Sustainable Development Goals Research Articles

A preliminary investigation into the relationship between municipal debt and the financial viability of waterboards in South Africa

ABSTRACT The provision of water and sanitation services in South Africa is complex due to historical apartheid spatial planning whose remnants are still evident in the democratic country. The rural areas which are mostly occupied by black Africans still, on average, have water services backlog compared to urban areas. At a national level for South Africa to achieve the Sustainable Developmental Goal 6, the country must decisively deal with the backlog and a staggering more than R14 billion debt that the municipalities owe to the waterboards. The current study used the Municipal Strategic Self-Assessment and financial health (FH) check-up tools to determine if there is a causal relationship between the vulnerability of municipalities and the financial viability of waterboards. A linear regression was computed using the SPSS statistical programme to assess the relationship between the FH of the waterboards and the vulnerability index (VI) of the municipalities. It was found that a high VI was more prevalent in the rural municipalities than in the urban municipalities, pointing to a need to develop a differentiated financial framework for these rural municipalities. The study recommended that municipalities should implement remedial actions waterboards should perform FH check-ups, and there must be consequence management.

Sustainable development goals and corporate financial performance: Examining the influence of stakeholder engagement

AbstractThis study investigates the relationship between sustainable development goals (SDG) and corporate financial performance (CFP) in the motor vehicle manufacturing sector. Using a comprehensive dataset from CSRHUB database, covering 380 companies from 2016 to 2022, we analyze how SDG‐related disclosures—across depth, breadth, and concentration—impact financial metrics such as return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), return on invested capital (ROIC), and Tobin's Q. The study employs the system generalized method of moments (System GMM) to mitigate endogeneity concerns, ensuring robust results. Our findings reveal that while SDG initiatives positively influence CFP, the role of stakeholder engagement is pivotal. Firms with comprehensive SDG strategies and high stakeholder engagement experience superior financial outcomes. However, an overly narrow focus on specific SDG themes, even with strong stakeholder interactions, correlates with weaker financial performance. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on corporate sustainability by highlighting the moderating effect of stakeholder engagement in SDG disclosures. The findings offer practical implications for both policymakers and business leaders, suggesting a balanced approach to SDG reporting to maximize financial performance.

Integrating SDGs to village development plan through the provision of infrastructure: The case of best village panchayat in Kerala, South India

With the declaration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the importance of localisation principles and, consequently, the local-level institutions in implementing development policies came to the forefront. India adopted a thematic approach by condensing the seventeen goals into nine themes, to be worked upon by the local administrative units, furthering that each Village Panchayat (constitutionally known as Grama Panchayats) should select a theme in a plan year and strive towards attaining it. For the South Indian state of Kerala, with its good trajectory of decentralised governance, this localisation process of SDGs was rather smooth. In this article, we discuss the case of the best-performing Grama Panchayat (GP) in Kerala, which has identified ‘Village with Self-Sufficient Infrastructure’ as the development theme. Through qualitative research methodology, we examine how the Panchayat included projects specific to this theme in the development plans and how the implementation helped produce effects on multidimensional aspects of SDGs using the SDG Impact Assessment Tool. The case studies of different infrastructure-based projects endorse that with proper planning and implementation of such projects, the lowest tier of administration can significantly contribute to the improvement of development goals. We have delineated full fund utilisation through convergence schemes, community participation, and strong monitoring mechanisms as the factors leading the selected Panchayat to be the champion of the cause. The accomplishment exhibited by the Panchayat by integrating SDGs into the Village Development Plan through the projects on the theme of self-sufficient infrastructure can be well emulated by other local bodies across the world.

Examining the implementation of UN sustainable development goals in Brazilian universities

Purpose This study aims to examine how Brazilian universities have implemented the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in institutional practices, curriculum and teaching, management and community outreach programs. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on content analysis of the data sets of Brazilian higher education courses and their link to SDGs. A literature review has also been developed to integrate the knowledge of sustainability practices in Brazilian universities. Dashboards will be used to present the related findings. Findings Brazilian universities’ practices have concentrated their efforts on SDGs, which include responsible consumption and production, sustainable cities and communities and quality education. The literature emphasizes energy efficiency, reflecting its prominence as a subject of study among universities. Originality/value This research highlights the innovative use of data analysis techniques to present the findings. It also provides examples of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, frameworks and tools that can help sustainability management in this sector.

Enhancing Face Validity in Teaching Quality with Six Sigma Approach for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Objective: The Teacher Teaching Quality Instrument using the Six Sigma approach (T²Qi-6σ) is a new tool for assessing teaching quality in primary and secondary schools. As such, it is essential to carefully review each item in T²Qi-6σ for face validity, including an assessment of language use, sentence structure, vocabulary appropriateness, and spelling accuracy. This is useful in providing the empirical evidence for supporting sustainable development goals (SDG) initiatives specially to enhance the quality of item assessment. Theoretical Framework: This study aims to test the face validity of T²Qi-6σ using Content Validity Ratio (CVR) analysis by Lawshe (1975). This CVR adapted to be used for face validity even the method mainly applied for establishing content validity. Method: A total of ten assessors were selected using a purposive sampling technique consisting of six test takers and four language experts. The face validity of the T²Qi-6σ involves as many as 125 items with five primary constructs based on Six Sigma: define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. Results and Discussion: The quantitative findings of the study indicate that the instrument demonstrates strong face validity, with 113 items meeting the minimum CVR value (N=10, CVRcritical = 0.62). Efforts have been made to enhance 12 items that initially did not meet the minimum CVR value. In total, 125 items T²Qi-6σ show great promise as a psychometric measurement tool to enhance the quality of teaching among educators. Research Implications: T²Qi-6σ assists educators in enhancing their self-competence and teaching quality, offering benefits and implications for theory, the field of measurement, and the implementation of the Six Sigma approach in education in Malaysia. Originality/Value: The assessment of CVR indicates that T²Qi-6σ demonstrates high face validity and suitability for use. The consensus among the panel of assessors evaluating face validity clearly demonstrates that T²Qi-6σ is appropriate and relevant for use in the study aimed at enhancing the quality of teacher instruction through the Six Sigma approach. The use of Six Sigma aims to broaden the knowledge base for quality assessment in education, which has traditionally relied on similar methods. It would be intriguing to evaluate the impact of the Six Sigma DMAIC model in the Malaysian education sector.

Drivers of green innovation and green acquisition: empirical evidence from the food and beverage industry

Purpose Green innovation and green acquisition are key green marketing strategies. This paper aims to explore and compare the drivers of green acquisition and green innovation strategies firms adopt. Moreover, the moderating role of top management team (TMT) sustainability commitment is investigated. Design/methodology/approach The research model used secondary data based on 1,565 firm-year observations in the beverage and food industry in the US. The two-stage control function approach was used for data analysis. Findings Media attention motivates firms to pursue both green innovation and green acquisition. The TMT sustainability commitment plays a pivotal moderating role. It strengthens the link between environmental regulation stringency and green innovation but weakens the impact of media attention on green acquisition. Practical implications Managers can leverage the study’s findings to guide sustainable marketing decisions in response to environmental regulations and media scrutiny. Policymakers and investors can encourage firms to adopt more sustainable practices, helping align corporate strategies with Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 12. Originality/value Though green innovation determinants are extensively studied, most studies rely on surveys or qualitative methods rather than secondary data. Also, as an alternative to developing in-house green technologies or products, the drivers of green acquisition remain unclear despite its growing prevalence. This study addresses both gaps in the sustainable marketing literature.

Utilizing the Achievements of Data Acquiring Solution and Cloud Service Platform for China-Africa Cooperation on Satellite Remote Sensing Application

Abstract. This study examines the collaborative approach in China-Africa satellite remote sensing initiatives based on solutions of satellite data acquiring, sharing and application experiences. It specifically addresses the data coverage requirements and current coverage scenarios of China's natural resources land satellites in Africa. By establishing the China-Africa Cooperation Centers on Satellite Remote Sensing Application, adopting a multi-level distributed technology center model, and implementing cross-continental remote sensing cloud services through an internet-based cloud platform, this initiative aims to enhance the direct utilization of satellite data in Africa. Furthermore, strategic satellite observation window designs tailored to seasonal changes have increased the frequency of valid coverage over the entire African continent to at least once a year. Such advancements pave the way for real-time monitoring applications, particularly in crucial areas such as sustainable development projects and disaster response efforts. Therefore, the study also provides some useful case studies that are anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sustainable Development Goals and the Geosciences: A Review

Sustainable Development Goals and the Geosciences: A Review

Environmental Efficiency of Municipalities in the Araguaia River Valley in The State of Mato Grosso, Brazil: An Approach Via Data Envelopment Analysis

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental efficiency of municipalities located in the Araguaia River Valley, in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, focusing on the relationship between economic development and sustainability, aiming to identify practices that promote the conservation of biodiversity and the reduction of environmental impacts. Theoretical Framework: The text addresses concepts of sustainable development and sustainability, highlighting important distinctions between them. It highlights the relevance of urban planning, in association with the Sustainable Development Goals, as a tool for including environmental factors in promoting environmental quality and the well-being of communities. In this sense, the rational use of natural resources appears to be a preponderant and essential factor in ensuring sustainability and promoting balanced development. Method: This is a qualitative and quantitative approach. The data were obtained through the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics website for the Gross Domestic Product variable and on the Terrabrasilis website for the deforestation variable, involving 25 municipalities in Mato Grosso, in the Araguaia river basin. Based on the data, the R software was used to process the information, using a mathematical model based on Data Envelopment Analysis. Results and Discussion: The results showed a low level of environmental efficiency in the VRS model, with average values ​​of 0.25762 (2017), 0.21655 (2018), 0.36978 (2019), 0.214396 (2020) and 0.28803 (2021). A minority of municipalities were highlighted in environmental efficiency, indicating that they are located on the DEA production frontier, pointing to a balance between environmental protection and economic growth. The success of the municipalities that stood out demonstrates the importance of planning, social mobilization and commitment, it is possible to reverse or minimize the scenario of environmental degradation. Research Implications: The study points to the need for public policies aimed at improving the environmental efficiencies of municipalities that showed lower performance, especially minimizing deforestation. Originality/Value: The originality of the study focuses on the importance of studies aimed at measuring environmental efficiency in the municipalities that make up the cerrado, highlighting the importance of preserving and conserving this biome.

Examining the Utilisation of Pascal’s Triangle for Community Development and Allocation of Resources in Eastern Uganda

Challenges ranging from resource scarcity to social deprivation and environmental concerns confront the East Region of Uganda. Let’s focus on Pascal’s Triangle as a conceptual model to deal with the problems of unjust resource distribution among communities. This model, which is a triangular arrangement of numbers, affords an opportunity to gain useful insights into community interactions and the process of resource distribution. Understanding Pascal’s triangle’s mathematical nature is a key driving force behind realistic and feasible resource allocation methods and community development approaches. Equal resource distribution methods, clear resource allocation mechanisms, community involvement, and multi-level cooperation are essential for promoting fairness and resilience. East Ugandan communities celebrate diversity as a resource for social cohesion, creativity, and resilience. Collaboration and unity are keys to getting over the difficulties and achieving great heights. It creates resilience and sustainability through community-based organisations, cooperative ventures, and participatory decision-making processes. When involved in solving complex problems, education serves as a key tool for empowering individuals and communities. Participatory decision-making creates a degree of transparency and representativeness in resource allocation. Merging community building and resource deployment with SDGs ensures sustainability and durability. Policies and programmes that address gender issues and encourage community participation are the keys to improving inclusivity. This review article examines Community Building and Resource Allocation: Learning from the Pascal Triangle in Eastern Uganda: Insights. We used data from the last decade (2014–2024) available from many reliable data sources. The findings advocate for community participation in decision-making, the implementation of policies that promote gender equality and social inclusion, collaboration among stakeholders, and the prioritization of education and capacity building, in addition to the integration of Sustainable Development Goals into community development plans and the strengthening of local governance institutions for equitable resource distribution. To solve complicated issues in the east of Uganda, it’s imperative to put more emphasis on equal resource allocation, community mobilisation, and social integration. Apply the insights from Pascal’s Triangle to foster communities that are adaptable, inclusive, and stable. Keywords: Community Building, Resource Allocation, Pascal’s Triangle, East Uganda, Resilience, Sustainable Development Goals

Artificial intelligence through the lens of hospitality employees: A systematic review

The hospitality industry has undergone a comprehensive transformation with the infusion of artificial intelligence into its processes, but the employees’ adoption of artificial intelligence has been scantly studied. This systematic review comprises 80 empirical articles listed in the Scopus database that study hospitality employees as key participants, which were selected using the PRISMA approach. We used bibliometric analysis to identify the most prominent countries, journals, authors, and keywords and then applied the TCCM framework to gain a deeper understanding. The synthesis draws upon various theories, characteristics, contexts, and methodologies. The prominent antecedents, outcomes, mediators, and moderators are identified while highlighting their linkage. This study will help managers, policymakers, and owners comprehensively understand AI adoption and its impact on hospitality employees. The future research agenda provides theoretical, contextual, empirical, and methodological directions paving the way for hospitality to move toward the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Different sustainability endgames: Institutional logics in the performance management of local governments

IMPACT Local governments operate in institutionally complex environments where overlapping values, rules and priorities shape their actions. This article explores how such complexity directly impacts the production of sustainability performance information. By examining various institutional logics within local governments, the study highlights how these differing perspectives lead to diverse approaches in managing sustainability performance. The article introduces three potential ‘endgames’—sustainability as a brand, strategy or raison d’être—each representing a distinct path for integrating sustainable development goals (SDGs) into local governance. These endgames provide local government managers, specialists, and sustainability co-ordinators, with a framework to reflect on the priorities and rationales behind current sustainability performance management practices. This article is essential reading for those seeking to develop meaningful performance measurement for the SDGs.

SUBLIMATION-BASED CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY (SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS 9 and 15) TO DEVELOP CURCUMIN NANOPARTICLES BY SOLVENT-FREE GREEN CHEMISTRY METHOD FOR THEIR ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTICANCER ACTIVITY

Objective: This research aimed to develop a new, cost-effective, solvent/surfactant/supercritical carbon dioxide-free, sublimation-based method to prepare curcumin nanoparticles. The research objective was to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-3,9 and 15). The problem of poor absorption of curcumin is sorted out by micro or nanonization, solid dispersion, solid solution, β-cyclodextrin complexation, micelle formation, and solution-enhanced dispersion by supercritical carbon dioxide. Methods: The curcumin, mixed with menthol, was allowed to melt at 29 °C and placed under vacuum for 6 H (h). The menthol sublimates and leaves the curcumin particles as residue. The residual curcumin particles were characterised, and stability studies were also performed. Results: The curcumin nanoparticles were stable, in the nano-size range (10-300 nm); Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) showed the presence of CH3 and CH2 bending, aromatic C=C and C=O stretching, aromatic CC and OH stretching, aliphatic C-H bending, aromatic-OH bending with both pure curcumin and curcumin nanoparticles, that no change in bonds and groups, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed the temperature (T) =162.03, 185.64 and peak maximum is 177.986 for pure curcumin while T=164.43, 185.68 and peak maximum is 177.784 for curcumin nanoparticles that indicated compatibility between curcumin and menthol. The curcumin nanoparticles showed improved solubility, dissolution, and antioxidant activity by calculating Inhibitory Concentration50 (IC50) value 114.51 and in vitro cytotoxicity (IC50=165.6±0.084 µg/ml) of curcumin nanoparticles against MCF-7, a human breast cancer cell line with estrogen, progesterone, and glucocorticoid receptors. Conclusion: It concluded that the sublimation technique can used to prepare the nanoparticles of drugs or might be for thermo-labile drugs.

Why anti-corruption projects and programmes fail in some African countries: a case study of an anti-corruption project that drowned in corruption and the lessons learned

Purpose The pandemic of corruption in Africa reflects the more general climate of the lack of both ethical leadership and appropriate anti-corruption systems found throughout most of the continent. The purpose of this study is to examine the manner in which corruption was perpetrated in an anti-corruption project that was intended to produce outcomes to reduce and control said corruption, in a sub-Saharan Africa country, for sustained development outcomes, including progress in meeting the sustainable development goals. Design/methodology/approach Based on a field experience, and drawing on the active participant observation research methodology, buttressed by open-ended interviews, this work provides a qualitative analysis and assessment case study of corruption in the implementation process of the anti-corruption project. Findings It is shown that corruption remains a significant barrier to positive development outcomes, especially in those environments where certain social norms and collectivist behaviour are prominent. In such environments, special systems need to be in place for project implementation success even in cases where a project itself is designed to reduce and control that corruption. Key lessons learned include the imperatives of recruiting qualified and ethical personnel and the importance of country ownership, political will and persistent project monitoring including by the citizen beneficiaries of sustainable development projects. Originality/value The paper’s value is the insights it provides through the mapping of the key lessons learned for successful implementation of projects and systems to control corruption and improve ethical behaviour in Africa and beyond.

Prioritization of the Sustainable Development Goals in the sustainability transition process of sport organizations: national strategies and sport managers’ perspectives

Prioritization of the Sustainable Development Goals in the sustainability transition process of sport organizations: national strategies and sport managers’ perspectives

Recent communication disorders research through the lens of the sustainable development goals

Recent communication disorders research through the lens of the sustainable development goals

Framework for crowdfunding sustainable development goals projects using blockchain

Framework for crowdfunding sustainable development goals projects using blockchain

Maritime Justice, Environmental Crime Prevention, and Sustainable Development Goal 14

Maritime Justice, Environmental Crime Prevention, and Sustainable Development Goal 14

The sustainable challenge: Where does social psychology stand in achieving the sustainable development goals?

The United Nations Agenda 2030, inclusive of its 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), serves as the global blueprint for sustainability for both present and future generations. Scientific research is entrusted with the responsibility of contributing by informing the current situation and future challenges in achieving the SDGs. This paper investigates the role of social psychology in contributing to the SDGs and the environmental, economic and social pillars of the UN Agenda. We analysed 4808 papers using Natural Language Processing to identify (i) the relevance of social psychology within the SDG-related literature and (ii) the current and potential contribution of social psychology to the SDGs. Results highlight that social psychology contributes to the SDGs by addressing typical social issues, primarily those related to health and gender, while noting its under-representation in some environmental and economic areas, despite social psychology well-established research on these topics. This paper introduces a novel approach for assessing the SDGs, fostering a critical reflection on the SDG framework and social psychology to guide less explored research paths. This approach could potentially enhance the evaluation and advancement of the 2030 Agenda, facilitating a deeper dialogue between the scientific community and policymakers, driving social change.

Science and Innovation Management: Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 9 as Challenges for Poland

This manuscript continues the series of research publications on Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 9 (SDGs 8 and 9). Innovations play an essential role in the global and national economies, as they contribute to the growth of economic productivity, the creation of new products, services, and jobs, and improve the quality of life. In the context of innovation, economy and artificial intelligence (AI) are the ideological and technological components of the innovation process. The authors hypothesized that the Polish system for assessing the importance of scientific economic journals is ineffective for social development and for creating an innovation-based economy. The research methods are a scientometric analysis of 795,070 scientific sources by the keywords “Economy” and “Artificial Intelligence”, a bibliometric analysis of 219,739 sources by the keywords “Economy”, “Economic productivity”, and “Innovation”, correlation analysis, and testing statistical hypotheses. The study led to the adoption of an alternative statistical hypothesis, which is a strong confirmation of the basic hypothesis. A new model for assessing the weight of scientific journals was created based on the existing system. Two management recommendations were formulated in the rules for determining the weight of journals. The high R2 value indicates that the new model effectively predicts the result. The correlation coefficient of the weight of journals in the new model is more than 98%. When verifying statistical hypotheses, a high significance level of 99.0 was used. The study’s practical significance is in the movement of Polish science to a leading place in the world market of scientific products.