Background: The rapid diffusion of disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Blockchain platforms, Extended Reality, and Cloud infrastructures is reshaping the digital competence needs of the workforce. While existing frameworks provide useful foundations, they no longer capture the evolving requirements generated by these disruptive forces. This study investigates how exposure to disruptive technologies influences perceived skill gaps, organizational readiness, strategic HR alignment, and employees’ intention to update their skills. Methods: A quantitative survey was completed by 622 employees from Greece, Spain, and Italy, across both public and private sectors. The questionnaire comprised five reflective constructs measured by 24 Likert items: Disruptive Technology Exposure (DTE), Perceived Skill Gaps (PSGs), Organizational Readiness (OR), Strategic HR Alignment (SHRA), and Skill Update Intention (SUI). The proposed model was examined using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS, including assessment of reliability, validity, and predictive power following international guidelines. Results: All four research questions were empirically confirmed. Findings show that exposure to disruptive technologies significantly increases perceived skill gaps (RQ1). These gaps affect organizational readiness to support reskilling (RQ2). Strategic HR alignment mediates the relationship between skill gaps and skill update intention (RQ3). Finally, both perceived skill gaps and organizational readiness have a strong direct impact on employees’ intention to update their skills (RQ4). The structural model demonstrates substantial explanatory and predictive ability, reinforcing the strategic importance of HR in digital transformation. Conclusions: This study concludes that disruptive technologies demand not incremental but strategic reconfiguration of human resource practices. Organizations that align HR policies with technological priorities and invest in readiness for skill updating foster workforces that not only adapt but also create sustained strategic advantage in disruptive contexts.

In nano-technology, characterised by means of convergent technology and exponential growth in know-how, startups have transitioned from mere business vehicles to vital catalytic architectures for scientific frontier expansion. This study posits that the unique structural agility, risk tolerance, and undertaking-driven consciousness of startups allow them to operate as de-risking dealers for excessive-uncertainty clinical exploration, bridging the critical gap between essential research and industrialized innovation. We introduce the idea of translational plasticity, a startup's ability to concurrently navigate the abstract good judgment of scientific discovery and the concrete constraints of market application, as the vital determinant of its impact. This dynamism is operationalized by three dynamic capabilities: epistemic arbitrage (interpreting and synthesizing fragmented scientific knowledge), infrastructural symbiosis (using open-source and institutional R&D platforms), and ethical foresight (pre-emptively governing the societal aspects of nano-scale innovations). Based on a comparative study of startups of quantum computing and synthetic biology, this paper shows that startups are no longer outputs of the research establishment but have become generators of input and are actively reshaping scientific questions through designed artifacts and data-driven knowledge. It introduces a new paradigm of science policy and posits that supporting high-science startups is not an economic development policy but a first-order imperative of sustaining the vitality, relevance, and velocity of the very scientific enterprise of the 21st century.

Introduction:
In the wake of increasing health crises and systemic challenges, hospitals must enhance their strategic governance and crisis readiness. This study investigates how the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework can contribute to the long-term resilience and performance of healthcare institutions. The research focuses on strategic alignment, sustainability goals, and digital transformation as central pillars of hospital governance.

Methods:
A longitudinal multiple-case study was conducted across three Portuguese public hospitals between 2019 and 2024. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with top management and analysis of institutional strategic plans, key performance indicators, and AI integration initiatives. The BSC was adapted to incorporate ESG metrics and predictive analytics capabilities powered by AI tools.

Results:
Findings reveal that hospitals leveraging AI-enhanced BSC systems demonstrate improved strategic responsiveness, transparency in performance monitoring, and proactive decision-making. AI contributed to identifying patterns in patient care demand, resource allocation efficiency, and risk anticipation. However, challenges related to data governance, digital competencies, and institutional resistance were also identified.

Conclusions:
Integrating AI into BSC frameworks fosters a more resilient and adaptive governance model in the healthcare sector. This approach supports strategic decision-making in crisis contexts, aligning institutional objectives with sustainability, efficiency, and public value creation. Future research should explore scalable digital strategies and cross-sectoral applicability in public administration.

Conventional system design frameworks emphasize perfection—maximizing efficiency, minimizing error, and ensuring full compliance. Yet in high-stakes environments marked by uncertainty, limited resources, and evolving demands, this perfection-driven mindset often results in systemic rigidity and stalls progress. Similarly, while traditional leadership models prioritize control and predefined outcomes, adaptive approaches—such as complexity or agile leadership—highlight the importance of iterative progress under uncertainty. This study proposes a strategic alternative: embracing imperfection as a measurable and manageable design variable.

By modeling imperfection through quality-related dimensions, such as functional deviation, recoverability, detectability, and system stability thresholds, the framework enables more realistic, adaptive, and resilient decision-making. In contrast to binary notions of success and failure, it offers a nuanced view that accounts for partial operability and graceful degradation.

Crucially, in scenarios where project requirements are incomplete or “what perfect looks like” is undefined, the framework supports continued progress by assigning value to imperfect but functional outcomes. Instead of halting for missing specifications or ideal solutions, systems can evolve with imperfect clarity, prioritizing momentum over paralysis.

This perspective has practical relevance in automation, fault-tolerant design, and strategic leadership during crises, where overengineering and rigid planning often increase failure risk. By reframing imperfection not as a flaw but as a design factor, this work contributes a novel lens for navigating complexity in resilient system leadership.

The fourth-century Christian Church experienced substantial inner and outer conflict. The Edicts of Toleration promulgated by Emperor Constantine changed the fortune of the Christian community from having little power, prestige, and privilege due to state-sponsored persecution to becoming the state Church at the center of temporal and economic power. In no short order, the Christian community fell prey to leadership corruption and ethical breaches. This state of moral and spiritual anomie brought forth a spiritual renewal movement in the Church, the Desert Fathers and Mothers Revival. Thousands of Christians, desiring to imitate the temptation of Christ in the wilderness, were driven by the Holy Spirit to the deserts of Egypt and Israel to confront their sins and to be renewed by the Spirit of God. The Desert Fathers of the fourth century developed an ethical diagnostic tool to facilitate moral and ethical renewal, a list of seven deadly sins. The writings of these Fathers and Mothers, the Philokalia, not only describe these sins but also provide clear guidance on combating these vices. This presentation explores the teachings on the seven deadly sins in the Philokalia as they relate to the ethical formation of leaders and what promise these ancient Biblical and theological truths hold for contemporary moral and ethical leadership.

Introduction:
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into public administration offers substantial benefits, including enhanced operational efficiency, personalized citizen services, and evidence-based policymaking. However, these innovations also bring profound ethical challenges, particularly concerning transparency, accountability, data privacy, and algorithmic fairness. As AI systems increasingly influence public sector decisions, it is essential to ensure that such technologies are implemented in ways that align with democratic values and public trust. This study examines how public sector institutions can responsibly adopt AI by embedding ethical principles into strategic governance processes.

Methods:
A qualitative multi-case study was conducted across five municipal governments in Europe that have adopted AI technologies in administrative operations or policy evaluation. This research involved semi-structured interviews with public sector leaders, data scientists, and IT managers, supported by documentary analysis and ethical audits. Cases were selected to reflect variation in geographic, organizational, and technological contexts.

Results:
The analysis revealed significant differences in the level of ethical readiness and strategic oversight. Successful implementations shared common practices: proactive stakeholder consultation, cross-disciplinary AI ethics committees, transparent communication of AI decision logic, and built-in mechanisms for algorithmic auditability. Conversely, institutions lacking these features faced issues such as diminished public confidence, legal ambiguities, and poor alignment between technical teams and executive leadership. These findings informed the development of a strategic framework for ethical AI governance based on three pillars: (1) Transparent Decision-Making Processes; (2) Inclusive Governance Structures; and (3) Continuous Ethical Risk Assessment and Adaptation.

Conclusion:
Ethical AI integration in the public sector requires more than technical safeguards—it demands strategic leadership and institutional commitment. The proposed framework provides a practical roadmap for public managers seeking to balance innovation with integrity, fostering trust and accountability in AI-enabled governance.

With the rapid development of self-media and the deepening integration of traditional and digital communication platforms, enterprises are facing new challenges and opportunities in human resource (HR) management. This paper explores strategic responses to the evolving media environment by proposing an adaptive HR strategy framework that includes three essential components: cultivating core organizational values, strengthening psychological support for employees, and enhancing loyalty management through media tools.

In the context of media convergence, organizational members increasingly engage with diversified information channels and form individualized value judgments, which may lead to fragmented interests and diminished coherence within teams. To address this, organizations need to reinforce value alignment by promoting transparent performance evaluation systems, encouraging peer communication within departments, and establishing official digital feedback channels. Psychological well-being is also critical; the paper suggests implementing mobile-based assessments, targeted counseling for high-risk individuals, and delivering positive organizational messaging across platforms. Furthermore, the strategy emphasizes loyalty management by distinguishing between emotional and cognitive commitment. Digital communication tools can foster a sense of belonging and provide platforms for employees to contribute feedback, enhancing mutual trust and participation in decision-making processes.

By aligning human resource practices with the mechanisms of media interaction and digital engagement, enterprises can improve management efficiency, foster employee development, and build resilient, adaptive organizations. The integration of modern media into HR systems is not only a technological adjustment but also a strategic transformation that reshapes internal communication, motivation, and cohesion in the workplace.

Public–Private Partnership (PPP) approaches have developed as vital catalysts fostering sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly in industrial, energy, and social sectors. These partnerships act as a boost for both sectors: integrating advanced and efficient practices used in the private sector with the effective and powerful outreach of the public sector. However, the management dynamics required to support this partnership often remain unexplored. Therefore, this paper intends to explore the managerial challenges related to PPPs, mainly focusing on how the governing roles, strategic timelines, and stakeholder information exchanges come together to create successful and sustainable results in the long run.

This study demonstrates a comparative case among three Indian PPP projects, such as smart city infrastructure, renewable energy parks, and urban transport systems. Vital entities like government officers, project managers, and private sector executives were interviewed (semi-structurally). The data were then examined using managerial process mapping and thematic coding.

Finally, this analysis explored the effectiveness of PPPs, and it depends on public sector roles, detailed agreements based on performance, mutual bonding and trust, and adaptable-dynamic project management. Significant issues like governmental delays, political influences, and disproportionate responsibilities in risk management are identified. However, it was observed that projects involving voluntary planning, digital monitoring, and transparent processes expedited better performance with higher sustainability.

Therefore, carefully governed PPPs can become vital tools for sustainable development. The managerial responsibilities, like better cross-sector communication, reliability, flexibility, and transparency, play a major role in overcoming traditional inequalities and producing effective and sustainable solutions. The case study effectively contributes to the development of better PPPs closely aligned with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) priorities.

This study examines the impact of ethical leadership on employee motivation for sustainable practices in Angola’s mining sector, a critical industry facing environmental and social challenges. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected, with the collection being extended, and 120 employees answered in various mining companies through validated instruments: the Ethical Leadership Scale (QLE), the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale (MWMS), and the Sustainable Behavior Scale (ECOS).

Statistical analyses, including linear regressions and Pearson correlations, revealed that ethical leadership—characterized by transparency, fairness, and integrity—significantly fosters intrinsic motivation among employees, thereby encouraging the adoption of sustainable behaviors. The results highlight that ethical leadership acts as a key mediator between sustainability perception and employee engagement in responsible practices. Employees perceiving higher levels of ethical leadership demonstrated stronger intrinsic motivation to integrate sustainability into their daily operations.

This study’s findings have important practical implications for the mining sector. Companies are urged to embed sustainability as a core organizational value and prioritize investment in ethical leadership training programs. Ethical leadership emerges not only as a driver of sustainable business practices but also as a catalyst for strengthening corporate social responsibility initiatives, ultimately enhancing organizational performance and contributing to the socio-economic development of local communities.

Given Angola’s heavy dependence on extractive industries and persistent governance challenges, fostering ethical leadership is crucial for aligning mining operations with international sustainability standards. Future research should extend the investigation through qualitative methods to capture deeper cultural and organizational nuances affecting leadership dynamics and sustainability outcomes.

Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge demonstrating that ethical leadership is essential for promoting sustainability in resource-dependent economies, providing actionable insights for both practitioners and policymakers seeking to balance economic growth with social and environmental stewardship.