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This paper aims to develop a scale to measure climate strategy proactivity (CSP) displayed by corporate in developing countries to attain competitive advantage (CA) and sustain it through sources of sustained competitive advantage (SOSCA). It attempts to derive sound operational definitions of CSP, CA and SOSCA through horizontal analysis of previous studies and discussions with experts and practitioners to construct a measurement scale.

Research design includes broad stages, namely, item generation, scale development and assessment of psychometric properties of the scale starting with review of literature and discussions with experts and practitioners, which were followed by a pilot and full study carried out through a cross-sectional, self-administered online survey questionnaire and assessment using suitable tools and techniques.

Findings of the study comprise development of sound operational definitions and construction of a valid and reliable measurement scale of CSP displayed by corporate to attain CA with strong psychometric properties, which is expected to be useful in developing countries not only for researchers and academics but also for the practitioners and organizations.

The information was self-reported by respondents through climate strategy proactivity questionnaire (CSPQ) and consequently can be at risk to have been influenced by bias. Nonetheless, this CSPQ scale devoid of conceptual problems can be used in developing countries in future empirical studies with the caution that its reliability and validity require further tests.

Using the CSPQ scale will help managers in developing countries in enhancing their awareness with the provision of these conceptually clear comprehensive operational definitions of CSP, CA and SOSCA with respect to the conceptual nature and the latent expressions, and draw an extensively enhanced scope of climate-conscious strategy to bring about CA.

With the data collected from a sample representing different stakeholders of Indian companies from across the country, CSPQ scale possesses significant robustness and implicative potential which can contribute to the evolution of the strategic management field by providing a valid and reliable measure of CSP in developing countries applicable under any major theoretical perspective in strategic management serving the needs of not only the empirical research but also of the management practices intended to attain CA.

This study was conducted with the objective of conducting a primary validation of a newly developed climate strategy proactivity questionnaire (CSPQ) scale for evaluating the relationship of climate strategy proactivity displayed by Indian companies with competitive advantage which it intends to attain and sustain through sources of sustained competitive advantage.

Research design includes an exploratory factor analysis, conducted with a diverse sample of stakeholders of Indian companies, resulting into four internally consistent factors. This was followed by a confirmatory factor analysis with strong model fit estimates which confirmed the initial factor structure and resulted into a new final CSPQ scale. The scale without substituting any existing scale facilitated testing of all but criterion validity.

Findings mainly comprise the primary validation of the CSPQ scale as psychometrically strong confirming acceptability of all major fit indices.

CSPQ scale designed in the context of Indian companies is expected to make corporations and managers more aware in developing countries to help them draw an extensively enhanced scope of proactive climate strategy while making efforts to attain and sustain competitive advantage. However, the self-reported information collected through a common survey questionnaire might be affected by self-bias. Further, cross-sectional data to validate a new non-substituting scale prevented the researcher from conducting criterion validity test.

Basing the development and validation of the CSPQ scale on the data collected from diverse stakeholders of Indian companies in as diverse a country as India, the scale can demonstrate significant robustness and implicative potential. The scale, by virtue of possessing significant attributes, can add remarkable value to strategic management applicable under any major theoretical perspective. It can serve the requirements of the empirical research and competitive management practices simultaneously.

This paper aims to assess the perceptions of stakeholders as regards the practices of Indian companies vis-à-vis climate change seeking underpinnings from stakeholder theory and collecting data using a structured questionnaire.

This paper used a descriptive analytical research design based on the data collected from a diverse sample of stakeholders of Indian companies through a cross-sectional, self-administered online survey questionnaire.

The study attaching significance to the stakeholders’ perception as a useful tool underscores that Indian companies have started to engage in preventive measures to minimize the externalities of climate crisis taking cognizance of the stakeholders’ interests amidst their increased awareness, also underlining that their perceptions substantially determine climate strategy proactivity (CSP) in their quest of competitive advantage beyond regulatory compliances. The study finds that incessant growth in the stakeholder awareness has not left companies to remain reluctant from analyzing effects and adopting suitable strategies in India also which, as a fast growing developing country, has witnessed immense growth in the post-liberalization era.

This study would help decision-makers in businesses, policymakers, practitioners and standard-setters by providing further insights on the relevance of stakeholders’ perspectives in CSP in the developing countries. Stakeholders’ perceptions though representing varied categories hint that the actions beyond regulatory compliances need to be in focus in future studies.

The paper elaborates the significance of CSP in developing countries to eliminate the impact of inadequacies that previous studies undertook primarily in developed countries have failed in contextualizing these issues of developing countries.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate empirically the perceptions of the stakeholder regarding their relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of climate strategy proactivity (CSP) which is an outcome of the importance and influence of the category of the stakeholders of Indian companies. Revolutionized by the liberalization–privatization–globalization, the practices and strategies of the companies in the developing country such as India have been marked by dynamic changes in the several past decades. In these circumstances, it has become imperative to understand the relevance of the stakeholders in terms of CSP displayed by these companies to seek help in developing appropriate strategies in the emerging competitive market.

This paper used a research design comprising descriptive analytical method using non-probability purposive sampling method to collect data from a sampled 701 respondents representing eleven categories stakeholders, with the help of a cross-sectional, self-administered online survey questionnaire.

The findings of the study detail the evaluation of the stakeholders relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of CSP attaching significance to the stakeholders’ perception as a useful tool. While the findings hint at the incessant growth of stakeholder awareness urging corporations to analyze effects and adopt appropriate strategies in developing countries, they also evaluate empirically the perceptions of the stakeholder regarding their relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of CSP which is an outcome of the importance and influence enjoyed by the category of the stakeholders of Indian companies. The findings confirmed the adequate level of awareness of the stakeholders of Indian companies responsible for making them adopt CSP.

This study had the limitations such as collection of information through a self-reported questionnaire which might have the impact of self-bias despite all the preventive and corrective measures, and the risk of creation of a subjective viewpoint due to the assessment of the perceptions of varied stakeholders. Nonetheless, meeting the objective of this study, the study succeeds in providing a stakeholder perspective to the existing body of knowledge with respect to CSP, a stakeholders-centric concept which is in infancy in the context of developing countries and their corporations.

The paper is original as it adds value by providing empirical evidence from the perspective of different stakeholders, including but not limited to managers or shareholders only, like majority of previous studies. By doing so, it successfully attempts to contextualize them indicating the need to unlock huge potentialities and substantial significance for other developing countries.

The purpose of this paper is to make an assessment of the challenges in disseminating higher education to the learners in tribal communities, and problems solving capacity of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) by strategically making use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) taking a case of Madhya Pradesh (MP), which is the most tribal dominated state of India. The paper offers valuable insight in to the usage of ICT as a strategy for the ODL system presenting an account of how it can be utilized effectively to disseminate higher education in tribal communities.

Exploratory and descriptive techniques were utilized in this paper adopting the research strategy of case study in terms of the strategic potentialities of ICT in disseminating higher education in tribal communities by ODL using it as a strategy for their empowerment and development.

The findings of the paper reveal that dissemination of higher education in tribal areas is a challenging task especially due to their socioeconomic conditions and ethno cultural settings in addition to numerous infrastructural and access related issues. In view of the need of integrating education with the Indigenous perspectives, ICT can be used as an effective strategy by ODL for disseminating higher education amongst learners in those communities by reaching out to them.

This paper concludes that ICT can help ODL immensely in developing countries such as India strategically in reaching the tribal learners surpassing financial and geographical constraints with a learner centric approach increasing the capacity, quality and cost effectiveness of education system bringing the concept of strategy to center stage, at a time when ICT has fundamentally changed the strategies of different sectors including education with the unprecedented growth in its use.

This paper concludes that ICT has fundamentally changed the strategies of different sectors including higher education with the unprecedented growth in its use. It also concludes that Indian higher educational sector faced with multitude of challenges is not insulated from the effect of ICT, and its emancipatory and transformative potentials in higher education can play a major substantive role by extending support to meet the increasing higher educational needs of the tribal communities by sufficiently embedding it so that their greater contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be ensured.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the influence of socio-economic and cultural factors and their influence on corporate social performance (CSP) (Clarkson, 1995) within developing and mature economies. It aims at identifying the characteristics of socially responsible actions within two contexts: France and Brazil.

Based on a case study methodology and a press database, this paper analyzes two oil companies, the French group Total SA, and the Brazilian company Petrobras.

By focusing on corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions in different socio-economic and cultural contexts, it was possible to identify a predominant CSP “proactivity” in both companies; observe a difference in CSR discourse and practice; note a heterogenic and composite CSR; and notice that companies do not choose their CSP posture, but are subjected to external classifications.

The analysis of only one company per socio-economic and cultural context belonging to the same field could be considered as a limitation, although it allows a deeper analysis of events within both organizations.

Apprehending CSP within different contexts may help decision makers to better understand companies’ socially responsible postures and to observe the socio-economic and cultural factors that can influence them.

This paper highlights CSR practices and their CSP under different socio-economic and cultural perspectives for a more comprehensive understanding of factors that motivate and direct the actions of big corporate organizations.

This paper aims to offer exploratory remarks by discussing whether blockchain can help organizations attain sustained competitive advantage in view of its increased applications and untapped potential. Organizations are yet to test its utilization as an intangible strategic resource at a time when organizational strategic landscapes – rapidly changing in a globally networked digitally empowered world – require them to enhance capability of combining resources for meeting stakeholders’ expectations.

Blockchain as an emerging technology draws frequent industry announcements and specialists’ posts on daily basis in media, and there exist inadequacies with respect to the availability of relevant studies in the extant literature on the subject of blockchain, which itself is in infancy. Keeping in view the limitations associated with the traditional understandings of scholarship underscoring, thereby that research and knowledge discovery have been restricting the progress across disciplines on account of which knowledge domains fail to make a meaningful effect; research design of the paper comprises the scholarship of integration method, which might appear to be less systematic but was more emergent in comparison to a traditional methodology of systematic literature review, and suitable for conducting this study.

Findings of this study suggest that blockchain with huge popularity as a technological innovation has huge potentialities and promises to be a strategic intangible resource for organizations helpful in attaining sustained advantage. However, the findings also suggest several cautionary remarks.

This paper offers exploratory remarks by discussing blockchain in the context of its consideration as a significant intangible strategic resource helpful in attaining sustained competitive advantage, emphasizing the need for continuous attention and revision with its increased applications. It attempts to assess the untapped potential of blockchain incorporating ample scholarly value in this era of fourth industrial revolution. The findings offer greater significance for different stakeholders including researchers and policymakers. However, this paper limits itself by throwing light on the strategic aspects only while attempting to touch upon only those aspects of blockchain that were perceived to be helpful in understanding it as a resource of sustained competitive advantage.

This paper presents originality and value by offering exploratory remarks that can be immensely useful given the scarcity of literature on the novel blockchain with respect to its consideration as a strategic resource. This paper attempts to provide much needed underpinnings to the notion whether blockchain can help organizations attain and sustain competitive advantage.

Manufacturing firms must embrace smart technologies and develop complex leadership approaches to achieve sustainability. Using the dynamic capability theory, this paper aims to examine the influence of the adoption of industry 4.0 technologies (AT) and paradoxical leadership (PL) on corporate sustainable performance (CSP) of manufacturing small-medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. Moreover, organisational ambidexterity (OA) is a mediator and strategic flexibility (SF) is a moderator in the study.

The study is a cross-sectional, quantitative study design that collected 395 usable responses through a simple random sampling technique and a close-ended structured questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) procedures were followed to analyse the data.

The statistical outcome implies that the AT significantly influence CSP and OA and mediate with CSP in the presence of OA. Moreover, PL shows a significant impact on OA, is insignificant on CSP and mediates with OA and CSP. The authors found a significant association between OA and CSP; however, SF did not provide evidence of a moderate effect.

The findings of this study clarify the role that organisational capabilities (OA, AT, PL and SF) play in fostering sustainability. The authors suggest incorporating SMEs from different geographies in other sectors by applying diverse methodologies and relevant constructs.

The result injects new perspectives into policy, managerial and individual levels. Installing OA, AT, PL and SF makes SMEs sustainable.

The empirical validation of the influence of OA and AT on CSP and the interaction of PL and SF enriches the organisational and entrepreneurial literature.

The purpose of this paper is to verify if and how national culture affects firms’ environmental proactivity, by using a specific index: the Carbon Disclosure Score (CDS).

The study, an analysis of two linear regression models, examines how cultural values, measured by the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness Research “should be” scores, affect companies’ environmental proactivity measured by CDS. Data about CDS derive from the Carbon Disclosure Project, which monitors Global 500 companies each year.

The analysis reveals that the values of in-group collectivism, performance orientation, assertiveness and uncertainty avoidance negatively affect firms’ environmental proactivity, while future orientation and gender egalitarianism have a positive impact.

In spite of the limitations inherent in the indicator and the limited sample, the paper has some interesting implications. On a theoretical level, this study extends prior research in the field of organizations and natural environment, by examining the specific role exerted by national cultural dimensions on firms’ environmental proactivity.

From a practical standpoint, the study suggests that corporations and policy regulators should be sensitive toward national idiosyncrasies and formulate the environmental strategies according to the cultural values and contextual environment of the relevant region. Creating policies based on cultural values and adapting policies to a country’s culture can improve the effectiveness of environmental policies and raise individual and corporation awareness on the topic.

Most contributions consider environmental strategy at the national level. This study, instead, focusses on the effects of national culture on the environmental proactivity of firms.

Drawing on the socially embedded model of thriving and the idiosyncrasy credit model of leadership, this study aims to develop a moderated mediation model to investigate the roles that are thriving at work and leader competency play in the link between leader humility and creative service performance (CSP) of hospitality frontline service employees (FSEs).

To test the moderated mediation model, the authors applied a time-lagged research design and collected multi-source data from locally owned, star-rated hotels headquartered in the capital city of Pakistan. The authors collected the multi-source data at three different points in time from employees and their respective supervisors (N = 52 managers and their 312 immediate employees).

The results denote that leader humility positively impacts CSP, thriving at work mediates this impact and leader competency not only moderates the connection between leader humility and thriving at work but also magnifies the indirect association between leader humility and CSP via thriving at work.

The moderated mediation framework based on the socially embedded model of thriving and the idiosyncrasy credit model of leadership will benefit future researchers and practitioners while exploring the impact of leader humility (LH) on FSEs’ CSP in the hospitality context.

The fundamental contribution of this study is developing and testing a research model that concentrates on the effects of leader humility on FSEs’ CSP. Moreover, by receiving support on the mediating role of thriving, this research further sheds light on how subordinates under the leader with humility demonstrate high CSP. In addition, the moderating role of leader competency found in this study further highlights that leader effectiveness depends on the degree to which employees perceive their leader as competent.