ABSTRACT. The last two decades have witnessed a steady increase in research that applies real option theory to the study of decision making in strategic management and international business (Chi, Li, Trigeorgis & Tsekrekos, 2019). The applicability of the theory to management decisions has recently been questioned (Adner & Levinthal, 2004), however, especially concerning options that in theory arise from the condition of endogenous uncertainty. It has been argued that partners in a joint venture (JV) only respond to exogenous uncertainty but not to endogenous uncertainty (Cuypers & Martin, 2010). This study employs a stochastic model to show that real options arising from endogenous uncertainty can create substantial value in JVs and that exogenous uncertainty (properly defined) does not give rise to any real option of economic value in such ventures. The model clarifies the relationship between the different types of uncertainty and real option value by examining three scenarios in the context of a JV. Scenario 1: The realized profitability of the JV is assumed to be uncertain and evolve stochastically, but the abilities of the two JV partners to generate rent from the JV’s assets on their own are assumed to move in a perfectly synchronous fashion (i.e., remain equal). This implies two conditions: -The JV and the two partners face only exogenous market uncertainty. -There is complete symmetry in capabilities between the two partners. Scenario 2: The capabilities of the JV partners are assumed to evolve stochastically but perfectly correlated, i.e., their abilities to generate rent from the JV on their own always move up or down at the same time. However, their capabilities also diverge in a deterministic manner in the sense that whenever one party’s ability increases (decreases), the other party’s ability increases to a greater extent (decreases to a smaller extent). This implies two conditions: -The uncertainty is still completely exogenous. -There exists a form of capability asymmetry between the two partners, but the asymmetry is completely deterministic in the sense that it can be perfectly predicted on the basis of the exogenous uncertainty.  Scenario 3: The capabilities of the JV partners are assumed to evolve stochastically without the restriction of perfect correlation, i.e., their abilities to generate rent from the JV on their own can diverge randomly. As the coefficient of correlation between their capabilities varies from 1 to 0, the nature of uncertainty changes from 100% exogenous (completely due to unpredictable market conditions) to 100% endogenous (completely due to the random divergence of partner capabilities without any common component). The results allow us to make the following propositions: 1. Exogenous uncertainty adds no more value to a JV than to a sole venture by either party. 2. Exogenous uncertainty combined with deterministic divergence of capabilities adds no more value to a JV than to a sole venture by the more capable party. 3. Endogenous uncertainty alone without any predictable divergence of capabilities adds value to the JV. The results demonstrate that endogenous uncertainty is a necessary condition for a JV to have any additional option value embedded, demonstrating the logical inconsistency in the argument that JV partners only respond to exogenous uncertainty but not to endogenous uncertainty.

ABSTRACT. In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic higher education adopted a more digital learning environment. Digitalisation in higher education (HE) started a decade earlier than expected as previous research studies show it was expected to start in the 2030s. Digitalisation in HE became more vigilant when Artificial Intelligent (AI) started acting as a threat to the quality of higher education. The use of AI in Higher Education is still a problem. The purpose of this study is to analyse the challenges and opportunities that can be faced by Students and Academics (Service users and service providers in HE) in the use of AI for productivity. The study is based on how AI technologies can be used for the improvement of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment and to identify the challenges that Academics and students experienced due to the use of AI tools in Teaching, Learning and Assessment in HE. Furthermore, this study illustrates the opportunities available for Academics and Students in HE to use AI Technologies for the development and achievement of expected outcomes while meeting the quality standards in higher education.

ABSTRACT. For more than a decade, Huawei, one of the largest providers of 5G equipment, has been caught up in a showdown between western allies headed by the US and the Chinese government. This situation has now spilled over to Huawei being shut out of western telecommunication platforms and more recently subjected to export controls and deprived of chip technology needed for many of its products. The United States and other countries claim that Huawei threatens their national security. Australia, Japan, the United States etc have effectively banned Huawei from building their 5G networks. They say it is beholden to the Chinese government, which could use the company for espionage. Huawei denies these accusations. Despite these denials the western governments have sought a “common front” in their efforts to block out Huawei and other Chinese telecommunication providers despite the fact that inferior technology will be utilised in new western telecommunication platforms. While the company will suffer, it has pursued other strategies relying less on external markets and more on friendly markets and continuing to develop its technology. Behind this tension is the fear of a rising China as result of China’s economic prowess challenging the US economic and political supremacy like never before. This paper seeks to address this tension and ascertain the possible scenarios occurring and what will be the consequences of these tensions for Huawei, China and the West.

ABSTRACT. This study explores public service recovery (SR) strategies in the airline industry by analyzing the factors that influence effective SR, including customer perception, joint experience of the failure-recovery process, and organizational factors. A qualitative approach was deployed, consisting of in-depth interviews with 28 customers representing primary users and beneficiaries of public services with first-hand experience of SR processes. The major findings of the study suggest that effective SR involves identifying and resolving service failures promptly and fairly, considering customer perceptions, cultural norms, values, and losses. The joint experience of the failure-recovery process is crucial in ensuring effective SR, and necessitates active communication, transparency, and shared responsibility between the service provider and the customer to find the best possible solution to various issues. The implications of the study suggest that public airlines must balance the need for customer satisfaction with operational efficiency, which can present further challenges in the SR process.

ABSTRACT. The fashion industry in South Africa, like in many other countries continues to be one of the key contributors to the country’s economy. The global fashion industry is estimated to be worth 0.99 trillion US dollars in 2023, while the South African fashion industry’s worth is estimated at 1,138.00 million US dollars. The revenue generated from this industry in South Africa and globally is expected to grow by 14.49 percent and 9.99 percent, respectively, by 2027. Included in this growth is the predicted increase in the fashion e-commerce market. The growing interest in online shopping has led to a surge in e-commerce businesses. The fashion industry is no exception, with the global e-commerce fashion market expected to reach a compound annual growth rate of 14.2 percent between 2017 and 2025. The success of the e-commerce fashion market is not without fierce competition, both globally and in South Africa. That is, local fashion manufacturers and retailers must compete with established international brands among others. Consequently, fashion manufacturers and retailers that manufacture and sell fashion products like apparel, footwear and accessories should prioritise building a strong brand to differentiate themselves from competitors and to position themselves in the fashion market. In accordance with Aaker's brand equity model, the forefront of building a strong brand is consumers' awareness of and their association with a brand, its products or services, as well as their perceived quality thereof. Perceived quality plays a vital role in consumers’ fashion brand decisions, especially among the lucrative Generation Y segment, however, the literature suggests differences between males and females in terms of quality perceptions. To this end, it is unclear whether these differences apply to South African Generation Y consumers, whether they too follow different approaches to processing information, forming opinions and making decisions. Furthermore, little evidence exists that explains the contribution, nor the degree of significance, of brand awareness and association to quality perceptions, particularly from a gender difference lens. As such, this study aims to determine if the influence of fashion brand awareness and associations on perceived quality differs between Generation Y male and female consumers. This study sought to fill the gap in the literature and propose practical implications for fashion brand managers and marketers. The study followed a descriptive research design using a single-cross-sectional sample. By following a quantitative research approach, the required data was collected from a convenience sample of 750 Generation Y consumers, using a self-administered questionnaire. The statistical analyses that were performed in this study include frequencies, descriptive statistics, internal consistency reliability, correlation analysis, collinearity diagnostics and regression analysis. In terms of the contribution of brand awareness and association to the perceived quality of fashion brands, the findings of the study revealed that both brand awareness and association have a statistically significant influence on Generation Y male and female consumers’ perceived quality of fashion brands. However, fashion brand awareness has a stronger influence on the quality perceptions of Generation Y female consumers, while fashion brand associations have a stronger influence on Generation Y male consumers’ quality perceptions. This study provides fashion manufacturers and retailers with an enhanced understanding of the role that gender plays in establishing quality perceptions of fashion brands. Consequently, fashion brands can adapt their strategies to effectively establish and enhance the quality perceptions of their brands among the gender segments, which in turn, could improve their business performance.

ABSTRACT. Social media has become an indispensable part of our daily lives in today’s world. As they permeate various aspects of users’ lives such as building and keeping social interactions, shopping or spending leisure time, a very prominent use of social media, following and sharing news, strikes out as an increasingly popular activity deserving special attention. With increased accessibility of the internet and widespread usage of smart phones, social media platforms are not just supplementary sources of news anymore. In some countries, they have even become the mainstream and dominant environments where people follow, exchange and share news according to Statista (2022). However, on the other side of the picture, the same statistics also show that there are large discrepancies among different countries regarding their usage of social media to access news, which has been attributed mainly to the fact that many people do not trust social platforms as news sources. In light of the ambivalence in users’ consumption of and interaction with news in social media environments, this study has been designed to understand people’s behavior in this specific context and their motivations regarding digital news reading and sharing behavior. For this purpose, uses and gratifications theory (UGT) of Katz et al. (1973) has been used in the study since this theory is generated specifically to understand media consumption. Although a number of studies exist in the literature using the UGT model to understand news consumption behavior in social media, approaches to the topic encompass alternative perspectives such as studying the context for specific platforms or consumer groups. Besides, different combinations of uses and gratifications have been used in studies to understand what drives people to engage with news in the digital context. In this study, an exploratory approach has been preferred in order to understand news consumption behavior in social media in Turkey, which is yet under-investigated, as well as profiling and segmenting news consumers according to their behavior. For this purpose, the study first provides a general picture of social news consumption and engagement behavior through descriptive findings on a sample of 386 social media users. This entails users’ frequency of reading news in social media and following various news subjects. Additionally, data is collected about users’ preferences for different types of digital sources and platforms. As for engagement behavior, people’s propensity to read, like and share news; make, read and respond to comments about news, and search for the accuracy or follow the source accounts for news have also been investigated. Regarding the uses and gratifications perspective incorporated in this study, relevant gratifications that have been encountered in previous studies have been compiled and the importance of five different gratifications have been asked to digital news consumers to understand their consumption and engagement styles using a total of 15 items. These 15 items comprise of statements about the following gratifications: information seeking, passing time, status seeking, entertainment, and socialization. Based on the exploratory nature of the study, a factor analysis has been conducted on these 15 items disclosing two dimensions as the socialization motive and the utilitarian motive for sharing news out of these five gratifications. The socialization motive includes individuals’ tendency to share news in the digital environment in an effort to seek status, reputation, interaction and popularity. On the other hand, the utilitarian motive encompasses a more functional approach and converges around items regarding sharing news simply for keeping up with the current agenda and expressing personal opinions without necessarily having an intention to interact with others. Ultimately, a cluster analysis has been conducted with the objective of identifying alternative user groups that have different levels of these two motives in their news sharing and engagement behavior and three distinct clusters with significantly different attitudes regarding the socialization and utilitarian motives have been discovered. Comparative discussions of the clusters have been done and implications offered based on the findings of the study. In summary, this study shows that while reading and consuming news in social media is very common and popular, individuals are more hesitant and less active in displaying active engagement behavior and prefer to stay on the consumption side rather than the more actively sharing and engaging side. However, different user groups signal that alternative segments can be captured and should be analyzed further for differentiation purposes.

ABSTRACT. Sales in its basic form is quite simple, but in a constantly changing business environment, it has become multifaceted. New types of specialized sales categories are emerging, such as product selling and solution selling, with various consumer involvement decisions, such as low-, medium-, and high-involvement decision-making. Specialized sales categories are defined from different perspectives, which creates confusion. This study aims to define product selling and solution selling in a business-to-consumer environment from the perspectives of salespeople and academics. This study used an innovative multi-phased qualitative plan by utilizing several sequential methods to gather and analyze data. The study used a two-rounded Delphi technique to gather information and inductive content analysis and the 5Ws and 1H method for analysis. The main findings indicate that salespeople over various categories (low, medium, and high) have different opinions about the job, which can provide better congruence between salespeople and managers. This study contributes on three levels: academically, it closes the literature gap by providing a salesperson perspective on product selling and solution selling; practically, it provides managers with an understanding of how salespeople see their job; and methodologically, it provides an innovative way to gather and analyze data.

ABSTRACT. Motivations:The contemporary food crisis in the context of what Adam Tooze calls the global “polycrisis”, in which geopolitical crises intermingle with other unfolding crises including war and the unsustainability of the present system of food production. Objective: Pointing out likely scenarios in the context of sustainable agricultural development with implications for food and fertilizer prices and supply chains and the possible global shifts in key suppliers Methods: Historical-interpretive method based on publications in the field of sustainable global development. Research questions: • Which agro technologies are relatively well established and which continue to be considered emerging technologies? • How powerful is the promise of circular economy solutions for sustainability and what do we know about company best practices in this area? • What are some of the barriers to the diffusion of best practices?

Results: A ranking of technologies from the perspective of sustainability or being “green”, and from the perspective of revenues and therefore the likelihood of receiving the highest investments and due to expected fastest growth ( vertical farming, aquaculture, new seeds, alternative proteins and precision agriculture). Conclusions and Policy recommendations: The long-term redesign of the global agri-food industry depends on investment in key technology applications in combination with global economic policies.

ABSTRACT. Motivations: Visions of sustainable agriculture are not possible without the development of appropriate ICT systems. It is necessary to create a comprehensive spectrum of data that is processed and updated all the time in all areas, including precision agriculture. Objective: Diagnostics of the presently functioning agricultural system IACS in EU member states in terms of verification of data collected presently, feasible to collect (e.g. from agricultural producers) and missing data. Methods: Among the methods I use the historical-interpretive method based on publications focused on digital sustainable development in rural areas and also the method of deduction through analysis the IACS and and in-depth interviews with agricultural agency personnel in Europe. Research questions: 1. Is the data collected in IACS adequate for the implementation of the model to Sustainable Agriculture in member countries EU? 2. What module should be implemented within IACS to comprehensively make decisions on sustainability and food security? Results: The study indicates that the IACS system has a very high potential for collecting data from agricultural areas, and it is not fully utilized. It is argued that the Farm Digital Twin module could be adapted to the IACS system. Conclusions and Policy recommendations: Future research should concentrate on monitoring new digital trends in agriculture, with a special consideration of advanced management options for economic, environmental and social sustainability.

ABSTRACT. Motivations: Thematic elaborations of scenarios such as: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (O’Neill et al., 2015) set up five scenarios: 1.Global Sustainability (the aspirational scenario); 2.Business As Usual; 3.International fragmentation; 4.Increasing inequality Between/Within Countries; 5.Fossil Fuels Win (leading to fast growth). The United Nations FAO report (2018) created three scenarios. 1.Business As Usual; 2.Towards Sustainability (the proactive, aspirational scenario, of moderate global economy growth with more equity); and 3.”Stratified Societies” (exacerbated inequalities with fast growth in wealthier regions). Objective: Prospects for a sustainable agriculture technology are considered by using critical futurist framing. Methods: Historical-interpretive method based on publications in the field of sustainable global development scenarios using technology. Research questions: How can Sustainable Agriculture Technology (SAT), including precision farming, agroecology, vertical farming, and aquaponics? Offer solutions to either mitigate the pessimistic scenarios or accelerate the positive scenarios? Results: Directions towards solutions include diffusion and productivity multipliers. Heuristics of emerging technologies’ diffusion consider their trajectories under different assumptions with productivity multipliers assessment of the technologies’ impact on food productivity. Conclusions and Policy recommendations: The use of productivity multipliers as determinants affecting the impact of technology on food productivity.

ABSTRACT. Motivations: Indication of case studies micro-level case studies of international best practices in smart agriculture. Objective: How agro-industrial companies (startup, early stage, multinational) are deploying advanced technologies across the food value chain (upstream, midstream, downstream)? Methods: Historical-interpretive method based on publications in the field of AGTECH. Research questions: • What barriers to technology adoption have the profiled companies encountered? • How have those companies scaled advanced agricultural technologies? • What benefits have resulted from commercial applications of agtech? • What are the sustainability-related effects of agtech deployment at the company level? • What remaining challenges do agtech companies face?

Results: Indication of the determinants in terms of contemporary commercial applications of new and emerging agricultural technologies by selected companies in the United States and abroad (including large MNCs like Cargill, Nestle and Mars). Conclusions and Policy recommendations: The use of high-tech is key to the future of sustainable agricultural development in the United States and around the world.

ABSTRACT. Entrepreneurship has been a topic of interest for the past forty years. Worldwide, the phenomenon is acknowledged as a source for economic growth and development. Since the late nineteenth century countries perceive female entrepreneurs as forces of economic growth and development through new product or service development and stimulation of employment. Female entrepreneurship, in developing countries is regarded as a solution to unemployment and poverty among the youth, specifically where graduates cannot find employment. However, the emergence of entrepreneurial intention amongst these females are not spontaneous but impacted by various task and general environmental factors. As such, the aim of this study was to determine the environmental factors impacting South African and Netherlands female students’ intention towards entrepreneurship. And to investigate whether these impacting factors differ between female students of different countries and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). A descriptive research design approach was followed. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the data from a convenience sample of 578 female students. The collected data were analysed using reliability and validity analysis, descriptive statistics analysis and one-way ANOVA. The results indicated significant differences between the environmental impact factors of the two countries. The findings make an important contribution in that it will help national and local governments and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on implementing initiatives to alleviate environmental impacts on these looming entrepreneurial ventures. The study recommend that government and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) should create a favourable environment for female students and to assist them to be employment creators, rather than employment seekers. Ultimately, contributing to economic growth and development by reducing high unemployment and poverty.

ABSTRACT. Blue Don was created 25 years before with the vision of exporting the Mexican culture to the world. Two friends created this brand from scratch. They had a vision. They grew the brand to a billion-dollar valuation, their main market being the USA. At this stage they are faced with a critical question. Should they extend the brand to other spirits brands through acquisitions or pursue unrelated diversification in creating a luxury conglomerate out of Mexico?

ABSTRACT. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) perform a strategic role in the economic performance of any country. This strategic role in the economy revolves around the production of products and services, innovation, the aiding of big business, and job creation. SMEs have a high labour absorption capacity, as they account for between 60 to 70 percent of employment in most developing countries. Economic development can be directly attributed to the level of entrepreneurial activity in a country, which is indexed by the number of operational SMEs. SMEs have been responsible for most of the innovation throughout the world, with statistics showing that many scientific breakthroughs originated with small organisations and not in the laboratories of large businesses. SMEs are also viewed as a mechanism to narrow the gap between rich and poor and to reduce the backlog of the previously disadvantaged. SMEs can play a significant role in the economy of a country by introducing ground-breaking products and services, thereby improving the quality of life of the people. Therefore, SMEs have become an important driver of economic growth in most countries throughout the world. Qualitative research was used in this study. An extensive literature review regarding the importance of SMEs in the South African economy was explored. This study aimed to investigate the impact of SMEs on economic growth in South Africa. This aim was achieved by an extensive literature review which revealed that SMEs have a positive impact on economic growth in South Africa. The study concludes that SMEs have a positive impact on economic growth in South Africa. SMEs are vital to the economic growth of any country. The successful establishment of SMEs leads to employment opportunities and growth in all economies. In view of the study results, it is thus recommended that the government of South Africa should establish a new support agency for SMEs. The South African government should improve the public’s view of SMEs. It is further recommended that the South African education system should reform in order to provide SMEs with the skills they need to thrive.

ABSTRACT. This article responds to calls for pragmatic context-driven scholarship and administration in regard to the strategic use of successful change management models in the corporate business environment. Specifically, this paper attempts to reconcile the disconnect between the need for change in global organizations and the ability to leverage effective change management approaches productively to obtain the desired results. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate what may have gone wrong with change management and explore an alternative approach to managing global change that is designed to bring a progressive, effective method to change across diverse organizations within a single, integrated methodology. Where today a singular approach is most commonly used in attempts to facilitate change to derive business goals and objectives, this comparative analysis presents a unified approach rooted in three well-known change models, while adding a new component – neuroscience – to the framework. The objective is to achieve sustainable, effective change management practices in global organizations with an appreciation for leveraging change as a means to better understanding and leveraging diverse people to create unique components of competitive advantage. This paper may offer a substantial contribution to the field of Change Management through the development of a theoretically sound approach to evolving the methodology to encompass a multidisciplinary approach to implementing change in organizations.

ABSTRACT. The literature is filled with evidence to support the contention that strategy, and even structure, can be significantly influenced by the personality of the executive or senior leaders within an organization. The same applies to organizational culture - which is often referred to as the “fingerprint” of leadership - and as such can be compared to the “personality” of the organization. This paper reports on the combined results from the iEQ9 Enneagram personality assessment conducted with 89 middle and senior academic leaders in a university in South Africa between 2019 and 2022. The Enneagram offers a comprehensive personality system of nine distinct type specific paths for development across an individual’s lifespan. Each Enneagram type has its strengths, core beliefs, blind spots, and approach to relationships and leadership. While there are distinct ego structures of each type, the developmental path of all types requires an increase in awareness and less identification with the ego. The study explores the implications of the “Enneagram Leadership Personality” on the leadership culture and execution on institutional transformation objectives. There remains a paucity of empirical research on the application of the Enneagram, particularly in the realm of leadership development and organizational transformation. The paper identifies and unpacks the leadership strengths, blind spots, predominant conflict styles and defence mechanisms in the leadership culture of the institution from an Enneagram perspective. In addition, it lays out some of the implications of the “institutional personality” or leadership culture in relation to the leadership demands of higher education in a time of unprecedented change, increasing complexity and uncertainty and highlights how it may affect the execution of the institutional strategy. As such it makes a valuable contribution to the field of leadership personality and its implications for organizational effectiveness and leading transformation. The implications of these findings will be discussed, with specific reference to the implications of these findings for future research on the possible implications of personality on organizational culture and transformation.

ABSTRACT. Organisational politics has gained attention of management researchers and organisational psychologists in the past two decades. Politics in organisations is basically an element of existence. Individual experiences, ideas, and circumstantial proof have maintained the common belief that behaviour within the work environment are frequently political in nature. Against this background this paper examines the influence of organisational politics on job stress among small and medium enterprises employees in Gauteng province of South Africa. A quantitative approach was applied with the use of a cross sectional survey (questionnaire) to gather information on organistaional politics and job stress from 230 participants. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 28.0, and the Analysis of Moment Structures, version 28.0. A confirmatory factor analysis was applied in examining and testing the relationships between observed constructs and their causal latent constructs while structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesised relationships between constructs. The results of the study revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between organisational politics and job stress. The findings also emphasised that organisational politics is considered as a hindrance-related stressor that hampers the proper functioning of individual employees. The management of the small enterprises should concede that organisational politics are part of the organisational environment, therefore policies and procedures must be in place to control such political behaviour.

ABSTRACT. Artificial intelligence (AI) and democracy might be seen as incompatible. However, AI has the potential to improve voter decision making and thus improve democracy and spread the advantages and the potential social benefits. AI has extended reach, especially when linked to social media (Twiplomacy). Current AI algorithms are generative and are not truly capable of decision making in the sense that humans would consider. At the moment, AI is an aid and has the capability of speed but not always accuracy. This paper argues that AI needs to move from unidimensional decision making to multidimensional decision making. To achieve this ability will require digital AI, which requires developing consciousness to make ethical decisions. Policing of digital AI decision making will be mandatory because decisions have varied impacts and a global regulatory body will be necessary.

ABSTRACT. The recent technology driven business environment in MICE industry requires changing unprecedented business processes in its value chain stream. This study is to explore the effect of MICE digitalization on value chain capability. Related literatures are reviewed of the status of art in MICE industry and relevant hypotheses are developed. Survey questionnaires are developed and administered to respondents who are involved in value chain stream. SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0 are utilized for measurement validity, reliability, and significance test for the relationship between MICE digitalization factors and value chain capability. Study analyses are provided, and results are discussed. Concluding remarks suggest that the MICE industry is a collection of interrelated industries to create a value and digitalization is a pivot on the global market based on cooperation in the MICE industry.

ABSTRACT. “Innovation is a challenging and complex process that requires investment and efforts from economies and their companies. (DE FIGUEIREDO et al., 2018; LEAL; FIGUEIREDO, 2018; DE NEGRI, 2018; BELL; FIGUEIREDO, 2012; ADNER; KAPPOR,2010). Advances in the field of innovation occur within the context of institutions and their interactions within a country, forming what is known as the innovation system, where it can be affirmed that innovation systems represent a crucial component and an essential driver in the economic development strategy of nations (BAKHTIAR et al., 2022). Understanding innovation systems, whether at the national, regional or local level, also leads policymakers to focus on possible systemic deficiencies that can hinder the innovative performance of the industry. To this end, evaluating and comparing the performance of innovation systems in different economies/countries also allows policymakers to tackle challenges more effectively, and therefore, the identification of innovation performance indicators and the development of measurement structures for innovation systems are of great importance (BAKHTIAR et Al.,2022). In this context, the Global Innovation Index (GII) is an important international reference for measuring the performance and innovation systems of an economy, guiding public policies (OTURAKCI, M.; 2021). The GII has become an important tool in measuring innovation performance in an economy and has been widely used in management practice and academic research. Recently, the UN General Assembly on Science, Technology and Innovation made a positive indication in reference to the utility and importance of the GII (WIPO, 2022a; UN, 2019). The GII is composed of points that relate to and measure innovation performance in an economy, being structured by 2 (two) sub-indices - inputs and outputs - built around 7 (seven) fundamental pillars, divided into 21 (twenty-one) sub-pillars and 81 (eighty-one) individual indicators. The 7 (seven) fundamental pillars of the GII are "Institutions", "Human Capital & Research", "Infrastructure", "Market Sophistication", "Business Sophistication", "Knowledge & Technology Outputs", and "Creative outputs" (WIPO, 2022a; CORNELL UNIVERSITY; INSEAD; WIPO, 2022).

ABSTRACT. This study examines the relationship between founder CEOs and ESG performance. Using Indian listed companies for six years from 2010 to 2015, we find that the founder CEOs negatively affect the firm’s ESG performance, supporting the self-interest hypothesis. In addition, the negative relationship between the founder CEOs and ESG performance is more pronounced for firms with a high growth opportunity than those with a low growth opportunity, indicating the resource-based hypothesis. Furthermore, the negative relationship between the founder CEOs and ESG performance is less pronounced for firms with a higher foreign ownership than those with a lower foreign ownership, indicating the auditing role hypothesis. Our findings further show that the CEO's management system, such as founder CEOs, is a major determinant influencing ESG performance.

ABSTRACT. Drawing on multiple sources of data, we examine the effectiveness of policy initiatives towards the digital transformation of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial finance in China. We provide insights into the dramatic rise and fall of three types of crowdfunding forms, including P2P lending for businesses, equity-based crowdfunding, and reward-based crowdfunding. Our analysis of policy initiatives and data suggested three consecutive periods featuring episodic changes in the institutional infrastructure between 2010 and 2020. Period I (2010-2015) is characterised by a regulatory vacuum that witnessed the creation of various crowdfunding platforms to meet the ever-growing demand for access to finance; during Period II (2016-2018), the Chinese Central Government tightened control over the Internet Finance and introduced radical changes to the institutional infrastructure; Period III (2018-2020) saw the continued strict regulatory regime for Internet Finance. We conclude this chapter by discussing policy implications and agenda.

ABSTRACT. Motivations: Globalization, progressing urbanization, growing as the world's population rises, the difficulties in food production the decline in the number of workers in rural areas and an increase in production costs can all be viewed as potential threats to food safety. According to trends, the future of climate smart sustainable development of agriculture will be based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, analytics and machine learning, which will revolutionize agriculture and food systems worldwide, helping agriculture become more profitable and efficient. Objective: This study aims to explore the intersection between the goals of climate smart agriculture and the difficulties and impediments to employing digital technology for managing climate smart agriculture. It focuses on the difficulties and impediments to employing digital technology for managing climate smart agriculture. Methods: Historical-interpretive method based on publications in the field of smart agriculture management and quantitative systematic review. Research questions: Which technologies have received the most attention in literature? What objectives of climate smart agriculture have been emphasized more in the literature? And how could using different digital technologies help reach them? What are the challenges and barriers to using digital technologies for climate smart agriculture management? How do these challenges affect the objectives of climate smart agriculture? Results: The authors showed by quantitative systematic review, that the top three goals were: decision optimization and effective resource allocation, protection of the environment and effective soil management, and contribution to raising the percentage of renewable energy. Other significant goals include controlling pests and illnesses, employing pesticides and fertilizers, lowering GHG emissions, boosting food supply, security, and safety, and minimizing food waste and loss. Climate smart agriculture faces several difficulties and barriers, such as high investment costs, the complexity of use, lack of appropriate training, unsuitability for certain farming practices, and unsuitability for sustainability-focused goals. The authors showed how high investment prices may have an impact on sequestration & renewables, diversification, exposure, and efficiency the components of Climate Smart Agriculture.

ABSTRACT. Since the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009, hundreds of cryptocurrency exchanges have appeared and been competing globally, offering investors platforms on which cryptocurrency trading worth billions of dollars take place each day. As global regulatory discussions and debates on cryptocurrency market progresses, the rule of game for future competition among cryptocurrency exchanges is being institutionalized. This study conducts a holistic analysis of relative competitiveness between two representative cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance and Coinbase. The competition importance-performance analysis (CIPA) is an extension of the extensively used technique, importance-performance analysis (IPA), for allocating limited resources. The Kano model is frequently utilized to understand customer preferences. Customer online review data is processed in the following order: First, attributes are identified by Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA.) Subsequently, sentiments of the attributes are determined by the Vader sentiment analysis. Then, attributes are assigned Kano categories. Finally, the importance of the attributes is estimated by evaluating the effect of sentiments of each attribute on the overall star rating using a gradient boosting model and SHAP values. According to our standard IPA analysis, “buy/sell”, “transaction & fees” and “customer service” categories stand out as “concentrate here” areas for Binance, whereas “beginner friendly” and “transaction & fees” are areas for concentration for Coinbase. On the other hand, our CIPA analysis reveals that “buy/sell” and “verification” are priority categories for Binance whereas “beginner friendly” and “UI/UX” are priority categories for Coinbase.

ABSTRACT. A disturbing problem in the United States is that of illegal termination by hospitals of professional employees. Nurses have consistently decried poor staffing levels and, more recently in times of COVID-19, inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that places both nurse and patient at high risk. For the most part, hospitals do little to correct these issues because the complaints have usually been kept “in house” and the nurses were expected to “stand down” once they’d complained. Nurses, in order to be taken seriously and to make their case, have filed formal complaints with nurse’s professional associations, States’ licensing authorities, and also with States Boards of Health. When this happens, it is not unusual to hear that the nurses who were in good standing and who filed the complaints have been dismissed from their employment even in cases where the nurses have been long term employees of hospitals. More recently added to this mix are physicians, in growing numbers, who are employees of hospitals and/or of medical staffing agencies. Staff physicians have added their voices pertaining to patient safety and practice issues in ways that are similar to those complaints filed by nurses. Similarly, some physicians, some of whom are long term hospital employees in good standing, have also been terminated. In each category of profession, the former nurse or medical employee has sued their former employer. This paper examines the issue of employment of professionals by hospitals, in particular physicians, and causes for termination that are legal. The paper will also examine, by means of analyzing a current case, the termination of employment of a physician that appears to be illegal/retaliatory. The paper concludes by demonstrating civil penalties that can attach to the successful proof of retaliatory termination by examination of some recent cases that are illuminating in their outcomes.

ABSTRACT. The efforts to determine the elements that influence organisational performance have become a critical factor in a highly competitive environment, especially for an organisation that wants to increase employee performance. Hence, it has become a vital responsibility of managers and management to discover the motivating elements that have a significant impact on employee performance. This study aimed to determine which specific factors are contributing to the motivational levels of administrative employees. This study also aimed to determine the rank order of motivational factors for administrative employees. This study utilised a quantitative methodology and a survey research design. Using a standardised questionnaire, data were collected. This study's participants were selected using a non-probabilistic, convenience sample. The results of this study reveal that respondents were motivated the most by factors such as job security, job responsibility, goal setting, working conditions, leadership, feedback, salary, and job characteristics. Finally, factors that respondents deemed as most important motivational factors were ranked as follows: leadership (1), salary (2), training and development (3), job security (4), feedback (5), rewards (6), working condition (7), the opportunity for advancement (8), recognition and appreciation (9), job characteristics (10), job responsibility (11), performance appraisal (12) and goal setting (13). According to the research, motivators raise the degree of employee motivation, whereas hygiene factors decrease the level of employee motivation. According to the study's findings, both hygiene and motivators have a significant impact on employee motivation. So, this industry needs to utilise both motivators and hygienic elements to effectively encourage employees and increase job satisfaction.

ABSTRACT. Medical schemes that need help to deliver ethical and eco-sustainable goods and services at affordable prices will barely survive the increasing competitive pressure. Many firms endeavour to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by being honest, eco-sustainable and good at performance. This study used quantitative research to assess the perceptions of ethical marketing scale and relate them to customers’ demographics in the South African medical schemes setting. About 250 medical scheme beneficiaries, mainly those responsible for monthly contributions, were recruited via a non-probability convenience sampling technique in a face-to-face survey. Exploratory factors analysis (EFA) and Pearson’s Correlation Matrix tested the scale’s measurement properties and relationships with customers’ demographics. The results show that the perception that the service provider gives preferential treatment to some customers has a significant negative correlation with consumer age groups. In addition, the results show a significant negative relationship between consumers’ perception that service provider withholds information from customers which could influence their medical cover selection and affiliation to a particular medical scheme. This suggests that these practices of marketing ethics translate into a negative perception among the consumer age group and medical scheme’s brand affiliation. The practical implications for medical schemes’ practitioners and theory contributions are outlined.

ABSTRACT. Modern industries depend on effective computer systems and a highly skilled digital workforce. As such, economic work sectors in South Africa such as manufacturing, financial services and digital systems need to adapt in order to comply to evolving demands following on the introduction and application of new technologies. Industry 4.0 had a major impact on many aspects of the business world with the main priority to create smart factories by merging digital technologies and the physical world of manufacturing into Cyber Physical Systems (CPSs). CPSs use technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, Big Data, advanced robotics, smart sensors and Augmented Reality (AR) to achieve intelligent control via embedded networked systems. The implementation of these technologies resulted in automation with the purpose of promoting mass production using robots. Currently a paradigm shift towards a human-centric approach in manufacturing while keeping environmental and social aspects in mind introduced Industry 5.0. Industry 5.0 promotes a collaborative relationship between humans and robots with the establishment of super smart factories. In Industry 5.0 super smart factories Artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced robotics are applied in an innovative and creative way to manufacture unique customized products.

Industry 5.0 requires workers with an in-depth understanding of AI and the latest trends in advanced digital technologies. To this effect Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) fulfill an imperative role in the development of skilled professionals in the field of Information Technology (IT) to support companies in their quest towards the implementation of new technologies. However, HEIs are known to be slow to adapt to change which results in a lack of knowledgeable and skilled workers in IT. As a result, a skills gap between industry requirements and HEI graduates has been reported in a range of fields of study which includes engineering and computing causing companies to be hesitant in moving towards the implementation of smart and super smart factories. Countries such as Germany and the USA reported a lack of skilled workers in IT as a concerning matter which should be addressed urgently. The same phenomenon is experienced and reported on in South Africa with surveys showing a growing skills gap between industry requirements and HEI graduates which results in graduates not being employable. This study has been conducted as part of a project to develop a framework for Industry 5.0 oriented education at HEIs in IT programmes in South Africa.

The objective of this study was to identify core Industry 5.0 skills requirements for employees in Information Technology at South African companies. The study used a qualitative research methodology. Purposive sampling was used to identify companies who employ workers in the field of Information technology. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 12 IT employees/managers. Participants were chosen based on their knowledge and experience in IT within a business/manufacturing environment. Results were recorded, transcribed, and reported on in the format of Industry 5.0 skills requirements for IT graduates at South African HEIs, in order to meet the demands of IT companies. The study revealed that skills specific to technologies employed at the different companies are required. Therefore, workers in the IT industry should have the ability to successfully master and adapt to new technologies. Furthermore, soft skills such as self-determination and a problem-solving and inquisitive mindset are imperative for graduates to be successfully employed in the Industry 5.0 IT workplace.

ABSTRACT. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the role of university websites in higher education. University websites are an important source of information for students, providing access to course materials, academic support services, and campus resources. Generation Y students, who are digital natives, are expected to be proficient in using university websites. However, research has shown that there may be gender disparities in the behavioral intention to use university websites among this population. As such, the purpose of this paper was to explore whether Generation Y male and female students differed in their intentions to use university websites in a South African context. The factors that influence their behavioral intentions included perceived system quality, information quality, trust, and attitude. These antecedents of behavioral intention were tested using two regression models, one for male students (n = 154) and the other for female students (n = 163) as well as an independent samples t-test. The regression analysis results reveal that, for Generation Y female students, 45 percent of the variance in their behavioral intention to use university websites is explained by the independent variables, compared to 35 percent for male students. In addition, the regression model applicable to females shows that trust and attitude have a statistically significant influence on their behavioral intention, whereas for males, only attitude has a statistically significant influence on their behavioral usage intention. The independent samples t-test further suggests that Generation Y female and male students differ in their attitude towards university websites and their behavioral intention to use university websites. These findings have implications for the design and implementation of university websites and e-learning environments, particularly in terms of considering gender differences in the needs, preferences, and motivations of male and female students. Future research could explore how cultural and contextual factors influence gender disparities in the use of university websites among Generation Y students.

ABSTRACT. Online grocery ordering and delivery apps have become the new normal due to the convenience and cost-effectiveness that they offer. At the click of a button, customers are able to shop for their groceries regardless of whether they are at home or at their workplace, and online grocery shopping affords advantages such as timesaving and the avoidance of transportation costs associated with a trip to a brick-and-mortar store. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of confirmation on a number of constructs, including perceived usefulness, design aesthetics and satisfaction. It further sought to establish a relationship between perceived usefulness and satisfaction and behavioural loyalty, design aesthetics and satisfaction and behavioural loyalty, and satisfaction and behavioural loyalty demonstrated by users of online grocery shopping. Expectation confirmation theory was adapted to form the theoretical model for the study, and data was obtained by means of an online survey from 253 users of online grocery shopping apps in South Africa. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was performed to test the proposed hypotheses. The study offers a perspective on online grocery shopping from a developing country; in this it represents a departure from previous studies based on international markets, which are characterised by greater technology awareness and usage.

ABSTRACT. Since the creation of Bitcoin in 2009, the cryptocurrency market has grown considerably. Recently, triggered by the development of Metaverse and NFT, the topic of cryptocurrencies was increasingly covered by the mainstream media, which has raised public attention and awareness again. Despite various literature surveys highlighting the concept of cryptocurrencies from different contexts, comprehensively and systematically studies on how personality and motivation contribute to the intention of investing cryptocurrencies has received little research attention. This thesis aims to fill this gap in the literature by exploring the relationship between personality and the intention to invest in cryptocurrencies. The study draws on two well-established theoretical frameworks: Deci & Ryan's self-determination theory and the Big-Five model. In addition, the study also examines locus of control, risk-taking propensity, and intrinsic/extrinsic motivation. Data collected from a sample of 438 participants are used to examine the research model and test the hypotheses with the employment of partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results suggest that conscientiousness negatively affects intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, leading to lower investment in cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, risk tolerance has a significant impact on motivation and investment behavior. The study contributes to the literature on cryptocurrency investment behavior and provides practical implications for investment advice and risk management. The results also confirm the theory that psychological factors and external information can disrupt rational decision-making, leading to overreaction and impulsive behavior. The study has important implications for both academics and policymakers. It provides a deeper understanding of the psychological factors that influence investment behavior in the cryptocurrency market and offers practical implications for investment advice and risk management.