Journal of Management and Research

Ambidextrous Leadership Initiative Propelling the Circular Economy: The Moderating Role of SME Entrepreneur Orientation

Taofeek Adejare Owoseni — 2025-06-30

The current study aimed to investigate how the strategic approach of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) entrepreneurship innovation moderates the relationship between ambidextrous opening and closing behaviour and the adoption of three different circular practices. This study used a sample of 267 manufacturing SMEs in Nigeria. Through PLS-SEM structural equation modelling, it was discovered that only two of the three categories of circular economy (CE) practices are moderated by SME entrepreneurship innovation, despite opening leadership and closing leadership behaviour being positively connected to all three. This unique perspective adds to the body of CE literature, arguing that SME entrepreneurship innovation promotes the adoption of CE practices. In the context of Nigerian manufacturing SMEs, a differentiated perspective of adopting CE practices is also provided.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Resource Management Practices: A Qualitative Study in Hyderabad, Pakistan’s Banking Sector

Sahar Akhtar Mughal — 2025-06-30

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way Human Resource Management (HRM) functions within organizations. The core areas, such as performance evaluation, employee motivation, retention strategies, and ethical practices are highly influenced by AI. Simultaneously, its use raises new concerns, for instance, data privacy. The current study adopted a qualitative approach to explore how AI is impacting HRM practices and how it can be applied effectively in real-world settings. A total of 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Human Resource (HR) professionals in the banking sector of Hyderabad, Pakistan. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis in NVivo 12. The findings revealed three traditional recruitment challenges and processes, ethical considerations, risks, challenges as well as future trends and perspectives. The results revealed that AI has the potential to make recruitment more efficient through automated candidate filtering, selection matching, and initial screening. This helps reduce delays and minimize bias. However, concerns were raised about employee data privacy and job insecurity associated with automation. The study emphasized the need for industry-specific metrics to guide effective AI implementation. It also highlighted how AI can support performance management by allowing HR teams to detect early signs of employee dissatisfaction. While AI may enhance career development and workplace motivation, its role in automating administrative tasks could also lead towards ethical dilemmas, especially related to job displacement. To address these challenges, the study recommended updating HRM practices to include employee protection strategies, ensuring a balance between technological advancement and workforce well-being.

Impact of Paradoxical Leader Behavior (PLB) on Employees’ In-Role and Extra-Role Performance in the Hospitality Industry: Moderating Role of Psychological Capital

Mehreen Fatima — 2025-06-30

This study aims to examine the direct association between paradoxical leader behavior and the followers’ in-role and extra-role performance in the hospitality industry. Furthermore, this study also analyzes the moderating role of psychological capital. Data was collected through a questionnaire from supervisors and their immediate frontline employees working in the hospitality industry (specifically operating in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan). The results of multilevel path analysis demonstrated that paradoxical leader behavior (PLB) is positively associated with in-role and extra-role performance of frontline employees. Moreover, the followers’ psychological capital moderates the relationship between PLB and the followers’ in-role and extra-role performance, such that the relationship was determined to be stronger when the followers’ psychological capital was higher. The findings of this study extend our understanding of the construct of PLB and how it is related with the followers’ performance outcomes.

Examining the Relationship Between Leadership and Teachers' Moral Competence: The Mediating Role of Spiritual Climate

Nouman Maqbool Rao — 2025-05-15

This research examines how workplace buoyancy, somatic burden, autonomy-supportive and autonomy-thwarting leadership styles, and spiritual climate influence the moral competency of teachers. It may ultimately contribute to the development of a positive education culture. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire completed by teachers. This study also involved machine learning techniques including Random Forest Regressor (RFR) and Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR). These techniques aim to identify correlations between the variables. In addition, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was adopted to analyse direct and indirect effects. The results indicated that autonomy-supportive leadership has a positive impact on moral competence, while spiritual climate mitigates the negative impact of somatic burden on moral competence. GBR and RFR were used to evaluate features, consistently showing similar relationships, with RFR demonstrating better predictive power. This shows that the use of machine learning in analysing educational data retrieves deep patterns within the data sets. Collectively, the results of the current study imply the importance of organizational change to promote autonomy-supportive leadership and to improve the spiritual climate to increase teachers’ moral competence. There is still room for further improvement concerning the generalization of results; therefore, further studies should use a larger sample of convenience. There is a need to examine other moderators, for instance, personality traits and to incorporate longitudinal designs to evaluate effects over time.

Effect of Toxic Leadership on Workplace Bullying: A Mediation and Moderation Analysis

Zain Ashfaq — 2025-05-15

This study investigates the impact of toxic leadership on workplace bullying across multiple sectors in Gujranwala, Pakistan, emphasizing the mediating effects of employee silence and psychological well-being, as well as the moderating effect of employee voice. A systematic survey was conducted with 384 employees from various industries and the data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Statistical results were drawn through SPSS and AMOS. The findings show that toxic leadership has a significant impact on workplace bullying, with employee silence and psychological well-being acting as essential mediators. Contrary to predictions, employee voice did not moderate the association between toxic leadership and bullying, implying that the impact of toxic leadership is widespread, regardless of employees' willingness to speak up. The results demonstrate how organizations can reduce workplace bullying and enhance employee well-being by addressing toxic leadership and fostering a positive work environment.

Role of Narcissism in Entrepreneurial Traits Mediated by Entrepreneurial Intention and Entrepreneurial Motivation among University Students

Umer Ejaz — 2024-12-26

This study investigates the influence of narcissism and entrepreneurial ambition on entrepreneurial intention and self-efficacy in students studying entrepreneurship. This study employed an intricate relationship between narcissistic tendencies, entrepreneurial drive, entrepreneurial intention, and self-efficacy among students. The study also applied a positivist ideology and a deductive approach in quantitative research. A total of (N-766) responses were collected for inquiry from entrepreneurship students in Pakistan, a South Asian country. Data was analyzed through SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 26, while utilizing multiple linear regression models and commonly employed mediation procedures. The findings suggested that the relationship between entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial intention is such that entrepreneurial motivation positively influences entrepreneurial intention. The study made a valuable contribution to the existing body of knowledge on the extended model of the Theory of Planned Behavior. It has important implications for university administration and teachers who are responsible for students displaying high levels of narcissism or psychopathy. These individuals should be given proper care, education, and targeted interventions aimed at reducing their narcissistic and psychopathic tendencies to enhance their entrepreneurial intentions. According to the knowledge, this is the first study of this context which contributed to the literature on of narcissism, entrepreneurial intention and self-efficacy. Second, the study used (Entrepreneurial Motivation) as Moderator (Exogenous force) in this study as the study was conducted in Pakistan. So, the study has a great contribution to this perspective as well.

Pride as a Catalyst for Student Engagement and Performance: The Roles of Psychological Capital and Teacher-Student Relationships

Muhammad Qasim — 2024-12-23

This study explores positive emotions in the context of students, focusing on the constructive impact of pride. The research aims to enhance the practical understanding of positive emotions centered around the broaden and build theory. Additionally, based on social learning theory, the article examines the moderating role of teacher-student relationship (TSR) to identify the association between psychological capital (PsyCap) and students' outcomes. To analyze the effects of pride on students' outcomes, PsyCap is introduced as a mediating mechanism, elucidating its influence on the relationship between pride and academic performance and engagement. Data from 328 students in diverse universities in Pakistan support our model, and the findings reveal a positive correlation between pride and academic performance and engagement. Moreover, TSR moderates the link between PsyCap and academic performance and student engagement. The positive association between PsyCap and academic performance and engagement strengthens when TSR is strong. This study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the significance of positive emotions, particularly pride, in the academic context. The implications extend to theoretical and practical realms, providing insights into cultivating positive emotions and fostering a strong TSR. However, acknowledging study limitations, future research directions are required to address them.

Examining the Influence of Cultural and Societal Factors on Networking and Socializing Challenges: A Study of Female Entrepreneurs in Pakistan

Duaa Rehman — 2024-12-13

The current research explores the experiences of female entrepreneurs in Pakistan, offering a detailed exploration of their networking and socializing efforts, the motivational factors driving their ventures, and the unique challenges they face throughout their entrepreneurial journeys. Qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured interviews of 25 female entrepreneurs from diverse sectors. Thematic analysis was performed via NVivo14, which revealed the pervasive obstacles encountered, including deeply ingrained societal norms, gender biases, and limited access to established business networks. The findings revealed how traditional cultural expectations, including rigid gender roles and expectations of modesty, impede women's active participation in networking opportunities, further marginalizing them in business circles. This research also uncovers the innovative strategies female entrepreneurs use to navigate through these challenges, including utilization of online platforms as an alternative to in-person networking. The research also highlights the significance of fostering supportive networking environment for women to ensure professional growth. It provides a contextualized understanding of how societal pressure shapes the experience of female entrepreneurs in Pakistan, while drawing parallels with similar challenges faced by women in the world which adds to the broader literature on gender and entrepreneurship. The study offers actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders. These insights are essential for creating an inclusive entrepreneurial environment for female entrepreneurs to help them flourish and contribute towards the economic growth and gender equality objectives of the country.

Impact of Reward System on Academic Staff Engagement (ASE) and Organisational Performance (OP) in Technical Universities (TUs): A Case of Ghana

Marian S Davis — 2024-12-12

Reward systems are significant organisational management tools for acquiring, retaining, and motivating potential employees and for attaining higher levels of performance. The primary goal of this research is to explore the impact of reward system on academic staff engagement and organisational performance in selected Technical Universities (TUs) in Ghana. To achieve the objective, data was collected using Google Forms from 315 academic staff working at 5 selected TUs. Afterwards, it was gathered in SMART PLS (SEM) and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that (i) Academic Staff Engagement (ASE) has a significant positive effect on Reward System (RS), (ii) RS has a significant positive effect on Organisational Performance (OP), (iii) ASE influences OP, and (iv) RS significantly mediates the relationship between ASE and OP. Therefore, the findings suggested that the organisational reward system and academic staff engagement are critical human resource factors for improving the performance of the technical institutions. The outcome of this research calls for the policy makers and the TUs management to consider reward system and academic staff engagement programs as tools for driving institutional performance. The study also contributes significantly to the knowledge and the application of ASE, RS, and OP in theory and practice in the context of higher education institutions.

Impact of Knowledge Sharing on Employee Performance in Higher Education: Moderating Role of Employee Motivation and Employee Engagement

Iqra Bibi — 2024-09-27

The objective is to assess the impact of knowledge sharing, employee motivation, and employee engagement on overall performance. The quantitative research method is used to collect primary data through an adoptive structured questionnaire based on a 5-Likert scale. The responses are recorded from 322 respondents through the method of sampling in many stages. Using SmartPLS software, recorded responses are examined using statistical tests (such as regression and correlation). The results indicate a positive relationship among knowledge sharing, employee engagement, motivation, and performance. All hypotheses (H1, H2, H3) were accepted with t-values exceeding 1.96. This study elaborates on how knowledge sharing along with the moderating effects of motivation and engagement, improves employee performance, particularly in the academic sector. It also adds to the existing literature on these relationships.