higher ambient temperatures. Likewise, the advantages of using SCBA in terms of sustainability will decrease if the external temperature is low.
Beyond the Smart or Resilient City: In Search of Sustainability in the Sojan Thirdspace
Authors: Cooke Philip
Published: December 2022

This paper seeks to explore some of the issues to be welcomed but also warned against in general and’ also specified from an illustrative sample of ‘smart’ projects that caused outcomes that were neither ‘smart’ nor ‘resilient’. These give pointers to a ‘thirdspace’ as a descriptor of ‘assemblage’, the most advanced application of sustainability thinking regarding relational spatial development planning. This contribution examines difficulties in delivering both ‘smart’ and ‘resilient’ responses of interest or value to citizens confronted with recurring crises that derive directly or with implications for sustainability issues. Identified are constraints and issues acting as obstacles to governance, management ‘layering’ and ‘learning’ causing failures of many weak or never-delivered projects. Critiques of static, or worse ‘magical’ thinking are increasingly invoked in consequence. In the analysis of ‘live cases’ all these problems showed up ‘in real life’. The author was pleased that his mentor, the late UCLA planning theorist Ed Soja’s application of the idea of ‘Thirdspace’ received prescient vindication from the results of this adjudication.
The Organic Marketing Nexus: The Effect of Unpaid Marketing Practices on Consumer Engagement
Authors: Asante Isaac Owusu , Jiang Yushi , Luo Xiao , Ankrah Twumasi Martinson
Published: December 2022

Designing a digital marketing strategy that stimulates consumer engagement is vital and challenging for digital marketers. Despite previous research on this topic, little is known about the unpaid (organic) strategies of digital marketing and how they attract web traffic through consumer engagement. Based on the stimuli–organism–response model, this study examined the effects of three organic marketing practices related to electronic commerce shopping platforms, namely, search engine optimization, social media posts, and user-generated content, on consumer engagement. Covariance-based structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze 464 responses from followers of five electronic commerce firms’ Facebook fan pages. Based on the stimuli–organism–response paradigm, we found that organic marketing practices positively impact consumers’ behavioral engagement; however, consumers’ psychological engagement partially mediates these impacts. Further, consumers’ attention to social comparison of consumption dampens the positive effect of search engine optimization and psychological engagement on consumers’ behavioral engagement. The findings of this paper improve our understanding of the roles played by organic digital marketing practices in attracting consumer engagement and provide guidelines for digital marketers on how to utilize unpaid marketing strategies to attract authentic consumer engagement. This study presents a new framework in measuring the digital marketing strategies available to electronic commerce firms exploring unpaid marketing strategies.
Can E-Commerce Adoption Improve Agricultural Productivity? Evidence from Apple Growers in China
Authors: Yan Beibei , Liu Tianjun
Published: December 2022

E-commerce is not only a new channel through which farmers can sell agricultural products, but also an important engine for transforming agricultural development and modernizing agriculture in the era of the digital economy. Analyzing the adoption of e-commerce from the micro level to improve farmers’ production efficiency has practical value. On the basis of theoretical discussion and analysis and on the survey data of 827 apple farmers in Shaanxi Province, China, we used propensity score matching (PSM) and stepwise regression to test the effects of e-commerce adoption on agricultural production efficiency and the mechanism through which these effects occur. The results showed that e-commerce adoption has a significant positive impact on agricultural production efficiency. The allocation of agricultural factors plays a mediating role in the impact of e-commerce adoption on agricultural production efficiency. Specifically, e-commerce adoption can effectively encourage farmers to rationally allocate agricultural labor, land, and capital production factors, promote the sustainable development of the environment and contribute to creating a harmonious community atmosphere. Therefore, we propose strengthening rural e-commerce support and the publicity and guidance regarding e-commerce adoption by farmers, holding e-commerce training, and promoting the popularization of rural e-commerce to help promote the modernization of agriculture.
Recreational Factors Influencing the Choice of Destination of Hungarian Tourists in the Case of Bulgaria
Authors: Müller Anetta , Bába Éva Bácsné , Kinczel Antonia , Molnár Anikó , Eszter Judit Boda , Papp-Váry Árpád , Hrisztov Jordán Tütünkov
Published: December 2022

In 1990, the countries of the V4 were the dominant sending countries to Bulgaria, which is why Bulgarians thought of targeting the sending market from these countries, not only with the product of mass tourism, but with a unique, four-season offer. In 1990, Hungary was Bulgaria’s third largest sending market; therefore, leisure trend studies are important as they can help to satisfy the needs of Hungarian tourists and attract them to the destination and increase their visitor satisfaction. The aim of our study is to examine the leisure time patterns and leisure preference system of Hungarian tourists, which is evident during their travels. This study examines the willingness of Hungarian tourists to travel to Bulgaria. According to the results of the secondary and primary research, the vast majority of Hungarian tourists travel to Bulgaria mainly for beach holidays, but, in addition to mass tourism, the country’s culture, history, ecotourism, health tourism, wine and gastronomy may represent further travel potential for Hungarian tourists. Having examined the attitudes of Hungarian tourists (n = 952), the study offers useful recommendations for Bulgarian tourism organizations and Bulgarian and Hungarian tour operators, as factor analysis is used to create groups belonging to factors that can be included as key target groups in publications promoting Bulgaria. Another aim of our study is to add new content to the traditional Bulgarian–Hungarian tourism relations.
Insights on the Performance of Public Procurement for Water Utilities Works
Authors: Negruț Mircea Liviu , Muțiu Adriana , Mihărtescu Ana-Andreea
Published: December 2022

The availability of non-reimbursable funds for water supply networks has made the public procurement of construction work in this sector of particular interest in terms of performance. The purpose of this research is to identify key issues and patterns emerging from the engagement between Romanian contracting entities awarding such construction contracts and economic operators. The engagement is materialized through rounds of clarification requests during the offer preparation stage. Following the analysis of the specialized literature, it was found that the subject was not addressed in many scientific publications. The research undertaken was an empirical analysis of selected tenders. The research methodology focuses on the qualitative analysis of publicly available questions and responses, complemented by the analysis of numerical data relating to the same tenders. From the study, it results that a high percentage of all questions analyzed target the technical requirements of the contract notice documents. In some instances, the same questions are found in multiple tenders. Tender evaluation periods are lengthy. The tenders are published with a similar strategic profile (e.g., open tendering, no division into lots) and participation is dominated by bidder associations of multiple economic operators. This study concludes that the quality of the technical requirements does not support the type of strategic profile employed by the contracting entities. The rigidity of written communication makes it unsuitable to mitigate the negative effects of a flawed approach in developing technical requirements for high value, high complexity projects directly connected with Romania’s public water supply challenges.
Towards Net Zero: Modeling Approach to the Right-Sized Facilities
Authors: Plachinda Paul , Morgan Julia , Coelho Maria
Published: December 2022

As the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere increases, the concerns about carbon emissions are growing. Several net-zero initiatives are taking place around the globe to achieve a balance between the GHGs put into the atmosphere and those taken out. While most efforts present a sectorized approach, this paper describes the importance of integrating information across different sectors for effective modeling of carbon emissions and holistic reduction opportunity analysis. Using the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) campus as a test case, this work provides a web-based tool for INL stakeholders to use when engaging in strategic planning to achieve carbon emissions reduction. This net-zero engineering support tool (NEST) uses historical data as foundational information for applying the modeling framework. Prediction of CO2 emissions throughout project completion integrates various approaches and schedules aimed at energy conservation, fleet decarbonization, and other GHG reduction activities. Using NEST, stakeholders can visualize carbon emissions, electricity consumption, and costs for decision making when planning the pathway for reaching carbon net zero. The INL’s initiative to transition into an EV fleet was used to demonstrate the developed framework and the advantages of using NEST. It was shown that electrifying different fossil-fueled campus vehicles before 2030 with aggressive replacement schedules require high annual capital expenditure (CAPEX), which may not be available. The tool allows decision makers to test different replacement schedules and prioritize those that yield CAPEX below a certain threshold while meeting target milestones. While the demonstration focused on vehicle electrification, the developed framework lays the foundation for further quantitative analysis of other GHG reduction activities.
Harmonic Content-Based Protection Method for Microgrids via 1-Dimensional Recursive Median Filtering Algorithm
Authors: Mumtaz Faisal , Imran Kashif , Abusorrah Abdullah , Bukhari Syed Basit Ali
Published: December 2022

Microgrids (MGs) offers grid-connected (GC) and islanded (ID) operational modes. However, these dynamic modes of operation pose different microgrid protection challenges. This paper presents a new protection method for MGs based on a discrete one-dimensional recursive Median filter (1-DRMF). In the first step, the 1-DRMF is applied on a measured current signal on every single phase individually for targeted feature extraction. Then, the median filter deviation (MFD) and the selected harmonic distortion (SHD) are computed from the current signals of all phases independently. In the second step, the upsurges in the MFD and the SHD of all phases are cross-checked with the pre-established threshold value of 0.3 to identify and categorize fault incidents. Finally, the directional properties of three-phase (3-p) reactive energy are employed in order to pinpoint the faulty line section (LS). Many simulations were executed on MATLAB/Simulink to validate the sustainable performance of the established method. Results prove that the scheme can detect, classify, and locate the solid and high impedance faults (HIF) in the GC as well as the ID modes under radial and meshed scenarios.
Eco-City Problems: Industry–City–Ecology, Urbanization Development Assessment in Resource-Exhausted Cities
Authors: Li Xin , Zhuang Xinyu
Published: December 2022

Not one single event affected as much of the world as the present period of warming is now doing. Due to the global energy crisis, climate warming and other issues, low-carbon eco-cities have become the general trend. In the context of this study, we aim to solve problems of resource-exhausted cities, which are in urgent need for green transformation. The selection of research objects is mostly based on representative regions (eastern, middle. and western regions) in China, which will lead to significant regional characteristics in eco-city planning. On the basis of the index selection, construction of the evaluation index system and calculation on the coordinated development degree of industrial structure and urbanization, we explore the coordination relationship between industrial transformation and urbanization level with the time span of three-time nodes (2005, 2010, 2015), which were also the speed-up of industrialization and urbanization in China. Results indicate that the transformation and upgrading of the current regional industrial structure is lagging behind, and the internal power of industrial upgrading is insufficient, which limits the ecological development of resource-exhausted cities. It can also be found that the coordinated development index of urbanization and industrial structure is too low. The main implications of this study state that resource-exhausted cities are still in the state of being on the verge of imbalance and still have a wide development space based on the division standard. Furthermore, compared to the rationalization industrial structure, this study indicates the contributive rate of industrial structure supererogation to the overall level of urbanization is bigger. Countermeasures about the urban environment from the ecology stratification plane and how the cities achieve the urban form of sustainable development as a complex organism are also proposed. Scientific analysis and discussion on resource-cities by studying and solving related problems on the eco-city’s construction has vital significance to urbanization and sustainable development, which can reflect the relationship between industry, city, and ecology.
From Waste Biomass to Cellulosic Ethanol by Separate Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF) with Trichoderma viride
Authors: Hawrot-Paw Małgorzata , Stańczuk Aleksander
Published: December 2022

Advanced biofuels can reduce fossil fuel use and the number of harmful compounds released during combustion, by reducing the use of fossil fuels. Lignocellulosic materials, especially waste biomass, are suitable substrates for the production of advanced biofuels. Among the most expensive steps in the production of ethanol is enzyme-based hydrolysis. Using microorganisms can reduce these costs. This study investigated the effectiveness of hydrolyzing three waste lignocellulosic biomass materials (barley straw, oak shavings, spent grains) into ethanol, after biological pretreatment with Trichoderma viride fungi. The number of fermentable sugars obtained from each substrate was subjected to preliminary study, and the correlation between the temperature and fungal activity in the decomposition of lignocellulosic materials was determined. Ethanol was produced by the separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) method. It was found that not all lignocellulosic biomass is suitable to decomposition and hydrolysis in the presence of T. viride. Regardless of the process temperature, the average enzymatic activity of fungi (activity index) ranged from 1.25 to 1.31. 94 mL of distillate, with a 65% (v/v) ethanol concentration produced by the hydrolysis and fermentation of the sugars released from the barley straw.
Bulgarian Local Cherry Genetic Resources towards Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: Malchev Svetoslav , Vasileva Katya
Published: December 2022

In the conditions of global climate change and invasion of new diseases and pests, the utilisation of the local gene pool is a vital step towards sustainable agriculture. Local cultivars and forms are generally considered as better adapted to the conditions of the originating region than widely spread commercial cultivars bred elsewhere. In order to collect, study, and preserve old and local fruit and vine cultivars and forms, a series of expeditions have been conducted throughout Bulgaria under the frame of project KP-06-N46/3 funded by the National Science Fund of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science. During these scientific expeditions, several local cherry forms were discovered without visual symptoms of brown rot Monilinia laxa (Aderh. and Ruhl.) Honey or cherry leaf spot Blumeriella jaapii (Rehm) Arx. To confirm the degree of resistance/low susceptibility of the specimens, laboratory tests with artificial inoculations of fruits and leaves were conducted. In the current study, two specimens found in Damyanovo region (a village in the municipality of Sevlievo, Gabrovo Province, in northern central Bulgaria) were included. They were compared to two old local cherry cultivars, ‘Volsko sartse’ and ‘Ranna cherna edra’, and two new selections of FGI-Plovdiv, ‘Asparukh’ (El.17-90) and ‘Kossara’, using ‘Bigarreau Burlat’ as reference cultivar for resistance to economically important diseases. The artificial inoculations confirmed the field observation of the cherry specimen with designation SM-58 with 0.00% of infected fruits. Therefore, it is recommended for use in the breeding programme of the Fruit Growing Institute, Plovdiv for the creation of new cultivars.
Finite Element Analysis of Novel Stiffened Angle Shear Connectors at Ambient and Elevated Temperature
Authors: Nouri Karim , Ramli Sulong Nor Hafizah , Ibrahim Zainah , Bazzaz Mohammad , Ali H. Elhosiny
Published: December 2022

This is a numerical study to investigate the behavior of novel stiffened angle shear connectors embedded in solid concrete slabs at both ambient and elevated temperatures. An advanced nonlinear finite element model is developed and validated with available experimental work by Nouri, K., et al. 2021. Additionally, parametric studies are performed to evaluate the variations in concrete strength and the connector’s dimensions. The results indicate that the ultimate strength of the stiffened angle shear connector drops by 92% in 1050 °C. Comparing studies show the strength of the stiffened shear connector at 700–850 °C is equivalent to the ordinary C-shaped shear connectors. The stiffened shear connector is more ductile at elevated temperatures as compared to ambient temperatures. The shear strength raised to 66% and 159.7% by increasing the height and width of the stiffened shear connector, respectively. Furthermore, the height of the stiffened shear connector is crucial to enhance the shear strength capacity as compared to the ordinary C-shaped shear connector.
A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective on Barriers to a Fossil-Free Urban Freight System
Authors: Kervall Mikael , Pålsson Henrik
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this study is to provide a system perspective on the barriers to the development of a fossil-free and thus more sustainable urban freight system and to provide insights regarding these barriers and how they impede progress. The system perspective complements earlier research, where barriers were identified in delimited parts of freight systems. Here, the urban freight system in a Swedish city is explored using an inductive and qualitative approach, according to which barriers are both detailed and categorized. This study is based on empirical data concerning the perceptions of multiple stakeholders in one system. The interrelationships between barrier categories and changes to the urban freight system are explored through management theory. This study provides a unique overview of the barriers to development in one system and insights concerning these barriers and how they impede development of the system. Ten categories of barriers are identified: technology, infrastructure, economy, knowledge, policy, goals, organization, cooperation, politics, and societal factors. The categories can be divided into four different types, which are related to each other and to the overall system in various ways, based on how they impede the development toward sustainability. Future research could advance this theoretical knowledge by continuing to study urban freight system development processes and by adding insights from other contexts, stakeholders, and theoretical areas.
Framework for Incorporating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Elements in Climate Information Services (CIS)
Authors: Mapedza Everisto , Huyer Sophia , Chanana Nitya , Rose Alison , Jacobs-Mata Inga , Mudege Netsayi Noris , Homann-Kee Tui Sabine , Gbegbelegbe Sika , Nsengiyumva Gloriose , Mutenje Munyaradzi , Nohayi Ngowenani
Published: December 2022

We advance a gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) framework for incorporating climate information services (CIS), which is now becoming central due to the ongoing climate change and climate variability. We understand gender as a social construct of who women and men are supposed to be. Gender inequalities seem to be enduring such that, despite innovations in agricultural and climate information technologies, unequal gender power dynamics will still emerge. As far back as the 1960s, the gendered inequalities in accessing technologies could be identified. Such a historical analysis clearly shows that the different technological solutions are clearly embedded within the society in which they evolve in. The paper uses a literature review methodological approach whilst informing the implementation of an ongoing Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) Project. The findings reveal that unless women are intentionally included in designing and developing agricultural technologies, specifically climate information systems, there is a danger that women will be excluded from the benefits. Conway’s law clearly stipulates that technological innovations are not neutral as they are a projection of the values of their creators. It is, therefore, central to grasp the values of creators of different technological solutions and innovations. The key findings are built around the espoused conceptual framework, which has five indicators, namely: (1) gender targeting by intentional design, (2) collection of sex-disaggregated data, (3) conduct an analysis of the sex-disaggregated data, (4) dissemination of the technological options and (5) conduct continuous monitoring of gender and ongoing empowerment evaluation. The five indicator domains are further complemented by their respective assumptions. Our GESI recommendations are on the five selected indicator domains. These domains must be used within the three focal development areas: agricultural data hub, climate information services training, and flood and drought indicators, which are all being implemented in Zambia. Other AICCRA Project countries are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Senegal. This paper engages why CIS has not gained significant traction in Africa, as it has not genuinely incorporated the differential gender technological nuances.
AI-Assisted Enhancement of Student Presentation Skills: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Chen Julia , Lai Pauli , Chan Aulina , Man Vicky , Chan Chi-Ho
Published: December 2022

Oral presentation is a popular type of assessment in undergraduate degree programs. However, presentation delivery and grading pose considerable challenges to students and faculty alike. For the former, many students who learn English as an additional language may fear giving oral presentations in English due to a lack of confidence. For the latter, faculty who teach multiple classes and have many students may find it difficult to spend adequate time helping students refine their communication skills. This study examines an AI-assisted presentation platform that was built to offer students more opportunities for presentation training without the need for faculty intervention. Surveys with students and teachers were conducted to inform the design of the platform. After a preliminary platform was developed, two methods were employed to evaluate its reliability: a beta test with 24 students and a comparison of AI and human scoring of the presentation performance of 36 students. It was found that students are highly receptive to the platform, but there are noticeable differences between AI and human scoring abilities. The results reveal some limitations of AI and human raters, and emphasize the potential benefit of exploring collaborative AI–human intelligence.
The Impact of Integration of the VSC-HVDC Connected Offshore Wind Farm on Torsional Vibrations of Steam Turbine Generators
Authors: Lin Chi Hsiang
Published: December 2022

For remote offshore wind farms, transmitting power to the main onshore grid via a Voltage Source Converter High Voltage Direct Current (VSC-HVDC) system is the mainstream of power transmission. It is not only cost-effective in long-distance transmission, but also can fully meet the grid side requirements such as black start, voltage support, fault ride through and frequency support. However, it still has some problems, such as the possible impact on the power grid needing to be paid attention to. In this paper, its impact on the torsional responses of turbine generator units neighboring to the onshore side of AC bus is studied by using the DIgSILENT PowerFactory software. It is found that the effects of the Sub-Synchronous Torsional Interaction (SSTI) with onshore controls and the generator de-rating operations can significantly affect the damping ratio of turbine torsional modes, whereas the effects of the machine configurations and the amount of wind farm power integrated can affect the electrical torque disturbance. The most noteworthy is that their effects can be superimposed on each other if these factors act simultaneously, which would lead to increased vibrations and reduce the turbine shaft’ s life. The findings will be helpful for avoiding accidents caused by torsional vibrations when it is going to integrate a VSC-HVDC connected wind farm into a power grid.
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Disclosure and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Sustainability Performance
Authors: Shalhoob Hebah , Hussainey Khaled
Published: December 2022

This paper aims to evaluate the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure practices on the sustainability performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia. It adopts qualitative research methods to answer the research questions through interviews, using a sample of 30 interviewees, to direct and moderate the relationship between SMEs’ sustainability performance and their disclosure of ESG practices. The results indicated that SMEs in Saudi Arabia lack awareness of ESG practices and disclosures and, therefore, the extent of their importance to sustainability performance. The findings of this research have several practical implications for different stakeholders, internally and externally, such as managers, consultants, investors, credit agencies, lenders, policymakers, government, and the overall community in the context of the potential effects of ESG disclosure practices on SMEs.
Knowledge Management and Sustainability Performance of Hospital Organisations: The Healthcare Managers’ Perspective
Authors: Alboliteeh Mohammad , Alrashidi Maha Sanat , Alrashedi Nojoud , Gonzales Analita , Mostoles Romeo Jr , Pasay-an Eddieson , Dator Wireen Leila
Published: December 2022

In a changing context, the use of knowledge management (KM) generates value and a long-lasting competitive advantage. As a critical issue for societal development, sustainable organisations must consider the relationship between KM and healthcare. They must investigate how knowledge is created and identify potential predictors of knowledge-sharing behaviour to support a hospital’s long-term knowledge-management strategy. Managers could benefit from KM strategies to improve the performance of hospitals and other healthcare organisations. This study aimed to determine the knowledge management and sustainability performance of a hospital organisation based on the perspective of the healthcare managers. A cross-sectional research approach was employed involving the healthcare managers of a government-subsidised hospital in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted between September and October 2022. The results demonstrated that knowledge management was commendable (4.41 ± 0.470) and had high sustainability performance (4.28 ± 0.558). Predictors for knowledge management included gender (B = 0.201; p = 0.002), managerial position (B = 0.285; p < 0.000), years of experiences as manager (B = 0.319; p < 0.000) and educational attainment (B = 0.092; p = 0.003). The predictors for sustainability were gender (B = 0.023; p < 0.000), managerial position (B = 0.352; p < 0.000) and years of experience as a manager (B = 0.0648; p < 0000). The study found that knowledge management was a predictive factor in sustainability regarding economic (B = 0.735; p < 0.000), social (B = 1.028; p < 0.000), environmental (B = 0.774; p < 0.000), technical (B = 0.751; p < 0.000) and governance (B = 0.526; p < 0.000), while knowledge management had a strong correlation to sustainability performance (R = 0.663; p < 0.000). Therefore, knowledge management for learning should be consistently created and shared to keep members involved in the core of operations. When knowledge is put into practice, it can help an organisation innovate, sustain better performance and guarantee long-term success. These study findings may additionally persuade workers to put more effort into knowledge management.
Islands of Milk Insecurity in World’s Leading Milk Producer: A Case of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Authors: Kumar Ashish , Rao Bakul , De Arun Kumar
Published: December 2022

India, with the world’s largest cattle population, is a leading producer of milk, and claims to be self-sufficient for dairy production. However, such an important component for nutritional security has been reported to be adulterated by 68% by the national food safety agency. This study challenges the basic claim of self-sufficiency in terms of milk production and food security for milk and milk products. A novel model for studying milk safety is presented, which evaluates the prevailing conditions in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (A&N), India. There are no comprehensive data nor studies available for this region. The assessment of the pillars of food security found that with the present population load, there is an annual deficit of 25673.7 MT of fluid milk in the A&N Islands. The study found that the average herd size is 1.9, with about 26.9% of the animals rearing desi (non-descriptive) cattle, characterized by low production levels of 3.95 L/day and with gene frequency of 16.48% for the A1 allele. None of the milk samples were found to be positive for antibiotic (tetracycline and aminoglycoside) residues. However, 4% of the milk samples were found to be positive for the aflatoxin residues above the permitted MRL. The KAP study shows that awareness regarding clean milk production, antimicrobial residues, withdrawal timings, aflatoxins, etc. is poor/highly limited among the farmers of the region. The output may act as a referral study and a template for future studies for the assessment of product-specific food security. Our findings highlight the limitations of the present approach and the need for additional data, using a wider range of research techniques for assessing dairy. Whilst not definitive, it aims to highlight those factors which are considered crucial to an understanding of contemporary milk safety controls.
Digital Transformation as a Driver of the Financial Sector Sustainable Development: An Impact on Financial Inclusion and Operational Efficiency
Authors: Mavlutova Inese , Spilbergs Aivars , Verdenhofs Atis , Natrins Andris , Arefjevs Ilja , Volkova Tatjana
Published: December 2022

The increase in studies on how digital transformation based on the application of digital technologies affects the sustainable development of various sectors of the economy has been observed. Although digital transformation is important for the financial sector sustainable development, the drivers and links between them are weakly addressed by researchers. The study is aimed at exploring how digital transformation due to the application of innovative technologies and solutions, especially digital payments, is leading to the financial sector sustainable development through financial inclusion and operational efficiency. The current research presents the study of the financial sector digital transformation and its sustainable development based on a systematic literature review, a secondary data analysis, and expert interviews to provide further research directions and draw practical suggestions for professionals on the financial sector digital transformation toward sustainable development in the future. A systematic literature analysis is performed based on text analytics, a bibliometric analysis, and network maps aimed at acknowledging the existing research outcomes and identifying the research gaps on the digital transformation agenda in the financial sector. The collected data on the digital payments’ dynamic in the EU were analyzed with the use of statistical methods, including a correlation and regression analysis. Structured expert interviews were used to validate research findings and to highlight key issues of the digital transformation in the financial sector of Baltic countries. The authors have paid special attention to the sustainable development of the financial sector’s economic dimension and its efficiency indicators, such as financial inclusion and digital payments’ intensity. A social dimension is limited toward financial inclusion based on digital payments’ offering. The research results indicated recent trends in digital transformation and types of usage of digital technologies in the EU and Baltic countries to ensure the sustainable development of financial institutions. Furthermore, the results revealed a significant increase in the digital payments’ intensity during the last years in the EU, as well as a close relationship between digital payments with financial inclusion and operational efficiency of financial institutions.
Hurdles on the Way to Sustainable Development in the Education Sector of China
Authors: Ma Liangze , Umair Ashraf Rana , Ahtisham ul Haq Muhammad , Fan Xianhua
Published: December 2022

Globally, sustainable procurement is seen as a crucial component of public sector sustainability initiatives. This research investigates the internal and external barriers to the implementation of sustainable procurement in China’s public sector. Primary data for this research were gathered using survey techniques from 287 respondents who were procurement officials at higher education institutions that are part of the public sector. Twelve hypotheses were developed based on the conceptual model and literature review and evaluated using SEM-AMOS in order to look at the correlations between the variables. The study’s findings demonstrate that employee competency, employee motivation, training programs, financial aspects, management commitment, government rules and regulations, unavailability of green products, supplier capacity, and third-party pressure statistically influence the sustainability of public procurement. At the same time, green practices, the ineffectiveness of green products, and prices of green items had statistically no significant influence on sustainability in public procurement. This is a crucial effort to identify the factors that influence sustainable purchasing in China’s public colleges. This study draws interest from stakeholders and adds to the scant body of knowledge on sustainability in developing nations. In addition, this research is crucial for creating a roadmap for China’s long-term sustainable development in the area of procurement.
Ecosystem Services Trade-Offs and Synergies following Vegetation Restoration on the Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Yang Shutong , Shi Peng , Li Peng , Li Zhanbin , Niu Hongbo , Zu Pengju , Cui Lingzhou
Published: December 2022

The Loess Plateau (LP) is a heavily soil-eroded area. Since the year 1999, the Chinese government has carried out the “Grain for Green Project (GGP)” that has focused on increasing the regional vegetation coverage. Understanding the temporal and spatial variation of ecosystem services and the synergy in the LP is important for prospective regional re-vegetation and watershed administration. Therefore, three typical watersheds in the LP were selected: Huangfuchuan, Dalihe, and Yanhe. The spatial and temporal changes in carbon storage (CS), soil conservation (SC), and water yield (WY) in the watersheds were analyzed by the InVEST model from 2000 to 2020. Correlation analysis and root mean square deviation (RMSD) were used to investigate and compare the trade-offs in different ecosystem services (ESs). The results showed that the ES in the Huangfuchuan, Dalihe, and Yanhe watersheds overall developed in a positive direction, and increased from north to south. CS and SC showed a positive correlation in the three watersheds; however, there were negative correlations between CS and WY and between SC and WY. From 2000 to 2020, the trade-offs among CS, SC, and WY in the study area were in the descending order of the Yanhe, Dalihe, and Huangfuchuan watersheds, while the comprehensive benefits were in the opposite order. The results provided an essential basis for the high-quality development and ecological environment preservation of the Yellow River basin.
Calibration of UAV Flight Parameters to Inspect the Deterioration of Heritage Façades Using Orthogonal Arrays
Authors: Pérez-Portugal Alison , Atencio Edison , Muñoz-La Rivera Felipe , Herrera Rodrigo F.
Published: December 2022

Heritage façades are relevant to the historical preservation and identity of a city. Their deterioration can cause the devaluation of the urban environment, together with accidents caused by possible detachment of their different elements; therefore, maintaining them is crucial. It is important to have early warning systems in place, systems which would indicate potential damage and deterioration of such façades, which can be caused by factors such as humidity, earthquakes, the passage of time, or even people. This is often done through visual inspection; however, visual inspection is often affected by external factors, such as the financing of the on-site inspection and the availability of experts. Unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) are a practical and economical tool that has facilitated and improved imaging by regulating parameters such as camera angle, capture distance and image overlap, thus allowing improvements in photogrammetry techniques for virtual reconstruction processes. Although the implementation of this technology has been studied in recent years, research has focused primarily on horizontal structures, such as roads. In the case of vertical structures, flight parameters are traditionally defined by trial and error, without any methodological procedure. Therefore, this paper proposes a methodology to calibrate UAV flight parameters to build a photogrammetric 3D model of a vertical structure. This proposal is based on the development of a series of experiments configured through Taguchi orthogonal arrays, which is a method that significantly reduces the number of experiments required. This methodology is applied to a case study of a façade with architectural heritage features. The results obtained offer a flight plan and the optimal parameters to achieve efficiency in the capture of images in an inspection of heritage façades, thus achieving the optimisation of resources and time.
GIS Fault Prediction Approach Based on IPSO-LSSVM Algorithm
Authors: Zhao Hengyang , Zhang Guobao , Yang Xi
Published: December 2022

With the improvement of industrialization, the importance of equipment failure prediction is increasing day by day. Accurate failure prediction of gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) in advance can reduce the economic loss caused by the failure of the power system to operate normally. Therefore, a GIS fault prediction approach based on Improved Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm (IPSO)-least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the future gas conditions of the GIS to determine the characteristic data of SF6 decomposition gas are analyzed; Secondly, a GIS fault prediction model based on LSSVM is established, and the IPSO algorithm is used to normalize the parameters LSSVM. The parameters of c and radial basis kernel function σ2 are optimized, which can meet the needs of later search accuracy while ensuring the global search capability in the early stage. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the fault data of gas-insulated switch. Simulation results shows that, compared with the prediction methods based on IGA-LSSVM and PSO-LSSVM, the prediction accuracy rate of the proposed method reached 92.1%, which has the smallest prediction absolute error, higher accuracy and stronger prediction ability.
A Case Study of Human Milk Banking with Focus on the Role of IoT Sensor Technology
Authors: Ramanathan Usha , Pelc Katarzyna , Costa Tamíris Pacheco da , Ramanathan Ramakrishnan , Shenker Natalie
Published: December 2022

Human milk is the biological norm for newborn nutrition, with breast milk from the mother being recognized as the best source of nutrition for infant health. When the mother’s milk is unavailable, donor human milk is the best alternative for infants with low birthweights. Growing recognition of the benefits of donor human milk has led to increasing global interest in monitoring and controlling human milk’s quality to fulfil the need for donor human milk. In response to this need, the REAMIT project proposed to adapt and apply existing innovative technology to continuously monitor and record human milk quality and signal potential milk quality issues. IoT sensors and big data technology have been used to monitor conditions that may increase spoilage (such as temperature and humidity) in the transportation stage. The sensors were installed in the insulated bags used to transport the milk from the donor’s home or hospital to the human milk bank and vice versa. The temperature and humidity were collected every 30 min, whilst the GPS locator sent data every 2 min. The data are collected in the cloud using GPRS/CAT-M1 technology. An algorithm was designed to send alerts when the milk temperature is above the prespecified threshold specified by the organisation, i.e., above −20 °C. The experience showed evidence that IoT sensors can efficiently be used to monitor and maintain quality in supply chains of high-quality human milk. This rare product needs a high level of quality control, which is possible with the support of smart technologies. The IoT technology used can help the human milk supply chain in five different aspects, namely by reducing waste, assuring quality, improving availability, reducing cost and improving sustainability. This system could be extended to various supply chains of rare and precious commodities, including further medical supplies such as human blood and organs, to completely avoid waste and ensure total quality in supply chains.