Business Commons^™

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Talks, Speeches, & Discourse

China has emerged as an economic power house of the 21st Century and is the largest exporting nation of the World and the second biggest economy. The remarkable achievement of GDP per head growing 17 times between 1980-2014 and lifting more than 800 million out of poverty is a feat unprecedented in human history. It would be pertinent to recall that not very far in time i.e. 1980, per capita income of China was lower than that of both India and Pakistan and since then now it has become an economic powerhouse. Realizing its importance as a leading economic power, …

Pakistan’S Experience With The Imf, 2000–2004, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Talks, Speeches, & Discourse

Pakistan’s relationship with the IMF during the 2000 – 2004 period was quite unique and distinctive. Unlike the earlier eight agreements that were concluded with the IMF during 1988-99 and were never implemented beyond the first tranche release it was only in this period that two successive agreements – a nine month Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) in the year 2000 followed by a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) were successfully completed. All the sixteen reviews by IMF staff were completed and eleven successive tranches were drawn on time without any extension or interruption. The last two tranches were …

Positioning Domestic Capital Markets For Emerging Companies, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Talks, Speeches, & Discourse

The current macroeconomic context is not very conducive to the growth of capital markets. Stagnant per capita incomes, high inflation, declining investment, large fiscal deficit, severe energy shortages, current account imbalances and drying up of foreign investment do not provide an appetizing menu of options for the savers, investors and issuers. Strong borrowing needs of the government have increased banks’ exposure to government paper. As banks account for 95 percent of the total financial assets private sector credit has there shrunk. The share of net advances has dropped from 57 percent to 44 percent between Dec 2008 and June 2011. …

The Self-Curating Musician: An Innovative Concept And An Intensive Learning Experience By Systemic Design Thinking, Joris Blanckaert, Ellen Loots, Saskia Westerduin, Pawan V. Bhansing

Journal of Arts Entrepreneurship Education

Self-curation is an emerging notion in the artistic practice that we propose as an alternative to the questioned notion of entrepreneurship in the realm of classical music. Systemic Design Thinking (SDT) methods helped conceptualize self-curation and develop an intensive, week-long learning experience. Participants validated the self-curation concept and its five components: activating creativity, seeking uniqueness, developing a discourse, understanding the performance practice and engaging communities. Our study further highlights that rather than suffering from a tension between arts and commerce, young (performing) musicians experience a tension between the expectation of the outside world that they need to be exceptional as …

"What's A Computer?" Exploring Insurance Agents' Role In Small Business Cyber Insurance Transactions, Dalton A. Crabtree

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examined how insurance agents' role identity impacts cyber insurance transactions, addressing gaps in professional practice and academic literature. Small businesses increasingly rely on cyber insurance for protection as cyber risk continues to evolve. The study employed sequential explanatory methodology with 25 interviews across three groups: insurance agents (n=15), corporate cyber insurance professionals (n=5), and small business owners (n=5). Thematic analysis using Katz and Khan's Role Episode Model informed development of the Cyber Insurance Role Identity Scale (CIRIS), tested with 100 agents. Six themes emerged. Key findings reveal that successful cyber insurance transactions require agents to transition from …

Relationship With Russia And Korea, Kaeli Rasnake

The Kabod

North Korea's relationship with Russia dates back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union served as a critical ally as Stalin sent economic support to assist in the formation of the North Korean state. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, North Korean ties were weakened since Russian leaders sought a more amicable relationship with the West. However, amid the tough Western sanctions placed on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, the two nations have rekindled their relationship. This paper seeks to explore the historical developments of Russia-North Korean Relationships, analyze recent cooperative efforts, and examine the implications …

North Korea’S Foreign Relations, Kaeli Rasnake

The Kabod

Many assume that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, more commonly known as North Korea, ruled by Kim Jong Un, is an isolated nation with ties only to its neighbors, China and Russia; however, that is far from the case. North Korea has a plethora of relations with other nations across the globe, most common in Africa and Southeast Asia. While these nations are relatively far from North Korea, that issue has not discouraged them from flourishing, as they often share underlying themes of mutual interest, economic necessity, and historical ties. This paper aims to explore the interactions between North …

Does Idiosyncratic Volatility Follow A Random-Walk? Evidence From U.S. Stocks, Zihan Cao, Ossama Elhadary

Publications and Research

In asset pricing literature, idiosyncratic volatility (IVOL) measures the firm-specific risk that is not explained by broader market movements. In this study, I investigate whether the idiosyncratic volatility (IVOL) of individual stocks follows a random-walk. Using monthly residuals from the Fama-French three-factor model (Fama & French, 1993), I estimate IVOL for more than 11,000 U.S. stocks, and apply the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test (Said & Dickey, 1984) to determine whether IVOL behaves like a random-walk. While most stocks display random-walk behavior, the proportion varies across industries, with some sectors showing deviations from random-walk behavior. Stocks with different levels of average return …

Toxic Leadership And Employees' Silence In The Public Sector: The Mediating Role Of Emotional Exhaustion And The Moderating Effect Of Cultural Values, Zubair Ahmed Pirzada, Shoukat Ali Mahar, Naveed Ahmed Mahar

Business Review

This study examines the impact of toxic leadership on employee silence in public healthcare institutions within Sukkur Division, Sindh, Pakistan. Although prior studies have mostly focused on corporate settings, little is known about how toxic leadership shapes employee silence in public healthcare systems of developing countries. This study proposes emotional exhaustion as the mediating variable and cultural value as a moderating variable for the indirect effect. The study employed a cross-sectional and quantitative design, collecting data from 255 employees working in District Health Offices, Basic Health Units, and public hospitals. Validated measurement scales were applied, and data were analyzed using …

Spiritual Awakening For Christ's Church: A Strategic Leadership Approach To Equipping Believers Through Discipleship And Encounter In A Christian University Context, Luke R. Rachels

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Overview: This presentation examined the spiritual wilderness as a critical environment for genuine formation in the life of a believer. Drawing from your doctoral capstone, it explored how confronting what you described as “Carnival Cruise Ship Christianity” becomes necessary for believers who desire depth rather than ease, conviction rather than comfort, and spiritual fire rather than passive faith. The session highlighted how practicing the presence of God in hidden seasons produces authentic Pentecostal identity marked by hunger, holiness, and continual encounter with the Holy Spirit.

Project Themes: The central theme of the presentation was that the wilderness is not …

A Meta-Narrative Of Consumer Journeys In Access-Based Consumption: A Case Of Fashion Rentals, Swapnil Saravade, Mohammad Ali Zolfagharian, Reto Felix, Lorena Garcia Ramon, Jacob Almaguer, Hazel Husne Dadanlar

Marketing Faculty Publications

Purpose – The current research aims to identify a meta-narrative that depicts a big picture of the consumer journey with access-based consumption (ABC). Specifically, this research reveals the points of engagement and disengagement with ABC, as well as the transitions between them.

Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research methodology is applied wherein online reviews and blogs pertaining to Rent the Runway (RTR), an access-based fashion company that enables consumers to rent designer dresses and accessories, are analyzed. Specifically, individual textual narratives of users’ experiences with RTR are analyzed, and a meta-narrative is identified that depicts an overarching story of the …

Aligning Pay With Purpose: Esg-Linked Compensation And Esg Decoupling, Yasser Eliwa, Ahmed Saleh, Ahmed Hassan Ahmed

All Works

This study investigates the relationship between ESG-linked executive compensation and ESG decoupling and examines the moderating role of CSR committees in this association. Using a global dataset of 36,055 firm-year observations across 40 countries and 32 industries from 2005 to 2023, we find that ESG-linked executive compensation is associated with a significant reduction in ESG decoupling, thereby strengthening the alignment between ESG disclosure and actual practices. The presence of a CSR committee further enhances this effect, with the interaction between ESG-linked compensation and CSR committees leading to a more pronounced reduction in decoupling. Robustness tests using propensity score matching, instrumental …

Latino Or Hispanic-Owned Businesses In The Mountain West, 2017-2022, Anthony Arroyo, Cason Noll, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet examines the growth of Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses in the largest metropolitan areas in the Mountain West between 2017 and 2022. The data are derived from the Brookings Institution’s “Charting the surge in Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses in the US” report, which highlights data on Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses in metropolitan and micropolitan areas across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. This fact sheet focuses on data for the following metropolitan areas in the Mountain West: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO; Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV; Albuquerque, NM; and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.

Relational Realities Of Readiness: What Managers Wish Colleges Knew About Business Communication, Karen Mccullough, Laura N. Miller

Applied Business Faculty Publications

This grounded theory study, informed by Communication Accommodation Theory, explores how frontline managers (n = 11) support early-career employees’ communication development. Findings identify three support strategies—structured scaffolding, adaptive leadership, and onboarding for cultural fit—and suggest colleges emphasize verbal and intercultural communication, applied learning, and professional presence. These insights reframe communication readiness as a relational process shaped by emotion, power, and organizational norms. The study calls for stronger collaboration between higher education and employers.

When Does The Tick Size Help Or Harm Market Quality? Evidence From The Tick Size Pilot, Yashar H. Barardehi, Peter Dixon, Qiyu Liu, Ariel Lohr

Business Faculty Articles and Research

Tick sizes affect market quality through a tradeoff between pricing fidelity and undercutting. The U.S. Tick Size Pilot (TSP), which raised the minimum tick from 1¢ to 5¢, provides a natural experiment to study this tradeoff. We find that the TSP harmed liquidity for stocks with spreads below 10¢ but improved liquidity for stocks with spreads above 15¢. These opposing effects explain the mixed results across prior studies which pool together stocks with very different prevailing spreads. We recommend researchers using the TSP for causal inference should, at minimum, split samples at 10¢-spreads to account for these heterogeneous liquidity effects.

Stock Market Reaction To Outbreak Of Covid-19: An Empirical Study Of Indian Sectoral Indices, Ruchita Verma, Dhanraj Sharma, Pranav Raghavan

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

The study examines COVID-19’s effect on the Indian stock market. According to the study’s findings, the pandemic significantly smashed Indian sectoral indices. The highest abnormal loss is observed in the Private Bank Index (-14.62 per cent) and the lowest in the Pharma Index (-6 per cent). The results of panel regression analysis depict that real return, profitability, and size have a substantial impact on the abnormal returns of the sectoral indices. The findings provide valuable insights to policymakers, to navigate market volatility and develop effective risk management strategies during pandemic.

Unravelling The Nexus Between Corporate Governance And Sustainability Performance: Evidence From India, Malaya Ranjan Mohapatra, Chandra Sekhar Mishra

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This research investigates the influence of Corporate Governance (CG) practices on the Sustainability Performance (SP) of Indian non-financial firms. The study, utilizing a balanced panel of 1550 firm-year observations, demonstrates that overall corporate governance score and CEO duality improve sustainability performance. However, the moderation effect indicates that the positive effect of CG practices on SP is compromised when the same person holds both CEO and chairperson positions in a firm. Additionally, the relationship between CG and SP varies based on ownership structure, i.e., group-affiliated and non-group affiliated firms, as well as different industrial sectors, i.e., manufacturing, service, and diversified sectors.

Editorial: 1st Asia Pacific International Religious Tourism And Pilgrimage Conference (Apirtp), Tran Huu Tuan, Lien Tran Thi Ngoc, Jaeyeon Choe, Giang T. Phi

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Editorial: 1st Asia Pacific International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conference (APIRTP)

Best College/University: Lindenwood Named A 2025 Stl Headliner, Lindenwood University

Archived Lindenwood Press Releases

No abstract provided.

Ijrtp Volume 13(Iii) Table Of Contents, Kevin A. Griffin, Razaq Raj, Carlos Fernandes, Tran Huu Tuan, Lien Tran Thi Ngoc, Jaeyeon Choe

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

IJRTP Volume 13(iii) Table of Contents

Incorporating papers from the first Asia Pacific International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage conference in Hue University, Vietnam

Organizational Memories Of Extreme Events: Evidence From Us Public Transit Agencies, Mattia Caldarulo, Ignacio Pezo, Elizabeth A. Corley, Shaika L. Islam, Eric W. Welch

Articles

The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events require organizations to effectively manage the threats these phenomena pose. To respond to these challenges, public agencies often turn to their organizational memories for guidance. Organizational memories support information processing capacity, facilitate sensemaking, and legitimize and speed up decision-making processes. While memories influence different aspects of organizational life, little is known about their antecedents and the mechanisms behind the retrieval of past events. This study contributes to the broader literature on organizational memory by investigating the elements shaping public agencies’ retrieval of extreme weather events. Integrating weather data from the National …

Cost Of Living For Older Adults (65+) In Mountain West Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 2024, Anirudh Polagani, Annie Vong, Mohit Pande, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet explores 2024 cost of living data for adults over the age of 65 in the largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) across five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are sourced from the “Elder Index,” a dashboard that focuses on housing, healthcare, food, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses that collectively reflect the monthly expenses for those over the age of 65. This fact sheet focuses on five MSAs in the Mountain West: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO; Las Vegas-Henderson- North Las Vegas, NV; Albuquerque, NM; and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.

Ada News - 10/6/2025, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Native American Tribes And Federal Grant Funding In The Mountain West, Fy2023-2025, Isabelle G. Graham, Maisoon Faris, Dre Boyd-Weatherly, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Elections & Governance

This fact sheet presents state-level data on the impact of a federal government-wide funding freeze affecting Native American Tribes, focusing on the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are derived from the Brookings Institution’s “A federal grant freeze could disrupt over $24 billion to Native American communities and undermine US obligations to Tribes” brief, which reports data from USAspending. The original report provides data on the federal government’s obligations, outlays, and remaining balances owed to Native American Tribes for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

Static Malware Analysis For Incident Response: Developing A Tactical Aid With Ember, Joel Meoak, Shengjie Xu

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Incident responders face a variety of challenges when identifying malware using existing solutions, particularly when rapid tactical decisions are needed. Traditional malware detection methods are often signature-based, limiting their effectiveness to previously known threats detected by anti-virus (AV) engines. Online analysis tools introduce confidentiality risks, potentially alerting adversaries that their actions are under scrutiny. While free sandbox environments offer useful capabilities, they often require substantial setup time and hardware resources that may not be available in the field. This research leverages the Elastic Malware Benchmark for Empowering Researchers (EMBER) dataset to develop a lightweight, portable tactical decision aid that enables …

The Role Of Employee Relationship Orientation In The Value Co-Creation – Firm Performance Link, Perry L. Parke, Prachi Gala, Pramod Iyer, Stefan Sleep, Mona Sinha

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose – This paper links employees’ relationship orientation, or their sense that the organization respects their contribution, to value co-creation and overall firm performance. It also measures the effects on innovation and knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach – A total of 301 US product and marketing managers participated in a survey. Measurement and structural models were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings – Main findings suggest that increased value co-creation (VCC) activity has a significant effect on employee relationship orientation. This study also finds that employee relationship orientation plays a mediating role in the relationship between VCC and firm …

Exploring The Drivers Of Tourist Satisfaction At Religious Sites: A Study Of Lumbini In Nepal, Bhim Bahadur Khadka, Prof. Anjani Kumar Malviya, Dipak Singh Rawat

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As a religious destination attracting millions of tourists annually from Nepal and abroad, Lumbini offers a rich cultural and historical heritage. This study is, therefore, significant in exploring drivers of tourist satisfaction and the religious significance of Lumbini. This study employs a correlational research design and a quantitative approach to examine relationships among variables using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Data are collected using a survey questionnaire, yielding 403 valid responses after excluding incomplete data and outliers out of 500 returned questionnaires. Purposive sampling ensured the relevance of …

Analysis Of Pilgrimage To The Evangelical Lutheran Church In Zimbabwe (Elcz) Mission Centres, Rabson Hove

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

A pilgrimage is usually a sacred journey undertaken by religious adherents to holy places associated with their own traditions. As religions grow, religious pilgrimage also expands as the members of the religious traditions continue to influence each other. These holy religious centres influence religious enrichment, enhancement, strength and growth. Members get in touch with their origins and the history of the expansion of their religion as they encounter their holy sites or centres. In the case of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ), their important holy sites are missionary centres which are commonly located in rural Zimbabwe. The majority …

Exploring How Religious Tourism Influences The Motivation Of Young Thai Tourists In Bangkok., Arisara Seyanont

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism in Thailand encompasses a wide range of tourism related to religion, including traditional festivals and various religious activities. Today, temples or religious places in Thailand have become tourist attractions that people pay attention to, including groups of teenagers. Young Thai tourists show interest and travel to temples to ask for blessings, seek more amulets, and participate in Dharma practices. Within this context, this study aims to explore the components of religious tourism that influence the motivation of young Thai tourists in Bangkok. The components of religious tourism consist of 5 dimensions: 1) architectural design, painting, and sculpture; 2) …

Enhancing Mindfulness Through Communities Of Practice In Buddhist Spiritual Tourism: A Study Of Transformative Experience At Plum Village, Giang T. Phi, Trang Huong Pham Phd, Nam Vu

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Despite the growing interest in Buddhist spiritual tourism, there is a clear gap in the literature regarding the role of Communities of Practice (CoPs) in fostering transformative tourism experiences. This study investigates how CoPs at Plum Village retreats in France and Thailand facilitate transformative experiences and enhance mindfulness among participants in Buddhist spiritual tourism. Utilising qualitative methods, the study combines autoethnography—drawing on the lead researcher’s personal experience through daily reflexive journals—and participant observation of a focal ‘retreat family’ group of 15 participants at each retreat. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data, guided by two frameworks: Kirillova et al.’s …