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In this research, we explore the adverse impact of foreign ownership on operational security, a critical operational implication of the liability of foreignness (LOF).

The empirical analysis is based on a multi-country dataset from the World Bank Enterprises Survey, which contains detailed firm-level information from over 8,902 firms in 82 emerging market countries. We perform a series of robustness checks to further confirm our findings.

We find that a high ratio of foreign ownership is associated with an increased likelihood of security breaches and higher security costs. Our results also indicate that high levels of host countries’ institutional quality and firms’ local embeddedness can mitigate such vulnerability in operational security.

This study is one of the first to uncover the critical operational implication of the LOF, indicating that a high ratio of foreign ownership exposes firms to operational security challenges.

The retail industry has experienced significant transformations driven by digitalization and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter aims to explore the impact of digitalization on retail business models and understand consumer purchasing habits during emergencies. This chapter will examine the influence of scarcity and competitive arousal on consumer choices, the effects of stock-outs on brand and store preferences, price sensitivity, waiting times and the shift towards online shopping. Additionally, it will address concerns about social exclusion in digital channels and the potential for bridging the gap between offline and online shopping experiences.

Seaports seek to find innovative technological solutions to deal with the ever-increasing growth of transportation and increasing the intensity of competition through the use of emerging technology such as digital twin technology to improve the quality of their logistics operations. Despite the success of digital twins in many industries, there is still a lack of their application in the field of seaports where ports play a central role as part of global transportation chains. Seaports sustainability comprises three main aspects: the social aspect that encompasses more job opportunities, the economic aspect that enhances foreign trade, and the environmental aspect that refers to the process of managing and operating ports in a way that saves the environment. This chapter discusses how to apply digital twins’ technology on the imported Twenty equivalent foot unit (TEUs) taking into consideration the population growth, and the capacity of the storage area of the container terminals in an attempt to explore the impact on Kuwait’s seaports sustainability. The study provides a framework for capacity management in an attempt to initiate the next generation of smart seaports cities and consequently impact society, economy, and well-being in Kuwait and Gulf region. The results of the study showed that there is a strong correlation between population growth and imported TEUs growth during the essential stage of the study. The correlation factor was 0.97, and this correlation will support the prediction until Kuwait vision 2040.

This study aims to determine the influence of experiential value, authentic happiness and experiential satisfaction on the behavioral intention of luxury fashion.

Two hundred online questionnaires were collected from customers who rented or bought wedding dresses between 2015 and 2020, with at least one rental or purchase coming from an Indonesian bridal wedding brand that promotes the idea of marriage under Islamic law. The quantitative methodology used in this study was examined using the Structural Equation Model analysis method with the AMOS 22 software.

The results showed that all hypotheses were accepted with significant positive influences, including experiential value in halal fashion on authentic happiness, experiential satisfaction and luxury fashion behavioral intention, authentic happiness in luxury fashion behavioral intention and experiential satisfaction, as well as experiential satisfaction in the behavioral intention of luxury fashion.

The data were collected from respondents who have rented and/or purchased wedding dresses. However, the number of respondents who only rent or who only buy was not identified.

The value of experience in halal fashion needs to be increased. Based on the results of this study, it is hoped that marketers can create effective marketing policies and strategies by paying attention to the value of the consumer’s halal fashion experience because it will affect their authentic happiness, experience satisfaction and luxury fashion behavior intention.

This study has unique originality in measuring the variable of luxury fashion behavioral intention, which was adjusted to the object of research, namely luxury fashion.

The objective of this comparative quantitative study is to examine hypotheses regarding the impact of asset management and intellectual capital (IC) on the financial performance of the construction sector in the ASEAN-5 throughout 2019–2022 with enterprise resource planning (ERP) as a mediator variable.

A final sample of 65 construction industries listed on stock exchanges during 2019 and 2022 in ASEAN-5 (Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore) was selected using the purposive sampling method. This research employs market-to-book value (MBV) as a measure of IC. The study also used path analysis, the Sobel test and analysis of variance test (ANOVA).

The findings demonstrate that asset management, intellectual capital and ERP have a significant and favorable impact on return on asset (ROA). Additionally, the asset management and IC of the ERP display weak and substantial outcomes. The implementation of ERP was also shown not to operate as a mediating factor. The ANOVA results on financial performance indicate significant differences for the year 2019. Furthermore, the use of various ERP software types demonstrates a comparable impact on enhancing financial performance.

This is the first study that utilizes ERP to mediate management asset and IC on financial performance. The ASEAN-5 construction sector is representative of developing nations' economic condition, offering the possibility to avoid the global economic collapse in 2023 and recover despite economic volatility.

This study aims to investigate the impact of brain drain on government AI readiness in EU member countries, considering the distinctive governance characteristics, macroeconomic conditions and varying levels of ICT specialists.

The research employs a dynamic panel data model using the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to analyze the relationship between brain drain and government AI readiness from 2018 to 2022. The study incorporates various control variables such as GDP per capita growth, government expenditure growth, employed ICT specialists and several governance indicators.

The results indicate that brain drain negatively affects government AI readiness. Additionally, the presence of ICT specialists, robust governance structures and positive macroeconomic indicators such as GDP per capita growth and government expenditure growth positively influence AI readiness.

Major limitations include the focus on a specific region of countries and the relatively short period analyzed. Future research could extend the analysis with more comprehensive datasets and consider additional variables that might influence AI readiness, such as the integration of AI with emerging quantum computing technologies and the impact of governance reforms and international collaborations on AI readiness.

The theoretical value of this study lies in providing a nuanced understanding of how brain drain impacts government AI readiness, emphasizing the critical roles of skilled human capital, effective governance and macroeconomic factors in enhancing AI capabilities, thereby filling a significant gap in the existing literature.

This research fills a significant gap in the existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between brain drain and government AI readiness. It uses control variables such as ICT specialists, governance structures and macroeconomic factors within the context of the European Union. It offers novel insights for policymakers to enhance AI readiness through targeted interventions addressing brain drain and fostering a supportive environment for AI innovation.

Productivity is often cited as a key barrier to the adoption of metal laser-based powder bed fusion (ML-PBF) technology for mass production. Newer generations of this technology work to overcome this by introducing more lasers or dramatically different processing techniques. Current generation ML-PBF machines are typically not capable of taking on additional hardware to maximise productivity due to inherent design limitations. Thus, any increases to be found in this generation of machines need to be implemented through design or adjusting how the machine currently processes the material. The purpose of this paper is to identify the most beneficial existing methodologies for the optimisation of productivity in existing ML-PBF equipment so that current users have a framework upon which they can improve their processes.

The review method used here is the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA). This is complemented by using an artificial intelligence-assisted literature review tool known as Elicit. Scopus, WEEE, Web of Science and Semantic Scholar databases were searched for articles using specific keywords and Boolean operators.

The PRIMSA and Elicit processes resulted in 51 papers that met the criteria. Of these, 24 indicated that by using a design of experiment approach, processing parameters could be created that would increase productivity. The other themes identified include scan strategy (11), surface alteration (11), changing of layer heights (17), artificial neural networks (3) and altering of the material (5). Due to the nature of the studies, quantifying the effect of these themes on productivity was not always possible. However, studies citing altering layer heights and processing parameters indicated the greatest quantifiable increase in productivity with values between 10% and 252% cited. The literature, though not always explicit, depicts several avenues for the improvement of productivity for current-generation ML-PBF machines.

This systematic literature review provides trends and themes that aim to influence and support future research directions for maximising the productivity of the ML-PBF machines.

This paper aims to evaluate the impact of the “Postliteracy” program on the qualification of beneficiaries for socioeconomic integration. This qualification is achieved first through the consolidation of the achievements of individuals freed from illiteracy, and then through their support in creating income-generating activities by providing them with technical, economic, legal and institutional knowledge to ensure their conscious and responsible participation in local and regional development efforts.

To evaluate the impact of the “Postliteracy” program, this paper uses quasi-experimental methods with a control group (participants of the “Literacy” program 2020 / 2021) and a treatment group (participants of the “Postliteracy” program 2021 / 2022). Skill acquisition is measured through pretest and posttest evaluations using a questionnaire aligned with the National Agency for the Fight Against Illiteracy (ANLCA)-adopted curriculum. The survey occurred at the beginning and at the end of the program, providing sufficient time for skill development. The questionnaire includes three sections covering socioprofessional characteristics, technical and economic domains and legal and institutional aspects. These sections contribute to a score reflecting the acquired skills for successful socioeconomic integration.

The results of the study demonstrate that the “Postliteracy” program has a positive impact on the acquisition of competences necessary for improved socioeconomic integration of the beneficiaries. The various matching techniques reveal a score difference ranging from 12 to 14 points in favor of program participants compared to those who did not participate. The Difference-in-Differences method confirms the positive and significant impact of the program.

The findings highlight the importance of the “Postliteracy” program in national literacy policy, underlining the need to further strengthen its presence within the programs deployed by ANLCA, notably by increasing the number of beneficiaries targeted by this program. To achieve this, it would be advisable to increase the funds allocated to it within ANLCA's budget.

The originality of this work is a unique research of the case of Morocco based on a microeconometric study for which the authors evaluate the impact of adult education by applying impact evaluation methods in the field of adult literacy.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent and multifaceted metabolic and endocrine disorder that affects a significant number of women in their reproductive years. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the lifeline diet score (LLDS) and PCOS.

In this study, the authors enrolled 105 women who had recently been diagnosed with PCOS. 105 women without PCOS, matched for age and body mass index (BMI), were selected as the control group. The mean age of the participants was 34.80 ± 5.37 years old. Standardized procedures were used to measure anthropometric indicators and assess the body composition of each participant. To determine the dietary patterns, a validated and reliable 147-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was administered. Based on the responses to the FFQ, the LLDS was calculated using 12 specific components. Multiple and univariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the associations between LLDS and PCOS, considering various factors.

In the control group, the mean LLDS was 45.61 ± 9.67; while in the case group, the mean LLDS was 25.10 ± 7.49, respectively (P = 0.001). After adjusting for socioeconomic status (SES), age, protein, fat, physical activity and BMI, the probability of developing PCOS is 69% lower in the third tertiles of LLDS than in the first tertiles (OR = 0.31, CI 95% = 0.15–0.62), (P < 0.001).

The study finds that a higher LLDS correlates with reduced PCOS risk, echoing dietary advice to boost fruits, dairy, vegetables, legumes, poultry and grains while limiting pasta, rice, bread, eggs, red meat, sweets, sugar and hydrogenated fats.