Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship最新文献

{"title":"Digital literacy, entrepreneurial networking, and sustainable innovation: Economic and cultural determinants of entrepreneurial success in the Middle East","authors":"Khodor Shatila ,&nbsp;Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara ,&nbsp;Jaroslava Gburová","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100129","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100129","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This study investigates the influence of digital literacy, entrepreneurial networking, knowledge sharing, and innovation on entrepreneurial success within emerging Middle Eastern economies. It further examines the moderating role of cultural support, assessing how societal norms and institutional expectations shape digital entrepreneurship, innovative behaviour, and the transition toward sustainable, knowledge-based economic systems.</div></div><div><h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3><div>A quantitative research design was applied using structured survey data from 305 entrepreneurs across diverse sectors in the Middle East. Validated measurement scales were employed to ensure reliability and construct validity. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships and evaluate the moderating effect of cultural support on the links between digital literacy, networking, knowledge sharing, innovation, and entrepreneurial success.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The results show that digital literacy and entrepreneurial networking significantly enhance knowledge sharing and innovation, which in turn improve entrepreneurial success. Cultural support, however, negatively moderates several relationships, indicating that traditional norms and institutional rigidities may constrain digitally driven entrepreneurial activity.</div></div><div><h3>Practical implications</h3><div>The findings highlight the need for policies that strengthen digital literacy, promote open innovation, and support sustainable technology adoption through inclusive and culturally adaptive entrepreneurial ecosystems.</div></div><div><h3>Originality/value</h3><div>The study contributes to entrepreneurship and digital transformation scholarship by applying Social Capital Theory to explain how digital competencies and networking interact with cultural dynamics, offering new evidence on sustainable entrepreneurship in rapidly modernizing Middle Eastern economies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 2","pages":"Article 100129"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ethics, Transparency, and Consumer Trust in AI-Enabled Pricing: Implications for Sustainable Technology Entrepreneurship and Economic Policy","authors":"Ana Paloma de Lucas López ,&nbsp;Alexandra Eugenia Gorneanu ,&nbsp;Alba Yela Aránega ,&nbsp;Lucía Gallego Martín","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100131","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100131","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>AI-driven dynamic pricing has evolved from an optimisation technique into a core infrastructure of the digital economy, such as the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act and global guidelines for trustworthy AI move towards implementation, questions of fairness, transparency, and consumer trust in algorithmic pricing have become urgent for firms, regulators, and entrepreneurial ventures alike. Start-ups and scale-ups are often at the frontier of deploying these systems as sustainable technology for resource-efficient demand management and revenue resilience, yet their dependence on legitimacy makes them particularly exposed to ethical, reputational, and market-acceptance failures. Despite the rapid growth of research on AI ethics, the specific intersection between algorithmic design, normative imperatives, and consumer-centric outcomes remains conceptually fragmented and insufficiently mapped.</div><div>This study provides a bibliometric mapping of the emerging ethical agenda in AI-driven dynamic pricing at the interface of entrepreneurship, economics, and sustainable technology. A dataset of 38 peer-reviewed articles (2019–2025) was retrieved from Scopus using a targeted search combining dynamic pricing, Artificial Intelligence, and ethics/transparency/consumer trust. Using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, the analysis integrates performance indicators, keyword co-occurrence, co-citation structure, and thematic evolution. The findings reveal a clear post-2022 shift from optimisation-centric work towards a more integrated discourse in which fairness, transparency, and trust become structurally central. Two dominant clusters emerge, pricing mechanisms with distributive implications and AI-enabled methodologies, while recent literature increasingly links technical design to consumer protection and economic governance, echoing policy developments associated with the European Union <em>Artificial Intelligence Act</em> and debates on circular economy-compatible market practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 2","pages":"Article 100131"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145982123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Green finance as an institutional catalyst for sustainable technology, entrepreneurship, and economic transitions toward the SDGs","authors":"Sarika Murty,&nbsp;Vedant Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Green finance has evolved into a crucial institutional catalyst that shapes sustainable technology deployment, entrepreneurial activity, and economy-wide transitions toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Situated at the intersection of sustainability, economics, and entrepreneurship, green finance influences how capital is mobilized, how institutions govern innovation, and how entrepreneurial ecosystems translate financial flows into long-term socio-economic and environmental value. This study synthesizes the global body of green finance–SDG research published between 2010 and 2025 through an integrated review combining quantitative science–mapping with theory–driven qualitative analysis. Drawing on institutional economics, innovation systems, and sustainability transition perspectives, the analysis reveals that, while green finance has accelerated investments in renewable energy and climate-oriented technologies, persistent gaps remain in institutional coordination, economic policy coherence, entrepreneurial inclusivity, technology diffusion across regions, and the integration of circular economy principles. Building on these insights, a conceptual framework was developed that positions green finance as an institutional enabler linking financial governance, sustainable technology innovation, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and SDG outcomes, offering actionable implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking inclusive, innovation-led, and resilient sustainable development pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 2","pages":"Article 100133"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic effects of human capital and institutional quality on digitalisation’s impact on technological innovation in the sustainable economy","authors":"Samuel Amponsah Odei,&nbsp;Ivan Soukal","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100128","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100128","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the growing recognition of digitalisation’s transformative potential in driving technological innovation and supporting a more sustainable economy, research on the conditions through which the relationship works remains underexplored, especially in the context of emerging economies. Drawing on the resource-based view and institutional theory, this study analyses how human capital and institutional quality moderate the impact of digitalisation on technological innovation using panel data from 47 sub-Saharan African countries (2000–2023) employing the conditional fixed effects and instrumental variable Poisson regression. The results indicate that digitalisation positively influences technological innovation within low- and middle-income countries. Digitalisation and technological innovation have a curvilinear (an inverted U-shaped) relationship in middle-income (low-income) countries. Institutional quality attenuates the positive impact of digitalisation on technological innovation in the full sample but not in low- and middle-income countries. Human capital improves the relationship between digitalisation and technological innovation; this is valid for middle-income countries. However, institutional quality diminishes the impact of human capital on technological innovation in low- and middle-income countries. The results are robust to additional controls and economic conditions, emphasising validity. The findings contribute to the literature by showing that aligning digitalisation with human capital and institutional quality enhances technological innovation and supports the transition toward a more sustainable economic development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 2","pages":"Article 100128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145982121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of digital innovation on entrepreneurial performance in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises","authors":"Xinhui Chen,&nbsp;Yuting Shi,&nbsp;Dali Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The digital economy has developed rapidly, and determining how digital technology can be utilised to achieve business innovation has become a key concern for small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises seeking to maintain their market competitiveness. Ensuring the successful execution of digital innovation strategies and improving enterprise performance have become key concerns for the managers of such enterprises. The current study considers Growth Enterprise Market (GEM)-listed small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises to construct a theoretical framework for understanding the associations between digital innovation, digital readiness, and entrepreneurial performance. The study analyses 233 enterprises to empirically determine the influence of digital innovation on entrepreneurial performance through regression analysis. In addition, it explores the moderating effect of digital readiness on this association. Furthermore, the study conducts a case analysis based on its findings related to residuals to verify the robustness of its conclusions regarding main effects, thereby addressing the weakness of regression analysis in explaining individual heterogeneity. This study draws the following conclusions: (1) the breadth and depth of digital innovation in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises both have a significant positive influence on entrepreneurial performance, which indicates that enterprises incorporating digital technologies into multiple links of their value chains and more deeply integrating such technologies into these links can effectively enhance their growth and innovation performance. (2) Digital readiness has a significant, positive moderating effect on the association between digital innovation and entrepreneurial performance. That is, digital readiness helps firms overcome uncertainty in the innovation process and more effectively implement digital innovation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 2","pages":"Article 100130"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Greenwashing communication deficiencies and consumer response: Implications for sustainable technology entrepreneurship","authors":"Nohman Khan ,&nbsp;Samrena Jabeen ,&nbsp;Muhammad Imran Qureshi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Falahat","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100132","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2026.100132","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how ineffective sustainability communication contributes to perceived greenwashing and its cascading effects on consumer behavior, with critical implications for sustainable technology entrepreneurs and circular economy business models<strong>.</strong> By integrating Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), Signaling Theory, and Trust-Commitment Theory, we develop a comprehensive framework explaining how communication deficiencies trigger dual pathways of consumer response, addressing a critical gap in sustainable entrepreneurship literature by linking communication quality to economic outcomes in green technology adoption<strong>.</strong> We employed a three-stage approach combining PRISMA methodology, Structural Topic Modeling (STM), and bibliometric analysis to systematically analyze 111 articles (2010-2024) from the Scopus database. STM analysis revealed three dominant thematic clusters: greenwashing practices and perception (41 %), consumer behavior and intentions (33 %), and trust erosion and skepticism (26 %). Findings demonstrate that inadequate sustainability communication creates substantial market barriers for green technology entrepreneurs<strong>,</strong> with trust erosion translating directly into reduced purchase intentions in circular economy sectors<strong>.</strong> Our Integrated Theoretical Model establishes dual impact pathways (psychological and behavioral) through which inadequate sustainability information triggers consumer responses, mediated by emotional, cognitive, attributional, and evaluative mechanisms. For sustainable technology entrepreneurs, findings highlight substantial economic risks of misleading environmental claims. From a policy perspective<strong>,</strong> results suggest environmental communication regulations may protect legitimate sustainable ventures from market confusion. The framework reveals economic mechanisms through which communication deficiencies translate into market failures in sustainable innovation ecosystems<strong>,</strong> positioning communication integrity as an essential economic strategy for circular economy viability and green market development<strong>.</strong></div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 2","pages":"Article 100132"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ripple effect of gig work: How hands-on experience and networks shape future female entrepreneurs","authors":"Ali Saleh Alshebami ,&nbsp;Syed Ali Fazal ,&nbsp;Mohammad Bin Amin ,&nbsp;Abdullah Hamoud Ali Seraj ,&nbsp;Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih ,&nbsp;Judit Oláh","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2025.100118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2025.100118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid growth of the gig economy is reshaping traditional employment structures, creating new pathways for entrepreneurial activities, especially for women. Female entrepreneurship has always been a trending issue worldwide, particularly in developing conservative societies where females face social and gender bias. To enhance the role of females in society and engage them in economic development, an adequate business environment should be created, including opportunities in the gig economy. In this context, the Saudi government provides extensive support for current and potential female entrepreneurs across various aspects. This study builds on the Saudi government’s efforts to understand the effects of gig economy engagement (GEE), experiential learning (EL), and network expansion (NE) on entrepreneurial intention (EI). A sample of 208 female students was collected, and the developed hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings were intriguing, as GEE had a direct, positive, and significant relationship with EI and NE but no substantial relationship with EL. Conversely, EL had a direct and positive relationship with EI, while NE exhibited a positive and significant relationship with EI. The developed model validates the study’s context and has critical theoretical and practical implications for policymakers and researchers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100118"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145334695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Green impact: Unveiling the influence of social and environmental values on sustainable entrepreneurship within regulatory boundaries","authors":"Hasnan Baber ,&nbsp;Paul Sarango-Lalangui ,&nbsp;Rayan Merkbawi ,&nbsp;Hajar Fatorachian ,&nbsp;Jamal Maalouf","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2025.100121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2025.100121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Amid rising global concerns around social inequality and environmental degradation, this study examines the impact of social entrepreneurship orientation (SEO) and environmental orientation (EO) on sustainability outcomes among firms in Ecuador—an emerging economy with a progressive regulatory framework. Drawing on data from 474 Ecuadorian firms across multiple sectors, this study investigates the influence of distinct dimensions of SEO-social innovativeness, risk-taking, proactiveness, and socialness on social performance, as well as the impact of internal and external dimensions of EO on green innovation performance (GIP). Based on partial least squares structural equation modelling, the findings reveal that among SEO dimensions, socialness, defined as the centrality of social mission, exerts the strongest positive influence on social performance. External EO, reflecting responsiveness to stakeholders and regulatory pressures, significantly predicts GIP, whereas internal EO demonstrates no significant effect. Furthermore, regulatory forces positively influence both social performance and GIP and function as critical institutional drivers in shaping sustainable business practices. Moreover, social performance significantly enhances green innovation outcomes, reinforcing the interconnectedness of social and environmental priorities in corporate sustainability. By integrating strategic orientations and institutional pressures, this study advances the understanding of how sustainable entrepreneurship unfolds in emerging markets and provides practical implications for firms and policymakers seeking to align profit, purpose, and environmental responsibility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100121"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From talent management to competitive performance: The need to foster innovation in SMEs","authors":"Mercedes Rubio-Andrés ,&nbsp;Jorge Linuesa-Langreo ,&nbsp;Santiago Gutiérrez-Broncano ,&nbsp;Miguel Ángel Sastre-Castillo","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2025.100126","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2025.100126","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the influence of talent management on the competitive performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), incorporating innovation as a mediating variable and institutional support as a moderating factor. Drawing on data from 1721 Spanish SMEs and employing partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the study empirically tests a comprehensive model linking these variables.</div><div>The results confirm that talent management has a positive and significant effect on competitive performance, both directly and indirectly through innovation, which acts as a key mechanism transforming talent-oriented practices into tangible performance outcomes. Consequently, SMEs should invest in comprehensive talent management systems that not only focus on attracting, developing and retaining high-potential employees but also foster environments that promote creativity, learning and collaboration. Moreover, institutional support moderates this relationship by strengthening the link between talent management and innovation, indicating that favourable public policies can enhance the effectiveness of internal talent strategies in fostering innovative capacity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100126"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145839663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Navigating uncertainty: The role of CEO competencies in strategic decision-making for digitalisation in family firms","authors":"Muhammad Anwar ,&nbsp;Imad Bani Hani ,&nbsp;Omar Hujran","doi":"10.1016/j.stae.2025.100119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stae.2025.100119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A growing interest in digitalisation provides continuous support for corporate governance in addressing strategic decision-making under uncertain environments. Although an increasing number of studies provide valuable insights and practical implications, limited research examines specific CEO competencies, such as digital literacy, financial literacy, and experience, in relation to strategic decision-making for digitalisation in highly uncertain environments. This research employs annual reports and survey data from 100 family firms, applying Structural Equation Modelling with Partial Least Squares (SmartPLS) and Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The results indicated that CEOs with digital literacy, financial literacy, and experience are significantly involved in strategic decision-making for digitalisation. However, in highly uncertain environments, digitally literate and experienced CEOs are more actively engaged in strategic decision-making for digitalisation, whereas financially literate CEOs are not. The fsQCA results demonstrate two key configurations: a) digitally and financially literate CEOs; and b) financially literate and experienced CEOs, both of which are vital for specific decisions regardless of environmental conditions. This research contributes to Upper Echelons Theory and affirms that CEO attributes play a crucial role in shaping digitalisation strategies under uncertainty. It also opens new avenues for scholars investigating the relationship between top management attributes and digital transformation in uncertain contexts. The findings encourage family firms to prioritise competent CEOs who possess sufficient knowledge of IT, financial management, and business operations to articulate strategic decisions for digitalisation. Nonetheless, in highly uncertain environments, family business leaders and governance are advised to favour digitally literate and experienced managers over those who are solely financially literate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101202,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100119"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145425358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}