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In this chapter, practice-theoretical perspectives on the production of gender and childhood are extended by the theory of new materialism. A practice-theoretical view of masculinity(ies) radicalises the concept of doing gender and thereby makes it possible to show that gender is always co-produced as part of other complexes of praxes. Thus, the connection between masculinity(ies) and youth cultural praxes can be discussed. The chapter first elaborates theoretically the connections between masculinity and childhood research. We will explore how these theoretical and methodological thoughts might be used in empirical research on masculinity(ies) and boyhood by referring to our own study on children and young people riding stunt scooters in a medium-sized city in north-west Germany.

Although it is a relatively recent conceptualization of malevolent personality, the dark triad (DT) has been widely researched and shown to be responsible for increases in physical violence, controlling behavior, short-term mating preferences and poor relationship quality. This study aims to investigate whether DT traits predict acceptance toward intimate partner violence (IPV) in the general population, addressing a gap in the literature regarding predictors of harmful attitudes toward romantic relationships.

In total, 150 adults aged 18–74 (76% women) completed two self-report questionnaires: the short DT and the IPV attitude scale-revised.

A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted, with gender as predictor in the first models and DT traits added as predictors in second models. The results showed that male participants were more accepting of IPV than female participants. Over and above the contribution of gender, psychopathy and Machiavellianism positively predicted overall IPV acceptance, but narcissism did not. Psychopathy and Machiavellianism positively predicted acceptance of psychological abuse, and psychopathy positively predicted acceptance of controlling behaviors. Narcissism did not predict any facet of IPV acceptance.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, as the first study to explore the roles of DT traits in acceptance of IPV behaviors, the results contribute to the understanding of how these traits may predispose individuals to harmful intimate partner behaviors. These findings can inform IPV prevention efforts to aid in the early identification of individuals who hold maladaptive beliefs surrounding romantic relationships.

Nowadays, the electricity supply chain is significant for most societies, so it is necessary to use new technologies such as blockchain in the electricity industry. This study aims to identify and prioritize the factors influencing the adoption of blockchain technology in the electricity supply chain of the US.

In this study, after reviewing the research literature, the influential factors of blockchain adoption in the electricity industry are identified and the consensus of the experts is reached. Experts have a thorough understanding of blockchain technology and the US electricity industry. Data is collected using a Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) questionnaire from November 2022 to July 2023. Using the SWARA questionnaire, experts compared 16 influential subcriteria of blockchain adoption. Then, using the Fuzzy SWARA method, the following influential subcriteria of blockchain adaptation in the US electricity industry are evaluated and prioritized.

The results show that the most significant subcriterion among the 16 influential subcriteria for the adoption of blockchain technology in the electricity supply chain is reducing cost, whereas the collaborating with supply chain partners subcriterion is recognized as the least important subcriterion.

The present study helps managers improve their knowledge to apply blockchain technology and also have the best performance for applying blockchain technology in the electricity supply chain.

In this article, the authors draw-upon an extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and propose a research model involving performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), facilitating conditions (FC) and competitive pressure (CP) as potential salient factors explaining the adoption of digitalization in European SMEs. The authors also postulate that there may be cross-cultural differences, thereby leading us to include the country as a moderator in the model.

The authors validate this model with a cross-cultural sample involving 188 owner-managers from the Czech Republic and Slovakia and through the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) techniques as well as multi-group analysis.

The results using the study’s global dataset indicate that PE, FC and CP significantly affect owner-managers intentions toward digitalization in SMEs. The authors’ application of the multi-group analysis also suggests that although the two countries differ in digitalization adoption intention, the differences are statistically insignificant. In the conclusion, the authors highlight several implications these findings have for theory and practice.

The authors recommend that the providers of emerging digital technologies should improve on the performance features of those technologies and ensure they are relevant to the SMEs. By doing so, the adoption of digitalization will grow, because owner-managers of SMEs will have the confidence that adopting such technologies will improve their operations. Second, SMEs are required to provide adequate organizational and technical infrastructure to support digitalization adoption.

Aside from being among the few attempts to extend the explanatory power of UTAUT with PE, EE, FC and CP in investigating digitalization adoption in SMEs context, this study also validates its model with rigorous methodological approach as well as three datasets (global, Czech Republic and Slovakia) thereby strengthening the validity of the results.

Severe inequality from climate change exists between the Global North and Global South. The North significantly contributes to climate change yet retreats to protect itself against its harmful impacts. Conversely, members of the Global South bear the brunt of the climate crisis with limited protection against its destructive effects. Climate justice aims to address this inequality. This paper explores the effects of climate change reforms and policies that have been established to foster accountability and climate justice.

This research follows a qualitative exploratory case study method. It draws on a supply- and demand-led approach and local accounts to analyse the (in)effectiveness with which six national and international reforms and policies have achieved accountability for climate justice. The research analysed a variety of empirical documents including contemporary research, reports, academic literature, non-government and government documents and policies, media releases and Pacific Islander accounts.

Climate change reforms and policies, which come together to form supply-side accountability, have largely failed to engender accountability in the Global North for the impacts of climate change. Nor have they mitigated climate change to any tangible extent at all. This has created a system of modern-day climate apartheid. Improving accountability and remediating climate injustices going forward will require a focus on demand-led instruments and accountability, which includes the voice of citizens.

This paper responds to AAAJ’s special issue call for examining accounting and accountability with regard to environmental and climate racism. Limited research to date explores the issue of climate apartheid and climate justice and its relationship with accountability. This research attempts to fill that gap.

This study aims to delve into the perspectives of educators on integrating ChatGPT, an AI language model into management education. In the current research, educators were asked to talk as widely as possible about the perceived benefits, limitations of ChatGPT in management education and strategies to improve ChatGPT for management education. Also, shedding light on what motivates or inhibits them to use ChatGPT in management education in the Indian context.

Interpretative phenomenological analysis commonly uses purposive sampling. In this research, the purpose is to delve into educators’ perspectives on ChatGPT in management education. The data was collected from the universities offering management education in Uttarakhand, India. The final sample size for the study was constrained to 57 educators, reflecting the point of theoretical saturation in data collection.

The present study involved educators discussing the various advantages of using ChatGPT in the context of management education. When educators were interviewed, their responses were categorized into nine distinct sub-themes related to the benefits of ChatGPT in management education. Similarly, when educators were asked to provide their insights on the limitations of using ChatGPT in management education, their responses were grouped into six sub-themes that emerged during the interviews. Furthermore, in the process of interviewing educators about potential strategies to enhance ChatGPT for management education, their feedback was organized into seven sub-themes, reflecting the various approaches suggested by the educators.

In the qualitative study, perceptions and experiences of educators at a certain period are captured. It would be necessary to conduct longitudinal research to comprehend how perceptions and experiences might change over time. The study’s exclusive focus on management education may not adequately reflect the experiences and viewpoints of educators in another discipline. The findings may not be generalizable and applicable to other educational disciplines.

The research has helped in identifying the strengths and limitations of ChatGPT as perceived by educators for management education. Understanding educators’ perceptions and experiences with ChatGPT provided valuable insight into how the tool is being used in real-world educational settings. These insights can guide higher education institutions, policymakers and ChatGPT service providers in refining and improving the ChatGPT tool to better align with the specific needs of management educators.

Amid the rising interest in ChatGPT’s educational applications, a research gap exists in exploring educators’ perspectives on AI tools like ChatGPT. While some studies have addressed its role in fields like medical, engineering, legal education and natural sciences, the context of management education remains underexplored. This study focuses on educators’ experiences with ChatGPT in transforming management education, aiming to reveal its benefits, limitations and factors influencing adoption. As research in this area is limited, educators’ insights can guide higher education institutions, ChatGPT providers and policymakers in effectively implementing ChatGPT in Indian management education.

This paper aims to discuss the positioning of international organisations (IOs) in the realm of international law. It proposes a more robust approach, arguing IOs have legal obligations akin to states to the extent which could be fulfilled by them. This paper suggests making IOs parties to international treaties like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and Geneva Convention 1949 to codify their international responsibilities. In addition, it proposes amending multilateral treaties to grant IOs membership and create binding legal obligations for them, thereby enhancing the overall legal framework for IOs.

The paper opted for qualitative analytical approach of research by referring to international treaties and scholarly papers.

The authors have evaluated the bindingness of international law on IOs. The authors argue that jus cogens and customary international law are equally binding on IOs. However, treaties could only be binding on IOs to the extent of their consent. The authors have assessed prior violations of IOs. The authors argue that, to prevent such violations by IOs, creating obligations is the first step. Second, amendments are required in the existing international treaties that reflect the foundations of international humanitarian and international human rights law like the Geneva Convention 1949, ICCPR, and ICESCR, to permit IOs to join these treaties, resulting in binding international legal obligations.

The most prominent assertion of this paper is that IOs as subjects of international law are bound by the principles of international law, including treaty law with consent, customary international laws, general principles of law and peremptory norms. To fulfil these obligations, a regime needs to be introduced wherein amendment is made in treaties to make IOs parties to them and structuring the law on responsibility for IOs. Considering the multifaceted nature of IO, the role it performs in contemporary times requires them to be bound by rules of international law just like states. There is a need to settle their position in global governance and give them more teeth to understand and fulfil their duties to ensure smooth functioning in the long run.

The paper fulfils an identified gap in the positioning of IOs under the international law.

Exhibiting an unprecedented rate of advancement, technology’s progression over the past two decades has regrettably led to a disturbing increase in the distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) online. Compounded by the emergence of an underground cryptocurrency market, which serves as a primary distribution channel for these materials, the investigation and sanctioning of CSAM present a complex and unique set of challenges. The purpose of this study is to accurately diagnose the CSAM sentencing landscape and build a more comprehensive, evidence-based legal framework in penology.

The study collected and analyzed case details regarding CSAM sanctions in a database sourced from the US Department of Justice for 2020. Various factors were analyzed such as the victim’s age, offender typology and previous conviction, accompanied by an analysis of how these factors affect the sentence length.

The study found that the hierarchical agency-level interactions give insight into resource allocation prioritization, as well as confirming a close relationship between prior conviction history and sentence length, with the victim’s age inversely related to sentence length. Leveraging data-driven insights, the study paves the way for more targeted and effective sanctions, ultimately contributing to the broader goal of safeguarding children from online sexual exploitation.

The paper provides a critical analysis of the complex landscape surrounding CSAM distribution and judicial sentencing. By examining case details and leveraging data-driven insights, it offers valuable contributions to understanding the interplay between various factors such as victim age, offender typology and prior convictions on sentencing outcomes. This comprehensive approach not only sheds light on the dynamics of CSAM sanctions but also lays the groundwork for evidence-based legal frameworks in penology. Its originality lies in its nuanced examination of hierarchical agency interactions and its potential to inform more targeted interventions for safeguarding children from online exploitation.

This study aims to conceptualize the UAE’s whistleblowing model by reviewing recent legislative updates directed toward removing potential legal deterrents, introducing legal protection and establishing numerous external whistleblowing channels. The study surveys these initiatives through the prism of the country’s unique socio-economic and judicial environments.

The study applies a conceptual approach to probe the potential impact of the UAE’s legislative initiatives on the country’s whistleblowing regime by connecting the demographic data, the UAE’s legal and regulatory frameworks, academic literature and media reports.

Recent legislative updates to the UAE whistleblowing regime are geared toward removal of potential legal deterrents, introduction of legal protection and establishment of external whistleblowing channels for reporting. These constitute the conceptual model of the UAE’s whistleblowing strategy, which is broad in scope and application yet may appear fragmented.

The study merges a comprehensive review of legislative initiatives and regulatory framework with academic literature to conceptualize the UAE’s whistleblowing model.

The adoption of energy-efficient systems is crucial for Pakistan to meet its growing energy demand and address its energy challenges. However, adoption of these systems in Pakistan is hindered by several barriers, including economic constraints, lack of awareness and social attitudes toward sustainable development. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore adoption of energy-efficient household systems and the associated social influence.

The study incorporates social influence as a mediating factor to examine the relationships between awareness of consequences, perceived consumer effectiveness and attitudes toward the adoption of energy-efficient systems. A quantitative survey method was used to collect data from households from Faisalabad, Pakistan. A total of 203 valid questionnaires were received and data analyzed through SmartPLS 4 for structural equation modeling.

The results revealed that awareness of consequences positively impacts compliance, social identification and internalization, while perceived consumer effectiveness has a positive relationship with social identification and internalization. Moreover, the positive association of social identification and internalization with attitude were supported but relationship of compliance with attitude was unsupported.

The results may also be used to develop compelling marketing campaigns focusing environmental conservation and social influence for positive attitude development.

The study contributes to theoretical literature by examining the empirical relationships between specific individual characteristics and societal pressure that play a critical role in shaping attitudes toward the acceptance of energy-efficient systems. Additionally, the study's findings offer actionable implications for policymakers and marketers, contributing to the development of targeted interventions for promoting sustainable consumption.