This study aimed to examine and assess the impact of the logistics industry’s environment, entry-level graduates’ characteristics and the logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) program design on the transformation of knowledge and skills at Sohar port in the Sultanate of Oman. The study employed a pragmatic research philosophy involving a structured questionnaire. The sample size included 49 mid-managers from the logistics industry who were working at Sohar Port. The study found that entry-level graduates’ characteristics and LSCM program design positively and significantly influenced the transformation of knowledge and skills. However, the organisational environment had a negative and insignificant impact on the transformation. This study revealed several dimensions that may require further research. It is pertinent to broaden the research scope to other towns, ports, and other countries in the Gulf Council Countries (GCC) to broaden the scope and generalisability of the results. According to the study findings, several recommendations are proposed for the logistics and supply chain sector in Oman to enhance the transformation of knowledge and skills by entry-level graduates, as well as for higher education institutions (HEIs). To meet the sector requirements, HEIs may improve the current university-industry collaborations by increasing the inputs of the industry in designing and developing the LSCM program. The organisational environment must reconsider the knowledge and skills transformation by entry-level graduates in their strategic plan of resources management, which must be emphasised by the remuneration system and career paths incentive. While other studies have explored knowledge and skill transformation in the context of employee training, this study aims to fill a specific research gap by focusing on the transformation of knowledge and skills by entry-level graduates, an area which has not been extensively studied before. Furthermore, this study is unique as it examines the impact of the industry’s environment, entry-level graduates’ characteristics and the LSCM program on the transformation of knowledge and skills within the unique context of Oman. This novel approach provides an opportunity to understand the specific challenges and opportunities faced by entry-level graduates in Oman and suggests strategies for addressing them.

The Trans Sumatra Toll Road (TSTR) is a mega toll road project with an assignment State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) scheme in Indonesia. In its development, TSTR has several limitations, including funding, low investment feasibility and the un-optimum implementation of land value capture (LVC). This has the impact of delaying the completion of project development, decreasing the performance of toll road developer companies and even causing bankruptcy. LVC is an alternative funding scheme proven successful in other countries such as Hongkong, England and Vietnam. Several transportation projects based on transit-oriented development have successfully achieved profits using the LVC method. With a low project feasibility, the implementation of the Road Plus Property Developer (RPPD) business model is expected to be a solution to improve investment performance in the TSTR project. RPPD is defined as an assignment scheme toll road business model based on LVC implementation. This research aims to develop policies for implementing the RPPD business model on toll road SOE-assigned schemes. The data was collected by in-depth interviews with experts in two stages. The data analysis method used is Soft System Methodology (SSM). This research produces two recommended actions: ratification of the Presidential Regulation regarding the implementation of LVC and institutional transformation of regionally owned business entities in the property sector. It is hoped that implementing the RPPD policy will become a priority in completing the TSTR project.

Proper understanding of LULC changes is considered an indispensable element for modeling. It is also central for planning and management activities as well as understanding the earth as a system. This study examined LULC changes in the region of the proposed Pwalugu hydropower project using remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) techniques. Data from the United States Geological Survey's Landsat satellite, specifically the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), the Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM), and the Operational Land Imager (OLI), were used. The Landsat 5 thematic mapper (TM) sensor data was processed for the year 1990; the Landsat 7 SLC data was processed for the year 2000; and the 2020 data was collected from Operation Land Image (OLI). Landsat images were extracted based on the years 1990, 2000, and 2020, which were used to develop three land cover maps. The region of the proposed Pwalugu hydropower project was divided into the following five primary LULC classes: settlements and barren lands; croplands; water bodies; grassland; and other areas. Within the three periods (1990–2000, 2000–2020, and 1990–2020), grassland has increased from 9%, 20%, and 40%, respectively. On the other hand, the change in the remaining four (4) classes varied. The findings suggest that population growth, changes in climate, and deforestation during this thirty-year period have been responsible for the variations in the LULC classes. The variations in the LULC changes could have a significant influence on the hydrological processes in the form of evapotranspiration, interception, and infiltration. This study will therefore assist in establishing patterns and will enable Ghana's resource managers to forecast realistic change scenarios that would be helpful for the management of the proposed Pwalugu hydropower project.

This study explores the potential of digital preservation in the documentation of colonial cultural heritage in Egypt. It also explores the stories behind historical wars to revive these sites and attract different segments of visitors. Documentation of these sites should enhance Egyptian colonial cultural heritage sites, which include battlefields, war memorials, commanders’ palaces, assassination and murder spots, cemeteries, and mausoleums. The purpose of this study was fulfilled through field visits supplemented with in-depth interviews with experts on colonial heritage sites in Egypt. The findings showed that technology could play a key role in implementing the storytelling documentation and interpretation of colonial history and its relevant events at the Egyptian sites. However, to date, these sites have not made the best use of technology for digital preservation and documentation due to many challenges. The study recommends that decision-makers should integrate technological innovation, which can revitalize the communities built on the ruins of colonialism and revive the heritage of popular resistance. Technological innovation could be implemented not only in digital preservation and documentation but also in service and marketing of these colonial heritage sites.

This research study explores the addition of chromium (Cr⁶⁺) ions as a nucleating agent in the alumino-silicate-glass (ASG) system (i.e., Al₂O₃-SiO₂-MgO-B₂O₃-K₂O-F). The important feature of this study is the induction of nucleation/crystallization in the base glass matrix on addition of Cr⁶⁺ content under annealing heat treatment (600 ± 10 °C) only. The melt-quenched glass is found to be amorphous, which in the presence of Cr⁶⁺ ions became crystalline with a predominant crystalline phase, Spinel (MgCr₂O₄). Microstructural experiment revealed the development of 200–500 nm crystallite particles in Cr⁶⁺-doped glass-ceramic matrix, and such type microstructure governed the mechanical properties. The machinability of the Cr-doped glass-ceramic was thereby higher compared to base alumino-silicate glass (ASG). From the nano-indentation experiment, the Young’s modulus was estimated 25(±10) GPa for base glass and increased to 894(±21) GPa for Cr-doped glass ceramics. Similarly, the microhardness for the base glass was 0.6(±0.5) GPa (nano-indentation measurements) and 3.63(±0.18) GPa (micro-indentation measurements). And that found increased to 8.4(±2.3) (nano-indentation measurements) and 3.94(±0.20) GPa (micro-indentation measurements) for Cr-containing glass ceramic.