bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experience with Travel Mobile Apps and Travel Intentions—The Case of University Students in China
Authors: Wu Shifeng , Ma Emily , Wang Jiangyun , Li Dan
Published: October 2022

The popularization of smart phones has fostered the use of e-hailing apps, which can effectively reduce information asymmetry and provide ease and convenience during travel. Meanwhile, problems such as product homogeneity, slow operation speed, and interface confusion in travel apps also exist, leading to negative user experience. Building on the theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance model, this study examines multiple features of travel apps and their influence on university students’ experience and travel intentions. Findings of the study suggest that, compared to the contents of travel apps, the ease of use seems to have a stronger influence on students’ attitude, perceived behavioral control, and travel intention. The study contributes to the integration of the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior in travel contexts. The findings also offer meaningful practical implications and recommendations on product and service design to relevant stakeholders willing to offer a better travel app user experience.
Utilising MYTILUS for Active Learning to Compare Cumulative Impacts on the Marine Environment in Different Planning Scenarios
Authors: Bonnevie Ida Maria , Hansen Henning Sten , Schrøder Lise , Armoškaitė Aurelija
Published: October 2022

Spatial tools to calculate cumulative impact assessments on the environment (CIA) are important contributors to the implementation of an ecosystem-based approach to maritime spatial planning (MSP). Ecosystem dynamics are increasingly important to understand as the activities and pressures in marine areas increase. Results from the application of a new training set for the CIA tool MYTILUS, developed in capacity-building MSP projects for active learning environments, illustrate important points on how the CIA method can be used in systematic scenario design. The feedback from its use in an online PhD course outlines how the training set successfully enables researchers from different disciplines and different parts of the world to meet the CIA approach with such interest and understanding that it enables them to highlight the strengths as well as the shortcomings of the tool interface, tool capabilities, and CIA method, even when none of these researchers are CIA experts. These promising results are presented in this paper and advocate for the increasing use of MYTILUS and similar CIA tools in MSP stakeholder sessions where no preliminary CIA expertise can be expected. The key strengths and challenges of training CIA with MYTILUS are discussed to point out focus points for how to make its approaches increasingly fit for participatory and decision-making processes in MSP to utilise its promising abilities for supporting ecosystem-based management.
Smart Carbon Emission Scheduling for Electric Vehicles via Reinforcement Learning under Carbon Peak Target
Authors: Cao Yongsheng , Wang Yongquan
Published: October 2022

Electric vehicles (EVs) have become popular in daily life, which influences carbon dioxide emissions and reshapes the curves of community loads. It is crucial to study efficient carbon emission scheduling algorithms to lessen the influence of EVs’ charging demand on carbon dioxide emissions and reduce the carbon emission cost for EVs coming to the community. We study an electric vehicle (EV) carbon emission scheduling problem to shave the peak community load and reduce the carbon emission cost when we do not know future EV data. First, we investigate an offline carbon emission scheduling problem to minimize the carbon emission cost of the community by predicting future data with regard to incoming EVs. Then, we study the online carbon emission problem and propose an online carbon emission algorithm based on a heuristic rolling algorithm. Furthermore, we propose a reinforcement learning smart carbon emission algorithm (RLSCA) to achieve the dispatching plan of the charging carbon emission of EVs. Last but not least, simulation results show that our proposed algorithm can reduce the carbon emission cost by 21.26%, 16.60%, and 8.72% compared with three benchmark algorithms.
Do Uncertainty and Financial Development Influence the FDI Inflow of a Developing Nation? A Time Series ARDL Approach
Authors: Lutfi Abdalwali , Ashraf Maryam , Watto Waqas Ahmad , Alrawad Mahmaod
Published: October 2022

The study focuses on investigating the long-term and the short-term effect of uncertainty, and financial development on the FDI inflow of Pakistan during the period 2001–2019. To achieve the objective of this study, we obtained the data from World Development Indicators (WDI) and the European policy uncertainty index’s websites. The dependent variable was FDI inflow. Experimental variables of the study are uncertainty and financial development. The stationarity testing revealed that FDI and Economic Policy Uncertainty (EUP) have weak significance and FD has no significance. However, by taking the first difference, all the variables become highly significant. Similarly, it is further indicated that the optimal lag level is four. Additionally, the bound test confirmed that a long-term relationship (co-integration) existed between the variables of the study. The ARDL estimations conclude that uncertainty and financial development have long-run as well as short-run effects on FDI inflow for Pakistan during the period of study. The uncertainty plays a strong part in decreasing the FDI inflow, whereas financial development plays a strong part in enhancing the FDI inflow in Pakistan during the period of study.
Identifying Similarities of National Yacht Qualifications Using Hierarchical Clustering Methods
Authors: Okşaş Olgay , Emecen Kara Esma Gül , Özbey Tansu , Kaçmaz Ersoy , Karaoğlu Mehmet
Published: October 2022

In parallel with the developments in the yachting sector, the need for qualified yacht masters has increased. Their qualifications are important not only for meeting customers’ demands but also for ensuring maritime safety. In this direction, they play an important role in the sustainability of the sector. However, unlike other seafarers, there is a wide variation in the certification categories and training of countries due to the lack of a worldwide standard. Therefore, the equivalence of qualifications between different countries is indeed a confusing problem. It is especially important to identify similarities for the sake of harmonization and standardization efforts. In this regard, this study aims to analyze the similarities of qualifications for operating commercial yachts. First, licenses that are similar to each other in terms of a category are identified based on proficiency, distance limitations, and vessel sizes. Then, the similarity of their training is detected based on given courses. Towards this aim, a methodology based on hierarchical clustering methods is used. As a result, the levels of similarity between licenses, including internationally recognized licenses, are discussed to reveal the current situation. In addition, a classification method is proposed for standardization of the yacht license categories.
Significant Fragmentation of Disposable Surgical Masks—Enormous Source for Problematic Micro/Nanoplastics Pollution in the Environment
Authors: Erjavec Alen , Plohl Olivija , Zemljič Lidija Fras , Valh Julija Volmajer
Published: October 2022

The pandemic of COVID-19 disease has brought many challenges in the field of personal protective equipment. The amount of disposable surgical masks (DSMs) consumed increased dramatically, and much of it was improperly disposed of, i.e., it entered the environment. For this reason, it is crucial to accurately analyze the waste and identify all the hazards it poses. Therefore, in the present work, a DSM was disassembled, and gravimetric analysis of representative DSM waste was performed, along with detailed infrared spectroscopy of the individual parts and in-depth analysis of the waste. Due to the potential water contamination by micro/nanoplastics and also by other harmful components of DSMs generated during the leaching and photodegradation process, the xenon test and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure were used to analyze and evaluate the leaching of micro/nanoplastics. Micro/nanoplastic particles were leached from all five components of the mask in an aqueous medium. Exposed to natural conditions, a DSM loses up to 30% of its mass in just 1 month, while micro/nanoplastic particles are formed by the process of photodegradation. Improperly treated DSMs pose a potential hazardous risk to the environment due to the release of micro/nanoparticles and chloride ion content.
Free and Encapsulated Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria for the Enhanced Dissolution of Swine Wastewater-Derived Struvite—An Attractive Approach for Green Phosphorus Fertilizer
Authors: Jokkaew Suphatsorn , Jantharadej Krittayapong , Pokhum Chonlada , Chawengkijwanich Chamorn , Suwannasilp Benjaporn Boonchayaanant
Published: October 2022

Struvite and hydroxyapatite are byproducts of phosphorus removal from wastewater that can be used as phosphate fertilizers. Due to their low water solubility, especially in alkaline soils, their use is currently limited. The use of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria to enhance the dissolution of struvite and hydroxyapatite could be an attractive solution for expanding their use, but literature reports on this are limited. In this study, Arthrobacter sp. (TBRC 5201), Azotobacter vinelandii (TBRC 7231), and Bacillus megaterium (TBRC 1396) were evaluated for their ability to dissolve struvite and hydroxyapatite on agar media with struvite or hydroxyapatite as the sole source of phosphorus. Only B. megaterium (TBRC 1396) was able to use struvite and hydroxyapatite for growth. After 14 d of incubation in liquid medium, B. megaterium (TBRC 1396) dissolved phosphorus from struvite up to 835.45 ± 11.76 mg P/l compared with 196.08 ± 3.92 mg P/l in a control without cells, whereas the dissolution of hydroxyapatite by B. megaterium was minimal. B. megaterium (TBRC 1396) was also capable of dissolving phosphorus from swine wastewater-derived struvite. Both free cells and alginate-encapsulated cells of B. megaterium (TBRC 1396) were able to rapidly dissolve phosphorus from swine wastewater-derived struvite, resulting in soluble phosphorus concentrations that reached 400 mg P/l within 2 days, compared with those without cells that required 12 days. In conclusion, the application of struvite with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria is a promising tool for green sustainable agriculture.
Rethinking the Resources and Responsibilities of University Spin-Offs: Critical Factors in Times of Global Crisis
Authors: Toledano Nuria , Gessa Ana , Sanchez-Herrera Reyes
Published: October 2022

In recent years, the promotion of university spin-offs has become a measure adopted by many European universities to facilitate the commercialization of new technologies and knowledge that can lead to more sustainable economies and societies. However, the effectiveness of university-based companies has also been questioned, as many of them are resource-constrained, remain small in size and struggle to consolidate once they leave the university context. This paper addresses two main research questions: what are the critical factors inhibiting the consolidation, performance, and sustainable development of university spin-offs at a mid-range European university, and which critical factors need to be addressed the most thoroughly by the university’s support programs in order to improve their efficiency? To answer these questions, we collected relevant information from a panel of experts and interviewed academic entrepreneurs from a public university in the South of Spain. The analytic hierarchy process was applied to identify and prioritize the critical factors and sub-factors encountered by the university-based companies. The results show that poor management is the biggest critical factor in the consolidation of the spin-offs. One implication, the findings of our study reveal, is the need for university administrators to improve support for university spin-offs in terms of managing the new business as opposed to prioritizing the difficulties associated with the launch. Another is the need to raise awareness among faculties of the importance of finding an appropriate balance between technical and managerial skills in order to improve the chances of entrepreneurial success.
Exploring Green Human Resource Adoption and Corporate Sustainability in Nigerian Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Adubor Nkechi Vivian , Adeniji Anthonia Adenike , Salau Odunayo Paul , Olajugba Oluwapelumi John , Onibudo Grace Oluwabukola
Published: October 2022

Gaining a sustainable environment in the manufacturing sector is dependent upon attracting top talent, providing extensive training, and embedding environmental consciousness throughout the company’s culture. Numerous cases of environmental contamination in the Nigerian manufacturing sector have led to serious health problems, confrontations with local residents, employee disengagement, decreased assurance, and organizational discontent. This study investigated green human resource management (GHRM) and corporate sustainability, focusing on manufacturing companies in Lagos State. Social identity theory was adopted for this research. The methodology used was quantitative research which made use of a questionnaire, and data were collected from 336 employees of various industrial enterprises in Lagos State, Nigeria. The findings of this research showed a significant effect between the antecedents of GHRM and corporate sustainability in the manufacturing industry. The study utilized regression analysis and demonstrated that organizations gain advantages by applying GHRM. Employees exposed to greening abilities and training reduce waste and reuse materials, enhance the firm’s image, attract and retain green customers, and reduce adverse environmental effects to better financial performance. This accomplishment benefits the company and allows employees to develop their own environmentally conscious orientation and projects.
Internet of Medical Things in the COVID-19 Era: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Hemmati Atefeh , Rahmani Amir Masoud
Published: October 2022

In recent years, the medical industry has rapidly modernized, incorporating technology to aid in accelerating and simplifying procedures for better accuracy. This technology is becoming more interconnected to create a larger network known as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) that can combat the pandemic’s spread. In other words, IoMT emphasizes health applications while maintaining the core concept of the Internet of Things (IoT). The further spread of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) can be halted by employing it. Consequently, this paper uses the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology to evaluate recently published articles in the IoMT domain during the COVID-19 era. Between 2019 and 2022, we analyzed 41 studies. An analysis of the evaluation criteria reveals that the delay factor comprises 38% of the evaluation criteria, the highest percentage because a low-delay IoMT device has a quick response time between the time a request is made and the time a response is received. Moreover, the performance factor accounts for 22%, the accuracy factor accounts for 28%, the security factor for 6%, and the cost factor for 6%. Finally, we concentrate on open issues and future research challenges in IoMT during the COVID-19 era.
Traditional Livelihood, Unstable Environment: Adaptation of Traditional Fishing and Reindeer Herding to Environmental Change in the Russian Arctic
Authors: Konnov Arsenii , Khmelnitskaya Yana , Dugina Maria , Borzenko Tatiana , Tysiachniouk Maria S.
Published: October 2022

The effects of climate change are much more pronounced in the Arctic region than in other places around the world. This paper highlights the practices of adaptation to climate change by Indigenous reindeer herders, e.g., Saami and Komi-Izhemtsy, and Pomor fishermen, in the Russian Arctic. Our major research question is: How does the interplay of social and environmental factors determine traditional reindeer herding and fishing in the Russian North in the context of climate change, including seasonal changes? A qualitative methodology was used in both reindeer herding and fishing communities using the same interview guide. As an analytical lens, we chose resilience theory combined with the actor–network theory. Resilience theory allows us to situate the adaptive capacity of reindeer herders and fisherman within a constantly changing context. The actor–network theory offers a non-human-centered framework which allows the reconstruction of the networks that emerge in the context of adaptation and link humans, material objects, and the living environment. We found that the traditional economic activity of reindeer herders and fishermen is significantly affected by socio-economic and environmental factors. Both reindeer herders and fishermen manage to adapt to the changing environment using local knowledge and different kinds of technical tools. However, socio-economic conditions and accelerating climate change put the resilience of Indigenous communities at risk.
Environmental Pollution, Terrorism, and Mortality Rate in China, India, Russia, and Türkiye
Authors: Bildirici Melike E. , Genç Sema Yılmaz , Castanho Rui Alexandre
Published: October 2022

This paper tests the cointegration and causality between mortality rate, terrorism, economic growth, and environmental pollution in China, India, Russia, and Türkiye in the period from 1990 to 2021 by using the Fourier bootstrapping auto-regressive distributed lag (FBARDL) test and Granger causality with Fourier (FGC) test. The FBARDL test determined cointegration between the selected variables. The FGC test found the evidence of causality among the selected variables. For Russia, Türkiye, India, and China, we found evidence of unidirectional causality running from terrorism to environmental pollution. The evidence of one-way causality from economic growth to environmental pollution was determined for Türkiye and China, but, for India and Russia, we found one-way causality from environmental pollution to economic growth. We found unidirectional causality from terrorism to mortality rate for Türkiye and China. For Russia, we found evidence of none causality. In addition, we determined there was evidence of unidirectional causality from environmental pollution to morality rate.
Zero Waste Management Behavior: Conceptualization, Scale Development and Validation—A Case Study in Turkey
Authors: Coskun Sezen
Published: October 2022

Due to increasing demand on earth sources in all areas, some materials have come under pressure for effective recovery and reuse. In this sense, the management of waste materials has become an important need for effective utilizations. In this regard, the waste management behaviour of individuals towards zero waste was studied using a scale and included pre-testing and administering a survey, and reducing the number of items with the determination of factors. The scale was evaluated using all necessary statistical measures. The IBM SPSS and IBM SPPS AMOS were utilized for confirmatory and expository factor analyses, respectively. It was found that the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient determined the reliability level of the improved scale, at 0.909, while the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin coefficient was determined as 0.887. The Bartlett’s sphericity test result was found to be p < 0.000. The test results clearly indicated that the sample size was adequate for the measurement of the construct and a patterned relationship among the items was detected. However, the reliability and validity of the developed scaled were confirmed by the goodness of fit indices used. It is important to note that education, profession, level of income, and place of residence significantly influenced the participants’ zero waste management behaviour, but the gender and age of the participants were not influential factors. By having these experimental results, it is suitable to suggest that a model consisting of three factors (knowledge, facilities, and motivation) was capable of measuring the waste management behaviour of people towards zero waste in Turkey.
Coordination of Perishable Product Supply Chains with a Joint Contract under Yield and Demand Uncertainty
Authors: Chen Tianwen , Liu Changqing , Xu Xiang
Published: October 2022

With the complex and changeable environment, the demand and yield in the perishable products supply chain are usually uncertain. This paper studies a joint contract that combines revenue sharing with quantity discount to coordinate the supply chain under demand and yield uncertainty, which consists of one manufacturer and one retailer. The retailer pays the manufacturer a down payment at the beginning, and the manufacturer gives the retailer a quantity discount and shares a proportion of profit from the retailer at last. To make sure that both members in the supply chain want to adopt this contract, we prove the feasibility of the joint contract achieving a win–win situation. In addition, we investigate how the price in the secondary market influence the contract, and the conclusion further proves that supply chain coordination is actually a process of re-sharing risks among all nodes of the supply chain. However, the joint contract in this paper has certain adaptability to such risks. Finally, numerical analysis is given to show the impacts of uncertainties on the profit of the supply chain, the decisions made by the members, and the effectiveness of our joint contract.
Machine Learning-Based Live Weight Estimation for Hanwoo Cow
Authors: Dang Changgwon , Choi Taejeong , Lee Seungsoo , Lee Soohyun , Alam Mahboob , Park Mina , Han Seungkyu , Lee Jaegu , Hoang Duytang
Published: October 2022

Live weight monitoring is an important step in Hanwoo (Korean cow) livestock farming. Direct and indirect methods are two available approaches for measuring live weight of cows in husbandry. Recently, thanks to the advances of sensor technology, data processing, and Machine Learning algorithms, the indirect weight measurement has been become more popular. This study was conducted to explore and evaluate the feasibility of machine learning algorithms in estimating the body live weight of Hanwoo cow using ten body measurements as input features. Various supervised Machine Learning algorithms, including Multilayer Perceptron, k-Nearest Neighbor, Light Gradient Boosting Machine, TabNet, and FT-Transformer, are employed to develop the models that estimate the body live weight using body measurement data. Data analysis is exploited to explore the correlation between the body size measurements (the features) and the weights (target values that need to be estimated) of cows. Data analysis results show that ten body measurements have a high correlation with the body live weight. High performance of all applied Machine Learning models was obtained. It can be concluded that estimating the body live weight of Hanwoo cow is feasible by utilizing Machine Learning algorithms. Among all of the tested algorithms, LightGBM regression demonstrates not only the best model in terms of performance, model complexity and development time.
Analysis of the Capital Structure in Sustainable Infrastructure Systems: A Methodological Approach
Authors: González-Ruiz Juan David , Botero-Botero Sergio , Peña Alejandro
Published: October 2022

Many countries require financial mechanisms, leading to increasing coverage through sustainable infrastructure systems (SISs). However, establishing such mechanisms demands innovative approaches and analyses that contribute to the development of financial schemes by providing a new vision for private investors and public entities promoting sustainable development and, therefore, the creation of new eco-financial assets. To address this need, this paper proposes a methodology for analyzing capital structure in sustainable infrastructure systems, which is validated in a case study. Thus, a mathematical model that identifies the impact on the final capital structure according to an investment plan and capital structures per period is developed. Additionally, this proposal integrates a financial framework that involves sustainable financing, capital markets, and public–private sectors. The results of the case study show that debt-service capacity was always higher than 1.0×. Hence, this study provides a better understanding of financing processes for SISs. Additionally, this contributes to the debate on infrastructure financing and its implications for main stakeholders.
Green Servitization in the Single-Use Medical Device Industry: How Device OEMs Create Supply Chain Circularity through Reprocessing
Authors: Benedettini Ornella
Published: October 2022

Establishing a circular supply chain for single-use medical devices would make a significant contribution to reduce health care-generated emissions. One way in which this can be accomplished is to apply the possibility of device recovery through high-level disinfection and sterilization (a process referred to as ‘reprocessing’). As increasing emphasis is being placed on reducing health care-generated emissions, several major OEMs of single-use medical devices have extended their business to reprocessing services, taking a green servitization orientation. The present paper examines the trend towards green servitization in the single-use medical device industry. It uses interviews with industry experts, complemented with information from secondary sources, to explore how the green servitization phenomenon is supporting the transition of the industry to a more sustainable economic model. The findings provide insights into the green servitization endeavors of device OEMs as regards services offered, strategic intents, dominant business models, use of collaborative relationships and capability requirements. The paper reveals that single-use device OEMs may have started to understand the perspective and the long-term market share gains of combining a service model and a manufacturing model, making reprocessing an integrated part of how they think about how to design, produce and deliver their products.
How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Functional Relationships in Activities between Members in a Tourism Organization? A Case Study of Regional Tourism Organizations in Poland
Authors: Fedyk Wojciech , Sołtysik Mariusz , Bagińska Justyna , Ziemba Mateusz , Kołodziej Małgorzata , Borzyszkowski Jacek
Published: October 2022

A key research question that fits within the main objective is to identify the negative and positive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional relationships between members of regional tourism organizations (RTOs) in Poland. The study consisted of three stages: desk research, a diagnostic survey, as well as qualitative, and statistical analyses. Empirical data from all 16 Polish RTOs (regional DMOs) on 19 variables were collected. No significant symptoms of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional relationship between RTOs and their stakeholders were found, except for the observed increased number of limitations of RTOs’ activities aimed at benefiting their members. As part of the study’s secondary objectives, key variables and methods were indicated. They identify the functional relationships of RTOs with member entities, with the environment, and are useful in building the effectiveness of the organization at the regional level in crisis situations. As the pragmatic goal of the study, a research tool was proposed that can be implemented to evaluate relations with the environment in other tourism destination management organizations at various levels of the tourism economy.
The Impacts of EU Cohesion Policy on Sustainable Tourism: The Case of POSEUR in Algarve
Authors: Valente Bernardo , Medeiros Eduardo
Published: October 2022

Sustainable tourism is a main priority of European Union policies, with the aim of mitigating the potential harmful consequences of this sector on a given territory. The main research goal of this article is to better understand the impact of the public investments financed via EU Cohesion Policy in the tourism sector in the Portuguese Algarve NUT2. This paper focuses on the Portuguese Operational Programme for Sustainability and Efficient Use of Resources (POSEUR 20142020), which was an operational programme of a Portuguese framework to implement EU Cohesion Policy funds in Portugal between 2014 and 2020, and was specifically focused on supporting sustainable development processes. The sustainability performance of POSEUR in the Algarve was evaluated in five different dimensions of analysis: (1) low-emissions economy, (2) adaptation to climate change, (3) risk prevention and management, (4) environmental protection, and (5) resource efficiency. The results showed that POSEUR had a low impact in almost all dimensions in the Algarve, apart from the adaptation to climate change dimension, which exhibits a high impact score, mostly due to the support given for carrying out the Plans for Adaptation to Climate Change (PAAC).
The ‘Glocal’ Community of Matera 2019: Participative Processes and Re-Signification of Cultural Heritage
Authors: Scardigno Rosa , Mininni Giuseppe , Cicirelli Paolo Giovanni , D’Errico Francesca
Published: October 2022

The ‘local’ community of Matera has been studied in a pioneering work by Lidia De Rita, who focused on the unique configuration of its neighborly relations, defining “psycho-groups”, featured by their not codified laws and affected by topographical defects in the formation of normal groups. In the second half of the 20th century, Matera radically changed its status: from a “national shame”, it was declared a “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO; in addition, it was definitively crowned in the hearth of the European scenario, thanks to the European Capital of Culture program (ECoC). In this rapidly evolving background, this work aims to investigate the re-signification of this ‘glocal’ community by means of three crucial variables—culture, participation, and sense of community and identity—as experienced across the complex pathway leading to Matera 19 (M19). In order to analyze the psychosocial value of the Cultural Heritage of the Mega Event M19, as it was socially constructed and perceived, both “front stage” (opening and closing ceremonies) and “backstage” (through interviews with key actors) positioning were analyzed by means of critical discourse analysis. The emerging social-epistemic rhetoric revealed a kaleidoscope of meanings, where the opportunities offered by M19 dealt with a missed fulfillment of needs and with the fact that the unicity of Matera still has to deal with its unresolved fragilities.
High Performance Sustainable Work Practices: Scale Development and Validation
Authors: Mariappanadar Sugumar
Published: October 2022

The study attempts to develop a high-performance sustainable work practices (HPSWP) scale. The multi-dimensional HPSWP scale with sustainability characteristics was validated using four different samples (Total N = 509). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported that the four dimensions (pro-environment, stakeholder compassion, ethics of care for well-being, and social consciousness) reflect different factors of the HPSWP construct. In alignment with the integrationist perspective of high-performance work practices, each of the dimensions of the HPSWP scale includes bundles of human resource management practices with sustainability characteristics. The results from the construct validity revealed significant differences in the dimensions of HPSWP between companies that focus equally and those companies which focus individually on profit, human/social and environment sustainability outcomes. The validated HPSWP scale using sustainability characteristics is the earliest study in the sustainable HRM literature. The HPSWP scale will support sustainability professionals with metrics to facilitate employee attitudes and behaviour at work to help organizations implement and achieve integrated financial, social/human, and environment sustainability outcomes. Various contributions to the sustainable HRM field are discussed.
Performance Comparison of Bayesian Deep Learning Model and Traditional Bayesian Neural Network in Short-Term PV Interval Prediction
Authors: Wang Kaiyan , Du Haodong , Jia Rong , Jia Hongtao
Published: October 2022

The intermittence and fluctuation of renewable energy bring significant uncertainty to the power system, which enormously increases the operational risks of the power system. The development of efficient interval prediction models can provide data support for decision making and help improve the economy and reliability of energy interconnection operation. The performance of Bayesian deep learning models and Bayesian shallow neural networks in short-term interval prediction of photovoltaic power is compared in this study. Specifically, an LSTM Approximate Bayesian Neural Network model (ABNN-I) is built on the basis of the deep learning and Monte Carlo Dropout method. Meanwhile, a Feedforward Bayesian Neural Network (ABNN-II) model is introduced by Feedforward Neural Network and the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. To better compare and verify the interval prediction capability of the ABNN models, a novel clustering method with three-dimensional features which include the number of peaks and valleys, the average power value, and the non-stationary measurement coefficient is proposed for generating sunny and non-sunny clustering sets, respectively. Results show that the ABNN-I model has an excellent performance in the field of photovoltaic short-term interval forecasting. At a 95% confidence level, the interval coverage from ABNN-I to ABNN-II can be increased by up to 3.1% and the average width of the interval can be reduced by 56%. Therefore, with the help of the high computational capacity of deep learning and the inherent ability to quantify uncertainty of the interval forecast from Bayesian methods, this research provides high-quality interval prediction results for photovoltaic power prediction and solves the problem of difficult modeling for over-fitting that exists in the training process, especially on the non-sunny clustering sets.
Exploring the Contribution of Social and Economic Status Factors (SES) to the Development of Learning Cities (LC)
Authors: Iamtrakul Pawinee , Chayphong Sararad , Lo Adrian Yat Wai
Published: October 2022

Learning cities can help to reinforce the socio-economic well-being of residents in deprived areas contributing to the sustainability of cities and also provide them with learning and working opportunities. Diverse learning providers should be inclusively designed to meet all citizens’ needs, opportunities, and aspirations. Understanding the different social and economic characteristics of a city enables the proposition of appropriate development strategies to truly meet all citizens’ needs. Thus, this study examines the relationship between social and economic status (SES) and the perceptions of the development of learning cities (LC) in peri-urban development. To understand the significance of different social factors affecting the development of a learning city so that appropriate development guidelines and responses to people’s needs in outskirt areas can be recommended, data were collected from 400 participants through questionnaires in Thanyaburi District, Pathum Thani province, Thailand. This study applied nonparametric statistics through the use of the Chi-Square and Kruskal–Wallis H test to explore the differences in the variables of each classification and pairwise, including exploring the correlation between independent and dependent variables. The results revealed that different SES characteristics were significantly associated with different learning-enhancing activities (p-value < 0.05). The development of a learning city is therefore recommended to respond to the diverse citizens’ needs while contributing to several societal objectives with great potential for sustainable urban development.
The Effects of Environmental Regulation and Low-Carbon Logistics Capacity on the Level of New Urbanization in Six Central Provinces of China
Authors: Wang Yifan , Yu Zhongfu , Hou Yamin
Published: October 2022

The urbanization of a region is affected by the implementation of various policies, and to explore the specifics of the environmental regulation at today’s new level of urbanization, the increased logistics capacity of a region and the consequent carbon emissions must be the focus of our attention. For the values considered by the study, the six central provinces of China have obvious location advantages and urban–rural differences, so a static panel regression effect model was constructed based on the inter-provincial panel data of the six central provinces of China from 2005–2019, and the entropy weight method was applied to quantify the low-carbon logistics capacity and new urbanization level in the region. The model explores the relationship between environmental regulation, regional low-carbon logistics capabilities, and the level of new urbanization. The results of the study show that the levels of new urbanization in all six provinces are increasing rapidly, year on year. Environmental regulation has a positive impact on regional low-carbon logistics capabilities and the level of new urbanization, and environmental regulation promotes the improvement of the level of new urbanization through a significant positive impact on regional low-carbon logistics capabilities, and there is an intermediary conduction effect. This paper provides valuable reference suggestions for low carbon development and new urbanization in six central provinces through empirical research.
English Development Sustainability for English as Second Language College Transfer Students: A Case Study from a University in Hong Kong
Authors: Foung Dennis , Ching Shirley Siu Yin , Zhang Lillian Weiwei , Guan Gwendoline Yuanyuan , Cheung Kin
Published: October 2022

The sustainability of English development plays a crucial role in higher education. However, the language needs of community college transfer students have not been well studied. This paper examined the language needs and support measures for vertical transfer (VT) English as a Second Language (ESL) students after admission to the university. A qualitative approach was adopted. Thirty-nine focus groups and seven individual interviews were conducted with 124 VT ESL students. The results found that, while community college studies might have prepared VT students for basic written assignments in universities, these students needed support with advanced academic writing skills, and general speaking and listening skills. It is only if the needs and challenges of VT ESL students are clear to higher education administrators that effective strategies can be developed. For instance, the participants were not content with the current measures provided to them and required short, fun, and purpose-driven interventions. This is the first of its kind to explore the English needs and support measures among VT ESL to sustain their English development should be strengthened.
The Contribution of Local Agents and Citizens to Sustainable Development: The Portuguese Experience
Authors: Almeida Fernando
Published: October 2022

The achievement of the 2030 Agenda implies a shared responsibility in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Local government, in particular municipalities, is closer to citizens and, therefore, better placed to respond to the needs of each region. This study intends to explore initiatives promoted by civil society, businesses, and local organizations in the context of each municipality in Portugal to address the sustainable development goals established in the 2030 Agenda. It adopts mixed methods to quantify the impact of these initiatives in the territories and qualitatively explores the inherent characteristics associated with each project. The findings show that there are significant asymmetries in the number of projects in the Portuguese regions and that there is a moderately positive correlation between the number of projects and the municipality’s population density and GDP. It was also found that the projects focus mainly on areas such as SDG1, SDG1, SDG11, and SDG13. The projects are mainly characterized by offering platforms for collaborative work among the various stakeholders, seeking to meet the challenges of combating social exclusion, and supporting environmental education. Above all, this study offers implications for local agents to work in networks and establish synergies between projects that may lead to greater territorial coverage and contribute to reducing the socioeconomic asymmetries that exist in the country.
From Participation to Involvement in Urban Open Space Management and Maintenance
Authors: Suomalainen Sari , Tahvonen Outi , Kahiluoto Helena
Published: October 2022

Urban open spaces (UOS) provide an everyday environment for residents to experience nature. However, the management of UOS—from zoning to construction and maintenance—tends to follow efficient and straight-forward processes lacking use of residents’ experiences. This study first collected the views of management professionals on how participation can best benefit management of UOS. Second, a survey used biodiversity as a case to clarify how the ongoing changes in urban biotopes challenge conventional management of UOS. The results showed that especially in the maintenance phase of current UOS management there is potential to further involve residents in a continuous dialogue and activities to account for local perceptions, including residents’ sensing and emotions raised by UOS. Such involvement may facilitate positive human-nature relations but may require new modes of interaction. We thus propose such adaptive management to foster residents’ contribution to sustainability transition.
Project Attribute Information and Initiator’s Commitment in Crowdfunding Message Strategy: An Empirical Investigation of Financing Performance in Agri-Food Crowdfunding
Authors: Du Junjuan
Published: October 2022

Agri-food crowdfunding, a new financing method, not only solves the financing constraints in agricultural development, but also realizes the effective connection between agricultural products and the market. Thus, exploring the impact of project factors on financing performance can help initiators design scientific and reasonable crowdfunding project plans. Based on the trust theory and the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), the trust mechanism is constructed with the characteristic attributes as the central path, the competitive attributes as the edge path, and the commitment as the mediator. Using the data of 1166 agri-food crowdfunding projects on the Taobao crowdfunding platform, I investigate the impact of disclosed project attribute information on financing performance and the mediating role of project risk. The results show that projects with a detailed explanation of the crowdfunding reason and the capital uses, a low funding goal, product qualification certificates issued by authoritative institutions, multiple types of rewards, a short reward delivery time, and a low investment threshold achieve good financing performance. The factor of commitment plays an intermediary role in the relationship between project attributes and financing performance. Based on the research conclusions, practical enlightenment is proposed for initiators, crowdfunding platforms, and regulators.
The Potential of rGO@TiO2 Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Organic Pollutants in Water
Authors: Kocijan Martina , Ćurković Lidija , Gonçalves Gil , Podlogar Matejka
Published: October 2022

The availability of clean water is essential for humans wellbeing and the diverse biotic population in the environment. Menkind imposes a significant pressure on food supplies, natural resources, and other commodities. Large-scale anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture and industry, which are practiced to ensure population growth and survival, have caused several harmful environmental effects, including the discharge of pollutants into the aquatic environment. Among them organic micropollutants (OMPs) are considered a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems. The efficient removal of this persistent pollutants from wastewater is nowadays commonly considered in water treatment technologies. Utilizing photocatalysis by harvesting solar energy as an inexhaustible source, represents a facile and easy to upscale solution, for removing persistent pollutants and other emerging contaminants. In the recent decade, graphene-based titanium dioxide catalyst (rGO@TiO2) has received a lot of attention as an effective material for the degradation in the enviroment. This review summarizes the recent progress in preparing rGO@TiO2 nanocomposites and their utilization for purification purposes. Its main advantage over many other photocatalysts is its easy preparation, low toxicity, and reasonable photo-activity in a specific solar light spectrum.
The Impact of Sustainable Input on Regional Innovation Performance: Moderating Effects of Policy Support and Cultural Value
Authors: Song Hemin , Zhao Zitong , Varma Arup
Published: October 2022

Innovation, an internal drive promoting regional sustainable economic development, has received great attention around the world. The goal of this paper is to explore the relationship between sustainable input and regional innovation performance under the moderating effects of policy support and cultural value in various regions in China. This paper uses Schwartz’s cultural dimensions and data from 31 Chinese provinces (2006–2018) to empirically examine the relationships of interest. Based on the 403 total samples, the results reveal that innovation input has a significantly positive impact on regional innovation performance, and policy support positively moderates the relationship between regional innovation input and innovation performance. Further, with regard to cultural values, embeddedness (vs. autonomy) negatively moderates the relationship between sustainable input and innovation performance, while egalitarianism (vs. hierarchy) and mastery (vs. harmony) positively moderate this relationship. We discuss the implications of our findings for policy.
Cohesion of Agricultural Crowdfunding Risk Prevention under Sustainable Development Based on Gray–Rough Set and FAHP-TOPSIS
Authors: Xue Ye , Li Ying
Published: October 2022

Agricultural crowdfunding has promoted the development of China’s agriculture and rural economy. Ensuring the sustainable development of agricultural crowdfunding is a key issue that needs attention against the current background. The concept of cohesion is introduced into the study of agricultural crowdfunding risk prevention, and the cohesion evaluation index system is determined with the help of the gray-rough set method, weights of which are determined by using triangular fuzzy hierarchy analysis. The TOPSIS method is used to evaluate it, four crowdfunding projects are selected for case studies, and the models are compared and analyzed. Finally, the influencing factors are comprehensively analyzed. The results show that: (1) The case evaluation results are consistent with its actual situation, and the comparison with the model presents the accuracy of the selected model, both of which verify the feasibility of the evaluation model. (2) Collaboration, organizational leadership, and the degree of assurance of the quantity and quality of agricultural products are important factors affecting the improvement of the cohesion in agricultural crowdfunding risk prevention. (3) The most significant factors in enhancing the cohesiveness of agricultural crowdfunding risk prevention are “responsiveness” and “safety of agricultural products”. Finally, the targeted countermeasures and suggestions are expected to provide the decision-making basis for the risk management of agricultural crowdfunding and realize the sustainable development of agricultural crowdfunding.