Seyi Saint Akadiri , Oktay Ozkan , Dervis Kirikkaleli
{"title":"Synergistic impact of renewable energy technology, governance, digitalisation, and human capital on sustainable development and load capacity factor in Germany's energy landscape","authors":"Seyi Saint Akadiri , Oktay Ozkan , Dervis Kirikkaleli","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global push toward sustainable energy systems has prompted advanced economies to reevaluate the interplay between technological innovation, governance, digital transformation, and human capital in achieving environmental sustainability. However, empirical evidence capturing how these components jointly influence sustainable development and the load capacity factor remains limited, particularly within highly industrialised nations. This study addresses this gap by examining the synergistic effects of renewable energy technology, governance, digitalisation, and human capital on Germany's sustainable development and load capacity factor. Annual data spanning 2000–2022 are transformed into quarterly series using the quadratic sum approach to mitigate sample size bias. The Kernel-based Quantile Regression (KRQR) method is employed to uncover distributional heterogeneities and nonlinearities across different quantiles of sustainability performance. The findings reveal that the impacts of renewable energy technology, governance, digitalisation, and human capital are asymmetric and quantile-dependent, with stronger and more consistent effects at higher levels of sustainability. Robustness checks using KRQR average marginal effects further confirm these patterns. The study concludes with actionable policy recommendations for Germany and other advanced economies, advocating for integrated investment in technological infrastructure, institutional quality, and workforce development to drive green transformation and ecological resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103002"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144330098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Industrial robot diffusion and regional innovation disparities","authors":"Weiwei Wu, Zhengfu Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The impact of technology inequality on regional development disparities is a subject of ongoing debate. Our results show that regional disparities in industrial robot imports have increased significantly, with an average annual growth rate of 10.46 %, while disparities in regional innovation have slightly declined by approximately 1 %. Using quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) regression analysis, we confirm the hypothesis that increasing regional disparities in robot imports can narrow the regional innovation gaps. Furthermore, the local capital structure strongly moderates the beneficial impact of robotics on reducing the regional innovation disparities. State ownership lessens this impact, whereas regional foreign capital strengthens it. This study offers both theoretical insights and practical policy implications for the sustainable development of China's regional economy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103003"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144338297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An exploratory study on the human component using a cultural model to define open research topics for secure socio-technical systems","authors":"Amanda Brockinton , Mattia Salnitri , Francesca Kooner-Evans , John McAlaney , Shelley Thompson","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103000","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103000","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social engineering attacks like phishing emails target the human component of the whole socio-technical system (STS) of an organisation. These human components are exploited by actors to gain access and breach the whole system with examples like ransomware, pretexting, and even physical presences such as tailgating. Exploratory interviews investigate human components in organisations from six professionals with cybersecurity, psychology, and/or cyberpsychology backgrounds. Each interview lasted 30–45 min and were conducted remotely. Due to the sensitive nature of the cybersecurity field, participants were given full anonymity, meaning that interviews are not quoted directly. Results of the thematic analysis (TA) created six themes from the dataset: the weakest link narrative; influences (external and internal); the knowing-doing gap (a disconnect between knowledge and action); technology is always changing/security is always changing (security can always be better); the professional-client relationship in security and; the integration of technology and human behaviour in security. Additionally, results suggested that a thematic analysis is a useful multidisciplinary approach to help understand directions of future research. This is because of its explanatory power in describing how human components can be better integrated into systems to create more robust security cultures in organisations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103000"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144572555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of technology for social good (TSG) on the effectiveness of corporate ESG self-regulation","authors":"Jinjin Dong , Meirong Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102999","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102999","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous literature has explored the influence of stringent governmental regulations and flexible market mechanisms on encouraging companies to uphold their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) responsibilities. Nonetheless, the internal corporate dynamics that facilitate ESG adherence have not been fully elucidated. Our research delves into the effects of science and technology governance on the self-regulatory practices of companies regarding ESG, with a particular focus on the corporate governance framework. An empirical analysis of a survey conducted with 300 high-tech firms indicates that governance in science and technology substantially enhances the thoroughness of ESG information disclosure by companies, bolsters the sustainability of creating ESG value, and strengthens the reliability of companies' ESG commitment. Moreover, it is evident that environmentally focused innovative practices within corporations markedly boost the efficiency of their ESG self-regulation. The study identifies a mediating effect in the relationship between technology for social good (TSG) and both ESG disclosure completeness and ESG commitment reliability. Conversely, this intermediary role is not pronounced in the nexus between TSG and ESG value creation sustainability. Furthermore, the research underscores the pivotal influence and trajectory of TSG in fortifying the self-regulatory capacity of businesses in ESG matters. These insights are valuable for enhancing the impact of ESG regulatory measures and advancing China's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102999"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144330094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"E-government and ideological polarization: A cross-national study of political communication","authors":"James A. Danowski","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102998","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102998","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the reciprocal relationship between e-government development and ideological polarization over a fourteen-year period, utilizing panel data from 2008 to 2022. We initially identified 314 country-year observations across 157 nations, of which 35 countries provided complete data on e-government capacity, ideological polarization, liberal democracy, and GDP per capita in both waves. Employing a two-wave cross-lagged panel model estimated via structural equation modeling (SEM) in R (lavaan, with FIML for missing data), we examined autoregressive stability and cross-lagged effects, both with and without controls for regime quality and economic development. Our results demonstrate strong temporal stability in both e-government (β ~ .76) and polarization (β ~ .70). Crucially, higher e-government capacity in 2008 predicts significantly lower polarization in 2022 (β ~ −.61, p < .01), an effect that persists after controlling for liberal democracy and GDP. In contrast, the reverse path—from 2008 polarization to 2022 e-government—remains insignificant (β ∼ -0.14, p > 0.10). Change-score analyses further reveal no direct association between EGDI growth and polarization change once economic growth is controlled for. These findings support a Theory of Digital Moderation, positioning e-government as an active agent in depolarizing political discourse. The study underscores the strategic value of investing in transparent, participatory digital governance to foster democratic cohesion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102998"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144470468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pichawadee Kittipanya-ngam , Kim Hua Tan , Harry Jay Cavite
{"title":"Future-ready AI: A framework for ethical and sustainable adoption","authors":"Pichawadee Kittipanya-ngam , Kim Hua Tan , Harry Jay Cavite","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102993","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102993","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries through automation, data-driven decision-making, and innovation. However, its adoption also poses challenges, including high implementation costs, limited technical capacity, and growing concerns around ethical and sustainable practices. While research on AI adoption continues to grow, the intersection of ethics, sustainability, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains underexplored. This study addresses that gap by investigating the dynamics of AI adoption among SMEs in Thailand—a key Southeast Asian economy—through multiple in-depth case studies. Within-case and cross-case analyses reveal that AI adoption presents both opportunities and challenges across the technological, organizational, and environmental (TOE) framework. Key factors include job security, data protection, and cost savings, while user education, mental well-being, and financial access emerge as critical concerns. The study further explores how TOE dimensions interact with sustainability and ethical considerations, conceptualized as ESG + E (Environmental, Social, Governance, and Economic). This expanded lens offers a more comprehensive understanding of responsible AI adoption. A novel integrative framework is proposed, providing actionable insights for SMEs, policymakers, and technology providers. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on AI adoption by advancing a sustainability- and ethics-oriented perspective relevant to emerging economies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102993"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144306867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Diana Hawashin , Khaled Salah , Raja Jayaraman , Ibrar Yaqoob
{"title":"Using machine learning and blockchain for trusted detection and monitoring of excessive working hours in factories","authors":"Diana Hawashin , Khaled Salah , Raja Jayaraman , Ibrar Yaqoob","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102959","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102959","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance emphasizes the importance of managing working hours to protect the rights of workers. Excessive hours pose serious health risks, which highlights the need for robust detection and reporting systems. However, many of today’s systems, methods, and technologies used for managing labor hours lack traceability, auditability, accountability, and trust. Additionally, they are centralized and manual or paper-based, which makes them vulnerable to manipulation as they are controlled by a limited number of entities. In this paper, we present a machine learning and blockchain-based solution to automate the detection of excessive working hours in a manner that is decentralized, as part of an antitrust coalition, with regulated transparency, traceability, auditability, and trustworthiness. We develop smart contracts to automate compliance reporting and manage large datasets off-chain through decentralized storage. The proposed system achieves a detection accuracy of 96.6% and a precision of 92%. We conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the proposed solution, including cost analysis, security assessment, and performance evaluation of the worker detection component. By comparing our solution to existing safety monitoring systems, we demonstrate its superior automation, traceability, and trustworthiness. The proposed solution not only enhances worker safety and compliance with OECD guidelines but also contributes to sustainability in industrial environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102959"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144313207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Independent R&D or technology imports? The induced innovation effects of energy intensity constraints","authors":"Tao Ge , Zixuan Hao , Dongyu Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102994","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102994","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the innovation effects of energy intensity constraints by disaggregating corporate innovation into independent R&D and technology imports. Utilizing a sample of A-share listed enterprises from 2006 to 2020 matched with manually collected city-level energy intensity targets across 284 Chinese cities, we employ a two-way fixed effects model. The results reveal that enterprises prioritize technology imports over independent R&D, although energy intensity constraints simultaneously stimulate both innovation modes. State-owned and high-tech enterprises demonstrate stronger innovation responses compared with their non-state-owned and non-high-tech counterparts, with the former group preferring independent R&D and the latter group prioritizing technology imports. Meanwhile, energy intensity constraints promote independent R&D through government support while inducing technology imports via market competition. Additionally, further analysis suggests that technology imports exert stronger positive impacts on corporate short-term profitability whereas independent R&D possesses greater promoting effects on corporate long-term sustainability. This research offers significant policy implications for leveraging energy conservation policies to promote corporate innovation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102994"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144297518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unveiling the multifaceted concept of cognitive security: Trends, perspectives, and future challenges","authors":"Fran Casino","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102956","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102956","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a transversal concept tied to human evolution, security has increased its relevance at the same pace as development and digitisation. With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the sophistication of advanced persistent threats, the emerging paradigm of cognitive security (i.e., defined by some authors as the use of self-aware and adaptable AI with learning capabilities to detect and mitigate security threats) gains momentum. Nevertheless, cognitive security is a complex concept that requires a more granular description. In this article, we redefine cognitive security by first analysing the state of the art to derive the current state of practice and the definitions of cognitive security. Next, we expand the concept of cognitive security by analysing its multiple pillars, including learning theories, AI technologies, human–computer interactions, and the ethical and legal aspects impacting its development and implementation. The latter is crucial towards understanding cognitive security, providing insight into its potential and prerequisites towards its realisation while emphasising its multidisciplinary nature. In addition to such a description, we analyse the current challenges in three closely interconnected fields, namely cybersecurity, digital forensics, and digital investigations, to provide a taxonomy that can be used to assess the current challenges and limitations of cognitive security and understand its potential better. Finally, we propose future research directions, aiming to develop cognitive systems capable of continuous learning, adaptation, and ethical compliance in dynamic cybersecurity environments. Our findings highlight the role of cognitive computing systems in enhancing cybersecurity, discussing the integration of human cognition and AI for proactive and resilient security solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102956"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144306868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Property insurance demand in response to climate risk: The role of green finance, economic policy uncertainty, and non-linearity","authors":"Weijun Yin , Bing Liu , Dingjun Yao , Gang Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102957","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102957","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change leads to frequent disasters and severe economic and property damage. Concurrently, property insurance claims services are becoming increasingly prominent. By employing several panel data models, this study investigates the effect of climate risk on property insurance demand from 2011 to 2020 for 286 Chinese cities. The results show that climate risk positively promotes property insurance demand, with heterogeneous effects by region and urban agglomeration. Crucially, the findings remain robust under various alternative approaches. Furthermore, considering the fluctuations in economic and climate policies, the macro uncertainty channel reveals that climate and economic policy uncertainties play mediating and moderating roles, respectively. Regarding financial instruments, green finance has complementary effects on climate risk and increases property insurance demands. Given the complexity and externality of climate change, the impact of climate risk on property insurance demand exhibits a non-linear “inverted U-shape.” Our findings provide valuable theoretical and practical insights for policymakers and insurance managers. Policymakers should maintain the longterm, stable, and consistent nature of their policies, and develop reasonable regional climate subsidy policies. Insurers should establish cooperation with the government to strengthen climate monitoring and innovation in climate insurance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102957"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}