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Who is behind the eco-label? Certification source, trust in government and their impact on consumer perceptions and willingness to pay a premium
No full textPurpose: Over recent decades, organizations have increasingly adopted eco-labels to signal their products' sustainability and ethical attributes. While this proliferation reflects consumer demand and institutional pressures, it has also raised concerns about how eco-labels are perceived in terms of credibility, quality and expensiveness, and how these perceptions influence willingness to pay a premium. This study further examines whether such perceptions depend on receiver's trust in the government. Hence, this study integrates signaling theory and the elaboration likelihood model to answer how source-related signals (government vs private labels) interact with receiver-related information processing (trust in government) to influence consumer perceptions and willingness to pay a premium.
Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a between-subjects factorial experimental design to investigate the influence of eco-label source, government versus private certification, on consumer perceptions of credibility, quality and expensiveness, and how these perceptions subsequently shape willingness to pay a premium for eco-labeled products. Furthermore, this study checks the moderating role of trust in government for the relationship between eco-label sources (government and private) and consumer perceptions of credibility, quality and expensiveness.
Findings: The findings of the study indicate that the perceptions of credibility, quality and expensiveness do not significantly differ for the two eco-label sources (government and private) at a 95% confidence interval. Still, perceptions of expensiveness vary at a 90% confidence interval, such that a product with a government eco-label is perceived to be less expensive than a private eco-labeled product. Among the three consumer perceptions, only quality demonstrates a significant positive association with willingness to pay a premium. Furthermore, the inclusion of the moderator, trust in government, alters these relationships: under conditions of high trust in government, the associations between government eco-label and credibility, as well as between government eco-label and quality, become significant.
Originality/value: The study demonstrates that both the source of eco-labels (government vs private) and trust in government shape consumer perceptions of eco-labeled products, which in turn influence their willingness to pay a premium. The key finding is that government eco-labels are not always superior to private certifications, except under conditions of high institutional trust. The study provides practical insights and theoretical contributions by extending the body of knowledge on eco-label credibility, consumer evaluations, trust in institutions and sustainable consumption
Heavy Metal Accumulation on the Roadside Plant Species with Ethnobotanical Significance and Human Health Risk Assessment: A Case Study of a Major Highway Near the Coal Capital of India
No full textThis study aimed to assess heavy metal (HM) accumulation in selected roadside plant species in urbanized areas near the coal capital of India. Five plant species— Tamarindus indica L. (Fabaceae), Azadirachta indica A.Juss. (Meliaceae), Saraca indica L. (Fabaceae), Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae), and Clerodendrum infortunatum L. (Lamiaceae)— were sampled from five roadside locations with varying traffic intensities. The concentrations of lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co) on the surface of the plants were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Results indicated varying HM accumulation across species, with Clerodendrum infortunatum exhibiting the highest Pb concentration, Tamarindus indica with the highest Cd concentration, and Nerium oleander with the highest Ni and Co concentrations. Furthermore, One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that plant species from heavily trafficked locations showed significantly higher HM levels compared to those from lightly trafficked areas. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed common source apportionment for Pb—Cr and Co- Ni- Cd. Ethnobotanical use of the plants can result in elevated health risk Index (HI), due to exposure of the heavy metals. The Human health risk trend (High to low) in most of the polluted sites was Co \textgreater Cd \textgreater Pb \textgreater Ni \textgreater Cr. Health risk in females was slightly higher at many sites in comparison to males at almost all sites, maybe because of the longer life span of females and the high dependency of females on homemade medicines. Very high concentrations of Co on plant leaves posed more than 10 times higher non-cancer risk in many sites. The health risk assessment indicates that ethnobotanical usage of plants with metal depositions along the roadway may result in health hazard and such studies need to be conducted across major roadways to understand its environmental and health implications
Triple helix trust and spillovers for sustainable innovation: The role of governance, openness, and digital infrastructure
No full textKnowledge-driven economies rely on innovation ecosystems and solutions that leverage digital infrastructure and viable governance supported by collaborative openness among institutions. This study aims to examine the effect of collaborative institutional openness, multi-level governance alignment, and digital civic infrastructure readiness on socially embedded knowledge spillover and triple helix trust density, and resulting outcomes on sustainable innovation performance and societal knowledge value realisation. Additionally, the study examines the moderating role of mission-oriented entrepreneurial orientation behavior for mission-oriented innovation. Implementing collaborative institutional openness, multi-level governance alignment, and digital civic infrastructure readiness enhances socially embedded knowledge spillover and thereby increases triple helix trust density. The two sequential methods help improve sustainable innovation performance and the realisation of societal knowledge value, underscoring the importance of trust-based relational architectures for innovation systems. Intriguingly, mission-oriented entrepreneurial orientation is negatively associated with the relationship connectedness of socially embedded knowledge spillover–triple helix trust density. If a collaborator focuses solely on a shared objective, it can be challenging to build trust with them. The research explains how structural, digital, and behavioral enablers impact sustainable innovation. Innovation ecosystems need to be open, ready for digital technology, trust-based, capable of changing their mission, and governed reflexively
Business Models in the Indian Craft Sector: A Typological Analysis
No full textThe Indian craft sector, one of the world's largest decentralized creative economies, embodies complex intersections of culture, livelihood, and commerce. Yet, existing scholarship and policy discourse remain fragmented, focusing narrowly on heritage preservation or isolated market interventions. This study develops a conceptual typology of business models within the Indian craft ecosystem by integrating distinction between instrumental and substantive value logics with framework of governance modes. Using a conceptual–analytical design grounded in secondary case analysis of representative enterprises, such as Fabindia, SEWA, Jaipur Rugs, KVIC, Raghurajpur, and GoCoop, the paper identifies six ideal-type models: market-oriented, cooperative and cluster-based, value-based hybrid models, state-supported policy-driven, experience-driven and club-good, and digital and post-globalization models. The typology reveals how plural economic logics coexist through hybrid governance and evolving digital interfaces. The study contributes to cultural-entrepreneurship and ecosystem literature by reconceptualizing crafts as a plural economy rather than a residual informal sector. It also provides actionable insights for policymakers and entrepreneurs seeking to align cultural sustainability with market viability. The framework offers a basis for comparative research across creative industries in emerging economies and invites empirical validation through longitudinal and mixed-method approaches
Resilience in Children Survivors of Armed Conflict: a Systematic Scoping Review of Risk and Protective Factors
No full textThis systematic review explores the existing literature on resilience in children who have survived trauma from armed conflict. The review follows 5 stages of Arksey and O’Malley’s framework of a scoping review; papers published between 2000 and 2025 were searched using PsychINFO, PubMed, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Approximately 1097 articles were initially identified and evaluated in the preliminary search using the identified keywords. Of those retrieved, 19 met the criteria and were included, integrating the findings from 16 quantitative and 03 qualitative studies. The findings suggest that despite going through trauma from armed conflict exposure, the children experience resilience. Further findings suggest family and caregiver-related risks, psychological and emotional challenges, environmental and social stressors, behavioral and developmental concerns as risk factors for resilience and Family and Community Support, Psychological and Emotional Strengths, Social and Interpersonal Resources, Spiritual and Cultural Influences, Personal Growth and Future Orientation as protective factors for resilience in children. Implications for practice, policy, and future directions are discussed
IoT Driven Smart Innovation for Microplastic Monitoring and Detection: A Multidimensional Review
No full textThe rapid demographic expansion has led to a substantial increase in demand for water across the industrial, agricultural, and domestic sectors, further intensifying the challenges of water scarcity, pollution, and management costs. Traditional water management technologies face limitations, including operational failures, high energy consumption, and elevated costs. To tackle these issues, recently, the “Internet of Things” (IoT) has introduced innovative solutions for smart water management, enabling real-time monitoring, precise detection, and efficient control of water resources. This review article focuses on the key parameters of microplastic pollution, exploring the impact of microplastic types such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on aquatic systems. The integration of IoT technologies with predictive modeling and risk assessment offers promising benefits by enabling real-time monitoring, precise detection, and effective management of these emerging contaminants. A comparative literature survey highlights current approaches, their limitations, and recent advancements in IoT-based systems for microplastic detection and water quality assessment. This review discusses the challenges, opportunities, and future directions of IoT-enabled microplastic detection, highlighting its role in enhancing water security and addressing global concerns of pollution, scarcity, and climate change
Disrupting (Italian) borderlines: reading rescue operations with Rancière
No full textThis article contributes to current debates on the ‘humanitarian border’, with particular attention to search and rescue (SAR) operations in the Central Mediterranean. Building on Critical Security and Border Studies, it argues that the concept of humanitarian border is more problematic than often assumed, especially in the case of SAR operations, which confront us with an either/or choice: lives are either saved or left at risk. Contemporary Italian border politics privileges a securitarian approach that seeks to obstruct the pro-active SAR activities undertaken by NGOs. Against this backdrop, the article suggests reading SAR operations through the work of Jacques Rancière. His distinction between policing – aiming at protecting existing (sovereign) order – and politics – aiming at disrupting and breaking that order – offers a valuable framework for conceptualizing the antagonistic relation between the government’s securitarian approach and NGOs’ ethical activities. By breaking away from the securitarian imperatives, NGOs contest the assumption that national security always already overrides any ethical concerns and obligations. In doing so, they disrupt the status quo and enact a dissensual politics
The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive: Legal Character, Enforcement Challenges, and Global Policy Implications
No full textThe Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) adopted by the European Union marks one of the milestones in the history of regulation in the context of human rights and environmental actors in corporate governance. This paper will provide a critical legal and policy assessment of the Directive and how it is able to meet its systemic risks associated with corporate operations and global supply chains. This is done by analysing the legal character of the Directive and the way it is to be enforced, and its compliance with internationally recognized norms, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which concerns whether the CSDDD offers a sound, enforceable mandatory due diligence framework. It also examines possible obstacles such as jurisdictional restrictions, the cost of compliance by small and medium-sized enterprises, and the danger of regulatory fragmentation in the EU and in foreign markets. Based on the comparative approach, the paper has placed the Directive within the wider global trends in corporate accountability legislation and singled out best practices in the implementation of the Directive. The results indicate the transformative power as well as scope of practicability of the Directive and are therefore a provider of policy prescription in enhancing its enforcement, transparency of corporations, and making sustainability expectations to bring visible results of human rights and environmental impact
The ‘Failure’ of Marriage or the Success of Autonomy? Rethinking Divorce beyond Stigma
No full textDivorce in India continues to be read primarily as a sign of moral decline and the “failure” of marriage. This article advances the opposite claim: the growing visibility of divorce is a marker of autonomy, especially for women resisting coercive conjugality. It reinterprets divorce not as a social disorder but as a legitimate pathway out of unequal marriages. The insight, therefore, argues for reforms that ensure predictability, security, and dignity in marital dissolution. By placing autonomy at the heart of family law, it urges a new understanding of marriage founded on reciprocity and care, rather than endurance as the sole measure of its worth
Human–Machine Collaboration for Organizations: A Review
No full textIntelligent robots are becoming more and more common in the workplace and in society as a result of the digital economy’s explosive growth. Human–machine collaboration (HM-C) has replaced human–machine coexistence and cooperation in the case of intelligent machines (IM) and humans.The term “human–machine collaboration” describes a relationship in which people work in tandem with intelligent robots to accomplish routine and repetitive activities, freeing up humans to tackle more complicated jobs. Even if intelligent robots are becoming more and more capable of doing a wider range of jobs, workers cannot be entirely replaced by clever machines. Thus, going forward, many organizations will rely heavily on HM-C. This originated from artificial intelligence (AI) when it first came into being as a term, but is now being extended to other fields, such as organizational management and human resource management (HRM), where it has also established the link between workers and robots. To put it briefly, IM work alongside humans as coworkers in the workplace. Next, how employee attitude and behavior are impacted by HM-C. The usage of IM has drawbacks. Employee job instability and psychological stress may rise, yet workload may decrease, and productivity may rise. This chapter uses the literature to help organize recent research advancements in the area of HM-C. It also provides suggestions for further research and draws attention to important knowledge gaps