Poplar forests are cultivated worldwide on extended areas, contributing to the provision of wood for industries. Their management is intensive, especially in planting operations which are done, in many parts of the world, by the use of manual labor. This situation raises the question on their sustainability from an ergonomics point of view. Particularly, the postural risk is in question, as uncomfortable

To foster sustainable development, the environmental impacts of the construction sector need to be reduced substantially. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the established methodology for the quantification of environmental impacts, and therefore has been increasingly applied to assess the environmental performance of buildings. By coupling LCAs with digital design tools, e.g., building information modeling

Recently, there has been increasing evidence of the emergence of systemic strains that threaten international cooperative efforts on global issues, especially climate change, biodiversity loss and security. Non-state actors have responded by declaring their commitment to work together alongside nations as climate agreements struggle to deliver the necessary global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

Research on sound-absorbing materials made of natural fibers is an emerging area in sustainable materials. In this communication, the use of raw esparto grass as an environmentally friendly sound-absorbing material is explored. Measurements of the normal-incidence sound-absorption coefficient and airflow resistivity of three different types of esparto from different countries are presented. In addition

A key concept in the pharmaceutical industry is open innovation, in which pharmaceutical companies contribute to human health and adapt to a changing business environment by acquiring external knowledge. As successful drug discoveries and developments have become challenging, pharmaceutical companies must proactively pursue the open innovation of new drugs through various inter-firm partnerships to

Assignment methodologies attempt to determine the traffic flow over each network arc based on its characteristics and the total flow over the entire area. There are several methodologies—some fast and others that are more complex and require more time to complete the calculation. In this study, we evaluated different assignment methodologies using a computer simulation and tested the results in a specific

Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (BFRs) in the U.S. represent a diverse and important subset of family farms. Understanding their financial needs is of paramount importance for supporting the future of American farmers. The focus of this work is on evaluating to what extent credit constraints affect the BFRs’ production. We use propensity score matching to show that credit constraints are associated

This paper proposes a structure for sustainable implementation of urban distribution centers (UDCs) in historical cities, considering the opinion of the main stakeholders involved in the urban distribution of goods and a set of additional criteria. Based on a survey that was conducted among carriers, traffic wardens, and retailers, a decision hierarchy structure, consisting of the relevant criteria

Community participation is widely acknowledged to be crucial in both mitigation and reconstruction planning, as well as in community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) and community-based disaster mitigation (CBDM) processes. However, despite decades of experience, an efficient framework that is acceptable for all actors and suitable for all different phases of the process—ranging from planning

The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediation effects of external knowledge acquisition on the relationships between environments (dynamism, complexity, and hostility) and innovation. Although prior studies have extensively examined the relationships between environments and innovation or innovativeness, the results of the studies appear to lack consistency. To help clarify the relationships

The aim of this research was to find out whether family businesses create better opportunities for their economic sustainability in comparison with non-family businesses. That is, whether family businesses are more responsible in preparing for crises than non-family businesses. Having a sustainable business means being prepared for potential threats of all kinds. Research was carried out in 2019 on

Lately, the Internet of Things (IoT) has opened up new opportunities to business and enterprises; however, the cost of providing security and privacy best practices is preventing numerous organizations from adopting this innovation. With the proliferation of connecting devices in IoT, significant increases have been recorded in energy use, harmful contamination and e-waste. A new paradigm of green

Industry 4.0 provides a tremendous potential of data from the work floor. For manufacturing companies, these data can be very useful in order to support assembly operators. In literature, a lot of contributions can be found that present models to describe both the learning and forgetting effect of manual assembly operations. In this study, different existing models were compared in order to predict

Amidst a contemporary culture of climate awareness, unprecedented levels of transparency and visibility are forcing industrial organizations to broaden their value chains and deepen the impacts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. While it may be common knowledge that the 2030 agenda cannot be achieved on a business-as-usual trajectory, this study seeks to determine to what ends the

The new economic environment, characterized as volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, has been generated through the evolution of a world in which online reputation and corporate social responsibility have become closely interconnected. In this study, we assessed whether corporate social responsibility is a goal with multiple implications for the image of the organization and its financial results

A worldwide debate on the effectiveness of business reporting information has engaged organizations, policy makers, regulators, and members of the capital market. The documents through which organizations disclose their annual performance are being questioned and criticized, as they appear inadequate for responding to stakeholder needs. In 2013, the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)

As climate change and other interdependent challenges are expected to become increasingly acute and unpredictable, so the need for policies and measures to reduce risks and uncertainties in order to adapt to these changes becomes more imperative. Cities can influence their adaptation, resilience, and eventually their sustainability through spatial planning with the use of more ecosystem-based planning

The purpose of this study was to identify the current state of sustainability integration into Canadian government procurement and make recommendations on how to deepen current integration in order to accelerate the advancement of existing sustainability goals. We reviewed 50 publicly available Requests for Proposals (RFPs) issued between 2016 and 2019 and evaluated the significance of sustainability

Atmospheric pollutants and environmental indicators are often used to reconstruct historic atmospheric pollution from peat, as it accumulates over time by decomposing plant material, thus recording a history of air pollution. In the present study, three key parameters related to the peat bogs’ surface wetness dynamics in European Russia during the Holocene were investigated using modern statistical

In this paper, representations of Spanish Secondary Education trainee teachers (n = 163) are analyzed with regard to the socio-environmental problematic, end-purposes, and strategies of education for sustainable development (ESD). Likewise, the study seeks to identify the potential influence of sociodemographic variables on those representations and, in particular, possible differences between either

Consumers across the globe tend to store their small electronic devices when they reach their end of life instead of disposing of them. This is a problem because if end-of-life devices are not recovered from consumers’ homes, the devices cannot be re-used or recycled, leading to increased production. We study what motivates consumers to store their end-of-life devices by looking at how storage creates

Based on the synergistic control of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, a co-benefits indicator system was established to evaluate the co-benefits of city policies for megacities with regard to energy conservation and environmental sustainability. Shanghai was chosen as a typical case study, owing to its relatively high level of progress in terms of urbanization and its complex economic, social

The aim of this work is to promote outdoor activities to bring students closer to the environment and the biodiversity of their surroundings. In this sense, educational itineraries are a very good educational resource that promotes skills developing (scientific, cartographic, educational, etc.) which are necessary for the appropriate design of teaching proposals. The present study is carried out with

From the point of view of the national economy, the development of a transport sector is a key process which relies on many other industries. Therefore, it is inevitable to coordinate related activities and to develop the transport sector effectively, and significant synergies in relation to other sectors could be generated. This article deals with the issue of public passenger transport and its greater

Based on a welfare approach using a partial equilibrium model coming from microeconomics, this paper analyzes whether a local regulation aimed at reducing risks due to pesticides should be imposed at the production level or the consumption level. This paper characterizes the economic impact of these possible regulations from a theoretical point of view. Local and nonlocal producers compete only in

The impact of work zones on traffic is a common problem encountered in traffic management. The reconstruction of roads is inevitable, and it is necessary and urgent to reduce the impact of the work zone on the operation of traffic. There are many existing research results on the influence of highway work zones, including management strategies, traffic flow control strategies, and various corresponding

Human resources management, which includes a wide range of activities, may vary between businesses. One of the reasons for these differences may be the fact that they are non-family or family businesses. The purpose of this study is to identify differences in the area of human resources management between non-family and family businesses operating in the Czech business environment. The authors formulated

Improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings in favor of reducing consumer demand and associated emissions is one of the central strategies for achieving global GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions reduction targets. Contemplating this activity within the paradigm of long-term sustainability implies, on one hand, that project intervention strategies must be assisted by tools that integrate social

Research about biosphere reserves’ management effectiveness can contribute to better understanding of the existing gap between the biosphere reserve concept and its implementation. However, there is a limited understanding about where and how research about biosphere reserves’ management effectiveness has been conducted, what topics are investigated, and which are the main findings. This study addresses

The sustainable development movement is an essential trend that can resist the excessive consumption and over-exploitation of resources. There have been considerable changes in the perception of the term “sustainable development” over the last 30 years. Difficulties in implementing the principles of rational use of natural resources have resulted from a general conflict between the objectives of economic

The perception of sporting events spectators is a crucial area of research in the sport management field. These studies analyze different variables, the perceived value of which has gained relevance in recent years. By providing superior value to consumers, organizations can achieve a competitive advantage and guarantee their sustainability. However, a limitation found in the literature is that most

A significant number of universities where engineering is taught, acknowledge the importance of the social and environmental impact of the scientific and technological practice, as well as the ethical problems it presents, and the need to provide their students with courses covering this as a subject. This paper presents 29 years of teaching courses with the subject of social, environmental, and ethical

The world population will reach 9.8 billion by 2050, with increased urbanization. Cycling is one of the fastest developing sustainable transport solutions. With the spread of public bike sharing (PBS) systems, it is very important to understand the differences between systems. This article focuses on the clustering of different bike sharing systems around the world. The lack of a comprehensive database

This study analyses the economic effects of the EU policy on the protection of origin. The focus is on three types of food products with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), whose reference areas are located in the Free State of Bavaria: Beer (Bayerisches Bier PGI), asparagus (Franken-Spargel PGI, Schrobenhausener Spargel PGI), and carp (Aischgründer Karpfen PGI, Oberpfälzer Karpfen PGI). The study

Intense human activities and drastic land use changes in rapidly urbanized areas may cause serious water quality degradation. In this study, we explored the effects of land use on water quality from a landscape perspective. We took a rapidly urbanized area in Hangzhou City, China, as a case study, and collected stream water quality data and algae biomass in a field campaign. The results showed that

Corporate Sustainability (CS) in the port sector has emerged as an important driver behind strategy definition for port authorities globally. It has been argued that CS practices have the potential of delivering value for port users and, as such, grant port operators and port managing entities competitive advantages. There is, however, limited evidence behind this claim. The difficulty with collecting

Dairy cows are able to convert fibrous materials, such as grass, roughage, and by-products from the food industry, into milk and meat, which justifies their role in food production. However, modern dairy farming is associated with major sustainability challenges, including greenhouse gas emissions. In order to develop sustainable future production, it is important to implement existing knowledge and

Given that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has penetrated most, if not all, fields in China and the countries along the road, this paper attempts to join the existing literature by providing a unique perspective (language planning) to understand the BRI and its impacts. The article presents the way in which the BRI has informed language planning policies among China and approximately 65 countries

Social scientists are increasingly interested in the processes that give shape to global policy solutions. I investigate the issues of intermediation and the role of intermediaries in climate finance. I use the case of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a new consortium for dedicated funding set up under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to assist developing countries in

An automated vehicle performs self-driving by utilizing information gathered through sensors attached to the vehicle. Sensor accuracy is thus mentioned as the major technology for enhancing driving safety. However, since urban centers are replete with sections and situations that handicap driving such as sensor recognition limitations and failures, it is necessary to conduct a study that prepares for

Using data from SMEs in Hubei province, the role of entrepreneurship in the sustainable performance of born global firms in China was discussed. The structural equation modeling analysis of 345 questionnaires indicates that both international knowledge and international entrepreneurial capability are significantly related to born global firms’ performance. Dynamic capabilities, which includes three

There is a widespread consensus in prior literature that innovative work behaviour is a crucial factor in enabling organisations to adapt to rapid changes, to gain a competitive advantage, and create a sustainable organisation. Despite its importance, knowledge about potential drivers of this behaviour is fragmented and inconsistent. As such, organisations may be restricted in their ability to innovate

A gigantic project named Gully Land Consolidation (GLC) was launched in the hill-gully region of the Chinese Loess Plateau in 2011 to cope with land degradation and create new farmlands for cultivation. However, as a particular kind of remolded loess, the newly created and backfilled farmland may bring new engineering and environmental problems because the soil structure was disturbed and destroyed

Disaster governance draws attention from academics and policymakers, especially in developing countries. This paper shows how daily geo-disaster governance at local level operates in China and then reveals the causes of its pattern. To achieve the goals, we apply the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) Framework as the lens into the case of Chongqing’s Three Gorges Reservoir Region. We find

The aim of the paper is to recognize the level of employment and gross value added (GVA) in agriculture in relation to the other sectors of the European Union economy. The following research tasks were formulated: analysis of employment levels and GVA in the sectors of economy in 2000 and 2018 as well as the relationship between employment and GVA, assessment of GVA per 1 person employed in the investigated

Among the main causes of absenteeism are health problems, emotional problems, and inadequate work-family policies (WFP). This paper analyses the impact of the existence and accessibility of WFP on work absenteeism, by considering the mediating role of the well-being, which includes emotional as well as physical or health problems, that is generated by these policies. We differentiate between the existence

Municipal waste management is a relevant topic these days, in its relation to sustainable and environmental concerns. Sorting waste fractions at home for a door-to-door collection system proves to positively affect the environmental impacts of waste management strategies both by reducing the amounts of the waste landfilled and by originating new circular economies. However, the environmental impact

Rural areas are facing vulnerabilities and changes caused by negative social, economic and ecological externalities resulting from industrial agriculture systems. Locally embedded farms and bottom-linked approaches such as social cooperatives that act in the field of social agriculture are small, but valuable models to counteract these trends. This article is based on a case study conducted within

Food and nutrition security remain at the top of development priorities in low income countries. This is especially the case for smallholder farmers who derive their livelihood from agriculture yet are often the most deprived. Inclusive agribusinesses have been championed as a key strategy to address local constraints that limit smallholders’ participation in regional and global value chains, thereby

In recent decades, the diverse changes produced have accelerated the relationships regulated by media. Cinema was able to bring together moving image and sound for the first time, and as a result of its audiovisual nature, it is a particularly suitable resource for motivation in education. In this light, the teacher’s perception for its application in its initial formal stage is highly relevant. The

Silt pollution generated during major highway construction projects can prove detrimental to the water environment and the aquatic species that depend on it. Construction activities can leave many kilometers of exposed soil susceptible to erosion from surface water runoff, which can result in silt pollution and degradation of ecologically sensitive watercourses if appropriate mitigation is not in place

Thematic paths are a central aspect of urban policies for cultural heritage valorization. In fact, thematic paths are central spatial features for structuring the image of a historical landscape. Hence, this study proposes the cultural paths assessment tool (PAST) as a methodological framework for individuating a network of routes connecting cultural heritage components and for assessing their usefulness

Little is known on how to encourage effortful (rather than effortless) conservation behaviors, and prior research investigated only single (rather than multiple) message appeals in terms of their persuasive power in promoting pro-environmental intentions. The current study uses a framework from evolutionary psychology to propose and test a blend of message appeals that is most likely to drive green

Despite its contributions to the development of the country, the mining sector in Sierra Leone, has been attributed to a multitude of impacts on the environment. This article focuses on assessing the environmental impacts of mining in mining edge communities in Sierra Leone. A survey of 360 people from three mining edge communities (Sierra Rutile Limited (SRL), Bonthe district; Octea Mining Company

For pregnant women, having a low family income status is associated with late prenatal attendance and an increased risk of adverse outcomes during pregnancy, delivery, and immediately after delivery. However, the influence of the socioeconomic level on maternal and child health may be minimal as long as the health system model is able to neutralise health inequity. For this reason, the objective of

During the last decades, tourism activities were promoted by local and regional policy-makers as a universal solution for rural areas’ suffering from massive depopulation, technological delay, or economical struggles. A large debate flourished in the literature on whether and to what extent tourism could play a role in supporting rural localities. Some valid evidence was brought by researchers backing

In-vehicle air pollution has become a public health priority worldwide, especially for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from the vehicle interiors. Although existing literature shows VOCs emission is temperature-dependent, the impact of solar radiation on VOCs distribution in enclosed cabin space is not well understood. Here we made an early effort to investigate the VOCs levels in vehicle

During the last two decades, problems related to high-energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the transportation sector have arisen. Therefore, several alternatives have been investigated, in order to reduce the dependence on the conventional fuels that are used by land transportation modes. One of these promising alternatives is the electric vehicles (EVs), which seem to be the future

According to the latest research, marine products have the greatest potential for microplastic (MPs) contamination. Therefore, their presence in terrestrial food has not managed to attract much attention—despite the fact that in the future they may represent a serious environmental risk. Research conducted in Europe and the US has indicated the presence of MPs in tap water, bottled water, table salt

Serious congestion and delay problems exist in most of the busiest airports worldwide because of imbalance between scarce airport slot resources and increasing traffic demand. Various factors, especially weather conditions, exacerbate the demand–capacity imbalance. This paper presents a robust model for simultaneous slot allocation on an airport network in multiple calendar days, considering airport