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This paper contributes to the existing literature by extending the empirical work on the relationship between corporate governance and capital structure by analyzing the mediating role of cost of capital in the non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

The sample for this study includes non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (formerly Karachi Stock Exchange) for the period of 2004–2016. Based on 1800 firm-year observations, three approaches of panel data analysis are applied for the step-wise analysis of the underlying study. Firstly, Pooled OLS is applied. Secondly, fixed and random effect panel regression followed by the Hausman test to check the unobservable individual heterogeneity of the data. Hausman test indicates that the fixed-effects model is the most appropriate model for the sample panel data.

The study's findings are that board size, board composition, CEO/Chair duality, institutional ownership and managerial ownership have statistically significant direct effect on the firm's financing decisions. However, CEO/Chair duality, institutional ownership and managerial ownership have significant indirect effect on firm's capital structure decisions. The interesting finding of the paper is on the evidence of mediating role of cost of capital in the nexus of corporate governance and capital structure. Moreover, some conventional determinants of capital structure, including the firm's size, asset structure of the firm, profitability, business risk and growth, are found as determinants of capital structure decisions of the firms.

There are a few limitations to our study which could be addressed by upcoming research. We did not include all the four mechanisms of corporate governance including board structure, audit structure, compensation structure and ownership structure. However, we used only five important attributes including board size, board composition and CEO/Chair duality form board structure, managerial ownership and institutional ownership form ownership structure of corporate governance as our explanatory variables to examine their impact on the capital structure choices of the firms. Future studies may fill this research gap by involving some other attributes of corporate governance and analyzing their effectiveness and impact on value relevant capital structure decisions. Further, due to limited time and resources, we only tested the mediating role of cost of capital, hence, future researchers can analyze the mediating and moderating roles of different variables which may influence the relationship between corporate governance and capital structure choices of the firms.

The study has many valuable guidelines and practical implications for the financial managers of the corporations. Our results will facilitate the policymakers in setting their corporate governance policies and practices and making the value relevant capital structure decisions in compliance with the implications of corporate governance mechanism. In addition, our study provides the empirical evidence in accordance with the argument that good governance practices, particularly the voluntary disclosures by the firm may reduce the information asymmetry which, ultimately, reduces the agency cost and the cost of capital for the firm. However, while deciding the financial policy of the corporations, managers can use our findings in order to assess the effectiveness of corporate governance practices employed by the firm in achieving the optimal capital structure at which the weighted average cost of capital is at its minimum level.

This paper contributes to the literature by investigating the mediating role of the cost of capital in the relationship between corporate governance and capital structure decisions of the firms. This paper provides empirical evidence that corporate governance indirectly affects capital structure decisions through the mediating role of cost of capital.

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the relative importance of four key entrepreneurial characteristics identified in the literature (proactiveness, attitude to risk, innovativeness and self-efficacy) in predicting students’ entrepreneurial intention (EI) across a range of faculties offering different subjects at a UK higher education institution (HEI). This approach will help to identify whether there are variations across the faculties in the predictors of EI. This enables recommendations to be made with regard to the development of educational delivery and support to encourage and develop the specific predictors of EI within the different subject areas.

This research uses a 40-item questionnaire to obtain information on students’ demographics, entrepreneurial characteristics and EI, based on a five-point Likert-type scale. Principle component analysis, correlation analysis and multiple hierarchical regression analysis are used to analyse the data from 1,185 students to develop models which predict EI for each of the six faculties.

Individual models which predict EI are developed for each of the six faculties showing variations in the makeup of the predictors across faculties in the HEI. Attitude to risk was the strongest predictor in five of the six faculties and the second strongest predictor in the sixth. The differences, together with the implications, for educational approaches and pedagogy are considered.

This research breaks down the level of analysis of EI to the individual faculty level in order to investigate whether different entrepreneurial characteristics predict EI in different academic disciplines across a UK HEI. This enables entrepreneurship educational approaches to be considered at a faculty level rather than a one size fits all approach.

This paper examines associations among the socio-psychological determinants of information and communication technologies (ICT)-assisted deviance-related practices within a group of Omani undergraduates. Moreover, this study aims to evaluate the explanatory burdens of such socio-psychological factors on actual behaviour.

The study implements a predictive research design applied to a cross-sectional sample. At the outset, a theoretical model was built based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Thereafter, structural equation modelling was implemented to test the TPB model on the response data collected from a cluster sample of undergraduates from six universities in the Sultanate of Oman.

The results of the path diagram overwhelmingly support the TPB hypotheses. Specifically, intention is the most influential and immediate predictor of behaviour, while at the same time partially, though markedly, mediating the influence of cognition on behaviour.

This study has implications for the design of inclusive measures of the intrinsic dimensions of ethical self-efficacy as designated by the social cognitive theory of moral thought and conduct, which include moral judgment, self-monitoring of conduct and affective reactions to conduct. As the study reveals the importance of the explanatory power of cognition to explain variance in intention and behaviour, it has implications on the development of ICT-ethics-education.

This study fills a gap in the empirical literature on how intention mediates the relationship between ICT-ethics-connected cognition and behaviour. Moreover, the study addresses the direct relationship between cognition and behaviour – a relationship that is considered equivocal in both theories of planned behaviour and reasoned action.

Providing quality education with the help of technologies in order to create global competitiveness among the students is the current trend in the education field. This research attempts to investigate following objectives: (1) the effect of students' perceived benefits and adoption intention of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) on their satisfaction; (2) the effect of students' perceived benefits of TEL on their adoption intention of TEL; (3) the mediating and moderating effect of students' perceived benefits of TEL in the link between students' adoption intention and satisfaction to TEL.

The primary data were collected from 600 undergraduate and postgraduate students, particularly those who are using TEL for at least one year. The authors used purposive sampling technique with “criterion variable”.

Results indicated that students' perceived benefits and adoption intention of TEL have significant and positive influence on their satisfaction. Direct effect was also found between perceived benefits and adoption intention of students. Authors also concluded that mediating and moderating effect of students' perceived benefits of TEL in the link between students' adoption intention and satisfaction for TEL was found significant and positive.

There is a huge lack of empirical studies available in the knowledge domain explaining the significance and implication of TEL in higher education in the state of Chhattisgarh, India.

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between four independent variables educational level, longevity, type of enterprise, and gender and the dependent variable culture, as a dimension that explains organizational learning readiness in seven small‐size business enterprises.

An exploratory correlational research design was employed to survey 498 employees in seven small‐size business enterprises in the Southern and mid‐Western United States. Findings – Three pseudo‐interval variables (education, longevity, and type of enterprise) accounted for 15.3 percent of the variance in the dependent variable culture as a means to explain organizational learning readiness.

Generalizing results beyond the specific context of small‐size business enterprise may not be possible. Thus, the interpretations are limited to the seven small‐size business enterprises studied.

Certain types of enterprises form learning cultures conducive to organizational learning readiness more than do others. Also, seasoned employees may have developed a keen sense for detecting deficiencies within the learning infrastructure.

This study focused on variables not previously studied in small‐size business enterprises that explain organizational learning readiness. Thus, the results of this study will benefit the small‐size business entrepreneur interested in building a learning culture.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the relative effects of three facets or connectors argued to be vital for learners in successful e-learning outcomes in developing economies.

Data were collected through a survey involving 130 learners. A stratified sampling technique was employed. Regression analyses making use of linear, multiple and PROCESS macro in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) were used to analyze data.

Technological self-efficacy and social presence are the most important facets needed by participants for effective learning in higher education institutions in developing countries. Learning tools meant to enhance teaching and learning and also contribute to learner satisfaction.

The findings of the study provide insights to academic administrators to pay close attention to the three connectors in order to ensure quality learning. The findings guide higher learning institutions to adequately and selectively pay attention to the three connections. Deliberate efforts focusing on students' situations, opinions and concerns are vital for learner satisfaction in developing economies.

This study represents a first attempt to examine the effect of the “right connections” for effective learning in developing economies, using a quantitative approach. The findings bring into attention the role of assessing learner inputs and virtual environment in boosting the effectiveness of e-learning. The findings also result in a model that should lead to increased learner satisfaction through the implementation of right connections. The study “disputes” the relevance of a universal e-learning system.

This paper aims to test whether overall and specific healthy eating behaviors and intentions could be better predicted by expanding the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to include a healthy eater identity. Major health organizations suggest increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to address the growing number of overweight and obese individuals, yet researchers have questioned the degree to which existing behavioral intervention programs sufficiently explain healthy eating behaviors.

Adult women (N = 79) completed questionnaires related to TPB components and healthy eater identity. Participants then recorded food consumption for four days using food diaries and food frequency questionnaires.

Using hierarchical multiple regressions, the authors demonstrated that identity as a healthy eater was a significant predictor of healthy eating intentions beyond the TPB components and a significant predictor of fruit and low-fat dairy consumption and overall healthy eating behaviors.

Despite the limitation of correlational data from a homogenous population, results support previous research and add to existing literature by demonstrating the unique contribution identity has in predicting specific healthy diet behaviors of fruit and low-fat dairy consumption.

Findings advance our understanding of how young women think about nutrition and underscore which healthy eating behaviors might need to be directly targeted in interventions if such behaviors fall outside of the scope of common conceptions of what it means to be a “healthy eater”.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate, within a non‐western context, the impact of the psychological contract, relational psychological contract (RPC) and transactional psychological contract (TPC), on organizational commitment (OC) as mediated by transformational leadership (TL). In addition, the paper also explores contractual status: does the theory fit, whether one is employed on a full or part time basis.

The empirical part of the article is based on self‐administrated questionnaires completed by 433 respondents from across a range of service industries in the UAE.

The results indicate that both RPC and TPC are positively related to TL. The study did not identify any meaningful relationship between TL and OC. The study also suggests that TL has, at best, only a partial mediating role in relation to the RPC, TPC, and OC. As respondents' contractual status was employed as a control moderator, the paper can also report that part versus full time employment does not influence the outcome regarding the aforementioned relationships.

The findings suggest that practitioners and academics alike should note that the nature of the psychological contract employed will impact commitment and retention. Also, consistency of approach is very important when one is searching for sustainable employee commitment. The principle limitations associated with this research relate to the self reporting nature of the study: it both negates meaningful triangulation and qualitative interrogation of the results. Further, the industry level, services, and investigation precludes inter industry comparison, and the context, the UAE, may limit the generalizability of the findings.

The paper contributes to the literature by being the first to study the mediation effect of TL on the relationship between RPC, TPC, and OC within a non‐western context. In addition, it also suggests that there may be some value in considering employee contractual status with regard to psychological contract and commitment.

On the basis of person–job fit theory and conservation of resource theory, this study aims to develop and test a model to examine the impact of polychronicity on frontline employees’ job performance in hotel industry and simultaneously, investigate the moderating effects of supervisor, coworker and customer incivility as stressors in the relationship between polychronicity and employees’ job performance.

Data are obtained in North Cyprus from 262 frontline employees working in four- and five-star hotels.

The results suggest that polychronicity refers to employees’ performance. Customer incivility negatively and significantly influences job performance, but coworker and supervisor incivilities do not. Unlike coworker incivility, both customer and supervisor incivilities moderate the relationship between polychronicity and job performance; that is, high customer and/or supervisor incivility weaken the positive relationship between polychronicity and job performance.

Regarding the critical role of polychronic frontline employees, hotel management should recruit the right candidates and endeavor to retain such employees by offering monetary and non-monetary incentives, training and empowering. They may implement a zero-tolerance policy that simultaneously supports both parties (customers and employees).

The association between employee quality (i.e. polychronicity), job performance and incivility is often overlooked in the hospitality research. This study is the first attempt to consider the joint moderating effect of important social stressors (customer, coworker and supervisor incivility) in the hotel industry.

This paper aims to examine the influence and applications of both the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the diffusion of innovation (DOI) model on the intention to use advanced mobile phone services (AMPS) among Bangladeshi users. It also seeks to examine the moderating role of attitude towards use in the AMPS research model.

This is a quantitative study. A questionnaire was developed from previous studies and data were collected from young people between 18 and 31 years of age in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Regression was employed to test the hypotheses.

The results indicate that perceived usefulness and compatibility are key factors for using AMPS, while other factors such as perceived ease of use and complexity are not as significant. Findings also confirm that attitudes towards use play a moderating role between perceived usefulness/complexity and intention to use AMPS.

Future research is required as this paper focuses only on the younger age range in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Findings indicate that AMPS can be used by younger segments of the population if the elements of TAM and DOI theory are emphasised.

The paper reinforces the body of knowledge relating to AMPS in the telecommunications industry.