Hazem Aldabbas, Abdallah M. Elamin, Liza Gernal, Ahmed Z. E. Ahmed, Ruba M. Ibnauf
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly described as a strategic intangible resource. Yet, the mechanism by which it converts into competitive advantage (CA) remains underspecified, and evidence from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies is limited. Drawing on stakeholder theory and the resource-based view (RBV), this study examines corporate reputation (CR) as the pathway that links CSR to CA in organizations operating in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Structured questionnaires were delivered to 200 managers using convenience sampling, with 150 valid responses retained. The measurement quality was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis, average variance extracted (AVE), composite reliability, and the Fornell–Larcker criterion. We addressed common method variance through procedural remedies and Harman’s single-factor test. Hypotheses were tested using ordinary least squares regression and bootstrapped mediation analysis (PROCESS Model 4, 5,000 resamples), controlling for firm age, organization size, and organization type. CSR was positively associated with CR (B = 0.746, p < 0.001) and CR was positively associated with CA (B = 0.403, p = 0.001). The total effect of CSR on CA was positive and significant (B = 0.526, p < 0.001); however, the direct effect was not significant once CR entered the model (B = 0.226, p = 0.061). The indirect effect through CR was significant [ B = 0.301, 95% bootstrap CI (0.079, 0.507)] and accounted for approximately 57.2% of the total effect, indicating an indirect-only (full) mediation. The results suggest that CSR relates to competitive advantage mainly through corporate reputation, rather than directly affecting competitive position. Reputation therefore appears to operate as the conversion mechanism that translates stakeholder approval into a resource position that is valuable, rare, and difficult to imitate.
Maricielo Yzquierdo-Alejandría, César A. Chomlón-Perales, José A. Vásquez–Coronel
The accumulation of agro-industrial residues in the coffee sector poses environmental and logistical challenges. This systematic review analyzes thermochemical and biochemical conversion technologies for the valorization of these streams. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the PICO strategy, 116 primary studies published between 2020 and 2025 and indexed in Scopus and Web of Science were selected. Thermochemical routes, with a focus on slow pyrolysis, and biochemical pathways, such as anaerobic digestion and composting, represent the dominant recovery configurations. These systems recover biogas, biochar, biofertilizers, and liquid biofuels. Quantitative data indicate that an integrated combined cooling, heating, and power system using spent coffee grounds decreases global warming potential by 37.6% compared to a baseline scenario, using 1 kg of instant coffee as the functional unit. Furthermore, decentralized pyrolysis configurations on farms decrease thermal drying energy costs by 20% to 35% through the replacement of subsidized fossil fuels with local biochar. Operational limits include feedstock heterogeneity, implementation costs, low technology adoption in rural sectors, and a lack of biofertilizer regulations. Integrated biorefineries represent a pathway to standardize processes and establish commercial-scale operations.
Christian Schader, Olivia Keller, Moritz Teriete, Marlene Sander, Carola Schafhausen, Christian Herzig, Hyewon Seo
Food systems are central to Sustainable Development Goal 12, and large food retailers occupy a strategic position between producers and consumers. Comparative scientific assessments of retailer sustainability performance and retailer-specific conceptual frameworks remain limited. We developed a generic four-step framework covering objectives and scope, evaluation methodology, data collection, and evaluation. We applied it in a pilot assessment of the environmental sustainability performance of the eight largest food retailers in Germany, using 2020 as the reference year and operationalising 22 fields of action, 43 indicators, and 112 sub-indicators across supply chains, own sites, and consumption. Companies used only part of their available scope for action. Performance was stronger in strategy and communication than in implementation, while fields in which all companies performed poorly suggested constraints that cannot be addressed by individual firms alone. The framework provides a transparent structure for comparative company-level sustainability assessment and the pilot demonstrates its practical applicability. Results are specific to the German market, the 2020 reference period, and the environmental dimension; application elsewhere requires context-specific adaptation of indicators, benchmarks, and data sources.
Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising digital manufacturing technology for fashion and accessories, providing opportunities for customization, design flexibility, and innovative production. Integrating digital fabrication technologies with Saudi cultural heritage may contribute to the development of contemporary fashion products that retain distinctive cultural characteristics. This study investigated the application of 3D printing in developing women’s handbags inspired by Saudi cultural heritage. The study aimed to develop contemporary handbag designs integrating Sadu-inspired textile elements with 3D-printed components and to evaluate their aesthetic quality, perceived economic potential, and functional performance. Fourteen proposed handbag designs were evaluated using a structured questionnaire assessing aesthetic quality and perceived economic potential. Twenty-two specialists participated in validating the research instrument, while seven specialist evaluations per design were used for the design-level analyses. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to examine differences among the proposed designs. The ANOVA results indicated statistically significant differences among the 14 designs in aesthetic quality, F (13, 84) = 36.082, p < 0.001, perceived economic potential, F (13, 84) = 19.680, p < 0.001, and overall evaluation, F (13, 182) = 45.816, p < 0.001. Design 11 achieved the highest overall quality coefficient (92.08%), followed by Design 6 (90.65%); both designs were fabricated using 3D printing. Functional-performance evaluation yielded quality coefficients of 88.03% for Design 11 and 85.30% for Design 6. The difference between the two designs was not statistically significant, F (1, 10) = 2.149, p = 0.173. The findings suggest that 3D printing can facilitate the development of contemporary women’s handbags that integrate aesthetic and functional requirements with elements of Saudi cultural heritage. The results also demonstrate the potential of combining digitally fabricated components with Sadu-inspired textile elements to create fashion products that balance cultural identity with contemporary design and production approaches.
M. Vijayananth, R. Muthu Sundari, N. Saravanabhavan
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming sustainable investing, yet limited evidence explains how AI capabilities influence investors stated preferences and willingness toward sustainable investment. This study develops and empirically tests a sequential behavioural framework explaining how AI-related characteristics influence investors stated sustainable investment preferences through perceived ESG forecast credibility and trust in AI-generated ESG information, using survey data from 566 middle-income retail investors across four Indian metropolitan cities. The findings reveal that explainable AI and ESG analytics capability significantly enhance perceived ESG forecast credibility, which sequentially strengthens trust in AI-generated ESG information and is associated with stronger stated preferences and willingness toward sustainable investment. Perceived Greenwashing Risk weakens the positive relationship between Perceived ESG Forecast Credibility and Trust in AI-generated ESG Information, while the interaction between Human-AI Interaction Competency and Trust in AI-generated ESG Information is statistically significant but negligible in practical magnitude (f 2 = 0.012) in relation to Sustainable Investment Decision. The study provides actionable guidance for AI developers, financial institutions, and policymakers to enhance transparency, credibility, investor trust, and responsible AI-enabled sustainable finance.
