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Humans now enjoy a better life because of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI has a significant impact on the creation of smart cities. Modern applications based on big data, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, and deep learning require extensive use of complex computational solutions. Thus, the following problems arise: (1) what are smart cities? (2) what is AI? (3) How is AI used in smart cities? To respond to this problem, the following objective was set: to map how AI is used in smart cities. For this purpose, a qualitative methodology based on a narrative analysis of the literature was used. It is concluded that AI and smart cities are complementary technologies that can assist cities in tackling difficult issues including public safety, transportation, energy management, environmental monitoring, and predictive maintenance. This chapter’s findings, while broadly applicable, offer valuable insights into the Gulf region’s unique context, where rapid urbanization and technological adoption intersect with cultural and environmental considerations. The integration of AI in smart cities presents a promising avenue for the Gulf region to address its specific challenges and leverage its economic and infrastructural strengths, thereby contributing to the broader goals of innovation, development, prosperity, and well-being as envisioned in the region’s Vision 2040 initiatives.

Explore the impact of Party organization embedding on firm green governance.

The regression analysis method.

The findings show that Party organization embedding significantly enhances the green governance effects of firms, with this effect being more pronounced in environments with high-quality internal control. Moreover, the study reveals that Party organization embedding facilitates green governance through mechanisms such as reducing agency costs and optimizing management decisions. Agency costs have a negative transmission effect, while management decisions have a positive transmission effect, with the quality of internal control playing a crucial moderating role.

Most existing studies on firm green governance have focused on aspects such as the heterogeneity of management teams (Liu, 2019; Wu et al., 2019), executive green cognition (Fineman and Clarke, 1996; Huang and Wei, 2023), organizational structure and the involvement of controlling families (Bertrand and Schoar, 2006; Symeou et al., 2019), with limited attention to the unique role of Party organizations’ incentive and restraint mechanisms, supervisory power and management functions in firm green governance. Additionally, while scholars have examined the impact of political embedding in firms, including Party organization embedding as a specific form of political embedding, and find that it affects various aspects of business performance (Chang and Wong, 2004; Gu and Yang, 2023), governance quality (Li et al., 2020; Huang and Yang, 2024), agency costs (Qian, 2000; Wang and Ma, 2014), excessive management compensation (Chang and Wong, 2004; Chen et al., 2014), social externalities and audit needs (Faccio, 2006; Cheng, 2022), there is still insufficient discussion on how Party organization embedding promotes firm green governance. Particularly in the context of China’s unique system and using Chinese data, there is a need for more in-depth research on the impact of Party organization embedding on firm green governance. This paper addresses this research gap by empirical analysis.

Overall, this study has significant theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, it enriches the literature on Party organization embedding and firm green governance, filling a gap in the intersection research of firm governance and green governance. Practically, on the one hand, this paper’s findings demonstrate that the involvement of Party organizations in firm governance plays a significant role in enhancing green governance. This supports the modernization of firm governance in China, establishes a micro-level foundation for achieving the strategic goals of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” and offers empirically-backed insights into green transformation for policymakers. The research also provides practical policy recommendations for strengthening Party building efforts within firms and optimizing government-business relations, thereby facilitating the deep integration of Party building with business operations. On the other hand, this study highlights that the unique feature of China’s corporate governance system, Party organization embedding, can effectively enhance green governance. This offers empirical support for leveraging the strengths of China’s firm governance model and provides valuable governance strategies for firms in other countries and regions to improve their green governance practices.

This study’s social implications are significant as it highlights the broader societal benefits that arise from integrating Party organization involvement into firm governance structures, especially within the context of green governance. By improving the green governance practices of firms, Party organization embedding helps to address pressing environmental issues such as pollution, carbon emissions and resource depletion, which ultimately contributes to healthier living environments and a more sustainable society. The emphasis on green governance supports China’s national strategy for sustainable development and demonstrates a governance model that balances economic growth with environmental stewardship. Additionally, the study underscores the role of Party organizations in fostering social responsibility, equity and cohesion by ensuring that firm decision-making aligns with both economic and social welfare goals. This model of governance provides a framework that can serve as a reference for other countries and regions looking to enhance environmental protection efforts while maintaining social stability and economic progress.

This study offers original insights by exploring the distinctive role of Party organization embedding in enhancing firm green governance within the unique context of China’s political and economic systems. Unlike previous research, which has primarily focused on conventional governance structures, this paper delves into the underexplored area of how Party organizations influence firm-level green governance. By examining the direct and indirect effects of Party organization embedding, this study expands current understanding of corporate governance models that integrate political structures, providing a novel perspective on how firms can achieve both economic and environmental objectives. The findings not only contribute to the literature on green governance but also present a valuable model for emerging economies that are pursuing sustainable development. This research thus provides a meaningful addition to the dialogue on corporate governance innovation and environmental responsibility.

The study attempts to examine the impact of the US-China trade war on Vietnamese exports to the United States, which has consistently served as a key market for Vietnamese goods and services in recent decades. The heterogeneous effects of the trade war on different export sectors are also evaluated.

The secondary data on Vietnamese exports to the US at a 6-digit level is collected from UN Comtrade. Besides, the difference-in-differences (DiD) method is employed to analyze the impact of the trade war on exports from Vietnam to the United States.

The findings revealed a 14% increase in total Vietnamese exports to the United States due to the trade war. Examining heterogeneous effects, certain industries, such as plastics, iron or steel articles, textiles and garments, and machinery and mechanical appliances, experience significant benefits. However, the study did not identify statistically significant effects on other sectors, such as electrical machinery products, agricultural and forestry, and furniture.

The paper is one among limited studies considering the causal effects of the trade war on a developing country, accounting for the heterogeneous effects on different export sectors.

In the dynamic landscape of 2023, global challenges are amplified by escalating conflicts and the COVID-19 aftermath. Developing nations like Vietnam face a critical juncture, requiring diversified economies for enhanced livelihoods and poverty reduction. However, this growth necessitates increased energy consumption, potentially escalating carbon emissions. Green innovation (GI) emerges as a beacon of hope, offering products and services designed for a minimal carbon footprint. Beyond socio-economic advancement, GI aligns with sustainable development goals. This study aims to  examine the influence of knowledge management (KM) and digitalization (DG) on GI, particularly in sustainable competitive advantage.

Using structural equation modeling and drawing upon a survey administered to 301 Vietnamese enterprises.

The findings illuminate diverse underpinnings between green product and process innovation, unravel the intricate relationship between KM, DG and GI, and provide crucial insights for firms seeking sustainable competitive edges.

This multidimensional approach significantly enriches the understanding of these pivotal elements in contemporary business landscapes.

The aerodynamic load caused by high-speed train operation may lead to severe vibration of the pedestrian bridge, thus causing great safety hazards. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the aerodynamic loading characteristics of a pedestrian bridge when a high-speed train passes over the bridge, as well as to evaluate the vibration response of the aerodynamic loads on the bridge structure.

High-speed trains are operated at three different speeds. The aerodynamic pressure load characteristics of high-speed trains crossing a pedestrian bridge are investigated by combining a nonconstant numerical simulation method with a dynamic modeling test method, and the vibration response of the bridge is analyzed.

The results show that when a high-speed train passes through the pedestrian bridge, the pedestrian bridge interferes with the attenuation of the pressure around the train, so that the pressure spreads along the bridge bottom, and the maximum positive and negative pressure peaks appear in the center area of the bridge bottom, while the pressure fluctuations in the bridge entrance and exit areas are smaller and change more slowly, and the pressure attenuation of the bridge bottom perpendicular to the direction of the train’s operation is faster. In addition, the pressure fluctuation generated by the high-speed train will lead to a larger vertical response of the bridge structure in the mid-span position, and the main vibration frequency of the bridge structure ranges from 8 to 10 Hz, and the maximum value of the vertical deformation amplitude is located in the mid-span region of the bridge.

This paper analyzes the flow field distribution around the train and at the bottom of the bridge for the evolution of the flow field when the train passes through the bridge at high speed, and conducts a finite element dynamic analysis of the bridge structure to calculate the vibration response of the bridge when the train passes through at high speed, and to evaluate the comfort of the passengers passing through the high-speed railroad bridge.

We aim to provide a systematic literature review of the determinants and consequences of labor investment efficiency in an international context. First, we offer a theoretical discussion of labor investment efficiency, followed by an examination of its measurement. Next, we review the determinants of labor investment efficiency, categorizing them into firm fundamentals including financial reporting quality, governance and controls, corporate social responsibility/environmental regulation and macroeconomic determinants. Finally, we review the limited empirical literature on the consequences of labor investment efficiency. We also provide some suggestions for future research.

We perform a systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review of Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines to examine archival studies investigating the determinants and consequences of labor investment efficiency. Using a Boolean search strategy on the Scopus and PRISMA selection criteria, we review 86 published archival research articles from 2014 to the end of August 2024.

Our review highlights that firm-level fundamental factors including financial reporting quality have profound implications for labor investment efficiency. Effective governance mechanisms also help mitigate agency conflicts and information asymmetries and alleviate labor investment inefficiencies. Furthermore, the influence of regulations including ESG-related regulations and macroeconomic factors play a crucial role in shaping labor investment decisions. We find very little research on the consequence of labor investment efficiency.

Our review has highlighted that well-functioning corporate governance tools are effective in mitigating inefficient labor investments. Stakeholders, therefore, should ensure that firms have effective internal governance mechanisms in place and that external governance regulations complement and where necessary act as substitutes for internal governance mechanisms to optimize labor investments.

To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first systematic review of extant research on labor investment efficiency. Our review highlights some research gaps, particularly about the consequences of labor investment efficiency and offers some suggestions for future research.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the tea stem natural dye was extracted from tea stem waste and applied to dyeing silk fiber, after which the properties of dyed samples were tested and analyzed.

The dyeing process was optimized using the response surface methodology (RSM) approach. Dyeing temperature, pH and time were chosen as variables and the color difference value as a response. The properties of dyed samples were tested and analyzed.

The optimized dyeing process was as follows: dyeing temperature 70°C, pH 3.5 and time 110 min. The K/S and color difference value of silk fiber dyed with the optimal process dye enzymatic oxidation with laccase was 1.4 and 27.8, respectively. The silk fiber dyed has excellent color fastness, antioxidant and antibacterial property, which greatly increases the added value of the dyed products. Furthermore, the optimized dyeing process did not significantly affect the strength properties and handle of the silk fiber.

Researchers have not used statistical analysis to optimize the process of dyeing process of silk fiber by tea stem natural dye enzymatic oxidation with laccase using response surface methodology. Additionally, this dyeing process was a low-temperature dyeing process, which not only saves energy consumption and reduces silk fiber damage but also obtains superbly dyeing results and biological functional properties, achieve the effects of waste utilization and clean dyeing.

This paper aims to use three proxy variables – initial public offerings, trading volume and business confidence index (BCI) to construct an investor sentiment index both for the USA and China, taking into account the challenging periods of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.

Based on monthly data for a period from January 2009 to June 2022, this paper uses data of BCI, consumer confidence index (CCI), gross domestic product, trading volume and Fama and French (1993) factor data; linear regression of single and multifactor model; and EGARCH-M model for analyzing the effect of investor sentiment on stock market return and volatility, both in the USA and China.

The empirical results indicate the suitability of BCI over CCI as a measure of investor sentiment, both in the USA and China. The results indicate that investor sentiment has a significant positive effect on the excess returns in the stock market in both countries. Moreover, the effect of investor sentiment is higher in China than it is in the USA. Such an effect of investor sentiment is significant and fluctuates asymmetrically in the short run but loses its significance in the long run. Optimistic investor sentiment has a larger effect on the stock market volatility in the USA, while the pessimistic investor sentiment has a larger effect in the Chinese stock market.

This paper focuses on finding a more suitable proxy for investor sentiment from BCI or CCI. This paper also contributes by including both optimism and pessimism in explaining the stock return and volatility in both markets. The overall findings are important for understanding investor behavior in different market conditions.

Purpose: The primary purpose is to discuss the productivity and digitalisation interaction at the theoretical level, analyse the productivity and digitalisation differences between the European Union (EU)-14 and EU-13 countries, and evaluate the digitalisation impact on the manufacturing sector labour productivity of the EU countries.

Need for study: The average added value created per capita in new EU countries (EU-13) is one-third lower than in old EU countries (EU-14). To increase productivity, manufacturing companies must adapt to modern trends and take advantage of industrial digitisation opportunities. Digitisation can improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and improve product quality, allowing continuous monitoring and analysis of production data, enabling informed decisions and faster problem-solving.

Methodology: Analysis of scientific literature, comparing viewpoints, insights, and conclusions. The empirical study includes calculating rates of change of indicators, differences between EU-14 and EU-13, and structural analysis. The impact of digitisation on the productivity of EU countries is studied by creating a correlation matrix and using regression analysis: ordinary least square models.

Findings: EU-13 countries are behind EU-14 in labour productivity and manufacturing digitalisation. Digitalisation positively impacts productivity per employee. A faster increase in digitisation, industrial robot use, and e-commerce sales could significantly increase productivity in EU-13, reducing productivity differences between countries.

Practical implications: This study highlights the need for policy promoting digitisation innovation, particularly in EU-13 countries, to be implemented by both national and EU-based economic development and regional and cohesion institutions.

As technology aspect of agriculture becomes more and more important with the time to increase agricultural productivity in a sustainable and smart way, agriculture practices become more interdisciplinary. Furthermore, agricultural practices are affected by urban and rural planning enabling urban and rural farming. Architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry can support food security through the integration of agricultural practices and technologies into the built environment, its interior design, and greenhouses supporting urban and rural farming. Based on the literature review, this chapter aims to investigate ways for enhancing AEC industry’s and its professionals’ contribution to food security and sustainable agricultural practices. This chapter highlights roles of the AEC industry in enhancing food security and sustainable agricultural practices. This chapter emphasizes the importance of undergraduate and graduate curriculums of future AEC industry professionals (e.g., architects, interior architects, civil engineers) to equip them with the skills and knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices and technologies integrated greenhouses, built environment and indoor environment, and interior design. For this reason, agricultural policies need to cover food security-related interdisciplinary education and training (e.g., renewable energy-based agriculture integrated built environment) of AEC industry professionals. Agricultural policies need to be designed with the contribution of and considering AEC industry professionals as they are among the main stakeholders of food security and renewable energy-based agriculture-integrated built environment. Furthermore, this chapter highlights how AEC industry, in compliance with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and countries sustainable and resilient development plans, can contribute to food security and sustainability. This chapter can be beneficial to all stakeholders of the sustainable agricultural practices.