Research in Social Sciences

Growth through Green? Evidence from Firms Adopting Resource Efficiency Practices

Vincenzo Capalbo — 2025-06-13

This study examines the relationship between the adoption of resource-efficiency practices and firm growth, measured in terms of employment and turnover. Drawing on survey data from Flash Eurobarometer 549, considering 10,994 firms, we analyze both the cumulative implementation of ten distinct resource-efficiency actions and the individual impact of each practice. Our results show that the breadth of implementation does not have a significant effect on firm growth, suggesting that merely increasing the number of adopted practices is insufficient to drive performance. However, specific practices, such as internal recycling and switching to greener suppliers, are associated with positive growth outcomes, while others, including waste minimization and external waste sales, exhibit negative or mixed effects. These findings contribute to the literature on corporate sustainability by highlighting the heterogeneous impact of environmental actions and emphasizing the importance of strategic alignment in achieving sustainable growth. Implications for firm-level decision-making and policy design are discussed.

Using Chatbot and ChatGPT as Useful Tools in Scientific Academic Writing

Nawal Fadhil Abbas — 2025-06-17

This review investigates the practice and influence of chatbots and ChatGPT as employable tools in writing for scientific academic purposes. A primary collection of 150 articles was gathered from academic databases, but it was systematically chosen and refined to include 30 studies that focused on the use of ChatGPT and chatbot technology in academic writing contexts. Chatbots and ChatGPT in writing enhancement, support for student learning at higher education institutions, scientific and medical writing, and the evolution of research and academic publishing are some of the topics covered in the reviewed literature. The review finds these tools helpful, with their greatest advantages being in areas such as structuring writings, grammatical assistance, content generation, and writing efficiency. However, it identifies significant problems, primarily ethical ones involving plagiarism, misinformation, phony references, and compulsive use impeding the development of new independent writing. The results encourage the implementation of ethical procedures that guarantee human intervention and responsible use, guaranteeing that chatbots and ChatGPT complement human faculty rather than replace it. These tools, when used properly, can significantly improve academic writing while maintaining the highest scholarly standards of originality and integrity.

Gender Bias in the use of Teknonymy as Spousal Terms: Insights from Online Surveys in China, South Korea, and Japan

Nin Ri — 2025-06-27

This study aims to uncover gender bias in the use of teknonymy as spousal terms through online surveys conducted in China, South Korea, and Japan. The study focuses on how married individuals address their spouses in private settings. The findings reveal that teknonymy is significantly more prevalent in Japan and South Korea than in China, with usage patterns in the former two countries varying according to age and educational background. In contrast, the use of teknonymy in China is infrequent and relatively unaffected by these factors. In Japan and South Korea, teknonymy is more frequently employed by women, suggesting the continued influence of traditional gender norms that reinforce patriarchal family structures and male authority. Despite these patterns, evidence of generational and educational shifts suggests a gradual transformation toward more egalitarian modes of spousal terms. The cross-national differences observed in this study highlight the complex interaction among language, culture, and gender, and underline the need for further research into the sociocultural factors that shape evolving spousal terms in contemporary Asian societies.

Assessing the Influence of Home Literacy Environment on the Literacy and Numeracy Skills of Preschoolers

Jennifer Kathrina May Sanchez — 2025-07-07

This study assessed the influence of the home literacy environment on the literacy and numeracy skills of preschoolers. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational research design, the study aimed to determine the status of home literacy environments as perceived by parents, covering physical environment, parent and child literacy habits, parent-child interaction, and parental beliefs. It also measured learners’ proficiency in alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, book and print knowledge, number skills, attribute identification, and thinking skills. Purposive sampling was employed to select 100 parent respondents and two preschool teachers. Data were gathered using a validated home literacy environment questionnaire and the DepEd LitNum Assessment Tool. Statistical analysis involved frequency counts, weighted means, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results revealed that while most households demonstrated positive literacy environments and learners generally achieved intermediate to advanced levels in both literacy and numeracy, the relationships between the home literacy environment and children’s academic skills were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Nonetheless, findings highlighted specific gaps, particularly in book and print knowledge, which warranted targeted intervention. In response, a comprehensive action plan was developed to foster stronger home-school partnerships, promote skill-specific learning activities, and institutionalize sustainable family engagement practices. The research underscored the need for collaborative, skill-focused strategies to enhance early learning outcomes.

Relations between Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension for L2 English Readers in Grades 3 and 5 in India

Sunaina Shenoy — 2025-07-11

We report on a study that was conducted in an urban city center, Bangalore, India. This study was conducted to observe the relations between fluency and comprehension for L2 English Learners in this context. The participants included 688 students from Grades 3 and 5, who came from different home language backgrounds and attended schools where the language of instruction was English. We used a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique to compare the relationship between L2 English oral reading fluency and silent reading fluency on comprehension. Our findings suggested that oral reading is more predictive of reading comprehension than silent reading across the two grade levels. Implication for reading assessment and intervention practices within the Indian context will be discussed.