Globalization policies are encouraging manufacturing companies to produce environment-friendly products that offer a sustainable competitive advantage. Currently, product recovery and zero-waste supply chains have caught the attention of manufacturers and professionals. Reverse logistics (RL) is considered as the most significant part of supply chain management in developed countries; unfortunately, its implementation in developing countries is in the initial stages due to certain barriers. This study aims to identify and verify the barriers to implementation of reverse logistics using a two-stage methodology: the Delphi Method and Structural Equation Modeling. A comprehensive literature review was considered to identify a primary set of barriers. Using the Delphi Method, a team of experts screened out barriers after performing three iterations. A survey-based questionnaire was then sent out to supply chain and logistics employees in the manufacturing industry and relevant government authorities. Five hundred and forty-seven useful responses were analyzed in the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) & AMOS 21 softwares using Structural Equation Modeling to verify barriers, and ranked according to their severity. The most critical barriers with respect to each category are: high cost of reverse logistics adoption (finance and economics), lack of skilled professionals (knowledge and experience), lack of government supportive policies (law and regulation), poor organizational culture (management), lack of human resources (infrastructure and technology), lack of environmental law awareness (environment), lack of community pressure (market) and company policies (reverse logistics in policy). Overall, the top five barriers found in this study include lack of initial capital, lack of skilled professional in RL, companies’ policies against RL, lack of new technologies and information systems, and lack of community pressure. Knowledge about barriers to reverse logistics allows manufacturing companies to prepare a priority list of actions for better implementation of the reverse logistics system.

Grounded on the Knowledge Based View (KBV), this study examines the effects of a knowledge management enabler (Emotional Intelligence) on knowledge management processes (KMPs) in research universities. It investigates the direct effect of KMPs on creative performance. This study further examines the mediating role of Self-directed Learning in a relationship between KMPs and creative performance. This study used a sample frame of 248 academic and administrative personnel from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan. The relationships were tested through a partial least squares structural equation modelling method. The results reveal that Emotional Intelligence (EI) as an enabler has a positive and significant impact on KMPs. However, a direct relation between self-directed learning and creative performance is insignificant. Also, established associations were found to be positive and significant. This study’s findings validate the academic experience of EI and suggest how academics and administrators of HEIs can value KMPs and the self-directed learning that strengthens creative performance. With the increased importance of EI and KMPs in HEIs, there is a lack of studies investigating the relationship between EI, KMPs and creative performance. This study empirically examines the interface of EI, KMPs and creative performance in HEI’s and enriches the existing literature by exploring the mediating role of self-directed learning.

Brownfield is post-industrial soil resulting from different anthropogenic activities and located in urban centers of cities. Due to the scarcity of urban land and the complexity of renovating old cities, and considering that brownfield research in Pakistan is still in its infancy, defining and evaluating brownfield is necessary for solving environmental issues and promoting sustainable development. Therefore, this study aims to develop a pioneer consensus-based brownfield definition, guidelines, and an evaluation index system to evaluate brownfield redevelopment in Pakistan. Initially, a comprehensive literature review was performed to gather key elements of brownfield definitions and create an evaluation index system. These indicators were further evaluated by different experts through the Delphi Method to develop a final questionnaire. Then, data were collected from relevant stakeholders. An illustrative example using three ideal schemes (housing society, eco-industrial park, and commercial market) is described to apply the evaluation index system. A new methodology combining Triangular Fuzzy Numbers (TFNs) and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) was introduced to assess three ideal schemes. Finally, a pioneer brownfield definition, guidelines, and evaluation index system for brownfield redevelopment were developed, and a further index system was verified through an illustrative example. The standard brownfield definition, guidelines, and established index system is based on the Pakistani context. Due to changes in rules and regulation, and different land characteristics, these findings cannot be generalized to all developing countries. Therefore, further studies must validate the results in their own context. This study will foster brownfield redevelopment implementation in Pakistan and promote sustainable development.

Nowadays, increased usage of motorized vehicles has become a cause of serious environmental and health problems which results in noise pollution, air pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases. Sustainable transportation options such as green public buses, subways and public cycling have been introduced to improve environmental quality. However, their adoption is still in the initial stage. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the consumer attitude towards sustainable transportation, and their willingness to choose different environmentally friendly options like cycling and public green transportation by applying a norm activation model (NAM). More specifically, this study explored the role of different predictors (sustainable transport benefits awareness, traffic problem awareness, government policies and symbolic motives of using a car) affecting citizen’s acceptability to sustainable transportation options with mediating role of environmental concern and moderating role of self-transcendence and self-enhancement. A questionnaire-based survey conducted in four major metropolitan cities of China including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xi’an found that acceptability towards sustainable transportation is derived from sustainable transport benefits awareness and traffic. Symbolic motives of the car have a negative association with acceptability towards sustainable transportation. The mediating effect of environmental concerns was proved, which extends the role of NAM in this study. Self-transcendence and self-enhancement have positive and negative moderating effects consecutively towards the acceptability of sustainable transportation. This study has potential implications for the government of China, transportation, and urban planning departments in order to take necessary measures to promote sustainable transportation behavior in Chinese citizens.

Private science parks (PSPs) are infrastructure elements of national high technology industrial development zones. Increasing private capital is being invested in this field to transform abandoned factories into science parks through brownfield regeneration, which not only effectively utilizes urban space, but also greatly strengthens the power of scientific and technological innovation. The evolution of these PSPs, however, is not satisfactory, and some operation and innovation-related problems often lead to their failures. Therefore, identifying key success factors is crucial for the sustainable growth of PSPs. This study employs Fuzzy Analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and Fuzzy-DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) methods to construct an identification model for key success factors of PSPs established from brownfield regeneration. Associated influencing factors were collected through literature analysis, on-site interviews, and questionnaire, based on which key success factors were identified. The results of the study showed that five factors—resources sharing capacity of the park, park scale, financing and financial services, legal policy services and administrative capability, and construction level of facilities in the park—are the key success factors for such PSPs. The results also provide a theoretical basis for the development of PSPs established from brownfield regeneration, and support the formulation of PSP-related policies.