Search Results (2,102)

This study intends to investigate the role of social financing in supporting sustainable development and fostering entrepreneurship within small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and its future directions and opportunities in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. SMEs are increasingly implementing sustainable business models to tackle resource constraints and environmental issues to foster long-term social and environmental impact. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected through questionnaires distributed to SME owners using purposive sampling. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed, with 106 valid responses analyzed. The study employed descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS 4.0 to assess the framework. The findings reveal significant positive effects of financial institutions, globalization impact, and access to finance on the role of waqf in SME development, while business obstacles and government support showed no significant influence. According to this study, open innovation is crucial to fostering collaboration between small- and medium-sized enterprises, Islamic endowments, and external stakeholders such as non-profits, government agencies, and community groups. This research adds to the expanding body of knowledge regarding the efficacy of social entrepreneurship and inclusive business models in addressing environmental challenges and assisting SMEs in their long-term growth by facilitating the creation of shared value and the dissemination of sustainable business solutions. Full article

While leadership influence has been linked to organizational performance, the mechanism through which leadership development can foster sustainable innovation in SMEs with distinctive cultural contexts, including individualism/collectivism, is still not well understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role that democratic leadership plays in increasing employee innovative behavior (EIB) when organizations are working in situations that are characterized by high levels of hierarchical and collectivist cultures. This study fills a gap in the literature by investigating the ways in which leadership influences innovation in small- and medium-sized textile enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan, including psychological safety and creative potential. This study discloses that participative leadership practices effectively drive sustained innovation especially in countries that embrace hierarchy and collectivism. The participants in this study comprised 389 employees from the textile industry, who completed validated self-report surveys of democratic leadership, psychological safety, creative potential, and EIB. This study used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the direct and indirect effects of the variables using Smart PLS 4.1.0.8 software. The findings reveal that democratic leadership positively and significantly impacts EIB. Psychological safety mediates this relationship by creating a supportive environment for idea sharing, while creative potential acts as a stronger mediator, enabling employees to generate and implement novel ideas. These results highlight the critical role of democratic leadership in driving innovation through safe and creative organizational climates. This study extends leadership and innovation research by demonstrating the mechanisms through which democratic leadership fosters EIB. This study contributes to the understanding of leadership effectiveness in non-Western hierarchical cultures, providing actionable insights for managers and policymakers to promote sustainable innovation in SMEs. Full article

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed industries, positioning the fashion sector as a critical area of study due to its mass production and pressing sustainability challenges. As the world’s largest apparel producer, China faces unique hurdles in terms of integrating AI technologies, highlighting the intersection of technological innovation and sustainability within this industry. In this context, this study aims to provide the initial exploratory correlations between AI adoption and open innovation from apparel manufacturing micro-, small-, and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) managers’ perspectives, identifying knowledge absorptive capacity (KACAP)’s significant impacts through an integrated and extended TAM-TOE model. We conducted PLS-SEM to empirically validate the antecedents of AI adoption and its consequential effects on KACAP and open innovation by collecting information from 269 of the apparel manufacturing MSMEs’ top managers. The results show that the TAM-TOE structural model explains 60.7% of the variance in AI adoption, 47.4% in KACAP, and 55.4% in open innovation, which suggests that the model has good explanatory capacity, and that all these Q² values indicate a sizeable predictive accuracy threshold. Drawing on the proposed model, the study has identified technological (e.g., perceived usefulness) and environmental factors (e.g., competitive pressure, market uncertainty, and government support and policy) that significantly impact AI adoption, while organizational factors (e.g., organizational readiness) directly impact KACAP, and environmental factors (e.g., competitive pressure, supplier involvement, and market uncertainty) directly impact open innovation. Subsequently, the AI construct is having a significant influence on MSMEs’ open innovation through KACAP. This fills existing theoretical gaps by linking AI technology to organizational innovation processes and demonstrates the mediating influence of KACAP. Also, the proposed model provides a foundation for future research by exploring the intersection of AI and innovation in similar industries. Full article

This study aims to address a research gap by analyzing the role of technology adoption as a determinant of the circular economy in relation to sustainability-oriented innovation and environmental performance. This study uses an advanced structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS) approach to address methodological rigor issues, including multigroup analysis and bootstrap methods to ensure reliability and validity. Data were collected from 201 Indonesian SMEs, and 603 responses were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that technology adoption contributes significantly to the circular economy and sustainability-oriented innovation but is insignificant to environmental performance. Furthermore, the circular economy and sustainability-oriented innovation are key to improving environmental performance. This study presents an advanced mediation model using serial mediation analysis with bias-corrected confidence intervals to ensure methodological robustness. This study develops a theoretical framework by integrating the natural resource-based view (NRBV), environmental concern theory, and stakeholder theory in the context of SMEs, providing a more comprehensive overview for understanding the mechanisms of environmental conservation. The results also highlighted the role of the circular economy and sustainability-oriented innovation as serial mediators in the relationship between technology adoption and environmental performance. In terms of theoretical implications, this study incorporates the natural resource-based view, environmental concern theory, and stakeholder theory to improve our understanding of environmental conservation. In terms of managerial contribution, the main implication for SME managers is to invest in sustainable practices by focusing on circular practices and improving the understanding of efforts to improve environmental performance. Full article

Worldwide, there has been a notable decline in the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the last 20 years. Regionally, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries echo the global trends to a certain extent. This study aims to explore the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH), health resources (HRS), and environmental (ENV) factors on the IMR in Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. It is a retrospective time-series study using yearly data from 1990 to 2022. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was utilized to construct an exploratory model of the IMR for each country. The results showed that SDOH, HRS, and ENV factors influenced IMRs in three GCC countries. In all three countries’ models, only HRS exerted a direct effect on the IMR (Bahrain: −0.966, 95% CI −0.987 to −0.949; Kuwait: −0.939, 95% CI −0.979 to −0.909; and Qatar: −0.941, 95% CI −0.976 to −0.910). On the other hand, ENV factors and SDOH only influenced the IMR indirectly and negatively. Their beta coefficients ranged from −0.745 to −0.805 for ENV factors and −0.815 to −0.876 for SDOH. This study emphasizes the importance of adopting multi-faceted public health strategies that focus on improving socioeconomic conditions, expanding healthcare resources, and reducing environmental degradation. By adopting these multi-dimensional approaches, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait can continue to progress in reducing IMRs and improving overall public health outcomes. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study investigates consumers’ purchase intention (PI) toward health and wellness foods (HWF) in China by examining key factors, such as health-consciousness (HC), desire, and attitude toward organic food. Methods: Data were collected via online surveys completed by Chinese respondents aged 50–65 years. Of the 270 distributed surveys, 230 valid responses (85.2% effectiveness) were analyzed. A multi-analytic approach was employed, integrating Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS–SEM), Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), and Combined Importance-Performance Map Analysis (cIPMA), to explore the hypothesized relationships. Results: The results reveal consumers’ HC has a strong influence on their PI toward HWF, with attitude and desire sequentially mediating this relationship. Furthermore, the results of NCA confirm that HC and desire are necessary conditions for purchasing HWF, whereas attitude is not. Conclusions: Based on these findings, the study provides suggestions for future research and practical recommendations for HWF businesses. Full article

Organizations within the fashion industry have been encouraged to adopt more sustainable marketing strategies to address growing sustainability concerns. Nevertheless, the unpredictability of environmental volatility makes it difficult to adopt green practices. Since the fashion industry is the most environmentally damaging sector, applying sustainable practices may develop competitiveness in the dynamic nature of the environment. The study utilizes resource-based view (RBV) theory to investigate how competitiveness might be enhanced in this setting through sustainable strategies. Using a purposive and convenience sampling method, 400 questionnaires were distributed to managers of Iranian textile companies and company personnel knowledgeable about green initiatives and AI. After screening the data, 230 questionnaires were considered appropriate for analysis. A quantitative analysis was carried out to analyze the data. Using PLS-SEM for analysis, the findings indicate that green marketing (GM) significantly impacts green marketing strategies (GMS), with competitive strategy (CS) serving as a mediator. Furthermore, green marketing significantly impacts the competitive strategy, and competitive business strategies affect the company’s green initiatives. Additionally, environmental turbulence (ET) is found to negatively moderate the relationship between green marketing and competitive strategies, indicating that ET (market turbulence, technological turbulence, as well as competition intensity) can diminish the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives. Managers and marketers in the fashion industry interested in enhancing their competitive edge through environmentally friendly marketing and sustainable tactics will find this study informative and insightful. Full article

This study examines the factors influencing the behavioral intention and usage behavior of e-bikes in Metro Manila and the National Capital Region (NCR) using constructs from the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and external variables such as government policies, infrastructure, social influence, and public awareness. A cross-sectional survey of 340 respondents was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to explore the relationships among these constructs. The results indicate that perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), social influence, and public awareness significantly affect behavioral intention, which strongly predicts e-bike usage behavior. Infrastructure also positively impacts ease of use, while trialability enhances perceived usefulness. However, the relationships between government policies and perceived usefulness, as well as between trialability and ease of use, were insignificant, reflecting contextual limitations in the Philippine setting. The findings highlight the importance of behavioral intention as a primary driver of e-bike adoption. To address barriers, practical recommendations include expanding bike lanes, implementing e-bike sharing systems, strengthening government incentives, and launching public awareness campaigns that highlight the benefits of e-bikes, such as cost savings and environmental sustainability. This study also contributes to theory by integrating DOI and TAM frameworks, offering a comprehensive understanding of e-bike adoption in developing urban settings. These insights provide actionable strategies for policymakers, manufacturers, and stakeholders to promote sustainable transportation in the Philippines and similar contexts. Full article

As the concern for climate change and ecological disasters grows globally, different elements that can encourage and increase green behaviors have become a point of attention for scholars and practitioners. The current research primarily focuses on the factors that can impact green purchasing intentions and steps toward achieving sustainable development goals in the Lebanese context and specifically Tripoli. This study examines the role of consumer spirituality in determining green purchasing intentions along with the moderating effect of subjective norms and environmental concerns and the mediating effect of perceived consumer effectiveness. By deploying a cross-sectional survey, 350 responses from food industry consumers were collected using a judgmental sampling technique. The data were analyzed using partial least square–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) under the premises of the theory of planned behavior and norm activation theory. The findings suggest that a direct linkage exists between consumer spirituality and green purchasing intentions among Lebanese food consumers. Moreover, the mediating role of perceived consumer effectiveness was partially supported along with the moderating impact of subjective norms. This is while the moderating effect of environmental concerns was not found statistically significant, which implies a distance between being environmentally aware and actions that support this concern. This finding highlights the importance of considering consumers’ spiritual orientation when analyzing the impact of spirituality in the realm of green marketing. The implications of the findings can be beneficial for strategic improvements among firms as well as directions for scholars to expand upon the current understanding. Full article

Strategic human resource management plays a crucial role in fostering long-term organizational performance through data-driven decision-making. Human Resource Analytics (HRA), using advanced business intelligence and integrated reporting tools, provides insights that optimize decision-making and strategy alignment. Despite its potential, the impact of HRA on organizational performance remains insufficiently explored. This study addresses this gap by examining the effects of HRA on organizational performance in Ethiopian organizations. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a survey method to collect data from 269 valid responses across 55 organizations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via SmartPLS 3.0 software was used for data analysis. The findings reveal that HRA significantly enhances organizational performance, with this relationship mediated by strategic alignment between HR and organizational goals. Additionally, firm size was found to moderate the impact of HRA on performance, with larger firms deriving greater benefits. The results suggest that HRA serves as a powerful driver of enhanced organizational performance, with larger firms potentially reaping even greater benefits from its implementation. These results also underscore the importance of strategic alignment in leveraging HRA for improved performance, particularly in the context of Ethiopian organizations, where HRA adoption is still evolving. This study offers practical implications for organizations seeking to enhance workforce management and performance through data-driven HR strategies. Full article

The construction industry faces persistent inefficiencies, with projects often failing to meet time, cost, quality, and other conditions of satisfaction. This study investigated real estate owners’ early perceptions of Lean Integrated Project Delivery (Lean IPD) as a potential solution, analyzing the acceptance of principles such as early stakeholder involvement, risk–reward compensation, and open-book accounting, among other key features in Lean IPD. A survey of 62 professionals in real estate development companies in Spain was conducted, analyzing their experience with collaborative contracts and Lean techniques, including Last Planner System and Target Value Design. Statistical methods such as hierarchical clustering and PLS-SEM modeling revealed two distinct groups: those receptive to Lean IPD’s economic mechanisms and those less inclined. While governance principles like early collaboration and team co-responsibility received widespread support, skepticism was noted toward economic transparency practices due to cultural and structural barriers. Additionally, the findings indicate a significant gap in formal training for Lean IPD. Despite challenges, there is strong interest in adopting Lean IPD, driven by its potential to address critical project inefficiencies. This study concludes that successful Lean IPD implementation requires strategic leadership from owners, targeted training programs, and a cultural shift within the industry to embrace collaborative and transparent practices. Full article

Recognizing the factors that influence business formation in developing contexts is critical for promoting economic growth. This study examines the drivers of entrepreneurship among university alumni in Ecuador, addressing gaps in the literature regarding the roles of individual, organizational, and institutional factors in business creation. Drawing on established theories such as the Theory of Planned Behavior and Resource-Based Theory, a multilevel causal model was developed and tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Data were collected from 550 alumni through a structured questionnaire, complemented by semi-structured interviews. The model integrates micro-level (entrepreneurial attitudes and funding experience), meso-level (entrepreneurial knowledge acquired from working experience), and macro-level determinants (opportunity cost). Results indicate that while individual traits play a role, organizational knowledge and institutional context have more pronounced impacts on entrepreneurial actions. In particular, opportunity costs have a negative impact on the business formation process, reflecting the challenges of entrepreneurship in unfavorable environments. The findings highlight the importance of fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems within universities, emphasizing education and support mechanisms tailored to overcoming institutional barriers. This study contributes to the understanding of entrepreneurship in Latin America, offering insights for policymakers and academic institutions aiming to enhance entrepreneurial activity and economic development. Full article

Business intelligence is a new approach to helping project managers and personnel to make correct, informed decisions through preparing a series of analytical reports in a management dashboard by analysing and mining all of the related project data. This study aimed to investigate the effect of business intelligence on the performance of construction projects in Iran through the mediating variable of project quality management. In contrast to prior research that has evaluated the aforementioned variables in isolation, the current study introduced a comprehensive structural model to investigate the interrelationships among business intelligence, quality management, and construction project performance. This study employed a descriptive–correlational methodology utilising structural equation modelling, involving a sample of 102 Iranian construction industry specialists recruited by convenience sampling. Data were gathered using standardised questionnaires and analysed with structural equation modelling (SEM) in Smart-PLS and regression analysis in the SPSS software. The SEM indicated that business intelligence significantly enhances construction project performance (β = 0.534, p < 0.01) and influences project quality management (β = 0.743, p < 0.01) and that project quality management positively affects construction project performance (β = 0.396, p < 0.01). Furthermore, project quality management exerts a slight mediating influence in this relationship, with the indirect effect calculated at 0.295 and the direct effect assessed at 0.534. The regression analysis revealed that the business intelligence variable’s dimensions (technical and managerial, financial and economic, and data and information management) can predict construction project performance, while the technical and managerial and financial and economic dimensions can predict project quality management. Implementing business intelligence technologies in construction project management enhances decision-making for managers and elevates project performance. This study’s findings suggest that managers and specialists should employ data analysis technologies and business intelligence systems to enhance project quality and performance. Full article

This study looks at how green market orientation affects green product innovation and the sustainable performance of SMEs in the manufacturing sector of an emerging market. Therefore, the objective of the study is to analyze the mediating role of green product innovation between green market orientation and the sustainable performance of SMEs. It also looks at how green product innovation can operate as a mediator in the relation between green market orientation and the sustainable performance of manufacturing SMEs. The data from 324 Omani manufacturing sector SMEs were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings indicate that green market orientation has a direct impact on the sustainable performance of manufacturing SMEs. Furthermore, the findings suggest that green market orientation has an indirect impact on the sustainable performance of manufacturing SMEs through green product innovation, which confirms the mediating effect. Manufacturing SMEs accept responsibility for continuously improving the safety and health of their employees while focusing on innovation in new green products. This empirical study, which was examined in the context of Oman’s developing market economy, is unique as it highlights the significant mediating influence of green product innovation on the sustainable performance of manufacturing SMEs. This study complements earlier studies that have mostly been carried out in industrialized (Western) economies. Practically speaking, this study emphasizes for SMEs the importance of consistently experimenting with new concepts for sustainable innovation and a competitive edge in a tough business environment. Future research directions are also provided. Therefore, the findings recommend that the owners and managers of the manufacturing sector’s SMEs should invest in green product innovation to promote sustainable performance in accordance with green market orientation concepts. Full article

Drawing on Social Support Theory, this research makes a new attempt to examine the moderating role of emotional support for students with disability in the link from mental health disorder to a sustained quality of life. Responses from 620 students with disabilities were analyzed with SEM analysis using Smart PLS. The results showed a direct negative impact of stress, depression, and anxiety on the QoL of disabled students. Additionally, the results confirmed a moderating role of emotional support in the link between stress, anxiety, and QoL among disabled students. This means that emotional support was able to mitigate the negative impact of both stress and anxiety on the QoL of disabled students. However, the results did not confirm the moderate role of depression in this relationship. This means that emotional support given to students with disabilities was not enough to mitigate the negative impact of depression on the sustained QoL of disabled students. It also means that there are other support structures and interventions needed to mitigate the negative impact of depression on the QoL among disabled students. Implications of the results are thus elaborated. Full article