Computer and Information Security (CIS) is usually approached adopting a technology-centric viewpoint, where the human components of sociotechnical systems are generally considered as their weakest part, with little consideration for the end users’ cognitive characteristics, needs and motivations. This paper presents a holistic/Human Factors (HF) approach, where the individual, organisational and technological factors are investigated in pilot healthcare organisations to show how HF vulnerabilities may impact on cybersecurity risks. An overview of current challenges in relation to cybersecurity is first provided, followed by the presentation of an integrated top–down and bottom–up methodology using qualitative and quantitative research methods to assess the level of maturity of the pilot organisations with respect to their capability to face and tackle cyber threats and attacks. This approach adopts a user-centred perspective, involving both the organisations’ management and employees, The results show that a better cyber-security culture does not always correspond with more rule compliant behaviour. In addition, conflicts among cybersecurity rules and procedures may trigger human vulnerabilities. In conclusion, the integration of traditional technical solutions with guidelines to enhance CIS systems by leveraging HF in cybersecurity may lead to the adoption of non-technical countermeasures (such as user awareness) for a comprehensive and holistic way to manage cyber security in organisations.

The current crisis of participation and crisis of engagement of Western societies also affects the application and the validity of the participatory design methodology. Traditional techniques to collaboratively design future solutions with the users and bring their knowledge to the technology application might not no longer be sufficient for the complex nature of our societies. This paper describes the applied research and design of a Digital Companion with AI-based profiling, needs matching, and service-access supporting chatbots. The objective of the Digital Companion is to enhance both the effectiveness of the services currently provided to migrants and refugees by local public administration and organizations, and the life quality of the migrants themselves. The adoption of participatory, iterative, and experimental co-creation approaches allowed to contribute to the innovation of the participatory design framework at a theoretical and methodological level, as is required in order to turn participation into action, to go beyond the mere public consultation and to find new pathways for involving all the citizens (not only migrants or local service providers) as a first step to build a successful project.

Mitigating the worst effects of climate change is the most pressing issue facing humanity today. In their recent report (2023), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underscored the urgency of achieving a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050, as per the terms of the Paris Agreement (2015). However, a concerning disparity exists between the aforementioned targets and the projected trajectory of global emissions, with current data suggesting the potential of a 10% increase in GHG emissions before 2030 (IPCC, 2023). In response to the increasing urgency of the climate crisis, governments have recalibrated their national priorities to meet the GHG emissions targets as set out in the Paris Agreement. This recalibration has manifested in several key areas, including the economy and finance, energy, as well as in social and environmental policy. Environmental concerns are increasingly integrated into economic and development planning, with governments allocating more resources towards renewables and sustainable development initiatives to phase out fossil fuels. Global cooperation on climate change mitigation and adaptation has also intensified with international treaties, like the Paris Agreement, serving as a catalyst for new partnerships and agreements between countries to cut emissions and provide financial support for countries who are or will be most affected by the effects of climate change (e.g. the United Nations’ Green Climate Fund). However, the pace and rate of these changes vary significantly across regions. While developed countries have more resources to implement more ambitious climate targets, developing countries face the challenge of balancing economic growth with environmental safeguards. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->

The present study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the attitude–behavior link in the sphere of environmental issues by taking into account the role of moral disengagement. Pro-environmental attitudes, at both the implicit and explicit levels, were considered under the hypothesis that they may have direct and indirect effects on pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) through moral disengagement. The hypothesized relationships specified in the mediation model were tested by administering a cross-sectional online survey to a convenience sample of adult students enrolled in a digital university (N = 176; M_age = 40.54, SD_age = 14) via Millisecond Inquisit Web. The assessment included instruments measuring environmental moral disengagement and explicit attitudes toward the adoption of PEBs, together with an ad hoc Implicit Association Test designed to capture implicit attitudes toward sustainability, and the use of a pro-environmental behavior rating scale. While the sensitivity to model misfit was limited given the achieved sample size, the results from the path analysis show that implicit attitudes do not have a direct effect on PEBs, while explicit attitudes directly influence them. Moreover, as positive explicit and implicit pro-environmental and sustainability attitudes increase, moral disengagement decreases, which in turn negatively affects PEBs. Overall, the present findings confirm that moral disengagement plays a mediating role, and that attitudes can be targets for potential interventions aimed at promoting pro-environmental behaviors and addressing justificatory mechanisms that hinder their adoption.