This study investigates the changing nature of the psychological contract in the digital era, particularly how fluid work arrangements alter traditional employment dynamics. Utilizing a conceptual approach informed by a narrative review, this study examines the historical development of the psychological contract through foundational studies, while also integrating recent research that highlights the transformative influence of digital platforms in fluid work environments. The key contribution of this study is the innovative model it proposes, which captures the complexities of the psychological contract in modern digital and fluid work settings. This model provides a comprehensive theoretical framework to understand evolving employer-employee relationships and practical insights for organizations navigating these changes. It represents a significant advancement in both theory and practical application, connecting traditional employment principles with the dynamism of digital-era work.

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.

This study investigates the buying styles of young consumers, especially the millennials—Gen Y, and Gen Z whose idiosyncrasies and consumption peculiarities are quite different from the older generations. Besides Sproles and Kendall’s eight (8) consumer-style inventory dimensions, this study presents new dimensions and develops six constructs that define young consumers’ decision-style inventory in a developing market. The study population consisted of all younger consumers—Gen Y, and Gen Z in Lagos State, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty-five (125) respondents were selected randomly across all 20 Local Governments in Lagos State, Nigeria. Factor analyses through varimax rotation, latent root criterion (eigenvalue = 1), screen plot test and the percentage of variance were conducted to determine the significant factors to retain among the variables. The findings clearly showed that newly developed CSI constructs in this study (sexiness, trendiness, global branding, smartness, socialisation and entertainment) were strong and significant among young consumers’ decision-making styles. The six (6) constructs developed showed that the younger consumers’ consumption styles are evolving, becoming sophisticated and relatively dynamic, hence the reliance on Sproles and Kendall’s dimensions to measure the younger consumers’ consumption decision styles will be inadequate in business/behaviour strategy development. The dimensions of entertainment, sexy, social, trendy, smartness and global branding variables are mostly underpinned and dominate considerations in purchase decision styles and behaviours among young consumers.

Underground station passenger flow is large, the number of parcels carried by passengers is large and varied, and the parcels carried have an impact on the fire hazard and evacuation of the station. In order to determine the weights of the passenger luggage risk and environmental factor index system in the fire risk evaluation of underground stations in a more realistic way, an optimized and improved hierarchical analysis method for determining the judgement matrix is proposed, which improves the traditional nine-scaled method and adopts the three-scaled method for the four major categories of luggage, namely, handbags, rucksacks, portable power tools and trolley cases. The advantage of this method is that there is no need for consistency judgement in determining packages with a wide range of types and uncertain contents, thus simplifying the calculation. Meanwhile, the reasonableness and reliability of the method is verified by combining it with an actual metro station fire risk assessment system.

The northern territories of Russia need high-quality strategic digital changes in the structure of the regional economy. Digitalization and the introduction of digital technologies in the medium term will be able to transform economic relations in the old industrial and raw materials regions of the North, improve the quality of life of local communities. The growth of digital inequality among the regions under study leads to disproportions in their socio-economic development. The purpose of this study is to develop and test a methodology for assessing the level of development of the digital infrastructure of the Russian northern regions, including classification of an indicators system for each level of digital infrastructure, calculation of an integral index and typology of the territories under study. The objects of the study were 13 northern regions of the Russian Federation, the entire territory of which is classified as regions of the Extreme North and equivalent areas. The methodology made it possible to determine the level of technical, technological and personnel readiness of the northern regions for digitalization, to identify regions with the best solutions at each level of digital infrastructure development. The analysis of the results in dynamics helped to assess the effectiveness of regional policy for managing digitalization processes. As a result, the authors came to the conclusion that increasing the competitiveness of northern regions in the era of rapid digitalization is possible through investments in human capital and the creation of a network of scientific and technological clusters. The presented approach to assessing the development of individual levels and elements of digital infrastructure will allow for the diagnosis of priority needs of territories under study in the field of digitalization. The results of the study can form the basis for regional policy in the field of sustainable digital development of Russia.