Ethics, Constitution, and Sustainable Development: Foundations for Building a Rational Society | Chapter 8 | The Tapestry of Development: Weaving Ethics into a Sustainable Future

 

Sustainable development has become a cornerstone of global, regional, and national development agendas, particularly following the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. Ethics and constitutionalism emerge as critical frameworks for navigating the complexities of sustainable development. This study explores how ethics and governance can provide sustainable pathways to poverty eradication by balancing the three pillars of sustainable development: economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection. It emphasises the role of ethical reasoning, constitutional principles, and governance frameworks in navigating trade-offs and guiding inclusive decision-making. Despite the global adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), many countries, particularly in the Global South, struggle to harmonise economic, social, and environmental priorities. Development projects often prioritise short-term economic gains at the expense of ecological sustainability and social justice. Weak governance, policy incoherence, and the absence of ethical frameworks exacerbate these tensions, undermining poverty eradication efforts. The research adopts a qualitative, interpretive methodology that combines a systematic literature review, policy analysis, and case study examination. The study draws on scholarly works, international development reports, constitutional provisions, and real-world examples of sustainable development initiatives. The analysis focuses on identifying ethical and governance mechanisms that support integrated and sustainable poverty eradication strategies. The study contributes to sustainability scholarship by proposing an ethical-constitutional framework for decision-making in sustainable development. It integrates principles of justice, equity, and intergenerational responsibility with governance tools such as stakeholder engagement, life cycle assessments, and constitutional rights. Sustainable development faces persistent trade-offs that cannot be resolved without ethical and governance guidance. Ethical principles such as fairness, inclusivity, and intergenerational equity provide a normative basis for reconciling competing interests. Constitutional provisions, particularly environmental and socio-economic rights, can act as enforceable mechanisms for ensuring balanced development. Multi-stakeholder engagement and just transition strategies are critical to ensuring that poverty eradication does not worsen social or environmental vulnerabilities. Balancing economic prosperity, social justice, and environmental protection requires embedding ethics and governance into the core of sustainable development policies. By integrating constitutional mandates, ethical reasoning, and participatory governance, countries can create sustainable pathways to poverty eradication that are socially inclusive and environmentally responsible. The study highlights the importance of collaboration, policy coherence, and ethical accountability in building a just and sustainable future.

 

Author(s) Details

John Motsamai Modise
Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa.

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-88417-39-6/CH8

Developing a Business and Strategic Intelligence Policy to Advance Business and Economic Development in Eastern DRC | Chapter 7 | Business, Management and Economics: Research Progress Vol. 6

Conflicts in the eastern part of the country have delayed its development as its economy has suffered significant damage. The main vision of DRC is to become an emerging country by 2030-2060. The aim of this study was to verify the existence of business and strategic intelligence policies at the level of Congolese companies and at the state level, likely to foster progress and healthy development in the east of the DRC. The study was based on a mixed perspective consisting of an objective analysis of quantitative data and an interpretative analysis of qualitative data. The quantitative findings were obtained through a survey questionnaire, and the qualitative findings were obtained through interviews. Then, the content analysis method associated with the functional method was used to detect the level of knowledge of business and strategic intelligence among Congolese companies and government departments; and also, through the description of practices in use, to determine the perception of the positioning of companies on the market, in order to determine the existence or necessity of implementing business and strategic intelligence policies in the economic system in the east of the DRC. Statistical Data were obtained with a stratified sampling of 54 employees constituting the sum of 30% of the employee headcount of each. The findings revealed that 92.6% of respondents did not know what Business and Strategic Intelligence or Competitive Intelligence is. The study evidence showed the importance and timeliness of building business and strategic intelligence policies to ensure economic progress and development in the eastern DRC. Business and strategic intelligence provides companies with an appropriate tool for researching, collecting, processing, and disseminating information useful for decision-making among stakeholders, in order to cope with a crisis or competitive situation. Thus, the study suggests several key recommendations based on its findings. It is recommended that the government establish the national policy of business and strategic intelligence by setting up a national agency of strategic intelligence in favor of local companies, and companies establish business intelligence units in their organizational structures in favor of stakeholders to foster advantageous decision-making in the competitive market and achieve progress. Finally, the study suggests that studies be carried out to fully understand the opportunities and impact of business and strategic intelligence in African countries, particularly in the DRC. This study constitutes initial evidence of a somewhat broad research that focused on some aspects, including policies, the use of ICT and communication media as business and strategic intelligence tools, and the analysis of the importance of the communication dimension in the decision-making process for the competitiveness of companies on the international market. These areas will be detailed in future studies.

 

Author (s) Details

Innocent Bora Uzima
Department of Media and Film Studies, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya and Department of Applied Communication, Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo, Beni, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/bmerp/v6/1496

Artificial Intelligence: Catalyst for a Sust A I nable Future | Chapter 6 | Advancements in Science and Technology: Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future

Artificial Intelligence (A I) is transforming the approach to global challenges, offering innovative solutions for environmental, societal, and financial sust A I nability. This chapter explores how  A I  and Sust A I nability are connected and highlights how  A I  serves as a powerful catalyst in combating climate change, optimizing resource use, conserving biodiversity, improving healthcare access, fostering social equity, agriculture, urban infrastructure, circular economy, and equitable growth. Additionally, this chapter looks at how  A I  addresses critical challenges, such as high energy consumption, ethical considerations around data privacy, and economic disruptions.  This chapter examines how  A I -driven sust A I nability can be designed to benefit all communities equitably while distinguishing itself from conventional discussions on  A I  and sust A I nability. Unlike traditional approaches, it highlights  A I ’s role in driving scalable, predictive, and transformative change across multiple sectors, offering a fresh perspective on its potential to reshape sust A I nable development, which makes this chapter slightly different from other discussions av A I lable. This chapter would be of great benefit for policymakers, researchers, academicians, industry, leaders, and environmental advocates seeking to understand how  A I  can drive sust A I nable development. By using  A I  responsibly and working together globally we can unlock its full potential to create a greener, f A I rer, and more resilient future for everyone. This chapter takes a multidisciplinary approach to fostering collaboration and innovation, striving to achieve a seamless balance between scientific advancement and ecological sust A I nability.

 

Author (s) Details

 

Dr. Deepmala Kamboj
Department of Mathematics, Mukand Lal National College, Yamunanagar, India.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-49473-39-3/CH6

Enhancing Competitive Advantage through Business Intelligence System Adoption: A Strategic Framework for Improved Decision-Making in Organisations | Chapter 2 | Information Management and Technology: The Proceedings of the 10 th International Conference on Business and Management Dynamics (ICBMD), Edition 1

This paper aims to address gaps in managerial competencies by using Business intelligence systems to enhance competitive advantage. It focuses on adopting a business intelligence system as a digital strategy to improve business intelligence and address a long-time problem of information failures in organisations. The flow of quality information to make quality decisions is often ignored when measuring competitive advantage, yet, the quality of the information received by decision-makers can have a huge impact on the performance of an organisation. The question remains: How are managers getting the information to make decisions in this technological era? In some instances, information sent to decision-makers is still being prepared manually contrary to the demands of the fourth and the upcoming fifth industrial revolution where managers are expected to interact with gadgets. This paper explored ways of ensuring that managers can develop BI reports and configure the BI system to report directly to them to improve business intelligence. It answers the following questions: Do managers have the capacity to configure gadgets to report to them directly? What should be done to achieve this? We conducted qualitative research, to get a deep understanding. The results revealed that senior managers still over-rely on information supplied by humans, often prone to manipulation and errors. Supervisors try to block the free flow of information through a behaviour called gatekeeping. Senior managers lack the technical skills to develop BI reports in the BI system. This paper proposes the stages an organisation goes through to overcome this challenge. The practical implications of the findings suggest that, when BI systems are implemented effectively and utilized correctly, they contribute to informed decision-making and enhance competitive positioning in organisations.

 

Author (s) Details

 

Garikayi Emmanuel Gondo
University of South Africa (UNISA), Midrand, Republic of South Africa.

Lorna B Holtman
International Education and Partnerships, Durban University of Technology, ML Sultan Campus, PO Box: 1334, Durban, 4000, Republic of South Africa.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-49238-37-4/CH2

Management of Agricultural Companies in Portugal: How the Use of Fair Value can Promote Their Improvement| Chapter 6 | Business, Management and Economics: Research Progress Vol. 10

This article explores the use of fair value as a basis for measuring biological assets in the agricultural sector, focusing on the Portuguese context. It highlights the critical role of timely and accurate information in the decision-making processes of entities involved in agricultural activities. The adoption of international standards such as IAS 41 and IPSAS 27 has introduced fair value measurement, providing an alternative to historical cost. While fair value is relevant and reflects current market conditions, challenges remain such as market availability, valuation subjectivity and volatility. This study examines the implications of fair value for public and private entities, detailing the regulatory framework, methodological approaches and practical applications. It also discusses the advantages, disadvantages and disclosure requirements associated with this accounting approach, highlighting its impact on transparency, comparability and reliability in financial reporting.

 

Author (s) Details

Maria da Conceição da Costa Marques
Department of Business Sciences, ISCAC Coimbra Business School, Portugal.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/bmerp/v10/3564

Exploring the Relevant Assessment Procedures in Evaluation of Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis | Chapter 11 | Advancement and New Understanding in Medical Science Vol. 7

The management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) depends on the current state of joint degeneration and its influence on the individual’s functional health status. To ensure a comprehensive understanding that facilitates informed decision-making, it is imperative to integrate radiological assessment with clinical and functional evaluations. Pain assessment should adopt a paradigm that considers both nociceptive and neuropathic sources of pain, considering the potential role of peripheral and central sensitization in pain manifestations and its ramifications on affective and cognitive spheres. Functional assessment should encompass three dimensions, according to the view of the reported results and the degree of objectivity. Additionally, given the notable prevalence of depressive symptoms and anxiety among individuals with knee OA, mental health status must not be overlooked, as it significantly influences functional status and predicts rehabilitation outcomes. Consequently, the results obtained from the functional test should be considered in light of the potential impact of depressive symptoms. However, it is crucial to recognize that depressive symptoms may exert distinct influences on the three functional dimensions, contingent upon the level of objectivity. Regarding pain, a lack of clear consensus exists on its influence, with divergent definitions of pain and the inclusion of heterogeneous cognitive factors related to pain impeding the derivation of conclusive results. Ultimately, a comprehensive assessment incorporating radiological, pain, functional, and psychological statuses is essential to inform optimal treatment decisions tailored to the specific stage of knee OA.

Author(s) Details:

Fernando Dominguez-Navarro,
Grupo de Investigación en Fisioterapia de los Procesos de Envejecimiento: Estrategias Socio-Sanitarias, Departament de Fisioterapia, Universitat de València, Spain and Biomechanics & Physiotherapy in Sports Research Group (BIOCAPS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain.

Jose Pérez-Maletzki,
Grupo de Investigación en Fisioterapia de los Procesos de Envejecimiento: Estrategias Socio-Sanitarias, Departament de Fisioterapia, Universitat de València, Spain and Biomechanics & Physiotherapy in Sports Research Group (BIOCAPS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/ANUMS-V7/article/view/13429

Functionality of Smallholder Scheme and Evaluation of Decisions: Evidence from Zanyokwe Irrigation Scheme in Eastern Cape, South Africa| Chapter 2 | Research Highlights in Agricultural Sciences Vol. 6

 This book unit examined farmers’ working decision making and partnership in Zanyokwe smallholder irrigation scheme located in Amathole district in Eastern Cape Province. It surveyed households’ enthusiasm to continue participation in Zanyokwe smallholder watering scheme. The study's exact aims were to investigate the cause of functional participation of smallholder irrigators in the blueprint; and to examine the friendship between households and farm characteristics. The book branch adopted and used representative survey group discussion, structured and tractor trailer-structured questionnaires, interviews, scrutiny, and field measurement. Six of the twelve liberated variables were shown to be important in explaining households' conclusion to engage in the Zanyokwe smallholder irrigation blueprint. Farm experience, farm asset, land rights, water adequacy, marketing information, and produce alternative were the major liberated variables in the scheme. The low land production caused public indifference for the system, in accordance with the study. The average size of food plots was far excessively small for households to achieve better land output. The chapter plans that beneficiaries bear be encouraged to receive preparation in agricultural infrastructure perpetuation, and that growing beneficiaries' land size will have a slightest beneficial effect on their functional connection in the scheme.

Author(s) Details:

Agholor Azikiwe Isaac,
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Mpumalanga, Private Mail Bag X11283, Mbombela, 1200, South Africa.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/RHAS-V6/article/view/8841