Youth empowerment has remained a critical call among development actors for the past two decades. This is in line with addressing the perennial unemployment challenge among the youth. The study explored the types of programs implemented, their influence on youth employment outcomes, and challenges affecting access and impact. The research adopts a mixed methods research design where triangulation is applied to effectively assess the effectiveness of youth empowerment programs in mitigating unemployment in Mombasa County, Kenya. The findings revealed that youth constituted the majority of program beneficiaries (45% aged 18–29 years), most of whom had attained secondary or diploma-level education. However, unemployment remained high at 66.3%, highlighting the persistent challenge of joblessness despite educational attainment, with Ajira Digital leading to 60% of its graduates securing income-generating work within six months. While 76% of participants reported acquiring soft skills and 35% technical competencies, only 30% realized tangible employment or income gains. Success stories showed that some beneficiaries secured income-generating opportunities within six months, yet significant barriers persisted, including limited access to training, unclear program information, high costs, scheduling conflicts, misalignment with labor market needs, weak mentorship, and inadequate funding. Governance-related issues such as corruption, bureaucratic delays, and lack of standardized monitoring and evaluation frameworks further constrained program effectiveness. In general, youth empowerment programs demonstrate strong potential for skills development and employment creation, but structural and implementation challenges continue to limit their full impact. Recommended strategies include aligning training with labour market needs, strengthening mentorship systems, increasing funding, enhancing collaboration with private and civil society sectors, and creating robust tracking mechanisms. This research holds significant insights for policymakers, development agencies, and community leaders to design more impactful youth empowerment strategies that effectively reduce unemployment. The findings of the study may be used to advocate for inclusive and accessible empowerment programs.

Purpose: The primary objectives of this research were to evaluate the degree of customer satisfaction with Bolt’s services in Dar es Salaam, identify the key factors influencing satisfaction, uncover the main challenges experienced by customers, and explore potential areas for operational improvement. Methodology: A mixed-methods research design was employed to provide a comprehensive assessment. Quantitative data were collected through structured surveys administered to 256 Bolt customers, focusing on app usability, pricing, safety, and overall satisfaction. Qualitative insights were gathered via semi-structured interviews with 30 drivers and focus group discussions with 14 Bolt employees, supplemented by direct observation of 20 Bolt rides. This triangulated approach ensured the validity and reliability of the findings by capturing diverse perspectives and cross-verifying results. Findings: The findings reveal that a majority of customers are satisfied with Bolt’s services, highlighting strengths such as app usability, driver professionalism, and overall reliability. However, several challenges persist, including frequent app crashes during peak hours, unpredictable pricing, unprofessional driver behavior, delays in ride arrivals, and slow customer support responses. Safety concerns, especially during late-night rides, were also noted. These operational gaps negatively impact customer trust and loyalty, underscoring the need for targeted improvements. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This study contributes to theory by highlighting key factors like app stability, driver training, and pricing transparency in customer satisfaction for ride-hailing in emerging urban markets. For policy, it offers guidance to regulators and companies on improving driver standards and consumer protections. Practically, it provides Bolt with targeted strategies to enhance user experience, safety, and loyalty, supporting its growth in Dar es Salaam’s competitive ride-hailing sector.

The growing emphasis on food traceability and authenticity has heightened the demand for advanced analytical techniques capable of verifying both the geographic origin and varietal identity of premium crops. In the Philippine context, ubi ‘Kinampay’ (Dioscorea alata L.) is regarded as a culturally significant and economically valuable commodity, yet remains susceptible to misidentification and economically motivated fraud. Although methods such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and stable isotope analysis present viable solutions for forensic verification, their adoption is hindered by the scarcity of skilled practitioners and the absence of formalized training programs. This study responds to that need through the design and evaluation of a competency-based training module tailored for science professionals working in nuclear forensic applications related to agriculture. Drawing on the principles of Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, the training integrates adult learning pedagogies with domain-specific content. A mixed-method developmental research design was employed, combining expert validation via Likert-scale assessment with qualitative insights obtained through thematic analysis of interviews. Results showed consistent strong agreement across key dimensions, including content coherence, instructional design, visual aids, and science identity reinforcement. Qualitative data further emphasized the module’s clarity, scientific accuracy, and relevance to professional practice, while also noting the need for refinements in cognitive load and interface usability. Overall, the module demonstrates both pedagogical soundness and technical validity, positioning it as a scalable solution for institutional capacity-building in agricultural traceability. Strategic recommendations focus on module enhancement and alignment with policy frameworks such as Geographical Indication (GI) protection.

The study aims to navigate the cultivating culture of research excellence for Higher Education Institutions through sustainable development goals and process systems. It employs mixed methods research design and purposive sampling techniques for the sample population size of the study. The study comprised sixty (60) respondents only. Results show that the extent of cultivating culture research excellence for a Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) through sustainable development goals among the respondents helps the community on their needs, information, and understanding process for self-organization, show that research innovation in sustainable development goals organization builds credibility, trust, support, and inspire change and action, show that community engagement in sustainable development goals involve coalition and partnership in the community engagement to influence the resources system, practices, programs, and catalyst for change policies and mobilization, show that research collaboration in sustainable development goals are necessary paradigm and strategy to explore the methods and analysis of research collaboration in support to the output of sustainable development goals and definition, show that research application in sustainable development goals develop a significant transformation approach in the community, and show that research interdisciplinary in sustainable development goals ensure approach and partnership effectiveness to compromise and able sustainable development goals.

Critical discourse analysis unearths the ideologies, beliefs, and principles embedded in spoken and written discourse. Imran Khan’s addresses to national and international forums gained the attention of the discourse analysts. The current study explored the discursive strategies used by ex-prime minister of Pakistan in his address to the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The present study utilized a mixed-method research design by employing Van Dijk’s Ideological Square Model analytical framework. The data of the study and the transcribed text of the speech were gleaned through internet sources. The text of the speech was analyzed through the content analysis approach. Furthermore, the quantitative section looked at the frequency of the discusrive strategies like description of actor burden, and authority all presented through frequency tables and percentages. The findings revealed that actor description (42%), authority (27%), and burden (18%) were the most frequently employed strategies, indicating Khan’s deliberate use of persuasive devices to reinforce ideological positioning at both textual and socio-cognitive levels. These strategies helped enhance the persuasiveness of his speech.

Background: The ICU patient mortality rate is an indicator of hospital service quality. The ICU mortality rate at Dr. Soedirman Kebumen Regional General Hospital over the last five years has been over 40%. This rate is higher compared to the national ICU patient mortality rate in Indonesia, which is 27.6%. Objective: To identify factors influencing ICU patient mortality and to develop recommendations for an ICU mortality reduction program at Dr. Soedirman Kebumen Regional General Hospital. Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods research design with a sequential explanatory approach. Quantitative data were obtained from the medical records of ICU patients from July 2024 to December 2024. Qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews (management group) and focus group discussions (doctors and nurses). Quantitative data were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, as well as multivariate logistic regression. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The study included 278 subjects, of whom 126 (45.3%) died in the ICU. Factors identified as significantly influencing ICU patient mortality at Dr. Soedirman Kebumen Regional General Hospital were age (p-value = 0.001), type of diagnosis (p-value = 0.008), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (p-value <0.001), use of mechanical ventilation (p-value <0.001), and length of stay (p-value = 0.004). The use of mechanical ventilation was the variable with the most significant influence on ICU patient mortality (p = 0.001, OR 43.73, 95% CI 15.84-120.72). Qualitative results suggested several programs to reduce ICU patient mortality, including: re-socialization of ICU admission criteria, activation of palliative care, improvement of human resources competency, multidisciplinary team collaboration, periodic evaluation of Early Warning System (EWS) implementation, evaluation of culture examination procedures, and initiation of High Care Unit (HCU) establishment. Conclusion: Age, type of diagnosis, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, use of mechanical ventilation and length of stay are factors influencing ICU patient mortality at Dr. Soedirman Kebumen Regional General Hospital. Given these factors contributing to the high ICU mortality rate, it is crucial for the hospital management to enhance service quality by implementing strategies to reduce ICU patient mortality at Dr. Soedirman Kebumen Regional General Hospital. Keywords: Intensive Care Unit, ICU, ICU mortality, determinants of ICU mortality, mortality reduction

The global decline of indigenous languages since the advent of globalization has been a central subject of concern and scholarly debate, as it threatens irreplaceable cultural and intellectual heritage. This is exemplified by the precarious state of the Igbo language and the preservation of the cultural identity of the Igbo people in Nigeria. This paper investigates the critical decline in the use and proficiency of the Igbo language among secondary school students in Umuahia, Nigeria, and its profound implications on erosion of cultural identity, the effectiveness of government policies, and the role of parents and teachers in language promotion. The study is situated within the global context of indigenous language endangerment, highlighting the specific threat to the Igbo language, which UNESCO classified as vulnerable in 2012. A mixed method research design was employed, as both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained from secondary- school students and teachers in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. The quantitative data comprised 286 questionnaire respondents, while the qualitative data involved 50 participants who took part in semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that Igbo speaking skills among students are generally very low, as many students are unable to sustain communication in pure Igbo language, instead blending it with English, which signals a disturbing erosion of linguistic competence. This decline has been exacerbated by globalization, particularly through social media and Western cultural influences. Although government policies exist to promote Igbo language education, weak enforcement and inadequate resources have limited their effectiveness. Similarly, many parents and teachers have failed to actively encourage Igbo usage, often resorting to English in daily communication. Based on these findings, the study recommends stronger language policy implementation, an interactive teaching method, and an increased parental involvement in promoting the Igbo language. Further research is suggested to explore the potential of digital platforms in revitalizing indigenous languages.

The study of grammatical error-making in academic writing has been an important activity in research, especially for students learning English as a second language. This research paper sought to identify and interpret grammatical errors in verb forms from students’ academic writing tasks. Different grammatical theories were explored, including that of Chomsky's Transformational-Generative Grammar (TGG) and Halliday's Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG), among others. The study employed a descriptive research design with a mixed-method research design where the data collected were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The specific objective was to reveal the common grammatical errors made by students in their writings. From 20 teachers and 260 students, by using the Yamane formula, 15 teachers and 133 students were reached to participate in the study sample. Data analysis methods employed were document analysis, deductive thematic analysis, and descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that year-one engineering students at RP Gishari College make grammatical errors in all five English verb forms in their writings. Particularly, it was found that many students make errors in the third person singular form of the present simple (58.78%), whereas the errors in the past participle form were the least (6.10%). This scientific proof of error-making can be used by language educators to help trainees to improve their writing skills. Finally, the study recommended teachers and future researchers develop different teaching techniques that can help students to minimize error-making while writing academically.

Railway tunnel maintenance management in developing countries faces significant challenges due to ageing infrastructure, resource constraints, and reactive maintenance approaches. This study developed a maintenance management model to enhance the availability performance of railway tunnels in the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) system. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative analysis with qualitative insights from 21 maintenance professionals across the TAZARA network. The Relative Importance Index (RII) methodology was used to rank ten technical factors affecting tunnel maintenance performance. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to develop a predictive model incorporating seven significant factors: Rock Mass Quality Index, Safety Incident Rate, Inspection Frequency, Tunnel Age, Access Time, Maintenance Budget, and Equipment Downtime. RII analysis revealed that Rock Mass Quality Index (RII = 0.791), Safety Incident Rate (RII = 0.773), and Inspection Frequency (RII = 0.755) were the most significant factors influencing maintenance performance. The developed regression model demonstrated exceptional predictive capability with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.943 and a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.889, explaining 88.9% of the variance in tunnel performance. The predictive equation: Tunnel Performance = 0.22 + 0.025(RMQI) - 0.019(SIR) + 0.032(IF) - 0.06(TA) + 0.18(AT) + 0.03(MB) - 0.05(ED), with Inspection Frequency emerging as the dominant predictor contributing 70.1% to performance enhancement. Model validation using twelve months of operational data showed perfect prediction accuracy during normal operations (100% correlation between predicted and actual availability), with average tunnel availability of 98%. The validated maintenance management model provides TAZARA with an evidence-based tool for proactive maintenance planning and resource optimisation. The findings emphasise the critical importance of systematic inspection programs, safety management integration, and equipment reliability enhancement for maximising tunnel availability performance in resource-constrained environments

This study aims to explore the perceptions, practices, challenges, and support needs of Moroccan high school EFL teachers regarding the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the development of instructional materials. To achieve the purpose of the study, a mixed-methods research design was adopted. Using an online questionnaire, the data was collected from 79 Moroccan high school EFL teachers. Cronbach’s Alpha was used to measure the internal consistency between items in the questionnaire, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient to analyse the relationship between teachers’ perception, practices, and challenges, as well as the relationship between their demographic characteristics and their practices. The findings revealed that teachers hold positive perceptions of AI, but their actual use of AI remains selective and infrequent. Significant challenges, including lack of training, insufficient institutional support, and ethical concerns, were found to constrain teachers’ ability to act on their positive attitudes. The findings of the correlation analysis showed that teachers’ practices were positively associated with age, teaching experience, and prior AI training. The study informs EFL teachers and educational stakeholders in Morocco about the need for targeted professional development, improved digital infrastructure, and clear ethical guidelines to facilitate effective AI integration in developing instructional materials.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used more and more in education, utilizing AI to grade the writing of students is a concern for trustworthiness. Using a mixed-methods research design that combines both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools -questionnaires and semi-structured interviews - this study investigates the reliability of using ChatGPT to mark students' writing assignments on the EOP online learning platform (https://eop.edu.vn/) compared with human evaluators at the School of Languages and Tourism, Hanoi University of Industry. The findings provide the advantages and limitations of AI-supported grading, highlighting the accuracy, consistency, and alignment with human grading criteria of AI grading. The attitudes of teachers toward AI scoring are also examined in this paper to determine its accuracy. Recommendations for enhancing AI scoring systems to enable more effective and fairer assessments are provided based on the findings. The research contributes to the academic literature on the use of AI in education, emphasizing the importance of sustaining the enhancement of AI-driven evaluation tools to enable effective and fairer online learning.

The study examines how Local Governance (LG) and Community Empowerment (CE) contribute to supporting Sustainable Development (SD) through Homestay Tourism (HT) in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, located in the Himalayas. The primary objective is to investigate the impact of local institutions and community participation on sustainable performance in rural tourism settings. The study employed a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative data collected from 230 homestay establishments across Garhwal and Kumaon. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression were used to analyze the data in both SPSS and Excel. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's Alpha, and construct validity was evaluated through expert reviews and pilot studies. Findings indicate that LG, CE, and SD have a strong positive relationship with HT, with HT serving as an important mediating variable. Good governance and community-based involvement were correlated with higher livelihood diversification, strengthened cultural heritage, and improved environmental management. Additionally, communities with stronger governance structures had higher sustainability ratings. Therefore, homestay tourism can become an effective example of local-level sustainable development under conditions of responsible governance and capacity-building efforts. The results would contribute to policy discussions as well as the academic debate on tourism-based development by pre-empting the notions of local empowerment, state-based coordination, and the supremacy of sustainability-focused planning in mountain areas.

Rural India still struggles with income gaps. Secondary agriculture serves as a strategic path to promote efficient rural entrepreneurship. The study was conducted in 2024 in Assam’s Dhubri district employing a mixed-method research design that examined variations in entrepreneurial attributes across secondary agricultural enterprises, based on data from 100 respondents representing five enterprises. Entrepreneurial behaviour showed positive correlations with factors like education, income, investment, media use, aspiration, motivation, gratification, and values, and a negative correlation with age. Multiple regression analysis explained 72.8 per cent of entrepreneurial behaviour (adjusted R² = 0.645). Using principal component analyses (PCA) and Varimax rotation, 23 entrepreneurial attributes were grouped and renamed into seven factors. The strategic policy advocacy to enhance entrepreneurs’ holistic development should prioritize these key attributes of secondary agriculture-based entrepreneurs to improve their entrepreneurial behaviour.

Amid ongoing financial reforms and increasing autonomy among public service units in Vietnam, the implementation of Responsibility Accounting (RA) in public hospitals has become a critical mechanism for enhancing financial efficiency, managerial accountability, and overall service quality. However, in practice, the adoption of RA remains limited and fragmented. This study aims to investigate the key determinants influencing the application of RA in Vietnamese public hospitals. Drawing on a comprehensive theoretical foundation Agency Theory, Contingency Theory, Diffusion of Innovations Theory, and Fayol’s Management Theory the proposed research model incorporates eight independent variables: management decentralization, unit size, financial management characteristics, level of information technology adoption, managerial and accounting qualifications and awareness, legal environment, and financial autonomy. A mixed-method research design was adopted, and empirical data were gathered through 257 valid survey responses from public hospitals across the country. Linear regression analysis indicated that the majority of these factors significantly affect RA implementation, with financial management characteristics, decentralization, and financial autonomy emerging as the most influential predictors. The study contributes to both theory and practice by providing empirical evidence on the institutional and organizational factors that facilitate RA adoption. Furthermore, it offers actionable policy recommendations to strengthen the strategic integration of RA within the public healthcare sector in Vietnam.

A convergent mixed-method research design is adopted in this study to investigate the role of Engine Room Simulators (ERS) in improving practical maritime training. To assess the technical competencies, problem-solving capabilities, and shipboard readiness of five students selected from one of the universities in the Philippines, standard tests were conducted. Fifteen students underwent semi-structured interviews to share their views regarding ERS-elated training, advantages and disadvantages, and the shortcomings. The quantitative results indicated that the individuals were exceptional in all areas, with readiness (M = 86.7, SD = 4.9) being the highest, followed by technical capabilities (M = 82.4, SD = 6.2) and problem-solving (M = 84.1, SD = 5.8). Qualitative findings confirmed that individuals gained increased confidence, were better acquainted with the operation, and attained global awareness via immersion simulation, but had issues of accessibility, sporadic technical problems, and inadequate simulation of real pressures. Both strands proved convergent to confirm that ERS is a valuable addition to conventional maritime training. It complies with the standards of STCW and CHED–MARINA while leveling up the gap between classroom learning and shipboard activity. The study concludes that for the full exploitation of ERS, schools should provide adequate support, inculcate teachers, and employ an assortment of learning techniques. Suggestions include expanding the use of the simulator, ensuring the updating of modules to align with industry advancements, and making long-term evaluations of skill transfer. These are the protocols that can direct the ERS to remain one step ahead of training world-class marine engineers that are safety-oriented and can adapt to the evolving requirements of the maritime industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively disrupted health and education systems in Nigeria, especially clinical education, which requires hands-on training and physical assessment of patients. As a result of this peculiarity, an innovative Virtual model to TRain and Assess Clinical Students (VTRACS), a learner centred approach for teaching clinical healthcare professionals acceptability of this virtual reality (VR) model for clinical students' training and examination, based on limited budget and cost, was developed to mirror a real-life in-class simulation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, appropriateness and acceptability of this virtual model for clinical students' training and examination. A mixed-methods research design was employed using both descriptive quantitative data and in-depth interviews. The participants comprised 24 students from dentistry, nursing, medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology programmes and eight faculty members at a public University in Southwest Nigeria. All the participants were exposed to VTRACS for training and assessment. The results showed a high level of feasibility (72%), appropriateness (85%) and acceptability (84%) for the virtual model. The findings from the qualitative data revealed varied views on the implementation of the virtual model for the training and assessment of clinical students. While a vast majority of the participants judged the intervention as effective in teaching and assessment, others expressed some challenges, including possible loss of empathy for patients, less effectiveness for complicated operations and unsuitability for some specific clinical examinations. This study concluded that the model should be integrated and combined with physical training and assessment to optimise the benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) in medical education.

Background: This study aimed to develop just transition pathways to clean energy in cooking for low-income settlements in Odisha. Methods: A mixed-methods research design was employed, including primary and secondary research. The primary research—a quantitative survey of 5,368 urban-poor households in Odisha and co-creation of pathways with the citizens and stakeholders—aimed to provide a bottom-up perspective of current fuel-appliance-choice behaviour and acceptable contours of transition. The secondary research aimed to ensure that pathways were positioned well within the wider ecosystem. Results: The work reveals a strong community desire to adopt cleaner cooking technologies, rooted in options that allow for self-reliance. Citizens’ aspirations were not centred on cooking more but instead on the quality of the cooking experience. Preferences for clean energy transitions were community biogas and Solar Nutan technologies, and pathways for adoption are laid out for these, as well as for electric induction and liquified petroleum gas. The pathways lay out contours on finance, supply, suitability, and knowledge. In doing so, they identify action areas and opportunities for government (especially city government) and supply side stakeholders to make the cleaner technologies a reality. Conclusion: The study emphasizes that a just transition to cleaner cooking technologies must consider the socio-economic realities of low-income communities. It highlights the importance of a multi-stakeholder effort, involving governments, innovators, supply chains, and communities, to co-create solutions. Local governments play a crucial role in bridging community needs with higher layers of governance and broader ecosystems, facilitating just and equitable clean energy transitions.

Characteristics of smallholder cereal farmers are key factors influencing adoption of community based drought adaptations and indigenous knowledge in drought-prone arid and semi-Arid Lands globally. Increasing frequency and severity of drought experienced in drylands is a major challenge to rain-fed cereal production in Africa. Kenya experiences frequent droughts which influence levels of vulnerability of the smallholder cereal farmers in arid and semi-Arid Lands that cover 80% of the surface area in the country. Frequent droughts and adverse pedo-climatic conditions in Makueni County in Kenya, influence cereal production, consequently, food security. This study evaluated the influence of characteristics of smallholder cereal farmers on adoption of drought adaptation techniques in Makueni County, Kenya. The study adopted explanatory sequential mixed methods research design. The study analysed the household data from a sample of 225 participants. More females than males adapted to droughts through use of indigenous knowledge including drought monitoring and prediction (61%), bio-control of weeds (57%), seed preservation (55%), use of farm manure (54%), supplementary irrigation (51%) and early planting of seeds (51%). Frequent droughts in Makueni County resulted in adoption of small farm sizes where 60%, 43% and 42% of the cereal farmers produced between 1 to 10 bags of maize, sorghum and finger millet, respectively. Information and data generated by this study is expected to result in improvement in drought adaptation policy formulation and drought adaptation capacity development among the smallholder cereal farmers. These efforts will result in improvement in food production and security in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands in Kenya. This study recommends studies on sustainable drought management practices in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands in Kenya.

Parental attachment behavioural pattern is crucial for the child’s emotional development, sense of security, and ability to regulate emotions and behaviours. This study investigated the influence of preoccupied parental attachment behavioural patterns on students’ involvement in drug abuse in public day secondary schools in Soy Sub-County, Kenya. This was in response to the fact that drug abuse has been on an upward trajectory among secondary school students, leading to increased crime rates, truancy, and poor physical, social, and mental health among learners. Guided by John Bowlby’s (1907–1990) Attachment theory, the study employed an embedded mixed-methods research design, combining an ex post facto quantitative approach with a phenomenological qualitative approach. It targeted 2167 Form Two students, 40 deputy principals, and 40 teachers from the Guidance and Counselling departments. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 13 deputy principals, 13 teachers and 379 Form Two students. Data was collected using a questionnaire and an in-depth interview. Quantitative data was analysed using frequencies and percentages, and qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings indicated a statistically significant relationship (p=0.004) between preoccupied attachment behavioural patterns of parents and students’ engagement in drug abuse. The study concluded that preoccupied attachment behavioural patterns, characterised by anxiety, unpredictability, and being overly reliant upon parental figures, were associated with higher rates of drug abuse among students. Parents should be encouraged to promote consistency with emotions and avoid generating behaviours that put children in a state of anxiety

This study explores Hong Kong residents’ perceptions of their city’s smart city transformation, set against a backdrop of political and economic changes. It investigates residents’ awareness and support for Hong Kong’s development as a smart city and their familiarity with the Smart City Blueprint. Despite the global emphasis on smart city initiatives, there is a significant gap in understanding residents’ perceptions, with the existing literature often focusing on technological and policy aspects while neglecting citizen voices. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study integrates quantitative survey data (N = 808) with qualitative interviews (N = 25) and focus group discussions (4 groups, N = 43) to capture diverse perspectives. The findings reveal a generally low level of understanding of the Smart City Blueprint among residents, alongside a positive attitude towards its key dimensions like mobility, living, and the environment. Older citizens, those with lower educational attainment, and individuals from mainland China showed greater understanding and support. Interviews highlighted concerns about coordination, bureaucratic processes, data privacy, and public involvement. Focus group discussions revealed varied viewpoints, with some participants drawing comparisons to smart city developments in mainland China and expressing privacy concerns. The study underscores the importance of aligning smart city initiatives with residents’ needs and preferences through inclusive communication strategies and addressing concerns about data privacy and job displacement. Methodological triangulation enhances the validity and reliability of the research, revealing complex patterns and contradictions.