Purpose: The purpose of this empirical research was to investigate the individual effects of three dimensions of flexible human resource management (HRM) practices – skill flexibility, behavioral flexibility and human practice flexibility on firm performance and to what extent these relationships are strengthened/weakened when there was the moderation of empowering leadership in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the Kingdom of Bahrain.Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected from chief executive officers (CEOs) through a questionnaire survey method to test the hypothesized relationships. A final dataset of 315 valid responses was utilized for data analysis, and results were analyzed using the Smart partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique.Findings: The findings revealed positive effects of skill flexibility, behavioral flexibility and human practice flexibility on firm performance. The moderating role of empowering leadership further strengthened the effects of employee skill flexibility and employee behavioral flexibility had on firm performance. However, empowering leadership did not pose any moderating effect on human practice flexibility and firm performance relationship.Research limitations/implications: This paper offers implications for theories on HRM and leadership. It also provides valuable insights for organizations and leaders seeking to boost firm performance across SMEs.Practical implications: This paper offers implications for theories on HRM and leadership and also contributes in the understanding of the modern managers.Originality/value: This paper investigated the effects of flexible HRM practices on firm performance and the role of empowering leadership across SMEs in Bahrain. It also explored how the performance of SMEs can be improved using flexible HRM practices followed by the presence of empowering leadership.

This study intends to bridge the unattended research gap and add to the knowledge base of ‘human resource management’ regarding the relationships between abusive supervision, and individual organizational citizenship behaviour (OCBI), through the mediation of ‘employee well-being’. For the given purpose, a sample of 250 cases was selected to collect data from non-managerial hotel employees from the metropolitan cities of Pakistan. Given responses were analysed in Smart PLS 3.0. Structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to conduct the necessary tests regarding measurement model and structural model assessment. The study found statistical support for three of the four hypotheses, confirming the deleterious role of abusive supervision in general and the intervening role of employee well-being. The findings have concluded that abusive supervision is harmful for workplaces, particularly when it comes to employees’ citizenship behaviours. Finally, the predictive relevance and r-squared values for the underlying model were also confirmed.

This research investigates the antecedents of airline travel intention, including the effects of crisis management, service quality perceptions, and loyalty programs, along with the fear of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and risk attitude among individuals from different parts of the world during the peak of the pandemic. Its main objective is to assess how these variables impact passenger airline travel intention. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to assess the measurement model and test the hypothesized relationships on the sample of 944 travelers. Results indicated strong positive associations between fear of COVID-19, risk-averse attitudes, and service quality with respect to travel intention. On the other hand, perception of crisis management handling and loyalty programs did not have significant influence on travel intention during the global pandemic. Interestingly, the researchers found that risk-averse attitude positively influences both crisis management and service quality perception. Therefore, airline decision-makers need to consider the psychological aspect of fear of COVID-19 and other researched dimensions to regain passenger confidence and stimulate travel demand regardless of the risk-averse attitude.

In this paper, we examine the existing artificial intelligence policy documents in aviation for the following three regions: the United States, the European Union, and China. These global economic leaders were selected for their dominance in economic activity; as a result, their influence on aviation policy direction is a logical assumption. Historically, the aviation industry has always been a first mover in adopting technological advancements. This early adoption offers valuable insights because of its stringent regulations and safety-critical procedures. Consequently, the aviation industry provides an optimal platform to address AI vulnerabilities through its stringent regulations, standardized processes, and certification of new technologies. Our research aims to compare AI regulations across these regions to guide other sectors in shaping effective policies. The findings of our comparative analysis show that there are vastly differing approaches to the application of AI regulations in the aviation sector, thus weakening desired prospects for global cooperation and worsening existing geopolitical tensions. Therefore, we propose a hybrid model approach as a way forward. Under this model, regions maintain their distinctive AI policies but collaborate on high-risk aviation applications through joint working groups, shared safety intelligence, or mutual recognition agreements. This would preserve incentives for innovation but also reduce regulatory friction.

Marketing involves promoting the practitioners’ skills, competencies, and expertise to obtain organization development (OD)-related work, assignments, or projects. McLean listed many approaches practitioners can use for marketing: word of mouth, networking, websites, printed materials, request for proposals, visibility, contract agencies, and doing pro bono work. Networking can be developed through participating in professional or community organizations, current or former associates and coworkers, friends and family, and former classmates, instructors, or professors. It is strongly recommended for practitioners to have a high-quality and professional website that includes their personal information (i.e., name, photo, contact information, education, and qualification), areas of expertise, list of past clients, client testimonies, brief description of completed projects, and publications. OD interventions can be aimed at different levels: individual, small group, intermediate-sized, large scale, industry-wide, and community.

"Building Practical Skills in Human Resource Management" published on 20 Oct 2026 by Edward Elgar Publishing.