State support for agriculture is a crucial tool for adjusting the competitive advantages of agricultural producers to a volatile market environment. In countries with diverse natural conditions for agriculture, however, the allocation of subsidies often focuses on bridging spatial development gaps rather than maximizing the return on inputs. To improve the efficiency of resource use in agriculture, it is essential to tailor subsidy criteria to regional disparities in agricultural potential. Using the example of Russia’s 81 administrative regions, the authors have tested a five-stage methodology for determining the support-generated parameters of output, efficiency, impact, revenue, and profitability. This methodology takes into account both natural and economic factors that contribute to the competitive advantages of each region. The study aims to identify the parts of the performance indicators, such as gross agricultural output and revenue, that are influenced by the amount of subsidies in five different types of territories, which are categorized by the cadastral value of their farmland. It has been found that the allocation of subsidies is not entirely based on the return on the funds allocated. There is a discrepancy between the competitive advantages of these territories in agricultural production and the amount of funds they receive through government support programs. The efficiency of government support differs significantly depending on the type of agricultural product produced in each territory. The approach developed by the authors provides a tool that policy makers can use when tuning the allocation of subsidies based on the differences in the agricultural potential of each territory.

Firms, recognizing their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), are becoming catalysts for societal change by integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria into their activities. The fashion industry exemplifies this effort, with an increasing number of companies embracing sustainability and ethical practices. In this context, our purpose is to provide a clear and comprehensive picture of the link between sustainability and business performance in the fashion industry. This work presents a Multivariate Regression Analysis, scrutinizing both external perspectives through stock prices and internal perspectives via profitability indices. Our aim is to discern the intricate relationship between sustainability practices and financial performance within the fashion industry, aligning ESG criteria with long-term economic success. Our regression analysis reveals a significant positive correlation between ESG scores and stock prices, indicating investor recognition of ESG performance as a crucial investment criterion. However, when focusing internally on profitability, the ESG score does not exhibit statistical significance, suggesting a yet-to-be-established connection between ESG policies and corporate profitability. This study underscores the evolving role of companies as sustainability promoters, emphasizing the crucial role of ESG performance in shaping investor perceptions. Nevertheless, it also highlights the need for further exploration into the intricate relationship between sustainable policies and corporate profitability. As businesses increasingly embrace sustainability, in fact, it could become paramount for informed decision-making and fostering ethical societal and environmental progress.

Sustainability has turned into a critical focus for businesses, drawing considerable interest from the commercial sector and scholarly environments. While empirical investigations have been conducted regarding sustainability reporting within small and medium enterprises, only a limited number of companies are subjected to increased pressure to adopt sustainability reporting practices, thereby ensuring enhanced transparency and disclosure in their financial and sustainability disclosures. This research, framed by Institutional Theory, delves into how challenges in sustainability reporting obstruct organizations from properly evaluating and sharing their progress on sustainability aims. With an explanatory research framework in place, we circulated survey questionnaires to 400 participants, who were randomly drawn from a population of 28,927 registered SMEs in Metro Manila, Philippines. The application of Interpretative Structural Modelling and MICMAC Analysis revealed that the absence of regulatory frameworks, governmental assistance, and sustainability infrastructure constitutes the most critical obstacles impacting other determinants. In contrast, neither the deficiency in sustainability awareness nor the inadequacy of training and skills demonstrated a considerable impact on the other identified barriers. This study clarifies the complex interactions and interrelations among the obstacles to sustainability reporting, thus providing significant perspectives for organizations aiming to overcome these difficulties. The findings suggest that business leaders and stakeholders can formulate targeted strategies and interventions to facilitate the adoption of sustainability reporting practices within organizations. The application of the institutional theory framework highlights that pressures arise from a diverse array of institutional actors, including regulators, customers, and local communities, which collectively shape corporate behavior and reporting methodologies.

This inquiry endeavors to meticulously examine the intricate dynamics of the symbiotic developmental interplay among the gaming, tourism, and economic sectors in Macau. Utilizing the methodology of deviation standardization, the data undergoes scrupulous processing, invoking the entropy method to ascertain the weights of diverse evaluative indices. The developmental trajectories of Macau’s gaming, tourism, and economic domains spanning the years 2011 to 2021 are fastidiously gauged. Subsequently, a sophisticated coupled coordination model is employed to delve into the nuanced systemic interdependencies characterizing their developmental relationships. From 2011 to 2021, the holistic progression of Macao’s gaming and tourism sectors has exhibited a discernible ascent over the temporal continuum. Concurrently, the degree of coupling coordination has advanced from a state of near coordination to a commendable level of synchronized development. The overarching system of Macau’s gaming and tourism industries has transitioned from a state of disarray to one of ordered harmony, with the correlative impact of Macau’s tourism sector being adeptly realized. The supporting role played by Macau’s gaming industry in fortifying the tourism sector is conspicuously manifest. The alignment and coordination between Macau’s gaming and tourism sectors exhibit fluctuations across distinct developmental stages. During phases of nascent development in both the gaming and tourism domains, a palpable imbalance prevails. Elements such as the proliferation of gaming enterprises, international tourism revenue, aggregate output value of gaming establishments, market share held by gaming enterprises, and the profit margins thereof have, to a certain extent, impinged upon the harmonized evolution of the tripartite subsystems. This study proffers recommendations to foster the optimization and elevation of the industrial structure while championing the integration and advancement of diverse sectors. It advocates for the amplification of the propulsive impetus intrinsic to the gaming industry, coupled with the enrichment of the tourism product portfolio. Furthermore, it espouses the establishment of an effective mechanism for high-quality development, tailored to the exigencies of the contemporary era. This involves the implementation of precise policies, the facilitation of amalgamated progress in gaming and tourism, and an unwavering commitment to sustainable development through the interconnected alignment of gaming, tourism, and the broader economy. The findings of this study furnish a scientific foundation for the strategic industrial planning and developmental initiatives undertaken by relevant departments in Macau.

This study evaluates the sustainability and ethical practices of Kerry Logistics Network Limited (KLN), a prominent logistics service provider headquartered in Hong Kong. Using normative ethical theories, stakeholder analysis, and the Circle of Sustainability framework, this research examines KLN’s alignment with global sustainability standards, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The findings reveal that KLN has achieved significant milestones in environmental management, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 11% from 2021 to 2022 through the deployment of electric trucks and incorporating renewable energy in warehouse operations. KLN has also enhanced social responsibility and governance practices by implementing fair labor policies and establishing a rigorous code of conduct, ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines across its supply chain. However, the study identifies areas for improvement, including biodiversity actions, battery recycling processes, and transparency in stakeholder engagement. Emphasizing the importance of third-party validation, this paper underscores KLN’s leadership in the logistics industry and provides insights for other companies aiming to improve sustainability performance through comprehensive, verifiable practices.

Within the last four years, Lithuania has faced different foreign policy challenges due to geopolitical situations such as the Ukraine-Russia war, the migration crisis on the border with Belarus, and the conflict with China. After opening a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius, China downgraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania. The purpose of the article is to assess the impact of the changes on international economic relations between Lithuania and China. The paper employs descriptive statistics, correlation-regression, sensitivity analysis, and agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis. The research is based on the impact of international economic relations on international trade by analyzing separately imports and exports. Our research fills a gap in international relations and globalization theory by focusing on international collaboration between small and large countries, while the large country implements economic sanctions. In the context of Lithuania, exports to China and imports from China comprise a small percentage in the structure of international trade. Lithuania’s GDP level reacts sensitively to changes in export and import data only if they change drastically (over 50%).