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This study aims to explore the political dimension of social network theory and assess how these connections motivate entrepreneurial activity and enhance postentry stages. The authors take an individualistic approach to the topic of institutional deterioration by uncovering the potential opportunities it can create, as entrepreneurship often arises when a market opportunity is perceived.

This study used a quantitative approach, using a self-selection sampling method to target private entities that own electric generators (also known as “illicit SMEs”) who are providing electricity services to the community despite the deterioration of the public energy sector in Lebanon. Data was collected through a survey administered electronically to 230 illicit SMEs, using a judgmental sampling method to ensure representation from all Lebanese governorates. The collected data was analyzed using ordinal least squares regression models.

The findings indicate a significant relationship between institutional deterioration and the reinvestment rate of entrepreneurs, with the moderating effect of political connections suggesting that the impact of institutional deterioration is dependent on the strength of an entrepreneur’s political connections.

The research findings demonstrate the significant influence of social ties and political connections on entrepreneurial activities, particularly in the context of SMEs that are providing services “illegally”. These results shed light on the importance of considering the role of social and political factors in the success and sustainability of entrepreneurial ventures operating in challenging environments.

Entrepreneurial studies typically focus on free market platforms and supply-demand associations, assuming perfect government conditions. However, this study differs from previous research by highlighting the positive impact of social ties on entrepreneurial market access within a socially linked environment. The findings suggest the importance of considering social connections in entrepreneurial studies, particularly in challenging economic and political contexts.

This purpose of this study aims to critically evaluate the feasibility of establishing a single currency area within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) by examining the economic integration of its member states. The analysis focuses on the extent to which the region meets the criteria of the optimum currency area (OCA) theory, particularly in terms of business cycle synchronization, labor mobility and capital flows.

Using a vector autoregression (VAR) model within the aggregate demand-aggregate supply framework, this research investigates the symmetry of supply and demand shocks across SAARC economies. The study analyzes the synchronization of business cycles and the mobility of labor and capital to determine the readiness of SAARC for a unified currency.

The results indicate significant asymmetries in business cycles among SAARC countries, with substantial disparities in economic responses to shocks. These findings suggest that the region lacks the necessary economic synchronization required for a successful single currency area. Limited labor and capital mobility further complicate the potential for economic integration within SAARC.

The study is constrained by data inconsistencies and the limited range of economic indicators available for SAARC countries. Future research should expand the analysis to include a broader set of socioeconomic factors and more comprehensive data sets to better assess the region’s potential for monetary integration.

The study highlights the challenges of forming a currency union in South Asia due to economic disparities and limited mobility. However, gradual steps toward deeper regional integration, improved financial infrastructure and enhanced cross-border collaboration could foster long-term economic stability, growth and social cohesion in the SAARC region.

The research highlights the potential social benefits of enhanced economic integration, such as increased community resilience and social cohesion, while also warning of the risks associated with premature monetary union in a region with significant economic disparities.

This study provides a detailed analysis linking the theoretical framework of the OCA to the practical realities of economic integration in South Asia. By focusing on the specific economic conditions of SAARC member states, the research offers valuable insights for policymakers considering regional monetary integration.

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of culturally endorsed implicit leadership theories (CLTs), specifically the cultural assumptions regarding ideal leadership, on individual entrepreneurship within the context of Lebanese culture. This paper investigates the relationship between culture and entrepreneurship by incorporating cultural values such as uncertainty avoidance and in-group collectivism, cultural practices and two types of CLTs: self-protective and charismatic. By exploring these factors, this study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the role of culture in shaping entrepreneurial behavior.

As a fundamental quantitative research, this study used a snowball sampling method to collect primary data from 118 Lebanese entrepreneurs, avoiding selection biases. Three models were used, relevant to nascent entrepreneurship, new entrepreneurship and old entrepreneurship, and the data was analyzed using logistic regression analysis and likelihood ratio tests.

The findings indicate that there is a correlation between CLTs, cultural values and practices and individual entrepreneurship. However, this study did not find evidence of a causal relationship between cultural values and individual entrepreneurship through the mediating role of self-protective and charismatic CLTs.

The research findings shed light on the beneficial synergy between cultural leadership ideals and individual entrepreneurship in the Lebanese context, providing a closer and more productive approach to studying entrepreneurship and leadership. From a managerial standpoint, these results have important implications for promoting entrepreneurship among various stakeholders, including educators, policymakers and support organizations.

This study differs from previous research by examining a country that demonstrates high levels of entrepreneurial awareness and involvement despite its unstable political and economic conditions.

This study focuses on exploring charismatic leadership within Lebanese Information Technology (IT) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and its influence on productivity. Through an in-depth analysis of the charismatic qualities and behaviors exhibited by leaders in these organizations, this research aims to delineate how such attributes may shape productivity levels. This study aims to deepen our understanding of leadership dynamics within the context of Lebanese IT SMEs, providing essential insights that can contribute to the enhancement of organizational performance and success.

This fundamental research used a quantitative approach and a purposive sampling method to select 342 Lebanese IT SMEs for primary data collection through a survey. Statistical regression analysis was then applied to treat the collected data.

The findings of this study reveal a positive correlation between charismatic leadership and increased innovation behavior among group or board members. This correlation can be strengthened by fostering a sense of ownership toward innovation and by ensuring a healthy work-life balance. Furthermore, the creation of an environment that emphasizes open communication and trust can enhance this correlation.

The implications of these findings are significant for organizations seeking to enhance their innovation capabilities. They suggest that investing in the development of charismatic leadership skills can be a valuable strategy for fostering innovation and creativity.

This study offers a unique and practical assessment of the role that charismatic leadership plays in maintaining resilient firm structures, especially during periods of political and economic instability.

The purpose of this study is to examine determinants of profitability of non-financial firms listed small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK from 2012 till 2020. It has been argued that profitability plays a key role in economic development and growth. Despite the important role that SMEs play in developed economies like UK, academic research into SMEs profitability determinants in developed countries is not extensive.

The methodologies used include dynamic panel data estimation techniques. Relationship of nine independent variables with profitability was examined. Two models are created using return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) as dependent variables. Size, age, efficiency, working capital, liquidity, leverage and volatility of the firm represent firm-specific independent variables. Two macroeconomic variables, namely, gross domestic product and inflation are also used as independent variables. Data obtained from Thomson Reuters Data Stream for 93 listed SMEs companies in the UK from 2012 to 2020. Fixed effects, random effects and generalized method of moments were used in data analysis.

All variables showed significant influence on profitability, except liquidity reflecting insignificant impact on profitability in two regression models conducted for 93 firms under study. Efficiency, liquidity and leverage are the only three independent variables with similar impact on both ROA and ROE.

Identifying determinants of profitability will help stakeholders and corporate executive make sound decisions to ensure sustainability and stability at the firm level. This is particularly important given the key role played by SMEs in economic development and growth. The findings of this study would help direct financial management practices to ensure a favorable sustainable organizational performance.

This study differs from previous studies that focused mainly on developing countries; with limited research conducted on profitability of SMEs in developed economies. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to examine factors influencing profitability of SMEs in UK. Previous studies concentrated on service sector like insurance and hotel firms.

The purpose of this paper is to answer the following question: what motivates refugees to create their own businesses in a developing country, and how do they go about it?

A quantitative study was conducted before Syrian refugees in main camps in Lebanon. The self-administrated survey was translated into the Arabic language to fit the respondents understanding of the questions asked and answers choices. Closed questions with nominal ratio and Likert scales were used to gather the primary data in the line of the study of Wauters and Lambrecht. The data were analysed with a logistic regression analysis under SPSS.

The findings show that 71 per cent of Syrian refugees seem to have a willingness to start a new business in Lebanon. The respondents are mostly young, with 62 per cent being between the ages of 18 and 35. Most of them are men (66.67 per cent) against 33.33 per cent of women. 60 per cent have already been entrepreneurs, and they are mostly motivated by earning a living but in the sector they used to work in before in their home country. Finally, the obstacles seem to be linked to financial and administrative issues, but also to the local policies. However, the fact that they share some cultural values with Lebanese such as the language or food, allow them to integrate easier and to create social bonds.

The research is limited by the fact that the authors cannot generalise the findings since the Lebanese environment is very different from other countries’ environment. Besides, the Syrian refugees share already a lot of values and lifestyle with Lebanese. So, the authors cannot transpose their case to other ethnic population. Also, the study is limited by the lack of a gender statement and the link between the education level and the decision of creating a new business.

The authors propose some recommendations to the Lebanese Government and NGOs in order to facilitate and support the entrepreneurship actions of refugees shortly after they arrive to Lebanon.

This paper confirms the importance of social ties in encouraging entrepreneurship in the case of refugees.

In this paper, the authors make four contributions to the academic debate: first, the authors studied the entrepreneurial motivations of refugees in a middle-eastern developing country while the other studies have focussed upon the adaptation of such individuals in a western and developed environment. Second, the refugees are motivated by pull and push factors at once as the authors discussed in the precedent section. Third, although adaptation to the Lebanese culture is easier, resilience is nevertheless needed due to the Lebanese Government’s policies, which forbid refugees to work in the country. Fourth, with regard to migration studies in general, this paper stands half way between the various studies conducted on ethnic entrepreneurship, immigrant entrepreneurship and refugees. Indeed, the authors brought together many concepts such as social bonds, social capital, culture, political environment, and the service industry. On the managerial level, the findings allow the institutions and the government to target those refugees who show an appetence to entrepreneurship to stimulate their action, shortly after arriving in Lebanon, as their entrepreneurial intent decreases with the time they spend, often unemployed, in the host country. Should government policy change, both the integration of refugees, and entrepreneurship in general would benefit.

Search engine optimization (SEO) has long been a key topic in marketing research, but there are very few studies addressing SEO success and brand equity (BE). Thus, this study aims to investigate the interdependence of SEO success and BE, with a specific focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The study involved conducting interviews with SEO and digital marketing experts, followed by a comprehensive analysis of their responses to investigate the mutual association between BE and SEO. The analysis of the interview data was conducted using the grounded theory approach.

The placement of a brand on top of search engine results is perceived as an indication of its credibility by searchers. Well-established brands tend to have superior SEO performance due to the impact of search algorithms and their powerful brand recognition. Lesser-known brands should improve their SEO performance to enhance their BE.

This study makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the interdependence between SEO and BE. Specifically, this study provides SMEs with effective SEO strategies to enhance their BE in the future.

This study presents unprecedented findings on the reciprocal relationship between SEO success and BE. The study also highlights the potential risk for SMEs of falling into a negative spiral due to poor SEO performance and offers practical business solutions to address this issue.

This research addresses the critical challenge of fostering customer loyalty within the highly competitive landscape of the insurance industry. The study investigates the interplay between customer satisfaction, loyalty, and the influence of technology and service quality in the context of insurance services and in periods of crisis.

A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed among diverse insurance customers in Lebanon during crisis conditions. The data were analyzed using SPSS-Amos, incorporating descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM).

This research emphasizes the crucial role of customer satisfaction in fostering loyalty in the insurance sector, especially during crises. High satisfaction levels, influenced by user-friendly online platforms, positively correlate with increased customer loyalty. Technology plays a vital role in maintaining and improving satisfaction, making it a key driver during challenging times. Positive interactions between service quality and satisfaction further highlight the multifaceted impact of technology on shaping customer loyalty.

The research findings provide valuable insights with practical implications for insurers aiming to boost customer loyalty. The study recommends strategic investments in critical areas like claims processing, customer service, communication strategies, digitalization initiatives, and employee training. The study provides insights applicable particularly to insurance companies navigating crisis conditions.

This research contributes both to academic understanding and practical applications by shedding light on the distinctive challenges and opportunities faced by insurers in cultivating customer loyalty within the insurance industry during crisis. The elucidations provided serve as a foundation for developing targeted strategies to address these challenges and to leverage opportunities for enhanced customer loyalty.