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This paper aims to investigate the heritage management of the Algerian medinas subject to standardized safeguarding plans, referring only to the general community model, and then ignoring their particularities. Two medinas were selected as a case study: Annaba and Constantine.

Several methodologies of a descriptive historical issue and an exploratory study approach were used to determine the physical and cultural values of the two medinas. The objective is to see to what extent the medinas can be claimed as a place of affirmation and diffusion of urbanity.

On the basis of the results obtained, this work aims to articulate the tangible and intangible heritage as two inseparable dimensions to rethink the heritage of the Algerian medinas, taking into account the specificities and peculiarities of each of them.

This paper responds to an identified need to examine the issue of identity as a new approach that depends on the available characteristics of the historic center and the way in which planners and decision-makers use these resources as a guideline for implementing a new vision of safeguarding.

The purpose of this research is to introduce a theory for social entrepreneurship based on integrating the entrepreneurship literature with a global empirical research carried out on social entrepreneurs using grounded theory. Theoretical contributions and insights from the social entrepreneurship literature are integrated into the research.

This research is an exploratory inductive qualitative research based on the grounded theory methodology developed by Glaser and Strauss, and procedures developed by Strauss and Corbin with a constructivist stance.

The behavioral theory of social entrepreneurship studies the contextual factors that lead to social venture creation, the underlying organization dynamics and structures, and how these typologies measure social impact, mobilize resources, and bring about sustainable social change.

The result of the research is a behavioral theory for social entrepreneurship, which introduces new organizational typologies that create, measure, and sustain social change. Studying the underlying motivations and conditions upon which social enterprises evolve will help in extending the research on management of social outcomes and impacts. As the focus of the different typologies of social enterprises is to produce measurable social impact, researching these types of social organizations will advance research in social sciences.

Studying the phenomena of social entrepreneurship and explaining the social enterprises' unique behaviors, characteristics, and typologies will advance research for creating sustainable public wealth rather than just focusing on private wealth and business performance. While Schumpeter's entrepreneurship theory led the literature on economic growth, social entrepreneurship theory might be a factor for social development through economically sustainable and viable models.

This research will help in studying the role of social entrepreneurs in creating new social institutions and structures, promoting social movements, and mobilizing resources to create sustainable social impact.

This research is an attempt to contribute to the social entrepreneurship literature by providing new insights about social entrepreneurship behavior. The result of the research is a behavioral theory for social entrepreneurship, which introduces new organizational typologies that create, measure, and sustain social change.

Although the literature on Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation has evolved, a deeper understanding of the LSS practices applied in organisations in developing countries is needed. This paper aims to analyse LSS in a manufacturing company in the context of LSS implementation in an emerging economy.

This paper uses case-based research. Data collected in a large manufacturing company through multiple sources of evidence were triangulated to derive the findings. This paper analyses aspects related to the implementation of both programmes and their synergy, as well as some critical and failure factors.

The main results show that Lean and Six Sigma are applied separately in two different programmes. Some aspects that are necessary to increase the integration of both approaches were identified while considering each phase of the DMAIC and the current approach applied by the company. Although some positive results have been achieved, there are many critical and failure factors that may influence the implementation of both approaches, such as employee training and changes in the organisational environment. Finally, the comprehensive integration of both approaches needs to be undertaken by the company.

The findings from this single case study cannot be generalised.

This paper may be used as a guiding reference for managers and consultants to help them when working towards more successful LSS implementation.

First, this paper investigates LSS in a manufacturing firm located in a developing country; this issue is still seldom addressed in the literature. Second, it may contribute to practitioners’ knowledge by delivering insights into a real context, as well as the relevant issues to be addressed when implementing LSS in similar contexts.

Customer satisfaction (CS) is a key factor in maintaining customer relations and achieving corporate success. This paper aims to empirically investigate the value relevance of CS accounting for corporate performance (CP) of top global brands worldwide.

A sample of top 100 global brands located in different countries and operating over various industries is examined for a period of three years comprising 2020 till 2022. A quantitative research methodology is used for conducting content analysis of companies’ annual reports and carrying out ordinary least squares multiple regression tests using different financial and market measures, as proxies for CP.

Results show that CS can significantly enhance CP. Findings indicate a significant positive association of current and lagged CS with both profitability and market value, thereby documenting consistent evidence in a global market setting.

The study provides an aggregate picture of the value relevance of CS while a disaggregated view across different industries can reveal deeper insights. However, the study has important implications for corporate executives, investors, accountants and standard setters, offering global insights that appreciate CS for improving CP and creating value for businesses. It helps in understanding customers preferences, designing corporate policies and strategies, predicting CP, developing alternative methods of CS measurement and reporting and recommending possible accounting treatments.

This study adds to the relatively limited literature on the potential contribution of CS within the accounting literature. It extends the scope of prior research by documenting quantitative empirical evidence of the value relevance of CS for CP of top global brands, using different financial and market measures. It provides international insights into a global market setting, in which diversity is inherent and competition is fierce. Hence, the study largely contributes to resolving existing debate by documenting consistent objective evidence over a wide regional diversity using various indicators.

Bagasse and rice straw lignins undergo different treatments, e.g. acid hydrolysis, oxidation with hydrogen peroxide and thermal treatment, before being used as a partial replacement for phenol in phenol formaldehyde resin. These treatments improved the resin formation properties of the lignin. The effect of these treatments on the improvement of the properties of the resin produced has the following sequence: lignin treated with HCl (1‐3N) > lignin treated with H₂O₂ (1‐3 per cent) > thermally treated lignin (120‐140°C). The improvement of the properties of the resin produced from bagasse lignin is greater than that produced from rice straw lignin. The treatment of rice straw lignin with acid increases its ability to form a resin. Treatment of rice straw lignin with acid leads to its increased concentration in the phenol lignin formaldehyde resin with good properties. In general, the resin produced from treated lignin has better properties than resin produced from untreated lignin.

This study aims to improve the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model by examining technological anxiety and other influential factors on international students' adoption of mobile learning (m-learning) during COVID-19 emergency remote teaching (ERT).

This study utilized the modified UTAUT framework to test hypotheses through a cross-sectional survey method. Participants were university students studying Chinese as a foreign language who were selected using a convenience sampling approach. An online questionnaire was then administered. The data collected from the surveys were analyzed using the partial least squares method with SmartPLS 4 software.

The study examined 16 hypotheses and found support for six of them. The results confirmed that performance expectancy (PE) is a significant predictor of behavioral intention (BI), and anxiety influences both PE and effort expectancy. The negative effect of social influence on anxiety was found to be significant, while facilitating conditions had a negative impact on learners' self-efficacy. The model fit indices indicated a good overall fit for the model.

This study presents a valuable contribution to the literature on m-learning in emergency education by incorporating technological anxiety into the enhanced UTAUT model. Examining the relationships between the key factors of the model provides a better understanding of learners' intentions and can inspire researchers to establish new theoretical foundations to evaluate the roles of these factors in diverse educational settings.

The study found that performance expectations are linked to learners' intentions, and anxiety indirectly affects BIs to use mobile learning platforms. Thus, these platforms should be designed to meet learners' expectations with minimum effort and eliminate anxiety triggers to facilitate ease of use. Language curriculum developers and policymakers should incorporate mobile learning applications to support diverse language skills, address students' needs and encourage their use through professional development opportunities for instructors.

Social factors have been found to significantly influence anxiety levels among learners. Therefore, it is crucial for teachers and family members to play an essential role in mitigating anxiety's adverse effects. Discussing related issues can enhance the quality of mobile learning and stimulate social initiative by providers, ultimately improving the learning experience for all learners, regardless of their location or circumstances. This can also contribute to the growth and development of society.

This study contributes to the originality of m-learning development by proposing an enhanced UTAUT model that considers anxiety and emphasizes the critical role of foreign learners' BIs. It provides fundamental guidelines for designing and evaluating m-learning in ERT contexts.

This paper focuses on the competencies and skills needed in preparing graduates of urban planning schools to meet the real-world challenges of professional practices. The present work explores the gap between skills and knowledge required to excel in the urban planning discipline and professional practices.

This research utilises a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. This study depends on collecting data from descriptive and statistical analysis based on two streams. The first comes from a survey launched among students of urban planning. The second is interviews scheduled with academics that are also practitioners.

The results outline the missing correlation between what Egyptian students learn in schools of urban planning and professional practices. The findings show that academics, students, and graduates share the same experiences about the education system. Academics agreed that graduates need to be more skilful rather than knowledgeable. The discussion shows that the undefined role of the planner in Egypt influenced the mismatching between the current demand and supply of competencies and skills offered by planning schools. The concluded remarks mentioned that communication skills and negotiation skills are the most crucial skills for graduates, in addition to information finding and data-processing skills.

This research has particular advantages in presenting a model of competencies as results of scanning the expectations of Egyptian students and new graduates vs professional practices. The contribution is in answering the question of what skills students of the urban planning programs should learn in order to meet the continued changes in professional practices.

This chapter investigates the perceptions of social audit within the context of the garment companies of Bangladesh. The chapter highlights two recent incidents that claimed the lives of about 1,300 garment workers in Bangladesh. Based on the fact that Western clothing brands use social audits before sourcing their products from Bangladesh, this chapter investigates if any real change happens as a result of the information provided in the social audit reports.

The insights were gathered through conducting personal interviews with managers of social audit firms, corporate managers and various stakeholders of the textile and garment companies of Bangladesh. This chapter used the accountability theory to understand the perceptions of social audit.

The chapter finds that different stakeholders have different perspectives regarding social audits. The high-profile catastrophes within the supply chain garment factories of Bangladesh provided evidence that social audits did not help prevent such catastrophes in a different socio-economic context. The results have revealed stakeholder dissatisfaction with the procedures and content of social audits. It also finds that there is an expectation gap between the preparers and users of social audit reports.

The insights provided in this chapter would benefit garment manufacturers of developing countries and relevant stakeholders to demonstrate more accountability while conducting a social audit.

This is the first known chapter investigating stakeholders’ perceptions of social audit within the context of a developing country. More importantly, it focuses on responsible corporate behaviour in a socially sensitive industry.

Lignin precipitated from different black liquors wasted from the cooking of rice straw, bagasse and cotton stalks, to produce pulp and paper, can replace phenol by up to 40 per cent in phenol formaldehyde resin. The properties of the resin produced from bagasse lignin formaldehyde are nearly the same as when the resin IS produced from phenol formaldehyde. Replacement of phenol by lignin in phenol formaldehyde resin has an economical effect and reduces the pollution caused by draining black liquor into rivers and streams. The properties of the resin produced from rice straw lignin are lower than resin from bagasse and cotton stalk lignin. The effect of increasing the content of lignin in the resin on the resin properties was studied. The effect of polymerization time and temperature on the resin properties is also clarified. The molecular structure of the lignins used plays an important role on the properties of the phenol lignin formaldehyde produced.

This review deals with the pros and cons of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on human beings and the role of textile clothing and the chemicals used for textiles to protect from their harmful effects.

UV radiation (UVR) which has further divided into UVA, UVB, and UVC. Almost 100% of UVC and major portion of UVB are bounced back to stratosphere by ozone layer while UVA enters the earth atmosphere. Excessive exposure of solar or artificial UVR exhibit potential risks to human health. UVR is a major carcinogen and excessive exposure of solar radiation in sunlight can cause cancer in the lip, skin squamous cell, basal cell and cutaneous melanoma, particularly in people with the fair skin.

This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the harmful effects of UVR on human skin, factors affecting UV irradiance and factors affecting UV protection offered by textile clothing.

Effect of fiber properties, yarn properties, fabric construction, fabric treatments and laundering has been reviewed along with the identification of gaps in the reported research. A comparison of inorganic and organic UV absorbers has also been given along with different testing and evaluation methods for UV protective clothing.