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Criticality cognitions regarding the same workplace event often differ between leaders and employees. Nevertheless, its consequences on employee work outcomes remain unknown. In this study, we draw on cognitive dissonance theory to examine how and why leader–employee differences in cognitions of workplace event criticality impact employee job-related outcomes.

Wu used multilevel polynomial regression analyses from a time-lagged, multi-source field study with 145 leader–employee dyads to test our proposed model.

Leader–employee differences in cognitions of workplace event criticality can bring both benefits and perils to employees. Specifically, such differences can cause employee rumination, which in turn leads to an increase in both employee voice and fatigue.

This study contributes to the event and cognitive discrepancy literature in four ways. First, prior event studies largely adopted a singular employee perspective for investigation (e.g. Chen et al., 2021; Lin et al., 2021). By examining the impacts of event criticality from the dual perspective of leaders and employees, we attain a more comprehensive understanding of the implications of workplace events in organizational life. Second, extant studies have predominantly focused on the dark side of cognitive discrepancy (e.g. Bashshur et al., 2011; Erdogan et al., 2004; Grandey et al., 2013). Our study reveals that leader–employee differences in criticality cognitions can have both a bright and a dark side on employee outcomes, offering a more balanced and dialectical view of the consequences of cognitive discrepancy. Third, drawing on cognitive dissonance theory, we introduce employee rumination as an underlying mechanism to explain the impacts of leader–employee differences in criticality cognitions on employee voice and fatigue. Finally, while prior cognitive dissonance research has primarily employed an intrapersonal perspective (e.g. Sivanathan et al., 2008; Pugh et al., 2011; Grandey et al., 2013), our study adopts an interpersonal lens and underscores that interpersonal differences in cognitions can also serve as an example of cognitive discrepancy to instigate internal dissonance processes. By doing so, we enrich our understanding of cognitive dissonance theory.

Drawing on experiential learning theory, this study seeks to understand how the perceived cultural difference in a foreign country and learning flexibility, which enables more integrated experiential learning from international experience, influence expatriates’ cultural intelligence (CQ) and consequently their adjustment and job performance.

Survey data were collected from 169 expatriates in China. Polynomial regression analyses were employed to test curvilinear relationships between cultural difference and CQ and between learning flexibility and CQ. Mediation hypotheses were tested either by the MEDCURVE procedure if a curvilinear relationship was confirmed or by the Haye’s Process procedure if a curvilinear relationship was not confirmed and instead a linear relationship was confirmed.

The results demonstrated a positive relationship between cultural difference and CQ and an inverted U-shape relationship between learning flexibility and CQ. CQ mediated the relationship between cultural difference and expatriate adjustment and partially mediated the relationship between learning flexibility and expatriate adjustment. CQ positively influenced expatriates’ job performance via expatriate adjustment.

Our findings suggest that companies should not hesitate to send expatriates on assignments to culturally very different countries and focus more attention on the selection of expatriates. The findings of this study suggest firms should choose candidates who are moderate or high in learning flexibility and could engage in integrated learning and specialized learning in a more balanced manner.

This research is the first study that examines the influence of learning flexibility on CQ and expatriate effectiveness. It examines cultural difference through the lens of experiential learning theory and argues that cultural difference constitutes “stimuli” in the experiential learning environment for individual learning in an international context. The results advance our knowledge of the role of experiential learning in developing capable global managers.

Social engineering is crucial in today’s digital landscape. As technology advances, malicious individuals exploit human judgment and trust. This study explores how age, education and occupation affect individuals’ awareness, skills and perceptions of social engineering.

A quantitative research approach was used to survey a diverse demographic of Egyptian society. The survey was conducted in February 2023, and the participants were sourced from various Egyptian social media pages covering different topics. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent samples t-test and ANOVA, to compare awareness and skills across different groups.

The study revealed that younger individuals and those with higher education tend to research social engineering more frequently. Males display a higher level of awareness but score lower in terms of social and psychological consequences as well as types of attacks when compared to females. The type of attack cannot be predicted based on age. Higher education is linked to greater awareness and ability to defend against attacks. Different occupations have varying levels of awareness, skills, and psychosocial consequences. The study emphasizes the importance of increasing awareness, education and implementing cybersecurity measures.

This study’s originality lies in its focus on diverse Egyptian demographics, innovative recruitment via social media, comprehensive exploration of variables, statistical rigor, practical insights for cybersecurity education and diversity in educational and occupational backgrounds.

Financial inclusion and digital finance go side by side and help enhance agricultural activities; however, the magnitude of digital financial services varies across countries. In line with this argument, this study aims to examine whether financial inclusion enhances agricultural participation and decompose the significance of the difference in determinants of agricultural participation between financially included – not financially included households and digital finance – no digital finance households.

This study uses Pakistan’s household integrated economic survey 2018/19 to test hypotheses. The logit model is used to examine the effect of financial inclusion on agriculture participation. Moreover, this study employs a nonlinear Fairlie Oaxaca Blinder technique to investigate the difference in determinants of agricultural participation.

This study reports that financial inclusion positively influences agricultural participation, meaning households may have access to financial services and participate in agricultural activities. The results suggest that the likelihood of participating in agriculture in households with mobiles and smartphones is higher. Moreover, household size, income, age, gender, education, urban, remittances from abroad, fertilizer, pesticides, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables are the significant determinants of agricultural participation. To distinguish the financially included – not financially included households’ gap, this study employs a nonlinear Fairlie Oaxaca Blinder decomposition and finds that differences in fertilizer explain the substantial gap in agricultural participation. Likewise, this study tests the digital finance – no digital finance gap and finds that the difference in fertilizer is a significant contributor, describing a considerable gap in agricultural participation.

Empirically identified that various factors cause agricultural participation including financial inclusion and digital finance. Regarding the research limitation, this study only considers a developing country to analyze the findings. However, for future research, scholars may consider some other countries to compare the results and identify their differences.

The accessibility of fertilizer can reduce the agricultural participation gap. However, increased income level, education and cotton and sugar production can also overcome the differences in agriculture participation between digital finance and no digital finance households.

This is the first study to decompose the difference in determinants of agricultural participation between financially and not financially included households.

Poor mental health in men and women is attributable to disparities in physical traits, social roles, power and health-seeking behaviours. This study aims to examine the gender differences in mental health among Pakistan and German university students and focuses on their right to seek mental health care.

Data on depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, as well as positive mental health (PMH), resilience, social support and life satisfaction, were gathered from Pakistani and German students.

In contrast to the Pakistani group, where no such gender differences were seen, women in Germany reported higher degrees of stress, anxiety and depression, as well as a lower level of overall good mental health. In comparison to German men and women, Pakistani women scored equally high on resilience. While gender had no bearing on life happiness in either Pakistan or Germany, women in both countries perceived more social support than men did.

The study’s strengths include its large sample size and battery of mental health measures. The results of partial weak measurement Invariance (MI) on the stress subscale underlined the importance of using MI in cross-cultural studies. The validity of a direct comparisons on sum score between different language versions or country samples shall be cautious. Still, there are limitations. Firstly, the authors did not differentiate gender and biological sex, and there was no group of non-binary gender. Pakistani (N = 1,840) and German (N = 7,890) students were in unequal numbers. Again, only university students were sampled, so the results cannot be generalised to older (probably less educated) populations. Self-reported data that mainly obtained via online survey were the third limitation. This design is cost-effective and easy to administer for cross-cultural survey research. However, social desirability and memory bias are common in self-report inventories. Fourthly, although English is an official language in Pakistan and the medium of instruction in education, the authors recommend future study to use questionnaires that have been translated and validated into Urdu (Pakistan’s national language) and investigate gender differences in a general population. Fifthly, this is a cross-sectional survey; the authors were not able to explore the causality or risk factors that contribute to the poor mental well-being in Pakistan students in general or the relatively worse mental health in German women. Future studies may investigate the mechanism behind the phenomena observed in this study with longitudinal or experimental design. Last but not least, Germany and Pakistan differ in so many different aspects from culture, religions and history to social structure and economic status, which make it hard to claim whether the observed differences were due to national differences, cultural differences, economic differences, gender inequality differences or other effects. It would be helpful for future studies to include more country samples with clear definitions of different “culture” aspects for a better understanding of gender differences in other countries and in different mental well-being constructs.

The current study is the first attempt to compare the gender difference patterns in positive and negative mental health between European and South Asian counties and focuses on gender-specific approaches. Although Pakistani university students reported in general worse mental well-being, the differences between the two genders in mental health (e.g. depression, anxiety, general PMH) were not as pronounced as in the German student sample. Gender comparisons in these mental health constructs would help to improve protective factors against mental illness and to develop appropriate management programmes based on cultural differences. The results suggest that the gender differences found in western countries cannot always be directly translated into the South Asian cultural framework. Our results also highlight the importance of improving the general situation of Pakistan (students) instead of focusing on one gender. At the same time, in Germany, prevention and intervention plans are more warranted for women. It could be that once the general situation in Pakistan is improved, the gender-related differences in mental health will be clearly observed.

These findings imply the significance of cultural context when inferring gender variations in mental health. Moreover, it supports the advancement of comprehensive policies to reduce gender-related mental health inequalities and focuses on the equal rights of men and women to get mental health care.

The purpose of this study was to investigate forgiveness and mental well-being amongst Forgiveness and mental well-being were investigated amongst British European and Nigerian African samples to compare and determine the similarities and differences in dispositional forgiveness levels between the two populations conducted in terms of their general samples, gender and age and the difference in mental well-being scores between the two samples. Finally, the relationship between forgiveness and mental well-being in both groups was examined.

The Bolton Forgiveness Scale and the Short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale were administered to the participants (Nigerian n = 1,164, British n = 855). SPSS was used to analyse data; a series of t-test was conducted; and Eta-squared and Z-value were calculated to determine the magnitude of each significant difference among variables and the magnitude of the difference in the correlation coefficient among variables, respectively.

Statistically significant results suggested significant differences in the way and manner dispositional forgiveness is conceptualised and practised within one group relative to the other, whereas non-significant results indicated similarities in forgiveness opinions and practises between the two groups. Overall British sample, men and those aged 36–55 reported higher levels of forgiveness than their Nigerian counterparts. However, Nigerians under the age of 35 reported higher levels of forgiveness than their British counterparts, and there was no statistically significant difference between the forgiveness levels of British and Nigerian women. Furthermore, the British total sample, men and women, all had higher well-being scores than their Nigerian counterparts.

Forgiveness varies according to culture. The findings of this study suggest that the individualistic/collectivistic cultural arguments long held by some authors may not adequately explain the differences and similarities in forgiveness conceptualization and practise across cultures. As a result, research may focus on a variety of factors such as educational background, income, socioeconomic level and religion, among others. Second, consistent with previous studies, this research suggests that forgiveness is positively related to mental health and well-being. Finally, one of the limitations of this study is its exclusive focus on two countries, namely, the UK and Nigeria. Future research could include more countries with both individualistic and collectivistic societies.

This paper, which is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first to examine forgiveness and mental well-being in a comparative perspective between British European and Nigerian African samples, has made a unique contribution to the forgiveness and mental well-being literature and in particular, has provided a solid foundation and resources for future research of a similar nature in Africa, where little or no research had been conducted previously.

The purpose of this study was to understand knowledge-sharing behavior of nonacademic staff. In relation to the theory of reasoned action (TRA), the study investigated demographic characteristic differences in attitude, subjective norms, behavioral intention and knowledge-sharing behavior of nonacademic staff from India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The study used a survey method and questionnaire instrument to collect data from 467 participants. The participants were nonacademic staff working for two academic universities in India and the UAE. The two universities were Pondicherry University (266 respondents) and Al Ain University (201 respondents). The collected data were treated and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software for statistical analyses and frequency distributions.

The findings of the study showed that nonacademic staff from India and the UAE have a positive attitude toward knowledge-sharing, subjective norms and positive behavioral intention and are frequently involved in knowledge-sharing behavior. In addition, the study’s findings indicated statistically significant demographic differences in attitude, subjective norms and behavior intense knowledge-sharing behavior of nonacademic staff from India and the UAE. Nonacademic participants from India expressed a higher positive attitude toward knowledge-sharing and demonstrated more involvement in knowledge-sharing behavior than the respondents from the UAE. The findings of the study accepted 8 out of 20 stated hypotheses. The accepted hypotheses support the TRA theory and suggest the impact of age, job position, tenure of work and geographical diversity on attitude, subjective norms, behavioral intention and knowledge-sharing behavior. The study’s results suggested that nonacademic staff of 50 and above age groups are more likely to share knowledge than the nonacademic staff of 49 and fewer age groups. Likewise, the findings of the study suggested that nonacademic staff with a long tenure of work experience are more likely to share their knowledge with their coworkers than those with a short tenure of work experience.

Studies targeting knowledge sharing among nonacademic staff are scarce as compared to academic staff and students. Nonacademic staff are different from students and academic staff in attitudes and behavior. This study contributes to the expansion of knowledge sharing through the investigation of knowledge-sharing behavior of nonacademic staff. Moreover, the study expands the understanding of knowledge-sharing behavior through the use of demographic characteristics in relation to the TRA theory. In addition, most of the previous studies are based on data collected from one country, and this study is based on data collected from two countries.

The study’s objective was to ascertain the connection between secondary school students' test anxiety, academic self-concept, motivation and academic performance in mathematics. The difference between the academic performances of male and female secondary school students who exhibit high and low test anxiety, academic self-concept and motivation levels in mathematics.

Four hypotheses and four research questions were adopted. The design is a correlation. 42,299 mathematics students in senior school year two (SS2) made up the research population. A sample of 1,650 students was selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. The main instruments used were the Mathematics Test Anxiety Questionnaire (MTAQ), Academic Self-Concept Questionnaire (ASQ) and Academic Motivation Questionnaire (AMQ) and students’ math scores. These instruments were validated by three experts and the reliability coefficients of 0.69, 0.68 and 0.68 were obtained for MTAQ, ASQ and AMQ, respectively, using Cronbach alpha. Pearson product moment correlation was used to analyze the data.

The study’s results showed a correlation between secondary school students' academic performance in mathematics and test anxiety, academic self-concept and motivation. There was a significant difference between secondary school male and female students' test anxiety; there was a significant difference between secondary school male and female students' self-concept and academic performance in mathematics, and there was a significant difference between secondary school male and female students' motivation and academic performance in mathematics.

The major contribution of this study is to investigate the connection between test anxiety, academic self-concept motivation and students’ mathematics performance. There is a difference between psychological variables, gender and mathematics performance.

This study was done to compare the modes of teaching mathematics in higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The three teaching methods were used as follow: before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The three teaching methods are: (1). Normal on-campus face-to-face teaching and learning activity before the COVID-19 pandemic. (2). Full online teaching and learning activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. (3). Blended teaching and learning activity after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the last few years, there has been a considerable amount of literature investigating the efficacy of the various delivery modes: on-campus delivery (face-to-face), online delivery and blended learning (hybrid), in helping college students improve their mathematical skills. However, the extent to which one learner learns best has been hotly debated among the researchers. Therefore, this study aims to compare the efficacy of implementing three teaching and learning delivery modes before, while, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: on-campus delivery (face-to-face), online delivery and blended learning (hybrid) on academic achievement in mathematics at a higher education institution in the UAE. The main research question explores whether there is a statistically significant difference (p = 0.05) in students’ academic based on the delivery methods: on-campus face-to-face, online and blended learning. The participants in the study were students from one of the largest higher education institutions in the UAE, and all of them studied the same mathematics course before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Student scores in the three academic semesters were thoroughly compared and analyzed using the ANOVA test to check if there is a significant difference between the three groups followed by a Tukey test to identify the significant difference in favor of which group. The results showed that there were significant differences in the mean scores in the students’ achievement in the mathematics courses favoring the blended learning delivery mode. The findings also show that the students’ achievement in mathematics using the on-campus face-to-face teaching and learning was better than the students’ achievement in mathematics using online teaching and learning delivery modes.

The main study question was: is there a statistical significant difference at the significance level (a = 0.05) in students’ achievements in mathematics courses at higher education in the UAE, which can be attributed to the method of teaching? The descriptive statistics reveal that the average student’s score in the final exam after the COVID-19 pandemic is 65.7 with a standard deviation of 16.65, which are higher than the average student’s score in the final exam before the COVID-19 pandemic of 58.7 with a standard deviation 20.53, and both are higher than the average students’ score in the final exam during the COVID-19 pandemic 51.8 with standard deviation 21.48. Then, the ANOVA test reveals that there is a statistically significant difference between the three groups in the final exam marks. The researchers used the multiple comparison tests (Tukey test) to determine the difference. The Tukey test reveals that there is a statically significant difference between the average students’ score in the final exam after the COVID-19 pandemic and the average students’ score in the final exam during the COVID-19 pandemic, where p = 0.015 < 0.05 as well as there is a statically significant difference between the average students’ score in the final exam after the COVID-19 pandemic and the average students’ score in the final exam before the COVID-19 pandemic, where p = 0.000 < 0.05 in favor of the average students’ score in the final exam after the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, there is a statically significant difference between the average students’ score in the final exam before the COVID-19 pandemic and the average students’ score in the final exam during the COVID-19 pandemic, where p = 0.016 < 0.05 in favor of the average students’ score in the final exam before the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are several limitations that may reduce the possibility of generalizing the expected results of the current study to students outside the study population: (1) The study is limited to students of a federally funded postsecondary education institution in the UAE, in which most students are studying in their non-native language. (2) The study is limited to the mathematics courses. (3) The achievement test used in the study is a standardized test developed by the college as a cross-campus summative assessment.

The hybrid education model, also known as blended learning, combines traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning components. When applied to teaching mathematics in higher education, this approach can have several implications and benefits. Here are some key points supported by references: (1) Enhanced Accessibility and Flexibility: hybrid models offer flexibility in learning, allowing students to access course materials, lectures and resources online. This flexibility can accommodate diverse learning styles and preferences. A study by Means et al. (2013) in “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning” highlights how blended learning can improve accessibility and engagement for students in higher education. (2) Personalized Learning Experience: by incorporating online resources, instructors can create a more personalized learning experience. Adaptive learning platforms and online quizzes can provide tailored feedback and adaptive content based on individual student needs (Freeman et al., 2017). This individualization can improve student performance and understanding of mathematical concepts. (3) Increased Student Engagement: the integration of online components, such as interactive simulations, videos and discussion forums, can enhance student engagement and participation (Bonk and Graham, 2012). Engaged students tend to have better learning outcomes in mathematics. (4) Improved Assessment and Feedback Mechanisms: hybrid models allow for the implementation of various assessment tools, including online quizzes, instant feedback mechanisms and data analytics, which can aid instructors in monitoring students’ progress more effectively (Means et al., 2013). This timely feedback loop can help students identify areas needing improvement and reinforce their understanding of mathematical concepts. (5) Cost-Effectiveness and Resource Optimization: integrating online materials can potentially reduce overall instructional costs by optimizing resources and enabling efficient use of classroom time (Graham, 2013). (6) Challenges and Considerations: despite the benefits, challenges such as technological barriers, designing effective online materials and ensuring equitable access for all students need to be addressed (Garrison and Vaughan, 2014). It requires thoughtful course design and continuous support for both students and instructors. When implementing a hybrid education model in teaching mathematics, instructors should consider pedagogical strategies, technological infrastructure and ongoing support mechanisms for students and faculty.

The research is the first research in the UAE to discuss the difference in teaching mathematics in higher education before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the context of sustainable development goal 5 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda: “Achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment”, where gender equality is not only a matter of justice but also essential to achieve sustainable development, this paper aims to examine the gender pay gap in executive director compensation and the influence of female board representation and participation in nomination and remuneration committee (NRC) on this gap in Spanish listed firms over the period 2012–2022.

The analysis is conducted using a data set created by the authors, which includes executive director compensation data for 164 unique firms. This data set comprises 128 distinct observations for a given firm and year for women, and 2,333 observations for men. The authors estimate ordinary least squares models, clustering standard errors by executive. The authors use Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition to decompose gender differences in compensation into differences in the characteristics of men and women and differences in the return on the same characteristics.

The authors find evidence of pay penalty for female executive directors compared to male counterparts. After controlling for firm, board and executive characteristics, the authors find that women earn 27% less than comparable men. The penalty is lower in companies with a higher share of women on the compensation committee, suggesting that women’s participation plays a role in setting a more equal remuneration policy. The gender gap in executive compensation narrows over time due to a substantial reduction of the differences between men and women in both characteristics and the return on these characteristics.

This study is one of the few analysing the gender gap in executive director compensation and its evolution in Spain. It specifically explores how gender diversity on both the board and the NRC impacts this gap. The analysis is focused on the most recent period characterized by important efforts to promote gender diversity.