ABSTRACT Motivation The global need to accelerate the development and consumption of electric vehicles (EVs) as a sustainable alternative to traditional transport. Purpose To identify potential consumers willing to switch to EVs and understand the underlying drivers of their behavior by utilizing Explainable Artificial Intelligence (EAI). Approach and methods The study analysed data from 1,964 users. Technical characteristics (Class A) were evaluated using Probit regression and one‐way ANOVA, while sociodemographic characteristics (Class B) were assessed via logistic regression. A user mining model was developed to predict behaviour, with Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) used to determine the relative contribution of each predictor. Additionally, simulated enhancements in product indicators were modeled to identify “persuadable” potential buyers. Findings Purchasing decisions are significantly influenced by a combination of sociodemographic and technical factors. SHAP analysis successfully quantified the impact of these predictors, and potential user modeling confirmed that improvements in specific technical features could effectively convert reluctant consumers into EV adopters. Policy implications To drive EV adoption, developers and policy‐makers should prioritize targeted technical enhancements. Marketing and product development strategies should focus on those specific technical indicators that the model shows have the highest potential to shift consumer behaviour towards adoption.

Abstract Motivation: Agricultural input subsidy programmes are crucial for improving agricultural productivity in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). However, there is little empirical evidence on how second‐generation input subsidy programmes (SISPs) based on information and communication technology (ICT) are implemented and the institutional challenges that undermine their effectiveness. Purpose: This article assesses the implementation of ICT‐based SISPs and their challenges in SSA using the Nigerian e‐wallet input subsidy programme as a case study. We draw on a conceptual framework that integrates the national innovation system (NIS), contingency theory, and new institutional economics. Approach and methods: We analysed expert interviews and participatory qualitative data from Process Net‐Maps and focus group discussions (FGDs) using content and Process Net‐Map analyses. Findings: The results show that over 20 public, private and community actors were involved in implementing the e‐wallet SISP across five stages. The programme increased private‐sector participation, reduced corruption, improved recipient targeting, and speeded up input delivery compared to first‐generation input programmes. However, weak institutional arrangements (such as poor funding, restricted institutional collaborations, and stakeholder capability gaps) undermined the innovation aspect of the e‐wallet SISP. The programme also faced five main challenges: policy inconsistency, poor information flow and weak reporting, moral hazards such as “round‐tripping,” input leakage and diversion, and elite capture. The study concludes that institutional constraints, rigid organizational structures, and a narrow focus on solving first‐generation programme challenges limited the ability of actors to adapt to new and evolving challenges. Policy implications: Effective SISPs and input policies require supportive institutional environments that allow actors from all sectors to function effectively. Programmes should thus be designed and managed with flexible and organic structures that foster collaboration among private, public, and community stakeholders. Continuous, stage‐specific evaluations and smart governance tools, such as real‐time mobile data collection and buy‐back initiatives, can strengthen monitoring, input tracking, accountability, and input use incentives.

Abstract Motivation Peru has positioned itself as an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), yet the economic impact of its Special Economic Zones (SEZs) remains significantly underutilized. These zones currently contribute less than 1% of Peru's total exports – a stark contrast to regional counterparts which achieve approximately 40% export contribution. This underperformance reflects a critical gap between policy intentions and actual implementation outcomes, warranting systematic examination of constraining factors. Purpose This study identifies and critically analyzes the specific constraints that limit the effectiveness of Peru's SEZs in attracting FDI and proposes evidence‐based policy solutions. The research addresses three interconnected questions: What institutional, economic, social, and technological barriers impede FDI inflows to Peruvian SEZs? What sectors offer the greatest potential for attracting foreign investment? How can targeted policy reforms enhance SEZ competitiveness and development impact? Approach and Methods We employed integrated PEST and SWOT analytical frameworks to systemically investigate barriers to FDI attraction. Data collection combined qualitative methods – including structured interviews with government officials, SEZ management authorities, and investment representatives – with quantitative analysis of trade data. Additionally, we developed a Present‐Future (P‐F) model combining revealed comparative advantage calculations with expert survey assessments to identify optimal target industries. Findings The analysis reveals three critical structural barriers: excessive concentration on low‐value‐added industries, insufficient infrastructure and trade facilitation, and poorly calibrated incentive frameworks. However, substantial opportunities exist for improvement through strengthened governmental functions and enhanced business environments. Natural resources and food‐processing industries emerge as immediate priorities, while higher‐value manufacturing sectors offer longer‐term diversification potential. Policy Implications Successful FDI attraction requires shifting from broad incentives toward targeted, performance‐based policies. Priority interventions include infrastructure development, human capital upgrading in SEZ regions, and sector‐specific strategies leveraging Peru's comparative advantages. Coordinating SEZ policies with broader national industrial development plans is essential for generating sustained FDI inflows and inclusive economic growth.

Abstract Motivation Civil Sociey Organizations (CSOs) are increasingly recognized as key actors in delivering inclusive climate action in the Global South. This article examines how Jordanian CSOs engage with climate policy through a justice‐oriented lens while navigating donor priorities and dependencies. Approach and methods Drawing on 17 semi‐structured interviews from the "SharaKa" initiative, the study analyses how CSOs frame climate justice, influence national policy, and adapt to the constraints of donor‐driven agendas. Findings While donors promote inclusive participation, their funding modalities and reporting requirements often depoliticize climate action and limit grassroots influence. Jordanian CSOs, however, display significant agency by reframing donor discourse, building coalitions, and embedding justice concerns into local policy debates. The findings highlight the need for donor practices that recognize CSOs as strategic partners rather than serving contractors and for national climate governance frameworks that institutionalize justice‐based approaches. Policy implications Donors should adopt flexible funding mechanisms that enable context‐specific action; strengthen horizontal partnerships with CSOs; and support participatory policy processes that elevate marginalized voices in climate governance.

Abstract Motivation Agricultural commodity exports are important to many low‐income countries. In recent years, domestic processing of commodities, the so‐called “functional upgrading” of global value chains (GVCs), has been put forward as a favoured path to enhance economic development. Little attention has been paid, however, to national policies and institutions that may conflict with the development of specific and competitive domestic value chains. Approach and methods Adopting a case‐study approach that draws on expert interviews and other data sources, we analyse how national institutional conditions affect the development of different Ethiopian coffee value chains from a mechanism perspective. Focusing on mechanisms supports causal reconstruction, and thereby the generalization of results. Findings Our detailed findings confirm and illustrate two main points: value chain development requires functioning markets. And functioning markets require institutions, the optimal design of which depends on the wider institutional, social, and political environment. The upgrading of the value chain requires coordination between multiple stakeholders and is easily undermined by inconsistent policy interventions and institutional structures. In Ethiopia, the goal of earning foreign exchange might be better served by support for value chain upgrading than by a ban on domestic trade in exporting quality coffee beans, which tends to undermine upgrading efforts. Policy implications For policy‐makers, it is important to develop a coherent strategy for industrial and economic development and to design the institutional landscape accordingly. Taking into account trade‐offs between different objectives can mean avoiding overly rigid interventions, such as the ban on export‐quality coffee from the domestic market for the sake of achieving one objective. Generally, domestic upgrading of the value chains of abundant commodities is not necessarily the best path to economic development. Specifically, with pronounced economies of scale, the foreign currency generated by commodity exports may better be used to develop other sectors.

Abstract Motivation As discussions on the post‐2030 development agenda gain momentum, it is urgent to assess the effectiveness of ‘governance through goals,’ and the influence of the Sustainable Development Goals on domestic norms and policies. Purpose The 2030 Agenda was conceived as a “plan of action” to steer national policies through an internationally agreed three‐layered framework of 17 Goals, underpinned by a battery of targets and indicators. However, international relations scholars have claimed that its adoption merely conveys the shared aspirations of national governments rather than their commitment to domestic implementation. Approach and methods Colombia's pioneering role in the inception of the SDG offered an auspicious setting for its domestic implementation. We first examine the salience of the Goals, its targets, and indicators in national norms and policies from September 2015 to 2023; then we focus specifically on those related to food security and agriculture. The case study is further informed by interviews with officials from the national government and international organizations. Findings We provide further evidence of the gap between the discursive endorsement of the 2030 Agenda and its effective integration into domestic norms and policies. Instead of roadmaps towards sustainable development, the Goals were used to classify national targets, policies, projects, and budget items according to their broad themes. The 2030 Agenda's targets and indicators were rarely cited in domestic norms and policies. Policy implications The governance of the post‐2030 development agenda must be refashioned to be effective. We envision two scenarios: the first involves reinforcing “governance through goals” with stricter, independent accountability mechanisms and participatory follow‐up processes. The second involves embracing aspirations and focusing on diversity, innovation, and mutual learning rather than on targets, indicators, and deadlines. While undertaking these processes, countries should abide by their pledges to integrate the 2030 Agenda into their national policies.

Abstract Motivation How do people living in an insecure borderland beset by civil war and insurgency solve social problems and improve life when they are targeted by counterinsurgency forces, taxed by insurgents, and their villages are too insecure to get state or NGO services? Understanding their everyday governance helps reorient approaches to development in areas in or emerging from war. Purpose The article presents insights from residents of rural areas on either side of the national border between Somalia and Kenya, where protracted and violent conflict has been ongoing for over 30 years. It focuses on practices of everyday governance from a grounded perspective. What do residents' solutions look like? Who do they engage with and how? What norms and connections do they privilege? Methods and approach Resident‐led reflection began in early 2024 and continued for six months with 50 diverse borderland residents formed into small cross‐border groups. Facilitators invited them to reflect on their daily lives using a storytelling method. Findings People and their organizations are consistently negotiating security, managing social relations, and forging cross‐community collaborations. In these borderlands, where economic, military, and geopolitical interfaces are hardened by military and political frontiers, the role of the individual and their communities in solving governance problems is especially salient. Policy implications These findings challenge some core assumptions of contemporary governance interventions in areas of limited statehood that suggest that state building should begin from the top and concentrate on government. Governments and NGOs should stress‐test their proposed and ongoing policies and programmes by asking how well they enhance the three processes that citizens are already working on: negotiations over security, the organization of community relations, and the networks of interconnected problem solving.