Smallholder paprika farmers in Zimbabwe contribute to local economies and food security but face supply chain challenges like limited market access and poor infrastructure which lead to post harvest losses and unpredictable prices. To survive, these farmers must adopt sustainable value networks to reduce operational costs and improve performance. This study sought to establish the effect of sustainable value networks on the operational performance of smallholder paprika farming in Zimbabwe. This study, using a positivist research philosophy and a quantitative approach, surveyed 288 smallholder paprika farmers in Zimbabwe. Exploratory factor analysis and partial least squares structural equation modelling were used to validate the constructs and test the hypothesised relationships. Results demonstrate a moderate level of implementation of value networks in smallholder paprika farming characterised by successes and challenges. The findings illustrated resource sharing among smallholder farmers, facilitated by initiatives, such as recycled seed exchanges and financial support through village savings and loan associations. However, results show that challenges persist, particularly with market access and financial support. Results indicate that there is a significant awareness and implementation of green supply chain management practices among smallholder paprika farmers even though they do not have access to resources and live in rural areas. The findings demonstrate that value networks significantly influence the adoption of green supply chain management practices, which in turn positively impact operational performance, environmental performance, and social performance. Green supply chain management practices were found to mediate the relationship between value networks and environmental performance, social performance, and operational performance, underlining the critical role of sustainable practices in enhancing performance outcomes. While environmental performance showed a positive effect on operational performance, the direct influence of social performance on operational performance was found to be statistically insignificant, suggesting the need for further exploration of the factors linking social benefits to operational efficiency. The research contributes to both theory and practice by presenting a sustainable value network model for smallholder paprika farmers, integrating value network, green supply chain management practices and environmental performance to enhance operational performance. Practical implications include policy recommendations to strengthen collaboration between smallholder farmers and other stakeholdersand address power imbalances with intermediaries. Future research should extend the study to other agricultural sectors and incorporate more diverse stakeholder perspectives to validate and generalise the proposed sustainable value network model.

Since 2013, the state has introduced a number of policies to strictly control the number and scale of public hospitals and to control the rapid expansion of public hospitals. After the introduction of this series of policies, the number of public hospitals in China did not continue to grow, but the number of beds in public hospitals continued to grow. This paper uses difference-in-difference (DID) method to analyze the number of public hospitals with the corresponding data of the development of private hospitals after the introduction of the policy, and the results proves that the introduction of relevant policies has an impact on the number of public hospitals, but has a limited impact on the expansion of the scale of public hospitals. At the end of the article, positive policy suggestions are given to the development of hospitals in China, such as controlling the expansion of public hospitals, strictly controlling the number of beds in public hospitals, and vigorously developing private hospitals. Promoting the development of private hospitals is an important economic supplement to China's health care.

This study explores the impact of digital economy engagement and digital adoption on the entrepreneurship performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, with a specific focus on the PG Mall platform. Through an analysis of SMEs' involvement in digital activities such as e-commerce, digital marketing, and data analytics, the research identifies key factors that enhance business performance. The main objective of this paper is to examines the mediating role of government policies in supporting digital adoption and fostering a conducive environment for digital entrepreneurship. This paper employed a quantitative method to examine the impact of digital economy engagement and digital adoption on the entrepreneurship performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, with a focus on the PG Mall platform. Through data analysis, this research assessed several hypotheses related to the relationship between digital engagement, adoption, and business performance. The findings revealed that the majority of the hypotheses were supported, confirming the positive influence of digital economy engagement and digital adoption on various aspects of entrepreneurship performance. Based on these findings, this paper also proposes a conceptual framework that highlights the elements of digital economy engagement and digital adoption that contribute to SME performance. This framework serves as a valuable guideline for government policymakers, practitioners, and scholars in shaping strategies to foster digital entrepreneurship. It underscores the importance of supportive government policies, such as financial incentives and training, in facilitating the digital transformation of SMEs. By providing a structured approach to understanding the role of digital tools in enhancing business outcomes, the framework offers a foundation for future research and policy development aimed at promoting digital entrepreneurship in an evolving economic landscape.

This research was conducted using a survey research method to investigate the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Nigerian students' academic performances in tertiary institutions. Nigerian tertiary institutions have an estimated population of about 2.5 million students across the universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education. A sample size of 509 was used. The researchers adopted an online questionnaire (Google Form) to administer questions to respondents across Nigeria to elicit responses from the respondents bordering on their awareness and the use of AI and its attendant impacts on their academic performance. Five research objectives were raised for the proper investigation of this study. From the findings of the study, the researchers found that the majority of Nigerian students use AI and that AI has positive impacts on the educational performance of Nigerian students. It was also found that Nigerian students have training on the use of AI for educational purposes and that they are more familiar with Snapchat AI and ChatGPT. Conclusively, AI is useful to students in the sense that it enhances their knowledge of their courses, improves their learning and speaking skills, and helps them to have a quick understanding of their course by way of simplifying technical aspects of their courses. The researchers therefore recommend as follows: Nigerian tertiary institutions should formally train students as well as teachers on the use of AI for academic purposes so that they can understand the ethical implications of the use of AI. Using AI for writing could be interpreted to mean examination malpractice, and this should not be condoned in the educational sector; however, at the moment, a small number of students used AI for examinations. Albeit, the appropriate use of AI should be fully integrated into Nigerian tertiary institutions' curricula.

In today's highly competitive environment, enterprises strive for competitive advantages by actively responding to changes in the network environment through digital technology. This approach fosters continuous innovation and establishes new paradigms by creating new network structures and relationships. However, research on the relationship and transmission mechanisms between digital technology and innovation performance in dynamic environments is still in its early stages, which does not fully address the demands of current social practice. Therefore, exploring the impact mechanisms of digital technology applications on enterprise innovation performance is an important research area. Based on the dynamic capability theory, this paper utilized SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 software to conduct an empirical analysis of 490 valid samples from the network perspective, exploring the pathways through which digital technology capability influences enterprise innovation performance. The results indicate that (1) digital technology capability is positively correlated with enterprise innovation performance; (2) digital technology capability is positively correlated with network responsiveness; (3) network responsiveness is positively correlated with enterprise innovation performance; (4) network responsiveness plays a mediating role in the impact of digital technology capability on enterprise innovation performance; (5) environmental dynamism positively moderates the relationship between digital technology capability and enterprise innovation performance. This paper enhances the understanding of how digital technology capability influences enterprise innovation performance in dynamic environments, offering new insights for future research. The results suggest that enterprises should focus on enhancing their digital technology capabilities, optimizing network structures, and strengthening network relationships to drive digital innovation.