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The integration of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is in the nascent stage and promises to achieve new optimums in operational excellence. This study aims to empirically examine the enablers, barriers, benefits and application of I4.0 technologies in LSS and I4.0 integration.

A pilot survey was chosen as an appropriate methodology, as LSS and I4.0 integration is still budding. The survey targeted senior quality management professionals, quality managers, team leaders, LSS Black Belts and operations managers to collect the relevant research data. The questionnaire was sent to 200 respondents and received 53 valid responses.

This study reveals that “top management support” is an essential enabler for LSS and I4.0 integration. The most significant barrier was “poor understanding of data analysis” and “lack of top management support”. The findings further illustrated that LSS and I4.0 integration resulted in greater efficiency, lower operational costs, improved productivity, improved customer satisfaction and improved quality. Regarding I4.0 technology integration at different phases of LSS, the authors noticed that big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are the most prominent technologies used in all phases of LSS implementation.

One of the limitations of this study is the sample size. LSS and I4.0 are emerging concepts; hence, obtaining a larger sample size is difficult. In addition, the study used non-parametric tests to analyse the data. Therefore, future studies should be conducted with large sample sizes across different continents and countries to understand differences in the key findings.

The outcomes of this study can be useful for organisational managers to understand the enablers and barriers before integrating LSS and I4.0 for adoption in their organisations. Secondly, it helps to convince top management and human resource personnel by providing a list of benefits of LSS and I4.0 integration. Finally, it can help decision-makers understand which I4.0 technologies can be used in different stages of LSS methodology.

LSS and I4.0 integration was studied at a conceptual level. This is the first empirical study targeted toward understanding the LSS and I4.0 integration. In addition, this study investigates the application of widely used I4.0 technologies in different phases of LSS.

The purpose of this research is to systematically scrutinize the influence of macroeconomic determinants on trade openness, through the lens of various trade theories, with a particular focus on the economies of the GIPSI countries – Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy.

This study investigates the macroeconomic factors influencing trade openness in the GIPSI economies from 1995 to 2020. Methods include stepwise regression (SR) for model selection, Pedroni panel cointegration test and panel regression results. The analysis uses advanced panel regressions, including FMOLS, Panel OLS and FEM. The long-term dynamics were tested using Pedroni cointegration, while Granger causality testing was used to examine the causal direction between the trade openness ratio and trade determinant.

The results show both long-term and short-term relationships between trade openness and (1) foreign direct investment, (2) labor force participation rate, (3) trade reserves and (4) trade balance. The researchers also detected unidirectional and bidirectional causality relationships between trade openness and these four factors. The study also revealed that trade reserves (TR) emerge as the most influential determinant of trade openness, and per capita income does not exhibit economic significance concerning the trade openness of GIPSI economies.

This research is conducted within the context of the GIPSI nations (Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy). As such, the outcomes may not be universally applicable to other economic systems due to the distinct institutional settings and governance structures across different economic groups. Future investigations may explore the relationship between trade openness and its determinants by incorporating different variables.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study investigating the theory that suggested trade drivers drive the trade openness of GIPSI countries context. By focusing on GIPSI countries, the study offers a unique perspective on the dynamics of trade openness in economies that have experienced financial crises and stringent austerity measures.

Adaptability and integration (ADI) are the core ingredients for environmentally sustainable construction (ESC), which preserves the ecology from unsupported human activities. However, the approach is lagging in developing countries, which has led to studying the influence of ADI on the adaptive capacity of small- and medium-scale construction organisations.

The research employed a quantitative methodology, collecting 400 responses as a sample size. A construct of 14 influential factors concerning ADI within the Ghanaian small and medium-scale construction industry was developed. The data obtained from participants underwent analysis using SPSS version 26. The validity of the study’s findings was assessed by applying structural equation modelling (SEM) within the AMOS software.

It was evident that innovation advancement and ongoing training and evaluations significantly influence ADI for adaptive capacity. Moreover, the system internally and vulnerability (SIV) and perceived need for implementation (PNI) sub-scales were the main latent components for best construction practices.

Ghana’s small- and medium-scale construction organisations have yet to fully recognise the importance of ADI in enhancing adaptive capacity for the best ESC. However, the results indicated that ADI constructs will significantly influence implementation outcomes to ensure ESC.

The originality of this research also resides in identifying how ADI affect small- and medium-scale construction organisation’s ability to ensure ecologically sustainable building practices.

The construction of smart cities holds the potential to drive digital innovation in the construction industry through various means, such as enhancing supply and demand. This study echoes the urgent need for the construction industry to overcome development challenges. Hence, it is necessary to study the extent and ways in which smart city policies promote digital innovation in the construction industry.

This study treats China’s smart city policies as quasi-natural experiments. Using a dataset of Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2007 to 2021 and a difference-in-differences model, the study scrutinizes the impact of smart city policies on digital innovation within the construction industry.

The study reveals a substantial positive influence of smart city policies on digital innovation in the construction industry. In addition, the study explains these results by analysing supply-side and demand-side mechanisms. Moreover, the effect of smart city pilot policies on promoting digital innovation within the construction industry displays noteworthy heterogeneity across cities at different regional and political levels.

By exploring the impact and mechanisms of smart city policies on digital innovation in the construction industry, this research contributes to a more comprehensive and profound comprehension of the role of policies in facilitating the digital transformation of the construction sector. It is a valuable reference for policymakers and industry practitioners aiming to advance digital development.

Given the distinct and unique climates in these countries, research conducted in other parts of the world may not be directly applicable. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct research tailored to the specific climatic conditions of Australia and New Zealand to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Given population growth, urban expansions and predicted climate change, researchers should provide a deeper understanding of microclimatic conditions and outdoor thermal comfort in Australia and New Zealand. The study’s objectives can be classified into three categories: (1) to analyze previous research works on urban microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort in Australia and New Zealand; (2) to highlight the gaps in urban microclimate studies and (3) to provide a summary of recommendations for the neglected but critical aspects of urban microclimate.

The findings of this study indicate that, despite the various climate challenges in these countries, there has been limited investigation. According to the selected papers, Melbourne has the highest number of microclimatic studies among various cities. It is a significant area for past researchers to examine people’s thermal perceptions in residential areas during the summer through field measurements and surveys. An obvious gap in previous research is investigating the impacts of various urban contexts on microclimatic conditions through software simulations over the course of a year and considering the predicted future climate changes in these countries.

This paper aims to review existing studies in these countries, provide a foundation for future research, identify research gaps and highlight areas requiring further investigation.

This study aims to explore the auditors’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt, with a focus on how their demographic characteristics – specifically gender, work experience and audit firm size – affect their ability to identify key audit matters (KAMs).

The study used exploratory factor analysis to develop an index for evaluating auditors’ proficiency in distinguishing KAMs from non-KAMs, followed by multivariate regression analysis to analyze the impact of auditors’ demographics on this ability.

The study’s findings are significant as they highlight the influence of auditors’ gender and work experience on their capability to correctly classify KAMs. However, the size of the audit firm showed no significant effect on the auditors’ decision-making efficacy in identifying KAMs.

While the study illuminates critical aspects of audit judgment during unprecedented times, it acknowledges limitations, including its geographical focus on Egypt and reliance on self-reported data. The implications stress the need for audit firms and regulators to consider auditors’ demographic characteristics when formulating policies to enhance audit quality and reliability during crises.

This research breaks new ground in the auditing literature by shedding light on the distinct role of auditor demographics in shaping audit opinion during crises. It is one of the pioneering studies to quantitatively assess the impact of auditors’ gender, experience and firm size on KAM identification in a global health crisis. It provides a unique perspective on audit practices in emerging economies.

The United Kingdom (UK) construction sector is transforming with increasing confidence in offsite construction (OSC) solutions following its accrued benefits. To sustain this momentum, exploring viable strategies to promote successful OSC implementation is a top priority. This paper aims to identify and establish interrelationships and logical dependencies of critical success factors (CSFs) for implementing OSC on building projects in the UK.

This study utilised a qualitative research approach. Following a critical review of extant literature, brainstorming and focus group sessions were carried out with OSC experts in the UK construction industry to identify and contextualise CSFs for OSC implementation. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and matrix impact cross-reference multiplication applied to a classification (MICMAC) were used to analyse and model the interrelationships between the contextualised CSFs.

The study identified eighteen CSFs for implementing OSC on projects in the UK positioned on seven hierarchical levels and clustered into dependent, linkage and independent factors. The top five CSFs established were client commitment, top management support, adequate OSC knowledge and experience, flexible leadership and flexible business models. These were located at the base of the ISM model, possessing the highest driving powers in facilitating the successful implementation of OSC on projects.

This study established a hierarchical interrelationship and the importance of the CSFs influencing the successful implementation of OSC. This would assist OSC clients and project teams in identifying and prioritising particular areas for strategic actions, which offer advantages in pursuing successful OSC project outcomes in the UK. Previous research on OSC implementation in the UK had not examined CSFs' interrelationships.

The purpose of this study is to examine the intricate dynamics within the hospitality service sector, which predominantly employs low-wage and low-skilled workers. These employees frequently encounter challenges related to breaches in their psychological contracts. Despite their critical role in customer service, their experiences are often overlooked in organizational inclusion research. We investigate the relationship between employees’ perceptions of organizational inclusion and their assessments of organizational ethical virtues (OEVs), considering the potential moderating effect of psychological contract breach. Furthermore, it explores how these factors influence customer- and organizationdirected organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs).

Our research design incorporates a two-stage moderated-mediation model to test our proposed hypotheses empirically. A two-source sample of 451 European hotel managers and employees extends the inquiry with the proposed model. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the proposed relationships.

Findings reveal that organization inclusion is positively associated with OEV and employee-perceived OEV mediates an indirect link between organization inclusion on customer-oriented OCB. Moreover, psychological contract breach (P CB) attenuates the association between organization inclusion and OEV at the first stage and OEV, and OCB at the second stage.

The findings robustly corroborate our proposed model. The study findings culminate in a discussion accentuating the extensive implications of our findings for both research and practicality within the hospitality sector. Anchored in empirical revelations, we delineate avenues for future exploration in this pivotal domain.

The nature of construction works has a negative impact on physical, mental and emotional well-being and makes it difficult for the construction industry to attack and retain its workforce. The current study seeks to integrate the current knowledge focused on work–life balance (WLB) in the industry into an understandable whole.

An interpretivist philosophical approach was adopted using a bibliometric review and a narrative review of existing studies from both Scopus and Google databases. The Visualisation of Similarities viewer (VOSviewer) was used to prepare co-occurrence maps from the bibliographic data garnered.

The study reveals that the prominent factors influencing the WLB of the construction workforce are organizational culture, salary earned, heavy workload, long working hours and inflexible working time. The recent WLB discourse is on organisational commitment, job satisfaction and workplace dynamics. While WLB areas for further exploration are job stress, safety performance, employee attrition and an ageing workforce. Meanwhile, Africa and South America are still lagging in WLB research.

The findings reported here will assist stakeholders in identifying appropriate WLB initiatives that can be used to improve the well-being of the construction workforce. Also, the gaps in knowledge for further research were highlighted.

The findings reveal current trends and a road map for future studies on WLB in construction. It also reveals prominent factors influencing the WLB of workers in the construction industry.