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By market capitalisation, Bitcoin, which debuted in 2009, is the biggest cryptocurrency globally. A decentralised ledger system called blockchain is used in the creation, distribution, trading, and storage of Bitcoin, with the original goal being to address the shortcomings of fiat currency. This chapter highlights potential dangers and legal concerns when Bitcoin interacts with the actual economy and the traditional financial system. Besides, the details also discuss the platform’s design principles and attributes for a non-technical readership. When assessing its transactional potential, some recognise its potential for speculation, while others are doubtful of its admirable intent. The write-up also explores the potential of the adoption of cryptocurrencies in Southeast Asia due to the vast adoption of Bitcoins in countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines following the establishment of cryptocurrency technology and e-commerce. In addition, rankings of the cryptocurrency and legal stance from each country in Southeast Asia were exhibited as the solid foundation of cryptocurrencies existent for transaction purposes. The rise of central bank digital currencies (CBDC) and the future directions of Bitcoins were also highlighted in this write-up to spur the debate on whether cryptocurrency remains a fad of sensation or is legalised as the medium of exchange in an ever-growing digital world of commerce.

Quality of life is dependent on a healthy lifestyle and the self-care behavior of individuals. The study's purpose is to find out the determinants of individuals' self-care behavior. As such, self-care behavior is influenced by several factors that include individual knowledge, available information sources and their use, information-seeking related skills and cognitive state.

A quantitative research design followed using a questionnaire-based survey method. A total of 384 responses from the Pakistani public were collected using the convenience sampling technique. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed for examining the possible link between the variables.

Health literacy, Internet and social media use, and health information-seeking behavior had a direct/indirect positive impact on self-care behavior, but health anxiety had a negative impact. Health literacy and health information-seeking behavior positively mediated the relationship among Internet and social media use health anxiety and self-care.

Improving health literacy appears to be key to supporting better self-care, but it is an exploratory study, more research is required to confirm these findings. Policymakers, health professionals and information professionals should work together to improve health literacy and support informed self-care among the population.

Thus far, no previous study has examined the collective role of social media exposure, health anxiety, health literacy and health information-seeking behavior as predictors of self-care behavior. Although self-care behavior among the general population might be different compared to chronic patients, only few studies have examined the former as a unit of analysis.

This research analyses the linkages between green manufacturing (GM) and manufacturing performance (MP) dimensions comprising sustainable performance (SuP) (economic [EcP], social [SP] and environmental [ENP]) and operational performance (OP) with supply chain alertness (SCAL) and supply chain preparedness (SCP) as mediators.

This deductive-quantitative approach embraces the explanatory design. It analyses 285 datasets gathered from structured questionnaires via structural equation modelling.

The study found that GM, SCAL and SCP significantly improve manufacturing firms' operational and sustainable performance. Also, SCP and SCAL partially mediate the GM-MP correlations among manufacturing firms in Ghana, a developing economy.

The paper is limited to the quantitative methodologies given its relevance in examining causal relationships among constructs. Also, it was conducted within the scope of manufacturing firms in developing economies, specifically Ghana. Despite the limitations, the study's outcomes imply that manufacturing firms can perform well in sustainable and operational aspects if they prioritise green manufacturing practices, supply chain preparedness and alertness.

This research offers new insights into the significant contributions of adopting the GM practice to MP (SuP and OP). Also, it advocates for more investments into GM, SCAL and SCP to ensure sustainability in today's highly disruptive manufacturing environment, leading to superior manufacturing performance. The study provides relevant directions for policymakers, industry players and supply chain practitioners in adopting GM throughout their production processes to attain manufacturing performance targets.

By advocating for sustainable manufacturing practices like green, the study contributes to a cleaner environment, resource conservation, and ultimately, a more sustainable future. The shift towards eco-friendly production methods can influence public attitudes towards manufacturing and promote environmentally conscious practices.

The study's originality lies in examining the mediation roles of SCAL and SCP on the GM-MP nexus of manufacturing industries in a developing economy, where environmental sustainability and disruptions along supply chains are becoming major concerns.

This study aims to examine the impact of logistics performance and technological innovation on environmental quality in Africa, focusing on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and renewable energy consumption as indicators of environmental quality.

The study employs a panel data analysis of 43 African countries over the period 1990–2021. Data on logistics performance, technological innovation, CO2 emissions, and renewable energy consumption are sourced from the World Development Indicators database of the World Bank. Grounded in the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, which integrates economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability, the analysis utilises the generalised method of moments (GMM) technique to address the issue of endogeneity.

The regression results reveal significant relationships between logistics performance, technological innovation and environmental quality indicators. Logistics performance demonstrates a negative impact on CO2 emissions, while technological innovation positively influences renewable energy consumption. The interactive effect of logistics performance and technological innovation mitigates CO2 emissions, aligning with the TBL framework’s environmental dimension by promoting sustainability. Furthermore, trade openness exhibits a significant negative effect on both CO2 emissions and renewable energy consumption. The findings highlight the potential synergies between logistics performance and technological innovation in driving environmental sustainability while offering economic benefits and addressing social well-being.

The findings suggest the importance of prioritising investments in enhancing logistics performance and fostering technological innovation to achieve environmental sustainability goals in Africa.

To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this study presents an initial attempt to examine the nexus between logistics performance and environmental quality in Africa using the logistics performance index. Furthermore, beyond assessing the individual effects of logistics performance and technological innovation on environmental quality, we delve into their interactive dynamics, adding novelty to the study.

This study aims to develop a Workplace Islamic Da’wah (WID) scale, which measures the extent to which an organization incorporates the sharing of religious teachings at work through words and artifacts. WID is theoretically grounded in religious communication theory and is intended for use in organizational settings.

A sequential mixed methods approach was used to develop a scale of WID. Qualitative data were organized into constructs and items using transcendental phenomenology. These items were then refined into a multidimensional construct through expert validity, face validity, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.

The research findings confirm the validity and reliability of WID as a multidimensional construct, comprising compulsive da’wah, objectics da’wah and impulsive da’wah.

This study provides implications for survey researchers interested in developing a scale using mixed methods and for practitioners who can use these findings to streamline their efforts in planning and implementing an Islamic da’wah-based model.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind, presenting the operationalization of WID that can be used for future empirical research endeavors in this and related fields.

Despite the increasing demand for renewable energy (RE) as a low-carbon energy source, the transition to RE is very slow in many regions, including Oman, the case country for this study. It is critical to offer strategic insights to energy supply chain participants towards the sustainable transition to renewable energy (STRE). The purpose of this study is to identify viable RE sources in Oman as a case study of a GCC member country, develop a comprehensive framework of STRE, and suggest future research opportunities.

The paper addressed this problem through a country/regional study of Oman by conducting a systematic literature review (SLR) of RE-related peer-reviewed publications spanning over 21 years from January 2000 to February 2021. The qualifying articles are evaluated using template analysis qualitatively to identify viable renewable energy sources, build a holistic framework of STRE and recommend future research opportunities.

Findings confirm the potential of solar, wind, biomass and geothermal energies driven by environmental, economic and social sustainability concerns. However, results suggest that to fast-track the STRE, more emphasis should be accorded to solar and wind energies owing to the geographical composition of Oman. Findings reveal that policies and regulations, advanced and cost-effective technologies, subsidy regimes, grid connectivity and capacity, storage capacity and land availability influence the STRE. Gaps in the literature are identified from the results to clarify and suggest future research opportunities.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that conducted an SLR that was evaluated using the template analysis technique to build a novel and updated framework that facilitates a crystalline understanding of STRE to guide policymakers and professionals in strategic decision-making.

This paper aims to investigate the triangular interconnections among supply chain finance (SCF), supply chain risk management (SCRM) and supply chain sustainability (SCS) within the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under the theoretical foundation of dynamic capabilities view.

A total of 319 valid data sets were gathered from SMEs in China to evaluate the research model. This study uses partial least square structural equation modelling and necessary condition analysis as the two statistical methodologies for the assessment.

The findings indicate that SCF positively impacts on both SCRM and SCS, whereas SCRM also positively influences SCS. Furthermore, it has been observed that SCRM partially mediates the connection between SCF and SCS.

The findings contribute to the literature of SCS by empirically validating the direct and mediating impacts of SCRM on SCS.

The results provide valuable insights that can assist SME stakeholders, owners and managers in developing strategies to effectively incorporate SCF and SCRM practices, thereby enhancing SCS performance.

This study expands the existing research on SCF and SCRM in the context of promoting SCS, specifically from the viewpoint of an Asian developing country.

This study examined the impact of; COVID-19 investor sentiment, COVID-19 cases, geopolitical risk (GPR), economic policy uncertainty (EPU), oil returns and Islamic banking on bank stock returns. In addition, it examined whether Islamic bank stock returns differed from conventional banks when interacting with selected variables.

This study consisted of 137 conventional and Islamic stock market listed banks in 16 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries from February 2020 to July 2021. Monthly data were used for bank stock returns, number of COVID-19 cases, COVID-19 investor sentiment, oil price and EPU, while GPR data were obtained annually. This paper used unconditional quantile regression (UQR) in its analysis.

COVID-19 investor sentiment and EPU negatively influenced bank stock returns. However, oil returns were only positive and significant in first quantile. Conversely, GPR negatively impacted bank returns up to the median quantile, while the impact was positive in upper quantiles. Islamic banks outperformed conventional banks in all quantiles. Additionally, GPR negatively influenced Islamic bank returns up to 75th quantile, while oil returns negatively impacted Islamic bank returns up to 95th quantile. Ultimately, COVID-19 investor sentiment and EPU positively influenced Islamic bank returns up to 95th quantile.

Market conditions must be considered when implementing investment decisions and policies, as the effects of market shocks are mostly asymmetrical. For example, it is important for international investors to take into consideration asymmetric factors, such as market uncertainty in oil market. Especially in bearish Islamic markets, bad news concerning uncertainty can be perceived as riskier than good news.

A change in health sentiment, such as COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 investor sentiment, can be used to determine future direction of conventional and Islamic stock markets. Asymmetric effects associated with market news can make portfolio management more effective. COVID-19 investor sentiment states can be used to predict Islamic market index dynamics in MENA region.

This paper offered insight into heterogeneity of market conditions and dependencies of Islamic banks' stock market returns on COVID-19 investor sentiment and uncertainty, among others that should be considered when implementing investment decisions and policies.

Most research on tax evasion focused on microeconomic variables revolving around perceptions and decisions of individual taxpayers. However, a new wave of research is now investigating the role of macroeconomic variables in inducing tax evasion. This study adds to the limited studies in this new direction of research. Previous studies found that inflation, low gross domestic product (GDP) growth and gross fixed capital formation causes recession, increases unemployment, raise interest rates, hurts both domestic and foreign direct investments. This study examined the relationship between these variables and estimated tax evasion in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The study adopts a correlation research design with 2,300 data points collected from 23 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, tax to GDP ratio, gross fixed capital formation per GDP and the GDP annual growth report from each country for the period 2011–2020 was retrieved. Generalised least square regression technique was employed to analyse the data due to the presence of heteroskedasticity in the model and random effect was utilized based on the Hausman test. To avoid misspecification and biased result; therefore, all relevant test was conducted including the multicollinearity test.

The results indicate that GDP annual growth and gross fixed capital formation have a significant negative impact on estimated tax evasion in Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings further indicate a negative but insignificant relationship between inflation and estimated tax evasion in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study concludes that both GDP annual growth rate and gross fixed capital formation negatively influence estimated tax evasion and the policy implications in the African continent were discussed.

The new findings on the effects of GDP annual growth, growth fixed capital formation and inflation on estimated tax evasion provide novel knowledge that is currently lacking in the current literature, specifically Sub-Saharan African continent.

The study aims to develop a hierarchical model for innovative work behaviour (IWB) that can capture the complex associations among the factors contributing to IWB within the information technology (IT) sector. To accomplish this, the authors rely on an abductive approach using a graph theoretic model, often called interpretive structural modelling (ISM).

After conducting an in-depth literature review and using the Delphi method, the authors identified 12 factors (11 enablers and IWB as an outcome). The authors collected data through the Delphi approach by sending the questionnaire to 11 experts from academia and the IT sector who have extensive experience and knowledge relevant to the study. The authors then used the ISM method to analyse the relationships among these factors and understand their driving forces.

Based on the ISM model and the Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement analysis, the authors have identified that inclusive leadership, proactive personality and knowledge creation ability are the variables with strong driving power but weak dependence. Conversely, IWB has strong dependence but weak driving power. These findings suggest that to foster IWB, the organisation should prioritise inclusive leadership, proactive personality and knowledge-creation ability to succeed in challenging times. The study’s findings contribute to the social exchange theory, which explains IWB in a dynamic setting. Additionally, the study helps address the significant concerns that most IT companies face during times of crisis.

The study provides valuable guidance for managers and policymakers who are grappling with the challenges of improving IWB in the IT sector. This study is particularly relevant as the industry is currently navigating an economic recession and facing intense competition from other tech companies launching new products and services.

This research holds great significance for top executives, line managers and policymakers in the IT industry. It sheds light on the relevance and importance of various factors facilitating millennials' IWB.