Factors influencing the adoption of SDG reporting by large African and Asian companies

This article aims to investigate the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by large companies in low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa, and the company characteristics that influence them to undertake such new sustainability reporting practices. Logistic regression analyses were applied to combine the data extracted from the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database and the Orbis database from Bureau van Dijk. The empirical results indicate that characteristics like the type of company, its economic performance and its engagement in voluntary sustainability programmes and external assurance are positively related to the adoption of SDG reporting. The results also show that some corporate, organizational and performance characteristics increase companies’ likelihood to adopt SDG reporting. Drawing on agency theory and legitimacy theory perspectives, this article contributes to the academic and practical understanding of factors influencing the adoption of SDG reporting by large companies in Asia and Africa’s low- and middle-income countries.

Carbon emissions, economic growth and trade: Empirical evidence from trading nations

The article aims to develop an integrated relationship between carbon emissions, energy consumption, economic growth and trade for the top ten trading countries in the world for a period of nineteen years, 2000–2018. The results of panel data indicate a significant relationship between carbon emissions, energy consumption, economic growth and trade both in the short and long run. It is seen that a bidirectional causality between carbon emissions, trade and growth is present. Empirical results of the analysis in this article indicate that an increase in carbon emissions leads to an increase in the economic growth rate. The article also finds a positive relationship between carbon emissions and energy consumption. The findings also show that the emerging and newly industrialized countries place more emphasis on enhancing their trade positions, while developed countries tend to focus more on the overall economic growth than on trade. A major limitation of the study is that the data for energy consumption and carbon emissions is for the economy as a whole and not only for manufacturing. An incentive structure for reducing carbon emissions for the selected countries can be adopted along with the focus on adopting clean energy. The article’s findings add to the existing literature as comparatively few studies have been conducted with trade as an indicator and at the cross-country level for determining the empirical relationship between energy consumption, carbon emissions, growth and trade.

Examining the link between information and communication technologies and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

This study examines the empirical link between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 143 countries for 2016. The adoption of the 2030 agenda of the SDGs has prompted the creation of research streams across disciplines, including the information systems discipline. Despite these, extant literature since the adoption of the SDGs has sought to highlight the importance of ICTs in achieving the 2030 milestones. Whilst many of these studies proffer the ICT–SDG linkage, there is no empirical evidence that examines this linkage. This study draws on archival data and structural equation modelling to empirically show the relationship between ICTs and the SDGs, on one hand, and the mediating role of human development, on the other. Our findings show that there is a direct significant relationship between ICTs and the SDGs and that investment in ICTs will significantly accelerate the achievement of the 2030 targets of the SDGs. Further, human development plays a significant mediating role in this relationship. The policy implications are discussed.

Technology intensity and Indian manufacturing industries

The significance of technology-intensive industries for the growth and competitiveness of the manufacturing sector has been well documented. Many studies have attempted to define and classify the industries based on their technology intensity. However, very few attempts have been made in this respect from the vantage point of developing counties. In an attempt to fill this gap in the empirical literature, this article examines the technology intensity of organized manufacturing industries in India. A composite index of technology intensity of industries is calculated using the method of principal component analysis. The results of our analysis reveal poor performance of industries in terms of their technology intensity. It was found that only four industries in the Indian organized manufacturing sector spend more than 1 per cent of their sales on R&D. The highest score of ‘composite technology intensity index’ (2.63) is for the industry manufacturing electronic components. This score is, however, found to be far below the level prescribed by OECD for an industry to be categorized as ‘high-tech’. The results of our empirical analysis, therefore, suggest the need for increasing technology intensity for the Indian organized manufacturing industries to achieve competitiveness in the global market.

Exploring the willingness to adopt rapid diagnostic tests to improve antimicrobial medicine use amongst Tanzanian livestock farmers

This article deals with the challenge of addressing antimicrobial resistance in resource-poor countries. It explores the possibilities of using rapid diagnostic tests to improve animal health management and treatment, particularly in situations where laboratory veterinary infrastructure is limited. Using data from a survey undertaken in 2018, three composite variables, i.e. perceived usefulness, compatibility with existing practices and ease of use, derived from the Model of Technological Acceptance and Diffusion Innovation Theory are used to analyse the perceived characteristics and values of rapid diagnostic test devices for farmers. Results suggest smallholder farmers’ willingness to adopt and use the tests provided they are affordable, easy to use and suitable to their local conditions – a common referential being mobile phones. While such tests have the potential to improve how antibiotics are used in smallholder farms, they are more likely to instigate more general improvements in how treatment decisions are made without necessarily reducing unnecessary antimicrobial use. The adoption may also imply a diminishing need for traditional veterinary services, thus making farmers more self-sufficient in animal health care. Farmers also seem to be more concerned by false negatives leading to sick animals missing vital treatment than by false positives where drugs will be administered to healthy animals. Overall promoting rapid diagnostic test technologies inevitably calls for new controls and regulations.

Managing sustainability development of the agricultural sphere based on the entropy weight TOPSIS model

The evaluation of rural governance capacity is a crucial part of studying the economic and social development of rural areas in the Henan Province. Based on the theory of social structure, this article studies the rural governance capacity. We construct a governance capacity evaluation indicator system from the perspective of social structure theory and use the entropy weight method TOPSIS evaluation model to calculate indicator weight and governance ability score of every township. The results illustrate that the overall governance capacity score is low, and there are differences among regions. The weights, which are different among different governance agents, provide a certain guidance for effectively improving governance capabilities. This study will offer a reference for the assessment of the governance of rural areas in Henan or in areas with similar economic and social development to the Henan region.

Integration of advances in sustainable technologies for the development of the Sustainable Building Assessment Tool

The construction sector is a resource-driven and resource-dependent industry. A rising global interest to incorporate sustainability principles in the policy-making means a careful balancing of economic growth with sustainability. To achieve this end in the Indian building sector, a triple-bottom-line-based building assessment tool like GRIHA and IGBC was introduced for assessing building sustainability. However, to revitalize the ideas of Reduce, Replace, Reuse, Recycle and Renovate (the ‘5Rs’) into implementable solutions, the technological dimension is introduced to form a quadruple bottom line (QBL) approach, i.e., social, environmental, economic and technological (SEET), for achieving sustainable construction. This study aims to address the necessity to add a new dimension, viz. technological advances in the sustainability arena of the construction industry. The objective of the study is to include technological advances in building materials, construction processes and techniques and design philosophies in the developed SBAT framework. In this extended and upgraded SBAT 2.0, advances in sustainability (AS) criterion accounts for 11.5 per cent showing its significance in achieving building sustainability. The use of discrete reinforcement, additive manufacturing, 3D printing, design based on packing density and rheological properties of concrete, use of alkali-activated materials in the mix-design and performance-based design concepts that affect future sustainability are successfully brought into the fold of SBAT framework.

Impact of socio-demographics on consumers’ attitude and purchase intention towards ‘eco-friendly’ products

The objective of this study was to understand the impact of demographic and social variables on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions towards eco-friendly products. The research design used in the study is descriptive research. Primary data were collected from respondents in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, using a structured questionnaire. A total of 500 respondents were considered for the study. Secondary sources of information included various research publications, published newspapers, online and printed journals, magazines, websites and books. The study reveals a significant impact of demographic and social variables on consumer consumption of ‘green’ products. It explores the differences in attitude between ‘green’ and ‘non-green’ consumers regarding social and demographic dimensions.

Study of models of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a broad concept, and it has witnessed several versions since its initiation. Without doubt, in the current business and economic scenario, CSR has been gaining momentum; therefore, it is crucial to explore and comprehend the basic responsibility of CSR and sustainable development. It is, therefore, significant to analyse and explore the evolution of CSR throughout the years and link it with sustainable development. The present study analyses and compares the various CSR models based on the order of significance, scope of responsibility, role of philanthropy, CSR–corporate financial performance relationship and attractiveness and its impact on sustainable development. The study reveals that the concept of CSR and sustainable development are steadily stepping towards a unified form, where companies’ commitment towards social obligation brings about practical and exhaustive improvement. It was observed that several models have been proposed and modified, yet there is a wide gap between the concept and practical execution of CSR models due to the different strategies followed by business organizations, which vary from nation to nation depending upon their business environment. The widely accepted stakeholder model suggests that companies should care for the interests of stakeholders, for instance shareholders, traders, consumers, employees and the society, for sustaining its business.