This study investigates the factors influencing student satisfaction at higher education institutions in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. The research uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the connections among College Reputation, Student Expectation, Perception Value, and Student Satisfaction based on a sample of 660 students. The results indicate that the student population is diverse, with most students enrolled in the Faculty of Business Administration in their first year. The Pearson’s correlation matrix and structural equation modeling (SEM) findings indicate significant positive correlations between the dimensions, emphasizing the crucial influence of College Reputation on both Student Expectation and Student Satisfaction. The goodness-of-fit indices validate the model’s strength, indicating a significant correspondence between the theoretical components and the observed data. This study enhances the comprehension of how student satisfaction changes in Thai higher education and offers practical suggestions for institutional policies to improve student’s educational experiences and achievements. Higher education institutions may create a more fulfilling and effective learning environment by prioritizing reputation improvement, ensuring student expectations match reality, and providing perceived value to improve education quality and equality for Thailand.

Green cosmetics made from organic ingredients are becoming increasingly popular due to their environmentally friendly nature. However, research on consumer behavior towards green cosmetics is rare, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Previous studies have primarily focused on female consumers, and little is known about the behavior of male consumers. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the behavior of both male and female consumers towards green cosmetic products and analyze the factors that affect their purchase behavior. This study employs a quantitative approach with deductive reasoning and collects data through a questionnaire from major cities in Pakistan. The study finds that eco-awareness, social influence, price-quality instructions, health consciousness, and the need for uniqueness significantly influence consumer purchase behavior when buying green cosmetics. Interestingly, price sensitivity does not significantly affect consumer purchase behavior as consumers are willing to pay for high-quality green cosmetics. Based on the findings, the study recommends promoting eco-awareness and health consciousness among consumers through educational campaigns and workshops launched by the government and the private sector. Future research can explore factors such as age, gender, and specific generations like millennials and Generation Z, as well as packaging, branding, and product design to promote environmentally friendly and health-conscious products. Additionally, comparative studies between countries can identify universal and region-specific factors, and examining the overall impact of green cosmetic products on the environment can highlight areas for improvement in sustainability.

In developing countries, urban mobility is a significant challenge due to convergence of population growth and the economic attraction of urban centers. This convergence of factors has resulted in an increase in the demand for transport services, affecting existing infrastructure and requiring the development of sustainable mobility solutions. In order to tackle this challenge, it is necessary to create optimal services that promote sustainable urban mobility. The main objective of this research is to develop and validate a comprehensive methodology framework for assessing and selecting the most sustainable and environmentally responsible urban mobility services for decision makers in developing countries. By integrating fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making techniques, the study aims to address the inherent complexity and uncertainty of urban mobility planning and provide a robust tool for optimizing transportation solutions for rapid urbanization. The proposed methodology combines three-dimensional fuzzy methods of type-1, including AHP, TOPSIS and PROMETHEE, using the Borda method to adapt subjectivity, uncertainty, and incomplete judgments. The results show the advantages of using integrated methods in the sustainable selection of urban mobility systems. A sensitivity analysis is also performed to validate the robustness of the model and to provide insights into the reliability and stability of the evaluation model. This study contributes to inform decision-making, improves policies and urban mobility infrastructure, promotes sustainable decisions, and meets the specific needs of developing countries.

Our study investigates the relationship between firm profitability, board characteristics, and the quality of sustainability disclosures, while examining the moderating effects of financial leverage and external audit assurance. A key focus is the distinction between Big 4 and non-Big 4 audit firms. Using data from Malaysia’s top 100 publicly listed organizations from 2018 to 2020, we analyze sustainability reports based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. Unexpectedly, our results indicate a negative association between firm profitability and board characteristics, challenging traditional assumptions. We find that non-Big 4 audit firms significantly enhance sustainability disclosure quality, contradicting the widely held belief in the superiority of Big 4 firms. Our finding introduces the “Big 4 dilemma” in the Malaysian context and calls for a reassessment of audit firm selection practices. Our study offers new perspectives on the strategic role of board composition and audit firm selection in advancing sustainability disclosures, urging Malaysian organizations to evaluate audit firms on criteria beyond the global prestige of Big 4 firms to improve sustainability reporting.

Nationwide integration of AI into the contemporary art sector has taken place since government AI regulations in 2023 to promote AI use. China’s AI integration into industry is ‘ahead’ of other countries, meaning that other countries can learn from these creative professionals. Consequently, contemporary visual artists have devised arts-led sustainable AI solutions to overcome global AI concerns. They are now putting these solutions into practice to maintain their jobs, arts forms, and industry. This paper draws on 30 interviews with contemporary visual artists, and a survey with 118 professional artists from across China between 2023 and 2024. Findings show that 87% use AI and 76% say AI is useful and they will continue to use AI into the future. Findings show professionals have had time to find DIY, bottom-up solutions to AI concerns, including (1) building strong authorship practices, identity, and brand, (2) showing human creativity and inner thinking, (3) gaining a balanced independent position with AI. They want AI regulations to liberalise and promote AI use so they can freely experiment and develop AI. These findings show how humans are directing the use of AI, altering current narratives on AI-led impacts on industry, jobs, and human creativity.