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Research issues around tourism development in small town South Africa have generated a growing scholarship. With the announcement in May 2023 by the World Health Organisation of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic the paper reflects both on the pandemic experiences for tourism in South African small towns and of relevant initiatives for revival at the beginning of the post COVID-19 era. Specifically, the aim in this paper to extend the literature on tourism in small town South Africa by focusing on the context of small town recovery from COVID-19 analysing the example of the Overstrand, Africa’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. The study shows that under certain circumstances amenity-rich small town localities can be resilient to external shocks such as the pandemic. For the resilience and recovery of small-town tourism destinations it is argued that place-based responses are critical.

Domestic tourism has garnered much attention recently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, being identified as a key solution to the post-pandemic recovery. The worth of domestic tourism prior to the pandemic, however, despite its tremendous economic value, has largely been overshadowed in scholarship and amongst many governments in lieu of the more glamorous international tourism. Notwithstanding, the current emphasis on domestic tourism, a gap still exists in the literature on specific sub-segments of the domestic tourist market and understanding their profiles and perceptions in order to address issues related to growing such markets and thus contributing to the overarching growth of domestic tourism and strengthening its role in the recovery of the tourism sector. This paper thus seeks to unpack the profile of 297 domestic road trip tourists surveyed from the Gauteng province of South Africa. The results outline the socio-demographic characteristics in terms of age, race, income and education levels, and their travel preferences and behaviour. Findings reveal facets linked to the importance of youth tourists, the need to address access to travel, availability of products and facilities geared to the needs of domestic tourists, the conditions of roads and the ease of travel, as well as issues related to financial access to tourism through pricing and affordability. The study provides a springboard to better understand the domestic road trip market by uncovering key socio-demographic components of this lesser studied market in the context of South Africa and provides recommendations for addressing the issues at hand.

AbstractThis paper uses bibliometric methods to quantitatively analyze global scientific performance and current research fields in the field of global climate change. The intention was to enhance knowledge of the scientific understanding of climate change. The data used in this analysis is based on 259 papers by scholars worldwide that were published in 498 academic journals in the Scopus database between 2006 and 2022 to investigate the methods used in scientific research to study climate change. The scientific knowledge, changes in research hotspots, worldwide geographic distribution of research, and country-specific focus are all summarized in our analysis. The findings indicate that (1) Throughout the era under investigation, the goal of research on climate change has evolved from comprehending the climate system to developing climate technology and regulations, like laws and efficient energy use; (2) The idea of climate change is reflected in modern models of energy efficiency, renewable energy transition, carbon pricing, and circular economy. The idea of climate change, seen from an overall viewpoint, affects carbon footprint, social and economic impact, rising carbon dioxide levels, and carbon sequestration; (3) since 2006, research on climate change vulnerability has grown rapidly, and its publications are widely disseminated in numerous source journals; in terms of global climate research change, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences are the two most productive institutions and Water resource-related disputes and collaboration. Our research can be used by scholars and policymakers to investigate future research goals and to consider the current directions of climate change studies. Future studies can address issues related to human health risks, inequality in society and the economy, policy and regulation in the context of global climate change, and the rate at which emissions will zero out. This study’s primary goal is to close this gap and improve our comprehension of the body of current literature.

AbstractThe objective of this paper is to explore the relationship between business information, business networking, access to finance and financial performance of social enterprises. It broadens on theoretical threads from the perspective of resource-based view theory and signalling theory. Hypotheses are tested to assess the possible effect of business information, business networking, access to finance as well as financial performance of social enterprises. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by using the standardized questionnaire to collect primary data from a total of 384 owners/directors of social enterprises. Simple random sampling method was applied to select social enterprises functioning in the country. A Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling was applied to examine the data. This study found a positive and significant direct relationship between business information, access to finance, and business networking on financial performance of the social enterprises in Pakistan. The results supported the moderation effect of access to finance on business information and financial performance whereas, access to finance does not have a significant moderation impact between business networking and financial performance. Therefore, this study recommends that social enterprises in Pakistan should provide great emphasis on business networking and business information to introduce financially creative solutions for the societal problems, which are essential for overall wellbeing of different stakeholders of the social enterprises.

AbstractThis paper examines the role of institutional investors foreign-owned firms and government-linked companies, in improving firm performance through the channel of IT investment decision. The data sample comprises information collected from the annual reports of 231 companies listed on Bursa Malaysia, spanning the years 2010 to 2019. This study concludes, on the basis of the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) dynamic model, which mitigates the endogeneity issue linked to the equity multiple value model, that institutional ownership moderates the relationship between IT investment and firm performance in a positive direction. The results of the study shed light on the capacity of institutional investors to allay apprehensions regarding agency problems that arise from the rent-seeking conduct of managers. The implications of this finding are both theoretical and practical, given that IT expenditures continue to constitute a substantial proportion of the capital budgets of organisations. However, several studies indicate that there is no direct relationship between firm IT investment levels and firm performance. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by examining the influence of institutional investors on IT investment decisions. It does so by integrating agency theory, which explains performance shortfalls, and corporate governance, which oversees and controls managers’ inappropriate investment choices, thereby illuminating the antecedents of IT investment decisions. The present investigation would furnish significant insights for stakeholders, investors, and the general public, thereby augmenting their understanding of the pivotal significance of institutional ownership and guaranteeing that investments in IT are adequately regulated.

AbstractOver the last decade, rapid advances in information systems (ISs) have greatly reshaped and changed the nature of doing business and how its performance is measured, with Electronic Auditing (E-auditing) emerging as a pivotal element in improving organizational efficiency. This study addresses the challenges faced in manually implementing audits and underscores the necessity for transitioning to electronic audit systems. The manual approach has limitations regarding the accuracy of operations, so to enhance performance, E-auditing is now imperative. The purpose of the study is to evaluate E-auditing in the public sector of Saudi Arabia, utilizing DeLone and McLean’s information system model (DM ISM). The focus is on vital factors including information quality, system quality, service quality, system usage and user satisfaction and their influence on the performance of internal audit departments, particularly during the challenges posed by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This research employs a quantitative approach, utilizing a self-administered survey questionnaire to collect data from E-auditing users in the Saudi public sector. The study applies partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to validate the gathered data. Findings reveal that information quality and system quality significantly influence E-auditing usage. While service quality exhibits no marked effect on usage, the study establishes a strong relationship between E-auditing usage and user satisfaction. Effective E-auditing usage and satisfied users contribute convincingly to the improved performance of internal audit departments. The paper concludes with implications, limitations, and suggestions for future studies.

AbstractThe widespread coronavirus (COVID-19) has sparked considerable worry among businesses worldwide, including Ghana. Despite a growing body of information on market and business reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are few to no studies that have empirically examined the direct impact of COVID-19 on a firm’s financial reporting. The paper employed a panel regression model to examine COVID-19 impacts on a firm’s financial reporting delay over 3 years for 100 firms in Ghana comprising 30 listed firms and 70 private firms. The study’s empirical findings indicate COVID-19 and financial report delays have a positive and significant relationship. The study also established that the positive relationship is more pronounced for low-performing and private firms. The study recommended that a firm’s operational strategies be improved and well-coordinated during pandemics to avoid reporting and subsequent operational delays.

AbstractThe concept of country branding, also referred to as nation or place branding, involves the creation and management of a nation’s image and products to promote various aspects of its identity. This study conducted a systematic review of country branding studies based on articles published between 2010 and 2020. A total of 59 papers were obtained from electronic databases such as Scopus, search engines like Google Scholar, and publishers including Taylor and Francis, Emerald, Elsevier, and Wiley online, using a specific search criterion. Of the 59 articles, only 44 met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The results were organised using the theory, context, characteristics, and methods (TCCM) organising approach for systematic literature reviews. The study revealed two dominant research themes: ‘national branding campaign’ and ‘country of origin (COO). Most studies did not use any specific model and the qualitative method was the dominant research method used. The findings of this study provide a roadmap for understanding the literature on country branding and offer directions for future theory building.

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the new generation’s behavior, influencing VR satisfaction and behavioral intention toward destinations. To this end, this paper investigated whether subjective norms, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and VR satisfaction of the new generation positively impacted the behavioral intention to visit actual destinations. A convenient sampling method was used to collect data from students via an online survey by many universities in Thailand. The sample has been classified as people who used VR applications for tourism earlier answering the survey. The results revealed that attitude and perceived behavioral control had a positive and significant influence on VR satisfaction and an indirect effect on behavioral intentions. Moreover, VR satisfaction positively and significantly influenced behavioral intentions toward actual destinations. This study empirically investigates the influence of virtual reality on the new generation’s behavior by using VR applications and other devices to access destinations. However, the results are valuable insight for destination marketing organizations to enhance the sophisticated technology that develops sites for new generations of tourism destinations. The current study provides specific theoretical and practical implications for further study.

AbstractThis paper investigates the selection criteria and success factors of retailers within mixed-use developments in Shanghai, from the 2009 financial crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic. By using Multiple Criteria Decision Making focused on three groups of key performance indicators: External, specifics of the Industry, and Users, the study aims to provide a comprehensive review of retail location selection within the emerging paradigm of mixed-use environments. The assessment reveals that connectivity, specifically with metro stations within 500 m, is paramount to a project’s success. Moreover, 73% of the projects surveyed feature more than two underground levels, with the top 10 ranking projects boasting 3–4 floors above ground, occupied by both offices and retail spaces. Structurally, almost 90% of the mixed-use developments being studied have commercial areas exceeding 35,000 sqm. The optimal project size is determined to be around 200,000 sqm, with retail making up half of the built area. The preferred land plot size ranges from 35,000 to 40,000 sqm. However, the study also identifies a lack of comprehensive sustainability strategies and net-zero carbon certifications in many of these developments. The findings also contribute to urban researchers and policymakers by offering a multi-criteria matrix to assess and scale mixed-use developments, not only in Shanghai but also in other geographical locations. This foundational study serves as a basis for future MCDM research and provides a comprehensive understanding of the real estate market in Shanghai’s mixed-use developments, offering practical recommendations for enhancing their performance and sustainability.

AbstractThis paper examines the dynamics of the entrepreneurship ecosystem and entrepreneurship development in Africa. This study is conceived on the premise that although enterprise-induced growth is documented to be the panacea for containing the rising unemployment, poverty rate, and worsening economic conditions, African enterprise-led policies have not generated the desired results with entrepreneurship development still slow. It is believed that the nature of entrepreneurial ecosystem might have contributed to poor entrepreneurship development, however, there is a paucity of evidence about this possible link. This paper is one of the foundational studies in the entrepreneurship literature that has applied quantitative analytical procedures to investigate how the dynamics of the entrepreneurial ecosystem influence entrepreneurship development in Africa. The paper operationalises the entrepreneurial ecosystem within the African context and investigates the short-run and long-run relationships between these proxies and entrepreneurship development in Africa. The paper employed the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) to estimate the relationships and the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) to validate the estimates. Annual data from 2000 to 2021 in 54 African countries were used for the study. This translated into 1184 observations in a 22-year data span. The paper revealed a positive consequence of the entrepreneurial ecosystem on entrepreneurship development in Africa in both the short-run and the long-run, however, the short-run estimates were not significant. It is concluded that the entrepreneurial ecosystem proxies: people (human capital), venture capital, infrastructure, system, and support are catalysts that drive entrepreneurship development in Africa in the long run. It is recommended that African enterprise-led policy should emphasise the entrepreneurial ecosystem that revolves around these constructs in order to develop an entrepreneurship culture and sustain the existing enterprises.

AbstractThis investigation aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis to amalgamate the publication patterns of auditing practices. As a result, this research scrutinizes the historical, contemporary, and forthcoming studies on auditing practices. The content is sourced from the Scopus database, and following the application of specific selection criteria, a total of 516 documents are chosen for bibliometric scrutiny. Citation analysis is employed to identify the most influential publications and contributors. In order to determine the most productive authors and sources, an analysis of productivity is undertaken. The bibliometric analysis used to discover five principal thematic clusters in auditing practice research. The themes that are extensively referenced include the legitimacy of audits, their function, archival auditing, the proliferation of audits, audit technologies, and the analysis of big data. By means of co-citation analysis, the works that are most frequently referenced are identified, while co-occurrence analysis is employed to identify the current themes that are trending in research on auditing practices. The present trends and clusters of themes encompass sustainability assurance, the role of auditors in financial crises, blockchain technology, professional skepticism, and the detection of fraudulent activities. The future directions for research are presented in the academic papers.

AbstractThis research paper aims to investigate the correlation between green marketing practices, leadership commitment, environmental consciousness, and environmental performance within the pharmaceutical sector in Jordan. By employing a quantitative research methodology, this study provides valuable insights into the interaction of variables through the collection of empirical data from 11 pharmaceutical companies. Through an online survey, we obtained 287 responses by employing a random sampling technique. The utilization of SPSS and AMOS demonstrates a notable level of efficacy in the context of conducting analytical investigations. The findings of the study provide empirical evidence in favor of the proposed hypotheses, indicating that the implementation of green marketing significantly influences a company’s level of environmental consciousness, therefore affecting its environmental performance. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights into the moderating impact of leadership commitment and the mediating role of environmental consciousness in this association. The research presents a novel perspective by directing its attention towards the Jordanian pharmaceutical sector, a domain that has hitherto received limited scholarly scrutiny. It elucidates the complex interconnections among the examined variables, imparting a nuanced comprehension imperative for successfully propelling sustainability endeavors. Through a comprehensive examination of the interplay between leadership and marketing practices, this research contributes to the understanding of how organizations can optimize their sustainability efforts by fostering environmental consciousness and improving performance. By delineating the specific roles that leadership and marketing play in this context, this study offers valuable insights that can inform strategic decision-making and enhance the effectiveness of sustainability practices within organizations.

AbstractGlobal labor market shifts have spurred the need for innovations and adaptations in workplace norms. This evolution demands a workforce with technical and soft skills to meet sustainability and industry advancements. The paper aims to elucidate the complex challenges related to the ambition to develop a socially sustainable, competitive, and green industry subjected to an accelerating pace of change. It outlines the findings of a Delphi study conducted in Sweden, which integrated workshops, interviews, and surveys with experts from various sectors to identify 14 key challenges. These challenges were synthesized into five themes: innovative competence supply management practices, resilient organizations and production systems, analytics for improvement and learning, socially sustainable work, and green transformation practices. The study provides a set of propositions within these themes, offering a strategic roadmap for future research to foster the growth of industries that are socially responsible, competitive, and committed to environmental sustainability. A practical implication of the study is the recognition of the larger competence ecosystem of which industrial companies are a part. This community must work together to create the knowledge needed to manage the shift to a green, sustainable, and digital working life.

AbstractThis study aims to determine how payment disturbances in managers’ earlier entrepreneurial practices (PDMs) predict corporate default. Classical financial ratios have often failed to predict the default of micro-, small- and medium-sized firms with high accuracy, and therefore, the extant literature has been focused on searching novel non-financial predictors. In this study, an integrational theoretical framework about PDMs in corporate default prediction is created and respective hypotheses postulated. The empirical part of the paper applies the population of Estonian defaulted and non-defaulted firms with three different prediction methods, while the predictors included three variables portraying PDMs and four classical financial ratios. The results indicate that PDMs lead to more accurate predictions of corporate defaults than financial ratios do. Among the specific variables, the average tendency of earlier disturbances was the most accurate, followed by the maximum and frequency tendencies. Therefore, the prevalence of payment behaviour issues by means of size and duration is more common in the entrepreneurial history of managers of defaulted firms than in that of non-defaulted firms. Additionally, the role of size, age, business-to-business, international orientation, and serial entrepreneurship contexts on the results is outlined. By introducing novel variables, this study is valuable for corporate default prediction in practice, especially when financial variables for respective purpose are absent or when they fail to signal the forthcoming default.

AbstractThis paper examines how the gender of CEOs affect product and process innovations at the firm level, focusing on how SEZ features affect the gender-innovations nexus. The study employs data containing 328 firms from 2018 to 2021 and panel logit and treatment estimation models. The results show that female CEOs are more likely to lead registered SEZ firms and engage more in product and process innovations. Moreover, while female CEOs contribute positively to product and process innovations, female CEOs in registered SEZ firms and SEZ enclaves tend to have a higher and profound contribution to product and process innovations than their counterparts. These results suggest that national and corporate policymakers should develop and implement corporate and national level policies that (i) limits the glass ceiling barriers in order to propel the contribution of females to innovations and (ii) lower the bureaucratic and complex administrative procedures for operationalizing SEZ firms in order to harness the innovational-enhancing effects of gender inclusiveness.

AbstractThe paper estimates the degree of integration of plantain prices in three selected markets to assess the efficiency of the plantain marketing system in mid Ghana. The selected markets are Techiman in Bono East Region, Kenyasi and Duayaw Nkwanta markets both in Ahafo Region of Ghana. The spatial market integration analysis was done using the error correction model on monthly wholesale real prices in Ghana cedis (GH¢) per 9–11 kg bunch of plantain from 2006 to 2015. The findings of the analysis indicate that the plantain markets are weakly integrated spatially with an overall degree of integration of 17 percent which suggests weak market efficiency. Therefore, strengthening the implementation of government policy on market information, especially in producing areas, will be useful in improving plantain market efficiency.