Waheed Ali Umrani’s research while affiliated with Sultan Qaboos University and other places

Purpose Contemporary scholarly literature underscores the significance of green human resource practices towards environmental management. In this line of inquiry, the present study is an attempt to determine if the green HRM–environmental performance nexus could enable employees to form a social identity with the organizations they work for. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research methodology was employed in the present study. Considering common method issues, we employed a time-lagged approach and collected 370 responses from the event management organizations in Pakistan. Findings We proposed a research model grounded in the social identity theory to specifically study the role of OCBI and OCBE as mediating variables and consciousness as a moderating variable on the relationship between green HRM and environmental performance. Our results lend full support to all the hypothesized relationships. Practical implications Given the significance of the study, we propose that hospitality organizations shall prioritize investments in green HRM to cultivate a culture of voluntary service and pro-environmental values among employees. Through these initiatives, organizations can successfully enhance their environmental performance. Furthermore, we suggest hospitality organizations revise their HR policies to align with the fundamental values necessary to implement green HRM practices. This can play an integral role in attracting and retaining high-potential employees. We additionally recommend that hospitality develop a mechanism to recognize and reward individual and environmental citizenship behaviours that contribute to the organization’s environmental performance. Originality/value This study examined the social identity framework to explain a workplace phenomenon. In this attempt, authors empirically demonstrated the influences of social identity on employee orientation towards environmental performance in the hospitality industry. The empirical results presented herein offer valuable insights contributing to theory and practice.

Purpose The goal of this research is to examine the influence of digital leadership (DL) on adaptive capacity (ADC) of small- and medium-sized family businesses (SMFBs). Moreover, the study investigates the mediating influence of the microfoundations of dynamic capabilities represented by sensing capability (SC) and organizational agility (OA), both parallelly and sequentially. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the dynamic capabilities view (DCV) and supporting empirical evidence, a conceptual framework is developed along with a set of hypotheses. Using survey data collected from 263 SMFBs in Oman, the hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling through partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings The analysis reveals that DL positively influences ADC, SC and OA. Additionally, SC and OA both parallelly mediate the link between DL and ADC. Finally, both SC and OA act as sequential mediators in the relationship between DL and ADC among SMFBs. Practical implications For practitioners, the study reveals critical role of DL in strengthening SMFBs. Family business leaders may consider the evidence and invest in leadership development programs to enhance digital competencies, enabling better SC and agility. Policymakers can offer training programs and resources, helping family businesses to build DL and dynamic capabilities essential for thriving in a competitive and evolving business environment. Originality/value This study makes four key contributions. First, this study expands the literature at the crossroads of the family business, digitalization, dynamic capabilities and resilience, to investigate the influence of DL on ADC. Second, the role of SC as a mediator in the above relationship, tested in the current study, seems to be overlooked in the empirical literature. Third, the findings demonstrate the mediating role of OA in relationship between DL and ADC. Finally, this appears to be the first study that presents sequential mediating role of SC and OA between DL and ADC, adding a finer-grained understanding of how influence of DL is transmitted to ADC.

Purpose Employees’ creativity is a critical factor in today’s dynamic working conditions. This study investigates the impact of authentic leadership on the creative work behavior of employees through psychological empowerment as a mediating mechanism. Moreover, the study also aims to examine the moderating role of organizational identification, drawing upon social identity theory. Specifically, organizational identification is expected to moderate the relationship between psychological empowerment and creative work behavior. Furthermore, it can also potentially moderate the indirect effect of authentic leadership on creative work behavior through psychological empowerment. Design/methodology/approach We collected a total of 314 valid responses from the employees working in private and public sector organizations within the telecommunications sector in Sindh, Pakistan. Findings We analyzed the data using Mplus 8.0. Our findings revealed that authentic leadership leverages creativity via psychological empowerment. Moreover, authentic leadership potentially acts as a moderator. Our results also found support for conditional indirect effects. Originality/value Leaders’ authenticity is an emerging concept. Its role in producing a creative workforce is still in the developmental stage. This study highlights that managers must be trained to develop the traits of authentic leadership and organizational identification so that they can raise employees’ psychological empowerment and creative work behavior.

Purpose The present study attempts to extend our understanding of the application of self-determination theory. The study examines the mediating role of self-efficacy and self-esteem in the relationship between family motivation and academic performance. Design/methodology/approach Through adopting a survey questionnaire, we collected 329 responses from management educators (faculty members teaching in business schools) from various universities. Findings The data were analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling technique. All the hypothesized relationships found empirical support, indicating that family motivation is directly related to academic performance. Furthermore, self-efficacy and self-esteem mediate this direct relationship. Originality/value The paper forwards robust theoretical and practical implications and underlines important directions for future researchers. The study makes novel contributions to relationships inviting for empirical attention.

In 2015, Dean Alan Patrick of Aladdin Business School (ABS) faced resistance from faculty members regarding new tenure standards introduced by the School’s Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee. ABS, a leading business school in Egypt, aimed to enhance its reputation by achieving international accreditations like AACSB, which required significant research output. The new tenure policy emphasized publishing in top-tier journals, a shift from previous, less-defined performance standards. Several junior and senior faculty members expressed concerns over these heightened expectations, arguing they were unrealistic given existing teaching workloads and the lack of adequate research resources. They also critiqued the perceived lack of consultation, claiming the new standards undermined shared governance. Dean Patrick, however, defended the policy as a necessary step towards aligning the school with global standards and improving both research and teaching quality. Despite efforts to support faculty through development initiatives, the changes sparked anxiety among faculty who feared the new standards would prioritize research at the expense of teaching, potentially creating a divide between tenured and non-tenured faculty. The case highlights tensions between institutional strategic goals, individual faculty expectations and the challenges of implementing performance-based tenure in a changing academic environment.

Scholars, practitioners, and policymakers are considering a circular economy (CE) to optimise resource utilisation and tackle issues linked to economic and environmental growth. This research investigates the association between entrepreneurial bricolage, frugal innovation (FI), technological turbulence, and the implementation of CE in Malaysia, an emerging market. The authors tested the hypothesised relationships using legged multi-source data and analysed them using the Smart-PLS-SEM technique. Data revealed that entrepreneurial bricolage is important in encouraging FI and CE. Meanwhile, the mediating role of FI amplified the link between entrepreneurial bricolage and CE. Furthermore, the moderation of technological turbulence amplified the link between entrepreneurial bricolage, FI, and CE. The findings indicate that firms employing a bricolage approach, characterised by accessing, storing, combining, and utilising readily available resources, exhibit enhanced performance during periods of technological turbulence through the implementation of CE and FI.

Purpose This study attempts to examine how employee orientations and paranoid arousal intersect and influence the voice behaviors of employees, as they significantly influence workplace practices. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on a multi-source and multi-time-based survey, the data were collected from 37 supervisors and 270 employees in 80 branches of 11 microfinance banks. SmartPLS-4.1 was used to test the measurement and structural model. A total of 307 questionnaires were used for the data analysis. Findings This research presents the contrasting results of employee orientations with voice behavior. Results support the direct relationship between paranoid arousal and promotive-prohibitive voice behaviors. However, no support was found for approach-avoidance orientation and promotive-prohibitive voice behaviors. Practical implications Employees' ability to voice-out in organizations depends on several motivational factors, consolidated into three areas – organizational culture, leadership, and individual traits. Organizations must implement a culture of transparency and open communication. Participative and inclusive leadership styles increase the quality of relationships with employees, stimulating a promotive voice. A support system for employees is needed to advance in their careers, increasing promotive behaviors. Originality/value The study adds value to the existing body of knowledge by studying approach-avoidance orientations and voice behaviors through the lens of paranoid arousal in the framework.

This study adds value to the existing literature on social exchange theory in analysing the relationship between inclusive leadership and innovative work behaviour with the mediating effects of work engagement and moderating effects of leader-member exchange. We designed the present study using a time-lagged method to avoid issues of common method bias. The data were collected using convenience sampling in 3-different time lags. Convenience sampling was used and a total of 214 responses were collected. The empirical results indicated that inclusive leadership and innovative work behaviour were not positively related. However, we also obtained empirical support for the mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of LMX on the inclusive leadership and innovative work behaviour relationship. This paper discusses theoretical and practical implications based on social exchange theory. The study highlights how inclusive leadership helps employees enhance their innovative work behaviours through the indirect effects of work engagement and moderating effects of leader-member exchange. The study also forwards robust future research directions.

Firms use frugal innovations- affordable, functional and long-lasting solutions-to address issues in developing markets. These innovations aid businesses in providing valuable customer services, opening new markets and achieving sustainable goals that add value and stimulate the economy. However, our understanding of the link between frugal innovation and business performance is limited. To address this issue, the authors used a resource-based view and stakeholder theories to investigate the link between frugal innovation and firm financial and environmental performance and the moderating role of managerial proactiveness. The study analysed data from 580 CEOs in emerging markets, and the findings revealed that frugal innovation significantly enhances a firm's financial and environmental performance. Managerial proactiveness also moderates the impact of frugal innovation on financial and environmental performance. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical and managerial implications, highlighting the importance of frugal innovation and the role of managerial proactiveness in driving firm performance.