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The main purpose of this study is to examine the synergistic impact of marketing orientation (MO) and strategic orientation (SO) on business performance (BP) and to explore role of entrepreneurial qualification (moderating) and SO (mediating) in MO and BP relationship.

Nine hundred small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owners/managers operating in Jammu District, North India, are contacted during October 2013 to February 2014.

The study identifies and confirms MO (marketing strategy, customer philosophy, operational efficiency and integrated marketing) and SO (defensive, proactive, analytical and risk-averse) as multi-dimensional constructs. Although both orientations have positive impact on SMEs performance, however, their synergistic impact is weak. In addition, the study also reveals that MO has direct and indirect impact (through SO) on BP. Lastly, there exists moderating role of entrepreneurial qualification between MO and SO.

The major limitation of the study is the focus on SMEs. Based on the strength of the relationships among the dimensions and sub-dimensions of the MO, SO and BP, replication and validation of research in service sector across the country and globe is required to generalise the results and to develop stronger theory.

This is the first empirical study to investigate the synergistic impact of two well-established notions – MO and SO. It provides empirical evidence for the claim that synergistic impact of marketing and SO on BP is weak, unlike their respective strong impact on BP. This study also clarifies roles of entrepreneurial qualification and SO in MO and BP relationship.

This paper aims to examine the level of awareness and determinants of the actual adoption of fintech services. This paper further focuses on how usages of different kind of fintech services fulfills the business needs of the micro-entrepreneurs of urban slum dwellers of Uttarakhand.

The research investigated the predictive significance of actual adoption of fintech services using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and prospect theory framework. Data was collected from 80 micro-entrepreneurs of urban slum areas of Uttarakhand, using an adapted semi-structured questionnaire. For analysis of data partial least square structural equal modeling has been used.

This paper finds that different fintech services have different levels of awareness whereas payment, regulation and market provision-related fintech services have high awareness. The main drivers for adopting fintech are services trust (ST) and behavioral intention (BI). BI significantly influences fintech adoption, while ST positively impacts BI, actual usage and facilitating conditions; perceived risk, however, negatively affects ST. The widely used fintech services are payment-based fintech (unified payments interface), followed by regulatory fintech (Khatabook app). Fintech effectively serves the business needs of micro-entrepreneurs in the urban slums of Uttarakhand with innovative product solutions.

The findings of this study are valuable for various fintech providers. These results can serve as a roadmap to strengthen fintech services in the broader population, including niche market segments.

This study uniquely contributes to the literature that addresses the issues of entrepreneurs of the lower strata of society through the use of fintech services.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting behaviour intention (BI) to use and actual usages of investment-related FinTech services among the zoomers (Gen Z) and millennials (Gen M) retail investors of India.

The study explores the predictive relevance of actual adoption behaviour among the two different age categories of Indian retail investors. It uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology-2 and the prospect theory framework as guiding frameworks. Data has been collected from 294 retail investors, actively engaged in the investment-related FinTech services. The multi-group analysis using variance-based partial least square structured equation modelling has been used to compare the two groups. The invariance between the two groups was achieved through measurement invariance assessment.

The study reveals distinct factors significantly affecting BI to use investment-related FinTech services among Gen Z and Gen M retail investors are performance expectancy (PE) to BI, perceived risk (PR) to BI, price value (PV) to BI and PR to service trust (ST).

This study provides insights for financial providers and policymakers, emphasizing different factors influencing BI to use investment-related FinTech services in both age groups. Notably, habit emerges as a common factor influencing the actual usage of investment-related FinTech services across Gen M and Gen Z retail investors in India.

This study explores the heterogeneous behaviour of the heterogenous population in the domain of technological adoption of investment-related FinTech services in India.

Various scams and swindles in banks demand effective supervision and competent workforce, as it involves with workplace accountability and undertaking customer support services. The purpose of this paper is to examine the managerial effectiveness of selected public, private and foreign banks in India.

In total, 467 questionnaires from (middle and top-level) managers of (five public, five private and five foreign banks) fifteen banks have been considered. The descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA are used to differentiate each sector of banks.

The significant difference denoted in terms of managerial effectiveness among banks. The results revealed that managers of public banks are action-oriented and receptive to feedback, whereas the manager of private sector banks embodies self-disclosure and perceptiveness. The correlates, namely, action-orientation, self-disclosure and receptivity to feedback evident significant among foreign banks.

The consideration and application of such correlates would surely help managers, decision-makers and practitioners to enhance their effectiveness. Human resource professionals can use these results to develop programmes and policies for better management.

The study is imperative as it compares the behaviour of managers of public, private and foreign banks individually. The findings demonstrate that correlates of managerial effectiveness significantly differ among the banks.

The purpose of the present study is to identify the core cultural aspects perceived by the executives of public, private and foreign banks in India.

Of the 124 responses, 96 usable responses were assessed from middle and lower level managers. Qualitative content analysis and deconstruction method were used to identify the perceived cultural aspects.

Interestingly, managers of Indian banking industry stated that cultural aspects of their banks possess good work and working environment, prefer people, management, experience and promotions in comparison to other factors like policy, bonus, market, commitment, project, etc. It is also noted that cultural aspects of banks prefer learning, training and team working.

Assessment of the perception of managers toward their culture will foster the banks to develop integral subculture and to achieve the long-term organizational goals.

The study analyze the cultural aspects in Indian banking industry qualitatively, based on executives characteristics. This qualitative analysis helps to find out more contemporary and prevailing factors of banks.

The paper aims to propose and validate a process-based model to enhance managerial effectiveness among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It has been observed that business uncertainties and inadequate financial resources that MSME entrepreneurs and managers face require them to constantly engage in strong self-awareness and self-regulating behavior to enhance the efficacy in their roles and, henceforth, their role performance effectiveness.

The approach for data collection was based on the clustering of MSMEs belonging to the clusters machine tool, pump manufacturing, foundry, textile and auto-component clusters in India. The respondents to the study were MSME entrepreneurs and managers who oversee and manage multiple functions like operations, quality, marketing, sales, supply chain management, procurement, personnel and administration and general administration.

The self-efficacy of entrepreneurial managers of MSMEs is observed to play an integral role in enhancing the efficacy of their roles, thus highlighting the use of a process-based perspective while dealing with constant resource constraints and excessive dynamism in their business contexts. The ability to handle multiple tasks effectively and resilience to manage challenges enhances their role-making process, which is significant in achieving and sustaining goal-oriented behavior among MSME entrepreneurs and managers.

This paper would serve as an effective model for entrepreneurs and managers to enhance their efficacy in the individual and interdependent role context, which would help achieve their individual and organizational goals. The model emphasizes a process-based perspective that thrusts the need to relate to the organizational context, enhancing individual confidence for goal-related behavior and fulfilling their role-related expectations.

This paper presents a model of enhancing managerial effectiveness that discusses self-efficacy as antecedent behavior. Here, personal and environmental factors aid cognition to one’s capability to construct reality, self-regulate, encode information and engage in effective managerial action.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causal relationship between extent of diversification and performance among Indian companies. The key issue is to find out whether diversification provides irresistible opportunities to increase firm performance or is it the superior profitability that motivates management to diversify.

Product diversification is calculated by using Entropy index measure. To measure joint endogeneity of corporate diversification and firm performance, both variables are treated as endogenous in a simultaneous equation model.

The results report that the association between diversification and performance turn strongly significant and positive after controlling the issue of endogeneity. The study finds a strong two-way relationship between extent of diversification and firm performance. As indicated by the results, the extent of diversification is positively related to performance, thereby implying that diversified firms experience a significant diversification premium. The study also demonstrates a positive relation of performance and total diversification indicating that good performance leads to greater diversification.

Certain variables such as R&D intensity, export intensity and risk could not be included in the analysis for want of data. Inclusion of these independent variables could have strengthened the model and its implications.

The results strongly implicate/recommend the managers of developing countries to adopt the strategy of diversification to overcome institutional inefficiencies prevailing in their domicile environment. Corporate heads must also capture the correct timings/dynamism in environment before pursuing diversification as a strategy of growth. There exists causality between diversification and performance; hence, profitable firms should capitalize synergetic effects of diversification strategy and use it as a medium of growth.

There was hardly any literature available on causal relationship between diversification and performance with respect to emerging countries. There was even a wider gap specifically in relation to India where none of the researchers has so far studied causality between diversification and performance controlling endogeneity.

This study aims to examine whether market orientation or innovation is a more significant mediator between an entrepreneur’s culture and perceived success in Cuba, where innovation is highly regarded because of economic challenges and US embargoes, but doubts persist about market orientation because of its socialist economy.

Havana entrepreneurs were surveyed on culture, market orientation and innovation. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with the partial least squares approach in SmartPLS 4.

The results showed partial mediation for both market orientation and innovation. Culture significantly affects performance directly. Surprisingly, a less market-oriented culture enhances performance, with innovation acting as the stronger mediator, despite the inverse relationship between market orientation and innovation.

The limitations include reliance on self-reported measures, lack of objective performance verification and a narrow focus on entrepreneurs rather than clients. Despite these constraints, the study provides valuable exploratory insights into Cuba’s closed economy, following the principle of being “approximately right than exactly wrong.”

The findings confirm the positive impact of Cubans’ innovative spirit on performance but reveal a contradiction: less market-oriented cultures perceive themselves as market-oriented and perform better. This misperception suggests the need for further investigation and training to promote market-oriented business culture. Collaboration with international business schools may be necessary, as this distortion could harm customer satisfaction.

The originality of the research lies in that, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on Cuban entrepreneurs’ market orientation. It has the value to illustrate how socialists’ ideology can contradict assumed theoretical established approaches about market functioning.

This study aims to explore the themes of “Fintech” and “Financial Inclusion” since their inception using bibliometric analysis and pave the way for future research agenda.

The research is based on 351 publications from the Scopus database, covering timespan from 2007 to September 2023. The bibliometric analysis involves performance metrics (e.g. publication year, notable articles, leading journals and influential authors) and scientific mapping (e.g. word map analysis, three-field plot, bibliographic coupling, co-occurrence network analysis and thematic mapping). Tools used include Biblioshiny for performance analysis and VOSviewer for visualization.

The bibliometric analysis reveals the publication trends, most influential authors, articles, journals, countries and important keywords. Subsequently, it presents the network connections among them in the “Fintech” and “Financial inclusion” fields. It identified emerging research diversifications in the literature on fintech and financial inclusion, while performance and citation analysis reveal significant growth in publications since 2019. Science mapping identifies four major clusters of research themes: measuring financial inclusion, leveraging data and analytics, technological change through infrastructure and access and usage of financial services. The study emphasizes the importance of Fintech in enhancing financial inclusion, particularly in developing regions.

The limitation of this study is the extraction of research articles from a single database, Scopus. The study emphasizes the importance of Fintech in enhancing financial inclusion, particularly in developing regions. Future research could explore the role of Fintech in achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals and the G20 High-Level Principles for Digital Financial Inclusion. Additionally, there is a need to examine the behavioral changes induced by Fintech in traditional financial institutions and end-users across different economies.

This is one of the comprehensive studies to explore “Fintech” and “Financial Inclusion” from a bibliometric lens. The study highlights and discusses the recent themes in fintech and financial inclusion from broader social and managerial perspective.

This study aims to evaluate the impact of gender diversity on corporate boards on firms’ financial performance in the context of the Indian information and technology (IT) sector. The Companies Act 2013 brought forth mandatory provisions for the appointment of women directors for a certain class of companies. This study explores the case of board gender diversity in the Indian IT sector’s unique setting.

The study uses a fixed effect panel data regression model to achieve its objectives. Two widely used diversity measures, Blau Index and Shannon Index, have been used to enhance the robustness of the results.

The results of the study indicate an insignificant relationship between gender diversity and firms’ financial performance. Even the diversity indices portray insignificant results confirming the outcomes of the study. The study indicates that IT sector firms have not been able to leverage the benefits of board gender diversity.

The results of the study have important policy implications for the government, regulatory bodies and corporates. The outcomes point out that the benefits that could have accrued based on the diversity aspect could not be harnessed, as the women’s representation on corporate boards is extremely low. Policymakers and government shall focus on devising stringent laws so that better representation of women directors can be used for the interests of the firms.

The study is an attempt to fill the gap in the extant literature which has a scarce number of studies conducted in the unique setting of the IT sector (both in developed and developing economies). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on the influence of board gender diversity in the IT sector of a developing economy, backed by socio-cultural reasons.