Sustainable Employment Research Articles

Promoting Agripreneurship as a Means of Employment in Ogun State

The integration of entrepreneurship into Nigeria's agricultural sector presents a promising avenue for addressing the country's persistent youth unemployment and food insecurity challenges. This study explores agripreneurship as a viable means of employment in Ogun State, focusing on various agripreneurship options, their perceived viability, and their potential to foster economic sustainability. A survey of 1,200 farm owners and workers randomly selected across diverse agriculture value chain in the three senatorial district of Ogun State was conducted. Data obtained were analysed with descriptive statistics and the hypothesis were tested with logistics regression analysis of the specified logit model. The results revealed that production-related activities, particularly poultry, livestock farming, and fishery, are perceived as the most viable agripreneurship options. However, input supply and support services require further development to enhance their attractiveness and viability. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to promote agripreneurship, particularly in underdeveloped areas, to maximize its potential for job creation and economic growth. However, challenges such as access to land, capital, and technology persist, hindering the full adoption of agripreneurship. The study concludes that promoting agripreneurship through targeted interventions could create sustainable employment opportunities for Nigerian youths, enhance agricultural productivity, and contribute to broader economic growth. The results also highlight the need for further development in areas like input supply and support services to make them more attractive to potential agripreneurs.

Sustainable employability and work outcomes: a prospective study.

In recent years, sustainable employability, rooted in the capability approach, has received substantial attention due to its associations with work and health-related outcomes. While previous studies have indicated that being able and enabled to achieve important work values (i.e., work capabilities) is positively associated with desirable work outcomes, most of these studies have primarily employed a cross-sectional design to explore these associations. This study aimed to examine the long-term relationships between work capabilities and work and wellbeing-related outcomes, including work ability, work engagement, task and creative performance, organizational citizenship behavior, organizational commitment, job and life satisfaction, turnover intention, and burnout symptoms. Data were collected from 251 randomly selected Dutch employees through a two-wave survey conducted in 2021 and 2023 via the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences panel. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess these associations while controlling for potential covariates. The results revealed that participants valued a diverse range of work capabilities but encountered challenges in realizing these valued capabilities. The capability set positively predicted desirable outcomes and was associated with reduced burnout over a two-year period. Supporting and enabling employees to realize their capabilities is essential for improving favorable work outcomes and diminishing burnout in today's volatile work environment. These findings further emphasize the importance of organizations improving conversion factors to bridge the gap between valued capabilities and their actualization.

Challenging dominant perspectives of digital literacy in Western higher education

The 21st-century work environment, for which universities prepare graduates, demands multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary competencies infused with digital literacy skills essential for sustainable employability (Baruch & Sullivan, 2022; Gürbüz, Bakker, Demerouti et al., 2023). Our increasingly digitalised society reinforces the need for learners to acquire digital competencies as part of their education (Gutiérrez-Ángel, Sánchez-García, Mercader-Rubio et al., 2022). Digital literacy, defined as the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate, and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies, is still an evolving concept (UNESCO, 2018). With the mandate to produce graduates capable of performing to expected standards in ever-changing work environments, higher education institutions continuously define the digital competencies of their graduates and how to develop them. This involves ongoing discussions about what students should learn to be digitally competent (curriculum), how they should be taught and supported (pedagogy), and the associated progression in learning (assessment) (Ilomäki, Lakkala, Kallunki et al., 2023). However, Western perspectives on learning and teaching in higher education often dominate these discussions. Given that most students in Australian universities come from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, there is a need to address this gap in the literature by considering alternative perspectives on curriculum, pedagogy, and assessments for digital literacy in higher education. This study presents findings from a critical integrative review of the literature (Whittemore & Knafl, 2005). The aim is to identify alternative perspectives in defining the digital competencies critical in preparing students for diverse socio-cultural work environments. To achieve this, a well-known meta-framework of digital literacy (Tran, Jung, Unangst et al., 2023; Martínez, Sádaba and Serrano-Puche, 2021) will be used to map digital competencies identified in global literature, exploring and challenging the concept of a digitally competent university graduate in today’s diverse world. The integrative review will also identify teaching and learning approaches (pedagogies) for developing students’ digital competencies from socio-cultural perspectives, as discussed in the literature (Mahn and John-Steiner, 2012). Peer-reviewed articles, reports, and e-book chapters will be searched in global literature, with inclusion criteria focusing on keywords such as digital literacies, digital competencies, socio-cultural learning theory, teaching pedagogies, curriculum design, and learner support. Databases will include ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science. Relevant data will be extracted using an Excel sheet, and thematic and interpretive analyses will be employed to synthesise the data critically. The findings will provide insights into how socio-cultural differences influence the valued aspects of digital literacy and how they are taught or assessed in higher education. This research will also offer critical insights into how teachers can inclusively support diverse students, considering unique ways to recognise prior educational experiences, learning preferences, and needs. The final output will be a conceptual framework for teaching and learning digital literacy in Western high education from socio-cultural perspectives. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a much-needed international perspective on what it means to be a digitally competent graduate in Australia and globally.

Determining the effect levels of augmented decent work criteria in sustainable economic development with the fuzzy DEMATEL method

Creating decent work is among the priority issues for sustainable employment and development. This study aimed to determine the effect levels of the International Labour Organization (ILO) decent work criteria by augmenting nine indicators in the ILO manual to 12 criteria through a comprehensive literature review. Fuzzy DEMATEL, a multi-criteria decision-making method, has been preferred in this context. According to the analysis results of the study, the most heavily ranked criteria are ‘healthy workplace environment’, ‘decent working hours’ and ‘safe working conditions’ respectively, which contribute to the decent work concept. Further, ‘balance between work–family–personal life’ has been found the most affected criterion, while ‘education and training system’ has been the most affecting. Based on the findings, remedial and developing strategies are suggested on issues such as corporate culture, working hours regulation, safe working environment, subordinate–superior relations, social activities and regulations that take family life into account.

Understanding the Process of Persistence in Non-traditional Adult Education Students

In the state of Utah, adult education students often leave their programs before 100 hours of instruction, which can leave students without the necessary academic knowledge, skills, and credentials to move forward with postsecondary education and training or employment opportunities. This phenomenological study examines the key factors of persistence in non-traditional students ages 25 and over in an urban adult education program who continued beyond 100 hours of instruction. A semi-structured interview protocol was used to interview 14 students about factors that caused them to stay in an adult education program. The interviews with students examined dispositional, institutional, situational, and motivational factors through a student involvement lens. Findings of this study indicate that students who persist generally have high degrees of involvement. While students had fears and concerns about engaging with adult education, the personnel and culture of the program helped them overcome their unease. Students also had a growth mindset that created expectations of discomfort and effort. Institutional factors such as allowing students to choose the modality of instruction and schedule, having focused and relevant instruction, feeling seen, being treated with respect, communicating regularly with students, tracking progress, and providing quality instruction all helped students persist in the program. Students were motivated to persist because of family and a personal desire to move forward. As programs intentionally impact the institutional factors identified in this study, students will be more likely to persist in adult education programs long enough to build the knowledge and skills necessary to find personal success and sustainable employment.

Social entrepreneurship – inclusive disability employment in the UAE

This paper explored the transition of a disability inclusive employment programme in a private landscaping company into a standalone social enterprise ENABLE, offering horticultural training and sustainable jobs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The research question that guided this study is: How did ENABLE evolve from a sheltered employment programme into a social enterprise that provides sustainable employment for persons with IDD? And what is the prevailing influence on the employees and the society at large? Through qualitative descriptive analysis, we explored ENABLE's development, operations, and community influence. Multiple data collection methods were utilized including semi-structured interviews with key employers, observation of employees with IDD during their working hours, and analysis of related documents. By critically analysing this journey, this study contributes to the literature on entrepreneurial inclusive employment for individuals with IDD, addressing challenges faced by organisations that support disability employment in the UAE and beyond.

State Regulation of Employment in Kazakhstan: Labor Market and Ways of Development

State regulation of population employment (hereinafter – SREP) is critical in ensuring national stability and prosperity. The present study aims to explore avenues for enhancing SREP in Kazakhstan and formulate actionable implementation proposals. The methodology employed encompasses scientific abstraction, comparative analysis through induction and deduction, communication analysis, statistical data analysis, and an integrated approach to generate comprehensive insights. The study reveals a 1-3% increase in the workforce and self-employed individuals over the past three years, which signifies moderate but consistent growth in labor participation. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a temporary 2% rise in unemployment in 2022, a setback followed by a reduction to 1% by the end of 2023, indicating a gradual improvement in labor market conditions. The study proposes innovative measures aimed at fostering job creation, especially in emerging sectors such as information technology and the “green” economy, emphasizing the need for strategic investment in these areas. Furthermore, recommendations are provided to support entrepreneurship and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, which are pivotal for sustainable employment growth. The findings of this research indicate that the proposed measures have the potential to enhance employment levels and contribute to overall economic growth significantly. The contribution of this study lies in identifying effective strategies for further development and enhancement of SREP to increase employment opportunities and promote economic resilience in Kazakhstan. Future research will examine the impact of legislative changes on employment, the implications of automation and digitalization, and provide a comparative analysis of successful international employment regulation practices.

Innovative approaches to measuring and promoting employee vitality and sustainable employability

Abstract Background Employers find it difficult to develop interventions for vitality and sustainable employability (SE), particularly for employees in low-skilled jobs. Measures based on the employee perspective on SE that would give direction to interventions fall short, and effective programs to improve vitality and SE in this group are lacking. This study aims (1) to get insight into the effect and implementation of an innovative organizational, dialogue-based approach ‘Healthy HR’ (HHR)* to promote job control and SE, and (2) to refine and further validate the Maastricht Instrument for SE (MAISE)-Easy (an HHR tool for needs assessment). Methods (1) An effect evaluation with a pretest-posttest design with a 1 year follow up (N = 71), and a mixed-methods process evaluation were conducted. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews with employees and employers (N = 26), focus groups (N = 4) and logbooks. (2) A questionnaire containing the MAISE-Easy-items, proxy variables (health and vitality) and demographics was answered by 1223 employees from 7 organizations. Construct validity, reliability and criterion validity were tested through PCA, CFA, Cronbach’s alpha and correlations. Results (1) A higher dose of HHR resulted in better job control and SE (n.s.). HHR had a positive impact on the awareness level of vitality and healthy workplaces of all stakeholders. (2) Reliability, construct and criterion validity of the MAISE-Easy were good, and MAISE-Easy 2.0 was constructed. This tool consists of 8 scales and 20 items divided over 4 areas: (1) Level of SE; (2) Factors affecting my SE; (3) Overall responsibility for SE; and (4) Responsibility for factors affecting my SE. Conclusions MAISE-Easy 2.0 is a valuable, valid and reliable tool in HHR which serves as a needs assessment for SE interventions. The innovative participatory approach HHR can improve job control and SE of employees in low-skilled jobs by giving them an active voice. *doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11278-7 Key messages • Healthy HR (HHR) is an effective, organisational dialogue-based approach (online toolkit) to promote job control, vitality and sustainable employability (SE) of employees in low-skilled jobs. • MAISE-Easy-2.0 (Maastricht Instrument for SE) is a new and thoroughly validated HHR tool for needs assessment, which measures SE and the responsibility for SE from the employee perspective.

Wellbeing, career satisfaction, and educational requirements in healthcare assistants in Ireland

Abstract Background The long-term residential care (LTRC) sector in Ireland relies heavily on Health Care Assistants and Carers (HCAs). This workforce has become increasingly diverse in recent years, often relying on non-national temporary workers with varying levels of education. In 2022, of 22,495 HCAs and 5,289 Healthcare Support Assistants working in 563 nursing homes caring for some 30,000 residents, 22% were non-national. Their plight became evident during COVID-19 which had profound consequences in the LTRC sector. Objectives In this study, we investigate the recruitment, training, employment terms and conditions of HCAs in Ireland, as well as their general well-being and career satisfaction. Methods A cross-sectional study of members of ‘Care Assistance Ireland’, for which ethics approval was granted for an estimated sample of 1,052, is conducted. Validated instruments used are: the Maastricht Instrument for Sustainable Employability (MAISE); Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES); General Wellbeing Schedule (GWBS) and Minnesota Career Satisfaction Survey (MCSS). Results The internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) of GWBS and MCSS instruments were high. The response rate in the selected sample is estimated circa 60%, the majority being female and qualified. General well-being status will be investigated once all responses are submitted. Spearman correlation is predicated to show moderate to strong positive correlations (0.2-0.9) for all GWBS and MCSS questionnaires questions. While MAISE and UWES are still under investigation. It is predicted that there is variability in the requirements for, and terms and conditions of, employment among HCAs in Ireland, while job security remains a concern. Conclusions These findings reinforce the importance of ensuring standards for recruitment, training, job security and well-being for the LRTC workforce. The lack of educational requirements for HCAs in some settings is a critical consideration. Key messages • Findings will impel a more agreeable, consistent entry award in the healthcare system. • It profiles career needs of HCAs outlining the long-term shortfalls preventable with health policy enactments.

The show must go on: fostering residents’ sustainable employability in medical education – a qualitative exploration of the Resident Leadership Program

BackgroundResidents’ sustainable employability (SE) is threatened by high burn-out rates, sleep deficits, and career dissatisfaction. Medical education may contribute to residents’ SE by providing them with opportunities to influence their employment contexts and to develop conscious self-regulation. This paper explores how residents, participating in the Resident Leadership Program (RLP), are enabled to work on, and learn about, their SE.MethodsThe RLP took place between February and July 2021 and consisted of lectures on, and practice in, quality improvement (QI) work. SE was the theme that governed residents’ QI projects. In this study, residents were interviewed individually before the program (n = 8), were observed while participating in the program (45 h) and were interviewed in three groups after the program (n = 8). The data were analysed in accordance with the ‘flexible-coding’ method.ResultsThe findings are presented in four ‘acts’ mirroring an unfolding play as a metaphor to show how residents’ understanding of context, self-regulations, and quality improvement work—relevant to their SE—changed in the RLP. The acts include ‘setting the stage’, describing how residents experienced the context of medicine; ‘acting the part’, depicting how residents managed their employment contexts using self-regulation; ‘changing the décor’, elaborating on residents’ QI projects; and ‘growing one’s role’, presenting residents’ take-aways from participating in the RLP that may benefit their SE. These take-aways encompassed awareness of the importance of SE, a reconsideration and/or adjustment of self-regulation, feeling better equipped to navigate employment contexts, and increased joy in work because of contributing to peers’ SE through QI work.ConclusionsOur results indicate that medical education is a fruitful environment for providing important lessons and tools for residents to work on and learn about their SE, likely benefiting their SE throughout their careers.

Transplantation: A Priority in the Healthcare Agenda.

In November 2023, in the context of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Organization National de Transplante organized a global summit discussing global action in transplantation for the next decade. This article reports the recommendations supporting the need to prioritize transplantation in healthcare systems. The working group investigated how transplantation addresses noncommunicable disease mortality, particularly related to kidney and liver disease. They also investigated how transplantation can contribute to the achievement of several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 3 (good health and well-being), Goal 8 (sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and employment for all), and Goal 13 (combat climate change and its impact). By prioritizing transplantation, the increased availability and accessibility of life-saving organs and tissues to the public will not only lead to saving more lives and improving health outcomes for individual patients but also contribute to the development of a resilient health system in general in that country as a consequence of developing the infrastructure required for transplantation. The ethical principles associated with transplantation promote the principles of solidarity in society by fostering the donation process and equity in access to therapy. This article aims to advocate for the widespread availability of solid organ, tissue, and cell transplantation for all patients.

Managing Financial Risks of Global Companies Through Corporate Social Responsibility: The Specifics of Sustainable Employment in Developed and Developing Countries

The motivation for this research was the desire to disclose the social nature of the financial risks of global companies: the authors attempted a scientific explanation of the influence of corporate social responsibility, which is manifested through the preservation and creation of additional jobs, on the financial risks of global companies. The research aims to establish the interdependence between financial risks and sustainable employment in global companies. This goal is achieved using the SEM (structural equation modeling) method based on corporate statistics from the Fortune “Global 500” rankings for 2021–2023. As a result, the consequences of global companies’ CSR (corporate social responsibility) practices in personnel management and financial risk management are modeled and described through quantitative and qualitative patterns. The established regularities proved that for developed and developing countries, the larger the number of employees, the lower the financial risks of global companies—the risk of a decrease in profitability, the risk of loss of profit, and the risk of depreciation of assets. The main conclusion is that there is a close systemic relationship between the financial risks of global companies and their workforce size, suggesting that CSR is key to highly effective financial risk management. A clear distinction between the practices of financial risk management through CSR in developed and developing countries forms the basis of the theoretical significance of the research results. The authors provide recommendations to improve the current practice of financial risk management in global companies by integrating it more closely with personnel management practices, highlighting their managerial relevance. It is proposed that corporate strategies for global companies in developed countries should focus on reducing the risk of declining profitability, as CSR has the most pronounced and consistent impact on this particular financial risk. In developing countries, corporate strategies are recommended to be structured by diversifying the areas of CSR application, with the most promising in financial risk management being the reduction in asset depreciation risk and the reduction in profitability risk. The findings of this research have practical significance because they enhance the predictability of CSR activities of global companies and open up opportunities for highly accurate forecasting of the financial risk implications of ensuring sustainable employment by global companies, considering the specificities of developed and developing countries.

Sustainable development in African countries: evidence from the impacts of education and poverty ratio

This paper uses the autoregressive-distributed lag model to investigate the effects of education, poverty, trade volume, ICT development, and GDP per capita on sustainability in the 15 largest African economies from 1999 to 2019. The results show a positive correlation between higher tertiary education rates and sustainability, emphasizing the importance of investing in education for sustainable development. In contrast, higher poverty rates are linked to lower sustainability, highlighting the need for poverty reduction efforts. Increased trade volumes are associated with reduced sustainability, indicating the challenges of trade liberalization policies in achieving sustainability goals. However, ICT development has a significant positive impact on sustainability. Interestingly, higher GDP per capita is linked to lower sustainability, potentially due to unsustainable consumption patterns and social inequalities. Policy recommendations for promoting sustainable development in African countries include targeted measures focusing on education and poverty reduction. Gender-friendly policies and initiatives to eliminate educational disparities, especially among marginalized groups, can enhance human capital development. Additionally, promoting e-businesses and sustainable entrepreneurship, along with attracting foreign investment for sustainable education and employment initiatives, can drive economic growth while minimizing environmental impact and fostering inclusive development.

Relationship between Agriculture Growth and the Unemployment Rate in Iraq (1991–2022)

Purpose: The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between agriculture development and unemployment rate for the period of 1991-2-2022 in Iraq. Theoretical framework: In the context of agricultural employment, agriculture is recognised as a crucial component of economic advancement and emphasises the significance of efficiently utilising all available resources, including human resources (Alsudani & Al-Hiyali, 2021). Moreover, the growth of agricultural and the unemployment rate have been used as two indicators to evaluate the significance of the agriculture sector(Jongerden et al., 2019). Design/methodology/approach: In order to examine whether there exists a real correlation between unemployment rate and agriculture growth in Iraq, we utilize yearly secondary data and apply extensive methodology that includes unit root tests, correlation analysis, co-integration tests, and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach. Findings: the results of emperical examinations highlight a negative relationship between agricultural growth and the unemployment rate; that is, as agriculture growth increases, so does the unemployment rate decrease. Research, Practical & Social implications: The findings can provide insights for well-informed policy decisions and strategies to promote sustainable growth and employment generation in Iraq. In addition, for future research we suggest to include more macroeconomic variables in oreder to have intensive understanding real impacts of agriculture sector on economic growth and laboure force of countries. Originality/value: The results document that the connection between both agriculture development and unemployment rate is not positive, it means that unemployment rate will decrease if growth in agriculture increase.

Individual placement and support (IPS) – a time-out from modernity: an investigation on the relationship between IPS specialists and clients

ABSTRACT This study examines how evidence-based individual placement and support (IPS) interventions can be perceived to go beyond their constituent principles and fidelity scale to foster a relationship between IPS specialists and clients guided by three principles that promote deceleration and resonance, concepts put forward by Hartmut Rosa. This article is based on a case-study involving two municipalities in Denmark where the IPS method was implemented, resulting in high fidelity and good job outcomes. This study shows that when IPS specialists adhere to the IPS model, their relationship with their clients was seemingly guided by three values, namely, patience in securing sustainable employment, persistence in experimenting with employment and accepting and dealing with barriers to employment. These values originate from the evidence-based IPS approach and principles, but they can be interpreted to supplement the IPS model and form a professional practice. This practice promotes deceleration of social life as well as the immersion of clients in a resonant relationship with job opportunities, with their own mental health and with IPS specialists. The IPS intervention is in sharp contrast to the regular employment service wherein clients are pressured into taking jobs they do not want before they are ready to work. In this sense, the relationship IPS clients establish with IPS specialists is a time-out from modernity.

How Important are Employability Skills to Business Students?

Research has indicated that educational institutions and the job market are facing many challenges, one being the required employability skills of graduates upon recruitment. This study aimed to explore how important employability skills are to business students. The research method used a sample of 123 questionnaires and 20 interviews of business students from one Saudi Arabian university. The main findings indicated that the participants considered all the mentioned employability skills highly to very highly important according to the students’ academic year and choice of future job but with no significant differences. However, Sophomore year students indicated a high positive significant difference in considering leadership as the most important skill over their junior and senior year counterparts. The findings further indicated the communication and leadership skills of high importance which contradicts the findings in the literature where life-long learning, tolerance, and language skills are considered of high importance. Additionally, the interview responses showed insufficient knowledge on the part of the students to develop their own skills to meet the market needs and maintain sustainable employment. Implications of the present study show that there is a need for urgent collaboration between educational institutions and job markets to identify, orient, and train students in needed employability skills. Future research on matching stakeholders’ employability skills is recommended.

Organizational Transformation at Desa Berdaya Foundation (Lokadesa) through a Social Entrepreneurship Approach to Foster Local Entrepreneurs within the Framework of Achieving SDGs 8.3

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to explore the organizational transformation of the Desa Berdaya Foundation through a social entrepreneurship approach to foster local entrepreneurs contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8.3. The social entrepreneurship approach is deemed relevant to enhance the sustainability and social impact of the foundation in empowering village communities Research Methodology: This study employs a qualitative method that utilizes data collection techniques such as in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and document analysis. Results: The research findings indicate that organizational transformation at the Desa Berdaya Foundation involves four main stages: reframing, restructuring, revitalization, and renewal. In the reframing stage, the foundation adjusts its vision and mission to focus on the development of the food sector as key to economic empowerment in villages. The restructuring stage involves the reorganization of the organizational structure to be more efficient and effective in achieving new goals. Revitalization focuses on enhancing team competencies through intensive training and mentoring in the agricultural field. The renewal stage involves the adoption of an integrated farming system to improve productivity and resource efficiency. This transformation has proven to be successful in creating an environment that supports the growth of local entrepreneurs. The improvement in competencies and strategic adjustments of the foundation have increased economic independence in the villages, aligning with SDGs 8.3, which focuses on promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. Recommendation: The research recommends ongoing evaluation of the implemented transformation strategies and strengthening partnerships with various stakeholders to achieve a broader social impact. This study contributes significantly to the literature on social entrepreneurship and non-profit organizational management in the context of village community empowerment.

How Can Revitalizing Traditional Handicraft And Cottage Industries In Rural India Contribute To Sustainable Economic Growth And Employment Generation In The 21st Century?

There exists tremendous potential for the growth of sustainable economic growth and employment generation in the traditional handicraft and cottage industry of rural India. Although these industrial activities are of cultural importance and have collectively contributed to local economies, they are disappearing as a result of rapid industrialization, globalization, and competition from mass production. This research investigates how these sectors can be revitalized to help India achieve sustainable development in the 21st century, by creating employment, reducing poverty, and preserving cultural heritage. This study draws on statistical data, case studies, and successful global examples to identify key barriers including lack of infrastructure, marketing challenges, lack of access to finance, and competition from mass-produced goods. It also provides strategies to cope with these challenges such as skill development, opening up of microcredit access, market diversification, export promotion, and regulatory reforms. The research shows that government policies play a critical role in subsidizing and incentivizing, promoting geographical indications for handicrafts, and simplifying business regulations. It encourages inclusive entrepreneurship in rural areas, empowering artisans and entrepreneurs (women and youth), along with creatively co-creating livelihood and business opportunities. Revitalizing traditional industries can help achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as decent work, economic growth, and responsible consumption and production, according to the findings. This study offers a roadmap for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders to enable the sustainable growth of traditional industries across the villages of rural India while maintaining economic growth and cultural preservation for long-term resilience and prosperity

Comparative Analysis of Sustainable Seafarers’ Employment and Welfare Systems in South Korea and China: Contemporary Issues and Improvements

Seafarers are recognized as essential workers responsible for maintaining the national logistics supply chain. This study analyzes the sustainable seafarers’ employment and welfare systems in South Korea and China using the comparative case study approach and presents relevant implications. In the era of the “New Normal” after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which is marked by hyper-personalization, seafarers have become increasingly resistant to acquiring maritime education and performing onboard duties. Even though South Korea has recognized seafarers as key agents of national economic growth, the participation of the new generation in the shipping industry has recently been declining. Meanwhile, China has been developing its shipping industry since the Deng Xiaoping reforms and fosters skilled seafarers by providing rigorous maritime education. However, both countries have been experiencing difficulties in ensuring the legal and social protection of seafarers; hence, the challenge of providing sustainable employment and welfare to seafarers remains. In conclusion, this study proposes the establishment of the “Asia Maritime Education, Employment, and Welfare Support Center” to support seafarers’ employment and welfare with the cooperation of other countries in the Asian region.

Relationship of Communication, Negotiation and Leadership on the Employee Performance for Sustainable Growth in Hotels

Objective: This research aims to investigate what soft skills affect the performance of employees at Hotels for their sustainable growth in China. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 8, promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Theoretical Framework: The study’s underpinning theory was derived from the Lippman, Ryberg, Carney and Moore (2015) model of key softskills. Method: This study adopts convenience sampling and analyzes the data from 158 questionnaires distributed through SPSS. The analysis results will find out the more important and useful skills in hotels. This study was conducted at the Guizhou Province, China using online survey. Three soft skills of communication, negotiation, and leadership were tested to be positively correlated with the performance of hotel employees. Results and Discussion: This research also allowed us to identify which soft skills are most important to a team to enable the overall team to succeed. This research can provide a reference for the human resource management of hotels to plan the soft skill development training of employees. More and more companies realize that employees are one of the important factors for the company’s further development. If you want to develop better in the information age, you must have a group of outstanding employees. Therefore, the training plan to improve employee performance is a relatively important work in human resource management. Hard skills are just our visible professional and technical indicators, while soft skills are invisible indicators, and they are also a scale to measure a person's ability to handle things. Research Implications: Academic implication sees the use of Lippman et al (2015) model in underpin the variables related in the study of employee performance and soft skills. Practical implication include to emphasize the role of negotiation skills foe the employee performance. Originality/Value: This study provide insight on the role of negotiation skill in increasing the employee performance in the hospitality industry in China.