The Mediated Effect of Bounded Rationality on the Relationship between National Cultural Psychology and Irrationality in Financial Decision Making of Entrepreneurs: – An empirical study on the evidence from Ethnic Minority Business (EMBs) Entrepreneurs in West Midlands, UK

AbstractThe purpose of this study: Ethnic Minority Business Entrepreneurs’ (EMBs) financial behaviour is presumably shaped by their underlying cultural and cognitive factors. In this paper, it is expected to examine the tripartite relationship existing among National Culture, Bounded Rationality and Irrationality in Financial Decision Making of Sri Lankan ethnic minority entrepreneurs in the UK. Methodology: This research employs a psychometric questionnaire consisting five point Likert scaled questions to collect data. Based on Kline’s (2005) 10:1 rule of thumb sampling method, a sample of 200 of Sri Lankan EMB entrepreneurs in the UK were selected. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses (EFA and CFA) are used to examine the tripartite relationship among the underlying constructs. Findings: The results from EFA show there are linkages among National Cultural Psychology (NCP), Bounded Rationality (BR) and Irrationality in Financial Decision Making (IFDM). CFA further proved a statistically significant direct effect in between IFDM and NCB (standardised estimation =0.403, p=0.002&lt;0.05), and Indirect effect of NCB to IFDM via Bounded Rationality (standardised estimation = 0.301, p=0.001&lt;0.05). Accordingly, it can be discovered a ‘Partial Mediation’ among these three constructs.Originality and Contributions: This paper developed a questionnaire to measure the concepts and statistically confirmed the links among National Cultural Psychology, Cognitive Biases and Irrationality in Financial Decision Making of Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurs. This study provides new knowledge for behavioural finance by looking through the lens of national culture and introducing a novel model as ‘Cultural and Behavioural Financial Decision Making (CBDFM)’ which explains how entrepreneurs are being diverted from rationality by their national cultural and cognitive factors. Practical Implications: EMB entrepreneurs are encouraged to understand their embodied cultural attributes which cause cognitive bias and eventually divert them from rational decision-making. Authorities who are empowering EMBs are recommended to consider the national cultural factors, and cognitive biases of EMB entrepreneurs when setting up new policies to promote EMBs. <br/

The Mediated Effect of Bounded Rationality on the Relationship between National Cultural Psychology and Irrationality in Financial Decision Making of Entrepreneurs: – An empirical study on the evidence from Ethnic Minority Business (EMBs) Entrepreneurs in West Midlands, UK

AbstractThe purpose of this study: Ethnic Minority Business Entrepreneurs’ (EMBs) financial behaviour is presumably shaped by their underlying cultural and cognitive factors. In this paper, it is expected to examine the tripartite relationship existing among National Culture, Bounded Rationality and Irrationality in Financial Decision Making of Sri Lankan ethnic minority entrepreneurs in the UK. Methodology: This research employs a psychometric questionnaire consisting five point Likert scaled questions to collect data. Based on Kline’s (2005) 10:1 rule of thumb sampling method, a sample of 200 of Sri Lankan EMB entrepreneurs in the UK were selected. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses (EFA and CFA) are used to examine the tripartite relationship among the underlying constructs. Findings: The results from EFA show there are linkages among National Cultural Psychology (NCP), Bounded Rationality (BR) and Irrationality in Financial Decision Making (IFDM). CFA further proved a statistically significant direct effect in between IFDM and NCB (standardised estimation =0.403, p=0.002&lt;0.05), and Indirect effect of NCB to IFDM via Bounded Rationality (standardised estimation = 0.301, p=0.001&lt;0.05). Accordingly, it can be discovered a ‘Partial Mediation’ among these three constructs.Originality and Contributions: This paper developed a questionnaire to measure the concepts and statistically confirmed the links among National Cultural Psychology, Cognitive Biases and Irrationality in Financial Decision Making of Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurs. This study provides new knowledge for behavioural finance by looking through the lens of national culture and introducing a novel model as ‘Cultural and Behavioural Financial Decision Making (CBDFM)’ which explains how entrepreneurs are being diverted from rationality by their national cultural and cognitive factors. Practical Implications: EMB entrepreneurs are encouraged to understand their embodied cultural attributes which cause cognitive bias and eventually divert them from rational decision-making. Authorities who are empowering EMBs are recommended to consider the national cultural factors, and cognitive biases of EMB entrepreneurs when setting up new policies to promote EMBs. <br/

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’ carbon footprint reduction initiatives as a catalyst for green jobs: A systematic review and comprehensive business strategy agenda:SMEs Carbon Footprint reduction initiatives

Motivated by the growing attention on climate change, this study provides an up-to-date and comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) carbon footprint reduction initiatives and green jobs. Based on datasets from databases that include Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest and Google Scholar, we conducted a SLR of 70 published articles spanning 2012 to 2022. Using VOSviewer and InfraNodus, bibliographic cluster analysis revealed the existence of three clusters namely; the role of green job initiatives and green human resource management in SMEs (cluster 1); green innovation, green Initiatives, green strategy and circular economy in SMEs (cluster 2); carbon footprint reduction initiatives, carbon performance, carbon management and carbon emission in SMEs (cluster 3). We found that SMEs adopt green supply chain, employing energy-saving strategies, eco-friendly waste reductions and recycling, circular economy, and green office practices. The study results indicate that these carbon footprint initiatives can lead to green job creation since green competences are required to implement green initiatives. However, value propositions relating to carbon reduction initiatives within SMEs need to be integrated with employee engagement.Additionally, the SLR identifies future research areas that include exploring the association among SMEs carbon footprint, green innovation and green jobs, and strategies to enhance climate change initiatives. Consequently, we call for future research to focus on the design of green jobs tracking and carbon footprint reduction reporting framework to support SMEs' green initiatives. The findings have key policy implications for SME owners, policymakers, practitioners, and future researchers. <br/

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’ carbon footprint reduction initiatives as a catalyst for green jobs: A systematic review and comprehensive business strategy agenda:SMEs Carbon Footprint reduction initiatives

Motivated by the growing attention on climate change, this study provides an up-to-date and comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) carbon footprint reduction initiatives and green jobs. Based on datasets from databases that include Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest and Google Scholar, we conducted a SLR of 70 published articles spanning 2012 to 2022. Using VOSviewer and InfraNodus, bibliographic cluster analysis revealed the existence of three clusters namely; the role of green job initiatives and green human resource management in SMEs (cluster 1); green innovation, green Initiatives, green strategy and circular economy in SMEs (cluster 2); carbon footprint reduction initiatives, carbon performance, carbon management and carbon emission in SMEs (cluster 3). We found that SMEs adopt green supply chain, employing energy-saving strategies, eco-friendly waste reductions and recycling, circular economy, and green office practices. The study results indicate that these carbon footprint initiatives can lead to green job creation since green competences are required to implement green initiatives. However, value propositions relating to carbon reduction initiatives within SMEs need to be integrated with employee engagement.Additionally, the SLR identifies future research areas that include exploring the association among SMEs carbon footprint, green innovation and green jobs, and strategies to enhance climate change initiatives. Consequently, we call for future research to focus on the design of green jobs tracking and carbon footprint reduction reporting framework to support SMEs' green initiatives. The findings have key policy implications for SME owners, policymakers, practitioners, and future researchers. <br/

Small- and medium-sized enterprises' carbon footprint reduction initiatives as a catalyst for green jobs: A systematic review and comprehensive business strategy agenda

Motivated by the growing attention on climate change, this study provides an up-to-date and comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) carbon footprint reduction initiatives and green jobs. Based on datasets from databases that include Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest and Google Scholar, we conducted a SLR of 70 published articles spanning 2012 to 2022. Using VOSviewer and InfraNodus, bibliographic cluster analysis revealed the existence of three clusters namely; the role of green job initiatives and green human resource management in SMEs (cluster 1); green innovation, green Initiatives, green strategy and circular economy in SMEs (cluster 2); carbon footprint reduction initiatives, carbon performance, carbon management and carbon emission in SMEs (cluster 3). We found that SMEs adopt green supply chain, employing energy-saving strategies, eco-friendly waste reductions and recycling, circular economy, and green office practices. The study results indicate that these carbon footprint initiatives can lead to green job creation since green competences are required to implement green initiatives. However, value propositions relating to carbon reduction initiatives within SMEs need to be integrated with employee engagement.Additionally, the SLR identifies future research areas that include exploring the association among SMEs carbon footprint, green innovation and green jobs, and strategies to enhance climate change initiatives. Consequently, we call for future research to focus on the design of green jobs tracking and carbon footprint reduction reporting framework to support SMEs' green initiatives. The findings have key policy implications for SME owners, policymakers, practitioners, and future researchers

Severe Dengue Epidemic, Sri Lanka, 2017

In 2017, a dengue epidemic of unexpected magnitude occurred in Sri Lanka. A total of 186,101 suspected cases and 440 dengue-related deaths occurred. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of this epidemic by comparing national surveillance data for 2017 with data from the preceding 5 years. In all Sri Lanka districts, dengue incidence in 2017 increased significantly over incidence during the previous 5 years. Older schoolchildren and young adults were more clinically symptomatic than those at extremes of age. Limited virologic surveillance showed the dominant circulating variant was dengue virus type 2 cosmopolitan genotype in the most affected district. One quarter of total annual cases were reported 5 weeks after the southwest monsoon started. Changes in vector abundance were not predictive of the increased incidence. Direct government expenditures on dengue control activities in 2017 were US $12.7 million. The lessons learned from this outbreak are useful for other tropical nations facing increasing dengue incidence

Combined searches for the production of supersymmetric top quark partners in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A combination of searches for top squark pair production using proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb(-1) collected by the CMS experiment, is presented. Signatures with at least 2 jets and large missing transverse momentum are categorized into events with 0, 1, or 2 leptons. New results for regions of parameter space where the kinematical properties of top squark pair production and top quark pair production are very similar are presented. Depending on themodel, the combined result excludes a top squarkmass up to 1325 GeV for amassless neutralino, and a neutralinomass up to 700 GeV for a top squarkmass of 1150 GeV. Top squarks with masses from 145 to 295 GeV, for neutralino masses from 0 to 100 GeV, with a mass difference between the top squark and the neutralino in a window of 30 GeV around the mass of the top quark, are excluded for the first time with CMS data. The results of theses searches are also interpreted in an alternative signal model of dark matter production via a spin-0 mediator in association with a top quark pair. Upper limits are set on the cross section for mediator particle masses of up to 420 GeV

MUSiC : a model-unspecific search for new physics in proton-proton collisions at root s=13TeV

Results of the Model Unspecific Search in CMS (MUSiC), using proton-proton collision data recorded at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), are presented. The MUSiC analysis searches for anomalies that could be signatures of physics beyond the standard model. The analysis is based on the comparison of observed data with the standard model prediction, as determined from simulation, in several hundred final states and multiple kinematic distributions. Events containing at least one electron or muon are classified based on their final state topology, and an automated search algorithm surveys the observed data for deviations from the prediction. The sensitivity of the search is validated using multiple methods. No significant deviations from the predictions have been observed. For a wide range of final state topologies, agreement is found between the data and the standard model simulation. This analysis complements dedicated search analyses by significantly expanding the range of final states covered using a model independent approach with the largest data set to date to probe phase space regions beyond the reach of previous general searches.Peer reviewe

Search for new particles in events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A search is presented for new particles produced at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV, using events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101 fb(-1), collected in 2017-2018 with the CMS detector. Machine learning techniques are used to define separate categories for events with narrow jets from initial-state radiation and events with large-radius jets consistent with a hadronic decay of a W or Z boson. A statistical combination is made with an earlier search based on a data sample of 36 fb(-1), collected in 2016. No significant excess of events is observed with respect to the standard model background expectation determined from control samples in data. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on the branching fraction of an invisible decay of the Higgs boson, as well as constraints on simplified models of dark matter, on first-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying to quarks and neutrinos, and on models with large extra dimensions. Several of the new limits, specifically for spin-1 dark matter mediators, pseudoscalar mediators, colored mediators, and leptoquarks, are the most restrictive to date.Peer reviewe