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The tightening of environmental measures and policies in various countries around the world is forcing manufacturing companies, particularly those that make up the automotive industry, to improve their production processes, through the implementation of approaches such as lean production (LP) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies, to reduce industrial waste. However, the literature indicates that the implementation of LP and I4.0 does not always lead to an improvement in the level of operational performance (OP). Therefore, this study analyzes the effects of the implementation of LP practices and I4.0 on a green supply chain (GSC) and the operational performance of manufacturing companies in the Mexican automotive industry.

A theoretical research framework consisting of six hypotheses was developed and validated by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and using a sample of 460 companies from the Mexican automotive industry.

The results show that the level of OP of manufacturing companies increases substantially with the implementation of LP and I4.0 practices, as well as a GSC.

Managers of manufacturing companies will be able to use the results of this study to improve their production systems and to demonstrate the effects of these practices on OP.

This study contributes to the literature on LP and I4.0 by providing robust empirical evidence of the positive effects of implementing these approaches on the GSC and OP of manufacturing companies.

The scope of this study is to explore informed citizens' engagement in the development of real municipalities' popular reports. For this purpose, an exploratory experiment is performed where potential users of popular reports with certain accounting skills (i.e. groups of undergraduate accounting students) act as preparers of these reports.

The study uses insights from the sense of belonging theory in an ambivalent way: to explain citizens' interest in popular reports and to consider popular reports as an impetus triggering citizens' sense of belonging. By content-analyzing the reports developed and taking stock of the students' perceptions on aspects of popular reports, a template for a popular report for local governments is synthesized. Further, by comparing the study findings with theoretical recommendations and popular reporting practices, the authors offer insights on the content and layout of popular reports which is expected to enhance the sense of belonging of citizens within their city.

The undergraduate students while relying on earlier examples and existing models have created their own reports in which they have used financial and non-financial information indicating the significance of both types of information for citizens. The evidenced heterogeneity in the developed reports is expected to be the effect of the sense of belonging. Moreover, the study reveals citizens' positive stance toward the adoption of co-development and co-creation approaches in the design of popular reports by citizen groups and municipal authorities which is consistent with a sense of belonging mobilization.

This study adds to the literature on the content and characteristics of popular reports by giving voice to the citizens themselves through an exploratory experiment that permits the sense of belonging to take effect.

Building on new trends in tourism and smart city governance, this study aims to examine the degree of interrelation between stakeholder networks involved in tourism governance and smart city development. A model describing the transition towards smart tourism city governance is proposed.

The proposed model is tested through a multiple case study of seven European cities. This choice of sample makes the study highly representative. Data collection is based on an exhaustive search and analysis of available data on smart city initiatives, destination management organisations and tourism plans. Social network analysis using Gephi software is used to build stakeholder networks.

Analysis of the stakeholder networks that shape tourism governance and smart initiatives in several cities reveals a disconnection between the two types of networks. The results show limited progress towards the expected synergies of true smart tourism city governance.

Theoretically, the study contributes to the debate on new forms of governance for the complex evolution of urban tourism. In practice, the relationship between tourism governance and smart city initiatives needs to be redefined to achieve synergies that increase the inclusiveness and efficiency of urban tourism policies.

This study examines the under-researched topic of the interrelation between tourism governance and smart city initiatives. By comparing the networks of actors resulting from these two processes, it assesses the extent to which this interrelation helps the emergence of new governance models (smart tourism city governance).

The public healthcare system faces challenges and limitations regarding the supply and delivery of healthcare services. The private healthcare system is expensive and only affordable for some. Due to the increasing population, developing countries face a greater degree of demand–supply mismatch. The existing healthcare services in developing countries need to be more sustainable due to high out-of-pocket expenditures and low-income levels. The research design used in this chapter is a case study approach based on qualitative data. The study focuses on two objectives: (1) to have a detailed understanding of the nature of healthcare cooperatives in Spain and their contribution to meeting healthcare requirements; and (2) to make suggestions and recommendations for an improved and sustainable healthcare cooperative for developing countries. Inspired by the healthcare cooperative model of Spain and keeping in mind the ground reality of the lack of healthcare facilities and services accessible and affordable in developing countries, the authors have developed a conceptual framework with the foundation of an insurance cooperative. The Spain Model is sustainable for developing countries as it serves the interest of all income brackets, not leaving the low-income population behind. Concepts like cooperative worker insurance embedded in the model can ensure that the beneficiaries receive timely and good quality health services at an affordable price. It empowers individuals by allowing them to make small amounts of investments as premiums to secure a hopeful future for a healthy life.

The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyze existing studies related to the adoption of smart technologies in cruise tourism services, particularly robots, artificial intelligence, service automation and virtual reality. More specifically, the authors intend to highlight the current state of research on this topic, present the findings within a conceptual framework and propose a research agenda.

The relevant literature was extracted using two major electronic databases, web of science (WoS) and Scopus. The authors identified 31 articles from high-quality journals and used a systematic review and the VOSviewer software to analyze them.

Since 2014, there has been an increase in the number of studies related to smart technologies in cruise tourism services. At first, researchers focused on Royal Caribbean’s robotic bartender arm, whereas other technologies such as digital signage, self-service options, facial recognition and virtual culinary experiences received less attention. However, the interest in exploring these last smart technologies has grown significantly since 2019. The adoption of RAISA in the cruise tourism service (ASCT) framework was proposed, identifying five major domains: cruise robotic technology, technology innovation, cruise passengers’ engagement behavior, cruise passengers’ technology readiness and privacy perception and knowledge expertise. These domains provide valuable guidance for future research in this field.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to systematically analyze literature on the adoption of new technologies in cruise tourism services, specifically focusing on the major technologies available on cruise ships.

本文的主要目标是系统地分析与邮轮旅游服务中智能技术采用（RAISA）相关的现有研究, 特别是关于机器人、人工智能、服务自动化和虚拟现实等方面。具体而言, 我们意图突出此主题的当前研究现状, 将研究结果呈现在一个概念框架中, 并提出一个研究议程。

我们使用了两个主要的电子数据库 WoS 和 Scopus 提取相关文献。我们从高质量期刊中找到了 31 篇文章, 并采用系统综述和 VOSviewer 软件对它们进行了分析。

自 2014 年以来, 与邮轮旅游服务中智能技术相关的研究数量不断增加。最初, 研究人员着重关注皇家加勒比邮轮公司的机器人调酒师臂, 而其他技术, 如数字标识、自助选项、面部识别和虚拟烹饪体验等, 得到的关注较少。然而, 自 2019 年以来, 探索这些智能技术的兴趣显著增长。提出了 ASCT 框架, 识别了五个主要领域：邮轮机器人技术; 技术创新; 邮轮旅客参与行为; 邮轮旅客技术准备度; 以及隐私感知和专业知识。这些领域为该领域的未来研究提供了有价值的指导。

这是第一篇系统分析邮轮旅游服务中新技术采用文献的研究, 特别聚焦于邮轮上的主要技术。

This paper aims to propose a tool to assess local public expenditure effectiveness based on a framework of alignment between outputs, outcomes and impacts – the Index of Municipal Expenditure Effectiveness (IMEE). This index is composed of a set of indicators associated with the typology of local expenditure.

The paper describes the methodological approach used in the development of the Index, considering the insights from the literature review and the opinion of a panel of experts. The indicators of outcomes and social impacts that are part of the Index are intentionally aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they provide an essential guide to assess public value creation in the current context. For simplicity purposes, three main components of municipal expenditure were considered, namely Education, Essential Public Services and Local Public Transportation. The Index is then illustrated through a pilot application, using data from five Portuguese municipalities.

This study argues that measuring the public expenditure effectiveness based on outcome and impact indicators can provide the data needed for local governments to better understand the effects of their activities over time, ultimately assessing their contribution to public value.

Assessing the impact of local spending is important to ensure the best use of public resources. Linking local public expenditures with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs is a promising avenue to understand up to what extent the application of the public money is contributing to create public value by impacting on citizens’ lives.

The proposed IMEE contributes to addressing a gap identified in public organizations, including local governments, regarding the lack of consideration of expenditure and outcome/impact relationships, and the use of variables to measure long term impacts.

The wood construction industry has been described as slow in adapting efficiency-increasing activities in its operations and supply chain. The industry is still facing challenges related to digitalization, such as fragmentation, poor traceability and lack of real-time information. This study evaluates the status of digitalization in construction supply chains by thematically analyzing the existing literature and mapping research trends.

A review of the key literature from 2016 to 2021 was performed. The results highlight various technologies and their applications within supply chains and identify research gaps, especially between theoretical frameworks and actual implementation using a scientometric-thematic analysis.

This paper provides a conceptual framework to further aid researchers in exploring the current trends in Supply Chain 4.0 and its applications in the wood construction industry compared to other more advanced industries. Suggested directions for future research in the wood construction Supply Chain 4.0 are outlined.

The existing literature still lacks a comprehensive review of the potential of a digitalized supply chain, especially in the construction industry. This framework is pivotal to continue explaining and observing the best ways to accelerate and implement Supply Chain 4.0 practices for digitalized supply chain management (SCM) while focusing specifically on the wood construction industry. The literature review results will help develop a comprehensive framework for future research direction to create a clearer vision of the current state of digitalization in supply chains and focus on the wood construction supply chain, thus, fully achieving the benefits of Supply Chain 4.0 in the wood construction industry.

Mothers play important roles in their families' lives. When they are high performance athletes, they need specific supports that will enable them to excel in their roles as mother athletes. The feminist qualitative research in this chapter is based on data from two studies drawn from semi-structured interviews with elite female distance runners: 14 in 2013–2014 and 11 in 2021. We address two questions: (1) what are the considerations that elite female distance runners make around planning their pregnancy(ies) and family lives? and (2) how have experiences shifted between athlete interviews in 2013–2014 and a new cohort of athletes in 2021? In order to address these questions, we drew on three complementary theoretical approaches: liberal feminism, radical feminism, and strategic essentialism. Further, we then used thematic analysis and generated three broader themes about elite female distance runners that aligned with both cohorts of athletes. First, athletes are forced to plan/strategize their pregnancies around finances, competitions, contracts, and spousal supports due to the lack of support from athletic governing bodies or corporate sponsors. Second, female athletes who choose to have children experience stress and uncertainty in their athletic careers that their male counterparts do not. Third, elite female athletes are demanding that further change occur to address these inequalities, and participants offered a number of potential solutions to improve supports for these athletes. Although solid progress has been noted in the timeframes of our two cohorts, further commitment from athletic governing bodies and corporate sponsors is needed to work toward gender equity in athletics.

From book challenges to anti–critical race theory and anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning legislation, US English teachers have been on the receiving end of a considerable amount of far-right conservative pushback. This study aims to explore the effects of conservative pushback on individual English teachers and their classroom practice. What pushbacks have individual English teachers faced? How has pushback impacted their teaching? What strategies have they developed for navigating pushback?

This qualitative study explores secondary English teachers’ reported experiences with conservative backlash as reported in 15 semi-structured interviews conducted between May 2022 and August 2023.

Participants reported feeling the pressure of increased levels of pushback, and many reported censoring their book selections to avoid additional public scrutiny. At the same time, they also described a range of strategies they have developed for protecting themselves and their practice, such as codifying curriculum, increasing transparency, formalizing review processes for challenging books and strengthening their resolve to resist.

This study offers a timely window on a pressing problem affecting the daily practice of English teachers in the USA.

Digitally oriented firms are faced with new opportunities and risks in today’s ever-changing world. Drawing upon organisational entrainment theory, this study investigates how supply chain (SC) entrainment improves the effects of digital orientation on firm performance through absorbing risks and exploiting opportunities.

Survey data were collected from 307 Chinese manufactures and analysed using structural equation modelling and regression analysis.

The results show digital orientation absorbs risk through evoking three SC entrainment dimensions (i.e. internal entrainment, entrainment with customers and entrainment with suppliers). Entrainment with customers and suppliers mediate the relationship between internal entrainment and firm performance. An opportunity exploitation mechanism is evidenced by the moderating effects of internal and external entrainment on the relationship between digital orientation and firm performance.

The empirical findings provide timely insights for managers to fully harness the benefits of digital orientation by using SC entrainment, i.e. to match the tempo and pace of internal and external cyclical activities to reduce the risks and increase the benefits of adopting advanced digital technologies. The authors show managers how to adjust their organization’s actions to keep tempo and synchronous phase with their SC partners.

The study introduces and conceptualizes a construct (i.e. SC entrainment) to understand how risks and opportunities arising from digital transformation can be addressed to maximize the value of advanced digital technologies.