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The aim of this study is to simulate the self-organized evolution mechanism of inner innovation of large-scale construction enterprises (LSCE) under different contexts. Based on NK stochastic combinatorial optimization model with two parameters (N, K), this study proposes three modules—ambidexterity, punctuated equilibrium, and automation—to simulate the change behaviors of the inner innovation system. Furthermore, this study analyses the influence of factor correlation on inner innovation performance under discusses nine different combination situations. The research results show that (a) regardless of how the relationship strength changes, fitness increases with an increasing K value; and (b) the comparison of optimization modes show that the punctuated equilibrium mode can guarantee the long- and short-term inner innovation performance LSCE. This study therefore reveals the mutual effects of the factors in the inner innovation system in LSCE and provides an effective model for internal systems analyses in the construction industry and in other sectors.

Globally, sustainable procurement is seen as a crucial component of public sector sustainability initiatives. This research investigates the internal and external barriers to the implementation of sustainable procurement in China’s public sector. Primary data for this research were gathered using survey techniques from 287 respondents who were procurement officials at higher education institutions that are part of the public sector. Twelve hypotheses were developed based on the conceptual model and literature review and evaluated using SEM-AMOS in order to look at the correlations between the variables. The study’s findings demonstrate that employee competency, employee motivation, training programs, financial aspects, management commitment, government rules and regulations, unavailability of green products, supplier capacity, and third-party pressure statistically influence the sustainability of public procurement. At the same time, green practices, the ineffectiveness of green products, and prices of green items had statistically no significant influence on sustainability in public procurement. This is a crucial effort to identify the factors that influence sustainable purchasing in China’s public colleges. This study draws interest from stakeholders and adds to the scant body of knowledge on sustainability in developing nations. In addition, this research is crucial for creating a roadmap for China’s long-term sustainable development in the area of procurement.

This paper takes Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Street as a case study. It explores how enterprises activate the value of “industrial heritage” resources and achieve sustainable development from the perspective of affordance theory. Research findings indicated that: (1) the creation of a culturally recognized context performs a vital role in activating the industrial heritage; (2) the evocation of industrial heritage resources is a dynamic process from the realization of fundamental values to the actualization of high-level values; and (3) the evoked industrial heritage resources can achieve sustainable corporate development. Additionally, the research findings provide reference for enterprises to realize high-level values of industrial heritage resources by creating contexts to transform them into sources of innovation in the post-pandemic era.

This study provides an in-depth analysis of the effects of academic mobility on higher education innovation through an empirical study on returned Chinese academics at two research universities in China. Based on data obtained through document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 15 academic returnees, this paper aims to examine the everyday interactions between individual returnees and their environment, with a focus on exploring how different institutional contexts affect returnees’ capacity for integration and innovation. It finds that returned academics play an important role in promoting higher education innovation in China through mobilizing their transnational capital and resources. However, their capacity to innovate is largely subject to their working environment. Evidence from the study suggests that differing institutional contexts make a substantial difference to the reintegration experiences of returnees and to their contributions to institutional changes. This paper provides a window into the changing institutional environment in China and the academic lives of returnees there. It also provides important implications for talent policy decisions.

Studying the sustainability of the financial performance of Chinese listed companies is an assessment of their future development capability and a comprehensive evaluation of all aspects of the companies over the past period of time. Based on the financial data of manufacturing industry of Chinese listed companies from 2008 to 2015, this paper uses the AHP (Analytic hierarchy process) method to determine the weight of each secondary indictor, calculate the sustainable development capability of financial performance, and analyze and compare the sustainable financial performance of manufacturing sub-industries. The long-term trend and the periodical trend of the sustainable development of the manufacturing industry in Chinese listed companies are analyzed through the HP (High-Pass) filter method. The results show that the long-term sustainable financial performance of the manufacturing industry of Chinese listed companies is basically maintained. Through the comparison of regions and ownership, it has been found that the sustainable financial performance of Chinese listed companies in the eastern and central regions is rising, while that of the western region is declining; the long-term sustainable financial performance of non-state-owned enterprises is rising, while that of state-owned enterprises is declining.

Smart cities are primarily based on information and communications technology development and applications across various academic subjects and domains. Integrating new-generation information and communications technologies, including the Internet of Things data collection, cloud computation, big data applications, and mobile network, smart cities organize the people and things of a city according to application needs to perform real-time computation and processing. Information transmission must be rapid and reliable to protect personal privacy and to secure data. All types of information security problems can lead to disastrous consequences; in particular, they pose great challenges to traditional information security systems. To explore possible solutions to the challenges that Taiwan’s smart city information security faces, this study used the enterprise architecture method and discussed the emphasis and investment capacity of the government and enterprises on information security. Moreover, this study reviewed correct methods of using a smart information security collaborative system to protect not only privacy, however also networks with a large attack surface; the purpose was to establish a reliable data sharing practice and alleviate the cascading effect of failures of smart networks. Finally, this paper provides future research directions for building smart cities and encouraging further explorations in this domain. It is hoped that smart cities can conduct overall planning for information security during the process of construction. Future researchers will be able to propose more effective solutions for smart city information security while developing information and communication technologies.

Interventions in rural development projects vary in their likely time to impact. Some offer rapid payoffs after minimal learning and investment, while others offer larger payoffs but entail delays and may require learning or significant investment of labor and capital. Short-term impacts included reductions in stored grain losses due to improved silos and increase in household savings due to increased participation in savings groups. The least poor are most likely to invest labor and capital in slow-to-accrue payoffs like soil erosion abatement from building conservation structures. Our results suggest that targeting project interventions by asset level can enhance impacts.

Green product R&D is a necessary measure for enterprises to achieve sustainable development. This paper studies the optimal selection strategy of green product R&D and the impact of price competition and green R&D cost on prices, green levels, and enterprise profits in the sustainable competitive supply chain. We establish manufacturer-led game models and compare the equilibrium results of green R&D strategies. The study found that three types of green product R&D strategies exist in competitive supply chains: neither conduct green product R&D (NN), only one supply chain conducts green product R&D (YN), and both conduct green product R&D (YY). Price competition intensity and green R&D cost have a negative impact on prices, green levels, and enterprise profits. Wholesale prices, retail prices, green levels, and enterprise profits are highest in YY strategy, but they are lowest in NN strategy. When one supply chain does not conduct green product R&D, the other supply chain will choose green product R&D only if the green R&D cost meets certain condition. When one supply chain conducts green product R&D, the optimal choice for the other supply chain is always to conduct green product R&D. For the optimal selection strategies, applying two-part pricing contracts achieve supply chain coordination. Our research results provide a reference for the strategic choice of green product R&D in competitive supply chains.