This paper contributes to a long-standing debate in development practice: under what conditions can externally established participatory groups engage in the collective management of services beyond the life of a project? Using 10 years of panel data on water point functionality from Indonesia’s rural water program, the Program for Community-Based Water Supply and Sanitation, the paper explored the determinants of subnational variation in infrastructure sustainability. It then investigated positive and negative deviance cases to answer why some communities successfully engaged in system management despite being located in difficult conditions as per quantitative findings and vice versa. The findings show that differences in the implementation of community participation, driven by local social relations between frontline service providers, that is, village authorities and water user groups, explain sustainable management. This initial condition of state-society relations influences how the project is initiated, kicking off negative or positive reinforcing pathways, leading to community collective action or exit. The paper concludes that the relationships between frontline government representatives and community actors are important and are an underexamined aspect of the ability of external projects to generate successful community-led management of public goods.

Focusing on Shanghai Port, this in-depth study explores how government support can make port organizations more competitive. This study shall implement qualitative analysis based on in-depth interviews with key industry and government leaders to break down the complicated actions taken by the government and how they have changed the operational and strategic skills of the port industry. Seven factors were found in our study to be the most crucial support factors: Financial, regulatory, infrastructure growth, talent, market, policy, and organizational support. In their ways, each of these groups undermines the ability of port businesses to compete. For instance, finance can make ports more competitive in aspects such as tax cuts, lower interest rates, innovation and R&D funds, financing programs, venture capital funds, and putting up R&D sites. Supporting regulations makes sure that there is fair competition and smooth operations. This is done by protecting intellectual property, keeping the market going smoothly, improving the business environment, and monitoring market regulations. Building new infrastructure, such as innovation and updated buildings, enables the smooth running of the port businesses and minimizes wastage of time; thus, more time is spent on production. Supporting talent, the market, and policy all work together to make the human capital, international cooperation, and strategic regulatory framework that a company needs to stay ahead in the long run. It is clear from organizational support how important collaborative networks are for making ports more competitive. These networks, for instance, can be of assistance in helping schools and businesses work together, create new technologies, and find ways for companies and colleges to study together. This study examines these support systems to determine where the government should step in and how the systems can be made better to make ports more competitive. In terms of practical contribution, this in-depth study helps policymakers and port workers plan for the future. This study shows a fair way for the government to support the port business, which changes with its needs and stays competitive in the world of trade.

Over the past few years, there has been a consistent rise in the popularity of bodybuilding. This study did a bibliometric analysis to offer a systematic overview and facilitate researchers in obtaining comprehensive insights on the peculiarities of bodybuilding research. This study utilized the bibliometric analysis program Bibliometrix to identify 940 papers on bodybuilding from the Web of Science database. The publications were selected from the years 1976 to 2024 and were used for the analysis. This study provides a thorough and detailed analysis of bodybuilding research using visual representations. It includes information on the frequency of publications, the nations that have had the most impact on bodybuilding research (including institutions, sources, and authors), and notable areas of focus within the field. Furthermore, the research collaboration among nations (regions), organizations, and authors is depicted based on a set of collaboration studies. The bibliometric study of current literature offers useful and groundbreaking sources for academics and practitioners in the field of bodybuilding-related studies.

This article aims to elucidate governance primarily from the perspective of collaboration and leadership in managing disasters. This article studies the case of Indonesia, a country with frequent and complex nature of disasters, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire to analyze its disaster management system and draw out implications from its experience. The method used is a qualitative comprehensive and systematic review from national and international earthquake occurrences. The finding is that Indonesia is simultaneously carrying out disaster management which is not contradictory but complementary. The importance of collaboration is imposed and recommendations are offered on rectifying collaborative activities’ value. Modern leadership strategies suggest that acquire their power from effective strategies and transformational power rather than standard operating procedures. This paper provides lessons on how to organize earthquake management through aspects of collaboration and leadership effectively. The author suggests optimizing the potential of the community by providing special assistance to increase disaster management efforts.

The R3A Route represents a collaborative initiative involving the governments of Thailand, Laos, and China aimed at bolstering connectivity along the North-South Economic Corridor, as a vital component of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program (GMS). Since its inception in 2008, this endeavor has substantially enhanced the logistical framework between Thailand, Laos, and China. However, it has also revealed an imbalance in the benefit distribution of value chains within the tourism industry. One of the fact that, local stakeholders in each country often leverage their home country’s advantages, leading to the exploitation of counterparts with lower capacity in other nations. This unfair utilization goes against the initial intentions of fostering collaboration among these countries. Given China and its development as a starting point for tourism and its popularity among tourists traveling this route, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of China’s policy and insights of its influences on R3A tourism development in Laos and Thailand. The study constructs a content analysis with an umbrella of stakeholder analysis based on reliable data and is cross-verified through data triangulation. The findings lead to recommendations aimed at making Thai-Lao-Chinese tourism cooperation more sustainable and effective.

This research explores the dynamic intersection of sustainable design, cultural heritage, and community enterprise, focusing on the innovative utilization of post-harvest sugar cane leaves in bamboo basketry production from various provinces in Thailand. This study aims to investigate how design anthropology principles can enhance community enterprises’ resilience and sustainability by employing a qualitative case study approach. Findings reveal that while traditional bamboo basketry reflects the region’s rich cultural heritage, a shift towards sustainable practices offers environmental benefits and economic opportunities. Design anthropology informs the development of culturally relevant products, fostering market competitiveness and preserving traditional craftsmanship. Moreover, government policies play a pivotal role in supporting or hindering the growth of community enterprises, with soft power initiatives holding promise for promoting cultural heritage and sustainability. Collaboration between policymakers, design anthropologists, and local stakeholders is essential for developing inclusive policies that empower communities and foster sustainable development. Overall, integrating sustainable design practices and cultural insights holds significant potential for enhancing the resilience and effectiveness of community enterprises, ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future for both the industry and the communities it serves. This study is a testament that design anthropology provides a powerful framework for addressing complex social and environmental issues through the lenses of culture and design.