The purpose of this study is to explore factors influencing the blockchain adoption in agricultural supply chains, to make a particular focus on how security and privacy considerations, policy support, and management support impact the blockchain adoption intention. it further investigates perceived usefulness as a mediating variable that potentially amplifies the effects of these factors on blockchain adoption intention, and sets perceived cost as a moderating variable to test its influence on the strength and direction of the relationship between perceived usefulness and adoption intention. through embedding the cost-benefit theory into the integrated tam-toe framework and utilizing the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method, this study identifies the pivotal factors that drive or impede blockchain adoption in the agricultural supply chains, which fills the gap of the relatively insufficient research on the blockchain adoption in agriculture field. the results further provide empirical evidence and strategic insights that can guide practical implementations, to equip stakeholders or practitioners with the necessary knowledge to navigate the complexities of integrating cutting-edge technologies into traditional agricultural operations, thereby promoting more efficient, transparent, and resilient agricultural supply chains.

This paper investigates the elements affecting dividend yield in developing Southeast Asian countries—more specifically, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Examined here are the roles of financial information including debt to equity ratio, free cashflows, property, plant, and equipment (PPE) and total sales with controlling factors of size, institutional ownership, and firm age using both short-run and long-run analytical frameworks including the Error Correction Model and Engle and Granger’s approach. The results reveal different trends in the three nations. Higher debt and free cashflows lower dividend yield in Thailand; institutional shareholders benefit from maintaining greater dividend payouts. Aging companies in Malaysia are more likely to pay more dividends while rising revenues are linked to smaller short-term payouts. Leveraged and asset-heavy companies are more likely to keep paying dividends in Singapore. These discoveries have important ramifications for investors and business management trying to maximize dividend policies and improve shareholder value in developing economies.

The purpose of Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET) is to provide users with better information services through effective communication. For this purpose, IEEE 802.11p proposes a protocol standard based on enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) contention. In this standard, the backoff algorithm randomly adopts a lower bound of the contention window (CW) that is always fixed at zero. The problem that arises is that in severe network congestion, the backoff process will choose a smaller value to start backoff, thereby increasing conflicts and congestion. The objective of this paper is to solve this unbalanced backoff interval problem in saturation vehicles and this paper proposes a method that is a deep neural network Q-learning-based channel access algorithm (DQL-CSCA), which adjusts backoff with a deep neural network Q-learning algorithm according to vehicle density. Network simulation is conducted using NS3, the proposed algorithm is compared with the CSCA algorithm. The find is that DQL-CSCA can better reduce EDCA collisions.

The construction of gas plants often experiences delays caused by various factors, which can lead to significant financial and operational losses. This research aims to develop an accurate risk model to improve the schedule performance of gas plant projects. The model uses Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) and Monte Carlo simulation methods to identify and measure the risks that most significantly impact project schedule performance. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the risk variables that may cause delays. The risk model, pre-simulation modeling, result analysis, and expert validation were all developed using a Focused Group Discussion (FGD). Primavera Risk Analysis (PRA) software was used to perform Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation output provides information on probability distribution, histograms, descriptive statistics, sensitivity analysis, and graphical results that aid in better understanding and decision-making regarding project risks. The research results show that the simulated project completion timeline after mitigation suggested an acceleration of 61–65 days compared to the findings of the baseline simulation. This demonstrates that activity-based mitigation has a major influence on improving schedule performance. This research makes a significant contribution to addressing project delay issues by introducing an innovative and effective risk model. The model empowers project teams to proactively identify, measure, and mitigate risks, thereby improving project schedule performance and delivering more successful projects.

In the context of digital transformation, Chinese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) face significant challenges and opportunities in adapting to market dynamics and technological advancements. This study investigates the impact of coopetition strategy on the core competencies of SMEs, with a particular focus on marketing, technological, and integrative competencies. Data were collected from a sample of 300 SMEs in Anhui Province through an online survey, and reliability and validity were tested using SPSS and AMOS. The results indicate that dependency and trust significantly enhance the effectiveness of coopetition strategy from an external perspective, while managerial ambidexterity and strategic intent are critical internal factors driving the successful implementation of coopetition strategies. Both external and internal factors positively impact the core competencies of SMEs. Additionally, environmental uncertainty moderates the relationship between coopetition strategy and core competencies, underscoring the need for flexibility and adaptability in dynamic market environments. The findings suggest that SMEs can better integrate internal and external resources, optimize resource allocation, and improve operational efficiency through coopetition strategy, thereby enhancing their core competencies. This study provides valuable insights and practical guidance for policymakers and business practitioners aiming to support the digital transformation of SMEs.

Based on the resource-based view and institutional theory, this study investigates the impact of their environmental management capabilities and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pressure on the non-financial performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In particular, it examines the interaction effect of ESG pressures on the relationship between SMEs’ environmental management capabilities and non-financial performance. For this study, a total of 1865 SME lists were obtained through Jeonnam Techno Park and Jeonnam Small Business Job and Economy Promotion Agency. Based on this, a total of 127 questionnaires were returned as a result of a telephone, e-mail, and online survey, and finally, an empirical analysis was conducted based on 120 questionnaires. We conducted an empirical analysis of Korean SMEs and obtained the following results: First, environmental management capabilities have a significant, positive effect on SMEs’ non-financial performance. Second, ESG pressure has a significant, negative effect on the non-financial performance of SMEs. Next, we analyzed the moderating effect of ESG pressures and observed that ESG pressures strengthen the positive effect of environmental management capabilities on non-financial performance. Based on the resource-based perspective and institutional theory, this study provides meaningful academic implications by examining environmental management capabilities and ESG pressures, which have not been identified in previous studies, as factors of non-financial performance that are becoming important under the new management paradigm, such as climate change and ESG. Furthermore, while ESG pressure has a significant negative effect on non-financial performance, we find that it is a moderating variable that strengthens the relationship between SMEs’ environmental management capabilities and non-financial performance, which has useful academic and practical implications for ESG and strategic management.