This study uses qualitative research methods of text mining to elucidate the potential and prospects for community-based learning opportunities for raising environmental awareness and bringing about healthy behaviour change among university students and local residents. In particular, we focus on the importance of community-based learning in raising environmental awareness and inspiring action to support healthy living and harmony with nature. The three groups were triangulated using semi-structured questionnaires to model the ways in which education for sustainable development (ESD) can contribute to the promotion of environmental education in local communities. In order to collect in-depth data, the authors themselves were present at the study sites and collected textual data based on semi-structured questionnaires in a participatory observation framework, where they had a common experience to understand the observations. Analysis was carried out using NVivo12. The two community learning initiatives studied were in Okayama and Tokyo, which are leading ESD policy areas. The two case studies are both university student-led projects that aim to raise environmental awareness in local communities through environmentally conscious behaviour change and the creation of a foundation for healthy living. This study focuses on “youth” and “community” among the five priority areas proposed in the 2015 ESD report and discusses the potential and prospects for community learning initiatives and the triggering of the nudge effect on environmentally conscious behaviour change and health behaviours. The results of the textual analysis with triangulation show that, while policymakers and teachers and leaders driving the initiative acknowledge the importance of ESD in a comprehensive way, their attention is more focused on the design of specific projects and curricula. In contrast, university students engaged in ESD activities rated the social education facilities (local community centres, community learning centres) as “lively” and “motivating”. It was found that there are high expectations for “public living rooms”, which are important as a base for learning to promote healthy and sustainable communities and environmentally conscious behaviour change.

Purpose: This paper aims to examine consumer perceptions of conspicuousness of purchasing of luxury goods in Thailand. Design/methodology/approach: This study applies a quantitative approach, based on a survey data collected on the internet. The data set was analyzed with structural equation modeling focusing on three latent factors: “Social”, “Personal” and “Conspicuous” value perceptions. Findings: The result indicates that “Conspicuous” value does not have a significant impact on their purchasing intentions, which is a contradiction to the previous understanding that Asian consumers are inclined to behave conspicuously from the collectivist cultural context. This finding casts an implication for marketers in the relevant industry and the field of study for inconspicuous consumer behavior. Research limitations/implications: This research outcome should be expanded to develop more robust implications for the relevant marketers and researchers. In doing so, another investigation based on a bigger data set with more samples would be required. Originality/value: This study indicates that Thai consumers do not behave from the conspicuous perceptions, which has been believed in the Asian context of consumer behavior. This finding suggests a new paradigm for discussion is required to understand Asian consumer attitudes in more depth especially their perceptions of conspicuous and inconspicuous views.

This study aims to discuss the universal and important theme of how innovation supports the growth of global firms, relying on two issues: technology adoption and sustainability in the global marketplace. In other words, the main goal of this research is to show how global innovation management can respond to difficult market conditions and maintain sustainability of businesses through problem solving. The electric vehicle sector was chosen as the object of the study as it faced unprecedented challenges brought about by COVID-19. The electric vehicle sector has emerged as a new model in the automotive sector with accumulations of innovative technologies and is destined to continue to evolve, from the perspective of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) backed up by policy interventions. The methodological tools of the conducted research were the methods of office research, analysis of primary and secondary data, bibliometric analysis of literature. The article presents the results of an empirical study based on primary data collection and analysis, the generalization of scientific work on the impact of innovations on ensuring sustainable business development. Based on a comparative analysis of the main models of conducting innovative research, such as the diffusion model, business model innovation, and Lewin’s change management model, the most successful innovative solutions and the best practices of their implementation at specific companies are determined. The contribution of this study is to build on previous findings and academic discussions in the innovation field, analyse case studies of successful realization of sustainable business through innovative actions in response to unprecedented difficulties caused by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The greatest contribution is to discuss the paths that innovation has successfully taken, with examples of specific companies, and to present a practical discussion agenda that will provide suggestions through stimulating further discussion in future research.

Purpose: This study aims to present a communication model for promoting value co-creation between citizens and policymakers and to draw out proposals on the rationale in implementing nudge effect as well as key policy implications. The paper also revisits the close relationship between information senders and receivers (citizens) from the perspective of “citizen behaviour change” and focuses on the nudge effect, which strengthens the communication skills of policymakers (information senders) and accelerates the behaviour change of citizens (i.e. the recipients of information). Based on the study, the authors propose a conceptual framework to explain the spontaneous incentive structure of citizens.Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a conceptual discussion based on a literature review. It examines the nudge effect on citizen behaviour based on information and communications models and theories. From critical discussions of literature, it proposes an analytical model that focuses on the nudge effect put forward in behavioural economics and takes into account the importance of measures to increase the sensitivity and empathy of the recipients of information.Findings: The authors revisited the relationship between information senders and receivers from the perspective of citizen behavioural change and focus on the nudge effect, which strengthens the communication power of policymakers and accelerates the behavioural change of citizens (i.e. the recipients of information). According to the study, the authors propose a conceptual framework to explain citizens' spontaneous incentive structure. The dual perspective of policymakers and citizens should be central to the collaboration between citizens and policymakers to enhance the effectiveness of social policies, where the scope and type of value generated and the perspective of social value are essential.Research limitations/implications: This paper bridges the interdisciplinary research fields of behavioural economics and social policy. It is hoped that the model proposed in this paper will be an effective discussion framework for relevant researchers and practitioners when considering human resource training and system building related to information dissemination. In addition, it is hoped the model will be an effective tool for deepening discussions on topics that help to facilitate information transfer and communication within organisations.Practical implications: The realisation of policy intentions within the core elements of the social policy process, such as the definition of key objectives, policy mechanisms and legislation, are central elements of policy formation and are said to be highly similar across countries. The framework proposed in this study is a valid resource that can be applied in other countries and can be expected to act an effective guidepost for policy makers and other stakeholders engaged in social policy.Originality/value: Up to this point, in examinations of encouraging behavioural change in information recipients, attention has been focussed on the aspect of increasing the sender's ability to transmit information. Interventions, such as increasing the energy of the delivery, increasing the frequency and diversifying the media to make a strong impression on the receiver's consciousness, have been considered and implemented. However, this study suggests that, in addition to such efforts on the part of the sender, it is important to increase the sensitivity and affinity of the receiver to the message as preliminary preparation to receiving it.

This paper examines how public-private partnerships in traditional industries serve as innovative governance mechanisms for regional revitalization in aging societies. Through comparative analysis of Japanese public-private brewery models and Central European cultural heritage initiatives, a novel theoretical framework (the Traditional Industry Revitalization through Governance Innovation (TIRGI) Framework) is developed. This framework advances existing PPP and public governance theories by specifically addressing how traditional industries can be transformed into instruments of public policy and regulation. Drawing on social capital theory and public value creation perspectives, the analysis reveals three key governance innovations: hybrid institutional arrangements balancing public accountability with market efficiency, multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms integrating cultural preservation with economic development, and trust-building processes generating both bonding and bridging social capital. The TIRGI Framework demonstrates unique advantages over existing models by integrating public governance principles with cultural heritage management, providing specific regulatory mechanisms for traditional industry PPPs, and offering measurable outcomes across economic, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions. The framework contributes to public administration scholarship by reconceptualizing traditional industries as platforms for governance innovation and regulatory experimentation rather than merely objects of preservation.

The increasing frequency of market disruptions in the contemporary global economy has exposed fundamental inequities in small and medium enterprise (SME) financing systems, creating urgent needs for understanding how financial constraints shape digital transformation capabilities during periods of economic uncertainty. Through thematic analysis of 33 semi-structured interviews conducted with 28 Thai SME owner-managers and 5 financial advisors between May and September 2024 in Thailand, this study examined how financial constraints shaped digital transformation trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three core financial themes were identified: (1) digital finance adoption patterns and investment challenges, (2) credit access disparities between asset-light and asset-rich firms, and (3) financial policy distortions favoring foreign investors. The analysis revealed how collateral requirements, personal credit dependency, and institutional lending biases created divergent digitalization pathways. Asset-light firms relied on high-cost personal credit (18% interest rates) while asset-rich firms secured rapid institutional financing within 48 hours. These findings challenge assumptions about universal SME financial vulnerability and highlight the need for targeted financial inclusion policies. This research opens future academic perspectives for examining fintech innovations in emerging markets, comparative studies across ASEAN countries, and longitudinal analysis of financing decision path dependencies in crisis contexts.