World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development (6 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Analysis of the environmental impact across key sectors in ASEANS top developing economies, a panel ARDL-PMG methodology  
  by Fan Fei, Ha Van Trung 
  Abstract: This study assesses the environmental sustainability of five ASEAN countries Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia - using annual data from 1990 to 2022. Employing the panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL-PMG) model, we examine the short and long-term impacts of key economic sectors - agriculture, fossil fuel energy use, tourism, and transportation - on the ecological footprint. Robustness is ensured through cointegration and Granger causality tests. The results reveal that, in the long run, agricultural production, fossil fuel consumption, tourism, and transportation significantly increase the ecological footprint at the 1% level. Notably, food exports and international tourism exert substantial environmental pressures. However, short-term effects vary across countries, with agricultural production and transportation showing insignificant impacts on CO2 emissions in some cases. Causality analysis confirms unidirectional relationships from agricultural development - particularly food exports and food production indices - to ecological degradation. These findings underscore the intricate links between economic growth and environmental sustainability and provide critical policy implications for advancing green development in Southeast Asia.
  Keywords: ASEAN countries; ecological footprint; EF; agricultural production; panel PMG-ARDL; ASEAN economics; ASEAN tourism.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2026.10077408
   
  
• From green practices to sustainable supply chains: a mediation-moderation analysis of big data SCM and circular HRM in the pharmaceutical industry  
  by K.M. Priya, P. .Prasad Babu, R. Manigandan 
  Abstract: This studys objective is to examine the sway of green practices on green supply chain management (GSCM) mediated by big data supply chain (BSC) management and moderated by circular economy human resource management (CEHRM) within the pharmaceutical industry. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires distributed to 250 top-level managers of drug manufacturing companies in August 2025, with 243 valid responses analysed. The study employs PLS-SEM to evaluate the structural relationships and latent variables. The results reveal significant positive relationships between BSC and GSCM, and the positive influence of CEHRM, green recruitment and selection (GRS), green performance management (GPM), and green training and development (GTD) on both BSC and GSCM. The findings demonstrate the moderating role of CEHRM in enhancing the effectiveness of BSC on GSCM, suggesting that integrating green practices and big data is mutually reinforcing. This research contributes novelty to the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities theory by illustrating how sustainable HR practices can dynamically enhance supply chain outcomes, providing a nuanced understanding of embedding sustainability in supply chain operations.
  Keywords: green performance management; GPM; big data driven supply chain management; green recruitment and selection; GRS; circular economic human resource management; green technology and development.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2026.10078090
   
  
• The ESG-firm profitability nexus: empirical evidence from the Gulf Cooperation Council  
  by Chokri Zehri, Latifa Saleh Ben Ammar 
  Abstract: In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), where economic diversification is paramount, aligning environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments with financial performance presents a critical challenge for firms. This study investigates this nexus by analysing a panel of 220 non-financial GCC firms from 2011 to 2024 using a dynamic GMM methodology. We find that while a positive baseline relationship exists between ESG and profitability, this link is not automatic. Instead, the financial returns are amplified by two internal firm-level mechanisms: the presence of a formal corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy and greater board gender diversity. These findings are robust to alternative model specifications, performance measures, and industry-adjusted ESG scores. Further analysis reveals contextual heterogeneity, where strategic formalisation is paramount in the energy sector, while governance diversity drives value in non-energy sectors. Policymakers need to move beyond disclosure mandates to require integrated sustainability strategies and enforce governance reforms, adopting a targeted approach that supports small and medium-sized enterprises and imposes higher strategic standards on the energy sector.
  Keywords: ESG performance; profitability; Gulf Cooperation Council; GCC; sustainability strategy; corporate governance.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2026.10078350
   
  
• 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 restricts 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
   
  
• 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
   
  
• 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