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This study aims to examine the role of Pakistan’s banking industry in the transition toward a circular economy (CE) and the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs).

This study uses a qualitative content analysis technique on 75 annual reports of 25 Pakistani banks. Data has been collected from websites and annual reports of concerned banks incorporating CE practices and SDGs in their annual reports. In addition, the data collected from the annual reports of concern sample is based on three dimensions of sustainable development (environmental, social and governance) along with the leading practices of CE to reduce, reuse, recycle, redesign, restructure, and recover.

The findings show that most firms have reported CE and SDGs. Also, the study explores the level and linkage of CE and SDGs practices among the sample firms.

This study provides important insights for the regulators, policymakers, State Bank of Pakistan, commercial banks and stakeholders in Pakistan’s banking industry. It adds significant value to the CE and SDGs, especially in developing economies like Pakistan.

The study has explored and examined the ever-investigated dimensions of SDGs and CE in the banking industry of Pakistan.

Literature shows that the antecedents of eWoM have received limited attention and the present scales used for measuring eWoM in the hospitality and tourism industry are outdated. Therefore, this study aims to construct a new scale for the generation of positive eWoM in the hospitality and tourism industry.

This study developed a novel scale on eWoM based on the four dimensions of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology.

The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirms the factorial structure of the new scale. The exploratory factor analysis shows that “performance expectancy” has the highest impact on the constitution of positive eWoM with 8 items, followed by “social influence” and “facilitation condition” with 5 items each. The factor “effort expectancy” is found to have the lowest impact on the constitution of positive eWoM in the hospitality and tourism industry with 3 items. The confirmatory factor analysis in terms of the construct reliability, average variance extracted and maximum shared variance tests confirmed the model validity of the new scale.

This study ensures measuring eWoM with the latest norms that will assist in prudent policy formulation. These results insights into policymakers from the hospitality and tourism industry for the generation of positive eWoM towards their business which will help them achieve better customer loyalty.

The authors examined how the identification mechanism of the innovation performance of knowledge employees is affected by empowering leadership by influencing the organizational identification and the moderating effect of leaders on the role expectation of knowledge employees as an essential innovation subject.

The authors employed a mixed-method research approach. The authors collected data from 378 knowledge employees and managers in 20 companies in China's Yangtze River Delta cities. The authors analyzed data using multiple regression analysis forecasting methods.

The authors found that there was an inverted U-shaped relationship between empowering leadership and the innovation performance of knowledge employees; organizational identity played a partial mediating role between empowering leadership and the innovation performance of knowledge employees; role expectation of leaders on the innovation behavior of employees regulated the relationship between the organizational identity and innovation performance of knowledge employees.

This study extends the literature on empowering leadership and innovation performance. This study empirically examines the mediating effect of organizational identity between empowering leadership and innovation performance. In addition, this study empirically examines how empowered leaders' expected innovation level moderates the association between organizational identity and innovation performance.

Ratees' reactions to performance appraisal (PA) system suggest how effective the system is. However, there is less clarity about those different reactions that good versus poor performing ratees show vis-à-vis their performance appraisals. This paper seeks to examine the possible PA responses (PA fairness and PA satisfaction) of the ratees for the cases where they receive equitable versus equal performance-based rewards and punishments.

Two studies were designed. Study 1 was a scenario-based experiment in Pakistan (N = 100 students) and Study 2 was based on surveys in Japan (N = 123 employed students) and Pakistan (N = 111 full-time working professionals). Data were analyzed using one-way repeated measures (Study 1) and structural equation modeling (Study 2).

Overall, good performers considered PA fairer and more satisfying under equity than under equality. However, poor performers considered PA fairer under equity than under equality.

The study has value for PA theorists and managers, as it offers: (a) an understanding on the differential effect of equity versus equality, on employees' perceptions of fairness and satisfaction in a PA setting; (b) clarity about the likely disparity between good and poor performers' reactions toward perceived fairness and satisfaction; and, (c) ratee reactions from both organizational and social perspectives contributing to the philosophical debate questioning whether both distributive fairness and retributive fairness should operate under similar or different normative principles.

The purpose of this study is to explain the opinions of the Muslim jurists available in the fiqh books so that they may be compared with the approaches adopted by modern scholars for defining the concept of riba. It is argued that the method of jurists was different from the one adopted by the modern Muslim jurists and Islamic economists. The new method dichotomizes riba into those of the Quran and Sunnah. On the contrary, jurists of four Sunni schools considered the Quran and Sunnah in this regard as a single whole, and they saw Sunnah as the elaboration of riba. By explaining the similarities shared by different fiqh schools, it is explained that there is no need for a definition of riba.

The paper uses the method of content analysis. The authors have consulted the authentic fiqh manuals of the four Sunni fiqh schools to substantiate the objectives.

One of the major findings of this paper is that interest charged in loan transactions, including bank loans, is riba according to the four Sunni fiqh schools. Moreover, the paper also shows that the similarities among the four Sunni fiqh schools are far more significant than the often-highlighted disagreements among them regarding the concept of riba. The methodology adopted by modern Muslim scholars seems to add confusions around the concept of riba.

The paper discusses views of only four Sunni fiqh jurists.

The paper explains the common methodology followed by the jurists for understanding riba, the significant similarities resulting from their common method, the link between the concept of riba and different types of financial transactions within the framework of the jurists and that combining several fiqh schools at a time is a contradiction-ridden methodology.

Executive decisions regarding capital financing are an important management aspect, especially during financing constraints and growth opportunities. The current study examines the impact of managerial skills of a company on capital financing decisions. Furthermore, it analyzed this nexus in financing constraints and growth opportunity situations.

The authors use the GMM (generalized method of moments) estimation approach on a dataset of 20,651 firm-year observations of Chinese A-share companies from 2010 to 2019.

The authors’ findings are compatible with management signaling and reputation enhancement theories, since they show that managerial skill is connected with more substantial debt financing. Managers with high management skills are likely to have more debt financing as they can foresee the economic future of their companies and tactfully convey private information, lowering information inequality and enhancing their reputation. Furthermore, the authors also show that firms with restricted financial resources and growth opportunities make this relationship stronger. Capital structure and managerial skill findings are unaffected by alternative specifications, omitted factors, industry group bias and endogeneity.

This study sheds fresh light on the essential manager personality trait of managing ability and how it influences complicated corporate decision-making, particularly in the tough environment due to financing constraints and competitive growth. The authors argue that high-ability managers are compelled to use debt financing not only to lessen information asymmetry but also to guarantee that the market finds their superior ability. This work contributes significantly to the managerial ability literature and the capital structure literature supporting signaling theory.

Studies show that supervisor incivility can have detrimental consequences for subordinates. However, little is known about the job and personal resources that can reduce the effect of supervisor incivility on subordinates' counterproductive work behavior (CWB). Based on the Job Demand-Resources (JD-R) model, we investigate social job crafting (job resource) and internal locus of control (LOC; personal resource) as buffers on the relationship between supervisor incivility and subordinates' CWB toward the organization.

Two field studies to test our proposed hypotheses were conducted. A two-wave time-lagged design was used and data was collected from 115 supervisors and 318 subordinates from a large electricity provider company (study 1) and 121 employee–coworker dyads from a large insurance company (study 2).

Across the two studies it was found that supervisor incivility positively relates to subordinates' CWB toward the organization. Further, this relationship was weaker for individuals with high internal LOC and those who engaged in social job crafting.

The findings are helpful for HR managers to figure out how to stop supervisor incivility through civility training and motivating employees to social job crafting behavior.

This study implies that social job crafting (job resource) and internal LOC (personal resource) are essential factors that can reduce the effects of supervisor incivility on subordinates' CWB toward the organization.

Passion plays a vital role in entrepreneurship, and examining the role of training in passion development is a recent call. This study aims to examine the impact of entrepreneurial training on occupational commitment and career satisfaction of business owners based on goal content theory.

In doing so the role of harmonious passion is tested as a mediating mechanism. A three-wave time-lagged data were collected from 351 business owners operating in Punjab, Pakistan and were analyzed by using SmartPLS.

The findings suggested that entrepreneurial training had a positive impact on building entrepreneurial passion, and as a result, they were found to be more committed and satisfied with their entrepreneurial career. The research has theoretical and practical implications for the role of training in the development of entrepreneurial career outcomes.

Despite a growing interest in entrepreneurial passion, only few studies have explored the entrepreneurial training on occupational commitment and career satisfaction of business owners in context of Pakistan.

Environmental protection and conservation of resources is a challenge for policymakers to attain sustainable growth and development. The current study uses the variable of inclusive growth instead of the traditional measure of growth.

The link between inclusive growth, renewable energy, industrial production, trade openness and the environment is explored by using panel data from 1995 to 2019 in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries. Before applying formal techniques, unit root tests were applied to check the stationarity of each variable. The long-run relationship among factors was found by the Kao cointegration test. The panel dynamic ordinary least squares (DLOS) was employed for regression estimation.

The results verified a decrease in ecological footprint (EF) in response to a potential rise in renewable energy consumption. An upsurge in EFs was explored due to a rise in gross domestic product (GDP) per person employed and trade openness. The EF significantly decreased by 0.671% in response to a 1% rise in renewable energy consumption.

It is highly suggested to enhance renewable energy usage. To achieve this, policymakers should implement and emphasize efficient energy technologies to ensure improving the environment. Efficient use of renewable energy resources will decrease global warming effects and ensure the sustainable use of scarce resources.

It first took into account the variable of inclusive growth instead of traditional growth measures. It explored the impact of GDP per person employed as an indicator of inclusive growth.

The desire of international retail brands to implement sustainable supply chain practices in the fashion value chain and improve suppliers' sustainability efforts; this research paper elucidates the relationship between blockchain technology and sustainability to impact apparel firms' triple bottom line.

For studying the impact of sustainable supply chain practices on the triple bottom line, a survey questionnaire was chosen and sent out to 500 garment companies simultaneously, of which 371 responded. The data collected is cross-sectional. The questionnaire survey was developed keeping in mind a few demographic elements such as experience, age and qualification to generalize the findings. For analysis, SmartPLS is used to run model structuring and regression analysis.

Test runs on model structure confirm the instrument's validity and reliability. Bootstrapping on the theoretical model to test developed hypotheses suggests that supply chain sustainability practices positively affect social, environmental and economic performance in a direct relationship. Further, indirect relation testing conducted to test blockchain technology's moderation influences only the constructs' relations.

The clubbing of sustainable supply chain practices and blockchain technology is a novel idea in the apparel industry; however, there are more constructs in the context of practice-based theory and supply chain which impact firm performance. Also, the research limits itself from discussing IT infrastructure and smart contract types that impact the technology's performance.

The study provides a framework for interpreting the synergetic influence of SSCP on firm social, environmental and economic performances, which is demanded both by consumers and regulators in an industry. The results suggest that managers sustainably design the production ecosystem, thus eliminating any discrepancy or slackness in the complete chain. Usually, suppliers are ignored, which are precursors in implementing SSCP.

The paper studies sustainability problems through ecological modernization theory and practical-based theory giving a unique perspective on the issue faced by the apparel industry and combining sustainable supply chain practices and blockchain.