Utilizing Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (DRMs) for Conflict Settlement in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Education Infrastructure Development

Purpose: This study explores the deployment of Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (DRMs) in addressing conflicts inherent in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for educational infrastructure, particularly in Nigerian universities. Methodology: Using purposive sampling, 126 questionnaires were administered to stakeholders, including private investors and university officials involved in PPP procurement. The study analyzed responses using descriptive statistics, including mean values, relative importance index (RII), and Henry Garrett ranking methods, to identify causes of dispute, prevention strategies, and DRM implementation frameworks. Results: The study identified 21 critical causes of dispute, ranging from excessive contract variations to inadequate risk allocation and trust deficits. Among 13 examined dispute prevention strategies, extensive stakeholder consultations and regular site meetings emerged as the most effective. Fast-track resolution processes were ranked as the most resourceful DRM, while litigation was the least preferred due to inefficiencies and costs. Implications: The findings emphasize integrating preventive measures and effective DRMs into PPP contracts to reduce disputes, ensure project sustainability, and align stakeholders. The study offers practical recommendations for incorporating DRMs into the PPP framework, enhancing project outcomes, and fostering investor confidence. Originality: This research provides a novel DRM framework tailored to the peculiarities of PPP conflicts in Nigerian universities, addressing the scarcity of focused studies on this topic. Limitations: The study is geographically limited to three universities in southwestern Nigeria, and findings may not fully represent other contexts or sectors

Enhancing Consumer Purchases through Store Design: Does Atmospheric Alchemy Matter?

Purpose: This study explores the impact of store atmospherics—specifically music, aroma, lighting & color, and texture & feel—on consumer purchasing decisions in the shop setting. It aims to determine which sensory elements most significantly influence buying behavior, thereby guiding businesses in designing more effective in-store environments. Methods: The study employed SmartPLS 3.2.3 and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to conduct a two-step analysis process. First, the measurement model was checked to ensure the reliability and validity of the constructs. Then, the structural model was evaluated to test the hypothesized relationships among the variables. To conduct the survey, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the customers. A total of 350 responses were obtained from participants selected using convenience sampling. Results: All four atmospheric variables were found to have a statistically significant influence on purchasing decisions. Lighting and color emerged as the strongest predictors (β = 0.404, p < 0.001), followed by texture and feel (β = 0.341, p < 0.001), music (β = 0.140, p = 0.021), and aroma (β = 0.111, p = 0.037). Implications: The findings highlight the strategic value of sensory design in retail environments. Retailers and marketers can leverage these insights to craft immersive in-store experiences that enhance customer engagement and drive sales. Originality: This research contributes to the limited empirical literature on sensory marketing in developing countries, particularly by quantifying the comparative effects of different atmospheric cues in a single model. Limitations: The study is limited by its focus on only four sensory dimensions and a relatively small sample size, which may constrain the generalizability of the findings. Future research should consider broader sensory inputs and a more diverse consumer population

Performance of Domestic Airlines in Kenya: The Role of Strategic Management Practices

Purpose: The study sought to examine the effect of strategic management practices on the performance of domestic airlines in Kenya. This comes when the domestic airlines in Kenya face tremendous challenges orchestrated by dynamics in the operating environment and disruptions in the global markets. Domestic airlines have seen a surge in customer shuns rates due to low customer satisfaction. Moreover, most domestic airline players have faced a steady decline in sales revenues and overall market share. This raises the question of what could be the remedy to upscale organizational performance of domestic airlines. The study specifically addressed the effect of environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategy evaluation on the performance of domestic airlines in Kenya. Methodology: The study employed a causal research approach and targeted 129 employees from 43 domestic Kenyan airlines. A questionnaire was used to collect primary data, which was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The findings revealed that strategic management practices (environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategy evaluation) significantly influenced the performance of domestic airlines in Kenya.  Implications: Domestic airlines should expand and continue performing in the competitive market. Managers have the duty to integrate strategic management practices through vigorous environmental scanning, formulation of strategies that respond to market demands, effective implementation of developed strategies, and evaluation of implemented strategies to ensure they align with the external operating market for enhanced performance

Firm-Level and Macroeconomic Influences on the Profitability of Textile Industries in Bangladesh: A Panel Data Approach

Purpose: The objective of this research is to investigate the firm-specific and macroeconomic factors that influence the profitability of textile industries in Bangladesh. Methods: In this study, the financial statements of thirty-eight textile firms from 2017 to 2023 were examined. The websites of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Bangladesh Bank were utilized to gather macroeconomic statistics. The panel data were analyzed using a random-effect regression model. Results: The results show that firm-specific characteristics such as liquidity, managerial efficiency, capital intensity, and earnings after tax (EAT)as a ratio of total assets improve the ROA of textile industries in Bangladesh. However, firm-specific characteristics such as firm size have a detrimental influence on the profitability of Bangladesh\u27s textile industry. Additionally, macroeconomic variables such as real interest rates have a substantial impact on the ROA of Bangladesh\u27s textile sector. Additionally, the study found that firm age, board size, GDP growth rate, and exchange rate had no significant impact on the profitability of textile firms in Bangladesh. Implications: The study makes a valuable contribution to understanding the issues affecting the profitability of textile industries in Bangladesh and offers insights into measures that can be taken to enhance their financial performance. Originality: This study is novel in its integration of firm-level and macroeconomic factors to evaluate profitability in Bangladesh\u27s textile sector, utilizing recent panel data (2017–2023). It provides a comprehensive perspective through random-effects regression and emphasizes previously under-examined variables, such as the EAT ratio and real interest rates

Exploring the Virtual Reality in Tourism Marketing for Improving Efficiency and Better Consumer Experience

Purpose: This study examines the transformative potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in tourism marketing, emphasizing its role in enhancing efficiency and sustainability. It aims to bridge the gap between theoretical advancements and practical applications of VR in tourism. Methods: A PRISMA-based systematic literature review was conducted, analyzing studies from 2021 onwards. The study explores various VR applications in tourism marketing, such as dynamic pricing, customer segmentation, and real-time personalization, while addressing challenges like data privacy and algorithmic bias. Results and Discussion: Findings indicate that VR enhances consumer engagement, improves travel decision-making, and fosters immersive destination branding. VR-driven marketing strategies, including virtual tours, interactive campaigns, and personalized experiences, have significantly influenced consumer behavior and increased booking conversion rates. However, challenges remain, such as accessibility barriers, high implementation costs, and potential discrepancies between virtual and real-world experiences. Implications: VR presents a strategic advantage for tourism marketers by offering immersive previews, enhancing customer trust, and supporting sustainability initiatives. Policymakers and industry leaders must address infrastructure and ethical concerns to maximize VR’s potential. Originality: This study provides a comprehensive overview of VR’s role in tourism marketing, integrating insights into its technological applications and market impact, which remain underexplored in current literature

Does Corporate Governance Influence Auditor Choice in an Emerging Economy? An Empirical Evidence

Purpose: This study examines how corporate governance mechanisms influence the selection of Big 4 auditors, with a particular focus on the moderating role of ownership structure. Specifically, it compares family and non-family firms to determine whether governance characteristics affect auditor choice differently across these two types of firms. Method: Using panel data from 109 manufacturing firms listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange between 2013 and 2019 (681 firm-year observations), the study employs logistic regression analysis to investigate the determinants of Big4 auditor selection. Result: The findings reveal that board size is positively associated with the likelihood of engaging a Big4 auditor. In contrast, the frequency of board meetings shows a consistent negative association across both family and non-family firms. Sub-sample analyses reveal that in non-family firms, board size, audit committee size, and audit committee meeting frequency are positively associated with the choice of a Big 4 auditor. In contrast, for family firms, board gender diversity has a positive effect, whereas audit committee size and meeting frequency are negatively associated with the likelihood of selecting a Big 4 auditor. Implications: These results suggest that ownership structure significantly moderates the relationship between governance variables and auditor choice. The study provides novel evidence from an emerging economy, offering insights for policymakers, regulators, and corporate stakeholders aiming to enhance audit quality and corporate transparency through tailored governance reforms

The Effect of Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Brand Loyalty: A Study on Telecommunication and Brewery Industries, Bamenda, Cameroon

Purpose: This study seeks to investigate the relationship between celebrity endorsement (celebrity similarity, celebrity attractiveness, and celebrity popularity) and brand loyalty in the city of Bamenda, Cameroon. It also examined the comparative analysis between the telecommunication and brewery industries in Bamenda, Cameroon. Method: This study employed a quantitative research design, incorporating surveys and causal research approaches. A total of 450 questionnaires were administered for each industry, including subscribers of telecommunication companies and consumers of brewery products in Bamenda, both in-person and online. 429 questionnaires were retained for telecommunication companies and 424 for brewery products. The multiple correspondence analysis was used to construct indices of celebrity endorsement and brand loyalty. The ordinary least squares (OLS) were used to test hypotheses. Results: Data analysis indicates that all three indicators of celebrity endorsement have a significant positive effect on consumer brand loyalty. Results for both the telecommunication and brewery industries are statistically significant at the 1% level. However, the impact of celebrity endorsement on consumer brand loyalty is significantly more pronounced in the telecommunications sector than in the brewery sector. The study concluded that enhancing celebrity endorsement features will substantially increase brand loyalty among consumers. Implications: This study has significant practical and theoretical implications for consumer behavior in developing countries, particularly Cameroon

Implications of Brand Awareness on Repeat Purchases in the Refined Palm Oil Sector in Cameroon

Purpose: In highly competitive commodity markets like Cameroon’s refined palm oil industry, brand awareness is often assumed to drive customer retention. However, empirical evidence remains inconclusive. This study investigates whether brand awareness significantly influences repeat purchases in such homogeneous markets, addressing a critical gap in the literature while offering practical insights for marketers. Methods: Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected via an online survey from 423 consumers, selected through convenience sampling. Brand awareness was measured through recall, image, association, and trust, while repeat purchases were assessed via frequency, loyalty intention, switching resistance, and advocacy. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression and Maximum Likelihood Structural Equation Modeling (ML-SEM) were employed to analyze the relationships, controlling for demographic variables like age, income, and education. Results: The study reveals a strong positive relationship (β = 0.649, p < 0.001) between brand awareness and repeat purchases, with brand association and image emerging as the most influential drivers. Price sensitivity also significantly impacted repeat purchase behavior, while demographic factors showed negligible effects. Implications: The findings validate the role of brand awareness in commoditized markets, suggesting that marketers should prioritize cognitive brand awareness, particularly through consistent messaging and trust-building, despite product homogeneity. Policymakers can leverage these insights to support local brands through quality certifications and consumer education. Limitations: The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and convenience sampling may affect generalizability. Future longitudinal or experimental studies could strengthen these findings

Industry-4, Big Data, and Blockchain Research Prospects in Supply Chain Domain: A Bibliometric Review

Purpose: Utilizing technologies becomes a prerequisite in the operations of supply chain management. Research in digitalized supply chain management (SCM) is now trending as a new arena of research. This study investigates and summarizes the research that has been performed so far in this area, and also explains what the future research scopes in the integration of digitalization and supply chain management are. Method: To execute this study, we carry out a systematic literature review by using numerous software (i.e., BiBexcel, Gephi, and VOSviewer) for clustering existing literature in digitalized SCM from the Web of Science. Result: Our findings suggest that Industry 4.0, Big data, Blockchain, and supply chain resilience are the four key categories in the research on digitalized SCM. Implications: This study explains the reasons behind the research in these four categories. This literature review helps researchers to build a comprehensive knowledge of the research status of digitalized SCM and contributes to the direction of future research in digitalized SCM that helps researchers to explore their further investigations in the combination of SCM and Industry 4.0, Big data, Blockchain, and supply chain resilience

The Effects of Family Culture and Marital Decisions of the Business Owners on Access to Financing of Very Small Businesses: A Study in the North West Region of Cameroon

Purpose: This study seeks to examine the effects of family culture (presence during family meetings, assistance in important family events, and strong family bonds) as well as marital decisions (mutual participation, joint savings decisions, and joint ventures) on access to financing of very small businesses in the North West Region of Cameroon. Methods: The study used a series of exogenous and control variables adapted from the model of Gikonyo, Agwata, & Anyango (2011) who proposed a strategic model for quantitative research. Primary data were collected through convenient sampling from 293 very small business owners in each divisional headquarters of the North West Region of Cameroon. We used the multiple correspondence analysis to construct indexes for family culture, marital decisions as well as access to financing of very small businesses. The hypotheses of the study were then tested using the ordinary least square estimation technique. Results: The results obtained showed in aggregate, a positive and significant effect of family culture and marital decisions on access to financing. More precisely, the coefficients of presence during family meetings, assistance in important family events as well as strong family bonds are positive. These results were statistically significant at 1% level. Implications: This study has significant practical implications on the financial health of very small businesses in the context of developing countries like Cameroon in general and the North West Region of Cameroon in particular plagued by the crisis and COVID-19. The study therefore concluded that if very small business owners can improve on the respect of family cultures and can jointly decide on their financial actions with their spouses, they will have better access to financing, especially in developing countries like Cameroon and more particularly in the North West Region of the country