Motivation is the key to success in educational institutions, and it empowers a teacher to work with an affection that contributes to the accomplishment of hierarchical objectives. Yet, what drives school teachers to be pleased or motivated to achieve exceptional performance? This contemplation must be considered thoroughly in different regions with different predictors. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors influencing teachers’ motivation and evaluate the influence of motivation on teachers’ job performance in private schools in Mirpurkhas, Pakistan. We use quantitative statistics and a partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM analysis) design; the data was collected through a survey questionnaire. We found that motivation significantly influences teachers’ job performance. The study revealed that self-determined and non-self-determined motivation and factors influencing teachers’ motivation significantly impact teachers’ job performance. The administration must formulate teachers’ motivational policies and practices to meet their needs. Furthermore, school administrations should provide adequate resources like bonuses, rewards, good communication, moral support, emotional support, and an increment in salaries to ensure quality learning and yield high performance from their teaching staff to improve the relevant education system.

This study investigates the impact of the digital economy on energy efficiency through a combination of theoretical analysis and empirical testing. The research contributes by categorizing the energy value creation process into two stages: the energy input stage and the energy operation stage and by examining both the direct and indirect effects of the digital economy on energy efficiency. Indirect effects are explored through factors such as industrial structure, green innovation, transaction efficiency, and environmental regulation. Using panel data from 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region of China, covering the period from 2006 to 2020, the study empirically examines the effects of the digital economy on energy efficiency. The findings emphasize the significant role of the digital economy in enhancing energy efficiency, particularly through upgrading industrial structures, increasing transaction efficiency, and stimulating green innovation. A heterogeneity analysis reveals that the influence of the digital economy on energy efficiency is less pronounced in resource-based cities than in non-resource-based cities. Based on these findings, the study provides targeted policy recommendations to further leverage the digital economy for improving energy efficiency.

While achieving great benefits, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has triggered potential problems between the transnational projects and local communities in the participant countries. However, there is still a knowledge gap on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is adopted, and how CSR affects the local community. Based on a context of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), this research exploits a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to fill the gap. It finds that the CSR activities in the CPEC project are initiated by the long-term CSR initiative. Organized by the professional CSR foundation in an autonomous environment, the panoramic CSR activities are governed in a discretionary way and focus exclusively on the sustainability of the local community. Education, health-care, environment, and employment improve greatly after the implementation of the CPEC project. Theoretically, this research not only provides new insights into CSR research by taking an under-studied context of CPEC into study, but also proposes a mechanism of how CSR leads to the sustainability of local community by building a CSR-sustainability framework.

Study Background: The Baloch ethno-nationalist rebels represent a chaotic situation in the province of Balochistan and elsewhere in the country. They pose significant security challenges to Pakistan's security forces, including joint development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). These events highlight a long-running conflict between the state of Pakistan and the Baloch ethnic minority. Previous research has primarily focussed on multiple causal factors of insurgency. Most of them are socio-economic deprivation, oppression, exploitation, alienation and poor governance. However, the role of an educated middle-class youth is a significant factor in the recent resurgence ethnic insurgency. Aim of the Study: The purpose of this article is to answer the question of what explains the recent resurgence of ethnic Baluch insurgent mobilization. Methodology: Using qualitative content analysis technique (CAT), the study investigated factors of insurgency and current episodes of ethnic conflict in Pakistan’s Balochistan. Findings & Conclusion: The study found that state’s monopoly on resource exploitation, indiscriminate use of force prompted an organization of urban middle class youth that changed scope and intensity of insurgent mobilization. An Active strategy that engages Baloch youth on various platform like social media and political representation can be helpful to making path for issue mitigation.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is considered a vital element in the development strategies of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) economies. The institutional environment and macroeconomic conditions of host countries play crucial roles in attracting FDI. This study examines the influence of macroeconomic and institutional factors on FDI in six SAARC nations – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan – from 2000 to 2020. The research explores the impact of various factors on FDI by utilizing panel data analysis methods, specifically fixed effects (FE) and two-stage least squares (TSLS). The dependent variable in this analysis is FDI inflows, while the independent macroeconomic variables include gross domestic product (GDP), financial development, inflation, and infrastructure. Institutional factors such as government effectiveness, governance level, political stability, and regulatory quality are also considered. The findings indicate that all the chosen variables significantly influence FDI inflows, except government effectiveness. SAARC governments should establish investment-friendly environments and implement fair policies to boost FDI, supporting sustainable economic growth and sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study contributes by aligning FDI strategies with global development goals, promoting inclusive growth, and improving infrastructure in the region. It extends previous research, providing deeper insights into the factors influencing FDI and its role in sustainable economic progress.