Economic Dimensions Research Articles

Research on the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions based on the dual perspectives of carbon emission reduction and carbon efficiency

China’s digital economy is currently thriving, with the “dual carbon” targets representing a significant pursuit of economic development. The role of the digital economy in achieving these targets warrants detailed discussion. Using urban panel data from China spanning 2011 to 2021, this paper empirically examines the impact of the digital economy on urban carbon emissions. The findings reveal several key points: Firstly, the digital economy significantly reduces urban carbon emissions and enhances efficiency, a conclusion that remains valid after a series of robustness checks. Secondly, there is a notable structural effect, with different dimensions of the digital economy exhibiting varying impacts on urban emission reduction and efficiency enhancement. Thirdly, green economic efficiency and green technological innovation are crucial mechanisms through which the digital economy facilitates urban carbon emission reduction and efficiency improvement, operating through green development and innovation channels. Fourthly, industrial structure upgrading is a key nonlinear factor reducing the digital economy’s impact on carbon reduction, while the digital economy’s effect on urban carbon efficiency shows a U-shaped pattern. Lastly, the impact of the digital economy on urban carbon emissions displays significant heterogeneity across cities of different locations, tiers, and characteristics.

Exploring digital solutions for sustainable production: academic insights and practical applications

ABSTRACT Digital technology adoption in sustainable production practices is increasingly recognised as pivotal for advancing sustainability objectives. However, existing literature predominantly focuses on the technological aspects, leaving the nuanced experiences and insights of academic scholars underexplored. This study addresses this gap by surveying 314 scholars from diverse regions to evaluate the influence of various digital technologies on economic, operational, and environmental performance in sustainable production. Utilising multilevel ordinal logistic regression (M-OLR), the research identifies six critical digital technologies that significantly enhance sustainable production outcomes. The application of M-OLR effectively accounts for spatial heterogeneity, providing a more robust analysis compared to standard ordinal logistic regression (OLR) models. The findings underscore the essential role of digitalisation in facilitating sustainable transitions, offering novel insights into how digital technologies can drive improvements across economic, operational, and environmental dimensions. The implications extend to policy formulation and strategic planning of digital technologies to achieve comprehensive sustainability goals.

Unraveling vacant land concerns in the social and economic dimensions of sustainability in Chicago neighborhoods

ABSTRACT Scholars often describe vacant land as both a symptom of and a contributing factor to neighborhood decline. Not only does vacant land signal neighborhood distress and unsustainable development, but it also acts as a feedback mechanism that accelerates and perpetuates the decline in social and economic sustainability. However, our knowledge of the mutual relationship between vacant land and the decline in neighborhood social and economic sustainability remains limited due to a lack of empirical evidence. This study employed cross-lagged modeling to explore the bidirectional associations of vacant land with critical social and economic sustainability measures at the neighborhood level in Chicago, Illinois. The findings reveal that vacant land has a complex relationship with neighborhood social and economic sustainability, notably featuring mutually reinforcing associations of vacant land with crime and poverty. This study also highlights that vacant land exhibits both persistent and self-perpetuating effects over time, thereby contributing to the long-term decline in social and economic sustainability.

Governing in the face of a global crisis: When do voters punish and reward incumbent governments?

The recent COVID-19 pandemic offers a rare opportunity to understand how citizens attribute responsibility for governments' responses to unanticipated negative-and in this case, systemic-exogenous shocks. Classical accounts of responsibility are complicated when crises are pervasive, involve multiple valence dimensions, and where individuals can make relative assessments of performance. We fielded a conjoint experiment in 16 countries with 22,147 respondents. In this experiment, subjects made re-election decisions regarding 178,184 randomly assigned incumbent profiles. We find that incumbents' performance along both health and economic dimensions drives these hypothetical reelection decisions. Using machine learning techniques, we find only muted heterogeneity in the magnitude and distribution of these treatment effects. This result suggests that these widely reported performance signals have consistent political effects across countries. In a complementary analysis, we also find that subjects' intentions to vote for incumbent governments are positively correlated with subjective and relative evaluations of the government's pandemic performance, along both health and economic dimensions. These results provide consistent evidence that evaluations of pandemic performance matter politically.

Deriving a measure for the environmental quality of life of an ultra-dense urban setting

ABSTRACT Quality of life encompasses social, economic, and environmental dimensions, with environmental indicators posing challenges due to their diverse nature. This study proposes a flexible measure of the physical environment that considers individual preferences. The research focused on neighbourhoods in Hong Kong, representing various levels of urbanization and spatial distribution, with a fixed neighbourhood size to enable meaningful comparisons. Utilizing Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing techniques, the study analysed four domains of urban morphology at the neighbourhood level: education-health-recreation facilities, street patterns, land use diversity, and building density. Principal Component Analysis was employed to reduce the dimensionality of each domain and derive an Environmental Quality Sub-index (EQ-I). This index can be standardized and personalized based on individuals’ values and preferences. The EQ-I facilitates both quantitative and qualitative comparisons through visual representations. The study exemplifies a methodological approach to consolidating multiple variables into a single index, considering the differential weighting of preferences. The methodology employs direct and objective measures that can be adapted and replicated in other cities, providing standardized yet personalized scores for regional and international comparisons. The findings present valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners aiming to enhance the environmental quality of ultra-dense urban settings.

Advancing Sustainability Assessment of Renewable Energy: A Study on Indicator‐to‐Framework Methods and Associated Rule Mining

ABSTRACTDivergent sustainable development perspectives, mathematical model limitations, and varying scenarios contribute to uncertainty in assessing renewable energy sustainability. To tackle these challenges, this study conducts a comprehensive literature review, employs an analogy, and utilizes knowledge discovery techniques with an indicator‐to‐framework approach. Qualitative classification and rule mining elucidate the interrelationships among dimensions, indicators, and scopes, enhancing assessment coherence. The study identifies 227 indicators across five dimensions and nine scopes, highlighting key rules through Apriori algorithm. Strong rules, meeting a support threshold of 0.22, confidence of 0.7, and Lift of 2.512, underscore the significance of environmental, economic, social, and technological dimensions. Environmental indicators like CO2 emissions, NOX emissions, and SO2 emissions feature prominently. The harmonization of dimensions, indicators, and scopes streamlines research and mitigates ambiguities. Appendices augment rules with frequent indicators, enriching insights. This data‐driven methodology provides a practical solution to the complexities of selecting appropriate indicators for such assessments.

Barriers and Opportunities in Implementing Carbon Neutrality Goals in China’s Heavy Industries

The transition to carbon neutrality in China’s heavy industries is essential for mitigating global climate change, given the sector’s significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. This study systematically examines the multifaceted barriers and opportunities influencing decarbonization efforts in these industries. Employing expert-driven methodologies, including the Delphi method and the best-worst method (BWM), the research identifies and prioritizes critical challenges, such as the high upfront costs for renewable technologies, the technological dependency on coal, and the fragmented regulatory frameworks. It highlights transformative opportunities, emphasizing advancements in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), renewable energy integration, and strengthened carbon pricing mechanisms. The findings reveal the interaction between economic, technological, and policy dimensions, underscoring the need for coordinated interventions to overcome entrenched barriers. The study contributes to theoretical advancements by integrating expert insights with robust multi-criteria decision-making techniques and offers actionable pathways for policymakers and industry stakeholders to accelerate industrial decarbonization. These insights align with international climate objectives, providing a scalable framework for global sustainable transitions in energy-intensive sectors.

Customer experience and sustainability in social, environmental and economic contexts

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new conceptual framework that integrates customer experience and sustainability across social, environmental and economic dimensions to facilitate sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach Sustainability is widely recognized from an industrial perspective; however, the relationship between customer experience and sustainability has been limitedly explored in the existing literature. An ethnographic study of two international retail chains has been undertaken, using illustrative case studies to assess the companies’ sustainability practices across social, environmental and economic dimensions. Findings This research emphasizes the importance of enhancing customer experiences to align sustainable practices with consumer expectations. The findings of this study indicate that social sustainability should be prioritized in consumer lives by maintaining high-quality living standards, while environmental sustainability should focus on creating experiences that encourage sustainable lifestyle choices. Economic sustainability should be operationalized by concentrating on mutually beneficial performance areas. Overall, companies must adopt a holistic approach that integrates the social, environmental and economic dimensions into sustainability practices to drive positive customer experiences. Originality/value This study examines the sustainability performance of retail companies across social, environmental and economic dimensions. This study introduces a novel approach to sustainable development through the customer experience perspective.

Accelerating Benders Decomposition for sustainable food closed-loop supply chain network under uncertainty: a case study

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to address waste management in the food supply chain (FSC) through the integration of inspection processes in production and distribution centers under uncertain conditions, aiming to enhance sustainability across environmental, economic and social dimensions. The study introduces a sustainable forward and reverse FSC network using a closed-loop supply chain network approach to prevent the transfer of spoiled products, ultimately providing competitive advantages to stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachA robust multi-objective mathematical programming model is proposed, incorporating inspection processes to manage perishable products effectively. The model is solved using the Augmented Epsilon Constraint technique implemented in GAMS software, providing Pareto-optimal solutions tailored to decision-makers’ preferences. Furthermore, the methodology is applied in a real-world case study and solved with the Benders Decomposition algorithm to validate its practicality and effectiveness.FindingsThe proposed methodology effectively minimizes waste and enhances sustainability in the FSC by optimizing decision-making processes under uncertainty. The illustrative examples and real case study demonstrate the efficiency of the model and solution approach, highlighting the significant role of inspection in improving all three dimensions of sustainability.Practical implicationsThe study offers valuable insights into and tools for food industry managers to make informed strategic and tactical decisions. By addressing waste management through advanced supply chain modeling, the research helps organizations reduce costs, improve sustainability and gain a competitive edge in the market.Originality/valueThis research is novel in its focus on integrating inspection into the FSC network and addressing uncertainty through robust mathematical modeling. It contributes to the existing literature by demonstrating the impact of inspection on sustainability in FSCs and providing practical solutions for real-world implementation.

Sustainable Development in the Digital Age: Harnessing Emerging Digital Technologies to Catalyze Global SDG Achievement

The digital revolution, characterized by rapid technological advancements, presents a unique opportunity to accelerate progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This research explores the transformative potential of cutting-edge digital technologies—including artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things—in fostering sustainable development across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Our study employs a rigorous empirical approach to quantify the impact of digital innovation on SDG achievement within the European Union. Utilizing the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) as a comprehensive measure of technological progress, we apply structural equation modeling to emphasize the complex interplay between digital advancement and sustainable development indicators. A key focus of our analysis is the mediating role of economic performance, measured by GDP per capita, in the relationship between digital technology adoption and SDG progress. This nuanced examination provides insights into how economic factors influence the effectiveness of digital solutions in addressing global challenges. Our findings underscore the need for adaptive policies that harness the power of digital technologies while addressing potential challenges and ensuring inclusive growth.

Implementation of sustainability in human resource management: A literature review

Orientation: Truly, organisations face the challenge of implementing sustainability in their daily activities.Research purpose: This article examines the ways in which sustainability has been implemented in human resource management (HRM).Motivation for the study: Sustainability has become increasingly important in organisations, particularly regarding HRM.Research approach/design and method: This study used qualitative methodology and collected data by means of an integrative literature review that retrieved appropriate and relevant journal articles from the Business Source Ultimate database, as one of the EBSCOhost databases.Main findings: The findings suggest that green human resource management (GHRM) was the most frequently implemented concept and was combined with rare cases of corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation. Sustainable human resource management (SHRM) was seldom implemented.Practical/managerial implications: Interestingly, contemporary studies revealed the circular economy (CE) as an economic sustainability dimension in HRM, and likewise, the ascendance of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in HRM. Regarding the process of sustainability implementation in HRM, some links have been established between sustainability dimensions and HRM, but the incorporation of sustainability into HRM was not evident from the reviewed literature.Contribution/value-add: This article ends with a discussion of some insights for future research. Moreover, the selection of sustainability and HRM in this article was significant given that sustainability can contribute towards a way of addressing and solving environmental, social and economic problems associated with organisations’ activities that could be fixed by HR. This demonstrates the existing strong compatibility between sustainability and HRM because HRM could fit in each sustainability dimension.

Shaping sustainable perceptions: The role of metaphors in Olympic news discourse.

The dissemination of sustainable development concepts in large international events like the Olympics has garnered great attention. As a major international sports event, the Beijing Winter Olympics served as an important platform for showcasing China's sustainable development philosophy through its official news coverage. In this context, metaphor, as a powerful cognitive tool, plays a crucial role in shaping public perception and facilitating the dissemination of values by mapping concrete source domains onto abstract target domains. This paper constructs a critical metaphor analysis framework for sustainable development, analyzing the mechanisms by which metaphors map the concepts of social, economic, and ecological sustainability, and their multifaceted roles in conveying policy proposals, ideologies, cultural values, and social group behaviors. The findings indicate that metaphors effectively facilitate public understanding of sustainability by concretizing abstract concepts. In the social dimension, metaphors emphasize fairness, cultural diversity, and social solidarity; in the economic dimension, they highlight resource recycling, technological innovation, and industrial upgrading; while in the ecological dimension, the focus is on environmental protection and the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. Metaphors play a crucial role in shaping public perceptions of policy, reflecting specific values and socio-cultural contexts, facilitating cultural communication and understanding, and enhancing public responsibility and participation awareness.

Enabler of Madrasah Education: The Case of LGU-Supported Traditional Madrasah in General Santos City

This study explored the enablers of Madrasah education programs, focusing on locally-led efforts of the Local Government Unit of General Santos to support the traditional Madrasahs in the city, recognizing the vital role of traditional madrasah education in promoting religious and cultural identity as well as social cohesion. This research analyzed the key factors contributing to these educational initiatives' effective implementation and sustainability. A case study method approach was utilized, including surveys and interviews. The findings revealed several critical enablers, such as active community involvement, government assistance, and capacity building. This paper underscores the significance of the all-of-the-community approach in creating an inclusive educational environment that meets the needs of Muslim learners. Hence, the analysis concluded that contextual factors such as social, economic, environmental, and political dimensions affect the implementation of the traditional Madrasah in General Santos City. The study recommends the standardization of the traditional Madrasah Curriculum, considering the nuances of Muslim communities in General Santos.

Dampak Penerapan Kebijakan Tanggung Jawab Sosial dan Lingkungan (TJSL) Berbasis Pemberdayaan Masyarakat PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional RU IV Cilacap

Discussion related to the implementation of a company's Tanggung Jawab Sosial dan Lingkungan (TJSL) policy is often considered as a charity activity and does not have a significant sustainable impact. The Empowerment-based TJSL program is one option in implementing the TJSL program to have a more positive impact. This research is qualitative research with descriptive analysis. Primary data was obtained through field observations and interviews, while secondary data was obtained from relevant documents. The results of the study indicate that there is an impact of the implementation on the social, natural, economic and well-being dimensions. In the social dimension, a decrease in poverty rates of 0.26% has been achieved and four new groups have been formed that are involved in program activities. In the natural dimension, mangrove conservation efforts through planting 25,000 tree seedlings on 5.5 hectares of land have resulted in a CO₂ storage impact of 13,958.96 tons per year. The economic aspect contributes to increasing group income by Rp13,650,000 per month. From the welfare dimension, two practical guidebooks have been prepared as a reference for the community to understand the mangrove ecosystem and fisheries cultivation and make the program location a centre of excellence for other institutions to learn.

The Impact of Farmland Transfer on Urban–Rural Integration: Causal Inference Based on Double Machine Learning

Urban–rural fragmentation represents a significant challenge encountered by nations globally, particularly in both developing and developed contexts, during the modernisation process. This study examines the effects of rural land system reform on facilitating integrated development between urban and rural areas. The analysis of the impact of the 2010 liberalisation of the land transfer policy employs a dual machine learning model, utilising provincial-level data from China spanning 2005 to 2022, to address the limitations of traditional causal inference models while ensuring estimation accuracy. The findings indicate that the reform of the rural land system significantly enhances integrated urban–rural development, particularly in demographic, economic, and ecological dimensions. The mechanisms encompass the facilitation of extensive land and agricultural service operations, the development of new business entities, the migration of rural labour, and the enhancement of agricultural capital. Furthermore, notable disparities exist in the effects of reforms across various regions, particularly concerning urban–rural integration development and land transfer levels. The policy effects of land transfer exhibit a marginally diminishing trend. The influence of land transfer on urban–rural integration varies with economic development levels, demonstrating a nonlinear relationship, with the most pronounced effects observed in regions with moderate economic development. Additionally, the policy effects of land transfer differ based on geographic location. The impact of land transfer policies varies across geographic regions, with the central region exhibiting the most significant effect, followed by the north-eastern region, the western region, and the eastern region, which shows the least effect. This study provides a reference for advancing the reform of the marketisation of land factors, improving the efficiency of land resource allocation, and regionally and in multiple layers advancing the reform of the rural land system.

The Role of Food Prices and Market Access in Contributing to Hunger in Low-Income Populations

This article investigates the role of food prices and market access in exacerbating hunger within low-income populations, emphasizing the economic dimensions of food insecurity. Drawing on case studies from Sub-Saharan Africa and Brazil, it highlights how food price volatility and inadequate infrastructure significantly contribute to hunger. High food prices, driven by global disruptions and local inefficiencies, force low-income households to reduce their food intake or opt for less nutritious options, worsening food insecurity. Limited road networks and insufficient storage facilities inflate logistical costs, further impeding food distribution and access. Key findings include Brazil’s Zero Hunger program, which successfully reduced hunger through targeted subsidies, social policies, and infrastructure investments, and the quantitative impact of improved transportation and storage facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa, which stabilized food prices and reduced costs. This research underscores the global significance of addressing hunger amid challenges like climate change and geopolitical disruptions. Policy recommendations include targeted subsidies for staple foods, public-private partnerships to enhance infrastructure, and price stabilization mechanisms. By highlighting the interconnectedness of economic policies, market access, and food security, this study provides policymakers, NGOs, and international organizations with actionable insights to mitigate hunger and build more resilient food systems for vulnerable populations.

Managing the grumbles: The role of intra-party dissent and leader domination on salience strategies in Western Europe

Does intra-party dissent affect parties’ salience strategies? And if so, do leadership-dominated parties de-emphasize a divisive issue dimension more than activist-dominated ones? Scholars have long highlighted the role of intra-party dissent in informing parties’ salience strategies. However, the literature has overwhelmingly focused on EU issues while devoting less attention to the economic and socio-cultural dimensions of party competition. I argue that, driven by the imperative of projecting unity and ensure survival, parties facing internal dissent over an issue dimension reduce the emphasis attributed to it. Importantly, the effectiveness of this strategy hinges on the control party leaders wield over their parties’ platforms. Focusing on 15 Western European countries and 130 political parties, the findings confirm that higher levels of intra-party dissent are associated with lower emphasis awarded to the divisive issue dimension. The pooled results also suggest that markedly leadership-dominated parties are more effective in de-emphasizing a divisive dimension than activist-dominated ones. However, I find less robust evidence for the latter finding when testing the model separately for the two dimensions.

Beliefs and perceptions towards congenital anomalies in Dilla town, Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia; a qualitative study

IntroductionMorbidity and mortality associated with congenital anomalies are higher in low-income countries. People’s knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards congenital anomalies vary from community to community. In some communities, it is believed to be untreatable and the burden remains devastating. Studies addressing the societal perspectives were scarce, therefore this study aimed to explore beliefs and perceptions in the community about congenital anomalies.MethodologyThis study was conducted in Southern Ethiopia, Dilla town from September to November 2023. A qualitative study with a community-based exploratory study design was implemented. A total of 33 participants who were selected conveniently among permanent residents of Dilla town were included. Data were collected using face-to-face in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The collected data were transcribed verbatim and translated into the English language. Data analysis was implemented thematically using Open Code 4.03 software. Finally, the result was presented descriptively based on the themes that emerged. Trustworthiness was ensured throughout the data analysis.ResultIn this study, most participants poorly understood congenital anomalies. God’s punishment, curse, parents’ sin, magical practices and evil spirits, illness, lack of pregnancy care and contraceptive pills were the believed causes of congenital anomalies. The burden of congenital anomalies dismantles the social, economic, and psychological dimensions of the life of parents. In addition, the study identified attitudinal variations and doubts about treatment outcomes and prevention strategies of congenital anomalies.ConclusionThis study highlights that people’s perceived knowledge, beliefs, and awareness of congenital malformations were limited to socio-cultural and religious roots. Understanding beliefs and perceived knowledge would be significant in planning risk-reduction strategies. Hence health education, behavioral change communications, and information dissemination strategies should be strengthened at each community level.

Evaluation of Ibn Khaldun’s Muqaddima in Terms of Food Studies

The Purpose of the Study: Food studies is a multidisciplinary academic field that examines the cultural, social, economic, and political dimensions of food. This study aims to evaluate Ibn Khaldun's Muqaddimah through the lens of food studies, thus providing a novel perspective on this classic text. The significance of this study is heightened by the fact that it is the first to analyze Ibn Khaldun's most important work, the Muqaddimah, from the perspective of food studies, thereby contributing substantially to the literature. Method: The study utilized document review as the primary data collection tool, with content analysis employed for data evaluation. Relevant passages in the Muqaddimah about food studies were identified through document scanning and subsequently categorized into themes via content analysis. These themes were then interpreted and evaluated in the context of food studies. Result: Content analysis of the identified passages revealed the overarching theme of “The effect of food on people and society.” This primary theme was further divided into five sub-themes: (1) food, nutrition, and culture; (2) food, nutrition, and social structure; (3) food, nutrition, and geography; (4) food, political, and economic systems; and (5) food, nutrition, religion, and health. Conclusion: The Muqaddimah offers a comprehensive examination of the effects of food on the economic and social structures of societies. It delves into the cultural, economic, and health dimensions of food, emphasizing the critical importance of food security for societal well-being and stability. Overall, this study provides a significant perspective on contemporary discussions and research in food studies, and it serves as a valuable resource for understanding the historical roots of this field.

Contribution of total quality management in achieving sustainable development: a case study of algerian family-owned businesses

This research paper aims to empirically investigate the extent to which Total Quality Management (TQM) in family-owned businesses affects the achievement of sustainable development. A quantitative approach was adopted through the design of a research tool in the form of a questionnaire. This latter was distributed to a sample of 100 middle and upper-level managers in 22 Algerian family owned- businesses. The study concluded that Total Quality Management with its five elements (Leadership, Strategic planning, Customer focus, Employee training and employee involvement) in family-owned businesses has a positive impact on achieving sustainable development and its three dimensions, namely: the economic, social, and environmental dimensions.