Abstract: The transformation of the hospitality industry has increased the demand for managerial profiles capable of integrating technical, strategic, and socio-emotional competencies. However, a persistent gap remains between the competencies required by the labor market and those developed through formal education. This study aims to identify and validate the core competencies of hotel management and to translate them into a struc-tured training proposal. A two-round Delphi study was conducted with senior hotel management experts (n = 42 in round 1; n = 32 in round 2), using a competency matrix derived from prior research. Quantitative analysis included frequency distributions, weighted scores, and consensus indicators. The results show a high level of consensus stability (3.1% disagreement), leading to a final matrix of 43 competencies organized into four dimensions: operational, interpersonal, cultural-communicative, and strategic. In-terpersonal and leadership competencies emerged as the most prominent, highlighting their structural role in effective managerial performance. Based on these findings, a pro-gressive training framework is proposed, structured around three domains (operations, leadership, and strategy) and supported by a metacognitive pathway that integrates planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes. The study contributes to the profes-sionalization of hotel management by providing an empirically grounded competency model and a coherent framework for aligning educational programs with industry demands.

Abstract: The paper explores the barriers preventing engineering SMEs in Nigeria from adopting e-commerce. Using the TOE framework, the study employed a qualitative design and semi-structured interviews with ten SME owners and managers across major engineering sectors. Technological barriers comprise poor ICT infrastructure, unreliable internet connectivity, cybersecurity threats, and logistics inefficiencies. Organizational barriers include lack of technical skills, financial constraints, lack of leadership support, and change resistance. Environmental barriers include regulatory uncertainty, a preference for traditional transactions, economic instability, and low market readiness. The study extends the TOE framework by contextualizing the barriers to e-commerce in perspective within a project-based industry in a developing economy and recommends that Nigerian engineering SMEs, policymakers, and technology providers collaborate to enhance digital infrastructure, strengthen cybersecurity, promote digital literacy, offer financial and policy support, and develop affordable, innovative e-commerce and logistics solutions to accelerate e-commerce adoption

Abstract: Economic crises inflict severe damage on employment, output, and social welfare, making their early detection a priority for policymakers and financial institutions. Traditional early warning systems, built on logistic regression and signal-extraction methods, have shown limited out-of-sample accuracy and an inability to capture the nonlinear dynamics characteristic of modern financial systems. Over the past decade, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) methods have emerged as promising alternatives. This paper presents a systematic review of the literature on AI and ML applications in economic and financial crisis prediction, covering 47 studies published between 2008 and 2025. I categorize the methods into five families: tree-based ensembles, neural networks and deep learning, support vector machines, natural language processing approaches, and hybrid architectures. The review reveals that ensemble methods—particularly random forests and gradient boosting—consistently outperform logistic regression, with Bluwstein et al. (2023) reporting AUROC values of 0.870 for extremely randomized trees versus 0.822 for logistic regression across 17 countries from 1870 to 2016. Credit growth and yield curve slope are identified as the most robust predictors. Deep learning shows promise for temporal dependencies but faces data scarcity challenges. NLP-based approaches using central bank communications represent a rapidly growing frontier. We identify key challenges including event rarity, interpretability demands, and concept drift, and conclude with a research agenda for the field.

Abstract: Port State Control (PSC) inspections play a critical role in enforcing international maritime safety and environmental standards, yet little is known about how compliance behavior interacts with economic cycles. This study examines the relationship between vessel detentions and freight market conditions using monthly data from the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) over the period 2010-2021. A system of simultaneous equations is estimated using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to address the bidirectional relationship between detention activity and freight market conditions, proxied by the Baltic Dry Index (BDI). The results demonstrate a positive and statistically significant bidirectional relationship: vessel detentions increase during periods of strong freight market conditions, while past detentions contribute to higher freight rates by constraining effective fleet supply. Institutional factors, including flag state, classification society (IACS membership), and ISM-related deficiencies, are also found to significantly influence detention risk. These findings challenge the conventional expectation that stronger market conditions promote higher compliance and instead suggest the presence of opportunistic behavior during economic upswings. The study contributes to the literature by linking regulatory compliance with economic cycles and highlights the importance of adaptive, risk-based enforcement strategies.

Abstract: The transition toward sustainable food systems requires innovative approaches to man-aging perishable products, where inefficient inventory practices contribute significantly to global food loss and environmental degradation. This study develops a circular economy-oriented inventory optimisation framework for dairy supply chains that inte-grates environmental externalities and waste valorisation pathways into operational de-cision-making. Departing from traditional linear "produce-consume-dispose" models, we embed three core sustainability mechanisms into a stochastic dynamic program-ming framework: (1) progressive environmental cost internalisation aligned with EU Emissions Trading System carbon pricing, capturing both waste-related emissions and cold-chain energy footprints; (2) circular economy value-recovery channels that redirect near-expiry products to secondary applications (animal feed, biogas production, indus-trial processing) rather than disposal; and (3) deterioration-aware demand management that minimises resource throughput while maintaining service levels. Empirical cali-bration using Ukrainian dairy industry data demonstrates that sustainability-integrated inventory policies reduce waste generation by 4.8–10% relative to conventional ap-proaches, with high-deterioration products showing the greatest potential for improve-ment. We identify a critical threshold in the circular economy: when salvage recovery rates exceed 35%, waste transforms from an environmental liability into an economic and ecological asset, fundamentally altering the sustainability calculus of inventory de-cisions. Environmental costs account for 4.6% of total operating expenses at current car-bon prices, a share projected to increase substantially under tightening climate regula-tions. Our findings provide actionable guidance for dairy supply chain stakeholders pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 12, 13): processors should estab-lish circular-economy partnerships that achieve salvage rates above 35%, implement product-specific policies for high-deterioration items, and proactively integrate carbon pricing into inventory optimisation. The framework bridges sustainable operations the-ory and circular economy practice, offering a replicable model for transitioning perish-able food supply chains toward closed-loop, low-waste configurations that simultaneous-ly reduce environmental impact and enhance economic performance.

Abstract: The mainstream ESG literature associates favorable board characteristics with improved corporate environmental performance, yet the gap between sustainability governance and actual environmental outcomes remains persistent and poorly explained. This paper develops a theoretical framework to account for that gap by introducing two pathological institutional logics that governance reform cannot correct and systematically worsens. The first is morocracy: governance by institutional incompetence, sustained through loyalty-based selection and patronal mechanisms. The second is algorithmic capture: the colonization of fiduciary judgment by AI-driven optimization systems constitutively blind to environmental values resisting monetization. Drawing on institutional theory, critical governance scholarship, and the board-characteristics literature, we argue that their combination produces a dual governance deficit whose most dangerous feature is not organizational paralysis but the expert performance of sustainability commitment by institutions structurally incapable of delivering it. Under these conditions, governance improvement does not close the performance-commitment gap. It compounds it, furnishing pathological institutions with increasingly credible instruments for sustainability theater. Against this diagnosis, we propose deliberative governance as the corrective institutional architecture, grounded in epistemic integrity, algorithmic subsidiarity, and environmental accountability. Five counterintuitive propositions are advanced to anchor the theoretical contribution and orient future empirical inquiry.

Abstract: This study examines the dynamics of sustainability transitions in the EU-27 during the period 2015-2024, focusing on the role of different stakeholders and the emergence of distinct convergence patterns in sustainability performance. The theoretical framework integrates sustainability transition theory, stakeholder governance, and the literature on convergence and club convergence, interpreted through the socio-technical multi-level perspective and the concept of institutional lock-in. A test model is developed based on four stakeholder-specific indices: the Government Sustainability Index (GSI), Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), Population Sustainability Index (PSI), and Business Sustainability Index (BSI), complemented by a Composite Sustainability Index (CSI). The indices are constructed using min–max normalization of harmonized data from Eurostat, the European Environment Agency, and the Sustainable Development Report. The empirical analysis combines K-means clustering, compound annual growth rate (CAGR) calculations, and correlation analysis, complemented by a robustness module testing alternative weighting schemes, z-score normalization, and ±10% variations in index components. The results reveal four relatively stable sustainability tiers among EU member states, an S-curve-type relationship between initial sustainability tiers and subsequent growth, and a consistent hierarchy in stakeholder response speeds (ESI > GSI > PSI). A clear structural slowdown after 2019 is also observed. The main findings remain robust across alternative methodological specifications. The study contributes to the quantitative integration of the multi-level perspective on sustainability transitions into a stakeholder-based composite index framework for cross-country analysis within the European Union.

Abstract: Corporate governance reforms in emerging and frontier markets frequently assume that strengthening board oversight, audit committees, and ownership monitoring will improve audit quality and enhance firm value. Yet, in weak institutional environments, these mechanisms often function symbolically rather than substantively. This study rethinks the governance–audit–value nexus by integrating Agency Theory, Institutional Theory, and the concept of symbolic governance to explain why governance may appear structurally robust while failing to constrain managerial discretion. Using panel data from Ghanaian listed firms between 2015 and 2023, the analysis shows that audit committee independence and board independence are negatively associated with both audit quality and firm value, indicating that formal independence without expertise, authority, or enforcement capacity does not translate into meaningful oversight. By contrast, institutional and managerial ownership positively influence both outcomes, suggesting that incentive alignment and informed monitoring can substitute for weak formal governance. Foreign ownership improves firm value but does not consistently enhance audit quality, while macroeconomic conditions such as inflation and GDP growth further shape firm performance. The study advances the literature by reconceptualising governance effectiveness in weak institutional environments, demonstrating that governance mechanisms may exist in form without functioning in substance. The findings underscore the need for governance reforms that prioritise enforcement capacity, board expertise, and audit committee competence rather than structural compliance alone.

Abstract: Hospitals play a central role in promoting health and well-being, yet they are also among the most resource-intensive institutions, contributing significantly to environmental degradation through high energy and water consumption, extensive waste generation, and reliance on single-use materials. This conceptual paper explores how principles of the circular economy and green economy can be integrated into hospital operations through a strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework, reframing sustainability as a strategic management issue rather than a compliance-driven activity. Drawing on environmental economics, sustainability studies, and institutional theory, the paper develops an integrated conceptual model structured around the environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainability. Within this framework, four interconnected operational domains are identified: waste management and circular practices, energy consumption and renewable integration, sustainable procurement and circular supply chains, and economic and policy incentives. The social dimension explicitly encompasses healthcare staff and patients, addressing issues of workforce well-being, health education, safety, quality of life, and equitable care delivery. The paper also examines institutional and cultural barriers that constrain sustainability implementation and highlights the role of strategic leadership, governance, and system-wide innovation in overcoming these challenges. While not empirical, the study provides a theoretical foundation to inform future research, policy development, and strategic decision-making aimed at advancing sustainable, low-carbon, and resilient healthcare systems.

Abstract: GEOGUIAS is a certified training program for local citizens to become knowledgeable tour guides, promoted by the Oeste UNESCO Global Geopark and supported by the National Tourism Office. The program's primary goal is to promote sustainable tourism and geoeducation, empowering the trainees to conduct geotouristic and educational tours, based on their region's geological, historical, and cultural heritage. The training combines on-line theoretical components with practical face-to-face field experiences. Participants learn about the local geology, history, culture, wildlife, and field safety, receiving a final Geoguide Certificate issued by the Oeste Geopark. The program aims to involve local communities in geotourism activities, contributing to creating new jobs and to support local economy, while safeguarding geoheritage sites. This study is based on a survey answered by >50 certified geoguides, characterizing their profile, expectations, and perceived results. It addresses the impact of training on geoguides, looking at the changes induced by the program on their local and professional or personal activities. Finally, the study aims to identify the impacts of this training and certification on local networking, sustainable geotourism and regional economic dynamics.

Abstract: La Paz Bay (BLP), Baja California Sur, Mexico, is one of the country's most important destinations for fishing tournament, with recreational fishing considered a significant tourist activity in terms of ecosystem services and the economic benefits it provides to participants. The purpose of this study was to estimate the demand for sport fishing tournaments and the monetary benefit of this activity through the willingness to pay (WTP) for access to fishing tournaments by anglers and based on it make some proposal of tourism promotion and recreational fisheries management. A total of 184 surveys were conducted at tournaments held in 2022 and 2023; the collected data were used to apply the individual travel cost method. The data enabled the description of the profile of anglers participating in fishing tournaments in BLP. The demand function for fishing tournaments was estimated, which includes seven determinants. With this information, the individual DAP per angler was estimated at USD 608.63, and the recreational economic value of fishing tournaments in La Paz is estimated at USD 1.08 million. Strategies for conserving species reserved for sport fishing and promoting tourism are discussed, which could help improve tournament activity and promote the rational use of natural resources.

Abstract: This study explores the role of organic food within sustainable tourism in Slovenia, with particular attention to consumer expectations, trust in organic certification, willingness to pay a price premium, and the interpretation of sustainability labels, especially the Slovenia Green scheme. Data were collected through an online survey conducted in Slovenia in 2025 (n = 324) and analysed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and exploratory factor analysis to examine key dimensions of sustainable tourism perceptions. The results show that organic food is generally recognised as an important element of sustainable tourism and is most often associated with environmental protection, health benefits, and food safety. The study also identified a clear gap between consumer expectations and certification requirements, as many respondents associated the Slovenia Green label with certified organic dishes, although organic food is not mandatory within the scheme. Consumer trust in organic food was moderate to high, and most respondents expressed willingness to pay a price premium for certified organic menu items, indicating market potential within the tourism and hospitality sector. The findings highlight the need for clearer communication of certification scope, better alignment between sustainability labels and consumer expectations, and targeted education and capacity building among tourism providers. Overall, organic food remains an underutilised but strategically relevant component of sustainable tourism development in Slovenia.

Abstract: The article explains the narcissism leadership paradox in the existing organizations in relation to the rhetoric of ethics used strategically to legitimize the use of control. The loss of trust in leaders and in employees are both practiced in the sense that leaders manifest the disjunction between organizational discourses and reality by instantiating values in superficial ways in what they say and in real ways in what they do. The study relies on three guiding questions: (1) How do narcissistic leaders legitimize themselves by thinking that they are right in the moral sense? (2) What are a few of the stressors related to employees where ethics and practice collide? (3) Does dissonance cause organizational cynicism? Semi-structured interviews with 24 employees working in Higher Education Institutes were used to collect qualitative data to answer the following questions: The similar patterns and their comparison across cases were determined by coding and performing thematic analysis in computer through excel. The outcomes show 3 broad themes. First, the Virtue Costume demonstrates that both virtue signaling and moral language are being offered to fulfill personal interest and acquire power. Second, Branding the Self as the Company causes us to concentrate on how egoistic leaders project their own image as the identity and values of the company. Third, the Contagion of Cynicism explains how employees who become disillusioned, cynical and detached respond when they feel hypocrisy in the words and actions of their leaders. The paper associate’s impression management and moral justification of narcissist leaders with falling trust and calls on authentic leadership and open cultural supervision to restrain cynicism and provide theoretical and practical organizational knowledge. This study’s implications align with Alowais and Suliman (2025), who demonstrated how Leader Dark Triad (LDT) traits can cascade into Employee Dark Triad (EDT) behaviors. By extending this logic, our findings show how narcissistic leaders’ ethical rhetoric similarly shapes organizational climates, reinforcing manipulative dynamics.

Abstract: In general. "Politography" refers to the study or portrayal of political events, figures, and systems. It is used to analyze political trends, to visualize data, and create a data driven narrative. Decision support tools (DST) tend to be narrowly defined in terms of specific domain applications, in contrast to dashboards which ofer panoramic views of organizations or simple data sets with indicators. Herer, we describe the design and construction of a DST for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It provides a comprehensive data set and case study that can be generalized to other applications. The DST, labeled T-Politography, that integrates over 11000 indicators organisedin a hierarchical structure that includes a specific geographical area labeled A, B, and C in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. These have distinct legal status specified in the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians Authority (PA). The second level of the DST hierarchy consists of three domains that characterize Israeli and Palestinian levels of control, in each one of the geographic areas: security, geo-spatial, and economic. In addition, the T-Politography DST contains contextual data relevant to the extend of Israeli and Palestinian control such as political, diplomatic, social, and legal domains. . Each category is represented by a set of specific indicators, e.g., birth rates of Israelis in Area C. Section 1 provides some background, section 2 identifies the DST user groups, section 3 covers methodological components, section 4 is the DST data and case atudy covered in this paper and section 5 is a scenario analysis using Bayesian networks. The paper concludes with a discussion.

Abstract: In the context of digitalization, social media have become key tools for strengthening business competitiveness and sustainability. The objective of this work was to analyze the effect of social media use on the sustainable development of ecuadorian hotel MSMEs, considering the explanatory variables of digital positioning, brand image, and customer engagement. A quantitative approach was adopted, applying a survey to managers of 93 two- and three-star hotels. Based on the collected data, a multilayer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural network model was developed to capture nonlinear relationships among variables and to assess its predictive capacity regarding business sustainability, operationalized through ordinal categories. The model results show sat-isfactory predictive performance, with an overall accuracy of 90.1% in the training set and 84% in the test set. The normalized importance analysis revealed that variables as-sociated with customer engagement- particularly responsiveness via social media to tourists’ interests- exert the greatest influence on the sustainability of MSMEs, surpas-sing brand image and digital positioning. These findings confirm that active interaction and timely responses on social media are decisive factors in enhancing the sustainable development of these enterprises.

Abstract: Optimizing public investment in urban green infrastructure under water scarcity is a core challenge in resource economics. This study addresses the critical knowledge gap in quantifying the economic returns on physiological adaptations of urban trees, which are central to their value as natural capital. We integrate dual water isotopes (δ²H, δ¹⁸O) and leaf carbon isotope (δ¹³C) analysis to mechanistically decode the water-use strategy of Machilus yunnanensis in drought-prone Kunming, China. Results show strategic seasonal plasticity: a shift from shallow soil water (10–50 cm) in the wet season to deeper soil sources (50–90 cm) and stem reserves in the dry season, coupled with a dynamic, diurnally variable water-use efficiency (WUE). We then construct a transparent economic valuation model translating these traits into three quantifiable benefit streams: (1) Operational cost savings (EV₁) from reduced irrigation demand; (2) Enhanced marginal productivity of water (EV₂) in ecosystem service generation; and (3) Climate resilience value (EV₃) via mitigated mortality risk. Our “Water-Carbon-Economy” nexus framework provides a generalizable methodology for assessing the cost-effectiveness and risk-adjusted returns of urban forest species. It demonstrates that selecting trees based on such eco-efficient traits is not merely an ecological choice but a sound economic investment, offering direct implications for budget-constrained municipalities seeking to maximize the benefits of green infrastructure under climate uncertainty.

Abstract: Building on the ancient and spiritual call to care for self and others, recent research (2020–2025) demonstrates that self‑compassion improves resilience, self-care, emotional regulation, and recovery from workplace stress across diverse sectors including healthcare, education, and public safety. Defined through as self‑kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness, self‑compassion fosters meaning and supports inner hope by helping individuals hold their suffering self-lovingly with understanding rather than self‑criticism. Emerging findings reveal that compassion‑based interventions improve psychological wellbeing, reduce burnout, and enhance physiological markers of recovery such as heart rate variability (HRV). This paper synthesises current evidence and highlights implications for chaplains, carers, and leaders in developing compassionate work environments that support sustainable wellbeing and people’s search for meaning. Some practical suggestions for chaplains and organisational leaders particularly in the areas of using self-kindness and naming to gently acknowledge and releasing stress and not ruminating when mistakes or stress arise. This may require workplace education programs. While more research is needed, recent research affirms that self-compassion leads to notable improvements in self-reflection, psychological empowerment and reduces burnout and workplace stress. Future research directions are also offered.

Abstract: This paper explores innovation and accountability in spiritual and pastoral care for frontline personnel facing chronic stress, trauma, and moral injury. Police and emergency service psychologists and chaplains operate within stressful and morally charged environments where trauma, psychosocial safety and recovery are constant challenges. Amid such pressures, there is a vital need for credible, evidence-informed, yet deeply human psycho-spiritual frameworks that protect confidentiality while promoting care and wellbeing. Using a Critical Interpretive Synthesis enriched by heuristic and bricolage perspectives, this study integrates recent research across psycho-spirituality, positive psychology, and occupational health. It demonstrates how pastoral carers—particularly chaplains—co-lead moral repair, meaning-making, and value realignment within a biopsychosocial-spiritual (BPSS) framework. From this synthesis emerges a new psycho-spiritual self-care model anchored in humility, self-compassion, and meaningful detachment as virtues that buffer burnout, reduce harsh self-talk, and foster relational safety. Key innovations include early, embedded pastoral interventions; clear referral pathways with clinical partners; and virtue-based micro-skills that complement psychology and medicine while maintaining the integrity of spiritual presence, ritual, and trust. The paper also addresses the enduring tension between institutional demands for measurable outcomes and the ineffable nature of pastoral impact. It proposes blended evaluation indicators such as moral-injury scales (MIOS/MISS-M), spiritual wellbeing tools (FACIT-Sp-12), alliance markers, and organizational climate measures, interpreted heuristically to safeguard authenticity and confidentiality.By reframing pastoral care and chaplaincy as both evidence-informed and spiritually grounded, this paper offers a transformative model for psycho-spiritual care that renews moral resilience and meaning in high-risk professions. Finally, future research possibilities and limitations are also discussed.

Abstract: Shipping is urgently exploring alternative vessel energy sources across a wide range of options - from other fossil fuels to renewables - with a view to more sustainable ship propulsion. Based on processing of publicly available data, the authors discuss the prospects of the supply chains for 16 vessel power sources alternative to oil, comparing descriptive statistics across respective fuel supply chain Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate potentiality along with hidden vulnerabilities. While finding marked dif-ferences across calculated mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation values, the authors do not preclude the development of parallel ship fuel supply chains, unlike the case of previous fuel transitions in shipping. To support this scenario, already forming in practice, they emphasize the enabling attributes of today’s world fleet in terms of total capacity and of size of each of the main shipping sectors which could eventually sustain nowadays multiple fuel supply chains. Concluding on limitations and challenges that such an energy-source multitude can create, the authors underline the need to consider in the Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) of shipping fuels their total impact, including necessary ship hardware changes for a more thorough assessment of fuels’ impact across the entire shipping services’ supply chain.

Abstract: Evaluating national climate policy performance requires frameworks that integrate multiple dimensions while accommodating diverse development pathways. This study develops a Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) framework to construct a Climate Policy Performance Index (CPPI) for 187 countries. The index integrates four dimensions—mitigation, adaptation, economic capacity, and governance—using explicit utility functions and policy-aligned weights derived from climate policy priorities. Data are drawn from the Global Carbon Project, ND-GAIN Country Index, and World Bank indicators. Results reveal substantial cross-national heterogeneity, with CPPI scores ranging from 33.67 (Turkmenistan) to 78.46 (Norway). Nordic countries lead with balanced excellence across dimensions, while alternative high-performance pathways emerge through mitigation leadership (Uruguay, Costa Rica) or governance-economy strength (Singapore). Regional analysis identifies Europe as the top-performing region (mean = 59.92), whereas Sub-Saharan Africa achieves unexpectedly high rankings despite low emissions, owing to weak institutional capacity. The relationship between income and climate performance is non-monotonic: lower-middle-income countries achieve comparable aggregate scores to high-income nations, with near-perfect mitigation performance compensating for weaker governance. Sensitivity analysis shows that ranking robustness is comparable across equal, adaptation-focused, and multiplicative weighting schemes (Spearman's ρ > 0.83), whereas mitigation-focused weights yield substantially different orderings (ρ = 0.47). The CPPI correlates moderately with ND-GAIN (r = 0.40) and weakly negatively with CO₂ per capita (r = −0.28), indicating the framework captures distinct aspects of climate policy performance. The proposed methodology advances beyond existing indices by providing axiomatic foundations, transparent utility specifications, and comprehensive sensitivity analysis, offering a theoretically grounded tool for cross-national climate policy evaluation.