Why Environmental Governance Struggles to Transform: A Business Governance Perspective on Credibility-Scaling-Resilience across Firms

The scope and ambition of environmental governance has grown, but with a variable ability to deliver credible and enduring environmental improvement.  This theory-building review analyses environmental governance through the Credibility-Scaling-Resilience framework, through the governance dilemmas that are enacted through firms and industries that translate regulatory expectations into practice. Drawing on fifteen empirical studies from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and emerging Europe, the review uses PRISMA-guided procedures combined with insights from institutional theory, stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory, and the resource-based view. The findings reveal that governance credibility is driven by firms\u27 perceptions of enforcement consistency and stakeholder scrutiny, scaling by the extent to which practices are diffused across industries and value chains, and resilience by organizational capabilities that allow them to sustain environmental commitments when facing economic or institutional adversity. Firms are prone to respond symbolically and opportunistically when these governance dynamics are misaligned; but when they are reinforcing, more substantive forms of environmental practice are likely to emerge. The review extends the framework by grounding it in firm and industry-level governance dynamics, and offers insights for policymakers, regulators, industry associations, and corporate decision-makers who wish to improve their environmental governance performance

Understanding Environmental Governance in Emerging Markets: A Multi-Level Theory-Building Review of Institutions, Stakeholders, and Firm Capabilities

This theory-building review explores how environmental governance works in emerging markets.  It synthesizes findings from twenty-three empirical studies in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and emerging Europe.  Using PRISMA guidelines, structured search, the review integrates institutional, stakeholder, legitimacy, and resource-based insights to explain why firms react differently to environmental expectations. The findings highlight that credible regulatory enforcement emerged as the most consistently identified factor shaping substantive environmental practices; when enforcement is limited, firms are more likely to comply symbolically.  Stakeholder pressure—exercised by NGOs, media, communities, and global buyers—serves an important complementary function, particularly where the state’s capacity is limited.  Firm-level capabilities (e.g., board experience, financial slack, and environmental expertise) moderate how organizations interpret and implement governance pressures. Adoption is further strengthened by a cohesive mix of policy instruments.  The review proposes an integrated conceptual framework and outlines implications for policymakers, regulators, firms, and global value-chain actors

Artificial Intelligence and Corporate Accountability in International Law: A Conceptual Exploration

This paper explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and corporate accountability within the framework of international law. As AI increasingly assumes decision-making roles in global business operations, traditional legal doctrines—designed around human agency and state-centric liability—struggle to address harms arising from autonomous, opaque, and transnational AI systems. Drawing upon scholarship in international corporate law, human rights law, and technology regulation, this study develops a conceptual framework to guide corporate accountability in the age of AI. The proposed framework integrates three interrelated dimensions: responsibility and liability, transparency and auditability, and governance and ethical oversight. Responsibility is distributed across corporate, managerial, and technical levels, ensuring accountability for algorithmic harms. Transparency emphasizes explainable AI, documentation, continuous monitoring, and stakeholder engagement, while governance embeds ethical standards into organizational structures, aligning practices with international norms. By synthesizing legal, ethical, and organizational approaches, the framework provides a roadmap for accountable AI deployment, risk mitigation, and compliance with global standards. The paper highlights implications for corporate practice, international law, and policy development, emphasizing the need for adaptive, multi-level mechanisms to ensure responsible technological innovation in transnational contexts

Quality Management as a Strategic Shift in Challenging Times: Evidence from Ground-Handling Enterprises

This study aims to examine and comparatively evaluate the quality management practices of three Turkish companies holding A-class ground handling service licenses. In response to increasing air transport demand and sectoral liberalization, the research investigates how structured quality management systems contribute to operational reliability, continuous improvement, and sustainable competitive advantage within airport ground handling operations. In the study, adopting a qualitative research design, the data were analyzed using the Maxqda 24.11 program. The findings indicate that A-class ground handling firms uniformly emphasize total quality management (TQM) in their vision–mission frameworks, supported by strong top management commitment and cultural institutionalization of quality. Maintenance and safety dominate technical priorities. However, firms diverge in strategic positioning, operational control architecture, and leveraging quality as a financial and competitive instrument. Managers in high-reliability aviation services should integrate TQM with digital governance to strengthen safety, sustainability, and competitive positioning. The study proposes hybrid high-reliability TQM model integrating digital governance frameworks

Enhancing Business Accounting Student Performance through Gamified Learning

Accounting is widely regarded as a complex subject, and traditional teaching methods often fail to fully engage students or enhance learning outcomes. This study investigates the effectiveness of gamification and vocational programmes as pedagogical approaches to improve student engagement and academic performance in accounting education. A quantitative research design was employed, with primary data collected from 254 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in accounting and vocational accounting programmes across India. Measurement scales were adapted from validated studies, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied using SmartPLS 4.0 to test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that gamification has a significant positive effect on student engagement (β = 0.683, p < 0.001) but does not directly influence academic performance (β = 0.017, p = 0.448). Conversely, vocational programmes positively affect both engagement (β = 0.264, p = 0.014) and academic performance (β = 0.903, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that while gamified interventions enhance motivation, participation, and collaboration, practical and skill-based vocational training is essential for improving measurable learning outcomes. This study contributes to the accounting education literature by demonstrating the complementary roles of gamification and vocational programmes, emphasizing the importance of integrating motivational and performance-oriented pedagogical strategies. For educators and curriculum designers, combining gamified learning with vocationally oriented activities offers a promising approach to increase engagement, reinforce conceptual understanding, and prepare students for real-world professional challenges. The study also provides implications for curriculum design, policy development, and future research on hybrid pedagogical models

Driving Governance Excellence in Non-Profit Organizations through Digital and Strategic Transformation

The research investigates which essential organizational abilities lead to better governance results in non-profit organizations. The research examines four essential elements which include digital governance capability and strategic agility and social capital and organizational learning capacity to determine their effects on non-profit governance performance. The research employed quantitative methods to obtain data from 354 non-profit organization staff members based in Saudi Arabia. Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling with SmartPLS. The research demonstrates that all four factors directly impact governance effectiveness because non-profit organizations need to unite technological readiness with strategic flexibility and collaborative networks and continuous learning processes. The research demonstrates that organizations can achieve optimal governance through the implementation of digital tools and agile strategies and trust-based relationships and ongoing learning processes. The research develops an extensive model which demonstrates how different organizational capabilities affect governance results in non-profit organizations. The research delivers useful guidance to leaders and policymakers who want to improve their governance systems and organizational achievements

Influence of Government on the Performance of Public Sector Projects: A Case of Government-Funded School Projects in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

This study examines the influence of government on the performance of public sector projects, with a specific focus on government-funded school construction projects in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania. The study employs a cross-sectional research design and utilizes multivariate regression analysis on data collected from 194 sampled participants within the municipality. The findings reveal that adequate budgeting, regulatory compliance, efficient procurement processes, and supportive government policies significantly influence the performance of public sector projects managed by the Morogoro Municipality Council. Based on these findings, the study recommends the promotion of collaborative partnerships and coordinated efforts to continuously enhance public sector project performance management. Furthermore, local government authorities should adopt a more inclusive and participatory approach to project planning, implementation, and monitoring. This includes actively engaging and empowering local communities, as well as ensuring that government commitment to funding public school infrastructure is both visible and sustainable

The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technology in Crisis Management, Startup Growth, and Sustainable Future

This study examines the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology on crisis management, startup growth, and sustainability in the Indian business landscape. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional research design, data was collected from 123 research and development (R&D) employees across various enterprises. The study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze relationships between key constructs. The results indicate that AI plays a crucial role in enhancing crisis management and business resilience (β = 0.553, p = 0.000), while effective crisis management positively influences long-term sustainability (β = 0.272, p = 0.000). Additionally, blockchain technology is a key driver of startup growth (β = 0.684, p = 0.000), and growing startups significantly contribute to a sustainable future (β = 0.689, p = 0.000). The findings highlight the transformative potential of AI and blockchain in navigating business uncertainties, fostering innovation, and driving sustainable development. The study offers practical implications for business leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs in leveraging emerging technologies for long-term resilience and success

Transforming Export Competitiveness: Technological Upgradation and Digitalization in the Indian Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Industry

This study investigates the impact of technological upgradation and digitalization on the export competitiveness of India’s Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry. Drawing on a 23-year panel dataset from 51 low-and-lower-middle-income countries, the research employs econometric analysis using high-tech exports and broadband subscriptions as proxies. The findings reveal that technological upgradation—measured through medium and high-tech exports—has a statistically significant positive impact on export competitiveness. In contrast, digitalization, proxied by broadband subscriptions, shows no significant effect, suggesting that mere infrastructure is insufficient without deeper operational integration. The Indian HVAC sector, though poised for growth amid global demand and sustainability mandates, faces challenges such as limited R&D investment, inadequate digital adoption, and scale inefficiencies. The study proposes a theoretical framework linking technological advancement and digital readiness with competitive export performance, offering insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders. It underscores the need for strategic investments in innovation, sector-specific digital tools, and workforce development. By aligning macroeconomic data with sectoral realities, the research contributes to a nuanced understanding of how emerging economies like India can leverage technological transformation to boost global trade competitiveness

The Moderating Role of Emotional Intelligence in the Relationship Between Employee Resilience, Perceived Organizational Support, and Work Engagement: A Multi-Sector Study in Saudi Arabia

Employee engagement plays a crucial role in organizational success, influencing productivity, retention, and overall workplace performance. This study examines the impact of employee resilience and perceived organizational support (POS) on work engagement, with emotional intelligence (EI) as a moderating factor, across multiple sectors in Saudi Arabia. Grounded in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the study hypothesizes that resilience and POS positively influence engagement, while EI moderates these relationships by enhancing employees’ ability to leverage resilience and support effectively. A quantitative research approach was employed, using a structured survey distributed to 450 full-time employees across industries such as healthcare, education, finance, manufacturing, and IT. Data were analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the relationships among the variables. The findings confirm that employee resilience and POS significantly enhance work engagement, supporting the direct effects. Additionally, EI moderates these relationships, indicating that employees with higher emotional intelligence are better equipped to utilize resilience and organizational support to sustain engagement. These findings contribute to Saudi Vision 2030, emphasizing workforce development and employee well-being. The study provides practical insights for HR professionals on fostering engagement through resilience training, supportive workplace policies, and emotional intelligence development programs