bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Applications and Complexity Analysis Based on Supply Chain Enterprises’ Green Behaviors under Evolutionary Game Framework
Authors: Zhang Hui , Su Xin
Published: October 2021

Green behaviors adopted by supply chain companies are conducive to resource conservation and environmental protection and enhancing their core competitive advantages. By constructing a game model of green behavior of supply chain companies, this research deeply analyzes the main influencing factors of green behaviors adopted by supply chain companies. It uses dynamic evolution game analysis and simulation experiment methods to explore the path evolution direction and dynamic convergence process of green behavior strategy choices of these companies, so as to provide reference value for green behavior decision-making of supply chain enterprises. The research results show that the probability of supply chain enterprises choosing green behavior strategies is related to factors such as enterprise green investment income and costs, co-benefits, spillover benefits, greenness and output of raw materials or products, government green subsidy coefficients, and fines. Supply chain enterprises should reduce the cost of green investment, maximize the profit of green investment, and increase the greenness of raw materials or products; the government should increase the coefficient of green subsidies and encourage supply chain enterprises to actively participate in the collaborative management of the green supply chain.
Thinking about Inclusion: Designing a Digital App Catalog for People with Motor Disability
Authors: Larco Andres , Peñafiel Paul , Yanez Cesar , Luján-Mora Sergio
Published: October 2021

Some apps serve as assistive technologies or digital therapeutic tools that can be used by rehabilitation professionals in the motor disability context, bringing benefits to therapists and people with disabilities. However, websites or catalogs do not provide reliable information, easy search, and intuitive access to these apps, causing access information difficulties. Therefore, this work proposes to develop a digital catalog of software focused on motor disability. This work performed a systematic search of websites and catalogs related to motor disability, a systematic search of the apps that the digital catalog would show, and a quality evaluation of selected apps using the Mobile Application Rating Scale tool. The digital catalog was developed with the information obtained in the previous phases combining the Prototyping and User Experience criteria, then assessed by final users, software testers, and a web accessibility evaluation tool. The catalog obtained a satisfactory quality score based on the end-users’ and therapists’ satisfaction when finding technological resources to use in their professional and health-care activities. This research aims to contribute to those interested in developing software for people with disabilities and encouraging them to create and design their implementations based on this study.
How Organic Substances Promote the Chemical Oxidative Degradation of Pollutants: A Mini Review
Authors: Hu Zhewei , Shi Jiaqi , Yang Hao , Huang Jianbo , Sheng Feng
Published: October 2021

The promotion of pollutant oxidation degradation efficiency by adding organic catalysts has obtained widespread attention in recent years. Studies have shown that organic substances promote the process of traditional oxidation reactions by accelerating the redox cycle of transition metals, chelating transition metals, activating oxidants directly to generate reactive oxygen species such as hydroxyl and sulfate radical, or changing the electron distribution of the target pollutant. Based on the promotion of typical organic functional groups on the chemical oxidative process, a metal-organic framework has been developed and applied in the field of chemical catalytic oxidation. This manuscript reviewed the types, relative merits, and action mechanisms of common organics which promoted oxidation reactions so as to deepen the understanding of chemical oxidation mechanisms and enhance the practical application of oxidation technology.
Does Social Capital Benefit the Improvement of Rural Households’ Sustainable Livelihood Ability? Based on the Survey Data of Jiangxi Province, China
Authors: Xiong Feixue , Zhu Shubin , Xiao Hui , Kang Xiaolan , Xie Fangting
Published: October 2021

This article examines the influence of social capital on the sustainable livelihood ability of rural households who are out of poverty, in order to promote the sustainable development of their livelihood. Based on the survey data of 371 out-of-poverty households in rural Jiangxi, we analyzed the relationship between social capital and households’ sustainable livelihood ability using “Ordinary Least Square (OLS) + robust standard error” regression models and quantile regression models. Households’ social capital was measured from the following three dimensions: social network, social participation, and social trust. The benchmark regression models showed that social capital index, social network, and social participation all had a significant positive effect on the sustainable livelihood ability of out-of-poverty households. However, the impact of social trust on sustainable livelihood ability was not significant. In addition, the quantile regression analysis results showed that social capital index, social network, social participation, and social trust all contributed the most to households with a low sustainable livelihood ability. Therefore, it is suggested to improve the social capital accumulation of out-of-poverty households from multiple dimensions, so as to enhance the sustainable livelihood ability of households and consolidate poverty-alleviation achievements.
Feasibility of Utilizing Photovoltaics for Irrigation Purposes in Moamba, Mozambique
Authors: Mindú Arsénio José , Capece Jó António , Araújo Rui Esteves , Oliveira Armando C.
Published: October 2021

Agriculture plays a significant role in the labor force and GDP of Mozambique. Nonetheless, the energy source massively used for water pumping in irrigation purposes is based on fossil fuels (diesel oil). Despite the water availability and fertile soils in Moamba, Mozambique, farmers struggle with the high cost of fuels used in the pumping systems. This study was sought to analyze the feasibility of utilizing a solar photovoltaic system as a means to reduce the environmental impact caused by the diesel pumps and simultaneously alleviate the expenses regarding the use of non-environmentally friendly technologies. Site observations and interviews were undertaken in order to obtain local data regarding the water demand, current energy systems costs and distances from the source to the irrigated fields. CLIMWAT 2.0 was used for climate data acquisition and analysis. The environmental benefits, the cost effectiveness and local climate conditions show that the PV system is feasible in Moamba. Furthermore, parameters such as hydraulic energy, incident solar energy, pump efficiency and total system efficiency were used to predict the performance of the system. The results obtained are important to analyze the implementation of such energy systems.
Factors Affecting Carbonation Depth in Foamed Concrete Bricks for Accelerate CO2 Sequestration
Authors: Alshalif Abdullah Faisal , Irwan J. M. , Tajarudin Husnul Azan , Othman N. , Al-Gheethi A. A. , Shamsudin S. , Altowayti Wahid Ali Hamood , Sabah Saddam Abo
Published: October 2021

Foamed concrete bricks (FCB) have high levels of porosity to sequestrate atmospheric CO2 in the form of calcium carbonate CaCO3 via acceleration of carbonation depth. The effect of density and curing conditions on CO2 sequestration in FCB was investigated in this research to optimize carbonation depth. Statistical analysis using 2k factorial and response surface methodology (RSM) comprising 11 runs and eight additional runs was used to optimize the carbonation depth of FCB for 28 days (d). The main factors selected for the carbonation studies include density, temperature and CO2 concentration. The curing of the FCB was performed in the chamber. The results indicated that all factors significantly affected the carbonation depth of FCB. The optimum carbonation depth was 9.7 mm, which was determined at conditions; 1300 kg/m3, 40 °C, and 20% of CO2 concentration after 28 d. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and residual plots demonstrated the accuracy of the regression equation with a predicted R2 of 89.43%, which confirms the reliability of the predicted model.
A Proposal for Assessing Digital Economy Spatial Readiness at Tourism Destinations
Authors: Ramos Vicente , Ruiz-Pérez Maurici , Alorda Bartomeu
Published: October 2021

Information and communications technologies (ICT)—and more precisely, their use from fulltime connected mobile gadgets—offer valuable opportunities to interact with tourists using their own devices. In order to exploit these benefits, destinations should have appropriate digital infrastructure to allow for bidirectional smart communication with their visitors. However, the spatial distribution of such coverage, and the geographical concurrence of tourism activities and ICT infrastructure, have been poorly examined. This paper contributes to this analysis by quantifying digital accessibility with both a broader regional approach and a narrower local perspective. First, we propose a digital immersion index, and apply it to the Balearic Islands, Spain. Second, alternative Moran’s indices are used to study the spatial distribution and correlation of tourism and technological infrastructure for a local destination. The results are presented through easily interpretable maps, which can inform tourism policies, such as identifying and prioritizing ITC investments.
Development and Validation of the Career Adaptability Scale for Undergraduates in Korea
Authors: Kim Jihyo
Published: October 2021

This study explores factors of career adaptability and develops a measurement scale for undergraduates in Korea. The scale measuring the undergraduates’ career adaptability consists of nine factors across three areas, as follows: knowledge and recognition for the self and work environment (self-understanding to establish identity, search for work environment, positive career beliefs), self-directed coping related to career behavior (coping with career-choice crisis, career preparation behavior, ability to coordinate career goals), environmental interactions for career decision and adaptation (ability to cope with environmental stress, social responsibility, ability to utilize social resources). First, an item analysis using the Rasch model was conducted, and measurement values of the items were compared. Second, an exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, applying the structural equation model, were performed. Third, Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to establish the reliability of the scale. The Rasch model fit analysis, to measure validity, revealed that 44 items were valid. The aforementioned model, consisting of nine factors across three areas, was shown to be suitable by the confirmatory factor analysis. The results of this study help in the development of career education programs by clarifying factors of career adaptability and providing information about differences based on the factors.
Sustainability Assessment of Autonomous Regions in China Using GRA-SPA Method
Authors: Shi Ruxue , Yi Pingtao , Li Weiwei , Wang Lu
Published: October 2021

Sustainability development is a core issue in autonomous regions’ construction and development. The paper evaluated the sustainability development of the five autonomous regions in Western China from 2010 to 2019. In order to further analyze the sustainable development level of the autonomous regions, it is compared with the three provinces with the largest GDP in Central China in the past three years, and similarly, with the three provinces in Eastern China. A new weighting method was proposed by combining the grey relational analysis (GRA) and set pair analysis (SPA) methods that not only analyze the correlation between indicators and ideal points but also analyze the status and development trend. The method can ensure the objectivity of indicator weight. Firstly, the ideal reference point is determined by the grey correlation degree between the indicator and the ideal positive point. Secondly, the indicator and the ideal reference point constitute a set pair system, and the relation number is used further to analyze the status and development trend of the indicator to determine the weight objectively. The sustainability results showed that the progress of the autonomous regions’ sustainable development in China was increased slowly in 2010–2019. For example, Ningxia and Xinjiang saw the slowest growth. The prime reason is that economic sustainability has declined severely. Although Inner Mongolia presented the highest increasing trends, the growth rate value was 0.75%. In contrast, other autonomous regions showed a negative growth trend. Regarding sustainable development in three dimensions, the economic sustainability performance of autonomous regions is not ideal, but the environmental sustainability performance is the most ideal. This conclusion implicates the necessity and urgency of improving the coordinated development of the three dimensions of autonomous regions in China.
Lost but Not Forgotten: Identifying Unmapped and Unlisted Environmental Hazards including Abandoned Mines
Authors: Young Kieran P. , Murray Brad R. , Martin Leigh J. , Murray Megan L.
Published: October 2021

Environmental databases play an essential role in the management of land and communities, including mapping and monitoring environmental hazards over time (i.e., abandoned mines). Over the last century, mines have closed for many reasons, but there has been no comprehensive database of the locations of closed and abandoned mine sites kept for many regions of the world. As such, the locations of many mines have been lost from public knowledge, with no way for managers to assess the risks of land and water contamination, as well as subsidence. To address this knowledge gap, we present an integrated framework for identifying abandoned mine sites using a combination of satellite imagery, historical records, geographic evidence, and local knowledge. We tested this framework within the Newcastle, Illawarra, and Lithgow regions of NSW, Australia. We identified 61 abandoned coal mines which are currently unaccounted for in mine registries, with 56% of all mines in the Newcastle region being unmarked (N = 32), 36% in the Illawarra region (N = 22), and 20% in the Lithgow region (N = 7). These findings demonstrate that our framework has promising utility in identifying historic and unmarked environmental hazards in both national and international contexts.
Life Cycle Assessment to Ensure Sustainability of Circular Business Models in Manufacturing
Authors: Bjørnbet Marit Moe , Vildåsen Sigurd Sagen
Published: October 2021

Circular business models (CBMs) represent a path for coordinating circular economy (CE) efforts. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool for quantifying environmental effects of a product or a service and can therefore evaluate the environmental sustainability of CBMs. This paper explores whether LCA can act as an enabler for manufacturing companies who want to implement a CBM. Following a case-study approach, we draw on the experiences of a specific manufacturing company during the time period 2014–2021. The paper presents key lessons on the interaction between LCA and CE. The study finds that LCA—by providing quantified results on the environmental impacts of circular strategies—limits the risk of problem shifting and challenges the normative rule of closing the loop by including a set of multiple impact categories. LCA offers a common platform and encourages communication with stakeholders. These characteristics make LCA a well-suited tool for CBM development. However, the holistic perspective on environmental problems that LCA provides can also complicate CE’s clear message of ‘closing the loop’. Lastly, LCA is a tool for environmental evaluation, and with the main emphasis of CE also on environmental issues, there is high risk of neglecting social and economic aspects of sustainable development.
Potential of Industrial By-Products as Liming Materials and Digestate as Organic Fertilizer and Their Effect on Soil Properties and Yield of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
Authors: Ivezić Vladimir , Zebec Vladimir , Popović Brigita , Engler Meri , Teklić Tihana , Lončarić Zdenko , Karalić Krunoslav
Published: October 2021

Acid soils with pH values below 5.5 have a negative effect on agricultural production. For this reason, liming is applied as a measure to raise the soil pH to the optimum (pH = 6–7). The aim of our research was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of four liming materials (wood ash from biomass powerplant, filter dust from cement factory, blast furnace slag from iron factory, and carbocalk (limestone, a by-product from a sugar factory)) in combination with and without solid digestate (a by-product from biogas plant) as organic fertilizer. Two field trials were set up to determine the effect of the studied materials to neutralize the acidity, and the impact on soil fertility and nutrient status in the soil. The results showed that all four liming materials raised the pH of the soil. Out of these four, wood ash showed to be the best while blast furnace slag was the worst. The yield of alfalfa increased with the application of all four lime materials. Application of liming materials with solid digestate increased soil organic matter and had slightly higher yields compared to liming materials without solid digestate. The highest yields were achieved with the application of wood ash, probably due to somewhat higher concentrations of potassium and phosphorus in wood ash. Further research on the financial aspects of investigated by-products application is necessary to exploit their potential as a liming material.
Development and Assessment of a Web-Based National Spatial Data Infrastructure for Nature-Based Solutions and Their Social, Hydrological, Ecological, and Environmental Co-Benefits
Authors: Castro Cyndi V. , Rifai Hanadi S.
Published: October 2021

Comprehensive datasets for nature-based solutions (NBS), and their diverse relationships have not yet been accumulated into a deployable format. This research describes the development of a novel National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) system for NBS co-benefits throughout the contiguous United States. Here, we gather and integrate robust geospatial datasets from the social, ecological, environmental, and hydrologic domains using seamless, cloud-based data services to facilitate the trans-disciplinary assessment of NBSs as a function of society and Earth. This research enhances practical decision making and research by assimilating web-based datasets and describing the missing links between national policy and robust adoption of NBSs as a sustainability solution. This NSDI serves to foster participatory planning capabilities and integrate local sustainability goals into decision–support frameworks. Such a platform strengthens the knowledge base necessary for addressing multiple, co-evolving issues of societal relevance, an essential component of fully espousing NBSs within the realm of socio-technological systems and improving policies and implementation regarding sustainable solutions. The efficacy of the proposed platform to serve as a holistic data information system is assessed by exploring important characteristics associated with geospatial NSDI tools, namely, openness, spatial functionality, scalability, and standardization. By placing GIS strengths and weaknesses in the context of transdisciplinary NBSs, we reveal strategic directions toward further co-production of such NSDIs. We conclude with recommendations for facilitating a shared vision of transdisciplinary technologies to strengthen the amalgamation of broad co-benefits and multi-disciplinary influences in sustainability planning.
The Influence of Public Servants’ Perceived Formalism and Organizational Environmental Strategy on Green Behavior in the Workplace
Authors: Liu Hsiang-Te
Published: October 2021

This study explored the influence of public servants’ green attitude, green behavior intention, organization environmental strategy, green lifestyle, and formalism on green behavior. For Taiwan’s government agencies, environmental protection and sustainable development issues must be inculcated into government organizations and deeply ingrained into the mindset of civil servants. In particular, this research incorporates the concept of ‘formalism’ proposed by Riggs in administrative ecology. Exploration of the influence of civil servants’ cognition of formalism on green behavior has not been explored in any previous studies. This study collected 308 valid public servants who worked in the public sector in Taiwan and used Lisrel and SEM to justify the hypotheses explored. The results showed that civil servants’ green attitude positively affected green intention, as well as the fact that green behavior intention, organization environmental strategy, and green lifestyle positively affected green behavior. The current study also confirmed that formalism negatively affected green behavior. Formalism is considered to be an important attribute of developing administration, and it is also considered to be a resistance to the adoption of administrative innovation. This study first confirmed the negative impact of formalism on the green behavior of civil servants.
Total Quality Management Practices and Corporate Green Performance: Does Organizational Culture Matter?
Authors: Khalil Muhammad Khuram , Muneenam Umaporn
Published: October 2021

Bearing in mind the environmental corrosion primarily triggered by the service sector, as well as the lack of studies detecting the factors that enable an organization to deal with this concern, the aim of this study is to analyze the impact of total quality management (TQM) practices on corporate green performance (CGP) and to investigate the causal relationship between total quality management practices and corporate green performance. This research also explores the mediating role of organizational culture (OC) within the relationship between TQM practices and CGP. In particular, this study is based on the MBNQA model, institutional theory, and green theory. The researchers collected data from 369 participants across 123 large and medium-sized private firms in the health sector in Pakistan. The structural analyses revealed the significant and positive impact of TQM practices on CGP. This demonstrates that TQM practices substantially augment organizational competencies to achieve green performance objectives. TQM practices have also had a positive and significant impression on organizational culture; furthermore, a parallel impact is seen between OC and CGP. Finally, OC is shown to have positively and significantly mediated the relationship between TQM and CGP. This study’s contextual analysis suggests that TQM is an equally important factor in accomplishing CGP objectives for both large and medium-sized firms.
The Digitalization Transformation of Commercial Banks and Its Impact on Sustainable Efficiency Improvements through Investment in Science and Technology
Authors: Zuo Lihua , Strauss Jack , Zuo Lijuan
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 epidemic has accelerated the digital economy’s pervasiveness throughout the Chinese economy, leading to a sharp rise in demand for “contactless” services in the financial industry. We examine the digital transformation of the Chinese banking industry using the DEA–Malmquist index method, supplemented by a distance function and time to compare the dynamic changes of productivity. Our paper then conducts an empirical study on the digital transformation of Chinese commercial banks based on their improvements in efficiency. We analyze banks with superior efficiency in science and technology investment and evaluate their digital maturity and digital transformation experience. Results show that digitalization investment has contributed to substantial production efficiency improvement for commercial banks; however, heterogeneity exists across banks. We further advocate a path for banks’ digital transformation based on theoretical research and empirical digital transformation experience in this area.
At a Conservation Crossroad: The Bahoruco-Jaragua-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Gómez-Valenzuela Víctor , Alpízar Francisco , Ramirez Katerin , Bonilla-Duarte Solhanlle , van Lente Harro
Published: October 2021

This paper assesses the Dominican Republic’s willingness to pay (WTP) for a conservation, restoration, and sustainable development program for the Bahoruco-Jaragua-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve (RBJBE). Created in 2002, the RBJBE covers approximately 4858 km2, of which approximately 900 km2 correspond to the sea surface. With three core conservation zones, the RBJBE constitutes a complex space with a history of conflicts rooted in exploiting natural resources and social and economic issues. At the same time, it is a biodiversity hotspot of global importance. We present a Contingent Valuation Method to estimate the WTP for a conservation and restoration program called PROBIOSFERA. The non-parametric and parametric estimates of the WTP are DOP 165.00 (≈USD 2.94) and DOP 181.88 (≈USD 3.25), respectively. The socioeconomic variables that positively affect the WTP are income level, educational level, and age. The ecosystem services that are statistically related to WTP are the provisioning and supporting services. Regardless of the monetary valuation scenarios defined, the estimated annual monetized aggregated welfare associated with the RBJBE for Dominican society is DOP 7.2 billion (≈USD 128.1 million).
The Impact of COVID-19 on Bank Equity and Performance: The Case of Central Eastern South European Countries
Authors: Kozak Sylwester
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of the shock increase, in the value of nonperforming loans, on the equity level and profitability of 141 banks in 18 countries of Central Eastern South Europe (CESE). This study is important for assessing the financial stability of banks in this region in the face of the continuing negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the annual data, as of the end of 2020, from the S&P Global database, stress tests were carried out to check what value of NPL growth, over the next year, will lead to breach the regulatory capital requirements in domestic sectors and in individual groups of banks. The results indicate that the banks in CESE were well capitalized and had the ability to maintain capital requirements with a 12% increase in nonperforming loans. The resilience of domestic banking sectors varies, and it is higher in non-EU countries. Smaller and non-public banks show a greater ability to preserve the appropriate level of equity, although there is a risk that they may postpone the time of provisioning credit risk and additionally increase lending to lower the NPL ratio. Larger banks are more profitable in times of crisis. The results of the research are important for assessing the stability of the banking sector in CESE during the crisis and can be used by financial supervision of the region’s countries and banking market analysts.
Sustainability Challenge of Eastern Europe—Historical Legacy, Belt and Road Initiative, Population Aging and Migration
Authors: Jakovljevic Mihajlo , Cerda Arcadio A. , Liu Yansui , García Leidy , Timofeyev Yuriy , Krstic Kristijan , Fontanesi John
Published: October 2021

The historical legacy of Eastern European and the Balkans’ health systems was mutually interdependent and shaped by local socioeconomic circumstances. Three distinctive systems of risk sharing and health financing developed since the late XIX century were the Bismarck, Beveridge, and Semashko systems. Modern day healthcare systems in these countries are challenged by population aging, accelerated innovation in medical technology, growing purchasing power and rising demand for healthcare services. Supply-side changes contribute to demand-side efficiency bottlenecks in financing, driving up the costs of the already expensive medical care. All of the nations have a large share of citizens experiencing difficulty with affordability and access to medical care, particularly in rural and remote areas. Network of health technology assessment agencies have mushroomed over the past three decades. Principles of health economics theory and cost-effective resource allocation are slowly gaining ground in governing authorities’ mindset and decision-making processes. For many years to come, pharmaceuticals and medical services will remain dependent on out-of-pocket spending. Currently, accelerating and spreading 4.0 Industrial Revolution, together with the Belt and Road Initiative, are likely to substantially impact the further economic development of this vast region. Post-pandemic “green” recovery strategies adopted by many of the Eastern European governments shall also make this transition toward sustainable development more difficult and challenging, given the large dependency of all these economies on traditional carbon fuels.
Assessment of Blue and Green Infrastructure Solutions in Shaping Urban Public Spaces—Spatial and Functional, Environmental, and Social Aspects
Authors: Kimic Kinga , Ostrysz Karina
Published: October 2021

Blue and Green Infrastructure (BGI) provide one of the key Nature Based Solution (NBS) approaches for sustainable stormwater management in cities, in conjunction with extending the scope of Ecosystem Services (ES). In both the process of planning and designing highly urbanized areas, the implementation of BGI is important for the improvement of living conditions and counteracting the negative effects of climate change. Based on the literature review, 19 BGI solutions were identified and then valorized in relation to the following three key aspects: spatial and functional, environmental, and social. The results of the assessment were derived using the scoring method and allowed for the identification of BGI solutions with a high, medium or low value for shaping sustainable urban public spaces. Using the potential of analyzed BGI solutions to improve the functioning and attractiveness of urban areas requires a comprehensive approach. Conscious planning and designing should use the knowledge presented to make the implementation of BGI solutions as effective as possible in relation to the above-mentioned aspects of shaping urban public spaces.
Heritage Cataloguing in History: Conceptual and Graphical Foundations of Immovable Cultural Heritage Data Bases in the Case of Spain
Authors: Alonso-Jiménez Roberto F. , Loren-Méndez Mar , Pinzón-Ayala Daniel , Ollero-Lobato Francisco
Published: October 2021

Cataloguing constitutes the main instrument for heritage assessment and management around the world, and is central in heritage studies. In the context of the growing international protection of heritage since the 20th century and the irruption and implementation of digital tools, cultural heritage data bases (CHDBs) have emerged as the main systems in accounting for and monitoring heritage. In the framework of culture preservation, as a driving force of sustainable development, this article aims to analyse the origins and development of CHDBs in order to critically observe the current situation and outline future challenges for systems of cataloguing heritage with the growing relevance of its graphical documentation. In this context, a historical overview of the origin and development of the European inventories since the 18th century to the present is key to trace the development of catalogue systems and the impact of IT in this field. The study then focuses on immovable cultural heritage data bases (ICHDBs); with Spain as case study, it develops an approach to the current panorama, with a special focus on the conceptual evolution of catalogues. In conclusion, ICHDBs need to transcend both instrumental and institutional roles and, supported in new digital systems, become interactive and flexible tools that respond to current needs and encourage heritage education, knowledge, and reflection.
Landscapes of Prosperity, Youth, Femininity, Temptation, Friendship, Transition, Money, and Survival in Terms of Evolutionary Psychology
Authors: Kępkowicz Agnieszka , Lipińska Halina
Published: October 2021

Assessment of landscape attractiveness often struggles with the challenge of differences in human tastes. In the present study, the relationship between preferences shaped by the biological and cultural evolution of mankind and the qualities of landscape attractiveness were examined. The aim of the study was to determine the types of landscape as related to evolutionary behavior patterns and preferences regarding the choice of a partner in different types of relationships. The research hypothesis was that the sets of traits preferred by human partners can be reflected in sets of preferred qualities of landscape attractiveness. The translation of human qualities into qualities of landscape was done through anthropomorphization using the phenomenological method and research techniques based on branding (e.g., the brand personality construct). During the investigation, the following types of landscape attractiveness were identified: Landscape of Prosperity, Youth, Femininity, Temptation, Friendship, Transition, and Money. The developed typological division is a step towards recognizing new sources of preferences for aesthetic and cognitive landscape values. This framework could be interesting for landscape valuation and planning, as well as research on the cultural character of the landscape, as a resource important in the context of sustainable development.
Measuring the Sustainable Entrepreneurial Performance of Textile-Based Small–Medium Enterprises: A Mediation–Moderation Model
Authors: Mangenda Tshiaba Sidney , Wang Nianxin , Ashraf Sheikh Farhan , Nazir Mehrab , Syed Nausheen
Published: October 2021

This research aimed to examine the role of knowledge management practices in sustainable entrepreneurship performance. This study also investigated the relationships between six concepts: knowledge sharing behavior, innovative capacity, absorptive capacity, dynamic capability, opportunity recognition, and sustainable entrepreneurship. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection from 486 entrepreneurs randomly selected from textile-based SMEs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The findings show that knowledge management practices positively and significantly impact sustainable entrepreneurship performance and SMEs’ dynamic capabilities. Moreover, opportunity recognition strengthens the relationship between SMEs’ dynamic capabilities and sustainable entrepreneurship performance. This study offers valuable insights and directions for researchers and practitioners interested in the field of entrepreneurship.
Performance Measurement for the Recycling Production System Using Cooperative Game Network Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Huang Huang-Chu , Hu Cheng-Feng
Published: October 2021

Resources scarcity and environmental degradation have made sustainable resource utilization and environmental protection necessary worldwide. The development of the circular economy is considered an approach for more appropriate economic and environmental management. This work introduces a cooperative game network data envelopment analysis model for evaluating the implementation effect of recycling production systems from a closed loop and centralized control perspective. The factor efficiency analysis of the involved inputs and outputs is presented to provide guidance for the factor dominance of subsystem efficiencies. An application for assessing the circular economy of EU countries is provided to illustrate the validation of the proposed method. Our results show that the average performance of the production subsystem is superior to that of the recycling subsystem in EU countries. Furthermore, factor efficiency analysis reveals that the inefficient environmental treatment input is the culprit in worse performance of the recycling subsystem. A comparison of the proposed method with recent studies for circular economy performance evaluation is also included.
Bioenergy Potential of Crop Residues in the Senegal River Basin: A Cropland–Energy–Water-Environment Nexus Approach
Authors: Pastori Marco , Udias Angel , Cattaneo Luigi , Moner-Girona Magda , Niang Awa , Carmona-Moreno Cesar
Published: October 2021

Access to energy services is a priority for sustainable economic development, especially in rural areas, where small- and medium-sized enterprises have many difficulties in accessing reliable and affordable electricity. Western African countries are highly dependent on biomass resources; therefore, understanding the potential of bioenergy from crop residues is crucial to designing effective land-management practices. The assessment of the capability to use crop residues for electricity production is particularly important in those regions where agriculture is the dominant productive sector and where electrification through grid extension might be challenging. The objective of this work was to guide the development of sustainable strategies for rural areas that support energy development by simultaneously favouring food self-sufficiency capacity and environmental benefits. These complex interlinkages have been jointly assessed in the Senegal river basin by an integrated optimization system using a cropland–energy–water-environment nexus approach. The use of the nexus approach, which integrates various environmental factors, is instrumental to identify optimal land-energy strategies and provide decision makers with greater knowledge of the potential multiple benefits while minimizing trade-offs of the new solutions such as those connected to farmers’ needs, local energy demand, and food and land aspects. By a context-specific analysis, we estimated that, in 2016, 7 million tons of crop residues were generated, resulting in an electricity potential of 4.4 million MWh/year. Several sustainable land-energy management strategies were explored and compared with the current management strategy. Our results indicate that bioenergy production from crop residues can increase with significant variability from 5% to +50% depending on the strategy constraints considered. An example analysis of alternative irrigation in the Guinea region clearly illustrates the existing conflict between water, energy, and food: strategies optimizing bioenergy achieved increases both for energy and food production (+6%) but at the expense of increasing water demand by a factor of nine. The same water demand increase can be used to boost food production (+10%) if a modest decrease in bioenergy production is accepted (−13%).
Effect of Ether Mono Amine Collector on the Cationic Flotation of Micaceous Minerals—A Comparative Study
Authors: Tohry Arash , Dehghan Reza , Mohammadi-Manesh Hossein , Filho Laurindo de Salles Leal , Chelgani Saeed Chehreh
Published: October 2021

Micaceous minerals, known as layer silicates, are counted mostly as the gangue minerals associated with valuable minerals, especially iron oxides. They mainly reject through the reverse flotation process using the cationic collectors, e.g., ether amines, to improve process sustainability. Although ether amines have been applied for floating the wide range of silicates, few investigations explored their adsorption behaviors on the micaceous minerals. In this study, flotation of phlogopite, biotite, and quartz (for comparison purposes) in the presence of Flotigam®EDA (EDA) (commercial ether monoamine collector), at pH 10 was investigated through the single mineral micro–flotation experiments. Adsorption behaviors were explored by the contact angle, residual surface tension measurements, and zeta potential analyses. Micro–flotation outcomes indicated that the quartz floatability was more than phlogopite and biotite. In the presence of 30 mg/dm3 EDA, their recoveries were 97.1, 46.3, and 63.8%, respectively. Increasing EDA concentration made a substantial increase in micaceous minerals’ floatability. Adsorption assessments confirmed that increasing the EDA concentration resulted in higher adsorption of EDA onto the surface of micaceous minerals than the quartz (all by physical adsorption). Such a behavior could be related to the nature of micaceous minerals, including their layer structure and low hardness.
Relating Land Use/Cover and Landscape Pattern to the Water Quality under the Simulation of SWAT in a Reservoir Basin, Southeast China
Authors: Lei Kaige , Wu Yifan , Li Feng , Yang Jiayu , Xiang Mingtao , Li Yi , Li Yan
Published: October 2021

Understanding the relationship between land use/cover pattern and water quality could provide guidelines for non-point source pollution and facilitate sustainable development. The previous studies mainly relate the land use/cover of the entire region to the water quality at the monitoring sites, but the water quality at monitoring sites did not totally reflect the water environment of the entire basin. In this study, the land use/cover was monitored on Google Earth Engine in Tang-Pu Reservoir basin, China. In order to reflect the water quality of the whole study area, the spatial distribution of the determinants for water quality there, i.e., the total nitrogen and total phosphorus (TN&TP), were simulated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The redundancy analysis explored the correlations between land use/cover pattern and simulated TN&TP. The results showed that: (1) From 2009 to 2019, forest was the dominant land cover, and there was little land use/cover change. The landscape fragmentation increased, and the connectivity decreased. (2) About 25% TP concentrations and nearly all the TN concentrations at the monitoring points did not reach drinking water standard, which means nitrogen and phosphorus pollution were the most serious problems. The highest output per unit TN&TP simulated by SWAT were 44.50 kg/hm2 and 9.51 kg/hm2 and occurred in areas with highly fragile landscape patterns. (3) TN&TP correlated positively with cultivated and construction land but negatively with forest. The correlation between forest and TN&TP summited at 500–700-m buffer and construction land at 100-m buffer. As the buffer size increased, the correlation between the cultivated land, and the TN weakened, while the correlation with the TP increased. TN&TP correlated positively with the Shannon’s Diversity Index and negatively with the Contagion Index. This study provides a new perspective for exporting the impact of land use/cover pattern on water quality.
The Meaning of Electric Cars in the Context of Sustainable Transition in Brazil
Authors: Schiavo Fabienne T. , Calili Rodrigo F. , de Magalhães Claudio F. , Fróes Isabel C. G.
Published: October 2021

The transition from fossil-fuel cars to those powered by electricity seems to occur differently in Brazil compared with what has been observed in other countries, where it is motivated by the goal to reduce CO2 emissions and the need to reduce dependence on fossil-fuel imports. At present, fleets are reduced, values are high, and the infrastructure is incipient. This article presents a problematization of the local scenario and the results of a survey with local consumers. The goal is to determine whether this market tends towards a scenario where an electric car is perceived as a substitute for a fossil-fuel vehicle, with new technology but the same function (transportation) or if it tends towards a reinterpretation, seeing integration with the electricity grid. The results indicate gaps and opportunities in service design, public policies for smart cities, and new ICTs associated with smart grids.
Exploring the Effect of College Students’ Civic Engagement on Transferable Capabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Chang Dian-Fu , Chang Tsun-Ning , Chen Chia-Chi
Published: October 2021

Civic engagement refers to the ways that citizens participate in the life of a community to help shape its future or improve conditions for others. While it might have been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, this study explored how college students perceive civic engagement on selected campuses that were partially locked down. We sampled 1036 student volunteers from six universities in Taiwan by using a self-designed module of civic engagement and transferable capabilities. The Student’s t-test, ANOVA, regression, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to interpret the differences and relationships among these variables. This study provides a more detailed example of the current status of civic engagement and its relationship to transferable capabilities in a higher education setting. The related programs and institutions should take responsibility for enhancing students’ civic engagement and transferable capabilities during the pandemic. How to ameliorate the situation? The findings suggest that it is necessary to consider a student’s academic major, learning experiences in the department, and time spent on related activities during the pandemic recovery. The findings might prove useful to various campuses for enhancing ongoing practices for sustainable development.
Realization of People Density and Smoke Flow in Buildings during Fire Accidents Using Raspberry and OpenCV
Authors: Birajdar Gajanand S. , Baz Mohammed , Singh Rajesh , Rashid Mamoon , Gehlot Anita , Akram Shaik Vaseem , Alshamrani Sultan S. , AlGhamdi Ahmed Saeed
Published: October 2021

Fire accidents in residential, commercial, and industrial environments are a major concern since they cause considerable infrastructure and human life damage. On other hand, the risk of fires is growing in conjunction with the growth of urban buildings. The existing techniques for detecting fire through smoke sensors are difficult in large regions. Furthermore, during fire accidents, the visibility of the evacuation path is occupied with smoke and, thus, causes challenges for people evacuating individuals from the building. To overcome this challenge, we have recommended a vision-based fire detection system. A vision-based fire detection system is implemented to identify fire events as well as to count the number people inside the building. In this study, deep neural network (DNN) models, i.e., MobileNet SSD and ResNet101, are embedded in the vision node along with the Kinect sensor in order to detect fire accidents and further count the number of people inside the building. A web application is developed and integrated with the vision node through a local server for visualizing the real-time events in the building related to the fire and people counting. Finally, a real-time experiment is performed to check the accuracy of the proposed system for smoke detection and people density.
Combining Value-Focused Thinking and PROMETHEE Techniques for Selecting a Portfolio of Distributed Energy Generation Projects in the Brazilian Electricity Sector
Authors: Bortoluzzi Mirian , Furlan Marcelo , Colombo Simone Geitenes , Amaral Tatiele Martins , de Souza Celso Correia , dos Reis Neto José Francisco , de França Josimar Fernandes
Published: October 2021

This article aims to propose a multi-criteria model to support decision-making from a portfolio in selecting technologies for Distributed Generation of Energy (DGE) projects based on the characteristics of the geographic space in Brazil. The decision model involves using multi-criteria to support the evaluation, prioritization, and selection of projects under a multistage decision-making process that fits into a strategic management cycle within the energy sector of Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil). The over-classification techniques Preference Ranking Organization Technique for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) II and V were applied under the Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) approach, reflecting the decision-maker or manager preferences among several conflicting criteria in the investment context of sustainable distributed energy generation projects. Based on real data, a numerical application is employed to view the steps of this decision model and illustrate the adequacy and effectiveness in practical issues of portfolio management.