Emerald Publishing Limited

Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) has become the noun, verb, and adjective of the modern business era. Faced with societal and regulatory pressure, big business in America, Asia, and Europe has been forced to define and articulate ESG goals to combat climate change and save the planet. The only problem is that ESG has been captured by the PR hype machine as a few prominent business leaders make bold promises to save the planet but are vague about how they propose to achieve this. Eager to showcase their green credentials, companies are making all kinds of promises to reduce their carbon footprint and to play their part in reducing global warming and improving social outcomes. How to separate fact from fiction and exaggerated commitments from realistic goals?

Vasuki Shastry spent several years at the coal face itself – running ESG for a major international bank in the City of London – and argues that corporate cultures are too focused on the profit motive and quarterly business targets. Change can only really come through a paradigm shift for business which aligns business with social purpose. Getting there will require a corporate revolution which will disrupt and dislodge the ancien régime and usher in a new age of sustainable business. The author offers a solution in the form of a Climate Manifesto for Business that will Make Our Planet Great Again!

David R. Maines (1940-2021), one of the most important sociological scholars of the 20th and 21st centuries, constructed a vast area of research to advance the field of symbolic interactionism during his career. Highlighting the significance of Maines’ works in symbolic interactionism, Festschrift in Honor of David R. Maines documents his most celebrated areas of scholarship, including social structure, narrative sociology, social interaction, dialectic perspective, temporality, and mesostructure.

Including stories from individuals who knew Maines via kinship, friendship, or professional relationship, the chapters conclude with two new empirical studies to reflect Maines’ interest in continually advancing the field with cutting-edge research. The collection also features a list of Maines’ selected works for further reading to guide other symbolic interactionists in their research endeavors.

Volume 57 of Studies in Symbolic Interaction is a source of both consolation and celebration for those who knew David R. Maines, as well as those who have just begun to discover his inspiring work.

Winning through Platforms achieved #1 bestseller status, and is a Best Business Book Awards winner for 2024. It is your new go-to guide for modern competitive advantage.

Digital platforms are no longer for just the tech elite. They’re spreading to every company and industry, powered by the growth of customer sensors, streaming data, and artificial intelligence—lighting the valuable customer Use journey that was formerly dark.

How will you succeed when your markets get platform-crowded? Three senior advisers to the world’s leading technology companies reveal how to win through platforms when every competitor has one.

Winning Through Platforms decodes growth moves from a decade of platform competition, communicates them through a platform playbook. It’s a treasure trove of 24 proven platform strategies—such as customer coalition design, in-use enrichment, AI branding, and much more. These playbook strategies are delivered through engaging stories of over 50 companies, plus proprietary frameworks and workshop-style questions that lead you to act.

This game-changing playbook will teach you how to:

• Revitalize your business through strategic use of platforms
• Design platforms that are compelling to customers and hard for competitors to match
• Accelerate in-market growth through brand-and-demand excellence that spans your customer’s entire platform journey
• Innovate in high-impact benefit areas to differentiate your platform
• Elevate your customer’s personal platform experience
• Transform your enterprise and operations to drive superior performance

Every CEO, innovator, go-to-market leader, and aspiring professional will gain valuable insight through this book. Whether your company is just starting on its first platform journey or is a born platform disruptor, this book will transform your ability to win.

Learn the platform playbook. Find and apply your plays.

This book forms part of the American Marketing Association (AMA) leadership series.

Humans are fundamentally social beings who crave belonging, mission, and meaning, especially at work. Drawing on the increasing prevalence of remote work in the post-pandemic era, this book asks how organizations can overcome workplace loneliness and create a sense of belonging.

Prioritizing the need to create authentic workplaces to promote inclusion and empower employees to feel comfortable being themselves, chapters present strategies for addressing workplace loneliness based on interviews with remote employees and an examination of successful organizational practices. How, contributors ask, have remote employees experienced workplace loneliness in their organization? What is the role of belonging in tackling this? How can leaders and HR practitioners foster this belonging among remote employees? How does social identity affect employees’ abilities to connect within their organization?

Rooted in real-world research and insights, Overcoming Workplace Loneliness envisions a world of work where all employees feel valued for their authentic selves and are able to experience the encouragement and comradery of office connection from the comfort of their homes. This pioneering book not only sheds light on workplace loneliness of remote employees, but also provides an in-depth literature review of workplace loneliness to inspire future research.

Acting as a follow up to Volume 41 of Studies in Symbolic Interaction (2013), Symbolic Interaction and Inequality explores further the concept of Radical Interactionism, a perspective of researching domination and subordination introduced by scholar Lonnie Athens.

Demonstrating advancements made in Radical Interactionism over the past decade, chapters examine the omnipresent and insidious nature of inequality as well as its social construction among family members, cisgender and gender-diverse people, as well as university students and personnel, particularly college athletes.

Highlighting fruitful accomplishments achieved by a range of symbolic interactionists, this volume exhibits the significance of studying inequality, a venture that not only enriches symbolic interactionism but human life as a whole.

As the record number of forcibly-displaced persons in the world continues to rise, more people of differing origins are sharing space and learning to live together. Prolonged displacement has turned into permanent resettlement and citizenship. To reflect this geopolitical transformation, education too must transform. Beyond Refuge explores abstractions, practicalities, impediments, and assets proffered by research participants to illustrate what an educational transformation should and could look like via a theoretical framework for emancipatory education of forcibly-displaced youth.

Interviews, focus groups, and participant observations gather data from participants across local, state, national, and international levels of educational influence, resulting in a collection of diverse perspectives. The results of Swisher’s study are presented in narratives and discussions upon which educational leaders can build. An emancipatory education of forcibly-displaced youth must begin with an examination of ourselves, our systems, and our societies and be sustained by leadership, policies, and practices based in love, empathy, listening, learning, and community.

A central text for the next steps in inclusive and equitable education, Beyond Refuge appeals to researchers, teachers, leaders, community figures and participants, and policymakers wanting to create lasting and impactful change in their local and national societies.

Over the course of more than 70 years, students of symbolic interactionism have demonstrated how a resourceful and conceptually rich perspective can generate variegated lines of research. However, many have expressed concerns over the sheer wealth and quantity of "lines of research" and the promotion of a "chaos" that lacks a cohesive focus on the fundamental issues, processes, and concepts that define the essence of symbolic interactionism.

Answering David Maines’ call for a forum to define and describe different lines of research, Volume 59 of Studies in Symbolic Interaction allows symbolic interactionists to demonstrate how and why their respective lines of research contribute to the quality and substance of symbolic interactionism. Examining key issues across their respective specializations, authors analyze their importance, historical development, and relevance to this field.

Seeking a concise and substantial vision of symbolic interactionism, Essential Issues in Symbolic Interaction manifests the crucial research endeavors and key elements that contribute to the vitality of the interactionist theoretical framework.

Sustainable development aspires to reduce current societal challenges by creating wealth for everyone within the limit of the planet productive capacity, in this way, ensuring that future generations can meet their own needs. This is largely because sustainable development refers to the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Activists, corporations, non-governmental organizations, entrepreneurs and politicians must all be involved in achieving sustainable development.

Academics and policymakers have also recognized the potential of entrepreneurs for tackling current societal challenges with their businesses because entrepreneurs are able to fill the voids left by the other individuals and organizations. However, who are these entrepreneurs? How can they provide solutions and tackle current societal challenges with their business?

Exploring the transformative powers of sustainable entrepreneurs, How Entrepreneurs are Driving Sustainable Development also demonstrates how family, women and immigrant entrepreneurs can tackle current societal challenges, break inequalities and bring about change.

Business fluency is essential today for effective strategic communication. To fulfill the mandate of trusted counselors and advisors to executives and the C-suite, communication professionals must no longer just have excellent communication skills, but they must understand and speak the language of the business world. The challenge is that many communication graduates and professionals did not go to business school and do not hold an MBA.

Business Acumen for Strategic Communicators: The Workbook provides the essential practical learning needed to help upskill communication professionals into bona fide business leaders and advisors. Through briefs, exercises and discussion activities, readers will learn to analyze and interpret key business materials produced by companies and nonprofit organizations, including CEO letters, annual reports, financial statements, earnings releases, CSR, DEI and ESG reports, and more. A revised and expanded glossary is provided, as are answer keys for the exercises.

Drawing on the success of Ragas and Culp’s prior books, this innovative workbook offers hands-on learning opportunities to help put newly acquired business acumen knowledge into practice.

The Houston Chinatown’s dramatic transformation from a Chinese enclave decades ago to a continually expanding multiethnic boomtown today contrasts development stagnation in many other traditional American Chinatowns. This pioneer study delineates the evolution of Houston’s two Chinatowns, from the emergence and decline of Old Chinatown to the subsequent development and vibrant growth of New Chinatown – spanning nearly a century.

Zheng and Zou delve into the distinctive character of New Chinatown, underscoring its innovative progress that sets it apart from the nation’s oldest major Chinatowns, a quintessentially Houston story. They also probe the immigrant experience, political landscape, and socioeconomic dynamics that influenced the Chinatowns’ metamorphoses. Scanning the community’s collective response to the dire impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on New Chinatown, the chapters examine the latest development trends in the New Chinatown areas, shedding light on the extent to which they are upholding, or deviating from, traditional practices. Furthermore, the book explores the significance of these trends to the local community and beyond, alongside their wider implications.

Amidst the growth challenges encountered by numerous Chinatowns across America, this timely work offers insightful perspectives on a sustainable model for urban and community development, as demonstrated by the transformative journey of Houston’s New Chinatown.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online.

Over past decades, scholars and practitioners around the world observed an emergence of professionals, research managers and administrators (RMAs) who play an essential role in the advancement of academic research. RMAs have extensive knowledge of the research ecosystem, including funding opportunities, proposals, budgeting and pricing, ethics, open research, project management, finance, negotiation, strategy, systems, and assessment. Until now, limited efforts have been made to investigate RMAs in a cross-regional, comparative manner, or to understand the recent surge of the profession in a larger policy context.

Addressing this gap, an international group of experts share diverse perspectives to provide a comprehensive account of RMA as a profession, offer an analytical framework to understand their role in higher education and academic science. Covering countries in Africa, Australasia, East Asia and India, Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South America, the work provides trans-cultural coverage of the profession. Drawing on theories from related fields, it also provides insights and understanding of RMAs as a social phenomenon.

The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World is the most comprehensive book about practitioners working in research management and administration. The book provides basic knowledge for students and professionals considering a career in this field, and serves as reference material for policymakers as well as academic researchers. By presenting evidence-based observations from around the world and discussing global trends, this text promotes social awareness of RMAs, shares state-of-the-art knowledge on the profession, and offers insights into the future of academic research.

The rise of White nationalism has been a global phenomenon, drawing more attention to race and racism, and creating a heightened sense of White identity. As demographics in North America shift, White people are becoming increasingly aware of the racist structures and sentiments that have been embedded in society for centuries. While mainstream political rhetoric appears moderate on the surface, it also appeals to extremist views. There is an increase in hate speech and hate crime targeting members of equity-deserving groups.

White therapists and clients are overrepresented as counsellors and psychotherapists, while Indigenous, Black and People of Colour are significantly underrepresented. Multicultural counseling often tends to prioritize “others” from “different cultures”, while the training in multicultural practice crucial it tends to underemphasize systemic forces. Social justice considers power differentials and systemic contributors, but with a broad focus on anti-oppressive practice. Antiracist practice explicitly targets White supremacy and its effects on marginalized communities. There is relatively little written for White therapists about how they and their White clients can dismantle White supremacy.

Structural barriers rooted in White supremacy have a detrimental effect on all people, but the most disadvantaged are Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour. By drawing attention to this issue, and building support among White practitioners, Jason Brown aims to dismantle White supremacy in professional activities with clients, in the profession itself, and in public policy.

In a post-COVID-19 pandemic era of cost-of-living crises and global displacements of people due to conflicts and climate challenges, food poverty is a growing and ever-pressing issue across both the Global North and the Global South. Presenting a collection of cases drawn from higher education research, teaching and learning, as well as campus and community-based initiatives, Higher Education and SDG2 addresses food security, nutrition, sustainable and resilient agriculture, and ending hunger for all.

Featuring chapters and cases from Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Italy, Malawi, Northern Ireland, Peru, Turkey, the UK, the USA, Vietnam and Zimbabwe, this edited collection demonstrates the fundamental role Higher Education has in helping deliver Zero Hunger. The chapters cover education, research and community engagement initiatives that aim to address how this issue impacts the nations that face the most widespread and severe effects of hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, and unsustainable food systems. Focusing on opportunities for Higher Education to positively influence academic, innovation, and policy agendas, this synthesis of global approaches is an inspirational call to action for increasing meaningful engagement by universities and colleges to address SDG2 Zero Hunger.

Higher Education and the Sustainable Development Goals is a series of 17 books that address each of the SDGs through the lens of higher education. Adopting a solutions-based approach, each book focuses on how higher education is advancing delivery of Agenda 2030. The series is edited by Wendy Purcell, Professor with Rutgers University and Academic Research Scholar with Harvard University; Emeritus Professor and University President Emerita.

Genderwashing is the process whereby organizational rhetoric differs from the lived experiences of workers, creating the myth of gender equity in the workplace. Genderwashing in Leadership considers how the process of genderwashing highlights hidden biases in organizational policies and procedures, and patriarchal cultural practices.

International scholars from diverse areas such as leadership, organizational studies, sociology, and education explore how genderwashing occurs from various perspectives, including leadership, power and privilege, identity, and career recruitment and selection. Uncovering epistemological assumptions that underpin and sustain genderwashing practices, the ways in which genderwashing intersects with embodiment and intersectionality and how genderwashing policies and practices restrict women’s advancement into leadership, the editors host a space for dialogue and debate.

The Transformative Women Leaders Series is published in collaboration between the International Leadership Association (ILA) and Emerald Publishing. Celebrating women leaders and the leadership styles they employ to achieve success, the books in this series highlight successful context-specific leadership approaches and the moral qualities of endurance.

Professional Perspectives on Banking and Finance is a collection of cutting-edge articles written by practitioners for practitioners. Addressing core topics such as risk management, corporate governance, and strategy, but with the emphasis on recent developments and their impact on the industry. These gathered chapters reflect a diverse global outlook, addressing issues of importance and relevance for all bankers.

With 100% emphasis on accessible, clear, and applicable advice Professional Perspectives on Banking and Finance provides suggestions to instil best practice in any commercial bank.

Humour is officially recognized in positive psychology as one of the 24 ‘character strengths’. However, laughter has an uneasy relationship with positive psychology, despite being key to communicating joy and happiness.The Positive Psychology of Laughter and Humour corrects this disconnect by combining academic insight with real-world experience. Drawing on the authors’ diverse backgrounds and expertise, this is the first academic volume dedicated to the rarely discussed topic of laughter and humour in positive psychology.

Freda Gonot-Schoupinsky, Merv Neal and Jerome Carson demonstrate how laughter and humour differ, and how both can be applied within positive psychology to boost mood and maintain positive outcomes.The Positive Psychology of Laughter and Humour includes case studies and real-world insight as well as providing a methodological and theoretical background to the topic, giving rigorous theoretical and methodological insight for researchers, and including pedagogical sections in each chapter useful for teachers and researchers.

Special education has changed over the years since its inception due to advocacy, litigation, legislation, trends, and research investigations. While it can be somewhat controversial depending on the disability the child might have or professionals involved in the process of instructing and planning his/her future education, it is a field that has values that has had measurable impacts on people’s lives. Special Education: Advancing Values focuses on values that are engrained in special education and how we can maintain, sustain, and advance them. It also addresses the most current viewpoints and perspectives on the traditions of special education for students with disabilities alongside new and innovative practices.  

Special Education: Advancing Values is a very comprehensive book. The chapters introduce the field of special education and how we can maintain and advance traditions in the education of students with learning disabilities, emotional and/or behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities, physical and other health impairments, students who are deaf/hard of hearing, students with visual impairments, and students with extensive support needs. Related topics include students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, general education teachers, school leaders and administrators, and parents.

Special Education: Advancing Values concludes with a summary chapter that addresses why special education is an important educational phenomenon that has fundamental values worthy of sustainability and advancements. This volume is an excellent resource for special education professionals who teach and serve learners with disabilities, and other related professionals involved in the educational process such as administrators, school counsellors, and psychologists.

While the physical and emotional trials of waiting on transplant lists are featured in popular media, the struggles recipients face years after surgery are not. Voices of Teenage Transplant Survivors introduces illness narratives from an unrecognized patient population: recipients of heart, liver, and kidney transplants. Offering unique narratives by adolescents who use poetry to explore issues surrounding the changing body, independence, identity, and mortality, the book showcases a message of healing and voices of hope amid uncertainty.

Illuminating the physical, psychological, and existential challenges confronted by adolescents for which organ rejection and side effects loom in their future, Sample details the poetry workshops where these adolescents articulated experiences silenced by family, friends, and the culture of medicine. She includes close readings and analyses of their writings, along with writing prompts and references to narrative medicine theory. This powerful book offers something new for medical and health professionals, medical humanities researchers, students, and the public.

African Leadership is an edited collection enriched by the people who have lived and experienced indigenous leadership first-hand, demonstrating how African leadership is distinctive from usual Western hegemonic paradigms.

Providing an indepth discussion of the components, context, followers, and skills that contribute to the success of African leaders, African Leadership concludes with meaningful applications for 21st-century leaders globally.

Real and meaningful educational ethnography requires researchers to grapple with how they come to know what they know. In Black Boys' Lived and Everyday Experiences in STEM, KiMi Wilson invites us to understand the experiences of four Black boys attempting to learn mathematics and science in K-12 spaces. How do mitigating circumstances and fraught relationships impede on their journey to sharpening their mathematical and scientific skills?

Taking us on a sociocultural trek of the best and worst elements of public education, Wilson provides access to a bird's eye view of how Black boys experience schooling on a day-to-day basis. Through phenomenological interview, readers are let into the minds of students Carter, Malik, Darius, and Thomas, and given the opportunity to understand how they identify themselves. Showcasing a mixture of revelations, we learn how some of their perceptions come from an authentic place, while others were out of their own control, and decided by individuals blind to their potential. Imagining a world where Black boys are encouraged to work on STEM goals rather than abandon them, this important book is for educators, researchers, teachers, administrators, and superintendents who want to create school cultures that value Black boys, and want to reimagine teaching spaces for them.

This volume of Research in the Sociology of Health Care analyses a variety of important social factors and their relationship to health and health care inequities in both the United States and the rest of the world.

With distinct sections for vaccination and other related topics, the chapters unveil the health care inequities that exist across a broad range of scenarios such as residential segregation, rurality, caregiving during COVID-19, the effects of stress on patients of color with chronic illnesses, cochlear implants in children, community health centers and viral load testing.

Employing a sociological and broader social sciences approach, Social Factors, Health Care Inequities and Vaccination draws on a variety of contexts, including the COVID-19 pandemic, to explore wider trends in healthcare and the impact they may have on historically disadvantaged communities.

Welcome to Bardstown, KY: The Bourbon Capital of the World®

Bourbon’s popularity is now a global phenomenon, but you need only look at Bardstown, Kentucky, to see its remarkable and evolving impacts. This historic city of 13,500 people is booming as a result, but it’s also enduring growing pains.

The economic impacts from a massive influx of tourists to what is now America’s bourbon epicenter are positive on many levels, but with those crowds comes pressure on infrastructure, services and accommodations. The demand for hotels, bars and restaurants is at an all-time high, and investors from across the globe are addressing those needs.

Still, as a two-century-old Kentucky cultural and entertainment center long before it was discovered by bourbon drinkers ;– many locals want to ensure the traditional Bardstown experience doesn’t disappear amid novel entertainment options.

Teacher attrition and burnout have been researched in school districts all over the country for several decades. Characterised by physical and psychological exhaustion, cynicism (as an interpersonal and emotional indication of built-up aggression), and a sense of helplessness and low self-efficacy, burnout can lead to anxiety, depression, diminished job performance, absenteeism, and attrition.

Drawn to the Flame investigates incidences of burnout and burnout avoidance among educators in both K-12 and higher education spheres during the COVID-19 pandemic – a period that saw an intensification and increased frequency of polarizing sociocultural and socio-political conditions, resulting in psychosocial and emotional strain among those invested in education. Through narrative inquiry, the chapters present the stories of teachers in a variety of settings (e.g. urban, suburban, rural) and sociological conditions (economic, racial, sex/gender), who experienced first-hand the impact of the pandemic and the chaotic transition to remote learning, the impact of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and racial strife, on students and curricular planning processes.

Using Technology to Enhance Special Education, Volume 37 of Advances in Special Education, is a logically, thoughtfully organized, and well-sequenced text. It focuses on how general and special educators can use technology to work with children and youth with disabilities.

This cutting-edge book involves researchers, scholars, educators, and leaders who are knowledge producers in the field. It is written to respond to today’s changing world where technology has become a very powerful force. As it stands, the world is getting smaller and smaller; and what is happening in a location quickly becomes known everywhere. For example, during the tense periods of the global COVID pandemic, technology became the livewire of our world. This book begins with an introduction to technology and students with disabilities; and the remaining chapters focus on the role of technology in the education of students with learning disabilities, emotional and/or behavioral disorders, and intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, physical and health impairments, hearing impairments/deafness, visual impairments, and traumatic brain injuries.

In addition, some chapters focus on the role of technology in achieving equitable and inclusive education, building culturally and linguistically responsive general and special education, and creatively using digital comics to improve written narratives. In the end, this book concludes with a chapter that forward looking ways to infuse technology in special education. We feel that this volume is an excellent resource for special education researchers, scholars, practitioners, and professionals who teach and serve students with disabilities.

Over the past three decades, guidance on the selection of art in hospitals has suggested realistic art that depicts soothing and comforting images such as tranquil waters, green vegetation, flowers, and open spaces. Based on these findings, curators have been cautioned to avoid art with uncertain meaning that risks upsetting viewers in stressful states. However, some hospitals exhibit ambiguous or abstract art and cite anecdotal evidence of its appropriateness for healthcare settings. More recent research is going beyond anecdotal evidence, and indicates that the ambiguity of meaning in abstract compositions can have positive effects.

'Purpose-built' Art in Hospitals is built on an international study of artwork in hospitals around the globe. Exploring 'purpose-built' (specially commissioned) artwork in hospitals through the dual lens of an artist and healthcare professional, Rollins identifies 15 specific 'purposes' of visual artwork in hospitals and presents a compelling case for their use that is grounded in research. The book builds the reader's understanding of the many functions of artwork in hospitals, with the goal of encouraging greater variety in art offerings to better serve the many diverse needs of patients, families, visitors and staff within the hospital environment.

The transnational social space approach has been extensively utilized in migration studies and partly also in management studies. In the latter, a key research focus is on multinational enterprises (MNEs). This Research in the Sociology of Organizations volume reinvigorates and leverages the transnational social space approach to further develop it, addressing the role of MNEs in solving Grand Challenges.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach by drawing on ideas outside of mainstream Organization Studies, such as Social Geography, Migration Studies, Political Economy, Economic Sociology, and International Business, papers take on the challenge of addressing ‘wicked problems’ like climate change, poverty, health, and inequality.

Applying the transnational social space idea as an ‘envelop framework’, the papers broaden the scope of theorizing from various theoretical angles and disciplines and enlarge the empirical scope to fields where the MNE is not automatically the central unit of study. Also, paying attention to whether and how MNEs can shape and, in some cases, distort transnational social spaces as powerful players, the papers, taken together, investigate when, why, and how MNEs can be seen as part of the problem or the solution to grand challenges.

Management Accounting Innovations in the Era of Digitalization and Sustainability offers a timely and in-depth exploration of how organizations are transforming their management accounting practices to meet the dual demands of digital transformation and sustainability. This book investigates the integration of Management Accounting Innovations (MAIs) into key decision-making processes such as planning, control, monitoring, and performance measurement. Drawing on original survey data and comparative analysis across economic contexts, it examines the challenges companies face, the roles of various stakeholders, and the strategies used to implement MAIs effectively in a rapidly evolving business environment.

Bridging theory and practice, this scholarly work provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the evolution, adoption, and impact of MAIs in the digital age. It highlights the interplay between technological advancement, sustainability imperatives, and financial strategy, offering actionable insights for academics, practitioners, and students alike. With its rigorous research and global perspective, the book serves as a vital resource for those seeking to enhance their strategic financial capabilities and drive sustainable value creation in contemporary organizations.

Leading the Transition toward Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Schools brings together the latest educational research and powerful first-person narratives to explore how culturally responsive and sustaining practices can reshape K–12 education for the better.

This timely and essential volume highlights the work of school principals, teacher leaders, student and parent advocates, district administrators, and external consultants who are actively leading change in their communities. Each section pairs research-based chapters with authentic testimonials, followed by expert analysis that draws out key themes and actionable insights. Together, these voices offer a rich, multidimensional portrait of what it takes to create inclusive learning environments.

Leading the Transition toward Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Schools offers a roadmap for navigating systemic challenges with courage, care, and a commitment to justice. A vital resource for practitioners and students of educational leadership, this book charts a path toward schools where all students can thrive.

Leading the Transition toward Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Schools brings together the latest educational research and powerful first-person narratives to explore how culturally responsive and sustaining practices can reshape K–12 education for the better.

This timely and essential volume highlights the work of school principals, teacher leaders, student and parent advocates, district administrators, and external consultants who are actively leading change in their communities. Each section pairs research-based chapters with authentic testimonials, followed by expert analysis that draws out key themes and actionable insights. Together, these voices offer a rich, multidimensional portrait of what it takes to create inclusive learning environments.

Leading the Transition toward Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Schools offers a roadmap for navigating systemic challenges with courage, care, and a commitment to justice. A vital resource for practitioners and students of educational leadership, this book charts a path toward schools where all students can thrive.

The Road to Neofeudalism anchors its enquiry on the novel concept of neofeudalism that has surfaced to center stage across the fields of media and communication, Internet studies, critical policy studies and political theory. Through an in-depth analysis of neofeudalism using empirical research, Patelis examines the Greek political party Syriza—the embodiment of collective subjectivity. Critical discussions dissect the link between Syriza and social movements, revealing its neofeudalist politics. Unpublished research spanning 2015 to 2023 sheds light on Syriza’s rise, fall, and pivotal role in Western debates.

Situating the rise of Syriza and Greece within a broader context, chapters analyze telecommunications deregulation, market domination, and the influence of GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft) in social movements. Dissecting Syriza’s winning 2015 digital campaign, Patelis presents original research on their communication strategies and the tools employed—political content marketing, targeting, and social media metrics.

The Road to Neofeudalism is essential reading for both postgraduate and undergraduate students who study politics, digital media, and communication practices. It is also relevant to social media researchers, especially those with an interest in issues of privacy, surveillance and self-presentation online.

Literature reviews play a crucial role in advancing scholarly understanding by organizing, synthesizing, and critiquing the vast body of existing knowledge. They provide researchers and practitioners with comprehensive insights into current developments, highlight gaps in the research, and suggest pathways for future exploration. As the landscape of business and management continues to evolve rapidly, literature reviews become invaluable in helping to navigate these changes by offering a clear view of where the field stands and where it is heading.

Volume 5 of Review of Management Literature focuses on reviewing the latest trends in management literature, offering an in-depth exploration of contemporary topics shaping management thought and practice, particularly in three core areas: human resource management, sustainability, and technology.

The contributions included in the volume serve as a valuable reference, advancing both theory and practice in management.

Sustainable development is a dynamic field with continuous advancements. However, it also faces emerging challenges that require sparks of innovation to address them. There is a need to innovate and rethink solutions to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) by 2030.

To both inspire and educate, the editors have brought together a collection of case studies and systematic literature reviews on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that examine innovative social science, business, governance, and environmental policy practices to offer actionable insights for achieving global goals. Going beyond merely defining the 17 SDGs; the book examines the multifaceted ways innovation can be harnessed as an enabler for their attainment. It contemplates innovation as introducing new ideas, methods, approaches, or technologies that draw upon expertise and insights from diverse fields and disciplines.

This book is an invitation to embrace innovation as the vital catalyst for achieving the SDGs. It calls individuals, business leaders, policymakers, organizations, and governments worldwide to recognize that innovation is indispensable in our quest for a sustainable future. The real-world case studies and synthesis of existing research presented in the book exhibit the potential of innovation to address critical global challenges—from poverty and climate change to education and healthcare.

Some businesses engage in "greenwashing" or "shared washing," creating a misleading eco-friendly image to deceive consumers into thinking their services are environmentally friendly. As people become more aware of their environmental impact, scrutiny of these deceptive practices in the shared economy has increased. This phenomenon skews public perception, making companies seem more environmentally conscious than they actually are.

Eco Illusions: Unmasking Greenwashing in the Shared Economy explores the trends, issues, practices, and models of greenwashing within the shared economy. This edited collection examines the strategic and operational tactics that companies use to promote misleading environmental claims and create eco-friendly images that may not reflect reality. Authors analyse how shared economy businesses employ greenwashing strategies to present themselves as environmentally conscious, even when their actions contradict their claims. The collection provides recommendations for establishing credible Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards and legal regulations. It also offers practical advice to stakeholders on how to verify green claims and encourages companies to adopt ethical practices and greater transparency in their operations.

By equipping readers with knowledge and practical tools to identify misleading environmental claims, Eco Illusions empowers stakeholders to advocate for more authentic and transparent business practices in the shared economy.

In an era where sustainable development is paramount, higher education stands as a pivotal force in shaping the future of international development. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) explores the profound influence of higher education as a hub for human capital building, emphasising the necessity of integrating sustainability principles into academic curricula.

Since the 1980s, sustainable development has emerged as a critical issue on the international policy-making agenda. However, the diverse interests and agendas of various stakeholders have rendered sustainable development an evolving and contested concept. Exploring the three interrelated pillars of sustainable development, economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental preservation, the chapters present international case studies, highlighting the fragmented yet crucial literature on policy-making in ESD within the global higher education sector.

This book offers a comprehensive examination of how the higher education sector navigates the complexities of sustainable development. It is an essential read for educators, policymakers, and anyone invested in the future of sustainable development in higher education.

Late Working Life in Four European Countries sheds new light on the role of life course factors on circumstances in late working life, including the impact of exclusion and inequalities on opportunities to prolong employment.

Focusing on Germany, Poland, Sweden and the UK, it distils the key findings from each country, delivering an up-to-date comparative analysis of the policies in the four contrasting countries. Enabling the development of best practice recommendations in relation to Extended Working Lives (EWLs) to inform policy discussions and developments and taking a life course approach to considering EWLs, chapters argue there is a tendency for policies to be too simplistic and cross-sectional, failing to sufficiently engage with the need to develop a systematic long-term life course focused approach to policy design. While the general impact of EWL policies on labour force participation among older workers has been explored, limited attention has been paid to the heterogeneous nature of this demographic group and the implications of their diverse life course experiences. Providing national case studies regarding EWLs policies and inequalities therein, these examples expose hidden inequalities among older workers and how these can be addressed.

Demonstrating the need to look beyond notions of late working lives in isolation and to explore the impact of longer-term life course orientated experiences, this collection addresses a major gap in the academic literature in social policy, employment, and ageing.

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshaping how businesses operate, the integration of intelligent technologies into Knowledge Management (KM) processes offers new opportunities for optimizing data-driven decision-making and enhancing organizational performance.

AI-Driven Knowledge Management Assets, Volumes 1 and 2 explore KM as a critical element of business strategy and managerial practice, especially in an era of rapid AI adoption. Authors examine KM’s foundational and advanced aspects through a managerial lens, highlighting how AI is reshaping contemporary KM practices, and delve into traditional KM strategies and cutting-edge AI applications. Each chapter is enriched with case studies and empirical research that showcase the real-world benefits and challenges of integrating AI into KM. From uncovering the theoretical underpinnings of KM to examining AI-driven innovations that create competitive advantages, this work offers actionable insights and perspectives on future developments. Authors address ethical, sustainability and managerial issues, equipping readers with the tools to navigate the complexities of AI-infused KM practices.

Providing a valuable resource for business leaders, academics, and students, these volumes support those looking to integrate AI into KM to drive strategic decision-making and operational efficiency. Merging traditional knowledge management practices with the latest AI advancements, they prepare readers to harness technology for innovative solutions, positioning their organizations for success in the modern business landscape.

Ideas always have and always will change the world, whether this be via incremental shifts in understanding or behaviour, or from the introduction of revolutionary new ways of knowing and being. Being Human presents the concept of an ideas-informed society, in which new thinking and innovation drive decision-making and citizens are encouraged to engage in and actively participate in this process.

Chris Brown and Ruth Luzmore present a practice-orientated manifesto that details what is needed to actualise an ideas-informed world, and the role of education systems and policymakers in facilitating an increasingly happier, healthier, smarter and more fulfilled society.

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshaping how businesses operate, the integration of intelligent technologies into Knowledge Management (KM) processes offers new opportunities for optimizing data-driven decision-making and enhancing organizational performance.

AI-Driven Knowledge Management Assets, Volumes 1 and 2 explore KM as a critical element of business strategy and managerial practice, especially in an era of rapid AI adoption. Authors examine KM’s foundational and advanced aspects through a managerial lens, highlighting how AI is reshaping contemporary KM practices, and delve into traditional KM strategies and cutting-edge AI applications. Each chapter is enriched with case studies and empirical research that showcase the real-world benefits and challenges of integrating AI into KM. From uncovering the theoretical underpinnings of KM to examining AI-driven innovations that create competitive advantages, this work offers actionable insights and perspectives on future developments. Authors address ethical, sustainability and managerial issues, equipping readers with the tools to navigate the complexities of AI-infused KM practices.

Providing a valuable resource for business leaders, academics, and students, these volumes support those looking to integrate AI into KM to drive strategic decision-making and operational efficiency. Merging traditional knowledge management practices with the latest AI advancements, they prepare readers to harness technology for innovative solutions, positioning their organizations for success in the modern business landscape.

As cities evolve to meet the demands of the 21st century, the concept of "smart cities" has gained significant traction. While much of the discourse focuses on digitalization and the role of information and communication technology (ICT), the fundamental impact of architecture and design in shaping sustainable and user-friendly environments is often overlooked. The built environment, which includes its structures, interiors, and public spaces, plays a crucial role in determining how livable and adaptable a city truly is.

Design and Architecture for Sustainable, Resilient, and User-Friendly Cities and Interiors inserts itself into this ongoing debate by shifting the focus away from technology as the primary driver of smart urban development. Instead, this volume explores how architecture and design serve as the foundation for creating cities that are not only smart but also livable, sustainable, and adaptable to future challenges. Divided into three parts, the authors of this collected edtion examine contemporary design and architectural principles, innovative approaches to sustainable product development, and case studies that highlight the intersection of design, user experience, and urban resilience. By centering infrastructure and spatial planning in discussions on smart cities, this edited collection offers a fresh and necessary perspective that redefines the role of design in urban evolution.

Bringing together scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplines, this volume is an essential resource for architects, urban planners, designers, and policymakers seeking to create cities that prioritize both technological advancement and human well-being. Addressing critical gaps in existing literature, this work provides a new framework for understanding how the built environment contributes to the future of sustainable urban living.

In England and Wales, the controversial decision was made to add American XL Bully-type dogs to the prohibited breeds list of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The XL Bully Ban is the first book on this topic that explores the impacts on caregivers and, uniquely, their exempted dogs.

Informed by a critical review of breed-specific legislation, the authors highlight the lack of consideration of the impacts of the XL Bully ‘ban’ on caregivers and exempted dogs themselves. By delving into these impacts, which include financial, emotional, practical, and quality-of-life issues, and giving voice to caregivers and companion animals, this book contributes towards building an evidence-base that can be considered in relation to future global debates. Considering alternative methods of reducing dog attacks, the authors draw out the implications of their findings for policymakers as well the wider, international debate on breed-specific legislation.

The first book written on this contemporary topic, this is cutting edge reading for scholars interested in human-animal interactions, issues of species justice, sentience and victimology, breed specific legislation, and harm-reduction. It is also of interest to practitioners and advocates working with those affected by the ban, and policymakers as they consider how to respond to continued reports of dog attacks.

Putting Institutional Theory to Work During Times of Crisis addresses a persistent challenge in management research: bridging the gap between rigorous theory and practical application. Despite the perceived complexity of institutional theory, this collection shows how it offers valuable insights for practitioners navigating organizational and societal crises.

Revisiting James D. Thompson's (1956) vision of administrative science as an applied field, the editors assert that institutional theory can guide decision-makers in understanding and responding to challenges from eroding democratic institutions to climate change. With papers divided into two sections, Section A foregrounds institutions themselves, examining the practical implications of institutional dynamics; and Section B focuses on activities within and around institutions, exploring the implications of extended institutional forces. Contributing authors identify relevant stakeholders, specify actionable strategies, and delineate appropriate contexts for application. By synthesizing seemingly disparate studies, the papers present a cohesive narrative about the practical value of institutional theory in addressing contemporary crises.

Illuminating the complex interplay between actors, practices, and institutional contexts, Putting Institutional Theory to Work During Times of Crisis provides a nuanced understanding of how change can be affected within structural constraints. This work demonstrates how institutional theory can fulfil its potential as both a rigorous academic pursuit and a valuable guide for real-world decision-making.

Written from an equitable data perspective, Questioning Technology: Addressing Divisive Data in Research and Practice translates the pressing challenges within data collection, data categorization and data commercialisation to enable researchers, SMEs, and practitioners to better question why and how they use data.

Offering an alternative that diverges from the current narrative of subjective ethics, this guide affords authentic perspective and confidence to respectively question the function of technology and the intensity of data collection, the ethics of data use, data collection risks and mitigation, data commercialisation, and the impact this has on digital policy. Split into three parts, the first part of the guide introduces the concepts surrounding digital inclusion, data dignity, technical language and the way in which humans are part of the digital ecosystem. The second part discusses and elaborates on the challenges within data collection, data categorization and commercialisation. The third part of the guide focuses on existing and recent policy progression around data and AI and to what degree this knowledge can be applied in the digital and physical realm.

Through a shared and accurate technological language informed by clear and equitable digital terminology and characteristics, O’Higgins and Halliday call for a step-change that can be used in industry and academia to bridge the language and knowledge gap for aligned collaboration through accessibility towards true digital equity.

Universities are in a unique position to be agents of change in their communities and to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This edited collection features an up-to-date collection of in-depth case studies from universities in the MENA region, as well as comparative global cases, which demonstrate the impact of higher education on the SDG agenda.

Addressing an important gap in otherwise limited and fragmented literature on the MENA region, this collection provides a comprehensive overview of the role of universities in achieving the SDGs in the MENA region – showcasing specific initiatives, case studies, policies and research efforts from a wide range of universities in the region. The chapters focus on themes such as the role of universities in achieving the SDGs, how universities integrate sustainability goals into their strategic plans, the challenges that universities face in implementing the SDGs, SDG implementation differences between developed and developing countries, partnerships between universities and other stakeholders in order to achieve the SDGs, and assessment of the methodology and impact of Times Higher Education's Impact Ranking on university strategies to achieve the SDGs.

Highlighting and celebrating examples of good practices and effective strategies from different universities and providing practical recommendations and policy suggestions, this is a roadmap for higher education institutions to engage in community and international development work. It serves as a reference for faculty and students in higher education institutions around the world, as well as practitioners in the field of community engagement.

At a time when concerns about sexual violence, online harms and the efficacy of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) frameworks are at the forefront of public discourse, this book offers a timely and necessary intervention. Presenting the concept of ‘safe uncertainty’ as a transformative framework for understanding adolescent intimacies and relationships, authors Setty and Hunt critique current deficit models in relationships and sex education in place of a more nuanced engagement with digital intimacies, online sexual learning and sex media, healthy relationships, gender and consent.

Traditional approaches to RSE, while well-intentioned, can reduce complex social and emotional dynamics to simplistic binaries, leaving young people ill-equipped to navigate the inherent ambivalences and ambiguities of intimacy and relationality. Drawing on original research and case studies from the authors’ practice, this text demonstrates how safe uncertainty acknowledges ambiguity and ambivalence as integral parts of relationships and intimacy and involves creating environments where young people can explore their perspectives and experiences without fear of judgment or rigid moral or legal solutions. Aligned with a broader need for relational, developmental and contextual approaches to understanding adolescent intimacies, Setty and Hunt explore how this framework encourages educators, policymakers and researchers to move beyond knowledge-transfer models and instead focus on equipping young people with the skills to navigate uncertainty in ways that promote emotional resilience and ethical decision-making as sexual citizens.

Connecting the concept of safe uncertainty with critical debates on consent, gender and digital culture, this timely contribution bridges gaps between research, practice and policy on both a national and an international scale.

A network analysis that ignores social harm is merely a technical exercise. A social critique that ignores the network is incomplete. Navigating the Web of Disinformation closes this critical gap.

Mariann Hardey and Wasim Ahmed offer a vital socio-technical examination of digital falsehoods, using Social Network Analysis (SNA) to connect the mechanics of digital diffusion to their real-world consequences. The result is a powerful visual and analytical account of how digital manipulation directly fuels social instability. As a critical contribution to the field, this book equips researchers and policymakers with a practical method to not only identify false information but to understand its social impact, proposing grounded solutions to defend the integrity of public discourse.

A vital contribution to the field, this publication equips policymakers, researchers, and practitioners with the insights needed to mitigate the spread of false information.

Utilising personal narratives and theoretical frameworks, International Student Experiences in Australian Higher Education critically explores the academic hurdles, cultural adjustments, and job prospects of Chinese and Indian International Master's students as they live, study and work in Australia.

Uniquely combining autoethnographic narratives with theoretical frameworks such as the Life-long Life-wide Learning Ecology Framework, each chapter offers a deep exploration of various facets of international student experiences from a different perspective, addressing issues like academic writing challenges, cultural acculturation, employability concerns, and the transition from student to teacher-researcher. The book's originality lies in its focus on personal narratives, which provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges and aspirations of international students, coupled with theoretical discussions that contextualise these experiences within broader educational frameworks. By bringing together diverse voices and perspectives, the book offers a comprehensive exploration of the complexities of international education.

Notably, the book aligns with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal for Quality Education by amplifying student voices and offering strategic recommendations for policymakers and institutions. By prioritising student representation and providing a valuable resource for academics and policymakers, this research is a significant contribution to the fields of international education and higher education policy.

Educational Embodiments: Life Writing the Body focuses on life writing that centers body politics and embodiment in educational spaces. The aim of the book is to consider, examine, and voice the lived, fleshy, textured body as a site of politics, a site of embodied educative experiences, and a site of learning and teaching. Researchers and educators alike have long championed the disembodied researcher and teacher as the ideal collectors and vehicles for knowledge production and emphasized the intellect over the body in pedagogies, analyses, and fieldwork. We are always enfleshed in diverse ways in various locales, always changing, moving, becoming, aging, singing, aching, growing, becoming marred and scarred and stronger and bigger, and smaller again. We are embodied with others, interacting with other body-mind-souls that awaken interrelational proxemics and kinesthetic experiences.

Educational Embodiments offers perspectives from which scholars, teachers, and students can draw to support their work. The 14 chapters in this collection attend to national, international, and local concerns, include varied theoretical and methodological approaches, and reflect a range of class, ethnic, and racial heritages. Chapters consider practical, theoretical, ethical, and educational issues. The authors include established and emerging scholars. The book sparks conversation, debate, and reflection and is a valuable resource that inspires scholarship about how embodied intersections shape the life-writing inquiry process.

Kindness Through Africentricity: Living as Caring Human Beings draws on Africentric philosophy, the principles of Ubuntu, and intersectionality to offer a groundbreaking exploration of kindness within African Nova Scotian communities. This volume challenges conventional understandings by positioning kindness not only as a moral virtue, but as a powerful and transformative force rooted in cultural, communal, and historical contexts. It bridges theory and lived experience, providing a critical Africentric perspective that invites readers to consider kindness as both a personal ethic and a communal practice.

As part of the Kindness at Work series, this interdisciplinary collection brings together scholars and community leaders of African ancestry in Nova Scotia to examine kindness through educational, organizational, and cultural lenses. It offers practical strategies for implementing Africentricity in education and community contexts, while also contributing to the growing but still underexplored field of kindness in management and organizational studies. By centering African Nova Scotian voices and experiences, Kindness Through Africentricity expands the theoretical scope of kindness and reclaims it as a valuable, strategic, and culturally grounded approach to leadership, learning, and community-building.

This volume contains two Open Access chapters.

Organizational Resilience: Interdisciplinary Insights explores the interplay between resilience and neighboring concepts like crisis management, power, paradoxes, hybridity, sustainability and more. A curated collection of contributions from leading figures in these areas, authors acknowledge the multifaceted ways in which resilience is both used and misused both by scientific audiences and practitioners, investigate the inner and outer boundaries underpinning resilience as a social and organizational phenomenon and advance a comprehensive and inclusive research agenda that considers the novelty emerging from collaborations across adjoining fields.

There is clear evidence that teacher work is increasingly unsustainable, leading to an impact on health and well-being, and sector-wide and international challenges such as teacher retention and recruitment. Leadership, Organisation and the Sustainability of Teacher Work focuses on the intersections between educational leadership, organisational processes, well-being and how these relate to concerns regarding teacher work, workload and the sustainability of the profession.

Amidst the performative pressures on teachers, the authors explain that central to all these issues is the process of leadership and its embedded nature within organisations. Leaders play an important role in developing positive workplace environments in which teachers can thrive, but their work is part of a wider flow of activities which constitute the essential nature of organisations and hence teacher work. By advocating a view of leadership, organisation and teacher work as complex, intertwined tangles of processes, this book begins to sketch out an alternative perspective for understanding educational organisations and how the work of teachers might be made sustainable.

Leadership, Organisation and the Sustainability of Teacher Work argues for the need to understand leaders and leadership as part of a wider network of processes and relationships so as to draw out the complexity of the work involved for all within educational organisations. Drawing on organisational sciences, sociology, psychology and education research, it is offered for reflection and challenge to scholars in those fields interested in a sustainable future for the teaching profession.

Industry Transformation: Strategies for Digital Innovation and AI Adoption Technologies offers a timely and comprehensive guide to navigating the evolving landscape of digital transformation across industries. As organisations face mounting pressure to adapt to technological disruption and shifting market demands, this timely work provides a strategic framework for integrating artificial intelligence, big data, IoT, blockchain, and cybersecurity into business operations. Drawing on real-world case studies and actionable insights, it bridges the gap between theory and practice, equipping readers with the tools to lead successful digital initiatives.

Beyond the technical dimensions, the authors address the ethical and regulatory considerations essential to responsible AI adoption. With a balanced focus on both innovation and human-centric approaches, it empowers executives, managers, policymakers, and academics to foster sustainable growth in the digital age. By synthesising cutting-edge research and industry expertise Industry Transformation serves as an indispensable resource for those seeking to unlock the full potential of digital innovation in their sectors.

During the 2010s, the body positivity movement experienced a meteoric rise in mainstream recognition. It became a cultural phenomenon, generating celebrities, boosts in industries and a modest body diversity in popular media representation. However, body positivity’s celebration was not without critique, as its popularity grew, criticisms relating to the types of bodies that became the focus of body positivity demonstrated the movement’s shortcomings and complexities.

The Body Positivity Movement: A Story of ‘Acceptable’ Fatness investigates the contemporary body positivity movement, its triumphs and its shortcomings. Using memoirs and life writing from activists, body positive advocates, and her own personal recollections, author Gemma Gibson traces body positive activities and practices through the fat activist movement in the UK and North America. The Body Positive Movement demonstrates how body positivity has been an important tool for many fat activists, but also how the movement has been vulnerable to political dilution in mainstream media, advertising and social media.

This research uses an activist perspective to explore body positivity through the lens of fat activism. This thought-provoking work has resonance in Sociology, Cultural Studies, Fat Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. Students, instructors and activists will find The Body Positivity Movement useful for exploring body positivity and popular feminism.

Contesting Platform Power explores the practices and discourses of data activists, by shifting the focus from critical digital studies to critical platform studies through the theoretical lens of affordances, to understand the material means by which activist’s software and applications strives to empower users through data control.

Papa critically explores the ways platform affordances, actions associated to the features of the platform which might be hidden or perceptible to the user, can create the possibilities for both action and constraint, but it ultimately rests upon users to either comply or resist. Platform affordances in this study are not to be conflated with specific features of the platform such as shares, clicks or reaction buttons, but refers the communicative practices and habits they allow or refuse to users within a technological space.

An innovative contribution to the field of critical platform studies, chapters explore the theoretical underpinnings of affordances to sow the seeds for further critical analysis into the software and applications of data activists, while also suggesting a new typology that can aid researchers in identifying and analysing such practices. Featuring case studies of data activists’ examples, Papa demonstrates that such efforts can be used in a tactical manner by users to counter the hegemonic power of corporate platforms and AI.

Educational Embodiments: Life Writing the Body focuses on life writing that centers body politics and embodiment in educational spaces. The aim of the book is to consider, examine, and voice the lived, fleshy, textured body as a site of politics, a site of embodied educative experiences, and a site of learning and teaching. Researchers and educators alike have long championed the disembodied researcher and teacher as the ideal collectors and vehicles for knowledge production and emphasized the intellect over the body in pedagogies, analyses, and fieldwork. We are always enfleshed in diverse ways in various locales, always changing, moving, becoming, aging, singing, aching, growing, becoming marred and scarred and stronger and bigger, and smaller again. We are embodied with others, interacting with other body-mind-souls that awaken interrelational proxemics and kinesthetic experiences.

Educational Embodiments offers perspectives from which scholars, teachers, and students can draw to support their work. The 14 chapters in this collection attend to national, international, and local concerns, include varied theoretical and methodological approaches, and reflect a range of class, ethnic, and racial heritages. Chapters consider practical, theoretical, ethical, and educational issues. The authors include established and emerging scholars. The book sparks conversation, debate, and reflection and is a valuable resource that inspires scholarship about how embodied intersections shape the life-writing inquiry process.

This book contains an Open Access Chapter.

Latinas represent one of the fastest-growing populations in the US, yet Latina faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers remain underrepresented. Advancing Latinas in STEM Academic Careers shares ideas, strategies, and best practices in the following areas: (1) work-life issues, policies/practices, mentoring, and climate that affect the pathways/pipelines, recruitment, retention, and advancement/leadership of Latinas in academic STEM careers; (2) challenges and opportunities for STEM Latinas across faculty rank and within and outside academia; (3) best practices and lessons learned in the recruitment and advancement of STEM Latinas; (4) intersectionality issues, particularly those related to gender and ethnic diversity in STEM; and (5) pipeline/pathways for advancing Latinas in STEM.

Academic research in STEM is often conducted without the perspectives of members of underrepresented groups, including Latinas. An increase in the number and representation of underrepresented minorities and women in STEM has the capacity to build more informed public policy formulation, discussion, and implementation. Having an inclusive STEM faculty that advances Latinas exposes students to a range of perspectives and experiences, counters stereotypes students might have about Latinas and BIPOC populations, strengthens the pipeline for Latina/o students, and prepares non-Latina/o students to work productively in an increasingly diverse and competitive workforce. The audience for this book includes researchers in STEM equity and Latina/o studies, college and university administrators, and faculty, especially Hispanic Serving Institutions seeking knowledge, best practices, and resources for advancing Latinas in STEM academic careers.

Although substantial research has been conducted on Artificial Intelligence (AI), environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, and the rise of tokenized assets individually, there remains a gap in literature which analyzes how these topics and trends overlap and are influence each other. Professionals and scholars alike continue to face a shortage of practically oriented books and content with either technical or purely conceptual writings and content dominating market share.

In Artificial Intelligence, ESG Investments and The Future of Tokenized Assets, award winning researcher and academic Sean Stein Smith addresses this gap, offering a rapid, accessible guide to the intersections and implications of these transformative technologies. Covering topics from AI utilization by financial institutions and professionals for both quantity and quality of data reporting, to the implications of these changes for accounting, finance, and economics professionals needing to contend with an AI-driven tokenized financial landscape, Stein Smith dives into the future of transformative technologies, with examples, resources, and places where readers can learn more will be embedded within every chapter.

Academics and practitioners can discover actionable business intelligences to enable both an understanding and implementation of technologies such as AI, and tokenization across business and service lines.

This book contains an Open Access Chapter.

Latinas represent one of the fastest-growing populations in the US, yet Latina faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers remain underrepresented. Advancing Latinas in STEM Academic Careers shares ideas, strategies, and best practices in the following areas: (1) work-life issues, policies/practices, mentoring, and climate that affect the pathways/pipelines, recruitment, retention, and advancement/leadership of Latinas in academic STEM careers; (2) challenges and opportunities for STEM Latinas across faculty rank and within and outside academia; (3) best practices and lessons learned in the recruitment and advancement of STEM Latinas; (4) intersectionality issues, particularly those related to gender and ethnic diversity in STEM; and (5) pipeline/pathways for advancing Latinas in STEM.

Academic research in STEM is often conducted without the perspectives of members of underrepresented groups, including Latinas. An increase in the number and representation of underrepresented minorities and women in STEM has the capacity to build more informed public policy formulation, discussion, and implementation. Having an inclusive STEM faculty that advances Latinas exposes students to a range of perspectives and experiences, counters stereotypes students might have about Latinas and BIPOC populations, strengthens the pipeline for Latina/o students, and prepares non-Latina/o students to work productively in an increasingly diverse and competitive workforce. The audience for this book includes researchers in STEM equity and Latina/o studies, college and university administrators, and faculty, especially Hispanic Serving Institutions seeking knowledge, best practices, and resources for advancing Latinas in STEM academic careers.

Active and Engaging Classrooms: A Practical Exploration of P-12 School Contexts empowers educators to transform their classrooms into vibrant spaces where students actively lead their own learning. This edited volume explores how teachers can design and facilitate learning environments that promote student agency, curiosity, and collaboration. It emphasizes that active and engaging learning is not accidental—it requires intentional planning, responsive teaching, and a deep understanding of how students learn best.

The book offers practical strategies for creating classroom climates that support meaningful participation, including classroom management techniques, systems thinking, and the importance of trust in student-teacher relationships. It also explores how active learning connects with multicultural education and Culturally Responsive Teaching, providing inclusive approaches that resonate with diverse learners. Real-world examples include project-based learning, dual-enrollment courses, problem-solving games, and the integration of multimedia and AI.

Designed for both new and experienced educators, as well as teacher educators, this collection provides a comprehensive look at how to cultivate classrooms where students are not just engaged—but empowered. Whether you're refining your teaching practice or preparing future educators, this book offers the tools and insights needed to foster dynamic, student-centered learning environments.

Active and Engaging Classrooms: A Practical Exploration of P-12 School Contexts empowers educators to transform their classrooms into vibrant spaces where students actively lead their own learning. This edited volume explores how teachers can design and facilitate learning environments that promote student agency, curiosity, and collaboration. It emphasizes that active and engaging learning is not accidental—it requires intentional planning, responsive teaching, and a deep understanding of how students learn best.

The book offers practical strategies for creating classroom climates that support meaningful participation, including classroom management techniques, systems thinking, and the importance of trust in student-teacher relationships. It also explores how active learning connects with multicultural education and Culturally Responsive Teaching, providing inclusive approaches that resonate with diverse learners. Real-world examples include project-based learning, dual-enrollment courses, problem-solving games, and the integration of multimedia and AI.

Designed for both new and experienced educators, as well as teacher educators, this collection provides a comprehensive look at how to cultivate classrooms where students are not just engaged—but empowered. Whether you're refining your teaching practice or preparing future educators, this book offers the tools and insights needed to foster dynamic, student-centered learning environments.

Volume 23 of Research in Occupational Stress and Well-Being explores the intricate relationship between stress, well-being, and the evolving nature of work in the 21st century. In light of profound global disruptions—including the COVID-19 pandemic—and the rapid acceleration of technology, the workplace has undergone fundamental transformation. This volume critically examines how these shifts have reshaped the meaning, structure, and experience of work, often resulting in greater precarity, alienation, and psychological strain for workers. Through empirical studies and theoretical commentaries, contributors investigate the psychosocial impact of these changes on individuals and organisations alike.

Topics addressed in this volume span a wide range of contemporary issues, including the rise of remote work and its implications for employee identity and teamwork, the growth of precarious and gig employment, and the resurgence of labour movements and worker activism. Additional chapters examine the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics in both alleviating and exacerbating workplace stress, as well as organisational responses to crisis and the integration of immigrant and refugee populations into the workforce. Together, these contributions provide a timely and comprehensive analysis of how stress and well-being are being redefined in a world of work that is increasingly fluid, digital, and uncertain.

This is an era of rapid technological development and digital transformation which is impacting on all aspects of work, business and life. Technological skills are essential for success in business, especially for entrepreneurs and visionary startups, as business models now need to be agile, responsive, flexible and adaptable.
The research is a compass for entrepreneurs who are willing to embed emerging technologies in their business models, helping them chart their course toward success. In addition to the facts and roadmaps it provides, it highlights various success stories for the best techpreneurship adoption. Abaddi integrates concepts from various disciplines, such as business, technology, digital skills, and entrepreneurship; and addresses how emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and the metaverse can be utilized in business models and appeals to a broad audience, including technologists and business strategists. This cross-pollination of ideas from different fields enriches the content and makes it relevant to multiple research communities.

Enterprise Metaverse: Crafting Competitive Advantage in Virtual Realities offers a critical guide to navigating the rapidly advancing landscape of the metaverse, diving into the strategic and operational implications of virtual worlds that are reshaping business, entertainment, and interpersonal interaction. With detailed analysis, it presents the tools necessary to leverage emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI), equipping readers with the knowledge to gain a competitive edge in these new digital environments.

While existing resources often focus solely on the technological or cultural aspects of the metaverse, Enterprise Metaverse integrates these with a strategic business framework tailored for leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and academics. Through innovative case studies and actionable insights, it guides readers in capitalising on the metaverse’s potential, predicting key trends, and navigating ethical and social considerations. This comprehensive resource empowers readers to stay ahead in the next frontier of digital innovation, whether seeking market expansion, entrepreneurial opportunity, or in-depth understanding of the metaverse’s potential.

Gender sustainability is a critical area of research within the social sciences, focusing on the ongoing efforts to understand and address the diverse challenges faced by individuals of marginalised gender identities. It involves creating a society where all genders can thrive without facing discrimination or inequality. Navigating Gender Identity in India addresses the significant gap in research by examining the specific problems encountered by female, male, intersex, and other gender-fluid identities in their daily lives in India. By aligning its analysis with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, this work underscores the importance of fostering gender equality and reducing inequalities, contributing to the advancement of a more equitable and just society.

This edited collection delves into a wide range of gender-related issues, including workplace discrimination, caste and class-based challenges, and the resistance and negotiations of mothers with disabilities. Chapters cover gender-based microaggressions against women, gender-based violence in Northeast India, and the difficulties women face after career breaks. Other topics include gentrification in urban spaces, gender stereotyping and representation in social media, societal reforms and acceptance of queer communities, gender intersectionality, and the impact of religion on urban women. This diverse thematic presentation highlights the contemporary relevance of these issues in Indian society.

This collection is an invaluable resource for researchers and students in gender studies and related fields, offering real-life experiences from diverse non-Western settings. It is particularly beneficial for NGOs and policymakers aiming to understand the varied gender challenges across different societies, aiding them in developing new policies and guidelines for global societal betterment.

Solving Contemporary School Leadership Challenges: A Case Learning Approach is for aspiring school principals, connecting theoretical and practical knowledge with the current realities of school leadership. The featured cases link to relevant Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) standards and cover a range of problems encountered by school principals including cyber bullying, diversity, equity and inclusion issues, school community relationships and supervision of personnel.

Adopting this case learning approach, the intended use of the cases as an instructional tool, engages aspiring leaders in problem framing, critical thinking, decision-making and reflective practice. The case studies bring reality into theory, involve students in personal learning and promote creation of a community of learners.

The twelve papers collected in this volume of Research in Political Economy mark a new phase in the study of capitalism, centred on the reproduction of total social capital. They address the widely felt need to reconnect political economy with real-world phenomena, including financial crises, long-term stagnation, poverty, inequality, and economic injustice.

Seeking to renew pluralist dialogue among all currents critical of the dominant neoclassical paradigm—particularly those aiming to move beyond the equilibrium framework that permeates it—the volume offers important new insights into Marx’s value theory. These constitute a significant addition to both the existing body of Marx studies and to a broader understanding of capitalist reproduction, accumulation, and the sources of their recurrent failures.

This shared engagement rests on the recognition that the study of the circuit of capital can shed fresh light on the fundamental concepts of money, price, value, and credit, and on their role in explaining capitalism’s ‘laws of motion’: accumulation, historical origins, and reproduction itself. The volume thus advances critical debates and paves the way for future research on the dynamics of capitalist reproduction.

Although women are performing well academically, are they reaching the heights that their male counterparts are? If not, why not? Practitioner, Professor, Researcher, Reformer: Women’s Atypical Stories shows why gender inequalities persist in the academy and beyond.

Jackie Carter and Linda Baines shed light on why women might choose to leave academia, while also asking questions about how to bring lived experience and knowledge transfer into academia from those who chose a different career path initially. Educational structures such as recruitment, promotion and reward have barely changed in the last 100 years. Through a thematic analysis of personal narratives from thirty women the authors examine the structural issues that persist (e.g. care giving as a gendered domain, routes into higher education, elitism within the academy). They argue that to create a workforce that values activism and practitioner experience higher education needs a radical rethink. And to achieve better gender equality, a reform of recruitment and reward in higher education may be long overdue.

Practitioner, Professor, Researcher, Reformer: Women’s Atypical Stories is essential reading for researchers and practitioners who want to discover what it means for women to be in and of the academy in the 21st century.

The distinct nature of LGBTQ+ Leadership in Education is often misunderstood, overlooked, and undervalued. This groundbreaking book explores the contributions and transformative potential of LGBTQ+ educational leaders, weaving together personal stories, strategic insights, and critical analysis. Across job functions, contexts, and career stages, it explores the challenges, priorities, and contributions of LGBTQ+ leaders—including educators with multiple marginalised identities.

Grounded in the realities of the UK education sector, LGBTQ+ Leadership in Education highlights the vital role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in leadership, recognising the advocacy work of LGBTQ+ leaders and the transformative power of queer networks in shaping institutional cultures. Chapter authors offer a nuanced appreciation of authenticity, visibility, influence, and leadership development, while engaging with queer theory to challenge dominant models that perpetuate inequality.

An essential resource for educators at all levels, it empowers leaders to reexamine, refine, and strengthen their own leadership practice, fostering inclusive and effective educational environments for all.

Teachers matter. Stories matter, too. However, in the context of education, teachers’ stories matter even more. What happens in classrooms -in New Zealand and elsewhere - affects not only the teachers and pupils concerned but also those interested in teaching pedagogy and teaching in general. Teacher stories are a way to tell others about the personal experiences that inform educational environments.

From a Dutch Colony to a New Zealand Classroom: The Teaching Story of Will Potter tells part of the personal and teaching story of one post-primary commerce teacher - Will Potter - who taught in New Zealand from 1958 until 1976. He was also Jacqui Burne’s father. Will’s story has unique features: he was an immigrant who came to teaching later in life at age 51 without a degree or teaching qualifications, English was not his first language, and he went on to write textbooks in his chosen subjects. He also began teaching in the 1950s - a time when school enrollments were increasing, but facilities and teachers were limited. The Thomas Report of 1944, with its emphasis on education of the whole pupil as well as the revised School Certificate and the introduction of new subjects, also shaped the time. Will had a colonial upbringing in what was the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, and was also interned in concentration camps during the Second World War. These experiences added to his personal history. Will passed away in 1993.

Will’s story is an intrinsic case study of a rich teaching life. His story helps illustrate a teacher’s life in context revealing how aspects of the time, such as the lack of classrooms in the 1950s, affected teachers’ experiences and pedagogy. From a Dutch Colony to a New Zealand Classroom is vital reading for those interested in the history of education and the biographical and professional insights of teacher stories.

Globalization continues to reshape economies, societies, and the environment in profound ways, influencing everything from trade and labor markets to climate policy and social justice. While it has facilitated unprecedented economic growth and innovation, its effects on sustainability and equity remain complex and contested. As the world grapples with the challenges of environmental degradation, income inequality, and shifting geopolitical dynamics, the need for a deeper understanding of globalization’s role in shaping a fairer future has never been more pressing.

Globalization, Social Dividend, and Sustainable Development Goals: Shaping a Fairer Future is a timely and comprehensive study that examines the intricate relationship between globalization, sustainable development, and social equity. Bringing together a diverse group of scholars from across the globe, including experts from the United States, Italy, Turkey, Australia, India, Bhutan, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Eritrea, this volume offers a multidisciplinary perspective on the ways globalization impacts economic and social policies. Covering topics such as gender wage discrimination, financial inclusion, climate-induced migration, and the circular economy, this work provides critical insights into harnessing globalization for sustainable and equitable progress.

Offering an invaluable resource for scholars, policymakers, and students, this volume serves as a vital tool for understanding and addressing the complex interactions between globalization and social dividends. By engaging with this work, readers will gain a deeper appreciation of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in the pursuit of a more just and sustainable world.

Advances in Accounting Education is a high-quality publication of both empirical and non-empirical research that investigates vital matters in teaching, learning, and curriculum development. By focusing on these topics, it supports the improvement of accounting programs at colleges and universities and fosters innovative discussion and meaningful contributions to faculty development.

This 29th volume features 11 peer-reviewed manuscripts organized around four interrelated themes: (1) Faculty and Professional Pipeline; (2) Valuation; (3) Pedagogy and Curriculum Design; and (4) Technology and Innovation.

Accounting faculty, program designers, and higher education policymakers will find this volume both insightful and timely. It addresses pressing concerns about enrolment and pipeline issues, explores new pedagogical frontiers, and considers how emerging technologies are reshaping the accounting classroom.

Teachers matter. Stories matter, too. However, in the context of education, teachers’ stories matter even more. What happens in classrooms -in New Zealand and elsewhere - affects not only the teachers and pupils concerned but also those interested in teaching pedagogy and teaching in general. Teacher stories are a way to tell others about the personal experiences that inform educational environments.

From a Dutch Colony to a New Zealand Classroom: The Teaching Story of Will Potter tells part of the personal and teaching story of one post-primary commerce teacher - Will Potter - who taught in New Zealand from 1958 until 1976. He was also Jacqui Burne’s father. Will’s story has unique features: he was an immigrant who came to teaching later in life at age 51 without a degree or teaching qualifications, English was not his first language, and he went on to write textbooks in his chosen subjects. He also began teaching in the 1950s - a time when school enrollments were increasing, but facilities and teachers were limited. The Thomas Report of 1944, with its emphasis on education of the whole pupil as well as the revised School Certificate and the introduction of new subjects, also shaped the time. Will had a colonial upbringing in what was the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, and was also interned in concentration camps during the Second World War. These experiences added to his personal history. Will passed away in 1993.

Will’s story is an intrinsic case study of a rich teaching life. His story helps illustrate a teacher’s life in context revealing how aspects of the time, such as the lack of classrooms in the 1950s, affected teachers’ experiences and pedagogy. From a Dutch Colony to a New Zealand Classroom is vital reading for those interested in the history of education and the biographical and professional insights of teacher stories.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced digital technologies, like virtual reality (VR), the metaverse, neuroarchitecture, and nanotechnology are rapidly reshaping the fields of architecture and design. These innovations offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance sustainability, human well-being, and energy efficiency in these domains. However, alongside these developments come pressing questions about authorship, ethical responsibility, and the broader impact of AI-driven tools on the art and practice of design and architecture. As AI regulation continues to evolve globally, architects, designers, and scholars must engage in critical discussions about how new technologies can be harnessed responsibly. This volume of Emerald Studies in Sustainable Architecture and Design examines the intersection of AI and architecture and provides a comprehensive exploration of AI-based tools and their role in shaping contemporary architectural practice. Divided into three parts, this edited collection investigates AI’s influence on design processes, its integration into architectural education, and its transformative potential in interior design and the metaverse. Through real-world case studies and expert contributions, this volume highlights both the opportunities AI presents and the ethical dilemmas it raises. By framing AI’s role within the broader context of sustainability and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this work makes a unique and timely contribution to the field. Bridging research and practice, this collection is an invaluable resource for academics, students, and professionals in architecture, design, urban studies, and sustainability. Offering both theoretical insights and practical applications, it equips readers with the knowledge needed to navigate the evolving landscape of AI-driven design.

Creativity and Critical Pedagogy in Education is a bold call to reimagine education as a powerful force that shapes learners into Socially Conscious Individuals (SCIs). At its heart is the CritiCreative Communication Framework (CCCF), a dynamic, learner-centered model where creativity and critical pedagogy come together to nurture socially sensitive, reflective, and ethically grounded minds.

Rooted in Indian philosophy and aligned with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the book reimagines the classroom as a collaborative space for growth. The CCCF offers a timely response to the crisis of character in today's society.

One of the book’s most innovative contributions is Creative Aerobics, a series of mental exercises designed to promote holistic brain development. The authors also explore the Four Ps of Creativity - Place, Person, Product, and Process, and integrate them with a structured and accessible approach to critical pedagogy.

This book offers practical strategies to develop self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving. A valuable resource for educators and changemakers, it champions character, creativity, and consciousness in education.

In an era where traditional marketing techniques are losing their effectiveness, businesses must embrace innovative and forward-thinking strategies to maintain a competitive edge. AI-Driven Blue Ocean Strategies offers business managers, marketers, and entrepreneurs a detailed reference on how to leverage artificial intelligence to create and sustain new Blue Ocean strategies. By combining the power of Artificial Intelligence with the principles of Blue Ocean Strategy, this book provides actionable insights on uncovering new market opportunities, developing differentiated value propositions, and ensuring long-term business success.

With contributions from a diverse team of experts, this book presents a robust framework for applying AI in market research, consumer analysis, and trend forecasting. Through real-world case studies, readers will learn how leading companies are using AI-driven approaches to break free from saturated markets and establish new, uncontested market spaces. The authors provide an avenue for discussion of all aspects of how AI is transforming marketing and customer experience, from big data analysis and predictive analytics to content generation and real-time customer interactions.

Thriving in Higher Education: Uncovering Institutional Counter-Stories Through Abolitionist Feminist Mentoring shares personal narratives that highlight the critical role of mentoring in academic success—especially for women and people of color on the tenure track. Institutions often use mechanisms of control to shame those who challenge hegemonic norms and expectations. These shaming practices serve to silence and isolate victims, contributing to the hidden and ongoing nature of these mechanisms. In this book, scholars share experiences of microaggressions, racial battle fatigue, and institutional retaliation, revealing the hidden costs of advocating for justice and truth within academia.

These nineteen chapters, authored by multidisciplinary educators—some in collaboration with their mentors or mentees—serve as both guidebooks and cautionary tales necessary to navigate the potential perils of higher education through mentoring relationships. These brave counter-stories present tales of joy, resistance and solidarity for scholars deemed outsiders, troublemakers, boat-rockers, critical scholars, truth tellers, and the like.

While the work of dismantling institutional oppression is often costly—bringing stress, fear, and even trauma—this book stands as a beacon of hope. It offers readers not only validation and solidarity, but also practical strategies for building empowering mentoring relationships rooted in care, resistance, and community. Thriving in Higher Education is both a call to action and a testament to the resilience of those who dare to thrive in spaces not built for them.

Thriving in Higher Education: Uncovering Institutional Counter-Stories Through Abolitionist Feminist Mentoring shares personal narratives that highlight the critical role of mentoring in academic success—especially for women and people of color on the tenure track. Institutions often use mechanisms of control to shame those who challenge hegemonic norms and expectations. These shaming practices serve to silence and isolate victims, contributing to the hidden and ongoing nature of these mechanisms. In this book, scholars share experiences of microaggressions, racial battle fatigue, and institutional retaliation, revealing the hidden costs of advocating for justice and truth within academia.

These nineteen chapters, authored by multidisciplinary educators—some in collaboration with their mentors or mentees—serve as both guidebooks and cautionary tales necessary to navigate the potential perils of higher education through mentoring relationships. These brave counter-stories present tales of joy, resistance and solidarity for scholars deemed outsiders, troublemakers, boat-rockers, critical scholars, truth tellers, and the like.

While the work of dismantling institutional oppression is often costly—bringing stress, fear, and even trauma—this book stands as a beacon of hope. It offers readers not only validation and solidarity, but also practical strategies for building empowering mentoring relationships rooted in care, resistance, and community. Thriving in Higher Education is both a call to action and a testament to the resilience of those who dare to thrive in spaces not built for them.

Featuring accounts of P-12 educators, Rebellious Education: Joyful Teaching as Resistance in the American South and Appalachia offers a rebellious counter-narrative to the modern tale that teaching is a profession void of joy. Like the teaching profession itself, the American South and Appalachia are areas with juxtaposed narratives, both romanticized and villainized in popular culture. In this book, teachers in Southern and Appalachian spaces reveal their experiences of enacting their practice in challenging situations, but this is balanced with purposeful pedagogies and powerful accounts of teaching as an act of joyful resistance, pushing back against the stereotypes and false narratives currently plaguing the profession.

This book is written for educators to provide a collection of accounts that offer hope and resilience to those working to make our schools better places in geographic locations that often experience lower pay and less support. The book also serves as a tool to help motivate and sustain beginning and veteran teachers alike; it provides a community of voices against the ever-present message that teaching is not a profession worth pursuing.

Mentoring in Formal and Informal Contexts was intended to meet a gap in the academic literature that addressed mentoring practice in different contexts. The book highlights practice and research in higher education of both faculty and students, K-12 teacher education (both general and special education), healthcare education and practice, and business. 

This new edition provides potential readers with four new chapters that enhance the book by providing research and practice on mentoring: junior tenure track university faculty, a collaborative community of learners, k-12 educators engaged in new methods of science teaching, and pharmacy education faculty charged with utilizing new assessment methods for their students. These chapters provide a fresh, updated look at how mentoring can be applied in both formal and informal settings in new and different ways. New models have emerged from the mentoring research and are applied in contexts new to the book. Additionally, a new Introduction is provided to update readers as to the book’s changes. 

Featuring accounts of P-12 educators, Rebellious Education: Joyful Teaching as Resistance in the American South and Appalachia offers a rebellious counter-narrative to the modern tale that teaching is a profession void of joy. Like the teaching profession itself, the American South and Appalachia are areas with juxtaposed narratives, both romanticized and villainized in popular culture. In this book, teachers in Southern and Appalachian spaces reveal their experiences of enacting their practice in challenging situations, but this is balanced with purposeful pedagogies and powerful accounts of teaching as an act of joyful resistance, pushing back against the stereotypes and false narratives currently plaguing the profession.

This book is written for educators to provide a collection of accounts that offer hope and resilience to those working to make our schools better places in geographic locations that often experience lower pay and less support. The book also serves as a tool to help motivate and sustain beginning and veteran teachers alike; it provides a community of voices against the ever-present message that teaching is not a profession worth pursuing.

Mentoring in Formal and Informal Contexts was intended to meet a gap in the academic literature that addressed mentoring practice in different contexts. The book highlights practice and research in higher education of both faculty and students, K-12 teacher education (both general and special education), healthcare education and practice, and business. 

This new edition provides potential readers with four new chapters that enhance the book by providing research and practice on mentoring: junior tenure track university faculty, a collaborative community of learners, k-12 educators engaged in new methods of science teaching, and pharmacy education faculty charged with utilizing new assessment methods for their students. These chapters provide a fresh, updated look at how mentoring can be applied in both formal and informal settings in new and different ways. New models have emerged from the mentoring research and are applied in contexts new to the book. Additionally, a new Introduction is provided to update readers as to the book’s changes. 

Internal Consultants: The Driving Force Behind Innovation and Success in Organizations spotlights a powerful yet often underrecognized force in modern business: the internal consultant. In an era of unprecedented change and disruption, internal consultants are emerging as key agents of transformation—driving innovation, generating value, and navigating complex challenges across industries. While external consultants have long dominated the spotlight, this volume reframes internal consultants as strategic leaders shaping the future of organizations from within.

Part of the Research in Management Consulting series, this book traces the evolution of internal consulting, offering a rich exploration of its origins, current practices, and growing impact. Chapters delve into the unique challenges internal consultants face, the distinct value they bring to their organizations, and the best practices that define effective internal consulting. From navigating internal politics to building trust and credibility, the insights shared here are both practical and research-driven.

Written by a diverse group of scholar-practitioners, this volume bridges theory and real-world application, making it an essential resource for academics, consultants, HR leaders, and executives alike. Whether you're building an internal consulting function or looking to elevate its strategic role, Internal Consultants offers the tools and perspectives needed to harness their full potential.

Green Policies and Augmented Reality in InsurTech: Catalysts for Sustainability and Innovation offers a timely and in-depth exploration of the convergence between environmental sustainability and advanced technologies within the insurance sector. As the industry responds to the dual pressures of climate change and rapid digital transformation, this contributed work examines how green policies and augmented reality (AR) are reshaping insurance practices, unlocking new market opportunities, and driving innovation. Through detailed case studies and practical insights, it provides professionals, researchers, and policymakers with the knowledge needed to adapt and thrive in a changing landscape.

By addressing the intersection of sustainability and InsurTech—areas typically treated separately—this book fills a critical gap in current academic and professional literature. It offers a comprehensive overview of sustainable insurance products, implementation strategies for AR and VR technologies, and a forward-looking analysis of regulatory and market trends. With an interdisciplinary perspective that connects environmental science, financial services, and emerging technologies, the book presents a clear framework for developing future-ready, responsible insurance solutions that align with both business goals and global sustainability imperatives.

Internal Consultants: The Driving Force Behind Innovation and Success in Organizations spotlights a powerful yet often underrecognized force in modern business: the internal consultant. In an era of unprecedented change and disruption, internal consultants are emerging as key agents of transformation—driving innovation, generating value, and navigating complex challenges across industries. While external consultants have long dominated the spotlight, this volume reframes internal consultants as strategic leaders shaping the future of organizations from within.

Part of the Research in Management Consulting series, this book traces the evolution of internal consulting, offering a rich exploration of its origins, current practices, and growing impact. Chapters delve into the unique challenges internal consultants face, the distinct value they bring to their organizations, and the best practices that define effective internal consulting. From navigating internal politics to building trust and credibility, the insights shared here are both practical and research-driven.

Written by a diverse group of scholar-practitioners, this volume bridges theory and real-world application, making it an essential resource for academics, consultants, HR leaders, and executives alike. Whether you're building an internal consulting function or looking to elevate its strategic role, Internal Consultants offers the tools and perspectives needed to harness their full potential.

HR 5.0 Integration: Unleashing the Potential of the Digital Twin Revolution encapsulates the transformation of Human Resources (HR) through Digital Twin technology. The book provides numerous practical strategies and case studies for implementing Digital Twin technology to revolutionize organizational efficiency, agility, and competitiveness in the digital age.

Digital Twins, or virtual replicas of physical assets or processes, is a technology which could revolutionize HR practices through real-time monitoring, analysis, and simulation of workforce dynamics, to model employees and their interactions within the organisation. By leveraging data analytics and machine learning, HR 5.0 optimizes talent acquisition, enhances employee engagement, predicts future trends, fosters personalised employee experiences, facilitates skill development, and creates a culture of continuous improvement.

Covering the vast array of technological advancements, from ethical concerns such as data privacy, to case studies of organisational success, the book bridges theory and practice to drive HR innovation into the age of 5.0. Various HR functions such as recruitment, onboarding, learning and development, performance management, and workforce planning can all be rationalised by the creation and implementation of Digital Twins in HR, including AI, Internet of Things, data analytics, and privacy considerations.

In a time when digital technology is changing every part of our lives, The Digital Shift in Organizations explores the big effects of this technological change on businesses, employees, consumers, and society as a whole.

Dubosson and Fragnière look at the good and bad points of the digital age and give useful advice for dealing with it. Chapters examine the changes that can't be seen, caused by screens, networks and digital minds, and think about what the so-called Fifth Industrial Revolution might mean. Finding out how the growth in knowledge and the vital part that education plays are changing the world of work, and the changes affecting workers today, they look at how people's buying habits have changed in the digital age, the rise of the prosumer (someone who is both a producer and a consumer), and the power imbalances created by digital ecosystems. Look into how digital citizens can help protect democracy, the problems with e-voting, and what the future might hold for digital public services.

The Digital Shift in Organizations uncovers the issues around digital manipulation, misinformation, data control and algorithmic transparency to discover how people and groups can deal with problems caused by new technology, and why it's important to balance new technology with people's well-being.

Multinational organizations are faced with ongoing shifts in socio-economic conditions and cultural demands in diverse market contexts. Adapting to these changing conditions will require a balance between hierarchical and networked structures that enable integration of autonomous and inclusive modes of local business activities. From this vantage point, we explore central aspects of empathy and mindfulness as the means to accommodate different assumptions between headquarter managers and employees dispersed across host countries with diverse cultural norms and values. Chapters are presented here from around the world exploring operational management, the global-local nexus, tacit knowledge in MNCs, corporate culture, employee mindfulness and setting out a future pathway for developing effective MNC structures. Emerald Studies in Global Strategic Responsiveness aspires to disseminate new inspiring research insights as a potential catalyst for the development of effective approaches to deal with the exposures imposed by dynamic complexities in the global business environment. The implied organizational and societal challenges require effective responses from both public and private organizations induced by supportive policy initiatives. The associated challenges are beyond the control of executive powers and exceed the capacity of single institutions thus underpinning a call for collaborative approaches and collective actions to foster viable solutions for a sustainable future.

AI and Deep Learning Enabled Surveillance System Using Image Processing is an essential resource for anyone interested in the convergence of advanced technologies to enhance surveillance capabilities. This book explores in detail how artificial intelligence and deep learning can be applied to image processing, offering a transformative approach to modern surveillance systems. It covers foundational concepts of AI and deep learning, explaining how these technologies are reshaping the way we understand and utilize image data. The book emphasizes practical implementation, guiding readers through the integration of AI algorithms with image processing techniques to create sophisticated, real-time surveillance solutions.

Through in-depth discussions and real-world case studies, the book highlights the applications of AI in various surveillance contexts, such as public safety, traffic monitoring, and access control. Readers will learn about the latest advancements in neural networks, object detection, and anomaly detection, gaining insights into developing and deploying intelligent surveillance systems. Additionally, the book addresses critical ethical and privacy considerations, ensuring that readers are aware of the balance between enhanced security and individual privacy rights. This comprehensive guide is an invaluable tool for professionals and researchers aiming to harness the power of AI and deep learning in the field of surveillance.

AI and Deep Learning Enabled Surveillance System Using Image Processing is an essential resource for anyone interested in the convergence of advanced technologies to enhance surveillance capabilities. This book explores in detail how artificial intelligence and deep learning can be applied to image processing, offering a transformative approach to modern surveillance systems. It covers foundational concepts of AI and deep learning, explaining how these technologies are reshaping the way we understand and utilize image data. The book emphasizes practical implementation, guiding readers through the integration of AI algorithms with image processing techniques to create sophisticated, real-time surveillance solutions.

Through in-depth discussions and real-world case studies, the book highlights the applications of AI in various surveillance contexts, such as public safety, traffic monitoring, and access control. Readers will learn about the latest advancements in neural networks, object detection, and anomaly detection, gaining insights into developing and deploying intelligent surveillance systems. Additionally, the book addresses critical ethical and privacy considerations, ensuring that readers are aware of the balance between enhanced security and individual privacy rights. This comprehensive guide is an invaluable tool for professionals and researchers aiming to harness the power of AI and deep learning in the field of surveillance.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), an umbrella term that includes any device capable of emulating or even exceeding human capabilities, emerged as computer technologies became more sophisticated and complex. Recent rapid developments in AI have utilized the pattern-matching capacity to create words, images, and sounds, often referred to as Generative AI. In 2022, Open-AI unveiled ChatGPT, a computer program designed to simulate conversation with users. After receiving input from users, ChatGPT displayed the capacity to provide lifelike answers, that appeared filled with human insight.

Given the rapid advancement of AI in transforming social life, authors in this volume explore the implications of the emergent interaction between humans and AI technologies. They each provide a fine-grain view of the social forms associated with the use of AI technologies, using symbolic interactionist concepts such as identity, reflexivity, the self, the generalized other, time, place, and more as pivots of analysis.

Symbolic Interaction and AI demonstrates the utilities of symbolic interactionist theorizing in understanding the consequences of AI use in social life, as well as how the research of AI technologies could enhance the development of symbolic interactionist theories.

There is an urgent need for nutrition-sensitive interventions in the face of rising malnutrition, food insecurity, and climate change. As global initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize dietary diversity as a pathway to achieving better health, food security, and gender equity, this study examines the prevalence, determinants, and broader implications of dietary diversity in low-resource settings, offering a nuanced perspective that integrates global health and sustainable development frameworks.

Grounded in empirical research from rural Tanzania, Dietary Diversity for Sustainable Development delves into the crucial intersection of food systems, culture, gender, and nutrition, highlighting actionable strategies for improving nutritional outcomes among women of reproductive age. By employing a culturally sensitive approach and leveraging context-specific data, the authors present practical recommendations for improving nutrition within rural communities which foregrounds women’s nutritional challenges, links local insights to global imperatives, and offers replicable strategies for improving diet quality in similar low-resource settings.

Bridging the gap between policy discourse and on-the-ground realities, Dietary Diversity for Sustainable Development provides a groundbreaking analysis of dietary diversity as both an indicator and a driver of sustainable development. Essential for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, this book contributes valuable evidence-based perspectives on sustainable food systems and development.

Inspectors General: Duty, Authority, Integrity examines the firsthand experiences and insights of practitioners who work in an omnipresent yet little understood government watchdog institution, the Office of Inspector General (OIG). OIGs continuously monitor, and ensure accountability of public employees, contractors, and beneficiaries within their jurisdiction . Although OIGs were originally not found outside of military settings, since the mid-1970s, they are now an established part of most federal executive agencies in the United States, as well as of state and local governments; they are tasked with fighting waste, fraud, abuse and to improve the efficacy of Medicare, Medicaid among over a hundred other HHS programs. Yet most US Master of Public Administration programs, political science departments, and law schools do not teach about OIGs as an important mechanism of ethics, accountability and oversight. They are relatively understudied despite their ubiquitousness and impact.

This book presents chapters authored by leading academics and practitioners to provide a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the institution, and its history, design, challenges, and successes.

Inspectors General: Duty, Authority, Integrity is essential reading for those working in public administration or political science; legal scholars; government consultants; healthcare providers, and those who study public management, government accountability and oversight, democratic control of the executive branch, institutional design, and public agency performance. Faculty members would find it invaluable not only as a collection of academic research but also consider its use for master’s level and doctoral classes. Additionally, professionals in the world of federal, state, and local OIGs, compliance officers, as well as in positions of oversight generally. would have an interest in this book.

Inspectors General: Duty, Authority, Integrity examines the firsthand experiences and insights of practitioners who work in an omnipresent yet little understood government watchdog institution, the Office of Inspector General (OIG). OIGs continuously monitor, and ensure accountability of public employees, contractors, and beneficiaries within their jurisdiction . Although OIGs were originally not found outside of military settings, since the mid-1970s, they are now an established part of most federal executive agencies in the United States, as well as of state and local governments; they are tasked with fighting waste, fraud, abuse and to improve the efficacy of Medicare, Medicaid among over a hundred other HHS programs. Yet most US Master of Public Administration programs, political science departments, and law schools do not teach about OIGs as an important mechanism of ethics, accountability and oversight. They are relatively understudied despite their ubiquitousness and impact.

This book presents chapters authored by leading academics and practitioners to provide a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the institution, and its history, design, challenges, and successes.

Inspectors General: Duty, Authority, Integrity is essential reading for those working in public administration or political science; legal scholars; government consultants; healthcare providers, and those who study public management, government accountability and oversight, democratic control of the executive branch, institutional design, and public agency performance. Faculty members would find it invaluable not only as a collection of academic research but also consider its use for master’s level and doctoral classes. Additionally, professionals in the world of federal, state, and local OIGs, compliance officers, as well as in positions of oversight generally. would have an interest in this book.