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Despite USA’s emphasis on children as consumers with great spending power, little is known about their actual spending preferences and how they might be linked to personal character traits such as materialism and gratitude. This study aims to address this literature gap by examining children’s spending preferences in an imaginary windfall scenario, as well as main and interactive effects of materialism and gratitude on such preferences.

This was a school-based research study. Survey methodology was used in which self-report measures were collected from 247 7-14-year-old children (58 per cent male).

Results suggest that materialism was significantly associated with saving resources and allocating less money to charity. Gratitude was related to more charitable giving. One interactive effect was found whereby the link between more materialism and saving was attenuated by high levels of gratitude. Contrary to expectations, no age or gender differences in spending preferences or materialism were found, but older children and girls reported higher gratitude than did younger children and boys.

Although cross-sectional data limit conclusions regarding directionality, the results have implications for understanding children’s consumer behavior, as well as children’s well-being, self-regulation and ability to delay gratification.

The results suggest that materialism, with its emphasis on consumption, and gratitude, with its positive feedback loop that encourages prosocial connections, are particularly relevant avenues to continue examining in future research on youth consumer patterns.

Gratitude not only promotes social connectedness but also is more environmentally sustainable in promoting appreciation for what one has rather than wanting more. Uncovering ways that these characteristics are linked to hypothetical and, ultimately, actual spending behavior reflects a meaningful contribution to the field.

This paper fills gaps in the literature by examining links between specific character traits and potential spending behaviors, with deeper implications for children’s psychosocial development, self-regulation and environmental sustainability.

This paper aims to analyze the impact of copycat packaging strategies on consumers’ product choices, assessing to what extent the adoption of this type of packaging increases the likelihood of purchase of private labels (PLs).

Data were collected in a preliminary field study (1,032 observations), followed by two experimental studies. Study 1 analyzed to what extent PLs’ packaging similarity influences consumers perceptions regarding product quality and production origin across six product categories. Study 2 analyzed, in a simulated real retail setting, to what extent copycat packaging strategies influence consumers’ choice across 22 product categories.

Results indicate that the higher the level of package similarity between PLs and national brands (NBs) (copycat strategy), the higher the likelihood that PLs’ products are perceived as being produced by one of the NBs’ manufacturers, leading to enhanced perceptions of quality of the PL products, and that the higher the level of package similarity, the higher the likelihood of consumption of PLs, especially when consumers are choosing products of utilitarian versus hedonic nature.

Data were collected in a south-western European country, which will aid the development of further studies in different retail settings.

This paper analyzes the impact of copycat packaging adoption by retailers on consumers’ perceptions and preferences about PLs. To the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to assess, across multiple product categories and use market copycats, the potential effects of PLs packaging strategies on consumers’ purchase behavior.

The concept of circular economy (CE) has been receiving a lot of attention over the past years from academics, practitioners and policymakers. This is particularly the case for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who find in CE a way to overcome their resource scarcity. However, little is known about how embracing the CE perspective can contribute to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The present chapter aims at answering this question. Through a single case study, we explore the drivers, managerial practices and collaborations implemented by SMEs to generate economic, social and environmental values.

The aim of this paper is to explain that what main characteristics financial technologies should have so that lead to improve the transparency of institutions and whether the integrated monetary banking system deployed in free-interest institutions has affected the transparency of these institutions in terms of those characteristics or not? In this study, the integrated monetary banking system will be studied subject to implementation of the Shafagh project.

Based on the literature review and the experts' opinions, the principles of the research questions were explained. Then, according to the dimensions of the research conceptual model, questions related to research questions were considered as the item for analysis in the modeling of structural equations. In the next step, 278 employees and managers of interest-free institutions were selected, by simple random sampling method, to answer the questionnaire. Data collected is analyzed by using structural equations method.

The results of the analysis indicates that the impact of the dimensions of strategic, technical, organizational and cultural factors – identified as the main characteristics of a financial system in this study – on the transparency of the transactions of the interest-free institutions is significant.

The results were obtained by focusing on the qualitative factors and also on the culture on free-interest institutions.

By investigating the issues and factors that the developers, consultants and institutions’ managers need to address and also giving a conceptual model, this study assists managers and generally financial institutions in developing an integrated banking system in a way that will be more likely to improve transparency in those organizations.

This study pioneers a comprehensive conceptual model, surpassing prior research that focused on isolated criteria. This novel approach enriches understanding of core banking systems' impact on financial transparency. This groundbreaking study uniquely focuses on free-interest institutions, traditionally presumed to be transparent but never before studied.

The study aims to develop recommendations for optimal Internet of things (IoT) based solutions for a smart precision irrigation automation platform using morphological thinking (MT). The smart irrigation system (SIS) can be applied for green roof and green wall (GRGW) design by studying the relationships and configurations that will be analyzed, listed and synthesized, representing “solutions spaces” and their possibilities.

The research examines studying various cases of SIS; and assessing and analyzing the identified case studies through a decision support system (DSS) considering several factors regarding IoT, plant characteristics, monitoring, irrigation system and schedule, climate, cost and sensors used.

To develop recommendations for optimal IoT-based solutions for a smart precision irrigation automation platform.

The research paper analyzes and proposes a simultaneous solution to two conflicting problems. On the one hand, the paper proposes to apply greening of walls and roofs in hot arid regions, which will achieve greater environmental comfort. However, this is extremely difficult to implement in hot arid regions, since there is an objective problem – a lack of water. At the same time, the paper proposes the most rational approaches to organizing an irrigation system with the lowest water consumption and the highest efficiency for landscaping. Accordingly, this paper focuses on evaluating different types of SIS about the hot-arid climate in Qatar. The study aims to develop recommendations for optimal IoT-based solutions for a smart precision irrigation automation platform, which can be applied for green wall and roof design.

This paper aims to carry out a systematic review based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to assess the adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) in workers.

Three electronic databases were searched up to March 2022. The population was restricted to adults, workers in any professional area, without special diets and no specific health conditions. Their adherence to the MDP was assessed by any a priori method/instrument. Two reviewers independently applied the eligibility criteria and performed the data extraction from each study included. In case of disagreement, a third reviewer was consulted.

Of the 590 studies found, 46 were included. Most of the studies were carried out in Europe, between the years 2019 and 2022 and were cross-sectional studies. The minimum sample size was 38, and the maximum was 1,74,638 participants. Most studies included both males and females; six included only females and nine only males. The three most prevalent types of workers under study were health professionals, factory workers and firefighters. The most used method for assessing adherence to the MDP was the Mediterranean diet score. Overall, workers showed low or moderate adherence to the MDP.

This systematic review conducted to assess the adherence to the MDP in workers displays an urgent need to improve diet quality in the workplaces.

This study aims to examine how Brazilian universities have implemented the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in institutional practices, curriculum and teaching, management and community outreach programs.

This study is based on content analysis of the data sets of Brazilian higher education courses and their link to SDGs. A literature review has also been developed to integrate the knowledge of sustainability practices in Brazilian universities. Dashboards will be used to present the related findings.

Brazilian universities’ practices have concentrated their efforts on SDGs, which include responsible consumption and production, sustainable cities and communities and quality education. The literature emphasizes energy efficiency, reflecting its prominence as a subject of study among universities.

This research highlights the innovative use of data analysis techniques to present the findings. It also provides examples of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, frameworks and tools that can help sustainability management in this sector.

Discrimination matters Volume 22 Number 2 of Health Manpower Management contains an article with this title by Catherine M. Prest, which outlines the changes in legal restrictions on the eligibility of dismissed employees to pursue unfair dismissal claims. Includes a discussion of recent decisions in this area and assesses the impact of these decisions on personnel practice and disciplinary procedures.

In the last decade, the Industry 4.0 paradigm had started to rapidly expand to the logistics domain. However, Logistics 4.0 is still in an early adoption stage: some areas such as warehousing are still exploring its applicability, and the technological implementation of this paradigm can become fuzzy. This paper addresses this gap by examining the relationship among influencing factors, barriers, and benefits of Logistics 4.0 technologies in warehousing contexts.

Starting from a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach with 56 examined documents published in scientific journals or conference proceedings, a conceptual framework for Logistics 4.0 in warehousing is proposed. The framework encompasses multiple aspects related to the potential adopter’s decision-making process.

Influencing factors toward adoption, achievable benefits, and possible hurdles or criticalities have been extensively analyzed and structured into a consistent picture. Company’s digital awareness and readiness result in a major influencing factor, whereas barriers and criticalities are mostly technological, safety and security, and economic in nature. Warehousing process optimization is the key benefit identified.

This paper addresses a major gap since most of the research has focused on specific facets, or adopted the technology providers’ perspective, whereas little has been explored in warehousing from the adopters’ view. The main novelty and value lie in providing both academics and practitioners with a thorough view of multiple facets to be considered when approaching Logistics 4.0 in logistics facilities.