Environmental Improvement Research Articles

Energy choices to health outcomes: A multidimensional analysis of risk in BRICS via PMG-ARDL approach.

This article employs a Panel Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) approach to investigate the interaction between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), fossil fuel, renewable energy consumption, trade, and their collective impact on life expectancy within the BRICS nations. The research reveals compelling findings. Notably, CO2 emissions and trade openness exhibit negative and statistically significant impact on life expectancy. In contrast, GDP per capita and renewable energy consumption are positive and significant determinants of longer life expectancy. The nuanced outcomes underscore the complex interplay of economic, environmental, and social factors within the BRICS nations. The effects found by PMG-ARDL and FMOLS are very comparable, except for the trade openness' coefficients, which is the inverse. These findings hold significant implications for policy interpretation and sustainable development strategies. As nations struggle to balance economic growth and environmental improvement with public health, tailored interventions targeting CO2 reduction, trade openness, renewable energy, and GDP growth can collectively contribute to longer life expectancy. In a broader context, this research contributes to the global discourse on sustainability, economic improvement, and health issue.

Strategies for Improving Patient Experience and Satisfaction in Healthcare Facilities in USA

Patient experience and satisfaction are critical indicators of healthcare quality and play a pivotal role in shaping care outcomes, trust, and patient retention. This study examines key strategies to enhance patient satisfaction in healthcare facilities in the USA, focusing on communication, technology integration, staff training, environmental improvements, and operational efficiency. Findings reveal that effective communication, combined with empathy and cultural competence, significantly improves patient trust and compliance. Technological advancements like telehealth and patient portals enhance convenience but require addressing digital literacy challenges. Environmental and operational improvements, including noise reduction and workflow optimization, also contribute to positive experiences. The study highlights the need for a patient-centered approach that integrates these elements holistically. However, challenges such as resource constraints and cultural sensitivity require further exploration to ensure equitable implementation. These insights provide actionable recommendations for healthcare facilities to prioritize patient satisfaction as a cornerstone of quality care. Keywords: Patient Experience, Patient Satisfaction, Healthcare Quality, Communication Strategies, Technology Integration, Empathy Training, Environmental Improvements, Operational Efficiency, Patient-Centered Care.

Exploring High School Students' Experiences on Chemistry Laboratory Classes in Blended Learning Environment

Chemistry laboratory activities cultivate scientific inquiry that enable students to experience and discover scientific processes and occurrences. Likewise, research examining the synergy of online and face-to-face modalities in the context of post-pandemic education is still in its formative years. Drawing from this premise, this study aimed to analyse the insights and experiences of senior high school students in chemistry laboratory classes in a blended learning environment. This research utilized a case study approach that involved fifteen (15) Grade 12 STEM students. Data sources included responses to survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews which elicited students’ insights and experiences on chemistry classes in blended learning setting. Thematic analysis revealed several themes such as social interaction, affective domain, lesson understanding, and course design and resources that encapsulated the benefits, challenges, and suggestions for improvement of a blended learning environment. Particularly, designing chemistry laboratory classes in a blended learning set-up should capitalize on the learners’ context, hence, a framework illustrating the considerations in redesigning chemistry classes is also crafted based on student’s experiences and recommendations. These findings shed light on the redesigning of both the online and face-to-face components of blended learning into a seamless learning environment that optimizes science learning amid the transition in the educational landscape.

An Assessment of Provider Payment Mechanisms (PPMs) in Ethiopia: Implications for Redesign of PPMs and Progress Toward Universal Health Coverage

ABSTRACT Ethiopia has made great strides in improving population health but sustaining health system and population health improvements in the current fiscal environment is challenging. Provider payment, as a function of purchasing, is a tool to use limited health resources better. This study describes the design and implementation of Ethiopia’s provider payment mechanisms (PPMs) and how they influence health system objectives and contribute to universal health coverage goals. The research team adapted the framework and analytical tools of the Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage guide for assessing PPMs. Data were collected through literature review and key informant interviews with 11 purchasers and 17 health care providers. Content analysis was used to describe PPM design and implementation arrangements, and thematic analysis was used to distill effects on equity in resource distribution and access to care, efficiency, quality of care, and financial sustainability. The study revealed the PPMs had positive and negative consequences. Line-item budgets were perceived to be predictable and sustainable but had little effect on efficiency and provider performance. Fee-for-service was perceived to have negative effects on efficiency and financial sustainability but viewed positively on its ability to incentivize quality health services. Capitation and performance-based financing effects were viewed positively on equity in distribution of resources and quality respectively, but both were perceived negatively on their high administrative burden to providers. Ethiopia may consider a more nuanced approach to design blended provider payment to mitigate negative consequences while providing incentives for better quality of care and efficiency.

Optimal dynamic pricing and green design under carbon-reduction competition considering social influence

The concept of green design is a design idea that focuses on environmental protection and sustainability. Green design has become the core competitiveness of enterprises. So this paper explores competitive pricing and green design strategy of firms in the context of carbon reduction. In the analysis of the effect of social influence, consumer environmental awareness is also considered. And two research scenarios are examined: Price competition in single carbon reduction scenario; Competition in pricing and green level under dual carbon reduction scenario. The results indicate that social influence and consumer environmental awareness interactively and significantly affect corporate decisions; Social influence positively promotes firms’ profit and is not always disadvantageous for competitors’ profit; In equilibrium, when one firm makes a green transformation, it achieves the win-win situation of not only improving environmental performance but also maximizing economic benefits. However, the induced environmental improvements and economic benefits of competitive enterprises are not necessarily ideal. The study results provide optimal strategies for competitive and environmental actions of enterprises, and also provide management insight for the sustainable development of enterprises.

Local Business Environment – Theory, Practice: Case Study in Thanh Hoa Province

The prevailing business environment in a region or locality has a significant impact on the performance of businesses in that region or locality. A healthy business environment can not only enhance the growth and success of businesses, but also enhance their ability to sustain and develop sustainably in the locality. The literature review shows that a small number of empirical studies have examined the local business environment. This study attempts to highlight the factors that make up the business environment in provincial localities, as well as clarify the level of satisfaction that entrepreneurs themselves receive from them. For the purpose of the survey, information was provided by 156 entrepreneurs from Thanh Hoa province, who assessed the level of improvement in the local business environment using a 5-point Likert scale, a type of personal interview scale. Principal component analysis of 6 factors showed that factors related to the economic environment, local legal and institutional environment were assessed to have a higher level of influence on improving the local business environment than the group of factors related to the local science, technology and socio-cultural environment.

Towards a Green Digital City: Digital Economy, Digital Innovation, and Urban Haze Pollution

ABSTRACT This study employs panel data from 223 prefecture-level cities in China spanning 2011 to 2020, using fixed effects models, mediation effect models, and dynamic spatial Durbin models to investigate the impact of digital economy (DIGE) growth on urban haze pollution (UHPO). Our findings indicate that the expansion of the DIGE significantly reduces UHPO, thereby underscoring its positive influence on environmental management and revealing a negative correlation with urban environmental degradation. Analysis of mechanisms shows that DIGE alleviates UHPO through enhancements in digital innovation (DIGI) and upgrades in industrial structures. This provides strong evidence of the pathways through which DIGE contributes to environmental improvement and influences policy development and implementation. Additionally, heterogeneity analysis highlights that digital infrastructure's impact on reducing UHPO is more pronounced in cities with higher levels of human capital, financial development, and information infrastructure. This detailed understanding assists in pinpointing the differential effects of DIGE across various urban settings and lays the groundwork for tailored policy interventions. Moreover, the study reveals that the spatial spillover effects (SSEs) of DIGE on UHPO delineate an inverted U-shaped pattern, peaking in absolute value between 1,000 and 1,500 kilometers.

Circular Economy Models in Sustainability Reports of the Polish Electric Power Industry

The purpose of this article is the identification of circular economy implementation models characteristic of the Polish electric power industry based on the scope and degree of progress of activities included in companies’ sustainability reports. A comprehensive four-level model was used in the study, and it was completed through an assessment of the progress of CE projects implemented in the companies. The scope and level of progress of activities undertaken in the companies of the analysed industry are relatively similar, which makes it possible to determine the model of CE implementation in the electric power industry. Companies are engaged in 2 of the 13 defined areas, energy efficiency and environmental improvements, and, on average, in 4 further ones (industrial waste recycling, dematerialisation, renewables, and industrial symbiosis), which means that they focus mainly on activities of level I and partially level II. Activities at levels III and IV are currently omitted or not advanced.

Response of Topsoil Organic Carbon in the Forests of Northeast China Under Future Climate Scenarios

Soil organic carbon (SOC) serves as a highly sensitive indicator of climate change and plays a crucial role in terrestrial carbon cycles. Evaluating the impact of regional land use changes on SOC stocks is essential for assessing ecological and environmental effects. In this study, we utilized 157 soil samples and 11 environmental variables—including soil properties, topographic factors, and climatic conditions—to develop boosted regression tree (BRT) and random forest (RF) models to estimate topsoil SOC stocks for the year 2015. We used a 10-fold cross-validation approach, along with four validation metrics, to assess model performance. The BRT model demonstrated superior accuracy, with a higher R2 and Lin’s consistency correlation coefficient and a lower mean absolute error and root mean square error compared to the RF model. The key environmental factors influencing SOC stock variability in the BRT model included mean annual temperature, elevation, mean annual precipitation, the topographic wetness index (TWI), and catchment area. Based on this, we employed the space-for-time substitution approach and BRT model to forecast the spatial distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in Northeast China’s forested regions under future climate scenarios for the 2050s and 2090s. Our findings indicate that, compared to the 2015 levels, the forecast indicates that SOC stocks will decrease by 122 Tg carbon and 123 Tg carbon under two different future scenarios, SSP245 and SSP585, respectively, by the 2050s. By the 2090s, these figures are expected to decrease further by 127 Tg C and 126 Tg C, respectively. Throughout both future periods, SOC stocks will predominantly be concentrated in the northwest region. This research highlights the necessity of thoroughly considering climatic factors in future studies of regional SOC stock dynamics. Moreover, the high-resolution maps produced in this study offer a scientific foundation for enhancing the implementation of ecological management practices in the forested regions of Northeast China, fostering environmental improvement and bolstering SOC and soil management strategies in response to future climate change.

Research on indoor thermal comfort of traditional dwellings in Northeast Sichuan based on the thermal comfort evaluation model and EnergyPlus

Northeast Sichuan is in the hot summer and cold winter area (HSCW), making its traditional dwellings highly valuable for study. Due to the lack of an appropriate indoor thermal comfort evaluation model, this study developed a suitable model by combining field measurement, questionnaire, and dynamic simulation. The study also investigated the indoor thermal environment of traditional dwellings in the area. The results indicate that in summer, the average indoor air temperature in the bedroom is 25.3°C, and for 81.4% of the summer period, the bedroom operative temperature (top) is below the highest acceptable top of 29.2°C. In contrast, in winter, the average indoor air temperatures in both the bedroom and the hall are below 9.0°C, with only 9.6% of the winter period having bedroom top exceeding the minimum acceptable top of 12.2°C. These findings suggest that there is significant room for improvement in the winter indoor thermal environment. Additionally, the summer neutral top for occupants is 27.0°C, which is higher than the predicted value of 25.4°C, while the winter neutral top is 14.2°C, which is lower than the predicted value of 19.3°C. This indicates that both the traditional dwellings and their occupants have adapted to the local climate to some extent. This study aims to provide a theoretical framework and research basis for optimizing the indoor thermal environment of traditional dwellings in this area.

Development of an artificial intelligence model for CFD data augmentation and improvement of thermal environment in urban areas using nature-based solutions

Development of an artificial intelligence model for CFD data augmentation and improvement of thermal environment in urban areas using nature-based solutions

Using choice Experiments to understand public preferences for reducing Lead-Based ammunition for environmental and health improvements in wetlands ecosystems

Using choice Experiments to understand public preferences for reducing Lead-Based ammunition for environmental and health improvements in wetlands ecosystems

Towards circular economy through innovation: the role of entrepreneurial orientation and human resource management

The development of the circular economy (CE) has become a strategic priority for the EU to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. While the number of CE-based start-ups is burgeoning, established companies seem to be slower to adopt CE. Incorporating CE principles requires established firms to transform their business processes and activities from a linear to a circular approach, which often requires the introduction of significant and complementary technological and non-technological innovations, as well as significant investments that may hamper the firm’s overall performance. Thus, the disruptive nature of CE adoption may make established firms reluctant to embrace this process and underlines the need to identify its drivers and to clarify its potential benefits. Accordingly, we analyze the role of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in promoting circular human resource management (CHRM), circular product innovation and circular manufacturing. This study is the first to define and measure CHRM and one of the few to apply the concept of EO in the context of CE. Using seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR), we find that EO promotes circular innovation directly and indirectly through CHRM. This factor represents a non-technological innovation which directly impacts on circular product innovation and circular manufacturing, whilst reinforcing the complementarity between non- technological and technological innovation. This research also addresses concerns about potential conflicts in achieving different types of CE performance simultaneously. By analyzing firm performance from a holistic perspective, our study confirms that CE implementation leads to environmental, market and social performance improvements together with the moderating role of technological turbulence.

Green Climate Finance Development and Environmental Air Quality Improvement: Unveiling the Role of Green Technological Progress and Industrial Symbiotic Agglomeration

Green Climate Finance Development and Environmental Air Quality Improvement: Unveiling the Role of Green Technological Progress and Industrial Symbiotic Agglomeration

THE ROLE OF THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (IMS) IN IMPROVING PERFORMANCE IN THE AREAS OF QUALITY, HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT (QHSE): A CASE STUDY OF THE ALGERIAN LOCAL PETROLEUM COMPANIES «ENAFOR & ENTP»

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the integrated management system (SMI) on improving performance in the areas of quality, environment and occupational health and safety in Algerian petroleum companies. Theoretical Framework: The study draws on concepts of integrated management systems, which combine multiple performance dimensions to improve operational efficiency and employee well-being. Method: A quantitative approach was adopted, surveying a sample of 100 managers and employees from ENAFOR and ENTP, two local petroleum companies in Hassi Messaoud, Algeria. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire to evaluate the SMI's influence across the targeted performance areas. Results and Discussion: Findings indicate that the SMI significantly enhances worker performance, with the quality dimension contributing most prominently, while the environmental dimension has the least impact. The discussion highlights the need for comprehensive SMI implementation, emphasizing operational coordination to increase efficiency and reduce risks. Research Implications: The study suggests that Algerian local petroleum companies should adopt a more integrated SMI approach, aligning quality, environment, and safety standards to ensure sustainable performance. Emphasis on environmental improvements could further enhance worker engagement and performance outcomes. Originality/Value: This research contributes to understanding SMI's practical implications in high-risk industries, underscoring the value of an integrated approach to quality, safety, and environmental management.

Evaluating the impact of official development assistance on ecological environments in agricultural and renewable energy sectors

This study examines the complex interactions between official development assistance (ODA) and the ecological environment of recipient countries, mainly focusing on agricultural economic development and renewable energy. Using dynamic threshold models and robust statistical methods, the analysis uncovers the nuanced effects of ODA across various dimensions. Findings suggest that ODA has different impacts on the ecology of African countries depending on their agricultural dependence and renewable energy development levels. The study highlights the importance of targeted aid and advocates for the integration of ODA with environmentally sustainable development goals. Furthermore, the research underscores the potential for environmental improvement in countries with significant agricultural reliance. It emphasizes the critical role of renewable energy in mitigating ecological pressures and adapting to climate change. This study contributes to the assessment of sustainable development performance after the expiration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2030.

Analysis of Housing Topics for Middle-Aged Adults in Online News Articles Using Text-Mining Techniques

Middle-aged adults face social isolation and economic insecurity due to limited institutional support, and despite government efforts, their financial, housing, and health challenges persist. This study explored housing welfare support strategies for middle-aged individuals through an analysis of major topics related to "middle-aged housing" in online news articles using text mining techniques. For this purpose, data from Naver articles published between February 2020 and July 2023 were collected and analyzed. The key findings were as follows: term frequency (TF) and term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) comparisons revealed that TF focused on social and policy aspects ("support," "youth," "project," "region," "household," "policy," "housing," and "welfare"), highlighting government support characteristics, while TF-IDF emphasized economic aspects ("move-in," "market," "region," "housing," "price," "rise," "subscription," "apartment," "Jeonse," and "sale"), highlighting issues related to the housing market. This suggests that policies to improve housing welfare for middle-aged individuals should consider both social and economic aspects. Network analysis identified six major categories: housing support, support targets, housing economy, job support, housing infrastructure, and health and well-being. Each category was further divided into the following detailed topics: policy support, residential services, economic activities, employment creation, living environment improvement, and personalized health management. These findings indicate the need for comprehensive support that addresses various aspects of middle-aged housing welfare, including family considerations, economic support, social engagement, health, and digital adaptation.

The Strength Within: CSR Governance as an Environmental Performance Driver in Weak Institutional Contexts

This study investigates how the relationship between firm-level corporate social responsibility (CSR) governance and corporate environmental performance (CEP) varies across diverse national contexts. Drawing on institutional theory, organizational adaptation theory, and the concept of institutional voids, we analyze an extensive dataset of 5326 firms from 26 OECD countries over a seven-year period (2013–2019). Employing panel data analysis, we examine the moderating effects of country-level factors on the CSR governance–CEP relationship. Our findings reveal a significant positive association between a firm’s CSR governance quality and environmental performance, which is notably stronger in countries characterized by weaker environmental governance, less prominent societal environmental values, and fewer climate mitigation laws and policies. These results suggest that firms with strong CSR governance effectively fill institutional voids in environmental governance, going beyond mere compliance to drive environmental performance improvements where external pressures are weak. Our study contributes to the literature by advancing the current understanding of the contextual nature of CSR, extending the application of institutional void theory to environmental governance landscapes in developed economies, and providing a more nuanced perspective on when and where CSR governance matters most for environmental outcomes. These insights offer valuable implications for managers in diverse institutional contexts and for policymakers seeking to enhance corporate environmental performance through complementary governance mechanisms.

How does the internet affect regional sustainable development? Fresh evidence from China

While the internet can drive economic development, social progress, and environmental improvement, its influence on sustainable regional development remains unclear. The paper constructed a more comprehensive synthesized assessment indicator system for regional sustainable and internet development, respectively. By incorporating internet-relevant elements into the research framework of regional sustainable, we examined the influence of the internet on regional sustainable development and its mechanism of action. Research has found that the internet has had a positive effect on regional sustainable in China. The heterogeneity analysis revealed that internet infrastructure, internet information resources, and the internet construction environment have had a positive effect on regional sustainable in China. Furthermore, the transmission mechanism analysis suggested that the internet can positively contribute to China’s sustainable development by promoting economic growth, industrial upgrading, and financial development. This study provides new ideas for fully understanding the impact of internet development, especially on regional sustainable development, and is a useful reference for policymakers on the internet and regional sustainable development.

Agrifood systems transformation for climate action and environmental improvements, with co-benefits for food security and nutrition

Agrifood systems transformation for climate action and environmental improvements, with co-benefits for food security and nutrition