Book Citation Index - Social Sciences & Humanities (Web of Science)

Purpose: The sharing economy epitomises a paradigm shift by advocating for sustainable consumption practices and resource optimisation. This study investigates the critical factors influencing the burgeoning sharing economy. Methodology: Logical analysis and synthesis methods to glean insights from the existing scholarly literature on the sharing economy and the factors impacting its development. The authors establish a comprehensive set of indicators categorised into four key domains: technological infrastructure, political and regulatory landscape, economic context, and socio-cultural environment. Findings: A framework of quantifiable indicators encompassing the critical factors necessary for the sharing economy’s development. Indicators encompass a comprehensive spectrum, reflecting the influence of technological advancements, economic conditions, socio-cultural factors, and the prevailing political and regulatory environment. Implications: This evaluation considers the principal factors influencing the development and enables comparative analysis between countries based on the conditions fostering the sharing economy. Limitations: This study relies on a literature review, which may not encompass all factors affecting the sharing economy, with a possibility that additional factors not addressed in this study could influence the development of the sharing economy. The indicator framework could be expanded or revised in the future based on new research findings. Future Research: Incorporating dynamic analysis would reveal how fluctuations in identified factors affect the sharing economy over time. Expanding the research to more countries could provide a broader understanding of the global sharing economy landscape, potentially investigating regional or city-level factors for contextual insights. Future research could weight indicators based on their relative importance.

Purpose: The primary purpose is to discuss the productivity and digitalisation interaction at the theoretical level, analyse the productivity and digitalisation differences between the European Union (EU)-14 and EU-13 countries, and evaluate the digitalisation impact on the manufacturing sector labour productivity of the EU countries. Need for study: The average added value created per capita in new EU countries (EU-13) is one-third lower than in old EU countries (EU-14). To increase productivity, manufacturing companies must adapt to modern trends and take advantage of industrial digitisation opportunities. Digitisation can improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and improve product quality, allowing continuous monitoring and analysis of production data, enabling informed decisions and faster problem-solving. Methodology: Analysis of scientific literature, comparing viewpoints, insights, and conclusions. The empirical study includes calculating rates of change of indicators, differences between EU-14 and EU-13, and structural analysis. The impact of digitisation on the productivity of EU countries is studied by creating a correlation matrix and using regression analysis: ordinary least square models. Findings: EU-13 countries are behind EU-14 in labour productivity and manufacturing digitalisation. Digitalisation positively impacts productivity per employee. A faster increase in digitisation, industrial robot use, and e-commerce sales could significantly increase productivity in EU-13, reducing productivity differences between countries. Practical implications: This study highlights the need for policy promoting digitisation innovation, particularly in EU-13 countries, to be implemented by both national and EU-based economic development and regional and cohesion institutions.

Purpose: Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors indeed play a vital role in sustainability efforts across various sectors and industries. ESG factors are often aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide a framework for addressing global challenges related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, and more. Countries that prioritise ESG considerations in their operations and decision-making processes contribute to achieving the SDGs, thus advancing sustainability. The study explores the interplay between ESG practices and overall sustainability outcomes. This involves examining how ESG considerations influence environmental conservation, social equity, and economic resilience and how these factors collectively contribute to sustainability goals. Methodology: Data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is performed in order to find out the most efficient countries, which will provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between ESG factors and sustainability, informing decision-making and driving positive change towards a more sustainable future. Findings: ESG practices transform to sustainable development efficiently in half of the EU countries; however, the efficient countries differ depending on the model. Demonstrating the efficient transformation strengthens the country’s case for sustainability. Countries that embrace ESG practices not only contribute to environmental and social well-being but also enhance their competitiveness and long-term value-creation potential. Implications: Policymakers can use the findings to advocate for policies and regulations that promote ESG integration and sustainable development. This may include measures to incentivise responsible business practices, enhance corporate transparency and disclosure, support sustainable finance initiatives, and strengthen regulatory frameworks to address emerging ESG risks.

This chapter revisits the main concepts in multimodality, gives examples of their applications, provides an overview of selected dominant research orientations and includes several methodological protocols for description, interpretation and explanation of multimodal aspects of discourse. Subsequently, the chapter focuses on one perspective or subfield of multimodal research, visual rhetoric, and illustrates results and methods used for selected studies related to political persuasion, before explaining how it contributes to the understanding of contemporary political discourses. It argues that visual imagery has long been used for voter persuasion and legitimization of political power, but it can also build collective memory, drive politicized issue campaigns, and act as cultural repository for mobilizing social actions. However, in mediated political messages the rhetorical potential is usually hidden behind representation, aesthetics or composition and a degree of critical visual literacy is needed to unpack it. Consequently, the chapter concludes by underscoring the need for awareness of the repertoire of rhetorical devices that can be deployed to persuade with visuals, be they schematic or creative, artistic or mundane, staged or realistic, raw or manipulated.

This chapter uses a discourse-theoretical analysis to study two episodes of the documentary series Along the Borders of Turkey, produced and broadcast by the Dutch public broadcaster VPRO. In 2017, the VPRO web team uploaded these episodes on YouTube, which allowed viewers to comment on these episodes. Supported by a theoretical reflection on the Europeanity discourse and its contingencies, and on the hegemonic or semi-hegemonic articulations of this discourse (with a central role allocated to European benevolence), this chapter shows the discursive consequences of the material dislocations caused by different migration flows in Cyprus and in Greece. The chapter analyses how the episodes represent the contradictions between European benevolence on the one hand, and popular intolerance and the workings of the border apparatus on the other. The analysis of these episodes thus shows how Europe is discursively constructed through the ceaseless interactions and unresolved tensions between the centre and the margins, articulating a Europe of both benevolence and intolerance.

This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.