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Publication The impact of women's political empowerment on renewable energy demand: Evidence from OECD countries(Elsevier, 2025-01-01) Gozgor, Giray; Li, Jian-Ping; Saleem, Irfan; Shinwari, R.The paper examines how women's political empowerment affects renewable energy demand, considering factors like energy costs, green technologies, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the panel dataset of 36 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) economies from 1990 to 2022. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operators (LASSOs) algorithms select the critical drivers of renewable energy demand. Then, the paper applies Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA), Partialing-out Linear Regression (POLR), Double Selection Linear Regression (DSLR), and Cross-fit Partialing-out Linear Regression (Cross-fit POLR) LASSO techniques to check the robustness of the LASSOs findings. It is found that gender inequality and green technologies have significant positive effects on renewable energy demand. Conversely, GDP growth exhibits a significant negative influence, while the effect of energy costs is found to be statistically insignificant. Potential policy implications are also discussed.Publication Do camouflage signals impact performance in reward-based crowdfunding?(Emerald, 2025-01-01) Arroteia, Nuno; Bhatta, B.; Quinn, M.Purpose: Reward-based crowdfunding is vital for entrepreneurs who cannot raise funds, but the failure rate to meet funding goals in reward-based crowdfunding is high. Consequently, entrepreneurs try to get backers’ attention and persuade them to pledge funds for their campaigns. Entrepreneurs can provide misleading information in their crowdfunding campaign descriptions, distorting the signals sent to backers. This paper examines how camouflage signals mitigate information asymmetry and its impact on the fundraising ability in reward-based crowdfunding. Design/methodology/approach: The study examines Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns (n = 100,522) using six established dictionaries for linguistic hedging as proxies for camouflage signals. Findings: The results reveal a significant and varied impact of camouflage signals on mitigating information asymmetry and, consequently, on the performance of crowdfunding campaigns; these findings are robust to alternative, independent variables and different econometric techniques. Originality/value: This study contributes to signalling theory literature through its novel study of camouflage signals. It also contributes to the reward-based crowdfunding literature and provides new insights into how camouflage signals mitigate information asymmetry, thereby persuading or deterring backers from pledging funds.Publication Home–country technological legitimacy in crowdfunding: The moderating role of positive psychological capital language(2025-03) Adams, KwekuThis study uses the legitimacy theory as the theoretical lens to investigate how and under what circumstances home-country technological legitimacy affects the performance of crowdfunding campaigns in emerging markets. A dataset of 758 technology crowdfunding campaigns from Kickstarter was analysed. Our findings reveal that higher home-country technological legitimacy (measured by the Global Innovation Index) affects crowdfunding performance (measured by the ratio of funds raised to the pledged goal). We also find that positive psychological capital language (optimism, insistence, and tenacity) plays a crucial moderating role in strengthening this relationship. This study extends the legitimacy theory by demonstrating that country-level technological legitimacy is an external signal that shapes backer perceptions and funding decisions. Our results highlight the importance of campaign narratives in overcoming institutional voids and enhancing entrepreneurial success in global crowdfunding initiatives. These insights offer practical implications for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors seeking to navigate the complex dynamics of crowdfunding in emerging economies.Publication The Impact of Text-Based Financial Constraints on Stock Price Crash Risk: Evidence From the UK Firms(Wiley, 2025) Acheampong, A.; Mousavi, Mohammad M.; Gozgor, Giray; Yeboah, P.This paper employs a textual analysis approach to quantify financial constraints information from the narrative sections of annual reports in the UK firms. Then, the paper examines the impact of this information on the stock price crash risk in 250 firms from 2005 to 2021. The paper also analyses the moderating role of adopting the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the impact of text-based financial constraints on stock price crash risk. It is found that text-based financial constraints are positively associated with stock crash risk measures. It is also observed that adopting the IFRS weakens the positive impact of financial constraints on stock price crash risk. These results are robust to several controls and model specifications. The findings also have several implications for investors and other market participants for seeking evidence of the credibility of annual reports in reflecting relevant information that highlights financial constraints.Publication Realising Sustainable Access to Water and Sanitation in Africa: Role of Critical Institutions(Springer Cham, 2024-09-02) Ladan, M.T.; Okukpon, Irekpitan; Maduekwe, N.C.The current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report reemphasises the fact that the African continent is particularly vulnerable to the disastrous impact of climate change. The Report highlights the urgent need for countries to adopt critical strategies towards ensuring the actualisation of 1.5 C temperature. Based on low adaptive strategies and geographical location, the impacts of climate change further exacerbate the inherent environmental challenges of the African continent, more so, the struggle to attain poverty-eradication. One of the adverse impacts of climate change is reducing access to water, thus increasing the burden on already water scarce African countries such as South Africa and Nigeria. In cognizance of the fact that access to water and sanitation is critical towards poverty eradication and realising the kind of continent that Africans want by 2063, African countries are increasingly adopting several measures to ensure citizens’ access to water. Taking a regional approach, this paper examines the current institutions and legal framework adopted by regional bodies in Africa, namely the South African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), proffering a practical template that States in sub-Saharan Africa can adopt to resolve this challenge of lack of access to clean, safe drinking water and basic sanitation. The chapter also discusses the existence of an adequate enforcement mechanism that ensures and provides the platform for citizens to assert and protect their right to access clean water and sanitation. Furthermore, the chapter’s focus on South Africa and Nigeria, analyses the extent to which regional frameworks are being adopted, implemented, and sustained at the national level, proffering recommendations which can be adopted by other countries within the sub-Saharan African region.Publication Looking inside the panarchy: reorganisation capabilities of food supply chain resilience against geopolitical crisis(2024-12-16) Vural, C.A.; Balci, G.; Surucu-Balci, Ebru; Gocer, A.Purpose Drawing on panarchy theory and adaptive cycles, this study aims to investigate the role of reorganisation capabilities on firms' supply chain resilience. The conceptual model underpinned by panarchy theory is tested in the agrifood supply chains disrupted by a geopolitical crisis and faced with material shortage. The study considers circularity as a core reorganisational capability and measures its interplay with two other capabilities: new product development and resource reconfiguration capabilities to achieve supply chain resilience. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design is followed to test the relationships between circularity capabilities, resource reconfiguration capabilities, new product development capabilities and supply chain resilience. The data is collected with a survey applied to a sample drawn from food manufacturers who are dependent on wheat and sunflower oil as raw materials and when faced with material shortages. Measurement models and hypotheses are tested with the partial least squared structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) based on 354 responses. Findings Our results show that new product development and resource reconfiguration capabilities fully mediate the relationship between circularity capabilities and supply chain resilience. In other words, the food producers achieved supply chain resilience in response to agrifood supply chain disruption when they mobilised circularity capabilities in combination with new product development and resource reconfiguration capabilities. Originality The study explores the release and reorganisation phases of adaptive cycles in a panarchy by analysing the interplay between different capabilities for building supply chain resilience in response to disruptions challenging supply chains from higher levels of the panarchy. The results extend the theoretical debate between circularity and supply chain resilience to an empirical setting and suggest the introduction of new variables to this relationship. Practical implications The findings suggest that producers in the agrifood industry and even those in other industries need to develop circularity capabilities in combination with new product development and resource reconfiguration capabilities to tackle supply chain disruptions. In a world that is challenged by geopolitical and climate-related crises, this means leveraging 3R practices as well as resource substitution and reconfiguration in new product development processes.Publication Beyond the Pay check: Conceptualizing Employer Brand Activism(2024-12-24) Bibi, G.; Bandyopadhya, C.; Jayawardena, Nirma S.Gone are the days when a business must be a certain way and their primary objective was to generate revenue and maximize stakeholder value. Today, the aspirations and expectations of different groups have become increasingly complex; they want to attach meaning to a brand when associating themselves with it. For example, consumers, investors and employees expect organizations to speak out or take a stand on social, political and environmental issues. At the same time, today׳s leaders want to be known beyond their role. They are increasingly vocal about what they stand for and where their personal views lie. While this evolving mindset overlaps well and has the potential to form that ideal triad for all, i.e., if the management, the customer, the investor and the employee align on a value, it will have a positive impact on the organization. However, it is far from ideal because if complexity is paramount, so are the looming uncertainties of ever-changing trends and priorities, i.e., the changing preferences of consumers and investors, the changing views, inclinations and preferences of employees, and the values of executives and management. Now, organizations must understand and manage the ever-changing trends and priorities. More importantly, they must explore and define their values and ensure that they are aligned from the inside out to create value. Therefore, this book chapter aims to explore the facets of activism within the organization (i.e., corporate activism, brand activism, leadership activism, and employee activism) to explain employer brand activism, which is the interplay between employees and the organization. In doing so, we focus on employer brand activism, its short-term benefits, access to long-term effects and how these ultimately relate to other activism. This is important because if this alignment is not achieved internally, external alignment remains fragile and fraught with uncertainty. We therefore hope to shed more light on the broad discussion of how activism and business can go hand in hand and how organizations can drive value from understanding, defining, and prioritizing their values with others, be it employees, leadership, brands, consumers, or investors.Publication The Impact of Firm-Level Political Risk on Eco-Innovation: The Moderating Effect of CEO Power(Wiley, 2025-02) Owolabi, Ayotola; Mousavi, Mohammad M.; Gozgor, Giray; Li, JingThis study examines the impact of firm-level political risk on eco-innovation at the firm level, particularly emphasizing the moderating role of CEO power in this relationship. Using a dataset from 33 countries from 2006 to 2022, we employ two-step dynamic panel data estimations to address endogeneity concerns. The findings highlight a positive impact of political risk on eco-innovation, which is further strengthened in the presence of a powerful CEO. This evidence implies that effective leadership from CEOs can assist firms in navigating political risks and advancing sustainable initiatives. The results remain robust across various specifications, including alternative measurements for firm-level political risk. The study highlights the crucial role of CEOs in managing political risks and facilitating eco-innovative practices within firms.Publication Stakeholder green pressure and enviropreneurial marketing: Insights from Japanese SMEs(2025) Trivedi, Rohit; Patel, J.; Fukukawa, K.Despite the recent growth in research on analysing the influence of stakeholders' green pressure on firm performance, our understanding of the subject seems limited, especially regarding the positive and negative influence of many internal and external stakeholders and the mediating roles of environmental orientation and commitment. Analysing primary data from 317 Japanese SMEs, we found that environmental orientation has negative while environmental commitment positively influences firm performance. Besides, the findings also show that green pressure from regulators, competitors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and employees significantly influences the market and financial performance, followed by a discussion of relevant theoretical and practical implications.Publication Investigating Drivers of Customer Experience with Virtual Conversational Agents(2025-01-03) Nguyen, H.; Trivedi, Rohit; Fukukawa, K.; Adomako, SamuelBuilding on the perspectives of the uses & gratification (U&G) theory and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model, this article develops and tests an integrative framework to examine the underlying factors influencing customers’ experiences with chatbots as a form of virtual conversational agent (VCA) in the UK and Vietnam. In addition to utilitarian and hedonic factors, anthropomorphism and social presence are also investigated, which are considered important experiential dimensions in a customer-machine relationship. We also explore how stimuli such as functionality, communication style similarity, and aesthetics indirectly affect outcomes like customer satisfaction and reuse intention, mediated by four types of customer experiences. Data collected from a sample of 417 and 359 participants in the UK and Vietnam respectively revealed that, in general, perceived informativeness, credibility, enjoyment, functionality, and communication style similarity are crucial for customer satisfaction in both countries. Interesting differences in the effects of customer experience between developed and developing countries were observed. For instance, the effects of anthropomorphism and social presence on satisfaction are only effective for customers from developed country, while those from developing country only need information provided by chatbots be transparent. Our findings offer a novel way to understand customer experience with chatbots and provide important theoretical and managerial implications.Publication Volunteering in the community: Understanding personal experiences of South Asians in the United Kingdom(2023-06-12) Iqbal, Syka; Di Martino, Salvatore; Kagan, C.Upstanding civic action is central to individual and community well-being, particularly when communities comprise rich and diverse membership. However, not all groups in society have the same opportunities and resources to volunteer. This is particularly true for South Asian people, who are often reported to be less likely to volunteer. Research into the experience and meanings that this ethnic group attributes to volunteering has been exceptionally scarce. Informed by a community psychology perspective, this qualitative study conducted nine semistructured interviews with British South Asians involved in formal volunteering activities. The aim was to explore their personal experiences and motivations regarding volunteering for their community of belonging. Results from reflexive thematic analysis were grouped under three themes. These were (1) volunteering cultivated individual well-being, (2) South Asians who volunteer often experience social injustice and marginalisation and (3) volunteering for South Asians is intrinsically tied to religious and cultural motivations. British South Asians faced personal and social obstacles in accessing fundamental health and social care in their communities of belonging. Religion, and community social capital were positive volunteering strategies for British South Asians. Positive impacts of well-being included becoming closer to faith and increased sense of meaning/purpose and recognising of individual strengths. These findings offer valuable insights and recommendations for community organisations and governmental bodies to better promote volunteering for ethnic minorities. We suggest the adoption of cultural and religious sensitivity, along with strategies to remove barriers in access to opportunities and support for volunteering.Publication Violent Extremism and Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword in the Context of ASEAN(2024) Wan Rosli, Wan R.Digital integration and the emergence of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are providing new tools for insurgents to use in spreading their propaganda through violent extremism. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has come to represent a conduit for insurgents in planning and carrying out their extreme agendas. This article provides a deeper understanding of the double-edged sword effect of AI in relation to violent extremism in the ASEAN context. It reveals that, even though AI has been very important in countering violent extremism, it has simultaneously facilitated terrorists in spreading their propaganda in more innovative and covert ways. The legal framework governing AI is still in its infancy and challenges such as the double-edged sword effect in the use of the technology require specific guidelines or legislation for use in effective governance.Publication Waging Warfare Against States: The Deployment of Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Espionage(2025-02) Wan Rosli, Wan R.Cyber espionage has significantly been viewed as a risk towards nation-states, especially in the area of security and protection of Critical National Infrastructures. The race against digitisation has also raised concerns about how emerging technologies are defining how cyber activities are linked to waging warfare between States. Real-world crimes have since found a place in cyberspace, and with high connectivity, has exposed various actors to various risks and vulnerabilities, including cyber espionage. Cyber espionage has always been a national security issue as it does not only target States but also affects public-private networks, corporations and individuals. The challenge of crimes committed within the cyber realm is how the nature of cybercrimes distorts the dichotomy of state responsibility in responding to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the veil of anonymity and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence have further provided opportunities for a larger scale impact on the state for such crime. The imminent threat of cyber espionage is impacting the economic and political interactions between nation-states and changing the nature of modern conflict. Due to these implications, this paper will discuss the current legal landscape governing cyber espionage and the impact of the use of artificial intelligence in the commission of such crimes.Publication Conceptualizing just transition litigation(2024-11) Savaresi, A.; Setzer, J.; Bookman, S.; Bouwer, K.; Chan, T.; Keuschnigg, I.; Armeni, C.; Harrington, A.; Heri, C.; Higham, I.; Hilson, C.; Luporini, R.; Macchi, C.; Nordlander, L.; Obani, Pedi; Peterson, L.; Schapper, A.; Ghaleigh, N.S.; Tigre, M.A.; Wewerinke-Singh, M.The transition towards low-carbon societies is creating winners and losers, raising new questions of justice. Around the world, litigation increasingly articulates these justice questions, challenging laws, projects and policies aimed at delivering climate change adaptation and/or mitigation. In this Perspective, we define and conceptualise the phenomenon of ‘just transition litigation’. This concept provides a new frame to identify and understand the diverse justice claims of those affected by climate action. We set out a research agenda to further investigate this phenomenon, with a view to enhancing societal acceptance and support for the transition.Publication Fixing Illicit Financial Flows between Nigeria, United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates: Corruption’s Bermuda Triangle(2025) Oduntan, Gbenga; Boussiakou, I."Fixing Illicit Financial Flows between Nigeria, the UK, and UAE: Corruption's Bermuda Triangle" delves into one of the most pressing challenges in global finance - illicit financial flows (IFFs). This groundbreaking book examines how vast sums of Nigeria’s wealth vanish into the financial systems of the UK and UAE, depleting the country's economic resources. With a focus on real estate, banking, and professional sectors, the authors critically assess the existing laws and regulations in all three countries and explore the gaps that allow corruption and money laundering to thrive. Supported by empirical research, the book highlights the urgent need for reform in international financial practices and offers innovative solutions to curb the outflow of illicit wealth from Nigeria. A must-read for policymakers, legal scholars, and anyone interested in the intersection of law, finance, and development in Africa.Publication Back to the future of ‘biopower’: Foucault’s prescriptions and the regulation of commercial order and discordance in outer space(2025) Oduntan, GbengaThis article applies Foucault’s ideas on Power –specifically biopower as a tool to explain sovereignty, jurisdiction and control over persons in outer space. This approach will hopefully illuminate the general nature and essence of ‘statist’ regulation of outer space activities. We believe that Foulcaut’s analysis of biopower -a tool of critical law scholarship can help to forensically explain the governing dynamics of the jurisdiction ratione personae exercised by states in outer space under the modern Westphalian model of sovereignty. The approach will also aid in prescribing sustainable and progressive policy directions for national regulatory agencies in space. Foucauldian approaches would help reveal both the considerable strengths and of course, the limitations and perhaps inequities of national regulation in space. This exercise will also hopefully indicate quite clearly why networks of international agencies and private corporations ought not be able to displace core aspects of statist manifestation of regulatory power in outer space. The article attempts to free jurisdiction from its semantic legalese in space law and make it encompass philosophy, sociology and jurisprudential influences while at the same time restricting the exploitative purposes to which both jurisdiction and biopower can be pressed in outer space.Publication Introduction of Metaverse in business(Emerald, 2024-12) Mishra, U.; Jayawardena, Nirma S.It has become obvious to companies that the metaverse may help maximize profits. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the uses and possibilities of metaverse-based virtual and augmented reality technologies in the future. Brands can now engage with customers at a completely new level of interaction through Metaverse, which cannot be achieved within current marketing channels. Immersive XR environments may require decision makers to reexamine customer journeys, demographic characteristics, and customer personas. The main purpose of this chapter is to present an overview of metaverse applications. Further this section reveals the ways in which the business and education industry can benefit through metaverse applications. Additionally, this section reveals the real-world applications of technology in metaverse for avatar, gaming, and prospects. Finally, this chapter sheds light on the academics and practitioners by showing how metaverse elements can contribute for business processes.Publication Integration of technology and marketing activities among service SMEs in emerging economies: A scoping review(IGI Publishers, 2024) Jayawardena, Nirma S.; Behl, A.; Nedungadi, P.; Jones, P.; Raman, R.Service small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are typically SMEs that operate in the service industry. In emerging economies, service SMEs can benefit from integrating technology and marketing activities to compete globally and drive growth. Further, service SMEs can compete with larger businesses with technology-driven marketing. Technology can differentiate an SME and create a unique value proposition, attracting customers and setting it apart. Social media advertising and email campaigns are often more cost-effective than traditional marketing channels such as print and television. The authors included a total of 32 articles published between the years 2013 and 2023 for in-depth analysis to address the issue under investigation. Findings indicated several effective digital marketing strategies to integrate technology and marketing activities among service SMEs in emerging economies, such as personalized marketing options, direct customer engagement, 24/7 availability options, and brand-building capabilities.Publication The dark side revealed: insights and implications from online brand communities(2024-11-26) M.S. Balaji,; Behl, A.; Bhutani, C.; Jayawardena, Nirma S.Purpose This study aims to present a comprehensive review of the literature on the dark side of online brand communities, identifying the dominant themes [determinants of the dark side in online brand communities (OBCs)] in the literature and proposing ways to advance the literature in this area. Design/methodology/approach This study reviewed 72 scholarly articles published between 2009 and 2024 in peer-reviewed journals. A descriptive and thematic analysis of dark-side literature is presented. Findings The contribution of this scoping review lies in identifying the dominant themes in the literature on the determinants of the dark side of online brand communities, proposing management strategies and identifying future research directions for advancing the literature. Six main themes of the dark side of online communities were extracted: information dynamics, group dynamics, unethical practices and brand transgression, provocation and schadenfreude, brand activism and hate and disengagement. Practical implications Firstly, this study highlights the need for brands to engage in the active moderation of OBCs to maintain information credibility and manage information overload. Secondly, to ensure an inclusive community environment for all members, brands need to foster a balanced forum culture and moderation that discourages heterogeneity. Originality/value This study is unique in conducting an in-depth analysis of the literature on the dark side of online brand communities, an area that has received little attention. This review offers new insights that would help brands effectively manage negative aspects of customer behaviours in online brand communities. For managers, this review enables brands to improve their image, reputation and customer value.Publication Professional Imprinting Mechanisms in the Doctoral Trajectory: Impact on Researcher Identity Diversity(2024-01-01) Gruber, M.; Crispeels, T.; Grinevich, VadimShaping one's professional identity is a complex process that starts early on in the professional career and is influenced by many factors along the way. An important process in professional identity formation is professional imprinting. In socialization theory, professional imprinting refers to how individuals adjust behavior and beliefs to fulfill expectations from their working environments and achieve a feeling of belonging during sensitive periods. In this study, we turn to the academic setting, which is characterized by high researcher identity heterogeneity and thus can give us insights into the dynamics of professional identity development. Professional imprints during doctoral training lead to permanent characteristics in one's researcher identity. To investigate professional imprinting and its mechanisms, we conducted a qualitative study involving interviews with 16 PhD students and their supervisors (16 professors and 4 post-docs) within the setting of an EU-funded project. We identify the imprinting mechanisms that shape a researcher's identity during a sensitive period. Our study offers valuable insights for managers and policy makers about the role of supervisors or supervising managers in the development of the professional identities of junior colleagues and about the future career trajectories of people entering academia and industry.