This study explores the dynamics of value creation and appropriation in the emerging UK electric vehicle (EV) market through the technological, regulatory, economic, and consumer demand factors. The research further explores correlations between R&D expenditures, patent activity, and market variables specific to the UK with support through Porter’s Value Chain, the Invention-Based View with Teece’s Appropriability Framework, and Disruptive Innovation Theory. Findings show that innovation creates value on an international scale, however, it does not necessarily impact the UK’s immature market share. Tesla’s open-portfolio strategy suggests that pushing for market maturation, mixed with strategic infrastructure development and consumer engagement, is crucial to drive long-term value appropriation. The study concludes that aligning innovation with market readiness and regulatory frameworks is key to fostering a sustainable and competitive EV industry. While global innovation sets a foundation, the UK market requires targeted strategies to overcome its dependency on incentives and limited infrastructure. This research provides actionable insights for professionals and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of infrastructure investment, regulatory clarity, and consumer-focused initiatives to achieve a sustainable transition toward a matured UK EV market.

Thomas Aquinas’ treatise on man’s last end, presented in questions one to five of the prima secunda of his treasured deposit of wisdom, the Summa Theologiae, is mined for its insights into the proper conduct of enterprise. His text discloses that perfect happiness, the complete activation or fulfillment of our being, can consist in nothing else than the vision of the Divine Essence and that it is sheer folly to look for happiness in any external goods (wealth, honor, fame, power), or any goods of the body (health, pleasure), or any goods of the soul. The significant ethical implications that arise for the institution of business from losing sight of the true ultimate end are taken up before laying out what a political economic order formed according to a true conception of happiness would look like.

Safe haven assets are secure investment during times of economic downturn. This study aims at analysing the roles of three safe haven assets, Bitcoin, gold, and US dollars, during the COVID-19 pandemic. By conducting a time series analysis of returns on stocks, gold, Bitcoin, and US dollars between 2020 and 2022 using Vector Auto Regression (VAR) method, this study found the empirical evidence that suggests a negative correlation between gold and IDX, and between US dollars and IDX. Therefore, it can be conluded that gold and US dollars are safe haven assets in the IDX market. Meanwhile, despite being less resilient than gold and US dollars, Bitcoin’s indepence from stocks during bearish markets makes it a safe haven asset.

In a globalized marketplace, multinational organizations face multiple challenges across a variety of cultural contexts. Using Geert Hofstede’s (1983) dimensions of culture, this paper extends Eisenhardt’s (1989) work on agency theory by exploring the applicability of agency theory to determine the optimal mechanism between behavior-based contracts versus outcome-based contracts in different cultural contexts. Four propositions are developed using dimensions of culture, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, and masculinity/femininity, to help better understand the role culture has on the principal – agent relationship.

In the era of global low-carbon transformation, corporate management of carbon emissions, environmental performance disclosures, and water resource utilization have become critical focal points for capital markets. This study investigates the relationship between the stock returns of Taiwanese semiconductor companies and variables such as total carbon emissions, TESG scores, corporate water consumption, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) during 2016–2022. Specifically, the study evaluates the influence of these factors in the context of international sustainability trends and Taiwans mandatory carbon inventory policies. The findings reveal significant negative effects of total carbon emissions and corporate water consumption on stock returns, whereas TESG scores exhibit a positive correlation with stock returns. By integrating these elements, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of how environmental sustainability influences financial performance within the semiconductor sector. These insights underscore the importance of corporate environmental efforts in enhancing both sustainability and competitiveness.

This paper examises the concept of Botho-Ubuntu, which loosely means humanness, compassion, or kindness, its applicability in leadership and business management is considered to mitigate the crisis of capitalism and motivation of people at work. This is assessed in the context of the nature of capitalism, how the system uses the management function as an instrument of work organization and mechanism of control over the labour process to secure surplus value___ profitability. Through management capitalism not only exploits and underpays workers. It presides over deplorable working conditions, which alienates and dehumanizes a worker. The resultant effect is poor morale, disengagement and resistance which are expressed and released at the point of interface of customer service and occasionally via strikes.

This study examines the effectiveness of the monetary policy of the European Central Bank (ECB) in managing inflation in the Euro Area compared to the independent monetary policy of seven European Union Member States outside the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). It highlights the complexity of applying a centralized one size fits all approach to diverse economies, highlighting the differences between core and peripheral EMU countries and the unique challenges faced by non-Eurozone countries. In addition, the study includes an analysis of the stress indicator, defined as the difference between the ECB’s main refinancing rate and the optimal rate of the central bank of non-EMU countries. This indicator reflects whether the ECB’s monetary policy has been too loose or too restrictive relative to the needs of non-Euro Area countries. The stress indicator is further analyzed during key economic periods, including past crises, to assess its volatility. Using econometric models, the study assesses the impact of optimal interest rates and macroeconomic indicators on inflation in three groups: the EU as a whole, Euro Area and non-Euro Area countries. This multi-faceted approach provides valuable insights into the varying effectiveness of centralized and independent monetary policies in addressing inflation challenges.

In most countries public sector workers are paid more than their private sector peers with similar characteristics. This results in the re-distribution of income to the public sector employees as their wage premiums are paid out of taxes on private sector workers. For that reason, we call such premiums “horizontal rents,” as opposed to “top rents” earned by those at the top of income distribution. The paper discusses the concept of horizontal rents and presents the theoretical model of horizontal rents developed in the framework of the game theory approach. The main players in the model are the politician and the trade-union representative acting on behalf of public sector workers. The model evaluates linkages between various parameters and the rent premium paid to the public sector workers. The model outcomes indicate that an increase in the share of state spending in the GDP brings about an increase in horizontal rent while an increase in the share of people employed in public sector results in decrease in per person horizontal rent, all else equal. These effects capture the long-term dynamics between variables. The implication of these result is that the horizontal rent load will likely rise with the increase in the share of public-sector employment.

This research assesses the perception of the impact of tourism in community social capital in Sinaloa. An empirical research was conducted using structured questionnaires among 1,255 rural and semi-urban area residents. Results show that tourism strengthen trust and reciprocity based local social networks, promoting social cohesion. Integration of public policies for local development into social capital as a key component is suggested to promote sustainable development. This research contributes by emphasizing the importance of tourism in the strengthening of the community social tissue

This research aims to assess the impact of social responsibility disclosure on the financial performance of banks, specifically measured by return on equity (ROE). To achieve this objective, the study analyzed data from all eight banks listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange during the period 2014–2016. The findings reveal statistically significant differences in the levels of social responsibility disclosure across various dimensions among the selected banks. Additionally, the disclosure of publicly available information on social responsibility positively influenced the financial performance of banks in terms of ROE. The study also identified a positive ethical impact of such disclosures across the selected banks. However, the research found no significant effect of environmental and energy protection declarations on the financial performance of banks as measured by ROE.