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Motivated by the severe impact of global supply chain disruptions and the lack of understanding of supply chain resilience from an SME exporter perspective in the international marketing literature, this paper sets out to explore how SME exporters achieve resilience through strategic choices related to sourcing and manufacturing during global disruptions.

The study adopts a qualitative, multiple-case-studies approach to identify the key strategic drivers and contextual factors influencing SME exporters’ supply chain resilience. Our study adopted an SME exporter perspective and featured an unprecedented global supply chain disruption context. New Zealand (NZ) was chosen as the key home country context for the participants of this study. Five NZ SME exporters were selected for our case studies.

This study redefines buffering, bridging and a mixed strategy for an SME exporter facing global supply chain disruptions. SME exporters with high situational control are likely to pursue a buffering strategy that reduces their resource dependence on foreign suppliers and their reliance on information support from these suppliers. In contrast, when the firm perceives little control over the supply chain, it will decide upon a bridging strategy that aims to build solid relationships with supply chain partners. Exporters opt for a mixed strategy when they do not see themselves clearly in high or low situational control.

As global disruptions arise and evolve, supply chain uncertainty and exporters’ sense of situational control manifest differently across industries, product lines, markets and sourcing countries. It is essential to understand that firms can choose a mixed strategy based on these supply chain conditions. While our study was fortuitously timed, conducting multi-country studies could provide more comparative insights that transcend national borders. Additionally, our study did not examine organizational and capability-based factors. Future research may benefit from exploring how an SME exporter develops strategic capabilities to achieve resilience over its lifetime.

Businesses see survival as the most pivotal concern during a global supply chain disruption. Many companies have had to make on-the-spot decisions about whether they should shift or redesign their supply chains in the middle of a global disruption. There is no “best strategy” for an SME exporter to take. Rather, managers should make strategic decisions based on how much control or influence they have over a particular part of their supply chain. The level of control is determined by the SME exporter’s overall resource dependencies and information needs in particular parts of their supply chain.

We adopt resource dependence theory and information processing theory to guide our study and place exporters' situational control in the centre of drivers to firms' strategic choices during global disruptions. We make a novel attempt to incorporate the contextual conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic into the theorization of supply chain resilience. We make managerial recommendations to help SME exporters navigate global supply chain disruption challenges.

Entrepreneurial orientation is among the vital factors that contribute to performance, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, the empirical studies provide mixed results and call for new studies to examine this relationship. Therefore, this study aims to determine the entrepreneurial orientation's (EO) direct and indirect impact (via entrepreneurial competencies) on firm performance. Additionally, the moderating role of environmental dynamism is also tested in entrepreneurial competencies and firm performance relationships.

The data (N = 332) were collected from managerial rank employees, using a self-administered questionnaire, working in different SMEs in Pakistan. In addition, structural equation modeling (SEM) was executed using SmartPLS 3.2.

The study's results demonstrate that EO positively influences entrepreneurial competencies and firm performance, and entrepreneurial competencies also mediate the relationship between EO and performance. Additionally, environmental dynamism strengthens the positive relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and performance.

This study identifies that entrepreneurial competency is the missing link between EO and firm performance, due to which the relationship between them is indecisive. This study also contributes to the contingency perspective by explaining the role of environmental dynamism as a boundary condition in strengthening the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and SMEs' performance in an emerging economy.

In this chapter, we describe the importance of good governance in the metaverse. It offers unlimited opportunities and presents unique governance challenges. First, we describe the concept of good governance and its relevance to the metaverse. We emphasize that the speed of metaverse adoption depends upon the presence or absence of effective governance. Recognizing the metaverse as the next iteration of the internet, we present significant governance issues. Some issues such as interoperability, security, safety, privacy, law, and digital inequality are critical governance issues in the metaverse. Next, we explore the diverse governance frameworks to ensure the implementation of policies and regulations. These frameworks include decentralized governance, cross-sector collaboration, and standards-based governance. We also describe the best practices which are essential for good governance. To materialize the concepts and principles discussed, we present a compelling case study centered on Decentraland. This insightful exploration dissects a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)-based governance structure, offering valuable insights into the intricacies and stages of governance proposals. We acknowledge both the merits and potential drawbacks inherent to this approach. This chapter aims to offer an all-encompassing view of metaverse governance, essentially serving as a comprehensive roadmap for traversing the multifaceted landscape of this digital frontier.

This study aims to investigate the adoption of mobile wallet payment services among rural Omani millennials, with a focus on social factors, perceived security, trust considerations and the moderating role of technology self-efficacy in shaping attitudes and intentions towards adoption. It also explores the role of mobile wallets in advancing financial inclusion, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 10 (Reduced inequalities).

A survey method was used with 544 randomly selected participants from rural Oman. The study used partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse relationships among the constructs, including subjective norms, perceived security, trust and self-efficacy.

The results support five hypotheses, confirming the influence of subjective norms, perceived security and technology self-efficacy on attitudes and intentions to adopt mobile wallets. Additionally, mobile wallet self-efficacy emerges as a significant moderator, enhancing the relationship between positive attitudes and behavioural intentions.

The study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) by incorporating moderating variables such as technology self-efficacy and perceived security, offering theoretical contributions to digital payment adoption literature, especially in rural settings.

The findings underscore the need for trust-building efforts by service providers and collaborative strategies involving government incentives and promotions to foster mobile wallet adoption. Strengthening digital literacy and addressing security concerns are critical for promoting financial inclusion in rural communities.

This research contributes to promoting economic empowerment through mobile wallet adoption in rural Oman, offering valuable insights for policymakers and service providers aiming to reduce socio-economic disparities. By addressing the digital divide and supporting financial inclusion, the study supports the advancement of SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities) and fosters inclusive growth in underserved communities.

This study aims to explore the experiences of newly resettled refugee-background high school students participating in the Teen Response program, a community-based initiative to assist refugee-background adolescents (RBAs) in navigating educational and career opportunities in the midwestern USA.

Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examined twenty-two RBAs through survey and focus groups.

The findings reveal significant growth and transformation in the students' self-efficacy and advocacy skills. This growth underscores the critical role of social support and community engagement in helping RBAs, empowering them to advocate for themselves and others in pursuing educational and career goals.

This study contributes new insights into the community-based support programs for RBAs, focusing on enhancing self-efficacy and advocacy. It offers valuable implications for developing effective support frameworks and recommends future research on these approaches.

The objective of this study is to reevaluate the correlation among pharmaceutical consumption, per capita income, and life expectancy across different age groups (at birth, middle age, and advanced age) within the OECD countries between 1998 and 2018.

We employ a two-step methodology, utilizing two independent approaches. Firstly, we con-duct the Dumitrescu-Hurlin pairwise panel causality test, followed by Machine Learning (ML) experiments employing the Causal Direction from Dependency (D2C) Prediction algorithm and a DeepNet process, thought to deliver robust inferences with respect to the nature, sign, direction, and significance of the causal relationships revealed in the econometric procedure.

Our findings reveal a two-way positive bidirectional causal relationship between GDP and total pharmaceutical sales per capita. This contradicts the conventional notion that health expenditures decrease with economic development due to general health improvements. Furthermore, we observe that GDP per capita positively correlates with life expectancy at birth, 40, and 60, consistently generating positive and statistically significant predictive values. Nonetheless, the value generated by the input life expectancy at 60 on the target income per capita is negative (−61.89%), shedding light on the asymmetric and nonlinear nature of this nexus. Finally, pharmaceutical sales per capita improve life expectancy at birth, 40, and 60, with higher magnitudes compared to those generated by the income input.

These results offer valuable insights into the intricate dynamics between economic development, pharmaceutical consumption, and life expectancy, providing important implications for health policy formulation.

Very few studies shed light on the nature and the direction of the causal relationships that operate among these indicators. Exiting from the standard procedures of cross-country regressions and panel estimations, the present manuscript strives to promote the relevance of using causality tests and Machine Learning (ML) methods on this topic. Therefore, this paper seeks to contribute to the literature in three important ways. First, this is the first study analyzing the long-run interactions among pharmaceutical consumption, per capita income, and life expectancy for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) area. Second, this research contrasts with previous ones as it employs a complete causality testing framework able to depict causality flows among multiple variables (Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality tests). Third, this study displays a last competitive edge as the panel data procedures are complemented with an advanced data testing method derived from AI. Indeed, using an ML experiment (i.e. Causal Direction from Dependency, D2C and algorithm) it is believed to deliver robust inferences regarding the nature and the direction of the causality. All in all, the present paper is believed to represent a fruitful methodological research orientation. Coupled with accurate data, this seeks to complement the literature with novel evidence and inclusive knowledge on this topic. Finally, to bring accurate results, data cover the most recent and available period for 22 OECD countries: from 1998 to 2018.

This paper explores perspectives on social justice, equity and agency when schools address health, wellbeing and sustainability challenges.

The paper draws on a literature review of educational research. The analysis is narrative, highlighting how binary conceptions of equity, social justice and agency are explicitly or implicitly evident in the studies included in the review, distinguishing between as well as noting the interplay between the different conceptions.

Perspectives on social justice and equity are emphasizing the need to address (1) a more equal sharing of resources in education, (2) dominance in education, and (3) community/ies and education as a common good. Perspectives on agency are framed as situated (1) between people (2) between people and structures or social contexts, and (3) between people and nature or the more-than-human. The paper furthermore highlights tendencies and experiences regarding the possibility of addressing these perspectives in different forms of educational practices.

A potential limitation in this review is that 17 out of the 23 included studies are by authors with an Anglo-Saxon background, while a further 3 have a European background. As such, the review mainly represents “Western” perspectives on social justice, equity and agency.

The findings in the paper indicate that despite the fact that social justice, equity and agency are concepts that have been discussed in educational research for a very long time, they cannot be seen as taken-for-granted concepts, and that the research contains a diverse range of perspectives on these concepts — also within research authored by researchers with an Anglo-Saxon or European background.

As of 2022, the scope of the engagement and interest of debt capital providers in ESG reporting is mainly untapped. However, a vast amount of literature has produced conflicting findings about the importance of debt capital (leverage) as a factor in sustainability reporting (SR). This is the first meta-analysis reconciling the mixed results of 85 single country studies containing 131 effect sizes across 24,482 firms conducted over past three decades (1999–2022) investigating the influence of leverage on SR. The study emphasizes the significance of contextualizing research by identifying the macro-environmental elements modifying debt's impact on SR, through the use of the institutional theory. Eleven country variables were tested on the collected dataset, spread across 36 countries.

Meta-analysis technique for aggregation of existing extant empirical work. Continuous and categorical variable-based moderator analysis to demystify the influence of country characteristics affecting the leverage–SR relationship.

Results show positive significant impact of debt capital providers on SR. Country's level of development, GDP, extent of capital constraints in a country, financial sector development within a nation, country governance factors and corruption levels, country's culture, number of sustainability reporting instruments operational in a country and geographical location proved to be significant moderators.

The study details relevant meaningful research gaps, worthy of uptake by researchers to produce targeted research.

Governments must increasingly go beyond their mandated disclosure role and acknowledge the important institutional factors that have contributed to the expansion of ESG reporting through the creation of nation-specific tools, incentive structures and disclosure-encouraging regulations. To secure a steady flow of funding and prevent negative effects on company value and cost of capital in the midst of prolonged global economic upheaval, businesses must address the information requirements of lenders. The limited total effect size emphasizes the necessity for debt providers to step up their ESG activism and exercise their maximum power and potential in stimulating extensive SR firm-level practices.

The present study is the first meta-analysis reconciling the mixed results of 85 single-country studies containing 131 effect sizes across 24,482 firms conducted over the past three decades (1999–2022) investigating the influence of leverage on SR and demystifying the macro-environmental factors affecting the leverage–SR association.

This study empirically and comparatively examines two digital technologies that have been implemented as part of the experience of urban public transport during the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Barcelona, the digitization of tickets and self-service technology in kiosks in the different operators of the metropolitan transport authority (ATM) environment. The study gives a voice to people with ASD and makes a theoretical and practical contribution to making urban transport increasingly digitized after the COVID-19 pandemic, more accessible and inclusive for the group, little observed so far.

The data collection consisted of a discussion group, ethnographic techniques and a visit to the Barcelona Metro (2022), and interviews after the visit through a semi-structured questionnaire with 12 participants with ASD. This study uses the critical incident analysis (CIT).

Results provide an extension of the attribute-based Dabholkar model (1996) that applies to the perception of the use of self-service technology, when using digital technologies in urban transport.

This redefinition of the current model of the perception of the use of technology, taking into account the needs of people with ASD, will enable better decision making by transport operators for previously neglected groups.

This study evaluates the evolution from traditional to nontraditional financial intermediation (NTFI) in Chinese commercial banks from 2006 to 2021, analysing its impact on bank performance and risk.

Accounting measures are used to construct granular activity data, and factor analysis is employed to develop a financial intermediation evolution (FIE) index. The fully modified OLS (FMOLs) estimator is used for nonstationary data analysis, and difference-in-differences (DID) analysis is used for robustness check.

Chinese banks exhibit unique evolution in financial intermediation compared to developed economies, with greater inter-bank variations over time than intra-bank differences. From 2006 to 2017, three paths were identified: Investment, Fee and Repo models, with a fourth path (the Investment2 model) emerging post-2017. Only the Repo model enhances bank returns (ROA & ROE), while shifts towards NTFI increase liquidity and leverage risks across all models. The evolution of bank business models and their consequent implications on performance and risks are influenced by regulatory objectives and banks’ endeavours in regulatory arbitrage.

Major stakeholders in the banking sector can gain a better understanding of financial intermediation and associated market behaviour, performance and risks, with significant implications for banking regulations and crisis management.

This study provides the first comprehensive overview of the evolution of Chinese commercial banks’ financial intermediation activities over an extended period, uncovering the unique characteristics distinct from the developed economies.