Abstract
Dear Readers,
I am pleased to present the 4th Issue of Business Perspectives and Research’s Volume 14. This issue explores topics ranging from market-based financing and Fintech services to supply chain optimisation, workplace challenges, and financial market volatility. The research featured in this edition provides valuable insights into investor behavior, corporate policies, and the evolving role of technology in business and governance.
In “Market-based financing through municipal bond in India: Investor’s checklist using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM),” Gaur and Singh analyse investor perspectives on municipal bonds in India for the period of 2010–2020 using a partial least squares-SEM model. Key factors influencing investment include credit rating, yields, tax benefits, and financial soundness. The findings will help bond issuers attract a broader investor base, and the research highlights the overlooked role of retail investors in developing municipal bond markets and aims to boost their confidence in this investment avenue.
Authors Al Karim, Rabiul, Taskia, and Jarumaneerat examine the impact of Fintech services on millennial customer engagement in Bangladesh’s private sector in “Millennial Customer Engagement with Fintech Services: The Mediating Role of Trust.” The research highlights the mediating role of trust, with the findings showing that financing services enhance engagement. The study contributes to Fintech literature by emphasizing the role of trust in customer engagement.
In “Integration of ABC Analysis with Fuzzy DEMATEL and Fuzzy TOPSIS in Supplier Selection and Ranking Problems,” the authors Khan and Khan propose a multi-criteria decision-making approach integrating ABC analysis with Fuzzy DEMATEL and Fuzzy TOPSIS for supplier selection. The findings highlight that focusing on key criteria—especially delivery and environmental factors—optimises supplier management, reducing costs and effort. The research offers valuable insights for decision-makers in the automobile and related industries.
Kucuk, in “Please remove uncertainties! Otherwise, I will not be able to do …! Intolerance to Uncertainty as a Threat to Personal Accomplishment: The Role of Work Ability and Thriving at Work,” uses the conservation of resources theory to explore how intolerance of uncertainty reduces personal accomplishment. The study details how workability and thriving at work partially mediate this relationship, acting as parallel mediators with no significant difference between them.
“Predicting the Symmetric and Asymmetric Volatility of Energy Market: An Evidence from Covid Outbreak in India and USA” by Panwar and Yadav studies the volatility of energy markets in India and the USA during COVID-19, using s-GARCH (standard-Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity) and exponential-GARCH (e-GARCH) models on crude oil and natural gas data. Findings reveal persistent volatility with mean aversion, where India’s market stabilizes faster. The study provides valuable insights for investors and portfolio managers on risk prediction amid market fluctuations.
Ryle, McKnight, Bueltel, and Beckman, in “Tax, Financial & Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting Concerns of Sexual Harassment Non-Disclosure Clauses,” examine the tax, financial reporting, and sustainability impacts of nondisclosure clauses in workplace sexual harassment settlements. It highlights the need for external reviews and regulatory changes affecting corporate policies. The research also offers practical guidelines for companies to address and prevent workplace sexual harassment.
“Work Cognition and Subjective Well-being among Female Professional Educators during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Moderating Role of Resilience” by Patangia, Sthiyaseelan, Balasundaram, Ashwini M, Chaudhury, Jaiprakash, and Chaudhary explores the relationship between work cognition and subjective well-being among female educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights the challenges of online teaching. This research shows that resilience plays a crucial moderating role in helping educators maintain well-being despite cognitive and emotional strain.
Majumdar and Kumar’s “Organizational Justice and Employee Well-Being: Through a Psychological Lens” shows the effect of organisational justice, work engagement and psychological capital of employees on their well-being. Results indicated that the relationship between organisational justice and well-being was mediated by work engagement and moderated by psychological capital.
The studies in this issue offer significant contributions to contemporary business and management research, addressing key financial, operational, and psychological challenges faced by organizations and individuals. I hope you find this issue insightful and thought-provoking.