Consumers waste significant amounts of food. Food waste presents a substantial problem for the environment, society and economy. Addressing the food waste challenge is crucial for fostering sustainable behavior and achieving the Sustainability Development Goal 12.3 agenda. Norms are a significant determinant in motivating consumers to prevent food waste and could be activated by other factors. Religiosity has the potential to influence norms related to food waste behavior. This study investigated how religiosity affects the intentions of consumers to minimize food waste. The interplay of religiosity, personal norms, subjective norms, and intention to avoid food waste was examined by the extended norm activation model. Data were obtained from Muslim consumers in Indonesia. Structural equation modeling evaluation showed that religiosity positively affects the intention to prevent food waste. The intention to avoid food waste is more closely associated with personal norms compared to subjective norms. Personal norms mediate the religiosity and food waste reduction intention relationship. Consumer awareness activates personal norms by making them feel accountable for food waste’s negative impact. These findings provide insights to stakeholders in developing policies to mitigate the food waste issue.

Background: People who are financially literate are able to make sound decisions regarding their money since they have a firm grasp of the fundamentals of money and financial products. The significance of financial literacy has been acknowledged by numerous nations, prompting the formation of task teams to assess their populations and develop educational and outreach programs. The requirement to make educated decisions about ever-increasing financial goods necessitates a higher level of financial literacy. Aim: Being able to make sense of one’s personal financial situation is becoming an increasingly valuable skill in today’s world. One of the most essential components for making sure and successful decisions is having a good grip on one’s financial status. By contrast, financial literacy refers to an individual’s level of knowledge and awareness regarding financial matters, whereas investors’ decision-making is characterised by their understanding, prediction, investigation, and assessment of the various stages and transactions involved in making an investment decision. Risk, a decision-making framework and process, and investing itself are all components of investing. Method: Researchers will conduct a cross-sectional survey of Saudi Arabian investors. We used a structured questionnaire to gather data. Using “Cronbach’s a and confirmatory factors” analysis, we checked whether the data is reliable. The links between financial literacy and investment decisions was demonstrated using structural equation modeling (SEM) in IBM-SPSS and SmartPLS. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to look at how the investment choices of Saudi Arabians are correlated with their degree of financial literacy. Consequently, research on the connection between financial literacy, knowledge, behaviour, and investment choices is lacking. Researchers on this subject have already acknowledged the problem’s importance and intended to devote substantial time and energy to solving it. Findings: The study concluded that there was a significant relationship between financial literacy and financial knowledge with respect of investment decision of investors. Similarly, there was a significant relationship between financial behaviour and financial knowledge with respect of investment decision of investors. The discovery of the outcomes will enable regulatory authorities to aid investors in preventing financial losses by furnishing them with sufficient financial information.

Introduction/Main objectives: This study aims to test the influence of the application of the concept of value for money on regional government financial management at the quality level of regional development, which is determined by the level of foreign and domestic investment in local governments. Background problems: State the problem or economic/business phenomena studied in this paper and specify the research question(s) in one sentence. Novelty: This study has a research model that has yet to be widely carried out in Indonesia, namely, a moderated model regression analysis of the value concept for money on the quality of regional development with investment as a moderating variable. Research methods: This study uses data on financial performance, domestic and foreign investment levels, and human development index of 34 provincial governments from 2017 to 2021. This research data comes from the website of the Directorate General of Fiscal Balance, Ministry of Finance and the Central Bureau of Statistics. The data collected in this study is then analyzed using moderated regression analysis (MRA) with the SPSS ver 23.0 application. Findings/Results: The findings in the research show that the application of value for money ( economics, efficiency, and effectiveness ) from local government financial governance can influence the quality of regional development in Indonesia’s provinces in 2017–2021. In addition, the existence of foreign and domestic investment in the provincial government also strengthens the influence of value-for-money financial governance on the quality level of regional development in the provincial government. Conclusion: Based on existing research, local government financial management applies the concept that value for money needs to be increased to create optimal public services to improve the quality of human development in the regions. Regional governments are also expected to be able to encourage the level of capital investment both domestically and abroad to support the creation of development that can strengthen the quality of regional development in the regions.

Purpose—In the business sector, reliable and timely data are crucial for business management to formulate a company’s strategy and enhance supply chain efficiency. The main goal of this study is to examine how strong brand strength affects shareholder value with a new Supplier Relationship Management System (SRMS) and to find the specific system qualities that are linked to SRMS adoption. This leads to higher brand strength and stronger shareholder value. Design/Methodology/Approach—This study employed a cross-sectional design with an explanatory survey as a deductive technique to form hypotheses. The primary method of data collection used a drop-off questionnaire that was self-administered to the UAE-based healthcare suppliers. Of the 787 questionnaires sent to the healthcare suppliers, 602 were usable, yielding a response rate of 76.5%. To analyze the data gathered, the study used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques. Findings—The study’s data proved that SRMS adoption and brand strength positively affected and improved healthcare suppliers’ shareholder value. Additionally, it demonstrates that user satisfaction is the most significant predictor of SRMS adoption, while the results show that the mediating role of brand strength is the most significant predictor of shareholder value. The results demonstrated that internally derived constructs were better explained by the ANN technique than by the PLS-SEM approach. Originality/Value—This study demonstrates its practical value by offering decision-makers in the healthcare supplier industry a reference on what to avoid and what elements to take into account when creating plans and implementing strategies and policies.

This study investigates the link between debt and political alignment in international relations between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and African nations. Using recorded roll-call votes on United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions, we explore whether PRC investment in sovereign debt influences the voting behaviour of loan recipient countries. We compile voting data for African countries from 2000 to 2020 to calculate an annual voting affinity score as a proxy for political alignment. Concurrently, data on Chinese public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) loans to African governments are collected. A Two-Stage Least-Squares analysis is employed, using the ratio of Chinese PPG debt to GDP as an instrument to address endogeneity. Results reveal a negative impact of Chinese lending on African political support, while trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), and Chinese GDP positively influence political alignment. In high debt-risk African countries, interest rates have a negative impact, whereas loan maturity shows a positive effect. These findings suggest that Chinese loans, particularly under commercial terms, may have strained bilateral relations due to debt sustainability concerns. Nevertheless, the positive impacts of trade and FDI may enhance international relations, highlighting the limitations of China’s loan diplomacy in fostering long-term strategic alignment in Africa.

Border areas can play a crucial role in market integration and infrastructure development between Central Asian countries, thus creating favorable economic growth and regional cooperation conditions. This study aims to assess the economic impact of border areas between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, focusing on their role in enhancing market integration and infrastructure development to foster regional growth and cooperation.  Focusing on labor and capital as essential production drivers, this study employs a sophisticated panel data regression model to explore the Cobb-Douglas production function’s application in these border territories. The research findings indicate that regions’ elasticity towards capital and labor inputs vary, necessitating differentiated economic strategies. For capital-intensive areas, we recommend prioritizing investments in infrastructure and technology to boost production outputs. Conversely, in regions where labor significantly influences production, the emphasis should be on human capital development through education, training, and improved labor market conditions. The study’s insights into the evolving trade relations between the two countries underscore the need for flexible economic policies to enhance regional integration and cooperation. This research not only fills a crucial knowledge gap but also offers a blueprint for leveraging the diverse economic landscapes of Central Asia’s border areas in future policy-making and regional economic strategy.