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Notes increasing investment by US pension funds in foreign currency denominated assets and briefly outlines previous research on the links between various types of assets/currencies. Uses cointegration methodologies on 1978‐1996 futures data for commodities and four currencies (Swiss, German, British and Canadian) to assess the long‐run stochastic relationships between them; and suggests that currencies are more closely cointegrated with soft commodities and precious metals than with livestock. Considers the implications for hedging and diversification by pension fund managers trying to manage risk.

Considering the evolving importance of green finance, this study uses climate-related development mitigation finance as a proxy of green finance and investigates the impact of green finance on ecological footprint as an indicator of environmental quality along with the influence of economic growth, renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions, trade openness and urbanization across 47 developing countries over the period 2000–2018.

After finding the presence of cross-sectional dependency among variables, the second-generation panel unit root test was employed to detect the order of integration among the variables. Since all the variables were found to be stationary, Westerlund cointegration technique was employed to detect the long-run relationship among the variables. Then, the long-run elasticity among the dependent and independent variables was tested using fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS), dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and pooled mean group–autoregressive distributed lag (PMG–ARDL) approaches.

The empirical findings suggest the presence of long-run relationship among all the variables, namely, ecological footprint, green finance, economic growth, renewable energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, trade openness and urbanization for the selected developing countries in the sample. Furthermore, economic growth, greenhouse gas emissions, trade openness and urbanization, all have a positive and significant impact on the ecological footprint, whereas renewable energy consumption and green finance have a significant and negative impact on the ecological footprint, which supports the view that environmental quality is improved with the greater use of renewable energy technologies and allocation of greater amounts of more green finance.

The empirical results of this study offer policymakers and regulators some implications for environmental policy for protecting the countries from ecological issues.

This study aims to examine the impact of renewable energy consumption on agricultural productivity while accounting for the effect of financial inclusion and foreign direct investment in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries during 2000–2020.

The study has used the latest data from World Bank and International Monetary Fund databases. The dependent variable in the study is agricultural productivity. Renewable energy consumption, carbon emissions, financial inclusion and foreign direct investment are independent variables. Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach was used to examine the short-run and long-run impact of renewable energy consumption, carbon emissions, foreign direct investment and financial inclusion on agricultural productivity.

The findings imply that consumption of renewable energy, carbon emissions and foreign direct investment have a positive impact on agricultural productivity while financial inclusion in terms of access does not seem to have any significant impact on agricultural productivity. Providing farmers, access to financial services can be beneficial, but its usage holds more importance in impacting rural outcomes. The problem lies in the fact that there is still a gap between access and usage of financial services.

Policymakers should encourage the increase in the usage of renewable energy and become less reliant on non-renewable energy sources which will eventually help in tackling the problems associated with climate change as well as enhance agricultural productivity.

Most of the earlier studies were based on tabular analysis without any empirical base to establish the causal relationship between determinants of agricultural productivity and renewable energy consumption. These studies were also limited to a few regions. The study is one of its kind in exploring the severity of various factors that determine agricultural productivity in the context of emerging economies like BRICS while accounting for the effect of financial inclusion and foreign direct investment.

Temperature is an important load for a ballastless track. However, little research has been conducted on the dynamic responses when a train travels on a ballastless track under the temperature gradient. The dynamic responses under different temperature gradients of the slab are theoretically investigated in this work.

Considering the moving train, the temperature gradient of the slab, and the gravity of the slab track, a dynamic model for a high-speed train that runs along the CRTS III slab track on subgrade is developed by a nonlinear coupled way in Abaqus.

The results are as follows: (1) The upward transmission of the periodic deformation of the slab causes periodic track irregularity. (2) Because of the geometric constraint of limiting structures, the maximum bending stresses of the slab occur near the end of the slab under positive temperature gradients, but in the middle of the slab under negative temperature gradients. (3) The periodic deformation of the slab can induce periodic changes in the interlayer stiffness and contact status, leading to a large vibration of the slab. Because of the vibration-reduction capacity of the fastener and the larger mass of the concrete base, the accelerations of both the slab and concrete base are far less than the acceleration of the rail.

This study reveals the influence mechanism of temperature gradient-induced periodic deformation in the dynamic responses of the train-track system, and it also provides a guide for the safe service of CRTS III slab track.

Provides a useful summary of research on value added (VA) reporting and shows how income statements can be rearranged to show gross or not (of depreciation) VA. Starts with descriptive research on its use in various countries, enumerates its advantages and limitations and goes on to review empirical research on VA firm performance, the informational content of VA (as against conventional) data in market valuation and its predictive ability. Suggests that VA disclosure should be mandatory in the USA and calls for further research on its usefulness.

The purpose of this study is to examine the spatial fluctuation spillover effect of green total factor productivity (GTFP) under the influence of Internet development.

Using panel data from 283 cities in China for the period 2003–2016, this paper explores the spatial fluctuation spillover effect of internet development on GTFP by applying the spatial autoregressive with autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity model (SARspARCH).

The results of Moran's I test of the residual term and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) value indicate that the GTFP has a spatial fluctuation spillover effect, and the estimated results of the SARspARCH model are more accurate than the spatial autoregressive (SAR) model and the spatial autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (spARCH) model. Specifically, the internet development had a positive spatial fluctuation spillover effect on GTFP in 2003, 2011, 2012 and 2014, and the volatility spillover effect weakens the positive spillover effect of internet development on GTFP. Moreover, Internet development has a significant positive spatial fluctuation spillover effect on GTFP averagely in eastern China and internet-based cities.

The results of this study provide digital solutions for policymakers in improving the level of GTFP in China, with more emphasis on regional synergistic governance to ensure growth.

This paper expands the research ideas for spatial econometric models and provides a more valuable reference for China to achieve green development.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of feedback seeking (FBS) and impression management (IM) on candidates’ evaluative performance and final hiring decision in a recruiting assessment center (AC) by a multinational corporation (MNC) in China.

The authors adopted a mixed-methods design. The authors first surveyed 234 candidates and 12 recruiting managers as assessors in four Chinese cities in one year. The authors then collected 23 candidates’ qualitative data in the forms of online blogs, diaries or letters sharing their recruitment experiences from 2005 to 2014.

The quantitative results showed that both candidates’ FBS and IM behaviors were positively related to their evaluative performance, yet with no significant effects on hiring decision. However, the interaction of FBS and IM significantly reduced the likelihood of a positive evaluative performance and hiring decision. Qualitative findings showed that IM was adopted by the candidates, and encouraged by the firm in the initial period of AC. Implicit FBS behavior was also found in the qualitative data.

The results offer important practical implications. For applicants, success in job search depends on one’s overall ability and capacity, while proper FBS and initial IM may be helpful to get in the race. At the firm level, MNCs need to adopt innovative strategies to win the “war for talent” in campus recruiting to cope with the deficiency in the educational focus.

The authors adopted a mixed-methods approach to examining the dynamics of AC process in campus recruiting processes. This study is among the first examining the interactions of FBS and IM in the selection research.

The paper aims to discuss the interaction processes and short‐term behaviours and motives in long‐term relationships between banks and their corporate clients.

The discussion is based on findings from four Portuguese case studies. Interviews made to major actors on both sides of each relationship were transcribed and analysed to investigate the buyer‐seller interaction process, and the interplay between the actors involved.

The paper contributes to knowledge concerning the nature of business banking relationships, provides insights about instability and stress therein, and suggests some factors that can generate or intensify that instability. Short‐term irregularities and stress are found to arise in the context of relationships' longer‐term continuity and stability.

The irregularities found were endogenous to the relationships and originated from one of the actors or from the transaction. No exogenous factors were analysed and further research should be done about them. Some instability was found associated with clients keeping a portfolio of banking relationships, but the management of such portfolios is largely unstudied, begging for more work. It is also suggested that the present study be replicated in other countries and contexts for comparative analyses.

The paper provides a framework for corporate managers and bankers alike to better understand the process of banking relationships. It highlights some factors that should be monitored as they impact on buying behaviour and on the interplay between banks and firms.

The paper highlights some “stress” factors that can impact on buying behaviour and on the interplay between banks and firms, providing a new insight about the instability of business relationships in the banking business, and suggests some factors that can generate or intensify that instability.

This study examines the roles of poverty reduction and social inclusion as socioeconomic factors in achieving sustainable development (SD) in Nigeria from 1970 to 2019.

Vector error correction model (VECM) is adopted as the analytical technique. Three groups of factors are employed when determining SD: economic (per capital gross domestic product [GDP] and the inflow of foreign direct investment [FDI]), social (life expectancy, school enrollment, poverty and the proportion of women in parliament) and environmental (CO₂ emission and natural resource endowment).

The findings reveal that the economic factors (GDP per capita and the inflow of FDI to the GDP ratio) and two of the social determinants (life expectancy and school enrollment) have a positive effect on SD while the remaining two social determinants (poverty gap and the proportion of women in parliament) and the environmental determinants (CO₂ emission and natural resource endowment) have a negative influence on SD in Nigeria during the period under study.

First, this study integrates social inclusion into the poverty–SD nexus in the same study framework for a thorough analysis given that social inclusion has been identified as one of the leading variables affecting sustainability. Second, this study fills a gap in the literature by accounting for economic, social and environmental factors that influence SD, as opposed to the majority of existing studies that only employed environmental variables when examining the relationship between poverty and sustainability.