Social Media Marketing (SMM) is an arm of digital marketing that has revolutionised the business approach to identifying, attracting and retaining customers. This revolution is more critical in B2C eCommerce firms given the highlevel competition and ease of attrition. The last two decades in Nigeria witnessed an unprecedented utilisation of digital media tools to drive social media marketing in stimulating engagement, identify prospects, convert prospects to customers, and building customer loyalty. However, most B2C eCommerce firms in Nigeria are yet to break-even despite extensive investment in SMM which could be connected to high rate of attrition. Therefore, the objective of this research is to evaluate the impact of Social Media Marketing on Customer Loyalty among B2C eCommerce firms in Nigeria. The study framework explored components of social media marketing and leveraged social exchange theory which explains the reciprocal nature of customer-brand relationships in SMM. Relevant data was collected from 387 customers of B2C eCommerce firms in Nigeria via e-survey and was analysed using linear regression through SPSS v27. It was found that SMM has positive significant impact on Customer Loyalty among customers of B2C eCommerce firms in Nigeria. A breakdown of its components revealed mixed impact that SMM Interaction, e-Word-of-mouth Promotion, entertainment and customisation have positive and significant impact on customer loyalty among Nigeria B2C eCommerce firms’ users while Trendiness has negative but significant impact on customer loyalty Therefore, B2C firms are required to review entertainment, trendiness and customisation strategies by investing in personalisation and quality content while balancing entertainment with brand authenticity.

This study investigated effect of Outdoor Learning Strategy on the Attitude and Performance of Biology Secondary School Two Students in Obio/Akpor, Rivers State. This study adopted a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test and descriptive survey design involving a sample of 133 Biology students from a population of 12,606 students selected through purposive sampling from two schools. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. And the research instruments used for the study are Biology Performance Test (BPT) used to obtain the pre- test and post- test mean score performance and Biology Students Outdoor Learning Attitude Questionnaire. (BSOLAQ) that was used to assess the students' attitudes towards learning outside the classroom. The topic taught is on Ecology. The instruments were validated for content and construct by expert in Biology from University of Port Harcourt. The reliability coefficient of the research instruments are 0.70 and 0.83 obtained using the Kuder-Richardson-21 (KR-21) and Cronbach Alpha methods respectively. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) and t-test were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of this study showed that the students taught using Outdoor Learning Strategies demonstrated improvements in performance and there was also a positive significant impact on the students’ attitude towards learning Biology. Recommendations among others were made that schools should incorporate Outdoor learning strategies into Biology curricula to enhance students’ engagement and outcomes.

This paper explores the role of green marketing in promotingsustainable rural tourism on Mount Golija, with a particularfocus on the perceptions and attitudes of Generation Z.The research was conducted through an online surveyon a sample of 256 respondents aged 18 to 32, aiming toexamine their level of environmental awareness, values,and behavioral intentions within the context of sustainablerural tourism in protected natural areas. The analysisrevealed that environmental awareness and the perceptionof destination responsibility have a significant positiveimpact on the intention to visit Golija. At the same time,a noticeable gap was identified between the respondents’declared ecological values and their actual behavior,highlighting the need for a more consistent and transparentapproach to communicating sustainable practices in ruraltourism destinations. The results suggest that the long-termsuccess of sustainable rural tourism development dependson authentic communication and the active involvement ofGeneration Z in initiatives that connect local communities,environmental protection, and tourism development.

The study was to investigate the both yoga and physical exercises effect on muscular strength endurance and cardio vascular endurance among NCC cadets. Total N=45(Senior division 30 cadets + Senior wings 15 cadets) recruited randomly from Government Degree College-Santirbazar, South Tripura and their age period ranged from 18 years to 25 years as per NCC cadets school records. The recruited NCC cadets was randomly allotted into three groups each group n=15 (10 SD + 5 SW) cadets i.e. empirical groups I NCC cadets underwent yoga practices (YPGC = 15), empirical group II NCC cadets underwent general physical exercises (GPEC = 15), and control group NCC cadets (CTGC = 15). CTGC cadets were practiced only their daily physical activities. The yoga and physical exercises training period was practically applied for 12- week’s duration and three sessions in a week. The physical measurement of muscular strength endurance and cardio vascular endurance quantity scores was collected through push up test (In numbers) and cooper test 12 minutes run/walk (In meters) before and after the completion of yoga and physical exercises training period. The collected quantity scores were analyzed through ANCOVA and level of significant was restricted at 0.05 levels. The study found that influence of 12-weeks both yoga and physical exercises training protocol had positive significant impact in gain of muscular strength endurance and cardio vascular endurance performance scores of YPGC and GPEC group’s NCC cadets comparative to control group NCC cadets. The present research would provide a scientific base and supervision to associate NCC officers, care taking officers and army training PI of schools and college for development of endurance parameters among NCC cadets.

Purpose The study is conducted to investigate the impact of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)-induced transport infrastructure on export sophistication in BRI member countries. For this purpose, panel data from 65 BRI member countries from 1990 to 2023 are utilized both in the total sample and in the grouped sample of South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East & Africa and European BRI member countries. Design/methodology/approach We have devised a new global transport infrastructure to cover all the key extents (i.e. air, sea and land infrastructure). For analysis, a panel ARDL model with a dummy approach is employed. Findings The result of the study shows that BRI-induced transport infrastructure has a positive significant impact on export sophistication in every sample of the study. By comparing the results of different samples of the study, we conclude that BRI-induced transport infrastructure impact on export sophistication is stronger in the Central Asian sample, followed by the total sample and the Southeast Asian sample, while in the case of South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the European sample, its effects are relatively low. The study further points out that with the passage of time, transport infrastructure’s impact on export sophistication increases. Besides the main variables, the control variables of the study, such as institutional quality, human capital (taken as a proxy for knowledge), FDI, per capita GDP and research & development expenditures (taken as a proxy for innovation), have a positive impact on export-sophistication, while exchange rates have a negative impact on export-sophistication. Originality/value For the robustness check of these results, the GMM estimation procedure is adopted, which confirms the reliability of the estimated panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag results of our study.

One of the government initiatives o support commuity development and empowerment is thourgh the allocations of Village Funds. The allocations of Village Funds. The funds prioritize programs that empower farmers, thereby improving economic welfare in these villages. Bontula Village is one of the villages that has considerable potential in the field of agriculture, making it a strategic area for the empowerment of its farmers. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Village Fund Management on farmer empowerment programs. This study uses a quantitative descriptive approach, with farmersas the main participants. Based on the analysis conducted through Simple Lnear Regression and t-tests, it can be concluded that there is a significant relationship between Village Fund Management and the Farmer Empowerment Program in Bontula Village, Asparaga District, Gorontalo Regency. Furthemore, the findings show that Village Fund Management contributes 75,6% to the Farmer Empowerment Program, while the remaining 24,4% is determined by external factorsbeyond the scope of this study. The structural equantion is Y = 12,888 + 0,865 X. From the hypothesis analysis conducted, it was revealed that Village Fund Management has a positive impact significant impact on the farmer Empowerment Program in Bontula Village, Asparaga Subdistrict, Gorontalo Regency. The utilization of Village Funds by prioritizing the empowerment of the farming community in Bontula Village is very strategic for improving the local economy. Example include programs such as providing facilities for plant nurseries and yield management. With good management of Village Funds, programs such as these can encourage increased productivity and welfare for farmers in Bontula Village.

Investigating the Impact of Circular Economy on Stock Market Performance: European Union Countries

<div> Effect of Audit Quality on Earnings Quality given Firm's Operational Characteristics:  </div> <div> An Empirical Study on Companies Listed on Egyptian Stock Exchange </div>

This study aims to determine the impact of pricing strategies on consumer buying behavior on FMCG products inside Kathmandu valley. The causal and descriptive research design was employed in the study to investigate the cause-and-effect relationship between pricing strategies and consumer buying behavior on FMCG products inside Kathmandu Valley. Data was gathered from 250 respondents through structured questionnaire distributed via Google forms and convenience sampling was used. Quantitative analysis involved both descriptive and inferential statistics, employing the SPSS. Out of the five pricing strategies considered for the study, discount, psychological, competitive and penetration pricing had a positive and significant impact on consumer buying behavior. However, bundle pricing didn’t have a positive significant impact on consumer buying behavior. This study contributes valuable insight to retails determining correct pricing strategy for different products. The application of this study is extensive. Industry, professional, researchers and policymakers by advancing understanding and best practices in FMCG and retail industries, collectively fostering a more responsible offering.

This paper is to analyze the relationships between the green organizational culture (GOC) and employee performance (EP), and the impact of GOC on EP in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Pokhara Metropolitan City.The relationship has been analyzed from the perspective of non-teaching staff of HEIs. The study is based on objectivism ontology and used descriptive and causal comparative research design, using the quantitative survey approach. The study sampled 55 non-teaching staff from five HEIs that include both constituent and public campuses of the study area. The independent variables are clan, adhocracy, hierarchy and market culture that constitute GOC and the dependent variable includes EP that was constructed with task, contextual and adaptive performance. Adopting correlation and regression analysis, the study was found that the independent variables have an average positive significant relationship to the dependent variable. These are lower than the average impact on the dependent variable by the independent variables. There is a positive significant impact of only the market culture on EP. The practice of GOC is more or less alike the public and constituent campuses. Hence, the GOC is compulsory for enhancing the performance of non-teaching staff of HEIs. This paper has practical, theoretical and policy implications and also provide some insights for upcoming research to make various institutions green.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the direct effect of Sightseeing the Value Propositions of Freelancers and their Influence on Gig Worker Engagement. This study also examines the mediating role of motivation between Value Propositions of Freelancers and gig worker participation. The quantitative research design is employed to get insights into what drives gig workers to stay in the gig economy. The data was collected from freelancers who are working on online platforms such as Fiverr, Freelancer.com, Upwork, and Guru.com. The findings of this study demonstrate that economic and hedonic values have a positive significant impact on gig worker participation but autonomy value does not show any positive association with gig worker participation. It can be concluded that economic rewards and interest are drivers for gig workers but autonomy value is not a driver of freelancers especially for new entrants to participate in the gig economy. This study has focused on online working. Future studies should focus on e-commerce. This study has practical implications for new entrants, gig platforms, and organizations. These stakeholders follow the findings of this study and more contribute to the gig economy. According to the researcher's knowledge, this is the pioneer study conducted on the gig economy as well as mediating role motivation between the value propositions of freelancers and gig worker participation.

Purpose The growing importance of India's groundnut export in the world market stimulates research into this product. This article aims to econometrically investigate the impact of critical determinants on India's groundnut export performance over the long run and the short run. Design/methodology/approach This study employed an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model among the considered variables using annual time series data spanning over 3 decades from 1990 to 2020. Findings The results confirm that yield, production cost and trade openness have positive significant impact, while the export price has negative significant impact on groundnut export performance in the long run. In the short-run, market size, last year's yield, last year's trade openness and the current year's export price have significant negative impacts on India's groundnut exports. However, the findings of the study revealed that the current year's trade openness and last year's export price have a significant positive impact on India's groundnut export performance in the short run. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study offer some important policy implications for farmers, exporters and the government by indicating the key factors that can help improve the export performance of groundnut in the global market. Originality/value To the best of the author's knowledge, this research is the first of its kind that deploys the ARDL modelling approach to identify the factors that influence groundnut exports. Empirically, the study contributes to the existing literature by providing new insights on India's groundnut export performance. This research will also serve as a benchmark for assessing the product-level export performance of other agri-products.

Effective Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) capacity ensures project efficiency, sustainability, and long-term success of NGO-based projects. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of monitoring and evaluation capacity on the performance of Non-Governmental Organization-based projects in Kenya, with a case study of Kibera Informal Settlement. This study was anchored on the Theory of Project Implementation, Fiedler Leadership Contingency Theory, Theory of Change, Stakeholder Theory, and Edgar Schein's Model of Organizational Culture. An explanatory research design was adopted. The targeted population was 159 respondents comprising project managers, M&E officers, and community leaders from 53 completed NGO projects in Kibera Informal Settlement between 2019 and 2024. This study was based on primary data gathered through the utilization of structured questionnaires with both closed-ended and open-ended questions. The pilot study was conducted to help the researcher modify and improve the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis, and presented in frequency tables, means and standard deviations. Ethical issues were adhered to by ensuring that authorization was obtained from Kenyatta University and NACOSTI prior to data collection. The normality, multicollinearity, and heteroscedasticity tests were conducted to check the accuracy of the data before estimation was done. The findings of the study found evidence to support the existence of M&E capacity dimensions as they affect performance of NGO-based projects in Kibera Informal Settlement, Kenya. Regression analysis results show that M&E capacity had a positive significant impact on NGO project performance. Besides, it was established that 64.8% of the changes in NGO project performance is explained by changes in M&E capacity dimensions, namely: M&E human resource capacity, M&E technical capacity, M&E stakeholder capacity, and M&E organizational capacity. The study recommends that NGOs should prioritize investment in M&E human resource development by establishing comprehensive training programs and ensuring adequate staffing levels. Secondly, the study recommends that M&E technical capacity should be enhanced through procurement of necessary equipment, investment in data management systems, and staff training on technological skills. Thirdly, the study recommends strengthening stakeholder engagement by establishing clear communication channels and implementing transparent reporting mechanisms. Lastly, on the issue of organizational capacity, the study recommends that NGOs should establish dedicated M&E units and foster a culture that values evidence-based decision making. Future studies may be conducted on other similar projects particularly in governmental organizations given that the current study focused on non-governmental organizations operating in informal settlements.

Purpose The study aims to clarify the impact of technological uncertainty (TU) on emerging market retail SMEs' performance with the mediating roles of digital capabilities (DCs) and marketing innovation capability (MarIC). Design/methodology/approach The research applied a convenience sampling including 271 valid responses collected from Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the retail industry. The paper employed partial least squares-structural equation modeling as an analysis technique. Findings The findings show that TU has a positive significant statistical impact on retail SMEs' performance. Furthermore, DCs and MarIC serve as mediators in the relationship between TU and firm performance. Originality/value This research emphasizes both theoretical and practical contributions, especially practical implications for emerging market retail SMEs in enhancing DCs and innovation capability in marketing to facilitate firms to adapt to TU.

Aims: Study examined the determinants of stock market financial performance in Tanzania in a case of 28 listed firms’ panel data. The general objective of study was to examine determinants of stock market financial performance in Tanzania in a case of 28 listed firms Study employed institutional theory. Study Design: Study used quantitative research design. Methodology: Study used secondary panel data of 140 observation for a sample of 28 listed firms on Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange since 2020-2024. Data were analysed using panel regression models, fixed effects model recommended from Hausman test and other model diagnostics. Ethical considerations were observed using publicly available financial data. Results: Findings from fixed effects model revealed stock market development has negative significant effect and also regulatory framework showed positive significant impact on financial performance. Conclusion: It is recommended that policymakers and regulatory authorities strike a balance between maintaining effective regulations and ensuring flexibility to promote market growth. Additionally, efforts should be made to enhance stock market infrastructure, broaden financial literacy, and encourage more listings and investor participation.

One of the recurring economic issues is the challenge of poverty faced by various countries worldwide, including Indonesia. Poverty is evident through a high number of unemployed individuals. Those living in poverty and those facing unemployment generally encounter difficulties in accessing job opportunities, limited business development, income disparities, and lack of workplace protections, especially for women. These issues also affect economically disadvantaged groups in society. This study aims to analyze the impact of job opportunities and minimum wage on unemployment and poverty rates in the Regencies/Cities of Bali Province. The research utilizes secondary data from the period 2012-2021. The study covers 9 Regencies/Cities within Bali Province. Path Analysis is the employed analytical technique. The findings of this research indicate that: 1) Job opportunities have a significant negative impact on unemployment, while minimum wage has a significant positive impact on unemployment. 2) Job opportunities have a positive but insignificant impact on the poverty rate, while minimum wage has a significant negative impact on the poverty rate. Unemployment, on the other hand, has a positive but insignificant impact on the poverty rate. 3) Job opportunities do not have a direct impact on the poverty rate through unemployment, whereas minimum wage directly affects the poverty rate through unemployment. Keyword: Employment Opportunity, Minimum Wage, Unemployment, Poverty Rate.

The purpose of this study is to (1) analyze the joint effects of economic growth, investment, technology and minimum wage on employment opportunities in districts/cities in Bali; (2) Analysis of partial effects of economic growth, investment, technology and minimum wage on employment opportunities in districts/cities in Bali. (3) Analyze the order of impact of economic growth, investment, technology and minimum wage on employment opportunities in districts/cities of Bali. This study is an associative quantitative study using panel data of up to 72 observations. Data sources for this study are secondary data from the Bali Provincial Central Bureau of Statistics and primary data obtained from informants through in-depth interviews. The collected data were then analyzed using several linear regression analysis techniques. Based on the analysis results, it is shown that (1) economic growth, investment, technology and minimum wage simultaneously have a great impact on employment opportunities in provinces/cities in Bali. (2) Economic growth and minimum wages can have a significant positive impact on employment opportunities in provinces/cities of Bali Province. Investments and technology may not affect employment opportunities in districts and cities in Bali. (3) Minimum wage has the greatest impact, followed by economic growth, investment and technology

This study examines the impact of forecast information quality on supply chain performance in the context of the Palestinian territories. A sample of 200 firms were involved in this research that used path analysis and structural equation modeling to analyze the survey data. The constructs of preventive costs and corrective costs pertaining to inventory management were tested as the mediating variable between forecast information quality and perfect order index, a surrogate measure for supply chain performance. The results support the hypotheses that both the forecast information quality and the corrective and preventive inventory actions have a positive significant impact on the perfect order index while the results did not support the mediating role of the preventive and corrective inventory. The discussion about the need for preventive and corrective inventory management in spite of high forecast information quality provides insights for supply chain management in companies operating in other volatile and turbulent regions around the world.

Abstract Background Woody plant encroachment is a significant issue affecting the diversity and continuity of vulnerable grassland savanna ecosystems throughout the southern Great Plains. Prescribed fire, particularly when paired with other techniques such as patch-burn grazing, offers a cost-effective solution toward controlling the spread and preserving these ecosystems. Despite its effectiveness, prescribed fire perceptions are often misunderstood among many stakeholder groups, further emphasizing the need for more effective outreach and education programs among today’s extension agents, range managers, prescribed fire advocates, and future landowners. This study assessed the effects of multi-method teaching strategies on enhancing knowledge and attitudes about prescribed fire among adult and youth participants in Texas using pre- and post-evaluation surveys. Results Key findings revealed that teaching methods which incorporated hands-on learning and interactive web-based learning were the most effective at improving prescribed fire knowledge and perceptions among participants. Further, the age group which experienced the most positive significant impact throughout the study was the 9th–12th age group. Lastly, this study revealed that a majority of participants in this study harbored no fear or apprehension toward prescribed fire before the intervention, but still improved overall perceptions following the study. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the methods and curriculum utilized in this study could serve as a valuable framework for extension agents and prescribed fire advocates to enhance public knowledge and perceptions about prescribed fire. Further research, particularly with participants who have varying levels of familiarity and experience with prescribed fire, may provide deeper insight to tailor communication to bridge the perceptual divide and expand outreach and educational efforts. This approach could help improve future extension programs to address diverse audiences effectively, which can in turn strengthen support for prescribed fire as a management tool.

Amidst conflicting empirical evidence on the impact of foreign ownership in emerging markets, stemming from the dichotomy between the active monitoring role posited by agency theory and concerns over information asymmetry, clarifying this relationship becomes particular pressing in Vietnam, a market characterized by high ownership concentration. This study aims to comprehensively examine (i) the direct effect, (ii) the nonlinear relationship of foreign ownership, and (iii) the moderating role of ownership concentration on firm financial performance. Using an unbalanced panel dataset of 485 non-financial listed firms over the period 2015-2024 (4125 firm-year observations), with financial performance measured by Tobin’s Q and ROA, the study employs the Fixed Effects Model (FEM), complemented by robust estimation methods such as the System Generalized Method of Moments (System GMM) to address endogeneity concerns. The results yield three core findings: (i) foreign ownership has a positive and statistical significant impact on financial performance, supporting the monitoring role of foreign investors; (ii) ownership concentration plays a negative moderating role, significantly weakening this positive relationship, suggesting that the power of large shareholders can impede the benefits derived from foreign investors; and (iii) an inverted U-shaped nonlinear relationship is identified, with an optimal foreign ownership threshold between 25-28 %, beyond which marginal benefits begin to diminish. The study concludes that the benefits of foreign ownership are not absolute but are constrained by the internal governance context and that an optimal point exists.