This research aims to investigate the impact of the use of social media on the organizational form and function in selected local governments of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. This research used quantitative and qualitative methods. The researchers not only conducted comparative– explanatory studies among the three ASEAN cities but also used multiple-informant and secondary data analyses. All variables are operationalized into indicators and transformed into a questionnaire in three languages: English, Indonesian and Thai. Primary data for the research were collected using a cross-sectional survey conducted in Bandung City, Indonesia; Iligan City, the Philippines; and Pukhet City, Thailand. This research found that social media use has not yet affected the internal organizational processes in the three cities. Also, social media use is not appropriated as a space for citizen–government interaction. It is used for only information dissemination to the public; social media seems to have been used for only collecting information from citizens but not for involving them in the decision-making process. This research covers only three cities in the ASEAN countries, and the findings cannot be generalized to others. Moreover, this research looks at the supply-side dimension or government organization side only. However, the findings confirm that findings of previous research studies that social media use in the local government is only for information dissemination. Legal bases for social media use could be an urgent matter to address to advance more fundamental changes in government processes. There is no prior comparative study on the use of social media by local governments in the ASEAN countries. Social media owing to its sense of personalization or sense of community improves communication between citizens and government better than e-government sites; however, as articulated by Mirchandani et al. (2008), social media may hinder rather than facilitate the delivery of services (Mirchandani et al., 2008). This is due to the absence of a legal basis of its use, as well as agreements on the manner of its use, which prevents full integration of social media into the governance process, particularly in the cases of the cities of Iligan, the Philippines, and Phuket, Thailand.

This study analyses forestry governance by assessing the situation of local and central governments’ land-use activities. Governance networks and regulations on intergovernmental functions support to shape patterns of coordination. Collaborative governance is often cited as a way to develop a plan for the sustainable management of forest land use. However, an empirical approach to collaborative governance is still lacking. This research investigates which factors of collaborative governance practices correspond to forest land use. Hence, understanding their roles is essential to managing networks for forest management activities. The findings of the study demonstrated that collaborative governance has changed away from information sharing and toward forestry governance and policy network. Furthermore, forest land use also emphasizes guidelines for preventing the spread of land-clearing fires, which is an important aspect of fire prevention in general. The fires from 2010 to 2018 affected agricultural lands, plantations, forests, and swamps. The clearing of peatland for oil palm and timber plantations appears to be the main source of smoke-haze and is indicated as the primary driver of land clearing motives in Riau Province, Indonesia. Nvivo-12 was used as a tool to codify each interview result. Observations were coded for discussion, and the work refined the findings from the analysis. The data were then transferred to Gephi to allow networking analysis. The network was combined using the Gephi software. NVivo was also used to explore forest land-use activities by combining network analysis to assess the pattern of collaboration.

Focusing on Indonesia’s Riau Province, this study examines the complexities of managing networks for forest governance, and how local governments should adopt and enforce policies in network settings based on multi-stakeholder participation. Data were collected through interviews and document analysis, and analyzed using network analysis. The finding show that network governance through regulation should be enforced through the network’s political structure, involve several local actors, and facilitate coordination and communication for mutual benefit, especially in forest land-use management. Trust and costs reflect the development of collaborative behavioral frameworks which can influence coordination capacity, including intergovernmental networks in forest land-use policy. Further, the separation of network governance from multiple linked actors, which seems more “ally” (i.e., lead-organization governed networks) than “join” (i.e., shared/participatory governance networks), is undoubtedly problematic. The network and building of trust between network stakeholders may never transform into multi-stakeholder management structures without enabling network governance.

Purpose: Graduate unemployment has emerged as a significant global challenge, underscoring structural misalignments between higher education systems and contemporary labour market demands. This study investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) and globalisation shape graduate employability and the implications for higher education institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach: Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, this study applied explicit inclusion criteria to identify peer-reviewed works published between 2012 and 2025 in the Scopus and Web of Science databases to achieve the research objectives. A total of 107 studies were analysed through a six-step thematic process involving familiarisation, generation of initial codes, theme identification, theme review, theme definition and naming, and synthesis and reporting. Findings: Graduate employability is increasingly affected by AI-driven change, intensifying challenges such as skills mismatches, outdated curricula, limited institutional support, and inadequate practical experience. Automation and AI-enabled tools heighten demand for digital literacy, adaptability, and cross-cultural competencies, while global competition and the digital divide complicate workforce entry. At the same time, AI offers opportunities through personalised learning, lifelong skills development, work-integrated education, and ethical technology use. Addressing these dynamics requires HEIs to align curricula with industry needs, strengthen industry partnerships, integrate digital and entrepreneurial skills, and modernise career services. Practical implications: The study offers actionable insights for higher education leaders, emphasising the urgency of aligning academic programmes with market realities and reinforcing academia–industry partnerships to prepare graduates for an AI-driven global economy. Originality/value: By integrating perspectives on AI and globalisation, this study develops a thematic framework explaining employability dynamics and guiding institutional policy, curriculum reform, and future research.

This chapter aims to present the situations of social media use for developing local governance in Thailand. The main objective is to study how social media can be applied for improving citizen engagement in local administration. So, this chapter would like to demonstrate these results through a case study, Phuket municipal. This study would present how Phuket municipal has applied social media to improve internal operations and relationship with people; how people can use social media for engaging with the municipal in several dimensions; and what are the impacts of those works in terms of local governance development.