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The purpose of this paper is to describe how the authors shifted from teaching about sustainability as though it was fixed and definable, to a way of learning about the multiple ways in which sustainability is contested and understood. This shift involved both an epistemological shift in their understanding of sustainability and a shift in teaching practice.

The paper reflects on the authors' teaching practice and describes a shift from an investigative to an interpretative approach. This shift resulted from taking students out in the field to hear from land managers and community members in regional and rural Victoria about how they understand sustainability. Central to the shift was recognising the value of the learning occurring “out there”.

The authors argue that had the students remained in the classroom learning about sustainability with community and its socio‐environmental context at a distance the shift that occurred in the teaching and learning experience would have been less likely to occur. The authors now see themselves as facilitating a process where learners (both teachers and students) are exposed to different understandings of sustainability and are able to recognise the messy and complex reality of sustainability on‐the‐ground.

Much of what is going on in sustainability education is prescriptive: environmental targets, audits, energy and water efficiency, sustainable design mapped on to the curriculum of various disciplines and fields. This paper highlights the need to broaden out the sustainability education agenda, to fully examine how it is taught, why and what is its value to learning.

This paper describes the development of a course that explores the complexity of on the ground sustainability in regional and rural Australia. Such an approach to teaching about sustainability is innovative in that it challenges taken for granted assumptions about what is and is not sustainable by exposing students to conversations with ordinary people making sense of and attempting to negotiate change in their lives. In this learning experience sustainability becomes a complex set of discourses and practices that interweave through and over people's lives rather than a check list of appropriate practices.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the motivations to consume ecological foods in alternative food networks (AFNs).

In total, 150 questionnaires were applied; the questionnaire was adapted from Food Choice Questionnaire (Steptoe et al., 1995). Data were analyzed by means of multivariate statistics with factor and cluster analysis. In order to identify statistical differences (p<0.05), Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney nonparametric tests were performed.

Ten factors or motivations were found: social ecological concern, nutritional content, sensory aspects, certifications, naturalness, specialized consumption, trust in the seller, economic aspects, health and availability. Four groups were obtained and called: citizen consumers, in-process citizen consumers, conscious social consumers with no interest in certifications and conscious pragmatic consumers. It is concluded that differentiated consumers visit these establishments and their motivations are diverse, albeit they concur, to a varying extent, with the objectives of AFNs, finding a mixture of hedonic and ethical motivations.

This sort of works about specific places of consumption as well as specific consumers, in this case ecological, contributes to the development of future social research on other contexts, different consumers and products.

This sort of research has been carried out in various European cities, with a number of foods and over various sales channels; however, at present there is a debate around AFNs and the veracity of their goals. This way, the present work can contribute with an answer to whether the goals match the motivations of consumers.

The purpose of this paper revisits the effect of entrepreneurship on economic growth.

Using a cross-country panel data set of 61 countries in the period 2002–2014, this paper empirically analyzes the differences in contribution to economic growth. Particularly, using an extension of the Cobb–Douglas production function, the authors show the role of entrepreneurship in developed and developing economies. Global entrepreneurship monitor data were used to estimate the proposed types of entrepreneurship.

Results indicate that economic growth can be explained by growth-oriented entrepreneurship, including developing economies. These results remain robust to a variety of specifications that include economic, social and cultural controls, and two ways of sorting countries by stage of development.

The authors split the total entrepreneurial activity (TEA) according to job expectations, in order to isolate the effect of entrepreneurial activity that is growth oriented (dynamic) and not (regular). Lastly, the empirical application presented comprises a more adequate timeframe to analyze the proposed relationship, determining possible differences for developed and developing economies.

El presente documento analiza el efecto de la actividad emprendedora sobre el crecimiento económico.

Mediante el uso de un panel de 61 países durante el periodo 2002–2014, se analizan las diferencias en contribución del emprendimiento hacia el crecimiento económico. Particularmente, con el uso de una función de producción extendida al estilo Cobb–Douglas, se muestra el rol del emprendimiento en países desarrollados y en vías de desarrollo. Por último, para la generación de las diversas medidas de emprendimiento propuestas se utilizó datos del Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).

La evidencia proporcionada indica que el crecimiento económico podría ser explicado por el emprendimiento orientado al crecimiento. Los resultados han permanecido robustos ante varias especificaciones que incluyen variables de control de corte económico, social y cultural, así como dos maneras de dividir la muestra de países según su etapa de desarrollo.

Los autores separan la TEA según expectativas de empleo futuro, aislando el efecto de la actividad emprendedora que está orientada hacia el alto crecimiento (dinámico) y la que no (regular). Finalmente, La aplicación empírica presentada comprende un periodo de estudio más adecuado para el análisis planteado, y a su vez permite encontrar diferencias para países desarrollados y en vías.

The purpose of this study is to inspect the corrosion inhibition of API N80 steel pipelines in uninhibited solution and inhibited with a synthesized surfactant compound [N-(3-(dimethyl octyl ammonio) propyl) palmitamide bromide] (DMDPP), which is prepared through a simple and applicable method.

Weight loss was inspected at five different temperatures of 25°C, 30°C, 40°C, 50°C and 60°C Potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and electrochemical frequency modulation were used at room temperature. Density functional theory was used to study the relation between the molecular structure and inhibition theoretically.

Adsorption of the prepared DMDPP fits the Langmuir isotherm model. The inhibition efficiency of the prepared DMDPP amphipathic inhibitor is directly proportional to temperature increase. Polarization results reveal that the investigated DMDPP amphipathic compound behaves as a mixed-type inhibitor. EIS spectra produced one individual capacitive loop.

The originality is the preparation of cationic surfactants through a simple method, which can be used as corrosion inhibitors in oil production. The synthesized inhibitors were prepared from low-price materials. The work studied the behavior of the synthesized surfactants in inhibiting the corrosion of the steel in an acidic medium. Electrochemical and theoretical studies were presented, besides gravimetric and surface examination.

Important reserves of oil and gas, which are left to be discovered and produced, are mainly concentrated in challenging locations and under severe conditions such as high pressure (HP)/high temperature (HT). The presence of aggressive environments including H₂S, CO₂ and chlorides plus HP/HT causes a series of corrosion problems, which cost the oil industry billions of dollars a year. Thus, there is an increasing challenge for tubes (i.e. oil country tubular goods, for short, OCTG) used in producing oil and gas. The purpose of this study is to summarize different kinds of corrosion problems and their mitigation, to more efficiently protect OCTG from corrosion.

To effectively select proper mitigation methods, the mechanism of corrosion must be understood, which can be classified into four categories: sweet corrosion, sour corrosion, galvanic corrosion and microbiologically induced corrosion. Also, the effects of environmental and material factors on the corrosion rate are presented. Subsequently, current technology of mitigating these corrosion problems has been discussed, including the development of materials, application of chemical inhibitors and application of protective layers.

It is stressed that limits exist for each individual mitigation method; therefore, a careful balance between economic life of OCTG and safety in operation is required.

The main purpose of this essay is to give a brief review and detailed introduction and analysis about those technologies.

The objective of the work is to show the way in which creativity can influence entrepreneurial activity in Latin America. To do this, a review was made of the work related to: the mechanisms and contexts that stimulate creativity in business activities both internationally and in the region; and those that account for the contextual frameworks that favor or inhibit the development of business activity. Based on the above, it was reviewed in a more specific way, to what extent the link between creativity and entrepreneurship works or does not work in different types of companies such as small rural companies, women's businesses, and informal ones. In the last section of the chapter, with data constructed from the GEM, the impact of the context is shown to understand the geographical, historical, cultural, and institutional variations in the actions of entrepreneurship and creativity in the region, and with it, qualify the global studies on their relation.

In this concluding chapter of the handbook, the authors first revisit the conceptual focus of this handbook with a brief overview of research literature on wellbeing, using a common conceptual approach that identifies the dimensions of wellbeing and then provide an overview of literature that both addresses and imagines the wellbeing with students, faculty, staff, leadership, and institutional levels in mind. Finally, the authors will proffer that there is a need for agentic moral imagination to sustain and progress the cause of wellbeing in higher education.

This paper analyzes how quality management in Ecuador’s national parks is explained through the quality practices contained in Deming’s quality principles from the point of view of employees.

Quantitative research was conducted with the participation of 254 employees from all national parks in Ecuador who rated the quality management practices (leadership, talent management, work climate and training) in their respective parks.

The results show that leadership, talent management, work climate and training significantly explain the service quality in the national parks. This study contributes to the adaptation of Deming’s quality principles to national parks via individual and joint analysis of the relationship between leadership, talent management, work climate and training with service quality in order to highlight which practices are the most important to service quality.

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the key factors that influence service quality in the National Parks of Ecuador. Its multidisciplinary approach and exhaustive research make this work an invaluable tool for understanding and improving the preservation of natural resources and the tourism experience in these protected areas.

Este trabajo analiza cómo la gestión de la calidad en los parques nacionales del Ecuador se explica a través de las prácticas de calidad recogidas en los principios de la calidad de Deming desde el punto de vista de los empleados.

Se realizó una investigación cuantitativa en la que participaron 254 empleados de todos los parques nacionales del Ecuador quienes valoraron las prácticas de gestión de la calidad (liderazgo, gestión de talento, clima laboral y formación) en sus respectivos parques.

Los resultados muestran que el liderazgo, la gestión del talento, el clima laboral y la formación explican significativamente la calidad de servicio en los parques nacionales. Este estudio contribuye en la adaptación de los principios de calidad de Deming a parques nacionales a través del análisis individual y conjunto de la relación entre liderazgo, gestión de talento, clima laboral y formación con la calidad del servicio para destacar qué prácticas son las más importantes para la calidad del servicio ofrecido.

This study developed a theoretical model to test the relationship between digital capability and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and its effect on innovation performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The proposed theoretical model was evaluated using partial least-squares structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. The data were obtained from a sample of 536 SMEs in Chile.

The proposed model presented two dimensions of digital capability: management and information and communication technologies (ICTs). Management models composed of enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management systems are essential for optimizing organizational management. Meanwhile, ICTs facilitate the smooth flow of information within an organization, leading to improved efficiency in production processes. I4.0 is encouraged by exposing SMEs to base technologies such as data analytics. These results confirm that I4.0 influences innovation performance.

SME managers should encourage the development of digital capabilities to transition toward I4.0, as this can make SMEs more competitive and innovative in changing and dynamic scenarios.

I4.0 adoption and the development of digital capabilities can directly affect employment and national economic growth.

Most studies focus on the organizational factors affecting SMEs’ I4.0 adoption. They do not, however, address the role played by current digital capability in I4.0 technology adoption and its effect on firms’ innovation performance.

Este estudio desarrolló un modelo teórico para probar la relación entre la capacidad digital y la Industria 4.0 (I4.0) y su efecto en el desempeño de la innovación en pequeñas y medianas empresas (PYME).

El modelo teórico propuesto se evaluó mediante el uso de modelos de ecuaciones estructurales de mínimos cuadrados parciales y análisis comparativo cualitativo de conjuntos difusos. Los datos se obtuvieron de una muestra de 536 pymes de Chile.

El modelo propuesto presenta dos dimensiones de la capacidad digital: la gestión y las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC). Los modelos de gestión compuestos por sistemas de planificación de recursos empresariales y de gestión de relaciones con los clientes son esenciales para optimizar la gestión organizacional. Por su parte, las TIC facilitan el flujo fluido de información dentro de una organización, lo que conduce a una mejora de la eficiencia en los procesos de producción. La I4.0 se fomenta exponiendo a las PYME a tecnologías de base como el análisis de datos. Estos resultados confirman que la I4.0 influye en el rendimiento de la innovación.

La mayoría de los estudios se centran en los factores organizativos que afectan a la adopción de la I4.0 por parte de las pymes, pero no abordan el papel que desempeña la capacidad digital actual en la adopción de la tecnología I4.0 y su efecto en el desempeño innovador de las empresas.

Los gestores de las PYMES deben incentivar el desarrollo de capacidades digitales para realizar la transición hacia la I4.0, ya que esto puede hacer que las PYMES sean más competitivas e innovadoras en escenarios cambiantes y dinámicos.

La adopción de la I4.0 y el desarrollo de capacidades digitales pueden afectar directamente al empleo y al crecimiento económico nacional.

We propose a risk factor for idiosyncratic entropy and explore the relationship between this factor and expected stock returns.

We estimate a cross-sectional model of expected entropy that uses several common risk factors to predict idiosyncratic entropy.

We find a negative relationship between expected idiosyncratic entropy and returns. Specifically, the Carhart alpha of a low expected entropy portfolio exceeds the alpha of a high expected entropy portfolio by −2.37% per month. We also find a negative and significant price of expected idiosyncratic entropy risk using the Fama-MacBeth cross-sectional regressions. Interestingly, expected entropy helps us explain the idiosyncratic volatility puzzle that stocks with high idiosyncratic volatility earn low expected returns.

We propose a risk factor of idiosyncratic entropy and explore the relationship between this factor and expected stock returns. Interestingly, expected entropy helps us explain the idiosyncratic volatility puzzle that stocks with high idiosyncratic volatility earn low expected returns.