Purpose Extant research has generally confirmed the positive impact of cross-listing on corporate social responsibility (CSR), but most studies treat CSR as a holistic concept. This study disaggregates CSR into internal (towards employee) and external (towards societal and environmental) dimensions to investigate a critical question: Does cross-listing lead firms to prioritize external stakeholders at the expense of internal commitments, thereby creating a CSR imbalance, or does it foster a higher-order balance across both dimensions? Specifically, we investigate the effects of cross-listing on both internal and external CSR, as well as the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on data for Chinese A-share listed firms from 2008 to 2022, this study leverages the A + H cross-listing arrangement as a quasi-natural experiment. We employ a difference-in-differences model with multi-way fixed effects, based on 38,908 firm-year observations from 4,721 companies. Findings The results show that cross-listing does not induce a trade-off between internal and external CSR. Instead, it significantly enhances both dimensions, guiding firms toward a higher level of balance. A mechanism analysis further reveals that cross-listing provides resource empowerment by alleviating financing constraints and achieves governance optimization through the appointment of directors with foreign experience. These two pathways jointly ensure the parallel development of internal and external CSR. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive impact is stronger when the signaling value of CSR is more prominent (e.g. for firms with non-award-winning executives or under weak institutional supervision). The effect is also more significant when the long-term strategic value of CSR is fully activated (e.g. for firms led by internal successors or those classified as high-tech firms). Practical implications For managers, this study underscores the importance of developing CSR strategies that integrate both internal and external dimensions to avoid the risk of organizational hypocrisy. For policymakers, the findings suggest moving beyond one-size-fits-all incentives toward more differentiated and targeted policy instruments that can guide and support firms' internal and external CSR practices separately, thereby enhancing the sustainable competitiveness of Chinese firms in global capital markets. Originality/value This study offers novel systematic evidence that cross-listing fosters the synergistic development of internal and external CSR, addressing long-standing concerns about CSR imbalance. It further identifies resource empowerment and governance optimization as two critical transmission mechanisms. Finally, by uncovering contextual contingencies, this study provides a more nuanced perspective on CSR decision-making, thereby advancing both theoretical debates and managerial practice.

ABSTRACT The current study examines the barriers faced by university students and investigates how patterns of these challenges are associated with student resilience. Using data collected from a sample of 281 university students, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), profile analysis, and logistic regression were utilized to identify distinct profiles based on the intensity and type of challenges encountered and then examine their relationship with resilience. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified five core barrier factors, academic pressures, psychological distress, social and interpersonal challenges, environmental and financial constraints, and institutional or structural barriers. From the five barrier factors extracted from the data, two primary profiles emerged: a subgroup that experienced fewer barriers and a subgroup that experienced relatively more barriers. Students in the more barriers group reported significantly greater difficulties across academic, psychological, social, and environmental domains. Lower resilience scores were strongly associated with membership in the more barriers profile. Additionally, undergraduate and international students were more likely to belong to the more barriers group, even when accounting for resilience levels. These results suggest that while resilience is crucial, it may not fully mitigate the challenges faced by specific student populations. The study provides further support for targeted institutional support, particularly for international students, to address the diverse barriers impacting student success and well-being.

On the other hand, road infrastructure has been recognized as a fundamental aspect of development, especially in developing economies where roads have been identified as a major mode of transport. Therefore, this paper seeks to discuss how effective road infrastructure contributes to the development of a country’s socio-economics, using Kenya as a case study. More specifically, this paper seeks to discuss how effective road infrastructure contributes to the development of a country’s socioeconomics in Kirinyaga County. This has been done using existing empirical evidence on the contribution of road infrastructure to economic activities, employment, agriculture, education, healthcare, and security. The findings illustrate that the development of infrastructures in the region has helped to reduce costs of transport, improve access to markets by farmers, enhance business growth, and increase household incomes. It has helped in the development of agriculture from a subsistent to a commercial sector by enhancing access to farm inputs, markets, cooperatives, and agroprocessing facilities. Additionally, it has helped in enhancing access to education and healthcare services by reducing travel time and absenteeism. Aside from the social and economic advantages, the study also emphasizes the importance of road infrastructure in relation to security concerns. Roads that are well-developed have helped to facilitate the mobility of law enforcement officers, community policing efforts, emergencies, fewer road accidents, and the protection of goods and lives. Nevertheless, the sustainability of these achievements faces challenges from concerns such as road maintenance issues, financial constraints, environmental concerns, community involvement, and the integration of security concerns. The paper reveals that road infrastructure is not just a physical entity but rather a catalyst for socio-economic growth, social development, transformation of agriculture, and security. In this respect, there is a need to plan strategically, finance adequately, and involve people while ensuring that road infrastructure is sustainable and secure to remain a catalyst for socioeconomic growth and development of regions such as Kirinyaga.

This article examines the mechanics, environmental aspects, and effects of biopolymer degradation as sustainable substitutes for conventional plastics. To maximize their environmental performance, it is important to understand degradation processes and the biological, abiotic, and environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, microbial activity, oxygen, pH, and UV exposure. The review emphasizes both the possible hazards, such as microplastic production, toxicity, and ecological disruptions, and the positive environmental advantages, such as pollution reduction and microplastic mitigation. It also addresses contemporary issues such as legislative gaps, lack of standardized testing, delayed degradation in natural environments, and financial constraints. In order to promote sustainable, biodegradable materials that support global environmental and societal goals, future approaches will concentrate on cutting-edge monitoring technologies, circular economy principles, policy development, and public awareness. In conclusion, biopolymers have a lot to offer the environment, but in order to fully realize their potential in sustainable development, further study, technological progress, and international collaboration are needed.

This study explores the role of digital technology on the relationship between strategic orientation and international trade performance, focusing on construction enterprises in Guangdong Province under the WTO framework. While market orientation, innovation orientation, and learning orientation are key drivers of trade success, digital transformation significantly enhances their impact by streamlining operations, improving regulatory compliance, and optimizing supply chains. However, slow adoption of digital tools due to financial constraints, cybersecurity concerns, and inconsistent WTO digital trade policies pose challenges for construction firms. The research utilizes a Systematic Literature Review following PRISMA to integrate findings from twenty peer-reviewed investigations regarding digital transformation along with strategic orientation in the construction trade. This study integrates the theoretical underpinning of the resource-based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT) to explain how digital resources serve as strategic assets and dynamic enablers of trade performance. The systematic literature findings suggest that harmonized digital trade regulations and industry-wide digital adoption initiatives are necessary to improve global competitiveness. Future research should explore longitudinal studies and sector-specific digital policy frameworks to enhance the technological adaptability of construction enterprises in international trade.

Primary care practices experience challenges to implementing team-based care, and these challenges may be more pronounced in small-to-medium-sized independent primary care practices (SIPs). Our objective is to provide a review of the literature on team-based care implemented within SIPs. The literature was identified using keywords related to primary care and team-based care in PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE. Studies on team-based care within small-primary care settings were extracted and organized according to the four domains of the Integrated (Health Care) Team Effectiveness Model (ITEM) framework. Twenty-five studies met our criteria for inclusion and were included in our review. Of those, only nine of the included studies solely focused on SIPs. Studies addressed some component of task design, including the composition of the team (i.e. MA and MD dyads) and the features of the task (i.e. role interdependence). Studies also discussed team processes, such as communication and coordination. Few studies discussed psychosocial traits during implementation, including trust and psychological safety. Lastly, studies described the organizational context of the practices, which includes their structure, resources or training environment. Identified barriers for team-based care implementation included financial constraints when hiring additional staff and issues with the current payment models that reward team-based care. Studies solely focused on small primary care practices are limited. Of the four key domains, the biggest gap was identified around psychosocial traits and how mutual trust is fostered. Areas of future research include attention to how trust is built as practices implement team-based care and shift their mental model.

ABSTRACT Using data from Chinese A-share listed manufacturing companies over the period 2009–2023, this study employs a quasi-natural experimental approach to examine the impact of employment stabilization subsidies on enterprise industrial robot adoption. The findings indicate that employment stabilization subsidies significantly promote enterprise industrial robot adoption. Mechanism tests reveal that employment stabilization subsidies promote industrial robot adoption primarily by alleviating financing constraints and fostering technological innovation. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that this positive effect is more pronounced for labour-intensive enterprises, non-state-owned enterprises, enterprises in cities with better commercial credit environments, and those in regions with higher marketization levels. These findings advance the literature on labour market policies and enterprise technological upgrading, offering new empirical evidence on how government employment subsidies shape enterprise automation decisions.

Employment growth is a central objective of economic policy, yet the role of internal market integration in shaping labor demand remains understudied. This paper examines the impact of the Unified National Market initiative on firm-level employment, utilizing a panel of Chinese listed companies from 2011 to 2023. Our estimates reveal a robust positive relationship between market integration and labor hiring. This impact is heterogeneous, with stronger responses observed in non-state-owned enterprises, labor-intensive sectors, and the more developed eastern region. We provide evidence for two distinct mechanisms: a production scale effect resulting from expanded market access, and a credit channel driven by the relaxation of financing constraints. Additionally, we document that market integration improves the skill composition of employment and increases the labor share of income. These results underscore the importance of reducing inter-regional barriers to achieve employment growth.

Against the backdrop of global industrial chain restructuring and heightened uncertainty risks, enhancing supply chain resilience is central to ensuring high-quality development in manufacturing. Drawing on microdata from Chinese A-share manufacturing listed companies from 2011 to 2024, this study empirically examines the impact of corporate digital transformation on manufacturing supply chain resilience and its underlying mechanisms. Findings reveal: First, corporate digital transformation exerts a significant and robust direct positive effect on manufacturing supply chain resilience, a conclusion that holds after multiple endogeneity tests including time window shortening and instrumental variables methods. Second, mechanism tests indicate that digital transformation indirectly enhances supply chain resilience through two mediating pathways: alleviating financing constraints and reducing market competition intensity. Specifically, digital transformation enhances corporate information transparency and operational efficiency, thereby reducing external financing costs and alleviating excessive market competition pressures. This creates a more favorable financial and market environment for strengthening supply chain resilience. Third, heterogeneity analysis reveals significant industry differences in the enabling effects of digital transformation, with its promotional impact being particularly pronounced in high-tech, low-pollution, and highly competitive industries. This study provides micro-level evidence for understanding the dual "financial-market" pathways through which digital transformation empowers manufacturing resilience. It offers important implications for formulating targeted digital transformation policies, optimizing corporate financing environments, and guiding healthy market competition to systematically strengthen supply chain resilience.

INTRODUCTION: Aging is a vital period of life that people often think about in their retirement years. The global population of this age group has grown significantly. In addition, older persons in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs) confront a number of challenges, including poverty, a scarcity of skilled geriatric experts, food insecurity, disability and health issues, and insufficient long-term care. This study aimed to understand the challenges and needs of implementing Rwanda’s national policy for older persons. METHODS: This study employed a qualitative design, involving ten participants recruited through snowball non-probability sampling methods. Face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted till theme saturation. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze data. RESULTS: This study emerged with two themes with their sub-themes: (1) Challenges hindering the implementation of the policy (awareness and dissemination Issues, financial constraints, lack of coordination and leadership, inadequate legal and structural framework, social and cultural barriers, and healthcare access issues); and (2) needs to facilitate policy implementation (enhanced awareness and education, increased financial and resource allocation, stronger leadership and coordination mechanisms, legal and structural reforms, and social and cultural integration). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of the national policy for older individuals is constrained by insufficient awareness and distribution efforts, as well as financial constraints. To tackle these difficulties, the study emphasized the necessity for financial budget allocation, awareness initiatives, and coordinated, effective leadership.

INTRODUCTION: Aging is a vital period of life that people often think about in their retirement years. The global population of this age group has grown significantly. In addition, older persons in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs) confront a number of challenges, including poverty, a scarcity of skilled geriatric experts, food insecurity, disability and health issues, and insufficient long-term care. This study aimed to understand the challenges and needs of implementing Rwanda’s national policy for older persons. METHODS: This study employed a qualitative design, involving ten participants recruited through snowball non-probability sampling methods. Face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted till theme saturation. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze data. RESULTS: This study emerged with two themes with their sub-themes: (1) Challenges hindering the implementation of the policy (awareness and dissemination Issues, financial constraints, lack of coordination and leadership, inadequate legal and structural framework, social and cultural barriers, and healthcare access issues); and (2) needs to facilitate policy implementation (enhanced awareness and education, increased financial and resource allocation, stronger leadership and coordination mechanisms, legal and structural reforms, and social and cultural integration). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of the national policy for older individuals is constrained by insufficient awareness and distribution efforts, as well as financial constraints. To tackle these difficulties, the study emphasized the necessity for financial budget allocation, awareness initiatives, and coordinated, effective leadership.

Introduction Research shows completing a placement year is associated with improved academic and employment outcomes. For Biomedical science courses, pathology placements allow completion of the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) registration training portfolio and obtaining Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration post-graduation. This study sought to identify the barriers biomedical science students across the West Midlands region of England face when completing a placement year, to identify strategies which promote inclusivity to overcome these barriers. Materials and Methods Level 5 and Level 6 students from Aston, Coventry, Keele and Wolverhampton universities were invited to complete a questionnaire which included a mixture of Likert scale and free-text responses. A range of questions assessed student perceptions on the importance of placement opportunities, as well as identifying factors which were important when pursuing a placement year. Likert scale data was analysed quantitatively, and a Mann Whitney U or Kruskal Wallis test were used to infer significance, whereas free text responses were analysed using thematic analysis. Results A total of 107 students completed the questionnaire. Students who declared a disability were less likely to undertake an unpaid placement compared to their peers (p = 0.013). Of those students who declared caring responsibilities, 33.3% chose not to apply for a placement year compared to 18.2% of those who did not have caring responsibilities (p = 0.020). Participants reported that funding was important when deciding whether to pursue a placement (88.8%). Thematic analysis revealed several recurring themes deterring student placement applications, including financial support and placement availability within their geographical area. Students valued the importance of professional recognition following the placement and the development of technical and transferable skills. Discussion Many of the barriers are fuelled by financial constraints which deter students from applying to placement positions. Despite the need to increase the Biomedical Scientist workforce, the strategies to increase training opportunities are not well established. Equity in placement funding from centralised sources is key to ensuring Biomedical Scientists can excel in their professional careers. Through availability of funding, marginalised populations will have the same opportunities as their peers therefore producing more employable graduates to meet pathology workforce demands.

ABSTRACT Digital government construction is profoundly reshaping the institutional environment for corporate operations. Using a sample of China’s listed firms from 2010 to 2023, we investigate the impact of digital government development on corporate cash holdings. The findings suggest that digital government construction induces firms to increase cash holdings. Mechanism tests show that this increase is driven by precautionary motives, as firms prepare for coping with reinforced administrative supervision, intensified market competition, and enterprise digital transformation under government digitalization. Cross-sectional analyses reveal that the effect is particularly strong in firms facing weaker corporate governance, lower market positions, and higher financial constraints. We also find that the increase in cash holdings driven by digital government development contributes to higher firm value. This study highlights the critical role of government in influencing corporate liquidity management and provides valuable insights for enterprises to adjust their financial strategies in response to digital government construction.

ABSTRACT Deepening the integration of technology and finance is crucial for an innovation-driven development strategy. Using firm-level data on China’s A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2023, this paper exploits the sci-tech finance pilot policy as a quasi-natural experiment to examine how local sci-tech finance initiatives shape firms’ cross-regional investment decisions. We find that the implementation of the pilot policy in destination cities significantly boosts corporate investment across regions. The effect is particularly strong among non-state-owned enterprises, firms led by executives with financial experience, and those headquartered in eastern China. Mechanism analysis reveals two channels: firms are attracted to pilot cities both to tap into dense innovation ecosystems (technology-seeking) and to ease financing constraints (finance-seeking). Further evidence indicates that the policy primarily attracts investment from firms within the same province and generates a siphon effect that diverts investment from neighbouring non-pilot cities. Importantly, such cross-regional investments enhance collaborative innovation between cities and improve the operational performance of investing firms. Our findings offer actionable insights for designing targeted sci-tech finance policies and fostering balanced regional development.

Irresponsible sexual behaviour among school-going adolescents is a major concern among different stakeholders in South Africa. In 2019, among 106 383 registered live births among adolescents in South Africa, 10% were in the Mpumalanga Province. This article explores and reports on the challenges that school-going adolescents face in achieving responsible sexual behaviour and aims to develop effective recommendations to promote safer sexual behaviours. This article was an extract from the main study that employed a qualitative inquiry using an exploratory and descriptive phenomenological approach. The main study was conducted between 2021 and 2022. The current study explores and describes challenges school- going adolescents aged 15 to 19 years face in achieving responsible sexual behaviours. The data were collected via focus group discussions in high schools in one of the townships in the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. Non-probability sampling using snowballing from the sample of school-going adolescents who previously participated in the main study's quantitative strand enabled the selection of a sample of 14 school-going adolescents who were able to contribute meaningful information to the study. Qualitative data were analysed manually using Creswell's thematic analysis, with emerging themes, subthemes and categories. Six themes emerged from the inductive manual thematic analysis: Overwhelming pressures to engage in unsafe sexual behaviours; diffused parental role in awareness and support around adolescents' sexual and reproductive health (SRH); poor sexual and reproductive health knowledge ; immaturity, lack of self-control and curiosity; poor access, acceptability and utilisation of SRH services and financial constraints in the relationship were reported as challenges adolescents faced to achieving safer sexual well-being. The findings revealed that adolescents face many challenges to achieve responsible sexual behaviour. Actionable recommendations were devised to overcome these challenges and these are: involving peer educators who share SRH information, guide, and promote behaviour change. Adolescents must utilise role models, parental and adolescent support groups whom they can emulate from healthy sexual behaviours. Adolescents must seek strong parental support when utilising SRH services like contraceptive use. Campaigns that encourage parents to be role models of good values, morals and social skills should be initiated. Peer adolescents should promote access, acceptability and utilisation of adolescents' SRH services. Media platforms like links and websites where correct sexual and reproductive health knowledge should be accessible by adolescents.

This study explores the barriers to ISO 9001 implementation in Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) within the Delhi NCR region, focusing on the multidimensional challenges that hinder the adoption of structured quality management systems. Despite the growing relevance of ISO 9001 in improving community-level governance and service delivery, RWAs continue to face significant obstacles rooted in organizational limitations, cultural resistance, financial constraints, regulatory ambiguity, and technological inadequacies. A mixed-methods research design was adopted to gain comprehensive insights, utilizing structured questionnaires to collect quantitative data and semi-structured interviews for qualitative exploration. Data collection tools included Google Forms for surveys and digital meeting platforms such as Google Meet and Zoom for interviews. Quantitative analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative responses. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted policy support, digital literacy enhancement, financial assistance, and community sensitization to facilitate effective ISO 9001 implementation in RWAs. The study contributes to the discourse on urban governance and highlights practical pathways to improve quality standards in resident-led organizations.

BackgroundStrained financial resources and increasing demands for high-quality services in an ageing population are two challenges facing local government managers. While digitali-zing public service processes can meet these challenges, Occupational Health and Safety Manage-ment (OHSM) is often overlooked.ObjectiveThis study explores how Swedish local government managers handle digitalization processes in relation to OHSM, identifying the potential drivers and barriers that influence their integration.MethodsThe study is based on 25 semi-structured interviews with managers, HR profes-sionals, strategists, and Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) in two Swedish muni-cipa-lities. An inductive approach, inspired by the Gioia methodology, was used. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model was utilized to analyze where potential drivers for and barriers to integrate digitalization into OHSM emerge.ResultsSchool managers demonstrated a systematic approach to integrating digitalization with OHSM, collaborating with stakeholders and managing procurement despite financial con-straints. In contrast, social and home care managers reflected technological determinism, overlooking risk assess--ments and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) evaluations, thus under--estimating OHS risks and limiting the involvement of employees and HSRs.ConclusionsThe study demonstrates that managerial approach and organizational context are crucial for integrating OHS into digitalization processes. By highlighting the value of the PDCA model as a guiding framework, it advances the under-standing of OHSM as a dynamic, context-sensitive process with practical relevance for management in technology-driven environ-ments.

Service learning is a high-impact educational practice. It benefits students, community organizations, and universities. However, for service learning to be impactful, students must take advantage of service-learning opportunities that are created for them. This paper explores barriers to student enrollment in service-learning courses, such as limited time, financial constraints, and disinterest. Analysis is based on a survey (n = 42) of students who chose not to enroll in an optional service-learning lab offered as part of a supply chain management course at a metropolitan university in the U.S. The findings reveal that time is the most important barrier. Based on the findings, we make a number of recommendations for overcoming this and other barriers.

The persistent crisis of out-of-school-children (OOSC) reveals deep-rooted structural, social and policy-level barriers that continue to obstruct equitable access to schooling. The challenge extends far beyond the mere availability of schools or financial constraints alone. Instead, it reflects a threefold imbalance: centralized education system that creates a disconnect between policy decisions and their implementation, socio-economic pressures that push children toward labor rather than schools and a public–private education conundrum links quality to private schools, yet high fees make them inaccessible for low-income families. Public schools are free but often lack quality, leaving parents with no viable option. This quality-affordability gap drives children out of school and fuels Pakistan’s OOSC crisis. This integrative research examines these interconnected contributors to Pakistan’s out-of-school children problem. By drawing a comparative lens to the United States, a system with near-universal enrollment and stronger public-school performance, this study seeks to identify structural lessons that may support more inclusive, sustainable and effective education planning in Pakistan.

ABSTRACT Although existing literature has predominantly focused on developed economies regarding the economic implications of common ownership, the rapid proliferation of common institutional ownership (CIO) in China calls for localized and systematic investigation. We examine CIO effects on Chinese firm innovation, revealing non-uniform impacts. CIO generally boosts innovation through knowledge sharing and reduced financial constraints. However, effects vary by market: Main Board firms benefit from abundant resources and limited competition, allowing positive mechanisms to outweigh anti-competitive pressures. In Growth Enterprise Market (GEM), heightened rivalry drives dominant anti-competitive effects, suppressing innovation despite knowledge spillovers and financing relief. These findings challenge universal benefit of CIO and highlight its non-linear, context-dependent impact in China, suggesting market-specific regulatory approaches.