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This study proposes a novel approach to gauge the effects of COVID-19 on a large number of airline companies worldwide based on the employment of fifteen metrics at the cash flow, balance sheet, income statement and sustainability levels.

The study makes use of Chernoff faces where each facial feature, such as eyes or mouth, corresponds to a variable, with variations in their characteristics being captured in data values. Through this approach, complex data sets can be intuitively interpreted.

Robust quantitative evidence, derived from a comprehensive analysis of financial metrics, clearly demonstrates that US and Chinese airlines dominate the global airline industry. Findings also show that most airlines faced significant financial setbacks during the pandemic, as reflected in the marked decline in total operating expenses, passenger load factor, cash flow from operations, free cash flow and operating income. However, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. was an exception, maintaining resilience, largely due to its high-performing subsidiary, Air Hong Kong. Moreover, state-owned carriers fared better in maintaining liquidity and operational performance compared to their private counterparts.

This study introduces an innovative technique for assessing the impact of COVID-19 on airline companies globally, using Chernoff faces to visually represent key quantitative metrics. Sustainability metrics in the form of EQS and CO2 emissions have also been given due consideration.

There is little research into how teachers think about and teach creative writing and its redrafting and how this might differ depending upon the age of the pupils being taught. This paper aims to compare the creative writing conceptualisations and practices of primary school teachers (5–11-year olds) and secondary school teachers (11–18-year-olds) in England through a qualitative survey. This comparison enables to think about the influence of policy on creative writing in primary and secondary schools as well as what professional development could look like for these teachers to improve the teaching of creative writing.

A qualitative survey exploring the creative writing and redrafting pedagogies and conceptualisations was responded to by primary school teachers (n = 18) and secondary school teachers (n = 19). Taking an ecological view of creative writing and teacher identity, the authors undertake a comparative analysis of the survey data using the 5A’s theory of creativity (Glaveanu, 2013) and a view of professional identity existing within “landscapes of practice” (Wenger-Trayner, Wenger-Trayner, 2015). This enables to illuminate how and why creative writing is contextually afforded, or otherwise, in primary and secondary landscapes of practice.

This analysis demonstrates how the redrafting of creative writing is marginalised in both landscapes of practice and how redrafting is largely conceptualised as a technical rather than critical or creative action. The authors show how teachers, particularly in primary school, aim for their pupils to produce “products” rather than engaging in the “process” of creative writing. This analysis also shows that whilst creative writing is overall more marginalised in the secondary school landscape, it is often taught through process approaches. In both landscapes of practice, the re-drafting of creative writing is largely taught through product approaches.

This research is potentially skewed by the fact that we recruited our participants through networks relating the teaching of English, including creative writing. What is worrying about this limitation, however, is that the picture of creative writing in schools in England probably leans more to a product approach than the picture this research has uncovered.

Professional development for teachers in both landscapes is needed in relation to pedagogical actions for creative writing and its redrafting. Some of the key differences we have outlined in conceptualisations and practices between primary and secondary schools landscapes, notably the overuse of product-based teaching actions in primary landscapes, and some of the differences we have outlined within discrete landscapes of practice, notably how some primary school teachers feel more confident to challenge the product-based approach, with one conceptualising redrafting as “creative”, indicate that professional development should involve teachers working across schools.

Policy needs to be reformed to move away from the technicist view of creative writing held in both landscapes of practice. Linked to this, the way creative writing is assessed as a product in secondary schools needs to change – the re-introduction of portfolio-based coursework (Bishop, 1990) would provide the affordance of redrafting as an action central to creative writing processes.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a rare piece of research which compares primary and secondary school teachers’ approaches to teaching creative writing. It shows that primary school teachers can be formulaic in the way they teach creative writing, using product approaches. However, in secondary schools the picture is different: teachers, particularly those, who are writers themselves, give students more agency in redrafting and shaping their writing. This indicates how professional development should involve primary and secondary school teachers in dialogue with one another to cross boundaries of practice.

The study explored how supplier evaluation, selection, development and segmentation affect supply chain performance in pharmaceutical organizations. It also determined the moderating influence of top management support on the link between supply chain performance and organizational performance.

The research philosophy of this study was positivism, leading to the adoption of a quantitative research method. Empirical data were gathered from a significant sample of supply chain experts at leading pharmaceutical companies in South Africa. Data collection scales were derived from existing studies. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling.

The results confirmed the validity of the proposed model, which is based on selected criteria (latent variables). This study emphasizes the crucial influence of supplier evaluation, selection, development and segmentation on supply chain performance in pharmaceutical organizations. The research shows a positive correlation between supply chain performance and organizational performance, with top management support playing a moderating role.

The study’s originality and value stem from its thorough examination of how supplier relationship management practices affect supply chain performance and organizational performance in the pharmaceutical industry of South Africa. Furthermore, the research adds to the current body of knowledge by considering the moderating influence of top management support on the link between supply chain performance and organizational performance. These findings offer valuable insights for academics and industry professionals in the realm of supply chain management.

This paper critically examines the empirical literature on the human resource (HR) function during organizational change, identifying the competence required for HR practitioners and pinpointing gaps in previous research.

The paper is based on an integrative literature review of empirical research. The review utilizes a competence model comprising three key elements: skills, motivation and the opportunities created by organizational conditions.

The review shows that while there is an ongoing discussion about the competence required by HR practitioners in organizational change, significant gaps remain in our understanding of how this competence translates into HR change agency. The typical normative descriptions of the role can be viewed as unrealistic as they fail to consider crucial contextual factors and the routine, rather mundane nature of HR change agency.

It is necessary to develop an understanding of the context and avoid wishful thinking when initiating change efforts. Furthermore, HR practitioners require enhanced training in crucial areas such as interpersonal skills, including communication, coaching and managing emotions.

The paper presents a new conceptual framework and research propositions, advocating a dynamic approach to understanding HR’s role in change. It explores how HR’s change competence, in terms of their skills and motivation to manage change, is linked to their opportunities to participate in change initiatives.

The purpose of this study is to comprehensively analyze the research article retractions in social sciences over the past decade (2014–2023).

The study used scientometric methods to evaluate the prevalence, patterns and factors contributing to social sciences article retractions. Bibliographic data of retracted articles were collected from the Retraction Watch Database under an agreement signed with the database. Further, citations of the retracted articles were collected from Scopus and Google Scholar. The analysis encompasses performance assessment and citation-based analysis to reveal the trend of retraction and scrutinize the impact of retracted articles.

Over the past decade, article retractions have shown dynamic trends, with notable fluctuations in recent years. Further, investigating the time taken for article retraction reveals the urgency of addressing issues identified soon after publication. Scientific misconduct and publication-related concerns emerge as primary factors leading to retractions. Countries such as Russia, the USA, China and publishers such as Elsevier and Taylor and Francis led in the retractions of social science articles. A significant portion of retracted works had garnered academic attention prior to retraction and even after retraction.

This study can contribute to a better understanding among scholars and stakeholders of the trends and reasons for retractions of research articles in the social sciences.

This study investigates the level of Ghanaian youth's interest in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) certification courses, using career outcome expectations and demographic characteristics such as age, gender and educational attainment, as framed by the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT).

Employing a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, the research engaged 691 youth selected through quota sampling. Data collection was conducted via computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI), and chi-square tests were used to analyse the relationships between demographic variables and interest in TVET.

The analysis revealed that 97% of respondents are interested in pursuing TVET courses. Interest levels were significantly associated with age, particularly among youth aged 10 -14 years and above 25 years but showed no significant differences based on gender or educational attainment. The results also show that a greater proportion (64%) of the respondents prefer self-employment careers to formal employment-seeking careers (36%) after completing TVET certification courses.

The study’s cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data from a specific geographical area limits the generalizability of findings to broader contexts.

The high interest in TVET among the youth suggests a need to increase investment in TVET infrastructure and curriculum development to meet this demand.

The absence of significant gender differences in TVET interest suggests progress toward gender equality in vocational education, which could contribute to reducing occupational segregation.

This study uniquely contributes to the literature by applying SCCT to explore how demographic characteristics and career outcome expectations converge to influence young people's interest in TVET in a non-Western context. It extends the applicability of SCCT, demonstrating its relevance in understanding the dynamics of TVET attractiveness among youth in Ghana.

Construction remains a male-dominated industry with marked occupational segregation. Based on Gottfredson’s Circumscription and Compromise theory of career development, the purpose of this study is to outline the range of occupational alternatives that Building Engineering students in Andalusia (Spain) find acceptable for their future careers. These alternatives enable an analysis to be performed regarding the extent to which such segregation is related to their possible career aspirations.

A sample of 704 Spanish final-year Building Engineering students was drawn from a survey administered in person to all students attending each compulsory subject. A cluster statistical analysis was carried out to study how they are grouped according to their occupational preferences and perceived career barriers.

Men might choose their career options with a low level of compromise, and their range of satisfactory occupations corresponds to their main preferences: “Technical project drafting and development”, “Technical site management” and “Production site management”. Women, showing a higher perception of career barriers, have to exercise a higher compromise on their preferred options. They are likely to sacrifice their field of interest for the sake of prestige and are more likely than men to give up prestige to preserve options more closely related to their gender such as “Technical project drafting and development” and “Risk prevention and Health and Safety”. “Technical site management” shows the greatest perceived barriers, but its high preference level and the associated prestige render it likely to form part of the range of career aspirations for women. The employment options that women and men aspire to are more similar while they are still at university than when they later join the labour market. It is concluded that occupational segregation is a complex phenomenon that must be addressed from different perspectives. The responsibility of the business community is highlighted, and the implementation of actions in higher education is suggested.

The research contributes to the career development body of knowledge in male-dominated and gender-segregated occupational fields within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The focus is on the Building Engineering profession which remains largely under-researched

This study aims to analyze the definition and contextual variations of homo islamicus in literature across disciplines, including beyond Islamic economics, and to explore their implications for Islamic economic agents.

Using a machine learning-based text analysis approach, 61 articles will be examined to classify definitions and identify contextual clusters for homo islamicus.

This study reveals eight classifications of homo islamicus definitions and three distinct contexts. These findings suggest significant divergence between the concept of homo islamicus in Islamic economic tradition and its interpretation by non-Islamic scholars, attributable to underlying values and ideologies rather than methodological differences.

This study focuses solely on textual analysis of articles using the term “homo islamicus” across disciplines, precluding the formulation of epistemological and ontological frameworks. Future research could expand on these aspects.

By presenting diverse perspectives on homo islamicus, this paper facilitates a more comprehensive understanding among scholars of Islamic economics, aiding in the resolution of disagreements within the field.

This study introduces novel classifications of homo islamicus definitions and contextualizes them, providing insights into their implications for Islamic economic agents.

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is often perceived as a foundation for implementing Industry 4.0 (I4.0) within an organization, with the two strengthening each other in different ways. The purpose of this article is to examine the evolution, trends and motivation for merging LSS and I4.0 and to gain insights into LSS 4.0 in both manufacturing and service sectors. This article also explores the effective methods for integrating and implementing LSS 4.0 in both manufacturing and service sectors, along with conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of LSS 4.0.

By conducting a systematic literature review in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, relevant literature from 2010 to 2023 was reviewed using appropriate keywords and research criteria. The objective was to identify, select and evaluate research articles related to LSS 4.0. Consequently, 159 relevant papers were located in databases, including Elsevier, Taylor and Francis Group, IEEE, Springer, Emerald Insights, Scopus and non-Scopus databases. Additionally, this review aimed to understand the progress of LSS 4.0 from the manufacturing and service sector context and to perform a SWOT analysis of LSS 4.0.

This review reveals a significant surge in the literature on LSS and I4.0 over the past three years. The research articles were categorized based on various themes, including the publisher, journals, types of articles and geographical factors such as country and continent. Additionally, the review examined the progress of LSS 4.0 in both manufacturing and service sectors. A SWOT analysis was also performed to identify the SWOT of LSS 4.0.

This is the first exclusive research work to conduct a SWOT analysis of LSS 4.0. This research article is highly valuable for academicians, researchers, policymakers and practitioners as it helps to identify the SWOT of LSS 4.0. Furthermore, it provides an overview of the progress of LSS 4.0 from both manufacturing and service sector perspectives, and significant case studies are discussed.

This study explores the shopping orientations of omnichannel customers through the lens of generational cohort theory, which influences their decision-making style while shopping online. It offers key insights into how Generations X, Y and Z interact with digital platforms, helping retailers adapt to the shifting dynamics of modern customers.

Using different customer decision-making styles, a comprehensive questionnaire was administered to a diverse sample selected via systematic probability sampling. The responses were analysed using multivariate and post hoc analysis to uncover generational and product-based differences in online shopping orientations.

The analysis reveals apparent generational differences. Gen Z is driven by affordability and quality, while Gen Y is brand-conscious and willing to pay premium prices. In contrast, Gen X exhibits strong brand loyalty, although younger generations show a decline in brand attachment. These findings suggest that retailers must blend online and offline channels to boost customer engagement and loyalty, especially among omnichannel customers.

The study relies on self-reported data, introducing the potential for recall bias, which could affect the accuracy of reported behaviours.

Understanding different generational cohorts’ distinct online shopping behaviours empowers marketers and retailers to craft personalised strategies that enhance customer engagement and drive brand loyalty and satisfaction. By tailoring experiences to the unique preferences of each generation, retailers can ensure seamless shopping journeys that resonate across product categories, maximising their market impact and customer retention.

By applying generational cohort theory, this study uniquely examines the underexplored group of omnichannel customers, offering fresh insights through multivariate analysis into how generational cohorts and product types shape online shopping behaviour, providing valuable guidance for retailers.