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This paper aims to identify the factors that can affect the overall graduate employability (OGE) of the private university graduates of Bangladesh. The authors carefully selected six such employable factors after searching the existing literature. Those six factors: academic performance (AP), technical skills (TS), communication skills (CS), personality (PE), leadership & motivational skills (LMS); and teamwork and problem solving skills (TPSS), had been considered as the independent variables while OGE had been considered as the single dependent variable.

The authors collected the primary data from a valid sample of 360 employers through a structured questionnaire working as the hiring managers. Those respondents were selected on a random basis. The authors used exploratory factor analysis to validate the items under those independent variables and structural equation modeling with AMOS (24) to test the hypothesized relationship between each independent variable and the dependent one.

After proper statistical analysis, the results revealed that AP, PE, CS and TPSS can positively and significantly influence the OGE of Bangladeshi graduates while LMS and TS have positive but insignificant influence over OGE.

Based on the findings, this paper can help scholars in further investigating the employability factors.

This explorative study will guide the fresh graduates in developing their required employability skills while assisting the employers in recruiting suitable candidates with the required skills and performance.

This is one of the few attempts that focused on the employability factors of private university graduates in Bangladesh. The authors are well confident that this empirical paper can shed some light on the fresh graduates’ employability and conducting further investigations on it.

Effective green supply chain management (GSCM) has become a potentially valuable tool of securing competitive advantage and improving operational performance (OP) as competition is no longer exists between the firms but within green supply chains. The aim of this empirical study is to determine the link between GSCM practices (GSCMPs) and OP within the manufacturing sector of Bangladesh mediated by perceived competitive advantage (PCA). GSCMPs were divided into three further dimensions: green eco-design (GED), green supply chain partnering (GSCP) and internal green orientation (IGO).

The study selected 376 individuals as respondents who work as the top-level managers and the members of the Board of Directors at different Bangladeshi manufacturing firms through purposive sampling. A partial least square-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to identify the relationships between the three dimensions of, GSCMPs, and the single dependent variable, OP.

The study identified that two factors, GED and GSCP, have significant positive relationships with OP. On the other hand, another factor, IGO has a statistically insignificant relationship with OP. Regarding the mediating effects, the study identified that PCA can fully mediate the insignificant relationship between IGO and OP, and partially mediate the significant relationship between GSCP and OP. On the contrary, PCA has no mediating effect on the relationship between GED and OP.

This empirical study is an effort that examined the role of GSCMPs on the OP in the Bangladeshi manufacturing context. It is believed that this empirical investigation will prompt future theoretical studies and empirical experiments to enrich academia. Further, the findings of this study can serve as foundational guidance for policymakers and/or managers studying the formulation and implementation of GSCMP-related policies and strategies.

This study intends to explore the connection between Facebook-based social media marketing (FSMM) and Facebook-based online purchase order (FOPO) for 20 popular online fashion retail brands across three South Asian countries: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. FSMM was further divided into four components: Perceived trust (PT), Perceived informativeness (PInf), Perceived interactivity (PInt) and Perceived benefit (PB). 

The authors selected 20 popular Facebook-based online fashion brands involved in clothing and fashion accessories businesses in those three countries. Later, the authors purposively selected 114 region-based Facebook page administrators (admins) responsible for operating those brands' Facebook pages and taking Facebook-based online orders. The authors collected primary data from those admins as respondents through a structured survey instrument. The authors applied SPSS 25 for descriptive analysis and a covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) (through AMOS 25) for testing the hypothesized relations.

Based on the valid responses and application of proper statistical measures, it was revealed that three FSMM components: PT, PInf and PB have significant positive relationships with FOPO, while PInt has an insignificant relationship with FOPO. 

South Asia is a growing business hub and the largest consumer market in terms of population. This study was conducted to identify the relationship between FSMM and FOPO in the three most prominent South Asian countries. As the first study was undertaken ever on customer perceptions of FSMM in a multi-country South Asian context, this paper is expected to be helpful for academics in conducting further empirical investigations on Facebook-based marketing as well as practitioners and policymakers in formulating and implementing Facebook-based marketing strategies.

The new audit regulation for disclosure of key audit matters (KAMs) in financial reporting has been introduced in both developed and developing countries. This study investigates the influence of three distinctive sets of variables, namely industry features, firm characteristics and auditor attributes, on the extent, pattern and level of disclosure of KAMs by companies listed in Bangladesh, an emerging economy.

The study uses qualitative and quantitative research approaches to investigate the pattern of disclosure of KAMs and their determinants. With a sample of 447 firm-year observations from companies listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange over 2018–2020, the study reveals industry-level, firm-level and auditor-specific characteristics that affect KAMs' communication in the new audit reporting model.

The findings suggest that significant differences exist between firms in the number and types of KAMs reported and the extent of their disclosure. The study findings also observed variations both within and across different industry sectors. Highly regulated firms disclose a greater number of KAMs, while environmentally sensitive firms are found to provide a greater detail of the issues presented as KAMs. Further, both firm size and age positively impact the number of KAMs disclosed and the extent of the disclosure provided. Big-4-affiliated auditors do not issue a significantly higher number of KAMs but deliver extensive details to their KAMs description, compared to non-Big-4 auditors. In addition, while auditors, in general, tend to issue boilerplate KAMs, Big-4 associates are found to disclose more new KAMs. However, audit fees and auditor rotation do not influence KAMs disclosure.

This study is based on two years of publicly available data. However, future studies could consider in-depth interviews to explore the motivation behind KAMs' disclosure in Bangladesh and other developing countries with similar cultural and contextual values.

These findings have substantial policy considerations for improving firms' audit quality and, thus, their financial reporting quality, with implications for national and international standard-setters, regulators and other stakeholders.

This study is one of the earliest endeavours to investigate KAMs in a context of an emerging country, such as Bangladesh, which adopted KAMs' disclosure in 2018.

As Covid-19 became a pandemic, numerous people were forced to stay at home, leading to increased intimate partner violence (IPV) in many countries, particularly in developing and least-developed ones. This paper aims to highlight the IPV based on 15 different cases formed from the practical evidence of five developing countries.

The authors interviewed 15 women from five countries who were the victims of IPV during the early periods of Covid-19 outbreak. Due to geographical remoteness, the authors conducted informal telephone interviews to collect the participants' personal experiences. The conversations were recorded with participants' permission; afterwards, the authors summarized participants’ experiences into 15 different cases without revealing their original identities (instead, disguised names were used).

It was revealed that the women were the primary victims of such violence, particularly from their intimate partners (husbands). In most cases, such IPV, as reported by the interviewees, originated or increased after the pandemic when they were forced to stay at home, losing their partners’ jobs or income sources.

The authors summarized the causes of IPV and put forward a few action recommendations based on the interviewees’ practical experience and existing literature. This paper will open a new window for research investigations on IPV during emergencies such as Covid-19 outbreak.

In spite of the increased interest of academics, there has not been a thorough examination of the actors and factors of accessible tourism (AT) development. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between stakeholders’ attitudes, collaborative intervention and corporate sustainability and responsibility (CS&R) and the implementation of accessible tourism (IAT).

Focus group discussion, an expert content validity test and structural equation modelling were all used as part of a mixed-methods approach. At the longest sea beach in the world, located in Bangladesh, data was collected from the tourism stakeholders using an on-site questionnaire survey.

Stakeholders’ attitude is significantly related to their collaborative intervention, but accessibility inclusive corporate substantiality and responsibility (AICSR) mediates the relationships between attitude and implementation, as well as collaborative intervention and implementation. As a result, AICSR is identified as a key driver in the IAT.

Purposive sampling was used to select stakeholders from Bangladesh’s most popular tourist destination. Nonetheless, the statistically valid model of this exploratory study can be tested for generalization in other contexts with a large sample size. The findings will bring diverse stakeholders to light and encourage barrier-free tourist growth that could improve the destinations’ comparative advantage and competitiveness.

This study is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, one of the first studies to use rigorous quantitative methods to investigate AT implementation with a focus on CS&R. It adds to the existing AT literature by providing a scale and model of IAT while highlighting the extent to which AT can be implemented within CS&R.

尽管学术界对无障碍旅游发展的参与者和因素越来越感兴趣, 但还没有相关研究对此领域进行彻底的调查。本研究的目的是调查利益相关者的态度、协作干预、企业可持续性和责任 (CS&R) 与实行无障碍旅游 (IAT)之间的关系。

本文采用的混合研究方法包括了焦点小组讨论、专家内容有效性测试和结构方程模型 (SEM)。在位于孟加拉国的世界上最长的海滩上, 我们通过现场问卷调查从旅游利益相关者那里收集了数据。

利益相关者的态度与其协作干预显著相关, 但企业可持续性和责任的无障碍包容性（AICSR）在态度与实施以及协作干预与实施之间的关系中起中介作用。因此, AICSR 被确定为实施无障碍旅游的关键驱动力。

立意抽样法用于从孟加拉国最受欢迎的旅游目的地选择利益相关者。尽管如此, 该探索性研究的统计有效模型可以在具有大样本量的其他情况下进行泛化测试。调查结果将揭示不同的利益相关者, 并鼓励无障碍的旅游增长, 从而提高目的地的比较优势和竞争力。

本文是最早以CS&R为重点, 使用严格的定量方法调查实行无障碍旅游的研究之一。它通过提供 IAT 的规模和模型来补充现有的无障碍旅游文献, 同时强调无障碍旅游可以在 CS&R 中实施的程度。

A pesar del creciente interés de los académicos, no se han examinado a fondo los actores y factores del desarrollo del turismo accesible. El propósito de este estudio es investigar las relaciones entre las actitudes de los actores, la intervención colaborativa y la sostenibilidad y responsabilidad corporativa (RSC) y la implementación del turismo accesible (ITA).

El estudio utiliza un enfoque de métodos mixtos que incluye una discusión de grupo focal, una prueba de validez de contenido de expertos y un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales (MEE). En la playa marítima más larga del mundo, situada en Bangladesh, se recogieron datos de los agentes turísticos mediante una encuesta con cuestionario in situ.

La actitud de las partes interesadas está significativamente relacionada con su intervención colaborativa, pero la sustancialidad y la responsabilidad corporativa inclusiva de la accesibilidad (SRCIA) media las relaciones entre la actitud y la implementación, así como la intervención colaborativa y la implementación. Como resultado, la SRCIA se identifica como un factor clave en la implementación del turismo accesible.

Se utilizó un muestreo discrecional para seleccionar a las partes interesadas del destino turístico más popular de Bangladesh. No obstante, el modelo estadísticamente válido de este estudio exploratorio puede probarse para su generalización en otros contextos con una muestra grande. Las conclusiones mostrarán diversos grupos de interés y fomentarán el crecimiento del turismo sin barreras que podría mejorar la ventaja comparativa y la competitividad de los destinos.

Se trata de uno de los primeros estudios que utilizan métodos cuantitativos rigurosos para investigar la implantación del turismo accesible centrándose en la RSC. Contribuye a la bibliografía existente sobre turismo accesible al proporcionar una escala y un modelo de ITA, al tiempo que pone de relieve hasta qué punto se puede implementar el turismo accesible dentro de la RSC.

Given innovation's significance, this research examines the link between empowered leadership and frugal innovation. The research also explores how collaborative cultures and organizational commitment mediate empowered leadership's effect on frugal innovation.

Quantitative method is used with the approach of hierarchical regression to test the hypotheses with data obtained from Pakistani small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the questionnaire from 288 participants.

The results of this study show that empowered leadership has a considerable impact on the firm's capacity for frugal innovation. Additionally, this study shows that organizational commitment and collaborative culture significantly moderate the association between empowering leadership and frugal innovation.

Future studies should examine mediating factors, including employment experience, education and perceived organizational support, and moderating variables like employee psychological empowerment and leadership styles.

This research advises SMEs in developing nations to utilize frugal innovation since they cannot afford to spend extensively on technologies that add creativity and innovation to goods and services.

This study advances how leadership both directly and indirectly helps organizations strengthen their capacity for frugal innovation through the mediating roles of collaborative culture and organizational commitment.

The global emphasis on sustainability is driving organizations to embrace financial technology (Fintech) solutions as a means of enhancing their sustainable performance. This study seeks to unveil the intermediary role played by green finance and competitiveness, along with the moderating impact of digital transformation (DT), in the intricate relationship between Fintech adoption and sustainable performance.

Drawing on existing literature, we construct a comprehensive conceptual framework to thoroughly analyse these interconnected variables. To empirical validate of our model, a dual structural equation modelling–artificial neural network) SEM–ANN approach was employed, adding a robust layer of validation to our study’s proposed framework. A sample of 438 banking employees in Pakistan was collected using a simple random sampling technique, with 411 samples deemed suitable for subsequent analysis. Initially, data scrutiny and hypothesis testing were carried out using Smart-PLS 4.0 and SPSS-23. Subsequently, the ANN technique was utilized to assess the importance of exogenous factors in forecasting endogenous factors.

The findings from this research underscore the direct and significant influence of Fintech adoption and DT on the sustainable performance of banks. Notably, green finance and competitiveness emerge as pivotal mediators, bridging the gap between Fintech adoption and sustainable performance. Moreover, DT emerges as a critical moderator, shaping the relationships between Fintech adoption and both green finance and competitiveness. The integration of the ANN approach enhances the SEM analysis, providing deeper insights and a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

This study contributes to the enhanced comprehension of Fintech, green finance, competitiveness, DT and the sustainable performance of banks. Recognizing the importance of amalgamating Fintech adoption, green finance and transformational leadership becomes essential for elevating the sustainable performance of banks. The insights garnered from this study hold valuable implications for policymakers, practitioners and scholars aiming to enhance the sustainable performance of banks within the competitive business landscape.

The purpose of this study is to recognise the role of information and communication technology (ICT) tools in different sectors like Education, Health Care, Business, FMCG and Entertainment in the phase of social distancing. This study also attempts to provide a quantitative review of the scholarly literature on this topic.

A comprehensive literature evaluation was undertaken using a database encompassing 150 English-language papers with publication dates ranging from 2019 to 2021. The research profile and thematic analysis are presented through a comprehensive content analysis, resulting in four themes. The study reviews various research articles and reports related to social distancing and opens a discussion on the growing importance of ICT tools during this COVID-19 era.

ICT acts as a surviving tool for the economy by creating a virtual environment and helping people to stay socially connected during this pandemic. There is a lack of empirical evidence to support the facts so further research is required.

There are two drawbacks to the current study. Firstly, this study established a rigorous review methodology in which the researchers opted to exclude any grey literature, non-peer-reviewed articles, books, notes and book chapters from consideration. These sources could have had pertinent literature. Secondly, even after protocol’s rigour and numerous rounds of checks by a team of academicians and researchers, an anomaly may have sneaked into the evaluation.

The current study contributes to the growing literature on ICT tools particularly in this phase of social distancing. This paper highlights the need for future research in this area supported by different statistics.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between technology orientations and export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

A quantitative research design was adopted for this study. The paper formulates hypotheses from the literature review. These hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling with data collected from 231 SMEs in Uganda. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 and AMOS.

The findings of this study showed technology orientation has a positive and significant relationship with the performance of Ugandan SMEs and that supply chain agility moderates technology orientation and export performance.

The study discusses the findings, advances limitations and managerial implications. It also suggests future research avenues. It proposes some recommendations to help Ugandan SMEs to form flexible supply chains, use the latest technology and create strong relationship ties with their partners in the supply chain.

The study suggests that managers of Ugandan SMEs should use the latest technology in production, marketing, logistics and supply chain management which will enable them to respond quickly to customer tastes and preferences leading to higher levels of export performance.

This study contributes to the literature on strategic management showing the reliability of scales used and the confirmatory of the factor structure. This study shows that in strategic management technology, orientation is critical in increasing export performance. This study has extended the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities theories.