Search

Abstract Multinational investment has attracted mixed reactions from scholars and policymakers concerning their role and impact on job creation in host countries, particularly in developing economies. Using Ghana as a case study, this paper examines the impact of Greenfield investment on job creation. Proponents of multinational corporations (MNCs) argue that foreign direct investment (FDI) leads to economic growth, creates technological spillover, increases exports, and creates jobs, among other benefits. This has encouraged developing economies to adopt developmental strategies around MNC activities. Although most researchers have analyzed the impact of FDI on job creation, the unanswered question is: Does greenfield investment in Ghana lead to significant job creation in the formal sector? Extant literature considers FDI monolithic, without adequately differentiating between Green and Brownfield investments. Using granular data from the FDI Markets, this research paper fills this gap by empirically analyzing the Greenfield investment by 386 multinational companies in Ghana from 2003 to September 2020. Over the specified year range, these companies engaged in 500 projects across Ghana. Adopting the ordinary least square analysis (OLS), the study demonstrates that Greenfield investment has a statistically significant and positive impact on job creation in Ghana. Out of the 31 sectors, only the following sectors contribute significantly to job creation through Greenfield investment in Ghana: Consumer Products, Food & Beverage, Industrial Equipment, and Non-automotive transport OEM. This paper contributes to a better understanding of how government investment in fixed assets (GCF) such as roads, railways, and industrial buildings in the local economy should be managed efficiently so as not to spur inflation, which correlates negatively with jobs. Finally, this paper analyzes Chinese investments in Ghana, comparing them with U.S. investments, and examining their broader geopolitical implications, which highlights the importance of aligning foreign investments with national development strategies and adhering to international norms and standards.

Abstract Animal advocacy is a complex phenomenon. As a social movement encompassing diverse moral stances and lifestyle choices, veganism and vegetarianism (veg*) are at its core, and animal testing raises as a notably contentious issue within its members. This paper addresses this critical topic. Employing data from an international quantitative survey conducted between June and July 2021, our research explores how ethical vegans and vegetarians responded during the COVID-19 crisis. By comparing the experiences and choices between the two groups, we aimed to understand the variances in attitudes and behaviors in the face of an ethical dilemma, highlighting the interplay between personal beliefs and social pressures in times of a health crisis. Our findings reveal stark contrasts in how vegans and vegetarians navigated the pandemic; vegans displayed less conformity yet experienced a significant compromise of their ethical values, particularly in their overwhelming acceptance of vaccination. This study enhances the field of veg* research and social movement studies by exploring how a social crisis shapes members’ behaviors and perspectives. Our findings also contribute to a better understanding of the challenges and prejudices that a minority group such as vegans may face and how they cope with the pressure to go against the mainstream at a time when society is polarized by a single discourse that goes against their moral values.

Abstract Quantifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of government support for rural development is crucial for accurately optimizing or formulating policies for rural development, but research identifying government support for rural development at the geospatial scale has not yet emerged. This paper used Hubei Province, China, as the study area and constructed indicators of government support for rural development based on the intensity of support, the spatial direction of support, and the spatial agglomeration of support based on the characteristics of legal rural construction land allocation. Panel data regression was used to quantify the direction of rural development that requires the allocation of rural construction land based on government support. The results showed that government support for rural development through legal rural construction land allocation has strong spatiotemporal characteristics: From 2009 to 2018, the intensity of support grew, the spatial direction of support was regular, and government support was increasingly manifested as local agglomeration. The orientations of government support through legal rural construction land allocation for rural development include farmers’ production, farmers’ livelihoods and social security. This research provides a reference for quantifying government support through legal rural construction land allocation for rural development and the direction of government support.

Abstract The local climate zones (LCZs) classification system has emerged as a more refined method for assessing the urban heat island (UHI) effect. However, few researchers have conducted systematic critical reviews and summaries of the research on LCZs, particularly regarding significant advancements of this field in recent years. This paper aims to bridge this gap in scientific research by systematically reviewing the evolution, current status, and future trends of LCZs framework research. Additionally, it critically assesses the impact of the LCZs classification system on climate-responsive urban planning and design. The findings of this study highlight several key points. First, the challenge of large-scale, efficient, and accurate LCZs mapping persists as a significant issue in LCZs research. Despite this challenge, the universality, simplicity, and objectivity of the LCZs framework make it a promising tool for a wide range of applications in the future, especially in the realm of climate-responsive urban planning and design. In conclusion, this study makes a substantial contribution to the advancement of LCZs research and advocates for the broader adoption of this framework to foster sustainable urban development. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights for researchers and practitioners engaged in this field.

Abstract Nowadays, despite centuries of striving for equality, women still face higher levels of discrimination compared to men in nearly every aspect of life. Recently, this systemic inequality has manifested in cyberspace through the proliferation of abusive content that is even more aggressive than what one would expect in the 21st century. Various research disciplines are now attempting to characterise this new manifestation of misogyny. The endeavour to comprehend this phenomenon has resulted in a significant increase in publications from several fields, including Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Psychology, and Computer Science. This paper presents a systematic review of multidisciplinary research on misogyny from the years 1990 to 2022, encompassing a total of 2830 articles retrieved from the Scopus database as of December 31, 2022. The literature is thoroughly analysed using three approaches: bibliometric analysis, topic detection, and qualitative analysis of the documents. The findings suggest that the analysis of online misogyny has been the primary driver behind the exponential growth in publications in this field. Additionally, the results of the topic analysis and topic interaction reveal a limited connection between the areas of knowledge that are necessary to fully grasp this complex phenomenon.

Abstract Entrepreneurship education (EE) has rapidly evolved within higher education and has emerged as a pivotal mechanism for cultivating innovative and entrepreneurial talent. In China, while EE has made positive strides, it still faces a series of practical challenges. These issues cannot be effectively addressed solely through the efforts of universities. Based on the triple helix (TH) theory, this study delves into the unified objectives and practical content of EE in Chinese higher education. Through a comprehensive literature review on EE, coupled with educational objectives, planned behavior, and entrepreneurship process theories, this study introduces the 4H objective model of EE. 4H stands for Head (mindset), Hand (skill), Heart (attitude), and Help (support). Additionally, the research extends to a corresponding content model that encompasses entrepreneurial learning, entrepreneurial practice, startup services, and the entrepreneurial climate as tools for achieving the objectives. Based on a single-case approach, this study empirically explores the application of the content model at T-University. Furthermore, this paper elucidates how the university plays a role through the comprehensive development of entrepreneurial learning, practices, services, and climate in nurturing numerous entrepreneurs and facilitating the flourishing of the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem. This paper provides important contributions in its application of TH theory to develop EE within the Chinese context, and it provides clear guidance by elucidating the core objectives and practical content of EE. The proposed conceptual framework serves not only as a guiding tool but also as a crucial conduit for fostering the collaborative development of the EE ecosystem. To enhance the robustness of the framework, this study advocates strengthening empirical research on TH theory through multiple and comparative case studies.

Abstract Citizens’ daily appeals are generally accompanied by negative sentiment, yet little is known about the impact of negative emotions on official response behaviors in a closed online environment. This study analyzed over 2.6 million environmental appeals and their handling records from China’s closed complaint platform to explore how individual negative emotions affect department response behaviors. The results showed that negative emotions could cause departments to respond more rapidly and decrease the likelihood of the citizens receiving department assistance. Whether the appeal can be handled efficiently also depends on the oversight of the department and the respondent’s implementation. Negative emotion towards the department is more likely to lead to a failed handling of the appeal. In addition, when citizens face serious hazards, such as health risks, negative emotions are understandable. Negative emotional appeals concerning health risks receive more time and effective intervention by departments. This paper sheds light on the role of negative emotions in shaping feedback and provides suggestions for improving individual appeal expression and departmental response behavior.

Abstract The paper aimed to investigate the cyclical dynamics of the business, credit, and investment sectors in India. This was achieved by utilizing annual data from 1980 to 2021 and investigating the impact of domestic and global financial cycles on the business cycle. The cycles were derived using the Hodrick–Prescott filter, and structural vector autoregression (SVAR) and Granger causality tests were employed to establish the dynamic interactions among these cycles. The results of the study revealed a clear divergence between domestic and global financial cycles. Additionally, the SVAR analysis confirmed the presence of a long-run relationship between business, investment, and credit cycles. Notably, the findings suggest that credit cycles can provide valuable insights to manage business cycles in India. Finally, robustness checks were conducted to confirm the reliability of SVAR findings.

Abstract This study explores the necessity and direction of safety regulations for Artificial Intelligence (AI), drawing parallels from the regulatory practices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for nuclear safety. The rapid advancement and global proliferation of AI technologies necessitate the establishment of standardized safety norms to minimize discrepancies between national regulations and enhance the consistency and effectiveness of these rules. The study emphasizes the importance of international collaboration and the engagement of various stakeholders to strengthen the appropriateness of regulations and ensure their continuous updating in response to the evolving risks associated with technological advancements. The paper highlights the critical role of subgoal setting mechanisms in AI’s decision-making processes, underscoring their significance in ensuring the technology’s stability and social acceptability. Improperly tuned subgoal setting mechanisms may lead to outcomes that conflict with human intentions, posing risks to users and society at large. The study draws attention to the hidden risks often embedded within AI’s core decision-making mechanisms and advocates for regulatory approaches to guarantee safe and predictable AI operations. Furthermore, the study acknowledges the limitations of directly applying IAEA’s nuclear safety cases to AI due to the distinct characteristics and risks of the two fields. The paper calls for future research to delve deeper into the need for an independent regulatory framework tailored to AI’s unique features. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of accelerating international consensus, developing flexible regulatory models that reflect the situation in each country, exploring harmonization with existing regulations, and researching timely regulatory responses to the fast-paced development of AI technology.

Abstract The building materials industry ranks first in terms of carbon emissions and energy consumption within the industrial sector. To achieve the goal of reducing carbon emissions, the development of the green intelligent building materials (GIBMs) industry has become a strategic priority and major demand for the country. Government support plays a vital role in promoting the growth of the GIBMs industry. This paper utilizes evolutionary game theory and Matlab software to analyze the impact of government regulations on the development of the GIBMs industry. The research findings indicate the following. i) Appropriate government control over building materials enterprises is beneficial for the advancement of the GIBMs industry. A balance is necessary, as both excessive control and weak control hinder the industry’s development. ii) Increased financial assistance from the government to enterprises producing GIBMs has a positive influence. This support enables building materials enterprises to overcome technical barriers, drive technological innovation, and encourage construction developers to actively purchase these materials. iii) Stronger government punishment for pollutant emissions by building materials enterprises serves as a catalyst for the production of GIBMs. Stricter penalties motivate these enterprises to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. iv) Moderate to strong government investment in infrastructure has a significant impact. It prompts construction developers to actively choose and purchase GIBMs. In response to government regulations and market demand, building materials enterprises are inclined to produce these environmentally friendly materials. This study emphasizes the importance of government regulations and support in promoting the growth of the GIBMs industry. By implementing appropriate control measures, providing financial assistance, imposing punishments for pollution, and investing in infrastructure, the government can effectively encourage the development of the GIBMs industry. These measures contribute to achieving the double carbon goals and fostering a more sustainable built environment.

Abstract Religious studies in the past paid more attention to the changes of institutional religion than to the status characteristic of folk beliefs. This paper argues that religious categorization based on institutional religion is not conducive to understanding the cultural and religious life of Chinese society, but rather leads to the stigmatization of folk religion and the reduction of the life-world. From this perspective, the historical development of folk religion affects the relationship between national elites, institutionalized religion, and civil society. Folk religion can be foregrounded and exerts great impact on the rise and fall of institutional religion. The folk religion revival in contemporary China and the development of related studies also promote the renewal of religious categorization. The revival of folk religion in the new millennium can consequently facilitate social integration and provide new possibilities for overcoming institutional religion’s exclusiveness and for increasing the cultural diversity of Chinese society.

Abstract This review examines 233 articles published in Chinese academic journals between 2011 and 2021, documenting the state of research concerning flipped classrooms (FCs) in foreign language teaching within the context of higher education in China. Employing the methodological approach of a scoping review, the investigation is underpinned by the five-stage framework articulated by Arksey and O’Malley. The results reveal a notable surge in FC-related studies between 2013 and 2017, with a subsequent decline in scholarly attention. The majority of the reviewed studies on FCs focused on English instruction at the college level, with a conspicuous dearth of inquiry into the application of FCs in the teaching of other foreign languages. All studies were categorized as either empirical or non-empirical, and the most frequently used instruments for data collection were surveys and interviews; case studies were underrepresented in the literature. Early studies focused on the introduction of the new model, while more recent investigations focused on the impact of its implementation. The findings of the in-depth content analysis unearthed a prevailing trend of high learner satisfaction with the FC model, along with favorable direct and indirect educational outcomes. Noteworthy factors influencing the efficacy of FCs included learners’ foreign language proficiency and their self-regulation or self-discipline abilities. The paper concludes with a discussion of the challenges in FC implementation and a call for future research on this promising pedagogy.

Abstract This paper examines the application and evolution of philosophical practice in China, which employs philosophical principles and methods to facilitate insights and address life’s complexities. We aim to bridge the knowledge gap regarding the trajectory and contemporary landscape of China’s philosophical practice and its impact on individual and societal flourishing. Guided by the research question, “How has philosophical practice evolved in China, and what are its challenges and future prospects?” this study adopts a qualitative research methodology, including a literature review, historical analysis, and case studies from Chinese philosophical communities. Findings indicate a burgeoning growth of philosophical practice in China, with traditional Chinese philosophies being adapted to provide practical guidance for contemporary issues. The spread of philosophical practice communities across China reflects a growing embrace of these practices. This paper outlines the hurdles and prospects for philosophical practice, pinpointing opportunities for further research and cross-cultural engagement. The insights furnished by this study offer a framework for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to enhance philosophical practice’s role in personal growth and societal well-being, both within China and internationally.

Abstract This study focuses on how recent global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war have affected the relationship between the U.S. and Chinese agricultural futures markets. By applying wavelet coherence analysis (WCA) and time-varying parameter vector autoregression (TVP-VAR), we obtain the following findings. First, both events have changed the correlation and lead–lag comovement between U.S. and Chinese soybean and corn futures returns but have little impact on the comovement between the two cotton futures returns. Second, U.S. agricultural markets transmit more volatility risk to Chinese markets than the risk spillover from the reverse direction. Third, the risk spillover enhancement effect from the war is stronger than that from the pandemic, which is obvious in both the soybean and corn futures markets but not in the cotton market. Our paper has implications for policy makers seeking to stabilize agricultural commodity prices during global crisis episodes and for designing strategies for cross-market hedging of spillover risks among commodity markets for international investors.

Abstract Natural language inference (NLI) is a fundamental task of natural language processing (NLP). Most recent NLI research has focused on explaining the model’s decisions in generating causal explanations (i.e., why did a premise/hypothesis pair as input lead to their inference relation as output?). As layer-based language models can learn language structure information, this paper conducts a sample-by-sample analysis of the linguistic feature relation between premise and hypothesis that is expected to guide NLI modeling and interpretation better. Our empirical study verifies that the linguistic feature relation of premise/hypothesis pairs can be seen in NLI inference models, which can be used to interpret inference samples. Meanwhile, experimental results show that these linguistic features relation interpretation can help the NLI model achieve comparable inference accuracy compared with state-of-the-art methods.

Abstract The open innovation paradigm has evolved from its incipient form, namely Schumpeter’s new production function from 1912, to the current context of a global network of societies, including virtual communities that produce innovative ideas and industry applications through knowledge transfer. The role of industry-university cooperation and networks is widely recognized within the current academic approach. However, the context of higher education, its characteristics, and business application are not thoroughly explained from the Open Innovation (OI) perspective. The debate and further understanding of OI, industry-university cooperation, and the accurate application of academic knowledge to the business world and society are academics’ main concerns nowadays, our research being a beginning step. The research objective is to present the evolution of the innovation concept from the higher education perspective through a qualitative review of existing studies. The contribution of this paper is linked to the proposed higher education service life cycle framework for academics based on the current needs for innovation, accessibility, and global integration.

Abstract The social distancing imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the digitalisation of societies, which also influenced habits related to the consumption and dissemination of news. In this context, older individuals are often blamed for contributing to disinformation, which is associated with the echo chambers fostered by social media. Mass media, social media and personal communication tools act as mass, social or personal intermediaries when it comes to keeping up to date with the news. This paper analyses the preferred intermediaries of older online adults (aged 60 and over) for following the news and how they change over time. We analysed two waves of an online survey-based longitudinal study conducted in Canada and Spain, before Covid-19 pandemic (2016/17), and during Covid-19 (in 2020). We found that most participants exclusively use mass intermediaries or combine mass with social and personal intermediaries to keep abreast of the news. However, only 28% of respondents inform themselves exclusively through the alleged echo chambers of social and personal intermediaries. Results also show that media ecologies evolve in different directions, and, despite the forced digitalisation driven by the pandemic, digital media usage did not always increase or evolve towards newer technologies. This paper contributes to understanding the diverse intermediaries used by older adults to obtain news and how such media ecologies can contribute to contrasting different sources of information beyond the alleged echo chambers of social media.

Abstract Big digital companies have become key elements in economy, communication, education, and politics in 21st century societies. The neutral ideology in their digital platforms, applications, and services, as well as the exponential growth in their activities can be used by world superpowers —especially the United States and China— to implement geostrategical operations, massive social manipulation or influence democratic processes with the objective of increasing their power and dominance over other nations. The aim of this paper is to state the different strategies of digital expansionism performed by the United States and China, and, additionally, to showcase the negative consequences of these strategies on the population and democracies of the European Union. The first section of this paper will define the concepts of digital sovereignty and digital expansionism as well as their importance in 21st century geopolitics. Next, the important role that big digital companies have on digital expansionism will be analysed, and the usage of digital authoritarianism and digital instrumentarianism performed by the United States and China will be further examined. Finally, the negative consequences of the implementation of these methods in the democratic systems of the European Union will be analysed, as well as what possible solutions there might be for said consequences.

Abstract Building upon the concept of mainstreaming social sciences within conservation, we consider their mainstreaming, and so integration, within UK environment policy and practice (EPP) organisations. The paper responds to increasing calls to recognise the essential role of social sciences in addressing global environmental crises across policy, practice and research. An actor-oriented approach was deployed, producing empirical information from a multi-stage, co-designed, collaborative study involving 19 social scientists from a range of EPP organisations, to understand how they experience the mainstreaming of social sciences. The findings contribute to debates about the politics of knowledge in organisational domains other than those focused on research, specifically EPP organisations. Evidence was found of recent positive changes in how social sciences are perceived, resourced and utilised within EPP, as well as examples of positive impact. However, although EPP organisations are recognising the opportunities that social sciences expertise brings, in practice social sciences still face barriers to effective integration. Many of the challenges faced by the social sciences within academic multi-discipline research (e.g., late, narrow, or selective enrolment) were also experienced in EPP organisations, along with some unique challenges. Informed by the findings, the paper proposes a set of integration indicators designed to assess organisational progress toward addressing the observed challenges. It is recommended that these indicators are employed at a strategic level by EPP organisations seeking to better integrate social sciences expertise into their work.

Abstract Due to the continuous progress of constructing sustainable environments in China, the role played by the Chinese central government as the main body for promoting green development is worth studying. Because China’s ecological civilization building has been steadily progressing. Governments at all levels in China have prioritised the development of environmental civilization as a key aspect of regional growth. However, the actual impact and mechanisms of influence of this construction still require further investigation. This paper constructs a government environmental attention index using word frequency found in the Report on the Work of the Government. It uses a long difference model to study the impact and mechanism of government environmental attention on urban green efficiency, carbon emissions and air quality. The results show that the government’s ecological attention can improve green efficiency, and air quality, but it can also lead to increased carbon emissions, and the impact is particularly evident in the eastern and western regions of the country. This is because the government’s emphasis on the environment significantly impacts on environmental regulations and technological progress, and is directly influenced by fiscal bias and financial pressure. Given the results, we put forward some policy suggestions that local governments should improve the intensity of local environmental regulation, encourage green technology innovation, provide encouraging conditions for environmental development, and establish a long-term strategic vision. The findings in this study has implications for promoting the implementation of local governments’ environmental protection and the development of sustainable societies in China.

Abstract In the realm of emergency response, the swift and efficient deployment of mobile units is of paramount importance. This research introduces a strategy centered around the “proximity response” principle, aiming to strategically position emergency services nearer to areas of higher demand. This approach is designed to enhance response times while optimizing resource allocation. Through the integration of practical planning with user-friendly computational methodologies, this paper presents a novel framework for improving the allocation and reach of emergency facilities. This includes extending critical care to broader areas and minimizing operational costs. The simulations conducted demonstrate that this strategy markedly enhances crisis management effectiveness. The paper also includes a statistical analysis that provides substantial evidence of the practicality and efficiency of this approach in real-world emergency scenarios. This study contributes to the field by offering a new perspective on resource distribution and emergency response planning, potentially impacting the way these critical services are organized and deployed.

Abstract The interest rate derivatives market is an important force in promoting the development of the bond market and is an effective tool to manage interest rate risk. The research on price discovery and volatility spillover of the market can help provide valuable reference information for investors. Based on treasury bond futures and interest rate swaps, the paper aims to discuss the price discovery function and spillover structure of the interest rate derivatives market. The paper establishes the information share model and spillover index model for empirical analysis. The results show that: First, the calculation results of the information share model show that the price discovery of treasury bond futures and interest rate swap markets is stronger than that of the spot market. Second, based on structural break analysis, treasury bond futures and interest rate swaps do not have breakpoints, while the treasury bond spot has three breakpoints. The paper divides the entire sample into four stages based on structural breakpoints and finds that the price discovery ability of the interest rate derivative market dynamically changed. Third, as a net spillover in the market, treasury bond futures have developed relatively stable. Both treasury bond futures and interest rate swaps have spillover effects on the spot market, indicating that China’s interest rate derivatives market can impact the treasury bond spot market.

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) can support the company’s internal audit function (IAF) by delivering substantial strategic oversight, minimizing manual procedures, and making possible additional value-added auditing service. Currently, there are research gaps in the literature, such as limited studies on the topic, low AI adoption rates in the IAF across different countries and regions, and a shortage of comprehensive frameworks for effectively using AI in the IAF. Hence, this review work aims to fill the research gap by offering an outline of research avenues on the topic in the literature and suggesting a new compressive framework for the effective use of AI in the IAF. This paper undertakes a systematic literature review (SLR) approach and aspires to highlight the state of research on the use of AI in the IAF, to deliver insight for scholars and industry experts on the issue, and to reveal the implications for IAF of the new AI technology. Moreover, to quickly make artificial intelligence work in internal audit functions, the CACS framework was recommended with attributes such as commitment, access, capability, and skills development (CACS). This work provides significant contributions for guiding future research directions and the development of theoretical foundations for the IAF field. On a practical level, the work will help internal auditors to assess and understand the potential advantages and risks of implementing AI in their organization’s IAF. For regulators, this review should prove useful for updating regulations on internal auditing in the context of using advanced technology such as AI and for ensuring the compliance of internal auditing practices to the evolving technology. Organizations can also benefit from this review to decide whether AI investments in their IAF are justified. This review made an initial extensive SLR on AI use in the IAF as a basis for developing new research avenues in auditing and accounting.

Abstract In this paper, we apply the methods of graph theory to reveal hidden relations within the corpus of the Hebrew Bible texts. The structure of relations between different texts was studied based upon their interpretation of the otherworld and the afterlife. We have identified 43 most relevant texts that contained concepts related to the notion of the otherworld and constructed a graph representing the relations between the considered texts. The obtained graph was decomposed into 3 densely connected subgraphs using the Louvain method. An initial interpretation has been given to the results of the decomposition. Furthermore, we used different ranking methods to determine the most important texts forming the network structure of the intertextual connections. It turned out that there is an invariant set of texts that can be interpreted as having the larger influence or importance on the development of the idea of the otherworld. These texts are Proto-Isaiah, Qoheleth, Job, Psalms, and Proverbs as well as 1 Samuel, Ezekiel, and Book of Genesis. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the notions, associated with these texts, reveals that there are several concepts that are likely to be associated with the most influential texts.

Abstract Industrial designers have a need to acquire knowledge related to physical materials and undertake activities such as materials selection and materials-driven creative design. Chinese indigenous materials (CIMs) and relevant crafts are identified as a significant but currently untapped resource for designers. Existing research lacks systematic organization and classification for this rich resource making it difficult to develop an online materials database for creative design. To enable industrial designers to develop an understanding of CIMs, obtain design inspiration and stimulate creative design activity, this paper reports on the development of a framework for a taxonomy of CIMs. Through literature review and analysis of existing design tools, the purpose, ending conditions, basic methods and framework of a taxonomy were identified. Taking Xuan Paper as an example, a case study was undertaken to establish methods and processes. When combined with expert interviews and user questionnaires, the usefulness, efficiency and acceptability of the research framework were evaluated, optimized and validated. The findings indicate that a CIM taxonomy can support designers to systematically acquire materials and processing information, facilitate materials-driven creative design, material comparison/selection and provide a framework for the construction of CIM-related databases.

Abstract Relevant data on sensitive and politicised political processes might be difficult to obtain and is sometimes even purposely hidden from the public domain. Policy elite interviews constitute crucial sources of information in policy research. However, there are significant challenges associated with ‘researching up’ which sets elite interviews apart from other interview methods. Although there is a great deal of literature concerning interviews conducted via phone or audio-visual computer programs, the implications of conducting policy elite interviews online have received surprisingly little attention. This paper discusses how going online can mediate the main challenges associated with policy elite interviews. These challenges include barriers to gaining access, dealing with biased information, and problems concerning positionality. Based on a least likely case to access relevant data, this paper reflects on personal experience from 20 online interviews with European Commission representatives on policy responses to the 2015 migration crisis. The paper concludes that the online format facilitated unique insights into a highly controversial issue area.

Abstract Scientists have proposed many “Beyond-GDP” indicators to replace the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in order to quantify genuine societal development. While GDP is regularly projected, research on future trajectories of Beyond-GDP indicators is lacking, failing to meet policymakers’ needs. Focusing on the Human Development Index (HDI), this paper attempts to calculate one of the first global well-being projections for 161 countries by 2100 using the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), the socioeconomic inputs underlying global climate change scenarios. The results indicate a potential global well-being improvement from medium to very high level, depending on the SSPs, with most countries reaching high human development under SSPs 1&5. While serving as an initial step in well-being projection, the results highlight a crucial gap in existing climate change models which are used by the IPCC—they inadequately account for the feedback effects of climate change on well-being. This oversight results in counterintuitive or potentially misleading well-being projections. Therefore, we propose steps to improve this situation. By synthesizing climate change feedback effects on HDI determinants, this assessment delves into their implications for well-being and further underscores the necessity for interdisciplinary collaborations among well-being researchers, climate scientists and policy modelers to achieve sound integral well-being projections.

Abstract In recent years, the state government of China has vigorously supported the export of cultural projects. As the carrier of cultural output, television dramas carry important missions of cultural communication. In the age of convergence when the practice of watching television involves more viewer engagement, audience reception investigates how audiences may engage in a broad range of interactive experiences and activities. This paper focuses on the reception of Chinese television dramas streamed overseas on two prominent video streaming sites, YouTube and Rakuten Viki. Adopting a corpus-based approach, it first identifies the top ten most popular Chinese television dramas on the two sites. Subsequently, user-generated reviews and comments for the selected dramas are collected, and a corpus analysis is conducted on the data derived from the two platforms. The findings reveal that a) viewers exhibit a notable preference for Chinese contemporary dramas, and in particular, modern romance dramas; b) the predominant concerns underlying the reception of Chinese television dramas revolve around storylines, actors/characters and subtitles; c) reviews and comments related to subtitling can be categorized into distinct themes, which reveal the major concerns of international viewership. Through the investigation, this paper attempts to promote the translation and reception of Chinese television dramas and expand the export market of Chinese productions.

Abstract Questions abound over how universities should teach and prepare the next generation of researchers to confront current and future wicked problems. With so much focus on curriculum and training, it is crucial that we step back and reflect on higher education’s capabilities to foster solution-oriented, collaborative research. What do the institutional incentive structures in higher education support, in terms of practices and outputs related to scholarship? And are those structures felt evenly across the academy? Those doing research in these spaces—in terms of title, autonomy, power, privilege, and status—vary widely by their institutional locations as well as in terms of their ties to broader disciplinary norms. To assess whether these dynamic, contested institutional landscapes afford so-called wicked problem scholarship, this paper draws from survey and interview data collected from 44 researchers working at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems at Carnegie Research 1 universities in the United States. Findings point to an uneven institutional landscape, which is shown to shape in different ways the type of solutions-oriented, collaborative scholarship fostered across the five positions examined. The paper concludes by reflecting on the paper’s findings, particularly in terms of what the data tell us about higher education as a place that fosters wicked problems scholarship, while also highlighting the study’s limitations.

Abstract While scholarly research on green public procurement (GPP) keeps growing, until now it has paid little attention to museums that must make decisions about GPP implementation. This paper breaks new ground by exploring GPP implementation in the most visited European museums. The proposed conceptual framework allows a comparison and a mapping of museums’ GPP implementation levels while taking account of how these levels are related to the national GPP performance. Complementing this framework with the analysis of the up-to-date data from the Tender Electronic Daily database yields two central findings. First, museums that formalized their GPP policies in their strategic organizational documents exhibit higher levels of GPP implementation than other museums that have not done so. Second, the majority of the investigated museums follow national trends of GPP implementation, with examples of exceeding or falling below these trends being rare. The article is important for policy makers and practitioners as it highlights the importance of the factor of institutionalization of green procurement in individual organizations, which is crucial for successful implementation of green procurement.

Abstract This paper aims to provide an empirical prediction of residential well-being (RWB) and sense of community (SoC) among Chinese rural-urban migrants (RUMs). Multiple linear regressions are used with survey data derived from a representative sample of 15 migrant villages located in three major urban regions of China in order to evaluate the contributions of socioeconomic factors, living conditions, and neighborhood conditions to the SoC score and RWB score. The majority of the sample consists of middle-aged, married men who live in shared housing, are registered in the agricultural Hukou (household registration) system, and have subpar housing. Empirical analyses show that, after adjusting for socioeconomic factors, living conditions, and community neighborhood conditions, Hukou status (urban or rural) significantly influences the RWB score rather than the SoC score. In the simultaneous equation models, the following factors can predict the SoC score and RWB score: age, gender, educational attainment, home ownership, number of housing facilities, monthly household income, number of living rooms, number of problem-solving channels, and converted residences. The SoC score and RWB score have a moderately strong correlation. Therefore, improving the living, institutional, socioeconomic, and neighborhood conditions will help to improve the SoC and RWB of RUMs.

Abstract What are the best methods of capturing thematic similarity between literary texts? Knowing the answer to this question would be useful for automatic clustering of book genres, or any other thematic grouping. This paper compares a variety of algorithms for unsupervised learning of thematic similarities between texts, which we call “computational thematics”. These algorithms belong to three steps of analysis: text pre-processing, extraction of text features, and measuring distances between the lists of features. Each of these steps includes a variety of options. We test all the possible combinations of these options. Every combination of algorithms is given a task to cluster a corpus of books belonging to four pre-tagged genres of fiction. This clustering is then validated against the “ground truth” genre labels. Such comparison of algorithms allows us to learn the best and the worst combinations for computational thematic analysis. To illustrate the difference between the best and the worst methods, we then cluster 5000 random novels from the HathiTrust corpus of fiction.

Abstract This paper examines the implications of AI and machine translation on traditional lexicography, using three canonical scenarios for dictionary use: text reception, text production, and text translation as test cases. With the advent of high-capacity, AI-driven language models such as OpenAI’s GPT-3 and GPT-4, and the efficacy of machine translation, the utility of conventional dictionaries comes under question. Despite these advancements, the study finds that lexicography remains relevant, especially for less-documented languages where AI falls short, but human lexicographers excel in data-sparse environments. It argues for the importance of lexicography in promoting linguistic diversity and maintaining the integrity of lesser-known languages. Moreover, as AI technologies progress, they present opportunities for lexicographers to expand their methodology and embrace interdisciplinarity. The role of lexicographers is likely to shift towards guiding and refining increasingly automated tools, ensuring ethical linguistic data use, and counteracting AI biases.

Abstract Research on issues such as adapting to rapid environmental change should include indigenous and local people in developing more robust and inclusive diagnoses and responses. Various studies indicate that such projects may face challenges. Researchers touch on these in papers where they reflect on their own work, but to a lesser extent in their empirical papers. Based on interviews with, and articles by, a varied sample of 15 researchers who work with local or indigenous peoples around the globe, I identified the challenges they face and how they deal with them. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed eight themes: (1) external pressure, (2) engaging local people, (3) relevance of projects, (4) prior negative experiences, (5) cultural, historical, and geographical differences, (6) language challenges, (7) payment for participation, and (8) diverging epistemic cultures. Respondents’ statements in all themes contain reflections displaying care, consideration, or responsibility for the projects and the local people they involve. This links the challenges with everyday ethics. Analysis of scientific papers written by the respondents showed that they hardly write about the challenges they face, whereby neither local participants nor other readers of these texts are actively informed by and engaged in critical-reflective discussions about the challenges arising during the research and the strategies used to deal with them. The research community has a responsibility to remedy this shortcoming: in their papers, authors should discuss the main challenges faced and develop, describe, and promulgate strategies for dealing with them.

Abstract This paper started from an inductive ethnography conducted within a cancer research lab in Belgium. The primary objective was to explore how researchers make decisions and rationalize their scientific practices. Through data collected from participant observation, interviews, and analysis of research protocols, the study exposes serious knowledge gaps that compromise research ethics. Specifically, the findings reveal the scientists’ need for more understanding of the validity of their lab machines and the readymade consumables procured from external providers. Moreover, without questioning this dependency, our participants (scientists) rely heavily on machines and consumables for almost all their research protocols. The findings suggest that cancer researchers place unjustifiable trust in the lab’s machines and the external providers’ reliability; this compromises the following three fundamental ethical principles: research integrity, responsible conduct, and the responsibility of using resources and technologies.

Abstract Carbon emission reduction is an important means of achieving climate policy goals. However, the literature has neglected consideration of the carbon emission reduction mechanism from the perspective of technology risk spillovers in international trade. To explore this mechanism, this paper expands the classical linear model of foreign trade technology risk spillovers into a nonlinear spatial Durbin model. We construct a novel technology risk spillover index to forecast the magnitude of carbon emissions in agricultural trade across different regions. To validate our model, we consider the dual connotation of the spatial diffusion of disembodied technology communication (DTC) to map the relationships between different geographic and economic regions that are adjacent. The results suggest that disembodied technology risk spillover could promote carbon emission reductions. Specifically, technology risk spillovers from agricultural trade reduce agricultural carbon emissions by 0.79–1.16% in the local region. Disembodied technology risk spillovers also reduce agricultural carbon emissions by 2.85–11.57% in geographically adjacent regions and 4.9% in economically adjacent regions. Based on these conclusions, this paper proposes improving the closed and backward situation of rural areas in China’s central and western regions, promoting the transition toward the high end of the global agricultural industry chain and developing productive agricultural services and the rural cultural tourism industry to expand rural employment channels and stabilize farmers’ income.

Abstract In 2011, a leading investigative television program in Israel launched a series of short documentaries entitled “Four Minutes,” each dedicated to an Israeli political leader. This paper focuses on three of these documentaries, dedicated to then-president Shimon Peres; then-Knesset member Tzipi Livni, who 2 years earlier had won the elections but failed to form a government, and Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the founder of the Ultra-Orthodox Sephardi “Shas” party. Our goal is to outline the means by which these films construct and deliver their condensed messages, and to explore how, despite the rigid constraints of the format, they create a cohesive and complex portrait of these political figures and their strategic agendas. We analyze how the films’ multimodal language is used to reflect the messages promoted by each of the figures as well as by the filmmakers themselves.

Abstract The social network is an important way to promote subjective poverty alleviation. Based on China Labor Dynamics Survey (CLDS) data from 2014, 2016, and 2018, this paper analyzes the action mechanism of social networks on the subjective poverty of Chinese residents. The results find that social network acts on subjective poverty through social support and reference groups. Specifically, social networks provide emotional and instrumental social support for individuals, which can effectively alleviate subjective poverty. In addition, when the social network members serve as the reference group, the higher the status of individuals in the network, the weaker the subjective poverty. Secondly, objective poverty is the mediating path between the social support function of social networks and subjective poverty. Finally, objective poverty is a regulator of the effect of social networks as a reference group on subjective poverty. When individuals are objectively poor, the alleviating effect of social networks as a reference group on subjective poverty is weakened. In summary, placing social networks’ social support and reference group functions under the same framework helps fully grasp social networks’ social benefits. As a result, consolidating China’s poverty reduction achievements and focusing on the informal social insurance role of social networks are conducive to alleviating subjective poverty.

Abstract This study is part of practitioner inquiry undertaken in an underprivileged, low-achieving primary school in Sydney, Australia, based in a Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) classroom with 9–10-year-olds. The aim was to unpack pedagogic discourse at the micro level of interactions, while delving into students’ perceptions of language learning experiences. Two data sources were used: an audio recording of lessons and students’ focus groups. By applying Bernstein’s pedagogic discourse and Fair Go Project’s (FGP) engagement framework, the findings reveal that consistently shifting pedagogic discourses were likely to overcome students’ social backgrounds and offer them engaging CFL learning experiences. The study makes an original contribution to providing CFL practitioners and pre-service teachers with a delicate, precise language to plan and chart courses, while guiding disadvantaged students through pedagogic mazes. This paper concludes with pedagogic implications for the social inclusion agenda.

Abstract This paper empirically examines the efficacy of corporate digital transformation on a firm’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) decoupling. Adopting the text analysis method and using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2010 to 2019, this paper finds that digital transformation can significantly alleviate ESG decoupling, and this relationship persists after robustness tests. Mechanism analysis reveals that digital transformation reduces ESG decoupling by improving information processing ability and relieving information asymmetry. The relationship between corporate digital transformation and ESG decoupling is stronger among companies in eastern China and firms that do not follow GRI guidance. The economic consequence analysis suggests that corporate digital transformation promotes firms’ high-quality development by reducing ESG decoupling. This study helps reveal corporate digital transformation’s empowering role and governance role in ESG decoupling and contributes to the growing literature on ESG decoupling and corporate digital transformation.

Abstract Effective conflict management is pivotal for achieving innovation performance within standardization alliances, particularly those for the Belt and Road Initiative (B&R Initiative). However, existing research has paid limited attention to the interdependent relationship between influencing factors of conflicts in these alliances. To address this gap, this paper employs the interpretative structure model (ISM) to establish mutual relationships among 16 identified influencing factors. The results show that target difference, unbalanced input of resources, and unreasonable distribution of benefits are recognized as key facilitators at the top level, while political risks, impact of financial factors, and policy changes are identified as foundational drivers at the bottom level. At the intermediate level, factors such as demand difference, technical capabilities difference, cognitive difference, value pursuit difference, information asymmetry, lack of trust, poor communication, resource dependency, and unreasonable contribution evaluation are positioned. These identified interdependence relationships offer crucial reference information for conflict management in standardization alliances for the B&R Initiative.

Abstract Consumer participation is critical to achieving successful food safety governance. However, in the field of food safety governance, consumer participation faces the dilemma of collective action. Based on social capital theory, this study introduces a total of 1229 questionnaires from online food consumers in China were collected by randomly distributing electronic questionnaires to online shoppers, and tests the effect and mechanism of social capital on consumer participation in food safety governance. By using ordered regression and multinomial logit models, the empirical results show that social capital can reduce the adverse effects of free-riding on consumers’ participation in food safety governance and in fact will ultimately encourage consumers to participate in food safety governance. Furthermore, social capital will enhance people’s participation in food safety governance through two paths: promoting consumers’ sharing of food safety information and promoting consumers’ direct supply of safe food. The conclusion of this paper provides inspiration for the promotion of consumer participation in the public affairs related to food safety governance in developing countries.

Abstract The complexity of emotions has thus far limited our understanding of them. To obtain a clear understanding of the nature of emotion, this paper proposes a novel emotion theory and establishes a universal model of the conscious world in the human brain, the substanguage and interaction model (SIM). Based on an analysis of the possibilities of the interaction process in the SIM, two basic emotions that are indecomposable factors within all emotions—hope and fear—are identified. A questionnaire survey reveals that this basic emotion exhibits high acceptability. Based on emotion theory, this paper reasonably explains the phenomena of facial attraction and infantile facial preference and discusses the psychological reasons for phonocentrism, the phenomenon of preferring the spoken word over the written word. In addition, this paper explores the possibility of artificial intelligence possessing self-emotions. Emotions are relevant to many areas of human knowledge, as well as to everyone’s daily lives, and the simple, clear way to understand emotions provided in this paper may be instructive for everyone.

Abstract The complexity of cruise tourism is high, and various factors determine the product value. Value for money has an important effect on cruisers’ choices. This paper comprehensively discusses the effect of ship attributes and onboard and onshore experience on cruise passengers’ perception of value for money. This discussion is helpful for cruise companies to identify key attributes and subsequently implement improvement strategies. Taking nearly 100,000 items of tourist review data as samples, this paper primarily discusses the effect of cruisers’ nine-dimensional experience on the perception of value for money and the differences under different market positioning gleaned from content analysis, regression analysis and multi-group comparison. Results show that embarkation, cabin, dining, entertainment, service, fitness, activities, public room and shore excursion experiences have a significant effect on tourists’ perceptions of value for money. From the perspective of brand positioning, the situation of a luxury cruise is quite different from that of a standard and premium cruise, whereas the standard and premium cruise are similar. Furthermore, unlike standard and premium cruises, the physical attributes of luxury cruises such as ship size and launch year have no significant effect on tourists’ perceptions of value for money. Research results will help cruise companies improve tourist satisfaction and value for money based on market positioning and key attributes.

Abstract Over the past decade, learning engagement has received increasing attention from researchers. As a critical factor in college students’ academic achievement, learning engagement is significant in students’ long-term future development and social creativity. Present studies show that the overall level of college students’ learning engagement is low, which is highly unfavourable to educational quality and long-term development. There is no doubt about the position of the university library in academic circles. However, the influence of the university library environment on college students’ learning engagement has not been fully explored. The data in this study came from a survey of 45 Chinese universities. This paper investigates the relationship between the university library environment, students’ interaction, and students’ learning engagement. The results showed differences in Chinese college students’ learning engagement in liberal arts and sciences majors. The learning engagement of liberal arts majors is much lower than that of science students. We found that the library environment has an important influence on college students’ learning engagement. And the library environment can affect college students’ learning engagement through the intermediary role of interactive participation among students. In addition, for liberal arts students, the direct effect of the library environment on their learning engagement is more significant. However, for science students, the influence of the library environment on their learning engagement is more strongly intermediated by the students’ interaction. Therefore, future construction and renovation of library environments should cater not only to the diverse needs of different academic disciplines, especially liberal arts students who need special attention but also guide more students to interact friendly through the spatial characteristics of the library so as to improve the overall learning engagement of college students.

Abstract There are already a number of autonomous robots that play a significant role in improving the quality of healthcare in different areas ranging from basic health diagnosis to complex surgeries. However, using robots and machine learning applications in the healthcare context poses concerns over liability for patient injury. This paper will thus attempt to investigate the potential legal problems that might arise if AI technology evolves or is commonly used in clinical practice. It also examines whether the traditional doctrines of liability can adequately address the liability for the injuries stemming from acts of autonomous robots. As such, this paper adopted both descriptive and analytical methodologies to explore the main focus of the study. while the descriptive methodology was used to spot light on various theories of liability, the analytical methodology was used to critically examine the main theories that have been advanced to deal with autonomous robots and predict the necessity of legal reform. Throughout this paper, the authors insist on the importance of distinguishing between robots in light of their degree of autonomy and then drafting liability rules depending on whether the action was done autonomously by an unattended robot or whether it was done automatically by an attended robot. Finally, the paper concludes with the proposal of a series of factors to be considered for the future regulation of AI Robots in the healthcare context.

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to show the necessary competence sets for Higher Education (HE) lecturers in the framework of the COVID and post-COVID. A COVID-situated competence survey was carried out among university lecturers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA, CFA) were applied to show the significant digital education competence factors. The representative online survey of 322 respondents shows that three big competence sets can be identified: Awareness, Professional, and Digital. Those having higher scores in Professional competencies foresee more digital programs and communications in the future, and not only the digital competencies but also the professional ones should be developed to meet the requirements of the digital education transformation process. The findings emphasize that the forced and drastic changes in the application of digital education to the intensification of COVID-19 should become sustainable and find its proper place and role in the future HE. The structured and closely managed use of the results was followed by a set of digital and professional competence development initiatives carried out within the framework of the Digital Education and Learning Support Centre, founded in 2020 at the University of Pécs.

Abstract This paper addresses how people understand Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) in three ways: contrastive, functional, and transparent. We discuss the unique aspects and challenges of each and emphasize improving current XAI understanding frameworks. The Ritual Dialog Framework (RDF) is introduced as a solution for better dialog between AI creators and users, blending anthropological insights with current acceptance challenges. RDF focuses on building trust and a user-centered approach in XAI. By undertaking such an initiative, we aim to foster a thorough Understanding of XAI, capable of resolving the current issues of acceptance and recognition.

Abstract The role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in disseminating and protecting children’s rights is fundamental by increasing society’s knowledge about the reality that children face, thus mobilizing citizen attention. In this paper, we present an original study on social media data, specifically Twitter, to analyze childhood NGOs, evaluating the success of their content (through the likes obtained by publications) from the perspective of social marketing and prospective theory. In addition, it examines the positioning of organizations concerning the types of messages identified. The methodological approach is based on data mining, content analysis, and simple correspondence analysis through which the typology of the messages and positioning map are determined. The results suggest that these organizations generate predictable communication by publishing on specific topics and only increasing the number of tweets in emergencies when they are requiring urgent help. Some tweets show an immediate risk to which children are exposed if they do not receive help, which aligns with one of the premises of the Prospect Theory. Furthermore, a more significant number of posts does not necessarily imply a greater number of likes. Three types of messages have been determined: informative tweets that point out risks (type 1), impartial dialogue tweets (type 2), and action tweets that highlight benefits (type 3), confirmed through the Kruskal-Wallis test to have a relationship with impact. The positioning map shows that type 3 messages, which World Vision Spain opts for, are the most popular, followed by type 1, which Educo leans towards. Finally, there are those of type 2, with which UNICEF Spain is associated. The main implication is that our analysis validates the use of social media such as Twitter to analyze NGOs and proposes these social media platforms to be an important tool in mobilizing the community. In addition, this study offers parameters when constructing the messages for use in social marketing campaigns according to decisions that involve risk or certainty.

Abstract The social sciences are still young, and their interaction with older siblings such as philosophy and theology is still necessarily tentative. This paper outlines three ways in which humanistic disciplines such as philosophy and theology might inform the social sciences and three in which the social sciences might inform the humanities in turn, proceeding in each case by way of brief “case studies” to exemplify the relation. This typology is illustrative rather than exhaustive, but each of its halves nonetheless roughly tracks the development of a research project in the social sciences and humanities, respectively. In the first direction, (1) the humanities can help the social sciences identify new directions and scope for their inquiry; (2) provide conceptual clarity for constructs that the social sciences elect to study; and (3) enrich & clarify the interpretation of empirical results. Moving in the opposite direction, the social sciences can help (4) furnish new data for humanistic reflection; (5) confirm (or challenge) claims from the humanities; and (6) develop and assess interventions for achieving the goods highlighted by humanistic inquiry.