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The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruption in community support for vulnerable older people and is thought to have exacerbated existing issues within UK adult social care. This study aims to examine the legacy of that disruption on how meeting centres for people affected by dementia have been impacted in continually evolving circumstances.

Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted at three meeting centre case study sites. Ninety-eight participants, including people living with dementia, family carers, staff, volunteers, trustees and external partners, were asked about the impact and legacy of the pandemic upon meeting centres. A thematic analysis was carried out on the data.

Ten themes were identified: ability to re-open venues; increased health decline and loss of members due to isolation; closure or halting of linking services and dementia community support; disruption to diagnosis and referrals; increase in outreach, building communities and overall reach; digital access and use of technology (boom and decline); changes to carer involvement and engagement; continued uncertainty and changes to funding, resources and governance; staff and volunteer recruitment issues; and relief at/wish for return to pre-pandemic norms.

This paper offers new insight into a still-developing situation, namely, the legacy effects of the pandemic upon third-sector community support for people affected by dementia and the health and social care services that support it. The reduction in maintenance of pandemic-era technological innovations is a key finding.

Entrepreneurs and individual sellers heavily leverage their social ties embedded in social media, expressive or instrumental, to penetrate the market and achieve business success. However, the extant social commerce literature offers limited understanding on how different forms of buyer−seller social ties embedded in social media affect buyers' purchase behaviors. The study draws on the theoretical lens of social ties and proposes an integrative theoretical framework to understand the direct and indirect influences of expressive and instrumental ties (ExTSM and InTSM) between buyers and sellers on buyers' purchase intention (PI) in social commerce.

The authors first validated the measures of ExTSM and InTSM with survey data from 166 Weibo commerce buyers. They then tested their theoretical framework and hypotheses with survey data from 246 buyer−seller dyads in WeChat commerce.

With a buyer-centric view, (1) ExTSM and InTSM, respectively, had a direct negative and a positive influence on PI; (2) both trust and perceived product value displayed inconsistent mediation effects on the negative relationship between ExTSM and PI; and (3) only perceived product value mediated the positive influence of InTSM on PI. From sellers' viewpoint, (1) their ExTSM and InTSM with buyers were mixed up, and (2) the mingled social ties negatively impacted buyers' purchase intention.

The findings of the study advance the theoretical understanding of social commerce and offer practical guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises to effectively utilize social media for business purposes.

Following the remarkable debut of ChatGPT and its rapid adoption by a global audience since its launch in November 2022, this study delves into educators' perceptions of ChatGPT within the specialized domains of tourism and hospitality education. While acknowledging ChatGPT’s swift rise and advanced capabilities, this research aims to comprehensively explore educators' perspectives, advantages and concerns regarding its integration into academic settings.

A qualitative approach was utilized to reveal dominant themes from in-depth, semi-structured face-to-face interviews with twenty lecturers in tourism faculties in North Cyprus. Collected responses from respondents were subjected to analysis using Leximancer software.

Our analysis unearthed seven significant themes encapsulating educators' perceptions of ChatGPT: 1 – “reliability and accuracy concerns”; 2 – “dependency”; 3 – “student engagement”; 4 – “ethical considerations”; 5 – “time efficiency and productivity”; 6 – “teacher-student interaction” and 7 – “learning flexibility”. Noteworthy positive perceptions emerged regarding “student engagement,” “time efficiency and productivity,” and “learning flexibility.”

This study contributes to the originality of research by addressing the underexplored aspect of educators' perceptions of ChatGPT within the domains of tourism and hospitality education, shedding light on its potential implications, advantages and drawbacks in a specialized educational context. Furthermore, it aims to offer insights into educators' recommendations for the effective incorporation of ChatGPT technologies into this specific educational setting, filling a crucial gap in understanding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in specialized fields of study.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the adoption of waqf technology (Waqftech) using blockchain smart contracts for corporate waqf crowdfunding. Despite the growing interest in Waqftech, Malaysian enterprises have not fully embraced this emerging technology because of uncertainty regarding the benefits it offers to contributors. The research incorporates two theoretical frameworks: the electronic data interchange (EDI) model for firms’ technology adoption, and the triple bottom line theory (TBL) for corporate social responsibility.

A quantitative method using a cross-sectional survey design with a five-point Likert scale questionnaire was used. Data was collected from 210 decision-makers representing small and medium-sized enterprises and analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling.

The findings from this research suggest that Malaysian enterprises are influenced by both corporate and social predictive benefits when using blockchain crowdfunding, but not by environmental benefits. The adoption of blockchain smart contracts does not correlate with predictive environmental benefits because of misconceptions about the disruptive technology’s impact on biological and digital environmental preservation.

This research focuses on organizational behavior rather than individual users of waqf crowdfunding, and it is limited, primarily focusing within Malaysia and regions with similar waqf structures.

The Waqftech framework allows innovative mechanisms for executing corporate waqf investment returns to the intended beneficiaries through the smart contracts’ platform. In addition, this study supports relevant corporate social responsibility and creating shared value technology adoption theories, including EDI and TBL. Aside from this, the study provides empirical implications for waqf management using fintech platforms.

This groundbreaking study focuses on creating a Waqftech model for corporate waqf crowdfunding. The results of this study are important for the development of government policies that support the use of Waqftech in charitable fundraising. More research on biological and digital environmental perspectives is proposed to foster investors’ confidence in the visibility of digital tracking and lead to swift investments in future metaverse fundraising platforms.

Considering the swift adoption of innovative sustainability practices in businesses to accomplish sustainable development goals (SDGs), research on corporate sustainability has increased significantly over the years. This research intends to analyze the published literature, emphasizing the existing, emerging and future research directions on achieving the SDGs through corporate sustainability.

This research analyzed the growing trends in corporate sustainability by incorporating 2,038 Scopus articles published between 1999 and 2022 using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling, bibliometrics and qualitative content analysis techniques. The bibliometric data were analyzed using performance and science mapping. Thereafter, topic modeling and content analysis uncovered the topics included under the corporate sustainability umbrella.

The findings indicate that investigation into corporate sustainability has considerably increased from 2015 to date. Additionally, the majority of studies on corporate sustainability are from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Germany. Besides, the USA has the most collaboration in terms of co-authorship. S. Schaltegger was considered the most productive author. However, P. Bansal was ranked as the top author based on a co-citation analysis of authors. Further, bibliometric data were evaluated to analyze leading publications, journals and institutions. Besides, keyword co-occurrence analysis, topic modeling and content analysis highlighted the theoretical underpinnings and new patterns and provided directions for further research.

This study demonstrates various existing and emerging themes in corporate sustainability, which have various repercussions for academicians and organizations. This research also examines the lagging themes in the current domain.

This paper aims at studying numerically the entropy generation of nanofluid flowing over an inclined sheet in the presence of external magnetic field, heat source/sink, chemical reaction along with slip boundary conditions imposed on an impermeable wall.

A suitable similarity transformation technique has been used to convert the coupled nonlinear partial differential equations to ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The ODEs are then solved simultaneously using the finite difference method implemented through an in-house computer program. The effects of different controlling parameters such as magnetic parameter, radiation parameter, Brownian motion parameter, thermophoresis parameter, chemical reaction parameter, Reynolds number, Brinkmann number, Prandtl number, velocity slip parameter, temperature slip parameter and the concentration slip parameter on the entropy generation and Bejan number have been discussed comprehensively through the relevant physical insights for the first time.

The relative strengths of the irreversibilities due to heat transfer, fluid friction and the mass diffusion arising due to the change in each of the controlling variables have been delineated both in the near-wall and far-away-wall regions, which may be helpful for a better understanding of the thermo-fluid dynamics of nanofluid in boundary layer flows. The numerical results obtained from the present study have also been validated with results published in open literature.

The effects of different controlling parameters such as magnetic parameter, radiation parameter, Brownian motion parameter, thermophoresis parameter, chemical reaction parameter, Reynolds number, Brinkmann number, Prandtl number, velocity slip parameter, temperature slip parameter and the concentration slip parameter on the entropy generation and Bejan number have been discussed comprehensively through the relevant physical insights for the first time.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a coupled lattice Boltzmann model for the simulation of the freezing process in unsaturated porous media.

In the developed model, the porous structure with complexity and disorder was generated by using a stochastic growth method, and then the Shan-Chen multiphase model and enthalpy-based phase change model were coupled by introducing a freezing interface force to describe the variation of phase interface. The pore size of porous media in freezing process was considered as an influential factor to phase transition temperature, and the variation of the interfacial force formed with phase change on the interface was described.

The larger porosity (0.2 and 0.8) will enlarge the unfrozen area from 42 mm to 70 mm, and the rest space of porous medium was occupied by the solid particles. The larger specific surface area (0.168 and 0.315) has a more fluctuated volume fraction distribution.

The concept of interfacial force was first introduced in the solid–liquid phase transition to describe the freezing process of frozen soil, enabling the formulation of a distribution equation based on enthalpy to depict the changes in the water film. The increased interfacial force serves to diminish ice formation and effectively absorb air during the freezing process. A greater surface area enhances the ability to counteract liquid migration.

This study focuses on the triadic multilevel psychic distance (MPD) between the firm, target market and bridge-maker and its consequences for firm internationalization. Specifically, it spotlights the triadic psychic distance between firms, the levels of psychic distance in the target market (country and business) and the bridge-maker. Therefore, this study examines the triadic MPD among these three entities and its impact on firm internationalization.

This study uses qualitative and case study research approaches. It is based on 8 case companies and 24 internationalization cases. Secondary data were collected, and interviews with bridge-makers and industry experts were conducted.

The study found that MPD appeared in the triad. The MPD between firms and markets is related to country-specific differences and business difficulties. The MPD between the firm and the bridge-maker is based on the latter’s lack of knowledge vis-à-vis bridging the firm’s MPD. Finally, the MPD between bridge-makers and the market is based on the former’s lack of knowledge of the home country’s business difficulties.

This is the first study to develop and adopt a triadic multilevel psychic distance conceptualization that provides evidence for and sheds light on the triadic MPD and its effect on firm internationalization. This study identifies the reasons behind triadic MPD in connection to firm internationalization. Notably, firm internationalization is interdependent on the triadic MPD setting between the firm, bridge-maker and target market. It has theoretical value and contributes to the recent advancement in the understanding of MPD in international marketing literature.

The purpose of this study is to assess the influence of institutional quality (IQ), fossil fuel efficiency, structural change and renewable energy (RE) consumption on carbon efficiency.

This research uses an econometric approach, more specifically the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model, to examine the relationship between structural change, RE consumption, IQ, fossil fuel efficiency and carbon efficiency in India from 1996 to 2019.

This study finds the positive contributions of variables like fossil fuel efficiency, technological advancement, structural transformation, IQ and increased RE consumption in fostering environmental development through enhanced carbon efficiency. Conversely, this study emphasises the negative contribution of trade openness on carbon efficiency. These findings provide concise insights into the dynamics of factors impacting carbon efficiency in India.

This study's exclusive focus on India limits the generalizability of findings. Future studies should include a broader range of variables impacting various nations' carbon efficiency. Furthermore, it is worth noting that this study examines renewable and fossil fuel efficiency aggregated. Future research endeavours could yield more specific policy insights by conducting analyses at a disaggregated level, considering individual energy sources such as wind, solar, coal and oil. Understanding how the efficiency of each energy source influences carbon efficiency could lead to more targeted and practical policy recommendations.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study addresses a significant gap in the existing literature by being the first empirical investigation into the effects of IQ, fossil fuel efficiency, structural change and RE consumption on carbon efficiency. Unlike prior research, the authors consider a comprehensive IQ index, providing a more holistic perspective. The use of a comprehensive composite index for IQ, coupled with the focus on fossil fuel efficiency and structural change, distinguishes this study from previous research, contributing valuable insights into the intricate dynamics shaping India's path towards enhanced carbon efficiency, an area relatively underexplored in the existing literature.

The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the student mental health crisis in Higher Education (HE), and how resilience and grit, two important positive psychological constructs, can be beneficial for university students’ success and wellbeing. As part of a discussion around some of the current approaches to intervening in wellbeing in universities, the chapter provides evidence for the use of PPIs for wellbeing in university students, alongside some of the challenges of implementing these in HE. It also provides an overview of the Thriving Students Framework and presents a case for a multicomponent approach to monitoring and improving educational success. In particular, a wellbeing framework that, alongside resilience, also recognises the importance of strengths, persistence in the face of difficulty, a growth mindset, self-control and mental wellbeing; Academic Tenacity. The implications of utilising this framework for educational attainment in university students are discussed. The Bolton Uni-Stride Scale (BUSS), a single short measure of academic tenacity that combines the attributes enabling measurement and intervention to support university students to thrive, is also presented for educators to use.