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There is growing interest in the economic impact of workplace physical activity interventions, but the evidence is still lacking — especially in Europe. Although, some evidence on the return on investment (ROI) is found in literature, the included studies may not be applicable to the Europe situation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to review current evidence on the economic impact of workplace physical activity interventions in European countries.

A systematic review on the economic impact of worksite health promotion programs aiming at increasing physical activity was conducted. Five electronic databases (MEDLINE (Ovid), MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, NHS-EED and Emerald Insights) were searched for relevant studies published between 2000 and 2020.

A total of 953 abstracts were screened, and 28 were reviewed, 11 of which met all inclusion criteria. The studies varied substantially in sample size, intervention type, duration and frequency of follow-up measurements, valuation methods and assessed economic outcomes. There is inconclusive evidence for decreasing absenteeism, positive net benefit (NB) and positive ROI. No evidence was found to indicate an effect on self-assessed productivity or job satisfaction.

This study is the first try to take the different working conditions from Europe into consideration. The authors found that working conditions could have some impact on the valuation of absenteeism costs and thereof on the ROI. Further, this study provides insight into how to deploy effective and efficient workplace physical activity interventions, based on a standardized and validated methodology and program scope.

The purpose of this paper is to show how an insurance company can maximize the policyholder’s utility by setting the level of the interest rate guarantee in line with his preferences.

The authors develop a general model of life insurance, taking stochastic interest rates, early default and regular premium payments into account. Furthermore, the authors assume that equity holders must receive risk-adequate returns on their initial equity contribution and that the insurance company has to maintain a solvency restriction.

The findings show that the optimal level for the interest rate guarantee is in general far below the maximum value typically set by the supervisory authorities and insurance companies.

The authors conclude that the approach of deviating from the maximum interest rate guarantee level given by the regulatory requirements can create additional value for the rational policyholder. In contrast to Schmeiser and Wagner (2014), the second finding shows that the interest rate guarantee embedded in a life insurance product becomes less attractive compared to a pure investment in the underlying asset portfolio to the policyholder when the guarantee level is lowered too far or the contract duration is short. They also refute Schmeiser and Wagner (2014) by showing that the equity capital required by the insurance company increases with the level of the guarantee, even if the insurer is flexible with respect to its asset allocation. The last finding is that a policyholder with higher risk aversion does not generally prefer a higher guarantee level.

This study presents a structured investigation of the most important causes for delay in commercial real estate transactions. It assesses the potential of digital technologies such as “Blockchain”, “Property Passports” or “Automated Valuation Models” to make transactions faster and cheaper.

The authors conduct a focus group interview to identify the individual steps and the parties involved in real estate transactions. Subsequently, the authors discuss the prospects of digital technologies based on semi-structured interviews with real estate professionals and PropTech executives, and a comprehensive screening of technological solutions offered by PropTech firms.

The lack of an up-to-date, single pool of standardised property information turns out to be the most critical cause for delay in real estate transactions. However, the most promising technologies to mitigate this problem, in particular digital property passports summarising all relevant building information, face substantial barriers to adoption. The real estate industry has so far not been willing to more openly share data, which is a pre-requiste for the successful introduction of property passports. In addition, the principle of caveat emptor makes a lengthy due diligence process essential for buyers.

The authors conclude that industry-wide collaborations are necessary to help major efficiency gaining technologies to break through. Insurance products should accompany property data log books to guarantee the quality of data provided.

This study considers the potential impact of technologies in the wider context of the complete real estate transaction process. It identifies the major phases of that process and the associated bottlenecks. The authors gather evidence both from industry experts and PropTech executives and contrast their views regarding the potential of digital technologies to remove those bottlenecks.

This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework for discussing sustainability within the insurance industry, extending the traditional Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) dimensions to include economic and technological considerations. This inclusion is vital, recognizing that financial stability and the adoption of innovative technologies are fundamental to meeting other sustainability targets.

We base our findings on an extensive literature review, case studies, and interactive workshops with key stakeholders in the insurance industry. Our analytical framework employs Porter's (1985) insurance-specific value chain, complemented by Berliner's (1982) insurability criteria, to distinguish between insurable and non-insurable risks.

Our results show that the insurance industry is sustainable because it actively incorporates and contributes to sustainability goals across environmental, social, economic, and technological dimensions. This is illustrated through the identification of 50 distinct contributions across the insurance value chain, showcasing the sector’s unique position to significantly influence the sustainability discourse.

Addressing the pressing challenges of sustainability and insurability necessitates a strategic, collective response from the global insurance and risk management community. This paper proposes several policy recommendations, including enhancing risk assessment methodologies, diversifying insurance product offerings, encouraging cross-sectoral collaboration, and prioritizing investments in resilience and preventive measures.

By broadening the sustainability discussion to encompass economic and technological facets, this paper enriches the dialogue surrounding the insurance industry’s role in sustainability. It aims to inform decision-makers across the industry, political spheres, and broader society about the necessity of sustainability, fostering pertinent political discussions and highlighting avenues for future research.

Modern supply chains collect and deliver products worldwide and link vendors and consumers over thousands of miles. In the food industry, the quality of products is affected by manufacturing/processing and logistics activities, such as transportation and packaging. Specifically, transportation is likely the most critical step throughout the “food journey” from farm to fork because of the potential stresses that affect the products during shipment and storage activities. The purpose of this paper is to present and apply an original assessment of quality, safety and environmental effects due to the international distribution of food products via different container solutions. A case study that examines the shipment of edible oils from Italy to Canada demonstrates that the quality of a product at the place of consumption can be significantly affected by the use of different containers.

A simulation-based quality assessment, combined with a life cycle and environmental analysis, supports the logistic manager in the decision-making process in order to guarantee the highest level of product quality at the place of consumption.

The proposed approach and the illustrated case study demonstrate the importance of conducting safety and quality assessment combined with environmental analyses of sustainable food supply chains.

This paper highlights the interdependency of implications and decisions on food quality and environmental sustainability of supply chain processes and activities.

Relationship marketing scholars and managers have recognized the potential of customer engagement to enhance business performance and customer value. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects that different types of customer engagement behaviors have on their perceived benefits.

The authors conducted two empirical studies. In the first step, 69 in-depth interviews were held to identify important customer engagement behaviors and targeted benefits. Then, in the second step, a quantitative study with 255 participants was used to match the identified customer engagement behaviors with the targeted benefits.

The results reveal that there are three aggregated types of customer engagement behaviors (“value creation-focused customer engagement”, “online-focused customer engagement” and “customer-to-customer interaction-focused customer engagement”). These types of customer engagement behaviors lead to different targeted benefits (social, relationship, autonomous, economic, altruistic and self-fulfillment benefits).

A consideration of the influencing factors of the different customer-engagement-behavior types, including customers’ motives for their engagement with a company, would potentially enhance the findings. Furthermore, a closer investigation of the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and customer engagement types can also provide deeper insights into the reasons for engaging with a certain firm or brand.

The findings provide managers with information on how to segment customers according to their customer engagement type and associated benefits and thereby enable them to manage customer engagement behaviors more profitably.

The results make a key contribution to the emerging research field of customer engagement by gaining deeper insights into the benefits associated with different customer engagement behaviors. It becomes clear that different customer engagement types aim at receiving various benefits.

The Braun and Simpson’s (2004) study indicates that the Pause method is an effective teaching approach for auditing based on four sets of hypotheses in developing students’ oral, written and interpersonal communication skills. In addition, it is more beneficial to the learning process and more enjoyable than the lecture-only method. The extent of achieving both of these is dependent on the type of activity that is consistent with the student’s preferred Pause method activity. Students will achieve higher examination scores when following their preferred Pause activity. Our study replicates the Braun and Simpson’s study in Greater China using one university in Hong Kong and one in mainland China as students in these jurisdictions are more passive learners and their value of learning more extrinsic than intrinsic. The results are similar to the Braun and Simpson’s study, thus enhancing the universality of the “Pause” method.

This chapter provides an overview of approaches to collaboration in Ontario and then focuses in particular on the experiences of the Norway–Canada (NORCAN) programme involving nine schools across Alberta and Ontario (Canada) and Norway from 2014 to 2018. NORCAN was established through collaboration by the teachers’ unions in Alberta (Alberta Teachers’ Association), Norway (Utdanningsforbundet), and Ontario (Ontario Teachers’ Federation) and the Ontario Ministry of Education. A central guiding question was co-developed to inform the work of NORCAN: ‘How can an international network of schools and educators committed to mindful leadership help to identify obstacles to students’ mathematics learning and develop strategies for attaining success?’ With funding support, school teams involving school leaders, teachers, and students had opportunities to collaborate at NORCAN-facilitated events, school visits in each jurisdiction, through an online platform, and ongoing communication. The following important features of NORCAN are identified: the development of collaborative structures, processes, relationships, and trust; student voice, agency, and leadership; professional learning and agency; and sharing knowledge and de-privatizing practices. Four lessons for policy and practice are proposed: 1. school-to-school collaboration benefits from adequate resources of time, funding and a support infrastructure; 2. the intentional cultivation of mutually respectful and trusting relationships is essential; 3. bringing together educators and students as co-learners is powerful and beneficial; and 4. mobilizing knowledge and de-privatizing practices needs to be central to the purpose and operation of collaboration.

There is increasing emphasis on caring for people with intellectual disabilities in the least restrictive, ideally community settings. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the risk factors considered by clinicians involved in discharging people from secure services.

The views of five senior clinicians were sought in semi structured interviews. Data were analysed thematically.

Themes related to risk assessment, risk management, and multidisciplinary and multiagency working. Illustrative quotes are used to evidence themes.

This study described the risk assessment and management factors considered during the discharge of patients from secure to community services, which are of direct relevance to multiple stakeholders post-Winterbourne.

Challenges when facilitating discharge were highlighted, such as ongoing risk management issues, or unexpected discharge from tribunals, and how these were addressed, via the development of extensive risk assessment and management processes, and interdisciplinary and interagency working.

Psychedelic drugs can induce altered states of consciousness characterised by changes in visual perception, tactile sensation, cognition, and emotion. Although there is a history of misinformation surrounding these drugs, recent investigation has reinvigorated interest. However, little research has assessed the attitudes of psychedelic consumers regarding these substances. The current study aims to explore the attitudes and perceptions of people with experience with psychedelic drugs, specifically surrounding psychedelic drugs themselves and their use within Aotearoa New Zealand.

Nineteen individuals with experience of psychedelic use were recruited to participate across eight groups in semi-structured, exploratory interviews, where a range of topics associated with psychedelics were discussed. Reflexive thematic analysis of the data focussed on participants’ current perceptions and attitudes.

Four themes were produced: (1) a negative historical influence on current perceptions of psychedelics; (2) knowledge is key but not everyone has it; (3) prohibition is not working, policy needs to change; (4) psychedelics have therapeutic potential. These themes emphasise key features of people with experience of psychedelic drugs’ current views and highlight potential areas for future investigation and intervention.

Findings indicate a need for greater public knowledge and awareness of psychedelics in Aotearoa society. Findings also inform information, education and policy, which in turn will reduce the stigma and associated harm that those who have used or use psychedelic drugs may experience.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, qualitative research aiming to understand attitudes and perspectives surrounding psychedelic drugs and their use from a drug users’ perspective have not yet been assessed.