The study examined the influence of selected circular supply chain management practices on the performance of chemical and allied manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Specifically, the study focused on reverse logistics, sustainable sourcing, and material resource optimisation and how these practices affect firm performance in terms of operational efficiency, cost reduction, environmental compliance, and competitiveness. Chemical and allied manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County operate in an environment characterised by high production costs, stringent environmental regulations, increasing waste management challenges, and growing stakeholder pressure for sustainability. Despite the strategic relevance of circular supply chain practices, many firms continue to rely on linear supply chain models, resulting in inefficiencies, resource wastage, and suboptimal performance. Empirical evidence on how specific circular supply chain practices influence firm performance in the sector remains limited, necessitating this study. The study adopted a descriptive research design targeting 188 chemical and allied manufacturing firms registered in Nairobi City County. A census approach was employed, with data collected from senior managers responsible for supply chain, operations, and procurement functions using structured questionnaires. The instruments were tested for validity and reliability. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential techniques, including correlation and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that reverse logistics, sustainable sourcing, and material resource optimisation each had a statistically significant and positive influence on firm performance. The study concludes that circular supply chain management practices are critical strategic drivers of performance in the chemical and allied manufacturing sector. The study recommends that firms strengthen reverse logistics systems, institutionalise sustainable sourcing policies, and invest in material resource optimisation technologies to enhance operational performance and long-term sustainability.

Purpose Currently, the theoretical and empirical understanding of how founder chief executive officers (CEOs) influence foreign subsidiary ownership decisions is underdeveloped. This study aims to address this gap in research by examining the combined impact of founder CEOs and non-CEO executives on ownership decisions regarding foreign subsidiaries. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on upper echelons theory and relevant psychological literature to develop a conceptual framework to assess the joint influence of founder CEOs and non-CEO executives on firms' foreign subsidiary ownership. Accordingly, this study takes Chinese listed companies as samples and uses a Tobit model to empirically test the relevant theoretical hypotheses. Findings First, this study finds that founder status leads to a higher level of risk-taking and overconfidence among CEOs, which in turn leads to a preference for higher levels of foreign subsidiary ownership. Second, the results reveal that demographic similarity, tenure overlap and power disparity between founder CEOs and non-CEO executives enhance the positive influence of founder CEOs on firms' foreign subsidiary ownership. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on foreign subsidiary ownership by exploring the micro-foundations of ownership decisions and focusing on the role of founder CEOs, an area underexplored in prior research. Furthermore, by analysing the combined effect of CEOs and non-CEO executives on firms' foreign subsidiary ownership, this study advances upper echelons theory and contributes to the growing body of literature on the dynamics between CEOs and top management teams in strategic decision-making.

Despite the growing importance of aquaculture in enhancing food security and livelihoods in Malawi, youth participation in the sector remains alarmingly low. This study explored the barriers limiting youth engagement in tilapia farming. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, data was collected between January and February 2022 from 102 respondents across Dowa and Mchinji districts in Central Malawi comprising both tilapia farming participating and non-participating youths. A mixed methods approach was employed, combining descriptive statistics, Garrett ranking, thematic analysis, and Probit regression to analyze socioeconomic factors and rank the severity of entry barriers. The findings revealed that participating youths were significantly older (29.0 vs. 26.0 years, p = 0.007), more likely to own land (73.2% vs. 36.1%), and had substantially higher access to extension services (92.7% vs. 21.3%), training (75.6% vs. 24.6%), and fish farmer clubs’ members (51.2% vs. 11.5%) than non-participants. Major deterrents included lack of capital (36.2%), high feed costs (34.5%), limited availability of quality fingerlings (35.3%), and poor access to profitable markets (23.2%). Cultural norms restricting land inheritance further constrained young women’s ability to own ponds or production assets. Access to extension services had the largest marginal effect, increasing the probability of participation by 71.5 percentage points. Membership in farmers’ clubs raised the likelihood by 43.9 points, land ownership by 54.4 points, and access to training by 52.2. Household size also had a significant positive influence, increasing the probability by 7.5 percentage points. The Garrett ranking analysis identified lack of capital and credit as the most severe barrier (78), followed by high feed costs (77) and lack of quality fingerlings (75). In contrast, water scarcity and disease outbreaks were ranked as less critical but still offered relevant challenges. The study concludes that structural, institutional and perceptual barriers must be addressed through targeted interventions such as youth inclusive policies, subsidized input schemes, expanded extension services and land access reforms. Additionally, enhancing financial literacy and creating youth-tailored financial products could increase participation. These insights are critical for policymakers, development partners, and private actors working to promote inclusive aquaculture development in Malawi and similar contexts across sub- Saharan Africa. Key words: Entry barriers, Malawi, Youths, Participation, Fish farming, Tilapia, Probit Regression Model

Abstract This study examines how background image (reality vs. virtuality) influences consumers’ perceptions of uncanniness toward virtual influencers (VIs) in social media advertisements. A between-subjects experiment (background image: reality vs. virtuality) was conducted to examine the effect of reality background image on uncanniness toward the VI, with a focus on the mediating role of perceived VI-background inconsistency. A total of 193 South Korean female Instagram users participated. The results indicated that consumers find VIs placed in reality (vs. virtuality) background images more uncanny because they experience inconsistency between the reality background and the virtual model. Moreover, this effect was negatively moderated by individuals’ categorization uncertainty about the VI’s non-human identity. The reality background image had a greater positive influence on the perceived uncanniness toward the VI via inconsistency when consumers could recognize the VI as a computer-generated non-human; the background image had no differential effects on inconsistency when consumers were less certain about the VI’s non-human identity.

This study investigates the impact of relationship-oriented leadership on organizational citizenship behavior among hospital nurses in the Turkish healthcare context, focusing on the mediating role of workplace flourishing. The research aims to fill gaps in understanding the indirect effects of leadership on organizational citizenship behavior through workplace well-being in the context of healthcare professionals. A cross-sectional design was employed, surveying 448 nurses from a university hospital using structured Likert-type scales. Data were analyzed through structural equation modeling and the bootstrap method to test the hypothesized relationships among the variables. The findings indicate that relationship-oriented leadership significantly affects organizational citizenship behavior dimensions such as altruism, conscientiousness, courtesy, and sportsmanship. Additionally, workplace flourishing was found to mediate the relationship between leadership style and organizational citizenship behavior, with flourishing showing a strong positive influence on organizational citizenship behavior dimensions. The study highlights that relationship-oriented leadership fosters workplace flourishing, which in turn enhances organizational citizenship behaviors. These results suggest that healthcare leaders can promote better workplace outcomes by fostering a flourishing environment, ultimately improving nurse engagement and citizenship behaviors.

Introduction: Patient safety remains a critical global health agenda, as emphasized by the WHO and IOM. Fostering a robust patient safety culture within hospitals is paramount for minimizing adverse events and improving the quality of care. Understanding the psychosocial factors that drive this culture is essential for effective organizational interventions. This study aims to explore the direct and indirect effects of transformational leadership and team cooperation on patient safety culture, with a particular focus on assessing the mediating function of motivation within these relationships among healthcare professionals. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional research design was applied in this study. Study utilized a survey to collect data from 198 Healthcare Providers (HCPs) at Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease (SSIDH). The primary instrument was the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS) Version 2.0. Data analysis involved Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) based on Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4.0 to test the proposed causal relationships. Results: Descriptive analysis showed that the variables of Transformational Leadership, Team Cooperation, Motivation, and Patient Safety Culture were all in the moderate category. However, hypothesis testing revealed significant findings. Both transformational leadership and team cooperation demonstrated a direct and significant positive influence on patient safety culture. Crucially, motivation was found to significantly mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and safety culture, as well as the relationship between team cooperation and safety culture. Conclusion: This study confirms that transformational leadership and teamwork are crucial factors that effectively enhance patient safety culture. The central finding of this study is the vital role of motivation as a psychological mechanism that translates managerial initiatives and team collaboration into proactive safety behaviors. Therefore, the practical recommendations from this research focus on strategies that directly target motivation, such as strengthening programs for recognition and responsibility, accompanied by improved interprofessional communication and more specific leadership training programs.

Quality public services are a crucial indicator of the successful implementation of good governance principles, which encompass transparency, accountability, participation, and effectiveness. This study aims to analyze the influence of mass media and the quality of human resources on the performance of public services in the field of education in Kendari City. This study uses a quantitative approach with a survey method to 124 respondents at SMPN & SMPS in Kendari City. Mass media and human resource quality have a positive and significant influence on public service performance with path coefficient values of 0.895 and 0.739, respectively. Mass media have a positive and significant influence on governance. Governance has a positive and significant influence on public service performance, with a path coefficient of 0.955. Public service performance significantly mediates the influence of mass media on governance, with a path coefficient value of 0.739. The quality of human resources on governance through mediation of public service performance shows significant findings with a path coefficient value of 0.833, with a positive relationship direction. Strengthening the role of the media and improving human resource competencies as a strategy in bureaucratic reform, and improving the quality of educational services.

Spontaneity vs. suppression: Differential impacts of platform types on user value co-creation behavior in online brand communities.

Can green policies and innovations digitize economies? The impact of environmental stringency, green innovation, and energy transition on the digital economy in OECD countries.

Ethical leadership and environmental performance: Role of green intellectual capital and ethical climate.

Spectral anomaly detection in physiological time-series data: A systematic review.

Soil organic carbon sequestration efficiency with biochar addition across the croplands of China: A perspective from particulate and mineral-associated organic carbon.

The adoption behavior of fashion designers toward AIGC: The interaction of psychological motivation and perceived risk.

The rapid advancement of digital technology has transformed patterns of communication and social interaction, particularly among Generation Z as digital natives. Although digital media offers extensive educational and social benefits, it also presents ethical challenges such as misinformation, cyberbullying, hate speech, and impulsive online behaviour. This study aims to examine the effects of digital literacy and self-control on ethical online behaviour among Generation Z and to analyse their combined predictive power. This research employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey design involving 130 students of MTs Bilingual Muslimat NU Pucang Sidoarjo, Indonesia, selected from a population of 191 students using proportionate random sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale, and the instruments were confirmed to be valid and reliable. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that digital literacy has a positive and significant effect on ethical online behaviour (B = 0.477; p < 0.001), suggesting that higher levels of digital competence and ethical awareness contribute to more responsible online conduct. Self-control also shows a positive and significant influence (B = 0.324; p < 0.001), highlighting the role of emotional regulation and impulse control in shaping ethical behaviour in digital environments. Simultaneously, digital literacy and self-control explain 48.1% of the variance in ethical online behaviour (R² = 0.481; p < 0.001), indicating that ethical online behaviour emerges from the integration of cognitive competence and self-regulatory capacity. These findings emphasise the importance of integrating digital literacy education with self-control and character development programs to foster ethical online behaviour among Generation Z.

Exogenous CaCl2 enhanced adventitious root formation in Cucumis sativus L. under cadmium stress through protein S-nitrosylation.

The relationship between self-interested organizational ethical climate and exploitative leadership: An empirical test in China.

Both energy transition and external financial support are vital in stimulating global biodiversity conservation.

The effects of sports nutrition diet, physical activity and sleep quality on health behavior in primary and secondary school students: A cross-sectional study based on the COM-B model.

The power of beliefs: How Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) influences academic performance.

This study aims to empirically examine the effect of ESG management of cosmetics companies on relationship continuity intention, focusing on the mediating role of customer trust. ESG management was classified into eco-friendly management, social responsibility, and governance improvement, while relationship continuity intention was divided into intention to continue using and intention to expand relationships. Data were collected through a self-administered survey from consumers aged 20 to 40 who had experience using cosmetics companies engaged in ESG activities. A total of 338 valid responses were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. The results showed that all dimensions of ESG management had significant positive effects on customer trust. In addition, ESG management was found to have significant positive effects on both intention to continue using and intention to expand relationships. Customer trust also had a significant positive influence on both dimensions of relationship continuity intention. Mediation analysis indicated that customer trust played a significant mediating role in the relationship between ESG management and relationship continuity intention. Specifically, eco-friendly management and social responsibility showed full mediation through customer trust in relation to intention to continue using, while governance improvement demonstrated partial mediation. For intention to expand relationships, social responsibility and governance improvement exhibited full mediation, whereas eco-friendly management showed partial mediation. These findings suggest that ESG management in cosmetics companies influences consumers’ relationship behaviors primarily through the formation of customer trust, highlighting the importance of trust-based ESG strategies for sustainable customer relationship management.