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This paper examines how U.S. consumer intentions to adopt hemp vary across product types using the theory of planned behavior (TPB).

Data were collected via an online survey of U.S. residents in 2022 (n = 1,948). Two-step structural equation modeling is used to examine how TPB constructs and background factors influence intent to use five different hemp-based products: cannabidiol (CBD), clothing, food, personal care products, and pet products. Data are analyzed using R.

Positive attitudes towards all categories of hemp-based products increase the probability of adoption, while subjective norm and perceived behavioral control have limited and varied significant influence across product models. Age has a consistent significant and negative influence on adoption.

Findings highlight consumer segmentation and marketing opportunities, inform hemp stakeholder decision-making, and provide directions for future research. Given the absence of explanatory power of SN and PBC on most product models and the diversity of products and nuanced U.S. hemp policy, future research could investigate expanded iterations of TPB. Using revealed behavior could also highlight potential intention-behavior gaps and offer more robust insights for hemp stakeholders.

Findings contribute to a limited body of information on markets and consumer demand for hemp in the U.S.

Mangrove forests are one of the most bio-diverse and productive wetland environments on earth. However, these unique tropical forest environments that occupy coastal areas are among the most threatened habitats globally. These threats include logging, conversion of land for agriculture and mariculture and degradation due to pollution over the past 50 years. The large population of resilient mangroves occupying the Turneffe Atoll area in Belize faces growing anthropogenic threats such as permanent clearing of land for housing, infrastructural development and pollution and natural factors (climate change). Given the few formal studies done to evaluate mangrove resilience at Turneffe Atoll, the purpose of this study was to evaluate mangrove resilience and nursery functions in the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve (TAMR).

Mangrove fish abundance and forest structure was assessed by means of a visual census and the point-centred quarter method (PCQM) for 11 sites that span across conservation and general use zones.

This study found that the more resilient mangroves (lower vulnerability ranks, higher standing biomass and higher fish biomass and abundance) exist in general use zones and warrant the need for improved mangrove conservation measures for these areas by Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA).

Limitations of the methods for data collection included accessibility within mangrove forests stands when establishing PCQM, observer bias among data collectors, sites without surrounding mangroves were not captured to serve as a true control group and poor visibility underwater affected the estimation of fish species and size. The timeline for this research was only three months based on available funding, and no follow-up study was done to make a true comparison.

The findings of this research have a guiding role in the formulation of conservation measures such as better waste management, a robust framework for mangrove management, a communication strategy to guide public awareness and long-term monitoring surveys.

Body weight has a long history of functioning as a symbol of one’s beauty, social status, morality, discipline, and health. It has also been a standard inflicted much more intensely on women than men. While US culture has long idealized thinness for women, even at risky extremes, there is growing evidence that weight standards are broadening. Larger bodies are becoming more visible and accepted, while desire for and approval of a thin ideal has diminished. However, the continued widespread prevalence of anti-fat attitudes and stigma leaves uncertainty about just how much weight standards are changing. This study used an online survey (n = 320) to directly compare evaluations of thin, fat, and average size women through measures of negative stereotypes, prejudicial attitudes, and perceptions about quality of life. Results indicated that, as hypothesized, thin women were perceived less favorably than average weight women. However, fat women were perceived less favorably than both average and thin women. Men were harsher than women in their evaluations of only fat women. Additionally, participants being underweight or overweight did not produce an ingroup bias in their evaluations of underweight and overweight targets, respectively. That is, participants did not rate their own group more favorably, with the exception of overweight participants having lower prejudice toward overweight targets. These findings add to the emerging evidence that women’s weight standards are in transition, marked by an increasingly negative perception of thin women, though not necessarily growing positivity toward fat women. This evidence further points toward the need for more extensive research on attitudes of people across the entire weight spectrum.

This study applies Garfinkel’s (1967) concept of ‘breaching experiment’ to explore the impact of COVID-19-induced disruptions on the ‘emotion management’ practices of residential care workers in the United Kingdom and Germany. It examines the influence of professional feeling rules on workers, emphasizing the prescribed importance of displaying affective, empathetic concern for residents’ health and well-being. Findings demonstrate that authenticity and adherence to professional feeling rules in relation to emotional management are not mutually exclusive. The authors underscore how adherence to professional feeling rules upholds authentic care by reinforcing a professional ethos, which acts as a cornerstone motivating residential care workers. Ultimately, the study showcases how a professional ethos substantiates altruistic motivations, guiding proficient emotion management practices among care workers. It highlights how these workers drew upon their personal understanding and experiences to determine the appropriate emotions to express while providing care for residents amid the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic.

This paper reviews the recent collapse of two cryptocurrency enterprises, FTX and Celsius. These two cases of institutional bankruptcy have generated criminal charges and other civil complaints, mainly alleging fraud against the CEOs of the companies. This paper aims to analyse the fraud leading to these bankruptcies, drawing on key concepts from the research literature on economic crime to provide explanations for what happened.

This paper uses a case study approach to the question of how large financial institutions can go off the rails. Two theoretical perspectives are applied to the cases of the FTX and Celsius collapses. These are the “normalisation of deviance” theory and the “cult of personality”.

In these two case studies, there is an interaction between the “normalisation of deviance” on the institutional level and the “cult of personality” at the level of individual leadership. The CEOs of the two companies promoted themselves as eccentric but successful examples of the visionary tech finance genius. This fostered the normalisation of deviance within their organisations. Employees, investors and regulators allowed criminal and highly financially risky practices to become normalised as they were caught up in the attractive story of the trailblazing entrepreneur making millions in the new cryptoeconomy.

This paper makes a contribution both to the case study literature on economic crime and to the development of general theory in economic criminology.

The study explores the transformative potential of the metaverse in libraries, highlighting opportunities for innovative patron engagement and challenges such as digital equity, privacy concerns, and accessibility barriers.

This study employed an interpretive content/document analysis approach, drawing insights from diverse literature sources including Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.

The findings indicate that through the integration of immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), libraries can enrich their offerings and reach a broader audience. However, addressing challenges in libraries requires proactive measures, including bridging the digital divide and implementing inclusive design practices. Furthermore, cultivating metaliteracy skills among librarians and information users is essential to navigating the complexities of the metaverse responsibly.

The study’s originality lies in its comprehensive exploration of the implications of the metaverse for libraries and information users. Thus, exploring the nexus of immersive technologies, digital equity, and the evolving role of libraries, the research provides a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by the metaverse. The value outlines the key strategies for libraries to thrive in the metaverse by emphasizing the integration of immersive technologies, enhancing digital literacy, fostering collaborative partnerships, prioritizing accessible design, investing in research and innovation, and advocating for inclusive policies, the study equips libraries with a roadmap to fulfill their mission of providing equitable access to information and fostering lifelong learning in the digital age. The insights from the study will inform the strategic planning and decision-making of library administrators, policymakers, and information professionals as they navigate the transformative potential of the metaverse.

This paper aims to examine the association between money laundering (ML)/terrorist financing (TF) risks (hereafter, money laundering risks) and democratic governance across 117 countries.

A cross-sectional design was used to examine the association between ML risks and democratic governance by a quantitative approach. The findings are based on annual ratings of 117 countries on ML/TF risks and democracy while controlling for criminality and peace. The data was compiled from the Basel Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Financing Terrorism Risks Index, the Economic Intelligence Unit (Democracy Index), the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crimes (Criminality Index) and the Institute for Economics and Peace Index for 2020.

A multiple linear regression model found a statistically significant negative association between democratic governance and ML risks (B = −0.354, t = −7.454, p = <0.001) and a significant positive association between criminality and ML risks (B = 0.242, t = 2.692, p = 0.008).

A cross-sectional design cannot determine causal inferences and generalization (Levin, 2006). The study only used a year to examine the hypothesis of a negative correlation between ML risks and democratic governance, thus making generalization difficult.

Extant literature examined ML, terrorism and AML diversely. There was a need to estimate the association between ML risks and democratic governance, especially globally, during a global crisis like COVID-19, when democratic principles, such as the rule of law, transparency and accountability, are challenged. Many personnel were laid off, thus limiting supervision for ML and TF. This study presents evidence of this association.

This paper addresses the under-explored collateral damage of economic sanctions, shedding light on the disproportionate harm endured by the most vulnerable segments of societies, which at the same time lack political influence to effect the ruling government into change. The primary objective is to review the literature on humanitarian repercussions associated with sanctions, concluding if they really are a comparably human way of international interference.

Employing a systematic literature review, adhering to the PRISMA approach, and incorporating key term definitions and clear selection criteria, this review analyses 52 studies sourced from Scopus and EconBiz.

The surveyed literature reveals profound adverse impacts of sanctions on health, economic well-being, inequality, and education. Critical gaps in the literature such as disproportional focus on extreme cases like Iran and Iraq, scarce literature on effects on education and inequality, and predominantly inadequate control groups are identified, limiting the generalizability of existing findings.

This paper is the first systematic and replicable review of the literature on the effects of sanctions using a capabilistic approach to define poverty. Highlighting gaps in the current research landscape underscores the limited generalizability of reviewed results. Providing a well-structured summary of existing literature, this work serves as a foundation for future research.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a shock to the food supply chain without modern precedent. Challenges in production, manufacturing, distribution and retailing led to the highest rates of food price inflation in the US since the 1970s. The major goal of this paper is to describe statistically the impact of the pandemic of food price inflation and volatility in the US and to discuss implications for industry and for policymakers.

We use Bureau of Labor Statistics data to investigate food prices in the US, 2020–2021. We apply 16 statistical approaches to measure price changes and volatility and three regression approaches to measure counterfactuals of food prices, had the pandemic not occurred.

Food price inflation and volatility increased substantially during the early months of the pandemic, with a great deal of heterogeneity across food products and geographic regions. Food price inflation was most pronounced for meats, and contrary to expectations, highest in the western US Forecasting approaches demonstrate that grocery prices were about 7% higher than they would have been without the pandemic as of the end of 2021.

The research on COVID-19 and the food system remains in its nascent stage. As findings on food loss and waste, employment and wages, food insecurity and more proliferate, it is vital to understand how food prices were connected to these phenomena and affected. We also motivate several ideas for future work.