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Companies with corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices care about customers, society, the environment and workers. This study aims to examine the impact of CSR practices (i.e. economic CSR, environmental CSR and societal CSR) on consumers’ purchase intention of apparel products, with the mediating role of consumer-retailer love on this relationship.

Data gathered using purposive sampling technique from 300 young online consumers using purposive sampling were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling via SmartPLS3.0.

The results reveal that CSR practices (i.e. environmental CSR and societal CSR) have a positive influence on purchase intention for apparel products. Moreover, consumer-retailer love mediates the relationship between CSR practices (i.e. economic CSR and environmental CSR) and consumers’ purchase intention for apparel products.

Apparel retail marketers should focus on key determinants when designing CSR campaigns and communicating these CSR initiatives in social media and annual reports. They should also focus on their service quality to create a good perception (images) that helps measure the emotional response (love) between the retailer and consumers.

By applying the triple bottom line framework and the stimulus-organism-response model in a single framework, this study is unique and highlights the role of consumer-retailer love as an important mediator on the impact between CSR practices (i.e. economic CSR, environmental CSR, societal CSR) and consumers’ purchase intention of apparel products. The findings represent a new contribution to the existing literature, as there has been very limited research on this relationship in a developing nation context.

M-wallets have emerged as one of the most important financial innovations of the 21st century, enabling users to carry digital cash by securely storing payment methods on their mobile devices. However, the continued use of m-wallets varies among people for several reasons. This study used the technology continuation theory (TCT), gamification and trust factors to examine the variables affecting consumers' intentions to continue using mobile wallets.

The SmartPLS partial least squares software was used to analyze data from 431 m-wallet users in Vietnam using the structural equation modeling technique.

The data revealed that the research model can predict users' intentions to continue using mobile wallets. TCT constructs demonstrated strong exploratory power in explaining consumer satisfaction and attitudes towards m-wallets. Furthermore, the study confirmed the direct effect of the perceived effectiveness of gamification on perceived ease of use and attitude, as well as its indirect effect on consumers' continued use intentions of mobile wallets via attitude. In addition, the trust negatively influenced consumers' intentions to continue using m-wallets.

The findings of this study can help researchers, practitioners and policymakers improve m-wallet design, development and adoption, as well as advance financial technology and define the future of digital payments in terms of consumer attraction, engagement and financial inclusion.

Based on TCT theory, this study enriches m-wallet research by examining two important factors, gamification and trust, and thus provides insights into how to improve consumers’ intentions to continue using m-wallets in developing countries. This study offers timely insights into theory and practice regarding these factors. It therefore paves the way for researchers and practitioners to learn how easy, enjoyable and secure the end-user experience should be to keep users engaged with m-wallets.

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 outlines sustainability as associated with peace, good governance and justice. The perception of international tourists about security measures and risks is a key factor affecting destination choices, tourist flow and overall satisfaction. Thus, we investigate the impact of armed forces personnel, prices, economic stability, financial development and infrastructure on tourism.

This research used data from 130 countries from 1995 to 2019, which were divided into four income groups. This study employs a two-step generalized method of moments (GMM) technique and a novel tourism index comprising five relevant indicators of tourism.

A 1% increase in armed forces personnel expands tourism in all income groups – 0.369% High Income Countries (HICs), 0.348% Upper Middle Income Countries (UMICs), 0.247% Lower Middle Income Countries (LMICs) and 0.139% Low Income Countries (LICs). The size of the tourism-safety coefficient decreases from high to low-income groups. The impact of inflation is significantly negative in all panels, excluding LICs. The reduction in tourism was 0.033% in HICs, 0.049% in UMICs and 0.029% in LMICs for a 1% increase in prices. The increase in the global tourism index is more in LICs (0.055%), followed by LMICs (0.024%), UMICs (0.009%) and HICs (0.004%) for a 1% expansion in the gross domestic product (GDP)/capita growth. However, the magnitude of the growth-led tourism impact is greater in developing countries. A positive impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow was found in all panels like 0.016% in HICs, 0.050% in UMICs and 0.119% in LMICs for a 1% increase in FDI inflow. The rise in the global tourism index is 0.097% (HICs), 0.124% (UMICs) and 0.310% (LMICs) for a 1% rise in the financial development index. The increase in the global tourism index is 0.487% (HICs), 0.420% (UMICs) and 0.136% (LICs) for a 1% rise in the infrastructure index.

Empirical analysis infers important policy implications such as (a) establishment of a peaceful environment via recruitment of security personnel, use of safe city cameras, modern technology and law enforcement; (b) provision of basic facilities to tourists like sanitation, drinking water, electricity, accommodation, quality food, fuel and communication network and (c) price stability through different tools of monetary and fiscal policy.

First, it explains the effect of security personnel on a comprehensive index of tourism instead of a single variable of tourism. Second, it captures the importance of economic stability (i.e., economic growth, financial development and FDI inflow) in the tourism–peace nexus.

This study aims to examine the association between risk tolerance and risky investment intention with financial literacy as a moderating variable. The proposed relationship was explored specifically for millennials.

The questionnaire was divided into three segments to assess millennials' financial literacy, risk tolerance and risky investment intention. This study uses survey data from 402 millennial investors residing in Delhi-NCR region. The authors exploited PLS-SEM for the analysis because the model involved higher-order constructs.

The findings revealed that financial literacy has a negative impact on risky investment intention. Further, risk tolerance had a positive and significant influence on risky investment intention; however, when financial literacy was added as a moderating variable in this relationship, it had a negative impact on risky investment intention.

Every generation has its quirks, and millennials are no exception. Given their age and sheer number, leading to their dominance in the global workforce, millennials will bring about a generational shift. Awareness of Gen Y's financial literacy and risk behavior enhances their ability to make informed financial decisions, thus proving beneficial not only to them, but also to the whole economy. This will also help policymakers and institutions to introduce financial literacy programs and financial products in alignment with their needs and preferences.

This paper aims to investigate customer attitude towards the use of emerging social media platforms (SMPs) for promotional activities by United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Islamic banks, particularly, in the post-COVID-19 era. The key drivers of this research include analysing, anticipating and providing recommendations to reinvigorate the marketing and promotional strategies of the UAE Islamic banks to spark renewed customer interest.

This study is anticipatory and descriptive in nature. Primary data is used to understand customer perception towards the use of emerging social media marketing tools by the UAE-based Islamic banks. Reliability, factor analysis and multiple regression analysis are applied to understand customer attitude. While focusing on the current COVID-19 scenario, the need for innovative structure is envisaged to meet the post-COVID-19 needs.

The findings of this research highlight the significance of emerging SMPs such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Pinterest, Viber, Snapchat and their application as promotional tools to inspire the purchase intention of customers in this virtual age. The results of the study reveal these emerging SMPs are predicted to be used as the preferred promotional tools for Islamic banks.

This paper is limited to the UAE Islamic banks and to a specified set of SMPs as promotional tools. Nevertheless, its findings have important implications that can be extended and validated through studying the post-COVID-19 customer attitude towards other innovative promotional tools used by commercial banks in general and Islamic banks in particular, in the GCC and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions.

There is currently limited available research on the innovative social media marketing techniques and promotional strategies. This study is a novel attempt to examine the adoption of the emerging SMPs as promotional tools by the UAE Islamic banks. This paper extends value to the existing studies on the impact of the pandemic on the promotional activities of the UAE Islamic banking industry. Nonetheless, while regionally specific, it is valuable in its potential application to the Islamic banking sector in the entire GCC and MENA region in the post-COVID-19 era.

This study aims to analyze the factors that influenced the stability of Islamic banks in Asia.

The panel data consisted of 16 Asian countries operating Islamic banks from 2010 to 2019. The data were analyzed through dynamic panel regression using Arellano–Bond generalized method of moments (GMM).

This study provides novel insights into the factors influencing the stability of Islamic banks in Asia. The findings suggest that past financial stability, liquidity risk, loan risk, inflation, gross domestic product, government effectiveness, rule of law and control of corruption are all significant contributors to Islamic bank stability. Notably, political stability, voice and accountability and regulatory quality did not show a significant association.

The current study’s focus was solely on Islamic bank stability in Asian countries, which leaves room for further exploration. Future research could benefit from expanding the scope to encompass all nations with active Islamic banking institutions. In addition, incorporating a broader range of macroeconomic variables, such as exchange rates, interest rates, profit-sharing equivalents and investment rates, could provide deeper insights into the factors influencing Islamic bank stability across diverse contexts.

This study has significant practical implications for policymakers, bank managers and regulatory authorities seeking to enhance the stability of Islamic banks in Asia. By implementing robust risk management frameworks, adopting prudent regulatory policies, and actively fostering economic growth, policymakers can create an environment conducive to the sustained development and prosperity of Islamic banking institutions. Notably, promoting good governance practices and instituting effective crisis prevention measures can further bolster the resilience of the Islamic banking sector, enabling it to play a more dynamic role in contributing to the overall development and welfare of Asian societies.

The findings of this study carry significant social implications, highlighting the need for governments in Asian countries to prioritize public policies that promote good governance and ethical practices within the banking industry. Such policies, coupled with efforts to attract foreign investments and foster a stable and transparent banking sector, have the potential to generate far-reaching positive effects on society. Through economic growth stimulated by a robust Islamic banking sector, Asian countries can create new employment opportunities, improve living standards and ultimately enhance the overall well-being of their citizens.

This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on Islamic banking stability by offering novel insights and expanding the empirical knowledge base in this field. The dual application of robust regression methodologies – namely, GMM dynamic panel data models – presents a unique analytical framework for investigating the complex interplay between diverse variables and Islamic bank stability. This methodological choice fosters deeper understanding of the dynamic relationships at play, advancing our understanding of how specific factors influence the sector's resilience and performance. In addition, the study uses rigorous empirical techniques and engages with the extant literature to provide fresh perspectives and nuanced interpretations of the findings, further solidifying its contribution to the field's originality and richness.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the impact of social inclusion factors and foreign fund inflows on reducing gender-based unemployment in India.

A time series data set for the period of 1991–2021 has been considered, and an autoregressive distributed lag methodology has been applied to measure the short- and long-run impact of social inclusion and foreign fund inflows on reducing gender-based unemployment in India.

According to the study’s findings, both social inclusion and foreign fund inflows are critical factors for reducing male unemployment. However, in the case of female unemployment, only social inclusion factors play an important role, whereas foreign fund inflows have no role in it.

Analyzing the factors that affect gender-based unemployment has always been a grey area in literature. There are very few studies that capture gender-based unemployment in India, making this study a novice contribution. Second, it examines the relationship between foreign fund inflows, social inclusion and unemployment, which is another novel area of investigation. Finally, this study provides comprehensive and distinct results for both male and female unemployment that can help policymakers devise gender-based unemployment policies.

This study aims to examine the value orientations of New Zealand agribusiness investors and how these orientations influence their reactions to the environmental and social implications of agribusinesses.

In the context of the New Zealand agricultural sector, the views of investors as published in print and broadcast media between 2018 and 2022 are gathered. The study uses qualitative content analysis to analyse the data. The study is based on the value-belief-norm theory.

The study reveals that New Zealand agribusiness investors express concern about the environmental (biospheric) and social (altruistic) impacts of the agribusiness sector, prompting calls for greater transparency, climate adaptation and ethical investment options. Additionally, they actively support local businesses to benefit their communities and preserve cultural heritage. Despite these biospheric and altruistic tendencies, investors also prioritise financial and non-financial interests (egoistic). This highlights a nuanced perspective guiding their investment choices – a balance between self-interest and contributing to the greater good. This signals a shift towards socially and environmentally responsible investment practices driven by multifaceted values.

The findings of this study highlight the role of non-pecuniary motives, like values, in determining the relevance of environmental and social information.

The study’s findings offer insight to agribusinesses on how investors’ value orientations shape their investment decisions. This understanding can guide businesses in framing a reporting strategy that enhances the likelihood of investors perceiving reporting as relevant and persuasive, thereby attracting more investments. In turn, this tailored reporting approach assists investors in making well-informed decisions in assessing the environmental and societal risks of agribusinesses.

The study offers a framework explaining how agribusinesses can increase the likelihood of investors finding firms reporting relevant and persuasive, leading to increased investments in environmentally and socially sustainable practices.

This study aims to examine ethical practices in the banking sector by testing the relationships between customer perceptions of ethicality and brand attributes like affect, image and equity.

Drawing on the social exchange theory, the authors advance the consumer’s perspective in explaining brand equity in the banking sector. Following the survey technique, the authors used the Hayes’ Macro Process in analysing the data collected from 148 bank customers in New Zealand.

The findings suggest that customers’ perception of ethicality, brand image and affect are significantly associated with brand equity. Also, brand image and affect significantly mediate the relationship between customer’s perception of ethicality and brand equity.

The main limitation of this study is the use of survey and cross-sectional methods. Future research may adopt mixed-method techniques to provide insightful information on how these variables influence brand equity.

The study demonstrates the mechanisms that facilitate brand equity and contributes to theory by analysing the factors of brand equity in the banking sector, which has been less investigated.