Search results

Based on the 5th wave/tomorrow age theory, we are living in the world that is in necessity to change. Rapid urbanization causes global challenges such as economic problems and recessions, environmental challenges, climate change, social instability, health diseases, biological attached, and crisis caused by technological dominations. These challenges threaten the world, humanity, and human beings. Therefore, it is vital to tackle and struggle with them in order to maintain the world and improve quality of livability and quality of life to achieve sustainability. Generally, modern Blue-Green urban areas and smart cities with high quality of livability and life are proposed to deal with urbanization challenges to maintain the world and improve quality of human life. Based on Prof. Doost's 5th wave theory, related theories, concepts and models like Doost Risk Mitigation Method (DRMM), and also his experience on sustainability as best practice such as cooperating with Danish Sustainable Platforms Company, working as an academic leader at IoE/EQ EU Erasmus Plus project in Germany during 2017–2020, cooperating with former mayor of Copenhagen, consulting the German MV State Minister of Energy, Digitalization, and Infrastructure to cooperate with Iran in 2016, more than 15 years holding lecture and research internationally about risk and risk management on mobility in different universities like (TU Berlin) Technical University of Berlin (EUREF Campus, Sustainable Mobility Management and Sustainability Building) and also achieving a honorary doctorate in sustainable development management, a practical model concerned on risk management in mobility to provide comprehensive global Blue-Green clean sustainable urban mobility risk mitigation strategic plan is given. Therefore, in this chapter, impact of risk management on mobility to provide sustainable global urban mobility plan in order to create modern Blue-Green sustainable urban area and future smart cities through the 5th wave theory are explored. Fundamentally, the main goal of the research is to have an applied study about mobility risk mitigation and utilize it as a key to create comprehensive global urban mobility risk mitigation plan toward Blue-Green sustainable clean mobility technologies to create modern sustainable smart cities through the tomorrow age theory in order to create livable urban area with high quality of livability and life. In addition, the risks in mobility through the DRMM are measured to analyze the risk and to do risk mitigation and mobility project improvement to move to sustainable mobility and high sustainability in future smart cities.

While the potential of human resource practices (HRPs) for promoting performance is widely recognized, even though crucial, employees’ assessment of HRPs remains under-researched, especially in emerging economies. Hence, the purpose of this research is to examine the influence of employee satisfaction with HRPs on job performance through the mediating role of job dedication (JD) and the moderating role of incentive gamification.

The current research adopts a quantitative method. Specifically, using a questionnaire survey, 418 valid responses collected (through purposive sampling) via cross-sectional method from the employees of Nigerian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firms were used to test the research hypotheses empirically.

The results revealed that satisfaction with HRPs has a positive influence on job performance. Satisfaction with human resource practices has a positive influence on job dedication. Job dedication has a positive influence on job performance. The link between employees’ satisfaction with human resource practices and job performance is mediated by job dedication. The link between satisfaction with human resource practices and job dedication is moderated by incentive gamification, that is, the positive link is stronger when incentive gamification is high. The link between satisfaction with human resource practices and job performance is moderated by incentive gamification, that is, the positive link is stronger when incentive gamification is high.

The current study highlights the importance of employees’ assessments of human resource practices, which may be used to promote employee dedication, which in turn results in improved performance. The findings are helpful to open the black box of the impact of satisfaction with HRPs on job performance. The results also offer important new valuable guidance for practitioners and will aid the management of human resource practice design, audits, and communication.

This paper aims to create and evaluate a model for cryptocurrency adoption by investigating how age, education, and gender impact Behavioural Intention. A hybrid approach that combined partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) was used for the purpose.

This study uses a multi-analytical hybrid approach, combining PLS-SEM and ANN to illustrate the impact of various identified variables on behavioral intention toward using cryptocurrency. Multi-group analysis (MGA) is applied to determine whether different data groups of age, gender and education have significant differences in the parameter estimates that are specific to each group.

The findings indicate that Social Influence (SI) has the greatest impact on Behavioral Intention (BI), which suggests that the viewpoints and recommendations of influential and well-known individuals can serve as a motivating factor to invest in cryptocurrencies. Furthermore, education was found to be a moderating factor in the relationship found between behavioral intention and design.

Prior studies on technology adoption have utilized superficial SEM and ANN methods, whereas a more effective outcome has been suggested by implementing a dual-stage PLS-SEM and ANN approach utilizing a deep neural network architecture. This methodology can enhance the accuracy of nonlinear connections in the model and augment the deep learning capacity.

The research is based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) and expands upon this model by integrating elements of design and trust. This is an important addition, as design can influence individuals' willingness to try new technologies, while trust is a critical factor in determining whether individuals will adopt and use new technology.

Cryptocurrencies are a relatively new phenomenon in India, and their use and adoption have grown significantly in recent years. However, this development has not been without controversy, as the implications of cryptocurrencies for society, the economy and governance remain uncertain. The results reveal that social influence is an important predictor for the adoption of cryptocurrency in India, and this can help financial institutions and regulators in making policy decisions accordingly.

Given the emerging nature of cryptocurrency adoption in India, there is certainly a need for further empirical research in this area. The current study aims to address this research gap and achieve the following objectives: (a) to determine if a dual-stage PLS-SEM and ANN analysis utilizing deep learning techniques can yield more comprehensive research findings than a PLS-SEM approach and (b) to identify variables that can forecast the intention to adopt cryptocurrency.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of entropy generation of some embedded thermophysical properties on heat and mass transfer of pulsatile flow of non-Newtonian nanofluid flows between two porous parallel plates in the presence of Lorentz force are taken into account in this research.

The governing partial differential equations (PDEs) were nondimensionalized using suitable nondimensional quantities to transform the PDEs into a system of coupled nonlinear PDEs. The resulting equations are solved using the spectral relaxation method due to the effectiveness and accuracy of the method. The obtained velocity and temperature profiles are used to compute the entropy generation rate and Bejan number. The influence of various flow parameters on the velocity, temperature, entropy generation rate and Bejan number are discussed graphically.

The results indicate that the energy losses can be minimized in the system by choosing appropriate values for pertinent parameters; when thermal conductivity is increasing, this leads to the depreciation of entropy generation, and while this increment in thermal conductivity appreciates the Bejan number, the Eckert number on entropy generation and Bejan number, the graph shows that each time of increase in Eckert will lead to rising of entropy generation while this increase shows a reduction in Bejan number. To shed more light, these results were further demonstrated graphically. The current research was very well supported by prior literature works.

All results are presented graphically, and the results in this article are anticipated to be helpful in the area of engineering.

This study aims to examine the interplay between renewable energy consumption, carbon footprints, natural resources depletion and economic growth.

It engaged 45 African countries using the generalized method of moments (GMM) approach. Data from the World Development Indicators for the period 2000–2023 are used to analyse the relationships among these variables.

The result indicates a positive and significant effect of greenhouse gas emissions on economic growth in all regions of Africa, except for Southern Africa. Regarding the depletion of natural resources, the authors observe a dominant negative effect on economic growth. Thus, an increase in the depletion of natural resources contributes to the reduction of economic growth in most regions of Africa, notably West Africa, East Africa and sub-Saharan Africa as a whole. Moreover, the depletion of natural resources can also have negative social impacts, such as conflicts over access to remaining resources, which can indirectly influence economic stability and growth.

This study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence of the positive effects of renewable energy consumption on carbon footprints, natural resource depletion and economic growth. By quantifying these relationships, the study offers valuable insights into the potential of renewable energy to address pressing environmental and economic challenges.

Sustainable construction practices are strongly correlated with a profitable and competitive construction industry, improved client satisfaction and efficient use of resources. However, due consideration is not being given to sustainable construction practices in Nigeria. Therefore, this study aims to identify the unsustainable construction practices on construction sites, the barriers to sustainable construction and possible strategies to improve sustainable construction in Nigeria.

A questionnaire survey of 50 construction sites was conducted with construction professionals on the sites as the specific target, out of which only 43 construction sites have at least a construction professional present at the site. Forty-three filled questionnaires from the respondents were used for descriptive (mean score, standard deviation and charts) and inferential analysis (t-test and Kruskal–Wallis) in this study.

The study shows that a large percentage (75%) of construction professionals in Nigeria are aware of sustainable construction. The descriptive and inferential analysis showed a disparity in the ranking of the 12 unsustainable practices, 14 barriers and 11 strategies among the respondents. Five unsustainable practices (“negative externalities”, “excess energy”, “unsustainable technologies”, “non-management of health and safety of workers” and “material waste”), six barriers to sustainable construction (“absence of historical data and exemplary projects on which construction professionals can build and learn from”, “lack of professional to handle the task”, “poverty and low urban investment”, “lack of urban and construction policy”, “lack of awareness” and “lack of technical know-how”) and three strategies to improve sustainable construction practices in Nigeria (“cooperation, partnership and participation”, “protection of biodiversity and conservation of natural resources” and “sustainability assessment system”) were found to be significant.

The study offers significant insights into the construction industry unsustainable practices, barriers to sustainable construction, as well as strategies for improving sustainable construction practices. These insights can be applied to other developing countries with an emphasis on geographical differences.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the recent studies in Nigeria that explored the context of sustainable construction in the construction industry by providing insights into the unsustainable construction practices, barriers and strategies to improve sustainable construction in Nigeria.

Using Pakistan's public sector higher education institutions as the study site, this study aims to empirically substantiate, under the theoretical underpinnings of job enrichment theory (Hackman and Oldham, 1976) and Maslow's (1943) theory of the hierarchy of needs, the impact of flexible work practices (FWPs), on employee work engagement and organizational attractiveness, with the mediating lens of work life enrichment.

Field data were collected at five higher education institutions located in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) of Pakistan, using the convenience sampling technique and analyzed under the quantitative research paradigm.

This study substantiates with an empirical evidence that flexible work practices (FWPs) have a significant positive impact on both employee work engagement and organizational attractiveness. Markedly, the study findings reveal that the said impact is significantly stronger than that of sabbaticals. Furthermore, the study reveals that the positive relationship is mediated by work life enrichment, signaling its significance in understanding FWP's such impact on employee work engagement and organizational attractiveness.

The study findings provide significant implications for academia, practitioners, and policymakers, in evidence-based recommendations for higher education institutions to design and implement FWPs that are effective in enhancing employee work engagement and organizational attractiveness, and, in turn, leading to improved organizational performance.

This research study provides a novel contribution to the existing literature by exploring the combined impact of flexible work practices on employee work engagement and organizational attractiveness in the peculiar context of Pakistan's public sector higher education institutions. Additionally, the study's focus on the mediating role of work life enrichment further adds to its novelty.

This study is aimed at interrogating the mediation role of public spending in domestic debt and economic growth nexus, drawing on debt overhang theory and the Keynesian view.

The study deployed a time series data (from 1981 to 2020) set drawn from the 2021 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) statistical bulletin. The mediation effect of public spending was tested by performing structural equation modeling after pre-estimation Augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test.

Overall, the study outcomes indicate that domestic debt and public spending have significant positive effects on economic growth. Additionally, the study finds public spending to partially mediate domestic debt and economic growth nexus.

This study's outcomes provide insights that will enable fiscal policymakers to focus on internal borrowing, keep it under strict control to avert crowding out effects and improve public spending on productive projects to stimulate economic growth.

As the first study to question the mediation effect of public spending in domestic debt-economic growth relationship, it deepens and extends extant literature on domestic debt-economic growth nexus.

Using the social model of disability and social cognitive theory, this study aims to examine Students With Disabilities (SWDs) and facilities accessibility to dismantle exclusion in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Three sets of data were collected for the study, first, detailed inventory and actual measurements of basic accessibility to infrastructure (ramp, staircases, handrails, drop-kerb and toilets), estimating barriers and breakers and checking conformity with The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) standards. Second, perceptual data was collected from SWDs through questionnaire administration on 56 SWDs based on consent and willingness to partake in the survey, and finally, 5 key informants were selected for interview. Data collected were analyzed using mean index, cross-tabulation and content analysis.

The study revealed that accessibility to buildings and facilities is a major problem faced by SWDs within the campus, and this is attributed to insufficient provision of facilities such as ramps, drop kerbs, tactile, traffic/auditory signals, crossing aids in the campus physical environment. Also, no building on campus is disability friendly, with barriers such as step and stair landings, circulations and narrow corridors within the campus buildings and no provision for disabled priority seating, toilets and elevators among others. These accessibility limitations contribute greatly to the disadvantage and marginalization faced by SWDs, leading to deprivation and exclusion.

Creating an inclusive environment, especially for SWDs, requires access to adequate and standard barrier-free facilities within university campuses. These barriers create accessibility limitations and contribute greatly to the disadvantage and marginalization faced by SWDs, leading to deprivation and exclusion, in the form of fatigue, restriction from educational opportunities, frustrations and hinder the right to freedom of movement, unequal participation and lack of access to various facilities such as health. Hence, disabled-friendly design components play a vital role in creating inclusion within the campus environment.

The study focuses on the minority and less privileged students whose voices and fundamental human rights have been trampled upon indirectly through exclusion in policy formulation. This has to a large extent hampered their access to public buildings such as classrooms and libraries, which may transcend to affecting their academic excellence. A study of this nature aimed at breaking exclusion for proper accessibility to school infrastructure, which will aid the achievement of SDG4.

The purpose of this study is to examine the politics, political economy, and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria. Hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drug in Nigeria, such as opioid analgesics, is a very complex and multifaceted one, which usually involves the interplay of many factors and parties.

Policy manuals, official government gazettes (legislations, regulations, Acts and decrees), academic literature and a direct ethnographic observation of events surrounding the regulation of prescription drugs were reviewed and engaged.

The results revealed that Nigerian and global political economy and politics interface to define the direction of the new restrictive opioid policy, with resultant friction between prohibition and consumption. The reviews showed that the overarching “get-tough” and “repressive” policy are not necessarily founded on empirical evidence of an increase in prescription drug sales or use, but more as a product of the interplay of both internal and external politics and the prevailing socioeconomic order.

Instead of borrowing extensively from or being influenced by repressive Western drug laws and perspectives, Nigerian policymakers on prescription opioids should take control of the process by drawing up a home-grown policy that is less intrusive and punitive in nature for better outcomes. A mental sea change is required to understand the intrigues of Western power in Nigeria’s politics and political economy to avoid the continuous symptomatic failure of drug policy.

The politics and economic influence of the United Nations, USA and Western powers, as well as the axiom of moral panic of prescription drugs scares within the Nigerian environment, are particularly significant in the making of the emerging hawkish policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria.