The dynamics of virtual work have become increasingly complex in the ever-changing digital ecosystem, seeking a comprehensive examination of the connections among social support, psychological empowerment (PE) and psychological well-being (PWB). The study explores the multifaceted dynamics present in virtual environments, with particular attention on how PE mediates these relationships and how social support influences PWB by investigating the employees of the IT sector working in the National Capital Region (NCR) of India, a significant player of the global technology market, where remote and virtual work arrangements have been extensively employed. A survey was conducted using Google Docs, with 483 participants responding to personally administered questionnaires. The study’s conceptual framework was built upon the principles of self-determination theory (SDT) and the conservation of resources theory (COR). Confirmatory factor analysis and mediation analysis through structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques were utilized to evaluate the measurement model’s validity and explore the relation among variables. The results highlight the significance of social support in improving employees’ PWB in virtual work situations. Furthermore, the study indicates the existence of direct relationship between social support and well-being, as well as the mediating role of PE. The study reveals that impact, competence and self-determination act as intermediary factors, suggesting their capacity to facilitate the impact of social support on PWB.

We present a comprehensive review of recent techno-economic analyses concerning the recycling of fibre-reinforced thermoset polymers, delving into the strategies employed. Additionally, we offer insights into the critical issues that necessitate consideration when evaluating solutions for valorizing these materials. Our emphasis lies in advocating for a demand-driven, entrepreneurial approach focused on identifying viable industrial applications for recycled materials, forming the foundation for sustainable techno-economic solutions and viable circular business models. We underscore the imperative for initial public intervention to regulate the recycling process, alter stakeholders’ incentives and effectively coordinate actions across involved value chains.

In its comprehensive sense, a technology goes beyond the hardware or system to include associated skills and knowledge. Whilst this definition has been acknowledged across the literature, there is a gap in practices reflected during technology transfer processes. This article aims to investigate measures that can be taken by technology providers and recipients to effectively incorporate knowledge and skills sharing during a technology transfer. Conceptual frameworks were developed and used to inform empirical research. The case study of the PEEPOWER technology is carried out to consolidate theory with practice. The PEEPOWER technology is illustrated on a ‘techberg’ showing all elements of the technology beyond the hardware. An insight into the level of effectiveness of the PEEPOWER transfer to Kisoro, Nairobi and Durban is obtained through a qualitative analysis of interview responses, by looking at the extent of knowledge sharing and the absorptive capacity of the technology recipient. The main recommendations are to (1) adopt a knowledge exchange approach as opposed to a unidirectional knowledge transfer from the technology provider to the technology recipient, (2) establish good relationships with local partners and develop a good understanding of the local context and (3) manage expectations about innovations and ensure intellectual property protection during knowledge exchange.

The current work draws comparisons with stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theory and provides a pertinent levering comprehension for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Indian automobile industry, by investigating consumers’ attitude towards electric vehicles (EVs) offered by them. Four factors, (1) ostentatious (conspicuous) consumption, (2) ecological behaviour, (3) utilitarian shopping values and (4) lifestyle, have been accounted for, in this regard. Additionally, the study looks at how this mindset affects Indian customers’ intentions to consistently use EVs (offered by SMEs). A sample of 382 Indian owners of EVs provided information via a standardized questionnaire. To make conclusions from the obtained data, the structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was applied. According to the findings, only utilitarian shopping value – one of the four antecedents – has no discernible correlation with attitudes towards EVs that Indian SMEs sell. Also, the study provides evidence that attitude positively relates with continuous intention to use EVs.

As the second-largest city in Iran, Mashhad has a rich history in the gold industry. Mashhad’s gold and jewellery innovation ecosystem (MGJIE) is now at a stage of decline, and renewal or sharp decline cycles lie ahead. This article explores these two scenarios and their implications for the innovation ecosystems of this industry. The first objective is to imagine the future of the MGJIE using a normative approach and formulate policies to realize an optimistic future. The second objective is to investigate the pessimistic scenario and its implications for the ecosystem. The normative scenarios are created for a 2032 horizon using the back casting method. With regard to the second objective, the exploratory approach is used for the 2047 horizon. In both objectives, 46 questionnaires and fifteen interviews are used. In the normative scenario, nine drivers are identified. In the exploratory approach, three scenarios are formulated, while in the last scenario, with the occurrence of four steps of the renewal plan, improving the performance of the ecosystem is guaranteed. Innovation is a by-product of scenario thinking. The combined application of innovation ecosystem and scenario planning in the jewellery industry has not previously been the focus of research in Iran or other countries.

Precision agriculture, a sustainable solution for enhancing crop productivity, utilizes enabling technologies, primarily centred around the Internet of Things (IoT), to optimize irrigation and increase crop yields by adapting farming techniques to specific conditions. This study presents the adoption of a low-cost and eco-friendly IoT initiative in rural farms in Vietnam, which is an unexpected location. It marks the country’s first IoT start-up for agriculture during the 4.0 Industrial Revolution. To answer three research questions, we conducted a contemporary case study mixed with a couple of field experiments in a real-life context to learn how an IoT application was blended with local culture to transform traditional agriculture to a modern and digitalized industry. The pilot implementation yielded promising results, with positive feedback from farmers. Following necessary modifications, the system has been widely adopted across provinces in Vietnam. The study identified three key factors contributing to the start-up’s success: ‘Thiên thời, Địa lợi, Nhân hòa’. We believe that the start-up can assist millions of local farmers to get on the 4.0 train and that adopting IoT to initiate smart agriculture in Vietnam has sent a strong message ‘To be successful, global technology has to integrate into local culture’.

Energy is a key factor in the production and industrialization process in developing countries. This article aims to analyse the effect of energy policies on industrial development across 25 sub-Saharan African countries from 1996 to 2020. For this purpose, a new industrial development indicator and the Driscoll–Kraay estimation method are used. Results reveal that the implementation of energy policies promotes industrial development. Indeed, public energy policies and, more specifically, public investments in energy capital have a positive impact on the growth rate of the industrial sector’s value added per capita. These results remain robust when using the generalized method of moments. In terms of policy implications, the results of this research suggest that the strengthening of existing public energy policies and the implementation of new policies with a focus on investments in energy capital accumulation are necessary to drive sustainable industrial sector development in sub-Saharan Africa.

This study examines the long-term effect of contemporary challenges such as growing resource income, rising consumer prices, inefficient public spending and globalization on Africa’s quest for sustainable development (SD). A robust measure of SD that integrates resource productivity is adopted. The study period spanned from 1991 to 2021, and data was sourced from 24 African countries. The empirical output for this study is derived using long-term methodologies, including feasible generalized least squares (FGLS), Driscoll-Kraay and panel dynamic ordinary least squares (PDOLS). The estimation of the long-term model is to capture the consequential effects of contemporary issues on SD. Evidence from the model reveals that increases in resources income, consumer prices, public outlay and globalization are deterrents to SD. The individual cross-sectional regression outputs also demonstrate similar effects. Given these contemporary challenges, the study proposes relevant policy measures to aid the attainment of SD.

This article suggests a revised perspective for technology policies in Africa, one that focuses more on the direct facilitation of economic production at domestic levels. Up until now there has been a strong tendency for public investment in science, technology and innovation (STI) to be confined to national science councils and higher education bodies with little direct impact on national production. The article argues that STI investment as conventionally understood needs to be supplemented by policies that stress facilitation of its use, an argument also made strongly by a recent World Bank publication and indirectly by UNCTAD in its recently published report on African development. This is likely to be especially important in small-scale and informal sectors and will certainly require support on the part of local and national governments (and aid related bodies). Hopefully we will then begin to enjoy a scenario in which the gross financial inequalities that have beset Africa for so long will begin to be modified to the ultimate benefit of all.

European Green Deal (EGD) was introduced by the European Union in December 2019 with a pledge to transform the European Union into a carbon-neutral economy by the year 2050. This study intends to undertake a bibliometric evaluation of the existing literature on EGD. This research aims to precisely identify and evaluate the most influential sources, contributors and cited works in the EGD literature, as well as delineate primary research directions and geographical hotspots, thereby offering a comprehensive overview of the current state and trends within the field. An attempt has been made to identify the trends of the research on EGD, along with the top countries contributing to the literature on EGD. The emerging keywords in the EGD literature are traced to provide future research directions. A total of 846 research documents are obtained from the Scopus database, and the Visualization of Similarities (VOS) viewer software is used for data analysis. The results of the analysis reveal that sustainability, sustainable development, energy efficiency, energy policies, greenhouse emissions, climate change, biodiversity, circular economy and renewable energy emerge as prominent and interconnected areas of research within the academic discourse on the EGD.