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This paper presents an analytic report, with precise scientific rigor, the positive impact of the government’s welfare schemes and the areas that need urgent public policy intervention.

Uddanam, Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh, a conglomeration of an apportioned group of villages, grapples with a severe and mysterious kidney disease epidemic since the 1980s, affecting agricultural communities. The region, which was once fondly called “Udyanam,” translated as “Garden,” for its richness in greenery and cashew and coconut trees, has now become “Uddanam,” the land of death and despair. The residents of the region suffer with high rates of kidney failure and associated health complications for factors including environmental toxins and poor water quality. Despite several efforts by governments, the impact of governmental policy on improving the conditions has been non-significant. The problem has been taken into sincere and serious consideration by the present Government of Andhra Pradesh which introduced ground-breaking welfare initiatives to impede the prevalence of the disease and the deaths among patients. This paper presents an analytic report, with precise scientific rigor, the positive impact of the government’s welfare schemes, and the areas that need urgent public policy intervention.

This paper is the first to identify that out of the total of 942 CKD patients interviewed uniformly at random from the Uddanam mandals, a majority of 86.06%, who belong to advanced stages, receive advanced governmental (free) medical care, and soon succumb to the disease, and a minority of 13.94%, who belong to early stages of the disease, do not benefit directly from government welfare schemes, and hence perpetually proceed to advanced stages.

The qualitative study conducted in this paper is not fully exhaustive; however, the samples are taken uniformly at random from the entire region of influence, which renders the results credible.

The key findings of this paper will provide a scientific basis for governmental and private health institutions to focus for providing sophisticated medical care for early state CKD patients to further mitigate the mortality rate due to the disease in Uddanam.

This paper shall create a positive social impact of the CKD handling measures taken by governmental and private agencies, and will bring to light the most impending issues that need immediate address, which are of great concern to the international community and media.

This paper is original and the contributions and findings presented herein have not been presented by anyone elsewhere. This paper is also the first to cojoin the impact of medical treatment for CKD at Uddanam and the use of digital technology, e.g. online consultation, online reports, etc.

Industries have been the most significant contributor to carbon emissions since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The transition to Industry 5.0 (I5.0) marks a pivotal moment in the industrial revolution, which aims to reconcile productivity with environmental responsibility. As concerns about the decline of environmental quality increase and the demand for sustainable industrial methods intensifies, experts recognize the shift toward the I5.0 transition as a crucial turning point.

This review study explores the convergence of green technological advancements with the evolving landscape of I5.0, thereby presenting a roadmap toward carbon neutrality. Through an extensive analysis of literature spanning from 2012 to 2024, sourced from the Scopus database, the research study unravels the transformative potential of green technological innovations, artificial intelligence, green supply chain management and the metaverse.

The findings underscore the urgent imperative of integrating green technologies into the fabric of I5.0, highlighting the opportunities and challenges inherent in this endeavor. Furthermore, the study provides insights tailored for policymakers, regulators, researchers and environmental stakeholders, fostering informed decision-making toward a carbon-neutral future.

This review serves as a call to action, urging collective efforts to harness innovation for the betterment of industry and the environment.

This systematic literature review investigates the phenomenon of board multiple directorships and its implications for corporate governance and organisational performance.

The study adopts a systematic approach, which involves identifying and analysing relevant research papers on board multiple directorships. This study synthesises the latest research findings to gain insights into the determinants and consequences of multiple directorships. The sample literature was collected from the Scopus database from year 2000 till 2023.

The review reveals several key findings. Firstly, multiple directorships have both positive and negative implications for corporate governance. They can bring value by providing directors access to valuable information and resources from different companies, enhancing board functions and improving firm performance. However, there is a concern that overworked directors may not effectively fulfil their fiduciary responsibilities on any board, compromising their monitoring abilities.

This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by comprehensively reviewing multiple board directorships research and their impact on organisations. This study synthesises the latest research findings and offers valuable insights into the determinants and consequences of this practice. Also, this study highlights the need for effective corporate governance practices that balance multiple directorships’ benefits and potential drawbacks. The study also identifies research themes and suggests potential areas for future research, contributing to the advancement of understanding in board multiple directorships.

The aim of this study is to perform a systematic literature review on retail agglomeration literature and present an agenda of future research in this domain.

To synthesize and evaluate the retail agglomeration literature, the study adopts a structured systematic literature review approach. Additionally, the study employs the Theory-Context-Characteristics-Methodology (TCCM) framework to present future research directions in the retail agglomeration domain.

This review proposes a conceptual framework showing the relationships between the antecedents, mediators and consequences reported in the retail agglomeration literature. Lexicometric analysis shows that the key themes of retail agglomeration research are retail store selection and retail performance, retail location strategy and store format, customer perceptions, behavior and expectations.

Specific criteria used for the inclusion of literature limits articles considered for the current systematic review. Also, only those articles published in English were considered.

Based on the proposed model, this review presents strategies to enhance the performance of retail agglomeration.

This study has systematically synthesized the retail agglomeration literature to explore its development over time and proposes a research framework which provides a comprehensive understanding of retail agglomeration literature.

This chapter explored health and safety considerations in stealth construction, emphasising the integration of advanced technologies and innovative practices. It commences with a general introduction, followed by a historical overview of safety practices in the construction industry, highlighting the evolution of a safety culture. The chapter examined various health and safety management techniques, including policy formulation, safety training programs, and job safety analysis. Additionally, it discussed current trends such as wearable technology, IoT, VR/AR, and predictive analytics. The unique requirements of stealth construction are addressed, focusing on building cross-section design, visibility, application of radio frequency emission and countermeasures. Finally, it presents a comprehensive approach to achieving stealth construction, emphasising environmental protection, safety, speed, economy, and aesthetics, and provides practical examples to illustrate these concepts.

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, digital transformation is a fundamental strategy for ensuring competitive advantage and operational excellence. This chapter delves into the significance of digital transformation for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), focussing on its pivotal components and the specific context of Malaysian SMEs. Digital transformation is essential for SMEs to adapt to the market demands, improve customer experiences, and drive sustainable growth. The core components of digital transformation for SMEs include e-commerce integration and data analytics. These components facilitate streamlined operations, better decision-making, and improve market reach. Understanding the Malaysian SME landscape reveals a vibrant sector with diverse needs and growth potential. Digital transformation trends in Malaysia reflect a strong move towards adopting e-commerce solutions and leveraging data analytics to gain actionable insights. The chapter also examines government initiatives aimed at supporting SMEs through digital transformation, including funding programmes, training opportunities, and infrastructural improvements. The key components influencing Malaysian SMEs’ digital transformation process include the increasing importance of digital consumer engagement and the integration of digital tools into traditional business models. By aligning with these strategies and leveraging government support, Malaysian SMEs could significantly enhance the competitive edge of Malaysian SMEs, positioning them for long-term success in a digitally driven market. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of these elements, offering valuable insights into how Malaysian SMEs can embrace and benefit from digital transformation.

Drawing from stakeholder (ST) and social exchange theory (SET), the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between customer perceived ethicality (CPE), electronic word of mouth (eWOM), customer trust (CT) and customer loyalty (CL). Furthermore, this study aimed to understand the dual role of CPE and eWOM in obtaining CT and achieving CL.

Using a quantitative, cross-sectional research design, data were collected from face-to-face surveys, yielding 358 responses. The partial least square algorithm was used to test the proposed hypothesis.

The analysis revealed that CPE and eWOM positively affect CT and CL, and CT has a mediating effect on the association between CPE–CL and eWOM–CL. CT was also found to positively affect CL.

Hotel managers can prioritize ethical practices and leverage the power of eWOM to build trust and achieve loyalty. This integrated approach not only enhances customer satisfaction and retention but also creates a competitive advantage.

The novelty of this study lies in the investigation of the dual role played by CPE and eWOM as antecedents of CT and CL within the hotel industry. Finally, this study explains the drivers of CT and CL, thereby making a novel contribution to the literature.

This research explores the relationships between financial awareness and investor satisfaction about retirement planning, particularly in the Indian context. We developed a conceptual model involving double moderation effects of post-retirement objectives and external factors influencing investor satisfaction.

A carefully crafted survey instrument was designed to collect data from the 480 employees working in six administrative departments in the northern part of India. After checking the measurement properties of the survey instrument through the Lisrel package of structural equation modeling, the hypotheses were tested using Hayes PROCESS macros.

The results indicate that financial awareness is positively related to (1) investor satisfaction and (2) investment purpose; investment purpose is positively related to investor satisfaction; post-retirement objectives moderate the relationship between financial awareness and investment purpose; external factors moderate the moderated relationship between financial awareness and post-retirement objectives (first moderator) and investor satisfaction mediated through investment purpose.

The outcomes of this study have important implications for the employees embarking on making decisions concerning their retirement. The conceptual model provides a simple framework explaining how financial awareness and investor satisfaction are affected by the post-retirement objectives of individuals. This study highlights the importance of considering the effect of external factors influencing financial decisions.

The three-way interactions in this exploratory research contribute to the growing literature on behavioral finance, particularly concerning retirement planning involving pension.

This study aims to identify necessary conditions for innovative entrepreneurship in cities and determine similarities in entrepreneurial configurations among them.

The authors assessed the necessary conditions for various levels of entrepreneurial output and categorized cities based on similar patterns by applying necessary condition analysis (NCA) and cluster analysis in a sample comprised of 101 cities from the entrepreneurial cities index, representing a diverse range of urban environments in Brazil. A comprehensive data set, including both traditional indicators from official Bureau of statistics and nontraditional indicators from new platforms of science, technology and innovation intelligence, was compiled for analysis.

Bureaucratic complexity, urban conditions, transport infrastructure, economic development, access to financial capital, secondary education, entrepreneurial intention, support organizations and innovation inputs were identified as necessary for innovative entrepreneurship. Varying levels of these conditions were found to be required for different entrepreneurial outputs.

The static nature of the data limits understanding of dynamic interactions among dimensions and their impact on entrepreneurial city performance.

Policymakers can use the findings to craft tailored support policies, leveraging the relationship between city-level taxonomy and direct outputs of innovative entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs).

The taxonomy and nontraditional indicators sheds light on the broader societal benefits of vibrant EEs, emphasizing their role in driving socioeconomic development.

The cluster analysis combined with NCA’s bottleneck analysis is an original endeavor which made it possible to identify performance benchmarks for Brazilian cities, according to common characteristics, as well as the required levels of each condition by each city group to achieve innovative entrepreneurial outputs.

The purpose of this study is to explore the process of scaling second-hand fashion and how different strategic paths develop over time. This is theoretically grounded in two distinct scaling logics synthesised from the literature: a process that includes strategies for organisational growth (breadth-scaling) and a process that influences change in formal and informal institutions (depth-scaling).

The paper presents a process-based study based on the growth of a second-hand fashion retail organisation over 20 years. Qualitative materials such as interviews, observations and documents were collected and analysed.

The findings illustrate how a circular business model (CBM) can make use of a mix of strategies aiming for both organisational growth and impacting practices and habits within the fashion industry. Strategies building on breadth-scaling logic are found to be a prerequisite for engaging with depth-scaling strategies since they contribute to necessary resources and confidence, while depth-scaling secures future scaling opportunities by changing the conditions for scale.

The study contributes to the relatively scant literature on the process of scaling CBMs by exploring how different strategic paths unfold over time. The process-based approach, in combination with the two scaling logics, gives new insights into how CBMs go from niche to mainstream and thus influence the transition to a circular economy (CE).