Abstract:

ESG reporting has attracted a lot of attention during the past several decades. However, bibliometric analysis on this topic remains limited. This paper aims to advance our understanding of ESG reporting, to cluster and map academic literature connected with ESG reporting and to attempt to give a research agenda for future research. We undertake a bibliometric analysis review of the current literature to discover present and future research directions of ESG reporting. In this study, the authors used datasets from the Web of Science (WoS) database, covering 869 research papers from 2014 to 2024 and using the Bibliometrix package also known as “Bibliometrix 3.0” or “Biblioshiny”. Bibliometric analysis offers a comprehensive overview of a certain field, such as authorship trends, geographical spread, research importance, influential authors and publications, new concepts, and emerging ideas. This research has implications for both scientific researchers and corporate world.

Abstract: With (a) an increasing role the concept of “Sufficiency Economy” plays in sustainable development, (b) its potential to effectively deal with wicked sustainability problems and (c) our limited knowledge about the relevant collective knowledge scholars have created, the present study reviews all related peer-review journal articles during the past 66 years (1957-2023) in the Scopus database by adopting the author citation and co-citation analyses to identify four schools of thought, and their leading scholars in the knowledge domain. Systematically, the most influential scholar is identified, whose collective body of knowledge is used as the basis to develop a Sufficiency Economy for Business Sustainability model as the frontier knowledge. Policy and managerial implications are also drawn from the model. Finally, drawing upon the analyses, informed future research directions have been discussed.

Abstract: Existing studies have established reliable methods for estimating carbon emissions from food consumption, yet there remains a lack of quantitative analysis on the decarbonization effects of energy transition and resource recycling. This study integrates life cycle analysis and scenario analysis, based on data from 2006 to 2020, to conduct an empirical investigation of four provincial capital cities (Zhengzhou, Xi'an, Jinan, and Taiyuan) in the lower and middle reaches of the Yellow River. The study explores the potential for carbon reduction in food consumption and examines the driving effects of energy transition and resource recycling. The results indicate that: (1) Per capita carbon emissions from food consumption decreased after 2016.; (2) Incineration power generation has a significantly higher carbon reduction effect than landfilling. The proportion of carbon emissions from food waste disposal decreases from 20% to around 6%, with the decarbonization potential of recycling transformation being 8.8%, 8.3%, 11.5%, and 14.4%, respectively. The findings suggest that promoting the widespread adoption of new energy vehicles, increasing the share of renewable energy in power generation, optimizing food recycling technologies, and reducing food waste are crucial for achieving future carbon reductions in urban food consumption.

Abstract:

The economic decline of some rural areas is leading to the development of strategies to enhance the value of local economies. This is particularly important in natural protected spaces, where the aim is to encourage the provision of ecosystem services and strengthen commitment to sustainable development and economic growth. One of the rural development strategies with a growing interest in promoting the sustainability of rural areas in natural protected spaces is the use of territorial brands. The objective of this work is to analyze the social demand for territorial-branded products in protected natural spaces. The territorial-branded of Sierra Espuña Regional Park (SE-Spain) has been selected as a pragmatic case where the aim is to promote the production and consumption of sustainable local products. To this end, a contingent valuation survey to consumer was carried out to study the demand for honey, one of the most characteristic products of this territorial brand. The results demonstrate the high social demand for honey under the Sierra Espuña territorial brand, with an average surcharge of almost thirty percent compared to the conventional product, and a positive influence of the perception of supporting ecosystem services on this social demand. These results provide an empirical basis for the integration and promotion of production and marketing strategies with territorial brands, in the interests of rural development from and for the territory.

Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between green entrepreneurial orientation and sustainable firm performance. In order to examine this relationship, meta-analysis method was used and analyses were carried out with Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software (CMA) v4 package programme. In the study, a sample of 23 articles, 42 effect sizes and 6666 enterprises was reached through a systematic literature review. The studies included in the research were accessed by searching the keywords "green entrepreneurial orientation" and "sustainable firm performance" from Web of Science, EBSCO Host, Scopus and Google Scholar databases and only articles were included without any year limit. Throughout the study, statistical analyses were performed on Fisher z values and conducted under the random effects model. The effect size, heterogeneity and publication bias analyses of green entrepreneurial orientation and sustainable firm performance and its sub-dimensions were tested separately, and the findings were interpreted by converting them into correlation coefficients. As a result of the analyses, it was found that the relationship between green entrepreneurial orientation and sustainable firm performance is positive and highly significant. In addition, the relationship between financial, environmental, social, sustainable and entrepreneurial performance, which are the sub-dimensions of sustainable firm performance, and green entrepreneurial orientation was found to be high and significant. However, it was concluded that there is no significant relationship between green innovation performance, which is another dimension of sustainable firm performance, and green entrepreneurial orientation.

Abstract: This study examines the role of digital transformation in supply chain management, focusing on the integration of advanced technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics. The research investigates how these innovations are reshaping traditional supply chain practices, enhancing operational efficiency, transparency, and resilience. Through a systematic literature review, the study identifies key trends, applications, and challenges associated with the digitalization of supply chains across various industries and regions. The findings suggest that digital technologies have significantly improved supply chain performance by enabling real-time tracking, predictive analytics, and better resource optimization. Additionally, the study highlights the critical role of digital tools in addressing global challenges such as supply chain disruptions, sustainability, and ethical sourcing. Despite the clear benefits, the research also identifies several barriers to adoption, including high implementation costs, technical expertise gaps, and data privacy concerns. The study emphasizes the need for continued investment in technology, industry collaboration, and skill development to overcome these challenges and maximize the potential of digital transformation in supply chain management. The conclusion underscores the importance of embracing digital innovation to build more agile, transparent, and sustainable supply chains, capable of adapting to the complexities of the global marketplace.

Abstract: As passenger figures have been growing for several decades and only remarkable economic crises such as the one induced by Covid-19 have been able to slow down this fast growth, the way commercial aviation statistics have been reported by the media has not adapted to the variety of niches filled by airlines, depending on their business models, fleets, services, and routes. Media reports generally provide one key parameter (number of passengers) and, at times, other relevant parameters (number of flights, cargo tonnage) which alone do not provide exhaustive information on the current variability of commercial air traffic. Statistics showing, for instance, the busiest airlines in the world in terms of pure passenger figures are not funded on the core of commercial aviation statistics, such as PKF (passengers kilometers flown), seat configurations comprised of First/Business and comparable classes, etc. Another key factor is a number of vital special services provided by legacy carriers which are pretty much neglected by media reports. Via an excursus on the issue and tabled estimates on whether the PKF parameter could be used as a general factor of differentiation between different categories of airlines, this paper is aimed at showing how media reports should include a wider range of parameters and provide extra information on the actual complexity of modern-day air travel. Passenger special services such as those aimed at people whose mobility is reduced are among the key parameters analyzed for the purpose of this research.

Abstract: We examine the impact of firm-level regulatory intensity on corporate labor investment efficiency in U.S. firms using a sample from 1995-2019. We find that labor investment inefficiency decreases with regulatory intensity, providing evidence that greater regulatory burden pushes managers to make better labor investment decisions. This finding is robust to subsample analyses and various model specifications, suggesting that regulations, though seemingly costly, generate efficiencies and positive externalities. We conclude that regulatory requirements prompt firms to invest in labor more accurately to absorb regulatory compliance costs, and U.S. firms can lift their regulatory burden to some extent through improved labor investment.

Abstract: This research examines the impact of supply chain flexibility on competitive advantage inside Bangladeshi small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). This study employs a quantitative methodology and analyzes a sample of 250 SMEs to examine many facets of supply chain flexibility, including supplier flexibility, production flexibility, delivery flexibility, inventory flexibility, and market responsiveness. The results demonstrate a substantial correlation between market responsiveness and competitive advantage, underscoring its vital importance in improving SMEs' market standing. In contrast, the research revealed that other aspects of supply chain flexibility did not have a statistically significant effect on competitive advantage. This study enhances the comprehension of supply chain dynamics in emerging economies, specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The research is constrained by its concentration on a single geographic area and its dependence on self-reported data, potentially introducing biases. Practical implications indicate that SMEs have to emphasize market responsiveness in formulating their supply chain strategy, hence enhancing agility and flexibility to changing market circumstances. The study underscores the need of assisting SMEs in developing adaptable supply chains to improve their competitiveness and foster economic development. The novelty of this research is in its concentrated examination of supply chain flexibility within Bangladeshi SMEs, addressing a deficiency in the literature of supply chain management in developing nations.

Abstract: This research aims to invеstigatе thе rеlationships bеtwееn еthical lеadеrship, grееn innovation capability, sustainablе supply chain collaboration, еntrеprеnеurial bricolagе, and sustainablе pеrformancе within manufacturing firms in China. Еmploying a rigorous quantitativе approach, data was collеctеd from 230 manufacturing firms in China, еnsuring a nuancеd еxploration of thе intеrplay bеtwееn еthical lеadеrship and sustainability. Thе study utilizеd a samplе sizе dеtеrminеd by G*Powеr and distributеd 400 quеstionnairеs. SmartPLS was employed for data analysis. Thе findings of thе study substantiatе thе significant impact of еthical lеadеrship on sustainablе pеrformancе. Additionally, grееn innovation capability and sustainablе supply chain collaboration еmеrgеd as crucial mеdiators, highlighting thе multifacеtеd pathways through which еthical lеadеrship influеncеs sustainability outcomеs. Thе modеrating еffеct of еntrеprеnеurial bricolagе furthеr nuancеd thеsе rеlationships. This rеsеarch stands out by offеring еmpirical еvidеncе spеcific to China's manufacturing sеctor, bridging gaps in thе litеraturе, and providing insights applicablе to thе uniquе cultural and industrial contеxt. Its significancе liеs in contributing to both thеorеtical framеworks on еthical lеadеrship and practical implications for organizational lеadеrs navigating sustainability challеngеs within thе dynamic landscapе of manufacturing in China.