Fifty shades of green

A review in the International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting on the subject of greenwashing in financial services has found that financial institutions often claim environmental responsibility while continuing to finance high-carbon projects.

The study examined peer-reviewed publications over a ten-year period and identified a gap between the sustainability claims of financial institutions and their actual environmental performance. It found that selective reporting and misleading disclosures - part of the process of so-called greenwashing - can help institutions satisfy investor and regulatory expectations without actually changing their financing activities.

Two dominant themes were identified in the review: regulatory pressures and corporate governance, and carbon performance measurement and the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into financial decisions. Given that banks and investment managers influence the funding of economic activities, if there is widespread greenwashing, then it might be assumed that those activities are not leading us towards a more sustainable future, after all. Misleading claims risk directing investment towards activities that undermine emissions reduction efforts and weaken confidence in sustainable finance.

There needs to be put in place standardised environmental performance measures and independent verification of sustainability disclosures to reduce the amount of greenwashing taking place.

Sahu, M., Uddin, F., Jee, K., Shekhar, S. and Hossain, M.B. (2026) ‘Greenwashing practices in carbon management accounting within the financial services sector: a systematic review using PRISMA and bibliometric analysis’, Int. J. Managerial and Financial Accounting, Vol. 18, No. 10, pp.1–30.

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Free Open Access special issue on "Multiscale Energy Systems for Renewable Energy Storage: Part 4" published by International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy

The International Journal of Energy Technology and Policyhas published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Design of solar-powered nuclear radiation instrument
• Research on the incentive effect and mechanism of carbon trading policies on green innovation in high-energy-consumption enterprises
• Construction of a new energy cross-border traceability system based on blockchain trust transfer

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Construction and verification of real-time interactive facial expression synthesis technology for three-dimensional animation driven by fuzzy logic interpolation algorithm
• Intelligent corrosion rate prognosis for metallic materials using XGBoost
• Large language model driven construction and intervention of conceptual metaphor network in second language vocabulary
• A lightweight multimodal transformer driven by edge intelligence and its application in real-time memory enhancement for mobile English learning
• A graph neural network-based algorithm for planning and recommending learning pathways in civil engineering education

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Reasoning-based Intelligent Systems

The International Journal of Reasoning-based Intelligent Systems has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• A two-stage BPE-NPMI framework for core phrase discovery in unsegmented classical Chinese corpora: a systematic, reproducible evaluation
• Time series analysis of learning behaviour and construction of academic early warning mechanism for digital transformation of education
• Teacher-governed generative AI-assisted training for piano improvisational accompaniment: effects and a multi-source explanatory framework
• Multiscale corporate cash flow volatility forecasting using VMD-SSA-transformer: adaptive decomposition, gated fusion and cross-industry validation
• A self-supervised unified representation architecture for multi-source heterogeneous data

Research pick: Pandemic panic? There was an app for that - "COVID-19 digital proximity-tracing applications: uptake, performance, and public health management implications"

Digital contact-tracing applications had only a limited effect on COVID-19 transmission during the pandemic, according to a paper in the International Journal of Services, Economics and Management. It was suggested that public apathy was to blame, but the bigger problem was that governments and public health authorities failed to integrate the technology effectively into their pandemic response, according to this comparative review. It would be wise to learn this lesson now, before the next pandemic hits.

The team examined research, government publications, and media reports and found that the effectiveness of mobile phone apps depended heavily on institutional leadership, public confidence, and healthcare infrastructure. The authors identify shortcomings in governance, communication, and service delivery as significant obstacles.

Contact-tracing apps were meant to identify people who had been close to someone infected with the virus and alert them to this fact so that they could be tested, and if found to be positive, put themselves in isolation to avoid spreading the disease to other people. There were two main approaches used: location-based tracking, which records visits to particular venues, and proximity tracing, which used the Bluetooth system to register encounters between smartphones.

There was a lot of unclear communication, inadequate privacy safeguards, and poor integration with existing testing and contact-tracing services at the time. Overall, this undermined public confidence and limited the practical value of these apps. It is worth noting that significant amounts of public money were poured into these systems, which ultimately proved wholly inadequate.

As such, the authors argue that governments must establish clear legal safeguards, independent oversight and transparent communication now. This would hopefully ensure that future digital tools are incorporated into functioning public health services in readiness for the next emerging disease. They also suggest that given the global nature of pandemics, there is a pressing need for international coordination to improve cross-border responses.

Lokshina, I.V. and Lanting, C.J.M. (2026) ‘COVID-19 digital proximity-tracing applications: uptake, performance, and public health management implications’, Int. J. Services, Economics and Management, Vol. 17, No. 5, pp.595–612.

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New Open Access article available: "From entrepreneurial competencies to entrepreneurial intention: the double-edged role of perceived SNS characteristics"

The following World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development article, "From entrepreneurial competencies to entrepreneurial intention: the double-edged role of perceived SNS characteristics", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Geological hazard monitoring and risk early warning of transmission corridor based on multi-modal remote sensing data
• Deep Q-network-based intelligent financial decision-making model for enterprise dynamic budget allocation
• Multi-modal alignment-driven consistency verification and error traceability for financial statement accounts
• Intelligent sequencing of intangible cultural heritage labour course content via knowledge graph embedding
• Interactive violin music generation using LSTM and transformer

Research pick: Imagine the turtles, so happy together - "An assessment of coastal erosion patterns and impacts on sea turtle nesting sites at Almond Beach, Shell Beach, in Guyana"

Coastal erosion led to the loss of more than 70 per cent of the shoreline at Almond Beach in Guyana’s Shell Beach Protected Area between 2016 and 2024, according to data reported in the Interdisciplinary Environmental Review. This loss has reduced sea turtle nesting habitat and increased the need to relocate eggs, the research has found.

Almond Beach forms part of the 120-kilometre Shell Beach coastline in north-western Guyana, a protected area providing nesting grounds for four sea turtle species: leatherback, green, hawksbill, and Olive Ridley. Females come ashore to lay eggs between March and August.

The researchers used high-resolution satellite imagery, geographical information systems (GIS) and expert interviews to assess shoreline changes. They identified the eastern section of Almond Beach as being worst affected, with erosion intensifying between 2021 and 2024, alongside increased nest losses.

Coastal erosion is the gradual wearing away of a shoreline by the wind and waves but also by human activity. Moreover, its effects are being exacerbated by climate change, construction work, and sand extraction. The researchers suggest that this is threatening habitats and reducing suitable sites for turtles to lay eggs.

The work has implications elsewhere because sea turtles migrate across international waters and depend on suitable nesting beaches to sustain their populations. The team suggests that conservation work should involve coastal mangrove restoration, dune stabilisation, and targeted sand replenishment. This could be complemented by improved satellite monitoring and community involvement to strengthen coastal resilience and allow nesting habitats to be better protected.

Machado, E. and Kalicharan, L. (2026) ‘An assessment of coastal erosion patterns and impacts on sea turtle nesting sites at Almond Beach, Shell Beach, in Guyana’, Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp.345–374.

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Research pick: The humanitarian side of social media - "Empowering humanitarian supply chains: the transformative role of social media in disaster response and relief – a systematic literature review"

A literature review in the International Journal of Services and Standards has highlighted the potential of social media to improve humanitarian supply-chain management. However, it also identifies a shortage of research into its role in the delivery of aid during emergencies.

Humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) involves organising the movement of essential goods, services and information to people affected by disasters. It includes purchasing, transporting and storing food, medical supplies and other relief materials. Logistics accounts for around 80% of humanitarian relief activities, making efficient coordination essential.

The researchers used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to look at dozens of research papers in this area. The analysis showed that social media has often been found to strengthen the disaster response through real-time information sharing, the mobilisation of volunteer, and through better coordination of the disaster response.

In the commercial world, supply chains are usually set up to prioritise cost reduction and minimal stockholding, while in humanitarian work, there is a need to respond to unpredictable demand as a disaster unfolds without recourse to profit margins. Social media can, in this context, nevertheless, provide an additional means of identifying needs, communicating with affected communities, and helping to direct resources. The shows that there are obstacles yet to be overcome, including unequal access to technology, misinformation, outdated information and difficulties coordinating between humanitarian organisations.

Pandey, A., Gupta, S. and Mosallanezhad, B. (2026) ‘Empowering humanitarian supply chains: the transformative role of social media in disaster response and relief – a systematic literature review’, Int. J. Services and Standards, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp.285–305.

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New Open Access article available: "Adaptive knowledge-driven query generation for zero-shot document retrieval"

The following International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems article, "Adaptive knowledge-driven query generation for zero-shot document retrieval", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Behavioural Accounting and Finance

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Behavioural Accounting and Finance are now available here for free:

• Herd mentality in investment decision making: an empirical study mediated through emotional and psychological aspects
• Unveiling gendered habitus in audit quality: a Bourdieusian quantitative study in Tunisia
• The impact of tax education and compliance intentions on tax behaviours focusing on slippery slope framework
• Do behavioural biases shape personal financial decisions: a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach
• Calendar day anomalies: evidence from Dhaka Stock Exchange
• Corporate social responsibility and financial performance: the mediating role of corporate governance

New Open Access article available: "Influence of process parameters on conversion efficiency in plasma cracking of heavy oil residues"

The following International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology article, "Influence of process parameters on conversion efficiency in plasma cracking of heavy oil residues", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

New Open Access article available: "Greenwashing practices in carbon management accounting within the financial services sector: a systematic review using PRISMA and bibliometric analysis"

The following International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting article, "Greenwashing practices in carbon management accounting within the financial services sector: a systematic review using PRISMA and bibliometric analysis", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Over the influence - "Decoding the influence: a meta-analysis on social media influencer marketing"

A meta-analysis of empirical studies involving more than 31000 participants has revealed the factors that affect the level of influence of so-called social media influencers. Those factors include credibility, expertise, attractiveness, and perceived similarity to their followers. They are, the work shows, positively associated with the attitude of consumers towards the brands mentioned or promoted by those influencers and, in turn, their purchasing intentions. Details of the analysis can be found in the International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising.

The researchers emphasise that a parasocial interaction, the sense of personal connection, is the thing that most deeply affects the relationship between follower and influencer, despite that the inevitable asymmetry of the connection. The team also found that all of the factors showed similarly strong relationships with brand attitudes and purchase intentions. This suggests that no single characteristic dominates the effectiveness of influencer marketing. This thus has implications for businesses selecting influencers to help them publicise their products and services.

The analysis also found that credibility has become increasingly important in predicting purchase intentions over time. This perhaps reflects the growing reliance of consumers on trustworthy sources for guidance given the endlessly expanding volume of social media content. This may become an increasingly important part of influencer marketing as artificial intelligence, AI, becomes more pervasive and consumers seek out genuine content.

Jia, X., Yi, Y. and Ahn, S. (2026) ‘Decoding the influence: a meta-analysis on social media influencer marketing’, Int. J. Internet Marketing and Advertising, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp.436–466.

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New Open Access article available: "From service failures to customer acceptance: the role of managerial response and adaptive innovation in AI-enabled service systems"

The following International Journal of Business Innovation and Research article, "From service failures to customer acceptance: the role of managerial response and adaptive innovation in AI-enabled service systems", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

New Open Access article available: "Design of interactive feedback system for university online education classroom based on emotion recognition CNN model"

The following International Journal of Computational Systems Engineering article, "Design of interactive feedback system for university online education classroom based on emotion recognition CNN model", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

New Open Access article available: "Construction of a full lifecycle risk assessment model for high-altitude tension clamps in substations"

The following International Journal of Critical Infrastructures article, "Construction of a full lifecycle risk assessment model for high-altitude tension clamps in substations", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: A fuzzy approach for a smooth operator - "GA-optimised fuzzy control for trajectory tracking of a 3-DOF robotic manipulator"

A genetically optimised fuzzy logic controller for robotic arms is described in the International Journal of Automation and Control. The system improves accuracy and resilience in simulations of a three-degrees-of-freedom robotic arm. Moreover, it outperforms alternative control systems when the device is exposed to disturbances and changes in the system parameters.

The researchers compared fuzzy logic control, an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and a genetic algorithm-optimised fuzzy controller (GA-FLC). Genetic algorithms are optimisation systems inspired by natural selection and are often used to find the best solution to complex problems by “evolving” candidate parameters until an optimal fit emerges.

The team carried out simulations and showed that GA-FLC reduced average root mean square errors by 89 per cent compared with conventional feedback control. The system thus improved on the alignment between the robot's intended and actual movements. GA-FLC also maintained stable performance even when significant changes were made to the system parameters, while earlier approaches failed under such severe variations.

The findings could have implications for industrial automation, where robotic arms perform precision tasks such as assembly, welding, and material handling, the work suggests. Even greater resilience to disturbances could improve reliability and reduce errors in manufacturing. The next step will be to undertake hardware implementation and real-time testing as proof of principle in a test industrial setting.

Abushokor, A., Abdalhadi, A. and Mysorewala, M.F. (2026) ‘GA-optimised fuzzy control for trajectory tracking of a 3-DOF robotic manipulator’, Int. J. Automation and Control, Vol. 20, No. 8, pp.1–27.

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Free Open Access special issue on "Sustainable Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Part 2" published by International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development

The International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Study on adaptive learning path recommendation method based on multi-task learning model
• Qualitative study on teacher support behaviour in outdoor autonomous games in kindergartens
• GRA-LSTM for intelligent evaluation of blended teaching effectiveness in higher education
• The transformation of teaching ethics and knowledge authority in humanities classrooms of universities in the AIGC era

New Open Access article available: "Mathematical processing units: a prototype for enabling next-generation ambient AI"

The following article from the International Journal of Critical Computer-Based Systems, titled "Mathematical processing units: a prototype for enabling next-generation ambient AI", is available for free download as an open-access publication.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

New Open Access article available: "Semantic-guided multi-scale diffusion network for immersive tourism content generation"

The following International Journal of Information Quality article, "Semantic-guided multi-scale diffusion network for immersive tourism content generation", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Writing the shape of my art - "A new exploration of the causes behind the square-based structure of Chinese character outlines"

A new historical analysis challenges the received wisdom as to why Chinese characters developed their distinctive square shapes. The work in the International Journal of Arts and Technology argues that their shape resulted from interacting linguistic, technological, and cultural factors rather than a single cause.

The researchers looked at the evolution of Chinese writing and distinguished between the linguistic unit represented by a character and the space occupied by its written form. They considered four possible units: phonemes, or individual speech sounds; syllables, or units of pronunciation; morphemes, the smallest units of meaning; and words.

Earlier explanations have attributed the square configuration to the semantic structure of Chinese characters, the simplicity of their component shapes, or traditional preferences for symmetry and square forms. This new analysis suggests that none of those factors alone explain the evolution. Indeed, other writing systems also use semantic construction or relatively simple symbols but did not develop a comparable square outline approach.

The researchers suggest that the square-shaped writing cells emerged through gradual regularisation. The grouping of graphic components, changes in character structure and practical demands of writing with brushes on materials such as bamboo slips helped establish the consistent shape. Later scribes and then printing reinforced the convention, while cultural preferences may have supported its continuation.

Dai, M. and Li, H. (2026) ‘A new exploration of the causes behind the square-based structure of Chinese character outlines’, Int. J. Arts and Technology, Vol. 16, No. 10, pp.1–15.

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