World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development (11 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Assessing the sustainability challenges of affordable housing in Pithampur?s mining and industrial areas using the Delphi method  
  by Vivek Garg, Bimal Chandra Roy, Tiwari Pavan Kumar 
  Abstract: The accelerating degradation of the environment has made sustainable development a global priority. In construction, unchecked growth and weak social accountability have triggered major challenges, including poor waste management, frequent safety lapses, and intense resource consumption. This research investigates the core barriers to sustainable and affordable housing in Pithampur, an industrial and mining hub near Indore. An initial list of 33 obstacles was compiled through literature review and responses from 248 participants. A Delphi method was then employed, involving 624 stakeholders workers, miners, slum residents, developers, and officials reducing the list to 19 critical barriers. Expert feedback from NGOs, academia, and finance further refined the results. A second Delphi round engaged 348 primary and 234 secondary participants. The barriers were classified into four domains: professional and environmental, social and regulatory, economic, and technological. The study offers actionable insights to tackle these impediments and promote green, sustainable construction practices in Indias industrial regions.
  Keywords: Delphi technique; Indore Housing; sustainable construction; mining and industry.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2027.10080170
   
  
• Sustainable marketing mix and green purchase intention in Egypt: the moderating role of customer satisfaction  
  by Mohamed Gamil, Ahmed Hussein Ali 
  Abstract: Global pressure to promote sustainable consumption has intensified the need to understand how sustainability-oriented marketing influences consumer behaviour, particularly in emerging economies where environmental awareness is still evolving. In Egypt, the transition toward sustainable products is supported by national sustainability agendas, yet organisations remain uncertain whether such efforts enhance customer satisfaction and green purchase intention. This study examines how sustainable product, price, distribution, and promotion influence green purchase intention, with customer satisfaction as a moderating variable. Drawing primarily on the stimulus-organism-response framework and supported by the theory of planned behaviour, the study uses survey data from 1,095 Egyptian consumers. The findings show that sustainable product and promotion exert stronger positive effects on green purchase intention when customer satisfaction is high, whereas the moderating effects of sustainable price and distribution are not significant. The study contributes by clarifying how sustainable marketing mix dimensions differ in behavioural influence within an emerging-market context.
  Keywords: sustainable marketing; green purchase intention; customer satisfaction; stimulus-organism-response; SOR; emerging markets; Egypt.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2027.10080558
   
  
• Comparing coastal megacity traffic and inland oil basins: spatiotemporal disparities in CO and NO2 concentrations between New York and Alberta  
  by Ethan Mercer, Oluwaseun Akinfenwa, Davoud Ghahremanlou, Amir Ghahremanlou 
  Abstract: We compare tropospheric column CO and NO2 over oil-industrial basins in Alberta (AB) and megacity corridors in New York (NY) using a transparent, quality-controlled (QA) Sentinel-5P workflow (2019-2024). Daily TROPOMI retrievals are QA-screened in Google Earth Engine, aggregated to monthly/annual jurisdictional means, and mapped in GIS to identify hotspots. CO shows summer-dominated cycles in both regions; NO2 seasonality diverges, summer-biased in AB and winter-biased in NY. ABs NO2 is 2 x NYs (5.45-6.15 x 10-5 vs. 2.67-3.08 x 10-5 mol m-2), clustering over the oil-sands region, while NY carries higher CO with persistent signals along the NYC-Long Island corridor. Consistency checks indicate modest-moderate agreement with ground/inventory data, stronger for NO2 in AB and CO in NY, reflecting domain differences, lifetimes, vertical structure, and sampling mismatch. The concentration-first, jurisdiction-agnostic pipeline complements inventories and ground networks for seasonal, place-based screening and hotspot triage, and is portable for air-quality governance globally.
  Keywords: tropospheric column concentrations; sentinel-5P; cross-jurisdictional comparison; industrial versus urban regimes; wildfire modulated CO pulses; satellite-informed air quality governance.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2027.10080566
   
  
• Comprehending food loss in international supply chains: a sustainable perspective on Indias edible oil imports  
  by Aaqib Chaudhary, Preeti Tak, Ram Singh 
  Abstract: This study examines the stages and causes of food losses in the international edible oil supply chain from an Indian perspective. It identifies losses across export, inter-country, and import logistics phases. The authors construct a framework to explore the underlying causes through an extensive literature review and expert consultations, employing the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to highlight critical factors. With India relying on imports, including palm, soybean, and sunflower oil, to meet over 60% of its edible oil demand, understanding food loss stages becomes economically and socially significant. As an outcome, the study concludes that the import-country logistics phase, where poor cargo handling and reduced shelf-life are key contributors based on high global criteria weights, needs to be addressed. It also recommends operational, policy, and infrastructural interventions to address these challenges, holding considerable value, especially from the sustainability dimension for developing countries.
  Keywords: food loss; FL; sustainable development goals; SDGs; international supply chain; ISC; edible oils; food security.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2027.10080772
   
  
• The ecology of mind in the Ramayana: mental wellbeing and sustainable living  
  by Tulsee Giri Goswami, Omprakash K. Gupta, Prakash Giri 
  Abstract: This paper explores how the Ramayana offers a rich framework for understanding and cultivating mental wellbeing, in ways that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (good health and well-being). It argues that the epic portrays an ecology of mind where psychological health, moral values, environmental harmony, and social relationships are deeply interwoven. Drawing on key events and characters in the Ramayana, the paper demonstrates how inner qualities such as emotional regulation, resilience, compassion, detachment, purpose, and ethical decision-making contribute not only to individual mental health but also to sustainable modes of living. The paper further examines how Ramayana-based counselling techniques (recently developed) and the lived examples of Rama, Sita, Hanuman, and others can inform modern mental health interventions and promote sustainable behaviours. The conclusion suggests a model for integrating these insights into education, mental healthcare, and policy, thereby bridging ancient wisdom and modern needs.
  Keywords: Ramayana; mental wellbeing; SDG 3; ecology of mind; sustainable living; Indian psychology; resilience; emotional regulation.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2027.10080791
   
  
• Optimisation of reversible photochromic coatings based on methylene blue: formulation screening, performance characterisation, and mechanistic insights  
  by Yiming Zou, Jianqi Chen, Yaolin Zhang, XIa Wang 
  Abstract: Reversible photochromic coatings are promising for optical storage, smart packaging and UV-detection yet suffer from high cost, poor colour-switching sensitivity and narrow absorption. This work optimised methylene-blue-based coatings via single-factor screening of seven variables. The optimal formulation contains 0.02g methylene blue, 0.2g SnCl2 and 20g SiO2 in 0.5mol/L HCl. Under 365nm UV irradiation, it achieves blue-colourless-blue reversible switching with 1519s colour-changing time and 1013s recovery time over 8 cycles. It has 330685nm broad absorption (peak at 664nm), costing only 12.66CNY/kg, 85.8% cheaper than commercial coatings. Adding tris(2,2bipyridine) ruthenium chloride hexahydrate catalyst realises orange-to-black transition. Mechanistically, Sn2+ reduces methylene blue while UV triggers reoxidation; SiO2 improves coating uniformity and stability.
  Keywords: reversible photochromism; methylene blue; MB; stannous chloride; coating optimisation; performance characterisation.
  
  
• A risk-oriented sustainability assessment of UV-printing based on process-invariant properties  
  by Vyacheslav Repeta 
  Abstract: Sustainability assessment of industrial technologies often relies on aggregated energy and emission indicators, while technology-specific risk mechanisms related to material chemistry, occupational exposure and waste generation remain insufficiently addressed. This paper proposes a risk-oriented sustainability assessment framework for UV-printing technologies based on process-invariant properties, treating the technology as a class rather than a site-specific installation. Intrinsic technological properties are mapped to generic sustainability risk categories and evaluated using semi-quantitative indicators of severity, likelihood and controllability derived from structured expert judgement. The results are aggregated into a sustainability risk index and combined with a complementary advantages index to form a sustainability balance indicator. A Pareto analysis identifies dominant risk drivers, and a comparative scenario analysis evaluates the effect of transitioning from conventional UV-curing to UV-LED systems. The framework provides a transferable, screening-level tool for analysing technology-driven sustainability trade-offs and supporting decision-making in sustainable technology development.
  Keywords: sustainable development; technology sustainability assessment; risk-oriented sustainability; process-invariant properties; UV-flexoprinting; sustainable development goals; SDGs.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2026.10078950
   
  
• Exploring the drivers of vendor managed inventory success for sustainable development: evidence from IPMA analysis  
  by R. Manigandan, Alpa Srivastava, R. Sangeetha, S. Dheepalakshmi, B. Jeyaprabha, V.G. Murugan 
  Abstract: This study investigates the critical factors influencing the success of vendor managed inventory (VMI), focusing on the roles of information quality, relationship quality, and resource sharing. VMI, an integral part of modern supply chain management, requires close collaboration between suppliers and buyers to optimise inventory management and improve operational efficiency. The study explores how information quality, characterised by accuracy, timeliness, and relevancy, impacts decision-making and VMI performance. Relationship quality, including trust, communication, and commitment, is examined as a facilitator of seamless collaboration, while resource sharing is analysed in terms of material, knowledge, and technology exchange. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilised to examine data collected from 150 supply chain managers and key stakeholders at Indian manufacturing enterprises using Smart PLS 4. The findings demonstrate that information quality and relationship quality, resource sharing significantly influence the effectiveness of VMI implementation; the findings offer significant insights for firms aiming to improve VMI systems by emphasising the quality of information flow, cultivating robust supplier-buyer relationships, and facilitating effective resource sharing.
  Keywords: vendor managed inventory; VMI; information quality; resource sharing; Smart PLS; supply chain management; Indian manufacturing enterprises; structural equation modelling; SEM.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2026.10078623
   
  
• Application of CSR initiatives in the Uruguayan pharmaceutical sector  
  by Christian Diaz, Perry Haan 
  Abstract: Empirical evidence on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is perceived and implemented by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in highly regulated industries within developing countries remains limited, particularly in Uruguay's pharmaceutical sector, where local and regional firms dominate yet show limited engagement with formal CSR frameworks. This study explored managers' perceptions regarding factors influencing CSR application in Uruguayan local and regional pharmaceutical companies. Grounded in Institutional Theory, Stakeholder Theory, and the framework for CSR implementation addressing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, a qualitative multiple-case design was adopted. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, direct observation, and documentary analysis, applying a literal replication logic in cross-case analysis. Thirteen key factors were identified, grouped into three categories: priority CSR initiatives, barriers and drivers, and perceived benefits and risks. This study contributes context-specific qualitative evidence to CSR literature on SMEs in regulated industries and developing economies, offering practical insights for managers, policymakers, and stakeholders.
  Keywords: corporate social responsibility; CSR; pharmaceutical industry; Uruguay; small and medium enterprises; developing countries.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2026.10079970
   
  
• Searching for definitions and boundaries in sustainable construction supply chains  
  by Anand Prakash, R.P. Mohanty 
  Abstract: The integration of sustainability in systems of construction supply chains has turned out to be a critical agenda due to the rising environmental issues. Nevertheless, the conceptualisation of sustainable construction supply chains (SCSCs) is underdeveloped and fragmented. In this paper, an analysis of the evolving definitions and boundaries that shape the way sustainability is practised in construction supply chains is explored. The paper provides evolving definitions of SCSCs highlighting the inconsistencies in terms of sustainability focus, project life cycle scope, improvement level, and method applied to focus on environmental performance. It then examines boundaries to reveal ambiguities which restrict effective tracking, and implementation of sustainability projects with conceptual propositions. The paper also presents some of the main challenges. The paper helps to develop a better conceptualisation for SCSCs and it establishes a policy and research agenda regarding the built environment.
  Keywords: circular economy; green thinking; life cycle thinking; sustainable construction supply chains; SCSCs; triple bottom line; TBL.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2026.10078526
   
  
• AI-enabled circularity in textile waste management: a TOE-CE integrated systematic review across the textile lifecycle  
  by Anurag A. Sunitha 
  Abstract: This study looks at how AI is beginning to reshape textile waste management across the entire lifecycle of textiles. Through a systematic literature review guided by an eight-step review protocol, the work maps out several AI applications, from machine learning and deep learning to spectral imaging, robotics, computer vision, and broader data-driven optimisation tools. AI can cut waste at different points in production, improve sorting accuracy, support planning decisions, and even enhance wastewater treatment. Yet, many organisations struggle with basic digital readiness, weak data systems, and inconsistent regulations. When viewed through the technology-organisation-environment framework and circular economy principles, it becomes clear that AI leads to truly circular outcomes only when technology, organisational capacity, and external support move in the same direction. The review also exposes several gaps in current research and underlines the need for real-world, scalable AI solutions that can actually push the textile industry toward circularity.
  Keywords: artificial intelligence; circular economy; production waste; spectroscopy; technology-organisation-environment; TOE; textile cutting waste; textile waste; textile waste sorting; TOE framework; sustainable.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2026.10078816