Intra-regional trade serves as a key growth engine for East Asian economies. Accompanying the rapid growth of bilateral and intra-regional trade ties, the East Asian economies are becoming increasingly connected and interdependent. Infrastructure connectivity plays a crucial role in bridging different areas of the East Asian region and enabling them to reap the full socioeconomic benefits of economic cooperation and integration. Nevertheless, further improvement of infrastructure in the region faces major challenges due to the lack of effective mechanisms for coordination and dialogue on regional integration through funding infrastructure projects, as well as the serious trust deficit among member states that has arisen from the on-going territorial and historical disputes.

This study looked at how adding augmented reality (AR) to Jordanian fast-food apps during the pandemic impacts brand identity, consumer views, and interactions. It wanted to see if AR strengthens brand connections or leads to brand dilution concerns in the industry. The research utilized a qualitative approach, employing semi-structured interviews with 52 marketing managers from diverse fast-food establishments across Jordan. The study highlighted how mobile apps, especially AR, changed brand interactions in Jordan’s fast-food market. They boosted convenience and engagement but raised worries about food quality and brand dilution due to heavy app use. It stressed the need to balance tech innovation, preserve brand identity, offer personalized experiences, understand user behavior, and tackle app development challenges for better brand loyalty. The research offers practical implications for stakeholders, recommending strategic AR integration, a user-centric approach, cultural sensitivity in tech adoption, and the preservation of emotional connections. It emphasizes the significance of maintaining a delicate balance between leveraging technological advancements and safeguarding the distinctiveness of individual brand identities within an increasingly app-centric landscape. This study uncovers AR’s influence in Jordan’s fast-food scene, highlighting its transformative power and possible drawbacks. It offers practical advice for industry players, guiding them on how to navigate the digital shift without compromising brand integrity or customer connections.

Tangerang City is characterized by its dense residential, commercial, and industrial activities and strategic proximity to Jakarta. This study aims to evaluate the strategic planning and implementation of innovative city initiatives in Tangerang, Indonesia, focusing on integrating blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) big data technologies and innovation in urban development. This study has employed explanatory survey data from a structured questionnaire distributed to a diverse Tangerang community sample, including users and non-users of the “Smart City Tangerang Live” application. The survey was conducted for 2-months March to April 2022, included 71 and the sample included individuals across 13 districts, utilizing cluster sampling to ensure representativeness. The findings reveal a positive community response towards the smart city initiatives, with significant Engagement and interaction with the “Tangerang Live” application. However, technology access and usage disparities among different community segments were noted. The study highlights the critical role of intelligent technologies in transforming urban infrastructure and services, improving the quality of life, and fostering sustainable urban development in Tangerang. The implications of this study are multifaceted. For urban planners and policymakers, the results underscore the importance of strategic planning in innovative city development, emphasizing the need for inclusive and accessible technological solutions. The study also suggests potential areas for improvement in community engagement and public awareness campaigns to promote the adoption and efficient use of smart technologies.

Micro-mobility has the potential to address first -mile challenges, improving transit accessibility and encouraging public transit usage. However, users’ acceptability of modal integration between various micro-mobility options and public transit remains largely unexplored in the literature. Our study investigates the user behavior for first-mile options, focusing on four alternatives: walking, bicycling, motorcycling, and bus, to access urban mass rapid transit (UMRT) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Based on data collected from 1380 individuals, a Nested Logit Model (NLM) was proposed to analyze the determinants of users’ acceptability under each access mode option as well as evaluate further impacts of shifts in access mode choice on vehicle-kilometer traveled and emissions. The analysis shows that the availability of access modes might increase UMRT use by 47.83%. While this increase further generates additional vehicle-kilometer traveled due to the increase in park-and-ride users, this is offset overall by the large number of motorcycle users shifting to UMRT. Under the most optimistic scenario, modal integration for transit-access trips leads to an average reduction of 17.7% in net vehicle-kilometer traveled or 14.5% in net CO₂ emissions or 10.9% in NO_x from private vehicles. Our findings also imply that the introduction of parking fees for bicycling- or motorcycling-access trips, while impactful, does not significantly change UMRT choice. Therefore, the pricing schemes should be a focus of parking planning surrounding stations. Finally, a number of policy suggestions for parking planning and first-mile vehicles are presented.

This paper investigates the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing infrastructure governance and economic outcomes. Through a bibliometric analysis spanning more than two decades of research from 2000 to 2024, the study examines global trends in AI applications within infrastructure projects. The analysis reveals significant research themes across diverse sectors, including urban development, healthcare, and environmental management, highlighting the broad relevance of AI technologies. In urban development, the integration of AI and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is advancing smart city initiatives by improving infrastructure systems through enhanced data-driven decision-making. In healthcare, AI is revolutionizing patient care, improving diagnostic accuracy, and optimizing treatment strategies. Environmental management is benefiting from AI’s potential to monitor and conserve natural resources, contributing to sustainability and crisis management efforts. The study also explores the synergy between AI and blockchain technology, emphasizing its role in ensuring data security, transparency, and efficiency in various applications. The findings underscore the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in AI research and implementation, advocating for ethical considerations and strong governance frameworks to harness AI’s full potential responsibly.

Municipal authorities in industrialized and in developing countries face unceasingly the issues of congestion, insufficiency of transport means capacity, poor operability of transport systems and a growing demand for reliable and effective urban transport. While the expansion of infrastructure is generally considered as an undesirable option, in specific cases, when short links or ring roads are missing, new infrastructure projects may provide beneficial solutions. The upgrading and renewal of existing networks is always a challenge to the development of a modern city and the welfare of citizens. Central governance and management of transport systems, the establishment of smart and digital infrastructure, advanced surveillance and traffic monitoring, and intra-city energy-harvesting policy are some of the steps to be taken during the transition to a green and sustainable urban future.
Municipal authorities have also to consider other options and strategies to create a citizen-friendly setting for mobility: diminish the need for trips (digitalization of services, e-commerce, etc.), shift from private to public transport and transform the urban form to promote non-motorized transport in favor of the natural environment and public health. A citizen-friendly policy based on the anticipation of future needs and technological development seems to be a requisite for European cities searching for a smooth integration of their networks into urban space.