Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This paper identified that strategic autonomy can lead to several governance traps that can impact the efficiencies within a business. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Purpose The primary purpose of this research is to fill the gap in understanding crowdshipping by conducting a bibliometric analysis of crowdshipping, mapping its evolution and thematic focus within business research since the concept’s emergence. In doing so, we aim to guide the next generation of research and practice. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, we performed a structured Scopus search which returned 300 records across 16 subject areas. After filtering documents that we classified as belonging to the Business, Management, and Accounting fields, we used publication trend analysis, citation, and keyword co-occurrence mapping. We then reviewed all documents to understand the contributions they made to the field and to identify the gaps that future research should address. Findings Our literature analysis showed that scholarly output began in 2017, surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, and remained concentrated in North America and Western Europe. It reveals the main research streams, including business models, operational optimization, market behavior, sustainability assessments, and technology support. It also identifies issues remaining to be addressed, such as inconsistent terminology use, regional research gaps, and methodological limitations. Among the practical outcomes of this work is its literature-driven last-mile delivery (LMD) strategy canvas. Originality/value This is one of the first literature reviews focused exclusively on crowdshipping in business research, offering a comprehensive and structured direction for future research in the business field. It also offered an LMD strategy canvas for industry.

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This paper explored how anti-money laundering systems can be improved to provide better results. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy to digest format.

Abstract In this paper, previously developed indices to assess company internationalization are examined and classified. Particular emphasis is placed on globality indices and a new composite index of firm globalization is introduced: the Degree of Globalization (DOG). The previous indices, often based on ratios of foreign to domestic activity, only provide partial insights into the complex and multidimensional nature of firm globalization. The DOG index addresses their shortcomings by integrating both the intensity and the diversification of a firm’s international activities, grounded in measurements of market penetration and revenue distribution. An empirical application to the airline industry demonstrated that the DOG index yielded more accurate differentiation among firms, capturing variations in global reach that the other indices failed to register. The results indicated that the DOG offered greater methodological precision, ease of calculation, and interpretability, thereby providing a more rigorous instrument for assessing corporate globalization and contributing to the advancement of international business research.

Purpose Firm performance (FP) is conceptualized as a composite measure capturing financial growth, market share expansion and operational efficiency, reflecting both strategic and operational outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of digital inclusion (DI) in enhancing FP through the mediating effects of social resilience (SR) and social innovation (SI). While DI is increasingly viewed as a strategic enabler for operational efficiency, stakeholder engagement and long-term growth, empirical research on its impact on FP remains limited. This study seeks to bridge this gap by integrating insights from the DCV, STS and digital transformation literature. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a survey-based research approach to collect data from 217 executives and managers in the dairy and agribusiness sectors in India using a five-point Likert scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM), which involved a quantitative approach, was used to test the hypothesized relationships between DI, SR, SI and FP with SmartPLS. Findings The findings verify that DI is a significant predictor of FP, SR and SI, with stronger effects on SI. Moreover, SR positively influences both SI and FP, with a greater impact on firm success. Additionally, SI and SR were found to be complementary partial mediators of the DI–FP relationship. Originality/value This study contributes to the emerging literature on digital transformation, resilience and innovation by providing empirical evidence of how DI fosters FP. It highlights the need for organizations to integrate digital tools, resilience-building strategies and innovation-driven approaches to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. The findings have significant theoretical and practical implications, offering insights for business leaders, policymakers and researchers in the field of digital transformation and organizational adaptability.

ABSTRACT Although there is abundant research into professionalizing the family business, not much inquiry has been done to explore the role of business family attributes in shaping the heterogeneity of family business professionalization. To address this knowledge gap, the paper exploits a theoretical investigative lens. Hinging on a narrative review, it explores various mediating and moderating factors involved in the relationship between family business attributes and family business professionalization. Underpinned by the socio-emotional theory, the article unveils how the heterogeneous business family characteristics each impact the family business’ tendency and ability to professionalize the family business. Demonstrating its significance, the article identifies governance, identity and competence factors that serve as key drivers for professionalizing the family business. It also illuminates the unique role of entrepreneurial learning, which all along remains largely circumvented in family business research. Overall, the article develops a professionalization-entrepreneurial learning dyadic model for professionalizing the family business.

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This paper identified that digital literacy does have an impact on how generative artificial intelligence can support sustainable development outcomes. Research limitations/implications The paper identified the different contextual factors that can be necessary when considering the use of artificial intelligence within sustainability realms. Practical implications The paper offered practical solutions that can assist in the achievement of sustainability goals. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Purpose This study aims to provide a bibliometric analysis of the current publication trends and key themes related to cash waqf from 1979 to 2024 and identify potential future research directions. Design/methodology/approach This study uses bibliometric analysis as a quantitative approach. Data was retrieved based on keywords in the TITLE-ABS-KEY field of articles from the Scopus database. A total of 237 documents were screened and selected for review and analysis. The R-biblioshiny, VOSviewer and Harzing’s Publish or Perish (PoP) applications were utilised for data visualisation, citation analysis and network analysis. Importantly, we integrated content analysis to address the research questions, adding depth to our approach. Findings The results indicate a significant growth rate in the literature on cash waqf. Malaysia and Indonesia are the countries that contribute the most and lead in cash waqf research. The journals with the highest contributions to publications are the ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance, the Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research and the International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management. In addition, based on the study, five main themes were identified, which consist of 1) cash waqf and Islamic finance, 2) cash waqf for social welfare, 3) cash waqf for micro-enterprise financing, 4) Muslim behaviour towards cash waqf and 5) cash waqf as a solution for poverty alleviation. Research limitations/implications This study provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of research trends in cash waqf and potential future research themes, which can be valuable for researchers, professionals and policymakers. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the earliest analysis to explore and evaluate the progress and direction of cash waqf literature, utilising literature sourced from the Scopus database since 1979.

The global semiconductor industry is undergoing a structural transformation driven by geopolitical fragmentation, industrial policy, and supply chain risk re-evaluation. While prior research emphasizes national competitiveness and trade volumes, less attention has been paid to how export reconfiguration alters multinational enterprise (MNE) strategy within global value chains. This study examines U.S. integrated circuit (IC) exports from 2015–2024 through an international business lens, focusing on partner diversification, strategic realignment, and value chain positioning. Using partner-level trade data and concentration indicators, the paper documents a post-2021 shift away from China-linked export dependence toward regionalized trade networks involving North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe. The findings suggest that U.S. semiconductor exports are transitioning from efficiency-driven globalization toward alliance-based resilience. The study contributes to international business research by linking export structure to firm strategy, policy alignment, and supply chain governance in technology-intensive industries.

International business scholars emphasize the importance of gaining firsthand international experience to create effective learning opportunities. Such experience deepens instructors’ understanding of the cultural and institutional forces that shape international business, whereas a lack of firsthand experience can undermine instructor credibility. This article presents an overview of Faculty Development in International Business (FDIB) programs, initiated by the Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs) to provide educators with direct exposure to international business. We highlight how these initiatives foster faculty development and offer recommendations for organizers to design effective faculty development programs.

Leading online service providers, as major customers of cloud computing services, are increasingly adopting a multicloud strategy to enhance service delivery across different locations. However, compatibility issues among various cloud platforms complicate the implementation of this strategy. To address this challenge, cloud providers can offer a multicloud management platform that acts as a bridge between distinct cloud environments. Although such a platform can enhance customers’ multicloud experience, it also entails additional costs for the cloud providers. Our paper examines cloud providers’ compatibility decisions and the impact of compatibility on competing cloud providers and their customers. Our findings reveal that, when compatibility is established in equilibrium, cloud providers consistently set higher prices for their resources than when compatibility is absent. Additionally, we find that a cloud provider with greater market dominance always attracts more demand, whereas the rival with smaller market dominance may experience a demand decrease. Interestingly, when a cloud provider establishes compatibility in equilibrium, the competitor’s profit always increases, although customer welfare can decline under compatibility. These insights, along with other findings presented in the paper, can support cloud providers in deciding when to establish compatibility and how to price their resources effectively. Furthermore, we provide guidelines for policymakers on when compatibility could enhance customer welfare, supporting effective implementation of compatibility strategies. This paper was accepted by D. J. Wu, information systems. Funding: S. Kumar thanks Temple Center for International Business Education and Research for partially supporting this research. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.01359 .

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This paper identified that there are certain factors that motivate employees to undertake work-based learning that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI). Research limitations/implications This research offers some understanding on some of the factors employees consider when choosing whether or not to engage in work-based learning that uses artificial intelligence (AI). Practical implications This research can be used to increase the participation of employees in undertaking work-based learning that uses artificial intelligence (AI). Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Polish researchers explored how young HR professionals from GenZ define a supportive work environment (SWE) and what changes organizations need to make to meet their expectations in the post-COVID world. The study identified eight main elements that create a supportive workplace. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Researchers from Italian universities explored how working from home affects the work-life balance of older workers aged 55–65 in Italy’s quaternary sector (IR, media, research and development, and knowledge-based services). First, older employees experienced overwork and increased caregiving demands. Second, they valued highly remote work for managing “sandwich generation” responsibilities, balancing childcare and eldercare. Third, the older workers uniquely used telework as a “quiet quitting” strategy to separate work from personal life. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Ad fraud is increasingly becoming a major concern in online advertising, with publishers being one of the key sources of fraudulent ad traffic. Although ad fraud deterrence is a critical problem from both technical and economic perspectives, past research has not considered their interplay. Our paper fills this critical gap by building a game-theoretic model wherein an ad network (an intermediary between publishers and advertisers) strategically leverages its technological tool (the configuration of a given fraud detection technology) and economic tool (the payment to publishers) to deter ad fraud and maximize profits effectively. Our analysis generates several interesting findings. For example, as the fraud detection technology and fraud generation techniques improve, we show that although the ad network needs to respond by making the technology configuration stricter to dampen fraud motives and admit less ad traffic, it may sometimes need to increase the payment. Furthermore, although many stakeholders advocate instituting strict legislation and policies to reduce malicious publishers, we show that this may sometimes fail to reduce fraud traffic and even hurt an ad network’s profit. In addition, our results provide other useful implications that present a new theoretical perspective on the incentive problems in ad fraud generation and detection. Our study also draws valuable insights for ad networks into implementing effective ad fraud deterrence policies and for advertisers to audit and monitor their ad campaign performance. This paper was accepted by Hemant Bhargava, information systems. Funding: S. Kumar thanks the Temple Center for International Business Education and Research for partially supporting this research. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02201 .

Literature reviews are a cornerstone of doctoral research in general, and of economic and business research, in particular. However, the exponential growth of scientific publications has made comprehensive and transparent reviews increasingly difficult. Conventional approaches, largely based on manual searches across a small number of databases, tend to be slow, error-prone, and incomplete. As a result, they constrain the scope of inquiry and, consequently, the robustness of theory development and empirical validation. This paper proposes and analyses an information system architecture driven by research questions and keyword taxonomies to automate core tasks of the literature search phase across multiple academic databases. Focusing on the domain of corporate and municipal financial distress, the authors employ a two-stage research design. First, the theoretical analysis integrates the literature on systematic reviews, automation, and financial distress prediction to derive a set of functional and non-functional requirements. Second, the experimental analysis documents a prototype front-end application designed to accelerate the literature review. The prototype is conceptualised as a socio-technical artefact that enhances IT competences and scientific resilience by enabling more efficient, reproducible, and extensible reviews. The authors conclude by discussing the scientific, technical, professional, and societal implications of the prototype, including opportunities for intellectual-property protection and avenues for future research.

The surge in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in higher education, exemplified by Large Language Models like ChatGPT, offers unprecedented opportunities for learning and collaboration while posing potential threats to academic integrity. This study investigates the complex relationship between personal factors, external factors, technological advancements, especially AI adoption, and the academic integrity of post-graduate management students. The central element of this study is a mini-project assigned to 60 PGDM students in a Business Research Methods course. Preliminary evaluations of the project reports submitted by students suggested extensive use of AI-generated content. The submitted reports were classified by level of AI-generated content, and this classification was then integrated with student responses to a structured questionnaire grounded in eight theoretical constructs related to academic integrity. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, the study first used discriminant analysis to identify the factors that influence students’ ethical decision-making within AI-integrated educational environments, followed by thematic analysis of students’ qualitative responses to triangulate the findings. This research finds that peer pressure, academic stress, and perceived institutional unfairness drive management students to unethical use of AI tools. This study highlights the need for transparent evaluation practices, a mechanism for peer accountability, institutional support systems and clear guidelines on ethical AI use. If the institutions fail to provide support, students are more likely to engage in behaviours that may put their academic future at risk. The study has implications for teaching interventions, policy formulation, and future research that may help create a culture of integrity within AI-enhanced learning environments.

Moderation analysis in business and management research: Common issues, solutions, and guidelines for future research

This study examines the idea of marketing gamification using research publications screened between 2016 and 2024. Marketing gamification is the application of game design features in non-gaming circumstances, is gaining popularity as an instrument for increasing user engagement, motivation, and finally, purchasing decisions. The intent of this research is to contribute to a better comprehension of marketing gamification while developing marketing techniques to impact customer purchasing behavior. Additionally, this work advances the subject regarding its definition and mutual awareness, which are vital to the sustained growth of this specialized market segment. A systematic literature assessment of 59 existing papers was done, using data from two main databases: Google Scholar and Scopus. The time span of 2016-2024 was chosen for data gathering since it corresponds to when those papers were published. Marketing Gamification, albeit an emerging segment, is still in its infancy of business research. It is capable of being an appealing and niche consumer category when making purchasing selections. Current research focuses on the primary information pertaining to marketing gamification, major theories utilized in literature, publishing authors, journals, most cited articles, word cloud of well-known terms used in literature, year-wise publication trends, research characteristics, and holes in the literature for future investigation. At the end of this paper, recommendations are also made for future research directions. This study examines the possibilities and application of marketing gamification with a focus on conceptual development. The current study offers valuable contextual information and perceptive knowledge from an innovative perspective. The academic and management implications are thoroughly examined and discussed in this study.

The accelerating diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping organizational life, driving profound shifts in leadership, strategy, and structure. This article develops a forward-looking framework for leading strategic transformation in the AI era, grounded in contemporary organizational theory and emerging real-world practices. Drawing on Charles Handy’s cultural models and Gary Hamel’s call for humanocracy, the article argues that organizations must evolve beyond rigid hierarchies toward adaptive, participatory, and purpose-driven ecosystems that can thrive in the face of ongoing technological disruption. The proposed framework identifies five imperatives essential to this transition: redesigning business models with AI, fostering emotionally intelligent and augmentation-oriented leadership, enabling agile and fluid organizational structures, cultivating cultures of continuous learning, and aligning strategic transformation with ethical and societal responsibilities. By combining theoretical foundations with evidence from innovative organizations, this study enhances applied research in business and management. It also provides practitioners with a practical roadmap for fostering resilience, legitimacy, and human-centered innovation in an AI-driven future.