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The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the under-studied construct of implicit promises within the broader field of psychological contracts by highlighting the impact of external, socio-institutional factors on employee perceptions of implicit promises.

A total of 53 in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted in four foreign MNEs operating in Pakistan. A purposive sampling technique was applied and the four case study MNEs chosen differed considerably in terms of size, subsidiary age, organizational structure, HR strategy and industry/sector.

Our findings highlight that employees continually process their social environments, subsequently constructing a web of unwritten, perceived obligations and implicit promises, that are influenced by a range of external factors outside organizational control such as social stratification, relational networking both within and outside the employing organization, the economic health of the industry/sector, etc. We underline how implicit promises are socially constructed and therefore the socio-institutional components of implicit promises are likely to vary across contexts/countries and time.

Despite extensive literature on psychological contracts, implicit promises in particular remain theoretically and empirically under-operationalized, largely because of methodological challenges and a preponderance of cross-sectional, self-reported and a-contextual studies in extant psychological contract literature. Our study offers a reworked definition of implicit promises that highlights the impact of contextually-specific, socio-institutional factors on employees’ unspoken expectations and beliefs about future organizational outcomes and opportunities.

The purpose of this research is to explore a possible relationship between the presence of authentic organisational leadership and the leadership development experience.

This study uses a qualitative exploratory hybrid research design which draws on data from multiple sources. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, document analysis and non-participant observations across two case study organisations in Saudi Arabia.

The authors' findings suggest that the presence of authentic leadership (AL) within an organisation is a significant factor in the leadership development experience. This study also highlights the key importance of advancing leadership development theory that is holistic and comprehensive.

The study was conducted as case studies within a specific social context. Findings cannot be generalised but offer valuable direction for future research.

The research advances leadership development theory by highlighting the inadequacy of the person-focussed perspective and offering exploratory evidence for the role of social context, organisational leadership and organisational artefacts in the leadership development process.

This study examines the condition of working women within Oman’s socioeconomic framework, emphasizing their underrepresentation in senior management, the effects of workplace constraints on career progression and solutions to enhance opportunities for women in leadership roles.

The study used a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative phase involved a survey of 215 Omani professionals − 87 male and 128 female, with data analysed using IBM SPSS 28 and SmartPLS 4. Analyses included measures of central tendency and deviation as well as PLS SEM-based path analysis and multigroup analyses.

The inclusion of women positively influences their career advancement, while harassment and gender discrimination hinder progress. Gender discrimination has a more substantial effect at lower and middle levels but is less impactful at the top level. Harassment affects women over 40 more significantly, with little impact on younger women. Additionally, domestic gender roles particularly hinder the career advancement of women in the 31–40 age group.

The practical consequences encompass the establishment of mentorship programmes, the provision of networking opportunities and the promotion of gender equity awareness. These programmes promote an inclusive workplace, facilitating women’s professional growth. Mentorship and networking offer crucial assistance and connections, whereas growing awareness of gender biases fosters equity and equal treatment for all employees. These initiatives jointly foster a more equal work environment.

By implementing sustainable measures and fostering a culture of equity and inclusivity, Oman can prevent gender discrimination and further solidify its commitment to gender equality. This will create an environment where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities to succeed and thrive.

This research is distinctive within the Omani setting, as no previous studies have explicitly examined women’s career progression from a socioeconomic perspective.

Literature around the careers of female academics is targeted mainly toward identifying and examining career progression inhibitors, while the drivers appear largely unexplored. This paper aims to contribute to contemporary knowledge by identifying drivers to the career progression of female academics in Australia. With COVID-19 currently impacting the careers of female academics this knowledge can assist universities and human resource (HR) professionals in developing policies and practices to better facilitate female academic career progression.

Empirically this paper draws on a qualitative study of 18 male and 29 female academics, as well as nine senior university stakeholders. The authors employed semi-structured interviews and a novel methodology, Draw, Write, Reflect.

In line with attribution theory, senior stakeholders mainly identified organisational efforts, including leadership, gender equity endeavours, recruitment and promotion approaches, as well as a construct known as “relative to opportunity considerations”, as drivers of female academics’ career progression. Female academics, however, largely attributed their career progression to personal factors, such as family support, informal mentoring, and determination and persistence.

The findings have implications for universities and HR practices seeking to facilitate female academic career progression. Implementation of the drivers identified may enhance female academics’ abilities to progress their careers.

By focussing on the drivers of, rather than the barriers to, female academic careers, the research is novel in its identification of a previously unexplored mismatch between organisational attribution and individual attribution of career progression drivers thereby advancing knowledge of gender differences in academic careers.

This study aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between cloud-based artificial intelligence (CBAI) and audit reports, specifically emphasizing the mediating role played by auditors.

This study used a quantitative approach, distributing 322 questionnaires to external auditors in Jordan to explore the potential enhancements of CBAI in auditing. Convenient random sampling was used to gather data from available members of the population, which comprises external audit offices in Jordan. There are a total of 454 audit offices in Jordan, employing diverse auditors, such as partner-owner auditors, assistant auditors and certified auditors. Data analysis was conducted using SmartPLS software, which uses structural equation modeling.

The study’s findings suggest potential cost savings associated with CBAI adoption, streamlined audit processes and increased overall efficiency, thereby boosting audit effectiveness and elevating the quality of audit reports. Moreover, the research observes a change in the role of auditors, with a greater emphasis on analytical and advisory tasks rather than traditional manual procedures. These insights highlight the potential benefits for both auditors and audit clients, underscoring the importance of embracing these technologies to propel the auditing profession forward in the digital era.

This study contributes insights into the impact of CBAI on the audit profession by acknowledging the shift in auditing techniques from manual to digital technology and emphasizing the benefits of cloud computing in terms of accessibility, flexibility, scalability of storage and use of financial data. It also stresses the use of CBAI technology and highlights its potential for automating and accelerating audit operations, efficiently managing client data and improving the accuracy and reliability of audit reports.