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Grounded in upper echelon (UE) theory, this study aims to examine the role of managerial competencies (business experience, financial literacy and digital literacy) in sustainable development strategy, with resource management as a mediator.

The empirical data collection is conducted through a survey completed by 297 top management teams of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in Pakistan. Structural equation modelling in Smart PLS is used to substantiate the hypotheses.

The findings reveal that financially and digitally literate managers significantly contribute to the sustainable development strategies of SMEs. However, experienced managers do not focus significantly on sustainable development strategies. Resource management partially mediates the nexus between financial literacy and sustainable development strategy, as well as between digital literacy and sustainable development strategy. In contrast, resource management does not mediate the nexus between business experience and sustainable development strategy.

This study recommends that SMEs should prioritize managers with digital and financial literacy over those with experience. SMEs led by a management team with digital and financial literacy are more effective in resource management for sustainable development practices, whereas experienced managers may not significantly prioritize managing resources for sustainability.

While research based on the UE theory significantly contributes to the body of knowledge on sustainable development, the role of managerial competencies, particularly business experience, financial literacy and digital literacy, in sustainable development strategy via resource management is neglected. This research fills this gap in the context of UE theory and thereby enriches the literature.

Microfinance institutions (MFI) must adapt to rapidly changing market conditions, including stringent regulations and diverse customer demands, necessitating a high absorptive capacity. This research elucidates how organizational culture promotes knowledge sharing, thereby enhancing an organization’s ability to absorb and utilize new knowledge, with particular attention to the moderating role of MFI size.

Data were collected from 450 randomly selected employees of MFIs in Pakistan. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling in WarpPLS 8.0.

The findings show that knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between organizational culture and absorptive capacity. The impact is more pronounced in larger MFIs, while smaller MFIs exhibit greater agility in adapting to new knowledge.

MFIs, particularly in dynamic markets like Pakistan, should enhance their absorptive capacity by fostering an organizational culture that promotes knowledge sharing. While larger MFIs benefit from structured knowledge-sharing practices, they should address potential bureaucratic impediments to maintain agility.

By improving absorptive capacity, MFIs can better innovate and tailor their services to underserved communities, contributing to financial inclusion and poverty alleviation in Pakistan. This research provides insights for policymakers and practitioners on fostering sustainable development through strategic organizational practices in MFIs.

The findings offer a practical framework linking theoretical concepts from the resource-based and knowledge-based views to real-world applications, particularly in developing economies. It emphasizes the crucial role of organizational culture in enabling MFIs to adapt and thrive in challenging environments.

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 outlines sustainability as associated with peace, good governance and justice. The perception of international tourists about security measures and risks is a key factor affecting destination choices, tourist flow and overall satisfaction. Thus, we investigate the impact of armed forces personnel, prices, economic stability, financial development and infrastructure on tourism.

This research used data from 130 countries from 1995 to 2019, which were divided into four income groups. This study employs a two-step generalized method of moments (GMM) technique and a novel tourism index comprising five relevant indicators of tourism.

A 1% increase in armed forces personnel expands tourism in all income groups – 0.369% High Income Countries (HICs), 0.348% Upper Middle Income Countries (UMICs), 0.247% Lower Middle Income Countries (LMICs) and 0.139% Low Income Countries (LICs). The size of the tourism-safety coefficient decreases from high to low-income groups. The impact of inflation is significantly negative in all panels, excluding LICs. The reduction in tourism was 0.033% in HICs, 0.049% in UMICs and 0.029% in LMICs for a 1% increase in prices. The increase in the global tourism index is more in LICs (0.055%), followed by LMICs (0.024%), UMICs (0.009%) and HICs (0.004%) for a 1% expansion in the gross domestic product (GDP)/capita growth. However, the magnitude of the growth-led tourism impact is greater in developing countries. A positive impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow was found in all panels like 0.016% in HICs, 0.050% in UMICs and 0.119% in LMICs for a 1% increase in FDI inflow. The rise in the global tourism index is 0.097% (HICs), 0.124% (UMICs) and 0.310% (LMICs) for a 1% rise in the financial development index. The increase in the global tourism index is 0.487% (HICs), 0.420% (UMICs) and 0.136% (LICs) for a 1% rise in the infrastructure index.

Empirical analysis infers important policy implications such as (a) establishment of a peaceful environment via recruitment of security personnel, use of safe city cameras, modern technology and law enforcement; (b) provision of basic facilities to tourists like sanitation, drinking water, electricity, accommodation, quality food, fuel and communication network and (c) price stability through different tools of monetary and fiscal policy.

First, it explains the effect of security personnel on a comprehensive index of tourism instead of a single variable of tourism. Second, it captures the importance of economic stability (i.e., economic growth, financial development and FDI inflow) in the tourism–peace nexus.

This study aims to explore and analyze the issues in weightages-based profit distribution mechanism in Islamic banks from Shari’ah, practical and regulatory perspectives.

A qualitative research approach was used in this study based on primary data collected through semi-structured interviews from Shari’ah practitioners and senior industry experts in the field of pool management in the Islamic Financial Services Industry of Pakistan.

The current study found that the weightages-based mechanism conforms to the rules of Mudarabah and; therefore, permissible. However, the elements of exploitation, transparency and fairness require further research, as these elements seem to exist in this mechanism. It was also found that there are many loopholes in the regulatory guidelines for pool management in Islamic banking institutions (IBIs) in Pakistan resulting in practical issues.

The findings of this study may help improve pool management in IBIs, which in turn may cater the objections raised by academicians, customers and industry experts. Moreover, the alternative solution based on the findings of this study can be transformed into a proposal for regulators to take necessary actions against unfair profit distribution and issue further improved guidelines for IBIs in Pakistan.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, very limited studies have been conducted on pool management particularly with issues from different perspectives and alternative solutions have been suggested that may act as a proposal for IBIs as well as regulatory authorities.

The study highlights our findings, including the confirmation of phase stability through XRD analysis, the characterization of optical properties revealing high absorption and conductivity and the analysis of mechanical stability through elastic constants. Additionally, we present detailed results on the band gap, EELS analysis and the suitability of SrZrO3 perovskite oxides for next-generation optoelectronic devices.

Cubic SrZrO₃ perovskite oxides were designed within the framework of density functional theory (DFT) via the CASTEP code under varying stress conditions (0–100 GPa), aiming to explore the key properties for diverse applications. The phase stability was confirmed by XRD analysis. From 0 to 40 GPa, there is an increase in the band gap from 3.330 to 3.615 eV, while it narrows from 3.493 to 3.155 eV beyond 60 GPa. The optical characteristics revealed high absorption, superior conductivity and a lower loss function. Significantly, the elastic constants (C₁₁, C₁₂ and C₄₄) satisfy the Born-stability criterion, ensuring the mechanical stability of the compound. Additionally, the Poisson’s ratio, Pugh ratio (B/G), Frantsevich ratio, Cauchy pressure (P_C) and anisotropy factor ensured both ductile and anisotropic characteristics. Higher values of Young’s modulus and shear modulus signify a superior ability to withstand longitudinal stresses. In the EELS analysis, distinctive energy-loss peaks resulting from absorption and emission correlated with diverse electronic transitions and energy levels associated with Sr, Zr and O atoms are used to probe the precise exploration of the electronic and optical characteristics of materials with a high degree of accuracy. Based on these findings, the designed SrZrO₃ perovskite oxides are particularly suitable for applications in various optoelectronic devices.

CASTEP codes were utilized to design the cubic SrZrO₃ perovskite under varying stress conditions ranging from 0 to 100 GPa. The phase stability was confirmed through XRD analysis. A distinctive trend in the band gap was observed: an increase from 3.330 eV to 3.615 eV as the stress increased from 0 to 40 GPa and a decrease from 3.493 to 3.155 above 60 GPa. A higher absorption and conductivity and a lower loss function were found for the optical properties. The mechanical stability was ensured by elastic constants (C₁₁, C₁₂, and C₄₄) satisfying the Born-stability criteria. Additionally, the Poisson’s ratio, Pugh’s ratio (B/G), Frantsevich ratio, Cauchy pressure (P_C) and anisotropy factor were used to verify the ductility and anisotropy of the materials. Higher values of Young’s modulus and shear modulus indicate a superior ability to withstand longitudinal stresses. EELS analysis revealed distinctive energy-loss peaks associated with Sr, Zr and O atoms, enabling precise exploration of the electronic and optical characteristics with a high degree of accuracy. As expected, the designed SrZrO₃ perovskite oxides exhibit favorable properties, making them particularly suitable for next-generation optoelectronic devices.

In this study, we utilized DFT within the CASTEP code framework to investigate the properties of cubic SrZrO₃ perovskite oxides under varying stress conditions ranging from 0 to 100 GPa. Our research aimed to explore the key properties of SrZrO₃ for diverse applications, particularly in optoelectronic devices.

This study aims to examine the nexus of corporate governance with firms' financial risk-taking behavior under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures in the context of non-financial listed firms of an emerging economy.

This study investigates the relationship between corporate governance as evaluated by an index and several financial risks, including idiosyncratic, default and systematic risks. The connection of corporate governance with financial risks is also studied while considering the moderation of CSR disclosures. The data are collected from 2014 to 2018 of 73 top 100-index listed non-financial firms of Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Panel regression fixed effect and 2-step generalized method of moments techniques are applied to confirm the hypothesis along with the diagnostic tests to confirm that all outcomes of models must be authentic and reliable.

The study’s findings confirm that enhancing the overall corporate governance measures resulted in an augment in the firm’s risk due to weak control and regulations prevailing in emerging economies. Moreover, CSR disclosures enhance stakeholder information, lessen information asymmetry about management policies and mitigate the risk associated with operational uncertainties.

This study has a practical implementation to policymakers that effective monitoring and controlling measures facilitate the corporate management for minimizing the financial risks. Further, the study’s findings shed light that implementing corporate governance measures is not enough to mitigate financial risks until supervisory measures in the form of CSR disclosures are not taken to analyse corporate governance effectiveness.

This paper enhances the key findings in the literature by examining the role of corporate governance measures with respect to firms’ financial risks considering the moderating role of CSR disclosures. Furthermore, this research adds to the body of knowledge regarding the implementation of monitoring measures that assist in the mitigation of firms’ financial risks hence firm value.

The proliferation of big data analytics (BDA)-enabled tools and technologies has endowed organizations with the capacity to augment decision-making processes, optimize operational endeavors and foster innovation across diverse business domains. Consequently, BDA has been posited as a catalyst for enhanced customer relationship management, improved risk mitigation strategies and heightened operational efficiencies, all of which converge to augment overall firm performance. Thus, the purpose of this research is to introduce a conceptual framework aimed at explaining the influence of BDA capabilities on the performance of telecommunications firms in Pakistan. Additionally, it examines the potential mediating effect of talent capabilities and moderating effect of top management attitude on firm performance.

Data from a sample comprising 520 participants were collected via survey questionnaires. The study employed Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling to empirically evaluate the proposed model.

Results reveal a positive association between BDA technology and information capabilities with both BDA talent capabilities and firm performance. Furthermore, the analysis suggests that BDA talent capabilities mediate the relationship between BDA dynamic capabilities and firm performance, while top management attitude acts as a moderator, enhancing the relationship between BDA talent capabilities and firm performance.

There is a scarcity of research that has examined the relationship of BDA capabilities, top management attitude and firm performance. This study attempts to examine their interrelationships. First, it enhances the extant literature by elucidating the mediating role of BDA talent capabilities in the relationship between BDA technology and information capabilities and firm performance. Second, the study introduces a novel dimension by incorporating top management attitude as a moderator variable. This augmentation adds layers of complexity to comprehending BDA implementation dynamics, emphasizing leadership’s role in fostering an enabling environment for effective utilization of BDA capabilities.

This study aims to examine the impact of chief executive officers’ (CEOs’) personal characteristics on firms’ risk taking and the moderating role of family ownership on this relationship.

This study used 2,647 firm-year observations of non-financial firms listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange over the period 2013–2021. To test the hypotheses, the authors used ordinary least squares regression and, to resolve the possible endogeneity problem, the authors used system generalized method of moments technique.

Drawing insights first from upper echelons theory, the authors report that CEOs with business, economics, finance and/or management educational background and female CEOs reduce firms’ risk-taking behaviour. Further, using insights from social and organizational identity theoretical perspectives, the results indicate that due to strong family affiliation and organizational identity, family owners exhibit risk aversion behaviour and moderate this relationship.

This study provides novel evidence of risk averse behaviour of CEOs with business, economics, finance and/or management educational background and female CEOs along with moderating impact of family ownership on this relationship in an emerging economy. Overall, the results extend empirical support for upper echelons and social identity theories in an emerging market context.

This research mirrors a 360° probe into bibliometric review of various studies aimed to examine the relationship between financial inclusion and sustainable development (FI and SD). It also offers a conspectus of apex contributors, influential articles, key journals and potential avenues for further research in this crucial area of global progress.

The study is the abstract of a total 233 papers on the subject representing a period between 2012 and 2023 in the Scopus database in the domain. This investigation probes into publication trends, the most inexhaustible contributors by national journals, publications and authors. The study conducts keyword co-occurrence analysis and examines thematic evolution using Vosviewer and Biblioshiny.

The findings reveal four prominent clusters: (a) Financial growth with FI, (b) Economic Empowerment with Sustainable Goals, (c) Environmental Sustainability and (d) Microfinance and Digital Era. Furthermore, the study paves way for the future research agenda with the help of these research themes.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first of its kind in deeply probing the literature on FI and SD from a bibliometric perspective. Hence the findings of this study is a powerful weapon for researchers and practitioners coupled with future research inquiries, offering valuable insights and establishing robust quantitative foundations for advancing knowledge in the realms of FI and SD.

There is a growing need to promote and practice sustainable HRM to foster greener organizations with trained employees who have an attitude and behavior to preserve depleting resources. The purpose of this study is to highlight the importance of sustainable green human resource management (Green HRM) practices along with organizational identification (OI) as a mediating factor and perceived organizational support (POS) as a moderating factor.

Quantitative methodology was used, and the data were collected from 311 employees working in telecommunication organizations located in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Results of the study are based on the structural equation modeling technique using Smart-PLS.

Findings revealed that OI proved to be a significant positive mediator between Green HRM and organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment. POS also proved to be a significant moderator on the relationship between Green HRM and OI.

The study is limited to the two cities of Pakistan; future studies can focus on more cities so that the results can be more generalized.

This study will especially be useful for HR practitioners to develop mechanisms to initiate and encourage sustainable HR practices.

Organizations’ positive position is established through the inculcation of green activities among their employees. Thus, a sense of responsibility and attachment among employees toward green behavior makes them good citizens. It also works well for their organization as well as for the environment. Moreover, it preserves environmental resources and helps ensure sustainability.

The research paper was aimed at exploring the importance of sustainable Green HRM practices in a developing country like Pakistan.