A study in the International Journal of Economics and Business Research has looked at the challenges facing one post-communist nation, Albania, in terms of its business start-up culture. The research investigates the role played by the country's business ecosystems but shows that while globally, start-ups are perceived as engines of economic growth, innovation, and job creation, Albania is lagging behind its European counterparts, particularly Estonia and Lithuania, in nurturing this part of its economy.

Valbona Mehmeti, Bajram Korsita, and Erisa Musabelli of the Aleksander Moisiu University of Durres in Albania, have compared the business environments of Albania, Estonia, and Lithuania, and specifically the relationship between each country's business ecosystem and the number of active start-ups. The researchers used time-series data, to rank ecosystem quality and innovation capacity, as well as the total number of active start-ups in each country. The findings reveal a strong, and perhaps not surprising, positive correlation between how conducive a country's business environment is to start-ups and the number of such active businesses.

Other post-communist nations such as Estonia and Lithuania have 1100 and 500 active startup companies per one million population. For Albania, the number is rather sobering. Albania hosts just 88 startups per million inhabitants. This enormous gap could be of great concern given the increasing importance of start-ups in driving economic growth globally. Indeed, the research suggests that this low level of startup activity is stifling economic development in Albania.

The researchers suggest that development could be nurtured by a more favourable business ecosystem, but this will take a lot of effort from government, policymakers, the extant businesses, and other stakeholder, perhaps even international partners. The point is that it is not simply about the raw data, but about the quality of start-ups. The study suggests that public institutions, the private sector, and society at large must now collaborate to create the right conditions for start-ups to flourish in Albania. Funding, supportive regulatory frameworks, and strong collaboration between universities, industry, and government are needed.

Mehmeti, V., Korsita, B. and Musabelli, E. (2025) 'Business ecosystems and development of start-ups in Albania: a correlational analysis', Int. J. Economics and Business Research, Vol. 29, No. 9, pp.1–12.
DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2025.144738

Family-run micro-enterprises in India rely on more than just business acumen for financial success, according to a study in the International Journal of Social and Humanistic Computing. Researchers have explored the key factors contributing to the success of such businesses and have found that social networks, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial ambition play important roles in driving financial performance.

S. Bharathithasan and K. Sakthi Srinivasan of VIT University in Tamil Nadu, India, looked at the interactions between these factors and found that entrepreneurs with the strongest social networks, including connections with family, friends, and their local community, were more likely to achieve financial stability. Financial stability in this context being represented by a steady income, manageable debt, and overall financial security. Such stability then allowed those business owners to make better decisions to drive their company's long-term growth.

The researchers suggest that the importance of social networks in this context cannot be overstated. In environments such as those in which many Indian micro-enterprises find themselves, resources are limited and competition is fierce. Social capital, an essentially intangible asset drawn from one's personal and business relationships, plays a vital role in allowing business owners to face the many challenges. Strong connections within the community provide entrepreneurs with access to financial resources, business advice, and emotional support. Moreover, family and community ties offer micro-business owners a distinct advantage, helping them to mitigate risks, adopt new technologies, and respond more readily to market changes.

While social networks are clearly important, the researchers also showed that financial intelligence plays an important part in the success of micro-businesses. Financial intelligence refers to the ability to manage money effectively in terms of budgeting, investing, and making informed financial decisions. That said, the study found that the importance of financial literacy was not in terms of greater long-term financial success directly but rather in working synergistically with social capital.

The team adds that entrepreneurs with obvious ambition are more likely to take calculated risks and make decisions that contribute to sustainable growth. However, it is the foundational support of family and community that sets them up to realise their ambitions.

Bharathithasan, S. and Srinivasan, K.S. (2024) 'Building your network, building your wealth', Int. J. Social and Humanistic Computing, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.253–276.
DOI: 10.1504/IJSHC.2024.143669

Emoji are cartoon representations of human faces, animals, and various objects that were in some sense an extension of the text-character based representations known as emoticons or smileys. The term derives from Japanese – e "picture" + moji "character", so the "emo" is a happy, and ironic, coincidence.

Emoji have become an integral part of digital communication, especially in the age of social media, helping convey emotions and tone in text-based interactions that often lack the nuances of face-to-face conversation. However, research in the International Journal of Social and Humanistic Computing suggests that inconsistency in the use of emoji can lead to confusion, frustration, and negative reactions, particularly in the context of social media.

Emmanuel Adu-Mensah, Solomon Odei-Appiah, and Raphael Amponsah of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra, Ghana, surveyed 400 users to see how exaggeration, misapplication, and excessive use of emoji might distort communication and provoke unintended emotional responses. The team used the Cognitive Dissonance Process Model (CDPM) and found that discrepancies between a sender's intended meaning and the recipient's interpretation of a given emoji can create a sense of psychological discomfort, known as cognitive dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a mismatch between a person's attitudes or beliefs and their behaviour, leading to mental discomfort. In this case, when the use of emoji does not align with the message being conveyed, it triggers negative emotions such as frustration, confusion, and irritation. The study reveals that these emotional responses not only affect the quality of communication but also have the potential to affect detrimentally the relationships between sender and recipient. Emoji are often used as shorthand for expressing one's feelings, but the study shows that their overuse or misapplication can cloud the original message.

A common issue that can arise is when a given user imagines a certain meaning for a specific emoji that isn't the usual interpretation and their correspondent understands the emoji to mean something else. In the language of text messaging a similar issue arises with the use of LOL for instance, most people understand the meaning to be "laugh out loud", but others infamously took it erroneously to mean "lots of love". Similarly, in the world of emoji, a sender might that sharing the aubergine/eggplant, cucumber, banana, avocado, peach, or pineapple emoji that they are innocently discussing fruit and veg, whereas others would place an entirely NSFW (not safe for work) interpretation on the use of those emoji. Other examples of potentially confusing emoji are given in the footnote.

When things go wrong the "face with tears of joy" may well go all "sad face" and nobody will be "LOL" any more.

Adu-Mensah, E., Odei-Appiah, S. and Amponsah, R. (2024) 'When emojis go bad: emotional and cognitive concerns on their exaggeration, mis-application and excessive usage', Int. J. Social and Humanistic Computing, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.277–306.
DOI: 10.1504/IJSHC.2024.143659

Footnote

More putatively confusing emoji

We could all get by with a little help from our friends, a new study on a novel networking protocol suggests. Research in the International Journal of Social and Humanistic Computing has looked at Friend-to-Friend (F2F) systems, which are decentralized networks that allow individuals to exchange computing power and storage. F2F systems are the kissing cousins of P2P, peer-to-peer networks that allow files to be shared. They allow resources, rather than simply digital entities (images, documents, video etc) to be shared without the need for a central server or any intermediaries.

The research by Pramod C. Mane of the Indian Institute of Management Rohtak in Haryana, India, highlights the role of network effects, known as externalities, in determining the flow of resources and how the formation of new connections between peers influences resource availability across the system.

For F2F systems, the value of a network increases as more participants join or interact within the system. In other words, each new friend has the potential to enhance the availability of shared resources. The research investigates both local and global network effects and the impact of new connections not only on the peers directly involved but also on other members of the broader network.

Mane has found that a crucial effect on the network is the distance between peers when a new link is formed. If the physical or logical distance between two connected peers is greater, so the local network effect, the benefits to friends, becomes weaker. Conversely, when peers are more closely connected, the best of friends one might say, there is more chance that the new link will positively impact the broader network, increasing the availability of resources to nearby participants.

However, it is worth noting that one can have too many friends. The density of the network, the number of active connections, has a complex relationship with resource availability. While adding more connections increases value it also introduces unpredictability. In highly dense networks, the creation of new links can negatively affect resource distribution. The research thus suggests that it is worth controlling network density or prioritizing connections that reduce the distance between peers. If no one told you life was going to be this way, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer to ensure the F2F system can continue to distribute resources reliably.

Mane, P.C. (2024) 'Network effects in friend-to-friend resource sharing network', Int. J. Social and Humanistic Computing, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.232–252.
DOI: 10.1504/IJSHC.2024.143655

Research in the International Journal of Innovation and Learning has looked at the rapid transition to online learning at Hong Kong's tertiary institutions. The study sheds new light on the problems and opportunities presented by digital education and reveals that students from lower-income households face particular challenges.

Jessie Ming Sin Wong, William Ko Wai Tang, and Kam Cheong Li of Hong Kong Metropolitan University in Homantin surveyed 400 students in higher education to uncover what factors, such as access to technology, educator competency, learning environments, and privacy concerns, influenced the student experience.

One of the most striking findings is the disparity in the ability of different students to access and benefit from online learning. While most participants had the necessary devices, issues such as poor internet connectivity and disruptive home environments emerged as significant barriers to effective learning, particularly for students from lower-income families. These students were more likely to experience problems that hindered their academic performance. Many students noted that while they valued the flexibility of online classes, they struggled to maintain focus without the structure of in-person teaching. Social interaction, a key component of traditional classrooms, was another missing element that students cited as negatively impacting their overall learning experience.

Nevertheless, the team found that most students surveyed found that their instructors were reasonably proficient with the digital tools required for online teaching. Concerns about privacy were, however, often mentioned. Students expressed unease about the use of webcams and the security of their online interactions, particularly regarding data privacy. This finding underscores the need for institutions to not only address educational quality but also ensure that student privacy is protected.

The team suggests that a hybrid or agile-blended learning model, one that combines online education with in-person sessions, would give students more balance in their learning. This approach would allow universities to take advantage of the flexibility of online learning while also providing face-to-face interaction.

Wong, J.M.S., Tang, W.K.W. and Li, K.C. (2025) 'Digital transformation in higher education: tertiary students' perspectives on online learning and its implications for the future', Int. J. Innovation and Learning, Vol. 37, No. 5, pp.1-18.
DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2025.144600

A new tool known as abnormalest has been developed to help researchers more easily identify unusual financial patterns, a task that plays an important role in both accounting and social science research. By automating the estimation of unusual accruals, the tool, discussed in the International Journal of Data Analysis Techniques and Strategies, could overcome the inefficiencies of traditional methods, which are often time-consuming and error-prone.

Francesca Rossignoli and Nicola Tommasi of the University of Verona, Italy, explain that abnormal accruals refer to the discrepancies between what is reported in a financial statement and what the actual finances are. Such discrepancies can be indicative of manipulation, where managers alter financial reports for personal benefit. The conventional approach to estimating abnormal accruals is a complex process involving manual calculations, the selection of control samples, and the application of specific conditions to detect the problems. abnormalest has been developed to automate the key steps.

The tool can select appropriate control samples, carry out entropy balance pre-processing, and then use predictive models such as regression-based techniques to estimate abnormal accruals. This kind of automation is much faster than manual approaches and makes far fewer mistakes.

The abnormalest system provides a more detailed output than traditional methods. It includes valuable information such as the abnormal accrual measure, degrees of freedom, and explanations for any estimation failures. This is information that conventional approaches cannot easily provide.

Although originally designed with accounting research in mind, abnormalest might also be used in the social sciences. Its flexibility allows it to be used in a variety of contexts, from identifying fraud to assessing unusual business performance or examining behaviour that deviates from the norm.

The researchers have successfully tested the system using real-world financial datasets. They found that it performs better than existing models used in academic research.

Rossignoli, F. and Tommasi, N. (2025) 'Abnormal accrual estimation: an automation data analysis technique', Int. J. Data Analysis Techniques and Strategies, Vol. 17, No. 5, pp.1–18.
DOI: 10.1504/IJDATS.2025.144576

Research published in the International Journal of Services and Standards has looked at the factors that driving brand loyalty around "green" products in Vietnam. The work by Truong Thi Hue and Pham Thi Thanh Hang of the Vietnam National University in Hanoi, and Tran Anh Phuong of Hanoi University of Industry, Vietnam, surveyed hundreds of consumers in depth and offers several insights into what makes consumers stick to such environmentally friendly electronic products. Given that environmental concerns play an important role in shaping consumer choices, the research highlights how businesses might tap into the growing demand for sustainable products.

The team explains that their research finds an important factor in consumer buying decisions – green perceived value. This is a measure of the benefits consumers believe they gain from a product's environmental attributes. Indeed, this is the most important driver of purchasing decisions followed by "green trust," or the confidence consumers place in a brand's environmental claims.

Green perceived value and green trust function synergistically and can even outweigh conventional brand image and so change consumer behaviour. In other words, the researchers suggest, consumers are more likely to remain loyal to a green brand if they believe the product offers real value and if they trust that the company is genuinely committed to sustainability.

The findings are particularly poignant for businesses in the electronics sector like electronics, where consumers often place high importance on product quality and reliability. If environmental credibility is now becoming an important factor in buying decisions, those companies need to move quickly if they are to benefit. Those that do not adapt to the green demands of consumers will inevitably be left behind. Quality and brand remain important but sustainability and green credibility are overtaking those as more important for the modern consumer.

Hue, T.T., Phuong, T.A. and Hang, P.T.T. (2024) 'A combined approach to explore the drivers of green brand loyalty', Int. J. Services and Standards, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp.268–289.
DOI: 10.1504/IJSS.2024.143434

The healthcare sector is increasingly turning to innovative solutions to meet the needs of an ageing population. A new framework based on Fog-to-Cloud (F2C) computing, promises to revolutionize healthcare for older people by enabling real-time, remote monitoring of health metrics while addressing concerns surrounding data privacy and security.

Writing in the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics, Hafida Saidi and Nabila Labraoui of the University of Abou Bekr Belkaid in Chetouane Tlemcen, Algeria, and Ado Adamou Abba Ari of the University Paris-Saclay in Versailles, France, explain that healthcare for seniors has conventionally involved direct visits to or from healthcare providers. Regular checkups, tests, and diagnoses have usually been done face-to-face. However, with a growing number of older people with a range of health problems, this model is becoming unsustainable. Innovations such as the medical equivalent of the Internet of Things (IoT), the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) could change all that.

Smart medical devices, sensors, and health applications connected through the internet offer the possibility of remote monitoring. This would allow physicians and other healthcare providers to track their patients' conditions from remotely, as well as potentially prescribing and administering treatments.

While this technology has the potential to reduce clinic and hospital visits and improve access to healthcare overall, it comes with significant challenges around the safeguarding of sensitive medical data.

The new framework address these concerns by combining the strengths of cloud and fog computing. Fog computing, which places computational power closer to the source of data (such as at the patient's home or nearby healthcare facilities), reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted to distant cloud servers. This allows for faster processing times and reduces the strain on networks, which is crucial for real-time applications like health monitoring. The proposed Fog-to-Cloud computing builds on this idea by enhancing storage capabilities, minimizing network traffic, and lowering latency, that are safe from hackers, data breaches, and inadvertent access by third parties within healthcare.

Saidi, H., Labraoui, N. and Ari, A.A.A. (2025) 'A secure health monitoring system based on fog to cloud computing', Int. J. Medical Engineering and Informatics, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp.30–43.
DOI: 10.1504/IJMEI.2025.143283

As social media becomes increasingly a part of marketing strategies, businesses are investing heavily in the platforms to reflect the ability to reach and engage with target audiences. However, according to work in the International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising one aspect of social media marketing remains relatively underexplored, the impact on building long-term brand loyalty.

Sohail Ahmad and Li Liang of Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu, China, Ahmad Iqbal of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, and Irshad Hussain Sarki of the National College of Business Administration and Economics both in Pakistan, have considered this gap in our knowledge and focused on the role of community engagement as a mediating factor in the development of brand loyalty through social media. By examining how consumer participation in online communities influences loyalty, the team shows how companies might better improve engagement and increase loyalty through judicious choices surrounding digital channels.

The concept of brand loyalty can be central to the success of any business. Loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases as well as advocating for the brand. Marketers have long recognized the importance of loyalty, but fostering such loyalty has become more complex in the age of social media. The study shows that while social media marketing activities can directly influence brand loyalty, this influence is most effective when mediated by active engagement within online communities. The findings were built on three key theoretical frameworks: Stimulus-Organism-Response theory, Service-Dominant logic, and the concept of privacy calculus. S-D logic has perhaps the greatest relevance in showing how the collaborative nature of value creation, where brands and consumers co-create value through interactions, affects loyalty.

Fundamentally, consumers who engage more with brands and other community members on social media are more likely to feel a stronger connection to the brand, which leads to greater loyalty over time.

Ahmad, S., Liang, L., Iqbal, A. and Sarki, I.H. (2025) 'Beyond likes and shares: the secret to building stronger brands on social media from a privacy calculus perspective', Int. J. Internet Marketing and Advertising, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp.72–97.
DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2025.144205

As the number of digital resources expands and expands it becomes increasingly difficult to recommend reading matter. Research in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has led to a new artificial intelligence (AI) system that improve on precision and variety of book recommendations for online library goers. The new approach blends two established techniques, content-based filtering (CBF) and collaborative filtering (CF), and then has its roots in an advanced machine learning algorithm – Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) – which allows it to come up with the perfect personalized recommendation for the reader.

In traditional recommendation systems, Tianhao Wu of Changchun University of Technology, China explains, content-based filtering suggests books based on a book's attributes, such as its title, author, and genre. Collaborative filtering by contrast makes recommendations based on user behaviour, what books they have read previously and how they rated them. By combining both systems with ELM, the new hybrid model aims to improve the accuracy of suggestions while also increasing their diversity, better reflecting a user's unique preferences and opening them up to new books they may not have encountered otherwise but will hopefully enjoy.

ELM can process large datasets quickly and efficiently, which is particularly useful in the context of online libraries, where both the number of books and user interactions can be immense. Unlike traditional neural networks, ELM reduces the complexity of training by randomly generating weights for each entry. This allows it to adapt to new data much more quickly than other approaches and with greater accuracy.

As digital libraries continue to grow, this new hybrid system holds the potential to transform how books are recommended to users, making their library experiences more personalized and efficient. The team will attempt to address remaining challenges such as the cold-start problem facing new users about which there is initially no reading experience data and similarly with new books from new authors that equally lack a data history.

Wu, T. (2025) 'An ELM-based approach to promoting reading of library books', Int. J. Information and Communication Technology, Vol. 26, No. 2, pp.82–95.
DOI: 10.1504/IJICT.2025.144057