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This study aims to explore the moderating role of corporate governance index between environmental disclosure and idiosyncratic risk.

Governance index constructed on the basis of principle component analysis (PCA) that comprised Board Duality (BD), Board Size (BS), Board Independent (BI) and Board Meeting (BM). Collected panel data of 103 nonfinancial companies listed in stock exchanges of Pakistan and India for the period 2013–2020. To address the issue of endogeneity, this study used generalized methods of moments (GMM).

This study revealed that corporate governance index negatively modifies the relationship between environmental disclosure and idiosyncratic risk for both Pakistan and India scenario. Findings of the study also disclosed environmental disclosure has positive significant impact on idiosyncratic risk in case of Pakistan, whereas it has a negative significant impact in case of India.

The major limitation of the study is availability of environmental disclosure data, future researchers may extend time period and add other emerging economies for analysis. Moreover, assumption of objectivity in the evaluation of environmental disclosure is another limitation of the study. Future research should examine the standard of environmental actions that businesses declare. This study used CAPM model to measure idiosyncratic risk, and future studies suggest measure idiosyncratic risk by using Fama & French four and five factors model for better results and robustness.

Study provides guidelines to investors for choosing stock for investment and also helpful for management to minimize agency problems through better governance mechanisms. Furthermore, study has deep implications for CEOs, portfolio managers, researchers and academics.

The study intended to empirically examine the moderation of Corporate Governance Index between the relationship of Environmental Disclosure and Idiosyncratic Risk.

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of software for the automation of academic libraries in Sialkot. This study consisted of three objectives, including recognizing the reasons to adopt the software for library automation, investigating the problems faced by librarians while using library software and identifying the satisfaction level with the attributes of library software.

A quantitative research approach was used to achieve the objectives of this study. A survey was conducted to collect data from the library information science professionals working in the academic libraries of Sialkot. The data was collected from 46 library professionals through a structured questionnaire.

The findings showed that the economic cost of implementation, maintenance and the software providing multilingual support were the major reasons for adoption of software for the purpose of automation. In this study, compliance with the internet, noncooperation in library automation by university/institution, availability of training facilities, insufficient library budget, a lack of financial/economic resources, staff transfer and a lack of consultancy and technical service were identified as major issues when using library automation software. However, the respondents were quite satisfied with the performance of software attributes including circulation modules, easy to use cataloguing modules, reports’ modules, software attributes of administration modules and multilingual facility.

This study persuades library and information science professionals to automate their libraries through the adoption of library software.

The learning outcomes are as follows: to identify and analyze the importance of operations management in a situation demanding minimizing environmental impact and maintaining operational momentum; access the risks faced during project executions and apply project management concepts to facilitate Karachi Steel in implementing indigenous technological solutions; and evaluate the importance of adaptability, continuous improvement and innovation in creating sustainable solutions to address complex challenges.

Javaid Iqbal, CEO of Karachi Steel, was the case’s protagonist. With capacity expansion, Javaid relocated the steel facility from Rawalpindi to Islamabad, Pakistan. The company encountered several difficulties because of the air emissions’ inconvenience to nearby residents and the strict environmental regulations. To push the emissions into the air, the company first installed a locally fabricated chimney. Later, they hired a foreign Pakistani engineering firm to install air filters, but the project proved unsuccessful. To control emissions, the company developed a Wet Particulate Control (WPC) system based on a water-sprinkling mechanism. The endeavor was successful, but it resulted in water pollution. As a result, Karachi Steel signed a contract with a local engineering company that invented and effectively installed an air filtration system. Karachi Steel not only devised solutions for their predicaments but also made significant contributions toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the emissions reporting and monitoring mechanism continued to cause inconvenience for regulators. In addition, the filtration facility encountered a blocked duct conveying zinc sulfate from smoke, resulting in the periodic suspension of operations. As Karachi Steel seek long-term solutions to current challenges, it is critical to examine the relationship between internal circumstances and external forces and stimulate a holistic approach to resolving issues within the realms of operations management and project management.

The case study is suitable for students pursuing their undergraduate degree programs in business studies or management sciences. This case can be taught in specific subjects in the domain of management sciences, including project management and operations management. Furthermore, undergraduate students pursuing degrees in environmental sciences, specializing in environmental impact assessment and sustainable development, can also learn from this case study. These subjects have the potential to provide students with a detailed understanding of the dynamic relationship between environmental problems caused by business activities, and how to address these challenges using principles of project management and operations management. There is no pre-requisite for this case study, and the level of difficulty is moderate. The recommended teaching pedagogy for this multidisciplinary case study includes role-playing exercises, simulations to replicate real-world situations and the Socratic method, which encourages critical thinking.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 7: Management Science.

Entrepreneurs’ decision-making for detecting, evaluating and utilising opportunities across international borders is one of the main subjects of international entrepreneurship research. This study aims to argue that recognising and classifying international entrepreneurship opportunities facilitate the decision-making process. To do such a thing, a multi-layer decision-making approach focusses on the industrial sector of the Kish free zone. In the first stage, the data will be collected by a questionnaire survey of entrepreneurial companies in the industry field and the main international entrepreneurship opportunities will be identified. In the second stage, the importance and relationship between the opportunities will be evaluated based on the identified opportunities. Eventually, in the last stage, the relationship and the importance of the opportunities will be determined by proposing and using a multi-layer decision-making approach. In conclusion, the prioritised international entrepreneurship opportunities will be presented.

Purpose – This paper discusses the emergence of terrorism in South Asia during last three decades and it resulted in the culmination of Mumbai attacks of 26/11.

Design/methodology/approach – This paper mostly depending on secondary resources is archival in nature.

Findings – This paper links the development of extremism in Pakistan with the events of the Mumbai attacks 26/11.

Originality/value – This paper finds that terrorist activity committed in Mumbai on 26/11 is a result of well-connected Islamist, extremist, who got training and proper support from their network based in Pakistan.

This paper aims to propose an improved and computationally efficient motion simulation of a flexible variable sweep aircraft.

The motion simulation is performed on hardware-in-the-loop simulation setup using 6 degree-of-freedom motion platform. The dynamic model of a flexible variable sweep aircraft, Rockwell B-1 Lancer is presented using equations of motions for combined rigid and flexible motions. The peak filter is introduced as a new method to separate flexible motion from aircraft motion data. Standard adaptive washout filter is modified and redesigned for an accurate flexible aircraft flight simulation. The flight data are generated using FlightGear software. Another motion profile with significant oscillations is also tested. The peak filter and the modified adaptive washout filter both are used to process the data according to the motion envelop of motion platform.

The performance of the modified adaptive washout filter is evaluated using hardware-in-the-loop simulation setup and results are compared with the standard adaptive washout filter. Results exhibit that the proposed method is computationally cost-effective and improves the motion simulation of flexible aircraft with close to realistic motion cues.

The proposed work presents motion simulation of a flexible aircraft by introducing a peak filter to extract flexible motion in contrast to the traditional motion separation methods. Also, a modified adaptive washout filter is designed and implemented in place of the traditional washout filters for improved flexible aircraft flight motion simulation.

This study aims to investigate the effect of healthy food advertising (HFA) in preventing obesity (measured using the healthy eating attitude and perceived self-regulatory success) through the meta-cognitive role of consumer wisdom (CW). The meta-cognitive role of CW to better promote healthy eating attitude and behavior is relevant and underexplored.

Data were collected from 310 young consumers through an online survey. Reliability and validity were established using confirmatory factor analysis, and hypotheses were analyzed through structural equation modeling using MPlus V8.3.

The results reveal that HFA has a positive influence on all dimensions of CW: responsibility, purpose, perspective, reasoning and sustainability. All dimensions but one augment a positive healthy eating attitude, but only responsibility and sustainability enhance consumers’ self-regulatory success. The findings show that HFA does not directly prevent obesity, but CW mediates the relationship between that advertising and obesity prevention. These findings show that CW establishes a mindful connection between HFA and obesity control.

This research extends the theory of CW in the context of healthful eating and contributes significantly to the advertising, hospitality and obesity literature.

This study also has implications for multiple stakeholders, including consumers, restaurant operators, hospitality managers, brand managers, the government and society in general.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study marks the first attempt to investigate the role of CW in preventing obesity. It is also the first study to examine the relationships of HFA with CW and a healthful attitude toward eating.

In the context of rapid technological progress, this study investigates the factors that improve the academic performance of Saudi Arabian university students when they use ChatGPT. Using the technology-to-performance chain theory as a framework, this study identifies the variables that may affect the students' academic performance, thereby contributing to the discourse on the use of technology in education.

A survey is conducted on 257 respondents, and an online questionnaire is used to collect the data. Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) is employed to analyse the structural model to determine the direct connections between the different elements.

Findings reveal that task characteristics, technology characteristics and individual characteristics can significantly impact task-technology fit. Furthermore, task-technology fit can influence the utilisation of ChatGPT and students' academic performance. In addition, utilisation can significantly impact students' academic performance. Students are likely to utilise ChatGPT efficiently and demonstrate improved academic performance when they believe that the technology is a good fit for their tasks.

This study’s shortcoming is its exclusive focus on a single public university in Saudi Arabia, which limits its generalisability. Comparative studies among multiple universities in Saudi Arabia and in other Gulf nations should be conducted to enhance the generalisability of the results. In addition, diversifying the participants by including students from various universities and exploring the moderating variables would deepen our understanding of the utilisation of ChatGPT by students.

The practical implications of this study include the existence of a positive relationship between task characteristics and task-technology fit, which can guide organisations in aligning ChatGPT with specific activities for enhanced efficacy and workflow integration. In addition, understanding the association between technology characteristics and task-technology fit can help in selecting suitable technologies that will encourage user adoption and improve academic outcomes. Furthermore, the recognition of the impact of individual characteristics on task-technology fit and their utilisation can inform tailored support and training programmes to enhance user acceptance and utilisation of ChatGPT, particularly in educational settings such as those in Saudi Arabia, which will ultimately improve students’ academic performance.

This study’s focus on ChatGPT and how it affects the academic performance of Saudi Arabian university students distinguishes it from previous studies. This study provides insightful information on technology adoption in educational settings and contributes to our understanding of the factors that can impact academic performance through ChatGPT adoption by utilising technology-to-performance chain theory. Moreover, this study’s examination of task characteristics, technology characteristics and individual characteristics can significantly enrich discussions on optimal technology integration for educational objectives. This contribution is relevant in dynamic contexts, such as the rapidly evolving technological environment of Saudi Arabia.

This study examines the roles of retail experience quality dimensions, customers’ in-shop emotion valence and in-shop involvement valence in shaping the holistic retail customer experience.

We conducted a total of 25 interviews with customers who have used services at non-fuel retail stores in Malaysia, commonly known as tuckshops, which are located adjacent to fuel stations. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which led to the identification of key themes and categories that informed the development of our conceptual framework.

This study identifies three dimensions of retail experience quality: physical surroundings experience quality, interaction experience quality and service innovation experience quality. These dimensions, which were previously unexamined, are shown to influence customer evaluations based on their interactions with the retail environment, employees and digital applications. Additionally, the study finds that these dimensions impact customers’ emotions and involvement valence, suggesting that even with negative experiences, high involvement and overall positive perceptions can still occur.

This study contributes to the literature in several ways. First, it identifies key retail antecedents that shape how customers interact with, interpret and evaluate the quality of their retail experiences. Second, it examines the complex nature of customers’ in-store emotions and involvement valence, highlighting the coexistence of positive and negative emotions in certain retail contexts. Third, the study offers practical insights for retail firms, urging them to adopt a holistic approach in addressing customer emotions and involvement across diverse retail service channels.

The study introduces new dimensions of retail experience quality and develops a framework linking these dimensions to customer emotions and involvement valence. Unlike previous research that has focused on either positive or negative aspects in isolation, this study offers a comprehensive view of how mixed emotions and involvement can impact the overall retail experience. It provides both theoretical insights and practical guidance for creating more balanced and engaging retail experiences.

The purpose of this research is to segment Pakistani consumers based on their insights and preference towards mango quality and safety attributes and to demographically characterise each segment so that effective value chain (VC) development strategies may be developed.

Factor and cluster analysis were applied to data collected from 400 mango buyers randomly selected from seven different cities in Pakistan.

This empirical study identified four distinct segments of mango consumers in Pakistan. The diversity of consumers' perception was mainly based on four factors: food safety, price and marketing, physical quality and shelf life. Based on their demographic characteristics and preferences for product attributes, the identified consumer segments can be classified as “traditional consumers,” “safety-conscious consumers,” price and market-sensitive consumers,” quality-sensitive consumers” and “perfect consumers.” This knowledge is useful to develop mango VCs that target specific consumer segments based on their chain level abilities and aspirations.

This study offers actors of mango VCs an enhanced understanding of consumer segments based on their perceived preferences towards the quality and safety attributes of mangoes, which would help VC actors design and develop business strategies that deliver value specific to each consumer segments. Findings of this study could also be useful to policy makers to design extension strategies that promote food safety and quality standards in mango VCs. Moreover, this study presents yet another case of consumer segmentation study for VC development in developing countries, adding a stepping stone towards a general VC theory development.

The findings stimulate the momentum of the growing literature, particularly in the developing countries on consumer insights and behaviour toward fruit quality and safety attributes of mangoes.