Search

Advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) bear the promise of multiple benefits, including individual and entrepreneurial empowerment. The prospect of harnessing ICT as a means of creating growth and development opportunities is particularly appealing in developing countries. Still, several factors, including digital illiteracy and gender inequality, hamper the possibility of effective and universal utilization of these opportunities, in extreme cases leading to digital divide, gender-based exclusion, poverty, and precarity. Using this observation as a springboard, the objective of this paper is to conceptualize and quantify the digital divide-gender-entrepreneurial orientation nexus as it emerges in the perception of Pakistan higher education students. Using a quantitative approach, this study identifies the impact of digital skills (and thus the knowledge inequalities that can determine the potential digital gap) on entrepreneurship-related technology adoption (as measured through Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, UTAUT), whereby gender is treated as a moderator. The empirical findings, based on Structure Equation Modelling (SEM) and Multiple Group Analysis (MGA), show that digital skills and perceptions of technology capabilities have a substantial impact on the desire to use ICT in entrepreneurial activities. The influence of technology adoption intent on the development of entrepreneurial orientation is also confirmed. This paper adds to the broader debate on gender, digital divide and entrepreneurship. Importantly, by identifying some of the drivers behind students' technology adoption in a developing nation such as Pakistan, filled with technological and economic unbalances, the conclusions of this study will have conceptual, managerial, and policymaking applications, notably in terms of technological access, digital literary, and gender-based exclusion. • This paper examines the digital divide-entrepreneurial orientation-gender nexus among Pakistani higher education students. • Digital skills and perceptions of technology capabilities significatly impact the desire to use ICT for entrepreneurship. • The influence of technology adoption intent on the development of entrepreneurial orientation is also confirmed. • Results have managerial and policymaking applications about technological access, digital literary and gender exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the effects of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with mediating role of differentiation strategy in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical framework has been developed to base the hypotheses, as also to determine the exact approach in this study. To establish the influence of EO on the performance of SME, a five-point Likert scale questionnaire has been used to collect data from middle and senior managers who operate in SMEs in the manufacturing sectors. The sample illustrates 166 incumbents, comprising 68.07 per cent from middle management and 31.93 per cent from senior management operating in manufacturing sector of SMEs, by means of a stratified random sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and Amos graphics software. Hypotheses were tested by using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. Findings: EO, as a whole, presents a significant positive effect on the performance of SMEs. Moreover, differentiation strategy partially mediated the relationship between EO and performance of SMEs. Two dimensions of EO, proactiveness and risk-taking propensity, strongly increased firm performance while innovativeness, competitive aggressiveness, autonomy and competitive energy did not cause any significant change. The findings differ from the current view of western enterprises that innovativeness (INO) played a major role by increasing performance of SMEs. The results transpired that innovativeness (INO) tends to reduce performance of SMEs, but the p-value did not reach a high significance value. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this empirical study is comparatively a small size of the sample. The analysis of power suggests that a larger sample could have provided more reliable and extensive results. Regardless of that, the analysis of reliability, using the Cronbach's alpha, exhibited the consistency of outcomes in providing an accurate portrait of the EO influences on the performance of SME. Practical implications: The study verifies that two dimensions of EO have considerable effects on the performance of SMEs, while the others have not, whereas, the EO, as whole, has significant positive effect on performance of SMEs. These findings should be helpful for researchers looking for appropriate performance measures, and for entrepreneurs aiming at getting support for their decisions and evaluating their performance. Originality/value: The current study appears to be first of its kind focusing on the link between EOs, as whole, and its dimensions, to performance of SMEs and differentiation strategies within the specific context of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Like other developing countries, Pakistan is under severe economic pressure and striving to boost entrepreneurial orientation for achieving growth through minimal depletion of natural resources. In order to facilitate widespread and successful adoption of green entrepreneurial farming, it is crucial to address barriers inhibiting the uptake of green entrepreneurial activities in farming for the sustainability of natural resources as well as food provision. To this end, the present study aimed to investigate barriers in the adoption of green entrepreneurial farming in Pakistan. To fulfill the study objectives, after a comprehensive literature review and field visit, 34 barriers were identified. The results based on ranking analysis identified 20 out of 34 barriers as critical barriers to adoption of green entrepreneurial farming in the country. Furthermore, factor analysis was employed to group underlying 20 critical barriers into six major categories viz. 1) training and development-related barriers, 2) entrepreneurial orientation-related barriers, 3) market orientation-related barriers, 4) customer orientation-related barriers, 5) innovation orientation-related barriers, and 6) green supporting supplies-related barriers. Results showed that most dominant barrier among six groupings was training and development-related barriers and the marginal role of government in the provision of such endeavours. This implies that government needs to play a more active role in the adoption and promotion of green entrepreneurial farming in Punjab, Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This empirical research investigates the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation in the relationships between organizational ambidexterity and sustainable development engagement and firm performance. The data were collected from 339 small and medium enterprises using a time-lagged approach and further analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results confirm the mediation of entrepreneurial orientation in the relationships between organizational ambidexterity and firm performance and sustainable development engagement. Institutional support also strengthens the entrepreneurial orientation relationship with firm performance and sustainable development practices. This study provides detailed theoretical and managerial implications by effectively using institutional support to increase firm performance and sustainable development engagement. • The study explored the mediating role of EO in the relationships of OA with SDE and firm performance. • We also examined the moderation of institution support in EO linked with SDE and firm performance. • The time-lagged primary data was collected from the SME sector of the emerging economy of Pakistan. • Institutional support is crucial for the relationship between EO with firm performance and SDE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempt to appropriately measure student perception about the performance their lecturers/teacher in higher education by means of entrepreneurship orientation construct. In this study, efforts are made to evaluate the students perception with three factors of entrepreneurship orientation construct i.e. innovativeness, proactiveness and risk taking. Using the data collected from Finland and Pakistan on the questionnaire developed on the basis of the previous entrepreneurship orientation construct. We find evidence that students' perception can be explained with use of innovativeness, proactiveness and risk taking attributes of the lecturer/ teacher in Finland and Pakistan. Leadership in higher education can leverage their role by including lecturers/teachers. Inferences are made of the finding along with the recommended prospect studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]