Search Results (1,939)

This study comprehensively reviews the literature on knowledge management (KM) to explain its impact on organizational performance and business sustainability. It examines the dominant KM frameworks and theories; performance and sustainability outcomes; and key contextual enablers and constraints across sectors. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis), a systematic review was used to find and collect relevant empirical and theoretical studies through Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. Thematic descriptive analysis of articles published between January 2020 and January 2026 revealed major themes, research trends, and conceptual gaps, which informed the key research agenda. A total of 70 studies were included after screening and eligibility assessment. The findings indicate that KM consistently enhances innovation capability and operational efficiency to boost competitive advantage and support social, economic, and environmental outcomes. These relationships are largely mediated by organizational learning and innovation, especially green innovation, and are moderated by leadership, organizational culture, and technological integration. Adoption patterns vary across industries and sectors based on differences in resources, digital maturity, and regulatory environments. Ongoing challenges include resistance to change, difficulties in managing tacit knowledge, measurement limitations, and limited longitudinal and cross-sectoral research. Overall, this systematic review highlights the need for integrated KM frameworks that align leadership, culture, and technology to strengthen performance and sustainability outcomes. It advances KM theory by clarifying the dominant models and mechanisms to offer actionable insights for managers and policymakers. Full article

Pre-fattening (also referred to as nursery culture) of Manila clam is a priority for this sector of aquaculture, as it allows hatchery-produced seed (1–3 mg) to reach sowable juvenile sizes of 30–100 mg and reduces reliance on natural juvenile recruitment. This study evaluated the efficiency of two early pre-fattening systems, both in economic terms and in product quality: conventional upwelling units (a high-density system) and flat-bottom tanks (a mid-density system), the latter tested with and without a sand layer. The 51-day trial was conducted under autumn environmental conditions (temperature 13–25.8 °C; salinity 25–28 ppt; chlorophyll-a 3–24 µg/L), starting with 1.34 mg seed maintained under a water flow rate ≥ 15–20 mL/min/g. In upwelling units, the initial density was ~216 ind./cm². Four grading events produced four size classes, with total mean weights ranging from 6.4 mg in the smallest (tails) to 46.3 mg in the largest (heads). The overall population mean size was 19.0 mg, with a specific growth rate (SGR) of 5.2%/day and mortality of 17.6%. Flat-bottom tanks, stocked at ~30 ind./cm², achieved higher growth (overall weighted mean: 28.0 mg; SGR ~6%/day), but exhibited higher mortality (26.0% on average), with no significant effect from the presence of bottom sand. Overall, flat-bottom systems showed promising growth performance with reduced labor requirements, suggesting that this system could represent a viable alternative to upwelling. However, the associated rearing protocol could still be improved by optimizing stocking density and water exchange rates. Full article

In Latin America, sustainable commitments towards decarbonizing hard-to-abate industrial sectors have identified hydrogen (H2) as a key enabler for the energy transition. This study develops a policy analytical framework to enhance the green H2 economy, using Argentina as the central case study. Key insights from this study include identifying often-overlooked social challenges within the H2 economy and proposing the integration of social indicators into policy design, with a particular focus on the territorial dynamics of Patagonia, labor conditions, Indigenous participation, governance, and community impacts. Drawing from Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) guideline standards and H2 justice approach, this study highlights key social hotspots that existing S-LCA tools overlook due to their lack of specific focus on regional territories and their communities. The analysis combines six social impact categories, namely, human rights, working conditions, health and safety, cultural heritage, governance, and socio-economic repercussions as recommended by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), analyzed at three levels, and complemented by the H2 justice approach for Argentina’s potential green H2 production sector. These policy recommendations aim to foster a more resilient and sustainable development of the green H2 industry. Full article

Olive cultivation represents a key pillar of rural economies and cultural heritage in Mediterranean regions, including western Greece. Despite its socio-economic importance, the sector faces increasing pressures from climate change, market volatility, and technological transformation, while progress toward environmentally sustainable production remains uneven. This study investigates how olive farmers’ perceptions of carbon footprint and climate risks are influenced by their demographic characteristics. Primary data were collected through 402 structured questionnaires distributed to olive producers in the Aetolia–Acarnania region. The sample was designed to represent farmers directly engaged in olive production, ensuring the relevance and reliability of the collected data. The findings, based on descriptive statistics, reveal significant heterogeneity in producers’ perceptions of climate risks and their capacity to respond through sustainable practices. Demographic characteristics appear to play an important role in shaping awareness of carbon footprint and the potential adoption of environmentally responsible farming strategies. These results suggest that sustainability transitions in perennial cropping systems depend not only on technological availability but also on social, informational, and institutional capacities. Strengthening agricultural advisory services, farmer training, and climate adaptation strategies may therefore support the adoption of climate-smart practices in olive cultivation. Furthermore, cooperation and value-chain integration are identified as potentially important mechanisms for facilitating knowledge transfer and supporting the adoption of sustainable practices (e.g., efficient irrigation and optimized input use). However, their contribution to environmental performance and greenhouse gas mitigation cannot be directly inferred from the present perception-based analysis and should be examined in future research using appropriate quantitative or environmental assessment frameworks. Full article

Animal by-products (ABPs), comprising both edible and inedible components, offer significant nutritional, economic, and environmental value. However, their utilization differs markedly across global jurisdictions due to cultural preferences, regulatory frameworks, and technological capacities, which collectively shape consumption patterns and determine integration into food systems or diversion to industrial applications. While consumer reliance on offal remains high in the Global South, driven by tradition, affordability, and nutritional needs, its acceptance in the Global North is markedly lower, often limited by cultural aversion and perceived risks. Drawing from published evidence and primary survey data, this review examines regional consumption trends, industrial utilization pathways, and emerging valorization opportunities for ABPs. Globally, industrial use of ABPs is increasingly shifting toward advanced bioprocessing, integration within circular bioeconomy models, and high-value applications in nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and bio-industrial sectors. An online cross-sectional survey (n = 358) conducted across Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia revealed strong regional disparities in offal consumption, with higher acceptance in parts of Africa and Asia and more selective use in Europe and North America. Respondents also indicated clear support for non-food valorization pathways, particularly animal feed, fertilizer, and energy production, alongside pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. These findings align with the literature, where industrial valorization pathways such as collagen and gelatin extraction, rendering, and bioenergy production dominate. This review synthesized the jurisdictional disparities in consumption, regulation, technological capability, and industrial applications while highlighting emerging technological opportunities for high-value valorization. Recommendations emphasize consumer education, regulatory refinement, technological innovation, and sustainable practices to enhance the economic and environmental benefits of ABP utilization within a circular bioeconomy framework. Full article

With the transformation of resource-based cities and the restructuring of industrial sectors, the sustainable conservation of coal mining heritage has become a global focus. In China, coal mining heritage faces challenges such as degradation and inadequate management, highlighting the urgent need for more context-sensitive and systematic conservation approaches. This study develops an integrated, landscape-oriented analytical framework for stakeholder identification to address these challenges and to better understand stakeholder differentiation in coal mining heritage conservation. The research objectives are as follows: (1) to bring together a three-dimensional framework based on material-technical, socio-cultural, and experiential dimensions; (2) to analyse the roles and interactions of stakeholders; and (3) to explore how technical knowledge, socio-cultural memory, and daily experiences influence the protection and reuse of coal mining heritage sites. The study integrates the theoretical frameworks of landscape character assessment, historic urban landscape, and experiential landscape, using data from field observations and interviews analysed via ATLAS.ti. The findings show that the proposed framework offers a more systematic understanding of the dynamic relationships between stakeholders and heritage landscapes, thereby providing practical guidance for local governments and relevant institutions in developing inclusive and context-sensitive conservation strategies. Full article

Societal expectations for serious breaches of health and safety legislation that lead to loss of life have changed. The Australian harmonized work health and safety legislation has introduced industrial manslaughter to many jurisdictions across Australia, placing senior leaders at risk of prosecution. This paper examines whether mining construction managers (those involved in the building or maintenance of infrastructure at a mine site) have been adequately prepared, both ethically and practically, to understand how complex socio-technical systems could fail and the role human cognitive architecture plays in such systems. A case study is presented, which adequately highlights tragic outcomes from management inaction. The aim of this perspective article was to critically examine whether there is the need for greater health and safety education for construction managers within Western Australia’s mining construction sector. The analysis argues for the importance of embedding fundamental health and safety education in tertiary curricula and statutory training programs to promote and strengthen a positive safety culture and reduce high-severity incidents. The conclusion of the review is that there is a strong case for giving future mining construction leaders a better introduction to the fundamentals of workplace health and safety during tertiary education. By including work health and safety in their curricula, educational institutions can better prepare students for leadership roles in the industry. Full article

This study focuses on the commonalities and differences in the public housing systems of three East Asian countries, using Japan’s UR Rental Housing as a case study. It employs a composite methodology that integrates architectural typology and cross-cultural comparison, constructing theoretical linkages within a three-dimensional framework of “social institutions–cultural context–spatial structure”. The research emphasizes three key dimensions: (1) The evolution of policy frameworks and their underlying socio-cultural drivers; (2) The spatial layout logic and functional concepts embedded in residential unit planning; (3) The transformation and inheritance of traditional residential values in contemporary housing design. The study strictly adheres to a progressive logic of “sample construction–type decoding–paradigm extraction–cross-domain comparison–theoretical feedback”. It begins by analyzing the core issues in the supply structure and spatial adaptability of affordable housing in China and South Korea. Next, it systematically examines the policy evolution and spatial design paradigms of Japan’s UR Rental Housing. Subsequently, it constructs a comparative analytical matrix for public housing in China, Japan, and South Korea, identifying transferable common experiences and pathways requiring localized adaptation. Finally, it proposes targeted recommendations across three dimensions, namely policy framework, spatial design, and community building: (1) At the policy level, a full lifecycle governance framework is advocated; (2) In spatial design, the principles of “compactness and efficiency” are emphasized, alongside enhanced flexibility and cultural relevance; (3) In community building, efforts are directed toward activating interpersonal connections and strengthening the social functional attributes of housing. This study emphasizes transnational comparability and knowledge transferability, aiming to provide practical insights for China’s affordable housing reforms and South Korea’s public housing modernization. It seeks to promote cross-national learning and collaborative innovation in the regional housing sector, offering both theoretical reference and practical pathways to realize the shared vision of “restoring housing to a human scale”. Full article

This contribution examines the luxury real estate sector in the Caribbean Island of Sint Maarten. Drawing upon an analysis of ethnographic observations, interviews, property market data and marketing materials, we pose two core questions to the data: (1) How are fragments of the Dutch-Caribbean past deployed in luxury real estate marketing? (2) How does cyclical hurricane damage influence the luxury real estate market and heritage preservation? Proportionally very few of the luxury real estate listings directly reference cultural history. Yet when “Dutch-style and “plantation-era” esthetics are referenced, they appear to add value to the properties while enhancing a sense of exclusivity but erase the history of colonial violence. In conjunction with these discursive effects are the material realities of the cyclical destruction of property by hurricanes through which distressed properties are sold at a discount to be redeveloped for luxury builds aimed largely at foreign purchasers. This disaster development model systematically destroys artifacts of tangible heritage while displacing residents from communal spaces. As climate change intensifies, we raise questions about the sustainability of this model on the island going forward. Full article

This study aims to examine the effect of authentic leadership on task performance in public organizations from sustainability perspective and to test whether supportive organizational culture plays a mediating role in this relationship. A quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. A questionnaire form was used to collect data. Authentic leadership, task performance, and supportive organizational culture were measured using standard scales. After scale adaptation and factor analyses, one authentic leadership item was removed, resulting in a 15-item structure. Data were collected via Google Forms from 452 civil servants and contracted employees working in a metropolitan municipality in Turkey using convenience sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 22 for CFA. Construct validity was established through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA). Internal consistency coefficients were found to be high. Common method bias was assessed using Harman’s single-factor test. Hypotheses were tested using PROCESS Macro Model 4 with 5000 bootstrap resamples. The findings indicate that authentic leadership does not have a significant direct effect on task performance. However, authentic leadership significantly and positively predicts supportive organizational culture, and supportive organizational culture significantly enhances task performance. Moreover, the effect of authentic leadership on task performance occurs indirectly through supportive organizational culture, indicating a full mediating role. The results suggest that, in public organizations, leadership effects are more likely to be transferred into performance outcomes when it is embedded in cultural norms and supportive practices. From a sustainability perspective, in the absence of direct measures of sustainability outcomes, self-reported task performance is interpreted as a proximal organizational outcome rather than a direct indicator of sustainability. Therefore, the study offers theoretically grounded sustainability implications for institutional continuity via supportive organizational culture, efficiency in the use of resources and service quality with the practices of green HR in the public sector. Future research should employ multi-source and multi-indicator measures of sustainability. Full article

The integration of virtual museums into education has emerged as an innovative approach embraced by both teachers and learners, reflecting the broader impact of virtual reality (VR) applications in education. This study puts forward a pedagogical framework for utilizing virtual museums in teaching art history and investigating their impact on the art history curriculum. In this context, two free online museums are used as teaching materials, representing 3D interactive learning environments that enable immersive exploration of cultural heritage. Grounded in the Theory of Technology-Mediated Learning, this research adopts a hybrid methodological approach to track the art history courses of 75 Chinese undergraduates through experiments, questionnaires, and structured interviews over a four-week period. The findings demonstrate that virtual museum-integrated instruction significantly enhances learning effectiveness over sustained use, actively promotes learner engagement, and fosters greater autonomy. Importantly, learners prioritize educational value and authenticity in virtual museum features, while also expressing a strong preference for technologically mature platforms. This research contributes to understanding the impact of VR on digital transformation in the educational sector by providing a validated instructional model that integrates virtual museums into art history curricula, offering educators a replicable framework for implementation. Future studies should investigate the relationship between emotional engagement and academic performance within virtual museums to further refine both pedagogical strategies and educational virtual reality design. Full article

This study explores the intricate behavioral consumer psychology dynamics of how certain elements—color, price, gender differences, and the concept of the frequency illusion—affect emotions, brand awareness, and consumer decision-making in a digital environment. Going beyond conventional analyses, this study also explores the intersection of sustainable business practices, elucidating the potential for ethical, environmentally conscious, and business-sustainable decision-making. Utilizing a quantitative method and survey data from 207 respondents, this research contributes to a more profound level of understanding of consumer decision-making in the Lebanese retail sector, offering strategic insights for organizations seeking to enhance brand recognition, while aligning with responsible and sustainable practices in today’s dynamic and competitive environment. The study found that psychological cues—color, price, gender differences, and frequency illusion—significantly influence emotions, brand awareness, and consumer decision-making in retail. Future research should examine the tensions in consumer decision-making, where brand awareness and emotional cues can simultaneously facilitate and bias choices, with effects contingent on exposure, demographic characteristics, digital fluency, and cultural context. Full article

Population ageing is one of the most significant phenomena of the 21st century. The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between organizational culture (supportive culture, innovative culture, market culture, and rule culture) and ageism (prejudice and discrimination) and whether this relationship is moderated by organizational age (obsolescence, age norms, perceived time and opportunities left, and disengagement phase). The sample for this study comprises 400 participants from organizations across different sectors. This is a quantitative and correlational study. The results indicate that only supportive culture and perceived time and opportunities left have a negative and significant effect on discrimination. As for the moderating effect, only obsolescence moderates the relationship between rule culture and prejudice. Additionally, older employees reported a stronger perception of a supportive culture. Considering the results obtained, a supportive culture can combat discrimination and the high perception of the ageing process, the latter requiring a greater understanding of what is meant by perceived opportunities. Full article

Underwater cultural heritage represents a fragile and largely unexplored component of historical landscapes, particularly in dynamic fluvial and coastal environments. Despite increasing international attention to its protection, the spatial identification of submerged heritage remains methodologically challenging. This study proposes a geo-historical approach that integrates historical cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify areas of high archaeological potential in underwater contexts. Focusing on the Douro River in Porto (Portugal), a UNESCO World Heritage city with a long maritime and fluvial history, the research analyses a set of key historical maps from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, complemented by documentary and archaeological sources. These cartographic materials were georeferenced and critically assessed in QGIS, enabling the digitisation of features associated with land–water interaction, navigation hazards, port infrastructures, and military defences. The resulting spatial dataset was used to generate an interpretative map and a kernel density model highlighting potential underwater heritage hotspots along the riverbed and riverbanks. The findings identify several priority zones, including the river mouth, historic quays, former shipbuilding areas, and sectors linked to nineteenth-century defensive structures. While the study does not include in situ verification, it demonstrates the value of historical maps as predictive tools for guiding targeted underwater surveys and proposes a transferable, cost-effective framework for heritage prospection and management in historically active fluvial–estuarine settings. Full article

Digitalisation is transforming organisational practices, making digital readiness essential for strategic planning. However, customised digital maturity tools for the Irish Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) sector remain limited. This paper presents the development and validation of a Digital Maturity Gap Analysis Toolkit (DMGAT) for the Irish AECO sector. The toolkit assesses digital maturity across three dimensions—people, process and culture; technology; and policy and governance—covering 16 sub-dimensions and 69 assessment questions. Unlike existing tools such as the BIM Maturity Matrix, VDC BIM Scorecard, and Maturity Scan, the DMGAT uniquely integrates ISO 19650 maturity stages with a comprehensive maturity level matrix across three key dimensions, offering a customised, industry-specific assessment for the Irish AECO sector that combines structured benchmarking with actionable gap analysis. The toolkit supports gap analysis by comparing an organisation’s current maturity profile with the detailed descriptors of higher maturity levels (maturity level matrix), thereby enabling prioritised and context-specific improvement planning rather than pursuit of a uniform maximum level. The study uses a mixed-methods approach within a Design Science Research (DSR) framework, developing the tool across six phases: literature review, defining dimensions and key performance indicators (KPIs), prototype development, testing, refining and finalisation, and deployment for practical application and empirical evaluation within real organisational contexts in the Irish AECO sector, demonstrating its use as an operational diagnostic and learning tool. Alpha testing by the organisational research team refined structural enhancements including maturity stages, KPIs, and maturity matrix. Beta testing with 20 Irish AECO organisations confirmed the toolkit’s relevance, scope, and coverage. Participants highlighted its clarity and industry alignment, while suggesting minor improvements in wording, visuals, and support materials. This study concludes that DMGAT is a useful resource for informed decision-making and digital innovation in the Irish AECO sector. Full article