Purpose Currently, environmental and social concerns have made green innovation more popular among researchers and practitioners around the globe. Developed countries tend to focus more on this issue, compared to developing countries. However, the reality shows that small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are considered as high contributors to environmental pollution. This study is designed for, and conducted on, SMEs in a developing country, Pakistan. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the main determinants of green innovation adoption in SMEs in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach A data sample of 288 SMEs from five different sectors was collected and analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling technique. Findings The results of the study indicate that organizational and human resource factors, market and customer factors, and government support and technological factors have a positive and significant impact, whereas external partnership and cooperation, and rules and regulatory factors have an insignificant impact on green innovation adoption in SMEs in Pakistan. Originality/value The outcomes of the study have important implications for managers as well as for government policy makers regarding framing better policies to promote green practices in SMEs.

PurposeIn the era of knowledge economy, the significance of intellectual capital has been increasing globally. Similarly, recent studies have focused on the importance of green intellectual capital in mitigating environmental degradation. However, only a few studies have analysed green intellectual capital and its impacts in the specific case of Pakistan. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effects of green intellectual capital on green innovation adoption in Pakistan’s manufacturing small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachWe used a data sample of 235 SMEs, gathered from the four manufacturing sectors of Pakistan including: textile, chemical, pharmaceutical and steel and analysed using a multiple regression analysis approach.FindingsThe empirical results of this research indicate that green human capital and green structural capital significantly increase green innovation adoption. However, it must be noted that green relational capital has a positive but insignificant impact on green innovation adoption in manufacturing SMEs in Pakistan.Originality/valueThe findings and recommended policy measures of this study are important for the managers of manufacturing SMEs and policymakers to mitigate environmental destruction and achieve sustainable development through green intellectual capital.

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PurposeThe present study aims to develop a strategic business performance (SBP) model for larger firms by examining the mediating role of structural flexibility in the network capability–SBP link, as well as testing the moderating role of entrepreneurial orientation in the relationship between structural flexibility and SBP.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 929 senior managers/owners of large textile sector firms operating in Pakistan. Regression and bootstrapping techniques were used to test the proposed relationships.FindingsThe results revealed that network capability positively shapes firms' structural flexibility, which, in turn, helps firms achieve SBP. The present work also showed that entrepreneurial orientation strengthens the positive relationship between structural flexibility and SBP.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is based on the cross-sectional data, and data were collected from the textile sector firms operating in Pakistan.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that managers should focus on developing firms' network capability, which positively shapes structural flexibility and helps firms achieve SBP. Entrepreneurial orientation can also play an imperative role for strengthening the link between structural flexibility and SBP.Originality/valueThe value of the present work rests on the deeper understanding of the network capability–SBP link that it offered by examining the relationships of the network capability dimensions with SBP through structural flexibility. Moreover, by bringing to the fore firms' entrepreneurial orientation as a moderator of the structural flexibility–SBP relationship, the study provided a new vantage point to uncover the complexities involved in the links between network capability, structural flexibility, and SBP.

Given the importance of individual level creativity, this paper investigates the influence of employee polychronicity on employee creativity among nurses in the healthcare sector. The current research also tests how job engagement acts as a mediator between employees’ polychronicity and creativity. Finally, thepaper analyzes the role of functional flexibility as a moderator that enhances the influence of polychronicity on employee creativity. The current paper presents empirical research, and cross-sectional data were gathered from 457 nurses (Subordinate Staff) and 127 doctors (Supervisors) working in 37DHQ (District Head Quarters) hospitals in Pakistan. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple-regression techniques were applied for analyzing the collected data. The findings proved that the nurses’ polychronic attitude increases their creativity. Findings revealed that job commitment plays a mediating role between polychronicity and employee creativity. The findings proved that functional flexibility enhances the link between polychronicity and creativity. This research has contributed to both theory and managerial practice about the interplay of polychronicity, creativity, job engagement, and functional flexibility among nurses. The management in practice should focus on employee attitude, i.e., polychronicity, for improving their creativeness.

PurposeRecent research validates an increasing knowledge of environmental concerns in manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs). However, only a few studies maintain that green human resource management (HRM) practices and corporate social responsibility (CSR) play an important role, especially in the case of developing economies. Thus, this study aims to examine the direct and indirect relationship between green HRM practices and environmental sustainability (ES) through the mediation of CSR in SMEs in Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachThe cross-sectional design of this study considers the mechanism by which green HRM practices affect ES through CSR in the context of Pakistani SMEs. The authors collected data from 320 manufacturing SMEs and used the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique to examine the relationship between variables.FindingsThe empirical findings of this study suggest green HRM practices have a positive and significant impact on ES. Further, the second hypothesis is not supported. In addition to the direct impact, the indirect effect of green HRM practices on CSR is positive and significant. Finally, the authors determine that green HRM practices affect ES through the partial mediation of CSR.Originality/valueTo date, this study is the first to use CSR as a mediator between green HRM practices and ES in the context of Pakistani SMEs. The study has important implications for HRM and government policy makers, suggesting they should improve strategies in favour of the green economy. Furthermore, developing countries could design similar studies with different future sustainability factors.

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PurposeThis study aims to investigate the direct impact of knowledge sharing (KS) and functional flexibility (FF) on innovative work behavior (IWB) of small medium enterprises (SME’s) employees. This study also observes the mediating role of FF in the connection between KS and IWB.Design/methodology/approachThis study adapted a quantitative methodology and used the cross-sectional data. Data were collected from the 751 workers of SMEs to validate the mediation model.FindingsResults reveal that KS and FF significantly affect IWB in SME’s workers. The findings also reveal that FF acts as a mediator between KS and IWB link.Originality/valueThe live experience of currently working employees shows that IWB is dependent of employees' KS and FF. Moreover, this study contributed to the streams of knowledge management and organizational innovation perspective by emphasizing upon the mediating mechanism of FF.