Abstract
Although the concept of Circular Economy (CE) has become popular in recent years, the transition towards a CE system requires a change in consumers' behaviour. However, there is still limited knowledge of consumers' efforts in CE initiatives. The present paper aims to analyse and compare consumers' behaviour towards circular approaches and compare the results on items like generation and demographics. 495 answers were collected through a questionnaire from 3 countries (Albania, Poland, and Portugal). Data collected was analysed mainly through a Crosstabs analysis to identify associations or different behaviours regarding nationality, gender, generation, education, and place of residence. From the paper's findings, we can emphasise that residents of EU countries seem to be more aware of the concept of circular economy. However, price is still a very important factor for EU residents when it comes to deciding on a greener purchase. Albanians (non-EU residents) tend to take a more linear approach when it comes to purchasing a new product regardless of its cost. Regarding the Digital Product Passport, a tool proposed by the European Commission through its Circular Economy Action Plan, non-EU residents have a better understanding of the concept. This tool seems to be more relevant for Millennials and Generation X. Generation Z, i.e., the tech generation, does not show an overwhelming propensity for technological options, such as online buying and digital technologies for a greener society.

Abstract
This paper discusses the Digital Product Passport (DPP) as a key tool for achieving a circular economy. An architecture of the DPP is presented built upon the principles of data spaces and W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs). By leveraging data spaces, the DPP enables secure and controlled data exchange among stakeholders, fostering transparency, traceability, and collaboration throughout the product's lifecycle. The use of decentralized identifiers ensures the uniqueness and verifiability of product-related information, facilitating seamless access and sharing of data. The DPP architecture offers a promising framework for realizing the circular economy by promoting resource efficiency, sustainable practices, and informed decision-making. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.

Abstract
Nowadays the concept of digitalization and Industry 4.0 is more and more important, and organizations must improve and adapt their processes and systems in order to keep up to date with the latest paradigm. In this context, there are multiple developed Maturity Models (MMs) to help companies on the processes of evaluating their digital maturity and defining a roadmap to achieve their full potential. However, this is a subject in constant evolution and most of the available MMs don't fill all the needs that a company might have in its transformation process. Thus, European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) arose to support companies on the process of responding to digital challenges and becoming more competitive. Supported by the European Commission and the Digital Transformation Accelerator, they use tools to measure the digital maturity progress of their customers. This paper analyzes several MMs publicly available and compares them to the guidelines provided to the EDIH.

Abstract
The online channel, particularly in the food retail area, has been evolving positively and exponentially in the world, including Portugal. Currently, this type of purchase is increasingly part of people's daily lives, even more so with the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequently, in Portugal, most companies adopt a multichannel strategy, where the physical store and the online store operate independently from each other. However, it is necessary to rethink this channel integration model, which may go through an omnichannel strategy, where the physical store and the online store operate as a single store, and where several advantages are already recognized in terms of the consumer's shopping experience. The main objective of this study is to understand the strategy implemented by the company studied, Pingo Doce, through an analysis and description of its channels. To better understand the strategy of the company under study, a semi-structured exploratory interview was carried out with one of the people in charge of Pingo Doce's digital channels, to understand the strategy used by the company and thus complement the data obtained through direct observation and bibliographic research. At the end of the work developed it was possible to understand the positioning of Pingo Doce in the online food retail area and their online and offline distribution strategies.

Abstract
This study investigates the impact of Research and Development (R&D) investment on the performance of Portuguese companies, specifically addressing the gap in understanding how R&D influences a company's value and performance. We employ a dynamic panel data model estimated using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to account for potential endogeneity issues. This approach allows us to analyze the influence of R&D investment on the Return on Operating Assets (ROA) for Portuguese companies with significant R&D investments between 2012 and 2019. The analysis reveals that while R&D investment itself may not have a statistically significant short-term impact on ROA, lagged financial performance, leverage, asset turnover ratio, and accounts payable turnover all demonstrate a statistically significant relationship with the dependent variable.

Abstract
Socially responsible investments, also referred to as ethical or sustainable investments, have experienced rapid global growth in recent years. They represent an investment approach that incorporates social, environmental, and ethical considerations into decision-making processes. Consequently, the significance of socially responsible investments has captured the attention of academics, prompting inquiries into the impact of integrating social criteria on portfolio performance. The primary objective of this work was to conduct a comparative study of the performance between socially responsible and non-socially responsible investment funds, using funds domiciled in Portugal and Spain. Various multi-factor models, including the three-factor model of Fama and French, the four-factor model of Carhart, and the five-factor model of Fama and French, were employed to assess performance. The sample comprised 125 investment funds, with 43 identified as socially responsible and 82 as non-socially responsible. The study's findings indicate that there are no significant differences between socially responsible funds and their conventional counterparts. The majority of funds experience performance alterations during periods of crisis compared to crisis-free periods. Additionally, when comparing non-conditional models with conditional models, an improvement in the explanatory power of the latter is observed. This suggests that the inclusion of the dummy variable enhances the quality of fit for the models.