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Organizational cronyism is profoundly ingrained in South Asian small and medium scale business and is responsible for eliciting a variety of negative individual- and organizational-level outcomes. It is a practice where management grants favour to certain employees based on personal relationships forming an “in-group” and discriminates “out-group” employees without regard to merit. This study attempts to improve understanding of the way organizational cronyism impacts the success of small and medium scale business in Pakistan through reduced employee task performance and the moderating role of egoistic climate plays in strengthening the organizational cronyism and task performance association. In addition, this study aimed to examine the complex in-group and out-group dynamics created by organizational cronyism and its subsequent outcomes. We employed an explanatory sequential mixed-method design and data were collected across two studies, i.e., a quantitative survey (n= 321, 4 waves) and a qualitative inquiry (n= 23) from employees working in small and medium scale enterprises of Pakistan. The results of the survey proved the direct and moderation hypotheses, while mediation hypotheses were partially substantiated. Semi-structured interviews affirmed the presence of in-groups and out-groups based on organizational cronyism in SMEs and revealed that organizational cronyism results in negative task performance regardless of the group membership and declines SMEs’ success. The overall results suggest that small and medium scale businesses in Pakistan should maintain fair and transparent business practices in order to avoid cronyism and thrive successfully.

This study investigates the hospitality sector for the role of green relational capital on social sustainability via the effect of corporate social responsibility culture (CSR culture) and top management support. The data were collected from 234 employees working in the hospitality sector of Punjab, Pakistan. Partial least square-structural equation modelling was performed for analysis. The analytical findings revealed the significant positive effect of CSR culture and top management support on green relational capital and social sustainability. This research is novel as meagre research is found on social sustainability, particularly concerning green relational capital. Moreover, this study contributes to the existing literature on sustainability by exploring the influence mechanism between green relational capital and social sustainability via incorporating two underexplored but highly relevant constructs, i.e., CSR culture and top management support.

Purpose: This study sheds light on the differential impact of social media brand engagement on two distinct types of purchase intentions, i.e. online and physical, in the special context of the post-COVID-19 situation in Pakistan. It has shed light on the factor (trust in online purchases during COVID-19) that has shaped the post-pandemic purchasing attitude. The above-stated association is unlocked based on the mediating role of brand equity. Design/methodology/approach: The people who followed the social media pages of major sellers (apparel, grocery, food items and medical supplies) in Pakistan were included as the target population. A time-lagged web-based survey method was employed to collect primary data which generated 308 responses. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. After checks for validity and reliability, mediation and moderation analysis were run by Hayes PROCESS model 4 and 14 respectively. Findings: Results show that brand equity mediates the relationship of social media engagement with both online and physical purchase intentions. Further, results confirm that trust in online purchases during COVID-19 19 weakens the relationship of social media engagement with physical purchase intentions but strengthens with online purchase intentions. Originality/value: This study attempts to unveil the moderation of trust in online purchases during COVID-19 on the relationship of social media engagement with online and physical purchase intentions through the mediation of brand equity.

Purpose: The current study aims to investigate the impact of coworker ostracism on coworker-directed knowledge hiding through the mediating role of relational social capital and moderating role of alternate belongingness in Pakistani higher educational settings. Design/methodology/approach: A time-lagged study was carried out in which data from teaching and non-teaching faculty (N= 217) from the higher education sector of Lahore, Pakistan, were collected through multi-stage sampling. The collected data were analysed using moderated mediation analysis (PROCESS model 4 and 7). Findings: The results revealed that ostracism from coworkers has an unfavourable impact on relational social capital that in turn promotes knowledge hiding. Nonetheless, if ostracized employees had sources to fulfil belongingness needs outside the work settings, this negative association was strengthened. Originality/value: The authors have taken the role of belongingness outside the workplace in explaining the coworker ostracism and knowledge hiding relationship in higher educational settings and identified the explanatory role of relational social capital.

Purpose: This research aims to investigate the impact of fear and perceived knowledge (PK) of Covid-19 on the sustainable consumption behaviour (SCB) of Muslim consumers and to test the mediating role of (intrinsic) religiosity. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 417 responses were collected during Covid-19 lockdown through an online structured survey using the snowball technique. A two-step research approach was adopted. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis was performed on the SCB measurement scale through SPSS. In Study 2, hypothesised associations were analysed using SmartPLS-SEM. Findings: PK of Covid-19 pandemic directly motivates SCB in Muslim consumers, whereas fear has no direct effect on any factor of SCB. Religiosity is found to be a significant driver of SCB. Indirect effects also depict that religiosity positively mediates the association between fear and SCB as well as PK and SCB. Practical implications: The study may guide policymakers and marketers in using the current pandemic as a tool to inspire sustainable consumption. Religious values, teachings and knowledge about the pandemics can be publicised to create awareness and induce desired behaviour to cope with adverse events and adopt sustainable consumption patterns and lifestyles among Muslim consumers. Originality/value: The article is the pioneer of its kind to present survey research about Covid-19 fear and PK’s impact on SCB through religiosity. It adds to the Islamic marketing literature about religiosity, coping theory, PK and fear of pandemics and their role in transitioning Muslim consumers towards SCB. Moreover, the use of partial least squares structural equation modelling in the context of Covid-19 research was extended.

Purpose: Ostracism is a subjective and relative concept that renders itself to multiple manifestations and context-specific outcomes. Therefore, this study identified specific behaviours that are perceived as workplace ostracism by teaching faculty of Pakistani Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). Building on belongingness theory, the ramifications of ostracism on psychological well-being are outlined along with the context-specific factors that shape these outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: A phenomenological approach was adopted, and 30 semi-structured interviews from the teaching faculty of HEIs in Lahore, Pakistan, were conducted. The transcribed interviews were coded, and an inductive thematic analysis via NVivo 12 Plus software was used to generate themes and sub-themes. Findings: Five behaviours, i.e. biased treatment, exclusion from formal and informal interactions, interpersonal alienation, delayed sharing or hiding of knowledge, lack of work-related, social and emotional support constituted the acts of ostracism in studied HEIs. The psychological well-being of faculty suffered in terms of negative emotions, reduced job, career and life satisfaction in their work and family life. The contextual factors deciding the intensity of outcomes resulting from workplace encompassed head of department (HOD) support, pay, friendly relations, fear of confrontation, alternative job options and designation of faculty members. Originality/value: This research is a pioneer in using an in-depth phenomenological approach to define a behavioural typology of ostracism in academia. Moreover, a much needed holistic outcome of psychological well-being is explored in work and non-work domains and further elucidated in light of context-specific factors.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how the exclusionary work environment characterized by ostracism impacts full-time faculty experiences and responses in higher educational institutions working in eastern and collectivist culture of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the data were gathered form 25 ostracized full-time faculty working in the public and private universities in Lahore, Pakistan via in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviews are subsequently recorded, transcribed and analyzed by thematic analysis using NVivo 11 Plus software. Findings: Prosocial work outcomes coupled with high intensity of negative psychological impacts were traced based on the re-inclusion expectations, long-term relational contract, the socially interdependent, collaborative and collectivist culture of academic settings. However, the faculty indicated, in case of chronic exposure to ostracism they will engage in negative outcomes such as withdrawal, decrease in performance and resignation. Research limitations/implications: The results of this study can be used by the university administration to develop an inclusive and non-discriminatory culture. This can be done by devising policies for information sharing, better formal and informal relationships in full-time teaching faculty along with grievance mechanism to minimize the occurrence of workplace ostracism. Originality/value: The study promotes the understating of exclusionary work environments in academic settings. It has shown that the full-time faculty from all levels, specifically lecturers, experience workplace ostracism. This study has highlighted the specific contextual factors and temporal trends that shape the unique nature and responses (i.e. more social exclusion, prosocial responses and higher psychological distress) to ostracism in scantly researched academic settings in Pakistan.

This investigation showcased shared leadership as a precursor of taking charge through underlying mechanism of job control, building on the complexity theory. The data were analysed by employing multiple mediation analysis, using 202 valid responses faculty members working in public sector higher educational institutions through cluster sampling. Our result indicates important contributory role of job control between shared leadership and taking charge behaviours. The findings offer implications for higher educational institutions on individual, group and organisation-wide level to improve the quality of services and combat with the prevalent challenges. Theoretically this study suggests new insights into the contextual antecedents and mediating mechanisms of taking charge behaviours.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Consciousness personality on women entrepreneurs’ behavioral biases by focusing on financial literacy which is taken as a mediator while the mindfulness as a potential moderator. A random sample of 210 female entrepreneurs working in Pakistan was collected through stratified sampling technique and data are analyzed by using Structural Equation Modeling through SMART-PLS. The results divulged a significant mediating impact of financial literacy in reducing mental accounting bias among consciousness personality possessing women entrepreneurs; however, financial literacy was found related to the risk aversion bias through mindfulness. The moderation analysis further revealed interesting indirect impacts, such that financial literacy strongly reduced mental accounting and risk aversion bias for women who were more conscious of proper financial mindfulness. Nonetheless, financial mindfulness did not catalyze financial literacy and herding bias relationship. By encompassing the concepts of financial literacy, mindfulness, and behavioral biases in consciousness personality’s women entrepreneurs, we offered a comprehensive theoretical framework with practical implications for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Thus, we suggest new avenues for the longstanding dilemma related to the factors instigating suboptimal financial decision-making in women entrepreneurs in developing markets.

This study explores entrepreneurial leadership as a moderator between employee work engagement and perceptions of high-performance human resource management (HRM) practices. Additionally, it delves into the mediating role of employee work engagement between employee creativity and these perceptions. Utilizing a quantitative research strategy, the study includes a sample of 396 members from the banking sector in Pakistan. The study employs PLS-SEM to test hypotheses. Findings indicate that employee work engagement serves as a mediator between employees’ perceptions of high-performance HRM practices and creativity, while entrepreneurial leadership moderates this association. Entrepreneurial leadership enhances the employee–organization relationship and strengthens the impact of high-performance HRM practices on positive work-related behaviours. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by examining the strong role of employee work engagement in the relationship between employee perceptions of high-performance HRM practices and creativity as mediator, as well as the significance of entrepreneurial leadership as a moderator in that relationship to optimize the working of organization stimulating through the demand resource theory.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the balanced role of internal and external compliance in risk evaluation process of specialized agriculture financing. The authors examine the adaptive behavior of risk managers to determine the role of proposed transformation for risk monitoring (RM) and control process in risk mitigation and avoidance of agriculture credit failure. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered survey was conducted to collect data from 353 risk-related officers and managers in Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) Pakistan. The authors used a previously tested scale for the main constructs. The descriptive analyses were used to gauge the model capacity for determining the strength of proposed risk patterns in agriculture risk management. Findings: The results reveal that risk evaluation process in ZTBL is reasonably efficient in mitigating risks. Given the sensitive nature of farm credit, there is a need of fundamental reforms in risk policy manuals in line with central bank’s agriculture prudential regulations and Basel-III standards. The results fully support H1and H2, while H3is partially validated. The result patterns indicate serious issues in risk evaluation process in agriculture finance that is causing higher delinquency in farm credit. Research limitations/implications: Based on highlighted issues, the authors recommend valuable guidelines in the RM review system for agriculture financing products at ZTBL. Practical implications: The authors propose remodeling of agriculture risk management and offer valuable insights to the agriculture financial regulators and government in taking policy initiatives in the pre-and-post agriculture risk evaluation process. The proposed model enables RM process to improve farm credit delinquency, particularly in ZTBL and other agriculture banking networks in commercial banks. Originality/value: This is the first study to empirically investigate RM evaluation process in agriculture risk management of ZTBL in Pakistan, thus, offers new horizon of farm credit regulatory compliance in agricultural sector of Pakistan.

This research attempts to analyze the relationship between agency, control and corporate governance attributes for a sample of 267 firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) from 2005 to 2008. The results show that a) Pakistani listed firms are facing high agency costs problems in contrast to established markets. b) Factors are observed important to having strong effect on mitigating agency costs levels: corporate dividend policy, degree of board independence, and institutional ownership. c) Corporate governance factors reduce discretionary expenditure ratio, increase assets utilization ratio and free cash flow ratio. d) Control variables increases the asset utilization ratio and decreases the free cash flow and increases the managers’ performance (Tobin’s Q ratio). e) Ownership attributes regulate free cash flow and decrease the discretionary expenditure ratio. The outcomes of this research lead to the proposed use of recommended governance, control and ownership attributes to overcome agency problems and a sound policy for better corporate governance (better management of agency cost issues) for listed firms.

This article aims to determine the intervening strength of financial mindfulness between financial literacy and behavioural biases in women entrepreneurs. The literature has an enduring discussion regarding the profoundly unique financial behaviour of women. Financial literacy and behavioural biases constitute a recurrent research topic, yet how this nexus exists in the premise of women’s entrepreneurship is not well known. Building on this gap, we examined the impact of financial literacy on women entrepreneurs’ behavioural biases by focusing on financial mindfulness as a potential moderator. A random sample of 346 women entrepreneurs operating in Pakistan was analysed using structural equation modelling through AMOS 21. The results revealed a significant direct impact of financial literacy on reducing anchoring and herding bias; however, financial literacy was found to be unrelated to mental accounting bias. The moderation analysis further revealed interesting indirect impacts, such that financial literacy strongly reduced mental accounting and herding bias for financially mindful women. Nonetheless, financial mindfulness does not negatively catalyse the relationship between financial literacy and anchoring bias. By encompassing the concepts of financial literacy, mindfulness and behavioural biases, we offer a unique theoretical strand with practical implications for women entrepreneurs. We suggest new avenues for the longstanding dilemma related to the factors instigating suboptimal financial decision-making in women entrepreneurs in developing markets.