Eleni Andreou | Psychology | Research Excellence Award

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Prof. Eleni Andreou | Psychology | Research Excellence Award

Professor | The University of Thessaly | Greece

Prof. Eleni Andreou is a leading scholar in educational psychology whose research has significantly shaped contemporary understanding of bullying, peer aggression, school climate, and student psychosocial adjustment. Her work integrates developmental, cognitive, and socio-emotional perspectives to examine how interpersonal relationships, coping responses, and contextual factors influence children’s and adolescents’ behavior within educational settings. With 48 scholarly documents, over 1,300 citations, and an h-index of 19, her research is recognized internationally for both theoretical contribution and applied impact. A major focus of her scholarship examines bully victim dynamics, emphasizing the role of self-efficacy, coping strategies, social cognition, and resilience in children’s responses to aggression. Through longitudinal and intervention-based studies, she has demonstrated how intentional programming, bibliotherapy, and prevention frameworks can positively influence student attitudes, reduce victimization, and enhance school belonging. Her also explore early childhood bullying, using naturalistic observation and multimethod assessment to uncover how aggression emerges and interacts with contextual variables in preschool environments.Microaggressions, inclusion challenges, and academic adjustment. These works offer evidence based insights for fostering equitable learning environments and strengthening support systems within schools and universities. Across her collaborative international projects, she contributes to large scale cross cultural examinations of peer aggression, socio emotional competencies, and student well being.

Profiles:  Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Vlachou, A., Stavroussi, P., Andreou, E., & Toulia, A. The development of the “Checklist for Life Skills Educational Assessment” (CLSEA). Education Sciences.

Touloupis, T., Andreou, E., & Chasapis, D.  Relations among perceived school context-related factors, cyberbullying, and school adjustment: An examination between native and immigrant students in elementary and secondary education.

Didaskalou, E., Cefai, C., Brighi, A., Bravo-Sanzana, M., Bochaver, A., Bauman, S., & Andreou, E.  A global study of the wellbeing of adolescent students during the COVID-19 2020 lockdown.

Svetlana Fa Nedeljkovic | Learning & Development | Research Excellence Award | 2704

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Dr. Svetlana Fa Nedeljkovic | Learning & Development | Research Excellence Award

Senior Research Associate | The University of  Faculty of Sciences University of Novi Sad | Serbia

Dr. Svetlana Fa Nedeljković is a distinguished researcher whose scientific contributions lie at the intersection of reproductive toxicology, developmental biology, endocrine disruption, and epigenetic regulation. Her work advances fundamental understanding of how environmental contaminants particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals interfere with cellular signaling, steroidogenesis, reproductive development, and early-life programming of health and disease. With a research portfolio comprising 35 peer-reviewed publications, 578 citations, and an h-index of 17, she has made a sustained and influential impact within the fields of toxicology and environmental health sciences. Her research spans multiple biological systems, including human granulosa cells, endothelial cells, zebrafish models, and rodent reproductive cells, enabling multi-layered insight into mechanisms of toxicity. She has significantly contributed to deciphering how chemicals such as phthalates bisphenol A, atrazine, and hexabromocyclododecane alter intracellular pathways, including linked regulatory cascades. Her findings helped reveal how these pathways subsequently impact steroid hormone synthesis, mitochondrial function, angiogenesis, reproductive competence, and cellular homeostasis. A notable dimension of her work addresses the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease  through epigenetic changes in early fetal tissues. Her studies on methylation patterns in response to maternal exposures have contributed valuable evidence for understanding how early environmental influences shape long-term physiological outcomes. Dr. Nedeljković has also engaged in extensive collaborative research across international projects focusing on reproductive biology, ecotoxicology, chemical risk assessment, and artificial intelligence based toxicological modeling. Her work integrates in vitro, in vivo, in silico, and systems-level approaches to build mechanistic frameworks for predicting human health risks. Through her broad and methodologically diverse contributions, Dr. Nedeljković continues to advance cutting edge research aimed at protecting reproductive health and improving scientific foundations for chemical safety evaluation.

Profiles:  Scopus | ORCID 

Featured Publications

Tesic, B., Fa Nedeljkovic, S., Markovic Filipovic, J., Samardzija Nenadov, D., Pogrmic-Majkic, K., & Andric, N. Early-life exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate impairs reproduction in adult female zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Tesic, B., Samardzija Nenadov, D., Tomanic, T., Fa Nedeljkovic, S., Milatovic, S., Stanic, B., Pogrmic-Majkic, K., & Andric, N. DEHP decreases steroidogenesis through the cAMP and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in FSH-stimulated human granulosa cells.

Stanic, B., Milošević, N., Sukur, N., Samardzija Nenadov, D., Fa Nedeljkovic, S., Škrbić, S., & Andric, N.  An in silico toxicogenomic approach in constructing the aflatoxin B1-mediated regulatory network of hub genes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Sarina Hui-Lin Chien | Learning & Development | Research Excellence Award

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Prof. Sarina Hui-Lin Chien | Learning & Development | Research Excellence Award

Professor | The University of China Medical University | Taiwan

Prof. Sarina Hui-Lin Chien is a cognitive neuroscientist whose research bridges perceptual development, face processing, and early cognitive mechanisms across the lifespan. Her scholarly work, reflected in 32 peer-reviewed publications, over 307 citations, and an h-index of 12, demonstrates strong and sustained contributions to understanding how humans interpret, encode, and respond to complex visual and social information. A major theme in her research involves the developmental trajectory of face perception, including sensitivity to identity, race, emotional expressions, and trait inferences. She has conducted extensive studies examining how infants, children, and adults categorize faces, perceive trustworthiness, and discriminate subtle facial cues. This work extends to populations with atypical development, such as individuals with autism spectrum characteristics, providing insights into perceptual and social cognitive variability. Her investigations also contribute significantly to perceptual organization and early visual cognition, including studies on topological and geometric properties, visual short term memory, and the mechanisms underlying perceptual narrowing. By integrating behavioral methods, psychophysics, and eye tracking, she advances multi method approaches to understanding how perception evolves and adapts under different developmental and environmental conditions. Another core dimension of her scholarship explores how context, familiarity, and essentialist thinking shape visual categorization, race perception, and social preferences. This line of work intersects cognitive development with social cognition, offering a broader framework for understanding how perceptual biases emerge and change over time. Her recent projects investigate the impact of public health contexts such as mask-wearing on face recognition and emotional interpretation in children, reflecting her interest in real-world influences on cognitive development. Overall, Prof. Chien’s body of work illustrates a coherent and influential research program that deepens scientific understanding of visual cognition, developmental trajectories, and the foundations of human social perception.

Featured Publications

Ali, M., & Chien, S. H.-L. Within-person face recognition strongly correlates with objective face processing assessments: A study beyond the populations.

Lin, C.-Y., Ho, M. W.-R., & Chien, S. H.-L.  Exploring face perception efficiency in patients with lacunar stroke: A study with familiar and unfamiliar face recognition.

Wang, H.-T., Lyu, J.-L., & Chien, S. H.-L.  Dynamic emotion recognition and expression imitation in neurotypical adults and their associations with autistic traits. Sensors.

Djimet Guemona | Archéologie | Best Researcher Award

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 Dr. Djimet Guemona | Archéologie | Best Researcher Award

Attaché de Recherche | The University of Centre National De Recherche Pour Le Developpement | Chad

Dr. Djimet Guemona is a dedicated archaeologist and researcher whose scholarly work focuses on the preservation, analysis, and digital reconstruction of African cultural heritage, particularly in Chad. His academic interests lie at the intersection of traditional archaeological research and emerging digital technologies such as 3D modeling, and artificial intelligence. By combining field-based methodologies with advanced digital tools, Guemona contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of Africa’s ancient metallurgical and artistic traditions, while also promoting innovative approaches to cultural heritage documentation and management. His recent collaborative work, Reconstructing Ancient Iron-Smelting Furnaces of Guéra Through 3D Modeling and AI-Assisted Video Generation, published in Electronics  exemplifies his commitment to interdisciplinary innovation. This research merges archaeological field data with computational modeling to recreate ancient iron-smelting processes, offering valuable insights into the technological sophistication of early African societies. Another key publication, Analyse techno-stylistique de la céramique du pays fanian , published in Afrique  Archéologie & Arts explores stylistic and technological aspects of ceramics, contributing to the understanding of regional cultural identities and material expressions. Guemona’s scholarly output, though emerging, reflects a growing influence in the field of African archaeology. His research has garnered academic recognition with 2 indexed publications, 5 citations, and an h-index of 1. His work stands out for its integration of heritage science, community-based archaeology, and digital preservation techniques, aligning traditional cultural studies with modern technological perspectives. By bridging archaeological theory, field practice, and digital innovation, Guemona is advancing the documentation and safeguarding of African heritage, while fostering global awareness of the continent’s archaeological richness. His research trajectory demonstrates strong potential for continued contributions to both academic scholarship and sustainable heritage management.

Featured Publication

Barreau, J. B., Guemona, D., & Robion-Brunner, C. Reconstructing ancient iron-smelting furnaces of Guéra  through 3D modeling and AI-assisted video generation. Electronics.

Chih-Hung Pai | Performance Management | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Chih-Hung Pai | Performance Management | Best Researcher Award

Director of the Leisure Tourism Development Research Center | The University of Zhejiang Yuexiu University | China

Professor Chih-Hung Pai is an accomplished scholar whose research focuses on the intersections of sustainable tourism, hospitality management, and environmental economics. With a portfolio of nine scholarly publications, 78 citations, and an h-index of 4, his academic influence reflects both depth and interdisciplinary breadth. His body of work contributes significantly to understanding how sustainable practices, innovative technology, and policy frameworks can jointly enhance economic growth and ecological preservation within global tourism systems. His recent studies highlight the integration of environmental conservation and economic progress, emphasizing how sustainable tourism practices shape global economies and support long-term resilience. His contributions to leading indexed journals, including Current Issues in Tourism, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, and Resources Policy, have offered novel insights into green finance mechanisms, carbon neutrality promotion, and cultural tourism development. Through empirical modeling and policy evaluation, he explores strategies that enable regions, particularly in Asia, to transition toward environmentally responsible and economically viable growth models. In parallel, his research investigates technological innovation in hospitality, analyzing how digital tools, machine learning, and green technologies influence customer experience, service recovery, and organizational competitiveness. Studies such as those on technology adoption in green hotels and data-driven assessments of cultural tourism experiences underscore his commitment to integrating artificial intelligence and sustainability in modern service systems. Furthermore, his work on eco tourism experiences, leisure behavior, and corporate social responsibility within the hospitality sector enriches the understanding of human environment interactions and their socio-economic implications. Collectively, Professor Pai’s scholarly output represents a forward-thinking approach to sustainability science bridging theory with practice and providing actionable pathways for policymakers, educators, and industry stakeholders seeking to harmonize economic prosperity with ecological balance in the evolving global tourism landscape.

Featured Publication

Pai, C.-H., Zhang, Y., Wang, Y.-L., Li, K., & Shang, Y. Current challenges and opportunities in cultural heritage preservation through sustainable tourism practices. Current Issues in Tourism.

Yağmur Guler | Coaching & Mentoring | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Yağmur Guler | Coaching & Mentoring | Best Researcher Award

Department of Physical Education and Sport Teaching | The University of  Ankara University | Turkey

Dr. Yağmur Güler is an academic researcher in the field of sport sciences, focusing on physical education, teacher development, and ethics in sports. Her research explores the professional identity of pre-service physical education teachers, the mentoring process in teacher education, and the role of ethical awareness and child protection in sports settings. She has contributed extensively to understanding how pedagogical practices and psychosocial factors shape the effectiveness and integrity of sports education. Her academic publications include articles in respected international journals such as Sport, Education and Society, Children, and Frontiers in Psychology. These works address issues including child abuse prevention in sports, creative and design thinking in physical education, and the development of 21st-century teaching competencies. She has also contributed to national and international conferences with studies on topics like mindfulness in athletes, ethical decision-making, and recreational awareness. Dr. Güler has authored and co-authored several scientific book chapters related to sports ethics, performance evaluation, and mentorship, enriching the academic dialogue in her discipline. Her recent research also engages in multidisciplinary projects supported by national scientific bodies, focusing on child safeguarding and alternative assessment approaches in sports. Her scholarly output reflects a strong commitment to advancing the scientific and ethical foundations of sports education. Through her contributions to research, publication, and collaborative academic projects, she continues to influence the evolution of professional standards, child protection practices, and innovative learning strategies within the global field of sport sciences.

Featured Publications

Güler, Y., & Tuncel, S. Professional identity of pre-service physical education and sports teachers and the role of mentor teachers. Sport, Education and Society. Advance online publication.

Güler, D., Güler, Y., Cengiz, C., Tuncel, S., & Karayiğit, R. Investigating child abuse in sports: An ecological systems perspective.

Aras, D., Onlu, A. S., Durmus, T., Cengiz, C., Guler, D., Guler, Y., Ugurlu, A., Aldhahi, M. I., & Gülü, M. A brief body scan mindfulness practice has no positive effect on the recovery of heart rate variability and cognitive tasks in female professional basketball players.

Cengiz, C., & Güler, Y. The effect of design thinking on the creative thinking of physical education and sports teachers. African Educational Research Journal.

Eren, H. B., Güler, Y., Güler, D., Çokluk-Bökeoğlu, Ö., & Tuncel, S. Çevrim içi beden eğitimi ve spor dersine yönelik öğrenci memnuniyet ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi  Avrasya Spor Bilimleri ve Eğitim Dergisi,

Abdoul Karim Saidou | Conflict Resolution & Mediation | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Abdoul Karim Saidou | Conflict Resolution & Mediation | Best Researcher Award

Political science | The University of  Thomas Sankara | Burkina Faso

Dr. Saidou Abdoul Karim is a distinguished political scientist whose research advances critical understanding of governance, democracy, and security in West Africa. His scholarly contributions explore the complex interactions between political regimes, public policy, and state-building in contexts marked by transition, insecurity, and reform. His research is characterized by a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, bridging political science, sociology of public action, and international relations to examine how African states govern through crises and transformation. Central to his work is the analysis of public policy dynamics, particularly in the areas of security and political reform. He investigates how political regimes shape policy agendas, how institutional instruments influence decision making, and how democratic processes are affected by conflict and instability. His studies frequently focus on Burkina Faso, Niger, and the broader Sahel, addressing the tensions between democracy, governance, and security. His research also engages with the regional dimension of African politics, especially through the role of  in promoting democratic norms and managing security challenges. His numerous peer reviewed publications in leading international journals, such as Democratization, Journal of Modern African Studies, Africa Spectrum, and Afrique Contemporaine, reflect a deep engagement with questions of legitimacy, participation, and power. His writings on the securitization of migration, youth involvement in security policies, gender quotas, and the instrumentalization of democracy contribute to a richer understanding of political change in African societies. His book chapters and collaborative works extend his analysis to regional peace and security mechanisms, the political dimensions of diaspora participation, and the governance of armed conflicts. By combining theoretical innovation with empirical depth, his research provides essential insights into how African states and societies negotiate democracy and security. His work stands as a key contribution to contemporary debates on governance, policy reform, and the political future of the Sahel and West Africa.

Featured Publications

Saidou, A. K., & Bagayoko, S. From euphoria to disenchantment: Temporality and the changing local perceptions of international interventions in Mali. Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding.

Naré, R. H., & Saidou, A. K. Understanding public policy through the lens of political regimes: The case of episodic change in agriculture policy in Burkina Faso  Africa Spectrum.

Saidou, A. K., & Honig, L.  Legitimising regimes and legalising self-defence groups: The case of Burkina Faso’s VDPs. The Journal of Modern African Studies

Saidou, A. K.  L’Afrique face au dilemme des deux analyse constructiviste de la politique étrangère à partir des cas du Niger et du Burkina Faso. Canadian Journal of Political Science.

Saidou, A. K., & Bertrand, E. Security as a campaign issue: Programmatic mobilization in Burkina Faso’s elections.

Manwika Kongpuang | Rewards & Recognition | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Manwika Kongpuang | Rewards & Recognition | Best Researcher Award

Engineering Lecturer | The University of Faculty of Engineering Prince of Songkla | Thailand

Dr. Manwika Kongpuang dedicated scholar in metallurgy and materials engineering, this researcher’s work focuses on advancing nondestructive testing and structural health monitoring technologies for improved material reliability and infrastructure safety. Their primary expertise lies in acoustic emission techniques, rail steel behavior, metal forming, and semi-solid processing bridging materials science and engineering applications to address industrial and transportation challenges. The research emphasizes the development of innovative diagnostic and monitoring approaches for metallic components, particularly in railway systems, enabling real-time defect detection, predictive maintenance, and performance optimization. The author’s contributions span several high-impact, peer-reviewed journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, including Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation, Results in Engineering, Sensors, and Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals. Their studies have provided new insights into the relationships between microstructure, mechanical performance, and acoustic emission signals in metals under various loading and thermal conditions. Additionally, significant research has been devoted to improving the mechanical and tribological properties of metal matrix composites through advanced casting and heat-treatment processes. Through active participation in international conferences such as the World Conference on Acoustic Emission and the International Conference on Condition Monitoring and Asset Management, the researcher has contributed to global discussions on rail maintenance, digital twin technologies, and sustainable engineering solutions. Their interdisciplinary approach combines experimental investigation, data analysis, and materials characterization to develop efficient, data-driven methods for assessing and extending the life of engineering systems. Overall, the author’s research demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing intelligent condition monitoring, reliability-based maintenance, and sustainable materials innovation, contributing valuable knowledge to the fields of materials science, nondestructive evaluation, and infrastructure engineering.

Featured Publications

Kaewunruen, S., AbdelHadi, M., Kongpuang, M., Pansuk, W., & Remennikov, A. M. Digital twins for managing railway bridge maintenance, resilience, and climate change adaptation.

Kongpuang, M., Chaideesungnoen, S., Muangjunburee, P., Oo, H. Z., & Janudom, S. Effect of post-weld heat-treatment on microstructure and mechanical behavior of Inconel  overlay cladding on  Cr-1Mo steel. Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals.

Muangjunburee, P., Poolsiri, N., Chaideesungnoen, S., Naultem, A., Oo, H. Z., & Kongpuang, M. Observation on the weld metal of resurfaced rail steel. Chiang Mai Journal of Science.

Kongpuang, M., Culwick, R., Cheputeh, N., Marsh, A., Jantara Junior, V. L., Vallely, P., Kaewunruen, S., & Papaelias, M. Quantitative analysis of the structural health of railway turnouts using the acoustic emission technique. Insight: Non-Destructive Testing and Condition Monitoring.

Jae Park | Wastewater Treatment | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. Jae Park | Wastewater Treatment | Best Researcher Award

Professor Emiritus | The University of Univ. of  Wisconsin-Madison | United States

Professor Jae Kwang Park is a leading researcher in Civil and Environmental Engineering, whose scholarly work has significantly advanced the understanding of environmental pollution control, contaminant transport, and sustainable waste and water management systems. His research has focused extensively on the mechanisms governing pollutant dispersion, sorption, and permeation in aquatic and subsurface environments. By integrating principles of hydrodynamics, environmental chemistry, and material science, he has provided deep insights into the fate and transport of organic and inorganic contaminants across engineered and natural barriers. His studies on pollutant dispersion in estuarine systems, for instance, have produced foundational models for analyzing tidal mixing, stratified flow behavior, and mass transport processes that are crucial to understanding pollutant migration in coastal waters.In the field of wastewater and solid waste management, his contributions include the development of advanced treatment technologies using ozonation, photocatalytic oxidation, and membrane filtration to remove persistent organic pollutants. His work on the permeation of volatile organic compounds through geomembranes, polymeric pipes, and landfill liners has been pivotal in assessing the long-term performance of containment systems, directly influencing design standards and environmental protection regulations. He has also explored the use of recycled and synthetic materials, such as shredded tires and geomembranes, for the mitigation of contaminant movement in landfills, bridging the gap between waste reuse and environmental safety.Professor Park’s interdisciplinary research extends to understanding microbiologically influenced corrosion, pyrolysis kinetics of rubber materials, and thermodynamic modeling of sorption in polymers, reflecting his commitment to solving multifaceted environmental engineering challenges through innovative methodologies. His body of work demonstrates both theoretical depth and practical relevance, providing valuable tools for environmental monitoring, infrastructure safety, and pollution prevention.

Profiles:  Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

Park, J. K., & Park, J. H. Advanced treatment of wastewater using ozone. Korean Society of Civil Engineers.

Park, J. K., & James, A. Tidal variation of salt flux and dispersion in a polluted estuary. Water Science and Technology.

Park, J. K., & James, A. Modeling of pollutant dispersion in stratified oscillatory flows. Journal of Environmental Engineering.

Park, J. K., & James, A.  Time-varying turbulent mixing in a stratified estuary and the application to a Lagrangian 2-D model. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.

Park, J. K., & James, A.  A unified method of estimating longitudinal dispersion in estuaries. Water Science and Technology.

Kofi Obeng | Employee Work Effort | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. Kofi Obeng | Employee Work Effort | Best Researcher Award

Emeritus Professor | The University of  North Carolina A&T State University | United States

Professor K. Obeng, is a highly respected scholar in the fields of transportation economics, logistics, and urban planning, widely recognized for his influential contributions to transportation research and policy analysis. His prolific academic output includes 60 scholarly publications with 523 citations and an h-index of 14, reflecting both the depth and sustained impact of his work on the global research community. Professor Obeng’s research primarily focuses on transportation planning, public transit efficiency, cost optimization, subsidy policy, transport pricing, safety analysis, and productivity measurement in urban transportation systems. His studies have advanced understanding of how economic incentives, regulations, and institutional structures affect the operational efficiency and financial sustainability of public transit systems. Through rigorous quantitative modeling and policy evaluation, his research has provided valuable insights into improving performance, enhancing service quality, and promoting sustainable transportation solutions. His works have been published in numerous high-impact journals, including Transportation Research, Transport Policy, Journal of Air Transport Management, and Administration & Society, contributing to international dialogues on transport management and economics. He has also co-edited influential academic volumes, such as Transit Economics, which explore complex issues surrounding transit subsidies and productivity. Professor Obeng’s interdisciplinary approach bridges economic theory and applied transportation policy, addressing challenges in public transit finance, safety management, and strategic organizational performance. His research has informed transportation policy reforms and supported the advancement of effective, data-driven solutions for modern mobility systems. As a leading figure in transportation research, Professor Obeng’s scholarly legacy continues to influence academic, governmental, and professional communities, reinforcing his position as a key contributor to the evolution of transportation planning and economics in both theory and practice.

Profiles:  Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Obeng, K.  Incentivizing public transit to improve performance to meet the programmatic goal of a funding agency. Public Transport.

Obeng, K. Regulations and factor adjustment in transit systems. Transportmetrica A: Transport Science.

Obeng, K.  Accounting for factors affecting cost and technical inefficiency. Case Studies on Transport Policy.

Obeng, K.  On incentives and optimal effort to improve bus transit performance. Transportation Planning and Technology.

Obeng, K.  Effects of government regulations and input subsidies on cost efficiency: A decomposition approach. Transport Policy.