Search

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents of consumer engagement with supermarkets' social media accounts. Drawing on regulatory fit theory and social sharing of emotions theory, the authors test if the content posted on the social media brand pages of supermarkets dealing with a topic of high social relevance, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, stimulates social media consumer engagement and if and how the engagement is mediated by the arousal of positive and negative emotions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors retrieved data from the Facebook accounts of the top 20 European supermarkets identified in the Deloitte 2020 Global Powers of Retailing report during the first wave of the pandemic from 1 March to 30 June 2020, collecting a sample of 2,524 posts from 8 different countries. After a content analysis to classify COVID-19 content, the authors applied the Baron and Kenny (1986) methodology to verify the hypothesised relationships.FindingsThe findings highlight a positive direct relationship between the social relevance of a topic (COVID-19) and social media consumer engagement mediated by the arousal of positive and negative emotions.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the earliest empirical research using Facebook data to investigate the role of the social relevance of content as an antecedent of social media consumer engagement with a specific focus on supermarkets. The paper contributes to the stream of social media literature investigating the antecedents of social media engagement behaviour, exploring the role of topics' choice and aroused emotions, which to date are both under-investigated.

Purpose Building on the social marketing theory, this study aims to examine the relationship between family units and obesity in Nigeria; and the social marketing interventions used to reduce and prevent obesity in the Nigerian society. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a semi-structured interview research design with 42 obese individuals in Nigeria. Findings The study findings show that the family unit an individual grows up in influences their consumption behaviour, which drives their obesity. The findings reveal that obese Nigerian citizens are willing to live a healthier lifestyle due to the direct and indirect medical costs associated with obesity. Furthermore, the findings disclose the social marketing interventions – local celebrity endorsements, healthy lifestyle promotions, reduced gym membership and affordable access to healthy foods and services – used to prevent and reduce the rising obesity rates in the Nigerian society. Research limitations/implications The findings have important theoretical implication given the focus on consumption behaviour and obesity. Practical implications The study findings provide an avenue to guide government officials, policymakers and social marketers in shaping their public policy and social marketing interventions to encourage healthier consumption and lifestyle behaviours among families and individuals in the Nigerian society. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research study to investigate how family units in the emerging market of sub-Saharan Africa drive obesity and the social marketing interventions used to reduce and prevent obesity. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

It is widely accepted that administrative staff, as important components of a university’s workforce, play a critical role in realizing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The worth of administrative staff is based on their productivity, and this has a significant impact on the viability of universities. Based on the job demands–resources model, this study investigates the antecedents of job burnout among administrative staff from both emotional and interpersonal perspectives, taking into account SDGs 3, 4, and 8. In this paper, a quantitative research method using descriptive and inferential analyses explores the complex interplay between job autonomy, emotional job demands, colleague support, and job burnout, with a particular emphasis on the role of emotion regulation. A questionnaire was answered anonymously by 1009 administrative staff members in China, and the results conclude that job autonomy was negatively associated with job burnout, while emotional job demands were positively linked to burnout. Moreover, leader support emerged as more beneficial to workers than colleague support. Emotion regulation strategies such as reappraisal function as an important personal resource that buffers the negative effects of job demands and enhances job resources, leading to lower levels of burnout. Furthermore, this study examines how the SDGs can be achieved through reducing job burnout. The important implications for university administrative staff and policymakers, as well as the sustainable development of universities, are discussed.

PurposeThe main aim of this research was to investigate whether and how digitalization affects sustainability and performance in wine tourism.Design/methodology/approachBased on the data emerging from the 2019 National Report on Wine Tourism from the National Association of “Wine Cities” in Italy (the most extreme case in the world of wine), three macro-agglomerates were investigated: digitalization, sustainability and performance, adopting descriptive and inferential statistics.FindingsAlthough rigorous correlation between adopted digitalization and performed sustainability on one side and performed sustainability and market performance on the other cannot be verified for the 92 wineries under investigation, there is visible evidence that the more digitalized wineries are, the more sustainable they become and the better their performance. Evidence was not found to support the idea that the more sustainable wineries are, the more they are digitalized and the better their performance. Research implications and limitations to theoretical and practical application have been discussed.Originality/valueWine tourism, which is naturally associated with rural tourism, is a form of tourism in which sustainability has strong relevance, particularly considering the future needs/desires of post-pandemic tourists. At the same time, digitalization, especially in pandemic and post-pandemic tourism, is credited with developing a huge impact in this business, although wine tourism is most probably conceivable as a meta-market, with a strong cultural essence. In this respect, a digitalization > sustainability > performance approach seems practicable and globally profitable.

PurposeThis study examines whether students graduating from SSC-VOC perform better in diploma engineering programs.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses quantitative and qualitative methods to examine how secondary school certificate-vocational (SSC-VOC) graduates perform in their subsequent vocational programs.FindingsDespite having vocational training orientation, this study finds that graduates from SSC-VOC receive lower grades than their public counterparts by 0.109 cumulative grade points average (CGPA).Social implicationsFindings imply that policymakers should increase teachers' numbers, salaries and laboratory facilities. In addition, collaboration between SSC-VOC institutions and polytechnics would allow them to offer a quality engineering education. In such a way, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programs prepare human resources to promote economic development and employment, expand production opportunities and improve employment quality.Originality/valueThis is the first piece of work conducted in Bangladesh that has examined the quality of VET graduates for furthering their studies. This study added value by providing some pragmatic suggestions for practical implications.

This study examines the effect of remittances on selected recipient countries’ financial development. Using weights for bilateral remittances from 1990 to 2015, this study calculates the weighted gross national income per capita of remittance-sending countries. This study then uses the weighted gross national income as an instrument to address the endogeneity between remittance and financial development. Using the instrument variable (IV) model, this study finds that remittances from low-skilled migrant-abundant sending countries have different effects than the highly skilled labor-abundant sending countries. Assuming the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as a source of low-skilled and the Group of Seven (G7) as the source of high-skilled labor-abundant sending countries, remittance from relatively low-skilled emigrants has a greater impact on financial inclusion in the recipient countries than their high-skilled counterparts. In contrast, remittance from high-skilled countries has a greater impact on the development of the stock market. Similar types of effects of remittance on financial development have also been observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that policymakers should provide better foreign employment opportunities and improved transaction and investment policies in the home financial markets.

Purpose The organizations focus on environmental factors as stakeholders exert pressure to reduce the environmental influence arising from production tasks. This study aims to see the influence of the environmental management control system (MCS) package and perceived environmental uncertainty on green performance with the mediating role of green dynamic capabilities in Pakistani manufacturing organizations. Moreover, this study aims to see the moderating role of investment in environmental management between green dynamic capabilities and green performance. Design/methodology/approach The partial least square structural equation modeling technique is used to test hypotheses. The data was collected through questionnaires using simple random sampling, and a total of 404 questionnaires were used in the final analysis. The data was collected from September 2021 to November 2021. Multiple regression analysis followed to see the influence of environmental MCS package, perceived environmental uncertainty, green dynamic capabilities and investment in environmental management on green performance. Findings Environmental MCS package, green dynamic capabilities and investment in environmental management are positively related to green performance. Despite this, perceived environmental uncertainty is negatively related to green performance. Moreover, green dynamic capabilities significantly mediate between environmental MCS package, perceived environmental uncertainty and green performance. Finally, investment in environmental management significantly moderates between green dynamic capabilities and green performance. Practical implications This research covers vital issues that how top management uses the environmental MCS package, perceived environmental uncertainty, green dynamic capabilities and investment in environmental management in determining green performance. Originality/value This research adds value to the existing literature by focusing on predictors that determine green performance. This pioneering study observes the influence of environmental MCS package and perceived environmental uncertainty on green performance and green dynamic capabilities as mediators by applying natural resource-based view theory. Moreover, investment in environmental management is used as a moderator between green dynamic capabilities and green performance. Finally, this study can benefit management, industrial policymakers and academicians.

Purpose This study aims to observe the influence of environmental management accounting (EMA) and environmental knowledge management (KM) practices on environmental performance with mediating role of top management support (TMS). Moreover, green work climate perception (GWCP) is used as a moderator between TMS and environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach Partial least square-structural equation modeling is used to test research hypotheses. Data was collected to distribute questionnaires in light of the purposive sampling technique; a total of 329 questionnaires were used for final analysis. This study is correlational and cross-sectional. Multiple regression analysis was used to see the influence of EMA, environmental KM practices, TMS and GWCP on environmental performance. Findings The results reveal that EMA, environmental KM practices and TMS are positively related to environmental performance. Moreover, TMS significantly mediates between EMA, environmental KM practices and environmental performance. GWCP is positively associated with environmental performance. Finally, GWCP significantly strengthens the positive relationship between TMS and environmental performance. Practical implications This study highlighted a significant issue that of how top management uses EMA, environmental KM practices, TMS and GWCP in examining environmental performance. Moreover, this study covers the gap and supports top management to concentrate on exogenous variables to examine environmental performance. Originality/value This study adds value to literature to focus on factors that influence environmental performance. This initial research observes the influence of EMA and environmental KM practices on environmental performance with TMS as a mediator in light of the knowledge-based view. Besides, GWCP is used as a moderator between TMS and environmental performance. Finally, our research can provide benefits to researchers, students and managers.

This paper is set to explore the role of individual-level behaviours and actions in the digital transformation of international SMEs. This is particularly important since little is known regarding the extent to which entrepreneurs and decision-makers manage the digitalisation process. Thus, building on the theory of planned behaviour, this research focuses on individual-level micro-foundations in the digital transformation of small and medium internationalisers. The paper benefits from a mixed-method synthesis. First, through a systematic review of literature, we identified twenty-seven factors in four inclusive categories. Then, they have been narrowed down to the top seven individual-level micro-foundations, using Intuitionistic Fuzzy Delphi based on Normalised Hamming Distance. Subsequently, Intuitionistic Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory analysis is applied to disentangle the causality and effectuality as well as conceptual framework to depict their interrelationships. Our findings contribute to the digital transformation research by developing six prepositions that explore the relationships between SMEs’ micro-foundations at the individual level.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the literature on vertical farming to define key elements to outline a business model for entrepreneurs. The research aims to stimulate entrepreneurship for vertical farming in a smart cities' context, recognising urban agriculture as technology to satisfy increasing food needs.Design/methodology/approachThe research conducts a structured literature review on 186 articles on vertical farming extracted from the Scopus. Moreover, the bibliometric analysis revealed the descriptive statistics on this field and the main themes through the authors' keywords.FindingsDifferent perspectives showed the multidisciplinary nature of the topic and how the intersection of different skills is necessary to understand the subject entirely. The keywords analysis allowed for identifying the topics covered by the authors and the business model's elements.Research limitations/implicationsThe research explores a topic in the embryonic stage to define key strands of literature. It provides business model insights extending George and Bock's (2011) research to stimulate entrepreneurship in vertical farming. Limitations arise from the sources used to develop our analysis and how the topic appears as a frontier innovation.Originality/valueOriginality is the integration of literature strands related to vertical farming, highlighting its multidisciplinary nature to provide a holistic understanding of the themes. In smart cities' context, innovations allow traditional business models to be interpreted in a novel perspective and revealed the elements for transforming vertical farming from innovative technology to an effective source of food sustenance. Finally, the paper suggests a new methodology application for the analysis of word clusters by integrating correspondence analysis and multidimensional scaling analysis.

Purpose It is still unclear how Asian universities incorporate the theory or practice of sustainable development (SD) in their research and education programmes. To address this gap, the purpose of this paper is to report on a study that has examined how universities in Asian countries handle and address matters related to SD. Design/methodology/approach The study used a bibliometric analysis and an online survey-method. The online survey data were analysed through descriptive analysis and one-sample student’s t-test. Findings The study indicates that there is considerable variation among the Asian countries regarding sustainability practices in higher education institutions (HEIs). The HEIs in far eastern countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are perceived to demonstrate more sustainability practices. Research limitations/implications Even though a substantial number of participants participated in the survey, it did not cover all Asian countries. The online survey was carried out over a limited period of time, and not all HEIs in the field may have received information about the study. Practical implications Asia is the largest continent facing a number of sustainability challenges. In this context, the contribution of HEIs is very important. The findings of the current study may serve as a baseline for Asian HEIs to take more initiatives towards SD goals, as HEIs are responsible for the education and training of hundreds of thousands of students who will be occupying key positions in industry, government or education in the coming years. Originality/value The study contributes to the existing literature in two distinct ways. First, it was possible to develop a comprehensive instrument to measure sustainability practices in HEIs. Second, this study has filled the gap of the scarcity of studies regarding sustainability practices in HEIs in Asia.

PurposeThis study aims to examine the influence of intellectual capital and knowledge management on competitive advantage with the mediation role of innovativeness in the Pakistan manufacturing industry. Moreover, differentiation strategy is used as a moderator between innovativeness and competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachThe data was collected from 387 manufacturing firms in Pakistan through questionnaires. Purposive random sampling was used to collect data. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method is used to test the proposed hypotheses. This study followed multiple regression analyses to see the influence of intellectual capital, knowledge management, innovativeness and differentiation strategy on competitive advantage.FindingsThe results elucidate that intellectual capital and knowledge management significantly determines innovativeness and competitive advantage. Moreover, innovativeness significantly mediates between intellectual capital, knowledge management and competitive advantage. Besides, innovativeness significantly determines competitive advantage. Business strategies significantly lead to competitive advantage. Finally, business strategies significantly moderate between innovativeness and competitive advantage.Practical implicationsThe research highlight an important issue that how manufacturing sector management uses intellectual capital, knowledge management, innovativeness and business strategies in determining competitive advantage. Besides, it covers the gap and assists the management of the manufacturing sector to focus on exogenous constructs to examine competitive advantage.Originality/valueThis study adds value to the body of knowledge by focusing on predictors that impact competitive advantage. This initial study determines intellectual capital and knowledge management influence on competitive advantage and innovativeness as a mediator by using resource orchestration theory. Moreover, differentiation strategy is used as moderating variable between innovativeness and competitive advantage. The managers, students and researchers can obtain benefits from this study.

Education is considered to be the most effective tool that people can use to lift themselves out of poor socioeconomic backgrounds and lead to professional success, which in turn improves society. Since an education system often supports individuals with a higher socioeconomic status (SES), it may not resolve the issue of socioeconomic background impacting on career outcomes. Given the nature of the research questions, an individualistic approach is used for selecting tools. Using qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, we argue that graduates studying an 8-year engineering program fail to succeed compared to counterparts who studied a 4-year engineering program. Findings suggest that engineering graduates' socioeconomic backgrounds help them with their career advancement. A policy intervention may help to address the influence of SES on engineering education and professional employment.

PurposeFood security for students is very important if they are to achieve both quantitative and qualitative success in their education and later career. Consequently, “food for education (FFE)” intervention is provided for poorer students who are in primary school in many developing countries. This has helped to achieve the objective of universal education. In absence of a food security programme from the secondary provision, students from poorer families are forced to discontinue their education. For this reason, the success of FFE intervention has been criticised as unsustainable. This paper aims to explore a food security model that can lead to the sustainable development of education in developing nations.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study collected primary data from students who were being educated in Bangladesh and receiving “FFE” intervention. In total, 576 respondents (equal number of boys and girls) were selected from six schools located in urban and rural areas. Secondary data were accessed from the archives of the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) and the World Bank. The paper adopts a descriptive analysis method for primary and secondary sources to report the findings.FindingsFree schooling supported by “FFE” intervention is the key to achieving education for all (EFA) targets. Since its inception, 93% of students who received an FFE intervention have at least completed their primary school education. The success of FFE has encouraged the government to provide a massive intervention strategy which began in 2011. This helped to achieve the EFA target. Despite this success and while nearly 18% of FFE-intervened graduates have completed their secondary education, none went to higher secondary school, let alone tertiary level. The lack of food security was the main reason for youths not continuing with their further education.Originality/valueThe “FFE” programme may work well for children who are being educated since they do not shoulder any family responsibility. In reality, teenagers and adults in emerging nations should devote themselves to ensuring there is enough food for their families. This research presents a new policy option, labelled as “education for food (EFF)”, in order to retain this group in the education system. Being an advocacy model, this may trigger a discourse on how to create a balanced society where both hunger and education are taken care of and problems are solved.

PurposeThe economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has had significant consequences on the activities of companies worldwide. This study aims to unveil how open innovation fostered business model innovation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) during the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts a qualitative approach, involving a multiple case study methodology, and focusses on six SMEs operating in various traditional sectors.FindingsThe findings highlight the impact of the external stimulus, COVID-19, on business model innovation and the key role of open innovation management in pursuing the business model innovation, which may also involve a digital transformation.Originality/valueWhile some studies have examined how the pandemic has fostered business model transformation, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study analysing the pivotal role of open innovation in driving business model innovation during challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Bangladesh, a four-year diploma program is the highest level of technical education provided by private and public polytechnic institutions. Using representative primary data of 1372 sample sizes from Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, Gazipur, we examined whether students graduating from private polytechnics perform worse in higher engineering education than their public school counterparts. We mainly employed a multivariate regression model and found that students from private polytechnics receive lower grades by 0.120 cumulative grade points average (CGPA) despite similar socioeconomic, academic, and demographic backgrounds. These estimated effects imply that private polytechnics fail to significantly affect sustainable engineering education. These findings suggest that policy makers increase the number of teachers and laboratory facilities for sustainable engineering education.

Many countries continue to follow a policy of clustering educational provision by disciplinary stream as developed during the British colonial era. Whether such an approach enables education to ful...

Theoretically, education supports improving graduates’ socioeconomic outcomes and careers by injecting citizenship values and making sure they are employable. Evidence confirms that socioeconomic background influences the level of education achieved which in turn greatly shapes the careers of graduates. Relevant knowledges and competencies are the fundamental parameters for career advancement. Ideally, education delivers the knowledge and competencies needed, and engineering is no different in this respect. The role of engineering education is crucial and to remove its associations of being a white-collar job, engineering education programs were developed to help working-class people enter this profession and advance their socioeconomic prospects. While socioeconomic backgrounds of engineering graduates can to some extent guide their career advancement the role of education is the major factor. A number of studies have examined the influence of socioeconomic backgrounds of graduates on career advancement, but none so far have been done for engineering education; particularly in a former British colonial setting. With this in mind the paper is the first to tackle this subject. Multiple techniques were used to collect the data and the findings confirm that engineering education and career advancement are not saliently linked. Not only education, but urbanized socioeconomic backgrounds do greatly govern the career advancement of engineers. A well targeted policy intervention may help engineering education to play a larger and more desirable role.

Education is considered the single most important tool that supports the achievement of a nation’s sustainable development. However, if a particular education program itself deprives students with a lower socioeconomic status (SES) to access it and subsequently restricts them from achieving a better performance, should such an education program be labelled as sustainable education, supporting the achievement of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)? This question remains to be answered. Science education, which is also treated as an “international product”, is the most essential component in education required to ensure sustainable national development. Consequently, science education should be a “right-based education program” that every “capable student”, regardless of his/her SES, is able to obtain. This motive should ideally ensure the best practice mode of sustainable development in education. Keeping this view in mind, this research was conducted in an emerging nation, namely Bangladesh, to examine whether secondary science education has become an elite product and its consequential effect on sustainable education. A qualitative research method that adopts a descriptive analysis of secondary data was primarily used. The secondary data were collected from the public archive(s). Findings suggest that, mostly, students with a privileged SES can access science education programs. Moreover, these students perform well in major public examination(s). Primary data further collected by Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) summarise that science education is an international product. The following artificial perception has thus developed. To participate in such a program, a significant informal budget from parents’ pockets is required in order to perform well. This is an obvious conflict with the spirit of sustainable education and SDGs. Hence, policy reform guidelines for decent practice are provided to resolve this misleading perception.

Sustainable education refers to knowledge delivery that ensures a balanced national development which encompasses both economic and social development as well as a human needs perspective [...]

PurposeAn old saying –“Jack of all trades, master of none”– deliberately asserts that the purpose of a master’s degree program is to generate high level job skills in order to improve a nation's economy, while a bachelor degree produces economically productive graduates. Employment of such graduates is fundamentally important for personal and economic development. There is a link between a bachelor’s and master's degree and how these qualifications are linked to the job market. Both horizontal and vertical mismatches are developed which is the central focus of this research.Design/methodology/approachGiven the differentiated nature of research questions, multiple techniques are used to collect the data. However, this research bears the norms of the qualitative method. Both secondary and primary data are used, and meanwhile secondary data are collected by the banks, Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS), University Grants Commission (UGC) and by the institutions sampled. Primary data are gathered from interviews with key people. Data were collected from three institutions of higher education and from six commercial banks and from the Central Bank. The academic results of 21,325 MBA graduates and education backgrounds of 750 executives working in banks served as the basis for establishing our arguments.FindingsThis study discovers that MBA graduates who have studied science subjects achieved much better grades in the MBA compared to their counterparts who studied business from secondary provision to first degree. The market-driven MBA programme has become a “business product”. The major revenue of higher education institutions comes from enrolment in MBA courses. For this reason, a science-friendly MBA program is developed to generate more business. If this continues, the philosophy of the master's program would either be lost or will have to be redefined in the 21st century.Originality/valueWhile a few studies have investigated the area of HE in Bangladesh, none covers the impact of MBA degrees on the job market and its contribution to enhancing job skills.

PurposeSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SME) make a significant contribution to alleviating poverty and generating employment, and achieve sustainable economic growth. Customer services represent core elements of a successful business enterprise. This study aims to examine the effect of education on customer satisfaction in the SME sector and what the future holds for developing countries.Design/methodology/approachUsing Bangladesh as a case study, this analysis uses a multiple-linear regression approach to examine the effect of a customer care orientation on customer satisfaction and on an SME’s ability to survive. Using a “probit model,” this study investigates the effects on customers’ probability of receiving subsequent services.FindingsDeveloping good customer services in secondary education will increase customers’ satisfaction and enable SMEs to survive and flourish in the long term. Having a policy that promotes this outcome increases the likelihood of receiving consistently good services for the foreseeable future.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies, this study examines the role of customer relationships in secondary education and how they improve SME customers’ satisfaction and business survival. This study offers new insights to retain existing customers for a successful SME business model.

International commitment is to address all forms of imbalanced and discriminatory situations experienced within the education system. While students of secondary provision in many developed countries enjoy the liberty of choosing their desired subjects from different areas (i.e., science, business, and arts), students in some developing counterparts are restricted to consider one cluster. With a policy support, students of the science cluster can procure higher education (HE) in any area, while students from other clusters are restricted to study HE in their respective area only. By virtue of this policy, the limited scope of HE and jobs in the areas of business and arts is being occupied by science graduates because of one-way traffic that favors science cluster. This has a grave impact on the HE and job market, which is the central focus of this research. We failed to find such studies conducted in the context of a developing nation. Considering this, the article is the first of its kind. Given the differentiated nature of research questions, multiple techniques were used to collect the data. However, this research bears the norms of qualitative method. Findings confirm that having been denied access to HE, secondary graduates especially from the business cluster, dropped out without furthering their education. This has deteriorated the quality of HE and job performance—more precisely, it has deprived students of the business and arts clusters. This research suggests a revision of the prevailing policy to address these constraints.

Traditionally, students are enrolled in a specialised postgraduate program based on their undergraduate record. The MBA is a unique program where students who have done courses such as business, engineering, medicine, science, arts, etc., can enrol. Based on different requirements for enrolling in the MBA, various types of MBAian are produced. Research for this paper, which is the first of its kind, compares both academic and job-performance as well as SES (socioeconomic status) of five types of MBAian. The aim here is to contribute to the literature on “human capital theory” by balancing “dynamic capabilities”. Adopting a “descriptive analysis” to both secondary and primary data, this study asserts that the MBAians who originally were from the science stream at secondary level did better in the MBA compared to graduates who learnt business at secondary school. Of five job competencies, the MBAian from science stream performed well in three while their counterparts who studied business education in the first degree did well in two. The MBAian from science stream come from a privileged socioeconomic background and their academic results from the secondary provision are better compared to the other four groups. Graduates with relevant prior business education backgrounds did not perform well in MBA programs. A good SES and earlier academic results helped the MBAian to succeed. This indicates that business education has no effect in mitigating the role of SES. A policy framework is presented to ensure a symbiotic interaction between different types of business education (secondary to postgraduate).

PurposeThe aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between firms' sustainable practices and corporate financial performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this study aims to analyse the effect of sustainable practices on firms' stock returns during and after the first COVID-19 pandemic emergency.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative study was conducted to determine the impact of sustainable practices on firms' stock returns, using a sample of 1,418 European listed firms. In particular, we tested the effect of environmental (E) and social (S) scores, providing a multi-sectoral analysis in order to consider sector specificities.FindingsThe empirical outcomes indicate the existence of a negative (weak) or null relationship between sustainable practices and stock returns, failing to provide evidence that these practices are able to protect shareholders value during times of crisis.Practical implicationsThe results obtained made it possible to highlight significant implications for investors and practitioners. They may have particular attention in evaluating firm's sustainable practices trying to understand more precisely the value that such practices can have for the company and its shareholders.Originality/valueThis article is part of the stream of studies that analysed the impact of sustainable practices on stock returns during a period of crisis in order to contribute to filling the gap due to the lack of consensus and the mixed results in the literature.

PurposeEducation system supplies the required manpower in order to ensure the national prosperity. A salient link between education and business sector is a prerequisite to cater economically productive manpower. Economic and social development supplements each other that can only be ensured via a functional education system. A dysfunction education system created by a biased clustering policy develops a greater horizontal and vertical mismatch with the job market in many developing nations. This mismatch dents the quality of business management that halts the national prosperity. Therefore, the role of education has become questionable. This research aims to bridge between education and business sectors.Design/methodology/approachGiven the differentiated nature of research questions, multiple techniques are used to collect the data. However, this research bears the norms of qualitative method. Both secondary and primary data are used. While, secondary data are collected by the banks, Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) and by the University Grants Commission (UGC), primary data are collected through interviews. Document review and data collected through personal communication with members of staff of sampled banks and institutes of HE also supplements. Data were collected from six commercial banks and from the Central Bank.FindingsFindings suggest that clustering system favours science graduates by depriving business counterpart, which creates an atmosphere of educational disparity. This disparity affects the symbiotic and reciprocal relationship that exists amongst different provisions (i.e. secondaryand tertiary) of education. Favoured clustering system further contributes for a larger “horizontal educational mismatch” with job market. Therefore, science graduates occupy the places in the banks where business graduates should ideally be employed. Being a dysfunction system, education fails to support substantially for social and economic developments.Originality/valueA few studies are conducted in the area of HE in Bangladesh but none covers the issue of impact of clustering system of education in secondary provision on HE and job market. Graduates' performance in carrying out the jobs is seen as the most important element for the business management. This study has suggested a unique way forward which would be able to reduce the mismatch between education system and job market, enabling a substantial business management process. Considering this, the paper is first on its kind.

Purpose Universally, university is considered as the apex body which is ethically obliged to present a substantial society. In doing so, universities often innovate dynamic business models and theories. Ideally, the countries whose universities contribute for better and sustainable business growth are the advanced one. However, universities themselves should be the business organisation – an argument is yet to receive attention. Although literature lacks in the area of education business especially university provision, the sector behaves as business entity after the inception of private sector. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the paradigm transformation of university sector and its impact on the society. Design/methodology/approach Given the differentiated nature of research questions, multiple techniques are used to collect the data. However, this research adopts the norms of qualitative methods. Both secondary and primary data are used. While secondary data are collected by University Grants Commission (UGC), primary data are collected through interviews. Findings Findings show that the development of university sector started following monopoly model. More than half a century, the same model was continued. Thereafter, duopoly model was introduced which carried until the inception of private sector. The growth of private sector followed oligopoly model which was further extended to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). These days, society compares university with “diploma mill”, as production of knowledge and civic society is longer than the part of the core business of university. Consequently, compromising with research is to be judged as a threat to overall development that includes business and social development. Originality/value A few studies have been published in the area of private university. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, none covers the oligopoly-ism and SME-ism behaviour of university and its impact on the concept of university and on the society. Therefore, this project aims to understand the norms of university business and its substantial contribution on the social change.

PurposeCriteria of skills and their schemata have evolved out of historical social practices. Interpretation of social events is guided and constrained by the prevailing rationality which itself reflects the dominant constellation of power. Hence, some argued that informal provision of skills delivery is the base of business growth. Upon the success of informal provision, institutional counterpart unethically grabs the market, kicking off the earlier. Evidences arguably confirmed that the institutional provision of skills delivery contributes to rapid business growth. Business growth is indeed important but not at the cost of exploitation of ethics which is the central focus of this study.Design/methodology/approachGiven the differentiated nature of research questions, multiple techniques are used to collect the data. However, this research adopts the norms of qualitative methods. Both secondary and primary data are used. While secondary data are collected through document reviews, primary data are collected via interviews. In total, 12 industries are sampled and equally distributed into two sectors (manufacturing and services).FindingsFindings show that the professional positions in the manufacturing industries at their inception phase were occupied by non-university graduates who received neither informal trainings nor on-the-job trainings. Over the time, university graduates started capturing the market. This has forced the non-university graduates to accrue a diploma from the universities in order to retain. Those who failed to obtain a university diploma are compelled to leave the sector. In fact, professional positions in service industries at the inception phase were mainly occupied by the university graduates who did not study the relevant subjects from the universities but received training from the informal provision. Later, universities started offering these programmes.Originality/valueA few studies have been published in the area of manufacturing industries especially on garments sector. None covers the paradigm transformation of skills (human capital theory) in garments. The authors also failed to locate a comparative study that maps the contribution of different provisions of skills providers and their paradigm transformations occurred within manufacturing and service industries. Therefore, this project explores the contribution of informal and institutional provisions of skills delivery for the inception and growth of industries by comparing between manufacturing and service industries.

Purpose A minimum dropout age (MDA) requires potential dropouts to stay in school until graduation. Most countries have an MDA at least 16. An MDA greater than 16 requires potential dropouts to stay in school for at least one more year, which immediately reduces their available time and opportunities to commit a crime in the community. This study aims to examine how a higher MDA reduces crime in the community. The authors then show a higher MDA helps potential dropouts to become an entrepreneur. Design/methodology/approach The authors develop an economic model of crime that shows how an MDA greater than 16 affects contemporaneous juvenile crime in the community. Considering an MDA of 16 as a benchmark MDA, a hypothetical example with simulated data on the USA is used. The authors then show how a higher MDA offers a financial opportunity for the professional development programs. Findings An MDA greater than 16 reduces crime in the community. Reducing crime allows preventing social and monetary cost on juvenile delinquency. This economic efficiency offers a financial ability for adolescent training and other development programs and thereby reduces unemployment and other adverse consequences of the society. Originality/value Unlike previous studies, the authors develop an economic model of crime that shows a hypothetical relationship between an MDA and contemporaneous juvenile crime in the community. A higher MDA allows more financial ability for juvenile development programs in high school to improve the entrepreneurial skills.

PurposeDiploma Engineers (DE) mainly receive practical and skills-oriented education and training in the area of technical and vocational subjects from the polytechnic system. Globally, universities have limited DEs access to Higher Education (HE). Over the course of time, many countries have changed this situation, putting into place a decent qualification and policy framework that ensures higher education for deserving candidates. Lately, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) received special priority in developing countries, and Bangladesh is no exception to it, resulting in a massive growth of DE. This study, the first of its kind, examines the impact of this growth with a key focus on the inclusion of diploma engineers into higher education.Design/methodology/approachGiven the differentiated nature of research questions, multiple techniques are used to collect the data. However, this research uses the qualitative method. Both secondary and primary data are used. While secondary data are collected by the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS), primary data are collected through interviews. With standard sets of admission questions, tests are conducted with two groups of students to draw a comparison.FindingsThe number of students studying at polytechnic institutes is increasing dramatically. The growth of public polytechnic institutes remains steady. Public counterparts respond to the demand by operating both day and night shifts. Many private polytechnics are also established. The size and infrastructure of private Polytechnics are relatively insignificant. However, the mushrooming private sector covers the increased demand. The curve of DE has been increased radically with a questionable competency by the contribution of both public and private polytechnics. Only one public university provides higher education to these DE.Originality/valueA few reports have been published in the area of TVET by the development partners and the Government of Bangladesh. Only one journal article is published exploring the role of TVET on national development in Bangladesh. However, none cover the issue of access to university education for DE graduates.