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The research aims to explore the impact of digital platform integration and reconstruction capabilities on organizational agility (mediator) and ESG performance of small and medium size enterprises of Pakistan. The study also examines the moderating role of technology uncertainty between digital platform capabilities and organizational agility that further leads to ESG performance. Data is collected from 300 firms while industries include; IT, Manufacturing, Textiles, Electronics, and Automobile in eight big cities of Pakistan and the respondents are middle and senior managers. Data was analyzed using the software; SPSS (reliability analysis) and R Studio (version 4.5.2), Structural Equation modeling (SEM) and regression Analysis. The study used Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capability Theory to see the role of digital platform capabilities, organization agility and uncertain technology conditions’ on ESG. The findings of this research are that such organizations with agility perform better on the ESG dimensions. First, this study takes a capability perspective to explore the impact of digital platform integration and reconstruction capability on Organizational agility, which extends the related studies taking digital perspective. Second, the inner mechanism between organizational agility and firm ESG performance is revealed where organizational agility works as a bridge for ESG performance. Third, the relationship between digital platform capabilities and organizational agility is exposed by the moderation of technology uncertainty. Where technology uncertainty positively moderates the relationship between digital platform capabilities and organizational agility.

Purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between organizational agility (OA) and the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of firms. Specifically, it seeks to understand the organizational agility and agility in various industries of Pakistani firms including some control variables e.g. firm size, firm age, industry and city. Data is collected from 300 firms of Pakistan and the respondents are middle and senior managers. R studio is used to analyze data (version 4.5.2). The analysis techniques include; descriptive statistical, correlation, reliability, validity, Common Method Variance (CMV), Structural Equation modeling (SEM) and regression (including control variables). Data is collected from the industries of IT, Manufacturing, Textiles, Electronics, and Automobile, in eight cities of Pakistan. Results show that there exists a positive relationship between organizational agility and firm ESG Performance. This study contributes to the literature by the importance of organizational agility as a dynamic capability in achieving ESG goals, providing new directions for future research and practical recommendations for policymakers and industry leaders.

This paper aims to evaluate how the type of streamer (human vs. AI) influences consumer desire in live-streaming commerce through socio-cognitive and motivational mechanisms. Building on the CASA framework, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB), this study examines whether human and AI streamers differentially generate perceived empathy, which then activates intrinsic and extrinsic motivations leading to consumer desire. This paper also aims to test whether personal involvement and skepticism moderate the empathy–motivation pathway. A between-subjects experimental design was used to randomly assign participants to view identical livestreaming scripts presented by either a human or a humanoid AI streamer. Data from all 277 Chinese livestreaming participants were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The key findings show that (i) perceived empathy is significantly higher for human streamers than AI streamers, (ii) perceived empathy significantly boosts intrinsic motivation and consumer desire, with a smaller effect on extrinsic motivation, and (iii) intrinsic motivation, but not extrinsic motivation, is a significant predictor of consumer desire. Additionally, personal involvement strengthens the link between empathy and intrinsic motivation, while skepticism weakens the motivational pathways—especially in AI-based interactions. This research reveals that empathy is the main psychological link between streamer identity and consumer desire, and that intrinsic motivation is the dominant mechanism driving consumer engagement in live commerce, grounded in warmth and relatedness. The findings also indicate that emotional authenticity and the fulfillment of psychological needs remain crucial determinants of consumer desire, even in AI-mediated retail. Practical implications include enhancing empathetic communication and balancing the use of human and AI streamers in digital commerce.

Youth student organizations, particularly Student Union Branches, play a vital role in ideological development and talent cultivation within Chinese higher education. Operating within a unique socio-educational context, these organizations must navigate the complex challenge of enhancing organizational effectiveness while ensuring ideological alignment. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys of 127 student cadres with in-depth case studies of 6 Student Union Branches, to investigate how sophisticated mechanisms for understanding, predicting, and managing individual thoughts and behaviors can improve organizational outcomes. The research proposes an integrated U-P-M (Understanding-Prediction-Management) framework. This includes a multi-layered understanding mechanism based on dynamic monitoring, dialogue, and data insight; a prediction mechanism utilizing intelligent forecasting and proactive intervention; and a management mechanism combining value guidance, organizational optimization, and environmental shaping. Quantitative results show that Student Union Branches implementing the systematic U-P-M framework achieved significant gains: a 28% increase in organizational belonging, a 35% rise in activity participation, and a 42% improvement in task execution efficiency. Qualitative findings further reveal contextual implementation challenges and success factors. This study contributes an evidence-based theoretical framework and reproducible pathways for enhancing youth student organization effectiveness within China's specific educational environment. It highlights the delicate balance between organizational autonomy and ideological conformity, offering valuable insights for educational administrators and student affairs professionals seeking to foster high-quality organizational development.

The study sought to investigate the factors influencing environmental reporting in developing countries. This has been necessited by the inconsistances and non compliant to regulations and laws of environmental reporting among the developing countries. Through examining the factors that influence environmental reporting the study hope to establish context based solutions to the challenge of environmental reporting. The study used a quantitative research method and factor analysis to establish the factors influencing environmental reporting. It was discovered that there are seven key factors influencing environmental reporting among Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. These factors are: regulatory drivers, risk management drivers, market drivers, management influence drivers, strategic communication drivers, value creation drivers and legitimacy drivers. The study also revealed that there are several sub-factors that influencing environmental reporting under each key factor identified. The study concluded that environmental reporting influenced by the seven key factors. The study recommends that SADC sought for in-depth understanding of factors influencing environmental reporting. This is because understanding of the factors affecting environmental reporting is essential for the formulation and reporting that that satisfies stakeholders' requirements.

This study investigates the factors influencing investment decision-making within South Africa's financial markets, focusing on psychological, demographic, and external market elements. Drawing from Prospect Theory, the research reveals a deviation from traditional behavioral assumptions, highlighting that external market dynamics, rather than individual risk perceptions or demographic traits, predominantly guide investor behavior. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected through structured questionnaires from 120 randomly selected South African investors aged 18 and older with market experience. Structural equation modelling assessed factors influencing risk perception and subsequently, investment behavior. The findings demonstrate that market-related variables significantly influence risk perception (? = 0.653, p < 0.001) and decision-making, aligning with the Efficient Market Hypothesis. In contrast to Prospect Theory's expectations, risk perception had no significant direct effect on investment choices (? = -0.009, p = 0.933). Cognitive biases and emotional influences exerted a moderate impact, while demographic characteristics, including gender, education, and experience, showed minimal influence on investment decisions, suggesting that practical market experience outweighs formal training. With robust construct validation (CR = 0.711 to 0.951), the study enhances the reliability and credibility of the findings. It highlights global regulatory frameworks as crucial for investor confidence. These results contribute to behavioral finance literature and support practical implications for policy, market transparency, and investor education. Future research should consider diverse populations and qualitative investors' perspectives.

The changing business environment in South Africa has encouraged Management Accounting graduates to consider alternative career paths beyond traditional corporate positions. Entrepreneurship, especially in the fields of consulting and financial advisory, offers a valuable opportunity for these graduates to utilize their skills in financial analysis, business strategy, and risk management. Nonetheless, many graduates remain underrepresented in entrepreneurial endeavors due to several challenges, including limited exposure to entrepreneurship education, a tendency towards risk aversion, and difficulties in accessing financial resources. This study examines the entrepreneurial intentions of Management Accounting graduates in South Africa, focusing on their perceptions of self-efficacy, available support systems, and the obstacles they encounter in pursuing entrepreneurship. Anchored in the Entrepreneurial Intention Theory (EIT), the research investigates key factors such as attitudes towards entrepreneurship, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms that affect graduates’ career decisions. A quantitative methodology was employed, surveying third year and postgraduate diploma students at the Durban University of Technology to evaluate their preparedness for entrepreneurship. The findings reveal that although graduates acknowledge entrepreneurship as a feasible career option, deficiencies in entrepreneurial training and limited opportunities for practical business experience impede their transition into self-employment. The study emphasizes the necessity of incorporating entrepreneurship education into Management Accounting curricula and enhancing collaborations between universities and industries to address these deficiencies. Moreover, targeted support from government agencies and financial institutions is crucial for cultivating a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. The study seeks to provide valuable insights for educational institutions and policymakers to improve career diversification strategies for graduates by tackling these barriers. Promoting entrepreneurial ventures in consulting and financial advisory not only broadens employment opportunities but also contributes to the wider economic development of South Africa.

Increasing access to quality education in South Africa has led to a rise in enrollment by students from diverse backgrounds at higher education institutions. However, first-entering students transition from secondary school to higher education, and it is hypothesized that this will affect students psychologically, socially, and financially. Financially, many higher education students in South Africa rely on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). This study investigates the relationship between students’ socioeconomic backgrounds and academic success at a South African university. A mixed-methods approach surveyed 74 first-year students in the Extended Curriculum Programme at the University of Venda, South Africa. Findings from regression and correlation analyses indicate that poor and low socio-economic backgrounds among Extended Curriculum Programme students significantly affect their academic performance and success. These findings challenge the notion that disadvantaged backgrounds necessarily hinder student achievement and emphasize the importance of creating an environment that supports students from all socio-economic backgrounds. Eight policy recommendations and strategies are provided to enhance student success and support for diverse socio-economic backgrounds in higher education institutions.

The study explores relationships between renewable energy variables across African nations, focusing on South Africa (RSA) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) using panel data from 2013 to 2022. Key variables include Chinese mining sector FDI (in USD), renewable energy capacity (in MW), technological advancements, policy frameworks, natural resource management, technological adoption, and risk perception. Employing descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation, and linear regression, the study reveals notable findings. Descriptive statistics highlight significant diversity in renewable energy capacity, policy support, and mining sector FDI levels across African countries, reflecting varying development stages and investment climates. The DRC exhibits slower FDI growth compared to South Africa. Correlation analysis indicates that Chinese FDI strongly correlates with technological advancements, favorable policy frameworks, and renewable energy capacity, while high-risk perceptions discourage investment and capacity development. Regression results identify technological advancements as the most significant predictor of FDI and sustainable growth, emphasizing its critical role in attracting investment. Although policy frameworks and risk perception show potential, further exploration with larger datasets is required to uncover their moderating or indirect effects. The study underscores the interdependence between technological development, investment flows, and renewable energy capacity. It calls on African nations to prioritize technological advancements, foster partnerships with Chinese firms for technology transfer, and implement robust policy frameworks. Policymakers should focus on political stability, economic reforms, tax incentives, streamlined approvals, co-financing mechanisms, and addressing structural challenges to effectively attract FDI and drive sustainable growth.

Individuals are becoming more aware of the negative effects of the rapid fashion industry and are shifting to second-hand clothes. Due to its potential to minimize clothing waste, purchasing second-hand garments is reflected as environmentally friendly. Using an online questionnaire survey, this research examines the factors influencing consumers’ purchasing intention of second-hand clothing via the mediation of individualism and product attitude by applying the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 25.0 and the Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 25.0 to analyze the data collected information. The proposed models are expanded by additional construct factors to evaluate their influence on purchase intention. The results indicate that online second-hand clothing purchase intention (PI) is partially explained by the theory of planned behavior (TPB) with product attitude (PA) and individualism (IN). Among the additional factors encompassed, consumer perceived value (CPV) and consumer perceived risk (CPR) negatively impacted the consumer’s intention to buy second-hand clothing. Additionally, this study validates the effectiveness of the integrated model of TPB in interpreting customers’ buying intentions for second-hand clothing. This study also yielded theoretical and managerial implications, as well as proposals for further research.

Workplace stress and nurse retention are critical challenges in healthcare, affecting organizational stability and public health outcomes. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of stressors and job satisfaction on nurses’ turnover intentions in the western region of Ghana, with a focus on the moderating role of transformational leadership. Methodologically, a descriptive cross-sectional design was employed to collect data from 364 registered nurses working in four hospitals. Participants completed an online questionnaire measuring stress factors, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and transformational leadership. Structural equation modelling was employed to analyze the data using Mplus 8.3. The results revealed stressors (stress from workload, superiors, and coworkers and daily life) significantly increased nurses’ turnover intentions while negatively influencing job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was inversely associated with turnover intentions, and transformational leadership moderated this relationship, reducing the likelihood of such intentions. The findings highlight the importance of fostering job satisfaction and implementing transformational leadership strategies, such as mentorship and effective stress management, to alleviate workplace stress and enhance nurse retention. These insights offer valuable guidance for hospital administrators and policymakers in designing interventions to improve nurse retention and overall organizational performance.

This paper explores the relationship between environmental, social, and governance performance (ESGP) and firm value in both emerging and developed economies, with the moderating impact of environmental uncertainty and competitive advantage. Using secondary unbalanced data spanning from 2011 to 2022, we examine both the direct and non-linear effects of ESG performance on firm value, employing advanced econometric estimation techniques such as two-step system GMM (2sGMM) and two-stage least square (2SLS). The analysis finds that: (1) ESG performance positively influences firm value in both Chinese and US banks, and the results remain valid after robustness test; (2) The results also confirm that ESG performance non-linearly influence firm value across the samples, with an inverted U-shape relationship; (3) Additionally, we further investigate the moderating effects of environmental uncertainty and competitive advantage, uncovering that environmental uncertainty dampens the ESGP-firm value relationship, while competitive advantage further amplifies it. This study contributes to the understanding of how ESG performance can act as strategic assets that align managerial and stakeholder interests, and improve firm performance, by underpinning agency, stakeholder, and the resource-based view theory. Practical insights are also provided for policymakers, regulators, and financial institutions regarding the use of ESGP as a competitive tool in uncertain and dynamic market environments.

Afghanistan and most developing, landlocked countries must prioritize regional diplomacy and make strategic alliances to eliminate economic difficulties and create opportunities for trade, partnerships, and markets that will encourage further integration. This research aims to identify workable value chains for integration under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and evaluate their suitability by considering their potential volume. This research investigates how BRI is decreasing trade restrictions and increasing connectivity through the use of quantitative techniques and a survey research approach. The research results demonstrate that BRI can have a major impact on Afghanistan's economic situation, particularly with trade volume, trade restrictions, diplomacy, negotiations, and implementation of such kinds of projects. The Initiative has the potential to significantly reduce trade restrictions, and challenges, and enhance trade connectivity by utilizing significant infrastructure investments and investment in Afghanistan. However, security risks and political concerns prevent the BRI from achieving maximum connectivity in this country. This study contributes to thoughtful strategic alliances such as BRI can facilitate Afghanistan's trade connectivity, sustainable development, and economic integration by giving stakeholders and policymakers useful data to accomplish opportunities and know obstacles.

This paper investigates the asymmetric exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) to inflation in Nigeria. The study employed Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and Nonlinear ARDL (NARDL) models from 2010Q1 to 2024Q2. The analysis incorporates key policy changes, such as the 2023 exchange rate unification, and explores both the short- and long-run impacts of exchange rate fluctuations on food and headline inflation. In particular, the study highlights the response and pass-through periods of exchange rate shocks, with depreciation demonstrating a stronger and more immediate effect on inflation than on appreciation. Results reveal that exchange rate depreciation exerts significant cost-push pressures, with a pass-through effect observed within 3 to 4 quarters, while the effect of appreciation is weaker and more prolonged. This asymmetry is especially pronounced for food inflation, where the dependency on imported goods accelerates the transmission of exchange rate shocks to consumer prices. The study also finds that cumulative depreciation has a much more pronounced effect on inflation. At the same time, appreciation offers minimal relief, reflecting Nigeria’s vulnerability to exchange rate volatility due to its reliance on imports. The findings show the importance of managing exchange rate fluctuations to control inflation, particularly given the asymmetry in how depreciation and appreciation affect prices. By providing a comprehensive analysis of both long- and short-run dynamics, this study contributes to the understanding of ERPT in Nigeria, offering insights for policymakers to implement targeted interventions to mitigate inflationary pressures in the context of exchange rate instability.

  South Africa is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the African continent, with timeshares—vacation properties shared by multiple owners—being an important feature of the tourism industry as it contributes significant growth and sustainability of tourist destinations. After its introduction in the 1960s, timeshare gained popularity through its capability to provide luxury holiday affordability and security in South Africa. Since then, timeshare businesses have used traditional public relations, marketing, advertising strategies and tactics to increase brand awareness and reach sales targets. During the difficult COVID-19 period, global tourism declined drastically due to travel restrictions, extreme lockdowns and tight regulations, forcing businesses to adapt their marketing strategies to cope with unprecedented challenges and the loss of customers. Before the pandemic’s culmination, travel agencies and timeshares thus utilized digital marketing and social media to effectively strategise and publicly engage with their audiences online. Drawing upon McGuire’s (1969) theory of information processing, and Echtner and Ritchie’s (1993) destination image branding, a content and thematic analysis of two South African timeshare companies and their Facebook page content was studied to investigate the public relations tactics and marketing strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings reveal that timeshares engaged publicly with customers through posts which stimulated online participation, which included the sharing of images, information, updates, competitions and discounts, thus maximising the potential of social media to engage with stakeholders on a short to long term basis.

This paper aims to identify the factors influencing companies’ performance of Textiles and Apparel Industries in Ethiopia, particularly, in the Eastern Industrial Zone. The researchers employed Maximum Likelihood with Robust (MLR) in Confirmatory Factor Analysis Model (CFA) for survey data gathered from the employees of the Textiles and Apparel industries operating in the Eastern Industrial Zone in Ethiopia which took place from 2020-2021. Main findings of this study indicate that (i) one-unit enhancement in Companies’ Performance yields a favorable impact on raw materials & financial situation; (ii) human capital experiences a rise in the expected units followed, (iii) competitive environment displaying an increase of the units as well, (iv) policies environment demonstrates an improvement, finally (v) organizational development exhibits growth of the expected units as well. This study has identified that these five endogenous latent variables are positively influenced by exogenous latent variable, Companies’ Performance because all have shown the results above the expectation. This study brings insight to investors how they boost their companies’ performance and develops the best strategies for the success of their companies.

The main purpose of the study is to shed light on how the Belt and Road Initiative, Foreign Direct Investment, and Regional Cooperation affect Afghanistan's Trade Balance. In research, we used a mixed-methods approach to thoroughly investigate the relationships among distinct variables. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analysis were carried out using SPSS and AMOS was utilized in the research to validate the data and establish a measurement model, for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The study found that integration with BRI has a significant impact on Afghanistan’s trade balance (M = 3.925, SD = 1.048), with effective regional cooperation Afghanistan can enhance trade, ease barriers, and promote cooperation with neighboring countries (M = 4.017, SD = 1.095). Trade Balance (M = 3.938, SD = 1.112), Also, the importance of attracting FDI is to boost exports and reduce dependence on imports and it is necessary to implement policies for sustainable development (M = 3.983, SD = 1.096). To promote trade, and cooperation and ensure prosperity in the region, the governments can utilize strategic cooperation and create investment opportunities. In conclusion, the study found the importance of cooperation, strategies, and attracting FDI to address both trade facilitation and promote investment for a positive impact on trade balance and influence development.

Using A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2010 to 2019 and the density of Confucian temples and schools near sample company headquarters, this paper uses regression analysis to estimate the impact of Confucian culture on corporate environmental governance.  Enterprise environmental capital investment as a percent of total assets is the dependent variable used as a proxy for environmental governance. The log of the number of the number of Confucian temples and Confucian academies within a 200-kilometer radius of the company's registered location plus one is the independent variable. This study finds that the environmental capital expenditures increase by 0.007% for every unit increase in the independent variable. Similar results are found when the radius is expanded to 300 kilometers. The greater the influence of Confucian culture is, the more inclined enterprises are to participate in corporate environmental governance. Additionally, environmental governance information disclosure can be a key influence path for this correlation.  Further analysis finds that the relationship between Confucian culture and environmental governance is stronger with more experienced managers, a more developed institutional environment, and after 2015 following the People's Republic of China’s enactment of the Environmental Protection Law.  This study expands the literature on the factors that influence Confucian culture on corporate environmental governance, enriches the empirical evidence of the influence of the informal system of corporate environmental governance on enterprise decision-making, and confirms the modern commercial value of Confucian culture. 

Green human resource management, or GHRM, is a relatively new idea but is already thought to be an essential tool for fostering sustainable behavior in businesses. We intended to find out how GHRM affects worker pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) by using worker engagement (WENG) and the green psychological climate (GPC) as mediators. The study tested and analyzed the suggested model using the PLS-SEM technique via SmartPLS 4. To gather data from 324 valid respondents—HR managers and employees—we used a quantitative study approach. These participants were chosen randomly from three industrial parks in Afghanistan. The analysis's findings demonstrated that GHRM possessed a positive impact on employees' PEBs. Furthermore, the employees' pro-environmental behaviors PEBs are fostered by the green psychological climate GPC and worker engagement WENG. The study presents new findings indicating that, in the Afghanistan industrial context, GHRM both directly and indirectly affects employees' PEBs through the partially mediating effects of GPC and WENG. The present research is significant because it fills in the gaps in the literature and offers new perspectives on GHRM. Notably, there aren't many GHRM studies that focus on Afghanistan's industrial sector. Furthermore, in analyzing these connections and evaluating the mediation effects, this study contributes to the body of knowledge currently available on PEBs.  Additionally, this study makes a practical contribution to the industrial sector by offering guidance on how to improve managers' understanding of GHRM policies, enhance employee PEBs at work, and foster an environmentally friendly organizational culture.

The 21st century has witnessed a rapid surge in industrial pollution, accompanied by the depletion of natural resources, prompting a collective call to action. As a result, the greening of corporations and ecological sustainability has emerged as a matter of paramount importance for decision-makers worldwide. This study, thereby, aims to examine the implementation of environmentally responsible (Green) human resource management practices in the health sector and their influence on organizational sustainability performance. Methodologically, a descriptive approach was employed, utilizing a questionnaire survey to collect data from 250 healthcare employees within Pakistan's healthcare sector. The study's statistical outcomes indicate that green hiring positively influences economic performance but not social and environmental performance. However, green training, involvement, performance management, and compensation are all positively related to organizational sustainability performance, encompassing social, economic, and environmental aspects in Pakistan’s healthcare sector. By summing up, this study concludes the significance of customizing green HR practices for enhancing sustainability performance in the healthcare sector. It underscores the crucial role played by green human resource management practices and their impact on organizational sustainability performance in a developing country context, specifically in Pakistan.