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The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, it assesses communicated (information disclosed in annual reports and websites) ethical values of Islamic banks (IBs) by using an index based on Islamic precept. Second, this research paper analyzes the perception of employees working in IBs of Pakistan regarding previously mentioned dimensions constructed in the form of index. Third, it explores the difference (if any) between communicated and perceived ethical values of IBs in Pakistan.

This study incorporated two research methods, namely, content analysis (qualitative method) and descriptive analysis (quantitative method) to assess communicated and perceived ethical values. A checklist was designed that includes total six dimensions with 106 items or constructs. For perceived ethics, survey method is used to explore how far in practice IBs are operating in line with Islamic finance ethics in Pakistan by distributing questionnaires among employees.

This research study revealed overall satisfactory communicated and perceived ethical values in IBs of Pakistan. It is generally concluded that Meezan Bank is doing well in all dimensions as compare to other three banks in Pakistan. Some banks such as Dubai Islamic Bank and Albaraka Islamic bank lack proper format of annual reports. It recommended proper training and development of employees particularly about Islamic banking products and procedure. Moreover, it is recommended to take initiative of attracting female segment of the society and environment protection related campaigns.

Because of data and time constraints, an extended beneficiary analysis could not be materialized in this study. Therefore, for future research, it is recommended to expand the stakeholders’ analysis beyond employees of IBs.

This study may be helpful for policymakers and other stakeholders to improve the image and for further growth of IBs in Pakistan.

This study is the part of corporate social responsibility, so it will add value to social norms of banking sector and provide different dimensions and constructs based on Islamic ethical and moral system. It highlights banker’s responsibilities toward society.

This paper supports the phenomena of Islamic banking and finance in emerging markets and shows its potential growth for the economy.

This study aims to explore the barriers and motivations to integrating environmental performance into balanced scorecards (BSCs).

This research adopted a qualitative case study approach with semi-structured interviews within an Australian public health service organisation. Secondary document analysis was performed using annual reports, strategic plans and website data.

The internal barriers creating resistance to incorporating environmental performance dimensions into the BSC include the existing role of environmental disclosure, insufficient sustainability BSC knowledge, lack of BSC champion support, organisational culture and limited environmental commitment practices. Solutions revealed to support decisions to integrate environmental performance in the BSC include recruiting sustainability expertise, articulating financial motivations and recognising external pressures.

The findings provide suggested actions for other organisations facing similar challenges regarding integrating environmental performance into a BSC.

In the current business environment, organisations face growing pressure to consider environmental performance in their BSCs. This study provides insights into the potential problems that prevent or delay the integration of environmental issues into BSCs.

This study provides evidence on how institutional and external factors influence barriers and motivations to embed environmental performance measures into a BSC. This study demonstrates how health-care organisations can effectively overcome barriers by modifying specific institutional artefacts. This is an important contribution to the body of knowledge because there is limited empirical research regarding integrating environmental issues into a public sector BSC that projects key organisational commitment indicators.

This study underscores the critical need to enhance innovation capacity within higher education institutions (HEIs), particularly in developing nations, as a strategic response to global economic challenges. It aims to compare the innovation capacities of Timor Leste Business School and Indonesia Business School using the HEInnovate framework.

The study employs a qualitative research methodology involving in-depth interviews with academic leaders such as the dean, vice dean and heads of study programs at both institutions. Thematic analysis was applied to identify patterns and challenges across the eight dimensions of the HEInnovate framework, including leadership, governance, entrepreneurial teaching and digital transformation.

Indonesia Business School outperforms Timor Leste Business School across all innovation capacity dimensions. Timor Leste faces significant challenges in infrastructure development and entrepreneurial support. However, both institutions show potential for growth through enhanced collaboration with industry stakeholders and increased internationalization.

This study focuses on two institutions, which may limit the generalizability of the results. Future research could include a broader range of institutions in different contexts to provide a more comprehensive understanding of innovation capacity in HEIs.

The research offers practical insights for policymakers, highlighting the need to reinforce innovation strategies by optimizing organizational structures and fostering collaboration with industry and international partners.

The study highlights the potential for HEIs to foster entrepreneurial mindsets and skills among faculty members, contributing to developing a more entrepreneurial society. This contribution has the potential to reduce unemployment and increase social mobility as more graduates may be empowered to create their businesses or contribute to innovative sectors of the economy.

This study provides a novel comparative analysis of innovation capacity in developing country HEIs, using the HEInnovate framework to enhance innovation strategies. It offers 13 propositions for future research and policy development in higher education innovation.

The adoption of Islamic banking (AIB) among customers has remained in the limelight due to its significance in the strategic marketing of Islamic banking (IB) services. Although researchers have devoted a significant effort to investigating the drivers of AIB, little is known about the exclusive barriers hampering AIB. Accordingly, this paper aims to examine the underlying barriers to the adoption of Islamic banking (BAIB) and categorize them into different research clusters using bibliometric analysis.

The data was collected from 132 articles published in Scopus database between 2007 and 2022 and analyzed using VOSviewer to explore BAIB.

The findings clustered the barriers to AIB into three groups, namely, efficiency of IB products and services (service quality, Shariah compliance level, availability of services), behavioral (knowledge and awareness, religiosity, trust and intention) and personal attributes (innovativeness, understanding of mobile/internet banking and technology acceptance) factors of Islamic bank customers.

The sample size of this study is relatively small, as the data was imported from Scopus database only to perform Bibliometric analysis. Future studies may use larger sample size by retrieving data from other databases such as Web of Science and PubMed to develop better research clusters of BAIB.

The dynamic business environment and unprecedented changes in consumer behavior require managers creating suitable conditions to foster adoption of their services and capture a better market share.

Following the findings of this research, future research avenues are identified for strategic embeddedness and global development of IB by overcoming BAIB.

This paper aims to address the need to adopt circular economy models in the urban development and infrastructure of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia. The purpose is to provide insights into the progress, challenges and potential benefits of transitioning from a linear to a circular economic model in response to the environmental challenges posed by rapid economic development and population growth in the GCC region. The study emphasizes the relevance of this research in fostering economic diversification, mitigating ecological concerns and attracting sustainable investments.

The study adopts a qualitative approach to investigate the adoption of circular economy principles in each GCC country’s urban development and infrastructure. It details the specific strategies and initiatives undertaken by Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia. The research methodology includes a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), thematic, comparative and individual analysis of their goals, progress and the unique approaches employed. Additionally, a SWOT analysis is conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with adopting circular economy models in the GCC region.

The case studies reveal each GCC country’s diverse approaches and progress in adopting circular economy models. Bahrain aims for carbon neutrality by 2060, Kuwait prioritizes sustainability in urban development, Oman focuses on waste reduction, Qatar integrates circular economy principles into its Vision 2030 initiative and Saudi Arabia explores closed-loop material flows. Whereas, the UAE focuses on infrastructure development with unique technological advancements in the near future. Despite common challenges such as traditional linear models and economic obstacles, the benefits of transitioning to circular economies in the GCC region are substantial. These include social, environmental and economic advantages, emphasizing sustainable growth, resource efficiency and enhanced environmental protection.

This paper contributes original insights into the adoption of circular economy models in the GCC region, providing a clear and succinct case for its value. The research underscores this transition’s economic, environmental and social benefits. It emphasizes the significance of sustainable resource management and economic opportunities while acknowledging challenges such as implementation obstacles and potential business impacts. The study invites reflection on future research steps, fostering a balanced and fair analysis of the value of the results. It positions the adoption of circular economy models as a crucial step toward achieving economic diversification, and environmental sustainability and attracting green investments in the GCC region.

This study aims to portray the ethical disposition of Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) globally by investigating the ethical gap identified in the empirical literature to date.

Two methods of analysis used in this study are content analysis and ratio analysis. While the former was conducted to identify the main themes of empirical studies and to gauge the gap between theory and practice of ethical principles and business practice in the Islamic banking and financial industry, the latter quantified the intensity of the gap identified.

The findings indicate that global ethical practices were found to be above medial, and the South East Asian region stood out with a relatively better performance along with the subpar performance of the African region. Among the ethical parameters, the praxis of marketing ethics was found to be distinctly aligned with the principles, and the organizational ethical decision-making behaviour was held to be least harmonized with the norms.

The findings of this study help researchers and regulators to better understand the issues and provide practical solutions to address the shortfalls of ethics in Islamic finance in practice.

In spite of the vast literature, comprehension of the overarching ethical standing of IFIs is still equivocal. This study contributes to the growing literature of ethical and/or Islamic finance primarily in two ways. Firstly, it provides a comprehensive depiction of the ethical standings of the IFIs all around the globe, which can be treated as a guiding document for regulators and industry practitioners to better understand the issues and provide practical solutions to address the shortfalls of ethics in Islamic finance in practice. Secondly, it helps researchers identify research gaps and provides a systematic direction for future studies in the area of ethics in Islamic finance.