Search results

A paradigm shift is essential to achieving gender equality, including participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This article aims to analyze how the involvement of international organizations in this task is essential to succeeding beyond the actions of local and national governments.

Based on the case study of ASEAN, we examine official documents of the ASEAN Secretariat to analyze the relationship between Innovation, Science and Technology for ASEAN countries and action plans to advance women’s participation in STEM.

The article evidences the scope, limits, contributions and challenges of ASEAN as a promotor of gender equality in STEM.

This case study explores how the official position of the ASEAN Secretariat can contribute to advancing gender equity in STEM. Subsequent studies based on other qualitative methodologies, considering decision-makers from the ASEAN countries, will enrich the findings.

The traditional focus of analyzing how women can participate more in STEM has been regional or national approaches. Academic literature often considers the role of provincial or national governments as the most decisive influence on correcting inequalities of opportunities between men and women. However, this research takes a different approach, discussing the few explored roles of international organizations, both global and regional, in this critical task. The potential contribution of international organizations on this issue, despite their non-binding recommendations and resolutions, can contribute to impulse a change in the gender gap in STEM as the ASEAN case evidences.

The purpose of this paper is to present evidence about cultural differences between Mexico and China, and analyze their significance when implementing an innovative financial model. Specifically, the authors analyzed the case of the Yunus model (or Grameen model), originally developed in Bangladesh and further implemented in China and Mexico.

This paper uses a comparative quantity study to test the cultural difference which affects the innovative financial model implementation. A materialism and credit overuse value scale (Ponchio and Aranha, 2008; Richins, 2011; Roberts and Jones, 2001) is applied to analyze cultural differences with a sample of 250 people in each country.

The results show that the survey responses are statistically significantly different in these two countries. The Mexican sample shows a greater affinity with luxury and bragging. The Chinese sample shows more responsibility toward credit. Recommendations for the implementation of the innovative financial model considering cultural differences are suggested.

Based on the survey results, gender equality, greater caution with young borrowers, financial education programs, and strict liability agreements to ensure credit repayment, especially for Mexico, are suggested, with the aim of enabling microfinance institutions to increase the successful implementation of the Yunus model in China and Mexico.

There are few existing cultural comparisons between China and Mexico. Therefore, one of the relevant contributions of this work is to shed light on the cultural differences of these two important emerging economies for future research. Additionally, the authors applied a materialism and credit overuse value scale developed to assess consumer behavior as a proxy for culture. The results are relevant for further usage of this scale as a tool to help adapt innovative financial models for application in other cultures.

Connected and autonomous mobility may be an imminent game-changing reality, still in its embryonic form, that is set to disrupt a century-long ‘driver-centric’ status quo and recalibrate transport in unprecedented and possibly entirely unexpected ways. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) may have among others, a major impact on sustainability which in an era where concerns about the urgency and magnitude of climate change threats are voiced more and louder than ever before, needs to be a positive one for helping societies to enjoy liveable futures. This might not be an easy task to accomplish, however. This chapter, using a thematically organised narrative review approach, tries to give a well-rounded answer on whether driverless technology can yield sustainability benefits (or not) by looking at all three spheres of sustainability referring to environmental, economic and social implications. Agendas like motor traffic, air pollution, energy consumption, employment dynamics, inclusion, cybersecurity and privacy are all explored, and a conclusion is derived highlighting the need to package automation with connectivity, alternative fuelling and multimodality and building it around public transport (and to a lesser extent sharing service) provision. The road to make driverless transport genuinely sustainable is ‘bumpy’ and ‘uphill’ and requires the development of an appetite not for technology excellence per se, but rather for travel behaviour change. Achieving this needs serious strategic and coordinated multi-stakeholder efforts in terms of pro-active policy reform, user (and transport provider) education and training initiatives, infrastructure investment, business plan development, and living lab experimentation.

This study investigates the sustainability models of non-profit and hybrid organizations, which aim to balance economic, social and environmental objectives. The research introduces the Sustainability Model Canvas to analyze these organizations and identify common patterns, unique characteristics and managerial insights to balance the triple bottom line.

The research utilizes the Sustainability Model Canvas to examine the sustainability models of 200 non-profit and hybrid organizations. Data were collected from secondary sources, including articles, reports and websites. The analysis was conducted using the activity system theoretical framework, which helped to identify design elements and themes within the business models of the studied organizations.

The study reveals four primary sustainability model patterns: donated income, earned income, public income and auto-generated income. An additional mixed approach pattern is identified, combining elements from the four primary patterns. The research highlights the parallels between these sustainability models and multi-sided platform business models, offering managerial suggestions for leveraging these patterns to achieve sustainability.

The study is based on secondary data, which may limit the depth of insights compared to primary data collection. At the same time, the chance to consider hybrid organization through multi-sided platform lenses provides relevant contributions to both the literature streams.

The identified sustainability model patterns and managerial suggestions can serve as blueprints for non-profit and hybrid organizations aiming to design or innovate their sustainability models. The Sustainability Model Canvas offers a practical tool for organizations to visualize and balance their triple bottom line objectives.

The research underscores the importance of integrating social and environmental considerations into business models, promoting a holistic approach to sustainability that can lead to broader social and environmental benefits.

This research contributes to the business model literature by extending the focus beyond traditional profit-oriented organizations to include non-profit and hybrid organizations. The introduction of the Sustainability Model Canvas provides a new tool for designing and analyzing sustainability-oriented business models. The study also suggests considering sustainability models as multi-sided platforms, offering new insights for both academic and practical applications.

The purpose of this study is to assess the level of adjustment of the activities of health tourism and hospitality enterprises to the sustainable development criteria developed by the global sustainable tourism council.

The main research method used in this study was a diagnostic survey – an in-depth interview. This research was conducted among managers of 18 of the largest enterprises that conduct tourism and wellness activities in Polish health resorts.

The analysis of the research results indicated that only every other surveyed health resort entity implemented a sustainable development system or program. Most health resort entities undertook initiatives to support the local community in the field of education, health, sanitary safety and mitigating the negative effects of climate change. The respondents also unequivocally stated that they used good practices in promoting cultural heritage among health resort guests. Almost all of the analyzed enterprises applied solutions aimed at saving natural resources, i.e. reducing unnecessary purchases and saving electricity and water. Participation in programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and means of transport usage was very rarely declared.

It is recommended to include environmental issues in the business models of health tourism entities, e.g. by including them in the strategy, including mission, communicating pro-environmental goals and actions to stakeholders, and applying environmental management systems and concepts.

The research problem is a strong point of the work, as the issue of sustainable development of tourist organizations has rarely been discussed so far. Health resorts were also not considered the subject of research in this area. In this research, the authors assessed the degree of compliance of health tourism enterprises with the requirements of sustainable development, which is a contribution to the science system.

Controversy has long swirled over the claim that Donald Trump's base has deeply rooted authoritarian tendencies, but Trump himself seems to have few doubts. Asked whether his stated wish to be dictator “on day one” of second term in office would repel voters, Trump said “I think a lot of people like it.” It is one of his invariable talking points that 74 million voters supported him in 2020, and he remains the unrivaled leader of the Republican Party, even as his rhetoric escalates to levels that cautious observers now routinely call fascistic.

Is Trump right that many people “like” his talk of dictatorship? If so, what does that mean empirically? Part of the answer to these questions was apparent early, in the results of the 2016 American National Election Study (ANES), which included survey questions that we had proposed which we drew from the aptly-named “Right-Wing Authoritarianism” scale. Posed to voters in 2012–2013 and again in 2016, those questions elicited striking responses.

In this chapter, we revisit those responses. We begin by exploring Trump's escalating anti-democratic rhetoric in the light of themes drawn from Max Weber and Theodor W. Adorno. We follow this with the text of the 2017 conference paper in which we first reported that 75% of Trump's voters supported him enthusiastically, mainly because they shared his prejudices, not because they were hurting economically. They hoped to “get rid” of troublemakers and “crush evil.” That wish, as we show in our conclusion, remains central to Trump's appeal.

The study aims to analyze the effect of the previous preparation and the work carried out in the field during a study trip on the development of competencies in agribusiness students.

The destination was the pineapple area of the Papaloapan Lower Basin in Mexico, and 42 students from 6 different semester levels participated. The students answered a test prior to the trip, received an evaluation for their activities in the field and prepared reports and posters as products of the experience. The relationship between the scores obtained was examined through a comparative analysis.

The findings are framed in the cyclical model of experiential learning with four stages (feeling, watching, thinking and doing) by Kolb (1984). It is found that the acquisition of specific knowledge about what the experience will entail leads to better preparation, motivation and confidence to live the experience (potentiation of feeling and watching). In turn, specific knowledge and better use of experience promote the development of problem solving, interpersonal and communication skills (potentiation of thinking and doing).

Statistical representativeness is not a quality of the study since it is based on a comparative analysis.

The study analyzes an educational component of great value in the business area, about which little is known in the agribusiness subarea.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a system that will ease and improve communication and exchange of data and information between partnerships.

The architecture of web‐based products management system is discussed, which is followed by a discussion on products information standardization and the technologies for the communication and exchange of products information. A framework for the development of web‐based communication systems is proposed, which will support the manufacturing firm for information management.

The information format and the architecture of web‐based is recognized.

Accessibility and availability of communication data are the main limitations which communication system will be used.

An effective method to improve coordination distribution, storage and access of project information and data of the production process.

The approach of communication would increase the efficiency of sharing the products information among the participants.

This paper aims first to describe the most prevalent teachers’ and students’ behaviors in synchronous online classes in emergency remote teaching; second, to discern behavior profiles and third, to investigate what features explain the observed behaviors.

An adapted COPUS observation protocol was employed to observe 292 online classes from 146 higher education teachers.

The most prevalent behaviors were: Presenting for teachers and Receiving for students, followed by Teachers Guiding and Students Talking to Class. Furthermore, cluster analysis showed two groups: Traditional and Interactive. The variables that better explained belonging to the Interactive lecture group were disciplinary area – social sciences and humanities –and teaching in technical institutions.

In a context where higher education institutions intend to project the lessons learned into post-pandemic learning experiences, this study provides observational evidence to realize the full potential expected from online and blended teaching and learning.

Despite the prevalence of synchronous online lectures during COVID-19, there is a paucity of observational studies on the actual behaviors that occurred in this context. Most research has been based on surveys and interviews. This study addresses this gap.

The RZ5 mg alloy is used in automotive and aerospace applications including helicopter gearboxes and aircraft components. These components are prone to the wear as per the demands. The present work is the study of the significance of hard particle/ceramic, i.e. titanium carbide (TiC) in RZ5 mg alloy to protect the machine components from wear.

The abrasive wear analysis of in-situ RZ5-TiC magnesium matrix composite is considered for the study. The primary focus of the present work is to analyze the effects of varying control parameters, i.e. Wt.% of TiC, sliding distance and applied load on the responses, i.e. weight loss and coefficient of friction. Full factorial design of the experiment based on statistical analysis is used.

It is observed that the individually Wt.% of TiC and sliding distance show the comparatively significant effect on both responses. Similarly, the interaction between sliding distance and Wt.% of TiC indicated the considerable impact on weight loss. The regression equations are developed and validated for estimating responses. It is observed that the percentage errors are not appearing more than 10 per cent of responses. Therefore, the close agreement between measured and predicted values shows the adequacy of the model. The control factor is optimized using multi-response optimization. The variations of the order of 2.47 and 2.35 per cent in target value of the coefficient of friction and weight loss are achieved.

The current manuscript provides a detailed abrasive wear statistical analysis of RZ5-TiC composite. The influence of control parameters on the responses using the full factorial design, the main effect plots and interaction effects are presented.