{"title":"The development model of innovative leadership among HR managers in hotel management entering wellness tourism: An empirical study of wellness tourism hotels in Phuket, Thailand","authors":"Yuttachai Hareebin , Neeranat Kaewprasert Rakangthong , Narinthon Imjai , Abror Abror , Somnuk Aujirapongpan","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100270","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100270","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to develop a model of innovative leadership among HR managers in wellness tourism hotels to strengthen organizational adaptability and sustainability in response to the industry’s dynamic demands. A three-phase mixed-methods design was employed. In Phase 1, in-depth interviews were conducted with seven experts in wellness tourism HR, selected through purposive sampling, to explore core leadership components and inform the development of the survey instrument. In Phase 2, a structured questionnaire was administered to 387 HR managers from wellness tourism hotels in Phuket, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to validate the proposed model and examine the relationships among variables. In Phase 3, 12 senior HR managers, each with over seven years of leadership experience, participated in follow-up interviews to assess the practical relevance and contextual applicability of the findings. The study identifies four critical factors—HR professional skills, strategic intuition, networking capabilities, and dynamic capabilities—that play a significant role in shaping innovative leadership. Grounded in resource-based theory and service innovation capability theory, the findings contribute to advancing theoretical understanding of leadership in tourism contexts while offering strategic guidance for human capital development in wellness-focused hospitality enterprises.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100270"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926910","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":"Integrating ESG factors into cost forecasting for sustainable project management: Empirical evidence from Kazakhstan","authors":"Meruyert Kussaiyn , Rajasekhara Mouly Potluri","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines how the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) concept can be incorporated into project cost-forecasting models and how this incorporation affects predictive accuracy and risk management in the new market, specifically Kazakhstan. It examines the moderating effect of analytical sophistication and institutional contexts on the relationship between ESG integration and project cost performance. A quantitative research design was employed, and 720 project management and finance professionals in the construction, energy, mining, engineering, and infrastructure industries in Kazakhstan participated in data collection. The measurement reliability and validity were checked with the help of Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability (CR), average variance extracted (AVE), and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure. Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and the predictive metrics (R 2, f 2, Q 2) demonstrate that the explanatory power of structural relationships is moderate-to-strong and practically important. Findings show that ESG-incorporated forecasting has a substantial positive impact on the performance of project costs and risk reduction, especially with advanced analytical tools, including machine learning (ML). The ESG- cost performance relationship is partially mediated by cost Forecast Accuracy, whereas analytical sophistication enhances the predictive advantages of ESG integration. Regulatory harmonization and data maturity also contribute to the model's effectiveness. The research is among the first empirical applications to validate ESG- and AI-informed cost forecasting in an emerging-market setting, linking sustainability analytics and project management performance. The results have practical implications for managers, policymakers, and financial decision-makers in Kazakhstan and similar emerging markets, and they are replicable across countries to enable concurrent cross-country comparisons and longitudinal analyses of ESG-driven forecasting behaviors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100279"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385010","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}
Tariq Hadrachi, Ahmed el fene, Mohammed El Kamli, Saad El Ouardighi
{"title":"Feature selection for relative poverty classification in Morocco using supervised machine learning algorithms","authors":"Tariq Hadrachi, Ahmed el fene, Mohammed El Kamli, Saad El Ouardighi","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the determinants of relative poverty in Morocco using a supervised machine learning approach. Using nationally representative data from the 2013–2014 National Household Consumption and Expenditure Survey, a random forest classifier is employed to identify the most influential factors distinguishing poor from non-poor households. The results highlight the multidimensional nature of relative poverty, with education, household composition, housing costs, and regional disparities emerging as key predictors. In particular, illiteracy, household size, and rental expenditures demonstrate strong explanatory power. These findings provide data-driven insights to improve poverty targeting and inform multidimensional social policies in Morocco, while also offering a transferable framework for poverty diagnosis in other countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100280"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385011","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}
Maritza Revilla Bueloth , Alex Javier Sánchez Pantaleón , Jhunniors Puscan Visalot , Rosse Marie Esparza–Huamanchumo
{"title":"Community participation, governance, and environmental education as drivers of local sustainable development: Tutumberos community, Peruvian Amazon","authors":"Maritza Revilla Bueloth , Alex Javier Sánchez Pantaleón , Jhunniors Puscan Visalot , Rosse Marie Esparza–Huamanchumo","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sustainable development in indigenous communities relies intrinsically on the integration of natural resource management and local governance; however, there is scarce empirical evidence quantitatively modeling these interactions in Amazonian contexts. This study examines how community participation, local governance structures and environmental education interact to drive sustainable development at the local level in a remote indigenous community in the Peruvian Amazon. For this purpose, an explanatory-correlational design was employed, utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling based on data collected from a sample of 142 residents. The results indicate that community participation significantly influences both conservation policies (β = 0.604, <em>p</em> < 0.001) and sustainable development outcomes (β = 0.490, <em>p</em> < 0.05). Although natural resources did not have a direct effect on development (<em>p</em> > 0.05), their impact was mediated through environmental education (β = 0.729, <em>p</em> < 0.001), which subsequently shaped conservation efforts (β = 0.312, <em>p</em> < 0.05). Policy implications emphasize strengthening local institutional capacity, enhancing environmental education programs, and integrating community-led governance into regional development planning to support long-term sustainability. Our findings contribute to understanding the multi-dimensional mechanisms of sustainable development in rural Amazonian settings and may inform practitioners and policymakers in similarly under-researched regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100283"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385015","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}
R. Quentin Grafton , Long Chu , Tom Kompas , Safa Fanaian
{"title":"Is global human well-being peaking?","authors":"R. Quentin Grafton , Long Chu , Tom Kompas , Safa Fanaian","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2025.100265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2025.100265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We undertook multiple individual country time trend analyses using post 1990 data and estimated that real GDP per capita and life expectancy at birth, together, are projected to have peaked before 2050 for about two-thirds of the world’s population and at levels far below their current values in upper high-income countries. We found there are ‘flourishing’ countries where human well-being is already high and will likely increase, but a much larger group of ‘languishing’ countries where human well-being has peaked, or will likely peak, before 2050. We estimated a positive time-series association between real per capita income and broader composite (e.g. Human Development Index) well-being indicators, but this association diminishes in the level of real per capita income. A mitigation response to peaking average global human well-being is cross-country monetary transfers from higher- to lower-income countries. Thus, we calculated two possible global transfers: one equal to 1.3 trillion/year USD in total and an alternative based on the projected climate change damage to low to middle-income countries. Each global transfer would impose only a relatively small proportional cost on the national income of contributing countries but could provide very large average human well-being benefits to the poor and most vulnerable in low-income countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100265"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926908","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 identity to innovation: a multi-theoretical framework of green organizational identity, ambidextrous green innovation, and digital-enabled environmental collaboration”","authors":"Appin Purisky Redaputri , Amin Wibowo , Claudius Budi Santoso , Rangga Almahendra","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Green innovation (GI) is recognized as a foundation for sustainable competitiveness, yet the mechanisms linking internal organizational identity and external collaboration remain fragmented, particularly in emerging economies undergoing digital transition. This conceptual paper develops an integrative framework connecting Green Organizational Identity (GOI), Ambidextrous Green Innovation (AGI), and Digital-Enabled Environmental Collaboration (EC). Drawing upon the Resource-Based View (RBV), Resource Dependence Theory (RDT), and Social Network Theory (SNT), the model conceptualizes GOI as a dynamic internal capability that stimulates ambidextrous innovation, balancing incremental green process improvements with radical green product breakthroughs. EC is theorized as a moderating mechanism whose effectiveness depends on collaborative tie strength and stakeholder diversity, while digitalization acts as a contextual amplifier that lowers coordination costs and broadens collaborative reach. The synthesis advances sustainability theory by uniting internal, relational, and digital enablers of innovation and by explaining the nonlinear relation that characterizes inter-organizational collaboration. Managerial and policy insights are outlined for organizations and governments seeking to accelerate green transitions within resource-constrained, digitally transforming economies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100278"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385013","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":"Unveiling the roles of green tax, financial development, banking development, fintech adoption, and economic growth on sustainable development in Bangladesh","authors":"Rejaul Karim , Md. Amdadul Hoque , Rosli Mahmood , Reday Chandra Bhowmik , Sohidul Islam , Sharmila Devi Ramachandaran","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100277","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how green taxation (GTX), fintech adoption (FIN), banking development (BAD), financial development (FD), and economic growth (GDP) affect sustainable development (SD) in Bangladesh using annual data from 1990 to 2023. We estimate an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to capture short-run and long-run dynamics and validate the results using Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), Dynamic OLS (DOLS), and Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR) estimators. The long-run estimates indicate that GTX, BAD, and FD are negatively associated with SD, suggesting that weak institutional alignment and limited ESG-orientation may hinder sustainability benefits from fiscal and financial expansion. In contrast, FIN and GDP improve SD in the long run. Short-run effects show transitional trade-offs, implying that sustainability gains depend on policy sequencing and implementation capacity. Policy implications emphasize redesigning GTX with revenue earmarking and equity safeguards, strengthening ESG-linked lending targets and disclosure for banks, and leveraging fintech for inclusive green finance (e.g., solar microfinance and climate-smart SME credit). This paper contributes by integrating fiscal, financial, and digital mechanisms within a unified Bangladesh-specific time-series framework and explicitly distinguishing short-run from long-run sustainability effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100277"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385017","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":"Optimization of environmentally friendly coagulants based on circular economy and SDGs in the rubber latex industry in Indonesia","authors":"Masayu Rosyidah","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a novel approach to optimizing environmentally friendly coagulants in line with the circular economy (CE) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) principles for the rubber latex industry. Unlike conventional chemical coagulants that pose environmental hazards, the proposed formulation using lemon and plant-based gums offers a sustainable, non-toxic, and biodegradable alternative. The novelty lies in combining natural materials with statistical optimization using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), thereby providing a replicable model for eco-innovation in latex processing. This study aimed to optimize lemon-based natural coagulants in the rubber latex industry by applying Response Surface Methodology (RSM), thereby contributing to sustainable production in line with the Circular Economy (CE) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The effects of lemon concentration, latex volume, and temperature on coagulation time were systematically evaluated using a central composite design (CCD). The results showed that lemon concentration and temperature significantly influenced coagulation time (<em>P</em> < 0.05). The optimal condition, namely 19.82 ml of lemon and 81.07 ml of latex, reduced coagulation time to only 2.16 min. In conclusion, this study is among the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of lemon as a rapid, biodegradable, and low-cost alternative to synthetic chemicals for coagulation in rubber processing. The optimization promotes reduced environmental impact and production costs, aligning with CE principles and supporting SDG targets on responsible production, economic growth, and climate action. Additionally, the results provide a replicable and environmentally friendly strategy for rubber-producing regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100274"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146026104","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":"Effect of Economic Growth, Financial Development, and Renewable Energy Consumption on Environmental Pollution in ASEAN Countries: What is the Role of Green Finance and Green Energy?","authors":"Md. Hasanur Rahman , Abul Hasnat M Salimullah","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100271","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2026.100271","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The primary purpose of this study is to measure the impact of economic growth, financial development (FD), and green energy defined by renewable energy (RENEW) consumption on environmental pollution in ASEAN countries, where export and population growth are used as control variables. This study considers balanced panel data from 1990–2023 and applies the panel ARDL model based on the panel unit root and other required tests. In the findings, the short-run result indicates that the coefficient of GDP growth is negative but insignificant for determining CO₂ emissions. The consumption of green energy, specifically RENEW, significantly decreases environmental pollution; a one percent increase in RENEW consumption will result in a short-term decrease of -1.172011 percent in CO₂ emissions. In the long run, exports and population growth significantly and positively impact environmental pollution. The value of error correction is 26%; that is, it shows the speed of adjustment. Through academic acceleration, environmental concern, and ensuring sustainability, this study contributes to the current body of literature by bringing value and fresh insights regarding ASEAN countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100271"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173196","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}
Oliver D. Tomassi , Abel A. Kinyondo , Jussi S. Jauhiainen
{"title":"Adapting to environmental and technological transformations through knowledge creation: insights from artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Tanzania","authors":"Oliver D. Tomassi , Abel A. Kinyondo , Jussi S. Jauhiainen","doi":"10.1016/j.wds.2025.100260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wds.2025.100260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a key economic sector in Tanzania and the global South. Its predominant extraction method, mercury amalgamation, is valued for low cost and minimal skill requirements but poses severe risks to human health and the environment. ASGM is undergoing two major transformations: depletion of easily accessible deposits and growing mechanization. Cyanide leaching has emerged as a prominent alternative to mercury, promoted as a less harmful option yet still associated with significant environmental and health risks.</div><div>This study situates mercury and cyanide in ASGM within the Geography of Sustainability Transitions (GeoST) to examine how changes in the natural environment like mineral exhaustion influence extraction processes and sustainability. We adopt knowledge creation processes as an analytical lens to explore how miners develop and apply knowledge to adapt to transforming environmental and technological contexts.</div><div>Using a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey conducted in Tanzania, we find that more efficient and relatively less environmentally harmful practices require complex knowledge of the natural environment and technologies that go beyond the sensory-based, experiential learning typical of mercury amalgamation. This knowledge gap sustains mercury use and exacerbates inequalities between miners with and without technical expertise. Our findings highlight the importance of linking knowledge creation with environmental conditions to support transitions away from highly unsustainable practices like mercury in ASGM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101285,"journal":{"name":"World Development Sustainability","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100260"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791890","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}