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Although there is growing critical awareness in ELT around the rise of English as a global language, studies on teachers’ investment in critical pedagogy remain limited in mainstream ELT curricula, and the impact of such investment on teachers’ identities is not clear. To address this gap, with the inclusive paradigm of Global Englishes (GE), the paper presents a case study of an English teacher’s investment in GE at a middle school in China.

This study employed a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interview was conducted with the participant – May, focusing on her reported practices and her understanding of her roles during the investment in GE. The interview process was guided by an interview protocol which was designed based on related literature on GE, the theoretical framework, and the research context. A content analysis method was utilized to generate descriptive categories concerning participant’s identities and investment in GE.

Analysis of interview data reveals that through investment in GE, May not only constructed her identity as an English teacher, but also explored identities as a student inspirer, and a peer mentor. These identities exploration and construction were primarily driven by her increased cultural and social capital, despite facing challenges such as high-stakes test policies, native-speakerism ideology, institutional requirements, and limited resources.

Future research incorporating triangulating data such as interviews, and classroom observations, would provide a more comprehensive understanding of English teachers’ identities, and investment in GE. Besides, the findings of this study are primarily from one teacher, they may not fully represent the broader population of English teachers in China.

The findings have several implications for English teaching and teacher education. First, elementary schools, the lower grades of middle schools (grades 7 and 8), or the after-school programs may have opportunities for teachers to integrate GE in teaching. Second, teacher education programs should be designed to provide more chances that enable student teachers to invest in their learning and teaching of GE. Third, proposals for incorporating GE practices in the classroom must adopt a critical perspective, so as to to expose, deconstruct, and reconstruct power dynamics that influence teachers’ investment in GE.

The originality of this study lies in its exploration of English teachers’ investment of GE in their teaching, and the impact of this investment on their identities as English teachers. By investigating these aspects, the study addresses the research gaps in English teachers’ practice of integration of GE in mainstream ELT curricula and provides insights on how to encourage English teachers to incorporate a GE-aware perspective in their teaching.

This paper aims to explore the impact of green finance on the heterogeneity of enterprise green technology innovation and the underlying mechanism between them.

Using the data of China's A-share listed enterprises from 2008 to 2020 and the fixed effect model, the authors empirically explore the relationship and mechanism between green finance and green technology innovation by constructing the green finance index while considering both the quality and quantity of innovation.

The study suggests that green finance is positively related to the quality and quantity of enterprise green technology innovation, while green finance is more effective in stimulating the quality of green technology innovation than quantity. In addition, alleviating financial mismatch and improving the quality of environmental information disclosure are core mechanisms during the process of green finance facilitating green technology innovation. Furthermore, green finance exerts a more positive effect on the quality and quantity of green technology innovation with large-size enterprises, heavily polluting industries and enterprises in the eastern region.

This paper enriches the literature on green finance and green technology innovation and provides practical significance for green finance implementation.

According to reputation theory, enterprises that adopt a proactive approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) are known to actively invest in corporate innovation. However, this theory does not fully explain the mechanisms through which CSR influences corporate innovation, nor does it address how to effectively amplify CSR’s positive impact on innovation. To overcome these limitations, this research aims to incorporate the theories of innovation investment and dynamic capabilities. Innovation investment theory elucidates how CSR can attract additional financing, which can be directed toward innovation activities. Meanwhile, dynamic capabilities theory highlights how digital transformation in enterprises can enhance the positive effects of CSR on innovation, providing insights from both theoretical and empirical perspectives.

To demonstrate the mediating role of debt financing costs and the moderating role of enterprise digital transformation in the mechanism of CSR on corporate innovation, this research conducts fixes effects models by collecting 27,912 data points from 3,775A-share China-listed enterprises, ranging in period from 2010 to 2020. Empirical research once again proves that the theories of innovation investment and dynamic capabilities effectively compensates for the shortcomings of reputation theory. These three theories effectively explain that what is the effect of CSR on enterprise innovation? How does CSR influence corporate innovation? And through what mechanisms can CSR better enhance corporate innovation?

According to innovation investment theory, the cost of debt financing mediates the positive relationship between CSR and corporate innovation. This occurs because enterprises with robust CSR practices are more likely to secure external funding, thereby reducing their costs associated with external debt financing. Lower debt financing costs provide a stable source of funds for corporate innovation. Additionally, dynamic capability theory suggests that enterprise digital transformation moderates the positive relationship between CSR and corporate innovation. Building on these insights, it is recommended that enterprises, especially state-owned ones, should prioritize technological innovation to enhance their competitiveness.

This research aims to address and narrow the knowledge gap regarding the relation between CSR and corporate innovation through theoretical and empirical analyses. With respect to the influence mechanism, this research solely based on innovation investment theory and dynamic capabilities theory, focuses on the influence mechanism of CSR on corporate innovation, with the debt financing costs as the mediating variable and digital transformation as the moderating variable. However, the influence mechanism turns out to be complicated and there is room for further exploring numerous mechanisms. For example, future research can focus on identifying additional channels through which CSR exerts an influence on corporate innovation based on TOE theoretical framework.

This research presents several strategies to enhance corporate innovation based on its conclusions: First, enterprises should promptly publish social responsibility reports to build a positive industry reputation. Moreover, by actively participating in CSR activities, they can strengthen their networks and enhance their industry standing. Second, the significant mediating role of debt financing costs should not be ignored. Enterprises are encouraged to seek diverse financing channels to reduce financial pressures, address financing challenges and facilitate the coordinated development of CSR and innovation. Third, enterprise digital transformation significantly affects the impact of CSR on innovation. Therefore, enterprises should advance digital transformation initiatives that incorporate technological innovation, organizational improvements and integration with supply chain partners. Finally, it has been noted that state-owned enterprises are often less responsive to technological innovation than their non-state counterparts. SOEs could redefine the scope and priorities of their social responsibilities to prevent excessive resource consumption that could hinder innovation. For instance, integrating some of their social responsibilities with innovation projects could promote both social and technological innovation objectives. Additionally, the government could ensure fair resource distribution among different types of enterprises and provide an equitable financing platform to mitigate financial challenges for both state-owned and non-state-owned enterprises.

Reputation theory does not fully elucidate the mechanisms by which CSR influences corporate innovation or how to effectively enhance CSR’s positive impact on innovation. This research integrates the theories of innovation investment and dynamic capabilities to address these gaps. According to innovation investment theory, debt financing costs mediate the positive relationship between CSR and corporate innovation. Meanwhile, dynamic capabilities theory posits that enterprise digital transformation moderates this positive relationship, further strengthening the impact of CSR on innovation.

Drawing on the tenets of institutional theory, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Confucianism on technology for social good, while also considering the moderating influence of extrinsic informal institutions (foreign culture) and intrinsic formal institutions (property rights).

This study constructs a comprehensive database comprising 9,759 firm-year observations in China by using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2016 to 2020. Subsequently, the hypotheses are examined and confirmed, with the validity of the results being upheld even after conducting endogenous and robustness tests.

The findings of this study offer robust and consistent evidence supporting the notion that Confucianism positively affects technology for social good through both incentive effect and normative effect. Moreover, this positive influence is particularly prominent in organizations with limited exposure to foreign culture and in nonstate-owned enterprises.

The findings contribute to the literature by fostering a deep understanding of technology for social good and Confucianism research, and further provide a nuanced picture of the role of foreign culture and property rights in the process of technology for social good in China.

This study aims to investigate whether managerial short-termism affects the expected default probability for a sample of Chinese-listed firms.

To capture default, we utilize the expected default probability measure developed by Bharath and Shumway (2008). Textual analysis and machine learning techniques are used to construct the index of managerial myopia. We conduct ordinary least squares regression and employ a large sample of 33,164 firm-year observations from Chinese A-share listed firms spanning the years 2001–2021 to test our theoretical hypotheses. We further conduct mediation tests, moderating analysis, textual features analysis and analysis of actual default firms. In addition, we employ change regression, entropy-balanced/propensity score/closest assets matching analysis, two-stage least squares regression, two-stage residual intervention method and alternative estimation methods to address endogeneity concerns.

First, there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between managerial myopia and expected default probability. Second, the mediation tests indicate that managerial myopia increases the expected default probability through operational risk and opportunistic agency channels. Third, the cross-sectional tests reveal that the positive association is less pronounced for firms with effective internal control systems, higher audit quality and more financial analyst coverage.

Our study reveals the need for comprehensive early warning mechanisms in the corporate bond market in China, in particular, through enhanced transparency of managerial incentive schemes and more rigorous disclosure requirements regarding short-term managerial decision-making. Furthermore, the findings of our study suggest the necessity of taking an integrated approach in developing regulatory frameworks that enable market intermediaries – including rating agencies, financial analysts and external auditors – to execute their monitoring functions with greater effectiveness.

Prior research has examined the impact of managers’ demographic characteristics on a range of corporate organizational outcomes; however, there have been few studies investigating the influence of managerial myopia on corporate financial risks. This study advances the literature on the determinants of default probability. It contributes to the limited and emerging studies on the role of managerial myopia by being the first to examine the effect of managerial myopia on expected default probability.

Salt rock from salt lakes can serve as a cost-effective material for subgrade filling, as demonstrated in projects like the Qarhan Salt Lake section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the Qarhan Salt Lake section of the G215 Highway. This state-of-the-art paper aims to summarize the engineering properties of salt rock filling and present the advances of its utilization.

This paper collects and analyzes laboratory and field data of salt rock filling from previous studies to present a comprehensive analysis of the engineering properties and utilization of salt rock fillings.

Salt rock primarily contains minerals such as halite and glauberite, which contribute to its unique phase-changing behavior under varying environmental conditions, impacting its mechanical properties. Salt rock filling shrinks when in contact with vapor or unsaturated brine and expands under cooling or evaporation. Its use is particularly recommended for arid regions, with specific restrictions depending on the structure type. This paper discusses suggested countermeasures to mitigate these issues, as well as key quality acceptance indices for salt rock filling compaction. Moisture content after air-drying is recommended as a crucial parameter for construction quality control.

This review aims to support future research and engineering practices in salt rock subgrade applications.

In 2007, Dr. Biwang Jiang, a scientist, returned to China to establish NanoMicro. For the first decade, he exemplified the spirit of a scientist by focusing intensively on the field of nanospheres. His perseverance in research and his breakthroughs in leading international technologies allowed him to identify two major application areas: flat panel displays and biopharmaceuticals. The flat panel display business helped his startup survive the initial years, while the rise of the biopharmaceutical sector provided the growth needed for the company's eventual listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange Sci-Tech Innovation Board (SSE STAR Market). What distinguishes entrepreneurship by scientists? Should technology-driven companies find markets for their technologies, or should they develop technologies to meet market demands?

This study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of the interdisciplinary literature on drones in last-mile delivery (LMD) to extrapolate pertinent insights from and into the logistics management field.

Rooting their analytical categories in the LMD literature, the authors performed a deductive, theory refinement SLR on 307 interdisciplinary journal articles published during 2015–2022 to integrate this emergent phenomenon into the field.

The authors derived the potentials, challenges and solutions of drone deliveries in relation to 12 LMD criteria dispersed across four stakeholder groups: senders, receivers, regulators and societies. Relationships between these criteria were also identified.

This review contributes to logistics management by offering a current, nuanced and multifaceted discussion of drones' potential to improve the LMD process together with the challenges and solutions involved.

The authors provide logistics managers with a holistic roadmap to help them make informed decisions about adopting drones in their delivery systems. Regulators and society members also gain insights into the prospects, requirements and repercussions of drone deliveries.

This is one of the first SLRs on drone applications in LMD from a logistics management perspective.

This paper aims to provide a full introduction, new classification, comparison and investigation of the challenges as well as applications of layerless 3D printing, which is one of the industry 4.0 pioneers.

Given the significance and novelty of uniform 3D printing, more than 250 publications were collected and reviewed in an unbiased and clear manner.

As a result, the majority of uniform parts printed in polymer form are known up to this point. In a novel division for better researchers’ comprehension, uniform printing systems were classified into three categories: oxygen inhibition (OI), liquid lubrication (LL) and photon penetration (PP), and each was thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, these three approaches were evaluated in terms of printing speed, precision and accuracy, manufacturing scale and cost.

The parameters of each approach were compared independently, and then a practical comparison was conducted among these three approaches. Finally, a variety of technologies, opportunities, challenges and advantages of each significant method, as well as a future outlook for layerless rapid prototyping, are presented.

This study aims to investigate the effect of top management team (TMT) stability on outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) of Chinese firms and the moderating effects of state ownership and managerial ownership on this relationship.

An empirical analysis based on the ordinary least square regression model is conducted using Chinese A-share listed firms that engaged in OFDI from 2008 to 2021.

TMT stability has a positive effect on firms’ OFDI. Moreover, state ownership significantly strengthens the positive relationship between TMT stability and OFDI, while managerial ownership weakens this positive relationship.

The findings help firms to effectively retain TMT talents and promote the smooth internationalization of firms, thereby enhancing their long-term development capabilities and competitive advantages.

This study expands the investigation of the factors influencing OFDI at the micro level of the TMT, providing valuable decision-making insights for firms.