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The objective of this work is to explore possible relationships of theoretical affinity that the concept of public sphere (understood in its original German formulation: Öffentlichkeit) can establish with Luhmann’s concepts of observation and differentiation. In this way, we aim to demonstrate that it can occupy a central place within the author’s theory.

We made a literature review of Luhmann’s writings and some of its readers in order to compare the concept of public sphere with two main concepts of his work: observation and differentiation.

For each one of the concepts (differentiation and observation), we have postulated and developed a theoretical proposition that demonstrates the deep connection between the respective concept and the concept of public sphere.

Luhmann’s concept of public sphere never received much attention. The author developed it only in a few pages, and it never achieved a theoretical centrality alongside other main concepts such as contingency, differentiation, meaning, communication, etc. Nevertheless, we argue here that, despite being little developed by the author, the concept of public sphere has an unexplored potential that allows it to be placed alongside other central concepts in his work.

Digital technologies (DTs) have the potential to revolutionize various aspects of heavy engineering projects by providing innovative solutions to traditional challenges. Therefore, this study explores and identifies critical areas for implementing DTs in heavy engineering projects in Lagos State, Nigeria, to increase productivity, reduce costs and enhance project delivery.

A quantitative research approach informed the formulation of a structured questionnaire, which was then disseminated to construction professionals. The data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The relative importance index (RII) was employed to rank the significance of each application area. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) then grouped the various application areas for DTs before fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) was used to evaluate the significance of the identified key categories.

Based on the RII, the top five significant application areas identified were project management, cost estimation and budgeting, quality assurance and control, risk management and mitigation and construction site management. These areas were further grouped into three clusters: pre-construction phase, construction phase and post-construction phase.

A majority of existing studies have been focused on regular construction projects, with limited research addressing the unique challenges and opportunities within heavy engineering projects. This study fills this gap by specifically examining the implementation of DTs in heavy engineering projects, offering sector-specific insights that are distinct from those in regular construction.

The purpose of the current work is to present an intuitionistic fuzzy (IF) concept-based structured framework for selecting the optimal maintenance policy in a sugar mill.

The proposed framework utilizes IF concept based multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approaches, specifically IF-analytic hierarchy process (IF-AHP) and IF-Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (IF-TOPSIS). IF theory based MCDM approaches utilises the hesitation present in the maintenance experts to encounter the uncertainties/vagueness to much higher degree of accuracy in decision-making. The suggested framework is used to evaluate and select the optimal maintenance policy based on six different criteria namely safety factor, cost factor, maintenance factor, reliability, risk and added values.

The IF-AHP approach has been employed to calculate the weights of the criteria and sub-criteria, while the IF-TOPSIS approach was utilized to rank the maintenance strategies. Based on the results, with a relative coefficient value of 0.7204, corrective maintenance (CM) is determined to be the best maintenance policy. For certifying the consistency of the recommended structured framework, sensitivity analysis (SA) has been also conducted.

The ranking results obtained from the analysis are provided to the maintenance management of the considered sugar mill for its further implementation and validation. The findings of this work are also applicable to all other sugar mill industries which are installed globally.

The analysis results has been supplied to the maintenance manager of considered sugar mill industry. The implementation policy of the results will be shared with the higher management and hence once implemented the results could be tested and verified.

The developed framework so implemented to the considered sugar mill industry is original in nature. Also, consideration of hesitation effect in the collected raw data under the developed framework provide more authenticated decision results which proves to be useful in achieving higher availability and profitability of the industry.

This research article aims to systematically explore the association between digitalisation and individual investors’ behavioural biases. Through an extensive exploration of digitalisation modes and their various serviceable avenues in the investment arena, the study aims to elucidate the impact of behavioural biases on individual investors’ investment decision-making processes.

The study employs Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to gain insights into behavioural finance and the associated behavioural biases of investors in digitalisation. IPA, a qualitative method grounded in heuristic, phenomenological, and idiographic elements, facilitates the exploration of individual investor experiences and the role of digitalisation and behavioural biases within.

Investors are categorised into two groups – decision seekers and decision makers – based on their digital inclination and the purpose behind using digital tools. The attributes of these segments are detailed under the sub-themes of Digital Inclination, Market Cognizance, Sophistication and Maturity, Sophomorism and Perception of Digitalisation. The study also identifies the specific behavioural biases pertinent to each segment. Additionally, it introduces a novel section on the insights related to human emotions, behaviour and sentiment within financial markets.

The essence of the current article is the application of the IPA method to the field of behavioural finance. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt of its kind which provides a methodical and comprehensive understanding of both, digitalisation and behavioural biases that affect the individual investor’s decision-making. It offers valuable insights for researchers, academicians and scholars in behavioural finance, enhancing the understanding of how behavioural biases influence investment decisions.

This study aims to explore the impact of perceived information quality on customers' self-efficacy and knowledge and how these factors subsequently influence perceived value and intentions to participate and visit.

A video scenario was used to depict a co-creation dining experience, with participants recruited through self-selected convenience sampling. Data were collected from 472 participants who viewed a video showcasing co-creation dining in restaurants. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the proposed hypotheses.

Results indicate that perceived information quality significantly enhances customers' knowledge and confidence. Increased knowledge and self-efficacy lead to higher perceived value, which subsequently boosts customers' intentions to participate and visit. Additionally, knowledge and self-efficacy partially mediate the relationship between perceived information quality and perceived value.

This study applies framing and processing theories, highlighting how clear, engaging presentation enhances perception, comprehension and self-efficacy in the co-creation process. Practical recommendations for restaurants include developing instructional materials, staff training and tiered experiences to improve customer engagement.

This study provides new insights into the role of information quality in shaping customer perceptions and behaviors in co-creation dining experiences, highlighting the importance of knowledge and self-efficacy in enhancing perceived value and participation intentions.

This study aims to explore the influence of Fourier-feature enhanced physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) on effectively solving two-dimensional local time-fractional anomalous diffusion equations with nonlinear thermal diffusivity. By tackling the shortcomings of conventional numerical methods in managing fractional derivatives and nonlinearities, this research addresses a significant gap in the literature regarding efficient solution strategies for complex diffusion processes.

This study uses a quantitative methodology featuring a feed-forward neural network architecture combined with a Fourier feature layer. Automatic differentiation is implemented to ensure precise gradient calculations for fractional derivatives. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is showcased through numerical simulations across various sub-diffusion and super-diffusion scenarios, with fractal space parameters adjusted to examine behavior. In addition, the training process is assessed using the Fisher information matrix to analyze the loss landscape.

The results demonstrate that the Fourier-feature enhanced PINNs effectively capture the dynamics of the anomalous diffusion equation, achieving greater solution accuracy than traditional methods. The analysis using the Fisher information matrix underscores the importance of hyperparameter tuning in optimizing network performance. These findings support the hypothesis that Fourier features improve the model’s capacity to represent complex solution behaviors, providing the relationship between model architecture and diffusion dynamics.

This research presents a novel approach to solving fractional anomalous diffusion equations through Fourier-feature enhanced PINNs. The results contribute to the advancement of computational methods in areas such as thermal engineering, materials science and biological diffusion modeling, while also providing a foundation for future investigations into training dynamics within neural networks.

Resources provided by The Northern Brazilian Constitutional Financing Fund (FNO) aim to promote regional development to economically and socially backward regions through subsidized financial resources for economic activities, including agriculture. This study aims to determine whether rural credit and the FNO were able to produce structural changes in the distribution of financial resources and thus contribute to economic growth in Northern Brazilian municipalities.

This paper used inequality indexes and the Local Indicator of Spatial Association to verify the credit concentration and the spatial presence of clusters. To analyze the role of credit in promoting agricultural growth, this paper estimated an ordinary least squares regression with panel data for 450 municipalities during 1995–2017.

The results highlighted that rural credit, including the FNO, is essential to incentivizing agricultural production and increasing rural income. However, the financial resources are mostly captured by a small share of municipalities, spatially clustered in the expanding agricultural frontier of Pará, Tocantins and Rondônia states. Low-Low clusters are mainly present in the Western Amazonian region and are subject to structural and institutional constraints that reduce their demand for credit. The FNO resources proved insufficient to reduce financial inequality between Brazil’s northern municipalities.

This study demonstrates that the FNO’s policies are failing to reduce the concentration of financial resources in Amazonian agriculture. The results emphasize the importance of credit for development and, consequently, reducing inequality, which leads to a higher demand for financial resources by farmers. Implications include supporting economic agents with infrastructure and technical assistance, as well as improving farmers’ access to the banking system.

The core notion of this study is to examine the change in tariffs impacts of Pakistan Sri Lanka Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) on the micro-level financial factors like profits, debt ratios and dividend payments.

The investigation has been conducted by using regression analysis. The data of 157 listed non-financial local and international firms are collected from Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE).

The results depicted that because of modification in tariffs, various firms are facing trade contest experience, a decline in profitability, surge in debt ratios as well as reduction in dividend payments. However, several firms improve their productivity by importing contemporary technology and other firms, which surge their exports leading to enhanced profitability, reduced debt ratios and surge in dividend disbursement.

To the best of my knowledge, this study is unique in a sense that it identifies the potential exports sectors of Pakistan and helps the decision-makers to develop the trade agreements with other South Asian economies. Moreover, the financial managers are able to create a financial policy for the multinational company to compete in South Asia.

This research aims to enhance the model of student learning behavior by expanding the traditional theory of reasoned action (TRA) to incorporate variables such as student mental well-being (SMW), attitude, subjective norms (SNB), perceived behavioral control (PBC) and climate change concerns. The study examines students’ intentions as a mediator variable and student area as a moderator variable in student learning behaviors.

A structured questionnaire was administered to 610 higher education students in Gujarat, exploring variables related to student characteristics, mental well-being, attitudes, SNB, PBC, Climate change concerns (CML), change concerns and intentions to study. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling with mediation and moderation analyses using SPSS 22 and AMOS 26.

The empirical findings support the hypothesized relationships within the expanded model, indicating significant contributions of SMW, attitude, SNB, PBC and CML to forming solid intentions to pursue education. Additionally, the study reveals a positive association between intention and subsequent learning behavior moderated by the student residence area.

The study confirms the proposed relationships within the expanded model, with SMW significantly influencing students’ academic intentions. Factors like attitude, SNB and climate change are crucial in shaping educational pursuits. The research enriches educational psychology by detailing the complex influences on student learning behavior, offering insights for enhancing educational strategies and outcomes as the academic environment evolves.

This research offers an innovative approach by expanding the traditional TRA to explore the influences on student learning behavior in education comprehensively. Integrating variables such as SMW, attitude and CML provides a nuanced understanding, contributing to theoretical development and practical educational implications.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a condensed perspective of blockchain-related concepts for business researchers and practitioners, amid the growing popularity of the subject.

This paper is a literature review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews methodology. We have revised 42 papers that have detailed concepts such as blockchain, Web 3.0, blockchain types, affordances, and limitations.

The paper creates a comprehensive overview of blockchain-related concepts. It starts by looking at the blockchain's various definitions and explains the technology's novelty. The components and the process of making a transaction in the blockchain are explained from a combined paradigm, including both business and technological concepts. Further on, the paper discusses the existing types of blockchain, together with the affordances provided by the usage of the technology. The last part includes the limitations of blockchain.

The present study reveals the existence of three paradigms while studying the subject: business-centric, technological-centric, and combined. While the primary aim of this research is to explain concepts for business researchers and practitioners, it includes technological aspects as well, therefore, aligning with the combined paradigm.