The following International Journal of Environment and Waste Management article, "Evaluation of Hunan Province's agricultural productivity based on the TOPSIS model", is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
AI could boost AC/DC hybrid electricity systems and make renewable-heavy power grids more stable, efficient and resilient, according to research in the International Journal of Global Energy Issues, which has considered the future operation of low-carbon high-voltage networks.
The research looked at one of the main engineering challenges that has emerged with the shift towards renewable energy: how to operate electricity grids reliably when large amounts of power come from intermittent sources such as wind and solar.
Modern electricity systems are increasingly evolving into AC/DC hybrid networks, which combine traditional alternating current (AC) infrastructure, such as power stations, with direct current (DC) systems used by technologies such as solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles and power electronics. Hybrid systems can improve efficiency and make renewable integration easier, but they are also much more difficult to control because both electricity supply and demand fluctuate constantly.
The researchers argue that traditional centralised control systems are no longer appropriate for such networks. Conventional grid management relies on a central operator collecting information from across the network and calculating instructions for generators, storage systems, and other equipment. But the growing number of renewable devices and variables now make real-time optimisation far too slow and computationally complex.
The research has looked at how a framework based on multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL), a form of artificial intelligence (AI) in which software agents learn decision-making behaviour through repeated interaction with their environment might solve this problem. In this approach, different parts of the electricity system, including wind farms, solar installations, and battery storage units, are treated as independent components where rapid, local decisions and the over-arching system coordinates these decisions within the grid as a whole.
Simulations predict a reduction in operating costs of more than 10 percen and an increase in renewable energy use of more than 13 per cent. Efficiency is also improved, with losses reduced by more than 15 per cent compared with traditional centralised optimisation methods.
Wei, B., Yang, C., Liu, K., Tang, W. and Zhang, X. (2026) ‘Optimal scheduling energy for ‘wind-solarload-storage’ AC-DC hybrid distribution network system based on multi-agent algorithm’, Int. J. Global Energy Issues, Vol. 48, No. 8, pp.24–42.
A study in the International Journal of Business Innovation and Research has looked at women’s employment in Saudi Arabia. It suggests that workplace empowerment is closely linked to an employee’s ability to generate and implement new ideas. The research thus offers evidence that organisational inclusion strategies may have direct consequences for innovation performance.
The researchers surveyed almost 500 women working across both public and private sector organisations in Saudi Arabia. They found that those that report higher levels of empowerment were more likely to demonstrate innovative work behaviour.
To test this relationship, the authors used a statistical technique known as partial least squares structural equation modelling. This allowed them to consider multiple interacting variables at once. They could then estimate what direct and indirect effects were affecting the outcomes whether empowerment, psychological engagement, or organisational context.
They point out that empowerment operates not just as a matter of workplace fairness or representation, but drives innovation. They found that this happens through two pathways. The first is creative process engagement, wherein an individual actively involves themselves in generating ideas, experimenting with different approaches to tasks, solving problems, and reflecting on outcomes.
The second mechanism is the kaleidoscope model where shifting priorities such as authenticity are balanced with personal values, work and personal life are balanced, and challenges are met in terms of the pursuit of growth and development opportunities. The study found that empowered women could balance all three angles of the kaleidoscope well to shape their career decisions to support innovation at work.
The team also found that organisational context also had a role to play. Formal and informal rules, practices, and power structures that shape workplace behaviour influenced empowerment and its relationship with innovation. They add that supportive and transparent policies led to stronger links between empowerment and creative engagement. This suggests that institutional environments might facilitate or hinder employee potential by choosing a particular approach to women in the workplace.
Aldossary, S.M. and Aldhmour, F.M. (2026) ‘Women’s empowerment and innovations in work behaviour: based on the kaleidoscope model’, Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, Vol. 39, No. 9, pp.21–49.
The following International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems article, "Power information network attack chain identification and disaster recovery early warning mechanism based on graph neural network", is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development article, "From coal to green: skills pathways for key emerging sectors in just transition regions", is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following International Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining article, "Lightweight CNN-transformer hybrid network for English speech recognition", is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
As if real influencers were not enough, now companies are using computer-generated personalities to persuade consumers to buy their products. A study in the International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing has looked at these CGI-AI figures, which are designed and programmed to act like human social media personalities, and how they affect purchase intention when it comes to sports products.
The work uses the stimulus-organism-response framework, a model in psychology and marketing that helps explain how external stimuli affect a person’s mental state and drive behaviour. The research found that exposure to virtual influencers (the stimulus) can affect the thoughts and feelings of the consumer (the organism), leading to decisions such as making a purchase (the response).
Survey data from consumers in the Phillipines indicates that virtual influencer marketing can have a statistically significant effect on purchase intention. This effect is both direct and indirect. Indirectly, virtual influencers increase product involvement, the degree to which a consumer finds a product personally relevant, and brand familiarity, meaning how well a consumer knows a brand. Both factors lead to a greater likelihood of a purchase, the researchers found.
It seems that virtual influencers operate by deepening engagement rather than being overtly persuasive as a human influencer might. The team suggests that several psychological mechanisms underpin this process. Parasocial interaction, a term describing one-sided relationships in which audiences feel emotionally connected to media figures, helps explain why consumers may respond to virtual personalities as if they were real. Perceived realism, how lifelike and believable the influencer appears, also contributes, alongside attractiveness and perceived trustworthiness.
The findings highlight a shift in digital marketing strategies and offer an alternative to human influencers who have their own opinions and expect to be rewarded or remunerated for their efforts. Unlike human influencers, virtual figures can be tightly controlled, avoiding reputational risks and ensuring consistent messaging. This makes them appealing to brands seeking reliability in an increasingly competitive online environment.
The obverse of this, however, is that the price of such control raises questions about authenticity. As consumers form emotional connections with artificial entities, the nature of trust in advertising may change or there may even be a backlash against this kind of marketing.
Biason, R., Elnagar, A.K., Tolete, C., Elsaadany, H.A.S., Hasan, S. and Santos, L. (2026) ‘Virtual influencer marketing: mediating roles of product involvement and brand familiarity’, Int. J. Electronic Marketing and Retailing, Vol. 17, No. 6, pp.1–23.
The following International Journal of Arts and Technology article, "Stylised 2D animation generation method based on generative adversarial networks", is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
Developers of mobile health applications are making calculated trade-offs in how they earn money, with consequences that extend beyond their balance sheets to the experience, privacy, and accessibility of users, according to research in the International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing that has looked at app markets in Portugal.
‘Mobile health’ refers to smartphone applications that help individuals monitor their health and illnesses, track fitness, access medical advice, or manage treatment. Such tools are widely promoted as a way to improve healthcare efficiency by enabling continuous data collection and encouraging patients to take a more active role in their wellbeing. However, the long-term viability of the commercial apps depends on how their developers monetise patient usage.
The researchers focused on three principal monetisation strategies: upfront download fees, in-app purchases, and in-app advertising. A download fee is a direct payment required before a user can install the app. In-app purchases allow users to pay for additional features or content after downloading, while advertising generates income by displaying promotional material within the app, which might be tailored using personal data.
Each approach carries distinct costs for users. While download fees are explicit and easily understood, advertising-based models introduce indirect costs. These may include time spent viewing adverts, interruptions to the user experience, and concerns about how personal health data may be used to target ads. In-app purchases, meanwhile, can create uneven access to functionality, with some features effectively locked behind paywalls.
The researchers found that advertising commonly substitutes for upfront fees. This reflects a strategic trade-off on the part of the developers: charging upfront generates immediate income but risks discouraging users from installing the app, whereas free access supported by advertising can attract a larger audience, increasing the app’s value to advertisers.
By contrast, in-app purchases tend to complement rather than replace advertising. Applications offering optional paid features are more likely to include ads as well. This allows them to build a broad user base but to boost their income with additional revenue from a subset of users willing to pay for enhanced services.
Cardoso, C., Machado, C.S. and Lemos, N. (2026) ‘With or without ads? A question for health apps’, Int. J. Electronic Marketing and Retailing, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp.362–375.
There is an assumption that social media use is mainly habitual or driven by addiction-like mechanisms, but findings published in the International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing suggest that engagement with such platforms might be better explained in terms of a person’s structured response to distinct psychological and social needs. The work could have implications for how the platforms, policymakers, and users themselves interpret their time spent online.
The researchers analysed responses from 384 participants about their social media use using Structural Equation Modelling. This statistical approach tests complex causal relationships between psychological factors and observable behaviour. It allowed the team to examine how different motivational variables work together to influence social media use in a way that earlier analyses might have missed.
The work builds on Uses and Gratifications Theory, a framework in media studies that argues that individuals are active agents who choose media platforms to satisfy specific needs rather than passive recipients of content. Within this framework, the researchers categorise motivations for social media use into four groups: coping, social motive, enhancement, and conformity.
“Coping” refers to using social media to manage negative emotional states such as stress, anxiety, or sadness. “Social motive” captures the use of platforms to maintain relationships, communicate with others, and experience a sense of belonging. “Enhancement” describes engagement aimed at increasing positive emotions, enjoyment, or self-esteem. “Conformity” refers to behaviour shaped by external pressure, including following trends or responding to perceived social expectations.
The study demonstrated that coping and social motives are the strongest and most consistent predictors of overall social media usage. This suggests that users tend to spend more time on social media when they are either trying to regulate negative emotions or seeking interpersonal connection. Enhancement motives, linked to enjoyment and self-image, also had a part to play, but their effect was less consistent between users. Finally, conformity, despite its theoretical relevance in earlier research, had only a weak association with overall time spent on platforms.
From a policy and design perspective, the work shows that social media usage is more complex than is often assumed in public debate. If social media use is closely tied to emotional regulation and social connectedness, then interventions focused solely on reducing screen time may overlook the underlying psychological drivers of engagement. For some individuals, this might then do more harm than good.
The work also raises the possibility that a blanket approach to restriction or deterrence might not distinguish between different patterns of use. In such cases, the challenge for policymakers and designers should then be to recognise when and why usage becomes disproportionate in more subtle ways.
Kirezli, O. and Aydin, A.E. (2026) ‘The influence of diverse usage motives on the amount of social media use: the moderating effects of age and gender’, Int. J. Electronic Marketing and Retailing, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp.342–361.
The following International Journal of Collaborative Engineering article, "Cross-disciplinary learning in environmental engineering and landscape architecture", is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing article, "Virtual influencer marketing: mediating roles of product involvement and brand familiarity", is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
