Factors Affecting on Environmental Strategy in SMEs manufacturing Firms of a developing country: Mediating role of Green Employee Behavior.

Background: Sustainability in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which engage heavily in manufacturing provides them with an essential platform for implementing environmental strategy, which is aimed at reducing environmental damage and promoting environmental protection. This study aims to examine the impact of the reduction in resource use, the greening of processes and products on environmental strategy and the mediating role of green employee behaviour. Methods: Primary data gathered with the help of questionnaires from employees of SMEs manufacturing in developing countries, Pakistan. The research gathered data from 211 participants by applying a pre-tested instrumental questionnaire and structural equation modelling (SEM) for data analysis. Results: The results confirmed all direct effects, including a reduction in resource use, the greening of processes and products and green employee behaviour of environmental strategies in small and medium manufacturing firms. Also, confirmed partial mediation effect of green employee behavior between greening of processes and products and environmental strategy. Conclusion: The current study clearly showed the need for programs and infrastructures that support resource reduction and greening businesses in SMEs. Companies' implementation of green processes and technologies allows SMEs to take an environmentally responsible stand and become part of the movement toward sustainability. The research stresses the importance of green employee conduct as a mediator, the central point being the individual employee being engaged and aware of the subject and willing to participate in environmentally friendly practices. Therefore, small and medium enterprises should enlighten their staff to practice green behaviour, give them what they need and empower them to be change drivers that will trigger sustainability throughout the organisations.

[Study on risk prediction model of neck work-related musculoskeletal disorders among automobile manufacturing enterprise workers].

Objective: To explore the risk factors of neck work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among automobile manufacturing enterprise workers, and construct the risk prediction model. Methods: In May 2022, a cluster convenience sampling method was used to selet all front-line workers from an automobile manufacturing factory in Xiangyang City as the research objects. And a questionnaire survey was conducted using the modified Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire to analyze the occurrence and exposure to risk factors of neck WMSDs. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of workers' neck WMSDs symptoms, and Nomogram column charts was used to construct the risk prediction model. The accuracy of the model was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the Bootstrap resampling method was used to verify the model, Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test was used to evaluate the model, and the Calibration curve was drawn. Results: A total of 1783 workers were surveyed, and the incidence of neck WMSDs symptoms was 24.8% (442/1783). Univariate logistic regression showed that age, female, smoking, working in uncomfortable postures, repetitive head movement, feeling constantly stressed at work, and completing conflicting tasks in work could increase the risk of neck WMSDs symptoms in automobile manufacturing enterprise workers (OR=1.37, 95%CI: 1.16-1.62; OR=2.85, 95%CI: 1.56-5.20; OR=1.50, 95%CI: 1.18-1.91; OR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.02-1.37; OR=1.34, 95%CI: 1.04-1.72; OR=1.62, 95%CI: 1.21-2.17; OR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.13-1.92; P<0.05). While adequate rest time could reduce the risk of neck WMSDs symptoms (OR=0.56, 95%CI: 0.52-0.86, P<0.05). The risk prediction model of neck WMSDs of workers in automobile manutacturing factory had good prediction efficiency, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.72 (95%CI: 0.70-0.75, P<0.001) . Conclusion: The occurrence of neck WMSDs symptoms of workers in automobile manufacturing factory is relatively high. The risk prediction model constructed in this study can play a certain auxiliary role in predicting neck WMSDs symptoms of workers in automobile manufacturing enterprise workers.

[Occupational hazards of crystalline silicon solar cell manufacturing industry].

The wide use of crystalline silicon solar cells in the field of new energy is an important boost for China to achieve the environmental protection goal as soon as possible. However, the production and manufacturing processes of these cells give rise to various occupational hazards at workplace, thus posing health risks to workers. This review provided an overview of production processes of crystalline silicon solar cells, the characteristics of occupational health hazards (productive dust; physical factors, productive toxicant) and proposed occupational protection suggestions.

Effects of producer service industry co-agglomeration and manufacturing on the green and high-end transformation of manufacturing: An empirical study from Hunan Province.

In the context of the "dual carbon goals" and intensified international manufacturing competition, the green and high-end transformation of manufacturing is the direction for the industry's future growth in China. The study discusses the effect of producer service industry co-agglomeration and manufacturing on the transformation of manufacturing into being green and high-end. Firstly, we systematically elaborate on the mechanism of the collaborative promotion of high-end manufacturing by the service and manufacturing industries and propose research hypotheses. Based on the 2010 to 2020 Hunan Provincial Statistical Yearbook data, we used the coupling coordination model and entropy method to calculate the level of collaborative development between the manufacturing and service industry, as well as the level of green high-end development in the manufacturing industry. Lastly, the specific impact of the synergistic effect of the two industries on the green high-end transformation of the manufacturing industry was analyzed using the dynamic panel regression model. Results found that service industry manufacturing synergy has a noteworthy positive driving effect on the green and high-end transformation of manufacturing. However, the impact varies across different service industries and manufacturing sectors with different technological levels. We also provide some implications for improving transformation efficiency in the green and high-end manufacturing industry.

Physician-medical manufacturing industry relationships: Perceptions of medical students.

Background Physicians and the medical manufacturing industry (MMI) are closely associated and may have some form of financial or business arrangement. Research has highlighted that these interactions negatively impact physicians' prescribing behaviour. We tried to explore medical students' perspectives regarding these interactions. Methods We did a questionnaire-based survey to capture the demographic information and included five yes-or-no questions with two possible answers that probed the participants' awareness. Statements (26 Likert-style questions) describing various physician-industry interactions were formulated based on previous research. Excel was used to gather the data, and SPSS v 25.0® for Windows was used to analyse it. Frequencies and percentages (qualitative variables) and means and standard deviations were used to present descriptive statistics (quantitative variables). The associations between the independent variables and awareness were examined using chi-square test. Results About 40% of students knew doctors and MMI work together, but only 6% knew there were rules about accepting gifts from MMI. Eighty-four per cent of respondents felt free samples from MMI were an excellent way to learn about new products. The prevalence of awareness was higher in interns/housemen (51.6%) compared to medical students (35.9%). Most (43%) of the participants preferred an online database as a method of disclosure. Conclusions Our findings indicated students' knowledge gaps regarding ethical considerations and recommended guidelines regarding the relational dynamics of medical practitioners and MMI. Students should be taught appropriate conduct and best practices and must strive to develop skepticism towards MMI marketing claims. This may be achieved by implementing various educational interventions in the medical curriculum.

Study on the impact of digital economy on industrial collaborative agglomeration: Evidence from manufacturing and productive service industries.

In the digital era, digital economy has a far-reaching impact on the collaborative agglomeration of manufacturing and service industries. This research aims to examine the economic relationship between digital economy and industrial collaborative agglomeration. Based on a panel data set of 286 Chinese cities, this research employs Tobit model, moderating effect model, and mediating effect model to conduct data analysis. It is found that digital economy has a nonlinear relationship with industrial collaborative agglomeration, and this relationship is a U-shape. Moderating effect analysis reveals that government intervention significantly regulates the role of digital economy in industrial collaborative agglomeration. Mediating effect analysis indicates that digital economy promotes industrial collaborative agglomeration through entrepreneurial activity. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the facilitating effect of digital economy on collaborative agglomeration in high-end industries comes earlier than in middle- and low-end industries. Moreover, this research finds that digital economy plays a significant role in industrial collaborative agglomeration in central and western regions of China but not in the eastern region. To enhance the impact of digital economy on industrial collaborative agglomeration, it is crucial to strengthen the engagement of the government and ensure the availability of digital technology.

Can green credit policies improve the digital transformation of heavily polluting enterprises: A quasi-natural experiment based on difference-in-differences.

The digital transformation of the manufacturing industry is closely linked to green credit policies, which jointly promote the development of the manufacturing industry towards a more environmentally friendly, efficient and sustainable development. Based on the research sample of China's manufacturing A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2022, this paper uses the difference-in- differences (DID) method to analyze the impact of green credit policies on the digital transformation of heavily polluting enterprises. The results show that green credit policies significantly inhibit the digital transformation of heavily polluting enterprises. In terms of the adjustment mechanism, the R&D investment of enterprises and the financial background of senior executives have weakened the inhibitory effect of green credit policies on the digital transformation of heavily polluting enterprises. When the R&D investment is low, the inhibitory effect of the policy is more significant, but with the increase of R&D investment, the inhibitory effect of the policy gradually weakens, indicating that there is a substitution relationship between the two. Enterprises with senior financial expertise have a deeper understanding of financial feasibility and benefit analysis, and are more receptive to the high-risk investment of digital transformation, while their financial network resources can help broaden financing channels, reduce financing constraints, and further reduce the financial difficulty of digital transformation. In addition, the green credit policy has a stronger inhibitory effect on the digital transformation of non-state-owned enterprises and enterprises that do not hold bank shares. The conclusions of this paper are expected to provide some policy implications for the subsequent green credit policies in promoting the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry.

Exploring Musculoskeletal Complaints in a Needle Manufacturing Industry: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) encompass a variety of conditions affecting muscles, joints, and nerves. In Portugal, MSDs are the most prevalent occupational health problem in companies. Based on the relevance of work-related MSD (WMSD), this study aims to assess the prevalence of MSD complaints in a needle manufacturing industry in Northern Portugal, following a cross-sectional approach. Thus, 526 workers from five departments (i.e., operator, tuning, maintenance, administration, and logistics) answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Within the last 12 months, females exhibited a higher frequency of complaints than males across all body parts except for ankles/feet. The body parts eliciting the most percentage of complaints for both genders include the lower back (54.2%), neck (42.2%), shoulders (39.0%), ankles/feet (38.2%), and wrists/hands (35.7%). No significant association was found between Body Mass Index (BMI) and body part complaints. Tuners reported the highest complaint rate, with occupations as substantial predictors of complaints in certain body parts. Likewise, complaints tend to increase with age. The findings advocate for ergonomic interventions that are gender-, age-, and job-sensitive.

How do global value chains respond to climate change? A case study of Chinese manufacturing firms.

This study investigates climate risk and its effects on global value chain (GVC) participation, with a focus on the impact of drought on the export value-added ratio (DVAR) of Chinese manufacturing firms. Using fixed effects (FE) and system GMM models, the main findings are: Drought significantly reduces manufacturing firms' DVAR, with the lagged dependent variable showing a strong persistence effect and an even greater impact in the second lag period. This impact varies based on the firm's location, the complexity of its value chain, and its ability to adapt to and mitigate climate change effects. Strategies such as improving operational efficiency, investing in sustainable technologies, and enhancing competitiveness in developed markets may help mitigate or reverse the adverse effects of climate change on these firms. Additionally, significant industry and regional differences are observed, with the Northeast, East, and South China regions being most severely affected by drought. Global innovation value chains and regional processing value chains are significantly negatively impacted, while labor-intensive value chains are affected only in the current period. These findings provide new insights into the economic impacts of climate change and offer a basis for policymakers to develop strategies that help firms adapt to and mitigate climate risks.

The influence of digital intelligence transformation on carbon emission reduction in manufacturing firms.

Severe global climate change has resulted in the focus of social attention shifting to the manufacturing industry's low-carbon transformation. Digital intelligent transformation (DIT) in enterprises is identified as a crucial driver in mitigating carbon emissions. An estimation of DIT's impact on manufacturing industries' carbon emission intensity (CEI) and its underlying mechanisms was conducted using data from Chinese A-share listed companies. Research findings indicate that DIT significantly reduces corporate CEI. Robustness tests, such as the instrumental variable method and variable substitution method, confirm this conclusion. By enhancing labor productivity and accelerating capital renewal, DIT indirectly lowers CEI. Furthermore, non-state-owned enterprises with superior market competitiveness have been observed to be markedly adept at harnessing DIT for CEI. The heterogeneity test found that DIT has a considerably significant effect on reducing CEI in enterprises that are not low-carbon pilots, non-broadband pilots, smart pilots, non-provincial capitals, and eastern cities. This study provides new evidence supporting the promotion of enterprise DIT for achieving green development, offering insights for corporate policy making.

The impact of digital industry agglomeration on firms' carbon emissions: new micro-evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms.

In the backdrop of the rapid evolution of the digital economy, the intricate relationship between digital industry agglomeration (DIA) and manufacturing firms' carbon emissions has become crucial for countries to achieve sustainable development. This study delves into this complex dynamic by analyzing data from Chinese-listed manufacturing companies spanning the years 2014 to 2021. A regional-level DIA Index is calculated to explore its impact on manufacturing firms' carbon emissions. The main finding reveals a U-shaped relationship, with an inhibitory effect on carbon emissions in most provinces to the left of the inflection point. Notably, Guangdong Province experiences a promotional phase to the right of the inflection point, where agglomeration intensifies carbon emissions. The robustness tests, including Utest, instrumental variable examination, and propensity score matching, support the credibility of these findings. Mechanism analysis reveals the mediating role of manufacturing firms' technological innovations in this relationship. Specifically, DIA is related to manufacturing firms' technological innovation in an inverted U shape, and technological innovation inhibits these firms' carbon emissions. This micro-evidence not only contributes to a nuanced understanding of the relationship between DIA and carbon emissions but also provides valuable insights to guide policies for sustainable development within the dynamic context of the digital economy.

Between Innovation and Resistance: The Role of Guilds in Early Modern Italian Ribbon Manufacturing.

The historiographical debate about the influence of guilds on economic development and innovation lacks consensus. Scholars are divided: some argue that guilds fostered a positive environment for technological innovation through privileges that ensured profits for inventors, while others underline the guilds' role in stifling innovation to protect their interests. This article undertakes a comparative analysis of ribbon manufacturing in early modern Italy, a sector known for its technology transfer across Europe. It finds that the nature of the guild and its specific privileges crucially determined technology transfer and innovation acceptance. In addition, the redistribution of profits within guilds was vital to the innovative process. The article concludes that the key to technology transfer and innovation lay in preserving the guilds' profit monopolies and internal stability.

The impact of digital economy on the upgrading of manufacturing structure.

The global economic situation is in a downturn, and the upgrading of manufacturing structure is a necessary transformation path for the manufacturing industry to achieve high-speed and stable development. The article analyzes the theoretical mechanism of the digital economy affecting the upgrading of manufacturing structure through the endogenous economic growth model, constructs a three-stage mediation effect model, and empirically researches the path of the digital economy affecting the upgrading of manufacturing structure in the Pearl River Delta. The study finds that the digital economy has a significant positive promoting effect on the upgrading of manufacturing structure. In terms of the influencing mechanism, the enhancement of the level of independent innovation and the advancement of the human capital structure are the important paths of the digital economy in promoting the upgrading of manufacturing structure. Among them, the mediating effect is 17.5% for the level of independent innovation and 17.4% for the level of the advancement of the human capital structure. The results of the study also found that the upgrading of manufacturing structure cannot be separated from government support, and the influence of government support on t the upgrading of manufacturing structure reaches 44.9%, and government deployment and control is conducive to accelerating the process of advanced manufacturing structure.

Associations between day and night-shifts, work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and absenteeism in the manufacturing industry.

Objectives. Associations between shift-work, musculoskeletal symptoms and absenteeism are poorly investigated in the manufacturing industry. This study aimed to investigate associations between working schedule, musculoskeletal symptoms and days of absenteeism among pulp and paper industry workers. Methods. Musculoskeletal symptoms of 904 workers were assessed through the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. χ2 tests assessed associations between being a day-worker or shift-worker, the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and days of absenteeism. Results. A significant association was found between working schedule and symptoms in the lower back in the last 12 months, with shift-workers presenting higher prevalence than day-workers (p = 0.022). Significant associations were also found between days of absenteeism and symptoms in the shoulders (p = 0.002), which mostly led to absenteeism of 100-365 days; elbows (p < 0.001), wrists/hands (p = 0.045) and ankles/feet (p = 0.042), which produced absenteeism mostly of 25-99 days; and dorsal region (p = 0.001), which mainly led to absenteeism of 10-24 days. No associations were found between working schedule and days of absenteeism (p = 0.265). Conclusion. Shift-work is associated with increased prevalence of lower back symptoms, but seems not to influence days of absenteeism. Shoulders seem to be the region leading to higher days of absenteeism, followed by elbows, wrists/hands, ankles/feet and the dorsal region.

Can digital transformation promote green innovation in enterprises? the moderating effect of heterogeneous environmental regulations.

Currently, digital transformation is having various impacts on enterprises around the world, including the green innovation. However, the current literature on the relationship between digitalization and green innovation in enterprises is scarce. What is the relationship between them, and whether heterogeneous environmental regulation has mediating effects, are questions that are worth exploring. Using a sample of listed manufacturing enterprises in China, this paper empirically tests the impact of digital transformation on enterprise green innovation. The results show that: (1) Digital transformation has a significant positive impact on green innovation, including green innovation output and green innovation capability. (2) Diverse environmental regulation may have mediating effects of digital transformation's influence on green innovation. (3) After a number of robustness tests, the conclusions are still valid. This paper can provide a reference for developing green development strategies for manufacturing enterprises.

Multi-objective optimization using improved NSGA-II for integrated process planning and scheduling problems in a machining job shop for large-size valve.

This paper studied an integrated process planning and scheduling problem from a machining workshop for large-size valves in a valve manufacturing plant. Large-size valves usually contain several key parts and are generally produced in small-series production. Almost all the parts need to be manufactured in the same workshop at the same time in the plant. Facilities have to handle various items in one order, including different models, sizes, and types. It is a classical NP-hard problem on a large scale. An improved NSGA-II algorithm is suggested to obtain satisfactory solutions for makespan and manufacturing costs, which involve large optimization parameters and interactions. A two-section encoding method and an inserting greedy decoding method are chosen to enable the algorithm. The dynamic population update strategy based on dynamic population update and the adaptive mutation technique depending on the population entropy changing rate are selected for enhancing both the solution quality and population diversity. The methodology was successfully implemented in a real-life case at a major valve machining workshop operated by Yuanda Valve Company in China. By taking into account realistic factors and restrictions that have been identified from a real-world manufacturing setting, this technique aids in bridging the knowledge gap between present IPPS research and practical valve production implementations.

Nonattendance is associated with work performance due to the side effects of COVID-19 vaccination: a cross-sectional study in a Japanese manufacturing industry.

OBJECTIVES: Although vaccines have promoted the socioeconomic normalization of COVID-19, adverse effects on work performance due to the post-vaccination side effects have been reported. Thus, we examined the relationship between the status of going to work the day following vaccination as a post-vaccination employment consideration and work performance among Japanese workers in the manufacturing industry. METHODS: Overall, 1273 employees who received the COVID-19 vaccine in a Japanese manufacturing district were surveyed using a self-administered web-based questionnaire that included fever, fatigue, workplace attendance the day after vaccination, work performance 1 week after vaccination, and demographic and occupational characteristics (age, gender, work style, and psychological distress [K6 scale]). The effects of fatigue and attendance on declining work performance were estimated using a linear mixed model, with individuals as random effects and the rest as fixed effects. RESULTS: After adjusting for demographic and occupational characteristics, the third-order interaction of fever, fatigue, and attendance on the day following vaccination was significant. The nonattendance group had a significantly higher work performance than the attendance group in those without fever and long-term fatigue (F1,1559 = 4.9, P = .026) and with fever and short-term fatigue (F1,1559 = 5.9, P = .015). Fever and workplace attendance the following day were not directly related to a decrease in work performance after vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that nonattendance at the workplace is associated with work performance due to the side effects after COVID-19 vaccination.

Open innovation and confidentiality agreements as key factors of innovative performance in the manufacturing and service industries.

The innovative performance of manufacturing and service companies can be impacted by the existing relationship between open innovation (OI) and the generation of confidentiality agreements (NDAs) as a tool for the protection of intellectual property. Based on the analysis of a cross-sectional sample of 6,798 industrial companies (2019-2020) and 9,304 companies in the service sector (2017-2019) that are part of the directory of the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) in its Technological Innovation and Development Survey (EDIT and EDITS), it can be suggested that the interaction of these two variables (OI and NDAs) generate positive effects for the manufacturing industry but negative ones for the service sector. It could be deduced that the positive effect is due to the greater tradition of OI in the manufacturing industry and the negative effect to the caution that the service sector presents when collaborating with external actors.

Antecedent configuration pathways for manufacturing-enterprise digital servitization: Based on a technology-organization-environment theoretical framework.

The expeditious advancement and elevation of the manufacturing industry's transformation and upgrading represent pivotal strides for China in its ascent toward the upper echelons of the global manufacturing value chain. Currently, China's manufacturing-industry transformation faces the dual-lag quandary of digitalization and servitization. The notion of digital servitization elucidates the interdependent relationship between digitalization and servitization, unveiling the mechanisms underlying the formation of digital servitization. This holds significant implications for advancing the comprehension of digitalization and servitization and, crucially, facilitates the acceleration of China's manufacturing sector transitioning from production-centric to service-centric paradigms. Harnessing the technology-organization-environment (TOE) theoretical framework, we constructed a model elucidating the driving factors underpinning manufacturing digital servitization. By employing the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), we explored strategic decisions and path dependencies in the transformation of manufacturing digital servitization, offering valuable insights to foster China's manufacturing sector in its digital-servitization journey. The following findings were obtained. (1) A singular condition was insufficient as a prerequisite for manufacturing digital servitization and necessitated the coordinated alignment of multiple variables. (2) Three pathways existed for achieving manufacturing digital servitization: TOE, organization-environment collaborative-oriented, and technology-organization collaborative-oriented. (3) The progression of manufacturing digital servitization resulted from the collective impact of numerous factors, exhibiting a characteristic of different paths leading to the same destination. Various manufacturing enterprises pursued distinct trajectories to achieve digital servitization, contingent upon their unique circumstances. These findings have the potential to provide valuable insights for effectively fostering manufacturing digital servitization.

Impact of air quality on the health of present-day workers in an Asbestos roof manufacturing industry, Sri Lanka.

The study's objective was to determine the air quality in an asbestos-related industry and its impact on current workers' respiratory health. Seventy-seven air and 65 dust samples were collected at 5-day intervals in an asbestos roofing sheets production factory in Sri Lanka having two production facilities. Sampling was performed in ten sites: Defective sheets-storage, Production-plant, Pulverizer, Cement-silo, and Loading-area. A detailed questionnaire and medical screening were conducted on 264 workers, including Lung Function Tests (LFT) and chest X-rays. Asbestos fibres were observed in deposited dust samples collected from seven sites. Free chrysotile fibres were absent in the breathing air samples. Scanning Electron Microscopy confirmed the presence of asbestos fibres, and the Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis revealed Mg, O, and Si in depositions. The average concentrations of trace metals were Cd-2.74, Pb-17.18, Ni-46.68, Cr-81.01, As-7.12, Co-6.77, and Cu-43.04 mg/kg. The average Zn, Al, Mg, and Fe concentrations were within 0.2-163 g/kg. The highest concentrations of PM2.52.5 and PM1010, 258 and 387 µg/m3, respectively, were observed in the Pulverizer site. Forty-four workers had respiratory symptoms, 64 presented LFT abnormalities, 5 indicated chest irregularities, 35.98% were smokers, and 37.5% of workers with abnormal LFT results were smokers. The correlation coefficients between LFT results and work duration with respiratory symptoms and work duration and chest X-ray results were 0.022 and 0.011, respectively. In conclusion, most pulmonary disorders observed cannot directly correlate to Asbestos exposure due to negligible fibres in breathing air, but fibres in the depositions and dust can influence the pulmonary health of the employees.