New Advances in Business, Management and Economics Vol. 10

Viability of Last-Mile Delivery Solutions in Sustainable Supply Chains

2025-09-06T09:51:01+00:00

Sustainable supply chains have become increasingly crucial for addressing the environmental and social challenges faced by societies worldwide. Last-mile delivery, the final step in the supply chain, is a major contributor to urban congestion, pollution, and carbon emissions. This research paper explores the viability of sustainable last-mile delivery solutions. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a literature review, a case study involving a consumer survey in Copenhagen (n=100), and semi-structured interviews with logistics experts, a policymaker, and an industry leader. The results indicate that innovative solutions like electric vehicles, cargo bikes, and drones have the potential to reduce environmental impact and enhance social equity. Quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant association (χ²=16.66, p<0.05) between the frequency of delivery and consumers' willingness to pay a premium for sustainable options. Qualitative findings underscore that progress is contingent on infrastructural development, supportive government policies, and the adoption of renewable energy. The study concludes that while consumer interest is growing, the widespread adoption of sustainable last-mile solutions requires concerted collaboration between public and private stakeholders to overcome economic and operational barriers.

Mitigating Corruption in Public Procurement: The Role of E-Procurement Risk Strategies in Tanzania

2025-09-06T09:53:10+00:00

Background: The government of Tanzania has started to fully implement an online procurement system since 2020 as an effort to increase efficiency and reduce corruption in the public procurement sector. However, despite these reforms, corruption has persisted in various forms.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effect of e-procurement risk mitigation strategies on preventing corruption in public procurement following the widespread use of bad corrupt practices in the public procurement process.

Methods: The study employed a case study design, and the study population involved 140 staff working at the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and officials working at the Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau (PCCB). The study employed the Yamane formula to get a sample size of 104 respondents, whereby questionnaires, an interview guide and a documentary checklist were used as data collection instruments, and during administering the tools, all respondents were responsive, which made a response rate of 100%. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (regression model) to determine the effect of e-procurement on preventing corruption in public procurement.

Results: The results indicate that three variables out of five, namely visibility (0.000), risk control (0.016), and political control (0.004), had a p-value < 0.05, which means that these variables significantly contribute to preventing corruption in public procurement under e-procurement.

Conclusion: When public procurement practitioners and suppliers use the e-procurement system effectively, it will prevent physical interactions between the parties, thus ending corruption. In this case, policy makers and decision makers should establish a robust mechanism of preventing corruption in public procurement by digitalising the procurement practices through automating the whole process by using e-procurement technology, as well as integrating all participants and stakeholders. This will establish a transparent procurement process whereby all online transactions are visible to all parties, thus increasing the integrity of procurement practitioners and suppliers on the other side. The awareness campaign and empowerment of institutions and regulatory frameworks will help end loopholes that still tempt corruption in public procurement. This study was limited to two organisations, which may not achieve the principle of study generalisation on corruption in Tanzania. Future research should include a larger and more diverse sample of public institutions across different sectors and regions of Tanzania.

Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in New Product Development: Evidence from the Saudi Arabian Retail Market

2025-09-06T09:55:57+00:00

Saudi Arabia is experiencing a rapid digital transformation, driven by its Vision 2030 initiative, aimed at diversifying the economy and reducing reliance on oil. In the fast-evolving landscape of global business, understanding the dynamics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) role and the digital transformation of New Product Development and Launch (NPDL) is critical for continuous success. The present book chapter explored the established methodology adopted to develop and launch new products in Saudi Arabia with a particular focus on insight into retail marketing management. This study presents a detailed case study of Almarai and Aujan Coca-Cola Beverages Limited companies of Saudi Arabia. The data was gathered from retail managers at two major companies actively involved in the NPDL process. Both firms utilise the Stage-Gate methodology, widely regarded as a leading NPD framework. The Stage-Gate is arguably the greatest and most experimentally implemented new product development (NPD) methodology, providing a competitive edge in the age of competition, even though it has changed over time. Both the companies adopted a prescribed Stage-Gate process, but Aujan has implemented this methodology more effectively than Almarai, likely due to Aujan having greater expertise in using the Stage-Gate framework. All of the operation executives at Almarai and Aujan come to the same conclusion: Stage-Gate is a mechanism that makes it easier for the operation team to carry out the entire process of developing and launching a new product in a way that makes it profitable. Aujan got the benefits of an NPDL mechanism based on the Stage-Gate process since the inception of globalisation, when it faced the heat of competition. The 5-Milestones are proven very helpful in improving the organisation’s representative character, functional adequacy and financial viability. The study concludes by emphasising the critical role of sales and retail operations planning—especially in demand forecasting—and highlights the importance of continuous review and strategic refinement of the NPDL process to remain competitive in an increasingly digital and globalised retail environment.

South African Just Transition Pathway: Insights from the Komati Power Station Decommissioning and Repurposing Project

2025-09-06T09:57:49+00:00

The Komati power station, which resumed its operations in 1961, was constructed with nine coal-fired generators with the capacity to produce a total of 1 GW of power output. But by the late 1980s, after 20 years of operation, the plant was shut down because the South African electrical system had too much capacity, the cost of maintaining old infrastructure was going up, and it was possible to build more units that would be profitable. This study rigorously examines the intended and unintended effects of decommissioning and repurposing the Komati Power Station within the context of South Africa’s Just Transition policy. This study is crucial to addressing the gap between just transition policy frameworks and actual execution and providing valuable insights for the implementation of future decommissioning and repurposing programs. This study aims to clarify important institutional enablers and barriers, as well as evaluate the extent to which just transition principles have been achieved. The research used a qualitative ethnographic methodology to examine the complex linkages among policy processes, institutional dynamics, and community experiences that influence this development. Interviews, focus group discussions, and data were collected from 100 participants using qualitative data collection instruments, like interviews, focus groups, informal interactions, and observations. This approach ensured that a wide range of stakeholder groups' points of view were represented. The study found that, amongst others, the decommissioning was a consequence of economic considerations connected to the power station's operating lifespan. However, the process had major flaws that left the affected community and workers worried and suspicious. Key findings highlight the need for early, inclusive, and transparent planning processes that incorporate community assets, concerns, and local development goals. The closing of the Komati coal power station underscores the complexity of the energy transitions that are fair, especially when they are mostly caused by ageing infrastructure and the economy rather than clear decarbonisation plans. The Komati project is a good example for future just energy transition projects in South Africa because it focuses on using renewable energy to power a coal-fired plant and also works on social development. The study's recommendations contribute to policy discussions by underscoring the imperative of harmonising climate priorities with local socio-economic needs, so ensuring that the transition is both environmentally sustainable and socially equitable for livelihoods. The study emphasises the importance of integrating regional economic diversification, infrastructure enhancements, and skill development to foster sustainable livelihoods.

Economic Vulnerability of Tribal Households in Wayanad, India: Gendered Dependence on Medicinal Non-Timber Forest Products

2025-09-22T07:55:20+00:00

Wayanad district of Kerala, India, is considered highly vulnerable due to its heavy dependence on agriculture, plantation crops, and Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). The combined impacts of erratic rainfall, declining forest cover, and soil degradation intensify the challenges of achieving sustainable agriculture in the region. This study quantitatively assessed the economic vulnerability of tribal households in the Wayanad District of Kerala with a specific focus on their dependence on Non-timber Forest Products (Medicinal plants) as a primary livelihood source. A survey of 90 households was conducted and the Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) was constructed based on three parameters: exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Determinants of economic vulnerability were analysed using a logit regression. The results reveal that both male-headed and female-headed households are highly dependent on income derived from Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), particularly medicinal plants, which contribute approximately 75% and 70% of their total household income, respectively. Female-headed households (FHHs) were found to be more vulnerable across all key components of vulnerability assessment, including exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Female heads bear the burden of household expenditure with fewer resources, reduced overall income, and lower capacity to adjust, especially to climate change and environmental degradation. Economic vulnerability was found to be significantly influenced by a number of factors, including gender, the presence of chronic illness in the household, asset ownership, and monthly per capita income. The proportion of households that were not warned of an upcoming natural disaster was the most influential indicator for exposure, while the average livelihood diversification index influenced the sensitivity of medicinal plant collectors. MHHs benefited from broader social capital, stronger institutional linkages, and better access to productive resources, resulting in lower vulnerability scores. In contrast, FHHs experienced structural disadvantages, including weaker social networks and income volatility, highlighting pronounced gender disparities. By addressing differential vulnerabilities between MHHs and FHHs, this study contributes to the empirical understanding of socio-economic dynamics in forest-dependent tribal communities. These findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive policies to strengthen adaptive capacity among tribal communities. Policy recommendations include strengthening institutional support, improving access to health care and financial assets, promoting livelihood diversification, and implementing gender sensitive development strategies.

The Transformative Influence of Digital Finance on Rural Women's Financial Inclusion: Evidence from Kenya

2025-09-22T07:58:47+00:00

Financial inclusion refers to the process of ensuring access to financial services and providing timely and adequate credit when needed by vulnerable groups like the weaker sections and low-income groups at an affordable cost. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in increasing financial inclusion worldwide; however, disparities still exist. Digital finance has emerged as a transformative solution to address this critical issue. This chapter explores the significant impact of digital finance on the financial inclusion of rural women, a group that has historically been underserved by traditional banking services due to geographical and socio-cultural barriers^. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design with a sample of 961 rural Kenyan women, the chapter utilized Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and the Chi-Square test of independence to assess the relationship between digital finance adoption and financial inclusion. The findings reveal a strong positive relationship between the use of digital financial systems and increased financial inclusion. The PLS-SEM analysis produced a path coefficient (β) of 0.728, indicating a significant direct influence. The R-squared (R2) value was 0.530, which means that digital finance accounts for 53% of the variance in financial inclusion. Additionally, the chapter found a very substantial effect size (f2) of 1.129, far exceeding the threshold for a large effect, confirming the practical significance of this relationship. The Chi-Square test of independence further reinforced these findings with a Pearson Chi-Square value (χ2) of 158.715 and a p-value of .000. This value is significantly higher than the critical values of 3.841 (α=0.05) and 6.635 (α=0.01) at one degree of freedom, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis and confirming a statistically significant association between digital finance and financial inclusion. Despite these positive findings, the average digital finance score among rural women was 6.609, which is below the target threshold of 8, indicating low overall adoption. However, the study also found that over half of the respondents (70.27%) owned a mobile device and a significant majority (66.14%) had mobile money accounts, highlighting the widespread nature of mobile money in the region. Overall, the study demonstrates that digital finance provides a secure and convenient way to save and transact, serving as a gateway to formal financial services and entrepreneurial opportunities for rural women. The results emphasize the need for targeted digital literacy programs and supportive policies to empower rural women and ensure equitable financial inclusion.

Credit Sales, Competition, and Business Survival in the Nigerian Flour Market: Evidence from Ondo State, Nigeria

2025-09-22T08:01:39+00:00

Selling on credit has long been a traditional practice in the Nigerian flour market. The practice helps to ensure competitiveness and increase sales turnover. In the flour markets, firms are pushed to selling on credit due to flour’s short shelf life, to build loyalty and psychological bonds with customers, and because many bakers prefer credit purchases due to low financial literacy. In Ondo State, over 50% of daily flour sales are conducted on credit, underscoring its dominance in the market. However, in recent years, credit sales have become a source of bad debt and business failures in the market. Despite this, the literature relating credit sales with competition in product markets is lacking. The focus has mainly been on the credit and financial markets. This study attempts to relate how competition impacts credit sales and survival in the Nigerian flour market. Employing a two-stage model and numerical evaluations from sales representatives of 5 leading flour brands, the findings shows that credit sales does not guarantee competitiveness and that it threatens business survival. The study observed a declining link between selling on credit and competitiveness. The study concludes that while credit sales may offer short-term gains in customer retention and turnover, they have become a major source of bad debt in the market, particularly prevalent among small bakeries. Flour dealers need consider business survival as more important goal than sales turnover as default risks rises in the market.

Attitudes of Bank Employees Towards Financial Inclusion: The Role of Staff in Promoting Financial Literacy and Accessibility

2025-09-24T07:45:36+00:00

Financial inclusion has evolved significantly in recent years, transforming from a niche concern to a global priority. On the other hand, the banking system plays a critical role in promoting financial inclusion globally. In Cameroon, the government has launched initiatives such as the "National Financial Inclusion Strategy" to promote financial inclusion and increase access to financial services. This study investigates the attitudes of bank employees towards financial inclusion in Cameroon. This study employed a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. A survey of 25 bank employees and a comprehensive analysis using multiple linear regression yielded significant findings. The results reveal a positive association between Attitudes Towards Financial Inclusion (ATFI) and attitudes towards underserved groups (ATUG), perceived importance of financial literacy (PIHL), and financial inclusion training (FIT). However, a negative correlation was observed between ATFI and bank policies and procedures (BPP) and Cameroon's Anglophone Regions Employees' Perception (CR). The model effectively explains 91.9% of the variance in ATF. These findings have important implications for the banking sector, suggesting that enhancing bank employees' attitudes towards financial inclusion through targeted training programs and strategic adjustments to bank policies and procedures can lead to improved financial inclusion practices. Future research could delve deeper into the impact of financial inclusion training programs on bank employees' attitudes and behaviours, and explore the role of bank policies and procedures in promoting financial inclusion.

Sustainable Livelihood Generation and Community Development: Understanding “Explicit” CSR in Odisha

2025-09-24T07:47:54+00:00

Corporate social responsibility becomes significant in India as a powerful framework promoting community development. It justifies business-community interlace by developing a structured approach for sustainable development. Seeing the inadequacy of Government-led community development initiatives in India, these Multinational companies have gained social power and recognition to have been transformed from economic to social dimensions. These CSR activities are rendered in two phases of implicit and explicit CSR, where the former understands the CSR activities on the internal members of the company, like suppliers, investors, etc, and the latter is the CSR activities on the larger community located in the periphery of the company, focusing on community sustainable development. Business success is measured not just by financial returns but also by long-term resilience and social equity. The study examines the role of CSR in Odisha in fostering sustainable and inclusive development by generating livelihoods among underprivileged women. The companies mostly focus on healthcare, infrastructure, education, environmental sustainability, income generation, and women's empowerment. The overall CSR initiatives of the company towards community development include health care practices, education initiatives, sanitation and hygiene, and livelihood generation through SHG. The study utilises descriptive and exploratory research designs with a sample size of one hundred women collected from ten different SHGs chosen through simple random sampling from the field area of Dalmia Bharat Foundation (DBF), Cuttack, Odisha. The data analysis depicts both secondary analysis of the company's annual sustainability report and the primary sources of data collection. The findings emphasize that a practical assessment of CSR through a gender lens has become essential for comprehending the discourses surrounding community development parameters. It emphasises the respondent’s mobility, personal development, and decision-making capabilities, which have evolved through economic independence and have brought a resultant social empowerment.