Energy conservation and emission reduction in the transportation sector are crucial for tackling global climate change. With advancements in electric vehicle (EV) technology and intelligent connected features, the factors influencing consumer purchase behaviour have evolved. Intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) are gaining significant market attention, with many new ICV brands emerging in the Chinese market in recent years. Despite this growth, research in this area remains limited. This study uniquely contributes to the field by examining how intelligent connected features and brand equity influence ICV purchase behaviour. Using the UTAUT model and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the study reveals that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, intelligent connected features, and brand equity all positively impact consumer purchase behaviour. Notably, the analysis highlights the strong role of intelligent connected features and brand equity in shaping consumer purchasing behaviour of ICVs, offering valuable insights for the development of the ICV industry.
Anchored on self-determination theory, the study examines the influence of motivation for pursuing non-standard employment and the employees’ display of customer-oriented organizational citizenship behavior (COOCB) in the Nigerian banking industry. The study also examines the mediating effect of work engagement on the relationship between these motivation types and COOCB. A sample of 247 non-standard employees was drawn from the Nigerian banking industry using convenient sampling technique to test the hypothesized relationships. The result of the study using covariance based structural equation modeling, revealed that the motivation which an employee has for choosing non-standard employment influence the employee’s display of COOCB. Additionally, work engagement was found to mediate the relationship between motivation types and COOCB. Existing studies have examined the association between the motivation for choosing non-standard employment and such behavioral outcome as general OCB; however, researchers have not investigated the effect of motivations for non-standard employment on the variant of OCB most critical to the service sector i.e. COOCB. The results of this study demonstrate the need for managers, particularly in the Nigerian banking industry, to design appropriate human resource policy that provides non-standard employees the opportunity to transit into permanent employment status.
Due to technical innovation and the rapid digital transformation process, many economies have gone through structural transformation. This paper examines the role of key sectors in Saudi Arabia’s economy in light of Vision 2030. The current study has used three latest input-output tables: 2020, 2025 and 2030 respectively, to capture the change in sectoral performance by using input-output linkages analysis. The study reveals that there are changes in overall economic activities that highlight the key sectors with changes in economic growth. This further justifies the role of key sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and visionary policies. The overall result indicates that it is important to diversify the economy and further suggests there should be more focus on key sectors such as tourism, healthcare, metals, chemicals, rubber, renewable energy and digital services. Furthermore, the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) has displayed changes during 2020-2030 in the form of intermediate inputs and value-added elements due to digital innovation and infrastructure. This implies that Saudi Arabia needs to have regulatory reforms to attract foreign investment, and, by encouraging digital innovation, the kingdom can build a modern and knowledge-based economy. The digital tools will not only enhance productivity but will be a core pillar of sustainability goals.
Regional input-output table (RIOT) has been widely used to analyze impacts at the sub-national level. Although RIOT plays an extensive role in providing insights into regional development policies, it is rarely available for public use, particularly in developing countries. In Malaysia, Selangor is the most developed state and contributes nearly one-third to the national GDP. Although understanding inter-industry linkages is crucial for optimizing regional development, the absence of an input-output table for Selangor has limited the ability to identify key and high-value sectors. This study aims to estimate a Selangor RIOT using three methods, namely, the Simple Location Quotient (SLQ), the RAS technique, and the Cross Entropy (CE) method, and to assess the extent to which the estimated tables align with their analytical outcomes. The findings indicated that although the RAS and CE methods perform better than the SLQ method across all distance measures. All three estimates are relatively close. Furthermore, the statistical analysis demonstrated that the estimated Selangor RIOT from these methods produced smaller differences and high correlations, implying statistical accuracy and consistency.
Public attention to environmental responsibility has been heightened alongside the increasingly evident impacts of climate change. In response, corporations must continue to operate their businesses optimally while considering their environmental impact. This paper examines the impact of environmental responsibility on firm performance using unbalanced data from 681 companies across ASEAN-5 countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines). Our empirical investigation suggests that environmental responsibility is negatively associated with performance, both profitability and value. Further, in this paper, we documented that firm size can mitigate the adverse effect of environmental responsibility. This evidence may occur because large firms have better resources to benefit from their environmentally related investments and to create a reputation, especially in terms of firm value. We also find that the presence of a sustainability committee board in a firm can alter the negative impact of environmental responsibility on its campaign. Overall, this paper suggests that the size and sustainability of governance structures matter for firms' environmental responsibility in developing economies. Therefore, policymakers should implement different policies for firms of different sizes. Policymakers should also encourage companies to enhance their governance structures by considering the establishment of a sustainability committee.
The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the spillover of exchange rate volatility and the Asian stock market, focusing on China, Japan, South Korea and India after the 1997-1998 currency crisis. Weekly returns (20 years) from 1999 to 2018 were used for this analysis. The EGARCH model is used to identify the asymmetric links between the two financial markets. The analysis showed that any change in the stock market has a major impact on the currency market. However, some shifts in the currency market have a smaller impact on the stock market. Exchange rate volatility tends to be higher when negative (bad news) innovation is compared to positive (good news) innovation for all but China. Such analysis is crucial for investors in developing a good investment portfolio and assessing risk in a safe and effective way.
This study addresses the novel concept of social-digital resonance (S-DR) as a mediator in the relationship between digital value orchestration (DVO) and value co-creation (VCC) within the tourism industry. Using a quantitative approach, we analyzed data from 238 tourists in Indonesia, through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that DVO significantly enhances VCC, both directly and through S-DR, highlighting the importance of digital engagement and social interaction in the co-creation process. Furthermore, the study identifies that poor management of digital co-creation can lead to value co-destruction, addressing the issue of ineffective digital strategies that hinder optimal value creation in the tourism sector post-pandemic, underscoring the need for robust digital strategies to optimize value creation in post-pandemic tourism.
This study investigates whether the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) mitigates the impact of exchange rate volatility on China’s exports to BRI partner countries across different technology levels. A GARCH(1,1) model is employed to estimate exchange rate volatility from monthly exchange rates using bilateral export data at the SITC 5-digit level from the UN Comtrade database for the years 2006–2022. Export goods are divided into three categories: high-, medium-, and low-technology manufacturers; resource-based manufacturers; and primary products. The results imply that the BRI weakens the US dollar and mitigates the negative effects of RMB exchange rate volatility on high- and medium-tech exports. Furthermore, the policy increases China's exports in all fields of technology. The findings also reveal that China's exports increased during both the COVID-19 outbreak and the global financial crisis of 2008. The findings demonstrate that the BRI can help mitigate the negative effects of currency rate volatility and increase export stability when the global economy is uncertain.
As Malaysia is currently in the transition of moving towards an ageing nation in 2030, Malaysian pre-retirees are being increasingly urged to establish stable and secure sources of income to ensure a sustainable retirement. Promoting senior entrepreneurship is one effective strategy in this regard. However, most entrepreneurship research in Malaysia has predominantly focused on younger individuals seeking alternatives to traditional employment, leaving pre-retirees and seniors underexplored. This study aims to identify the factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions among Malaysian pre-retirees aged 45 to 59. A survey conducted with 616 respondents revealed that Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation, Entrepreneurial Attitude, Instrumental Readiness and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, account for 66.0% of the variation in Entrepreneurial Intention among this group. Analysis with Smart PLS 3.0 reveals that these factors each have a significant positive relationship with Entrepreneurial Intention. Furthermore, the relationship between Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation and Entrepreneurial Intention is partially mediated by Entrepreneurial Attitude. These results offer valuable insights for the Malaysian government and other interested parties looking to engage pre-retirees as a productive resource for developing SMEs businesses. By addressing this research gap, the potential of pre-retirees can be harnessed to contribute to national economic growth and enhance individual retirement welfare.
Human capital development, healthcare financing and institutional quality are key variables that affect the growth of the economy, especially for a developing economy which Nigeria belongs to. This study interrogates the nexus between human capital development, healthcare financing and institutional quality in Nigeria between 1996 to 2023. Using the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model approach. Outcome indicated that; futuristically, educational expenditure exhibited positive and significant effect on institutional quality index in Nigeria. Additionally, healthcare expenditure exhibited negative and significant effect on institutional quality in Nigeria. And out of pocket expenditure showed negative and insignificant effect on institutional quality in Nigeria. However, in the short run, outcome indicated that, healthcare expenditure exhibited negative and significant effect on institutional quality in the short run, on the other hand, out of pocket expenditure showed to have positive and insignificant effect on institutional quality index. On this premise, the study suggested that concern authorities should revisit Nigeria’s healthcare financing model, strive to enhance budgetary allocation to the educational and health sector this might improve the quality of human capital and improve the aggregate health of the citizens. Nigeria needs strong institutions to manage funds allocated to the educational and health sector effectively.
This study categorizes the themes and sub-themes of the articles discussing the Belt and Road Initiative (B&R) through international business perspective, to explore the research trends of B&R in the international business field. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) to review the literature on the topic published from 2013-2023, clustered the research content using VOSviewer to identify the topics and keywords of existing research in this field. 104 articles were reviewed and analyzed, revealing three main themes which are regional cooperation, OFDI, and infrastructure development. This study also provides suggestions for future research. The article provides suggestions for researchers investigating topics relating to B&R, by clarifying the main themes for the topic and providing suggestions for future research. For practitioners, this study can assist in making decisions and improve by case comparation, theoretical analysis, and model reference.
Employee engagement has become a central concept in Human Resource Management (HRM) research due to its role in enhancing employee performance and organizational sustainability. This study employed a content analysis approach to review research trends related to employee engagement, particularly those examining work-life balance and leadership perspectives. A total of 50 peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2025 were analyzed based on research design, antecedent variables, organizational context, theoretical frameworks, and methodological approaches. The findings indicate a significant increase in employee engagement research in recent years, with quantitative cross-sectional designs dominating the literature. Work-life balance and servant leadership emerged as the most frequently examined antecedents of employee engagement, while employee performance remained the primary outcome variable. Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) Theory was identified as the dominant theoretical framework. Based on the findings, this study proposes methodological and contextual recommendations for future employee engagement research.
This study examines the dynamics of tax revenue in Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia, by analyzing the effects of business sector, taxpayer category, and their interactions. Using a mixed-design ANOVA, it analyzes tax revenue from small and medium taxpayers in the Industry, Services, and Agriculture sectors during 2017–2024. The results show significant sectoral differences, with Services and Industry generating substantially higher revenue than Agriculture, reflecting greater formalization, capital intensity, and profit orientation. The taxpayer category effect is nuanced: small and medium taxpayers do not differ significantly in isolation, but after controlling for sectoral composition, small taxpayers contribute significantly less revenue than medium taxpayers, indicating sector-dependent contributions. Interaction effects further reveal that both small and medium taxpayers in Industry and Services outperform their agricultural counterparts, underscoring the amplifying role of sectoral context in revenue generation. Temporal effects are largely insignificant; however, the sharp decline and uneven recovery observed in 2020, associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight the importance of sectoral and taxpayer heterogeneity in fiscal resilience. Overall, the findings support a differentiated, sector-sensitive tax policy that prioritizes medium taxpayers in Services and Industry as core revenue anchors and incorporates sector–taxpayer interactions.
Teff is a major cereal crop extensively cultivated in Gombora Woreda of Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia. Despite its importance, significant disparities in productivity exist among teff-producing farmers, largely due to differences in resource use efficiency. This study aimed to assess the level of economic efficiency in teff production and to identify key sources of inefficiencies among smallholder farmers in the study area. The research was based on primary cross-sectional data collected from 185 randomly selected producers using a two-stage sampling technique. A Stochastic Frontier Model (SFM) was employed to estimate economic efficiency levels and identify influencing factors. The results revealed that the mean economic efficiency of teff producers was 41.9%, indicating that there is potential to enhance output by 58.1% through improved resource allocation and utilization under existing technological conditions. The Stochastic Frontier Production (SFP) function identified several factors that significantly influenced economic inefficiency, including education level, soil fertility, livestock ownership, farm size, off-farm income, extension contact, training, and distance to market. Notably, farm size and distance to the nearest market were found to positively and significantly impact economic inefficiency, suggesting that larger and more remote farms face greater challenges in optimizing resource use. The findings highlight a considerable scope for improving economic efficiency among teff producers through interventions aimed at enhancing both technical and allocative efficiency. Strengthening extension services, improving market access, and promoting farmer training are recommended to boost productivity and ensure sustainable teff production in the study area.
Emerging digital technologies are driving the digital transformation of manufacturing, reshaping global supply chains, and introducing new challenges. Existing research highlights the role of individual technologies, such as additive manufacturing, the Internet of Things, and big data analytics in increasing efficiency and flexibility in global operations. However, only a few studies have examined the collective impact of these technologies on firms' internationalization processes and performance, especially in emerging economies. This study addresses this gap by applying the Uppsala model to explore the links between digital technology adoption, internationalization, and performance. Survey data from 336 Chinese manufacturing firms, analyzed using structural equation modeling, indicate that both technology adoption and internationalization positively affect performance, with internationalization partially mediating this relationship. These findings underscore the importance of aligning digital technology adoption with internationalization strategies to enhance competitiveness, providing valuable insights for managers and policymakers on leveraging digital transformation for global success.
This research investigated the impact of regional trade integration (RTI), regional financial integration (RFI), and multidimensional regional integration (MDRI) on the economic growth of African Union (AU) member countries based on a panel dataset for 2010-2020. The system generalised method of moments (system-GMM) was used. The results revealed that regional trade integration exerted a positive influence, regional financial integration had no significant influence, and multidimensional regional integration had a negative impact on economic growth. Finally, from the evidence of this study, it was observed that the control variables had a stronger impact on trade performance than the regional economic integration variables. The study recommends that if the African Union countries remain committed to advancing regional integration, bolstering regional trade agreements (RTAs) and streamlining cross-border trade for the seamless movement of goods and services, the region can anticipate a tangible elevation in its trade performance.
Managerial ability is a key determinant of firm performance. As an emerging market, the Indonesian capital market presents investors with significant opportunities, though these are accompanied by considerable risks. This study examines the relationship between managerial ability and stock price crash risk, with financial performance as a mediating variable. We utilise a sample of firms listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2013 to 2023, specifically those included in the LQ45 index, comprising a final dataset of 810 firm-year observations. Our findings indicate varied outcomes when considering the characteristics of firms in Indonesia. One important finding is that the total effect of the relationship between managerial ability and stock price crash risk, mediated by financial performance, is more potent in non-family firms than in family firms. These findings provide investors with a deeper understanding of the characteristics of the Indonesian capital market. While the market offers considerable opportunities, it also presents potential risks for investors.
This study examined how innovation capability improves financial performance in fashion small and medium enterprises (SME) in Central Java, Indonesia, with a focus on the mediating role of dynamic relational capability. Although innovation capability has been widely investigated, the interaction with dynamic customer relationships remains understudied. Data were collected through online questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with 308 fashion SME owners/managers, purposively selected based on comprehensive business knowledge. The results showed that, based on PLS-SEM analysis, innovation capability significantly strengthened dynamic relational capability, leading to improvement in networking capapability and financial performance. In conclusion, dynamic relational capability directly improves financial performance and mediates the relationship between innovation capability and financial performance. The results underscore the essence of enhancing dynamic relational capability in fashion SME, providing practical details for owners/managers to build strategies that foster innovation and competitiveness.
Empirical studies often employ financial openness indicators randomly without clear justification. This study re-estimates the association between financial openness and financial development (measured by financial depth, efficiency, and stability) using panel data of 87 countries spanning 1995 to 2019. Six financial openness indicators are considered, including both de facto and two de jure measures. Additional determinants of financial development include economic growth, trade openness, inflation, and institutional quality. Although the six indicators are strongly correlated, but the principal component analysis rejects the construction of a single composite indicator. This study offers that the KOF Globalization Index is a suitable proxy for modelling financial development. For researchers, analysts and policymakers, a systematic evaluation to selecting a financial openness indicator is required for robust analysis of the topic under study. Financial development has growth-promoting effect. contributing to social welfare gains.
