Purpose: In this study, the researchers explored the roles played by digital technologies and digital innovation (DI) in Pakistan's Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) companies' firm performance (FP).Design/methodology/approach: The researchers used a quantitative study to gather cross-sectional data from employees working in Pakistan's ICT companies. The authors based this study's findings on 396 valid samples.Findings: The structural equation modeling (SEM) findings underline that digital capability (DC), digital orientation (DO) and digital transformation (DT) have positive and significant effects on DI and FP. Moreover, there is a positive and significant relationship between DI and FP. Finally, DI mediates DC's, DO's and DT's associations with FP.Practical implications: By committing to embracing new digital technologies and updating existing DCs to become innovation leaders and to improve FP, the findings will help sectors to take advantage of developing digital technologies and the trend toward digitalization. The results are also valuable for policymakers when considering if SMEs should be provided with more money for the digital up-skilling of their employees. Finally, this study's findings enrich the depth of literature about companies' use of digital technologies.Originality/value: This study's empirical findings confirm the roles played by DC, DO and DT in improving DI and FP in a developing country such as Pakistan.

This study investigated Environmental Sustainability (ES) and Environmental Performance (EP) through the direct and indirect use of Organizational Environmental Culture (OEC). This study focused on top managers, namely, the CEOs and directors of SMEs, along with their middle managers. In this study, the researchers employed green HRM and Green Innovation (GI) as mediators. We applied a quantitative approach that utilized cross-sectional data collected from Saudi Arabian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). We used a survey questionnaire with a convenience sampling technique and succeeded in obtaining replies from 236 respondents. By using the Structural Equation Model (SEM), this study’s findings demonstrate that OEC has a positive and significant effect on green HRM and GI. This study’s findings support the development of policies that promote ES and EP through green environmental practices. Further, green HRM and GI are significant predictors of ES and EP. This study’s findings also show that green HRM and GI have a mediating effect in developing the associations between OEC and ES and EP. Ultimately, this study’s findings make a significant contribution to the depth of the empirical evidence about SMEs in the context of Saudi Arabia.

In today’s working environment, various organizations confront the significant challenges of productivity and performance. However, higher education institutes (HEIs) are also not free from this massive issue. Therefore, the present study investigates employee productivity and performance through work engagement (WEE) and organizational factors. The modes of study are quantitative and based on cross-sectional data. The study collects the response from academic and administrative staff from public and private HEIs of Saudi Arabia. The study applies convenience sampling and successfully proceeds 254 valid cases to conclude the findings. The applied structural equation model (SEM) path analysis demonstrates a positive and significant effect of WEE comprising vigour, dedication, and absorption factors on employee productivity (EPD). In addition, employee performance (EP) is predicted through organizational factors such as management support (MS), learning culture (LC), work environment (WE) and organizational commitment (OC). Finally, the study finds a significant and positive effect of EPD on EP among the employees of HEIs. The study findings would be guidelines for policymakers and the top management of higher education commissions to advance the knowledge and skills of EPD and EP of the organizations. The study would support achieving job tasks and goals through developing WEE and organizational factors for productivity and performance. Lastly, the findings will augment the literature and provide empirical evidence from Middle East countries. The study provides a vigorous model which connects the WEE theory and organizational factors towards EPD and EP in an integrated way.

We ran two focus groups with well-educated Saudi women; there were ten participants with established businesses and ten nascent entrepreneurs. Despite the Saudi Vision 2030’s centring of environmental sustainability as a key tenet of the country’s development, the women entrepreneurs we studied (both established and nascent) were not well informed on the topic. Further, the well-educated women in our sample were under pressure from neither their customers nor their own religious, financial, or moral imperatives to engage in sustainable practices or seek out and implement sustainable business in any form. Our respondents believed that government should incentivise businesses to undertake sustainable practices and saw no financial benefits to initiating these practices themselves. Contrary to previous literature, we found that the women entrepreneurs in our sample did not perceive sustainability as an entrepreneurial opportunity and, in many cases, did not believe that sustainability should be an intrinsic element of any for-profit business. Our research findings imply that the prevalent top-down policy approach used by the government to promote sustainable entrepreneurial practices needs to be complimented by a more inclusive multi-actor approach that would involve local and national stakeholders. Moreover, educational policies need to promote the integration of sustainability topics within the larger educational system to promote awareness and social change.

Purpose: At present, the adoption of cryptocurrency investment has brought consideration to the globe. The present paper attempts to investigate the intention to adopt cryptocurrency (IACR) among the potential investors of Pakistan.Design/methodology/approach: The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is applied to underpin the conceptual framework. The study uses a quantitative approach. The study collects cross-sectional data through an online survey questionnaire. In the last, the authors utilized 334 samples for outcomes.Findings: Findings of the SEM reveal a significant positive effect of attitude, subjective norms (SNs), perceived behavioral control (PBC) and trust on IACR.Practical implications: The outcomes of an investigation would develop further intention and trust towards cryptocurrency adoption. The results would support developing favorable policies regarding the reduction of the ban on cryptocurrency in Pakistan to make easier transactions of the investors further. Possibly, it brings several opportunities in all segments of society in making the digital transaction modes through cryptocurrency. Finally, the findings would further validate the TPB in the context of cryptocurrency.Originality/value: The study provides a better understanding of cryptocurrency and investors IACR. The empirical evidence further develops the other individuals' intentions towards cryptocurrency usage.

Purpose: Women’s entrepreneurship has become an essential movement in developing economies and is accepted in all working areas. This study aims to propose the effect of institutional support (IS) and entrepreneurial knowledge (ENK) on women’s entrepreneurial self-efficacy (WESE) and venture performance (VP) in a developing country, namely, Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: The constructive theoretical framework comprises of an extensive review of current literature. In this study, the researchers used a deductive approach that used cross-sectional data collected through women entrepreneurs completing a questionnaire. Consequently, this study comprised 324 usable samples. Findings: The structural equation model reveals that formal institutional support (FIS), informal institutional support (IFIS) and ENK have a positive and significant effect on WESE that is concerned with the VP. Finally, WESE is a potent construct that mediates the association between FIS, IFIS, ENK and VP. Practical implications: This study’s findings provide policymakers and government with guidance so that, by providing entrepreneurship and technical courses to develop more entrepreneurial self-efficacy, they focus more on women’s entrepreneurship. Ultimately, this improves VP. Finally, this study’s findings would provide guidelines for allocating financial assistance or funds for women. By using these funds, they can start their businesses to tackle miserable conditions, i.e. poverty and unemployment. Originality/value: This study’s findings help to support the creation of self-employment opportunities and starting a business to improve well-being and socioeconomic conditions.