bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decoding the Multidimensional Structuring of Urban Poles of Growth of Nighttime Economics—An Inter-Discipline Study in Lanzhou City, China, Based on Geomodeling and Big Data
Authors: Hu Wenbo , Wu Huiyu , Wan Wanggen
Published: December 2022

The nighttime economy, or NTE—the combination of nocturnal specialties and the extension of the diurnal economy into the night—has been implemented as an effective boosting instrument set to “revitalize the urban space”. The instrument, applied in regions around world, develops new socioeconomic dynamics and poles of growth within cities. Although some cases emphasize the functional success of NTE practices, disequilibrium between urban elements—social groups, communities, and the cultures in which they live—are ongoing. The present article argues that urban nights must be considered within a broader reflection on the question of sustainability because a closer integration between brands, cultural elements, employment, and capital in different scales is demonstrated at night. Based on growth pole theory, this study combines data mining, spatial modeling, and other complementary approaches, and successfully (1) identifies the growth poles of the NTE in Lanzhou City, a postindustrial city transitioning towards a nighttime economy that forms dotted and non-uniform nocturnal zones through its geography and demography; (2) characterizes their socioeconomic organization, and (3) analyzes various causes and manifestations of the disequilibrium.
Exploration on Inter-Relation of Environmental Regulation, Economic Structure, and Economic Growth: Provincial Evidence from China
Authors: Tian Ye , Wan Qian , Tan Yao
Published: December 2022

The potential effect of implementing environmental regulations on economic growth has been a controversial issue for a long time. Environmental regulations may impact on economic growth by reconstructing the economic structure. With the intention of exploring the nature of this mechanism, it is important to understand the internal inter-relation of the three parties, requiring data from a large economy experiencing the transition in economic structure. This paper selects panel data for 30 provinces in China from 2008–2019, constructs a PVAR model, and empirically examines the dynamic relationship among environmental regulation, economic structure reconstruction, and economic growth. The results demonstrate that there is a two-way effect between environmental regulation and economic growth. In other words, environmental regulation has a “U” shape effect on economic growth, which first inhibits and then promotes economic growth, while economic growth has a strong and then weak promotion effect on environmental regulation. Economic growth has a short-term negative impact on economic structure reconstruction, whereas economic restructuring has a long-term beneficial impact on environmental regulation. Therefore, the government should reasonably set the intensity of regulation and optimize the path of economic restructuring to deal with the relationship between environmental regulation, economic structure reconstruction, and economic growth.
Dynamics of Territorial Spatial Pattern and Landscape Impact under Different Economic Gradients: A Case Study of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) Region, China
Authors: Lu Zhaodi , Zhang Zhengfeng
Published: December 2022

This study analyzes territorial spatial pattern changes and landscape pattern changes under different economic development gradients in 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2018 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region of China. Then it discusses the relationship between territorial area and landscape patterns. The results indicate that: (1) area changes for middle- and low-development regions are characterized by “continuous shrinkage of agricultural space, continuous expansion of urban space, and a decrease followed by an increase of ecological space”; (2) the higher the level of regional economic development, the more severe the spatial change of national territory; (3) the common trend of structural transformation is the obvious flow of agricultural production space into rural living space and urban space—the difference is that the outflow of ecological space in low-development regions is more than the inflow, while the opposite holds true in medium- and high-development regions; and (4) the fragmentation degree of middle- and low-development regions is increasing, while that of high-development regions is decreasing. With the increase in regional economic development, the degree of spread and diversity decreases and increases, respectively. The correlation between territorial spatial pattern and landscape metrics shows distinct regional differences.
Modelling and Mapping Coastal Protection: Adapting an EU-Wide Model to National Specificities
Authors: Hasan Mahbub Ul , Drakou Evangelia G. , Karymbalis Efthimios , Tragaki Alexandra , Gallousi Christina , Liquete Camino
Published: December 2022

We explore the requirements for adapting coastal protection EU-wide indicators nationally. The aim of this research is threefold: (a) to map coastal protection at the national level; (b) to assess the congruence between the regional and national coastal protection estimates; and (c) to qualitatively assess the congruence of our findings with subnational estimates. We assessed coastal protection capacity, exposure, and demand and adapted them for the coastal zone of Greece. We quantitatively compared our findings with the results of the EU model. Through visual interpretation, we compared national estimates with those for the coastal zone of Peloponnese. Most islands have lower protection capacity than the mainland areas, while the southern part of the country’s coastal zone is the most exposed to natural hazards. Higher coastal protection demand was detected in the country’s largest cities (Athens, Thessaloniki). Areas of attention for management were small and medium islands and urban centres, as they mostly revealed high demand and exposure but the lowest natural capacity. The differences observed in the modelling outputs across scales are attributed to the differences in the demarcation process of the coastal zone, the additional variables considered, the terminology used, and the experts involved. Such national adaptations should be considered in order to build or update EU-wide indicators for coastal protection and beyond, towards a rule-based rather than a one-size-fits-all methodology.
An AHP-TOWS Analysis of Options for Promoting Disaster Risk Reduction Infrastructure in Informal Settlements of Greater Giyani Local Municipality, South Africa
Authors: Akola Juliet , Chakwizira James , Ingwani Emaculate , Bikam Peter
Published: December 2022

In the face of unstoppable urbanisation, disaster risks are projected to increase, mainly in unplanned areas that usually lack disaster risk reducing infrastructure. In Africa, including South Africa, limited resources and capacity hinder the provision of such infrastructure. The objective of this study was to determine options for promoting disaster risk reducing infrastructure in informal settlements in Giyani Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa, a disaster risk-prone area. A case study was conducted to collect primary data from purposively selected experts and the SWOT factors from the Integrated Development Plan Report of 2019/2020. A TOWS analytical hierarchical process was applied to pairwise comparisons of factors to prioritize them using eigenvalues and generate strategic options for promoting disaster risk reduction infrastructure in the informal settlements of Giyani Local Municipality. In the TOWS results, the experts suggested integrating traditional authorities into the municipal development processes, implementing an environmental framework that includes disaster management policies and an integrated waste management plan, and developing innovative technological projects that provide up-to-date spatial planning data to provide disaster risk reducing infrastructure in informal areas. This study concludes that the provision of affordable housing, clean regular piped water, storm and sewer drainage systems, street lighting, accessible routes, solid waste collection, electricity, and healthcare services would reduce a range of disaster risks.
Numerical Study on Flow and Noise Characteristics of an NACA0018 Airfoil with a Porous Trailing Edge
Authors: Zhu Weijun , Liu Jiaying , Sun Zhenye , Cao Jiufa , Guo Guangxing , Shen Wenzhong
Published: December 2022

An airfoil with a porous trailing edge has a low noise emission; thus, using a porous medium is a good technique for further reduction of wind turbine noise. In this paper, to reduce airfoil trailing edge noise while minimizing the negative influence of a porous medium on aerodynamic performance, a new filling method is proposed such that a porous medium is only used in the suction side half of the trailing edge, which is more sensitive to the noise generation. The large eddy simulation (LES) technique for flow and the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) method for acoustics are used. At a Reynolds number of 2.63 × 105 and various angles of attack, an NACA0018 airfoil profile with a porous trailing edge covering 20% of the chord is studied under two porous configurations, namely a fully porous and a suction-side porous trailing edge type. The results show that the flow direction, velocity magnitude, and their distributions along the boundary layer of the two porous airfoils are significantly modified due to the presence of the porous medium. The fluctuation of the pressure coefficient and the increase in the boundary layer thickness are significant at low angles of attack. As compared to the solid airfoil counterpart, the noise radiation from the newly proposed suction-side porous airfoil achieves a noise reduction of 4.3 dB at an angle of attack α = 0°, and a noise reduction of 4.07 dB at an angle of attack α = 2°.
Research on Resilience Evaluation of Green Building Supply Chain Based on ANP-Fuzzy Model
Authors: Wang Yixin , Ren Jialu , Zhang Lin , Liu Delin
Published: December 2022

As the critical object of ecological civilization construction, the risk of supply chain interruption in green building is increasing. Identifying the weak links of the green building supply chain and evaluating the resilience level is significant in promoting the green development of the construction industry. Firstly, according to the characteristics of the green building supply chain, this paper constructs the evaluation index system of green building supply chain resilience and uses the interpretative structural model (ISM) to analyze the correlation degree between evaluation indexes. Secondly, the ANP-Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is established to evaluate the resilience of the green building supply chain. Finally, an empirical study is conducted on a green building project in Jiaozuo City. According to the results, the ANP-Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model can objectively evaluate the resilience level of the green building supply chain and apply it to practical case analysis.
A Technoeconomic Resilience and Exergy Analysis Approach for the Evaluation of a Vaccine Production Plant in North-East Colombia
Authors: González-Delgado Ángel Darío , García-Martínez Janet B. , Barajas-Solano Andrés F.
Published: December 2022

Influenza is an acute infection that can cause diabetes and heart and lung disease disorders. This illness affects more than 9 million people around the world. The best way to control the transmission of the virus is vaccination. Studies, performed in Santander, Colombia, have found the existence of this disease. Despite the above, there are no companies dedicated to producing influenza vaccines in Colombia. For the first time, exergetic analysis and technical-economic resilience are being performed as combined decision-making tools for the evaluation of an influenza vaccine production plant. The results of exergetic analysis showed that the global exergy efficiency of the process was estimated at 93%. The exergy of waste that resulted was 61.70 MJ/h. The most critical stage of the process is milling, representing 83% of the total destroyed exergy. On the other hand, the results of technoeconomic resilience showed that the break-even point capacity of the process is 2503.15 t/y, representing only 24% of the installed capacity of the plant. The analysis of the effect of raw materials cost on profits showed that the process only resists a rise of 4% in the cost of raw materials, and higher values show economic losses. A value of 215,500 USD/t establishes a critical point for the normalized variable operating costs because higher values do not provide a return on investment.
Climate Services and Transformational Adaptation
Authors: Carr Edward
Published: December 2022

The Working Group II contribution to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report states that effective adaptation to the changing climate will require transformational changes in how people live. This article explores the potential for climate services to catalyze and foster transformational adaptation. I argue that weather and climate information are not, in and of themselves, tools for transformation. When designed and delivered without careful identification of the intended users of the service and the needs that service addresses, they can fail to catalyze change amongst the users of that information. At worst, they can reinforce the status quo and drive maladaptive outcomes. For climate services to serve as agents of transformational adaptation, the climate services community will have to change how it understands the users of these services and their needs. Building climate services around contemporary understandings of how people make decisions about their lives and livelihoods offers designers and implementers of climate services opportunities to create services that catalyze transformational adaptation. These opportunities provide examples for the wider field of adaptation to consider in its efforts to contribute to climate resilient development.
Urban Expansion Simulation Coupled with Residential Location Selection and Land Acquisition Bargaining: A Case Study of Wuhan Urban Development Zone, Central China’s Hubei Province
Authors: Liu Heng , Zhou Lu , Tang Diwei
Published: December 2022

The urban expansion process involves multiple stakeholders whose interactions and decision-making behaviors have a complex impact on urban land conversion. In this study, we established an urban expansion simulation model that couples two sub-models: the residential location selection model and the land acquisition bargaining model. Those sub-models include four types of agents: resident agent (RA), real estate developer agent (DA), government agent (GA), and farmer agent (FA). The residential location selection model is composed of three agents, RA, DA, and GA, and is first used to select residential locations, while an artificial neural network (ANN) is used to define the behavior rules of RA and RA selects pixels as candidate locations according to the joint decision probability. Then the land acquisition bargaining model is used, which is composed of GA and FA. If the land acquisition is successful, a pixel is converted into urban land, which is occupied by the corresponding RA; otherwise, the RA selects the next pixel and enters the bargaining process again, and so on, until the RA successfully selects a residential location. Each iteration represents the selection process of an agent. We used this model to simulate urban expansion within the Wuhan Urban Development Zone (WHUDZ) of central China from 2009 to 2019. The overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient of the simulation results were 92.78% and 55.24%, respectively, which were higher than the results using logistic regression cellular automata. Moreover, we obtained the relative contributions of various influencing factors in the ANN on the residential location selection, revealing the influence of the land acquisition process on land expansion. In addition, the coupled model predicted that the WHUDZ’s urban land area will reach 1415.82 km2 in 2029, mainly through extensional expansion, and the southeast and northwest will be expansion hot spots.
Robust Wavelet Transform Neural-Network-Based Short-Term Load Forecasting for Power Distribution Networks
Authors: Wang Yijun , Guo Peiqian , Ma Nan , Liu Guowei
Published: December 2022

A precise short-term load-forecasting model is vital for energy companies to create accurate supply plans to reduce carbon dioxide production, causing our lives to be more environmentally friendly. A variety of high-voltage-level load-forecasting approaches, such as linear regression (LR), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), and artificial neural network (ANN) models, have been proposed in recent decades. However, unlike load forecasting in high-voltage transmission systems, load forecasting at the distribution network level is more challenging since distribution networks are more variable and nonstationary. Moreover, existing load-forecasting models only consider the features of the time domain, while the demand load is highly correlated to the frequency-domain information. This paper introduces a robust wavelet transform neural network load-forecasting model. The proposed model utilizes both time- and frequency-domain information to improve the model’s prediction accuracy. Firstly, three wavelet transform methods, variational mode decomposition (VMD), empirical mode decomposition (EMD), and empirical wavelet transformation (EWT), were introduced to transform the time-domain demand load data into frequency-domain data. Then, neural network models were trained to predict all components simultaneously. Finally, all the predicted data were aggregated to form the predicted demand load. Three cases were simulated in the case study stage to evaluate the prediction accuracy under different layer numbers, weather information, and neural network types. The simulation results showed that the proposed robust time–frequency load-forecasting model performed better than the traditional time-domain forecasting models based on the comparison of the performance metrics, including the mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and root mean squared error (RMSE).
Quantitative Assessment of Spatial Pattern of Geodiversity in the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Rong Tianyu , Xu Shuting , Lu Yayan , Tong Yanjun , Yang Zhaoping
Published: December 2022

Geodiversity is considered a new tool to exploit the resources of regional and local geotourism. Hitherto, few assessments of geodiversity have been conceived for huge geographic units. The spatial pattern of geodiversity in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is the purpose of this study. A total of 96 abiotic units in six geo-groups of hydrology, pedology, landform, elevation, geology, and geosites were quantified and normalized to assess the geodiversity index. Geosites that represent interdisciplinary and specific abiotic elements are included as an independent component in the parameters of geodiversity assessment. The TP was divided into 1145 areas by fishnet, for counting of abiotic units, geodiversity calculation, and visualization of findings. The results indicated that the Pamir Plateau, Mt. Kunlun, the Delingha area, Mt. Qilian, the Xining area, Langmusi Town, Mt. Siguniang, Mt. Hengduan, the Nyainqentanglha Range, and the Lhasa area are the zones with very high geodiversity. The low geodiversity areas are mainly concentrated in the Qaidam Basin, the Qingnan Plateau, and the South Tibet region. In the TP, international tourist destinations such as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites and Global Geoparks, are developed in areas of high geodiversity. The spatial pattern of geodiversity could be indicative of geotourism potential, and be used to guide the development planning of geotourism in the TP. The quantitative assessment of geodiversity also provides a new parameter for geoconservation in China.
Corporate Sustainability Performance and Firm Value through Investment Efficiency
Authors: Alsayegh Maha Faisal , Abdul Rahman Rashidah , Homayoun Saeid
Published: December 2022

This study investigates the influence of corporate sustainability performance (CSP) on firm value through investment efficiency. By applying a panel regression analysis using a large sample of 26,838 firm-year observations that represent 9218 Asian listed companies over the period of 2012–2019, we illustrate that high corporate sustainability performance (CSP) increases investment efficiency. This result coincides with both stakeholder theory and information asymmetry theory where economic, environmental, social, and governance involvements play a fundamental role in improving firm value. Our results further show that the social dimension significantly improves investment decisions, unlike dimensions associated with environment and governance, which show no significant effect on investment efficiency. These insights about the impact of CSP on investment decisions will be useful to stakeholders, decision-makers, policymakers, as well as academics to improve their awareness of the importance of corporate sustainability practices. Particularly, the positive relationship between the social dimension of CSP and investment efficiency should motivate managers to improve their corporate social responsibility policy formation and implementation, and the management of investment portfolios in enhancing firm value.
Leveraging Complementary Resources through Relational Capital to Improve Alliance Performance under an Uncertain Environment: A Moderated Mediation Analysis
Authors: Liu Xian , Wang Wenyu , Su Yiyi
Published: December 2022

Integrating the resource-based theory, the relational view, and the contingency theory, this research advances the strategic alliance literature by providing a theoretical framework that explains alliance outcomes from both the inter-organizational and the external environmental perspectives. Specifically, we analyzed the effect of complementary resources on alliance performance through the mechanism of relational capital in an uncertain environment. We also explored the moderating roles of environmental dynamism and environmental hostility in the indirect relationship between resource complementarity and alliance performance with a moderated mediation model. Based on the empirical evidence from a survey of 210 alliance firms, we found that complementary resources that a firm can access from its strategic alliance motivate it to invest relational capital in the partnership, which in turn improves alliance performance. However, the positive link between resource complementarity and relational capital is attenuated under a highly dynamic environment. More importantly, results of the moderated mediation analysis suggest that the mediating effect of relational capital between resource complementarity and alliance performance is stronger when the environment is less dynamic, but this effect is not moderated by environmental hostility. These findings imply that complementary resources are critical antecedents of alliance performance, yet firms could not leverage the value of complementary resources to achieve alliance success without sound relational mechanisms or the ability to adapt to the uncertain environment.
Anticipating Spatial–Temporal Distribution of Regional Highway Traffic with Online Navigation Route Recommendation
Authors: Fan Yuli , Zhan Qingming , Zhang Huizi , Mi Zihao , Xiao Kun
Published: December 2022

Detailed anticipation of potential highway congestion is becoming more necessary, as increasing regional road traffic puts pressure on both highways and towns its passes through; tidal traffic during vacations and unsatisfactory town planning make the situation even worse. Remote sensing and on-site sensors can dynamically detect upcoming congestion, but they lack global and long-term perspectives. This paper proposes a demand-network approach that is based on online route recommendations to exploit its accuracy, coverage and timeliness. Specifically, a presumed optimal route is acquired for each prefecture pair by accessing an online navigation platform with its Application Programming Interface; time attributes are given to down-sampled route points to allocate traffic volume on that route to different hours; then different routes are weighted with the origin–destination traveler amount data from location-based services providers, resulting in fine-level prediction of the spatial–temporal distribution of traffic volume on highway network. Experiments with data in January 2020 show good consistency with empirical predictions of highway administrations, and they further reveal the importance of dealing with congestion hotspots outside big cities, for which we conclude that dynamic bypassing is a potential solution to be explored in further studies.
Animals or Humans: What Do Greek Consumers Care More about When Buying Feta Cheese?
Authors: Papoutsi Georgia , Noulas Pantelis , Tsatoura Katerina
Published: December 2022

Over the last few years, the global consumer concerns for quality standards in food production and distribution have increased, and actions towards a more sustainable agrifood system have become necessary. Ethical labeling schemes, such as animal welfare and fair labor, can help in this direction. To better understand if these labels are indeed an important element in consumer’s buying decisions and to be able to quantify the magnitude of their importance, this study uses the contingent valuation method. Results reveal that respondents place a positive value on both labeling schemes, and they are willing to pay an average premium of 27% and 36% for feta cheese carrying an animal welfare and a fair labor label, respectively. Estimated willingness to pay (WTP) values are affected by demographic characteristics as well as attitudinal variables such as gender, age, prior knowledge of ethical certification labels, purchase frequency and ethically minded purchasing behavior. Overall results suggest that there is a strong market opportunity for both labeling schemes Ethical labeling can be an effective marketing tool for producers and distributors seeking to differentiate their feta cheese products. Furthermore, it is implied that consumers value issues related to labor exploitation in the dairy farming sector higher than inhuman treatment of animals.
Exploitation, Exploration, or Ambidextrousness—An Analysis of the Necessary Conditions for the Success of Digital Servitisation
Authors: Matusek Mirosław
Published: December 2022

The aim of this paper was to investigate the level of necessity for one of the three conditions (organisational capabilities), i.e., exploitation, exploration, and organisational ambidexterity to achieve the desired level of business performance in digital servitisation of manufacturing enterprises. Servitisation (at present, also in combination with Industry 4.0 solutions) is perceived as an important factor for the competitiveness of manufacturers. The idea of (digital) servitisation can also be considered in terms of sustainability. The main expectation here is that successful servitisation will result in a lower environmental impact by moving away from the traditional business model, in which the manufacturer produces the products and then transfers the responsibility for their ownership and use to the customer, towards achieving benefits from the customers’ use of the products (the product remains the property of the manufacturer). Achieving success in digital servitisation requires, among other things, appropriate use of dynamic capabilities, such as exploitation, exploration, or their combination, i.e., organisational ambidexterity. However, it is still unclear to what extent an ambidextrous organisation engages in both types of activities to increase the combined level of exploration or exploitation and how this affects company performance in digital servitisation. On the basis of a survey of a sample of 167 manufacturers, the necessary conditions for achieving the desired performance values were determined. For this purpose, one non-parametric method was used, i.e., necessary condition analysis (NCA). The results show that ambidexterity is not, in every case, a necessary condition for achieving better performance in digital servitisation. Organisational ambidextrousness is a necessary (but not sufficient) condition for better performance in dimensions such as market share, customer retention, sales growth, and overall firm performance. For competitive position, the limiting factor is exploration only, whereas for customer satisfaction, it is exploitation.
Cooperatives and the Use of Artificial Intelligence: A Critical View
Authors: Ramos Maria Elisabete , Azevedo Ana , Meira Deolinda , Curado Malta Mariana
Published: December 2022

Digital Transformation (DT) has become an important issue for organisations. It is proven that DT fuels Digital Innovation in organisations. It is well-known that technologies and practices such as distributed ledger technologies, open source, analytics, big data, and artificial intelligence (AI) enhance DT. Among those technologies, AI provides tools to support decision-making and automatically decide. Cooperatives are organisations with a mutualistic scope and are characterised by having participatory cooperative governance due to the principle of democratic control by the members. In a context where DT is here to stay, where the dematerialisation of processes can bring significant advantages to any organisation, this article presents a critical reflection on the dangers of using AI technologies in cooperatives. We base this reflection on the Portuguese cooperative code. We emphasise that this code is not very different from the ones of other countries worldwide as they are all based on the Statement of Cooperative Identity defined by the International Cooperative Alliance. We understand that we cannot stop the entry of AI technologies into the cooperatives. Therefore, we present a framework for using AI technologies in cooperatives to avoid damaging the principles and values of this type of organisations.
Social Problems in the Secondary Classroom: Gaps in Teacher Initial and Ongoing Training in the Andalusian Region of Spain from the Perspective of Intercultural Education and New Technologies
Authors: Velasco Elisa , Venegas Mar , Sánchez-Miranda Kiko
Published: December 2022

The aim of this article is to analyze the initial and ongoing training of secondary school teachers to deal with the social problems of students in the classroom from the perspective of intercultural education and new technologies. The research starts from the thesis that these social problems can influence the academic and social success or failure of adolescents. Intercultural education and ICTs, with sustainability values, can favor the maturation process of students. The methodology used has been mixed: (1) documentary analysis of the curriculum of initial and continuing teacher training in relation to these social problems; (2) qualitative techniques with teachers, such as interviews and discussion groups to learn about their discourses regarding their professional vision and the training received. This has allowed us to understand professional practice from the perspective of intercultural education and new technologies. The results show training gaps in the curriculum for secondary school teachers to be able to work on social problems in the classroom with interculturality, together with the challenge of including new technologies and sustainability in the accompaniment of students. This research has done in Andalusia, the southernmost region of Spain, but with a desire to extrapolate its conclusions to other national or international contexts.
COVID-19 Impact on the Tourism Accommodation and Restaurant Sectors of São Miguel (Azores)
Authors: de Fátima Brilhante Maria , Rocha Maria Luísa
Published: December 2022

The importance of tourism in the Azores’ economy has been increasing over the years. In order to respond to higher tourist demand, new accommodation establishments and restaurants started activity in the region, creating new jobs and wealth. This trend of economic expansion has been slowed down, possibly reversed, since the COVID-19 pandemic and the various strategies adopted by the government to decrease the infection rate, which led to the arrival of fewer tourists. To assess the pandemic impact after the first lockdown on the economy of São Miguel, the biggest and most visited island of the Azores, surveys were designed for the tourism accommodation and restaurant sectors, both influenced by tourism activity. The main aim was to estimate the mean income drop in the 2020 tourism high season, in percentage, compared to the homologous pre-pandemic 2019 period. The results highlight an adverse impact on those sectors, with the greatest mean income drop being estimated for the local accommodation sector (78.7±3.6%), followed by the traditional hotel sector (74.7±4.6%) and the restaurant sector (58.5±6.5%). Moreover, an almost 60% drop in the mean occupancy rate during the 2020 tourism high season, compared to 2019, was estimated for the tourism accommodation sector.
Metaverse and Sustainability: Systematic Review of Scientific Publications until 2022 and Beyond
Authors: Jauhiainen Jussi S. , Krohn Claudia , Junnila Johanna
Published: December 2022

The metaverse is the next evolution of the Internet, merging the physical and digital worlds into a multiuser environment. It is discussed widely in the media and among technology developers. It may expand to many aspects of society and people’s everyday lives. In this article, we examine how academic discussion and research about the metaverse developed from the 1990s to the end of 2022. We focus on the quantitative development of scientific publications about the metaverse, the key countries and organizations behind these publications, the key research topics and areas, and whether and how those publications addressed sustainability. We identified 491 international scientific publications (peer reviewed articles, reviews, and proceedings papers) related to the metaverse in the Web of Science database and 2240 scientific publications in the Scopus database, between 1995 and 2022. The number of publications is rising very fast as most of publications on the metaverse were published in 2022. Scholars in universities and research institutes in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and South Korea are the most frequent publishers. Publications very seldomly address sustainability as the main subject. Usually, sustainability is considered very narrowly, despite the metaverse’s large and significant expected future economic and social impact. Sustainability and responsibility should be integrated into the design, construction, and development of the metaverse and related research.
The Effect of Identity Salience on Residents’ Engagement with Place Branding during and Post COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Han Wei , Tang Yuwei , Wang Jiayu
Published: December 2022

It is critical for tourism managers and marketers to understand how to support the sustainable recovery of the industry by involving residents in tourism marketing. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic, as an environmental stimulus, could enhance the salience of residents’ collective identity, thereby increasing their engagement with place branding. A conceptual framework was developed to explore the role of relationship-inducing factors and non-relationship-inducing factors in activating residents’ collective identity based on the social identity salience theory of relationship marketing success. The research model was tested using data from 603 questionnaires collected from Sanya, China, during the period of a sudden COVID-19-related crisis. The findings from the statistical analyses showed significant relationships among the research variables, and the moderating role of perceived social connectedness was supported. Our findings have implications regarding how to engage residents in the tourism recovery process during and post the COVID-19 pandemic.
Numerical Analysis of Heat Transfer Behaviours of Melting Process for Ice Thermal Storage Based on Various Heat Source Configurations
Authors: Zhang Chunwei , Chai Dongdong , Fan Yubin , Zhang Wenyun , Yu Meng , Wang Zhenwu , Jiang Long
Published: December 2022

Ice thermal storage (ITS) performance for cooling systems is greatly influenced by the poor thermal conductivity of phase change material (PCM). The effect of natural convection on the melting process is significant for heat transfer enhancement. Thus, the melting performance of PCM in a shell-and-tube latent heat storage (STLHS) unit is numerically studied by considering natural convection in terms of various heat source positions and configurations, i.e., central position, eccentric position, and flat-tube type. Temperature distribution, melting time, and the overall heat transfer coefficient during the process are investigated. The results show that the circulation vortex formed by natural convection is a dominant factor that affects melting front evolution and the overall heat transfer coefficient. When input heat flux is relatively weak, PCM below the heat source is liquefied first. In contrast, PCM in the upper part melts earlier when the heat flux is excellent. The overall heat transfer coefficient decreases sharply with the increase in melting time in the early stage. Then, the heat transfer coefficient tends to be constant. PCM in an STLHS unit with a heat source in a lower position and a configuration of vertical flat-tube type has a desirable performance when compared with other cases, which could provide good support for ITS application.
Organisational Resilience during COVID-19 Times: A Bibliometric Literature Review
Authors: Paeffgen Thea
Published: December 2022

Since the start of the pandemic, organisations have recognised the importance of resilience strategies and they have been trying to enhance them for future crises. COVID-19 has profoundly affected the way that organisations operate and react to recent events. The lessons from this pandemic for future adverse events are yet to be understood. This study aims to identify the most prominent issues and gaps in the literature regarding organisational resilience in the context of COVID-19. To achieve this, this paper is conducting a bibliometric literature review of 185 articles discussing organisational resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2019 to the beginning of 2022. This paper identifies six main topic clusters: (1) entrepreneurial, tourism, and emergency responses; (2) world environment, disruptions, and organisations; (3) employees and mediation; (4) firms and opportunities; (5) capabilities and digitalisation; and (6) leadership during uncertain times. The main contribution of this study is an up-to-date identification of research concerning organisational resilience in times of crisis, particularly research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 is a unique crisis, this pandemic, as well as the timely results of this paper, stand out. In light of this, I believe one can develop innovative, fundamental new directions for resilience literature in the future.
Blue Carbon: Comparison of Chronosequences from Avicennia marina Plantation and Proteresia coarctata Dominated Mudflat, at the World’s Largest Mangrove Wetland
Authors: Chowdhury Abhiroop , Naz Aliya , Dasgupta Rajarshi , Maiti Subodh Kumar
Published: December 2022

Sundarban is the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest but is under threat from anthropogenic interventions. Plantations are the favored method to restore degraded mudflats. In this study, ecological functional soil indicators (available N, soil organic C, available P, salinity) and service (Blue carbon pool) of the iteroparous tree Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. (Acanthaceae family), plantation has been compared with a natural mudflat dominated by mangrove semelparous grass Proteresia coarctata (Roxb.) Tateoka (Poacease family). Both sites were under anthropogenic pressure. It was observed that the P. coarctata dominated natural site has gone through fluctuations in species population between 2012 and 2016 with higher Simpson’s dominance, and lower value of the Shannon–Weiner Index. A one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), indicated that soil indicators have significantly varied and linearly increased across the years at the A. marina plantation site. Blue carbon pool increased by four times (10 cm soil depth) at the plantation site since 2012 compared to only one time in the mangrove grass dominated community within the study period (2012–2016). This study concludes that plantation with iteroparous mangrove species can improve ecosystem function and services at degraded mudflats dominated by semelparous grass and aid in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate action).
Unregistered Employment, Lower Volatility of Unemployment Rate and Sustainable Development of the Chinese Labor Market
Authors: Sun Zhaojun
Published: December 2022

Recent literature and empirical evidence reveal that, compared to advanced economies (AEs), most emerging market economies (EMEs) exhibit much lower volatilities of unemployment rate, and they link these differences to the larger size of informal economies in EMEs. As a representative EME, real data indicate that China also exhibits a lower volatility of unemployment rate, while the size of informal economy in China is quite small. Therefore, we argue that it is the large size of unregistered employment, not the size of informal economy, that plays the key role in explaining the lower volatility of unemployment rate in China. We constructed a DSGE model incorporating unregistered employment and revised Nash wage bargaining to support our hypothesis. We found that there exist “diminishing effects” to the deviations of unemployment rate triggered by shocks under bigger size of unregistered employment condition. The standard deviation of unemployment rate has negative correlation with the size of unregistered employment, which means identical shocks will induce lower volatility of unemployment rate under larger size of unregistered employment condition. We conclude that the costs of unregistered employment far outweigh their benefits and, facing a complicated, changeable and deteriorating external environment, a labor market without such distortion of employment is more beneficial for the sustainable development of the Chinese labor market.
Integration of Distributed Generations in Smart Distribution Networks Using Multi-Criteria Based Sustainable Planning Approach
Authors: Khalil Muhammad Waqas , Altamimi Abdullah , Kazmi Syed Ali Abbas , Khan Zafar A. , Shin Dong Ryeol
Published: December 2022

Energy planning has become more complicated in the 21st century of sustainable development due to the inclusion of numerous standards such as techno-economic, and environmental considerations. This paper proposes multi-criteria sustainable planning (MCSP) based optimization approach for identifying DGs’ optimal allocations and rating powers. The main objectives of this paper are the reduction of the network’s total power loss, voltage profile improvement, energy loss saving maximization, and curtailing environmental emissions and water consumption to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3, 6, 7, 13, and 15) by taking the constraints into consideration. Different alternatives are evaluated across four aspects of performance indices; technical, cost-economic, environmental, and social (TEES). In terms of TEES performance evaluations, various multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches are used to determine the optimal trade-off among the available solutions. These methods are gaining wide acceptance due to their flexibility while considering all criteria and objectives concurrently. Annual energy loss saving is increased by 97.13%, voltage profile is improved to 0.9943 (p.u), and emissions are reduced by 82.45% using the proposed technique. The numerical results of the proposed MCSP approach are compared to previously published works to validate and may be used by researchers and energy planners as a planning tool for ADN schemes.
The Impact of Multidimensional Distance on Agricultural Exports: Evidence from China Based on the Technological Added Value
Authors: Xing Lirong , Yin Xiaomiao , Cao Chuanxiang , Elahi Ehsan , Wei Taoyuan
Published: December 2022

Agricultural exports are vulnerable to many distance factors such as geographical, cultural, economic and institutional distance. Panel data were collected from 63 countries (from 2002 to 2020), and fixed effects regression models were employed to estimate the impact of multidimensional distance on China’s agricultural exports. Results found that the institutional, geographical, and cultural distance negatively impacted China’s agricultural exports significantly. The economic distance significantly promoted exports due to the demand and complementarity of trade between countries. After the technological added value is considered, the cultural distance significantly promoted the export of high-tech agricultural products. It is confirmed that the institutional distance remained the greatest obstacle to agricultural exports, and economic distance promoted agricultural exports. It is imperative to focus on promoting mutual cultural understanding and communication of institutional policies to stimulate agricultural exports and improve the exports of agricultural products of high technological content.
Structural Changes and Income Inequality in China, 2000–2017: A Bi-Dimensional Inequality Decomposition Analysis
Authors: Tan Liang , Akita Takahiro
Published: December 2022

The paper explores the changes in the determinants of interprovincial inequality in China during the period of 2000 to 2017 by way of bi-dimensional decomposition method. The method integrates two inequality decompositions by both regional groups and gross regional product components, helping us to evaluate the contributions of gross regional product components to both within-region and between-region inequalities, and to overall interprovincial inequality. It is found that the overall inequality exhibited a declining trend and the “Western Development Strategy” in Region 3 during the second sub-period from 2005 to 2012 contributed mostly to the decrease in interprovincial inequality. Moreover, as 57.3 percent of the interprovincial inequality is accounted for by the between-region inequality component, more preferential policies in terms of tax deduction, transfer payments, foreign trade promotion and the like should be issued to the less developed interior provinces in Region 2 and Region 3.