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Testing of hypothesis, also known as sample-testing, is a common feature with almost every social and management research. We draw conclusion on population (characteristics) based on available sample information, following certain statistical principles. This paper will introduce the fundamental concepts with suitable examples, mostly in Indian context. This section is expected to help scholar readers, to learn, how hypothesis tests for differences means (or proportions) take different forms, depending on whether the samples are large or small; and also to appreciate hypothesis-testing techniques, on how it could be used in similar decision-making situations, elsewhere.

This chapter investigates how small- and medium-sized enterprises and large firms decide the sourcing strategies to explore and exploit. This study adopts a qualitative methodology and reports on the insights derived from interviews with 35 companies and 2 experts. A series of propositions are derived, and these propositions are used to propose a height–distance view of exploration and exploitation. The implications for theory and managerial practice are presented in the concluding remarks.

We conduct an experiment to analyze the impact of a well-established psychological construct, need for cognition, in an audit-related decision context. By simulating a basic audit sampling task, we determine whether the desire to engage in a cognitive process influences decisions made during that task. Specifically, we investigate whether an individual's need for cognition influences the quantity of data collected, the revision of a predetermined sampling plan, and the time taken to make a decision. Additionally, we examine the impact of cost constraints during the decision-making process.

Contrary to results in previous studies, we find those with a higher need for cognition sought less data than those with a lower need for cognition to make an audit sampling decision. In addition, we find that the need for cognition had no relationship to sampling plan revisions or the time needed to make an audit sampling decision. Previous studies regarding the need for cognition did not utilize incremental costs for additional decision-making information. Potentially, these costs provided cognitive challenges that influenced decision outcomes.

Information and communications technology (ICT) offers enormous opportunities for individuals, businesses and society. The application of ICT is equally important to economic and non-economic activities. Researchers have increasingly focused on the adoption and use of ICT by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the economic development of a country is largely dependent on them. Following the success of ICT utilisation in SMEs in developed countries, many developing countries are looking to utilise the potential of the technology to develop SMEs. Past studies have shown that the contribution of ICT to the performance of SMEs is not clear and certain. Thus, it is crucial to determine the effectiveness of ICT in generating firm performance since this has implications for SMEs’ expenditure on the technology. This research examines the diffusion of ICT among SMEs with respect to the typical stages from innovation adoption to post-adoption, by analysing the actual usage of ICT and value creation. The mediating effects of integration and utilisation on SME performance are also studied. Grounded in the innovation diffusion literature, institutional theory and resource-based theory, this study has developed a comprehensive integrated research model focused on the research objectives. Following a positivist research paradigm, this study employs a mixed-method research approach. A preliminary conceptual framework is developed through an extensive literature review and is refined by results from an in-depth field study. During the field study, a total of 11 SME owners or decision-makers were interviewed. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using NVivo 10 to refine the model to develop the research hypotheses. The final research model is composed of 30 first-order and five higher-order constructs which involve both reflective and formative measures. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is employed to test the theoretical model with a cross-sectional data set of 282 SMEs in Bangladesh. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire issued to SMEs selected by applying a stratified random sampling technique. The structural equation modelling utilises a two-step procedure of data analysis. Prior to estimating the structural model, the measurement model is examined for construct validity of the study variables (i.e. convergent and discriminant validity).

The estimates show cognitive evaluation as an important antecedent for expectation which is shaped primarily by the entrepreneurs’ beliefs (perception) and also influenced by the owners’ innovativeness and culture. Culture further influences expectation. The study finds that facilitating condition, environmental pressure and country readiness are important antecedents of expectation and ICT use. The results also reveal that integration and the degree of ICT utilisation significantly affect SMEs’ performance. Surprisingly, the findings do not reveal any significant impact of ICT usage on performance which apparently suggests the possibility of the ICT productivity paradox. However, the analysis finally proves the non-existence of the paradox by demonstrating the mediating role of ICT integration and degree of utilisation explain the influence of information technology (IT) usage on firm performance which is consistent with the resource-based theory. The results suggest that the use of ICT can enhance SMEs’ performance if the technology is integrated and properly utilised. SME owners or managers, interested stakeholders and policy makers may follow the study’s outcomes and focus on ICT integration and degree of utilisation with a view to attaining superior organisational performance.

This study urges concerned business enterprises and government to look at the environmental and cultural factors with a view to achieving ICT usage success in terms of enhanced firm performance. In particular, improving organisational practices and procedures by eliminating the traditional power distance inside organisations and implementing necessary rules and regulations are important actions for managing environmental and cultural uncertainties. The application of a Bengali user interface may help to ensure the productivity of ICT use by SMEs in Bangladesh. Establishing a favourable national technology infrastructure and legal environment may contribute positively to improving the overall situation. This study also suggests some changes and modifications in the country’s existing policies and strategies. The government and policy makers should undertake mass promotional programs to disseminate information about the various uses of computers and their contribution in developing better organisational performance. Organising specialised training programs for SME capacity building may succeed in attaining the motivation for SMEs to use ICT. Ensuring easy access to the technology by providing loans, grants and subsidies is important. Various stakeholders, partners and related organisations should come forward to support government policies and priorities in order to ensure the productive use of ICT among SMEs which finally will help to foster Bangladesh’s economic development.

An introduction to edupreneurship, which combines the terms education and entrepreneurship, is a concept that cannot be broken down into its component parts for the sake of simplicity. Together, these two form one unit since their process is an example of what entrepreneurship education is all about: teaching someone to create something that’s worth selling and then making use of it for themselves or their community. When it comes to the purpose of the implementation of this edupreneurship, it is in line with Law No. 20 of 2003 on the System of National Education, which states that ‘National Education works to develop skills and shape the character and civilisation of a dignified nation in order to enrich the life of a nation’.

Aim: Aimed at developing potential students to become humane, those who have good life skills can deal more effectively with life’s demands and obstacles because they can adapt and behave positively. It’s important to have a diverse set of life skills because there are five main categories: self-awareness abilities, thinking abilities, social abilities, academic abilities and occupational abilities.

Procedure: The research was carried out in the Indonesian region of West Sulawesi at Universitas Al Asyariah Mandar. This study was conducted at a university since the primary goal was to develop students’ life skills in a way that incorporates entrepreneurship education as a means of improving entrepreneurial skills. For the purpose of selecting the sample, purposive sampling was used. This study used Google Forms to collect the research data. It was all done online. This study employed a qualitative research design to gather data and analyse the findings. A purposive sampling technique was employed for the sampling, that is, determining sampling with particular considerations based on the fact that the sample in this study is the sixth-semester students of the 2021/2022 academic year who have completed practical work in the Entrepreneurship education course at the teacher training and education faculty (FKIP), totalling 97 students, but only 39 students accepted the online questionnaire.

Findings: Entrepreneurship simultaneously develops students’ life skills such as communication, interpersonal skills, decision-making, problem-solving, negotiation, creative thinking, critical thinking, self-awareness, empathy, self-control, resilience and organising skills.