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The concept of working capital management (WCM) has been a fundamental financial accounting term that has evolved in financial theory for centuries. Given that the construction industry (CI) is financially dynamic, there is an imperative need to understand its WCM practices. The call for the industry players to adhere to efficient financial management practices as a result of a huge financing gap requires consented effort. This study aims to explore the trend of practices of WCM in the CI and elicit a broader polemic dialogue about this crucial theme.

The source of information for the study was secondary mainly from referenced journals and international conference papers published on WCM relating to the CI. A three-step sample selection strategy was adopted to identify the range and scope of publications on WCM in the CI based on the systematic literature review method.

The CI cannot boost of enough empirical WCM research to gain in-depth understanding of its practical trend. The developing economies are failing to produce insightful peer-reviewed papers on WCM to assist in bridging the infrastructural financing gap through apposite strategies. Gaining appropriate knowledge of the short-term financial operations through a conceptualization of WCM practices in the CI may lead to better strategies formulated for smooth operations.

This is a pioneering paper in developing economies that have taken stock of WCM knowledge of the practical trend in the CI. Future research prospects in which WCM matters can use it as a reference point.

Poor municipal solid waste management is a major characteristic of urban development in Africa. In Ghana, local governments are mandated to ensure the collection, treatment and disposal of solid waste. However, this has been a herculean task for local governments in Ghana, owing to inadequate resources and weak technical capacities. This has prompted calls for, and actual involvement of the private sector through public-private partnerships (PPPs) in municipal solid waste management, particularly in the urban areas. This study aims to assess the roles, effectiveness and challenges of PPPs in urban waste management in the Sunyani municipality of Ghana.

Adopting a case study design, the study used a qualitative research approach to provide in-depth insights into PPPs in municipal solid waste management in the Sunyani municipality of Ghana. Therefore, key informant interviews and two focus group discussions were conducted.

The study revealed that some policies and actions of the local government (Assembly) do not positively facilitate the effective functioning of PPPs in municipal solid waste management. There is also lack of effective stakeholder consultation, collaboration and grassroot inclusion in the PPPs which affect the effective management of the increasing volumes of solid waste being generated within the municipality.

To achieve the objectives of the PPP arrangements, local authorities should initiate steps to effectively coordinate all the involved private companies. There must also be ways of involving the beneficiaries in the design and implementation of PPPs on waste management to allow for effective grassroots and participatory monitoring and evaluation.

The uniqueness of the case study being a mid-sized and secondary city in a developing country enhances the value of the findings and the application of recommendations in cities with similar characteristics and initiatives in improving PPPs in municipal waste management.

This paper aims to provide an in-depth examination of culturally and linguistically diverse older adults’ perceptions of and experiences with the Toronto Police Service to inform the development of a training curriculum for police officers working with older persons.

A qualitative descriptive study using virtual focus groups with 26 older adults from Toronto was conducted.

Three main themes emerged: understanding intersectionality; the impact of police officer attitudes and biases; and the need for age-friendly policing. Although many older adults rely on police services to keep them safe, there is dissatisfaction with some aspects of how police interact with older adults, particularly from minority groups.

Participants were older adults from culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are not usually included in studies on improving police services.

Presently in multicolor fused filament-based three-dimensional (3-D) printing, significant amounts of waste material are produced through nozzle priming and purging each time a change from one color to another occurs. G-code generating slicing software typically changes the material on each layer resulting in wipe towers with greater mass than the target object. The purpose of this study is to provide an alternative fabrication approach based on interlayer tool clustering (ITC) for the first time, which reduces the number of tool changes and is compatible with any commercial 3-D printer without the need for hardware modifications.

The authors have developed an open-source PrusaSlicer upgrade, compatible with Slic3r-based software, which uses the described algorithm to generate g-code toolpath and print experimental objects. The theoretical time, material and energy savings are calculated and validated to evaluate the proposed fabrication method qualitatively and quantitatively.

The experimental results show the novel ITC method can significantly increase the efficiency of multimaterial printing, with an average 1.7-fold reduction in material use, and an average 1.4-fold reduction in both time and 3-D printing energy use. In addition, this approach reduces the likelihood of technical failures in the manufacturing of the entire part by reducing the number of tool changes, or material transitions, on average by 2.4 times.

The obtained results support distributed recycling and additive manufacturing, which has both environmental and economic benefits and increasing the number of colors in a 3-D print increases manufacturing savings.

Organisations in the past aimed to use technology to improve their processes and services. However, nowadays, their primary focus is on using technology sustainably. Sustainability is crucial to ensure a better and safer future for our environment. One such technology is the Metaverse, which is considered the next step in the growth of the Internet. It combines the real world with the virtual world to create a multi-user environment, allowing users to experience a fully immersive, real-time existence with digital characters, objects, and locations that are often 3D. The Metaverse and sustainability share a strong relationship, as it is expected that the Metaverse will have a significant impact on the material, economic, and social realms, as well as sustainability worldwide. This paper uses bibliometric analysis to understand sustainable metaverse scholarship better and provide an up-to-date account of industry practices.

This paper used the PRISMA approach and bibliometric analysis to analyse and draw conclusions from 2,911 articles retrieved from the Scopus database from 1999 to July 2023. The methodology is divided into four steps: data collection, analysis, visualisation, and interpretation. The current study uses the Bibliometric R-package and VOS viewer software to comprehend sustainable metaverse scholarship.

The study provides fascinating insights that may assist scholars, industry professionals, and top management in understanding and conceptualising sustainable metaverse in their organisations. The results show that the number of publications has significantly increased from 2015 onwards, reaching a maximum of 601 manuscripts in 2022 with an increasing publication annual growth rate of 29.12%. The United Kingdom, India, China, the USA and Italy were the most productive countries regarding the total number of publications. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Current Issues in Tourism, Benchmarking: An International Journal of Production Research and International Journal of Information Management emerged as the top outlets.

The research in sustainable metaverse is underpinned by this study, which aims to understand the trends in this field over the last two decades regarding prolific authors, most influential journals, key themes, and the intellectual and social structure. The study on sustainable metaverse has grown significantly and attracted interest from academia and business since 2015, following its embryonic stage. Consequently, a more in-depth analysis is required to help develop a better understanding of this new field.

The paper focuses on sustainable metaverse through increased interest from 2015 onwards through the literature review. Although the metaverse has already received significant financial and labour investments from businesses and technology firms, various sustainability issues are still present in physical materials. There is a need to assess the achievement of numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using the resources and time put into the metaverse. Furthermore, these findings can guide researchers who want to delve deeper into sustainable metaverse.

This study explores the determinants of police officer support for pre-arrest/booking deflection programs that divert people presenting with substance use and/or mental health disorder symptoms out of the criminal justice system and connect them to supportive services.

This study analyzes responses from 254 surveys fielded to police officers in Delaware. Questionnaires asked about views on leadership, approaches toward crime, training, occupational experience and officer’s personal characteristics. The study applies a new machine learning method called kernel-based regularized least squares (KRLS) for non-linearities and interactions among independent variables. Estimates from a KRLS model are compared with those from an ordinary least square regression (OLS) model.

Support for diversion is positively associated with leadership endorsing diversion and thinking of new ways to solve problems. Tough-on-crime attitudes diminish programmatic support. Tenure becomes less predictive of police attitudes in the KRLS model, suggesting interactions with other factors. The KRLS model explains a larger proportion of the variance in officer attitudes than the traditional OLS model.

The study demonstrates the usefulness of the KRLS method for practitioners and scholars seeking to illuminate patterns in police attitudes. It further underscores the importance of agency leadership in legitimizing deflection as a pathway to addressing behavioral health challenges in communities.

This study aims to promote the preservation of endangered traditional knowledge and practices in the Andes of Peru by documenting, publishing and disseminating them.

Based on a literature review of coca and coca divination, the author will describe these types of divination practices. Subsequently, the author will address the context and characteristics of a coca reading conducted in October 2022. Afterwards, the threats and prejudices faced by this type of indigenous knowledge and practice are discussed.

Coca divination in the Andean region of Ancash differs from the most common form of divination with coca leaves performed in northern Argentina, Bolivia, northern Chile, Colombia and southern Peru. The results of the coca reading conducted in October 2022 align with Andean worldviews. These practices and the associated episteme face various threats from academic, social and political actors and their discourses.

Scientific and academic researchers should be aware that their work can foster and maintain epistemic colonialism in Latin American territories. Archaeological excavations and interpretations should respect ancestral and traditional worldviews and practices.

This study advances the understanding of coca divination in the Andes of Ancash, Peru, by providing nuanced insights into this cultural practice in relation to a landslide event that occurred near a 3,000-year-old temple. The implications extend beyond academic discourse, offering valuable perspectives for conducting archaeological excavation activities that respect ancestral and traditional local beliefs. Future research should build on these findings to deepen comprehension of threats to traditional beliefs and practices.

This study aims to examine the potential influence of Nonfungible Tokens (NFTs) and the Metaverse on the Halal tourism industry, with a particular emphasis on Halal brands and hotel booking platforms. This study also purpose to uncover the opportunities and challenges associated with the adoption of these technologies in the sector.

A qualitative research approach is employed, encompassing a comprehensive literature review of the halal tourism industry, NFTs and the Metaverse. Furthermore, this study utilizes case studies of brands and hotel-booking platforms that have experimented with or integrated these technologies. This study aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the implications of digital technologies in the context of the halal tourism industry.

The study uncovered several opportunities provided by NFTs and the Metaverse for the Halal tourism industry, such as enhanced authentication and traceability of halal products and immersive experiences tailored to Muslim travelers. However, it also identifies challenges including compliance with Islamic principles, data privacy, cybersecurity and equitable access to technology.

While the study has several significant implications, it acknowledges potential limitations related to the nascent nature of NFTs and the Metaverse. Future research should delve deeper into ethical, legal and socioeconomic issues surrounding the application of these technologies in the halal tourism industry.

The findings of this study have practical implications for halal brands, hotel-booking platforms and regulators. This study provides a roadmap for harnessing the transformative power of NFTs and the Metaverse while addressing potential challenges.

This research underlines the necessity for collaboration among industry stakeholders, technology providers and regulators to ensure equitable access and adherence to Islamic principles. This study preserves a more inclusive and ethically compliant use of these technologies, potentially shaping the future of the halal tourism industry.

This study focuses on the intersection of NFTs, the Metaverse and the Halal tourism industry. It provides fresh insights into the transformative potential of these technologies, aiding halal brands and hotel booking platforms in creating distinctive value propositions and experiences.

The global construction industry faces both challenges and opportunities from electronic waste (e-waste). This study aims to present a bibliometric analysis and comprehensive literature assessment on e-waste in concrete construction materials.

This study studies 4,122 Scopus documents to examine garbage generation in different countries and inventive ways to integrate e-waste into construction as a sustainable strategy. This study lists famous researchers and their cooperation networks, demonstrating a robust and dynamic area with a surge in research output, notably from 2018 to 2022. Data is visually represented using VOS Viewer to show trends, patterns and study interests throughout time.

The findings imply that e-waste can improve construction materials’ mechanical characteristics and sustainability. The results are inconsistent and suggest further optimization. e-Waste into construction has garnered scientific interest for its environmental, life cycle, and economic impacts. This field has great potential for improving e-waste material use, developing sophisticated prediction models, studying environmental implications, economic analysis, policy formulation, novel construction methods, global cooperation and public awareness. This study shows that e-waste can be used in sustainable building. It stresses this area’s need for research and innovation. This lays the groundwork for using electronic trash in buildings, which promotes a circular economy and environmental sustainability.

The findings underscore the critical role of ongoing research and innovation in leveraging e-waste for sustainable building practices. This study lays the groundwork for integrating e-waste into construction, contributing to the advancement of a circular economy and environmental sustainability.

The social implications of integrating e-waste into construction are significant. Using e-waste not only addresses environmental concerns but also promotes social sustainability by creating new job opportunities in the recycling and construction sectors. It fosters community awareness and responsibility towards sustainable practices and waste management. Additionally, this approach can reduce construction costs, making building projects more accessible and potentially lowering housing prices.

This research contributes to the field by offering a bibliometric analysis and comprehensive assessment of e-waste in concrete construction materials, highlighting its global significance.