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PurposeThis study serves a dual purpose. First, it aims to explore the phase-wise progression that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups must undertake to become successful ecosystem partners, supporting large industrial firms in their circular transition. Second, it seeks to examine how these small firms manage change and foster collaborative cultures through strategies enabled by positive organizational scholarship (POS) during their phased evolution. Design/methodology/approachThis study provides empirical evidence through a multiple case study-based approach involving 12 born-circular SMEs/startups from 5 diverse Indian industrial sectors. Insights were gathered by conducting two rounds of semi-structured interviews with 24 participants and one validatory seminar with eight participants.FindingsThis research identified three distinct and complementary phases – compare, compete and collaborate – that SMEs/startups can undergo to emerge as successful ecosystem partners. Each phase encompasses specific business practices, including various circular activities. These activities serve as clear indicators of the smaller firms’ potential competence in aiding larger firms during their circular transitions.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the theoretical understanding of the circular economy by outlining a trajectory for SMEs/startups to establish successful partnerships. Another contribution is the application of POS as a positive change management paradigm to facilitate circularity. Additionally, the study highlights the context of developing nations, which remain underexplored compared to their developed counterparts in circularity initiatives.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether banks’ management behavior is related to corporate ethics. We employ earnings-management and expense-preference measures to evaluate management behavior. Using a very large sample of banks from 15 countries and controlling for a number of bank- and country-level factors, we find that managers in Islamic banks are less likely to engage in unethical business practices compared to those in commercial banks. We also document that S hari’ah supervisory boards embedded in Islamic banks affect and shape managerial behavior and mitigate agency problems. These results establish a link between corporate ethics and management behavior through S hari’ah and Shari’ah supervisory boards.

We examine the association between inventory-management efficiency and the financial performance of consumer co-operative societies (co-ops), and the influence of government financial monitors financial monitors) on this association. Our results indicate that effective inventory management improves consumer co-op financial performance. Also, although we fail to show improvement in the association between inventory-management proxies and financial-performance proxies following the appointment of financial monitors, our additional tests show that co-ops with high inventory turnover exhibit a stronger association between inventory-management proxies and ROA after 2013. We also show that co-ops with higher inventory turnover ratio have higher ROE following the appointment of financial monitors. Further, co-ops that are larger, younger, and have greater sales growth exhibit better financial performance. In contrast, co-ops with negative earnings, greater fixed assets, and inventory excesses or shortages have lower financial performance.

Purpose: This bibliometric review investigates the evolution and thematic development of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) research from 2000 to 2024, highlighting critical trends, regulatory milestones, and emerging solutions. Study design/methodology/approach: The study employs a structured methodology to analyze research outputs through quantitative and qualitative bibliometric tools. Sample and data: The analysis identifies three distinct phases of ESG research: Initial Growth (2000-2010), focusing on theoretical foundations and stakeholder engagement; Mainstreaming ESG (2011-2015), driven by regulatory frameworks such as the EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive; and Exponential Growth (2016-2024), marked by the adoption of global frameworks like the Paris Agreement and SDGs. Results: Key findings include the increasing integration of technologies such as AI and blockchain in ESG reporting and the continued dominance of finance and energy sectors in ESG studies. However, significant gaps remain, including the underrepresentation of developing economies and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Originality/value: The study underscores the need for standardized ESG metrics, capaci¬ty-building initiatives, and cross-sector collaborations to bridge these gaps. Emerging solu¬tions, such as the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and programs like AGRA, exemplify actionable pathways to enhance ESG adoption globally. Research limitations/implications: This research provides policymakers, businesses, and academics with actionable insights to advance ESG practices, foster sustainability, and address inequities across regions and industries.

We examine how the boards of directors improve the association between reported accounting earnings and stock returns in the banking industry. Results indicate that board chairs who simultaneously serve as managers, as well as the size of the board, the proportion of outside directors greater than 60%, the reputation of outside directors, and the tenure of directors positively and significantly influence the relationship between accounting earnings and security returns However, proportions of outside directors below 40% and annual cash compensation to outside directors are negatively related to the earnings/returns relationship. Our findings also show that the effects of director traits on the earnings/returns relationship are more pronounced in Islamic banks, especially in Islamic banks with Shari ah supervisory boards.

There is information asymmetry between the investment banks that act as underwriters of a first-issue initial public offering (IPO) from outside the U.S. and the subsequent investors. Accordingly, the issued stock can suffer from ''underpricing'' and fail to maximize potential proceeds of the IPO. The empirical analysis set forth in this paper finds that law firms can act as reputational intermediaries to provide signals of value. Prestigious law firms that represent investment banks are found to reduce underpricing, while the prestige of the law firms representing the issuer can increase underpricing depending on the nation of domicile for the firms.

The study represents an investigation of the Miles and Snow (1978) strategic profiles in samples drawn from two distinct industry sectors: financial services firms and product manufacturing firms. In particular, the authors investigate how the Miles and Snow (M&S) strategy groups differ in organizational structure, marketing orientation, and performance. Findings indicate that Prospectors and Analyzers are more market oriented overall as well as more competitor oriented than their Defender and Reactor counterparts. In addition, financial services Reactor firms exhibited the lowest market share and profit performance. The findings also show that Analyzers from the product manufacturing sample performed at the highest level in terms of both market share and profits. Exceptfor the product manufacturing Analyzers, the profit performance of services Prospectors was also superior to the other M&S types.

Healthcare Waste Management (HCWM) is critical for public health and environmental sustainability. However, healthcare facilities face significant barriers to implementing sustainable HCWM practices, particularly in developing regions. Identifying and prioritizing these barriers is essential to developing practical solutions. This study aims to identify and rank barriers to sustainable HCWM using an integrated methodology. It seeks to provide actionable insights for policymakers and healthcare administrators to improve HCWM practices. The study employed a multi-method approach, combining a comprehensive literature review, expert consultations, and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). The literature review identified 17 potential barriers across economic, social, technical, and regulatory dimensions. Eight experts from diverse sectors evaluated these barriers based on ten criteria. GRA was used to rank the barriers, and sensitivity analysis assessed the robustness of the rankings under varying parameters. The findings revealed that the most critical barriers include the lack of standardized guidelines and protocols, ineffective waste segregation, awareness and knowledge gaps, and inadequate training. Financial constraints and disposal infrastructure also ranked highly, highlighting systemic challenges in HCWM. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that these rankings remained stable across varying conditions, affirming the robustness of the results. Addressing the prioritized barriers—mainly through policy standardization, enhanced training programs, and improved resource allocation—can significantly improve HCWM practices. This study underscores the need for a holistic approach integrating technical, social, and regulatory interventions to enhance sustainability in healthcare waste management.

The study aims to examine the impact of artificial intelligence (AI)-savvy leadership on employee engagement in the education technology (EdTech) sector, with a specific focus on digital natives. It also explores the mediating role of AI utilization in this relationship, providing insights into fostering employee engagement through technology-driven leadership in contemporary workplaces. A quantitative approach was employed, collecting data from 281 digital natives working in EdTech companies in Delhi NCR, India. Using a validated survey instrument, the study measured constructs including AI-savvy leadership, AI utilization, and employee engagement. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships and evaluate mediation effects. The results reveal that AI-savvy leadership positively influences AI utilization at work (β = 0.504, t = 11.332, p  < 0.05), having effect size of 0.349; AI utilization at work positively influences employee engagement (β = 0.299, t = 4.451, p  < 0.05), having an effect size of 0.079. AI utilization fully mediates the relationship between AI-savvy leadership and employee engagement. The study unfolds no influence of AI-savvy leadership on employee engagement; these findings highlight the pivotal role of leadership in facilitating effective AI integration and addressing the engagement challenges of digital natives in technology-driven workplaces. This study contributes to the emerging literature on AI-savvy leadership by integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and JD-R theory. It emphasizes the necessity of strategic leadership in aligning AI capabilities with organizational goals and emerging workforce needs. The findings provide actionable insights for managers and policymakers in leveraging AI to create engaging work environments, particularly for the youngest demographic cohort in the workforce.