The farmers’ welfare and its interlinkages to energy efficiency and farm sustainability has attracted global scientific interest within the last few decades. This study examines the contribution of Agriculture 5.0 to the prosperity of the farmers in the post-pandemic era and the gradual transition to an energy-smart farm. To obtain an insight into the attributes of Agriculture 5.0 and the emerging technologies in the field, Bibliometrix analysis with the use of an R package was conducted based on 2000 data consisting of peer-reviewed articles. The data were retrieved from the Scopus database. A bibliometric approach was employed to analyze the data for a comprehensive overview of the trend, thematic focus, and scientific production in the field of Agriculture 5.0 and energy-smart farming. Emerging technologies that are part of Agriculture 5.0 in combination with alternative energy sources can provide cost-effective access to finance, weather updates, remotely monitoring, and future energy solutions for the establishment of smart farms. Keywords such as “renewable energy,” “Internet of Things,” and “emission control” remain the trending keywords. Moreover, thematic analysis shows that “economic and social effects”, “energy efficiency”, “remote sensing”, and “Artificial Intelligence” with their associated components such as “anaerobic digestion”, “wireless sensor network,” “agricultural robots”, and “smart agriculture” are the niche themes of Agriculture 5.0 in combination with green energy sources, which can lead to the cut cost, energy-efficient, and sustainable energy-smart farms.

The unprecedented conditions of restrictive measures that were suddenly imposed in 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic affected business activity globally. To deal with the consequences that were caused by the pandemic, most SMEs had to adopt strategies which will enhance their development and footprint in the business arena. With this study, we aim to propose a theoretical approach, via bibliometric analysis, of a new business model innovation that will be based on the triple-win formula of strategic agility, ambidexterity, and open innovation. Open innovation can help SMEs develop their ambidexterity and agility capacity and become more efficient, which can contribute to gaining competitive advantage. To approach this issue, a bibliometric analysis was conducted based on 606 articles that were published in the timespan of 2008–2021. The bibliometric analysis used various indicators such as the scientific production in the studied field, h-Index, co-occurrence collaboration, Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), keyword analysis, and thematic mapping. Biblioshiny and VOSviewer were used to process the data, and contributed to the visualization of the results. Of the 476 sources that were analyzed, most of the articles were published by Journal of Business Research; British scholars are those with the highest number of citations on the topic. This research provides insights related to the state of the art of the study area under analysis and highlights the gaps, which contributed to the building of a new business model innovation that will integrate not only ambidexterity and strategic agility, but open innovation, too. The new business model can help SMEs quickly adapt in the new business environment created by the past successive series of crises, such as the most recent financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent increased use of digital tools can be seen as an incentive for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adapt to the digital age. SMEs, whose resilience and adaptability had already been tested during the previous period of the global financial crisis, were called upon to face a new emergency. The aim of this paper is twofold: (i) to investigate the evolution of digital transformation in small and medium enterprises during the pandemic of COVID-19 and (ii) to highlight the main research trends of digital transformation in the post-pandemic era. To approach these issues, a bibliometric analysis based on R package was conducted and examined 765 articles that were published in the timespan of 2014–2022. In the current bibliometric analysis, a range of indicators were applied, such as co-citation analysis of both sources and institutions, the annual scientific production, country collaboration map, world tree map and Multiple Correspondence Analysis. The bibliometric software of Biblioshiny and VOSviewer were used as the main tools to process the data and contributed to the visualization of the results. Findings of the research show that emerging technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and 3D printing have started integrating SMEs in their business models. In addition, the technology–organization–environment framework (TOE) has emerged as a niche theme in the research field of digital transformation of SMEs. The above reveals the willingness and the effort of SMEs to adapt to the new circumstances created by the pandemic of COVID-19, by transforming their business models from conventional to digital one. The social media model is also highlighted, as a new product development of SMEs during the crisis of pandemic of COVID-19. The intention to adopt both TOE business model and social media are significantly influenced by emerging technologies and can raise the awareness of government to support SMEs in this effort.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria are novel and exciting tools of corporate disclosure for decision making. Using quantitative and qualitative analyses, the present study examined the key characteristics and trends of ESG controversies in the European market. At the same time, it identified the controversies’ determinants. A bibliometric analysis was the qualitative method employed on the data derived from Scopus using Biblioshiny software, an R package. The quantitative analysis involved an international sample of 2278 companies headquartered in Europe from 2017–2019 being studied using a Generalized Linear Model. The findings of this research highlighted the role of the “S” and the “G” dimensions of the ESG controversies as the most crucial in affecting controversies. Women are under-represented in the business hierarchy, but their natural characteristics such as friendliness and peaceability lead to a low level of illegal business practices. However, independent of gender, executives have personal gains that they want to satisfy. Thus, executives may become involved in unethical practices and harm their colleagues and the business’s reputation. On the other hand, democracy emerged as one of the most disputed factors. Democracy gives people the voice to express themselves and publicly support their ideas without restrictions. Although, the regression results showed that democracy is not always operated as the “pipe of peace” and can affect, to some extent, controversies.

The escalating global demand for goods transport via shipping has heightened energy consumption, impacting worldwide health and the environment. To mitigate this, international organizations aim to achieve complete fuel desulphurization and decarbonization by 50% by 2050. Investigating eco-friendly fuels is crucial, particularly those with a reduced carbon and zero sulfur content. Methanol derived mainly from renewable sources and produced by carbon dioxide’s hydrogenation method, stands out as an effective solution for GHG reduction. Leveraging its favorable properties, global scalability, and compatibility with the existing infrastructure, especially LNGs, methanol proves to be a cost-efficient and minimally disruptive alternative. This review explores methanol’s role as a hybrid maritime fuel, emphasizing its ecological production methods, advantages, and challenges in the shipping industry’s green transition. It discusses the environmental impacts of methanol use and analyzes economic factors, positioning methanol not only as an eco-friendly option, but also as a financially prudent choice for global shipping. Methanol is efficient and cost-effective and excels over MGO, especially in new ships. It is economically advantageous, with decreasing investment costs compared to LNG, while providing flexibility without specialized pressure tanks. Global marine fuel trends prioritize fuel traits, accessibility, and environmental considerations, incorporating factors like policies, emissions, bunkering, and engine adaptability during transitions.

While individual SMEs may have a minor environmental footprint, their collective influence is characterized as significant. Through the dynamics of their employees, green human resource management can help SMEs reduce their environmental footprint. However, SMEs face difficulties in implementing such strategies and achieving sustainable business continuity. The current research aims to propose the theoretical framework of a business model that will help SMEs adjust to the new environment, address their sustainable goals and gaps in the field, and build a resilient, agile business ecosystem. To approach the research issue, we used the R-based Bibliometrix tool. Using the Scopus database, 368 papers were selected and analyzed as part of the study’s five steps. Bibliometric tools such as Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and R Studio have been used to illustrate the findings. The study’s findings highlight a few different factors that will serve as the foundation for the proposed model. Green competencies, both natural and acquired, as well as the requirement to provide green motivation, are identified as critical for the development of the new business model. Furthermore, the combination of this set of factors contributes to the achievement of green organizational citizenship behavior, which is one of the most important factors in helping SMEs adopt green human resource management methods. Finally, all the above factors are under the wing of the principles of environmental management, which drive businesses to enhance and boost their environmental performance.