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The vast amounts of waste generated today threaten economies and societies due to high environmental and management costs. The aim is to investigate the short- and long-term patterns of municipal waste generation (MWG) in response to socio-economic and demographic growth variables at national and regional levels.

A panel data approach employing ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed effects (FE), random effects (RE), fully modified least squares (FMOLS) and error correction model (ECM) techniques. A sample of 28 European countries (2000–2020) and 44 European Union (EU) regions (2000–2018) were selected.

During periods of economic growth and higher employment rates, consumer confidence tends to increase, leading to elevated levels of consumer spending and consumption. Intensification in the production factors, specifically capital and employment, results in an upsurge in MWG, thereby creating a cycle where waste generation becomes deeply entrenched in the economic system in both the short and long terms. Rapid population growth, attributed to higher fertility rates, is associated with increased MWG. At the regional level, a double-aging process and a shift toward an aging population exert less pressure on MWG in both the short and long term. Promoting higher levels of environment-oriented human development yields various benefits, including the generation of greater knowledge spillovers, enhanced environmental literacy, a shift toward circular thinking and the promotion of greener entrepreneurship. Increased R&D expenditures facilitate the development of innovative waste reduction technologies, fostering improvements in waste management techniques, recycling processes and the utilization of sustainable materials.

The research examines the short- and long-term adjustments of MWG in response to changes in macroeconomic variables from low aggregation (countries) to high aggregation (regions). By analyzing the relationship between economic growth, urbanization, healthcare system quality, labor market functioning, demographic trends, educational level, technological advancement and MWG, the study fills a research gap and enhances understanding of waste management interventions. However, data availability and waste statistics accuracy should be considered. Future research could explore the relationship between macroeconomic variables and waste generation in sectors beyond MWG, such as industrial or construction waste, for a more comprehensive understanding of waste generation as a whole.

The positive correlation between economic activity levels and waste generation in both the short and long terms, emphasizes the criticality of investing in waste reduction and recycling infrastructure to mitigate landfill waste. The negative correlation between population density and waste generation stresses the importance of strategic waste facility placement in low-density areas. To effectively manage higher MWG, tailored waste collection systems and initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles are of immense importance. The positive relationship between employment rates and waste generation underscores the necessity of waste reduction programs that generate employment opportunities. The positive correlation between fertility rates and waste generation emphasizes the need for the expansion of extended producer responsibility programs to include products and materials specifically associated with families and child-rearing. Education campaigns and governmental support for research and development (R&D) in waste reduction technologies are also integral components of an effective waste management strategy.

The short- and long-term adjustments of MWG reacts to shifts in macroeconomic variables from low aggregation (countries) to high aggregation (regions). Previous research has neglected the long-term information contained in variables by not incorporating the lagged error correction term (ETM). Neglecting this aspect could result in imprecise estimates of the elasticities.

The purpose of this study is to carry out a comprehensive systematic review of lean implementation frameworks and roadmaps developed over the past decade and report the key findings along with the limitations and the way forward.

A systematic review methodology proposed by Tranfield (2003), was followed to identify the relevant works on the research topic. Articles were searched using a set of inclusion criteria in various databases including Google Scholar, Web of Science and Science Direct over a period of 30 years.

The high failure rate of lean system implementation, reaching a range between 70 and 90% in almost all industries, is a matter of concern. This failure rate is still high even though numerous frameworks and roadmap models exist to streamline lean implementation. There is no standard framework or roadmap identified in the literature and many organisations are implementing lean in their unique ways. However, it would be desirable to develop a practical and systematic roadmap on lean-looking into the cultural and leadership dimensions rather than focusing on a set of tools. Moreover, most frameworks and roadmaps lack the sustenance aspects of lean implementation.

This research only identifies the fundamental gaps with the existing frameworks and roadmaps on lean implementation. The next phase of the research is to develop a roadmap and validate it with a number of organisations in different cultural contexts and leadership styles.

The authors argue that this is one of the most comprehensive systematic review on lean frameworks and roadmaps, ever produced in the literature to date.

Based on the principal–agent and stakeholder theories, this study aims to put forward an intermediary model to verify the intermediary role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in executive equity incentives and corporate innovation performance to improve corporate innovation performance.

The 2012–2018 A-share listed companies’ disclosure of executive equity incentives data was used as the research sample. This study used CSR as an intermediary to explore the relationship between executive equity incentives and corporate innovation performance. A verification analysis was carried out.

The research results show that: a positive correlation exists between executive equity incentives and corporate innovation performance, and executives’ reasonable equity incentives can promote the growth of corporate innovation performance. A positive correlation exists between executive equity incentives and CSR. Implementing equity incentives for executives can stimulate their motivation to assume CSR. A positive correlation exists between CSR and corporate innovation performance. The more a company fulfills its social responsibility, the more it can promote the improvement of corporate innovation performance. CSR plays a mediating role between executive equity incentives and corporate innovation performance. CSR promotes executive equity incentives’ impact on corporate innovation performance and exerts a “complete mediating effect” between the two.

The number of samples and the time span of samples can be expanded in the future. This research has tested the mediating effect of CSR, but other mediating variables may play a role in the process of executive equity incentives in promoting corporate innovation performance. Further research should be conducted to explore the mediating effect of financing constraints and media attention on corporate innovation performance. This study only verifies the influence of equity incentives on CSR and innovation performance of senior executives. In the future, other incentive methods should be explored, such as salary incentives.

Foreign research on equity incentives has matured, but the experience of foreign countries cannot necessarily produce the expected effect in China. More than ten years have passed since the China A-share market began implementing equity incentives on December 31, 2005. As of December 31, 2017, about one-third of enterprises in the high-tech industry that had introduced equity incentives had stopped implementing the policy. Data from 2012 to 2018 were selected to analyze the relationship between executive equity incentives, CSR and corporate innovation performance to explore the influence mechanism of equity incentives. This study provides a comprehensive theoretical framework to examine the interaction among executive equity incentives, CSR and corporate innovation performance. Because most previous studies have focused on the relationship between executive equity incentives, CSR and corporate innovation performance, they are rarely been used as an intermediary variable to explore the impact of executive equity incentives on corporate innovation performance. This study explores the impact of executive equity incentives on corporate innovation performance under the influence of CSR. Moreover, this study explores the mediating role of CSR in corporate governance, which provides a new perspective for CSR research and verifies relevant literature on the mediating effect model.

Research countermeasures and suggestions: the research results are significant for enterprises implementing executive equity incentives, fulfilling CSR, enhancing corporate reputation, improving corporate innovation performance and ultimately obtaining market competitiveness. Therefore, the following suggestions are proposed: establish and improve the executive equity incentive mechanism and strengthen the promotion effect of executive equity incentives in CSR and corporate innovation performance. Strengthen the awareness of enterprises to actively fulfill CSR and give full play to the role of CSR in promoting corporate innovation performance. Improve the profitability of enterprises and focus on the promotion effect of enterprise profitability on corporate innovation performance.

This study focuses on executive equity incentives and introduces CSR as an intermediary variable to explore the influence path of executive equity incentives on corporate innovation performance. Based on the research results, this study takes targeted measures to improve corporate innovation performance and maintain its healthy growth of corporate innovation performance. This is significant in enhancing enterprises’ core competitiveness and promoting the enterprise economy’s sustainable development. Meanwhile, the enterprise has significant reference value in actively fulfilling its CSR and realizing its stable and healthy development.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the main effect of top executive smog risk perception on green innovation and to examine the mediating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the positive relationship between smog risk perception and green innovation along with the moderating role of smog knowledge.

A theoretical framework is developed based on the upper echelons theory to argue that top executive smog risk perception can be closely related to green innovation. Hierarchical analysis is conducted using a sample of eight firms in China.

Hypothesis testing indicates that physical health risk perception and mental health risk perception positively affect green innovation, and that these effects are positively mediated by CSR. In addition, smog knowledge moderates the relationship between physical health risk perception and green innovation.

The findings extend current studies on green innovation by highlighting the role of top executives’ perceptions beyond studying top executives’ attributes. The findings suggest that top executives should actively respond to smog pollution and fulfill CSR.

Previous studies have suggested that top executives’ demographic characteristics are the determining factors of green innovation. This empirical paper fills a gap in the literature by exploring the impact of top executive smog risk perception on green innovation within the framework of the upper echelons theory.