Performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has been addressed widely in the literature. Both developed and developing countries are highly concerned about the growth and performance of SMEs. The literature exploring performance is abundant, however, has certain controversies. To identify the reasons behind those controversies, this study was conducted with the aim being to identify the mediating role of dynamic capabilities which are developed by entrepreneurial networks and entrepreneurial orientation. The study collected the data from a sample of SMEs based in Jordan which were connected through a closed network and were the part of groups. The data was collected via an electronic questionnaire, and100 SMEs were contacted and invited to participate in the survey on a purposive sampling basis. Structural equation modelling was applied to identify the direct impacts and the mediating impact. The findings identified that amongst the chosen firms, entrepreneurial networking has an insignificant impact; however, entrepreneurial orientation has shown a significant positive impact. Furthermore, the mediating role of dynamic capabilities was significant in both the relationships. The findings suggested that the sector should develop strong networks and should consider strategic alliances to gain competitive edge. Future researchers are guided to implement the same framework along with the dimensions of the variable.

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the impact of total quality practices on knowledge management (KM) processes across a Social Security Corporation (SSC) in Jordan and explore the best approach to improve KM processes using quality management.Design/methodology/approachThis study followed a quantitative methodology: a conceptual model was developed based on an extensive review of the related literature; an online survey was developed and distributed using the SSC's intranet; and 384 surveys were completed and used in the statistical analysis. The two-stage approach of structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze and interpret the data, and was used to validate the conceptual model of this research.FindingsBased on the statistical analysis it was found that six out of seven independent factors relating to quality management practices were confirmed to have a significant impact on the knowledge management processes (KMPs). Building upon the findings an agenda for improving KM processes using quality management is proposed.Originality/valueThis study was conducted in one organization namely the SSC because it is the largest public service organization in Jordan and offers compulsory services. The inclusion of other public organizations and companies may reflect different findings. Future research may collect data from other service industries to get a more comprehensive perspective from developing countries such as Jordan. Moreover, the population of this study included only the General Director, General Director Assistants, and Administrative Managers. Front-line employees were excluded from the data collection because the study was conducted solely from a managerial perspective.

The study aimed to investigate the impact of behavioral biases on herding for Islamic financial products with the mediation of shariah literacy. An adopted questionnaire from several published studies was used to collect data. The data were collected from 410 respondents and were analyzed with SmartPLS. The results for the direct impact showed that self-attribution, illusion of control, and information availability have a positive and significant impact on herding for Islamic financial products while shariah literacy showed an insignificant impact on herding. The results for mediation showed that previously significant and positive impact turned to insignificant when shariah literacy was introduced as mediating variable between the illusion of control, self-attribution, information availability, and herding. From a theoretical perspective, this study would contribute to the existing body of knowledge of financial decision making from shariah literacy point-out. On the other hand, the findings of this study may be useful for investors to avoid herding in the Islamic financial markets. The authors synthesize the contribution made by behavioral finance studies in extending the knowledge of herding behavior in Islamic financial products with a mediating role of shariah literacy. The key limitation of the study includes data that were collected from three districts of Punjab, Pakistan.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of transformational leadership on the cultivation of human capital in an academic setting from the perspective of university employees Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative data was collected from a range of staff working within three universities located in Jordan using an online questionnaire survey. The focus was on identifying which factors of transformational leadership were perceived as having the greatest potential contribution towards developing human capital and if there was a consensus amongst staff about these factors Results – 131 staff members submitted a completed questionnaire giving a response rate of 93%. Respondents generally had a good understanding of the concepts of human capital and transformational leadership, but the way in which transformational leadership was perceived to impact on human capital differed. Conclusion – Overall, the findings from the survey, consistent with other similar studies, confirmed that there was a correlation between transformational leadership and human capital in the context of academia from the perspective of staff. Research limitations/implications – The study confirms the need for leaders in academia to consider the leadership approach that is adopted to ensure that human capital, which is one of its main assets, is supported and developed appropriately Practical implications – The paper describes implications for leaders in higher education, as well as more broadly for educators who are attempting to develop human capital in their organisations Originality/value – This paper expands upon a developing field in leadership in higher education   Keywords: Transformational Leadership; Human Capital; Academia; Disruptive Business Environment

This study aimed to identify the role of empowerment and Human Resource Management (HRM) practices on Organizational Performance (OP) amongst 13 Jordanian commercial banks. The research adopted a descriptive and analytical approach to highlight the concepts of the study, and analyzed and extracted the results through a random sample of 180 managers and vice-managers. To achieve the objectives of the study a questionnaire was developed to gather the optimum information from the study sample, and based on that, the data was collected, analyzed and tested and the hypotheses were selected by using the smart PLS. The response rate was 74 percent. The results indicated that of all independent variables assessed, empowerment and HRM practices, have positive and significant influence on OP.