This paper examines the implementation of Financial Technology (FinTech) in pharmacy retail shops in Bangladesh, utilizing the Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) framework. Although FinTech has the potential to transform financial inclusion and the efficiency of businesses of the companies involved in small healthcare-related enterprises, this application has yet to be realized significantly. The study was conducted on 314 pharmacy retailers in eight divisions of Bangladesh by a structured questionnaire, and analyzed in SmartPLS through the Structural Equation Model (SEM). Results indicate that Top Management Support, Organizational Size, and IS/IT Knowledge all have a significant, positive relationship with FinTech integration and that the Relative Advantage relationship is of moderate effect. Complexity turned out to be a key barrier, whereas Compatibility, Regulatory Environment, and Competitive Pressure were of negligible effect. The model indicated 36.7 percent of the variance (R2 = 0.367), indicating a moderate predictive validity. This study is an eye-opener on how organizational readiness, simplification of technologies, and better regulatory prowess are important measures to ensure FinTech integration in pharmacy retailing within the developing world.

This article analyses corporate environmental (ir)responsibility (CEiR) and environmental perceptions among the population of several developed economies in a context of neoliberal globalisation and accelerated climate change following the last global financial crisis, mainly in relation to corporate irresponsibility and bad business practices. This research is based on the framework of corporate social (ir)responsibility and social mobilisation against global warming and other environmental risks (e.g., 2030 Agenda). To this end, a new theoretical framework is proposed and an empirical analysis is carried out using data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) covering 32 countries after the 2008 crisis. Two indices were developed for each country and the level of agreement on both ideological spectrums (left and right) was assessed. Several Rasch models were also estimated to study the suitability of environmental criteria as a tool for analysing environmental perceptions among respondents. The results show that the main factors are closely related to the gender and political ideologies of respondents. It is concluded that the political ideology of respondents, especially in contexts of global crisis, can influence social attitudes, perceptions, and behaviours on environmental issues, and even possible alliances to increase the number of international agreements on these issues.

In recent times, sourcing alternatives to river sand (RS) as a fine aggregate (FA) has been on the rise for sustainable construction, due to an increase in construction activity that has led to the depletion and scarcity of RS. This review synthesizes the characteristics and performance of various sources of FA, such as rock-, agro waste-, and waste polymer-based for construction applications, focusing on formation, physical and chemical characterization, and their influence on concrete (workability and mechanical behaviours). The review revealed that not more than 35% rock-based FA is suitable for RS replacement as FA in concrete. Moreover, the replacement of RS with waste polymer-based materials, such as polyethene terephthalate Polypropylene expanded polystyrene and melted plastic crushed fine aggregate should not exceed 5, 10, 10, and 6%, respectively, to produce lightweight concrete for environmental sustainability. In addition, the replacement of RS with agro-waste, such as rice husk, in concrete indicated that not more than 30% should be used, respectively, to enhance concrete strength and durability. Therefore, this review suggests that sourcing river sand (RS) alternatives to address environmental problems emanating from waste that threatens the ecosystem becomes necessary to reduce pressure on the use of RS for sustainable construction. However, the use of multiple RS alternatives should be considered in future studies, while academic, industry, and government collaboration is crucial for the establishment of policies and frameworks to promote the adoption of RS alternatives for environmental sustainability.

This study aims to investigate the historical (1951–2024) and future projected (2026–2099) climate trends and change points in the Vellar River Basin under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) using time series observations and downscaled Global Climate Model (GCM). Trends of rainfall and temperature were assessed based on the Mann–Kendall test. The change points detection were carried using Pettitt’s test, Standard Normal Homogeneity test, Buishand's range test and Von Neuman ratio test. The results revealed that historical rainfall found a declining trend seasonally as well as annually, with significant change points at 1979, 1981, and 1988. Future projections showed decreasing trend in rainfall, with notable change points at 2058, 2067, and 2084. The station Virudhachalam during Kharif, Vazhapadi and Karumandurai during Rabi and Annual period recorded more significant decreasing trend. The result of historical and future temperature projection displayed a significant upward trend. The historical minimum and maximum temperatures increased from 0.44 °C to 0.88 °C and 1.11 °C to 1.7 °C, respectively with change points for minimum temperature at 1996 and maximum temperature at 1979. The future predicts of temperature recorded an increasing trend of 1.5 °C, 2.0 °C, and 3.0 °C for maximum temperatures and 0.9 °C, 1.2 °C, and 1.5 °C for minimum temperatures under SSP 2.6, SSP 4.5, and SSP 8.5 scenario, respectively. Change points in maximum temperature are expected in the 2050s and 2060 for SSP 2.6 and SSP 4.5. Whereas SSP 8.5 anticipates at later 2080s, indicating a two-stage warming pattern with an early gradual increase followed by rapid rise towards the end of the century. These findings concluded by recommending the policy makers to develop climate adaptation strategies for agricultural and water management to mitigate the potential impacts of future climate condition.

Environmental auditing is widely recognized as a crucial tool for advancing sustainable development, yet a significant implementation gap often limits its transformative potential, particularly in the Global South. This study employs a systems analysis approach to investigate this gap, using Morocco as an illustrative case study with broader implications for environmental decision-making. The research examines how auditing practices interact with governance structures, institutional capacities, and policy frameworks, assessing alignment with international standards including INTOSAI guidelines and ISO 14001. Findings reveal that Morocco’s experience reflects systemic challenges common to many developing economies: while environmental auditing has become institutionalized, its impact remains constrained by structural barriers. The critically low implementation rate of audit recommendations (16%) serves as a key indicator of systemic weaknesses in the environmental governance system. Through comparative analysis with international cases (Japan, Brazil, South Korea), the study identifies successful leverage points—including binding follow-up mechanisms, integrated monitoring systems, and performance-based incentives—that transcend national contexts. Theoretically, this research contributes to environmental systems literature by reframing auditing as both a technical tool and a governance mechanism operating within complex socio-ecological systems. Practically, it proposes a transferable framework for bridging the diagnosis-implementation divide, with specific interventions including specialized audit units, ISO 14001 integration in public procurement, open data dashboards, and differentiated municipal support strategies. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to enhance environmental decision-making systems and strengthen accountability mechanisms in comparable contexts worldwide.

Dairy production plays an important role in rural livelihoods in Ethiopia, yet food insecurity remains widespread due to limited market participation, low adoption of improved technologies, and weak commercialization. In the Sidama region, these constraints continue to undermine the nutritional and economic well-being of dairy producing households. This study examines how cow milk commercialization impacts household food security using survey data from 361 smallholder producers. An ordered probit endogenous switching regression model was applied to control for both observed and unobserved selection biases, and specification tests confirmed the appropriateness of the ordered probit model for the commercialization categories. Falsification tests further showed that there was a strong correlation between commercialization and cooperative membership but with no effect on outcome variables. The results indicated that commercialization positively impacted food security, as households in the medium and high commercialization groups had higher per capita food consumption expenditure (FCE) and food consumption score (FCS) compared to those in the low commercialization group. Specifically, households in the medium and high commercialization categories incurred ETB 343.2 and ETB 484 more in monthly food consumption expenditure per adult equivalent, respectively. Additionally, household in the low commercialization group would have higher FCE and FCS if they were in the medium or high commercialization groups. The medium and high commercialization groups were found to have 16.4 and 23.9 more FCS, respectively, than the low commercialization households. Enhancing cow milk commercialization significantly improves household food security in the study area. To strengthen this impact, policy efforts should expand producers’ access to improved dairy technologies and financial services while building their technical and managerial capacities. Equally important is the development of reliable and efficient market linkages that enable smallholders to participate more effectively in the dairy value chain. Such measures are particularly crucial for households currently operating at low levels of commercialization.

Abstract South Asia is rapidly becoming a leading tourist hotspot and has played a significant role in the region’s growth. However, unexpected tourism and intensive energy-consuming development continue to pose increasing threats to environmental sustainability. This study examines the impacts of tourism, foreign direct investment, trade openness, and energy consumption on the environmental quality of six South Asian countries from 1995 to 2024, using the ecological footprint as a holistic measure of environmental sustainability. Using a panel quantile regression model, with the complement of augmented mean group, common correlated effects mean group, and system generalized method of moment estimation methods, the heterogeneous effects among the different countries and environmental conditions are captured. The results indicate that an increase of 1% in the intensity of tourism increases the ecological footprint by 0.12% at lower quantiles, confirming that the growth of tourism increases the environmental pressure on less sustainable economies. Trade openness and energy use also have a positive and significant impact on ecological footprints, indicating that both trade and energy consumption lead to environmental degradation. Conversely, foreign direct investment shows a negative correlation, meaning that it can minimize ecological stress. Therefore, the analysis underpins the urgency for these countries to embrace eco-tourism and green trade policies to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13, which emphasizes a sustainable environment.