bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting Flood Hazards in the Vietnam Central Region: An Artificial Neural Network Approach
Authors: Pham Quang Minh , Tallam Krti
Published: September 2022

Flooding as a hazard has negatively impacted Vietnam’s agriculture, economy, and infrastructure with increasing intensity because of climate change. Flood hazards in Vietnam are difficult to combat, as Vietnam is densely populated with rivers and canals. While there are attempts to lessen the damage through hazard mitigation policies, such as early evacuation warnings, these attempts are made heavily reliant on short-term traditional statistical models and physical hydrology modeling, which provide suboptimal results. The current situation is caused by the fragmented approach from the Vietnamese government and exacerbates a need for more centralized and robust flood predictive systems. Local governments need to employ their own prediction models which often lack the capacity to draw key insights from limited flood occurrences. Given the robustness of machine learning, especially in low data settings, in this study, we attempt to introduce an artificial neural network model with the aim to create long-term forecast and compare it with other machine learning approaches. We trained the models using different variables evaluated under three characteristics: climatic, hydrological, and socio-economic. We found that our artificial neural network model performed substantially better both in performance metrics (91% accuracy) and relative to other models and can predict well flood hazards in the long term.
Nutrient Management of Shallot Farming in Sandy Loam Soil in Tegalrejo, Gunungkidul, Indonesia
Authors: Sutardi  , Kristamtini  , Purwaningsih Heni , Widyayanti Setyorini , Arianti Forita Dyah , Pertiwi Miranti Dian , Triastono Joko , Praptana Raden Heru , Malik Afrizal , Cempaka Intan Gilang , Yusuf  , Yufdy Muhammad Prama , Anda Markus , Wihardjaka Anicetus
Published: September 2022

The serious problems of sandy soils for crop development are low water-holding capacity, nutrient retention, and low content of all nutrients. The objective of the study was to increase the nutrient content of sandy soil and evaluate nutrient types that mostly affect the high shallot yield with reasonable economic values. The field experiment was conducted on the upland sandy loam soil. Six treatments consisting of complete nutrients, N-, P-, K-, Mg- and S-omission tests were arranged in a randomly completed block design with four replicates. The observed parameters included soil physicochemical properties, tissue nutrient content, growth, yield, and input-output of shallot cultivation. The results showed that N, P, K, Mg and S application successfully increased shallot bulb, achieving 11.43 t ha−1 on sandy soil. The order of shallot tissue content was K > N > P~Mg > S, where the S, P, N, and Mg are limiting factors, as revealed by significantly lower relative yield (varying from 79 to 88%). The highest weight loss during storage occurred for S-omission treatment (40 to 60%), indicating insufficient S tissue is the most responsible for the quality of shallot. The complete nutrient treatment gave the highest income (7446.09 USD ha−1) with a revenue cost ratio of 2.41 compared to other treatments. The tolerance limit for price reductions that do not cause losses was 58.59%.
Using Digital Learning Platforms for Teaching Arabic Literacy: A Post-Pandemic Mobile Learning Scenario in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Abdullatif Ahlam Mohammed , Alsubaie Merfat Ayesh
Published: September 2022

Mobile learning and its influence on improving learning outcomes are among the recent trends in education. This study investigates the factors impacting teachers’ intentions to use (and their usage of) the ‘I Read Arabic’ (IRA) digital platform for teaching literacy. By utilising the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) model, seven factors were explored in terms of their predictions of behavioural intention and actual use of the IRA digital platform. A determined sample size of 285 Arabic teachers teaching grades K–6 in Saudi Arabia participated in this study. A mixed-method approach, using a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, was conducted to collect data. Structural equation modelling and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data. The quantitative results indicated that hedonic motivation, habit, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and price value were significant predictors of teachers’ behavioural intention to use the IRA digital platform for teaching literacy. Teachers’ usage of the IRA digital platform was shown to be significantly influenced by behavioural intention and facilitating conditions. The qualitative results yielded two main themes: the advantages and challenges of using the IRA digital platform. Several useful implications are suggested for teachers, school leaders, and education policy makers to sustain digital learning in Saudi Arabia’s post-pandemic educational system.
Low-Carbon Development from the Energy–Water Nexus Perspective in China’s Resource-Based City
Authors: Zhao Yi , Lin Gang , Jiang Dong , Fu Jingying , Li Xiang
Published: September 2022

Energy crises, water shortages, and rising carbon emissions are constantly posing new demands and challenges to global economic development. Considering the problem of high emissions and high water consumption in the process of energy production and transformation in resource-based cities, this study established the LEAP-Jincheng model based on the low emissions analysis platform (LEAP) model. Taking 2020 as the base year, the baseline scenario (BS), policy scenario (PS), and intensified scenario (IS) were set to predict future energy and water consumption and carbon emissions of Jincheng from 2021 to 2050. The results show that both PS and IS can achieve energy conservation and emission reduction to some extent. The total energy consumption of PS will be 32.89 million metric tons of coal equivalent in 2050, 15.62% less than the BS. However, the carbon emissions in 2030 will reach 8221 metric tons CO2 equivalent, which is significantly higher than that in other scenarios. In PS, carbon emissions after 2030 will not be significantly reduced, and the energy–water elasticity coefficient is −0.77, which fails to achieve effective emission reduction under energy–water synergy. The total energy consumption of the IS will be 22.57 million metric tons of coal equities in 2050, which has a total decrease of 31.38%, compared to BS. In the IS, the carbon emissions will reach a peak in 2030 (68.77 million metric tons CO2 equivalent) and subsequently reduce to 50.72 million metric tons CO2 equivalent in 2050, which has a total decrease of 50.64%, compared to BS. Furthermore, water consumption and energy–water synergy results show that the elastic coefficient is 1.37 in the IS. The IS is the best scenario for Jincheng to achieve coordinated development of energy and water resources from a low-carbon perspective. This study can provide a scientific basis for decision-making departments of Jincheng to formulate targeted sustainable development policies for energy and water and has an essential promoting significance for China to achieve the “double carbon” goals.
Exceeding Probability of Earthquake-Induced Dynamic Displacement of Rail Based on Incremental Dynamic Analysis
Authors: Xing Hongping , Sun Xiaodan , Liu Yu , Lin Jinzhen , Song Huilai
Published: September 2022

When an earthquake occurs, it can strongly shake high-speed railway bridges. Consequently, the dynamic displacement of the rail on the bridge may exceed the allowable standard. However, few studies have evaluated the probability of rail displacement exceeding the allowable standard, compared to the rich variety of research on the vulnerability of other components of the high-speed railway track-bridge system or other structures. In this paper, incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) is applied to calculate the exceeding probability of rail displacement under different earthquake excitations. A finite element model (FEM) of a high-speed railway track-bridge system is established, which consists of a finite length CRTS II ballastless track laid on a five-span simply supported girder bridge. Records from five stations in the PEER NGA−West2 strong ground motion dataset are selected as seismic excitation. Based on the simulation, the characteristics of the vertical displacement of the rail under different seismic excitations are investigated, and the probability of the vertical displacement of the rail exceeding the allowable standard is calculated using IDA. The results show that: (1) the vertical displacement of the rail above the abutment is significantly smaller than that above other parts of the bridge; (2) the vertical irregularity of the rail caused by earthquakes has a wavelength close to the length of a simply supported girder; (3) under some excitations, two bumps are observed in the Fourier displacement spectrum in the frequency range of 1.3–2.5 Hz and 10–12 Hz, respectively, which may indicate the resonance of the model to the excitation; and (4) the vertical displacement amplitude probability of the rail exceeding 2 mm is 44%, 89%, and 99% when PGA = 0.01 g, 0.20 g, and 0.40 g, respectively. The exceeding probability of the rail above the mid-span is larger than that above other parts of the bridge. Within the mid-span, the exceeding probability of the rail is the largest above the center of the bridge.
Evaluating Livability Perceptions: Indicators to Evaluate Livability of a University Campus
Authors: Almashhour Raghad , Samara Fatin
Published: September 2022

Livability indicators and assessments are critical to promoting campus sustainability and livability. Despite the various indicator frameworks and local initiatives aimed at attaining sustainability, campus livability assessments in the Middle East are scarce. An extensive literature search was used in this paper to obtain the best livability indicators, and the Delphi method was used to reach consensus using a panel of experts in the fields of sustainability and livability. The determining indicators were identified and categorized according to Environmental Quality, Social and Cultural Elements, Accessibility, Amenities and Services, Safety, Housing, and Other Services. A questionnaire using both qualitative and quantitative questions was used, taking into consideration the perceptions of students, faculty, and staff residing at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) campus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A score of 87/100 was obtained in this study, indicating that the AUS can be considered a highly livable campus. Responses showed that social and cultural elements, such as social gatherings, availability of restaurants, and children’s activities, were of utmost importance to the respondents. Additionally, services on campus, accessibility, and quality of housing played a major role in respondents’ choices. The index obtained in this study serves as a reference/benchmark for similar and comparative studies of campus livability, and can be adapted to similar scenarios. Moreover, this study opens the doors for future studies to gain deeper insights into the required steps to evaluate the livability of a campus, in order to facilitate future transformation of a traditional campus into a livable campus.
Investigating Pedestrians’ Exit Choice with Incident Location Awareness in an Emergency in a Multi-Level Shopping Complex
Authors: Aghabayk Kayvan , Soltani Alireza , Shiwakoti Nirajan
Published: September 2022

Limited studies have investigated pedestrians’ exit choices in an emergency in multi-level commercial buildings. In particular, the comparison between exit choices before and after awareness of an incident location is non-existent in the literature. Likewise, the influence of individual attributes, such as the presence of a child or a companion, on the individual’s exit choice in complex architectural layouts has rarely been studied in the literature. This paper aims to address these knowledge gaps by investigating pedestrians’ exit choice behavior in an emergency at a multi-level shopping complex considering exit choice behavior before and after awareness of incident location and the influence of personal attributes (e.g., presence of a child or companion). A survey of 1271 pedestrians for two hypothetical emergency scenarios in a multi-level shopping center in Tehran, Iran was conducted. A tablet-based simulator of a multi-story commercial complex was designed, and on-site interviews were conducted. In the first scenario, participants were asked to select their preferred exit door at the start of the emergency alarm without being informed about the incident location. In the next scenario, the scene of an incident (fire) was displayed without altering the conditions, and pedestrians were asked to choose their desired exit. The utility models investigated the differences in pedestrians’ behavior before and after awareness of the fire location. The models show differences in pedestrian decisions to evacuate and select the exit when the fire location information was available compared to when only emergency alarm information was available. Further, differences in evacuation strategy between the people who preferred to delay the exit and those who preferred to exit immediately were observed. Participants with children were more concerned about the ease of moving on the route and preferred a less congested route and exit area. Differences in evacuation behavior on the ground floor and other floors were also observed.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Salt-Affected Soils: Mechanistic Understanding of Interplay Factors and Reclamation Approaches
Authors: Fagodiya Ram K. , Malyan Sandeep K. , Singh Devendra , Kumar Amit , Yadav Rajender K. , Sharma Parbodh C. , Pathak Himanshu
Published: September 2022

Salt-affected soils contain high levels of soluble salts (saline soil) and exchangeable sodium (alkali soil). Globally, about 932 million ha (Mha), including 831 Mha of agricultural land, is salt-affected. Salinity and sodicity adversely affect soil microbial diversity and enzymatic activities, and thereby carbon and nitrogen dynamics and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils. In this review article, we synthesize published information to understand the impact of salinity and sodicity on GHG production and emissions from salt-affected soils, and how various reclamation amendments (gypsum, phosphogypsum, organic manure, biochar, etc.) affect GHG emissions from reclaimed soils. Nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions are of greater concern due to their 298 and 28 times higher global warming potential, respectively, compared to carbon dioxide (CO2), on a 100-year time scale. Therefore, CO2 emissions are given negligible/smaller significance compared to the other two. Generally, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions are higher at lower salinity and reduced at higher salinity mainly due to: (a) higher ammonification and lower nitrification resulting in a reduced substrate for denitrification; (b) reduced diversity of denitrifying bacteria lowered down microbial-mediated denitrification process; and (c) dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and denitrification processes compete with each other for common substrate/nitrate. Overall, methane (CH4) emissions from normal soils are higher than those of salt-affected soils. High salinity suppresses the activity of both methanogens (CH4 production) and methanotrophs (CH4 consumption). However, it imposes more inhibitory effects on methanogens than methanotrophs, resulting in lower CH4 production and subsequent emissions from these soils. Therefore, reclamation of these soils may enhance N2O and CH4 emissions. However, gypsum is the best reclamation agent, which significantly mitigates CH4 emissions from paddy cultivation in both sodic and non-sodic soils, and mitigation is higher at the higher rate of its application. Gypsum amendment increases sulfate ion concentrations and reduces CH4 emissions mainly due to the inhibition of the methanogenesis by the sulfate reductase bacteria and the enhancement of soil redox potential. Biochar is also good among the organic amendments mitigating both CH4 and N2O emission from salt-affected soils. The application of fresh organic matter and FYM enhance GHG emissions for these soils. This review suggests the need for systematic investigations for studying the impacts of various amendments and reclamation technologies on GHG emissions in order to develop low carbon emission technologies for salt-affected soil reclamation that can enhance the carbon sequestration potential of these soils.
Seepage Characteristics Analysis on Earth Dams Considering Polymer Cutoff Wall with Construction Defects
Authors: Chen Yue , Xue Binghan , Zhang Shu , Du Xueming , Shi Mingsheng
Published: September 2022

In recent years, non-water reaction polymer grouting is a new technology for anti-seepage and reinforcement that has been widely employed in anti-seepage projects. However, there is little research on the consequence of defective polymer cutoff walls affecting the seepage safety of earth dams. To analyze the influence of the number, location, and randomness of defects in the wall on seepage characteristics of the earth dam, a three-dimensional finite element model of a typical earth dam with the polymer cutoff wall is established by numerical simulation technology. The model reflects the real geometry of the polymer cutoff wall as well as the internal common construction defects—windows and uneven thickness. The results indicate that construction deficiencies, especially defect rate and thickness uniformity, have a negative effect on the actual anti-seepage performance of the polymer wall. Eventually, the seepage safety of the earth dam may be endangered due to overestimation of the actual impermeability, if only assuming the cutoff wall is intact. Therefore, the index reflecting the integrity and the impermeability of the polymer cutoff wall is proposed, and the corresponding proposals are offered based on calculation results.
Life-Cycle Assessment of Fibre-Reinforced Polymers Dwellings Compared to Traditional Structures
Authors: Valizadeh Afsaneh , Aslani Farhad
Published: September 2022

Fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) have been presented as materials that possess properties that are comparable to conventional building materials, while also being more sustainable. This study describes the material and its properties and compares the materials using a life-cycle assessment (LCA) modelling approach. The objective of this paper is to perform a cradle-to-grave (from resource extraction to the disposal stage) analysis of pultruded FRP material and compare it to conventional building materials used in a typical dwelling. This analysis was conducted in accordance with LCA standard EN15978. A streamlined LCA was conducted, whereby the major impacts observed included the global warming potential in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent and the embodied energy in megajoule net calorific value. The products compared with the FRP profiles were the most commonly used materials in a residential dwelling; bricks and timber. The results of the LCA modelling provided a comparative assertion of the FRPs to conventional materials by demonstrating that they perform better than double-brick dwellings and external timber framed walls in both environmental impact categories of global warming potential and embodied energy. The results shows that the FRP-walled house had the lowest emissions of carbon dioxide equivalent, which was around 17% lower than that of the double-brick wall and 1.46% less than that of the timber wall house.
Adopting Electric Motorcycles for Ride-Hailing Services: Influential Factors from Driver’s Perspective
Authors: Waluyo Tanto Adi , Irawan Muhammad Zudhy , Dewanti
Published: September 2022

Recently, the Indonesian government has been increasingly encouraging the population to utilize electric vehicles. In the public transportation sector, including ride-hailing services, the use of electric vehicles, especially motorcycles, is promoted. This study aims to explore the willingness to adopt electric motorcycles among ride-hailing drivers by specifying the preference for buying or renting in adopting electric motorcycles. Using a stated preference method, an interview survey was conducted on 416 ride-hailing drivers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Nine variables were tested to understand the determinants of electric motorcycle adoption, including purchase or rental costs, cost for motorcycle title transfer, fuel price, maximum coverage distance, maximum speed, the distance between battery exchange stations, annual tax, and credit payment. By using the ordered logit model, the results revealed two variables affecting the purchase of electric motorcycles: purchase price and maximum coverage distance. Meanwhile, four variables significantly influenced the determination of electric motorcycle rental: coverage distance, fuel price, rental fees, and the distance between battery exchange stations. Sociodemographic variables also significantly affect the decision to rent but not purchase electric motorcycles. Meanwhile, full-time drivers and students who work part-time as drivers are more likely to rent electric motorcycles. This study also found that renting electric motorcycles had a better likelihood of adoption than owning them. Finally, several policies were proposed to boost the adoption of electric motorcycles among ride-hailing drivers, including subsidy provisions, technology improvement, and priority provisions for drivers who use electric motorcycles.
Externalities of Urban Agglomerations: An Empirical Study of the Chinese Case
Authors: Yin Juan , Yang Zhong , Guo Jin
Published: September 2022

Urban agglomerations are playing an increasingly important role in regional economic development, and economic externalities are the key factors in the formation and development of urban agglomerations. According to different mechanisms, agglomeration externalities can be divided into pecuniary externality and technological externality, but the literature has not paid enough attention to the differences between them. Based on the case of China’s five representative urban agglomerations, this paper analyzes and compares the origins, mechanisms, and factors of the two types of agglomeration externality. The results indicated that the pecuniary externality of urban agglomerations originates from the intercity flow and allocation of production factors, and its mechanisms include the specialized production brought by industrial division and the cost reduction caused by scale economy. While the technological externality originates from technological spillovers between cities, its mechanisms include knowledge sharing and technology cooperation. Among China’s five representative urban agglomerations, the key factor affecting their pecuniary externality is market size, and the key factor affecting their technological externality is economic density. In other words, the pursuit of a larger market and higher economic density are the two main driving forces for the formation of urban agglomerations in China. By distinguishing core cities from peripheral cities in China’s five representative urban agglomerations, we also find that there is no significant difference in their pecuniary externality. However, their technological externality presents complex differences. There is still much room to improve the externalities of agglomeration in China’s urban agglomerations. For example, the flow of capital does not show a shift to more productive cities. R&D activities are still mainly concentrated within a city, not intercity, in urban agglomerations.
Effect of Temperature on the Electrical and Thermal Behaviour of a Photovoltaic/Thermal System Cooled Using SiC Nanofluid: An Experimental and Comparison Study
Authors: Kazem Hussein A. , Chaichan Miqdam T. , Al-Waeli Ali H. A. , Jarimi Hasila , Ibrahim Adnan , Sopian K.
Published: September 2022

A photovoltaic/thermal system (PV/T) was investigated experimentally using silicon carbide nanofluid as a cooling fluid. A PV/T system was tested in Oman with 0.5 wt.% of nanoparticles in terms of thermophysical properties, performance parameters, and efficiencies. At 25 °C, it was found that there is an increase in the fluid’s thermal conductivity, density, and viscosity up to 6.64%, 13%, and 12%, respectively. When examining the effect of increasing the density and viscosity (by adding nanoparticles to the base fluid) on the pumping power, it was found that using turbulent flow reduces the required pumping force and vice versa for the case of laminar flow. The electrical efficiency was enhanced by up to 25.3% compared with the conventional PV module and the thermal efficiency by up to 98.6% compared with the water-cooling PV/T system. The results were compared with the literature in terms of cooling methods, nanoparticles, and similar studies that used SiC nanofluid. The results and comparison of this study are useful for engineers and researchers interested in nanofluid cooling of PV/T systems. The study aims to facilitate the task of engineers and designers of photovoltaic plants in Oman to obtain the best means to overcome the effects of high solar radiation intensity and high ambient temperatures and the best PV/T systems for this purpose.
Social Capital Factors Fostering the Sustainable Competitiveness of Enterprises
Authors: Mishchuk Halyna , Štofková Jana , Krol Vita , Joshi Olena , Vasa László
Published: September 2022

The study aimed to determine the factors of social capital (SC) of enterprises that can have a significant impact on achieving sustainable competitiveness. In this regard, the study tested the SEM-analysis method for evaluating hypotheses regarding the influence of factors of relational, cognitive and structural social capital of enterprises on financial and non-financial indicators of competitiveness. Empirical data for the study were obtained on the basis of a sociological survey conducted by the authors of managers and owners of enterprises in Ukraine from December 2020 to March 2021. The obtained results and modelled relationships of factors confirmed the significant influence of factors of social capital of enterprises on competitiveness. At the same time, the results revealed the most essential influence of efforts to develop strategic partnerships with suppliers (as part of structural SC), efforts to form a positive image of the enterprise and satisfaction with horizontal relationships (as part of relational SC), general satisfaction with the psychological climate in the team, the establishment of corporate culture as well as own efforts to support and develop corporate culture (among the factors of cognitive SC).
The Assessment of Creative Waterfronts: A Case Study of the Kyrenia Waterfront
Authors: Üzümcüoğlu Doğa , Polay Mukaddes
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, cities exhibit a high degree of culture, innovation, knowledge, and advanced technology. Therefore, talented people or the creative class have become the focal point of contemporary cities. The productivity of cities affects the economy, attractiveness, and awareness level of society. Economic, socio-cultural, and demographic changes in Kyrenia Waterfront have altered visitors’ expectations; they expect to experience adequate physical quality, practical opportunities, and a collaborative atmosphere. By surveying 247 randomly selected users and conducting site observations, this study aimed to assess user satisfaction at Kyrenia Waterfront and clarify its impacts on the immediate local context. Statistical analysis of the resulting data allowed us to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, creative environmental aspects, waterfront development aspects, and creative waterfront aspects of the Kyrenia Waterfront through the use of SPSS and AMOS. This study revealed that most respondents perceive the waterfront as a positive contribution to the area. On the other hand, the results affirmed that physical quality, practical opportunities, and integration of innovation and technology need to be improved. The process suggests that the viewpoints of locals, visitors, and creative people should be considered in planning and design decisions to contribute to the sufficiency of creative waterfronts.
Selection of Waste to Energy Technologies for Municipal Solid Waste Management—Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Alam Samina , Rahman Kazi Sajedur , Rokonuzzaman Md. , Salam P. Abdul , Miah Md. Sazal , Das Narottam , Chowdhury Shahariar , Channumsin Sittiporn , Sreesawet Suwat , Channumsin Manun
Published: September 2022

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) play an essential role, emphasizing responsible resource use, production, and consumption, including waste management. In addition, SDG 3, 7, 11, 12, and 13 are directly/indirectly related to waste management. This study aims to determine a suitable waste-to-energy (WtE) technology in Chittagong City, Bangladesh, focusing on cleaner technology. Anaerobic digestion, gasification, incineration, and landfill gas (LFG) recovery were considered as possible alternatives. Technical, economic, environmental, and social issues have been considered as necessary criteria for evaluation. An analytical hierarchy process was applied to rank these technologies based on stakeholders’ perceptions. The study found that anaerobic digestion (AD) ranked first, receiving 38% of overall weight. The second preferred technology is LFG (27%). Gasification and incineration stood at third and fourth, respectively (21% and 14%). According to a sensitivity study, the decision is only sensitive to the economy. LFG will become the most favoured solution for WtE conversion if the economy prioritizes more than 38%. Subsequently, this study’s findings will help achieve Bangladesh’s SDG agenda.
Soft and Hard Total Quality Management Practices Promote Industry 4.0 Readiness: A SEM-Neural Network Approach
Authors: Ali Kashif , Johl Satirenjit Kaur , Muneer Amgad , Alwadain Ayed , Ali Rao Faizan
Published: September 2022

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is a technological development in the manufacturing industry that has revolutionized Total Quality Management (TQM) practices. There has been scant empirical research on the multidimensional perspective of TQM. Thus, this study aims to empirically examine the effect of the multidimensional view of TQM (soft and hard) on I4.0 readiness in small and medium-sized (SMEs) manufacturing firms. Based on the sociotechnical systems (STS) theory, a framework has been developed and validated empirically through an online survey of 209 Malaysian SMEs manufacturing firms. Unlike the existing TQM studies that used structural equation modeling (SEM), a two-stage analysis was performed in this study. First, the SEM approach was used to determine which variable significantly affects I4.0 readiness. Second, the artificial neural network (ANN) technique was adopted to rank the relative influence of significant predictors obtained from SEM. The results show that the soft and hard TQM practices have supported the I4.0 readiness. Moreover, the results highlight that hard TQM practices have mediating role between soft TQM practices and I4.0 readiness. The ANN results affirmed that customer focus is considered an important TQM factor for I4.0 managerial readiness, advanced manufacturing technology for operational readiness and top management commitment for technology readiness. In a nutshell, the SEM-ANN approach uniquely contributes to the TQM and I4.0 literature. Finally, the findings can help managers to prioritize firms’ soft and hard quality practices that promote I4.0 implementation, especially in emerging economies.
Analysis of Green Credit and the Ecological Welfare Performance Based on Empirical Models and ARIMA(2,3,2): Taking China as an Example
Authors: Lu Haoyang , Tong Jing , Tang Yajiao
Published: September 2022

We study the relationship between green credit and ecological welfare performance, green credit’s mechanism, and future trends of ecological welfare performance in China. We aim to determine whether the green credit policy has a positive or negative effect on ecological welfare performance and to give suggestions about green credit for emerging markets, with China as an example. These problems are evaluated with two empirical models by using quadratic and interaction terms, as well as a time series model, ARIMA(2,3,2). The results show that the relationship between green credit and ecological welfare performance is an inverted U shape, and ecological welfare performance peaks when loans approach 2934.2 billion yuan, which equals 441.7446 billion dollars, corresponding to loans between 2015 and 2016. In addition, national income and ecological footprint have a suppressive effect on the impact of green credit on ecological welfare performance, and lifespan can positively affect the mechanism. Moreover, the result of ARIMA(2,3,2) corresponds to previous results and indicates that the ecological welfare performance will fluctuate within a range if green credits continue to be issued.
Multidimensional Characteristics and Construction of Classification Model of Prosumers
Authors: Jin Yimeng , Hu Fei , Qi Jin
Published: September 2022

To explore how to effectively identify and select prosumers to promote the innovation capabilities of manufacturers, this paper focused on the potential value of the rise in prosumers. By means of documentary, this paper sorts out the development origin and conceptual characteristics of prosumers and further specifies the concept of prosumers from the general explanation. It includes the characteristics of prosumers derived from consumers and features of the prosumers’ participation in production, creative potential, collaboration and interaction, use of resources/tools, and new value production. Through a terminology comparison and evaluation, three classified dimensions based on the characteristics of prosumers were refined: degree of participation, range of interaction, and capacity of prosumption. The case induction method was further adopted to subdivide the levels of prosumers in different feature dimensions. Finally, a classification model based on the multidimensional characteristics of prosumers was proposed, and combined with the functional analysis method, the model can be described by metric space, and subspaces for collaboration-oriented prosumers were divided. It provides a reference basis for evaluating different types of prosumers. This paper not only promotes the development of the theory of prosumption, expanding the collaboration toward prosumers, but also helps to provide a reference and basis for manufacturers to select prosumers for collaborative co-creation.
Review of Models for and Socioeconomic Approaches to the Formation of Foresight Control Mechanisms: A Genesis
Authors: Alabugin Anatoliy , Aliukov Sergei , Khudyakova Tatyana
Published: September 2022

The study of a genesis is determined by the needs when designing the processes of high-tech development. This is performed taking the knowledge-intensive factors of a large knowledge economy into account under conditions of environmental uncertainty. An increase in the number of publications on the regulation of imbalances in the goals of innovation and efficiency that objectively arise in the processes of such development has been revealed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze models and socioeconomic approaches for the integration of mechanisms for foreseeing and controlling the development goals of enterprises in the processes of their genesis. This led to the improvement of the theory and the development of new methodologies, models, and methods for improving the quality of the management of the innovative development of enterprises according to sustainability criteria. Therefore, an analysis of textual sources was carried out, as it is crucial to understand various text-processing approaches to optimize the forecasting of long-term goals. An attempt was made to apply methods for assessing the quality of proposals available in the literature by a number of authors to summarize and discuss the current text-based socioeconomic advances in the aspect of forming a unified mechanism for improving the quality of governance. The properties of the monitoring of the factors of the knowledge economy and the strategic planning of development goals were analyzed. The quality of proposals was assessed in a procedure, and a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of scientific approaches was conducted. This made it possible to determine the correspondence of approaches to the development of theories and new methodologies for the integration–balancing management of the integration and combination of resources by using a foresight-controlling mechanism. Moreover, this study also determines the prospects of the analyzed areas of socioeconomic research and project development.
Spatial Mapping of Jamaica’s High-Resolution Wind Atlas: An Environmental-Sociotechnical Account
Authors: Richards Delmaria , Yabar Helmut , Mizunoya Takeshi
Published: September 2022

To utilize wind energy, how it works, its value, and where the best locations are for extrapolation must be understood. A high-resolution wind atlas of Jamaica aids the understanding of the sociophysical phenomena leading to a better understanding of wind energy on the island. This study incorporates a mesoscale method with eight years of relevant data in ArcGIS 10.8.1 to derive then indicate sites for potential onshore wind power plants (WPP). It uses secondary and real-time data from domestic and international sources to evaluate economic, environmental, and sociotechnical criteria. The results indicate a high possibility for future wind power (WP) generation expansion since 2867.15 km2, 26% of the land is available. With the installation of Vestas V80 turbines, 62,818.71 GWh/year can be generated. Conversely, Vestas V112 turbine installation can produce 56,321.74 GWh/year of electrical energy. The average speed goes up to 12.5 miles per hour, while the power density of the 10% windiest areas is between 156.60 and 768.37 W/m2 at 50 m above ground, with several parishes having appropriate locations for WPPs. Thus, 29-point sites are identified in the study. However, St. Elizabeth and Manchester are most favorable, with mean wind speeds of 8.26 m/s and 10.08 m/s, respectively, in the excellently suitable zones. The research offers several advantages, which encompass the quantification of wind potential with and without prohibition, assessment of wind suitability on the island of Jamaica, reduction in environmental damage, and available data amelioration to aid better energy policy decisions, which will ensure a faster and easier transition from fossil fuel (FF) to renewable energy (RE) to meet Jamaica’s 2030 50% RE generation target. Specifically, the atlases will assist policymakers and WP developers in making informed decisions by reducing costs, time, and ambiguities to enhance the development of renewable energy use for electrical energy in Jamaica. The Geographical Information System (GIS), which is one of the most popular energy assessment tools, was utilized to derive suitable land zones of 24.41 to 26% for onshore wind farm development in Jamaica. It incorporates environmental, economic, social, safety, and technical criteria with underlining categorical variables as indicators to derive the quantitative values appropriate for Jamaica’s landscape and comparable to international studies with similar objectives. It found that unrestricted areas can theoretically generate up to 62,818 GWh per year of electrical energy.
The Effects of Motivation, Destination Image and Satisfaction on Rural Tourism Tourists’ Willingness to Revisit
Authors: Tang Huanchen , Wang Ruiqi , Jin Xiaowen , Zhang Zhengzheng
Published: September 2022

With the diversification of tourist demand for a destinations’ supply, rural tourism destinations are facing an increasingly fierce competition environment. Creating brand value and improving tourists’ willingness to revisit has become an inevitable strategic choice for rural tourism destinations. In this study, we proposed a framework of “tourism motivation-destination image-satisfaction-willingness to revisit” to investigate rural tourism. We investigated from the aspects of learning and entertainment motivation, novelty-seeking motivation, natural environment, cultural environment, social environment, infrastructure, and tourist satisfaction. To analyze data, a questionnaire survey was administered to 545 tourists using structural equation modeling (SEM) technology. The findings indicated that learning and entertainment motivation, natural environment, social environment, and tourist satisfaction had a direct and positive effect on tourists’ willingness to revisit. In addition, tourist satisfaction played an intermediary role between tourists’ tourism motivation and destination terrain image and their propensity to return. On this basis, some suggestions and illuminations are put forward to increase tourists’ willingness to revisit.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Climate Change Literacy between 2001 and 2021
Authors: Suhaimi Najibah , Mahmud Siti Nur Diyana
Published: September 2022

This paper presents a bibliometric analysis overview of climate literacy, focusing on 740 articles published between 2001 and 2021 from the SCOPUS database. The main aim of this study was to examine related climate literacy publications. A bibliometric analysis was conducted to identify the growth trend of climate literacy research over the last twenty years (2001 to 2021), in addition to collaborations between authors, institutions, and countries in related fields. Thematic and keyword analyses were carried out to identify recent and current research topics. Based on the findings, an increasing trend in the number of publications related to climate change, 740 articles in total, was found for the last twenty years (2001 to 2021). Meanwhile, Ford, J. D. was identified as the most productive author, and the United States, United Kingdom and Australia were found to be the most influential countries producing research on climate literacy. In addition, the University of Melbourne (Australia), University of Washington and Columbia University in the United States were among the top universities to have contributed to climate literacy publications. Furthermore, Weather, Climate and Society was found to be the most represented journal, ranking Q1 in SCOPUS, with the highest publications in climate literacy. Four major thematic focus areas were identified: climate change activity, climate literacy, climate event and demographic of research studies. Based on the bibliometric analysis, the authors suggest that future research on climate literacy should focus on climate literacy among young people and the relationships between climate literacy components.
Study Reviews and Rethinking the Key Processes for Managing Building Materials to Enhance the Circular Economy in the AEC Industry
Authors: Huang Harrison , Li Lu
Published: September 2022

The rapidly accelerating economic development of newly industrialised countries (NICs) has created far-reaching environmental problems. The new construction of numerous infrastructures and buildings, particularly in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, has led to an exponential increase in the demand for raw materials and energy, which is leading to the depletion of natural resources. The approach to treating these buildings at the end of life has also raised concerns worldwide. Transforming the current linear development model into a circular economy is considered an effective solution. This paper reviews a broad range of relevant literature, extracting four key factors influencing building circularity (BC) from past studies. These factors are interpreted as four key processes dealing with building materials: pre-treatment, composition, decomposition, and post-treatment. We demonstrate how materials are treated throughout the building lifecycle to illustrate the interrelationships among these processes and to exemplify the potential of the key processes for effecting BC. Additionally, two examples are used to support the theoretical framework. This study intends to make contributions to circular economy theories and to provide references for policymakers and practitioners.
A Machine Learning-Based Framework for the Prediction of Cervical Cancer Risk in Women
Authors: Kaushik Keshav , Bhardwaj Akashdeep , Bharany Salil , Alsharabi Naif , Rehman Ateeq Ur , Eldin Elsayed Tag , Ghamry Nivin A.
Published: September 2022

One of the most common types of cancer in women is cervical cancer, a disease which is the most prevalent in poor nations, with one woman dying from it every two minutes. It has a major impact on the cancer burden in all cultures and economies. Clinicians have planned to use improvements in digital imaging and machine learning to enhance cervical cancer screening in recent years. Even while most cervical infections, which generate positive tests, do not result in precancer, women who test negative are at low risk for cervical cancer over the next decade. The problem is determining which women with positive HPV test results are more likely to have precancerous alterations in their cervical cells and, as a result, should have a colposcopy to inspect the cervix and collect samples for biopsy, or who requires urgent treatment. Previous research has suggested techniques to automate the dual-stain assessment, which has significant clinical implications. The authors reviewed previous research and proposed the cancer risk prediction model using deep learning. This model initially imports dataset and libraries for data analysis and posts which data standardization and basic visualization was performed. Finally, the model was designed and trained to predict cervical cancer, and the accuracy and performance were evaluated using the Cervical Cancer dataset.
The Impact of the Digital Economy on Enterprise Sustainable Development and Its Spatial-Temporal Evolution: An Empirical Analysis Based on Urban Panel Data in China
Authors: Zhou Zhiqiang , Liu Wenyan , Cheng Pengfei , Li Zhenjin
Published: September 2022

The digital economy has been a great impetus to the sustainable development of enterprises. This study aims to analyze the impact and mechanism of the digital economy on the sustainable development of enterprises of the digital economy on the sustainable development of enterprises and its mechanism. Therefore, on the basis of measuring the level of urban digital economy and the level of sustainable development of enterprises, this study empirically analyzed the impact of the digital economy on enterprise sustainable development and its mechanism by using panel data of 280 A-share listed companies in cities from 2011 to 2019. The research shows that, first, the digital economy and sustainable development of enterprises have obvious spatial differentiation characteristics. Second, the digital economy can significantly promote the sustainable development of enterprises and play a role through regional innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition, compared with the midwest, the promotion effect of the east is more significant. At the provincial level, the promotion effect is better in the developed eastern provinces, such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong. The digital economy promotion effect is more obvious in the Yangtze River Delta, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and other developed urban agglomerations in the east. Therefore, the government can accelerate the development of the digital economy, active regional innovation, and entrepreneurship activities so as to find a way to promote the sustainable development of enterprises.