Factors Influencing Grazing Behavior by Using the Consciousness-Context-Behavior Theory—A Case Study from Yanchi County, China

Grazing behavior is a key factor that affects the sustainable development of the grassland social-ecological system. Grazing behavior is not only restricted by policies but also affected by the awareness of the herder of the grassland environment. To explore the influencing factors and mechanism behind grazing behavior, Yanchi County of Ningxia, a typical area of the “returning grazing land to grassland” project in Northwest China, was selected as a study area. Based on the consciousness-context-behavior theory, a questionnaire was designed, and 305 households were surveyed. Analysis of structural equation model results show: (1) the environmental sensitivity of herders and their satisfaction with the compensation mechanism regulated grazing behavior. When herders were more dependent on grassland, they were more willing to graze. (2) The grassland dependence, environmental sensitivity of herders, and herders’ satisfaction with the compensation mechanism had a significant interaction effect on grazing behavior. (3) Family livelihood diversification and the number of young and middle-aged laborers had a significant moderating effect on grassland dependence and grazing behavior. These findings are of vital importance for the government to formulate policies to promote the sustainable development of grasslands.

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Does Emotional Intelligence Influence Academic Performance? The Role of Compassion and Engagement in Education for Sustainable Development

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13041721 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1721

Author(s):

Marta Estrada ◽

Diego Monferrer ◽

Alma Rodríguez ◽

Miguel Ángel Moliner

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Emotional Intelligence ◽

Academic Performance ◽

Structural Equation ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Equation Analysis ◽

Emotional Aspects ◽

Development Goals ◽

Sustainable Societies ◽

Social Environmental

Education must guide students’ emotional development, not only to improve their skills and help them achieve their maximum performance, but to establish the foundations of a more cooperative and compassionate society. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, therefore, implies focusing on emotional aspects as well as financial, social, environmental, and scientific objectives. In this line, the goal of this study is to show how emotional intelligence, which is an essential dimension in the development and management of emotional competences required to build sustainable societies, plays a key role in optimising student’s academic performance in the classroom through compassion and academic commitment. The research model was tested with a questionnaire addressed to 550 students from four higher education institutions and one secondary school. The results of a structural equation analysis confirmed the study hypotheses. Emotional intelligence was shown to be positively related to compassion and higher levels of commitment, which, consequently, led to better academic performance. This finding will encourage interest in developing emotional intelligence, not only for its long-term value in training healthy citizens, but also for its short-term results in the classroom.

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Normative Environmental Configuration of SMEs within the Sustainable Development Discourse in South Africa: An Empirical Study

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11236537 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (23) ◽

pp. 6537

Author(s):

Reginald Masocha

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Development Discourse ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Research Survey ◽

Equation Modelling ◽

Final Sample ◽

Social Environmental

This paper investigates the role of normative environmental configuration forces on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopting sustainable development practices in South Africa. A research survey was performed, and data were gathered from SMEs utilizing owners and managers as respondents. Non-probability sampling at the hand of the convenience method was utilised and 220 respondents constituted the final sample. The analysis of data constituted factor analysis and hypotheses were tested through the structural equation modelling technique. The study hypothesised that normative forces have an impact on the participation of SMEs in the extents of sustainability practices, namely social, environmental and economic. The results led to the supporting of all the hypotheses postulated in the study. Thus, the major recommendation was to support the training, networking and professional affiliations of SMEs in sustainable development issues in order to ensure proliferation of sustainable development amongst these firms.

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Happiness Management: A Culture to Explore From Brand Orientation as a Sign of Responsible and Sustainable Production

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.727845 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Rafael Ravina-Ripoll ◽

Estela Nunez-Barriopedro ◽

David Almorza-Gomar ◽

Luis-Bayardo Tobar-Pesantez

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sustainable Production ◽

Primary Data ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Brand Orientation ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Critical Dimensions ◽

Managerial Implications

The overarching call to action represented by the sustainable development goals (SDGs) calls for new sustainable production and management models. Likewise, in periods of crisis, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, companies are forced to develop competitive and sustainable development strategies to increase their brand value and achieve a good market position. Therefore, this work’s main objective is to design a structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse the main critical dimensions of brand orientation to influence happiness in responsible and sustainable entities. For this purpose, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out based on primary data from a survey of a representative sample of 216 managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises in Andalusia (Spain) in the construction, industry and services sectors. The model results reveal significant dimensions of brand orientation and positively direct influence on happiness management. One of the significant managerial implications of this work is that the model allows for more responsible and sustainable management of entities by considering brand orientation about happiness.

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Application of Financial Cloud in the Sustainable Development of Smart Cities

Complexity ◽

10.1155/2020/8882253 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yangchun Cao ◽

Guangyu Zhang ◽

Chunyao Ou

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Factor Analysis ◽

Exploratory Factor Analysis ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Comprehensive Evaluation ◽

Smart Cities ◽

Evaluation Model ◽

Common Factor ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Evaluation Score

This article first investigates the status of financial cloud development in smart cities and studies the sustainable development of smart cities. Secondly, it investigates the construction of the evaluation model, using the power of the financial cloud, through exploratory factor analysis, selecting the principal component analysis method to extract the factors, for screening and dimensionality reduction of the indicators, and making hypotheses. We used confirmatory factor analysis to establish the structural equation. The measurement model analyzes and validates the assumptions of the previous stage and finally determines the sustainable development evaluation index system. Then, starting from the scoring coefficient matrix of the exploratory factor analysis of the final model, the variance contribution rate of each common factor is weighted to construct a comprehensive evaluation model to calculate the comprehensive evaluation score. For the comprehensive evaluation score of the sustainable development level of the smart city, SPSS software performs cluster analysis, performs regional clustering, and determines the level of urban development. Finally, by comparing the sustainable development levels of smart cities, the related causes of the gaps are analyzed. Key factors affecting the sustainable development of smart cities are identified, and corresponding countermeasures are proposed.

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Green innovation a strategic resource to attain competitive advantage

International Journal of Innovation Science ◽

10.1108/ijis-10-2020-0180 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Nasrin Barforoush ◽

Akbar Etebarian ◽

Amirreza Naghsh ◽

Arash Shahin

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Organizational Factors ◽

Oil Refining ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Future Research ◽

Competitive Advantages ◽

Green Innovation ◽

Content Type ◽

The Sustainable Development

Purpose Many industries accomplish green innovation for sustainable development, but it should play a significant role in the sustainable development and implementation of an organizations benefit. The purpose of this paper is to examine if green business innovation in terms of technology, organization, stakeholder and policies is able to develop competitive advantages. Design/methodology/approach This study was carried out in two stages and covered 4 variables and 21 indicators. Based on the experts’ opinions and literature review, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed among 113 experts of oil refining companies in Iran. The data were analyzed by the structural equation modeling technique. Findings The results indicated the effects of organizational factors, legislation, regulations and technology on green innovation. They also revealed the role of green innovation in reaching competitive advantages. Moreover, the relationship between stakeholder and green innovation was investigated. Practical implications The findings provide guidance on how firms can be better prepared for green innovation and get the most out of it and deal with the risks involved in green innovation, it is important that companies evaluate organization, technology and environment readiness and formulate corresponding strategies. Such a proactive approach can help enterprise control and minimize the risks of green innovation. A self-evaluation of the green innovation readiness of an enterprise helps the enterprise establish a mechanism to keep track of technological evolution. Originality/value This study contributes to the emerging field of green innovation which embed organization, technology, stakeholders, legislation and flows of the value created, delivered and captured in a value network. It also highlights the gaps in addressing the challenges of an innovative model for competitive advantages and suggests avenues for future research.

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Consumer Food Waste Behavior among Emerging Adults: Evidence from China

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods9070961 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 961 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Wang-Chin Tsai ◽

Xuqi Chen ◽

Chun Yang

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Emerging Adulthood ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Food Waste ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Human Society ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

High Degree

With the aggravation of global climate change, the issue of environmental protection has become the focus of global attention, and countries all over the world have devoted themselves to the sustainable development of resources to reduce the negative impact of the environment on human society. Reducing the resource waste is an important aspect of the sustainable development, among which food waste is a critical part. According to a report of the United Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 35% of food is wasted during consumption. Although households are the main contributors to food waste during consumption, the situation in university canteens cannot be ignored. As universities have a high degree of social influence, some policies and activities are piloted in universities, and then, promoted to society after achieving significant results. In future social development, the food waste behavior of consumers at the early stage of adulthood will have a significant impact on society. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the factors that lead to food waste by early adulthood consumers. This study focuses on food waste by end consumers and explores factors in the food waste behavior of the emerging adulthood consumer, which can be used as a reference for improving food waste in schools, governments, and other related industries in the future. The results show that the model of factors influencing the food waste behavior of emerging adulthood consumers established in this study is acceptable. According to the analysis results of the structural equation modeling (SEM), it can be seen that the influences of environmental concerns on the attitude toward behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are ranked first, second, and third, respectively. While emerging adulthood consumers have a high degree of independence and self-awareness, schools, governments, media networks, and other related industries also need to establish a more complete system and form of cherishing food, in order to encourage emerging adulthood consumers to change their behavior and attitude spontaneously.

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Rural Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. A Study of the Variables That Most Influence the Behavior of the Tourist

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.722973 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

José María López-Sanz ◽

Azucena Penelas-Leguía ◽

Pablo Gutiérrez-Rodríguez ◽

Pedro Cuesta-Valiño

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Sustainable Development Goals ◽

Rural Tourism ◽

Destination Image ◽

Predictive Capacity ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Tourist Satisfaction ◽

Development Goals

Tourism is an activity that contributes directly and indirectly to the development of rural areas. But this development needs to be sustainable. To do this, appropriate policies that positively influence these areas from an economic, social and cultural point of view must be implemented. All this in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals. This study will analyze the contribution of rural tourism to develop and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products. The variables that most influence the tourist behavior, motivation, the destination image, and the satisfaction obtained by the tourist will be analyzed. After an exhaustive review of the literature, an empirical investigation was carried out with 1,658 valid surveys among rural tourists in Soria, a Spanish province with one of the highest levels of depopulation. A structural equation model was drawn up to discover the relationships between the variables. The results demonstrated the importance of the motivation in the formation of the destination image, as well as satisfaction with the trip. In the same way, we will verify which component of the image of the destination (affective or cognitive) has the most influence on their formation, and how the image of the destination, like motivation, influences tourist satisfaction. The proposed model could be used in many studies that analyze the different variables that influence consumer behavior since its reliability and predictive capacity have been proven. The results of the study can also be used by the authorities to design or modify the most appropriate strategies that influence rural tourism, specially promoting the destination image as a variable that positively influences tourist satisfaction.

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Modeling sustainable development: India ' s strategy for the future

World Journal of Science Technology and Sustainable Development ◽

10.1108/20425941211244270 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 120-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rajul Singh ◽

Roma Mitra Debnath

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Structural Model ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Content Type ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Strategic Goals ◽

The Government ◽

Interpretive Structural Model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the relation among the various enablers of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to know their degree of dependence and driving power. As there has been non-agreement among the various stakeholders regarding the benefits of sustainability brought about by CDM, this paper explores the viability of sustainable development in the Indian scenario. Design/methodology/approach – This paper discusses a model to address the issues of sustainable development in the context of CDM. An interpretive structural model (ISM) has been used to model the various parameters of sustainable development in the Indian context. The relevant parameters have been considered as per the existing literature review. Findings – The result shows that sustainable development is achievable if the nation emphasizes on strategic goals and mission because sustainable development is driven by the strategic parameters such as “employment creation” and “long-term economic goals”. Research limitations/implications – The ISM model developed is not statistically validated, therefore structural equation modeling (SEM), also commonly known as the linear structural relationship approach, may be used to test the validity of such a hypothetical model. Practical implications – The government of India has to emphasize on education and inclusive employment to improve the quality of life, which would enable the sustainable development to be achieved. Originality/value – This paper describes one of the few empirical studies conducted in India.

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An Analysis of the Process of Adopting Local Digital Currencies in Support of Sustainable Development

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11030849 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 849 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

August Francesc Corrons Giménez ◽

Lluís Garay Tamajón

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Perceived Control ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Control Beliefs ◽

Community Based ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Digital Currency ◽

Attitudinal Factors ◽

Perceived Control Beliefs ◽

Technological Platforms

Local digital currencies (LDCs) can be defined as technological platforms in which transactions occur between users without the use of any form of official tender. Although there is empirical evidence with regard to the sustainable development-related benefits of this type of currency, its use is still highly marginal and incipient, with relatively short lifecycles. To understand why LDCs have not gained a firmer footing or implementation in society and subsequently gain the ability to define a series of actions making this possible, an integrated model has been developed. Based on a review of the available literature, this model permits an analysis of the perceptions, beliefs, and attitudinal factors impacting upon the process of adopting this kind of currency. Based on a sample of 1559 subjects, the results obtained from the structural equation modelling performed provide important conclusions in terms of both the theory and the management of LDC-based communities, whether this is for the creation of new communities or the attraction of new users, or to consolidate existing communities or the participation of users once they have registered with them. Perceptions (attitude, subjective regulation, and perceived control), beliefs (compatibility, perceived utility, interpersonal influences, self-efficacy, and enabling conditions) and previous experience have a significant influence on the intention to be part of a community based on a local digital currency, with all that this implies for the defining of strategies to promote the use of LDCs.

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Ecological Compensation Strategy for SDG-Based Basin-Type National Parks: A Case Study of the Baoxing Giant Panda National Park

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17113908 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (11) ◽

pp. 3908 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chenyang Xue ◽

Chaofeng Shao ◽

Junli Gao

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

National Parks ◽

National Park ◽

Giant Panda ◽

Main Body ◽

Compensation Mechanism ◽

Ecological Compensation ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Combination Scheme ◽

Implementation Effect

An ecological compensation mechanism is the basic condition for the sustainable development of national parks and the key institutional measure to implement goals 1, 3, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 17 of the sustainable development goals. In this study, the current ecological compensation mechanism was summarized and analyzed from the aspects of promotion mode, realization routine, and implementation effect, on the basis of the sustainable development needs of national parks and the public welfare character in construction and management. In addition, the practical demands of ecological compensation for basin-type national parks were presented in the setting of the main body and mode of multiparticipation, and the key points of compensation. The “1 + 1 + N” basin-type national park ecological compensation system was designed on the basis of the framework of horizontal protection and vertical development. Taking the Baoxing Giant Panda National Park as an example, typical compensation scenarios were designed from five common compensation approaches; namely, fund, project, technology, material, and policy compensations. The compensation modes were selected and the effect was predicted in combination with local actual situation. Finally, the optimal combination scheme of ecological compensations for national parks was determined on the basis of the return on investment index.

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