This study examines the impact of virtual influencers on purchase intention in the context of Morocco. The goals also included examining how engagement and purchase intention relate to critical characteristics such as human-like relatability, authenticity and trust. The Computers as Social Actors theory, source credibility theory and the parasocial relationship theory formed the theoretical basis of this research. A Partial Least Squares based Structural Equation Model (PLS SEM) assessment was conducted on 359 responses. The study finds that Authenticity, Trust and Human-like characteristics have a positive and statistically significant impact on engagement. An analysis of the path dependence reveals that engagement strongly influences purchase intention. The results also show that consumers attribute importance to the recommendations of the virtual influencer. These findings have profound managerial implications as virtual influencers are slowly taking centerstage in emerging markets.
A convenience sample of 53-infants (39-boys, 14-girls, X age=3.34+0.71-years), 70-children (46-boys, 24-girls, X age=7.97+2.17-years), 11-teens (6-boys, 5-girls, X age=16.18+1.08-years), 20-adults (8-men, 12-women, X age=31.38+10.36-years), N=154, took Behavior Assessment of School Children 3rd Edition (BASC-3) preschool, child, or adolescent parent rating scales, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Adolescent/2nd Editions (MMPI-A/2), Ammons Quick Test (QT) of receptive vocabulary, Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale-5th Edition, Denver Development Screening 2nd Edition, Wide Range Achievement Test 5th Edition (WRAT-5) Reading, Spelling, Math Computation, and Sentence Comprehension, Berry Buktenica Visual Motor Tests (VMI), Motor Coordination, Child Autistic Rating Scale 2nd Edition (CARS-2), Gilliam Autism Rating Scale 3rd Edition (GARS-3), Children Neuropsychological Questionnaire, Neuropsychological Questionnaire, and BASC-3 Structured Developmental History. Means, standard deviations, and correlation matrices are consistent with a developmental picture for applied behavior analysis, special education services, mental health interventions, planning, and progress tracking improving functioning of autism and co-occurring ADHD, developmental delay and mental health illnesses.
Green bonds have emerged as a significant instrument in sustainable finance, yet their role in portfolio risk management, particularly in highly developed Small Open Economies (SOEs) economies, remains underexplored. This study investigates whether green bonds can reliably hedge against routine equity-market fluctuations and whether they act as safe-haven assets during episodes of extreme stress, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war. Focusing on daily returns for equity indices from twelve highly developed Small Open Economies (SOEs) countries and a global green bond index over the period 2014–2023, employed by dynamic conditional correlations (DCC), fixed-effects panel regressions with crisis interaction terms, and country-level OLS robustness checks with Newey–West corrections. The results indicate that green bonds provide partial hedging benefits in tranquil periods for a subset of markets (e.g., Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Iceland), while others exhibit weak or even positive co-movement with equities (e.g., Denmark, Israel). During the COVID-19 crisis, safe-haven performance is heterogeneous, with some countries showing improved protection and others experiencing a reversal. The Russia–Ukraine war produced weaker and less consistent shifts. Robustness checks—advancing the COVID-19 onset to 1 February 2020 and re-estimating the specification at the country level with HAC (Newey–West) inference—left the qualitative conclusions unchanged. Overall, green bonds in highly developed Small Open Economies (SOEs) markets offer limited and context-dependent hedging capacity, and their safe-haven properties are not consistent across crises. These findings carry implications for investors seeking resilient sustainable portfolios and for policymakers considering the integration of green bonds into financial stability frameworks.
The purpose of the present study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of the face-to-face (FTF) and online friendship experiences, and the sense of connectedness of Gen Z adolescents. The adolescents who participated in the study had been subjected to social closures during the COVID period, which periodically prevented them from meeting their friends FTF. Six hundred seventeen adolescents aged 14-17 participated in the study, 65% of them male. Data for the quantitative study were collected in Israel in 2022-2023. The findings indicate that most adolescents regarded FTF communication and online communication to be part of their natural environment, with preference for the most appropriate medium according to the need at hand and the characteristics of the medium. Most study participants indicated FTF communication as the preferred way to express emotions and feelings, more so than online communication. The adolescents believed that conversations about emotions and feelings were safer and more protected in FTF communication than online.
A sample of European firms engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities is investigated in this study with regard the occurrence of asymmetric cost behavior in their operating expenses under the umbrella of corporate governance structures. The empirical findings of the paper provide evidence that operating expenses exhibit cost stickiness in the case of firms with stronger engagement in CSR activities. The firms with high intensity of CSR engagement seem to exhibit less operating cost stickiness under stronger corporate governance mechanisms. The findings of this study suggest that in addition to economic factors, managers’ choices regarding adjusting costs may be influenced by corporate social responsibility engagement and governance mechanisms which could thus help explain operating costs’ behavior of European firms.
Summary. - Ask-Standard-Predictor (ASP) surveys high-risk adults/youth before high-risk/self-harm [assessing risk management (ARM)]; 2,722 (1,595 adults, 1,127 youth) followed (in court, hospital, physician, school records) for 3-12-years, analyzed with robust, statistical methods (in-bag, out-of-bag, cross-validation, Shao’s bootstrapped, logistic-regressions), resulting in:: (a) predictive-accuracy [area-under-curve (AUC) = 0.99, adults, AUC = 0.91, youth, AUC = 0.96, combined]; (b) internal-consistency [Cronbach’s α = 0.61–0.62]; (c) test-retest-reliability [rtt = 0.75–0.76]; (d) convergent-divergent-validity (ability, achievement, perception, personality tests); (e) replicated-sensitivity- specificity [96-97%]. Predictors are valid across many populations [including 311,599 targeted, Chicago youth, receiving jobs, mentors, and anger-training, over 17-years, saving $3.6B-$5.3B, 1,242 homicides, 46% less shootings, and 77 fewer violent-youth-crimes] in “1-Chicago-Youth-Summer-Jobs-Program.” ASP is an extension of 95-year-probation-parole-decision-making-tests, allowing lowering high-risk by targeting scientifically-proven, cost-effective treatments. ASP and MMPI-2/A have the same”7-point-high-risk-profile” for youth, adults, males, females, homicidal, mass-murdering, serial-killing, sex-offending, suicide-completers, and overdosing, namely: 1-violence, 2-deception, 3-depression, 4-antisocial-behavior, 5-paranoid-ideation, 6-schizophrenic-thinking, 7-addiction-alcoholism.
Purpose: This study examines how official development assistance (ODA) amounts and literacy rates complexly influence countries’ rates of economic growth. Design/methodology/approach: We conduct a panel regression analysis of data from 2001 to 2020. Findings: The major findings are: (1) ODA is more effective in countries with low literacy rates; (2) ODA can even have negative impacts in high-literacy countries; and (3) in addition to considering foreign aid and its applications, discussions of countries’ development should therefore take into account domestic systems and social geographies. Research limitations/implications: Literacy rate is only one indicator of national development; a broader analysis is therefore needed to fully elucidate countries’ economic development. Originality/value: While previous studies position foreign aid as a natural ground for examining economic development, this study widens the debate by highlighting the importance of countries’ domestic social infrastructure and the networks that undergird development.
Summary.—Ask Standard Predictor (AS) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2/A) computer-tests find high-risk persons with 3-or-4 out of a “7-point-high-risk-profile”(addiction-alcoholism, deception, depression, antisocial-behavior, paranoid-ideation, schizophrenic-thinking, violence), based on 320,051-persons, 212-studies, 95-years, with 97% objectivity, reliability, sensitivity, specificity, validity, compared to current ways that miss 61% (homicidal, mass or serial-murdering, sex-offending, overdosing, suicide-completers), costing U.S. $2.36T/year. One solution is teaching insurance executives to copy in 100 cities, “1-summer-Chicago-youth-job-program” 311,599 high-risk youth, over 17-years, targeted with ASP-replicated-equation, diverted with jobs, mentors, anger-training [ROI = $6.42/$], saving $3.6B-$5.3B, preventing 1,242 homicides, lowering shootings 46%, violent offenses 77%. Another solution is weekend, business-university-department workshops on the math and science with 124 real-life-stories of finding-high-risk-persons and taking the 2 computer tests for leadership (education, energy, health, military, nonprofit-religious, police, prisons, transportation, ROI = $2-323/$) lowering high-risk, saving hundreds of billions. Insurance-brokers mandating workshop attendance in professional liability contracts lower victim payouts, lost profits, and trauma.
This study examines the relationship between ethnicity and daily functional disabilities among older adults, focusing on Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). The analysis uses data from the 2020 National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) survey, which included a sample of individuals aged 57-85 (n=3,005). Respondents provided information on their demographic background (e.g., income, gender, race, age, health, retirement, and marital status) and socioeconomic characteristics through telephone interviews. The study hypothesized that ethnic differences would be evident in perceived difficulties with ADLs and IADLs in later life. To assess these relationships, both MANOVA and regression analyses were conducted. The results showed that African American and Hispanic older adults reported greater difficulty with ADLs and IADLs compared to their Anglo counterparts, highlighting significant ethnic disparities in daily functional challenges. These findings are consistent with the convoy model, suggesting that ethnicity significantly influences health outcomes and functional abilities in later life. Future research should include a broader range of variables to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between demographic factors and health outcomes, including daily functional disabilities, among older adults.
This paper explores the crucial role of humiliation as a major catalyst for the resurgence of conflict and war in the international arena, using the example of the humiliation inflicted on Germany by the Versailles Treaty. By proposing a new theoretical perspective on the “humiliation trap”, characterized by the “humiliation vicious cycle”, the article highlights how the Allied powers, by severely punishing Germany and ignoring its defensive voice, fell into this humiliation trap. The divergent interests of the great victorious powers of the First World War fueled frustrations and nationalist sentiments, exacerbated by the economic crisis of 1929. This dynamic fostered the emergence of extremist leaders and alliances among those dissatisfied with the treaty, bringing the situation back to its starting point. By providing a platform for the rise of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, the triumph of revenge sentiment engendered a resurgence of conflicts and wars similar to those before the Treaty of Versailles. Thus, this study highlights the importance of recognizing humiliation as a key factor in the resurgence of conflict and war in the international arena, while advocating mutual respect and solidarity as essential foundations of all international interaction.
Participatory practices have increasingly gained prominence within EU governance, with the concept of participation seemingly becoming an integral component of EU policy documents. One of the ways the EU seeks to enhance participation is through initiatives such as the European Capital of Culture (ECOC). Existing research on participation in the ECOC has predominantly focused on single case studies, with a notable lack of comparative analysis. The uniqueness of this paper lies in its attempt to connect multiple cases, contributing to critical interpretation and theoretical development within the field. It aims to systematically explore how ECOC host cities govern participation, strategies for promoting citizen engagement, and the challenges associated with participation. In terms of data sources, this study refers to EU policy documents, evaluation reports, and academic journal articles, with the research period spanning from 2007 to 2019. The analytical framework is to examine five types of participation, including public engagement, accessibility, community empowerment, co-creation, and participatory governance.
A good government is responsible for managing the economy, that is, the lives of human beings who depend on the economy. A sentence that seems impeccable. But is it true that this great responsibility falls on the government? To confirm this, we can say that people appreciate classical development based on constant and cautious growth, in accordance with the nature that welcomes us. So, in essence, governments must work to ensure that the economic cycle is classical and adjust the course otherwise if things do not go well. Now, since territories and states are often out of the cycle of constant development, the task of governments is to correct the unbalanced path of the economy. With the singular result that often the short duration of governments in office does not allow them to reap the results of the correction that takes a long time to implement. Ergo, governments that agree to make the necessary reforms may suffer the thankless fate of a premature fall. The prize attributed by citizens to good government therefore risks rewarding another government that succeeds the previous one, which, like the "cuckoo", benefits from the rebalancing results started by the previous one in office. Let us therefore recall both the experience of the United States where the President with executive powers appointed by the citizens holds office for four years. That is, an appropriate and necessary time to implement the policy proposed to the electorate. Let us also recall the Anglo-Saxon experience based on two parties that occupy the right or left of Parliament; a bipartisanship that reproduces the behavior of the electorate that always decides in a bipartisan way, divided between majority and minority. Just to say that the difficulties of democratic regimes that multiply parties in an attempt to better respond to the needs of the electorate, could be mistaken. Because by operating in this way, the bipolar character of the electorate, which is always divided between majority and minority, is separated from the political parties that instead tend to multiply. This does not resolve the issue of the relationship of trust between voters and elected officials but rather complicates the issue of the relationship between voters and elected officials, as documented by the reduced turnout of citizens at electoral sessions. To alleviate the discomfort of political relations, it can be suggested to submit to a popular referendum all initiatives of the ruling party that are significant in terms of security, economy and foreign relations.
Environmental sustainability and green marketing have emerged as critical priorities within the hospitality industry. Nonetheless, a comprehensive understanding of how these concepts intersect—especially regarding consumer behavior, corporate strategies, and emerging technological enablers—remains underexplored. This study bridges that gap by employing an extended, cross-database bibliometric approach that integrates advanced co-occurrence, co-citation, bibliographic coupling, and co-authorship analyses. Drawing on a robust dataset of 67,059 articles extracted from Scopus and ABS-indexed journals—and triangulated with 229 core studies filtered from the Web of Science (WoS)—we map the evolution of primary thematic clusters and subtopics over time. These include green supply chain management, pro-environmental purchase intention, AI-driven eco-innovation, transformative tourism, and crisis management. Our methodology involves refining and applying carefully curated keyword sets (e.g., “green marketing,” “pro-environmental behavior,” “hospitality,” “consumer behavior”), extracting large-scale records from Scopus and ABS-indexed journals, and incorporating WoS core studies to ensure comprehensive coverage and cross-validation of emerging trends, and utilizing specialized clustering techniques—such as fractional counting, LinLog normalization, and modularity-based clustering—to achieve high-resolution thematic groupings. The advanced analyses reveal two dominant yet interlinked research domains: (a) corporate sustainability and marketing strategies, and (b) attitudinal and psychological factors driving pro-environmental consumer behavior. Key results indicate that green marketing approaches—underpinned by robust brand image, CSR initiatives, and circular economy practices—significantly influence purchase intentions and consumer loyalty, particularly in hotels and tourism settings. Moreover, digital transformation, evidenced by the integration of AI-based personalization and big data analytics, is reshaping consumer engagement by enabling real-time, data- driven insights to predict and influence eco-friendly behaviors. These findings highlight the multidisciplinary and rapidly evolving nature of green marketing research, calling for intensified cross- disciplinary collaboration among marketing, environmental psychology, and technological innovation. For practitioners, our results highlight the necessity of implementing authentic, data-driven green strategies to meet the demands of increasingly eco-conscious consumers. Thus, the originality of this study lies in its holistic, state-of-the-art bibliometric methodology, which elucidates not only the historic landscape of green marketing research but also the emergent frontiers that can guide both researchers and industry stakeholders toward more impactful sustainability practices.
This study examines the relationship between board characteristics, performance, and innovation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Islamic banks. The findings reveal that board characteristics impact bank performance. Larger boards contribute to better decision-making and improved performance. However, the board's educational background is associated with lower performance, suggesting that business-educated directors do not necessarily lead to improved performance. Furthermore, the results show that board gender diversity does not significantly impact banks’ performance, indicating that the benefits of gender diversity in enhancing performance may vary across different contexts and cultures. The study also explores the moderating role of innovation, confirming its positive effect on bank performance by improving operational efficiency. Innovation strengthens the positive impact of board size, making larger boards more effective. It also amplifies the value of directors’ business expertise, mitigating its previously negative effect. Furthermore, innovation offsets the adverse impact of gender diversity on performance, enabling diverse boards to foster more creative solutions and improve decision-making.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of public governance on the effectiveness of European supranational public policies in fostering innovation within innovation ecosystems (IEs), specifically through the lens of the PITCCH initiative, a European innovation project funded by Horizon 2020 under the 'Innovation in SMEs' measure. Utilizing a 10-month ethnographic field study, this research examines how public governance mechanisms provide targeted, results-oriented support to IEs, with a particular focus on innovation-driven small and medium enterprises (i-SMEs). The findings reveal that public governance plays a critical role in facilitating the interaction between i-SMEs and larger ecosystem stakeholders, thereby enhancing the innovative capacity and market value of i-SMEs.This research contributes valuable insights into how public governance strategies can be effectively deployed to stimulate economic and scientific growth within IEs, offering practical guidance for policymakers and implications for future policy development. The also contributes to academic discourse by providing empirical evidence on the nuanced roles of public governance within European supranational contexts.
This study examined the impact of various democratic models on regime corruption. This study focuses on four types of democracy: liberal, deliberative, participatory, and egalitarian. Principal component regression was conducted on data from 183 countries spanning the period 1900–2022. The results show that liberal democracy significantly reduces regime corruption, suggesting that higher levels of liberal democratic values effectively curb it. The results indicate that there is no significant relationship between deliberative democracy and regime corruption, suggesting that deliberations do not directly influence corruption. Contrary to expectations, participatory democracy exhibited a significantly positive relationship with regime corruption, implying that corrupt actors might exploit vulnerabilities inherent in participatory mechanisms. Therefore, although participatory processes are essential for democratic engagement, they must be carefully designed and managed to prevent their misuse. On the other hand, egalitarian democracy shows a significantly negative relationship with corruption, emphasizing the importance of equal opportunities to curb corruption within democracies. These findings underscore the need to examine democratic governance from a more nuanced perspective. Liberal and egalitarian values are critical in developing effective anticorruption strategies.
Healthcare became priority due to COVID-19 pandemic. The role of healthcare workers like nurses in serving COVID-19 patients is exuberant. They have direct contact with COVID-19 patients and must spend longer hours in and around the patients. The way nurses rendered services under extreme lockdown conditions is quite palpable. They do have lot of stress in discharging duties during the pandemic. This paper addresses the challenges and issues of nurses serving COVID-19 patients and provides measures to overcome stress during the pandemic. The study is empirical and descriptive in nature. Afraid of viral infection, longer shifts, heavy workload, inadequate PPE, social stigma, maintaining social distance with loved ones of family members, relatives, and friends, lack of appreciation and recognition from the doctors, helplessness towards colleagues, and lack of awareness of safety protocols among COVID-19 positive patients caused psychological stress among nurses. They have adapted a coping mechanism with belief in God.
