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Supply chain (SC) managers influence firms in incorporating green behavior throughout the value chain in functions such as purchasing, production, distribution and transportation. In this study, we aim to understand the antecedents of pro-environmental behavior (PEB) in SC managers.

We develop a research model hypothesizing a direct role of SC managers' private green behaviors, subjective norms, personal and organizational barriers as factors influencing the manager's pro-environmental intentions. We also analyze the impact of these intentions on actual behavior. We surveyed managers working in the SC of manufacturing firms in a developing country and tested the research model using structural equation modeling.

Our results indicate that SC managers' personal barriers significantly influence intentions to act pro-environmentally and these intentions then predict their actual behavior. However, SC managers' private green behaviors do not spill over to their workplace. Furthermore, the study shows that organizational-level barriers and subjective norms may reverse green intentions.

This study contributes to the research literature by identifying the role of organizational, personal and social factors in modifying the SC managers' intentions. It provides useful insights into how these factors affect the behavior of SC managers. Thus, we extend prior work in the area of PEB to the SC environment.

This study analyzes the role of supply chain ambidexterity (SC-Ambidexterity) in developing supply chain resilience (SC-Resilience). We describe SC-Ambidexterity as a simultaneous application of supply chain adaptability (SC-Adaptability) and supply chain alignment (SC-Alignment) capabilities. We also consider the role of supply chain agility (SC-Agility) in the relationship between SC-Ambidexterity and SC-Resilience. We further suggest that the relationship between SC-Ambidexterity and SC-Resilience may be stronger in case of higher market uncertainty.

Based on the dynamic capabilities view (DCV) of the firm, we develop a set of hypotheses that are tested through a survey of manufacturing firms in Pakistan. The hypothesized model is tested through structural equation modeling (SEM).

The results of this study show a positive effect of SC-Ambidexterity on SC-Resilience. SC-Agility positively mediates the relationship between SC-Ambidexterity and SC-Resilience. However, our results show that this relationship does not vary at different levels of environmental uncertainty.

This study provides the seminal operationalization of SC-Ambidexterity in the supply chain context. It further shows the importance of SC-Ambidexterity and SC-Agility in contributing toward SC-Resilience.

The purpose of this paper is to show how the quality practices such as leadership and strategic quality planning, supplier relationship management, customer focus, quality data and reporting, process management and human resource management are as relevant to supply chains as they are to an individual firm.

Based on the review of relevant literature, propositions have been framed to stimulate future research. In order to evaluate the quality management (QM) practices in Pakistani supply chains, three cases have been presented. These cases provide information about QM practices of the case companies with respect to the supply chains they represent. Based on the case comparisons, common themes regarding the state of QM in Pakistani supply chains have been identified.

The current study shows that the state of QM in the supply chain context is at a primitive level in Pakistan. Most organizations have instituted quality departments and devised quality policy and planning inspired by ISO 9000 standards. However, quality culture that promotes bottom‐up improvement throughout the organization is nonexistent. Compared with the proposed framework of total supply chain quality management (TSCQM), Pakistani organizations have a long way to go before any significant integration can be achieved in the quality functions at the supply chain level.

Building upon the current literature in the field of supply chain and QM, the current study proposes a new, more comprehensive framework TSCQM.

This paper aims to support small mobile application development teams or companies performing testing on a large variety of operating systems versions and mobile devices to ensure their seamless working.

This paper proposes a “hybrid crowdsourcing” method that leverages the power of public crowd testers. This leads to generating a novel crowdtesting workflow Developer/Tester- Crowdtesting (DT-CT) that focuses on developers and crowd testers as key elements in the testing process without the need for intermediate as managers or leaders. This workflow has been used in a novel crowdtesting platform (AskCrowd2Test). This platform enables testing the compatibility of mobile devices and applications at two different levels, high-level (device characteristics) or low-level (code). Additionally, a “crowd-powered knowledge base” has been developed that stores testing results, relevant issues and their solutions.

The comparison of the presented DT-CT workflow with the common and most recent crowdtesting workflows showed that DT-CT may positively impact the testing process by reducing time-consuming and budget spend because of the direct interaction of developers and crowd testers.

To authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to propose crowdtesting workflow based on developers and public crowd testers without crowd managers or leaders, which light the beacon for the future research in this field. Additionally, this work is the first that authorizes crowd testers with a limited level of experience to participate in the testing process, which helps in studying the behaviors and interaction of end-users with apps and obtains more concrete results.

The purpose of this paper is to study the latest global automotive industry’s competitive strategies comprehensively before being categorized into countries, automakers and other scholars.

In total, 54 most relevant articles have been chosen from various journals and databases between the years 2017 and 2018 with search items “Competitive” and “Automotive” for the most updated review. Based on findings, there are total 133 competitive strategies.

Based on the review and analysis of the literature, all of these three categories, countries, automakers and other scholars, are using new product development (NPD) as a competitive strategy. As a result, further research on NPD, specifically in the automotive industry area, is vital for industry’s competitiveness based on this study.

Firms are advised to be ahead from the competitors in terms of business model or in their management in order to attain sustainability. However, to the authors’ best knowledge, there is no comprehensive review on competitive strategies for automotive globally by countries, automakers and other scholars.

The competitive strategies are reviewed comprehensively so that other than guiding the further research, they can help automakers, especially from developing countries, to improve the strategies suitable to the current trend.

Automotive industry plays a key role in the day-to-day activity of human life by not only providing mobility but also having an enormous impact of the industry on economic, environmental and social activities throughout the globe.

Most of the articles reviewed related to certain country or comparison between the countries, and certain automaker or comparison between the automakers, but still no study about comprehensive review globally covered in the larger scope, divided into three categories; countries, automakers and other scholars even though the study is vital not only to academicians but also to practitioners.

This research explores the spillovers and portfolio implications for green bonds and environmental, social and governance (ESG) assets in the context of the rapidly expanding trend in green finance investments and the need for a green recovery in the post-COVID-19 era.

This study utilizes Diebold and Yilmaz’s (2014) spillover method and portfolio strategies (hedge ratio, optimal weights and hedging effectiveness) for the data starting from February 29, 2012, to March 14, 2022.

The study’s findings reveal that the lower volatility spillover is evidenced between the green bonds and ESG stocks during tranquil and turbulent periods (e.g. COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine War). Furthermore, hedging costs are lower both in normal times and during economic slumps. Investing the bulk of the funds in green bonds makes it possible to achieve maximum hedging effectiveness between the S&P green bond (GB) and the S&P 500 ESG.

Both investors and policymakers may use these findings to make wise investment and policy choices to achieve post-COVID environmental sustainability.

Unlike previous research, this is the first to explore the interconnectedness among the major global and country-specific green bonds and ESG assets. The major findings of this study about the lower volatility spillovers and hedging costs between green bonds and ESG assets during the tranquil and turbulent periods may contribute to the post-COVID investment portfolio for environmental sustainability.

The chemical analysis of wells in the Ardabil area, Ardabil Province NW of Iran, was evaluated to determine the hydrogeochemical processes and ion concentration background in the region. The purpose of this study is to analyze the hydrochemical quality of groundwater in Ardabil aquifer in order to assess the suitability of the waters for different uses.

The chemical analysis of 75 water wells in the Ardabil area, was evaluated. Over the entire area, the dominated hydrochemical types are: Na-Cl, Na-HCO3-Cl-Mg, Ca-SO4, Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl and Ca-Mg-HCO3. The abundance of the major ions is as follows: Na⁺>Ca²⁺>Mg²⁺>K⁺ and SO₄^2–> Cl^–>HCO₃^– and major ion concentrations are below the acceptable level for drinking water. Most of groundwater samples fell in the soft water category. All of groundwaters belong to the excellent category and can be used safely for irrigation.

The chemical analysis of 75 water wells in the Ardabil area, Ardabil Province NW of Iran, was evaluated to determine the hydrogeochemical processes and ion concentration background in the region. Over the entire area, the dominated hydrochemical types are: Na-Cl, Na-HCO3-Cl-Mg, Ca-SO4, Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl and Ca-Mg-HCO3. The abundance of the major ions is as follows: Na⁺>Ca²⁺>Mg²⁺>K⁺ and SO₄^2–> Cl^–>HCO₃^– and major ion concentrations are below the acceptable level for drinking water. Most of groundwater samples fell in the soft water category. All of groundwaters belong to the excellent category and can be used safely for irrigation.

The chemical analysis of 75 water wells in the Ardabil area, Ardabil Province NW of Iran, was evaluated to determine the hydrogeochemical processes and ion concentration background in the region. Over the entire area, the dominated hydrochemical types are: Na-Cl, Na-HCO3-Cl-Mg, Ca-SO4, Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl and Ca-Mg-HCO3. The abundance of the major ions is as follows: Na⁺>Ca²⁺>Mg²⁺>K⁺ and SO₄^2–> Cl^–>HCO₃^– and major ion concentrations are below the acceptable level for drinking water. Most of groundwater samples fell in the soft water category. All of groundwaters belong to the excellent category and can be used safely for irrigation.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of interest free micro credit loans on the lives and business of the female borrowers.

Both primary and secondary data have been used. Case studies of four different female entrepreneurs have been included as part of the research. The observation was conducted over an extended period of time. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with four beneficiaries to know the role played by interest free micro credit loans in improving (or not!) their lives and businesses.

Interest free micro credit loans played a significant role in bringing a positive change in the lives of the borrowers. Clients mentioned that “zero interest rate” and “flexible repayment schedules” were the main reason for obtaining loans from this source. Further, they suggested that there is a need for training/workshops, feedback/monitoring, networking and online repayment system to make interest free micro credit loans more successful.

The focus of the study is limited to only four female borrowers in Karachi. Future studies can include other cities and cross-gender comparisons for better understating.

This study will help microfinance organizations to assess the problems faced by the borrowers; it will also shed light on the motivations of borrowers.

Interest free micro credit loans were provided to women entrepreneurs in a social experiment and implications were observed.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of accounting policy choices under International Accounting Standards (IASs) of listed firms in South Asia.

We selected three IASs-based accounting policy choices from 369 listed companies in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh for the financial year 2007-2008.

Our results show that firm size, investment opportunity set, leverage and ownership by the general public are significant determinants of accounting policy choice in South Asian countries. However, we do not find a significant relationship between firms’ accounting policy choices and profitability, assets-in-place and taxes.

Our results suggest that as some flexibility exists in IASB’s accounting standards, this may allow managers to use income-increasing/decreasing methods. There is scope for regulators and standards setters to reduce the alternative methods which are likely improve firms’ reporting quality.

Our study contributes to the understanding as to what determines managers’ choice of a particular accounting method allowed in IAS.

This study aims to address the timely question of whether Bitcoin exhibited a safe haven property against the major Australian stock indices during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and whether such property is similar or different in one year time from the first wave of the COVID-19.

The authors used the bivariate Dynamic Conditional Correlation, Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity model, on the five-day returns of Bitcoin and Australian stock indices for the sample period between 23 April, 2011 and 19 April, 2021.

The results show that Bitcoin offered weak safe haven and hedging benefits when combined in a portfolio with S&P/ASX 200 Financials index, S&P/ASX 200 Banks index or S&P/ASX 300 Banks index. In regard to the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index, the authors found Bitcoin a risky candidate with inconsistent safe haven and hedging benefits. Against S&P/ASX 50 index, S&P/ASX 200 index and S&P/ASX 300 index, Bitcoin was nothing more than a diversifier. The outset of the second COVID-19 wave, which was comparatively more severe than the first, is also reflected in the results with considerably higher correlations.

There is a lack of in-depth empirical evidence on the safe haven capabilities of Bitcoins for various Australian stock indices during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study bridges this void in research.