Sustainable Transformation Research Articles

Methodological Approach to Assessing the Current State of Organizations for AI-Based Digital Transformation

In an era defined by technological disruption, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into business processes is both strategic and challenging. As AI continues to disrupt and reshape industries and revolutionize business processes, organizations must take proactive steps to assess their readiness and capabilities to effectively leverage AI technologies. This research focuses on the assessment elements required to evaluate an organization’s current state in preparation for AI-based digital transformation. This research is based on a literature review and practical insights derived from extensive experience in industrial system engineering. This paper outlines the key assessment elements that organizations should consider to ensure successful and sustainable AI-based digital transformation. This emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to assess the organization’s data infrastructure, governance practices, and existing AI capabilities. Furthermore, the research work focuses on the evaluation of AI talent and skills within the organization, considering the significance of fostering an innovative culture and addressing change management challenges. The results of this study provide organizations with elements to assess their current state for AI-based digital transformation. By adopting and implementing the proposed guidelines, organizations can gain a holistic perspective of their current standing, identify strategic opportunities for AI integration, mitigate potential risks, and strategize a successful path forwards in the evolving landscape of AI-driven digital transformation.

Traditional and Contemporary Eco-cosmologies Within Western and Christian Traditions: Green Shoots for Integral and Integrative Sustainability Transformation

This article traces persistent and important counter-narratives within Western and Christian traditions, which correlate more closely with many indigenous worldviews from across the globe than with dominant narratives from across these traditions. It posits that a paradigmatic transformation is required toward an integral and integrative eco-cosmology, one that embraces cosmic interconnection and complexity. This may emerge from green shoots emanating from a diverse range of traditions, including, importantly, from within the dominant Western tradition.

Real-world experiments as a teaching and learning approach for sustainable consumption education

PurposeThis paper aims to propose and evaluate an innovative approach to education for sustainable consumption (ESC) which empowers teenagers and young adults to improve sustainable consumption competences. This approach combines pedagogical learning approaches such as real-world learning (e.g. experiential learning and research-based learning) with transformative and transdisciplinary research approaches (i.e. real-world laboratory research).Design/methodology/approachThrough a transdisciplinary research design, the authors explore if real-world experiments (RWEs) offer a suitable approach for sustainable consumption education at schools. RWEs are a research approach for knowledge production, aiming to go beyond temporary interventions, to establish semi-permanent spaces for sustainability transformation and reflexive learning. To evaluate this proposal, the authors study already existing active teaching and learning approaches developed within and for ESC and put these in perspective, to define and understand the RWEs.FindingsInsights from a transdisciplinary research project which applied RWEs as a teaching and learning approach in German schools complement conceptual considerations. As a result, advantages, such as the development of core competencies among learners, but also challenges experienced, are illustrated. Though, the challenges found are not unique to the RWE, rather they point out important potentials for ESC through suggesting systematic changes in educational institutions and teaching approaches.Originality/valueThis paper explores RWEs as an active and participatory teaching and learning approach for sustainable consumption education at schools and delivers practical insights and a definition of RWEs as an innovative teaching and learning approach.

What You Get Is What You See—The Mutual Relationships between Images of Human Nature and Business Model Innovation

Despite considerable scholarly interest in the drivers of and barriers to business model innovation for sustainability transformations, scholars have not yet explored the role of images of human nature in this context. This is surprising because economic decisions are profoundly shaped by assumptions about humanity and its role in the world. Applying conceptual modelling as a methodological approach, this article sheds light on the mutual relationships between images of human nature and business model innovation. The main insights are twofold: First, images of human nature can be drivers of or barriers to business model innovation, as they enable or obstruct the adoption of new business models. Second, images of human nature can be challenged and adjusted through practical experiences with business models. The article concludes that images of human nature as representing an evolving holon have the greatest potential to push forward sustainability transformation by understanding humanity in a post-anthropocentric way and facilitating a profound reconsideration of business and economy. This study contributes to research on business model innovation by answering recent calls to advance theoretical perspectives on the factors that influence decision-making in innovation processes. It also helps research and practice to understand why certain business model innovations are preferred over others.

The climate wins! – How a gamification approach can foster sustainable consumption on university campuses and beyond

Purpose Educational institutions have a special social responsibility to initiate processes of sustainability transformation in society, nevertheless, activities that effectively address students as well as employees are rather moderate. To initiate change alongside strategic and political decisions, this paper aims to present findings of a gamification intervention (hereafter referred to as climate duel), which was implemented in a field study and tested to assess its potential as a supporting and transformative approach in a university context. Design/methodology/approach A three-month field study was conducted with two universities of applied sciences. The study included an environmental impact analysis of the two participating university departments, the conception and testing of the intervention and associated surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention in order to and to obtain feedback that would allow the duel to be scaled up at other universities or institutions. Findings Three hundred seventy-five people took part and saved 2.6 tons of greenhouse gas emissions through their participation in the climate duel and their corresponding behavioural changes. In addition, feedback from the participants yielded positive results in terms of behavioural changes and generated valuable evidence for future implementations. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement, especially in terms of supporting communication activities that promote social relatedness to motivate each other, share experiences or deal with implementation difficulties in everyday life. Originality/value Building on the promising effects of gamification, the study is a showcase for applied science. With the possibility of testing a theory-based intervention in practice, an implementable, effective and scalable measure for universities that helps to accelerate the transformation process is available.

The evolution of sustainable economic development: Trends, trade-offs and trajectories for balanced economic activities

This study presents a systematic examination of the paradigm shift towards mechanisms facilitating sustainable economic development, which has been instigated by the recognized deficiencies in conventional growth models pertaining to social, environmental, and economic dimensions. The discourse encompasses critical topics, including sustainable growth policies, environmental economics, sustainable entrepreneurship, poverty reduction strategies, green marketing and branding, and sustainable tourism. While discernible progress has been achieved, persistent challenges in areas such as inequality, climate change, resource management, and poverty necessitate further scrutiny. Future research endeavors may delve into understanding the motivations shaping sustainable development mechanisms, refining metrics to assess the impact of environmental entrepreneurship, and formulating strategies to address the intricate challenges associated with multifaceted poverty reduction. This shift towards balanced economic activities that promote environmental and social wellbeing is indispensable. Systematic, sustainable transformation encompassing governance, empowerment, renewable energy, and investments aligned with socio-ecological goals is imperative. And the impetus for sustainability integration is currently propelled by technological innovation, evolving consumer preferences, and widespread adoption across diverse sectors. This evolution signifies a collaborative trajectory to strike a delicate balance between economic growth and ecological limits for an equitable and sustainable development mechanism in the future.

Coupling Relationship between Urbanization and Green Total Factor Productivity in the Context of Population Shrinkage: Evidence from the Rust Belt Region of China

Northeast China, regarded as China’s Rust Belt, has been dealing with numerous issues related to societal transformation and ecological concerns. Data indicate that Northeast China has already become the most severely depopulated region. It is crucial for the region’s sustainable growth to figure out how to balance ecological and urban development in the face of population shrinkage. First, we measured the population shrinkage, urbanization, and green total factor productivity (GTFP) of each city. Second, we calculated the degree of coordination between urbanization and GTFP and spatially visualized it. Finally, we analyzed the influencing factors through further empirical evidence. The findings showed that Northeast China’s cities were generally becoming smaller in terms of population. Urbanization and GTFP both exhibited a climbing tendency, and overall coordination between the two grew gradually. The level of coordination declined as population shrinkage increased. Governmental, technological, and economic factors influenced the level of coordination. The role played by factors influencing coordinated development varied at different levels of shrinkage. The findings not only provide a new research perspective for understanding the coordinated development of socioeconomic and ecological environment in Northeast China, but also provide insights for further improving the relevant policies and promoting the sustainable development and transformation of the region.

System Thinking for Sustainable Water Management: The Use of System Tools in Sustainability Transitions

AbstractManaging water resources to meet current social, economic, and environmental needs without compromising the ability to meet those needs in the future, requires water managers to look beyond jurisdictional boundaries and their immediate supply operations, protect shared water and marine environments, resources and ecosystems from pollution and over-abstraction and deliver structural changes and resilient solutions to make the provision of water services sustainable. With a plethora of system tools increasingly available to support the sustainability transformation of water systems, sorting through their breadth and diversity to determine what is useful and what is not can be challenging. From a selection of 40 popular system tools grouped in terms of how they function, we review those most commonly used in water management through 35 water-related studies from the literature. Findings demonstrate that system tools are not a substitute for systems thinking and applying them alone does not qualify the development of systemic solutions. Systems thinking offers a powerful approach to first improving collective understanding of sustainability challenges related to water and then, in collaboration with a diverse group of stakeholders and the public, defining desired goals for water management and working together to make them a reality. System tools in that context can play an important role in facilitating the process and here we propose an overarching framework of how to select and apply available tools to facilitate a holistic, integrated, and interdisciplinary systems approach for water management and wider urban sustainability transitions.

Does institutional quality matter for financial inclusion? International evidence.

Financial inclusion is pivotal in supporting sustainable economic growth and social transformation. It is a key enabler for reducing poverty and uplifting prosperity. Improving financial inclusion has attracted significant attention from practitioners, academics, and governments. However, the asymmetric effect of institutional quality on financial inclusion contingent upon the income level has largely been neglected in the existing literature. As such, this study examines this asymmetric effect using the panel smooth transition regression for a sample of 110 countries globally from 2004 to 2020. Our empirical findings confirm the asymmetric effect of institutional quality on financial inclusion depending on the income level. Improved institutional quality is associated with extended financial inclusion in high-income and middle-income countries. However, low-income countries may not benefit from their institutional reform. Policy implications have emerged based on these empirical findings.

Valorisation of sawdust-based spent mushroom substrate for sustainable xylooligosaccharides production using low-cost crude xylanases from Aspergillus flavus KUB2

ABSTRACT Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a lignocellulosic waste after mushroom production is generally discarded without proper management. There is increasing interest in the sustainable transformation of lignocellulosic waste into high-value products. Within this context, the present study investigated the potential of the SMS from the cultivation of Pleurotus pulmonarius and Auricularia auricula on rubber tree wood sawdust as substrates for xylooligosaccharides (XOS) production. SMS samples from these two edible mushrooms were extracted using alkaline xylan extraction, producing maximum true recovery amounts of xylan in the range 34.61%–37.49% using 18% NaOH at 70 °C for 3 h. Production of XOS from alkaline-extracted xylan from the SMS samples of both mushroom species using economically crude xylanases from Aspergillus flavus KUB2 resulted in XOS (X2–X5) production of 241.47–249.04 mg/g, with X3 as the predominant XOS product. The produced XOS had excellent prebiotic activity and 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and contained high total phenolic contents. The combined beneficial bioactivities in terms of prebiotic and antioxidant properties suggested that the XOS produced from sawdust-based SMS samples of P. pulmonarius and A. auricula could be promising ingredients for both food and pharmaceutical applications.

Bottom‐up dynamics in circular innovation systems: The perspective of circular start‐ups

AbstractThe concept of circular economy (CE) is proposed to lead humanity toward a sustainable future. Public authorities increasingly build on CE narratives. The progress of private sector actors is key to enable more circular resource flows. Still, the world falls far short from becoming circular and large‐scale implementation of CE in actual problem–solution spaces is scarce. This study sheds light into the external strategies of circular start‐ups (CSUs) in building an adequate socio‐institutional embedding for circular business models (CBMs) and puts the findings in the context of CE and sustainability transformations research. CSUs are a distinct group of CE‐oriented actors that build and implement CBMs wholistically and from scratch. Thereby, they can directly and indirectly contribute to the creation of circular innovation systems. This study defines the common CE mission of CSUs, sets it in context of respective socio‐political CE missions, and scrutinizes the roles that CSUs adopt to drive systemic CE implementation. We observe that CSUs’ strategic interventions go further than only novelty creation. This article proposes and elaborates on four roles that CSUs adopt: conveners, reinforcers, pioneers, and champions. The roles differ according to the CSU business models, stakeholders, the institutional elements that are addressed, as well as the directionalities that CSUs set. The findings are discussed considering the governance, policies, and strategic management of various directionalities in which CE innovation develops. It sheds light on inadequacies and limitations for bottom‐up CE innovation in existing norms and cognition, policy, and network governance.

E-invoicing: A Catalyst for Digitalization and Sustainability

Abstract Background and Purpose Digitalization brings a wide range of opportunities for both digital and sustainable transformation. One of the first steps on this journey is the digitization of business documents and digitalization of business processes. The European Commission has recognised the advantages of digitalization, particularly in the context of e-invoicing, which can contribute significantly to economic prosperity and align with public policy goals such as deficit reduction and sustainable development. Despite the successful adoption of e-invoicing in the public sector, the uptake of e-invoicing in business-to-business (B2B) transactions is surprisingly low. This research focuses on Slovenia, a small European country that imple-mented e-invoicing as mandatory between enterprises and the public sector in 2015. Methods To investigate e-invoicing adoption in the wider population, we designed an online survey, which was conducted among 284 organizations in Slovenia. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 28 software. One sample t-test was used to evaluate the importance of identified advantages, barriers and incentives for e-invoicing usage. Further, we ran an inde-pendent sample t-test to identify statistically important differences in the importance of ad-vantages, barriers, and incentives between organizations with lower and higher levels of e-invoicing usage. Results The results showed that organizations recognize the benefits of e-invoicing well and perceive them as important. The most important barriers to e-invoicing adoption are related to the business environment, unawareness and lack of knowledge about how to implement e-invoicing. Desired incentives for wider e-invoicing adoption are related to easier and lower costs of technical implementation, provided training and education, including best practices, as well as the availability of government grants and other support measures on the state level, including legislation, public directory of business entities using electronic document exchange and service providers. Conclusion The paper provides important information for decision-makers and public ad-min-istrations to take appropriate measures and incentives to further support wider adoption of e-invoicing and exchange of other e-documents to exploit opportunities of digitalization better.

Even low levels of tree cover improve dietary quality in West Africa.

Forests are attracting attention as a promising avenue to provide nutritious and "free" food without damaging the environment. Yet, we lack knowledge on the extent to which this holds in areas with sparse tree cover, such as in West Africa. This is largely due to the fact that existing methods are poorly designed to quantify tree cover in drylands. In this study, we estimate how various levels of tree cover across West Africa affect children's (aged 12-59 months) consumption of vitamin A-rich foods. We do so by combining detailed tree cover estimates based on PlanetScope imagery (3 m resolution) with Demographic Health Survey data from >15,000 households. We find that the probability of consuming vitamin A-rich foods increases from 0.45 to 0.53 with an increase in tree cover from the median value of 8.8 to 16.8% (which is the tree cover level at which the predicted probability of consuming vitamin A-rich foods is the highest). Moreover, we observe that the effects of tree cover vary across poverty levels and ecoregions. The poor are more likely than the non-poor to consume vitamin A-rich foods at low levels of tree cover in the lowland forest-savanna ecoregions, whereas the difference between poor and non-poor is less pronounced in the Sahel-Sudan. These results highlight the importance of trees and forests in sustainable food system transformation, even in areas with sparse tree cover.

Assessing the Role of Green Finance in Enhancing Rural Economic Resilience and Environmental Sustainability

Green finance plays a key role in enhancing the resilience of rural economies and environmental sustainability. Rural economies have traditionally relied on natural resources, which makes them particularly vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation. By providing the necessary financial support, green finance can help rural areas invest in sustainable agricultural practices, upgrade aging infrastructure, implement resource conservation projects, and adopt clean energy and energy-efficient technologies. Green finance can facilitate shifts in agricultural practices, such as supporting organic farming, precision farming and conservation tillage. These practices help to increase land productivity, reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and conserve biodiversity, while increasing the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change. Green finance supports the sustainable transformation of rural infrastructure, such as the efficiency improvement of irrigation systems, the recycling of agricultural waste and the green transformation of rural energy, which helps to reduce environmental pollution and improve resource efficiency. The development of green finance also requires the support of relevant policies, including the establishment of a sound green financial system, the improvement of financial institutions’ awareness and assessment capacity of green projects, policy tools to incentivize green investment and credit, and the enhancement of rural communities’ awareness and acceptance of green finance.

What makes a change agent in environmental conflict transformation? Evidence from rural France

Transformation of agriculture towards increased sustainability is needed to meet the challenge of declining biodiversity. Nevertheless, stakeholders’ differing perceptions of what sustainability should be, and the multiplicity of possible ways to achieve it can lead to conflictual situations, highlighting the importance of conflict transformation as part of the broader sustainability transformation. If conflict transformation needs to be addressed to prevent the status quo persisting, such processes also reveal the state of social relations and allow us to analyze how collective actions could lead to broader transformations. Using three case studies involving conflicts around pesticide use in the region Bourgogne Franche-Comté (France), we investigate the hypothesis that transformation processes require the engagement of change agents who are motivated and able to overcome barriers to change. Results from 55 in-depth interviews with stakeholders highlight that transformational change depends less on the capacities of a single individual, and more on the mobilization of a plurality of heterogeneous actors (especially farmers, local authorities, and the general public). These actors need to carry out a range of activities that occur with and for others and have an influence on others. According to interviewees, the actors need to engage others, encourage new initiatives, create spaces for knowledge exchanges, and go beyond boundaries. The effectiveness of change agents also depends on the existence of participatory and proactive processes to bring individuals together to create or capitalize on windows of opportunity.

Catalytic Oxidation of Hydrocarbons

The catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons stands at the forefront of sustainable chemical transformations, offering pathways to selectively convert aliphatic and aromatic compounds into valuable oxygenated products [...]

Model‐based user experience‐focused roadmapping

AbstractTechnology roadmapping is an important yet challenging strategic process involving inter‐disciplinary knowledge and requiring key decision‐makers participation. To improve and facilitate this activity, a concept of model‐based technology roadmapping has been proposed in the literature as an application of model‐based systems engineering practices to the strategic planning domain. At the same time, many modern complex technical systems are required to be not only functional, efficient, and reliable, but also useful, usable, and desirable, which shifts the focus of planning to the user experience (UX). In this paper, we developed a Domain‐specific language that uniformly represents key concepts related to the four levels essential for strategic planning in the user‐oriented business context: market, UX design, engineering design, and technology. A collaborative interactive software was developed to support the proposed methodology. As a case study, a sustainable transformation of the automotive sector was tested and implemented in the software.

Sustainable energy transition strategies: A comparative review of CSR and corporate advising in the petroleum industry in the United States and Africa

This paper provides a concise overview of a comparative review focused on sustainable energy transition strategies within the petroleum industry in the United States and Africa, examining the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and corporate advising. As global concerns about climate change and environmental sustainability intensify, the petroleum industry faces increasing pressure to transition towards more sustainable energy practices. The study employs a comparative approach to analyze the distinct CSR initiatives and corporate advising strategies adopted by petroleum companies in the United States and Africa. By evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies, the research aims to identify best practices and potential areas for improvement in facilitating a sustainable energy transition. In the United States, where environmental regulations and societal expectations have been evolving rapidly, petroleum companies have increasingly embraced CSR initiatives to address environmental concerns. The study explores how these initiatives align with corporate advising strategies and whether they contribute significantly to the industry's sustainable transformation. Contrastingly, in Africa, where the petroleum industry plays a pivotal role in economic development, the study investigates the extent to which CSR initiatives and corporate advising are leveraged to balance economic growth with environmental responsibility. The research sheds light on unique challenges and opportunities faced by African petroleum companies in navigating the sustainable energy transition landscape. Through a comprehensive comparative review, this research aims to provide valuable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders interested in fostering sustainable energy transitions in the petroleum sector. By highlighting successful approaches and identifying potential pitfalls, the study contributes to the global discourse on aligning corporate practices with environmental sustainability goals, ultimately promoting a more responsible and resilient energy industry.

Low-Temperature Synthesis of Cyano-Rich Modified Surface-Alkalinized Heterojunctions with Directional Charge Transfer for Photocatalytic In Situ Generation and Consumption of Peroxides.

The synthesis of low-temperature poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) presents a significant challenge. In this context, we have developed a novel low-temperature synthesis strategy for PHI in this work. This strategy involves the introduction of Na+ ions, which etch and disrupt the conjugated structure of carbon nitride (CN) during assisted thermal condensation. This disruption leads to the partial decomposition of the heptazine ring structure, resulting in the formation of C≡N functionalities on the CN surface, which are enriched with hydroxyl groups and undergo cyano modification. The formation of heterojunctions between CN and ZnO, which facilitate charge transfer along an immobilization pathway, accelerated charge transfer processes and improved reactant adsorption as well as electron utilization efficiency. The resulting catalyst was employed for the room temperature, atmospheric pressure, and solvent-free photocatalytic selective oxidation of cumene (CM), achieving a cumene conversion rate of 28.7% and a remarkable selectivity of 92.0% toward the desired product, cumene hydroperoxide (CHP). Furthermore, this CHP induced oxidative reactions, as demonstrated by the successful oxidation of benzylamine to imine and the oxidation of sulfide to sulfoxide, both yielding high product yields. Additionally, the utilization of a continuous-flow device significantly reduces the reaction time required for these oxidation processes. This work not only introduces an innovative approach to environmentally friendly, sustainable, clean, and efficient PHI synthesis but also underscores the promising potential and advantages of carbon nitride-based photocatalysts in the realm of sustainable and green organic transformations.

Sustainable digital transformation path for manufacturing outwards foreign direct investment firms: Gradual or leapfrogging

Digital transformation plays an important role in improving the efficiency of production of enterprises and can provide strong support for green and sustainable development. Compared with domestic enterprises, outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) enterprises have greater access to advanced digital technology. This paper aims to analyze the path selection of green and sustainable production for the digital transformation of manufacturing outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) companies, whether gradual or leapfrogging. However, there is a lack of systemic game mechanisms and numerical simulation methods for heterogeneous enterprises. Based on the analysis of reverse technology spillover intensity of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) and differences in the absorptive capacity of enterprises, we have proposed the evolutionary game model for different path selection of digital transformation of manufacturing enterprises, due to heterogeneous enterprises under different spillover degrees with numerical analysis methods. The research results show that: (i) Under low reverse technology spillover intensity, all enterprises evolve to a gradual transformation path, and enterprises with weaker absorptive capacity converge faster; (ii) There is a certain threshold for reverse technology spillover. When reverse technology spillover intensity exceeds the threshold, enterprises with stronger absorptive capacity converge to a leapfrog transformation path, but enterprises with weak absorptive capacity converge to a gradual transformation path; (iii) With high reverse technology spillover intensity, all enterprises evolve toward a leapfrog transformation path, and faster convergence happens to enterprises with higher absorptive capacity. The evolutionary game path of digital transformation in manufacturing enterprises is illustrated in Fig. 1.