Search Results (600)

This study provides a comprehensive simulation for understanding the influence of EV growth and its external factors on grid stability and offers insights into effective management strategies. To manage the growth of battery-based electric vehicles (BEVs) in Indonesia and mitigate their impact on the power grid’s supply–demand equilibrium, regulatory adjustments and subsidies can be implemented by the government. The Jawa-Madura-Bali (Jamali) electrical system, as the largest in Indonesia, is challenged with accommodating the rising number of vehicles. Following an analysis of Jamali’s electricity supply using data from the National Electricity Company (RUPTL), simulations are constructed to model the grid’s demand side. Input variables such as Jamali’s population, the numbers of internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles, initial charging times (ICT), slow and fast charging ratios, and BEV charge load curves are simulated. Scenario variables, including supply capacity growth rate, vehicle population growth rate, subsidy impact on EV attractiveness, ICT, and fast charging ratio, are subsequently simulated for the 2024–2029 period. Four key simulation outcomes are identified. The best-case scenario (scenario 1776) achieves the highest EV growth with minimal grid disruption, resulting in a 45.38% EV percentage in 2029 and requiring an annual allocation of 492 billion rupiah to match supply with demand. The worst-case scenario leads to a 23.12% EV percentage, necessitating 47,566 billion rupiah for EV subsidies in 2029. Additionally, the most and least probable scenarios based on the literature research are evaluated. This novel simulation and its results provide insights into EV growth’s impact on the grid’s balance in one presidential term from 2024 to 2029, aiding the government in planning regulations and subsidies effectively. Full article

Climatic change and environmental degradation have become a worldwide discourse. Green innovation is commonly viewed as a means of lowering environmental pollution in the era of climate change. Considering this, the primary purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of environmental technology (ET) on CO₂ emissions by controlling Saudi Arabia’s ICT use, energy use, energy intensity, and financial development. It uses a quantile-based multiple-threshold “nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL)” estimation utilizing data from 1990 to 2020. It also conducts the ARDL and NARDL estimation techniques simultaneously for comparative outcomes. The Toda–Yamamoto (T-Y) causality assessment also crosschecks the primary multiple-threshold NARDL estimates. The outcomes reveal that ET promotes environmental pollution due to its low scale compared to the Kingdom’s technological base. ICT improves environmental quality, and energy consumption deteriorates it. All three estimation techniques confirm these findings. The multiple-threshold NARDL estimation appears robust and reveals damaging impacts of energy intensity and financial development on emissions. The T-Y causality assessment also authenticates the primary estimation outcomes. The outcomes have important implications for policymakers to focus on enhancing patents for ET, raising ICT diffusion, reducing energy intensity through generating more renewable energies, expanding financial support for ICT and green investments, and ensuring a sustainable environment. Full article

Swarm electrification-driven communities face significant challenges, including implementing advanced distributed control in areas with limited ICT access and establishing trust among villagers hesitant to grant access to their assets. This paper proposes a distributed DC microgrid architecture for P2P energy exchange in these communities, ensuring stability and an effective exchange operation. By implementing a Blockchain marketplace specifically designed to suit the rural context, the proposed architecture ensures tracing of exchange transactions to fairly settle participants. Validation experiments demonstrate its efficacy in achieving peak shaving. It provides 11% of the requester’s total demand from the community even while maintaining the constraint of reducing discharge–charge cycles to one per day, thereby preserving battery life. Additionally, the solution reduces prosumer production losses by 16% of the total PV production. Full article

This paper elicits and analyzes the main requirements for Smart Pedestrian applications designed to enhance the pedestrian experience in urban environments by offering optimized walking routes, improved accessibility, and support for social inclusion and connectivity. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines qualitative insights with quantitative data analysis based on surveys conducted in two strategically selected urban areas of Nicosia, Cyprus. Through the survey, the requirements and potential use of Smart Pedestrian apps are investigated while accounting for the quality of service of the urban infrastructure in a medium-sized city context. Additionally, the study contrasts the current smartphone applications, as they predominantly facilitate vehicular transportation, with the potential use of ICT/ITS to support pedestrians for sustainable mobility. The findings reveal a significant demand for a Pedestrian Smartphone app, driven by its ability to provide relevant information on optimum pedestrian routes, as well as act as a citizen’s voice for spotting infrastructure problems and improving the pedestrian network. Further, it is also revealed that limitations in the pedestrian infrastructure substantially restrict walking preferences, emphasizing the need for urgent city-level urban planning solutions to support active mobility. Additionally, the research carried out underscores the importance of a sustainable business model to support the successful deployment of Smart Pedestrian apps. Ultimately, the results of the study suggest prioritizing a smart technology leverage with a crowdsourcing social network business model to promote pedestrian mobility, thereby reducing vehicular dependence, enhancing public health, and improving the quality of life. Such an approach would act as catalyst for policymakers to concentrate on sustainability by investing in digital technology for integrated pedestrian networks, fostering the emergence of genuine smart cities. Full article

This study examines the relationship between various demographic and situational factors and working students’ decisions to change their study programmes and abandon higher education. It utilises a sample of 1902 working students derived from the Eurostudent VII survey and employs cross-tabulation and chi-square tests. The findings reveal statistically significant associations between several factors and students’ educational decisions. Males are more likely to consider abandoning higher education than females. Younger students, particularly those up to 21 years old, are more inclined to consider changing their study programmes. Financial difficulties significantly influence students’ considerations of both changing study programmes and abandoning higher education. Students in the arts, humanities, and ICT are more likely to consider abandoning their studies. Conversely, age does not significantly affect the likelihood of abandoning higher education. Parental educational attainment does not significantly influence decisions to change or abandon study programmes, whereas living situations, such as living independently and not living with parents, significantly affect changing the study programme. Qualification level affects the likelihood of changing study programmes, with bachelor’s students more likely to consider changes than masters and long-term national degree students, but it does not significantly affect the likelihood of abandoning higher education. Education–job mismatch significantly affects both changing study programmes and abandoning higher education, while the duration of working hours only influences the decision to alter study programmes. By revealing these findings, this research extends the student retention discourse as well as highlights how cultural, economic, familial, and workplace capital influence working students’ educational decisions. Full article

Data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is frequently used in efficiency analysis, has also been applied to the measurement of entrepreneurial efficiency for the attainment of desired values of macroeconomic indicators (such as the objectives of sustainable economic growth). For this application, DEA takes into account the economic, environmental, and social impact of entrepreneurship as the three dimensions of sustainability. This paper aimed to investigate the potential for a scalable (in diversity, equity, and inclusion dimensions) DEA application in sustainable entrepreneurship performance (SEP) assessment through three channels (assessing SEP without ESG activities; ESG→SEP; ESG (DEI)→SEP) and present an empirical study related to economic growth assessment and its environmental, social, and governance (ESG), and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) determinants across selected Western Balkans (WB) and European Union (EU) companies, based on the use of the proposed scalable DEA. It highlights how crucial a scalable nonparametric approach to macroeconomic efficiency analysis is and provides a more comprehensive perspective to the researchers on this issue. This study used a non-oriented DEA model with variable return-to-scale in a group of 60 WB and 60 EU companies, all of which adopted ICT/Blockchain (BC) technologies (the 11 ESG metrics). The annual corporate data was collected for seven years from 2017 until 2023. We projected the selected data to three country particularities (mass acceptance, adoption, and implementation of ICT/BC; mass labor force return from overseas; and ethnic, cultural, and religious particularities) and performed statistical analysis. Our findings estimate the influence of these three particularities on economic growth potential. In all countries’ cases, we found a statistically sound (significant, positive) correlation between ESG and SEP’s economic growth quality performance. Particularly, when corporate social and DEI initiatives mediate (channel III), SEP’s economic growth gains the best performance (+18%) in countries with ethnic, cultural, and religious particularities (BiH, NM), a +17% in countries enjoying massive labor force return from overseas (AL) and performs well in quality (particularly in the innovation and integrity) SEP performance success dimensions (all WB and EU countries). The proposed scalable DEA shows clearly, by performing an empirical analysis, which modern business (adopting ICT/BC) is the most effective in achieving sustainability projected to country particularities, helping corporate management to improve economic growth efficiency. Full article

Buildings are complex structures composed of heterogeneous elements; these require building management systems (BMSs) to dynamically adapt them to occupants’ needs and leverage building resources. The fast growth of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has transformed the BMS field into a multidisciplinary one. Consequently, this has caused several research papers on data-driven solutions to require examination and classification. This paper provides a broad overview of BMS by conducting a systematic literature review (SLR) summarizing current trends in this field. Unlike similar reviews, this SLR provides a rigorous methodology to review current research from a computer science perspective. Therefore, our goal is four-fold: (i) Identify the main topics in the field of building; (ii) Identify the recent data-driven methods; (iii) Understand the BMS’s underlying computing architecture (iv) Understand the features of BMS that contribute to the smartization of buildings. The result synthesizes our findings and provides research directions for further research. Full article

Industry 4.0 integrates the intelligent networking of machines and processes through advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs). Despite advancements, small mechanical manufacturing enterprises face significant challenges transitioning to ICT-supported Industry 4.0 models due to a lack of technical expertise and infrastructure. These enterprises commonly encounter variable production volumes, differing priorities in customer orders, and diverse production capacities across low-, medium-, and high-level outputs. Frequent issues with machine health, glitches, and major breakdowns further complicate optimizing production scheduling. This paper presents a novel production management approach that harnesses bio-inspired methods alongside Internet of Things (IoT) technology to address these challenges. This comprehensive approach integrates the real-time monitoring and intelligent production order distribution, leveraging advanced LoRa wireless communication technology. The system ensures efficient and concurrent data acquisition from multiple sensors, facilitating accurate and prompt capture, transmission, and storage of machine status data. The experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in data collection time and system responsiveness, enabling the timely detection and resolution of machine failures. Additionally, an enhanced genetic algorithm dynamically allocates tasks based on machine status, effectively reducing production completion time and machine idle time. Case studies in a screw manufacturing facility validate the practical applicability and effectiveness of the proposed system. The seamless integration of the scheduling algorithm with the real-time monitoring subsystem ensures a coordinated and efficient production process, ultimately enhancing productivity and resource utilization. The proposed system’s robustness and efficiency highlight its potential to revolutionize production management in small-scale manufacturing settings. Full article

Ontological knowledge graph (OKG) is a well-formed visual representation that depicts knowledge organization in formal elements (e.g., entities and attributes) and their interrelationships. OKG is crucial for innovation management analysis as it provides a clear boundary to understand complex knowledge domain in detail. In the patent analysis field, it facilitates the definition of a well-defined patent portfolio, aiming for accurate and complete patent retrievals and subsequent analyses. In recent decade, the rapid growth of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector has rendered data centers (DCs) indispensable for data processing, storage, and cloud computing, while ensuring security and privacy during DC operations. However, their energy-intensive operations pose challenges to global efforts toward achieving net-zero emissions goals. In response, this research develops a formal OKG refinement process and uses DC net-zero technology OKG as case study for in-depth OKG refinement and application in patent portfolio analysis. The net-zero DC domain covers five sub-technologies. Utilizing the proposed OKG refinement and patent portfolio analysis framework, the 1801 most recent decade’s patents related to relevant “DC net-zero technologies” are retrieved and analyzed. Particularly in this case, DC colocation and server-as-a-service perspectives are the newly discovered sub-domains for OKG refinement. Furthermore, the research also adopts the technology function matrix and technology maturity to assess current and future technology development trends, providing crucial insights supporting strategic innovation management. Full article

Learning and using technology in the workplace are essential for a company’s commitment to the sustainable development of its resources. Finding competent engineers who can handle information communication technologies (ICTs) is a challenge for companies. Currently, however, the ability to use these technologies is limited to technicians with specialized training, and not everyone can engage in development. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that equity in the use of technology has not yet been realized. This study aims to analyze, based on actual cases, the necessary conditions and mechanisms for people with diverse experiences and circumstances, not limited to engineers, to participate in ICT development to address human resource diversity. The use of technology such as low-code platforms (LCPs) that have recently emerged on the market has shown that nonprofessional engineers without programming training can participate in development projects. This research will be useful to managers in advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies in their workplaces and contribute to organizational research regarding new trends in technology use by individuals: low codability. The findings of this study are of significant relevance to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of decent work and economic growth, as well as gender equality. Full article

This study focused on the development of a teacher self-efficacy measurement addressing the contextualization of information and communication technologies (ICTs) with education for sustainability (EfS) using principal component analysis. Furthermore, this study, with the participation of 1815 teachers, examined the predictive value of some hypothesized predictors of the ICTeEfS self-efficacy construct such as gender, school setting, years of teaching, knowledge of education for sustainability, knowledge of ICTs, and experience in using ICTs to support the integration of education for sustainability in teaching and school curricula using multiple regression analysis. The research results revealed that gender did not explain any statistically significant variance of teachers’ ICTeEfS self-efficacy; contrary to this, teachers possessing a high level of knowledge on issues about sustainability and ICT competence explained most of the extracted variance. However, a gap remains in utilizing these skills pedagogically. This study also discusses the varying levels of self-efficacy among teachers based on their workplace location, finding that urban teachers demonstrate higher self-efficacy compared to their rural counterparts. This could be attributed to the disparities in resources and support systems, thereby affecting their capacity to employ ICT in EfS effectively. It was also found that novice teachers exhibited higher predictive power to ICTeEfS self-efficacy, possibly due to their recent exposure to ICT training. This study assumes that a profound understanding of EfS, coupled with ICT tools, bolsters the creation of contextualized curricula and enriches the teaching and learning experience towards sustainability. Full article

China’s digital divide is explored through spatial and multivariate analysis. The dependent variables include general uses of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and mobile devices, measures of ICT infrastructure, purposeful uses for software services, and purposeful uses of e-commerce. Independent variables include a variety of demographic, economic, educational, ethnic, innovation, and knowledge production indicators. Data come from the China Yearbook. Theoretically, the study draws on the Spatially Aware Technology Utilization Model (SATUM). Digital disparities in Chinese provinces are analyzed using regression analysis, spatial autocorrelation, and k-means cluster analysis. The important correlates associated with digital inequality are expenditure for science and technology, income, R&D investment, full-time teachers, non-Han (minority) population, and proportion of urbanization. Longitudinal comparison reveals factors influencing ICT changes to be expenditure on science and technology, the unemployment rate, and college degree. Among the cluster findings are geographic concentrations of digital variables in Shanghai and Beijing and marked spatial pattern differences in central and central–east China between variable groups. Provincial and national policy implications, which are compared to China’s five-year plans, include an emphasis on science and technology, technology education in all provinces, support for higher provincial incomes, and ICT training for the non-Han population. These steps are especially important in ICT-deprived provinces. Full article

The study intends to identify and analyze different consumer segments. For this purpose, we examine why customers turn to electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) before making a purchase and how they perceive a hotel’s information and communication technology (ICT) and relational innovation after making a purchase. The objective was empirically tested with data from a panel of consumers who stayed at hotels during the post-pandemic recovery period in Spain. In total, 393 valid questionnaires were obtained. The estimation of a finite mix model was applied to identify guest profiles. Estimation identified three guest profiles where the perceptions of the hotel’s relational innovation and ICT present a high discriminant power in the first two segments. Moreover, compared to the second segment, the first group is characterized by the low impact level of these variables. On the other hand, the motivation to consult eWOM in the prebooking stage significantly influences all three groups; however, the guests of the third segment present less motivation than the rest. Hotel managers may consider ICT, relational innovation, and eWOM factors when segmenting consumers. Understanding this would enhance the company’s service delivery and the hotel’s competitiveness. The contribution of this study lies in considering ICT, relational innovation, and eWOM as novel factors that help identify different guest profiles. Full article

The increased uptake of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is fostering the development of responsive buildings that are aware of and respond to human needs. Current approaches mainly focus on adapting building systems to enhance people’s comfort and energy performance. Little is known about how responsive buildings can inform human behavior adaptability to meet the diverse needs of individuals and organizations within built environments. This study recorded the outcomes of six multi-agent simulation projects exploring human behavior adaptability in different workplace settings. The results have been analyzed through the lenses of ‘place’ theory to extrapolate a framework for human behavior adaptability, jointly considering the characteristics of the spaces, the people that inhabit them, and their activities. This framework provides analytical insights on the design and development of adaptability strategies that consider non-linear interactions and dependencies between the characteristics of the built environment, the needs of the inhabitants, and the goals of organizations. Full article

This study examines how ambidextrous balanced innovation and ambidextrous combined innovation affect international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprise growth within the holistic paradigm of systems thinking and discusses the systemic impact of industry international competitiveness and industry financing dependence. We select the unbalanced panel data of China’s ICT industry international enterprises from 2010 to 2021 for empirical research, and we employ the fixed effect model for testing. The empirical results indicate that both ambidextrous balanced innovation and ambidextrous combined innovation promote international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprise growth, that the industry’s international competitiveness positively moderates the relationship between ambidextrous balanced innovation and international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprise growth, and that the industry’s financing dependence negatively moderates the relationship between ambidextrous balanced innovation and international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprise growth. The aforementioned conclusion is robust against a series of robustness tests. This study expands the theoretical research on international entrepreneurship and ambidextrous innovation strategy selection and may help in the selection of ambidextrous innovation strategies for international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprises. Full article