Research background and purpose Artificial intelligence (AI) is being increasingly used in digital commerce. It helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) improve efficiency, enhance customer engagement, and support data-based decisions. However, research on AI adoption in SME e-commerce is still in emerging stage. This study aims to synthesize existing work and identify key applications, drivers, and constraints. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a systematic literature review (SLR) based on the PRISMA framework. Relevant studies were identified, screened, verified, and included from major databases using PRISMA. A total of 92 peer-reviewed articles were selected and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings The findings show that SMEs have yet leveraged very limited capabilities of AI for business operations. Common applications include chatbots, recommendation systems, predictive analytics, and AI-enabled CRM tools. Key contributor to adoption is technological, organizational, and environmental factors. While AI offers benefits such as cost efficiency and improved decision-making, challenges such as limited infrastructure, skill gaps, and governance concerns persist. Value added and limitations The study aims integrating diverse literature and presents in unified format in context of AI adoption in case of SMEs in e-Commerce. Key theories such as TOE, Dynamic Capabilities, Diffusion of Innovation, and Resource Dependency Theory and their interrelation is discussed. Finally, research gap and scope for Future research is presented.
Research background and purpose The study aims to identify existing methods for measuring project management effectiveness and to propose a new set of measures and indicators designed to address identified gaps in current academic and professional practice. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. The review synthesises diverse global approaches across various sectors and contexts to provide a comprehensive overview of how effectiveness is currently evaluated. Findings The findings emphasise a notable absence of integrated analytical methods that concurrently examine organisational, technical, and human-resource factors. To mitigate this, the study proposes a framework of seven indicators, five original and two adapted, focused on organisational capacity, offering a more holistic way to measure. Value added and limitations As this study is based on a systematic literature review, the proposed indicators require further empirical validation in specific industrial contexts. However, the research provides a theoretical foundation for more nuanced, multi-criteria analysis of project management. As this study is based on a systematic literature review, the proposed indicators require further empirical validation in specific industrial contexts. However, the research provides a theoretical foundation for more nuanced, multi-criteria analysis of project management.
Research background and purpose The research aims at exploring the role of green human resource management (GHRM) initiatives on individual and organizational level outcomes; green organizational citizenship behavior (OCBE) and green reputation (GR) within the Pakistani corporate environment. This study explored how constructs such as environmental strategy (ES), green organizational culture (GOC), green transformational leadership (GTFL) and green perceived organizational support (GPOS) were related to GHRM. The research contributed significant evaluation of the adoption of GHRM initiatives to enhance sustainability and foster employees involvement in eco-friendly practices Design/methodology/approach Responses were collected from 210 managers serving across different corporations in Pakistan. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) SmartPLS V4 was employed to examine the data collected. Findings The findings of the study indicated the application of GHRM strategies to have positive association with employee pro-environmental behaviors and a company’s GR. Findings also revealed positive association of GPOS with employee engagement and OCBE with diminished moderating capacity on the association between GHRM and its organizational outcomes Value added and limitations The findings of this research contributed valuable insights into the positive relationship between GHRM, GR and OCBE in the context of Pakistan’s corporate sector utilizing the theoretical lens of AMO (Ability-Motivation-Opportunity). The results from SEM analysis indicated significant statistical ranges among the relationships between the constructs. This research is limited to the corporate sector of Pakistan and does not extend to other sectors within and outside the country, which limits the study’s external validity. Additionally, the study’s limitations suggest that it should be conducted using a longitudinal approach with an increased number of respondents in future research to boost the findings generalizability.
Research background and purpose The aim of this study is to draw upon social learning theory to examine the effect of leader’s grit on creative performance and explore the sequential mediating roles of proactive attitude and employee improvisation between gritty leadership and creative performance of employees in hospitality industry of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach A study sample of 268 employees from hotels of Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, Pakistan was conducted consists of established questionnaires relating to measuring variables gritty leadership, proactive attitude, employee improvisation, and employee creative performance. SPSS-26 was used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The theoretical model was investigated using structural equation modeling (SEM) and hypotheses testing by utilizing SmartPLS4 program. Findings The study result indicates that gritty leadership has significant direct effect on employee creative performance. In addition, the study findings highlight that proactive attitude mediates the relationship between gritty leadership and employee improvisation. Furthermore, the study results depict that employee improvisation significantly mediates the relationship between proactive attitude and creative performance. Finally, proactive attitude and employee improvisation sequentially mediates the relationship between gritty leadership and creative performance. Value added and limitations The research data was collected from single industry, and the culture and background of the industry builds the perceptions of the employees about creativity. By gathering information from a larger and more diverse range of cultural and industry contexts, future study can validate and improve the findings. In theoretical context, the study broadens the leadership importance with the underlying mechanism by assessing the sequential mediating effects of proactive attitude and employee improvisation in the relationship between gritty leadership and employee creative performance. Additionally, the study findings guide the managers in the organization need to adopt various styles of leadership to foster employee proactive attitude and employee improvisation which will help the employees to perform more creatively.
Research background and purpose Today’s VUCA environment-characterized by increasing volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity-is making the limits of both cognitive and analytical capabilities more apparent in organizations’ strategy development processes. The aim of this study is to examine how the strategy development and strategic reasoning capabilities of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools differ across individual VUCA components. Design/methodology/approach The research employs an exploratory design that combines a qualitative scenario method with multi-GenAI-based strategy development and an Artificial Intelligence–Based Evaluation (AI-as-Evaluator) approach. In line with the research objective, four separate scenarios representing each component of VUCA were generated by the generative AI tool called ScholarGPT, and within the context of these scenarios, strategy proposals were developed by the generative AI tools ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, and Claude. The strategies developed were evaluated by multiple generative AI tools, within the framework of the principles of blindness and non–self-scoring, in terms of the criteria of innovativeness and creativity, feasibility, agility and adaptability, risk level, and market alignment. Findings The findings reveal that although generative AI tools exhibit high performance in “agility and adaptability” across all scenarios, the “complexity” component leads to a systematic decline in the “feasibility” scores of the strategies and a marked disruption in evaluator consistency. Value added and limitations The study expands the VUCA literature from an artificial intelligence perspective and offers a conceptual and methodological framework for research on generative AI-supported strategy development.
Research background and purpose The lack of a uniform definition of a start-up, together with the diversity of research scopes and methodologies adopted, creates an unclear image of the phenomenon, limiting the ability to identify the factors, regularities and processes that determine start-ups. The goal of this paper is to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) to analyse, evaluate, and systematise knowledge about research on start-ups and the definitions used therein. The review will not only classify existing findings, but also identify areas for future research that could improve our understanding of how start-ups can thrive and achieve success. Design/methodology/approach This study includes a four-stage procedure covering a systematic literature review of start-up publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) from 2000 to 2025. The main analysis phase involves examining the co-occurrence and total link strength of keywords in 12 620 start-up publications in the fields of business, management, and accounting. Several cluster maps were created using the VOSviewer software. The next step will focus on evaluating the definition of a start-up and analysing the key findings from the most-cited publications. Findings Our study identified six clusters grouping 126 keywords with at least five time of occurrence. We also identified emerging trends from the analysed literature Based on a review of various proposals, we have also identified common features of the start-up definition with use of ‘Mentefacto Conceptual’ model including superordination, exclusions, and infraordinations. This has resulted in the proposal of an original start-up definition. Value added and limitations This article makes an important theoretical contribution by offering a foundation for the reliable assessment of start-up research. It provides entrepreneurs, investors and decision-makers with guidance on understanding the phenomenon, its characteristics and the key findings about the development and survival of start-ups.
Research background and purpose: This studyaims to identifythe direct impact of artificial intelligence applications on human resource management practices and analyze the role of digitaltransformation as a mediating variable in this relationship, specifically focusing on the Saudi Maaden Company. The study contributes to the scientific understanding of howartificial intelligence applications can be integrated into core HR processes to achieve greater efficiency, improve decision-making accuracy, and provide innovative solutions to complex challenges in the modern work environment. Its scientific novelty lies in offering a deep understanding of the mediating role of digital transformation between artificial intelligence applications and human resource management practices, thereby contributing to the development of both theoretical and practical knowledge in this field. Design/methodology/approach: The researcher relied on the descriptive analytical strategy in this study by collecting theoretical material and producing a questionnaire consisting of 43 statements, which was delivered to 160 employees in Saudi Maaden Company. The questionnaires valid for analysis were 127 with a response rate of 79%. The data were examined using the structural equation modelling method (PLS-SEM). Findings: The study concluded that the success of artificial intelligence (AI) implementation is closely linked to the effectiveness of digital transformation processes within an organization. The findings indicated a direct positive impact of artificial intelligence applications on both human resource management practices and digitaltransformation, and a positive impact of digitaltransformation on human resource management practices. Additionally, there was an indirect positive impact of artificial intelligence applications on human resource management practices through digital transformation as an intermediary variable, and this mediation is complete. Value added and limitations: This study contributes to deepening the scientific understanding of the impact of artificial intelligence applications and digital transformation on human resource management practices by highlighting their practical dimensions and their role in supporting organizational performance efficiency, through its application to Saudi Maaden Companyas one of the industrial institutions operating in the mining sector. The results can also be generalized, opening avenues for future research by applying the study to various vital sectors, as well as incorporating additional managerial variables and concepts.
Research background and purpose: The aim of this paper is to examine foreign direct investment (FDI) undertaken by Polish enterprises within the framework of the internationalization process, with particular emphasis on the number of foreign entities as a proxy for the degree of internationalization. The study seeks to identify the relationship between the number of foreign entities and selected firm characteristics, including expenditure on fixed assets, net sales revenue, the value of imports and exports, and the structure of employment. Design/methodology/approach: The research adopts a quantitative and analytical approach to assess the relationships between the number of foreign entities and selected characteristics of Polish enterprises engaged in internationalization. Pearson's correlation coefficient is employed to examine the strength and direction of linear relationships between the analyzed quantitative variables. Findings: The results indicate that the development of key economic indicators-such as expenditure on fixed assets, sales revenue, employment, and trade turnover (imports and exports)-is closely associated with the growth in the number of foreign entities and the investment conditions prevailing in host countries. Polish enterprises increasingly allocate capital to Central and Eastern Europe as well as Western Europe, primarily due to cultural proximity and relatively short geographical distances, which facilitate efficient supply chain management. The findings confirm the growing importance of foreign direct investment in the internationalization process of Polish enterprises. Value added and limitations: This article contributes to the literature on business internationalization by integrating theoretical considerations with an empirical analysis of the relationship between the number of foreign entities of Polish firms and their selected economic characteristics. The study is subject to several limitations, including the use of aggregated data and its focus on linear relationships and selected quantitative indicators, which may not fully capture the complexity of internationalization processes.
Research background and purpose Toy companies are increasingly striving to reach adult consumers and respond to their evolving needs. However, purchasing behaviour of adults in the toy industry, as well as the marketing strategies targeting them, remain insufficiently explored. This paper aims to evaluate the importance of factors influencing their purchase decisions and to examine how toy companies can design marketing communication aimed at adults. The analysis uses LEGO as a case study and is grounded in experiential marketing, with nostalgia considered as one of its elements. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a quantitative approach through an online survey conducted in 2024. The sample included 117 individuals aged 18 and above from Poland, including AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO). The questionnaire explored purchase frequency, motivations, and perceptions of LEGO brand’s adult-oriented marketing communication. The analysis was complemented by a case study of LEGO. Both the questionnaire and the case study were grounded in experiential marketing components. Findings The study achieved its objective by evaluating the importance of factors influencing adults’ purchasing decisions and demonstrating how LEGO brand’s marketing strategy integrates experiential components. The results show that marketing strategy emphasizing experiences is perceived positively and encourage adult customers to purchase LEGO products. The most important drivers are fun, desire to relax, hobby and stimulation of creativity, while nostalgia is less important, however it can foster brand loyalty, particularly among older customers. LEGO brand’s strategy illustrates how nostalgia can function as a complementary element within a broader experiential approach. Value added and limitations This research provides insights into how toy companies can effectively reach adult customers by emphasizing various experiences while integrating nostalgia as a supporting factor. Nevertheless, the study is limited by its focus on a single brand and a small sample restricted to Polish respondents, which may constrain generalizability. Future research should examine multiple toy brands across different cultural contexts and further explore interplay between nostalgia and other experiential factors.
Research background and purpose: Sustainability has become a managerial imperative, yet many enterprises still struggle to translate sustainability intentions into operational routines. Reverse logistics-covering product returns, reuse, recycling, and end-of-life management-offers a practical pathway to improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental impact, but its integration into firm governance and measurement systems remains uneven. This exploratory study examines the level of sustainability institutionalisation in Slovak enterprises and discusses implications for embedding sustainability into reverse logistics. Specifically, it focuses on the presence of formal sustainability strategies, the assignment of responsibility for sustainability, and the incorporation of sustainability metrics into reporting practices. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses data from a computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) survey conducted among enterprises across sectors in the Slovak Republic. The survey captures sustainability governance arrangements (strategy and accountability) and monitoring practices (use of sustainability metrics in reporting) and relates these to managerial intentions in companies regarding future sustainability activities. The analysis descriptive statistics and non-parametric correlation methods to identify patterns in sustainability governance and implementation readiness. Findings: The results indicate a moderate level of sustainability institutionalisation. A formal sustainability strategy is reported by 51% of surveyed companies, while only about one third have appointed a person responsible for sustainability. At the same time, 72 % of respondents expect to intensify sustainability-related activities in the future. Together, these findings suggest a persistent implementation gap: although many firms anticipate stronger sustainability engagement, governance and measurement practices are not yet consistently embedded. Value added and limitations: The paper adds evidence from a Central and Eastern European context and proposes a DMAIC-based implementation framework (Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control) to help companies embed sustainability objectives into reverse logistics routines and measurement practices. Limitations include reliance on self-reported survey data and a single-country setting, which may constrain generalisability; future research could test the proposed framework in other contexts and practice-oriented managerial guidance.
Research background and purpose: This study examines the role of digital transformation and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in enhancing supply chain resilience. It focuses on how these two factors interact to strengthen firms' ability to cope with disruptions and maintain operational continuity. Design / methodology / approach: Data was collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 120 professionals working in manufacturing, logistics, and retail supply chains. A quantitative approach was adopted to examine the proposed relationships between CSR, digital transformation, and supply chain resilience. The data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares approach (PLS-SEM) to assess both measurement and structural models, and bootstrapping techniques were applied to test the significance of the hypothesized relationships. Findings: The findings provide valuable insights into the role of digital transformation and CSR in enhancing supply chain resilience. They highlight that both digital capabilities and responsible practices significantly contribute to resilience outcomes. Moreover, the results show that CSR strengthens the impact of digital transformation, offering practical guidance for managers seeking to build more resilient and sustainable supply chains. Value added and limitations: This study provides valuable insights for managers by highlighting how the alignment between digital transformation and CSR initiatives can enhance supply chain resilience and sustainability. However, several limitations should be acknowledged. First, the focus on a limited sample and specific sectors may restrict the generalizability of the findings. Second, the cross-sectional design prevents establishing causal relationships and capturing the evolution of the CSR-DT-SCR dynamics over time. Finally, the use of self-reported data may introduce potential bias. Future research could address these limitations by adopting longitudinal designs, expanding the sample across different contexts, and incorporating objective and multi-source data.
Research background and purpose Leadership in risk management can influence the way individuals think about risk, the decisions they make and the skills and methods they use to identify, understand and manage risk. The purpose of this text is to demonstrate the importance of leadership in risk management and to perform a scoping literature review allowing the identification of the main research themes in this area. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology was based on a qualitative-quantitative approach. It was adapted to the rigour of scoping review studies. The study followed the recommendations of PRISMA-ScR. Elements of bibliometric analysis, keyword analysis and visual analysis were also used. Texts indexed in the EBSCO and Scopus databases were included in the review. Findings The scoping review carried out allowed the identification and categorisation of academic texts on leadership in risk management. A total of 887 texts were identified in the databases, of which 84 met the inclusion criteria and were qualified for further analysis. The identified texts were divided under seven categories. The search returned 190 keywords, of which 35 met the inclusion criteria. Value added and limitations The study fills a research gap regarding the lack of review studies integrating texts dedicated to relationships between leadership and risk management. The study shows theoretical and cognitive, as well as applicative implications for management practitioners related to the awareness of the strong correlation between leadership styles and attitudes towards risk. One of the limitations is the fact that only two databases were taken into consideration in the search for relevant scientific publications.
Research background and purpose: The halal industry is expanding rapidly, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) playing a central role in supporting Shariah-compliant economic development. As halal SMEs grow and compete in dynamic markets, innovation that reflects Islamic values becomes increasingly important. Intellectual capital is expected to shape how these firms develop innovation while remaining aligned with Shariah principles. This study examines how four components of intellectual capital (human, structural, relational, and spiritual capital) influence Islamic value-based innovation among halal industry SMEs in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 207 SMEs operating within halal industry value chains in Indonesia. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the relationships between intellectual capital components and Islamic innovation. In addition, a measurement instrument for Shariah-aligned innovation was developed and validated. To strengthen the credibility of the findings, robustness checks were conducted by re-estimating the model without the dominant construct, and additional multi-group analyses were performed to assess the stability of relationships across different stages of business age. Findings: The findings show that structural, relational, and spiritual capital positively and significantly influence Islamic value-based innovation, while human capital, although positive, is not statistically significant in the full model. Spiritual capital emerges as the strongest driver, emphasizing the importance of ethical awareness and religious commitment. Robustness analyses indicate that these relationships remain stable across alternative model specifications and business age groups. Value added and limitations: This study provides several contributions to the literature on Islamic innovation by focusing on Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country and an emerging hub for halal industry development. Intellectual capital, especially spiritual capital, supports Shariah-compliant innovation and strengthens the foundations of a resilient halal economy. The study also contributes a validated measurement tool for Islamic innovation that can be used in future research. However, the sample was limited to halal SMEs within selected regency, which may not fully represent the diversity of the broader halal SME population across Indonesia. Future studies could extend this research across different national contexts or adopt longitudinal designs to capture the dynamic evolution of Islamic value-based innovation.
Research background and purpose The ongoing integration of global production networks and the rising significance of intangible assets are fundamentally transforming the competitive landscape and organizational structures of European firms. These changes have heightened concerns about workforce polarization, especially the shrinking opportunities for low-skilled labor, as firms increasingly focus on knowledge, innovation, and participation in global value chains. The literature emphasizes the dual role of intangible assets and offshoring in driving both strategic change and growing employment inequality among different skill groups. This study examines how the internationalization of production and investments in intangible assets affect employment distribution among high-, medium-, and low-skilled workers in enterprises across CEE-11 and EU-15 countries. Design/methodology/approach Employment share equations for low-, medium-, and high-skilled labor are estimated using Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) techniques, with model specification derived from the translog cost function. Using a balanced panel dataset for CEE-11 and EU-15 countries, this method allows for the identification of group-specific effects of offshoring and detailed intangible asset investment on skill-specific employment structures. Findings The results show that offshoring consistently increases the share of high-skilled labor in both regions, but its displacement effects vary: in CEE-11 countries, offshoring significantly reduces low-skilled employment, while in EU-15 countries, it mainly displaces medium-skilled workers. Intangible capital further speeds up workforce polarization by disadvantaging low-skilled workers and benefiting those with higher skills. These patterns highlight the need for reskilling initiatives and flexible talent management to stay competitive in a changing labor market. Value added and limitations These findings highlight the importance of reskilling initiatives and flexible talent management for maintaining competitiveness in a changing labor market. The analysis is limited by using aggregate country group data and available indicators for skills and intangible assets. Future research should address these limitations by investigating sector- and occupation-specific effects and further distinguishing between types of offshoring to gain deeper insights into labor market transformation.
Research background and purpose In contemporary conditions, driven by increasing business internationalization and the globalization of the world economy, managers at various organizational levels are required to conduct comprehensive analyses of the relationships among different groups of factors influencing the investment attractiveness of individual countries. The purpose of this article is to propose an analytical tool in the form of the multi-criteria Three-Field Plot method to support the selection of foreign markets as potential locations for foreign direct investment. Design/methodology/approach The study applies the Three-Field Plot method to visualize and analyze complex interrelationships among multiple criteria affecting investment attractiveness. The empirical analysis focuses on selected Central and Eastern European countries. Findings The application of the Three-Field Plot enables the identification of key determinants and their interdependencies that shape the investment attractiveness of foreign markets, providing a clearer and more structured basis for comparative assessment. Value added and limitations The proposed approach adds value by offering an intuitive and integrated visual tool for strategic investment analysis that enhances managerial decision-making. A potential limitation is that the method depends on the selection and availability of relevant indicators, which may influence the results.
Research and publications on academic staff participation in the university management remain limited, despite the recognized benefits of employee involvement in decision-making processes, particularly when employees are specialists (knowledge workers), as is the case with academics. The aim of the study is to identify the issues related to the participation of academic staff in the university management are examined and presented in the literature, and to determine whether they concern the key areas of university activity: student education, the development of science, and the formation of relations with the external environment. First, the paper explains the essence of employee participation in organizational management, its types, forms, and distinguishing features, as well as the benefits it brings to both organizations and employees. The possible manifestations of such participation in a university context are then discussed. Next, a rapid literature review of the Scopus and Web of Science databases, combined with an analysis of selected publications, was used as the research method. On this basis, key issues concerning academic staff participation in the university management addressed in the scientific literature were identified. Published research findings focus primarily on the benefits for the university, such as knowledge sharing, improved institutional performance, and the engagement of academic staff in its development and improvement through increased satisfaction with participation. This satisfaction is shaped by ethical leadership, support for employees’ professional development, encouragement to participate from supervisors, as well as human resource management strategies and tools. Key areas of academic staff participation in the university management were identified, together with research gaps and directions for future studies. It is recommended that universities authorities consider increasing academics’ direct participation in the university management, as knowledge workers can contribute their expertise and external relations to institutional development and adaptation to the modern economy. The main limitation of this study is its reliance on a rapid literature review and limited access to some full-text articles.
Research background and purpose: The current study aims to investigate whether employees' perceived impact on their work environment triggers voice quality and influences their adaptive performance. We ground this conceptualization in the reasoning of social exchange theory. This study also examines the underlying mechanism between silence and adaptive performance through the mediating role of self-regulation depletion. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 301 participants was collected from the higher education sector of Pakistan to test the hypothesized relationships. We employed SPSS 26 for preliminary analyses. The model was tested using PLS-SEM in SmartPLS 4.0 to examine the study hypotheses. Findings: Our findings indicated a direct relationship between perceived impact on the environment and adaptive performance, as well as between employee silence and adaptive performance. Interestingly, the effect of perceived impact on adaptive performance via voice quality was positive and significant. The effect of employee silence on adaptive performance via self-regulation depletion was significant but negative, contrary to expectations. Contribution and limitations: The current study makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on voice quality and silence by offering a fresh perspective on the underlying mechanisms that link perceived impact on the environment and employee silence to adaptive performance, particularly within the rapidly changing environment of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan. Finally, the research implications and future research directions are discussed
Research background and purpose This study examines the effects of competitive intelligence (CI) and knowledge management (KM) on international market selection and export performance in the Turkish furniture sector. Using data collected from 464 exporting firms, the research investigates how CI and KM influence firms’ ability to identify appropriate foreign markets and achieve higher export performance. The findings highlight the mediating role of international market selection and emphasize the strategic importance of information-based capabilities in competitive international environments. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was employed to analyze the relationships among CI, KM, international market selection, and export performance. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire administered to firms listed among Türkiye’s top 1,000 exporters. Validated scales were used, and the analyses were conducted with SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 25. Confirmatory factor analysis assessed construct validity, while structural equation modeling tested direct and mediating effects. Reliability indicators, AVE values, and model fit indices confirmed the robustness of the measurement and structural models. Findings The results show that CI and KM significantly and positively influence both international market selection and export performance. International market selection also mediates these relationships. Strong SEM fit indices support the proposed theoretical framework. Overall, the findings indicate that firms utilizing intelligence-based insights and effective knowledge management processes are better positioned to select suitable foreign markets and enhance their export performance. Value added and limitations This study contributes by integrating CI and KM into a unified framework explaining export performance, demonstrating how these capabilities jointly improve market interpretation, reduce uncertainty, and support strategic international decisions. The research also highlights the practical importance of data-driven decision-making, organizational learning, and advanced analytical technologies such as AI and data mining in strengthening firms’ long-term competitiveness. However, the study is limited to Turkish furniture exporters and relies on cross-sectional, self-reported data, which may affect generalizability. Future research should explore additional sectors, incorporate longitudinal designs, include objective performance indicators, and examine moderating variables such as firm size or international experience to deepen understanding of sustainable international competitiveness.
Research background and purpose: This article aims to explore the motivations and barriers to citizen participation in the field of urban branding by studying the key variables for success in engaging residents and developing an operational model that integrates emerging technologies to facilitate and measure the sustainable involvement of residents in the urban branding process, while taking into account potential conflicts of interest between different stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach: The authors first conducted a comparative study of various urban branding initiatives. They then conducted a qualitative study among residents of regions that were implementing urban branding projects. Findings: The analysis of various urban branding initiatives led to the creation of a catalogue of best practices to inspire other cities, as well as the identification of key pillars for a national urban branding strategy. The findings of this study on motivations and barriers to civic engagement can help urban managers design more effective engagement programmes and implement more relevant action plans for cooperative urban branding strategies. In addition, this study will enable managers to optimise the use of resources by identifying the key success factors of urban branding strategies. The analysis of the different approaches to urban branding presented here may encourage policymakers to explore new models of collaboration between the public and private sectors by developing public-private partnerships. Value added and limitations: The authors explored the motivations and obstacles to citizen participation in urban branding by examining the key variables that contribute to successful engagement of residents. The study allowed us to explore the diversity and richness of urban branding initiatives in Tunisia, a rapidly changing landscape. The authors used a study of residents/ citizens, but including other stakeholders could provide more relevant results.
Purpose: To develop and empirically validate a conceptual framework for extrinsic rewards to map employees' expectations, enabling employers to understand reward preferences and design effective extrinsic rewards. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts a two-phase approach. Phase 1: Framework development based on expectation-disconfirmation theory, integrating six extrinsic reward types with flexibility as a moderator. Content validity was established through an expert panel (N=6; S-CVI=0.976). The empirical validation used cross-sectional survey data from 294 employees in the UAE and Bahrain, analyzed via PLS-SEM. Findings: The framework showed robust psychometric properties: convergent validity (all loadings >0.77, AVE >0.65, and Cronbach's >0.84), discriminant validity (HTMT <0.85), and strong predictive power (R-2=0.629, Q(2)=0.476). Originality/value: This is the first empirically validated framework that directly evaluates a priori expectations rather than post-hoc satisfaction, closing a critical gap in rewards management. The designed questionnaire serves as a standardized tool adaptable to diverse organizational contexts for researchers and practitioners.
