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Regular cable trench inspection is crucial, and robotics automation provides an efficient and safer alternative to manual labor. However, existing robots have limited capabilities in traversing obstacles and lack a mechanical arm for detecting cables and equipment. This study aims to develop an intelligent robot for cable trench inspection, enhancing obstacle-crossing abilities and incorporating a mechanical arm for inspection tasks.

This study presents an intelligent robot for cable trench inspection, featuring a six-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm mounted on a six-track chassis with four flippers. The robot's climbing and obstacle-crossing stability, as well as the motion range of the mechanical arm, are analyzed. The positioning, navigation and remote monitoring systems are developed. Experiments, including climbing and obstacle-crossing performance tests, along with navigation and positioning system tests, are conducted. Finally, the robot's practicability is verified through field testing.

Equipped with flipper tracks, the cable trench inspection robot can traverse obstacles up to 30 cm high and maintain stable locomotion on 30° slopes. Its navigation system enables autonomous operation, while the mechanical arm performs cable current detection tasks. The remote monitoring system provides comprehensive control of the robot and environmental parameter monitoring in cable trenches.

The front and rear flipper tracks enhance the robot's ability to traverse obstacles in cable trenches. The mechanical arm addresses cable current and equipment contact detection issues. The navigation and remote monitoring systems improve the robot's autonomous operation and environmental monitoring capabilities. Implementing this robot can advance the automation and intelligence of cable trench inspections.

The purpose of this study is to explore green innovation and its role in driving competitiveness in Ecuadorian manufacturing firms, focusing on structural equation modelings, which account for more than 90% of the productive units and aggregate national income. The manufacturing sector in Ecuador reports variable growth since the start of the COVID pandemic, drawing more attention from practitioners, regulators and scholars alike, due to its distinctive footprint on people, profit and planet, particularly in the context of developing economies.

A model with two second-order constructs is developed and tested in a sample of 325 managers from manufacturing firms in Ecuador, using quantitative and cross-section methods.

After obtaining adjusted and validated metrics, a structural equation model is presented, where the main hypothesis is confirmed, supporting the positive impact of green innovation on competitiveness.

The research provides evidence on how manufacturing firms favoring green innovation in their long-term planning can unlock and sustain competitiveness. Policymakers could then offer incentives for firms to embed sustainable practices, with potential ripple effects along the supply chain, aggregating up competitiveness to industry and national levels.

The study aims to bridge the existing knowledge gap on the interplay of green innovation and competitiveness, claiming that the former significantly influences the latter, in an emerging market context, with incremental gains for all stakeholders, as posited by stakeholder theory.

El propósito de esta investigación es explorar la innovación verde y su rol en la generación de competitividad en las empresas manufactureras ecuatorianas, centrándose en las PYMES, que representan más del 90 por ciento de las unidades productivas y del ingreso nacional agregado. El sector manufacturero en Ecuador reporta un crecimiento variable desde el inicio de la pandemia de COVID, lo cual atrae la atención de profesionales, reguladores y académicos por igual, debido a su huella distintiva en la sociedad, la rentabilidad y el planeta, particularmente en el contexto de las economías en desarrollo.

Se desarrolla y estima un modelo con dos constructos de segundo orden, en una muestra de 325 gerentes de empresas manufactureras del Ecuador, utilizando métodos cuantitativos y transversales.

Tras obtener métricas ajustadas y validadas, se presenta un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, donde se confirma la hipótesis principal, sustentando el impacto positivo de la innovación verde en la competitividad.

Aportamos evidencia empírica sobre cómo las empresas manufactureras que favorecen iniciativas ecológicamente innovadoras en su planificación a largo plazo, pueden generar y sostener competitividad. Los reguladores podrían eventualmente diseñar incentivos para que las empresas incorporen prácticas sustentables, acumulando beneficios en la cadena de suministro, e incrementando así la competitividad a nivel de la industria y de la economía en su conjunto.

Nuestro estudio aspira contribuir a cerrar la brecha en la literatura en la convergencia entre la innovación verde y la competitividad, argumentando que la primera influye significativamente en la segunda, en un contexto de mercado emergente, con beneficios incrementales para todas las partes interesadas, como lo postula la teoría de stakeholders.

O objetivo desta pesquisa é explorar a inovação verde e seu papel na promoção da competitividade nas empresas manufatureiras equatorianas, com foco nas PMEs, que representam mais de 90% das unidades produtivas e da renda nacional. O sector manufatureiro no Equador regista um crescimento variável desde o início da pandemia da COVID, atraindo mais atenção tanto de profissionais, reguladores como académicos, devido à sua pegada distinta nas pessoas, nos lucros e no planeta, particularmente no contexto das economias em desenvolvimento.

Um modelo com dois construtos de segunda ordem é desenvolvido e testado em uma amostra de 325 gestores de empresas industriais no Equador, utilizando métodos quantitativos e transversais.

Após a obtenção de métricas ajustadas e validadas, é apresentado um modelo de equações estruturais, onde é confirmada a hipótese principal, apoiando o impacto positivo da inovação verde na competitividade.

A nossa investigação fornece evidências sobre como as empresas industriais que favorecem iniciativas ecologicamente inovadoras no seu planeamento a longo prazo, podem aumentar e sustentar a competitividade. Os decisores políticos poderiam então oferecer incentivos às empresas para incorporar práticas sustentáveis, com potenciais efeitos em cascata ao longo da cadeia de abastecimento, agregando competitividade aos níveis industrial e nacional.

O nosso estudo visa colmatar a lacuna de conhecimento existente sobre a interação entre inovação verde e competitividade, alegando que a primeira influencia significativamente a última, num contexto de mercado emergente, com ganhos incrementais para todas as partes interessadas, conforme postulado pela teoria dos stakeholders.

This paper aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of studies focusing on green supply chain management (GSCM) within the context of the digital economy.

We utilize the Web of Science database to search and filter relevant documents spanning the years 2003–2022. This extensive dataset enables us to analyze the growth and cutting-edge developments in research pertaining to GSCM in the digital economy.

The paper finds a significant increase in research interest and output, particularly noticeable from 2016 onwards, indicating the growing relevance of integrating GSCM with digital technologies. It is found that the prominent contribution of countries like China, England and the USA, underscoring a strong geographical diversity in research outputs. China leads in the number of publications, which reflects its significant role in shaping the discourse around GSCM in the digital economy. However, when it comes to citations, the USA leads, suggesting a higher impact or quality of research emanating from this region. Collaborative dynamics outlined in the study demonstrate extensive international cooperation, primarily among leading research countries, which is facilitated by shared digital platforms enhancing the research’s reach and impact. The study also highlights a range of emerging themes such as the adoption of blockchain technology, Internet of Things (IoT) and the circular economy within GSCM, indicating dynamic areas for future research.

The findings of this study hold significant practical implications for researchers, practitioners and policymakers. They shed light on the current state of research in GSCM within the digital economy, highlighting areas where further investigation is needed and pointing to the emerging trends in this field. Understanding the distribution of research and influential authors can guide future collaborative efforts and inform decision-making processes in the pursuit of sustainable supply chain practices in the digital era.

This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the evolving landscape of GSCM in the digital economy. It offers valuable insights into the growth patterns, key contributors and geographical distribution of research in this domain. This information is crucial for researchers and stakeholders seeking to stay at the forefront of sustainable supply chain practices in an increasingly digital world.

This study aims to investigate the causal relationships among environmental, social and governance reporting (ESGR), stakeholder sustainability awareness, use of artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability culture, innovation performance and climate resilience of organizations across diverse sectors in Sri Lanka.

A survey was conducted among 327 respondents, including senior accounting professionals, operations managers and functional heads to gather company-level data in various industries in Sri Lanka. A disjoint two-stage approach validated the measurement model, and the partial least squares structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses.

The analysis evidences the mediating role of stakeholders' sustainability awareness on the relationship between ESGR and sustainability culture. Furthermore, it emphasizes the role of sustainability culture in driving climate resilience. Innovation performance acts as a moderator, strengthening the relationship between the use of AI and sustainability culture.

The study suggests that organizations should strategically use ESGR, integrate AI and prioritize stakeholder engagement to strengthen their commitment to sustainability. These provide insight for decision-making in organizations seeking to align with sustainable business practices.

It explores the use of AI to enhance ESGR and sustainability culture, providing a broader understanding of how organizations manage AI and stakeholders in sustainability issues.

This study investigates the influence of market and hierarchy organizational cultures on international project performance and examines the mediating role of relational capital.

In-depth interviews and a cross-sectional questionnaire survey were conducted to collect primary data within international projects. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses based on data collected from 62 respondents.

The results reveal that both market and hierarchy cultures affect international project performance positively. Additionally, communication, cooperation and trust help enhance project performance; however, commitment is not. This study also proves the mediating role of relational capital between organizational culture and project performance.

This study selected only two types of organizational culture represented by Chinese construction enterprises. Future studies can explore the mediating role of relational capital between other varieties of organizational culture and project performance.

Given the high complexity and risks faced by projects abroad, both organizational culture, the internal environmental factor and relational capital being the external resource, are crucial for project success. This study clarifies the relationship between organizational culture, relational capital and project performance overseas. Empirical evidence to enhance international project performance for construction enterprises is provided. This study also makes contributions to international contractors who want to implement projects in developing countries.

The purpose of this study is to design a highly integrated smart glove to enable gesture acquisition and force sensory interactions, and to enhance the realism and immersion of virtual reality interaction experiences.

The smart glove is highly integrated with gesture sensing, force-haptic acquisition and virtual force feedback modules. Gesture sensing realizes the interactive display of hand posture. The force-haptic acquisition and virtual force feedback provide immersive force feedback to enhance the sense of presence and immersion of the virtual reality interaction.

The experimental results show that the average error of the finger bending sensor is only 0.176°, the error of the arm sensor is close to 0 and the maximum error of the force sensing is 2.08 g, which is able to accurately sense the hand posture and force-touch information. In the virtual reality interaction experiments, the force feedback has obvious level distinction, which can enhance the sense of presence and immersion during the interaction.

This paper innovatively proposes a highly integrated smart glove that cleverly integrates gesture acquisition, force-haptic acquisition and virtual force feedback. The glove enhances the sense of presence and immersion of virtual reality interaction through precise force feedback, which has great potential for application in virtual environment interaction in various fields.

This study aims to establish a thermally coupled two-dimensional orthogonal cutting model to further improve the modeling process for systematic evaluation of material damage, stiffness degradation, equivalent plastic strain and other material properties, along with cutting temperature distribution and cutting forces. This enhances modeling efficiency and accuracy.

A two-dimensional orthogonal cutting thermo-mechanical coupled finite element model is established in this study. The tanh material constitutive model is used to simulate the mechanical properties of the material. Velocity-dependent friction model between the workpiece and the tool is considered. Material characteristics such as material damage, stiffness degradation, equivalent plastic strain and temperature field during cutting are evaluated through computation. Contact pressure and shear stress on the tool surface are extracted for friction analysis.

Speed-dependent friction models predict cutting force errors as low as 8.6%. The prediction errors of various friction models increase with increasing cutting forces and depths of cut, and simulation results tend to be higher than experimental data.

The current research results provide insights into understanding and controlling tool-chip friction in metal cutting, offering practical recommendations for friction modeling and machining simulation work.

The originality of this research is guaranteed, as it has not been previously published in any journal or publication.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2024-0162/

This study aims to investigate the impact of online collective feminist actions on social media participation and the perceived value of social media as part of the social identity model of collective action (SIMCA).

A mixed methodology is used. Within the SIMCA model in the context of feminist collective actions, social identity, group-efficacy and fear predicted the intention of online collective action participation in the first part (quantitative) of the study. Contrary to predictions, the influence of anger on the intention to participate in collective action was negative. In-depth interviews are conducted in the study’s second (qualitative) part to investigate why individuals do not participate in collective actions despite their anger at violence against women.

The concept of online feminist collective action, from the perspective of the SIMCA model, deals with violence against women in the context of social marketing, revealing the importance of online collective actions as an antecedent of social media participation and the perceived value of social media. The possible causes of the negative impact of anger, which is an important emotion within the framework of the SIMCA model, on online feminist collective action were determined, and a contribution was made to the social marketing literature in the context of women’s rights.

The study makes three major contributions to the literature. First, women’s rights are addressed in the context of online collective action, an issue that has received little attention in social marketing. Second, in the context of the social identity theory of collective action, online collective feminist action and its predecessors are addressed. Finally, the Turkish case is used to highlight the probable causes of anger’s negative impact on collective action.

This study aims to further refine the model, explore the influence of cutting parameters on the machining process, and apply it to practical engineering to improve the efficiency and quality of titanium alloy machining.

This paper establishes a comprehensive thermo-mechanical fully coupled orthogonal cutting model. This paper aims to couple the modified Johnson–Cook constitutive model, damage model and contact model to construct a two-dimensional orthogonal cutting thermo-mechanical coupling model for high-speed cutting of Ti6Al4V. The model considers the evolution of microstructures such as plastic deformation, grain dislocation rearrangement, dynamic recrystallization, as well as stress softening and hardening occurring continuously in Ti6Al4V metal during high-speed cutting. Additionally, the model incorporates friction and contact between the tool and the workpiece. It can be used to predict parameters such as cutting process, cutting force, temperature distribution, stress and strain in titanium alloy machining. The study establishes the model and implements corresponding functions by writing Abaqus VUMAT and VFRICTION subroutines.

The use of different material constitutive models can significantly impact the prediction of the cutting process. Some models may more accurately describe the mechanical behavior of the material, thus providing more reliable prediction results, while other models may exhibit larger deviations. Compared to the Tanh model, the proposed model achieves a maximum improvement of 8.9% in the prediction of cutting force and a maximum improvement of 20.9% in the prediction of chip morphology parameters. Compared to experiments, the proposed model achieves a minimum prediction error of 2.8% for average cutting force and a minimum error of 0.57% for sawtooth parameters. This study provides a comprehensive theoretical foundation and practical guidance for orthogonal cutting of titanium alloys. The model not only helps engineers and researchers better understand various phenomena in the cutting process but also serves as an important reference for optimizing cutting processes.

The originality of this research is guaranteed, as it has not been previously published in any journal or publication.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2024-0168/

Saudi Arabia’s government’s dedication to modernizing and improving the country’s educational system has resulted in profound changes to the country’s educational environment. A key component of societal development, economic prosperity, and preparing the next generation for a changing environment is education. This chapter charts the historical development, emphasizing significant events and difficulties encountered at every educational level. The chapter describes the significant increase starting in the 1950s, focusing on worldwide standards while upholding moral principles, from its origins in Islamic studies to King Abdulaziz Al-Saud’s creation of a formal education system. Significant progress persisted into the 2000s, especially in the area of women’s education. This chapter also discusses the implication of Vision 2030 in Education and Research skills and provides significant insights for the elevation of the quality and the impact of education toward resilient social inclusive economic development in Saudi Arabia.