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This study first examines whether the capital structure served as a mediator between financing mix and firm performance. Furthermore, the authors investigate whether this mediation effect was moderated by the financial environment. Grounded in the pecking order theory (POT) and dynamic capability view (DCV), this study extends these concepts by configuring all links to a moderated mediation model.

The study uses the structural equation modelling (SEM) approach and multiple regression analysis using “Hayes PROCESS macro” to empirically examine the model using data collected from 384 informal micro-firms operating in Bangladesh.

In the mediation analyses, results found that capital structure was a mediator in the link between financing mix and firm performance. In further moderated mediation analyses, outcomes confirmed that this mediation effect was moderated by the financial environment.

This investigation shows paths for future research including implications for theory advancement and intervention development.

This investigation offers the first step towards examining a moderated mediation effect, using POT and DCV, of the relationship between financial environment, financing mix, capital structure and firm performance.

Marketing capabilities of large- and medium-sized enterprise is well understood and focused, but little research has been done on microenterprise, especially in informal sector microenterprise. The purpose of this paper is to investigate what are the marketing capabilities of informal microenterprises (IMs) that could be sources of competitive performance.

At first, a literature review and pilot study was used to develop a list of marketing capabilities of IM street food vending. Then a quantitative approach was undertaken where questionnaire was developed and distributed to 42 street food vendors and 52 customers in Bangkok, Thailand. The collected data were analyzed using a descriptive statistic, principle component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and k-mean clustering technique.

Analysis revealed that IM street food vending has some unique marketing capabilities compared to formal restaurant. From the vendors’ point of view, it was found that cheaper pricing and quicker food delivery were the major contributors. On the other hand, from the customer point of view, convenient location, flexible business hours, fulfill customer food requirements, and cooking demonstration were noted significant.

Policy makers and development agencies could be developed using various policy strategies such as business development support services as a tool to support IM operators.

This study provides a first step toward marketing capabilities of IM and makes several contributions to the literature.

In urban streets of developing countries, informal e-rickshaw operation can contribute to the development of economically viable, citizen-oriented and environmentally friendly transport systems. Even though informal e-rickshaw operation is important, significant gaps are apparent in the literature in relation to e-rickshaw sustainability issues and policies, and the development of a methodology grounded in a robust theoretical base. The current paper aims to address these gaps by integrating stakeholder theory (ST) and resource dependency theory (RDT) as we consider the linkage between e-rickshaw operation and the sustainability concept.

We apply fuzzy quality function deployment (QFD), integrated with the 0–1 non-linear optimisation technique, to identify optimal policies for the e-rickshaw informal sector on Khulna city's urban streets in Bangladesh.

The results suggest that optimal policies should be formalised to regularise e-rickshaw operation. Appropriate supervision and monitoring; infrastructural support for battery charging, parking, battery recycling and solar panel installation; and training and development should all be provided.

The theoretical and managerial implications of our results are discussed, with future research suggestions presented.

To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has used ST and RDT in e-rickshaw sector research. We recognised that the stakeholder settings for sustainability policies can well influence the behaviour of informal e-rickshaw operators while allotting the necessary resources to this sector. This move assists researchers and policymakers to understand the stakeholders and resource dependency sustainability requirements of this sector and the implementation of the required policies.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on effectiveness of entrepreneurship education by empirically assessing the role of university entrepreneurial education in entrepreneurship development and reporting the results.

A quantitative method was applied for this study. This research was preplanned and structured. Based on the previous literature, hypotheses have been developed. The sample is composed on the basis of a simple random sampling and consists of 200 students. The method of data collection was face-to-face interview with a self-administered questionnaire. The data were statistically interpreted using factor and regression analysis.

The present paper explores and examines the factors and variables of different kinds of entrepreneurial education at the university level. Specifically, at first, this paper addresses the possible entrepreneurial education factors in terms of generalized, motivational, and augmented entrepreneurial education via comprehensive literature review. Second, the paper focuses on the relationship between entrepreneurial education at the university level and entrepreneurship development. The results of this study show a strong positive relationship between different kinds of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurship development.

The implications of these findings are highly relevant to the universities, policy makers, practitioners, and relevant agencies in regard to their policy-setting process in the entrepreneurship development context. This is because entrepreneurship education at the university level has been recognized to have an impact on student, group, and society. This finding also improves the understanding of donors and development partners about the extent to which a quality entrepreneurship education can play a role in economic development. Wrong specification of research models has a significant impact on research outcome and may even mislead decision-setting process. Therefore, this paper encourages further research that examines the measurement model of these three kinds of entrepreneurial education for entrepreneurship development.

This study provides a first step toward generalized, motivational, and augmented entrepreneurial education at the university level in Bangladesh.

This study realize that the relationships between business environment and firm performance in context of small- and medium-sized enterprises and large organizations is well understood and focused, but less research has been done on microenterprises, especially in informal sector. The purpose of this paper is to examine these relationships.

A mixed method research design was used. In the field study, data were obtained from 14 participants via one-to-one personal interview. Content analysis was applied to extract, classify, and cross-examine of the data. In the quantitative approach, questionnaire was developed and data were collected from 438 informal microenterprises (IMs) owners. The data were analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling.

Results from this field study and survey recognized these relationships and vibrates well with the existing literature and establish the hypothesis.

In order to create more favourable environment and ensure the performance, the policy makers, professional bodies could formulate decent requirements for IMs to have a code of business practices and socio-economic performance.

This study provides a first step towards business environment and firm performance in context IMs and makes several contributions to the literature.