The inaugural issue (Vol. 1 No. 1, January–June 2017) brings together six studies spanning regional economic dynamics, creative industry development, consumer behavioral psychology in modern retail, cooperative organizational performance, public utility service quality, and workplace psychosocial factors in Islamic banking. Collectively they weave a unifying message: strengthening human capital (emotional intelligence, cognitive and personal capabilities, leadership), designing supportive physical and social environments (retail atmospherics, service interfaces), nurturing local creative economic clusters for inclusive welfare gains, and addressing structural inequality and job-related stress are interdependent levers for sustainable regional development and organizational effectiveness. The first article, Economic Growth and Income Inequality: Panel Data from Eight Provinces in Sumatra, analyzes how differences in economic structure, investment, and resource distribution shape interprovincial disparities, underscoring the role of production diversification and infrastructure equalization in narrowing gaps. The second, Mapping the Creative Industry Craft Subsector and Its Impact on Community Welfare in Aceh Besar Regency, evaluates how clustering, market access, design training, and local value chains elevate household income while preserving cultural heritage. The third, The Influence of Environmental Stimuli and Social Factors on Shopaholic Tendencies with Positive Emotion as a Mediating Variable among Suzuya Mall Consumers in Banda Aceh, shows how store layout, lighting, scent, promotions, and social interactions amplify impulsive buying via enhanced positive affect. The fourth, The Effect of Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Behavior, Personal Ability, and Leadership Competence on Cooperative Performance in Aceh Province, highlights that soft skills and transformational leadership strengthen operational efficiency, member engagement, and cooperative sustainability. The fifth, Public Responses to the Water Bill Payment Service of PDAM Tirta Daroy Banda Aceh, assesses accessibility of payment channels, meter reading accuracy, complaint handling speed, and billing transparency as drivers of customer satisfaction and payment compliance. The sixth, The Effect of Sources of Work Stress on Employee Productivity at PT Bank Aceh Syariah Banda Aceh Branch, links workload, target pressure, role ambiguity/conflict, and emotional demands to productivity outcomes, emphasizing the need for balanced job design, organizational support, and stress management to prevent burnout. Together, the studies integrate macro (growth and inequality) and micro (individual behavior and service quality) lenses to inform inclusive, human-centered regional development strategies.