Purpose:Digital transformation is revolutionizing the way organizations operate, and talent management plays a crucial role in this process. The impact of digital transformation on talent management and the strategies organizations can employ help effectively manage the human side of transformation. Need for the Chapter:The use of technology aspects in the back-end systems in various human resource firms/agencies helps people in conducting relevant practices with increased effectiveness. Therefore, various latest technologies are well suited for implementing technologies in HR organizations to offer high levels of service to clients as well as to reach higher competitive levels. Design/Methodology/Approach:Through a systematic analysis of existing literature and industry trends, this chapter explores the fundamental concepts underlying digital transformation along with talent management and the potential impact of digital transformation on talent management. Findings:The chapter discusses the key aspects of digital transformation, such as a customer-centric approach, process reengineering, technological integration, data-driven knowledge, collaboration, business model evolution, innovation and agility, and the opportunities and challenges they present. It also highlights the importance of talent management in the digital era, including talent identification, acquisition, development, performance management, recognition, career development, succession planning, and employee engagement and retention. It emphasizes the need for organizations to analyze skills gaps in the context of digital transformation and provides strategies for virtual onboarding and the use of technology in recruitment processes. Furthermore, it addresses the ethical and human considerations in digital transformation, such as data privacy, job displacement, digital divide, bias in AI and analytics, employee well-being, and environmental impact. Originality:The chapter provides an original corpus of information on literature related to the relationships and impacts of digital transformation on talent management in the present world scenario. Relevance in Practice:Overall, the critical role of talent management in navigating the digital landscape offers insights into managing the human side of digital transformation ethically and effectively. The chapter thus aims to equip businesses and researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the metaverse and its potential for transforming talent management. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->

Cities’ role as major hubs of human activity and economic development is essential in attaining sustainable development, fostering a balance between economic, social, and environmental development, especially in light of the growing concern over Anthropocene-induced environmental issues like global warming and climate change. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a historic call for coordinated international action in this area, with SDG 11 specifically identifying “Sustainable Cities and Communities” as a primary objective. Therefore, it is clear that a paradigm shift in our approach to these challenges in terms of our thinking, sensibility, behavior, and responses is necessary. Implicitly, in view of their pivotal role in environmental sustainability, development of “smart” cities as healthy, citizen-friendly, economically viable, and sustainable cities for our future generations in today’s globally integrated world, as predominant centers of human settlement and activity with multinational enterprises driving economic growth, gains the immediate attention of researchers. In this light, this study aims to identify and thereafter prioritize key indicators of a smart city using the structured and consistency-focused best–worst multi-criteria decision-making (BWM) method, suitable for expert-driven decision-making with limited comparisons. While the UN’s SDG 11 promotes safe and resilient cities, our findings suggest a disparity in how local officials prioritize certain dimensions such as safety or recreation. This disconnect warrants closer examination of localized policy drivers. The findings of this study indicate that according to experts, among others, the priority themes are, in order, water and sanitation, wastewater, health, the environment, and the economy. Thus, these represent a key take-away for multinational enterprises for identifying and assessing significant thrust domains and areas of opportunity for intervention and contribution to the UN SDGs. It also enables a replicable framework for synergy between the public and private sectors towards contrastive intervention in other cities across the globe.

Purpose: The cold chain (CC) is critical in preserving perishable goods across multiple industries. Insufficient infrastructure, along with other challenges, contributes to extensive food wastage. Although numerous studies have focused on the challenges of the CC, an integrated framework is required to prioritize and tackle these challenges. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical research utilizes a conscious capitalism perspective and employs multi-criteria decision-making methods, specifically fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, Fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution and the best-worst method to analyse various factors affecting the cold supply chain (CSC). Findings: The findings of this research emphasize that implementing best practices, forming partnerships and alliances and government initiatives are significant non-information technology (IT) solutions. Automating data collection, integrating logistics management systems and creating integrated platforms are notable IT solutions for addressing CSC challenges. These findings align with the recent focus on sustainability in the CCs. Originality/value: The current study contributes a novel integrated framework and seeks to fill the existing gap by analysing issues and proposing solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of these issues on the CC. The study attempts to further build upon prior research by extending it through the utilization of a unified model with a focus on sustainability.