This study provides a comparative analysis of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings methodologies and explores the potential of eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) to enhance transparency and comparability in ESG reporting. Evaluating ratings from different agencies, the research identifies significant methodological inconsistencies that lead to conflicting information for investors and stakeholders. Statistical tests and adjusted rating scales confirm substantial divergence in ESG scores, primarily due to differing data categories and indicators used by rating firms. Using a sample of 265 European companies, the study demonstrates that individual ESG agencies report markedly different ratings for the same firms, which can mislead stakeholders. It proposes that XBRL based reporting can mitigate these inconsistencies by providing a standardized framework for data collection and reporting. XBRL enables accurate and efficient data collection, reducing human error and enhancing the transparency of ESG reports. The findings advocate for integrating XBRL in ESG reporting to achieve higher levels of comparability and reliability. The study calls for greater regulatory oversight and the adoption of standardized taxonomies in ESG reporting to ensure consistent and comparable data across sectors and jurisdictions. Despite challenges like the lack of a standardized taxonomy and inconsistent adoption, the research contends that XBRL can significantly improve the reliability of ESG ratings. In conclusion, this study suggests that standardizing ESG data through XBRL could provide a viable solution to the unreliability of current ESG rating scales, supporting sustainable business practices and informed decision making by investors.

In view of the large energy consumption of the regeneration process in the chemical absorption decarburization process, on the basis of the enrichment classification flow process, the nanoscale ceramic film is used as a new heat exchanger between the enriched liquid and the regeneration gas. The porous ceramic film is capable of coupling thermal-mass transfer to effectively recover part of the water vapor and the heat carried in the regeneration gas, so as to reduce the regenerative energy consumption of the system. The effects of parameters such as regeneration temperature, flow rate, molar fraction of water vapor, and MEA enrichment temperature, flow rate, and MEA concentration of shunt on the hydrothermal recovery effect of ceramic membranes of different pore sizes and lengths were studied by using the heat recovery flux and water recovery rate as the indicators. The results show that the hydrothermal recovery performance of the ceramic membrane increases with the increase of MEA enrichment flow, but decreases significantly with the increase of the enrichment temperature. At the same time, with the increase of regenerative gas velocity and the molar fraction of water vapor in the regenerative gas, the heat recovery flux will increase. The heat recovery performance of the 10 nm ceramic membrane is better than that of the 20 nm ceramic membrane.

In Emerging economies, MNCs (Multinational corporations) encounter several issues while devising Strategies to penetrate foreign markets, examining these SMEs’ performance in present times and assessing their internationalisation process is crucial. The purpose of this research is to investigate how international entrepreneurial orientation affects SMEs’ international performance during internationalization, as well as how organizational culture in the Kingdom influences the international performance of these MNCs. To attain this objective (n = 206) MNCs in the Kingdom have adopted internationalisation strategies. Questionnaires were administered as part of a survey approach for this study. To forecast and estimate relationships, partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed. This study indicates that improving internationalization performance, mainly through active participation in foreign markets, is one of the SMEs’ strategies during the internationalization process. The empirical findings demonstrate that international entrepreneurial orientation influences the internationalisation performance of SMEs largely influenced by organisational culture. Previous research shows that the success of SMEs’ internationalization, however, is not directly impacted by their international entrepreneurial orientation. This study supports the significance of organisational culture during internationalisation. This study offers insightful information that motivates policymakers and owner-managers in developing nations, especially in KSA, to build organizational cultures and dynamic capacities that meet the demands of globalization in today’s business scenario.

The study aims to examine the labor market challenges and motivational factors for employee retention through the example of a small machinery company in Hungary. In recent years, Hungary’s labor market has faced significant difficulties, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in temporary unemployment followed by labor shortages. The research aims to identify the motivational, welfare, and financial factors that contribute to employee retention. Due to the small sample size, we did not investigate the relationships concerning loyalty, commitment, and performance. The research methods included comprehensive data collection at a machinery company employing 24 people located near the Austrian-Hungarian border. During the data collection, we conducted a questionnaire survey that included questions related to benefits, performance, commitment, and loyalty. The collected data were processed by calculating weighted averages and differences. The results indicate that flexible working hours and easy accessibility to the workplace are of utmost importance to employees. There is also a significant demand for performance-based pay and diverse, flexible benefit packages. Employees require both formal and informal professional recognition, such as praise and awards. The research has practical significance for both organizational management and employee well-being. Understanding employee opinions and implementing measures based on these can have four primary effects: improvement in employee performance, reduction in turnover, increase in organizational commitment, and enhancement of the company’s positive perception.

In this study, the entropy weight method, the α convergence model, the absolute β convergence model and the conditional β convergence model are used to evaluate the 31 provinces’ innovative potential in China from 2011 to 2022. It is found that the innovative potential in nationwide China and in various regions are all increasing year by year, and the innovative potential in the eastern region is obviously better than that in the central region and western region. No matter considering the influence of external factors or not, the gap of innovative potential among provinces in different regions will gradually expand over time, with the largest gap among provinces in the eastern region, followed by the central region and the smallest in the western region. The conclusion of this study is instructive to enhance the innovative potential of China and promote the balanced development of regional innovative potential in China.

The development of critical thinking (CT) enhances academic and professional opportunities. A review of literature reveals the use of fragmented analysis techniques, such as descriptive and correlational methods, among others, which hinder a deeper understanding of CT levels. This research aims to develop a methodology for analyzing Critical Thinking test scores, integrating five phases: exploratory, item analysis, scoring, gap analysis, and correlational. Using a quantitative approach, CT skills were analyzed with the Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, which includes both open- and closed-ended questions to measure five skills: Verbal Reasoning (VR), Argument Analysis (AA), Hypothesis Testing (HT), Probability Use (PU), and Problem Solving (PS). The sample consisted of 214 students aged 18 and older. The item analysis phase categorized the items into quadrants: satisfactory, for review, or for elimination, based on difficulty and discrimination indices. The gap analysis revealed that Verbal Reasoning and open-ended formats were less satisfactory. The correlational phase, using heat maps, showed a stronger association between Verbal Reasoning and Probability Use. The methodological contributions include a variety of strategies that provide recommended procedures for analyzing tests or questionnaires in general. In today’s digital age, the development of critical thinking is not only a desirable skill but an essential necessity for the higher education system.