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The study is an attempt to expand the knowledge about the psychological and behavioral aspects of Indian students studying abroad amidst fear of uncertainty and social unrest.

The exploratory study is employed to seek a better and deeper understanding of the possible impact of the potential war on the student abroad study process. In the study, the participants were selected from Delhi NCR of India. The thoughts and opinions of students on studying abroad under the fear of uncertainty were covered in a semi-structured interview.

Five broad themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews that influence students' choices and attitudes toward their decisions on studying abroad. The themes are “safety”, “fear of incomplete degree”, “financial stress”, “parents' apprehension” and “emotional breakdown”.

The study leveraged an understanding of the mindset of Indian students. Considering the student's doubts and fear over such uncertainty and war-like situations, the higher education policymaker can adopt some measures (hybrid education, short-term programs, student exchange programs, shift in destination, distance learning and new forms of educational technology) to cope with such upcoming challenges, ensuring their safety and pursuing their dreams by taking higher education abroad.

This qualitative study develops a comprehensive understanding of how students perceive such extreme crises and how their thoughts, attitudes and behavior toward studying abroad change. The study contributes to comprehending the student's description of perceptions, emotions, opinions and behaviors under the fear of uncertainty and social unrest.

The external business environment of the organization is always changing at a rapid pace. For a firm to adapt to changing client requirements, it must implement the right business procedures and strategies. To improve competitive advantage, this study investigates the roles that supply chain partnerships, cross-functional integration, responsiveness and resilience play in achieving competitive advantages in Palestine.

Industrial institutions in Palestine constitute the study population. Data are collected by distributing surveys via Google Forms linked to manufacturers in industries such as the Leather and shoe Industry, metal industries, chemical industries, construction industries, textile industries, stone and marble industries, pharmaceutical industry, veterinary industry, food industry, plastic industry, paper industry, major advantages and disadvantages. The SEM-PLS approach is used to analyze the data.

The findings demonstrate that supply chain responsiveness, resilience and cooperation are all improved by cross-functional integration in inventory data integration and immediate operation. Supply chain partnerships improve the supply chain’s responsiveness, resilience and competitive advantage by involving partners in work teams and exchanging best practices. The enhancement of supply chain resilience and competitive advantage is influenced by the company’s capacity to act promptly in response to variations in demands.

This paper faces some limitations and it can be drawn as follows: To enhance supply chain risk management, the study continues to concentrate on manufacturing organizations that have internal integration. It also emphasizes the necessity of supply chain integration, which establishes direct connections with outside partners.

The findings of this study suggest some policy implications, as follows: To provide the manufacturing sector with a competitive edge, operations supervisors must be able to track and assess processes to ensure they are meeting demand. Firms that possess the ability to adjust to novel procedures or advancements in technology gain a competitive edge by guaranteeing consistent and high-quality delivery of products.

By implementing IT integration, this study theoretically and practically advances the understanding of the resource-based view of competitive advantages. This study focuses on providing insights into the nature of the relationship between supply chain partnership, cross-functional integration, responsiveness and flexibility and competitive advantages in the manufacturing sector in the Palestinian market.

During the supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19, logistics service providers (LSPs) have invested heavily in innovations to enhance their supply chain resilience capabilities. However, only little attention has been given so far to the nature of these innovative capabilities, in particular to what extent LSPs were able to repurpose capabilities to build supply chain resilience. In response, using the concept of exaptation, this study identifies to what extent LSPs have discovered and utilized latent functions to build supply chain resilience capabilities during a disruptive event of high impact and low probability.

This conceptual paper uses a theory building approach to advance the literature on supply chain resilience by delineating the relationship between exaptation and supply chain resilience capabilities in the context of COVID-19. To do so, we propose two frameworks: (1) to clarify the role of exaptation for supply chain resilience capabilities and (2) to depict four different exaptation dimensions for the supply chain resilience capabilities of LSPs.

We illustrate how LSPs have repurposed original functions into new products or services to build their supply chain resilience capabilities and combine the two critical concepts of exploitation and exploration capabilities to identify four exaptation dimensions in the context of LSPs, namely impeded exaptation, configurative exaptation, transformative exaptation and ambidextrous exaptation.

As one of the first studies linking exaptation and supply chain resilience, the framework and subsequent categorization advance the understanding of how LSPs can build exapt-driven supply chain resilience capabilities and synthesize the current literature to offer conceptual clarity regarding the varied implications and outcomes linked to the repurposing of capabilities.

This study examines the relationship between multi-layer supply chain flexibility (MSCF) and Supply chain resilience (SCR). Further, it looks at the moderating effect of environmental dynamism (ED) and supply chain risks (SCRI) on the relationship between MSCF and SCR.

Executives from the pharmaceutical, agri-food, electronics, automobile and textile industries were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire. We received feedback from a total of 302 participants. Prior to conducting the primary analysis, we addressed the potential for nonresponse bias and verified the assumptions of homoscedasticity and normal distribution of the data. The reliability and validity of the constructs were established through confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modelling is employed for the purpose of conducting hypothesis testing.

The results demonstrate a notable influence of MSCF on SCR, particularly in settings characterized by high levels of ED and SCRI. The study highlights the importance of flexibility in multiple aspects of the supply chain to build resilience against a range of disruptions and uncertainties.

The study presents the fundamental role of Multi-Layer Flexibility in building up SCR. The results of this study reinforce the existing literature and offers empirical evidence for how ED, SCRI moderates the influence between MSCF to SCR. These results offer valuable information to both supply chain specialists and researchers for building comprehensive strategy to bring resilience in supply chains.

Sustainability is of growing significance in the contemporary business landscape as organizations strive to minimize their environmental impact and optimize supply chain (SC) operations. Gaining insights into the influence of Triple A SC practices on sustainable performance can offer valuable perspectives for practitioners and policymakers. This study aims to comprehensively review existing academic literature on Triple A supply chain management (SCM) and sustainability, examining its impact on sustainable performance while identifying key influencing factors.

This review follows the six steps and 14 decisions of conducting a systematic literature review to comprehensively review 57 papers published between 2004 and 2023.

Based on the content analysis of the selected papers, this study summarizes the antecedents, practices and outcomes of Triple A SCM, with a particular focus on its implications for sustainability. This paper builds a conceptual framework from the descriptive and thematic findings to enrich the relevant aspects of Triple A SCM.

This study establishes a connection between Triple A SCM and sustainable performance by examining its impact on economic, social and environmental aspects. This review identifies research gaps and acknowledges the lack of specificity in implementing Triple A SCM across diverse industries, regions and competitive markets with varying external environments. It emphasizes the necessity to customize approaches based on contextual factors and provides valuable recommendations for future research to advance the concept of Triple A SCM.

This study seeks to explore the strategies purchasing and supply managers can employ to navigate the challenges presented by low-probability-high-impact (LPHI) disruptions. The core aim is to create a process framework that provides a systematic, step-by-step method to help purchasing and supply managers effectively deal with the chaos triggered by LPHI events.

The study draws on qualitative data collected from eight firms operating within different industries (healthcare, fishing, food retail and manufacturing), where two firms represented each industry. The data underwent a thorough analytical process involving open coding, axial coding and aggregation of categories, resulting in the identification and formulation of overarching themes.

The analysis unveiled five primary challenges purchasing and supply management (PSM) encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include supply shortages, supplier opportunism, the imperative to build a new supply base, price volatility and the need to make critical decisions based on limited information. It also identified contingent factors that influenced the magnitude of these challenges and approaches applied to address them. Additionally, it identified five responses to the challenges and two contingent factors that affected the responses.

This study extends the existing body of knowledge in purchasing and supply management by developing a process framework tailored to assist purchasing and supply managers in effectively addressing LPHI disruptions. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to offer a structured, step-by-step approach that guides PSM professionals in navigating the chaos likely to be caused by such events.

Stringent environmental regulations and the need for a robust supply chain (SC) network have necessitated organizations to adopt circular economy (CE) practices. With proven impact of CE practices on SC activities, digital technologies are prompting organizations to digitalize SC networks. Yet, the correlation between SC digitalization and CE practices has been less examined. This study aims to identify and evaluate, the critical success factors (CSFs) necessitating SC digitalization and strategies helping in SC digitalization.

An extensive literature review was performed to identify CSFs and strategies for SC 4.0 (SC4.0), and for finalization, experts’ input was obtained with the Delphi approach. An integrated Fermatean fuzzy set – analytic hierarchy process – decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory – combined compromise solution technique was used to evaluate CSFs and strategies.

Smart work environment, performance monitoring and data reliability and relevance were identified as the top three important CSFs for SC digitalization. Enhancement of analytical capability, data-driven process optimization and development of an integrated digital platform were identified as potential SC4.0 transition strategies.

This study helps SC practitioners better understand the CSFs and strategies for the SC4.0 transition. Furthermore, this study explores the integration of CE principles within these digital strategies, emphasizing how sustainability practices can be embedded in the SC4.0 framework to foster a more resilient and environmentally conscious electronics SC in India.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is the first to analyze CSFs for SC4.0 in the Indian electronics industry.

The purpose of this study is to explore the opportunities provided by information technologies (IT) to improve supply chain processes. It aims to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify research areas that require further exploration to leverage IT and enhance supply chain performance.

This study employs a systematic literature review methodology to analyse a set of 177 publications, including journal papers, conference papers, periodicals, theses, and books published between 2013 and 2023. Thematic synthesis was chosen as the most appropriate approach to amalgamate the findings obtained from the systematic literature review conducted in the study. This method involves interpreting thematic information and facilitating the development of a comprehensive understanding of the literature being reviewed.

The literature review reveals that certain information technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, artificial intelligence (AI), Blockchain, information and communications technology (ICT) and information sharing, offer significant potential for improving supply chain processes. However, the application of these technologies in the field of supply chain is currently under-researched. The findings highlight the need for further exploration of these technologies and their impact on supply chain redesign and enhancement.

This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a systematic overview of the potential benefits of IT in the context of supply chains. It emphasises the under-researched nature of specific technologies and their potential to support organisations in improving their supply chain processes. The originality of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of relevant literature and its identification of research gaps that need to be addressed in future studies.

Smart HR 4.0 is a new concept characterized by adopting innovative technologies of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) in the HR domain. This study attempts to identify the key factors of Smart HR 4.0 to foster organizational innovation ambidexterity.

Based on review of literature and survey from expert opinions by using the Delphi method, 12 factors were found most suitable for this study. Further, the fuzzy-TISM technique was used to establish contextual relationships and develop a hierarchical model on the identified factors. Subsequently, the MICMAC analysis was applied to classify these factors according to their driving and dependence power.

This study framed a conceptual hierarchical model of Smart HR 4.0 and established contextual relationships among identified factors. Result shows that smart organic structure, industry–institute interface, IT-enabled system and ambidextrous leadership are important factors as they have the highest driving power. Further, knowledge management, learning culture and psychological empowerment are the linkage factors having both driving as well as dependency power in the whole system.

This study can guide the managers in smoothly implementing these practices to manage their human capital amidst digital disruption, ensuring innovation competitiveness of the firm. The structural hierarchical framework of Smart HR 4.0 may serve as a blueprint for HR professionals and business leaders to attain organizational innovation ambidexterity in the current wave of digital disruptions (Industry 4.0).

This study provides a holistic model of smart HR 4.0 integrating innovation ambidexterity in I4.0.

Although climate change-related risks affect all stakeholders along the supply chain, the potential impact on small and micro-sized suppliers is incredibly excessive. The corresponding toll of these climate risk threats on the mental health and well-being of owners of small and micro-sized suppliers can adversely affect their participation in sustainability efforts, ultimately impacting the firm's performance. This often-overlooked dynamic forms the core of our research. We probe into two pivotal aspects: how industry dynamism and climate risk affect the mental health and well-being of owners of small and micro-sized suppliers and how, in turn, dictate involvement and, consequently, supply chain sustainability performance. This is further nuanced by the moderating role of the abusive behavior of buyers.

Our study is built on resource dependency theory and the supporting empirical evidence is fortified by a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. This study comprises three phases. In the first phase, our experiment examines the effect of industry dynamism and climate risk exposure on sustainable supply chain management performance. Hypotheses H1a and H1b are tested in the first phase. The second phase involves using a survey and structural equation modeling to test the comprehensiveness of the model. Here, the relationship between industry dynamism, climate risk exposure, mental health and well-being of owners of small and micro-sized supplier firms, supplier involvement and sustainable supply chain management (H2–H7) is tested in the second phase. In the third phase, we adopt a qualitative approach to verify and provide descriptive explanations of phase two findings.

Our findings underscore the significance of small and micro-sized suppliers in sustainability, offering invaluable insights for both theoretical understanding and practical implementation. Our study highlights that buyers must allocate sufficient resources to support small and micro-sized supplier firms and collaborate closely to address climate change and its impacts.

The key takeaway from this study is that buyer firms should consider SDG 3, which focuses on the good health and well-being of their employees and the mental health and well-being of owners of small and micro-sized suppliers in their upstream supply chain. This approach enhances sustainability performance in supply chains.

This is one of the first studies that shows that industry dynamism and climate risk exposure can negatively impact small and micro-sized suppliers in the presence of a contextual element, i.e. abusive behavior of buyers, and ultimately, it negatively impacts sustainable supply chain performance dimensions.