Liang Chun Lu

This study examines the effectiveness of human capital as a driver of sustainable urban well‐being across 21 jurisdictions in Taiwan. Using a four‐stage parallel dynamic slacks‐based measure data envelopment analysis framework, we examine the transmission of educational inputs through economic, social, and environmental sustainability dimensions. The analysis identifies a critical governance challenge: although substantial institutional investment has been made in education, the education stage is the primary structural constraint, exhibiting a limited capacity to translate into improvements in urban happiness. We determine that this ‘education‐to‐economy’ friction is associated with structural mismatch, in which a persistently low fertility rate and credential inflation may weaken the alignment between human capital formation and regional industrial requirements. Total factor efficiency trajectories further reveal substantial spatial disparities, with southern and peripheral regions exhibiting a ‘high‐input, low‐absorption’ pattern. These results suggest that Taiwan's pursuit of urban happiness is constrained not by fiscal limitations but by challenges in aligning educational outputs with localised industrial upgrading and energy requirements. The present study offers a localised perspective on the global challenge of aligning human capital investment with the demands of a postindustrial and demographically shrinking society.

This study examines how key social, economic, and environmental factors affect Delayed Childhood Development, measured by the prevalence of stunting among children under five. Drawing on panel data from 47 countries between 2015 and 2019, we employ a dynamic network directional distance function (DN‐DDF) model to assess efficiency across four interconnected dimensions: social development, economic development, environmental performance, and sustainable outcomes. Stunting is treated as an undesirable output in the final stage, serving as a proxy for long‐term developmental risk. The findings reveal that African countries exhibit the lowest efficiency performance in both economic and environmental aspects, with Asia ranking highest and Africa lowest in overall efficiency. Further verification using a Tobit regression model shows that official development assistance (ODA), urban population, and the Human Development Index (HDI) are positively associated with efficiency. In particular, the strong correlation between urbanization and HDI suggests that structural demographic factors may play a key role in shaping national development efficiency. These results underscore the need for integrated policy strategies to address systemic inefficiencies and promote child development in vulnerable regions.

This study investigates the challenges of achieving social sustainability efficiency in European countries, especially in health and well‐being, under sustainable development goal 3 amid demographic aging pressures. Using an innovative modified circular dynamic three‐stage systematic network data envelopment analysis model, this research evaluates the influence of social protection investments on healthcare and well‐being systems. The findings reveal that Denmark, Estonia, France, and Germany demonstrate optimal efficiency, while Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Slovenia require strategic improvements, particularly in healthcare efficiency. Policy recommendations underscore the need for enhanced healthcare technology, occupational safety, and adaptive strategies to support social sustainability across 24 countries from 2016 to 2020. This approach offers a comprehensive efficiency framework and actionable insights to guide future policy development to address European healthcare efficiency gaps.