Sustainable Social Development Research Articles

КРЕАТИВНЫЕ ИНДУСТРИИ КАК СПЕЦИФИЧЕСКИЙ СЕКТОР СФЕРЫ УСЛУГ

The modern economy is undergoing processes of structural transformation. The economies of developed countries go through these transformations somewhat earlier, and the economies of developing countries - with a time shift. At the same time, one of the general fundamental trends is a decrease in the share of traditional sectors, in particular industry, in the output structure. As a result, there is a transition to a post-industrial economy. The transformation processes do not end there. The quantitatively developing tertiary (service) sector of the economy is also changing its structure. It highlights the creative economy sector, which is based on creative industries. This is a specific sector of the modern service industry. The article analyzes the role of creative industries as a specific sector of the service sector in the context of the transition from an industrial type of production to a post-industrial one. The author emphasizes the influence of creative industries on economic development and innovation, based on an analysis of changes in the structure of employment and the specifics of consumption in developed countries. Particular attention is paid to how the expansion and deepening of creative industries contributes to economic progress, greater innovation and changes in the nature and structure of employment, transforming society as a whole. The article also examines trends in the development of creative industries and their ability to adapt to the rapidly changing conditions of the global market, emphasizing their role in the formation of a model of sustainable economic and social development. The need to strengthen government support for creative industries is pointed out, because they can become one of the key factors in ensuring Russia's competitiveness in a post-normal world.

Uncovering the Triple Synergy of New-Type Urbanization, Greening and Digitalization in China

The in-depth discussion and analysis of the synergistic effect of new-type urbanization, greening and digitalization (NUGD) is important for the achievement of sustainable social, ecological and economic development. Therefore, in this study, an evaluation index system composed of these three subsystems was constructed for Chinese cities from 2011 to 2021. The comprehensive and collaborative development levels of each subsystem were measured by means including the entropy weight method and the coupling coordination model, respectively. Then, methods such as ESDA and the Dagum Gini coefficient were applied to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution and spatial differences in the triple synergy effect of the NUGD system in Chinese cities. Finally, the constraining factors of the triple synergy effect were revealed using the obstacle degree model. The findings demonstrated the following: (1) Overall, the NUGD subsystems and their comprehensive levels were increasing, with moderate overall development levels. (2) The synergistic development of the NUGD system exhibited an upward trend. Spatially, the synergistic development level showed distinct differentiation, being higher in the east and lower in the west. The multidimensional dynamic variation characteristics obtained through kernel density estimation revealed that the triple synergy level exhibits high stability. (3) The differences within the east and between the eastern and western areas were the largest, with the intensity of transvariation as the main source. (4) The five criterion layers, including social and spatial urbanization variables, were the key constraints that affected the triple synergy of the NUGD in Chinese cities, and the restrictive role of factors such as the proportion of urban construction land and the per capita postal business volume should not be ignored. This study provides a valuable reference and decision-making guidance to promote China’s acceleration toward a new urbanization path supported by both digitalization and green transformation.

China's groundwater situation in 2011–2020: Dynamic evolution, Influencing Factors, and sustainable development

Groundwater plays important roles in resource security and ecological maintenance and is sensitive to changes in the natural environment and human activities. It is of paramount importance to investigate the dynamic evolution trend of groundwater and its affecting factors and sustainable development. This paper takes mainland China as the study area, using data sourced from the Groundwater Dynamic Monthly Report, the China Water Resources Bulletin, and the Provincial Water Resources Bulletin. The temporal and space-time evolution trend of groundwater depth in 2011–2020 is determined, along with the correlation between variations in groundwater resources and precipitation, the factors affecting these changes, and the sustainability of groundwater use. The results are as follows: (1) The northern and western regions of mainland China had a greater depth of groundwater compared to the southern and eastern regions. The largest groundwater depth is in the Northwest Rivers Basin (Nw RB), which can reach 17.61–21.10 m, and the shallowest groundwater depth is in the Southeast Rivers Basin (Se RB), only 1.61–5.19 m. (2) Regarding the factors affecting the changes in groundwater resources, precipitation, land use pattern, human activities, and industrial and agricultural water use are highlighted. (3) Overall, the percentage of groundwater in the total water supply has declined. The optimization of groundwater resource allocation and the adjustment of industrial structure have resulted in the coordinated utilization of groundwater resources. The research establishes a scientific foundation for ensuring national water security and promoting sustainable economic and social development.

Complex artificial intelligence models for energy sustainability in educational buildings

Energy consumption of constructed educational facilities significantly impacts economic, social and environment sustainable development. It contributes to approximately 37% of the carbon dioxide emissions associated with energy use and procedures. This paper aims to introduce a study that investigates several artificial intelligence-based models to predict the energy consumption of the most important educational buildings; schools. These models include decision trees, K-nearest neighbors, gradient boosting, and long-term memory networks. The research also investigates the relationship between the input parameters and the yearly energy usage of educational buildings. It has been discovered that the school sizes and AC capacities are the most impact variable associated with higher energy consumption. While 'Type of School' is less direct or weaker correlation with 'Annual Consumption'. The four developed models were evaluated and compared in training and testing stages. The Decision Tree model demonstrates strong performance on the training data with an average prediction error of about 3.58%. The K-Nearest Neighbors model has significantly higher errors, with RMSE on training data as high as 38,429.4, which may be indicative of overfitting. In contrast, Gradient Boosting can almost perfectly predict the variations within the training dataset. The performance metrics suggest that some models manage this variability better than others, with Gradient Boosting and LSTM standing out in terms of their ability to handle diverse data ranges, from the minimum consumption of approximately 99,274.95 to the maximum of 683,191.8. This research underscores the importance of sustainable educational buildings not only as physical learning spaces but also as dynamic environments that contribute to informal educational processes. Sustainable buildings serve as real-world examples of environmental stewardship, teaching students about energy efficiency and sustainability through their design and operation. By incorporating advanced AI-driven tools to optimize energy consumption, educational facilities can become interactive learning hubs that encourage students to engage with concepts of sustainability in their everyday surroundings.

Solidarity tourism in the humanitarian crisis

This article examines the contribution of solidarity tourism in war-affected countries, specifically Ukraine. It presents activities undertaken as part of solidarity tourism in Ukraine and Poland with the intent to help overcome the crisis caused by the armed conflict. The research methods were secondary data analysis and participant observation. Results show what actions were taken "from above" at the government level in Ukraine and Poland and actions taken "from below" in social activities. The new knowledge brings new light to the perception of tourism as a tool for sustainable social development and can provide examples of good practices for other countries and regions.

Sustainable Development Strategies and Assessment for the KYCAI Artificial Island Project in Hong Kong

This paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the sustainable development strategies and assessments for the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands (KYCAI) project in Hong Kong. The project aims to provide about 1,000 hectares of land to meet Hong Kong's medium and long-term land demands, enhancing its competitiveness as a financial and commercial center. The study focuses on the project's environmental impact and carbon emissions, providing improvement recommendations to enhance overall sustainability. Key areas include protecting natural ecosystems and restoring biodiversity during the island's construction, optimizing the implementation of low-carbon and clean energy projects, and integrating sustainability principles throughout the project's lifecycle. The government should also assume environmental leadership by combining policy regulations with communication across various stakeholders, ensuring the project achieves sustainable economic, social, and environmental development, laying a solid foundation for Hong Kong's future growth.

Role of Social Worker in Social Empowerment

The pursuit of social justice and equitable development in India heavily relies on the efforts of social workers, who play a crucial role in uplifting various marginalized groups. This study examines the multifaceted contributions of social workers in empowering communities, particularly in rural and remote areas where government services often fall short. Social workers facilitate access to essential services, promote self-reliance, and drive social change by addressing inequalities and fostering sustainable development. Their work is vital in enhancing the socio-economic, political, and educational capacities of disadvantaged groups, including women, the elderly, scheduled castes, tribes, disabled individuals, and the LGBTQ+ community. Through case studies and an analysis of notable social workers and NGOs, this study underscores the indispensable role of social workers in achieving social empowerment and sustainable development. The findings highlight the need to recognize and support social workers` contributions to build a more just and inclusive society.

Relational ontologies and epistemologies that are informed by our philosophies: Inaugural Ubuntu Annual Lecture 2022

It’s always a pleasure, a privilege, and an honour to share my thoughts with other African scholars. So, today I chose to talk about decolonising research and evaluation methodologies. I’ll start off with my understanding of what social workers do, then talk about the challenges that are there for social workers and others as evaluators and researchers. And then I introduce the decolonising paradigms and present the opportunities that are there for us as African scholars to work together to further our vision of an Africa that is liberated from only hearing from the global north. I understand that as social worker, you provide help and support to children and others in need, and that in doing so, you are informed by research. I understand that social workers are also evaluators, and they evaluate interventions to inform policy revisions and even modification of their interventions. I understand that social workers, they do research on social problems to inform design and evaluation of the interventions they design for efficacy. According to the SDGs, social workers have a responsibility, and this responsibility includes making sure that the interventions that they design are sustainable, that they provide long-term solutions for the wellbeing of the entire ecosystem that includes human beings and nature. I understand that social workers are also guided by the principles of social justice, human rights, and holistic and sustainable development to reach freedom and wellbeing. And I understand that social workers are expected to use various theories that take into account historical, cultural, and environmental underpinnings of society. Now, there are challenges with evaluation if you are a social worker. And the biggest challenge that we have today is that the paradigms that we use, the world views that we use that inform how we do evaluation have been informed by the ways of knowing of the West, the ways of seeing reality of the West, and the value systems of the West, and are also driven by Euro-Western methodologies. This has resulted in stagnation of thinking about other ways of doing evaluation and other ways of doing research. The biggest problem is that Western researchers and evaluators and the funders and donors from the West are reluctant also, because remember, most of our development interventions are funded from the West. These people are reluctant to engage with philosophies that see a connection between the living and the non-living. And these are called relational ontologies and epistemologies that are basically informed by our philosophies, especially the philosophy of Ubuntu. HOW TO REFERENCE USING ASWDNET STYLE Chilisa, B. (2024). Relational ontologies and epistemologies that are informed by our philosophies: Inaugural Ubuntu Annual Lecture 2022. Ubuntu Lecture delivered on 25 November 2022. African Journal of Social Work, 14(3), 158-165. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i3.8 Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net

Developing River-based Tourism in Indonesian Local Context: Towards an Agenda of Social Development Implications

This paper aims to revive the discussion on river-based tourism, highlighting its implications for sustainable social development. It is based on an analysis of various studies that have shown a focus on new patterns and strategies for sustainable development in river-based tourism. However, little attention has been given to further exploring these sustainability tools through achieving harmony between human and natural elements. The study adopts a case study approach, focusing on Temulus Village in Indonesia. Data was collected through interviews, observations, and field documentation. The research findings demonstrate that prioritizing the segmentation of river-based tourism development as a key agenda in social development holds intrinsic value as a new tool in transforming rural communities. The research successfully uncovers the harmonious relationship between human interests and nature, thereby contributing to sustainable development through river tourism. Consequently, this study contributes to leveraging local resources for sustainable development, introducing new local indicators that can serve as valuable lessons for future village development.

Access to Education for Hindu Women Amidst the Patriarchal Culture of the Balinese Tribal Community on the Island of Lombok, Indonesia

This research explores and explores the low access to education for Hindu women amidst the patriarchal culture of the Balinese tribal community on the island of Lombok, Indonesia. A very strong patriarchal system limits women's roles in various aspects of life, including access to education, the economy, and participation in decision making, at important Hindu religious events. The research was conducted in West Lombok in the Balinese tribal community. The method used is a qualitative phenomenological method with observation, interview and documentation techniques for data collection. The main problem explored is how access to education for Hindu women is in the midst of a society that is very strong in its patriarchal culture. Education is identified as the main key in changing social phenomena, especially the marginalization of women's access to education in a patriarchal culture. Women who receive an education have the potential to break free from traditional limitations, build careers, and support community development. The importance of empowering women through education as an investment in sustainable development is expected to contribute to the local economy and improve family welfare. The results of this research show that resistance to social change regarding equality between men and women, especially regarding women's access to education in a patriarchal culture, is still quite strong, so that change still requires full support from the government and community organizations, as well as community leaders. This research concludes that access to education for Hindu women is still subordinate to that of men. Achieving justice and equality in access to education requires a holistic approach that involves collaboration between government, non-government organizations, and local communities, as well as community leaders. Increasing women's access to education is not only important, it is also a necessity to achieve sustainable social and economic development in advancing civilization.

Analysis of Landscape Pattern Evolution and Impact Factors in the Mainstream Basin of the Tarim River from 1980 to 2020

The mainstream basin of the Tarim River serves as a vital ecological security barrier that prevents the merging and expansion of deserts and an important strategic corridor directly linking Qinghai and Xinjiang. With society’s development and climate change, ecological issues such as river interruption, vegetation degradation, and land desertification in the basin have notably intensified, and the ecological security is facing a critical test. Exploring the characteristics of landscape changes and their driving factors within the basin is crucial in improving the ecological environment system’s management. Based on land use data from 1980 to 2020, this study analyzed the characteristics of the spatiotemporal changes and pattern evolution of the landscape through a landscape transfer matrix and landscape pattern indices. It further revealed the impact factors of the landscape pattern through canonical correspondence analysis. The results showed that (1) in 1980–2020, the areas of desert, forest, farmland, and settlement landscapes increased, while the area of grassland landscape decreased, and the water landscape showed an “increasing–decreasing–recovery” pattern. The landscape transition types mainly included the transition from grassland to desert; mutual transitions among farmland, grassland, and forests; mutual transitions between water and grassland; and the transition from farmland to settlements. (2) The overall landscape pattern demonstrated increased fragmentation, shape complexity, and evenness with decreased aggregation. Furthermore, different landscapes exhibited distinct characteristics of landscape pattern changes; for instance, grassland landscape showed severe fragmentation, while desert landscape displayed the strongest dominance. (3) The landscape pattern was a result of the combined impact of natural and human factors, with the soil thickness (SOT), road density (ROD), annual actual evapotranspiration (AAE), population density (POD), and mean annual temperature (MAT) exhibiting significant influences. Specifically, the settlement and farmland landscapes were mainly influenced by the mean annual relative humidity (MAH), POD, GDP density (GDP), and distance to artificial water (DAW); the forest, grassland, and water landscapes were mainly influenced by the SOT, soil organic matter content (SOM), AAE, ROD, elevation (ELE), MAT, slope (SLP), and distance to natural water (DNW); and the desert landscape was mainly influenced by the DAW, DNW, SLP, AAE, SOT, SOM, and ROD. These findings can provide a scientific reference for landscape management and restoration, as well as sustainable social and economic development, in the mainstream basin of the Tarim River.

Nonlinear impact of built environment on people with disabilities’ metro use behavior

Ensuring equal access to public transportation for people with disabilities is crucial for social equity and sustainable urban development. The physical characteristics and travel preferences of people with disabilities may lead to unique spatial and temporal characteristics of metro use behavior and make them more likely to be influenced by built environment characteristics. We tested this hypothesis by comparing metro travel behavior in Wuhan, China, for people with and without disabilities. The results showed that people with disabilities take more and shorter metro trips than people without disabilities. The relative importance of built environment features in influencing metro ridership displays notable distinctions between people with disabilities and those without, as indicated by the outcomes of the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) model. For metro ridership among people with disabilities, street density, the number of medical facilities, and the building plot ratio are the top three influencing variables on weekdays, while the number of shopping centers, medical facilities, and recreational facilities are the top three on weekends. Additionally, these variables exhibit clear nonlinear associations on metro ridership for both groups. The findings offer new insights for providing a better travel environment for people with disabilities and thus promoting transportation equity.

Optimizing zoning for ecological management in alpine region by combining ecosystem service supply and demand with ecosystem resilience

In order to enhance ecosystem stability and promote sustainable regional ecological, social, and economic development, it is crucial to explore the coupling relationship between ecosystem service supply and demand and the resilience of ecosystem, so as to propose scientific ecological management zones and strategies. Taking the vulnerable alpine ecosystem in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Gannan Prefecture) as the study area, this paper comprehensively utilized multi-source data, grid analysis, ecosystem service supply and demand estimation model, and coupled coordination model to analyze the spatio-temporal differentiation and coordination pattern of ecosystem service supply and demand in the study area from 2000 to 2020. With the assistance of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the ecosystem resilience index system was constructed to evaluate the regional ecological resilience. The results reveal the following: (1) In the past 20 years, the ecosystem service supply and resilience in Gannan Prefecture showed a fluctuating upward trend, and the demand continued to grow steadily. Their spatial differentiation were obvious, but the pattern remained stable. (2) There was a moderate incoordination indicated by the average coordination degree of the supply and demand coupling of ecosystem services, which rangeed between 0.3 and 0.4. (3) Gannan Prefecture was split into three ecological management zones, considering the spatial distribution of ecosystem service supply and demand, as well as resilience. Through system function monitoring and other measures, the ecological conservation zone will rely on its high resilience to support the restoration and self-sufficiency of the system, ensuring the stability and well-being of the ecosystem. The primary objectives of general protected zone includes environmental preservation, strict regulations, and the prevention of human intervention. To enhance their ecological background, key restoration zone must intensify the implementation of ecological restoration initiatives. To address the needs of the locals, strategies such as ecological compensation, optimizing the land use structure, and fostering the growth of environmentally friendly companies can be implemented simultaneously.

Evaluation of Ecological Sensitivity and Spatial Correlation Analysis of Landscape Patterns in Sanjiangyuan National Park

The Sanjiangyuan region, situated on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, constitutes an exceptionally delicate ecological environment. Alterations in the region’s ecological landscape stem not only from natural factors but also from significant anthropogenic influences, exerting a notable impact on the sustainable economic and social development of the region’s middle and lower reaches. Consequently, investigating changes in the landscape pattern of Sanjiangyuan National Park holds paramount importance for comprehending the formation mechanism of spatial landscape distribution in the area. This study analyzes the ecological sensitivity and landscape pattern of Sanjiangyuan National Park in Qinghai Province, China, utilizing ArcGIS 10.8 and Fragstats 4.2. Employing the bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis method, the research uncovers the spatial distribution characteristics between ecological sensitivity and landscape pattern, along with their aggregated change traits. The findings reveal that ecological sensitivity areas within the park encompass varying degrees, ranging from extremely sensitive to insensitive. The area of moderately sensitive zones in the Yellow River source region is 7279.67 km2 (39.17%), whereas the corresponding area in the Yangtze River source region is 32,572.34 km2 (36.30%). The eastern and northern parts of the Sanjiangyuan National Park exhibit significant landscape fragmentation. Ecological sensitivity varies markedly across different regions, with the southern and some northern areas showing higher sensitivity. In the Lancang River source park and the southern part of the Yellow River source park, the Largest Patch Index (LPI) and Ecological Sensitivity Index exhibit a high–high (HH) clustering pattern, indicating strong ecological connectivity in these areas. These regions also feature high Total Edge (TE), Number of Patches (NP), Patch Density (PD), and Edge Density (ED), indicating a complex landscape structure and abundant habitat edge areas. The study recommends restoring ecological connectivity in highly fragmented areas and implementing strict protection measures in sensitive regions to maintain ecosystem health and biodiversity. These findings provide a foundation for developing targeted ecological protection measures to enhance ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation in the area. This research aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Climate Action, Life on Land, and Clean Water and Sanitation, by promoting sustainable ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation.

Construction of g-C3N4/Ti3CN MXene Schottky heterojunctions for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen production

Converting solar energy into clean hydrogen (H2) fuel via photocatalytic hydrogen production technology is a promising strategy for sustainable social development. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has attracted much attention due to its unique visible light activity and excellent tunable atomic structure. However, bulk g-C3N4 suffers from challenges such as sluggish charge carrier dynamics and limited active catalytic sites, resulting in lower solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency. Herein, we prepare defective ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets and subsequently construct 2D g-C3N4/2D Ti3CN MXene heterojunction via electrostatic-driven assembly. The optimized composite CM-2 exhibits the highest hydrogen evolution rate of 7630.5 µmol g−1 h−1. The increase in the hydrogen production rate is attributed to the effective coupling of two materials to form Schottky heterojunctions, which may inhibit the recombination of electron-hole pairs. Additionally, this work explores the pathway of electron transfer in Schottky photocatalyst, and further unveils the synergy of defects and built-in electric field in accelerating photo-induced charge transport as well as enhancing the hydrogen-evolving activity, thereby providing valuable insights for the rational design of highly efficient photocatalytic materials.

Algorithm for forming a set of indicators of international trade customs regulation effectiveness in the EAEU member states

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that international trade globalization and intensification increase competitiveness of not only domestic but also foreign producers, so the business sector expects to facilitate business conditions, simplify customs procedures, increase customs activities efficiency, and improve customs services provision. Goods transportation across the customs borders of countries around the world presents challenges in filling out documentation, transportation methods, information processing, and compliance with regulations that are not internationally harmonized. It leads to customs laws violations that must be detected during the customs control process. Consequently, customs regulation effectiveness will depend directly on the customs control results. The article presents a theoretical and methodological description of the procedure for assessing international trade customs regulation effectiveness in the EAEU member states, as well as a vector for developing a comprehensive set of performance indicators. The proposed assessment algorithm and the set of quantitative and qualitative indicators can be regarded as fundamental interrelated criteria that ensure improvement of efficiency of control over the customs authorities’ activities and corrective management decisions, if necessary. The application in customs practice of the proposed indicators for assessing international trade customs regulation effectiveness will contribute to customs policy effective implementation for the harmonious development of the EAEU member states’ economies, including Russia, in modern society and the basis of their sustainable political, economic and social development.

The Impact of Natural Disasters on Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China

Over the past decades, the frequency and economic losses from natural disasters have continued to escalate globally. Disasters pose significant challenges to global sustainable economic and social development. As a critical part of the economy, a firm’s ESG performance is a key indicator of sustainability. Whereas the determinants of firms’ ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance have gained growing attention, limited research focuses on the impact of natural disasters on ESG performance. This paper provides the first empirical study on the short-, medium-, and long-term impacts of natural disasters on firms’ ESG performance through the lensof earthquakes. By exploiting a difference-in-differences approach based on panel data of Chinese listed firms and a dataset of seismic events, this paper shows that earthquakes have a significant positive impact on affected firms’ ESG performance, with short-term positive effects on environmental and social performance and long-term positive effects on social and governance performance. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive effects are more pronounced for state-owned firms, relatively smaller firms, and firms located in cities with frequent earthquake occurrences. This study highlights the distinct temporal effects on different ESG dimensions and provides new insights for policymakers to employ ESG practices to alleviate the negative effects of disasters.

Promoting Inclusive Learning Environments: Leveraging University Websites for Digital Empowerment in the Post-COVID-19 Era.

In an era of global interdependence, universities play a crucial role in promoting social responsibility and sustainable development. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities emphasizes the empowerment of individuals with disabilities, a key aspect of inclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity of digital platforms to ensure equitable opportunities, particularly for those with disabilities. It highlighted challenges in transitioning to remote operations and stressed the importance of accessible digital tools in maintaining inclusivity during disruptions. This study investigates how university websites promote social responsibility and empower individuals with disabilities in Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the US. It also examines how these websites foster inclusivity, advocate for disability rights, and contribute to societal change. Using a qualitative case study design, the study evaluated university websites focusing on accessibility services, inclusive policies, and academic accommodations. Qualitative content and thematic analyses identified recurring themes and variations. The findings reveal diverse strategies in empowerment initiatives, website maintenance practices, community engagement approaches, the accessibility of support services, and the presentation of success stories. Despite differences among websites, this study underscores their significance in empowering individuals with disabilities. Recommendations aim to guide universities worldwide in enhancing their digital platforms, ensuring inclusivity, especially during challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stakeholders, stakeholder theory and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Complacency is almost archaic in the knowledge economy, because firms are overwhelmingly confronted with diverse expectations from better informed stakeholders, who pressure on societal issues amid shareholders’ calls for greater financial security. Similarly, there is a growing call for corporations to redefine their responsibilities to stakeholders, and to integrate socio-economic and environmental concerns into business processes and strategies in order to transparently impact on societies. In a bid to support mutually beneficial relationships, this paper shows how stakeholder theory proactively moderates the strength of CSR in social interactions, environmental protection, and sustainable development. It proposes a four-stage stakeholder dialogue ladder which attempts to synergize CSR, stakeholder and stakeholder theory based on the stages as defined by the firm’s extent of development, and her regularity and intensity of interaction with stakeholders. The paper argues that subject to the problem to solve, the languages of CSR and stakeholder theory are useful and that, the dichotomies of covering wrongdoing and creating falsehoods could be addressed when firms adopt stakeholder dialogue and collaboration that aid friendly CSR programmes. Thus, the relationship turns that of dyadic partnership, because corporations follow issue or purpose-based CSR programmes that create values that trickle to interdependent stakeholders. In sum, corporations need to continually get committed to environmentally-sensitive CSR since there is a strong relationship between CSR activities, stakeholders and actual performance.

Impact investments opportunities and limitations

In recent decades, global economic community has increasingly emphasized the need to balance financial returns with social, environmental, and other non-financial values. In this context, the impact investing concept is an important step in investment strategies development aimed at achieving not only financial returns, but also positive social and environmental impacts. The purpose of the study is to provide a comprehensive and objective analysis of the opportunities and constraints accompanying impact investing in order to develop a deeper understanding of its essence and contribution to sustainable economic and social development and, as a consequence, to ensure its informed and effective use to achieve positive social and environmental transformation. The research methodology provides for the search and collection of scientific information with the subsequent use of meta-analysis and meta-synthesis methods, the application of Goldratt’s constraints theory and the use of system analysis. The theoretical basis is provided by studies and publications in the field of impact investing, sustainable development, social responsibility, and standards of non-financial, integrated reporting, including articles, monographs, reports, and official documents of organizations engaged in the investments’ development with positive social and environmental impact. The study has identified three significant perspectives provided by the impact investing paradigm and articulated three inherent limitations to the use of this investment practice. The paper has also confirmed that the identified perspectives and limitations show a strong interconnection and influence on each other, which is important for a full and deep understanding of the role and significance of impact investing in the contemporary context.