Purpose: Our study investigates the combined effects of financial technologies (fintech) and the digital economy on sustainable development, considering geopolitical risks as a moderating factor. Origin: While sustainable development is a global imperative, the integrated roles of digital transformation and fintech remain insufficiently explored. Our research addresses this gap by analyzing their impacts on socioeconomic advancement and environmental sustainability across diverse contexts. Methodology: Employing panel data from 30 developed and developing countries between 1990 and 2023, we assess sustainable development using the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and the Human Development Index (HDI). Independent variables include proxies for the digital economy (e.g., internet usage, mobile subscriptions, and high-tech exports) and fintech (e.g., digital payments, digital currency, and peer-to-peer lending). The Geopolitical Risk Index (GPRI) is used to evaluate the effect of political instability. We apply generalized least squares (GLS) and fixed-effects estimation (within) to ensure robustness. Findings: Our results indicate that digital transformation and fintech significantly foster socioeconomic development and environmental performance, even amidst geopolitical instability. Key variables such as digital payments and internet access show substantial positive impacts, providing valuable insights for policymakers aiming to enhance resilience and sustainability. Contributions: Our article offers a comprehensive evaluation of how the digital economy and fintech jointly influence sustainable development under geopolitical risks, providing a nuanced understanding for policymakers and researchers.

Recently, researchers have been drawn to the literature surrounding positive psychology. The role of explanatory and dispositional optimism in eco-friendly tourism has been largely ignored by researchers, even though positive psychology, or optimism, has been studied in the sustainability domain. The purpose of this study is to determine which trait predicts eco-friendly tourist behavior. In the study, the data were collected online using Amazon Mechanical Turk from 400 respondents, and the model was assessed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings revealed that in terms of predicting eco-friendly tourism behavior, dispositional optimism outperformed explanatory optimism. Furthermore, this study found that environmental concern positively moderates the association between optimism (dispositional and explanatory) and eco-friendly tourism behavior. This study has wide-ranging implications for tourism managers, practitioners, and academics.

There are two concepts which encompass the new business order worldwide; this has vast implications, especially in the Indian business scenario. The first blanket is the phenomena of digitalization which was present in the undercurrents of all the business activities from the past two decades, and second one is circular economy practices. But in today’s Indian scenario, after the popular reform of “Notebandi”, forcing digitalization of the currency puts it to the forefront of all economic activities, especially in India. The economic reform of demonetization highlighted digitalization of economic transactions in the public eye. The phenomenon of digitalization is commonly referred to as the bundle of novel technologies that aim to improve things constantly. Organizations must take advantage of emerging technology to ensure that operations are both economically and environmentally feasible. Technologies based on sustainable solutions might aid companies in becoming more sustainable and economical. Therefore, this research is derived through the desire to measure the economic and environmental performance and how they were influenced by technology and circular practices of Indian Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies as they are most suited for this research. The sample (n = 203) was derived from senior managers of these companies. The study utilized Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach to analyze the results, it was found that digital transformation and circular economy practices are pervasive in nature and influence both Economic and Environmental performance of Indian FMCG companies. One of the main contributions of the study is that it also examines the relationship between technological advancements and economic and environmental performance directly; to date, there is not a single study, to the author’s knowledge, to have studied this relationship.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the internationalisation activities of multinational corporations (MNCs) through enhanced operational efficiencies and optimised decision-making; though the moderating factors influencing its impact on export-led internationalisation remain underexplored. This research adopts a Resource-Based View (RBV) approach to examine the complex relationship between AI capabilities and the export performance of Indian MNCs, with cultural distance serving as a moderating factor, analysing how AI adoption influences export intensity, trade expansion, and market penetration strategies. Data from a 2024 survey of 449 Indian exporters across various industries, analysed using Structural Equation Modelling, reveal that AI capabilities positively impact export performance particularly in markets characterised by high institutional uncertainty and complex regulatory environments. Moreover, cultural distance acts as a significant moderator, amplifying the role of AI in navigating consumer preferences, language barriers, and localised business practices. AI-powered analytics help firms better understand foreign markets, adapt to cultural differences, and optimise international operations. This study advances the scholarly understanding and contributes to internationalisation theory by integrating AI-driven trade strategies with institutional and cultural moderating factors and offers a structured framework for corporate managers and policymakers to formulate AI-based strategic decisions that leverage AI to mitigate trade-related uncertainties, improve their compliance with international regulations, and strengthen global trade competitiveness in emerging economies.

This study investigates how the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs—attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence entrepreneurial intentions in the context of sustainable start-ups in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from 270 potential entrepreneurs and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) via Smart-PLS software. The findings indicate that attitudes enhance entrepreneurial self-efficacy and environmental values, positively affecting sustainable entrepreneurial intentions. Additionally, subjective norms significantly influence environmental values and sustainable entrepreneurial intentions. Similarly, perceived behavioral control increases risk propensity and environmental values, which in turn fosters sustainable entrepreneurial intentions. These mediating effects underscore the importance of environmental values, and risk propensity in shaping sustainability-driven entrepreneurship. The study contributes to the TPB framework by integrating sustainability and recommends that Filippelli (Bus Strateg Dev 210:123900, 2025) policymakers develop training programs to strengthen entrepreneurial self-efficacy and environmental awareness among aspiring entrepreneurs (Oliveira in 8:e70083, 2025), educational institutions incorporate sustainability-focused entrepreneurship programs to reinforce environmental values, and Christodoulou (Environ Responsib: BusEthics 34:936-950, 2024) financial and mentorship support systems be tailored to mitigate perceived risks, thereby encouraging sustainable venture creation. These targeted interventions can effectively promote sustainable business ventures in Saudi Arabia and similar contexts.

The research concentrates on determining the degree of internationalization of born global SMEs, believing that some push factors determine internationalization, pull factors, and internal firm-specific factors. Three important factors were found in looking into the causes of internationalization in born global firms: push, pull, and internal firm-specific factors. The study used a survey instrument with a sample of 280 manufacturing-related SMEs chosen from manufacturing clusters in India. A metric called the “index of internationalization” is used to gauge how internationalization in SMEs takes shape. The results demonstrated that internal firm-specific factors influence the internationalization of firms relatively highly compared to push and pull factors. The results unequivocally demonstrate that developing economies have distinct factors that cause internationalization, opening up new avenues for further study. The research aids in the identification of the elements that will enhance early internationalization and tries to draw the attention of young entrepreneurs. This research also helps prioritize the factors responsible for early internationalization. These findings are pertinent for the practitioners and researchers working in this area. This research is helpful for start-ups looking for global opportunities; this research categorizes factors significant in the global journey of the born global firms.