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Purpose: This study examines the effect of personality traits on organizational cynicism (OC). It explores, also, OC's predictive power on Employee Performance (EP) in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: This is a quantitative study in which the authors employed a survey questionnaire to collect cross-sectional data from the academic leaders of Pakistan's Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The authors utilized 325 usable cases to arrive at this study's findings. Findings: The Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis shows a positive and significant effect of agreeableness, extraversion, Emotional Stability (ES), conscientiousness and openness to experience on Cognitive Cynicism (CC), Affective Cynicism (AC) and Behavioural Cynicism (BC). Moreover, CC, AC and BC have proven to be negative and insignificant predictors of EP. Practical implications: This study's findings offer additional insights to understanding the direct connection between personality traits, OC and EP. Therefore, the findings support the development of effective policies and organizational setups to manage OC through personality traits. The findings assist, also, in understanding OC and its adverse effects on EP. Finally, the findings further add to the depth of the literature through empirical confirmation by academic leaders. Originality/value: This study's findings offer the original contribution of personality traits, OC and EP among HEIs' academic leaders in a developing country.

Purpose: The present study undertook an empirical investigation of entrepreneurship education, self-efficacy, need for achievement and entrepreneurial intention among Pakistan's commerce students. Design/methodology/approach: The authors applied quantitative methods based on cross-sectional data. The commerce students of the different public sector universities are targeted through a random sampling technique. The authors used a survey questionnaire to attain the responses from respondents. Finally, 184 usable cases are utilized to assume the hypothesized paths. Findings: By applying the structural equation modeling (SEM), the findings of the study demonstrate a significant positive effect of constructs of entrepreneurship education (EE), that is, opportunity recognition (OR) and entrepreneurship knowledge acquisition (EKA) on entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), entrepreneurial intention (EI) and need for achievement (NFA). Besides, ESE and NFA are found to be the robust predictors of EI. Practical implications: The findings provide significant guidelines to policy-makers and university authorities for developing useful EE courses to uplift and boost students' skills to face today's considerable business and entrepreneurship challenges. The study also helps to generate eagerness among students in selecting entrepreneurship as a career option. Originality/value: This study suggests the confirmation of EE's significant role in developing ESE, NFA and EI among commerce students.

Purpose: At present, almost the whole globe is facing a severe threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The present study examines the intention to stay home due to COVID-19 during a second wave of the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a deductive approach based on cross-sectional data. An online survey is conducted from citizens of Pakistan. A convenience sampling is applied to target the respondents. In total, 238 useable responses proceed for final analysis. The structural equation model (SEM) is used to infer the results. Findings: The findings of the study highlight a positive and significant effect of fear of COVID-19, attitudes to stay at home behaviour (AtSHB), knowledge about COVID-19 (Ka19) and health consciousness (HC) on the intention to stay at home (ItSAH). Practical implications: The study would provide the guidelines to policymakers and planners to develop the policies which may establish the individual's ItSAH. This strategy would restrict the spread of COVID-19. The government should also formulate the plannings to reduce the fear about COVID-19 and health concerns to combat the pandemic. The government should launch awareness programs regarding the spread and cure of COVID-19. Originality/value: This study is the first study which highlights the factors such as fear, HC, attitudes and knowledge towards ItSAH. The study may be unique in the COVID-19 perspective, particularly in the Pakistani context.

Purpose: The present study examines the knowledge, attitude and practice towards the reduction of COVID-19 spread among entrepreneurs of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology (FUUAST), Karachi Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: The authors employed cross-sectional data to infer the results. The data are collected through an online survey questionnaire. To target the respondents; a convenience sampling technique is adopted. In total, 222 usable answers proceed with final results. The structural equation model (SEM) is applied for the data analysis. Findings: The study outcomes found a significant and positive role of knowledge about COVID-19, attitudes towards a stay at home and practices against COVID-19 in reducing the spread of the pandemic. Practical implications: The study provides coherent knowledge about the factors that fight against the pandemic's further spread. The findings would provide the guidelines to policymakers to think about such factors and boost them enormously. Further, the results would contribute to the literature of COVID-19. Originality/value: This study is original, which empirically confirmed the effect of knowledge about COVID-19, attitudes towards a stay at home and practices against COVID-19 in an academic institute.

Purpose: The present study predicts attitude towards entrepreneurship among the students of Thailand through the entrepreneurial attitude orientation (EAO) model. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative approach is used, based on cross-sectional data from public sector universities of Thailand. The respondents are bachelor's and master's students who are acquiring entrepreneurship education. A random sampling technique was used to approach students to participate in the survey. A total of 392 useable questionnaires were returned, providing data for analysis. Findings: Using structural equation modeling, the results show a positive and significant impact of achievement, personal control and innovation on attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Self-esteem, however, has a non-significant impact on attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Practical implications: This study may be helpful for university policymakers wishing to know more about students' entrepreneurial attitudes, as there is a strong need to divert more students towards entrepreneurship. This study may contribute to the entrepreneurship literature and the EAO scale, particularly in developing and Asian contexts. Originality/value: This study offers evidence of the development of entrepreneurial attitudes among the students of Thailand, which ensures the further validation of the EAO scale in a developing country.

Boswellia serrata produces oleo gum resin, a rich source of essential oil (EO). EOs, produced as secondary metabolites by medicinal plants, are employed for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. The present study aimed to investigate the yield, chemical composition, antioxidant (AO), antimicrobial, and hemolytic activity of B. serrata EO and its fractions and sub‐fractions (SFs). The EO was extracted using the superheated steam extraction (SHSE) method at 140°C. Short‐path molecular vacuum distillation was used to separate the EO into fractions and SFs. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis showed α‐pinene, α‐thujene, trans verbenol, and linalool as major components of EO. The AO potential was evaluated using a 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl assay, % inhibition in a linoleic acid assay, H2O2 scavenging assay, and total AO content (TAOC) using a ferric reducing AO power assay. F2b SF exhibited the highest scavenging activity, with percentages of 95.77%, 96.20%, and 83.54%, respectively, whereas EO revealed the highest TAOC value of 115.94%. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by disc diffusion, resazurin microtiter plate, and microdilution broth assays. F1c SF showed maximum antibacterial potential (high inhibition zone 17.65–38.28 mm and low minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] 2.20–84.44 µg/mL). The EO showed the highest antifungal activity (high inhibition zone 12.58–25.81 mm and low MIC 35.18–225.17 µg/mL). Cytotoxicity was assessed by hemolytic assay, with the F1c SF showing the highest activity at 10.89%. It is concluded that SHSE is an effective technique for B. serrata EO extraction, and this EO can be utilized for various medicinal purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]