As the aging trend intensifies, the Chinese government prioritizes technological innovation in smart elderly care services to enhance quality and efficiency, catering to the diverse needs of the elderly. This study examines the acceptance and usage behavior of smart elderly care services among elderly individuals in Xi’an, using a modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model that includes digital literacy as a moderating variable. Data were collected via a survey of 299 elderly individuals aged 60 and above in Xi’an. The study aims to identify factors influencing the acceptance and usage behavior of smart elderly care services and to understand how digital literacy moderates the relationship between these factors and usage behavior. Regression analysis assessed the direct effects of Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), Social Influence (SI), and Facilitating Conditions (FC) on usage behavior. These dimensions were then integrated into a comprehensive index Service Acceptance to evaluate their overall impact on usage behavior, with behavioral intention examined as a potential mediating variable. Results indicate that EE and SI significantly impact the adoption of smart elderly care services, whereas PE and FC do not. Behavioral intention mediates the relationship between these variables and usage behavior. Additionally, gender, age, and digital literacy significantly moderate the impact of service acceptance on usage behavior. This study provides valuable theoretical and practical insights for designing and promoting smart elderly care services, emphasizing the importance of usability and social promotion to enhance the quality of life for the elderly.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is related to the dynamic development of digital skills. This article focuses on the impact of AI on the work of non-profit organizations that aim to help those around them. Based on 10 semi-structured interviews, it is presented here how it is possible to work with AI and in which areas it can be used—in social marketing, project management, routine bureaucracy. At the same time, workers and volunteers need to be educated in critical and logical thinking more than ever before. These days, AI is becoming more and more present in almost all the activities, bringing several benefits to those making use of it. On the one hand, by using AI in the day-to-day activities, the entities are able to substantially decrease their costs and have the advantage of being able to have, in most cases, a better and faster job done. On the other hand, those individuals that are more creative and more innovative in their line of work should not feel threatened by those situations in which organizations decide to use more AI technologies rather than human beings for the routine activities, since they will get the opportunity to perform tasks that truly require their intellectual capital and decision making abilities.

The convergence of multifaceted global challenges encompassing the rise of populism, Brexit, the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has catalyzed a profound reassessment of international trade policies. This article critically examines the intricate linkages between these challenges and their profound implications for the contemporary international trading system. Traditionally, globalization debates in the 1990s underscored the social and environmental dimensions of trade, yet the current landscape reveals an undeniable entwining of societal implications with trade policies. This article delves into the interconnectedness of these global challenges with trade, evaluating how each phenomenon influences and reshapes policy discourse. In particular, the rise of populism and its attendant protectionist sentiments have engendered a reevaluation of trade relationships and multilateral agreements. The seismic geopolitical event of Brexit has disrupted regional trade dynamics, signaling a paradigm shift in established trade blocs. Simultaneously, the imperatives of addressing the escalating climate crisis have spotlighted the necessity for trade policies to align with environmental sustainability goals. The COVID-19 pandemic, acting as a disruptor on a global scale, has accentuated vulnerabilities within supply chains, emphasizing the need for resilience and adaptability in trade frameworks. Additionally, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has introduced geopolitical tensions that further complicate the trade-policy landscape. By critically evaluating these intersecting challenges, this article delineates the evolving nature of trade policies and their inextricable relationship with societal and geopolitical realities. It underscores the imperative for a holistic approach in policy formulation that integrates social, environmental, and geopolitical considerations, acknowledging the integral role of trade policies in addressing contemporary global challenges.

South Korea has experienced rapid economic development since the 1960s. However, pronounced regional disparities have concurrently emerged. Amid the escalating regional inequalities and persistent demographic challenges characterized by low fertility rates, regional decline has become a pressing issue. Therefore, the feasibility of expanding transportation networks as a countermeasure to regional decline has been proposed. This study utilizes the synthetic control method and spatial difference-in-differences methodologies to assess the impact of the 2017 opening of Seoul–Yangyang Expressway on economic development and population inflow within Hongcheon-gun, Inje-gun, and Yangyang-gun. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of highway development as a policy instrument to mitigate regional decline. Findings from the synthetic control method analysis suggest a positive impact of the opening of the expressway on Hongcheon-gun’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2018, as well as Yangyang-gun’s net migration rates from 2017 to 2019. Conversely, the spatial difference-in-differences analysis, designed to identify spillover effects, reveals negative impacts of the highway on the GRDP and net migration rates of adjacent regions. Consequently, although targeted transportation infrastructure development in key non Seoul Metropolitan cities may contribute to ameliorating regional imbalances, results indicate that such measures alone are unlikely to suffice in attracting population to small- and medium-sized cities outside the Seoul Metropolitan Area.

Soundscape tourism has become one type of tourism, and its trend is emerging in most areas with hilly, forested, and natural landscapes, such as Bantul Indonesia, becoming a mainstay for region development and its community. This article explores four human manufactured soundscape tourism destinations in Bantul, Indonesia, examining the interrelationships between each tourism stakeholder and pinpointed development from a socio-economic perspective. We adopt a cross-case study approach, drawing main sources from government statistics, regulations, social media narratives, and online news. Using the NVivo 12 Plus software, we coded and annotated the research source. Our research revealed that in four case studies, tourism soundscapes emerged as the primary tourist attractions, with other attractions only marginally contributed. Presenting music or acoustic stages enabled tourism industry to reap benefits, particularly for local community and regional income. However, it is important to emphasize sustainability issues, thus, the continuous increased in music soundscape in nature has led to the formation of collaborations among tourism actors, with local communities “Pokdarwis” posed as the principal driving force behind destination development. This study demonstrates that human-manufactured soundscapes have the potential to increase visitor numbers and outperform natural soundscapes in natural destinations.

This study employs the Standard Error Estimation technique to investigate the connections between the digitalization of economy, population, trade openness, financial development, and sustainable development across 127 countries from 1990 to 2019. The findings revealed associations between financial development, population growth, trade openness, economic growth, Digitalization development, foreign direct investment (FDI), and sustainable development. Financial development negatively impacts sustainable development, suggesting that countries with advanced financial systems may struggle to maintain sustainability. Trade openness exhibits a negative association with sustainable development, implying that countries with open trade policies may face challenges in maintaining sustainability, possibly due to heightened competition or resource exploitation. These findings highlight the multifaceted relationship between economic factors and sustainable development, underscoring the importance of comprehensive policies and governance mechanisms in fostering sustainability amidst global economic dynamics.