bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinant Factors of Electricity Consumption for a Malaysian Household Based on a Field Survey
Authors: Sena Boni , Zaki Sheikh Ahmad , Rijal Hom Bahadur , Alfredo Ardila-Rey Jorge , Yusoff Nelidya Md , Yakub Fitri , Ridwan Mohammad Kholid , Muhammad-Sukki Firdaus
Published: January 2021

Electricity-saving strategies are an essential solution to overcoming increasing global CO2 emission and electricity consumption problems; therefore, the determinant factors of electricity consumption in households need to be assessed. Most previous studies were conducted in developed countries of subtropical regions that had different household characteristic factors from those in developing countries of tropical regions. A field survey was conducted on electricity consumption for Malaysian households to investigate the factors affecting electricity consumption that focused on technology perspective (building and appliance characteristics) and socio-economic perspective (socio-demographics and occupant behaviour). To analyse the determinant factors of electricity consumption, direct and indirect questionnaire surveys were conducted from November 2017 to January 2018 among 214 university students. Direct questionnaire surveys were performed in order to obtain general information that is easily answered by respondents. On the other hand, some questions such as electricity consumption and detailed information of appliances must be confirmed by the respondents’ parents or other household members through an indirect questionnaire survey. The results from multiple linear regression analyses of the survey responses showed that appliance characteristic factors were the main variables influencing electricity consumption and house characteristics were the least significant. Specifically, air conditioners, fluorescent lamps, and flat-screen TVs emerged as appliances with the most significant effect on electricity consumption. Occupant behaviour factors had a more significant influence than socio-demographic factors. The findings in this study can be used by policymakers to develop electricity-saving strategies in Malaysia.
The Local Aspect in the Successful Brands in Latin America: Empirical Evidence of Its Prevalence, the Role of Local and Global Companies, and Its Effect on Consumers
Authors: Farías Pablo
Published: January 2021

Local businesses, local brands, and brand names in the local language help to preserve the local culture of a country. Through a content analysis, this study examined the 880 most successful brands in nine Latin American markets to evaluate the prevalence of local companies, local brands, and brand names in the local language among the most successful brands in Latin America. The results showed that local companies and local brands have a low prevalence among the most successful brands in Latin America. This study also revealed that global firms do not use local brands or local-sounding brand names. In contrast, local firms use local-sounding brand names for their local brands. The results showed that the use of local brands and local-sounding brand names is higher in local companies than in global companies. The results demonstrated a low prevalence of local focus among the most successful brands in Latin America, and showed that global companies are driving this low prevalence in the region. The results also indicated that a brand having a local-sounding brand name will increase its success. Therefore, the results suggest that local companies and especially global companies should include local-language brand names in their brand portfolios.
Introducing Patents with Indirect Connection (PIC) for Establishing Patent Strategies
Authors: Lee Juhyun , Park Sangsung , Kang Jiho
Published: January 2021

A patent system requires novelty and progressiveness so that new patents do not infringe on the rights of prior art. Patent investigation including a prior art search is essential to the process of commercialization of technology. In general, patent investigation has been conducted by experts based on their qualitative judgement. However, the number of patents has increased so fast that it has become difficult to handle the quantitative burdens of the search with a conventional approach. There have been previous studies dealing with patent investigation to find similar technologies. They had limitations as they did not utilize the citation relationship and similarity between patents in a comprehensive way. In addition, they could not properly reflect the sequential citation relationship of patents though this is effective in discovering similar patents. In this study, we propose an efficient methodology to discover similar technologies by comprehensively considering the similarity and citation relationship between patents. In particular, we intended to reflect the citation sequence and indirect citation relationship in the process of searching for similar patents. For this, we introduced the concept of “patents with indirect connections” (PICs) and devised an algorithm to efficiently detect patent pairs having such a relationship. The proposed methodology of this study contributes to preventing patent litigation in advance by discovering patents with such potential risks. It is expected that this method will provide patent applicants with the opportunity to establish appropriate strategies against competitors with similar technologies. In order to examine the practical applicability of the proposed method, Korean patents related to machine learning and deep learning were collected. As a result of the experiment, it was possible to identify 24 pairs of similar patents without a direct citation relationship and derive appropriate counter strategies.
Effects of Production of Woody Pellets in the Southeastern United States on the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Kline Keith L. , Dale Virginia H. , Rose Erin , Tonn Bruce
Published: January 2021

Wood-based pellets are produced in the southeastern United States (SE US) and shipped to Europe for the generation of heat and power. Effects of pellet production on selected Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) are evaluated using industry information, available energy consumption data, and published research findings. Challenges associated with identifying relevant SDG goals and targets for this particular bioenergy supply chain and potential deleterious impacts are also discussed. We find that production of woody pellets in the SE US and shipments to displace coal for energy in Europe generate positive effects on affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), industry innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and life on land (SDG 15). Primary strengths of the pellet supply chain in the SE US are the provisioning of employment in depressed rural areas and the displacement of fossil fuels. Weaknesses are associated with potential impacts on air, water, and biodiversity that arise if the resource base and harvest activities are improperly managed. The SE US pellet supply chain provides an opportunity for transition to low-carbon industries and innovations while incentivizing better resource management.
Sustainability Assessment of Public Transport, Part I—A Multi-Criteria Assessment Method to Compare Different Bus Technologies
Authors: Ammenberg Jonas , Dahlgren Sofia
Published: January 2021

This article departs from the perspective of Swedish regional transport authorities and focuses on the public procurement of bus transports. Many of these public organizations on the county level have the ambition to contribute to a transition involving the continued marginalization of fossil fuels and improved sustainability performance. However, there are several renewable bus technologies to choose between and it can be difficult to know what alternative (or combination) is preferable. Prior research and the authors’ experiences indicate a need for improved knowledge and supportive methods on how sustainability assessments can support public procurement processes. The purpose of this article is to develop a multi-criteria assessment (MCA) method to support assessments of public bus technologies’ sustainability. The method, which was established in an iterative and participatory process, consists of four key areas and 12 indicators. The article introduces the problem context and reviews selected prior research of relevance dealing with green or sustainable public procurement and sustainability assessments. Further on, the process and MCA method are presented and discussed based on advice for effective and efficient sustainability assessments. In the companion article (Part II), the MCA method is applied to assess several bus technologies involving biodiesel, biomethane, diesel, electricity, ethanol and natural gas.
Employer Branding in the Context of the Company’s Sustainable Development Strategy from the Perspective of Gender Diversity of Generation Z
Authors: Rzemieniak Magdalena , Wawer Monika
Published: January 2021

Applying the principles of sustainable development is an element of building the image of an organisation as an employer. The opinions of young people commencing their professional career in this regard may prove important for companies. The aim of this article is to identify a dependence between generation Z’s opinions on employer branding measures based on sustainable development taken by companies and the respondents’ gender. The article presents the results of primary research conducted on a sample of 291 students of higher education institutions in Poland. The methods include questionnaire surveys and statistical data processing. The results of the research suggest that sustainable development measures undertaken by employers increase the candidates’ motivation to apply for a job in the organisation. The analysis demonstrated that generation Z’s opinions on sustainable development activities carried out by employers and on the significance of employer branding are dependent on the respondents’ gender. The main conclusion is that women are more ecologically oriented than men, and following a sustainable development strategy is more important for them. Companies building employer branding should consider the adoption of various factors identified in the article, such as the Employee Value Proposition (EVP), especially when their workforce is gender-diverse.
Managed Retreat as Adaptation Option: Investigating Different Resettlement Approaches and Their Impacts—Lessons from Metro Manila
Authors: Lauer Hannes , Delos Reyes Mario , Birkmann Joern
Published: January 2021

Managed retreat has become a recommended adaptation strategy for hazard-prone coastal cities. The study aimed to improve considerations for the contextual factors that influence the success of managed retreat and resettlement projects in Metro Manila. Data were collected through a mixed-method approach consisting of a screening of relevant literature, a qualitative case analysis of resettlement projects, and a workshop series with Philippine stakeholders. It turned out that the resettlement of informal settlers is a central element of urban development. Though in-city resettlement is preferred, the majority of existing and planned projects are developed in off-city locations. The findings present a nuanced view of different retreat approaches. Not all in-city resettlements are successful, and the unpopular off-city projects have a potentially important role for urban and regional development. A strategic planning thread to develop concepts for qualitative off-city settlements that counteract uncontrolled urban sprawl with monofunctional residential areas for urban poor people was deduced. The other thread asks for pathways for inner-city development with innovative, vertical, in-city projects. A final observation was that climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are worsening the situation in informal settlements, thus strengthening the argument for the planned decentralization of Metro Manila’s congested urban areas.
Improved Proportional-Integral Coordinated MPPT Controller with Fast Tracking Speed for Grid-Tied PV Systems under Partially Shaded Conditions
Authors: Islam Haidar , Mekhilef Saad , Shah Noraisyah Mohamed , Soon Tey Kok , Wahyudie Addy , Ahmed Mahrous
Published: January 2021

When a photovoltaic (PV) system is exposed to physical objects and cloud coverage and connected to bypass diodes, a partial shading condition (PSC) occurs, which causes a global maximum power point (GMPP) and numerous local maximum power points (LMPPs) on the power-voltage (P-V) curve. Unlike conventional MPPT techniques that search for multiple LMPPs on the P-V curve, it is possible to track GMPP straightaway by designing a simple but robust MPPT technique that results in faster tracking speed and low power oscillations. Hence, in this study, an improved proportional-integral (PI) coordinated Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm is designed to enhance the conversion efficiency of a PV system under PSC with fast-tracking speed and reduced power oscillations. Here, PI controllers are used to mitigating the steady-state errors of output voltage and current of PV system that later on passed through an incremental conductance (INC) algorithm to regulate the duty cycle of a dc–dc boost converter in order to ensure fast MPPT process. The PV system is integrated with the grid through an H-bridge inverter, which is controlled by a synchronous reference frame (SRF) controller. Tracking speed and steady-state oscillations of the proposed MPPT are evaluated in the MATLAB/Simulink environment and validated via a laboratory experimental setup using Agilent solar simulator and dSPACE (DS1104) controller. Results show that the proposed MPPT technique reduces the power fluctuations of PV array significantly and the tracking speed of the proposed method is 13% and 11% faster than the conventional INC and perturb and observe (P&O) methods respectively under PSCs.
Cashless Transactions: A Study on Intention and Adoption of e-Wallets
Authors: Yang Marvello , Mamun Abdullah Al , Mohiuddin Muhammad , Nawi Noorshella Che , Zainol Noor Raihani
Published: January 2021

This study explored the effect of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, facilitating condition, lifestyle compatibility, and perceived trust on both the intention to use an e-wallet and the adoption of an e-wallet among adults by using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). This quantitative study adopted a cross-sectional research design to gather data from 501 respondents using a Google Form. The collected data were analyzed using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). As a result, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, lifestyle compatibility, and perceived trust displayed a significant positive effect on both intentions to use an e-wallet and adoption of an e-wallet. This study evidenced the mediating effect of the intention to use an e-wallet on the correlations between the predictors and adoption of an e-wallet. Both the age and gender of the respondents moderated the effect of lifestyle compatibility on intention to use an e-wallet. The study outcomes serve to inform managers and policy makers to devise effective strategies that capture consumers’ intention to use and experience of using an e-wallet in the midst of a turbulent market. Ultimately, such carefully sculpted policies may promote the digital platform and web-based application, apart from encouraging higher rates of e-wallet adoption in developing countries.
Can Allotment Gardens (AGs) Be Considered an Example of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Based on the Use of Historical Green Infrastructure?
Authors: Sowińska-Świerkosz Barbara , Michalik-Śnieżek Malwina , Bieske-Matejak Alicja
Published: January 2021

The term nature-based solutions (NBSs) is understood as a multidisciplinary umbrella concept that includes aspects such as green/blue infrastructure and urban gardens and forests. However, the important question here is what features of ecosystem-based approaches are essential for them to be considered nature-based? This study aims to answer this question by analysing the potential of allotment gardens (AGs) to be considered as NBSs. To do so, the possibilities and obstacles regarding a Polish case study were analysed based on the following six research questions: (1) How do AGs use blue and green infrastructure? (2) What problem(s) do AGs solve today? (3) What kind of benefits do AGs provide? (4) Do AGs possess implementation and management capabilities? (5) Can AGs be treated as economically efficient? (6) What are the advantages of AGs versus other possible solution(s)? With regards to obstacles, the study has identified: institutional barriers, irregular distribution of benefits, and deficiencies in economic efficiency. Nevertheless, AGs together with other historical urban green/blue infrastructure may be regarded as a kind of unsophisticated NBS, the effectiveness of which is limited. These solutions may be created as independent structures or (historical) green/blue infrastructure may be enlarged, fitted out, linked, and improved to implement NBS projects.
Archetypes of Green-Growth Strategies and the Role of Green Human Resource Management in Their Implementation
Authors: Labella-Fernández Ana
Published: January 2021

This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework that explains how organizations address green growth. By integrating perspectives of organizational learning and ambidexterity, this paper proposes four archetypes of green-growth strategies. On the basis of exploration and exploitation dimensions, the proposed strategic green-growth archetypes are environmental-laggard, cooperative, entrepreneurial, and ambidextrous approaches. This paper suggests propositions about how to implement entrepreneurial and cooperative archetypes. It is also proposed that cooperative and entrepreneurial archetypes necessitate a set of the best and well-defined green human resource management (HRM) practices oriented towards strategic environmental goals. This paper thus proposes specific green HRM practices that better fit with each archetype. Lastly, this research concludes with a discussion of research implications.
Integrated Approach for the Assessment of Strategies for the Decarbonization of Urban Traffic
Authors: Göhlich Dietmar , Nagel Kai , Syré Anne Magdalene , Grahle Alexander , Martins-Turner Kai , Ewert Ricardo , Miranda Jahn Ricardo , Jefferies Dominic
Published: January 2021

This paper presents a new methodology to derive and analyze strategies for a fully decarbonized urban transport system which combines conceptual vehicle design, a large-scale agent-based transport simulation, operational cost analysis, and life cycle assessment for a complete urban region. The holistic approach evaluates technical feasibility, system cost, energy demand, transportation time, and sustainability-related impacts of various decarbonization strategies. In contrast to previous work, the consequences of a transformation to fully decarbonized transport system scenarios are quantified across all traffic segments, considering procurement, operation, and disposal. The methodology can be applied to arbitrary regions and transport systems. Here, the metropolitan region of Berlin is chosen as a demonstration case. The first results are shown for a complete conversion of all traffic segments from conventional propulsion technology to battery electric vehicles. The transition of private individual traffic is analyzed regarding technical feasibility, energy demand and environmental impact. Commercial goods, municipal traffic and public transport are analyzed with respect to system cost and environmental impacts. We can show a feasible transition path for all cases with substantially lower greenhouse gas emissions. Based on current technologies and today’s cost structures our simulation shows a moderate increase in total systems cost of 13–18%.
Parameter Identification of Photovoltaic Cell Model Based on Enhanced Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Wang Rongjie
Published: January 2021

Photovoltaic (PV) cell (PVC) modeling predicts the behavior of PVCs in various real-world environmental settings and their resultant current–voltage and power–voltage characteristics. Focusing on PVC parameter identification, this study presents an enhanced particle swarm optimization (EPSO) algorithmto accurately and efficiently extract optimal PVC parameters. Specifically, the EPSO algorithm optimizes the minimum mean squared error between measured and estimated data and, on this basis, extractsthe parameters of the single-, double-, and triple-diode models and the PV module. To examine its effectiveness, the proposed EPSO algorithm is compared with other swarm optimization algorithms. The effectiveness of the proposed EPSO algorithm is validated through simulation. In addition, the proposed EPSO algorithm also exhibits advantages such as an excellent optimization performance, a high parameter estimation accuracy, and a low computational complexity.
Soundwalk, Questionnaires and Noise Measurements in a University Campus: A Soundscape Study
Authors: Mancini Simona , Mascolo Aurora , Graziuso Gabriella , Guarnaccia Claudio
Published: January 2021

In order to manage noise pollution and reduce its environmental impact and health outcomes, several regulations have been issued in the last few decades, defining acoustic indicators and their thresholds. However, the acoustic environment can be considered a resource, focusing on people’s subjective perception of sounds in accordance with the soundscape approach. The integration of the tools, already applied by the legislation, and the soundscape technique produces a more thorough and comprehensive evaluation of the environmental noise that is necessary for its management. Starting from the best practice of the soundscape in urban planning, this paper presents an application of this approach at the Fisciano campus of the University of Salerno (Italy). The overarching goal is the comparison between the physical parameters, obtained by measuring the sound pressure level, and the psychoacoustic ones, derived by questionnaires given to a group of local experts during a soundwalk. The results will show, for example, some areas characterized by high sound pressure levels and a good perception of the soundscape. As a consequence, the application would seem to have discrepancies between the results of the two methods, but a deeper analysis can reveal further information to the traditional measurements that allow a more accurate knowledge of the acoustic environment.
A Comprehensive Review on Brushless Doubly-Fed Reluctance Machine
Authors: Sadeghian Omid , Tohidi Sajjad , Mohammadi-Ivatloo Behnam , Mohammadi Fazel
Published: January 2021

The Brushless Doubly-Fed Reluctance Machine (BDFRM) has been widely investigated in numerous research studies since it is brushless and cageless and there is no winding on the rotor of this emerging machine. This feature leads to several advantages for this machine in comparison with its induction counterpart, i.e., Brushless Doubly-Fed Induction Machine (BDFIM). Less maintenance, less power losses, and also more reliability are the major advantages of BDFRM compared to BDFIM. The design complexity of its reluctance rotor, as well as flux patterns for indirect connection between the two windings mounted on the stator including power winding and control winding, have restricted the development of this machine technology. In the literature, there is not a comprehensive review of the research studies related to BDFRM. In this paper, the previous research studies are reviewed from different points of view, such as operation, design, control, transient model, dynamic model, power factor, Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), and losses. It is revealed that the BDFRM is still evolving since the theoretical results have shown that this machine operates efficiently if it is well-designed.
HR Managers’ Emotions in Strategic Decision-Making Events: Evidence from Croatia
Authors: Gonan Božac Marli , Kostelić Katarina
Published: January 2021

The inclusion of emotions in the strategic decision-making research is long overdue. This paper deals with the emotions that human resource managers experience when they participate in a strategic problem-solving event or a strategic planning event. We examine the patterns in the intensity of experienced emotions with regard to event appraisal (from a personal perspective and the organization’s perspective), job satisfaction, and coexistence of emotions. The results reveal that enthusiasm is the most intensely experienced emotion for positively appraised strategic decision-making events, while frustration is the most intensely experienced emotion for negatively appraised problem-solving events, as is disappointment for strategic planning. The distinction between a personal and organizational perspective of the event appraisal reveals differences in experienced emotions, and the intensity of experienced anger is the best indicator of the difference in the event appraisals from the personal and organizational perspective. Both events reveal the variety of involved emotions and the coexistence of—not just various emotions, but also emotions of different dominant valence. The findings indicate that a strategic problem-solving event triggers greater emotional turmoil than a strategic planning event. The paper also discusses theoretical and practical implications.
Decision Tree Method to Analyze the Performance of Lane Support Systems
Authors: Pappalardo Giuseppina , Cafiso Salvatore , Di Graziano Alessandro , Severino Alessandro
Published: January 2021

Road departure is one of the main causes of single vehicle and frontal crashes. By implementing lateral support systems, a significant amount of these accidents can be avoided. Typical accidents are normally occurring due to unintentional lane departure where the driver drifts towards and across the line identifying the edge of the lane. The Lane Support Systems (LSS) uses cameras to “read” the lines on the road and alert the driver if the car is approaching the lines. Anyway, despite the assumed technology readiness, there is still much uncertainty regarding the needs of vision systems for “reading” the road and limited results are still available from in field testing. In such framework the paper presents an experimental test of LSS performance carried out in two lane rural roads with different geometric alignments and road marking conditions. LSS faults, in day light and dry pavement conditions, were detected on average in 2% of the road sections. A decision tree method was used to analyze the cause of the faults and the importance of the variable involved in the process. The fault probability increased in road sections with radius less than 200 m and in poor conditions of road marking.
Whole-Field Stress Sensing and Multiscale Mechanics for Developing Cement-Based Composites Containing Recycled Municipal Granular Wastes
Authors: Antony S. Joseph , Okeke George , Tokgoz D. Deniz G. , Ozerkan N. Gozde
Published: January 2021

Worldwide, there is a growing level of interest to develop sustainable cement-based products and processes in which the usage of natural resources such as sand and limestone are reduced from the current levels. One of the ways to achieve this is by replacing them with suitable inclusions of recycled granular materials from municipal wastes where possible. However, to understand the effects of such inclusions in concrete structures, research advancements are needed to sense and characterise the distribution of stresses (/strains) at the local scale and to establish their links with the fracture and bulk strength characteristics under external loading environments, which is the focus here. In this research, polyethylene (PE)-based granular materials derived from municipal wastes and fly ash obtained from the incineration of municipal solid wastes are used together as secondary raw materials in preparing the concrete mixtures. Photo stress analysis (PSA) is performed here, making non-contact and whole-field digital measurements of maximum shear stress distribution and the directions of the principal stresses at any point of interest on the surface of the samples under external loading. Their links with the fracture toughness and flexural strength of the samples cured at different times are presented. The novel PSA-based stresssensing helps to establish new understandings of the strength characteristics of composites across scales in the applications involving recycling and reusing conventional wastes and possibly in otherengineering applications in the future.
Analysis and Evaluation of Ramp Metering: From Historical Evolution to the Application of New Algorithms and Engineering Principles
Authors: Trubia Salvatore , Curto Salvatore , Barberi Salvatore , Severino Alessandro , Arena Fabio , Pau Giovanni
Published: January 2021

In the modern era, characterized by intense urbanization and frequent travel between interconnected communities, the constant expansion of cities, associated with high densities and growing need for traveling, has led to a significant increase in road traffic volumes. More than ever, road traffic today requires effort to be managed effectively in order to improve performance and safety conditions, given the greater probability of unpleasant events such as accidents or road congestion with related delays and the increased stress levels of the user and infrastructure. Fortunately, there are already various engineering tools, such as ramp metering, that can be used for this purpose. Ramp metering allows for achieving the aforementioned desired benefits, including improving mobility, reliability, efficiency, and safety, and even reducing environmental impact. It also has been shown to be cost-effective from the existing literature. Further research will be necessary to strengthen the quality, efficacy, and efficiency of ramp metering, especially considering the fast-paced progress in technology (e.g., connected autonomous vehicles and drones used for surveys) and new challenging scenarios (e.g., congested industrial areas and emergency vehicles). This review’s scope is to present a general overview of principal ramp metering solutions, focusing on current research studies in the last couple of years and highlighting some of the main algorithms used for this purpose, depending on diverse scenarios. With this article, the authors desire to present the subject of ramp metering, providing a general overview of its story, evolution, and recent analytical models.
From Liminal Labor to Decent Work: A Human-Centered Perspective on Sustainable Tourism Employment
Authors: Ioannides Dimitri , Gyimóthy Szilvia , James Laura
Published: January 2021

In its sustainable tourism agenda for 2030, the UN World Tourism Organization has embraced three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. One of these, specifically SDG 8, highlights the need to pursue decent work and growth. Nevertheless, despite the growing recognition of this target and although there is a growing number of writings lamenting the precarity characterizing many tourism-related jobs, the topic of tourism-related work continues to receive sparse attention in the considerable volume of academic literature on tourism and sustainability. This paper attempts to redress this neglect. First, by providing a review of extant studies on tourism labor, we seek to explain why this research lacuna continues to exist. We then examine organizational and technological aspects of tourism governance, which hinder attempts to establish decent work and improve dignity in the tourism industry worldwide. By acknowledging the volatile and liminal status of tourism work and future labor market prospects, we arrive at the following question: what should sustainable tourism work look like? This leads us to suggest that the development of a human-centered research agenda, which focuses on workers’ agency and resources, offers a promising research avenue for expanding on the tourism and sustainability research agenda.
Learning Approaches and Coping with Academic Stress for Sustainability Teaching: Connections through Canonical Correspondence Analysis
Authors: Zárate-Santana Zaira-Jazmín , Patino-Alonso María-Carmen , Sánchez-García Ana-Belén , Galindo-Villardón Purificación
Published: January 2021

Learning approaches are factors that contribute to sustainability education. Academic stress negatively affects students’ performances in the context of sustainability teaching. This study analyzed how deep and surface approaches could be related to coping with academic stress and gender. An online survey was completed by 1012 university students. The relationship between gender, sources of stress and learning approaches was examined through a multivariate canonical correspondence analysis. Results showed differences in stress-coping strategies depending on the learning approach used. In both female and male students, academic stress was handled with a deep learning approach. The findings provide implications for professors and highlight the importance of variables such as deep learning and gender in the teaching and learning sustainability process.
Project Portfolio Construction Using Extreme Value Theory
Authors: Tamošaitienė Jolanta , Yousefi Vahidreza , Tabasi Hamed
Published: January 2021

Choosing proper projects has a great impact on organizational success. Firms have various factors for choosing projects based on their different objectives and strategies. The problem of optimization of projects’ risks and returns is among the most prevalent issues in project portfolio selection. In order to optimize and select proper projects, the amount of projects’ expected risks and returns must be evaluated correctly. Determining the relevant distribution is very important in achieving these expectations. In this research, various types of practical distributions were examined, and considering expected and realized risks, the effects of choosing the different distribution on estimation of risks on construction projects were studied.
Spatial and Statistical Analysis of Urban Poverty for Sustainable City Development
Authors: Kisiała Wojciech , Rącka Izabela
Published: January 2021

One of the main pillars of sustainable urban development at the local scale is to control the social aspect of urban equality of socio-economic systems. A number of studies confirm that poverty in urban space is accompanied by negative phenomena, such as high unemployment, social pathologies, increased crime rate, or the high level of the decapitalization of space, including the poor condition of housing and municipal infrastructure. However, there is a gap in defining the relation between urban poverty and city structure to control and preferably minimize social inequalities. The aim of the study was to empirically verify the impact of the location of residential properties in relation to poverty-stricken areas in the city. The research covered the housing market in one Polish city (Kalisz) in the years 2006–2018. By applying GIS technologies, we identified the location of each property in relation to poverty areas. The data was subjected to regression analysis, with the use of the hedonic approach based on exponential models. The analysis of data allowed us to conclude that location in a poorer area does affect the prices of new flats, which is not only a contribution to the development of science, but is also information that could be used by developers or property valuers to establish the prices of flats, as well as city managers to avoid pauperization of urban districts.
Regional CO2 Budget and Abatement Countermeasures for Forest Scenic Spots: A Case Study of the Shenyang National Forest Park
Authors: He Dan , Chen Ke , Zhang Tingting , Yin Mingfang , Shi Xiaoliang , Xu Zhe
Published: January 2021

We used the carbon carrying capacity as an indicator of environmental productivity, clarified the emission reduction thresholds and measures for achieving a carbon neutral tourism destination, and proposed a simple, objective, and universal method for estimating the carbon budget of forest tourism scenic spots with function of both carbon sinks and carbon emissions. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Inventories and the Climate Friendly Parks tool, a carbon emissions list with a clear border and relatively complete content was established to characterize the negative impact of tourism activities on the environment. Forest resource inventory data and the CO2Fix method could be used to accurately calculate the carbon sinks of forest tourism scenic spots. In 2019, the total CO2 emissions in Shenyang National Forest Park were 1841.445 t. The amount of CO2 sequestered by the forest was 1336.787 t, accounting for 72.59% of the total CO2 emissions. Thus, tourism had a net CO2 deficit of 504.658 t. Electricity consumption, garbage disposal, raw coal consumption, infrastructure construction, and land-use changes of forestland were the top five sources of CO2 emissions. The augmentation of the carbon pool could be improved by 65.358% of the total budget through forest management. The reduction aims of 133.41%–150.32% could be easily reached through emissions-cutting measures. Based on these results, we suggest several measures for low-carbon sustainable tourism.
Overcoming the Barriers to Entry of Newcomer Sustainable Farmers: Insights from the Emergence of Organic Clusters in Japan
Authors: Zollet Simona , Maharjan Keshav Lall
Published: January 2021

The growing concern for sustainability in agri-food systems and the parallel decrease in the number of people engaged in agriculture, especially in the Global North, is starting to draw attention to new entrant farmers from non-farming backgrounds (“newcomer” farmers). Newcomers, however, especially if interested in sustainable agriculture, face considerable barriers to entry, and their support needs are often not adequately met by conventional agricultural institutions and support structures. Several studies have highlighted the importance of formal and informal farmer-to-farmer networks and communities of practice for newcomers to receive support, but such networks are usually geographically dispersed. Dynamics of spatial clustering of sustainable farmers, on the other hand, have so far received less attention, particularly in relation to their role in supporting the establishment of newcomers. This study examines the barriers to entry faced by newcomer organic farmers in Japan and the relevance of geographically proximate “clusters” of organic farmers to address such barriers. The results highlight the environmental and social factors that can facilitate the formation of organic clusters in the first place, and how spatial proximity facilitates different forms of cooperation among newcomers. The paper concludes by discussing the potential role of clusters in scaling sustainable agri-food practices.
Mining Law: In Search of Sustainable Mining
Authors: Monteiro Nathalie Barbosa Reis , Bezerra Ana Keuly Luz , Moita Neto José Machado , Silva Elaine Aparecida da
Published: January 2021

Mining is an activity that generates inputs to different production chains, making it essential for any country’s development. However, it causes environmental, economic, and social impacts that must be considered. The Mining Law provides guidelines, through laws and regulations, so the activity can be carried out in an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable way. In this paper, an analysis was conducted of the application of some peculiar characteristics of Brazilian Mining Law (locational rigidity, priority granting, among others) according to the parameters established in the Federal Constitution, in the Mining Code and its updates, and in the National Department of Mineral Production, Environment Ministry, and Mines and Energy Ministry normative acts. Moreover, the Superior Court of Justice Jurisprudence was analyzed to understand how the Mining Law is applied, in practice. It was verified that the Brazilian legislation is not perfect, but it has mechanisms to protect and benefit the miner, the society, and the environment. However, there are many shortcomings like the lack of speed in judging processes and the flaws in the applicability of some principles that compromise sustainability in the activity’s development, especially regarding the environmental and social liabilities left after mine closure.
The Influences of Consumer-to-Consumer Interaction on Dissatisfactory Consumers’ Repetitive Purchases in Network Communities
Authors: Ding Shuiping , Lin Jie , Zhang Zhenyu
Published: January 2021

Consumer-to-consumer interaction is an important activity in network communities. Consumer-to-consumer interaction involves information interaction and social interaction, which greatly influences consumers’ experience and behaviors. The model of stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) is usually applied to explain how environmental stimulus affects consumer behavior through the internal state. Thus, this research takes dissatisfactory consumers as the object, sets information interaction and social interaction as a stimulus, consumer knowledge and trust as an organism, and repetitive purchases as a response. It constructs a theoretical model that consumer-to-consumer interaction influences repetitive purchases through consumer knowledge and trust. In this study, the model and hypotheses were tested by analyzing 328 valid questionnaires. The results show that information interaction had a significant positive effect on consumer knowledge, while social interaction had no significant effect on consumer knowledge. Information interaction and social interaction each had significant positive effects on consumer trust. Consumer knowledge and trust each had significant positive effects on repetitive purchases. Consumer knowledge and trust played a partial mediating role between information interaction and repetitive purchase, respectively. Consumer knowledge had no mediating role between social interaction and repetitive purchases, while consumer trust played a complete mediating role between social interaction and repetitive purchases. The results revealed that the deep mechanism of consumer-to-consumer interaction’s influence on dissatisfactory consumers’ repetitive purchases in network communities further enriched consumers’ purchase behaviors, at least theoretically. This research also provided insights for network community marketing.
Adoption and Development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology: Features and Determinants
Authors: Chung Hyuk
Published: January 2021

Firms have been undergoing a fundamental transformation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the transformation is driven by the adoption and development of innovative technology such as big data or artificial intelligence. While the impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology on economic performance have been actively documented, Korean firm-level data indicates that still, the majority of firms have not yet utilized the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology. Hence, this study examines determinants and propensity for adopting and developing the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology. Probit model estimations show that size, internal R&D intensity, the ratio of intangible assets to the sum of intangible and tangible assets, and patent rights are positively associated with adopting and developing the innovative technology, while there are sectoral differences. Notably, a strategic alliance is the most substantial factor for the propensity of adopting and developing the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology. In sum, this study finds that not only internally accumulated intangibles and R&D investment but also active collaboration with other firms can facilitate diffusion of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology. Therefore, building up the environment to prompt collaboration can be another effective way to accelerate transformation in addition to supporting R&D and intangible investment.
Investigating the Integration of Cultural Heritage Disaster Risk Management into Urban Planning Tools. The Ravenna Case Study
Authors: Rosa Angela , Santangelo Angela , Tondelli Simona
Published: January 2021

As increasingly recognized by scholars, climate change is posing new challenges in the field of disaster risk management and urban planning. Even though cultural heritage has passed through decades and centuries, it has never experienced such unexpected and variable events as those forecasted by climate change for the foreseeable future, making it a sensitive element of the living environment. By selecting the city of Ravenna and the cultural heritage site of the Santa Croce Church and archaeological area as a case study, the paper aims at providing an insight into the role that urban planning tools have when it comes to improving the resilience of historical areas, coping with climate change through improvements to the disaster risk management of cultural heritage. Starting from a deep analysis of the existing spatial and urban planning tools that operate at different scales on the Ravenna territory, the adaptive capacity of the historical area toward the identified risks was assessed. The results may lead, on the one hand, to improving the integration of cultural heritage risk management into urban planning tools; on the other hand, they contribute to improving the scope and the governance of the heritage management plans in order to cope with climate change risks and their effects.
Can We Have Our Cake and Eat It? A Review of the Debate on Green Recovery from the COVID-19 Crisis
Authors: Gusheva Ema , de Gooyert Vincent
Published: January 2021

As we speed through the development and distribution of a vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic, economies are suffering through the worst decline of the century while, at the same time, being pushed to comply with global agreements regarding climate change. Because of this, the economic downturn is also seen as an opportunity to speed up the sustainability transition or, in simple terms, to achieve a “green recovery”. What can we expect from a green recovery? We address this question by reviewing position documents in the debate between green recovery and its opponent, “quick rebound”, in the Netherlands. We apply systems thinking to model causal arguments regarding key concepts comprising green recovery and identify issues of consensus and dissensus. Our findings indicate that green recovery is promising for curbing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing growing socioeconomic inequalities. However, the position of what green recovery means for economic growth, including the development of gross domestic product and employment, is still largely unclear and at times contradictory. While some see tradeoffs, others suggest that economic growth and sustainability goals can be achieved simultaneously. Thus, we conclude by reflecting on the question: Can we have our cake and eat it?