Regional cooperation stands as a key strategy to address intense economic competition and formidable local governance challenges. Successful regional collaborations are typically founded on the basis of institutional similarity, which also serves as the starting point for a multitude of related theoretical studies. Consequently, the regional cooperation within the context of institutional conflicts has been overlooked. This paper aims to explore the process of regional cooperation against the backdrop of conflicts, using the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as a case study and analyzing it from the perspective of the sociology of knowledge. The article posits that conflicts can stimulate interactions among various actors, foster the generation of local knowledge, and propel specific cooperative practices. Moreover, local and central governments, grounded in local knowledge and universal managerial insights, continuously authenticate and propagate local innovations, establishing guiding policies and, consequently, producing rational knowledge. The accumulation of such knowledge has not only strengthened civilian cooperation but also facilitated broader collaborative efforts. The study reveals that despite the GBA’s remarkable achievements in cooperation, challenges persist: on the one hand, there are issues with the government’s process of rational knowledge production and the quality of knowledge itself; on the other hand, excessive governmental dominance may suppress the production and application of local knowledge. Therefore, refining the knowledge production mechanism is especially critical. The findings of this paper uncover the mechanisms of regional cooperation amidst institutional conflicts and deepen our understanding of regional collaboration and cross-border governance.

This research aims to explore the impact of government policies to promote mass tourism in Bali. Qualitative method with the support of a phenomenological approach and in-depth interviews and FGD. The Butler tourism area life cycle model theory is used to evaluate the impact of tourism on land use and cultural conflict with six stages of destination development, namely exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation, and decline or rejuvenation. The findings reveal that Bali has experienced all stages of Butler’s model. From 1960–1970, Bali was in the exploration phase, offering tourists authentic experiences. At the beginning of 1970–2000, Bali had entered five phases marked by rapid tourism growth. Now, Bali reached a consolidation phase with a focus on managing tourism quality. Now, Bali is entering a phase of stagnation, facing challenges such as overcrowding and environmental degradation. Bali is at the crossroads between phases of decline and rejuvenation, with efforts to overcome environmental problems and diversify tourism products. This study concludes that mass tourism has significant positive and negative impacts on tourist destinations. Although it can improve the local economy and preserve culture, it can also cause environmental damage and cultural conflict. The Bali government’s policy strategy for the future is to overcome cultural conflicts including tourist education, sustainable tourism development, empowerment of local communities, enforcement of regulations, and intercultural dialogue. The implementation of this policy strategy can be carried out effectively to manage cultural conflicts towards a sustainable Bali tourism future.

The article is dedicated to analyzing trends in the development of startup infrastructure in Ukraine, Latvia and Georgia. The article is based on concrete data, a comprehensive analysis of statistical and qualitative data on the development of startups in Ukraine, Latvia and Georgia. This provides a reliable basis for the arguments and conclusions. General patterns of startup infrastructure development in the three countries were identified. A PEST analysis of startup infrastructure development in Ukraine, Latvia and Georgia was conducted. Thus, the authors conduct a multidisciplinary analysis that includes not only economic, but also social and technological aspects of startup ecosystems and infrastructures. Suggestions for improving the startup infrastructure in these countries were developed.

The covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected the sustainability of micro and small enterprises (MSEs), with a particularly pronounced impact in Central Java. Entrepreneurs who struggle to adapt to reduced consumer purchasing power and the increasing reliance on digital technology are at heightened risk of business closure. Despite these challenges, inclusivity remains a crucial element for MSEs in fostering local economic development. Accordingly, this study seeks to examine the role of inclusivity in the sustainability of MSEs that are based on digital technology. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires and focus group discussions. Respondents were digital-based MSEs entrepreneurs from five selected regions, with Central Java having the largest number of digital media users. Key informants included experts from Diponegoro University, the International Council of Small Business (ICSB), the Department of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises at the provincial and district levels, and non-governmental organizations. The collected data was analyzed using the Rapid Appraisal for Micro and Small Enterprises (Rap-MSE’s) method. To assess the sustainability status, the study utilized several dimensions, including economic, environmental, social, institutional, technological, and inclusivity factors. Both multidimensional and individual analyses indicated that the sustainability status was relatively robust. MSEs that integrated digital technology into their operations were able to withstand the challenges posed by covid-19 and adapt to the new normal. In conclusion, the inclusivity dimension in the adoption of digital technology has gained increased importance in driving local economic development.

The border is a strategic area within the Republic of Indonesia because it has potential natural resources and market opportunities and is related to aspects of sovereignty, defense and security. The division of the Papua region based on astronomical lines causes the traditional region, inhabited by tribes with the same spiritual-culture, to be divided into two countries. The Kanum tribe, who live in the border region of PNG and Indonesia, have close kinship relations. This research aims to analyze the social interactions of cross-border communities, especially the interdependence of the Kanum Tribe in Sota, Merauke Regency, with Papua New Guinea. The research used social interaction theory and interdependence theory, as well as qualitative descriptive methods by interviewing 15 informants. The research results support Polanyi’s statement but refute Omolomo’s, confirm positive competition, and eliminate indicators of conflict in the social interactions of the Kanum Tribe. The main problem found was unclear population data for the Kanum community who live in PNG but receive facilities from Indonesia. The dominant inhibiting factor comes from the PNG border condition, and the dominant supporting factor comes from the Sota border conditions (geography, infrastructure, economics and government policy). However, the condition that is equally a during factor in the conditions of the PNG and Sota borders is culture.

Sustainability in road construction projects is hindered by the extensive use of non-renewable materials, high greenhouse gas emissions, risk cost, and significant disruption to the local community. Sustainability involves economic, environmental, and social aspects (triple bottom line). However, establishing metrics to evaluate economic, environmental, and social impacts is challenging because of the different nature of these dimensions and the shortage of accepted indicators. This paper developed a comprehensive method considering all three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, environmental, and social burdens. Initially, the economic, environmental, and social impact category indicators were assessed using the Life cycle approach. After that, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) were utilized to prioritize the alternatives according to the acquired weightings and sustainable indicators. The steps of the AHP method involve forming a hierarchy, determining priorities, calculating weighting factors, examining the consistency of these assessments, and then determining global priorities/weightings. The TOPSIS method is conducted by building a normalized decision matrix, constructing the weighted normalized decision matrix, evaluating the positive and negative solutions, determining the separation measures, and calculating the relative closeness to the ideal solution. The selected alternative performs the highest Relative Closeness to the Ideal Solution. Lastly, a case study was undertaken to validate the proposed method. In three alternatives in the case study (Cement Concrete, Dense-Graded Polymer Asphalt Concrete, and Dense-Graded Asphalt Concrete), option 3 showed the most sustainable performance due to its highest Relative Closeness to the Ideal Solution. Integrating AHP and TOPSIS methods combines both strengths, including AHP’s structured approach for determining criteria weights through pairwise comparisons and TOPSIS’s ability to rank choices based on their proximity to an ideal solution.