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This paper aims to propose an enhanced algorithm and used to decision-making that specifically focuses on the choice of a domain in the calculation of degree of greyness according to the principle of grey numbers operation. The domain means the emerging background of interval grey numbers, it is vital for the operational mechanism of such interval grey numbers. However, the criteria of selection of domain always remain same that is not only for the calculated grey numbers but also for the resultant grey numbers, which can be assumed as unrealistic up to a certain extent.

The existence of interval grey number operation based on kernel and the degree of greyness containing two calculation aspects, which are kernel and the degree of greyness. For the degree of greyness, it includes concepts of domain and calculation of the domain. The concepts of a domain are defined. The enhanced algorithm is also comprised of four deductive theorems and eight rules that are linked to the properties of the enhanced algorithm of the interval grey numbers based on the kernel and the degree of greyness.

Aiming to improve the algorithm of the degree of greyness for interval grey numbers, based on the variation of domain in the operation process, the degree of greyness of the operation result is defined in this paper, and the specific expressions for algebraic operations are given, which is relevant to the kernel, the degree of greyness and the domain. Then, these expressions are used to the algorithm of interval grey numbers based on the kernel and the degree of greyness, improving the accuracy of the operation results.

The enhanced algorithm in this paper can effectively reduce the loss of information in the operation process, so as to avoid the situation where the decision values are the same and scientific decisions cannot be made during the grey evaluation and decision-making process.

Based on the service eco-systems perspective, this paper evaluates the strategies and actions adopted by the Government of Pakistan to handle the COVID-19 crisis with the involvement of multiple actors including public, private, third-sector organizations and civil society.

The paper is based on an in-depth analysis of secondary sources including research articles, policy documents, policy briefs, governmental reports, third party evaluations/reports and media publications.

A multi-stakeholder approach was evident during the pandemic with an effort to better manage the crisis which has exerted immense social, cultural, economic and political impacts on the lives of the citizens. Collaborative efforts among stakeholders (government, private and third sector) were witnessed, resulting in a coherent response. The successful management of COVID-19 in Pakistan is attributed to multiple factors including the formation of a specialized public organization which effectively and proactively took data-driven informed decisions and aggregated the efforts of the federal and provincial governments for a timely response.

This paper gives insights for policymakers to create a sustainable post-pandemic socio-economic environment by building resilient structures across the government while promoting cooperation and collaboration. It suggests strategies for policymakers responsible for providing sustainable societal solutions to combat the social, economic and administrative challenges under the pandemic. As Pakistan has managed and contained the pandemic in a relatively efficient way, it is hoped that this paper can provide a learning experience for other countries with similar national contexts.

This research aims to investigate the impact of fear and perceived knowledge (PK) of Covid-19 on the sustainable consumption behaviour (SCB) of Muslim consumers and to test the mediating role of (intrinsic) religiosity.

A total of 417 responses were collected during Covid-19 lockdown through an online structured survey using the snowball technique. A two-step research approach was adopted. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis was performed on the SCB measurement scale through SPSS. In Study 2, hypothesised associations were analysed using SmartPLS-SEM.

PK of Covid-19 pandemic directly motivates SCB in Muslim consumers, whereas fear has no direct effect on any factor of SCB. Religiosity is found to be a significant driver of SCB. Indirect effects also depict that religiosity positively mediates the association between fear and SCB as well as PK and SCB.

The study may guide policymakers and marketers in using the current pandemic as a tool to inspire sustainable consumption. Religious values, teachings and knowledge about the pandemics can be publicised to create awareness and induce desired behaviour to cope with adverse events and adopt sustainable consumption patterns and lifestyles among Muslim consumers.

The article is the pioneer of its kind to present survey research about Covid-19 fear and PK’s impact on SCB through religiosity. It adds to the Islamic marketing literature about religiosity, coping theory, PK and fear of pandemics and their role in transitioning Muslim consumers towards SCB. Moreover, the use of partial least squares structural equation modelling in the context of Covid-19 research was extended.

This paper aims to investigate construction site workers’ compliance with various coronavirus (Covid-19) protocols while working on construction sites.

This survey was conducted at the end of the imposed lockdown following Nigeria’s upsurge of the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey research method was adopted for the study using a structured questionnaire administered to 246 construction site workers under strict Covid-19 preventive measures. The data was complemented through personal observations of the study site activities. The results were analysed using frequency tables and a factor analytical approach.

The preventive measures in place on construction sites can be classified into personal protective measures, good etiquette/manners, contact precautions and prompt actions. Although the workers claimed to be aware of the Covid-19 pandemic, their disposition towards the preventive measures on construction sites is worrisome. Hence, their level of compliance with the protocols could mitigate the spread of the virus.

This paper fulfils an identified gap to study the need to promote public health by mitigating the global pandemic’s spread in areas where social distancing cannot be easily observed.

Nowadays, nearly the whole globe is confronting a severe threat of the COVID-19. The purpose of this paper is to explore the predictors of environmental concerns during the COVID-19 among the entrepreneurs during a second pandemic wave.

The deductive approach is applied based on cross-sectional data. An online response is gotten from entrepreneurs of Pakistan. A convenience sampling is applied to target the entrepreneurs. In total, 220 usable answers ensue for the outcome. The structural equation model (SEM) is used for the assessment of hypotheses.

The results of this study highlight a significant and positive effect of uncertainty of COVID-19 (U19), Perceived vulnerability (PV), Risk perception of COVID-19 (RP) and Fear of COVID-19 (F19) on environmental concerns (EC) among the entrepreneurs.

The research outcomes would provide the guidelines to policymakers and planners to develop the policies for reducing the fear, vulnerability, risk and uncertainties during the waves of the COVID-19. The findings of the study would make disaster resilience which COVID-19 creates. The results would provide the re-built environment guidelines by reducing fear, vulnerability, risk and uncertainties. Besides, the findings would help provide the knowledge and practical aspects of disasters in terms of anxiety, exposure, risk and uncertainties, which are hazardous for humans and the environment.

This study provides the empirical evidence which is the first time conducted among the entrepreneurs. Besides, this study highlights the predictors such as fear, vulnerability, risk and uncertainties towards EC in the COVID-19 scenario.

This study investigated the role of brand experience dimensions (behavioral, intellectual, sensory and affective) to predict consumer loyalty (repurchase intention (RPI), word of mouth (WOM) and willingness to pay more (WPM)) through the mediating role of perceived brand authenticity (PBA) in the global branding context.

A total of 422 consumers participated in this study and provided feedback on top authentic global brands after completing a self-administered online survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to conduct the data analysis.

This study discovered that brand experience dimensions positively influenced PBA (predominantly sensory and intellectual experiences), which significantly predicted consumer loyalty (RPI, WOM and WPM).

This research uncovered some limitations that can be used to investigate new research possibilities. From a theoretical standpoint, this study offers new insights into brand experience dimensions (BEDs), PBA and consumer loyalty in order to develop consumer-brand relationships.

This study offered several managerial recommendations. By considering brand authenticity as a positioning tool, global managers can effectively develop and implement various experiential marketing strategies to develop long-term relationships with consumers to attain their loyalty.

This is a new study that uses Fournier's relationship theory to investigate BEDs on PBA to predict consumer loyalty in the context of authentic global brands.

The characteristics of businesses change with the change in ownership structure of the business. This study examines the change in ownership structure of the firm after the departure of lone founders, and its influence on dividend payout decisions of the firm.

The authors employed 4,302 firm-year observations of non-financial firms listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange over the period 2007–2021. To test the hypotheses, the authors employed ordinary least squares regression, and additionally, generalized method of moments estimation and fixed effect analysis were applied to check for the robustness of results.

Using the lens of agency theory and social identity theory, the authors report that the presence of lone founder (family owners) is negatively (positively) associated with dividend payout, however, transition of lone-founder ownership to family-owned and family-managed firm leads to more dividend payout, whereas its transition to family-owned and non-family-managed firm results in lesser dividend payments.

This study provides novel insight into the strategic behavior of lone founders and extend the limited family business heterogeneity literature by examining the effects of ownership transition and its influence on firm's dividend payout decisions.

Virtual professional learning communities provide digital platforms for teachers across the globe to join learning networks and engage in continuous and unrestricted learning. This study aimed to explore the impact of contextual factors on establishing virtual professional learning communities in Maldivian schools.

This quantitative study used a sample of 420 Maldivian in-service teachers chosen using two-stage cluster sampling and a stratified random sampling method.

The findings revealed that all three contextual factors – micro-, meso- and macro-contextual – positively and significantly influenced the virtual professional learning communities.

These findings recommend an integrated framework with micro-, meso- and macro-contextual factors as valuable instruments for educational leaders striving to establish virtual Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

This study is among the first to examine the association of contextual factors of schools with the establishment of virtual PLCs in a country such as the Maldives, with geographically dispersed islands and limited resources.

This study aims to explore the impact of financial technology (fintech) and behavioral intention on financial inclusion, specifically focusing on the role of digital marketing as a mediator.

Using a quantitative research design, this study collected data from 638 respondents in the province of Punjab, Pakistan to investigate the relationship between variables.

The results indicate that both behavioral intention and fintech have a positive and favorable effect on financial inclusion. Furthermore, the study reveals that digital marketing acts as a mediating factor between financial inclusion and both behavioral intention and fintech. These findings underscore the significance of using effective digital marketing strategies to facilitate financial inclusion through fintech platforms. Policymakers should prioritize the adoption of fintech innovations and supportive regulatory frameworks while implementing comprehensive digital marketing strategies to promote financial inclusion.

This research contributes to the existing body of literature by presenting empirical evidence that highlights the interconnectedness of fintech, behavioral intention, digital marketing and financial inclusion. By harnessing the potential of fintech and digital marketing, financial institutions can bridge the gap between underserved populations and formal financial services, thereby promoting economic growth and reducing inequality.

The purpose of the study is to ascertain the role of servant leadership in causing innovative work behavior. The study also examines the mediating role of job crafting and sequential mediating role of trust and job crafting between servant leadership and innovative work behavior.

The data were collected from 258 knowledge workers employed in software houses in Pakistan through survey design. The data analysis was done through structural equation modeling.

The results of the analysis of 258 respondents show that servant leadership is related with trust, job crafting and innovative work behavior. The mediation analysis revealed that job crafting mediates the relation between servant leadership and innovative work behavior. Finally, the relation between servant leadership and innovative work behavior was found to be sequentially mediated by trust and job crafting.

The current study contributes to delineating the linking mechanism between servant leadership and innovative work behavior. The main contributions of the study are exploring the mediating role of job crafting along with the sequential mediating role of trust and job crafting.