bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-Financial Reporting and Assurance: A New Opportunity for Auditors? Evidence from Portugal
Authors: Eugénio Teresa , Gomes Sónia , Branco Manuel Castelo , Morais Ana Isabel
Published: October 2022

Research on auditing professionals’ perceptions of non-financial reporting and its assurance is relatively scarce, and the majority of the existing studies pay little attention to the assurance aspect. Our study contributes to strengthening this type of research by investigating Portuguese audit professionals’ perceptions of non-financial reporting and its assurance. The purpose of the current paper is to identify the perceptions of Portuguese audit professionals about non-financial reporting, particularly the responsibility for its preparation, its mandatory or voluntary natures, and how to improve non-financial reporting and its assurance. We also analyze whether these perceptions are associated with sex and work experience. The perceptions of statutory auditors were surveyed by using a questionnaire. Results allow us to conclude that Portuguese statutory auditors agree that non-financial reporting assurance is an important practice, and that company management should be responsible for the preparation and publication of non-financial reports. They consider that assurance of these reports should be conducted by a statutory auditor and think that the Institute of Portuguese Statutory Auditors should have a more active role in this matter. Notwithstanding, very few of the respondents have experience with this type of assurance, which may explain their acknowledgment of the importance of additional training. Work experience and sex do not influence the perceptions of the auditors. Findings suggest the existence of a positive attitude towards non-financial reporting and its assurance associated with the acknowledgement of its underdevelopment in Portugal. As far as we are aware, our study is the first to focus exclusively on Portuguese auditing professionals’ perceptions concerning non-financial reporting and assurance.
“Takeover” and “Activation” Effects of National Strategies for Industrial Relocation—Based on the Perspective of Marketisation of Land Elements
Authors: Bao Fei , Zhao Zhenzhi
Published: October 2022

National Industrial Relocation Demonstration Zones (NIRDZs) are essential platforms for promoting regional economic restructuring and optimising inter-regional economic relations. Based on panel data of 287 prefecture-level cities in China and over 200,000 industrial land transactions from 2007–2019, this study conducts an empirical test using multi-temporal DID, propensity score matching, and instrumental variable methods to examine the relationship between NIRDZs and the marketisation of industrial land elements. The results show that the establishment of NIRDZs has a significant inhibitory effect on the market allocation of industrial land elements, and the conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. Further exploration reveals that the inhibiting effect of NIRDZs on the marketization of industrial land factors is the result of the combined effect of the takeover effect and activation effect of policies. The takeover effect of “promising government” has “low-end industry lock”, which inhibits the development of factor marketisation; the activation effect can stimulate the inner life of “effective market”, which can promote the marketisation of factors market-oriented allocation. The activation effect is to promote the market-based allocation of urban industrial land by activating three aspects: the level of market environment, the level of market operation, and the level of market access in the pilot cities. The analysis of the regulation effect shows that there is a vertical financial asymmetry and a vertical fiscal asymmetry in the inhibiting effect of NIRDZs on the market-oriented allocation of industrial land. Different levels of urban economic development also bring about different policy effects. This study broadens the understanding of heterogeneous development thinking and market-based management structures for industrial land elements in NIRDZs.
Conservation Hub: The Added Value of the Whale-Watching Industry
Authors: De la Cruz-Modino Raquel , Cosentino Mel
Published: October 2022

Nature-based tourism activities are often sold as ‘ecotourism’, yet not all are educational, environmentally friendly, provide economic benefits to local communities, nor help achieve conservation goals. Whale-watching has the potential for ecotourism due to opportunities for supporting cetacean research, environmental education, and community engagement. Whalesafari, the first whale-watching company in the Arctic, is based in Norway and combines whale-watching with research, interpretation, and benefits for the local community. Researchers from around the world have carried out research on several aspects of sperm whales (the main target species), from abundance to diving behaviour, as well as other species. Tourists learn about cetaceans during a guided experience in the company’s museum before the trip. This whale-watching model has attracted over 350,000 tourists over the years, benefiting the local community (e.g., hotels, restaurants, other attractions). Tourism and whale research can establish synergistic relationships, involving several agents and promoting research careers, while at the same time leading to innovative advances in the ecology and tourism fields. Here, we summarise over 30 years of whale-watching eco-tourism activities and research in Northern Norway, highlighting synergistic examples and the opportunities opened through linking marine tourism and research.
How Does Young Consumers’ Greenwashing Perception Impact Their Green Purchase Intention in the Fast Fashion Industry? An Analysis from the Perspective of Perceived Risk Theory
Authors: Lu Xiaoqian , Sheng Tong , Zhou Xiaolan , Shen Chaohai , Fang Bingquan
Published: October 2022

The fast fashion industry is criticized for its unsustainable development. With the rise of the green economy and the awakening of consumers’ awareness of sustainable consumption, more and more companies realize the significance of green marketing in improving brand performance. However, it is undeniable that many fast fashion companies tend to take advantage of information asymmetry and cover up the unsustainable part of their business activities through fake green marketing campaigns to gain more potential consumers. There is a limited number of green marketing studies investigating consumers’ perception of greenwashing, while it is naturally important to explore the demand side responses to greenwashing in different industries. Therefore, this paper examines whether and how consumers’ perception of greenwashing in the fast fashion industry impacts their green purchase intention. The study explores the mediating role of perceived risk and the moderating role of consumers’ impulsive buying. In this paper, 433 valid questionnaires are collected from mainland China, and the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation (PLS-SEM) is used to test the hypotheses. We draw the following conclusions: (1) consumers’ perception of greenwashing in the fast fashion industry has a direct negative effect on their green purchase intention; (2) greenwashing perception has an indirect negative effect through consumers’ risk perception, including financial perceived risk and green perceived risk; (3) consumers’ impulsive buying in the fast fashion industry reinforces the positive effect of greenwashing on their financial risk perceptions as a moderating variable. The conclusion of this paper has implications for the sustainable development of China and other emerging economies, which highlights the importance of pursuing information symmetry in green marketing to reduce consumers’ perceived risk and encourages companies to make substantial, sustainable development initiatives.
Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Online Shopping and Travel Behaviour: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach
Authors: Ghodsi Mostafa , Pourmadadkar Mahdad , Ardestani Ali , Ghadamgahi Seyednaser , Yang Hao
Published: October 2022

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant alterations in people’s social and economic behaviour. This paper aims to study the pandemic’s influence on online shopping and travel behaviour and discover how these phenomena are related. To this end, eight variables were identified that describe socio-demographic status, COVID-19 variables, online shopping variables, and travel behaviour. The structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was adopted to analyse the relationships between these variables. A conceptual model was formed by devising hypothetical relationships, and then the validity and reliability of the model were evaluated using SEM tools. Among the 19 theoretical relationships, 17 were verified. It was found that socio-demographic status directly affects the COVID-19 variables, influencing online shopping variables. As a result, it was inferred that during the pandemic, people’s daily travel habits had been affected by their inclinations toward online shopping, and the more people are aware of COVID-19 and feel responsible about the pandemic, the more they are persuaded to shop online rather than in-person shopping. Policymakers can use the findings of this study to change the public’s travel and shopping behaviour to tackle the pandemic.
Taking Stock of Carbon Disclosure Research While Looking to the Future: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Bazhair Ayman Hassan , Khatib Saleh F. A. , Al Amosh Hamzeh
Published: October 2022

Carbon disclosure research has sparked a growing interest due to climate change phenomenon and the impact thereof on the global market in recent years. Despite this trend, there is still a gap in knowledge regarding the role that carbon disclosure plays in the economic activities of corporations. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to systematically review the available literature on corporate carbon reporting by assessing current research trends, theoretical perspectives, and themes discussed in the field. A final sample of 168 studies from the Scopus database that explicitly discussed carbon reporting were included in this investigation. The results indicated an increase in the number of studies, especially in the last five years. In addition, carbon disclosure practices vary between different firm types, sectors, and countries. However, there is a shortage of empirical studies on some contexts that have rarely been considered. Moreover, it was found that the existing literature has only focused on the demographic characteristics of firms as the driving factor of carbon disclosure, while little attention has been paid to the attributes of governance, auditing, top management, and ownership. Nevertheless, there is no academic consensus on some determinants of carbon reporting, including profitability and the effect of the industry. With regard to the reporting quality, there is no evidence that less disclosed information means that reporting is rare in quality. This study provides a comprehensive, systematic analysis of carbon disclosure studies. The implications for future research are also discussed.
Sustainable and Innovative Packaging Solutions in the Fashion Industry: Global Report
Authors: Jestratijevic Iva , Vrabič-Brodnjak Urška
Published: October 2022

The fashion industry generates packaging waste through the entire supply chain. Although brands are making efforts to improve packaging sustainability as demands for low-impact packaging are rising, there is a lack of empirical evidence of innovative packaging solutions among fashion retailers. This study represents the first global report on sustainable packaging innovation in the fashion sector. A data-mining approach was utilized to gather a sample of 400 international fashion brands that advertise sustainable packaging solutions across five continents. The sustainability of the packaging solution was evaluated for each brand based on three factors: sustainability mission, the availability of packaging data, and the actual sustainability of the package. The results showed that 57% of brands have made evident progress in the sustainable packaging area; 34% of brands have initiated the transition from conventional to improved packaging; the remaining brands have committed to rethink (1%) or to improve (8%) their packaging in the future. By providing comprehensive state-of-the-art evidence about practical achievements in the sustainable packaging field, this global report intends to help academics and practitioners to evaluate the environmental, social, and economic impacts of existing packaging products and to design circular packaging that minimizes these impacts.
Regional Logistics Demand Prediction: A Long Short-Term Memory Network Method
Authors: Li Ya , Wei Zhanguo
Published: October 2022

With the growth of e-commerce and the recurrence of the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak, the global logistics industry has been deeply affected. People are forced to shop online, which leads to a surge in logistics needs. Conversely, the novel coronavirus can also be transmitted through goods, so there are some security risks. Thus, in the post-epidemic era, the analysis of regional logistics needs can serve as a foundation for logistics planning and policy formation in the region, and it is critical to find a logistics needs forecasting index system and a effective method to effectively exploit the logistics demand information in recent years. In this paper, we use the freight volume to assess the logistics needs, and the Long short-term memory (LSTM) network to predict the regional logistics needs based on time series and impact factors. For the first time, the Changsha logistics needs prediction index system is built in terms of e-commerce and the post-epidemic era and compared with some well-known methods such as Grey Model (1,1), linear regression model, and Back Propagation neural network. The findings show that the LSTM network has the smallest prediction errors, and the logistics needs are not affected by the epidemic. Therefore, the authors suggest that the government and businesses pay more attention to regional logistics needs forecasting, choosing scientific prediction methods.
Service Quality of Social Media-Based Self-Service Technology in the Food Service Context
Authors: Pai Chen-Kuo , Wu Ze-Tian , Lee Seunghwan , Lee Jaeseok , Kang Sangguk
Published: October 2022

Social media connects individual users and corporate bodies on a self-service technology (SST) platform. The food and beverage industry has increasingly adopted the social media-based SST over other online and kiosk types of technologies for their service delivery. The present study sheds light on the dimensionality of service quality on the social media-based SST in the food service delivery context and went further to investigate the impact of the SST service quality on functional value, user satisfaction, and intention to reuse. The analytic results of 410 valid survey data found five salient dimensions (i.e., Functionality, Enjoyment, Assurance, Convenience, and Customization) constituting the service quality. The results also revealed that the perceived quality of social media-based food service is directly and positively associated with consumer’s satisfaction and perceived functional value and is indirectly associated with intention to reuse. The results provide practical suggestions regarding how to take advantage of using social media platforms for food and beverage professionals.
Safety and Sustainable Development of Automated Driving in Mixed-Traffic Urban Areas—Considering Vulnerable Road Users and Network Efficiency
Authors: Pauwels Alex , Pourmohammad-Zia Nadia , Schulte Frederik
Published: October 2022

Next to environmental aspects, establishing areas for safe and economically viable automated driving in mixed-traffic settings is one major challenge for sustainable development of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). This work investigates safety in the interactions between AVs, human-driven vehicles, and vulnerable road users, including cyclists and pedestrians, within a simulated urban environment in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. New junction and pedestrian models are introduced, and virtual AVs with an occlusion-aware driving system are deployed to deliver cargo autonomously. The safety of applying this autonomous cargo delivery service is assessed using a large set of Surrogate Safety Indicators (SSIs). Furthermore, Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams (MFDs) and travel time loss are incorporated to evaluate the network efficiency. By assessing the impact of various measures involving Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I), Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications, infrastructure modifications, and driving behavior, we show that traffic safety and network efficiency can be achieved in a living lab setting for the considered case. Our findings further suggest that V2X gets implemented, new buildings are not placed close to intersections, and the speed limit of non-arterial roads is lowered.
Predicting Infection Positivity, Risk Estimation, and Disease Prognosis in Dengue Infected Patients by ML Expert System
Authors: Kaur Supreet , Sharma Sandeep , Rehman Ateeq Ur , Eldin Elsayed Tag , Ghamry Nivin A. , Shafiq Muhammad , Bharany Salil
Published: October 2022

Dengue fever has earned the title of a rapidly growing global epidemic since the disease-causing mosquito has adapted to colder countries, breaking the notion of dengue being a tropical/subtropical disease only. This infectious time bomb demands timely and proper treatment as it affects vital body functions, often resulting in multiple organ failures once thrombocytopenia and internal bleeding manifest in the patients, adding to morbidity and mortality. In this paper, a tool is used for data collection and analysis for predicting dengue infection presence and estimating risk levels to identify which group of dengue infections the patient suffers from, using a machine-learning-based tertiary classification technique. Based on symptomatic and clinical investigations, the system performs real-time diagnosis. It uses warning indicators to alert the patient of possible internal hemorrhage, warning them to seek medical assistance in case of this disease-related emergency. The proposed model predicts infection levels in a patient based on the classification provided by the World Health Organization, i.e., dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome, acquiring considerably high accuracy of over 90% along with high sensitivity and specificity values. The experimental evaluation of the proposed model acknowledges performance efficiency and utilization through statistical approaches.
Does the Business Environment Improve the Sustainable Development of Enterprises?
Authors: Dong Zhiyuan , Zhang Zenglian
Published: October 2022

A good business environment is fertile ground for cultivating the high-quality development of enterprises and is an important guarantee for an enterprise to achieve sustainable development. Using A-share listed companies in China from 2010 to 2020 as the research sample, the research objective of this paper is to empirically test the impact of the business environment on the sustainable development of enterprises from the perspective of the high-quality development of enterprise, and it analyzes the impact path from the perspective of enterprise innovation. Using OLS regression, systematic GMM regression, and 2SLS regression for empirical analysis, the results showed that there is a significant positive correlation between the business environment and the sustainable development of enterprises. In other words, the optimization of the business environment is conducive to promoting the sustainable development of enterprises. Enterprise innovation plays a mediating role in the relationship between the business environment and the sustainable development of enterprises. The conclusions of this paper still hold after a series of robustness tests and endogeneity tests. Further analysis showed that, in non-manufacturing listed companies and eastern and western regions of China, the business environment plays a more significant role in the sustainable development of enterprises.
Sustainability-Oriented Innovation Foresight in International New Technology Based Firms
Authors: Salamzadeh Aidin , Hadizadeh Morteza , Rastgoo Niloofar , Rahman Md. Mizanur , Radfard Soodabeh
Published: October 2022

Rapid technological advances give rise to the development of New Technology-Based Firms (NTBFs) which are focused on technology-based business models. One of the concerns is the changing pace of technology adoption and its impact on shortening the life cycle of goods and services based on technology. Technology tends to create more integration among communities, businesses, goods, and services. This integration can be seen in the substantial increase of firms, especially NTBFs, striving to improve international relations. In this regard, addressing the sustainability dimensions in light of technological change is of universal interest. Some studies highlight the role of technology in terms of its environmental impacts, whereas others describe technology as the main driving force of businesses towards innovation, which can lead to sustainability. This paper aims to examine international NTBFs to determine the factors, key drivers, and uncertainties impacting sustainability-oriented innovations concerning their encounter with technology and ultimately plan future scenarios for international NTBFs based on sustainability-oriented innovations. The description of the scenarios shows the importance of innovation development in digital technologies and the expansion of international relations, which is realized by using digital platforms. In addition to accelerating knowledge and innovation development to gain more key partners, we would observe target market expansion, cost reduction, and sustainability growth for international NTBFs. Identifying drivers and uncertainties and the future-oriented approach of this research provide insight to International NTBFs owners into realizing sustainability-oriented innovation by increasing their awareness of the opportunities and interventions to build capacity at the conceptualization and project management levels.
Unpacking the Functions of Personal Metadiscourse in Teachers’ Classroom Discourse
Authors: Wu Xinxin , Yang He
Published: October 2022

This paper reports on a corpus-driven study on teachers’ use of three personal metadiscourse markers, namely, engaging you, inclusive-we, and self-mentioning I, in teachers’ classroom discourse. The analysis is based on eight sessions of teacher contributions to classroom discourse from four native English-speaking English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teachers in the UK. A quantitative analysis shows that teachers unanimously attach great importance to actively engaging students in classroom instructions. The qualitative analysis identified four types of metadiscourse functions in relation to teacher–student(s) interactions, including managing comprehension, managing students’ responses, imagining scenarios, and managing students’ discipline, which were further divided into nine sub-categories. This study extends the scope of existing research on personal metadiscourse functions and enriches metadiscourse research in formal instructional settings, thereby enhancing our understanding of personal metadiscourse use in spoken academic genres. Moreover, it may also provide insights for researchers and practitioners in EAP teaching by providing a fine-tuned functional categorisation of personal metadiscourse markers.
Beyond Personal Responsibility: Analyzing How Attributing Responsibility for Environmental Protection Can Hinder Action
Authors: O’Donnell Nicole H. , Guidry Jeanine P. D.
Published: October 2022

Environmentalists face several challenges when communicating water quality hazards, especially those that are unseen to the naked eye. Grounded in the Extended Parallel Process Model, we analyzed how perceptions of conservation responsibility and the visualization of pollution affected perceived water quality threats, efficacy, and pro-environmental behavior outcomes. We conducted a 2 × 2 between-subjects controlled message-testing experiment with 502 adults from the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Individuals viewed personal or government attribution messages with fear or non-fear visuals to see how messages affected intentions to take part in a river clean-up day, enact environmentally friendly behaviors, and comment on public policy. Messages that promoted government responsibility and those that featured images of polluted water increased response efficacy, threat appraisals, fear, and intentions. Promoting personal responsibility yielded more limited effects. Furthermore, messages were less effective when they featured visuals of clean water. Implications include recommendations for using responsibility attribution messages in practice and engaging the public with information about unseen hazards.
Study on Elastoplastic Damage Coupling of Reservoir Mudstone Considering Permeability Change
Authors: Jing Wenjun , Mei Songhua , Zhao Yanan , Zhang Yu
Published: October 2022

Mudstone, a common complex medium in oil and gas reservoirs and with widely distributed micro-pore and micro-fissures, is liable to produce significant damage evolution and plastic deformation under high buried depth stress environments. Based on the analysis of the physical characteristics, the elastoplastic damage coupling mechanical characteristics of mudstone in a high buried depth reservoir for oil and gas engineering are discussed. Firstly, conventional triaxial compression tests under different confining pressures were performed to calculate the damage variable and obtain the damage evolution. The damage evolution included the elastic damage stage, the plastic-dominated elastoplastic damage coupling stage and the damage-dominated elastoplastic damage coupling stage. Secondly, a coupled elastoplastic damage mechanical model for mudstone was proposed, which was based on the degradation of the damage stiffness and plastic flow caused by the plastic and damage internal variables and considered the elastic damage coupling and elastoplastic damage coupling during the loading process. Thirdly, the elastoplastic damage coupling mechanical characteristics of mudstone were simulated. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results, which reflects well the mechanical characteristics of mudstone, including the transition from volume compression to expansion, plastic hardening, damage softening and residual strength, etc. Finally, based on the relevant research results, a permeability evolution model of mudstone based on the damage was proposed, and the secondary development was carried out based on ABAQUS. UMAT and USFLD subroutines were compiled, and seepage–stress coupling simulation verification was carried out. The relevant results provide a reliable basis for engineering theory research and stability analysis of deep mudstone reservoirs.
A Strategic Approach for Promoting Sustainable Crowdshipping in Last-Mile Deliveries
Authors: Bajec Patricija , Tuljak-Suban Danijela
Published: October 2022

Extending last-mile delivery services to individuals—crowdshippers who pick up or deliver a shipment as part of their daily activities—has sustainable benefits, but also risks (damaged parcels, late deliveries, increased emissions) for various stakeholders. So far, developed crowdshipping models have only addressed one or two risks at a time. No model promotes environmental goals separately or together with other goals. This study proposes a crowdshipping model that consists of three stakeholders (the owner of a crowdshipping platform, crowdshippers and parcel providers) and with various incentives aims to maximise the profitability of the platform and the compensation of crowdshippers, the quality of delivery, and to minimise environmental externalities. A two-level leader–follower game and the concept of Shapley value, from cooperative flow games at the follower level, are used to define the optimal strategy that provides sustainable delivery with a good balance between costs and profits. The game behaviour was explained on a crowdshipping platform provider (leader) and two coalitions: individual crowdshippers and parcel logistics providers. The aim of the example is to explain the strategy of promoting environmentally friendly parcel delivery. The results show satisfactory economic, social and environmental performance.
Can Labeled Green Bonds Reduce Financing Cost in China?
Authors: Sun Zhen , Feng Jianfen , Zhou Rongxi , Yu Yue , Deng Yaojian
Published: October 2022

From the perspective of financing cost, this article investigates the benefits of green bonds to the issuer. Based on 227 green bonds and 405 conventional bonds selected from China’s bond market, we find that (1) green bonds can decrease financing cost by at least 15 bps in the primary market, which is more significant than the effect in the secondary market; (2) third-party certification can strengthen the ‘greenium’ of green bonds in both the primary and secondary markets; and (3) there is no ‘greenium’ effect for financial green bonds in either primary or secondary markets in China, even for green bonds with third-party certification.
Energy Analysis, Building Energy Index and Energy Management Strategies for Fast-Food Restaurants in Malaysia
Authors: Gunasegaran Muthu Kumaran , Hasanuzzaman Md , Tan ChiaKwang , Bakar Ab Halim Abu , Ponniah Vignes
Published: October 2022

Commercial buildings in Malaysia contribute to 35% of the total electricity demand. During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the global economy faced a challenging situation that forced many businesses to shut down. However, fast-food restaurants with drive-through features managed to get through this pandemic phase without much effect from the economic impact. Since COVID-19, the operational guidelines have changed for restaurants. However, from an energy perspective, fast–food restaurants are high energy consumers in the retail sector. This paper analyses the load profile of fast-food restaurants and the potential strategies that can be adopted in a free-standing fast-food restaurant. From analysis, it is calculated that a total of RM 97,365.9 of utility savings can be obtained in a year. A total of 91,392.1 kg CO2, 881.8 kg SO2 and 385.5 kg CO pollutant emissions can be reduced. The BEI for the restaurant was reduced to 856.4 kWh/m2/year. By converting to energy-saving strategies, the return on investment was 27.3% and 3.7 years, which is a very short period of time and is attractive for businesses of this nature.
Exploring the Challenges to Adopt Green Initiatives to Supply Chain Management for Manufacturing Industries
Authors: Chen Abbott Po Shun , Huang Yung-Fu , Do Manh-Hoang
Published: October 2022

Green initiatives have been widely introduced and have contributed to attaining sustainability and improving performance for supply chain management. However, only a few studies focus on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in Vietnam. Hence, this work is the first study modeling the challenges in implementing green initiatives in the Vietnamese manufacturing supply chain. The authors aim to identify the fundamental challenges and evaluate the cross-interactions among them. The Interpretive Structural Model (ISM) method has been employed, based on experts’ perspectives, to clarify which factor is the most potent challenge. Consequently, seven major challenge clusters have been identified, and they were divided into nineteen sub-challenges. Meanwhile, the authors evaluated their interrelationships based on the hierarchical structure diagram and the Matrice d’Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée á un Classement (MICMAC) analysis. It is observed that the “Financial Costs” elements group is the most difficult, followed by the lack of the Vietnamese government’s green regulation and the lack of senior managers’ support. The “Information” challenges cluster is considered as the middle bridge between the strong and weak elements. At the end of the diagram, two challenges are a lack of training courses about implementing GSCM and a lack of customer awareness and pressure about GSCM. Hence, these findings will become valuable suggestions for the top managers of Vietnamese manufacturers to make blueprint decisions.
A Credit Risk Contagion Intensity Model of Supply Chain Enterprises under Different Credit Modes
Authors: Wang Yuhao , Shen Jiaxian , Pan Jinnan , Chen Tingqiang
Published: October 2022

The rapid development of theoretical and practical innovations in corporate finance driven by supply chain finance has exacerbated the complexity of credit default risk contagion among supply chain enterprises. Financial risks in the supply chain greatly hinder its sustainable development; thus, strengthening financial risk management is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the supply chain. Based on the single-channel and dual-channel credit financing models of retailers in the supply chain, the purpose of this paper was to construct a model of the intensity of credit default risk contagion among supply chain enterprises under different credit financing models, and investigate the influencing factors of credit risk contagion among supply chain enterprises and its mechanism of action through a computational simulation system. The results were as follows: (1) there was a positive relationship between the production cost of suppliers and the contagion intensity of the supply chain credit default risk, and the contagion effect of the supply chain credit default risk increased significantly when both retailers defaulted on trade credit to suppliers; (2) the market retail price of the product was negatively related to the contagion intensity of the supply chain credit default risk, and the contagion intensity of the supply chain credit default risk increased significantly when both retailers defaulted on trade credit to the supplier; (3) the intensity of credit default risk contagion in the supply chain was positively correlated with both the commercial bank risk-free rate and the trade credit rate, and retailers’ repayment priority on trade credit debt was negatively correlated with suppliers’ wholesale prices and positively correlated with retailers’ order volumes, with retailers’ repayment priority positively affecting retailers’ bank credit rates and negatively affecting suppliers’ bank credit rates; and (4) retailers’ repayment priority on trade credit debt was negatively correlated with the intensity of supply chain credit default risk contagion, and the lower the retailer’s bank credit limit, the higher the trade credit limit, and the stronger the credit default contagion effect in the supply chain.
Emergency and Disaster Management, Preparedness, and Planning (EDMPP) and the ‘Social’: A Scoping Review
Authors: Lillywhite Brielle , Wolbring Gregor
Published: October 2022

The importance of emergency and disaster management, preparedness, and planning (EDMPP) is ever increasing with COVID-19 being one recent EDMPP challenge. EDMPP is impacted by and impacts the ‘social’ of individuals and societies. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the ‘social’ is important for providing EDMPP. Marginalized populations are over-proportionally impacted by emergencies and disasters and often overlooked in EDMPP. Therefore, it is especially important to understand the lived experience of marginalized groups and to involve marginalized groups in providing knowledge for EDMPP. Technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning and reasoning, e-coaching, other decision support systems and Bayesian belief networks are increasingly employed for EDMPP. However, biases and other problems in the use of technologies for EDMPP are noted. Understanding the ‘social’ of marginalized populations and others is essential for designing algorithms and other technologies that are not biased towards marginalized populations and others. The phrase “equity, diversity, and inclusion” (EDI), other EDI linked phrases, and EDI frameworks are increasingly employed in workplaces to improve research, education, and workplace environments for marginalized groups such as women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, racialized minorities, disabled people, people with disabilities and LGBTQ2S+. EDMPP actors are workers. Using EDI in EDMPP could improve the EDMPP situation of marginalized groups by encouraging knowledge production by and about marginalized groups related to EDMPP. The main objective of this study was to map out the engagement with the ‘social’, EDI and marginalized groups in the EDMPP-focused academic literature in general and the EDMPP academic literature covering disabled people, patients, technologies and COVID-19. A scoping review using the academic databases SCOPUS, Web of Science, and the databases accessible under Compendex and EBSCO-HOST were employed to fulfill the objectives. The study found little coverage of marginalized populations and EDI phrases and frameworks, and a lack of many terms linked to the ‘social’ in the literature searched. These gaps need to be filled given the importance of EDMPP to the ‘social’ of individuals and societies.
Dynamic Rebalancing of the Free-Floating Bike-Sharing System
Authors: Zhang Wenbin , Niu Xiaolei , Zhang Guangyong , Tian Lixin
Published: October 2022

In the paper, we propose a novel method to analyze the rebalancing of the free-floating bike-sharing system. First, we construct a visualization method to analyze the rebalancing of the system. Then, for the first time, we set up a coarse-grained way to study dynamics rebalancing during rush hours. Finally, we complete the empirical analysis with the real-time cycling data of the Nanjing Mobike Sharing-bike Company. The results show that: static rebalancing is weak, and dynamic rebalancing during rush hours is serious. Therefore, increasing the number of shared bikes in parking spots can ease the rebalancing. At the same time, we find that commuting to and from work is not the main factor that constitutes the rebalancing of the free-floating bike-sharing system, though the rebalancing is proportional to travel frequency.
Relationship of Microbial Activity with Soil Properties in Banana Plantations in Venezuela
Authors: Olivares Barlin O. , Rey Juan C. , Perichi Guillermo , Lobo Deyanira
Published: October 2022

The present work aims to analyze the relationship of microbial activity with the physicochemical properties of the soil in banana plantations in Venezuela. Six agricultural fields located in two of the main banana production areas of Venezuela were selected. The experimental sites were differentiated with two levels of productivity (high and low) of the “Gran Nain” banana. Ten variables were selected: total free-living nematodes (FLN), bacteriophages, predators, omnivores, Phytonematodes, saturated hydraulic conductivity, total organic carbon, nitrate (NO3), microbial respiration and the variable other fungi. Subsequently, machine learning algorithms were used. First, the Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) was applied to find the soil properties that could distinguish the banana productivity levels. Second, the Debiased Sparse Partial Correlation (DSPC) algorithm was applied to obtain the correlation network of the most important variables. The variable free-living nematode predators had a degree of 3 and a betweenness of 4 in the correlation network, followed by NO3. The network shows positive correlations between FLN predators and microbial respiration (r = 1.00; p = 0.014), and NO3 (r = 1.00; p = 0.032). The selected variables are proposed to characterize the soil productivity in bananas and could be used for the management of soil diseases affecting bananas.
Simplified Procedure for Capacity Check of Historic Monolithic Glass Windows under Soft-Body Collision/Bird-Strike
Authors: Bedon Chiara , Santi Maria Vittoria
Published: October 2022

Differing from present structural design procedures, most of the existing glass windows and even historic components in traditional/old buildings are not specifically designed to resist possible accidental loads. Rather thin monolithic ordinary annealed glass panels can be found in vertical non-structural envelopes, where they are often arranged to cover large surfaces. As such, an accidental glass fracture could originate even from rather common and moderate impact events and result in severe risk for people, due to propagation of dangerous shards from these vulnerable and fragile building components. To assess potential risks and support possible mitigation strategies, the present study is focused on the bird-strike analysis of existing/historic linearly restrained non-structural glass windows, based on a parametric Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH)–Finite Element (FE) model. Starting from a 1 m–wide and 1.5 m–high configuration, the attention is first given to various influencing parameters, such as impactor features (mass, 0.35–1.81 kg; impact speed, 0–40 m/s; and, thus, impact energy) and the target window (glass thickness, 4–6 mm; impact point; and, thus, glass stiffness). Local and global effects due to parametric localized bird-strikes are discussed based on non-linear dynamic numerical analyses and in terms of expected deflections, tensile stress peaks, and damage extension/severity (i.e., D1 to D3 damage levels). Scale effects are also examined for a case-study historic envelope (≈7 m in total size, 5 mm in thickness), and one of its 2.58 m × 3.3 m large glass components. Furthermore, a simplified empirical approach based on analytical formulations and normalized charts is proposed for a preliminary vulnerability assessment of historic monolithic glass envelopes, including parameters to account for impactor features and glass panel size/thickness, based on vibration-frequency considerations.
Hamming Similarity Programming Model for Multi-Attribute Decision-Making Objects with Attribute Values as Interval Numbers and Its Application
Authors: Huang Zhili , He Qiang , Chen Qinglan , Yue Hongge
Published: October 2022

With regard to the interval number-based uncertain multi-attribute decision making problem, in which the attribute weights are unknown and there is no preference on decision-making alternative objects, this paper presents a new decision-making approach. In this method, Hamming distance firstly is used to define the Hamming similarity degree of normative interval numbers, and the Hamming similarity degree of decision-making alternative objects, and then the Hamming similarity superiority relation theory to the comparison of interval numbers is proposed and some relevant results are obtained. Thus, by drawing on the idea of deviations maximization, an interval number-based decision-making object Hamming similarity programming model (IN-DMOHSPM) is established to calculate and solve the weight vector of attributes. Next, all of the selected alternative objects set is screened and sorted by using the overall Hamming similarity degree of each decision-making object compared with the ideal optimal object, and a new algorithm of Hamming similarity programming model for interval number-based multiple attribute decision-making objects is presented. Finally, the feasibility and utility of this model used in this paper are demonstrated by a numerical example.
Toxic Effects of Cadmium on Fish
Authors: Liu Yinai , Chen Qianqian , Li Yaoqi , Bi Liuliu , Jin Libo , Peng Renyi
Published: October 2022

Large amounts of enriched cadmium (Cd) in the environment seriously threatens the healthy and sustainable development of the aquaculture industry and greatly restricts the development of the food processing industry. Studying the distribution and toxic effects of Cd in fish, as well as the possible toxic effects of Cd on the human body, is very significant. A large number of studies have shown that the accumulation and distribution of Cd in fish are biologically specific, cause tissue differences, and seriously damage the integrity of tissue structure and function, the antioxidant defense system, the reproductive regulation system, and the immune system. The physiological, biochemical, enzyme, molecular, and gene expression levels change with different concentrations and times of Cd exposure, and these changes are closely related to the target sites of Cd action and tissues in fish. Therefore, the toxic effects of Cd on fish occur with multiple tissues, systems, and levels.
The Differences in Risk Perception between Practitioners in the Non-Coal-Mining Industry: Miners, Managers and Experts
Authors: Song Yuting , Zhang Shu
Published: October 2022

Non-coal-mining accidents occur frequently in China, and individual unsafe behaviors are the direct cause. The cognitive diversity of practitioners in the non-coal-mining industry leads to various behaviors in work and hinders communication between groups. The aim of this study is to analyze the differences in risk perception (accidents and occupational diseases) between non-coal-mining practitioners (experts, miners, and managers) and to explore the contributing factors. The questionnaire survey method was used to collect the data on risk perception and influencing factors from 402 respondents working in non-coal mines and universities in China. Project analysis and exploratory factor analysis were used for preprocessing. A t-test and linear regression analysis were used to test the significance of the differences and assess the function of the factors, respectively. Regarding risk perception, two risks both have significant differences between the three groups. With the perceptions of accidents and occupational diseases ranked from high to low, the order of the practitioners is as follows: managers (3.88), experts (3.71), miners (3.55) and experts (4.14), miners (3.90), and managers (3.88). Regarding the influencing factors, risk attitude, risk communication, educational level, enterprise trust, and occupational satisfaction have great effects on the three groups. More precisely, three groups have different important predictors. Risk attitude has the greatest impact on miners (0.290) and experts (0.369), but sensibility preference has the greatest impact on managers (0.518). In summary, cognitive discrepancies are common among non-coal-mining practitioners, but the degree of deviation varies with the type and dimension of the risk. There are six factors that have a significant impact on all practitioners, but the effect is limited by specific risks and groups.
In Vitro Effects of Enniatin A on Steroidogenesis and Proliferation of Bovine Granulosa Cells
Authors: Chiminelli Ilaria , Spicer Leon J. , Maylem Excel Rio S. , Caloni Francesca
Published: October 2022

The emerging Fusarium mycotoxins enniatins (ENNs) have been the focus of new research because of their well-documented existence in various cereal and grain products. Research findings indicate that reproductive disorders may be caused by exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins, but little work has evaluated ENNs on reproductive function. Therefore, to determine the effects of ENNA on the proliferation and steroidogenesis of granulosa cells (GC), experiments were conducted using bovine GC cultures. In vitro, ENNA (1–5 μM) inhibited (p < 0.05) hormone-induced GC progesterone and estradiol production. The inhibitory effect of ENNA on estradiol production was more pronounced in small- than large-follicle GC. In large-follicle GC, 0.3 μM ENNA had no effect (p > 0.10) whereas 1 and 3 μM ENNA inhibited GC proliferation. In small-follicle GC, ENNA (1–5 μM) dramatically decreased (p < 0.05) GC proliferation. Using cell number data, the IC50 of ENNA was estimated at 2 μM for both follicle sizes. We conclude that ENNA can directly inhibit ovarian function in cattle, decreasing the proliferation and steroid production of GC.