Due to climate change, firms are encouraged to introduce various measures to enhance both their competitiveness and sustainability, particularly energy efficiency measures (EEMs). Energy efficiency is particularly important in energy-intensive sectors such as the industrial sector. However, EEMs within industrial firms are hindered by several internal barriers such as competing interests within firms, lack of information regarding energy efficiency opportunities, and low technical competence. In this regard, energy audits aim to improve energy efficiency in facilities and to tackle internal barriers to energy efficiency. We developed a model that seeks to investigate the significance of energy audits in the implementation of EEMs and to reduce the intensity of internal barriers to energy efficiency. Our research model was empirically tested via data collected from a survey conducted with 193 industrial firms in the Kingdom of Morocco. Results show that competing interests, lack of information, and low technical competence hinder the adoption of EEMs within industrial firms, which aligns with findings from previous studies. In addition, our findings indicate that energy audits enhance EEMs and mitigate the negative effect of lack of information and low technical competence on the adoption of EEMs, which is consistent with findings from prior studies. However, our results demonstrate that energy audits do not attenuate the negative effect of competing interests on EEMs; this contrasts with findings from several previous studies. Therefore, our study builds upon prior research and contributes new insights regarding the importance of energy audits in tackling internal barriers to energy efficiency.

The chapter identifies and discusses various challenges affecting adoption with the emergence of green decision-making into sustainable development. The study finds major barriers in traditional practice ICT, finance, resistance to change, and lack of digital skills especially in SMEs. This research highlights the potential role of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain, in improving sustainable decisions based on systematic reviewing 277 articles and textual analysis with IRaMuTeQ. This research indicates that overcoming such challenges and ensuring a resilient transition would call for an integrated strategy comprising financial incentives, training, and sound regulatory frameworks. The study encourages the development of a culture of sustainability and technological innovation to maintain values through time.

As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms tourism and hospitality practices, this chapter examines the behavioral and financial barriers to its adoption. The study highlights major challenges such as resistance to change, high implementation costs and lack of resources. A systematic analysis of key themes from 29 recent articles, carried out with IRaMuTeQ, reveals that these barriers are holding back technology adoption. The results underline the need for inclusive strategies, including incentive policies and training programs, to ensure an equitable and sustainable digital transition.

Climate change complies firms to introduce various measures to enhance both their competitiveness and sustainability, particularly energy efficiency measures (EEMs). Energy efficiency is particularly important in energy-intensive sectors such as the industrial sector. However, EEMs within the industrial firms are hindered by several internal barriers such as competing interests within firms, the lack of information regarding energy efficiency opportunities, and the low technical competence. In this regard, energy audit aims to improve energy efficiency in facilities and to tackle internal barriers to energy efficiency. We construct a model which aims to explore the importance of energy audit in implementing EEMs and reducing the intensity of internal barriers to energy efficiency. Our research model was empirically tested through survey data gathered from 193 industrial firms in Morocco. Results show that competing interests, the lack of information and the low technical competence hinder the adoption of EEMs within industrial firms. In addition, energy audits enhance EEMs, and mitigate the negative effect of the lack of information and the low technical competence on the adoption of EEMs. However, energy audits do not attenuate the negative effect of competing interests on EEMs. This study reinforces previous studies with additional confirmation regarding the importance of energy audits for tackling the lack of information, and the low technical competence within firms. Furthermore, our study extends prior research as we found that energy audits do not reduce the intensity of competing interests within firms regarding EMMs’ implementation.

This paper examines the short-run dynamics of monetary policy transmission in a bank-dominated emerging economy, with a focus on the relative timing of adjustments across financial valuations, balance-sheet aggregates, and inflation. Using monthly data over the period 2018–2024, the analysis relies on a reduced-form VAR framework. The results indicate that monetary policy innovations are more rapidly reflected in bank equity valuations proxied by the MASI banking index at short horizons, while balance-sheet variables exhibit more limited and less persistent adjustments. Inflation dynamics remain difficult to identify clearly within the short-run horizon, consistent with the gradual nature of price adjustments. These findings suggest that financial variables react more quickly to monetary policy innovations, while credit and macroeconomic variables adjust more gradually due to institutional constraints, risk considerations, and nominal rigidities. This pattern reflects heterogeneous adjustment speeds across variables rather than a structurally identified transmission mechanism. This paper provides evidence on the timing of short-run adjustments across financial and macroeconomic variables, highlighting the importance of temporal dynamics in the analysis of monetary transmission.