Building on the social support theory and the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the current research explores the role of coworker task support on the perceived uncertainty, job stress, and emotional exhaustion of hospitality employees affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Moreover, this research investigates the moderating impact of supervisor support and family support on the relationship between perceived uncertainty and emotional exhaustion. The data were collected from 353 hospitality employees currently working in the hospitality industry in Pakistan. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed using SmartPLS 3.3.3 software to examine the proposed hypotheses and to analyze the research model. The results point out that coworker task support has no significant relationship with emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, perceived uncertainty and job stress fully mediated the association between coworker task support and emotional exhaustion. Additionally, supervisor support and family support significantly moderated the association between perceived uncertainty and emotional exhaustion. This research contributes to the literature by expanding our knowledge of the role of social support in alleviating the perceived uncertainty, job stress, and emotional exhaustion of hospitality employees during the COVID-19 crisis. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are further discussed.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper, a cross-cultural study, is twofold: first, to identify personal, social, demographical and marketing facets that imply fast food addiction in Pakistan and America, and second to explore the reasons of reduction in fast food consumption in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: The present study followed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were used to obtain supportive results of fast food consumption with the help of defining logical relations between independent and dependent variables. Partial least square based structural equation modeling technique was used to analyze quantitative data. For qualitative data, NVivo 11 was used to explore themes. Findings: Quantitative findings of Pakistani setting suggested that craving and impulsiveness have a significant relation with addiction and have no mediation effect in both the countries. However, these results contradict with US study. Qualitative findings explored many personal, social, marketing and health factors that have affected fast food market of Pakistan which include low income, price-sensitive market, low quality, poor services, PFA, word of mouth, mood, obesity, environment and cultural influence on the consumption behavior of Pakistani consumers. Research limitations/implications: This study is restricted to the consumption behavior of fast food only in two countries the USA and Pakistan. Hence, the results of this study cannot be generalized to other countries’ cultural and traditional values. In addition, this study only focuses on personal, social and marketing factors that implicate fast food addiction. Originality/value: The consumption of fast food was the focus of analysis. Therefore, research adds value to service industry and helps in developing growth and marketing strategies for the fast food industry.

Pakistan, as the 4th largest technological market globally, is home to over 2000 registered software development houses. However, the industry is not without its challenges, and hundreds of these houses close yearly owing to insolvency, and even more crop up. To understand the financial difficulties these houses face, a sample of 20 small-size and 20 medium-sized software houses has been taken from the hundreds in Arfa Software Technology Park in Lahore, Pakistan. Financial Blueprints of 2 projects per house per year for five years, i.e., 2018-2022, have been obtained. These case studies have been contrasted with those written and published in the developed world. It is found that there is a dearth of costing and pricing mechanisms in software-related projects. This results in under/over-costing the cost and pricing of the projects, which is a leading cause of financial bankruptcy for most software houses. It is proposed that activity-based costing, as the costing technique, and competitive pricing, as the pricing mechanism, may be adopted as the best practice in the software development industry. These solutions, if implemented, could significantly reduce the risk of financial bankruptcy among software houses, potentially transforming the industry's financial landscape.