Purpose: This qualitative study aims to explore how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurial ecosystems in Pattaya, Thailand, can empower the local economy to diversify beyond its traditional reliance on the tourism sector. It underscores the imperative of economic diversification for tourism-centric economies, especially in light of vulnerabilities exposed by global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Method/Design/Approach: Employing a qualitative research design, the study utilizes in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participatory research methods with local entrepreneurs and stakeholders. This approach facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the experiences, strategies, and perceptions of those directly involved in Pattaya's SMEs and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Results and Conclusion: The research findings highlight a significant trend towards digital innovation and a reorientation towards local markets among Pattaya's SMEs. It uncovers the necessity for substantial investments in technology and digital infrastructure to enhance economic resilience and adaptability. Furthermore, the study accentuates the pivotal role of government in fostering an enabling environment through regulatory reforms, financial incentives, and infrastructure enhancements. The importance of educational initiatives in nurturing entrepreneurial skills and the critical involvement of the private sector and international organizations in supporting economic diversification efforts are also detailed. The conclusion posits that a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach is vital for the sustainable economic development of Pattaya, moving beyond its traditional tourism-focused model. Originality/Value: This study contributes original insights into the challenges and opportunities for economic diversification in tourism-dependent economies, with a particular focus on Pattaya, Thailand. It offers valuable practical recommendations for SMEs, policymakers, and other stakeholders. Moreover, it underscores the importance of embracing digital transformation and fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem as key strategies for achieving sustainable economic growth and resilience against global disruptions.

Objective: This study explores how companies across various industries are implementing circular economy strategies in practice, focusing on the drivers, practices, challenges, enablers, and outcomes of their efforts. Theoretical Framework: The study draws upon multiple theoretical perspectives, including the multi-level perspective on sustainability transitions, the resource-based view of the firm, and institutional theory, to understand the complex factors influencing the adoption and implementation of circular economy strategies. Method: A qualitative, multiple-case study design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with key informants from 20-30 companies actively engaged in circular economy initiatives. Data were analyzed using a combination of deductive and inductive coding approaches, with member checking and peer debriefing used to enhance trustworthiness. Results and Discussion: The findings reveal that environmental sustainability concerns are the primary driver for companies adopting circular economy strategies, with regulatory pressures, competitive advantage, customer demands, and resource scarcity also playing significant roles. Companies are implementing a wide range of circular economy practices, including eco-design, circular business models, reverse logistics, and industrial symbiosis. Key challenges identified include lack of technical knowledge and skills, inadequate infrastructure and technology, and regulatory barriers, while enablers such as leadership commitment, collaboration and partnerships, and employee engagement are crucial for successful implementation. The study also highlights the positive outcomes of circular economy adoption, including environmental benefits, economic gains, innovation and competitive advantage, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement. Research Implications: This study contributes to the theoretical development of the circular economy field and offers practical implications for managers and policymakers. Originality/Value: This study addresses the lack of comprehensive, cross-sectoral research on circular economy implementation in practice, providing valuable insights into the experiences of companies across different industries.

In light of global initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability and low-carbon growth, this research investigates how green finance affects regional technological innovation in China, specifically highlighting the mediating effect of R&D investment. Utilizing panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2008 to 2021, we apply fixed-effects and mediation models to explore these relationships. The results indicate a strong positive link between green finance and regional technological innovation, with R&D investment acting as a partial mediator. Furthermore, the capabilities for regional innovation and entrepreneurship enhance the influence of green finance on R&D investment. However, in areas with greater innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities, the additional effect of R&D investment tends to decrease. Based on these results, the study proposes targeted policy recommendations, including enhancing green finance policies, improving financial institution services, promoting enterprise-led R&D activities, and fostering regional collaboration to achieve balanced innovation development. These insights provide both theoretical and practical significance for leveraging green finance to advance sustainable innovation.

Purpose: This study investigates ways to enhance economic stability in tourism-dependent regions, using Pattaya, Chonburi, Thailand, as a case study. Theoretical Reference: Thailand's heavy reliance on tourism, constituting about 17% of its GDP, sets the context. The study gathers insights from SMEs in Chonburi Province through in-depth interviews. Method: In-depth interviews with SMEs reveal challenges faced by small hotel businesses, including high taxation and substantial expenses, with a focus on labor costs and pre-existing issues like excessive charges. Results and Conclusion: Prioritizing the hotel industry over attracting new tourists is key. Post-COVID-19 economic stability in Pattaya's tourism industry requires a comprehensive approach involving industry revitalization, diversification, support for local businesses, sustainable practices, infrastructure investments, marketing, and government-industry collaboration. Implications of Research: This research underscores the importance of addressing challenges in tourism-driven regions during crises and offers practical insights for safeguarding economic stability. Originality/Value: The study's unique focus on Pattaya provides valuable insights for similar regions, offering strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities caused by external shocks like pandemics.

Against the backdrop of global efforts to achieve sustainability and low-carbon development, this study examines the impact of green finance on regional technological innovation in China, with a particular focus on the mediating role of R&D investment. Using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning 2008 to 2021, we employ fixed-effects and mediation models to analyze the relationships. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between green finance and regional technological innovation, with R&D investment serving as a partial mediator in this relationship. Additionally, regional innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities strengthen the influence of green finance on R&D investment. However, in regions with higher innovation and entrepreneurship capacities, the marginal effect of R&D investment diminishes. Based on these results, the study proposes targeted policy recommendations, including enhancing green finance policies, improving financial institution services, promoting enterprise-led R&D activities, and fostering regional collaboration to achieve balanced innovation development. These insights provide both theoretical and practical implications for leveraging green finance to advance sustainable innovation.

Digital inclusive finance has grown rapidly in China in recent years, yet its effect on agricultural economic resilience remains debated. This study investigates the effect of digital inclusive finance on agricultural economic resilience, focusing on the mediating role of rural industry integration. Using annual panel data covering 29 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2021, we employ two-way fixed-effect panel regressions, mediation analysis, threshold analysis, instrumental variable estimation, and spatial econometric models. The results show that digital inclusive finance has a significant negative effect on agricultural economic resilience, and this finding is robust across alternative specifications and instrumental variable estimations. Rural industry integration serves as an important transmission channel, with the indirect effect accounting for approximately one-third of the total effect. The two stages of this mediation pathway are moderated by distinct threshold variables: rural digital infrastructure positively moderates the effect of digital inclusive finance on rural industry integration, while government fiscal support negatively moderates the effect of rural industry integration on agricultural economic resilience. The spatial analysis further reveals that digital inclusive finance generates negative spatial spillovers onto neighboring provinces. Based on these findings, we suggest that the government continue to invest in rural digital infrastructure, guide digital finance toward rural industry integration in underdeveloped regions, and maintain fiscal support at an appropriate level to preserve the vitality of integrated industries.