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Commercial use of wildlife is booming. However, knowledge of trade, price structure and benefit distribution mechanisms remain limited for many endemic, threatened and economically valuable species, impeding efforts to develop conservation intervention schemes in line with sustainable objectives. We illustrate the nature of commercialization of the caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis , collected in a high-altitude Tibetan region. Using the value-chain approach, we document how caterpillar fungus is collected in a remote mountainous region and traded across a wide range of middlemen until it finally reaches high-end markets in urban centres. Mapping the caterpillar fungus value chain helps identify the actors involved and the social institutions (i.e. the rules, norms and arrangements that shape people's behaviours) facilitating access to markets and influencing profit distribution and price structure. We present the complex dynamics of this commercialization process, providing a holistic value-chain analysis that encompasses actors, profits and institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the fast-changing consumer behavior and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, community-based enterprises (CBEs), particularly startups, face the challenge of identifying strategic business models. The situation necessitates a collaborative and tailored approach to address the impediments CBEs encounter. Focusing on rural CBEs in Thailand, our research employs a participatory approach to value chain development, offering insights on enhancing value addition through stakeholder collaboration. The study explores how a participatory approach applied in rural Thailand facilitates overcoming obstacles and capitalizing on opportunities for economic growth, sustainability, and community inclusivity. By examining the application of participatory value chain development, this research contributes to a better understanding of how participatory value chain development can be tailored to meet the unique needs of community-based enterprises, particularly in post-COVID-19 market adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marriott International, Inc., is an American international hospitality company that operates a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott in 1927, the company is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. In May 1927, the company began as an A&W Root Beer franchise in Washington, DC. Founders J. Willard and Alice Sheets Marriott started their business by selling cool drinks in the hot, muggy Washington, DC summers. Since then, Marriott International has established itself across 139 countries with 8,000+ properties offering around 1.5 million guest rooms. This paper will explore Marriott International's products and services, global reach, corporate structure, value chain analysis, and more. This research highlights Marriott International as a Global Leader in the Hospitality Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Rice is a food security and multi-value chain crop in Nigeria having the potential to provide employment and income for the teeming population of unemployed youth. The study identified the various rice value chain activities youth participated in, investigated their levels of participation, how they perceived participation in rice agribusiness value chain activities and the constraints affecting their participation. Research Method: A four-stage sampling procedure was used to sample youth from 144 rural households engaging in rice agribusiness activities. Well-validated interview schedule was used to collect quantitative data which was summarised using appropriate descriptive statistics with the hypotheses also adequately tested. Findings: Results show that more males were participating in rice agribusiness value chain activities with a mean age of 29 years. Respondents participated in multiple rice agribusiness activities and majority (77.8%) had favourable perception towards participation. Constraints limiting youth participation include poor land tenure system and bird invasion; majority (89.6%) participated in rice agribusiness value chain activities at high level. Income (r = 0.250) and length of experience (r = 0.211) were significantly related to youth participation. Difference existed in youth participation in rice value chain activities across the three agro-ecological zones. Originality/value: The study revealed that youth actively participated in almost all the activities along rice agribusiness value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the sports industry, there is significant potential for the emergence of startups. However, startups in this sector have experienced various challenges and fluctuations. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the factors that contribute to the acceleration of Sports Startups. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, involving the participation of sports business experts and scholars. Data collection was carried out through purposive sampling, employing in-depth interviews with these experts. The qualitative data obtained were analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. Additionally, the identified factors were ranked using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings revealed the existence of six categories of accelerators for sports startups. Notably, strengthening and optimizing the value chain emerged as the most crucial factor among these categories. Consequently, to enhance the growth and development of sports startups, it is imperative to establish a well-defined value chain and actively work towards its reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations into value chains, aiming to identify priority constraints experienced by value chain actors, play a vital role in comprehending socio-economic dynamics and formulating sustainable development strategies. The banana value chain in the Palakkad district of Kerala exhibits widespread distribution and significant fragmentation. Many stakeholders voiced their concerns, drawing attention to the challenges they faced in their daily operations. In this context a value chain-based study was conducted during October, 2022. Employing diverse research techniques such as interviews, focus group discussions, and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the study categorized constraints into economic, technical, social, and environmental groups. Results indicated that economic factors had the most substantial impact, followed by technical, social, and environmental constraints. The study highlights the profound influence of these constraints on the financial aspects of all involved stakeholders. It further emphasizes the necessity for targeted policy interventions and strategic planning to effectively address these issues and enhance the agricultural sector's efficiency and economic viability in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of gateroad development, also known as preparatory works, and then ensuring their stability throughout their lifetime, is a very important issue from the point of view of mining (extraction) operations. This article attempts to develop an optimal strategy for the gateroad development process in coal mines, based on the assumptions of the value chain model used by companies. The model developed is aimed not only at increasing competitive advantage due to a reduction in the cost of coal mining, but primarily at changing the mentality of employees and their approach to the work performed allowing for improved mining efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agroecological transition promoted worldwide is supported by the European Union Common Agricultural Policy towards different strategies and policy tools. The agri-environmental schemes, offering farmers the possibility to adopt environment-friendly practices (thus mitigating negative externalities/providing positive ones) represent a straightforward example. However, there is dissatisfaction about their effectiveness and efficiency, while their improvement is envisaged through a flexible mix of new instruments: novel contract solutions fostering result-based payments, collective implementation, involving value chains and land tenure systems coupled to environmental conditionality. This paper investigates how farmers from Emilia-Romagna (Italy) perceive these innovative contract solutions as "easy to understand", "applicable", "economic beneficial", and their willingness to enroll. The applied ordered logistic regression models include socio-demographic characteristics, structural features of the holdings, and the farmers' preference(s) for 13 individual contract features. Farmers' perceptions are driven by the previous experience acquired from similar measures, key socio-demographic characteristics/holding structural features, and peculiar contractual elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish value addition has been linked with enhanced economy for women vendors worldwide. Despite the existence of enormous benefits linked to value addition, many fish traders in Dar Es Salaam still sell unprocessed fish and fish products while a few of them sell the processed product. A number of practices for fish value addition have been identified through this study conducted in Kinondoni Dar Es Salaam. The study employed a cross-sectional design. The study population was 100 fish traders involved in the fish business. Structured questionnaires were employed. Quantitative and qualitative analysis using frequency table proportions (percentage) was used to interpret the data, and descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. The study established the fish vendors in Dar es Salaam were involved in fish cleaning (14%), grading (23%), processing (52), and packaging (11%). This implies thatthe majority of fish vendors were engaged in processing fish. Further, the study revealed that 5% of respondents were preserving fish in frozen devices, 77% of respondents were frying them, 7% were drying fish in the sun and11% were packing them. This implied that there are a number of methods used to ensure the quality of fish, but the most common one used by women fish vendors was to fry them. It was concluded that Value addition plays a crucial role in enhancing economic returns, expanding market opportunities, reducing waste, improving nutrition, and promoting food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agathon: International Journal of Architecture, Art & Design is the property of DEMETRA CE.RI.MED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research is built on the concept of sustainable value chains, where a framework for sustainable value chain analysis emerges that covers not only economic aspects but also includes environmental and social impacts in a collaborative model of value chain management. It explores the dimensions on which value chain sustainability should focus. It illustrates how and why it is necessary to take a broader perspective in ensuring the internal economic sustainability of the chain in line with its external socio-environmental consequences. This research aims to analyze the sustainability of the tilapia processing value chain. This research uses the Multi-Dimensional Scaling analysis method supported by Rap-fish software. The Rapfish methodology is a flexible technique that rapidly assesses fisheries status by integrating ecological and human factors according to identified norms. The results of this research show that the sustainability of the tilapia processing value chain is considered entirely sustainable from economic, social, and environmental aspects, with a sufficient sustainability index of 74.40%. The sustainability of the value chain relies on four key actors: tilapia cultivators, collectors, processors, and distributors. The sustainable tilapia processing value chain strategy in North Sumatra can limit floating net cages by considering the environmental carrying capacity and supported by suitable policies and active stakeholder participation in community-based legal institutions. This research found this is a strong sustainability concept if implemented with better governance and policy management in the tilapia industry value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Técnica Tributaria is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Asesores Fiscales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Saber, Ciencia y Libertas is the property of Saber, Ciencia y Libertad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Copyright of Gestión Joven is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Contabilidad y Administracion de Empresas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The recent growth and development of aquaculture industry in Bangladesh demand a thorough investigation of price volatility spillover pattern among capture fisheries and aquaculture products. Utilizing nationally representative monthly retail price data of the last seventeen years, we identify the evidence of volatility spillover effects among capture fisheries and aquaculture markets. We find three phases of fish price movements: (1) fish prices, in general, were increasing prior to 2013 with higher fluctuations and structural breaks; (2) prices were comparatively stable from 2013 to 2019 for almost all markets with sporadic shocks; (3) increasing trajectory of fish prices are observed during the COVID-19 period. We also find that all the aquaculture products have significant direct or indirect long-run volatility spillover effect to capture fish market. We identify only one aquaculture product with a significant positive own price asymmetric effect indicating negative news increases the price volatility behavior in its own market. Our findings may play a vital role in implementing suitable food security policies and reducing overexploitation of natural resources. Policies promoting fish price stability should prioritize tilapia and pangasius markets, and targeted investments in the aquaculture industry should be made to promote greater stability in the fisheries and aquaculture market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automotive industry value chain, which includes the “upstream suppliers—the middle-stream manufacturing enterprises-downstream customers”, constitutes the closest environment for the automotive manufacturing enterprises. From the perspective of value chain, combined with the idea of system dynamics, we analyze the formation mechanism of financial risk in automotive manufacturing enterprises, construct a financial risk evolution monitoring model based on value stream and construct a financial dynamic early warning simulation model by using free cash flow. The vehicle manufacturing listed companies in 2011–2015 are selected as samples. The empirical research results show that the financial risk situation can be changed by adjusting the value chain structure, that is, the causal feedback of the system, and the result of financial warning may change. The contribution of this paper is to analyze the enterprise financial risk based on the value chain and provide new ideas for the financial early warning of the enterprise from the perspective of value creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The management of Portuguese agroforestry landscapes is currently focused on specialised cork and cattle production. Sustainable landscape management is increasingly discussed as an effective option to foster the multifunctionality of these landscapes. Such management requires consideration of multiple values connected to the landscape and to the products stemming from it. Objectives: The aim of this study is to (1) assess the importance of specific values related to cork and to the cork production landscapes, (2) analyse how values differ across the value chain actors, and (3) compare the types of values associated to cork and the cork production landscapes. Methods: We combine value chain analysis with the concept of plural valuation in order to illuminate the values amongst value chain actors. We conducted interviews with 62 actors divided across the value chain using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: We found that a broad range of instrumental, intrinsic and relational values were expressed by our respondents. Our results show an imbalance between the perception of the ecosystem health expressed by actors involved in the industrial transformation of cork compared to those directly involved with the landscape. This imbalance shows the necessity to find a common management ideal for cork production landscapes favouring multifunctionality. Conclusions: Our study shows the relevance of considering plural values when planning and implementing sustainable landscape management. Integrated into a landscape approach, value chain analysis is useful in reaching actors in order to uncover different points of view towards a single landscape. Our study suggests that focusing on the multifunctional nature of the cork production landscapes may be key in ensuring a sustainable future for this social-ecological system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether Hellenic financial institutions' commitment on environmental social and governance (ESG) issues has any relation with financial institutions' corporate sustainability. As a contribution to previous literature, the moderating role of managers' perception in the conceptual model is explored. A survey has been conducted to obtain data about the association of ESG commitment with sustainability literacy, sustainability reporting credibility, SDGs awareness, sustainability, and financial performance. Top managers from Greek financial institutions were reviewed via an online questionnaire, during the third wave of the pandemic. The results of inductive analysis provide evidence that the sample displays good reliability and internal consistency. Particularly, dichotomous variables demonstrate internal contingency, whereas liker‐scaled variables exhibit significant correlation. It seems that sustainable development and SDGs awareness are positively correlated with ESG commitment according, while business commitment to environmental issues is inversely proportional to the negative economic impact of the pandemic to corporate sustainability performance. Eventually, it turns out that ESG commitment does affect corporate sustainability on the areas of sustainability reporting credibility, SDGs awareness, sustainability, and financial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is now a priority issue that governments, businesses and society in general must address in the short term. In their role as major global institutional investors and risk managers, insurance companies and pension funds are strategic players in building socio-economic and sustainable development. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current state of action and research on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in the insurance and pension sectors, we conduct a systematic literature review. We rely on the PRISMA protocol and analyze 1 731 academic publications available in the Web of Science database up to the year 2022 and refer to 23 studies outside of scientific research retrieved from the websites of key international and European organizations. To study the corpus of literature, we introduce a classification framework along the insurance value chain including external stakeholders. The main findings reveal that risk, underwriting and investment management are the most researched areas among the nine categories considered in our framework, while claims management and sales tend to be neglected. Regarding ESG factors, climate change, as part of the environmental factor, has received the most attention in the literature. After reviewing the literature, we summarize the main sustainability issues and potential related actions. Given the current nature of the sustainability challenges for the insurance sector, this literature review is relevant to academics and practitioners alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article defines the term valorization of biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) measures, as distinguished from their valuation, and underpins it with an assessment of private valorization examples along the agri-food value chain. Valorization incentivizes measures for promoting BES, while valuation refers to its quantification. Valuation can be a step of valorization but is not indispensable. In scientific literature, the terms valorization and valuation are often used interchangeably. In addition, there is a lack of research on private options versus conventional, public policy options. Therefore, we searched for private valorization options primarily in public sources (gray literature and websites). This led to the identification of four clusters (markets for voluntary services, labeling, and certification, environmental management/CSR, and tradable permits and quotas). Based on these clusters the options were assessed from a legal and systems dynamics perspective. In addition, the viability of selected valorization options in different future scenarios was examined. The analysis revealed a wide range of private valorization options, which in contrast to public policy options that focus almost entirely on the production stage, are spread across the agri-food value chain. Their suitability differs under different future scenarios, legal and systems conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globalization of food markets has led companies to buy products not only locally, but also from other corners of the world. This has introduced complexity into supply chains, as products have to move longer distances and pass through more companies before reaching the end consumer. The meat industry has been no different. Events such as animal disease outbreaks have diminished consumer confidence in the industry and the supply chain. Coupled with this, consumers started demanding "more transparent" meat products. This has led companies to think about new traceability systems, which continue to enforce food safety and health rules, but at the same time enhance and make transparent to the consumer the origin and constitution of their products. This article proposes a traceability system in the agri-food (meat industry) with a multi-chain architecture, among them, blockchain. The use of blockchain in the traceability system helped to mitigate the omission of relevant data for the traceability process, allowing us to guarantee the immutability, reliability, and transparency of the data along the value chain. At the same time, the system was able to reduce the time of the traceability process by giving the user the possibility to access the traced information via a unique product identifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is evident that out of the 1.3 billion people worldwide that lack access to electric energy are rural dwellers. Furthermore, the majority of them are living in rural areas of developing countries which are often remote, dispersed populated, and categorized by pitiable infrastructure and services. Given this, the rising contemplation concerning the target of worldwide access to energy has stressed the role of rural electrification and off-grid hybrid power generation system. To this effect, the present work focuses on the overview of rural electrification programs in Nigeria and offers a general framework. The Mini-grid Value Chain for the effective implementation of mini-grid projects was developed. Furthermore, to overcome the issue of affordability of cost of energy in rural areas of the country and to promote sustainability of the off-grid electrification projects, an Improved Local Electrification Committee Model (ILEC) was developed. The main aim of this is to guarantee the reliability of the power supply network to the off-grid rural areas and also to overcome the major demerit of the overall high initial capital cost that is associated with the establishment of mini-grid projects for off-grid rural electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic variability and a decrease in soil fertility have had a detrimental effect on the productivity of the main rainfed crops in Niger (millet, sorghum, and cowpea) and led to a deterioration of the nutritional status and income of the country's farmers. The spatio-temporal variability in rainfall has led rural populations to diversify their farms by integrating sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) into their cropping systems because of its low water and fertilizer requirements. Sesame is increasingly becoming a significant source of income for farmers, and it contributes to their food and nutritional security. To boost the production of sesame and facilitate its rapid adoption, our breeding program focused on participatory breeding and varietal selection with the inclusion of gender-specific preferences, from the variety design to the evaluation of new lines on farms. This case study shows that, although women have more experience in sesame cultivation than men, they have less access to production factors such as land. This limited access is especially problematic, as recent trends in land tenure mean that the poorest are no longer able to exploit large areas of cultivable land. It also evidenced that the varietal preferences of sesame growers as well as the mastery of production techniques are a function of the livelihoods and the investment capacity of actors in the value chain. Our study found that men mainly prefer production traits, whereas women have fewer trait preferences, and their preferences tend to be related to marketing and processing. This finding highlights the contrasting roles and responsibilities between men and women in the sesame value chain. Therefore, the inclusion of complementary traits preferred by women and men, provided that they are not negatively correlated with a variety profile, will help meet the full range of needs across the value chain. We recommend the inclusion of gender research in setting breeding goals prior to variety design.

Global food systems face sustainability challenges like undernourishment, inequity, resource degradation, and pollution. Food production and consumption drive environmental change with greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and land-system shifts. The climate change crisis has intensified concerns about the ecological impact of these systems. Sustainable food networks, such as community-supported agriculture, are promoting sustainable production and consumption through short supply chains. International bodies like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) are also spearheading initiatives for more equitable and sustainable food systems. In Tunisia, where dryland areas predominate, the ongoing implementation of the Agroecology Initiative provides the context for this study, which explores the drivers and barriers of agroecological transformation in this challenging environment. The research focuses on stakeholder engagement, with a gender perspective to explore farmer perceptions. The study, conducted in the northwest of Tunisia in 2022–2023, involved focus groups, workshops, surveys, and questionnaires with various stakeholders. Findings highlight farmer organizations’ potential in promoting sustainable farming, with clear goals, diversified systems, and collaborations. However, challenges such as input scarcity, water shortage, low income, and marketing must be addressed. Results also indicate that over 90% of farmers who received assistance with agroecological practices reported a change in their ideas and practices. Fifty seven percent of the workshops participants identified the olive oil value chain as having the greatest potential for agroecological transformation, but it faces constraints such as climate, lack of policy incentives, training, funding, and difficulty in adopting technical innovations. Women’s inclusion in agriculture, environmental, social, and economic challenges were also highlighted. Despite these obstacles, key drivers for agroecological transition were identified. These include the compatibility of many agroecological practices with existing farmer capabilities, their cultural and economic benefits, and the positive outcomes for environmental sustainability and health. The study advocates for a socio-technical systems analysis to address the root causes hindering Tunisia’s agroecological transformation. A participatory approach is crucial to understanding priorities and developing a sustainable and resilient food system. Furthermore, the research underscores the importance of considering diverse farmer perspectives and tailoring strategies to support this critical transition effectively.

Previous research has shown that Norwegian aquaculture firms strongly emphasize environmental and social sustainability, and this study aims to assess if the pattern is consistent across the value chain and consistent independent of suppliers’ amount of sales to fish farming. Also, it studies if value chain position and sales to fish farming are associated with innovation activities. Empirically, the study compares survey data between firms in the aquaculture industry and other industries as reference groups. The results show that aquaculture firms across the value chain overall emphasize environmental and social sustainability more than actors in the reference industries. For suppliers, the emphasis is strongest for those with high sales to fish farming. Another finding is that aquaculture firms’ innovation activities are relatively strong among firms providing services and input factors, particularly among suppliers with high sales to fish farming.

Globally, industrial hemp offers consumers with over 25,000 value-added products that are valued at approximately US$4.2 billion of current market value and likely to surpass US$26.6 billion by 2025. In Northern Australia, the industrial hemp sector is at infancy stages of development. Given the suitability of certain Northern Australia’s geographical zones in terms of soil, water, and climate, a study was conducted to identify potential industrial hemp value chains. Probable value chains were developed by characterizing the production to market segments of the supply chains to determine the return on investment and analyzing the capacity of the stakeholders in terms of communication and relationships. Consequently, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the developed value chains were analyzed. This study collected data from three complementary sources that included review of the literature, results of variety trials evaluation conducted in Northern Australia, and survey of hemp industry stakeholders. Results suggested that Northern Australia offers conducive growing conditions for hemp that allows for the development of three value chains including seed, fiber and silage. The research recommended ongoing investment in the industry through engagement of public and private sector while focusing on further establishment of the industry.

IntroductionNigeria is Africa’s most populous country, third largest fish producer, and second largest aquaculture producer. There have been numerous studies of aquaculture and fisheries in Nigeria, but no study to date has analyzed aquaculture and capture fisheries value chains together, while giving equal weight to all value chain segments and systematically capturing information on temporal trends in value chain structure, conduct, and performance. This paper does so.MethodsWe conducted a structured, qualitative, rapid reconnaissance survey of 180 actors from eight segments of the aquatic food value chain in three Nigerian states with contrasting geographies, Ebonyi, Kebbi, and Oyo.ResultsResults particularly important for future research and policy are as follows. (1) Partial vertical integration is a common feature of the organization of firms in all value chain segments, as a risk reduction strategy to overcome market imperfections and frictions. Scarcity and high cost of imported intermediate inputs is stimulating local innovation and import substitution manufacturing of feeds and fabricated items. (2) Inter-sectoral spillovers from the poultry industry have hastened the development of fish value chains, while improvements in power supply have enabled the expansion of cold storage capacity, facilitating the geographical lengthening of frozen fish value chains. (3) Rapid technological and/or institutional change is occurring in all value chain segments, including those usually viewed as traditional, such as processing and fishing. Logistics services are becoming more specialized and sophisticated, and digital communications technologies including social media play an increasingly important role in value chain coordination and marketing. (4) Increasing opportunity costs of time drive demand for convenience foods such as smoked and fried fish, which require little further preparation and can be stored at room temperature. Demand for farmed catfish is linked to growing consumption of food away from home at bars and restaurants. (5) Significant opportunities exist to improve the performance of value chains in terms of gender equity, environmental impacts, and food safety.

Food systems rely on natural resources for production causing their depletion. Sustainability assessment can encourage farms and agri-food companies to improve sustainability performances. Sustainability assessment frameworks and tools differ in their purposes, scope, methods of application, and required time for execution; however, most of them do not fit with value chains, or they do not cover all sustainability dimensions. Our objective is to propose a holistic framework to assess sustainability at agri-food value chains level. The proposed framework combines the Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems (SAFA) (El Hage, 2012) [1] and The Agri-food Evaluation Framework (TEEB) [2]. It incorporates the concepts of Socio-Ecological Systems, Assemblage, and Social Practices. It integrates system dynamics by emphasising human and natural capital stocks and their users. We explain in detail the methodological steps we followed to construct and to apply this new framework to two case studies in Italy and France. The new framework was applied to real-life case studies and has shown its effectiveness and demonstrates its potential for widespread use in similar scenarios.

The need to integrate more clearly societal expectations on livestock farming has led the authors of this article to consider that livestock farming systems must be redesigned to position health and welfare at the heart of their objectives. This article proposes a vision of the advances in knowledge required at different scales to contribute to this transformation. After defining health and welfare of animals, the article emphasises the need to consider health in a broader perspective, to deepen the question of positive emotional experiences regarding welfare, and raises the question of how to assess these two elements on farms. The positive interactions between health and welfare are presented. Some possible tensions between them are also discussed, in particular when improving welfare by providing a more stimulating and richer environment such as access to outdoor increases the risk of infectious diseases. Jointly improving health and welfare of animals poses a number of questions at various scales, from the animal level to the production chain. At the animal level, the authors highlight the need to explore: the long-term links between better welfare and physiological balance, the role of microbiota, the psycho-neuro-endocrine mechanisms linking positive mental state and health, and the trade-off between the physiological functions of production, reproduction and immunity. At the farm level, in addition to studying the relationships at the group level between welfare, health and production, the paper supports the idea of co-constructing innovative systems with livestock farmers, as well as analysing the cost, acceptability and impact of improved systems on their working conditions and well-being. At the production chain or territory levels, various questions are raised. These include studying the best strategies to improve animal health and welfare while preserving economic viability, the labelling of products and the consumers’ willingness to pay, the consequences of heterogeneity in animal traits on the processing of animal products, and the spatial distribution of livestock farming and the organisation of the production and value chain. At the level of the citizen and consumer, one of the challenges is to better inter-relate sanitary and health perspectives on the one hand, and welfare concerns on the other hand. There is also a need to improve citizens' knowledge on livestock farming, and to develop more intense and constructive exchanges between livestock farmers, the livestock industry and citizens. These difficult issues plead for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research involving various scientific disciplines and the different stakeholders, including public policy makers through participatory research.

Despite the agribusiness industry's potential, it is still characterised by a high level of conventional means of production, denying it numerous opportunities along the value chain in Africa. Meanwhile, adopting modern means of production using digital innovations can boost farmers' efficiency. Given the relevance of digital innovations within the agribusiness industry, the current paper gives an overview of digital innovations in the agribusiness industry, particularly in Africa, by synthesising existing literature on digital innovations to consolidate scattered ideas and give recommendations for practice and future studies. The PRISMA technique was adopted to synthesise 47 existing relevant articles from the Scopus database. Bibliometric tools such as VOSviewer and R-Package-Bibliometrix were used to analyse the data. From the results, most papers on African digital innovations emanated from a journal with a broader scope—Sustainability Journal (Switzerland). Most of the funding for digital innovation studies in agribusiness was sponsored by foreign donors outside the African Continent, with the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers in France sponsoring the most research. Based on the publication synthesis and the trend of publications, five themes, namely, digital innovations in the agricultural value chain, training and skills development through digital innovations, digital finance innovations in agribusiness, precision digital innovations: agribusiness survival, and drivers of digital innovation adoption in agribusiness were identified. From the results, digital agribusiness innovations in marketing, production, and finance have been profound in Africa, though they are skewed towards a few South, West, and North African countries. Meanwhile, the drivers and challenges of digital innovations in Africa have been mainly social, economic, political, and institutional factors. Given the results, it is recommended that, since most of the studies were primarily sponsored by foreign governments, thus betraying the commitment of the African continent's readiness to transform the agribusiness sector via innovation and technology, African Governments, first, and second, non-governmental organisations and other agricultural donors should prioritise the digitalisation of the agriculture sector by integrating them into economic development plans and making relevant resources available to all actors from upstream to downstream.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact and importance of ESG in the business and investment world in the past few years and how can we implement ESG criteria into our businesses to continue to have profitable and investable businesses. The research is focused on the role of ESG decisions within organizations and how they can impact the value of a company. The research hypothesis is that there are various decisions of becoming ESG complaint you can take, but not all of them are profitable decisions. So, instead of taking decisions based on the implementing costs and short-term expenses, an organization should take into consideration long-term profits and a possible increase in the company’s valuation. Achieving success involves identifying these factors well in advance before they can adversely impact the well-being of the company. This allows for proactive measures to mitigate any potential detrimental consequences that may arise. This can be accomplished through ongoing monitoring of these variables, creating a dynamic process, and making informed decisions based on a solid understanding of the operational processes and needs of each company. Because of its massive politicization, ESG has become perceived more as a cost center instead of a value center. Business leaders consider that they are being forced to report something without value for their businesses when they should be asked how to turn this in their favor to make business more valuable. This paper also presents the importance of sustainable developments and how they can impact investment decisions. Analyzing the behavior of the biggest investment firms, we can identify those metrics that show if a company’s decisions about ESG implementation make it investment material.

In the context of recurrent ecological and societal crises, the European institutions are committed to fostering sustainable development that meets the needs of present and future generations, while providing new opportunities for employment, investment and economic growth. These commitments are the guiding principle of European policies and strategies in terms of financing sustainable growth, green transition, and building an economy at the service of citizens. They have been gradually transposed into a large number of European regulations, including those related to sustainability disclosure by certain categories of economic and financial actors. The significance of the paradigm shift fuels the reflection on the relationship between these new regulations and the social reality, in which and upon which they must act. The new regulations referring to are especially: Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council on sustainability‐related disclosures in the financial services; Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (Taxonomy Regulation); Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Directive 2013/34/EU, as regards corporate sustainability reporting. As part of the European and international sustainability concerns, this article is a reflection paper on the developments, notably conceptual, axiological and substantive, generated by the Directive (EU) 2022/2464, and their translation into legal and practical innovations. Based on an extensive review of the relevant literature and European legislation, as well as on content analysis and secondary analysis of numerous scientific studies in the field, authors’ contribution focuses on the meaning and implications of the switch from 'non-financial information' to 'sustainability information', as well as on the new relationship between the law and the social reality created by Directive (EU) 2022/2464. The authors assume that such clarifications are a prerequisite for the successful transformation of certain professions significantly affected by this Directive, including those of financial analysts and auditors. This requires, at the same time, upstream changes of university curricula and continuing education in this area, as well as in research programs.

In the shipbuilding and marine industry, digital transformation activities are promoted primarily by large shipyards. However, bottlenecks are observed across value chains, and digital transformation effects are reducing because of the cost and technical challenges encountered by supplies. In this study, we proposed a win-win cooperation model for large, small, and medium-sized companies using digital transformation based on the characteristics of the shipbuilding and marine industry through case studies. We investigated the digital transformation progress in German and Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition, we identified information-sharing methods and management challenges encountered in enterprise resource planning and manufacturing execution systems in the collaboration process of pipes, panels, blocks, etc. of SMEs that are suppliers of a Korean shipyard, and clarified communication by building a platform based on a common format between shipyards and suppliers. Further, we proposed a standard model of a digital transformation system for enhancing the collaboration between large companies and suppliers and proposed a basic plan including strategies to efficiently and effectively build a digital transformation system based on the standard model.

Abstract The automotive industry value chain, which includes the “upstream suppliers—the middle-stream manufacturing enterprises-downstream customers”, constitutes the closest environment for the automotive manufacturing enterprises. From the perspective of value chain, combined with the idea of system dynamics, we analyze the formation mechanism of financial risk in automotive manufacturing enterprises, construct a financial risk evolution monitoring model based on value stream and construct a financial dynamic early warning simulation model by using free cash flow. The vehicle manufacturing listed companies in 2011–2015 are selected as samples. The empirical research results show that the financial risk situation can be changed by adjusting the value chain structure, that is, the causal feedback of the system, and the result of financial warning may change. The contribution of this paper is to analyze the enterprise financial risk based on the value chain and provide new ideas for the financial early warning of the enterprise from the perspective of value creation.

Over the past 2 or 3 years, the European Commission has been gradually introducing further regulations with the ultimate goal of establishing European standards for Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) reporting. The aim of this paper is to discuss the regulations contained in the recently adopted Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which became effective in January 2023 and to provide a deeper understanding of the distinctive characteristics of Polish transport companies and their value chain relationships with other entities. As an introduction to the main provisions of the recently introduced CSRD, the authors will first outline its core principles. They will then present the fundamental issues related to the value and supply chain and the European Commission’s (EC) newly introduced notion of the chain of activities. The article concludes with recommendations for companies. In order to achieve the research objective, the article uses quantitative and qualitative research methods. Statistical methods point to the importance of Polish transport companies in the European Union. Qualitative methods were used to review legislative documents of the European Union related to this topic. Our findings contribute to growing, but still limited literature on European regulations in the area of ESG reporting and impact of these regulations on companies.

The paper aims to identify how Industry 4.0 technologies affect the quality and speed of the managers’ decision-making process across the different stages of the value chain, based on the example of the manufacturing sector. The paper adopts qualitative research, based on nine in-depth interviews with key informants, to capture senior executives’ experiences with implementing Industry 4.0 technologies in their organisations. The research is focused on three manufacturing industries: the automotive, food and furniture industries. The research shows that depending on the stage of the value chain, different Industry 4.0 technologies are more suitable for the support of managers’ decisions. Various Industry 4.0 technologies support decision-making at different stages of the manufacturing value chain. In the Design stage, 3D printing and scanning technologies play a crucial role. In the case of Inbound Logistics, robotisation, automation, Big Data analysis, and Business Intelligence are most useful. During the Manufacturing stage, robotisation, automation, 3D printing, scanning, Business Intelligence, cloud computing, and machine-to-machine (M2M) integration enable quick decision-making and speed up production. Sensors and the Internet of Things (IoT) optimise distribution in the Outbound Logistics stage. And finally, Business Intelligence supports decisions within the Sales and Marketing stage. It is also the most versatile technology among all particular stages. The paper provides empirical evidence on the Industry 4.0 technology support in decision-making at different stages of the manufacturing value chain, which leads to more effective value chain management, ensuring faster and more accurate decisions at each value-chain stage. When using properly selected Industry 4.0 technologies, managers can optimise their production processes, reduce costs, avoid errors and improve customer satisfaction. Simultaneously, Industry 4.0 technologies facilitate predictive analytics to forecast and anticipate future demand, quality issues, and potential risks. This knowledge allows organisations to make better decisions and take proactive actions to prevent problems.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG), recognized as the fossil fuel with the lowest carbon emission intensity, is a crucial transitional energy source in the global shift towards low-carbon energy. As the natural gas industry undergoes rapid expansion, the complexity of investment business models has increased significantly. Optimizing the combination of various segments within the value chain has become standard practice, making it essential to control risks and enhance economic benefits in these multifaceted scenarios. This paper introduces an integrated economic model encompassing upstream, liquefaction, shipping, regasification, and consumption, suitable for both upstream and downstream integration. The model offers a comprehensive analysis of the primary business models and key factors across each segment of the value chain. By constructing a robust economic evaluation framework, the study aims to provide a holistic approach to understanding the economic feasibility of LNG projects. Two detailed case studies are conducted to demonstrate the application and effectiveness of the proposed model, highlighting its capability to guide investment decisions, support risk management, and optimize asset portfolios. The integrated economic model developed in this study serves as a valuable tool for stakeholders in the LNG industry. It not only facilitates informed investment decision-making but also enhances the strategic management of risks and resources. By leveraging this model, investors and managers can better navigate the complexities of the LNG business, ensuring sustainable and economically viable operations.