Technological Forecasting and Social Change最新文献

The objective of this paper is to explore the capabilities to implement closed-loop supply chain (CLSC). In this regard, a theoretical model grounded in natural resource-based view is proposed, which depicts inter-relationships among the capabilities and CLSC. The model is tested using survey data from Indian manufacturing firms by partial least squares (PLS) approach. The findings show information technology and organizational learning as important lower-order capabilities, and internal integration, demand management and product design as significant higher-order capabilities for CLSC implementation. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine key capabilities for CLSC. The study contributes to CLSC literature by providing an integrative framework, classifying capabilities into lower-order capabilities and higher-order capabilities, and empirically examining the key capabilities for CLSC. The findings provide managers with insights about the hierarchical levels of capabilities for CLSC, which will help them to accordingly deploy the appropriate resources to build capabilities for CLSC.

This study focuses on four major high-technology exporting countries––the USA, Germany, France, and China––to explore the long and short-run associations among ecological footprint, environmental technology patents, high-technology exports, and economic growth. The sample covering 1988–2019 is subject to a set of structural breaks, including 2009 Global Recession in addition to uncertainty in the order of integration captured by unit root tests, which provide basis for novel Fourier ARDL and Fourier Toda-Yamamoto causality methods. The Fourier ARDL findings reveal the importance of environmental technology innovations in dampening the level of ecological footprints and promoting a more sustainable environment in the USA, Germany, and France, whereas more high-technology exports in international trade worsen the ecological footprints in these countries in addition to the negative effects of economic growth in all countries including China. In contrast, high-technology exports appear to mitigate ecological footprint in China, however, eco-friendly technologies fail to reduce ecological footprints as in other analysed nations. The causality tests indicate bidirectional and unidirectional causal relationships among variables with the exception of China where the neutrality hypothesis holds between economic growth and ecological patents and also high-technology exports and ecological patents. These findings provide important insights in achieving sustainable development.

As global demand for animal products is projected to increase significantly by 2050, driven by population growth and increased incomes, smart livestock technologies are essential for improving efficiency, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. Conducted within the unique agricultural context of Japan, characterized by small-scale, family-run farms and strong government protection policies, our study builds upon traditional theoretical frameworks that often oversimplify farmers' decision-making processes. By employing a scoping review, expert interviews, and a Modified Grounded Theory Approach, our research uncovers the intricate interplay between individual farmer values, farm management policies, social relations, agricultural policies, and livestock industry trends. We particularly highlight the unique dynamics within family-owned businesses, noting the tension between an “advanced management mindset” and “conservatism.” Our study reveals that technology adoption is a sequential and iterative process, influenced by technology availability, farmers' digital literacy, technology implementation support, and observable technology impacts on animal health and productivity. These insights highlight the need for tailored support mechanisms and policies to enhance technology uptake, thereby promoting sustainable and efficient livestock production system.

External adversities have induced substantial business disruptions and uncertainties, necessitating enterprises to proactively seek strategies for establishing enduring environmental resilience. This study amalgamates adaptation theory to formulate an analytical framework known as “response-learning-adaptation” (RLA), and aims to elucidate the adaptation process within an organization. Furthermore, it investigates the role of process digitization in enhancing organizational adaptability in response to contemporary demands. Through an analysis of data collected from a sample comprising 421 manufacturing firms, this study validates the favorable influence of the proactive crisis response orientation on organizational adaptive performance, as well as substantiates the presence of strategic knowledge creation and integration, facilitated by the sequential mediation of strategic knowledge implementation. Moreover, the study highlights the moderating effect of process digitization. This study employs adaptation theory to elucidate the specific strategic learning processes and highlights the critical role of internal and external factors in organizational adaptation. It addresses the existing gap in adaptation theory concerning the mechanisms of adaptive behavior, suggesting that adaptation is not merely an independent action but is also influenced by the collective behavior of organizations within the digital economy.

In contemporary business landscapes, concerns about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are increasingly prominent. Despite the rising public interest in ESG, empirical research assessing its efficacy remains sparse. This research investigates the subtle connection between ESG initiatives and firm value, highlighting the mediating role of customer satisfaction. Utilizing an industry-fixed effects model, our research analyzes an unbalanced panel dataset comprising 168 firms over five years. We make three conclusions based on empirical analyses of a comprehensive secondary dataset. First, ESG performance improves a firm's value. Second, customer satisfaction positively mediates this relationship. Third, this relationship is noticeable in firms in environmentally sensitive industries. By distinctively focusing on ESG performance rather than broader CSR concepts, this research underscores the importance of customer satisfaction in determining how ESG performance influences firm value.

In recent years, the technological advancements embodied by digital technology have received significant attention from policymakers and researchers because of their profound impacts on the economy and society. In particular, the relationship between digital technology and employment continues to be a subject of considerable debate. This article focuses on the microperspective, and the causal effects and mechanisms of corporate digital transformation on labour employment are examined. With the use of data on Chinese A-share manufacturing companies from 2008– to 2019, text analysis is employed in this study to construct a comprehensive index of corporate digital transformation. We utilise a combination of fixed effects models, difference-in-differences (DiD) models, and instrumental variable methods and demonstrate that digital transformation stimulates enterprise labour demand, a conclusion that remains valid after multiple endogeneity tests and robustness assessments. The heterogeneous results indicate that nonstate-owned enterprises (non-SOEs), nonhigh-tech enterprises, enterprises with low financing constraints, and small enterprises exhibit greater employment creation effects through digital transformation. Mechanistic analysis suggests that digital transformation increases enterprise employment by increasing operational and management efficiency, profitability, and labour productivity levels. Further exploration reveals that digital transformation increases the demand for labour with varying skills and human capital upgrading in enterprises. This article, through the lens of digital technology, enriches the body of research on the nexus between technological progress and employment, provides novel insights into employment fluctuations under the digital paradigm, and outlines significant implications for countries balancing digital economy development, employment growth, and social stability.

Given the critical need for sustainable transportation solutions, inland waterways (IWs) constitute a crucial yet underfunded mode of transport. This study examines deficiencies in current infrastructure funding and analyzes infrastructure funds (IFs) as an alternative funding mechanism and potential means to revitalize German waterways.

Central to this investigation is the analysis of the German population's willingness to pay (WTP) for such funds. To this end, a comprehensive online survey of German households was conducted, and multivariate regression analysis was employed to identify key factors influencing public support for various fund designs.

The results reveal that personal experiences with flooding significantly affect WTP and underscore the role of socio-economic variables in shaping public attitudes toward infrastructure funding. The findings indicate that well-designed IFs, combined with effective communication strategies to raise awareness of the importance of waterways, could significantly enhance public support. The study demonstrates that IFs have significant potential as a strategic tool for mobilizing public funding, thereby supporting the sustainable development and maintenance of essential yet underfunded infrastructure. IFs present a promising solution to the financial challenges facing critical public goods such as waterways.

Following social constructivism, the Metaverse can be seen as a “boundary object,” allowing “interpretative flexibility” across communities while maintaining a “common identity” to facilitate interactions and consensus. Understanding the social construction of the Metaverse requires acknowledging diverse perspectives that shape the discourse surrounding it. This research employed an internet-based Q methodology study to examine such “boundaries” within the Metaverse discourse. The study involved 46 participants from 14 countries and diverse sectors within the global Metaverse industry, who engaged in online card ranking exercises using statements covering five essential aspects of the Metaverse: Terminology, Cultural Values, Societal Impact, Economics, and Regulation. The factor analysis revealed four prominent frames of perspective: 1) Debating Liberal Globalism; 2) Critiques of the Metaverse as a Threat to Humanity; 3) The Metaverse as Neoliberalization; and 4) the New Prometheans: Techno-Optimism in the Digital Revolution. These frames underscore polarized perceptions related to the political-economic aspects of Metaverse development, particularly concerning affordability, infrastructure limitation, and digital literacy, all crucial for preventing global divisions. The findings contribute to policy dialogues focused on the social impact of technology innovation. Additionally, this research provides hands-on experience in designing and implementing a digitalized Q methodology, resulting in more systematic and transparent Q exercise procedures.

The diffusion of low-carbon technologies (LCTs) is a critical channel to mitigate carbon emissions. The government plays an important role in guiding the proliferation of LCTs among enterprises, but due to issues such as regulatory costs, unequal resource distribution, and inefficient regulation it is inevitable that there will be inadequate supervision. Therefore, this study incorporates the government’s probabilistic regulation into the research framework and constructs a networked evolutionary game model in which the government, enterprises, and consumers play a role together. Based on the constructed game model, we explore the impact of carbon taxes, subsidies, probabilistic government supervision, market demand, initial fixed investment cost, network size, and firm heterogeneity on the diffusion of LCTs. In addition, we extend the model to consider scenarios involving dynamic market demands and government policies The results demonstrate that factors such as subsidies, probabilistic government supervision, market demand, network size, and firm heterogeneity promote the diffusion of LCTs, while carbon taxes and initial fixed investment cost under a small total demand inhibit the spread of LCTs. Our exploration sheds some light on the diffusion of LCTs from the perspective of demand and supply sides, which provides an effective reference for the formulation of relevant policies.

This paper presents a novel business model design tool called Future ecosystem business model (FEBM). The FEBM aims to address the lack of managerial tools linking business models, foresight, and ecosystem strategizing in the context of systemic technological changes, as those characterizing the sustainability transition in a multi-level perspective. The tool has been shaped through a design science approach building on a structured review of the literature. A field test was conducted through a case study to test the proposed tool. The empirical context was that of a publicly funded project in the field of electrofuels (efuels). The project foresaw the development and integration of several technologies, whose adoption was likely to have significant implications within and across industries. The proposed approach contributes to the literature on business model design in the context of technology-driven transformations characterized by high uncertainty and interdependence, such as those related to the sustainability transition. Strategy and innovation managers may find in the proposed FEBM tool an actionable approach to shape decision-making against far-reaching technological and societal challenges.