Purpose: This paper articulates a model that maximizes the use of e-HRM to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. It examines the indirect effects of e-HRM use on sustainable competitive advantage, through job satisfaction, employee performance, and perceived organizational politics. Design/methodology/approach: A survey approach was used to collect data from 30 organizations. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the study sample. The SPSS PROCESS Macro for running mediation analysis was used to analyze data. Findings: The findings show the indirect effect of e-HRM on sustainable competitive advantage through job satisfaction, employee performance, and perceived organizational politics. Job satisfaction has the biggest effect on achieving strategic outcomes. For organizational excellence, e-HRM use should complement other HRM practices. Practical implications: Management should pay attention to employee outcomes during the implementation of e-HRM. This study broadens the scope of the interaction between e-HRM use and sustainable competitive advantage. This study was conducted in a developing economy and demonstrated that the effects of e-HRM use on sustainable competitive advantage are not limited to developed economies. Originality/value: This study is one of the pioneering efforts to develop a model that maximizes organizational outcomes in developing countries. In addition, this study contributes to the understanding of intervening variables necessary to enhance information technology’s potential within the HR function.

The article discusses the actual problems of practical training in the tourism and hospitality industries in Russia and identifies the main problems of training specialists at Russian specialized universities. The main focus is on building partnerships between universities and employer organizations in order to train highly qualified specialists. Purpose: The research is aimed at creating an effective model of practical training based on the interaction of the university with employer organizations within the framework of the training of specialists in the tourism and hospitality industries. Design/Methodology/Approach: The work is based on scientific publications devoted to evaluating the effectiveness of the existing system of personnel training for the tourism and hospitality industries, studying its features, building models of vocational education, and using practice-oriented programs in the training of specialists. To study the problems of practical training of personnel for tourism and hospitality, systematic and structural approaches were used as a methodological basis, as well as methods of analysis and synthesis, the study of models of cooperation between universities and employers, and methods of monitoring and evaluating the quality of training specialists. To obtain empirical data, an analysis of the needs of the labor market for specialists in the hospitality industry was carried out, as was the study of models of cooperation between universities and employers. Results: In the course of the work, the author has formed a model of practical training for specialists in the tourism and hospitality industries, including the purpose and objectives, process requirements, organization conditions, and requirements for the results of the process. The innovative nature of the proposals lies in the development of new models of practical training based on gamification technology. The direction of further research may include the development of a methodology for the organization of the university’s interaction with employer organizations in the framework of practical training. Conclusion: The results of the study can be used by professional educational organizations to organize the process of practical training of students, which will effectively solve the problem of training personnel for tourism and hospitality. The social consequences of organizing the process of practical training for students will include increasing the competitiveness of graduates in the labor market, improving the quality of tourist and hotel services, introducing innovations into the tourism and hospitality industries, and developing startups.

The rapid growth of e-commerce in South Africa has increased the demand for efficient last-mile delivery. Motorcycle delivery drivers play a crucial role in the last-mile delivery process to bridge the gap between retailers and consumers. However, these drivers face significant challenges that impact both logistical efficiency and their socio-economic well-being. This study critically analyzes media narratives on the safety and working conditions of motorcycle delivery drivers in the e-commerce sector in South Africa. The thematic analysis of newspaper articles identified recurring themes. This study reveals critical safety and labor vulnerabilities affecting motorcycle delivery drivers in South Africa’s e-commerce sector. Key findings include heightened risks of violence, hijackings, and road accidents, exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure and safety gear. Coupled with low wages, job insecurity, and limited benefits, these conditions expose drivers to significant precarity. Policy interventions are urgently needed for driver safety and sustainable logistics. By integrating insights from multiple disciplines, this study offers a comprehensive understanding of the complex challenges within this rapidly growing sector.

Soil salinization is a difficult challenge for agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability, particularly in arid and semi-arid coastal regions. This study investigates the spatial variability of soil electrical conductivity (EC) and its relationship with key cations and anions (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, CO₃²⁻, HCO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻) along the southeastern coast of the Caspian Sea in Iran. Using a combination of field-based soil sampling, laboratory analyses, and Landsat 8 spectral data, linear Multiple Linear Regression and Partial Least Squares Regression (MLR, PLSR) and nonlinear Artifician Neural Network and Support Vector Machine (ANN, SVM) modeling approaches were employed to estimate and map soil EC. Results identified Na⁺ and Cl⁻ as the primary contributors to salinity (r = 0.78 and r = 0.88, respectively), with NaCl salts dominating the region’s soil salinity dynamics. Secondary contributions from Potassium Chloride KCl and Magnesium Chloride MgCl₂ were also observed. Coastal landforms such as lagoon relicts and coastal plains exhibited the highest salinity levels, attributed to geomorphic processes and anthropogenic activities. Among the predictive models, the SVM algorithm outperformed others, achieving higher R² values and lower RMSE (RMSE_Test = 27.35 and RMSE_Train = 24.62, respectively), underscoring its effectiveness in capturing complex soil-environment interactions. This study highlights the utility of digital soil mapping (DSM) for assessing soil salinity and provides actionable insights for sustainable land management, particularly in mitigating salinity and enhancing agricultural practices in vulnerable coastal systems.

The flipped classroom (FC) model has long brought significant benefits to higher education, secondary, and elementary education, particularly in improving the quality and effectiveness of learning. However, the implementation of FC model to support elementary students in developing self-learning skills (autonomous learning, independent study, self-directed learning) through technology still faces numerous challenges in Vietnam due to various influencing factors. Data for the study were collected through direct questionnaires and online surveys from 517 teachers at elementary schools in Da Nang, Vietnam. Based on SEM analysis, the study identified factors such as perceived usefulness, accessibility, desire, teaching style, and facilitating conditions. The research findings indicate that factors like the perceived effectiveness of the model, teaching style, and facilitating conditions have a positive correlation with the decision to adopt the FC model. Therefore, to encourage the use of the FC model in teaching, it is essential to raise awareness of the model’s effectiveness, improve teaching styles, and create favorable conditions for implementation.

This paper concerns a miniature gasifier fed with a constant ambient-pressure flow of air to study the pyrolysis and subsequent combustion stage of a single wood pellet at T = 800 ℃. The alkali release and the concentration of simple gases were recorded simultaneously using an improved alkali surface ionisation detector and a mass spectrometer in time steps of 1 s and 1.2 s, respectively. It showed alkali release during both stages. During combustion, the MS data showed almost complete oxidation of the charred pellet to CO₂. The derived alkali release, “O₂ consumed”, and “CO₂ produced” conversion rates all indicated very similar temporal growth and coalescence features with respect to the varying char pore surface area underlying the original random pore model of Bhatia and Perlmutter. But, also large, rapid signal accelerations near the end and marked peak-tails with O₂ and CO₂ after that, but not with the alkali release data. The latter features appear indicative of alkali–deprived char attributable to the preceding pyrolysis with flowing air. Except for the peak-tails, all other features were reproduced well with the modified model equations of Struis et al. and the parameter values resembled closely those reported for fir charcoal gasified with CO₂ at T = 800 ℃.