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This research focuses on people’s activities in the Liuhua Clothing Wholesale District in Guangzhou, China. The increasing use of social media in business, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has created inevitable changes to the way space is utilised. Lockdowns and transport restrictions pushed the clothing wholesale traders to engage in livestreaming to maintain their business. This research aims to understand how spaces have been mediatised with the use of social media.

To investigate changes in the use of spaces, this research draws on actor-network theory and regards spaces as actors, adopting qualitative research methods, including observation, semi-structured interviews and mapping.

The research finds that spaces are mediatised for presentation on social media. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person activities were suspended, the virtual space, constituted by elements that exist in physical and virtual spaces, became more valued. Physical space is no longer perceived as a whole but as elements, such as background, sound and light, all of which are involved in the construction of virtual space on social media. The perception of physical space has become less important than the images presented on social media.

Social media now exists in many people’s everyday lives, but its influence on architecture and space has received insufficient attention. This research interrogates this phenomenon in a clothing wholesale district in China to reflect on the influence. Its significance lies in documenting the spatial implications of dependence on social media and the changes to spatial use in the age of social media.

Characterised by simultaneous food waste and shortages, our current food system is far from sustainable. Industry 4.0 has responded with technology-enabled innovations, including digital food-sharing platforms aimed at facilitating the efficient redistribution of surplus food. However, potential users often express reluctance to adopt such platforms, prompting this study to explore the underlying reasons for their hesitations.

This study was conducted in China, the world’s largest platform economy, where food-sharing platforms are notably absent. Using a vignette-based qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 potential users. The data were analysed through thematic analysis to uncover insights into adoption intentions.

The findings highlight the relevance of factors identified in existing technology acceptance theories, such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions and price value, in shaping adoption intentions. Additionally, content-specific and context-specific factors – such as trust in other users and the platform, concerns about “losing face” (mianzi) and safety concerns during the pandemic – emerged as critical influences on users' decisions to engage with these platforms.

This study contributes to scholarly discussions on enhancing the effectiveness of new technological innovations for food supply chain sustainability. The theoretical contributions expand the technology acceptance literature by incorporating factors related to platform service content and operating context.

The development of project managers and leadership has been highlighted as crucial for improving project success and performance, resulting in a rise of interest in project leadership research over the last two decades. While several qualitative reviews have been conducted, there have been limited quantitative and systematic reviews on project leadership. This study fills this gap by portraying the knowledge landscape and tracking the evolution of project leadership research from 1998 to 2022 through bibliometric approaches.

Based on 816 records, including 793 articles extracted and selected from the Web of Science database and specific journals, and 23 articles selected from three non-SCI/SSCI indexed journals, the authors used CiteSpace and bibliometrix R-package to depict visualizations of the trajectory of co-cited references, the landscape of co-occurred keywords and emerging trends in project leadership via reference co-citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis and thematic mapping.

The bibliometric analyses enabled the authors to understand the conceptual aspects of project leadership and its theoretical background. Three stages of the intellectual bases were identified and tracked: the infancy phase (1998–2007), the growth phase (2008–2014) and the new development phase (2015–2022). The results of keyword co-occurrence analysis indicated that the research focus evolved from investigating traits and competences to examining the effects of traditional leadership behaviors, and then considering context-specific leadership. The findings of thematic mapping and theoretical interpretation illustrate the potential directions of the competence comparison, new and appropriate leadership, and the interaction between leadership and context.

This study advanced the field by providing a systematic review of project leadership, developing potential future directions for project leadership research and providing practical implications for career development and training.

The theoretical landscape surrounding the contribution of digital transformation to sustainability in higher education institutions is lacking in literature. Blended learning has gained popularity and poises for further growth as a sustainable and inclusive mode of learning that will shape the future of education. This study aims to investigate the organizational critical success factors that ensure high-quality blended learning opportunities.

Data was collected through an online student survey and semistructured interviews with academic leaders and faculty members.

Exploratory factor analysis and multiple linear regression revealed five main contributing factors to a successful overall hybrid experience, namely, faculty support, cognitive flexibility, learner self-actualization, student engagement and sense of belonging. In the results, students were satisfied with their gained skills, knowledge and engagement, and have succeeded in developing cognitive flexibility, self-actualization and sense of belonging. Faculty support was the strongest determinant. The presence of certain organizational dynamics, comprising management support of those with sustainability mindset, effective communication, blended leadership qualities and adequate faculty personality traits, presents as a major predictor to quality learning opportunities.

The theoretical landscape surrounding the contribution of digital transformation to sustainability in higher education institutions is lacking in literature, which emphasizes the novel aspects of this study. In particular, it contributes by determining the overall level of research on the subject, theoretical stances in this area and potential avenues for further investigation.

This study aims to fill critical research gaps by providing empirical evidence on the practical application of generative AI in the banking sector. It explores managerial preparedness, regulatory compliance and data privacy challenges in implementing this technology, offering insights into its operational effectiveness and potential in financial services.

The research employs a qualitative approach, conducting in-depth interviews with bank managers and industry experts. These interviews are analysed to identify key factors influencing the integration of generative AI in financial institutions.

The study identifies five critical factors – recognition, requirement, reliability, regulatory and responsiveness – that collectively impact the adoption and operational effectiveness of generative AI in banking. These factors highlight the challenges and opportunities of integrating this technology within the highly regulated financial industry.

The findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications. Theoretically, the research contributes to understanding AI integration in regulated industries, particularly financial services. Managerially, it provides a roadmap for financial institutions to adopt generative AI responsibly, balancing innovation with regulatory compliance and ethical considerations.

This study is among the first to provide empirical data on generative AI’s practical application in the banking sector, addressing the lack of real-world evidence and offering a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing its successful implementation in a highly regulated environment.

The study aims to explore the entrepreneurial agency, focusing on migrant entrepreneurs’ ability to reshape societal structures and initiate endeavours despite limitations in entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) with constraints.

Through 23 qualitative interviews in an EE with constraints and using a grounded theory-inspired abductive approach, the study uncovers coping mechanisms and responses to barriers and imitations and explores entrepreneurial agency within these EEs.

The findings show that migrant entrepreneurs overcome constraints through a bricolage approach involving seizing opportunities, leveraging family and friend networks, collaborating strategically, adapting and innovating. Moreover, they exhibit a strong “entrepreneurial gene”, displaying resilience and determination to succeed despite challenges.

Interviewees’ subjective perceptions and language barriers may bias the results due to the narrow spatial focus. Advancing the understanding of entrepreneurial agency in EEs with constraints helps practitioners design training programmes fostering adaptive capabilities and forward-thinking mindsets. At the same time, ecosystem actors can implement inclusive practices and strategies to mitigate regulatory hurdles, promote cultural competence and facilitate collaborative initiatives among entrepreneurs.

Delving into the entrepreneurial agency of migrant entrepreneurs reveals the importance of inclusive EEs in fully exploiting migrant entrepreneurs’ economic and societal value.

This study examines whether digital streaming and observation technologies can serve as an alternative approach for collecting inventory audit evidence, the challenges faced in their adoption and the factors contributing to their non-adoption.

This study adopts a two-stage, mixed-method approach, beginning with pilot study interviews that informed the comprehensive survey with qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, while qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Our findings revealed a positive perspective concerning the effectiveness and reliability of these technologies for inventory audits and the efficiency of internal controls within them, despite challenges such as obtaining a holistic view of the warehouse, observing obsolescence, ensuring inventory completeness and general reliability concerns. Additionally, preferences for physical inventory audits and skepticism about these technologies’ potential to enhance audit quality were identified as factors contributing to their non-adoption.

These findings have important implications for cost-conscious firms because they reveal that carefully adopting intermediate technologies can enhance the audit process. Our findings are relevant to audit regulators and firms interested in determining whether such technologies enhance audit efficiency and quality. This study highlights the need for updated auditing standards and directives and technologies that meet auditing requirements.

This study contributes to the literature by uncovering whether less advanced technologies can be used as an alternative approach to collect audit evidence. Consequently, the finding adds to the growing body of literature underscoring the potential of technologies, even less sophisticated ones, to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of audits, despite their challenges. Additionally, it underscores the need for clear regulatory standards, suggests that auditors embrace emerging technologies and acquire relevant skills and offers insights for technology developers on audit firms’ concerns regarding digital technologies.

Scholars have been sounding the alarm of novice teacher turnover crises for decades. South Africa is soon to be facing an educational catastrophe because of a shortage of experienced teachers. Globally and in South Africa, novice teacher attrition is high, and teachers entering the classroom often described feeling isolated and unsupported.

This qualitative study was underpinned by an interpretative phenomenology approach. The author reviewed the literature and newly emerged findings of novice teacher mentoring support needs through the theoretical lens of the Ubuntu philosophy “I am because we are” which emphasises the importance of interconnectedness and community. Using semi-structured interviews, this study aimed to explore novice teacher mentoring needs from an Ubuntu perspective.

Novice teachers report feeling overwhelmed with the complexities of teaching in their early careers and express the desire to be formally mentored by a knowledgeable “elder” teacher. This paper argues that a competent mentor who values Ubuntu in their mentoring could offer collaboration, respect, compassion and support to novices that may keep them in the profession. This paper further explores the potential benefit of a prescribed Ubuntu-orientated mentoring programme to formalise mentoring for novices. In addition, it explores the school micro-community from the Ubuntu principles to support novices.

While there is a plethora of studies about mentoring novice teachers, literature from an Africanised Ubuntu perspective is scarce. Perhaps the time has come to find African solutions to our African problems.

This paper examines the moderating role of firms’ litigation environment on the association between gender diversity and financial reporting quality.

This study draws on a sample of US firms to examine the moderating role of firms’ litigation environment on the association between gender diversity and financial reporting quality. Firm-specific financial data come from Compustat. To measure the firms’ litigation environment, we use state-level datasets from the Lawsuit Climate Survey conducted for the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform by the Harris Poll.

Findings suggest that firm litigation environment moderates gender diversity, as defined by female members on the board to subdue our first proxy for financial reporting quality (accruals-based earnings management), but our second proxy for financial reporting quality (real-activities manipulations) increases in a firm’s litigation environment. To the extent that our results hold after controlling for firms’ reputation indicates that female members on the board are sensitive to reputational loss and protect firms’ reputation in a litigation environment.

The study is based on a specific country, limiting the generalizability of the findings.

The findings provide support for promoters and advocates of gender diversity in corporate boards. Specifically, it shows the importance of gender diversity policies in business and society.

This study is the first to examine the moderating role of firms’ litigation environment on the association between gender diversity and financial reporting quality. The study provides novel evidence and shows that the litigation environment moderates gender diversity to improve financial reporting quality in the short-term (by decreasing accruals manipulation). In firms’ litigation environment, when female members on the board are restrained from engaging in accruals earnings management, they shift to value-destroying and costly real activities to maintain reputation and firm performance. To the extent that we control for the potential effects of firms’ reputation and financial performance, our findings suggest that ethical concerns are likely to drive female members on the board to produce high-quality financial reports.

Health professionals play a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis and contributing to sustainable development. However, despite urgent calls from experts and health professions students, tertiary education currently lacks fit-for-purpose planetary health curricula. This study aims to provide a comprehensive, Australia-wide examination of planetary health curricula offered within two health professions: nutrition and dietetics.

This mixed-method study involved two phases. Firstly, content analysis of publicly available unit titles and descriptions to determine the frequency and distribution of relevant curricula. Secondly, content and inductive thematic analysis of relevant learning outcomes, guided by Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy to assess the level of cognitive learning and the subject matter being prioritised.

Examination of 104 degrees offered by 41 Australian universities identified relevant curricula in 71 nutrition degrees (84%) and 18 dietetics degrees (95%). Majority of relevant learning outcomes (n = 137) focus on lower-order cognitive learning, with 11 themes of subject matter identified; planetary health, critiquing the status quo, innovation and disruption, equity, values-based practice and evidence-based practice, (dietary modification, food service in health-care settings, food and nutrition policy, food system drivers and elements of the food supply chain.

This study identified an increase in coverage of planetary health curricula in Australian nutrition and dietetics degrees compared to previous examinations and the need for higher-order learning to adequately equip the future health workforce.