Background: Digital transformation in the sports industry has become increasingly crucial for sustainable development, yet comprehensive empirical evidence on policy effectiveness and risk management remains limited. Purpose: This study investigates the impact of policy support and risk factors on digital transformation in sports companies, examining heterogeneous effects across different firm characteristics and regional contexts. Methods: Using panel data from 168 sports companies listed on China’s A-shares markets and the New Third Board from 2019 to 2023, this study employs multiple regression analyses, including baseline models, instrumental variables estimation, and robustness tests. The digital transformation level is measured through a composite index incorporating digital infrastructure, capability, and innovation dimensions. Results: The findings reveal that policy support significantly enhances digital transformation levels (coefficient = 0.238, p < 0.01), while financial risks demonstrate the strongest negative impact (−0.162, p < 0.01). Large firms and state-owned enterprises show stronger responses to policy support (0.312 and 0.278, respectively, p < 0.01). Regional development levels significantly moderate the effectiveness of policy implementation. Conclusions: The study provides empirical evidence for the differential effects of policy support and risk factors on digital transformation across various firm characteristics. The findings suggest the need for differentiated policy approaches considering firm size, ownership structure, and regional development levels. Implications: Policy makers should develop targeted support mechanisms addressing specific challenges faced by different types of firms, while considering regional disparities in digital transformation capabilities.

Since 1999, China’s higher education has experienced significant growth, with the government dramatically increasing college enrollment rates, thereby enhancing the overall quality of education. However, most existing studies have primarily focused on the quantity of education, with little attention having been given to the impact of higher education quality (HEQ) on economic growth. This study aims to explore how higher education quality (HEQ) contributes to regional economic growth through scientific and technological innovation (STI) and human capital accumulation. Using panel data from 31 Chinese provinces from the period 1999 to 2022, panel regression models and instrumental variable methods were employed to analyze both the direct and indirect impacts of higher education quality (HEQ) on economic growth. The results confirm that improving higher education quality (HEQ) is crucial for sustaining China’s economic growth. More specifically, higher education promotes regional economic expansion both directly, by enhancing labor productivity, and indirectly, by facilitating scientific and technological innovation. Furthermore, the study suggests that the balanced distribution of educational resources across regions should be prioritized to support coordinated regional development. This research provides insights for policymakers on how balanced regional economic development can be achieved through educational and technological policies. This work also lays a foundation for future studies.

The article emphasizes the dynamism of social processes in the world aimed at humanizing modern society. Social work in the third millennium became one of the priority topics in Europe and acquired the status of an independent field of science and research in terms of science and education. The possibility of extrapolation of innovative foreign technologies into the practice of social work in Ukraine was investigated. It was found that the process of implementation of innovative foreign technologies into the practice of social work in Ukraine has already begun and is ongoing. In the improvement of the domestic system of professional training of social workers, the authors of the article see an appeal to the experience of applying European innovative technologies and practices of social work, in particular in the Republic of Poland. The leading determinants of social technologies, which determine their specificity, are singled out: multidisciplinarity, hierarchy, multidirectionality, flexibility, standardization. The need for effective and timely implementation of the integration of three groups of social support technologies in the conditions of the martial law in which Ukraine is today has been updated. The perspective of further scientific research is defined in the substantiation of the organizational and pedagogical conditions of their application in the process of informal and informal education.

In the present and future of education, fostering complex thinking, especially in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is critical to lifelong learning. This study aimed to analyze learning scenarios within the framework of a model that promotes complex thinking and integrated design analysis, to identify the contributions of linking design models to the SDGs. The research question was: How does the open educational model of complex thinking link to the SDGs and scenario design? The analysis examined a pedagogical approach that introduced 33 participants to the instructional design of real-life or simulated situations to develop complex thinking skills. The categories of analysis were the model components, the SDGs, and scenario designs. The findings considered (a) innovative design capacity linked to SDG challenges, (b) linking theory and practice to foster complex thinking, and (c) the critical supporting tools for scenario design. The study intends to be of value to academic, social, and business communities interested in mobilizing complex thinking to support lifelong learning.

Research issue: The study is driven by contemporary global challenges regarding the stability and efficiency of production processes, the necessity to enhance competitiveness, and ensuring workplace safety, which demands a systematic approach to monitoring and supervising adherence to labour discipline. The research is theoretical in nature. The aim/objective of the study is to analyse the specifics of state policy on supervision and control over employees’ adherence to labour discipline, the peculiarities of its practical implementation, and perspectives for improvement. Method: The study employed a logical-semantic method, analytical and documentary methods of analysis, and the method of expert assessment of labour discipline of employees and employers based on their evaluation of certain aspects of labour discipline. The research methodology included a sample size of 30 respondents, and the research instrument was expert evaluation. Data collection was conducted through surveys, and the calculation method was quantitative. Results: The article examines the impact of the main incentives and methods on ensuring labour discipline, determining their essence and forms of manifestation. It also considers the extent of application of each method in enterprise practices. It was found that economic methods are widely used and aimed at increasing employee motivation and maintaining their labour discipline. The analysis revealed that the main manifestations of employee labour discipline and managerial duties are differences in the perception of labour discipline by both parties. It was found that employers underestimate the productivity and abilities of employees, indicating potential systemic deficiencies in human resource management. Conversely, employees note that managers ignore their needs and problems. The results of the expert evaluation showed that employees rated their discipline higher than employers did. These discrepancies in evaluations could affect internal relations within the team and require managerial attention to improve interaction and cooperation. Conclusion: Based on the assessment of labour discipline, systemic deficiencies in human resource management were identified, highlighting the need for appropriate monitoring and employee motivation mechanisms. The study proposes innovative personnel management methods to ensure labour discipline in enterprises, including HR branding, team building, mentoring, and grading. It is proven that these approaches allow for the creation of a fundamentally new management system to ensure compliance with labour discipline and the development of professionalism and employee motivation.

This study proposes a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) method to support strategic decision-makers in choosing a project management research agenda. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) model is the basic tool used in this study. It is a mathematical tool for evaluating decisions with multiple alternatives by decomposing them into successive levels according to their degree of importance. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) oriented theme of project management was chosen from among four themes that emerged from a strategic monitoring study. The FAHP method is an effective decision-making tool for multiple aspects of project management. It eliminates subjectivity and produces decisions based on consistent judgment.