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This study aims to develop and apply a process model for prioritizing and selecting basic research projects in developing countries.

Basic research is mainly funded by governments and since, unlike technological research, it does not have clear business goals, its prioritization is one of the complicated issues in formulating science and technology policy. Adopting a design science research methodology, the authors chose a general framework for project portfolio selection as an appropriate artifact for solving this problem. By customizing it for two specific features of this study, i.e. national scale of the problem and the basic nature of research proposals, the authors developed the proposed framework for solving the problem of priority setting.

The process for selecting basic research proposals consists of several steps, which can be categorized into eight steps including strategic decisions, preparation, pre-screening, evaluating individual proposals, screening, portfolio selection and monitoring. This study emphasizes the necessity of defining goals that can be evaluated for the national basic research portfolio, as a key strategic decision. Evaluating individual proposals is a peer-review-based process. In contrast, portfolio selection is done through a zero-one linear programming model. The validity of the proposed framework has been confirmed based on the data obtained from the Iran National Science Foundation.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, in this research, for the first time, a mathematical model for prioritizing basic research at the national level has been presented, which effectively contributes to policymaking regarding the development of an optimum national research portfolio.

The purpose of this study is to explore the complex interplay between technology, personal norms and emotional factors in shaping the sustainable housing choices of millennials in emerging economies. It integrates the model of goal-directed behavior, technology acceptance model and norm activation model, incorporating both self-interest and prosocial motivations. Key adaptations involve replacing perceived behavioral control with financial self-efficacy and substituting hedonic motivation for anticipated positive emotions. Moreover, it introduces location as a practical anchor.

A quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive research design was used in this study. Data were gathered from a sample of 610 millennial residential real estate investors across Indian smart cities. A multistage stratified sampling technique was used to ensure a representative sample. For data analysis, partial least squares structural equation modeling was used. The analysis focused on hypothesis testing to examine the relationships between the constructs of interest. Bootstrap t-values and effect sizes were used to assess the significance and magnitude of these relationships, respectively.

One of the key findings of this study was the establishment of significant positive relationships between awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility and personal norms with behavioral intentions. This underscored the importance of personal ethical considerations in shaping intentions. Perceived usefulness and ease of use were found to significantly influence attitudes positively, highlighting the relevance of these factors in forming favorable attitudes toward behaviors. Attitude, subjective norms, financial self-efficacy and location played significant positive roles. However, negative anticipated emotions decreased desire. This illustrated the complex role emotions play in motivational processes. The study also revealed that subjective norms did not significantly contribute to shaping personal norms. This indicated a potential decoupling of societal expectations from personal ethical obligations in the decision-making process.

This study offers actionable insights for both policymakers and real estate developers. For policymakers, the findings highlight the need to craft initiatives that go beyond mere awareness, instead fostering a deep sense of personal responsibility and environmental stewardship among potential homebuyers. For real estate developers, the emphasis on financial self-efficacy and location suggests a strategy shift toward designing sustainable homes that not only meet environmental standards but also align with buyers’ financial confidence and geographic preferences. Together, these strategies can drive a more widespread adoption of sustainable housing, making sustainability a tangible and appealing choice for millennials.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this empirical research study was one of the first studies that contributed to the literature by integrating the model of goal-directed behavior, technology acceptance model and norm activation model. This study thus offered a nuanced understanding of the interplay between normative influences, usability perceptions, ethical considerations and emotions in the context of behavioral intentions.

This study investigates the effect of education on crop insurance knowledge within the context of noncompliance experiences. In addition, the study delves into the role of government endorsement in education, which is instructive for the implementation of future insurance promotions.

The study designs a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 518 sample farmers were randomly assigned to two experiments: The Education Experiment and the government’s Endorsement Experiment, respectively. After conducting a set of rigorous exogeneity tests, econometric analysis was conducted using baseline survey data and post experiment data.

Our results revealed that insurance education served as an effective tool in improving farmers’ insurance knowledge, especially their understanding of insurance mechanisms. However, this effect can be mitigated by the noncompliant insurance experience of farmers. Moreover, government-endorsed education proved to be more efficient in improving farmers’ insurance knowledge, thus highlighting the significance of building trust between insureds and insurers.

This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that using a simple education tool, such as, brochures, can effectively improve farmers insurance knowledge. In addition, insurance mechanisms are now more urgently in need of universalization than policy information. Furthermore, by conducting the RCT, this study obtains unbiased causal inference on the effect of education on insurance knowledge and underscores the role of government endorsement in this process. In addition, the study illustrates the tradeoff between insurers’ efforts in enhancing education and regulating noncompliant insurance misconducts, which compromises education efforts. Overall, this study provides insights into the marketing strategies of insurers and government propaganda aimed at stimulating farmers’ incentives to purchase insurance.

Stakeholder interests are complex, sensitive and highly uncertain and may influence the development of net zero carbon building (NZCB). However, this study aims to conduct a systematic literature review to explore the stakeholder interests towards achieving NZCB.

A total of 62 articles were identified from the Scopus database and thoroughly reviewed to extract relevant information on stakeholders' interest towards achieving NZCB.

A total of 28 stakeholder interests influencing the development of NZCB were identified from the literature and were classified into six major groups according to their uniqueness (economic, social, environmental, technological, political, regulatory and legal).

The findings of this study provide insight into the specific stakeholder interests towards achieving NZCB. Thus, the findings of this study could serve as a guide for future research, policy formulation and implementation to expedite the practice of building towards net zero carbon (NZC). Empirical studies are suggested in future studies to test and consolidate the theoretical claims of this study.

This paper undertakes a comprehensive systematic review of studies on stakeholder interests towards achieving NZCB, which is the least investigated in the literature.

Critical examination of Bangladeshi laws related to workers’ rights in the garment industry. This paper aims to examine the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the protection of garment workers’ rights in Bangladesh, analyzing how international investment practices influence labor standards and the overall well-being of workers in the garment industry.

In this study, qualitative and analytical methods has been used to analyze legal frameworks related to labor rights in Bangladesh and BITs.

The findings indicate a need to strengthen the current legal framework to better protect workers' rights in Bangladesh. The study also provides recommendations for the relevant authorities to improve the existing laws.

Novel idea critically evaluating the Bangladeshi legal framework in the context of foreign direct investment and implications for worker's rights.