Purpose This study aims to investigate the generation of negative emotions and behavior in Muslim consumers from their attitude toward offensive advertising. Mediation of brand hate between attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation was examined. The conditional indirect impact of religiosity on attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation through brand hate was also realized. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional research design was used using the mall intercept survey technique. Data were collected from 380 respondents visiting the malls in the areas of Pakistan’s twin cities (Rawalpindi and Islamabad) after ensuring appropriateness for the study. Partial least square–structural equation modeling through SmartPLS software was used as a statistical technique to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings confirm that attitude toward offensive advertising affects brand hate and brand retaliation positively. The conditional indirect effect of religiosity on the relationship of attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation has also proved significant. Originality/value The present study has filled a significant gap in the literature of brand hate by introducing brand hate as a mediator in the relationship of attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation. It further added in the body of knowledge of brand hate by a moderated mediation mechanism of religiosity on the relationship of attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation through brand hate. The present study has considered the non-offensive product being promoted through offensive advertising and explored the impact of attitude toward offensive advertising on brand hate and brand retaliation in Muslim consumers.

BackgroundThe current study examines student satisfaction with e-learning, the adaption of online learning channels, digital competency of students' involvement, and academic achievement during COVID-19.PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the online influencing components for learning among University students in Pakistan during the COVID-19 Pandemic.MethodsThe study population comprised Pakistani University students in Punjab province who tooke online lessons throughout the epidemic. In accordance with the study's purpose, a questionnaire survey was employed to gather primary data. SPSS-23 is used for analyzing the demographic data, and cleaning and preparing data for testing hypotheses. SmartPLS 3.0 was used to investigate the suggested study framework using structural equation modeling (SEM).ResultsThe analysis of the SEM model shows that all planned hypotheses (Adaptation of Online Education Channels -> Satisfaction about E-learning, COVID-19 Pandemic -> Adaptation of Online Education Channels, COVID-19 Pandemic -> Digital Competence, COVID-19 Pandemic -> Motivation for Online Learning, COVID-19 Pandemic -> Willingness for Online Learning, Digital Competence -> Satisfaction about E-learning, Motivation for Online Learning -> Satisfaction about E-learning, Satisfaction about E-learning -> Academic Achievement, Willingness for Online Learning -> Satisfaction about E-learning) are confirmed.ConclusionThe results linked e-learning satisfaction to academic success and Pakistani students who utilized e-learning throughout the outbreak reported higher levels of academic satisfaction and achievement.

Purpose This study aims to explore the customers’ behaviour towards online shopping during COVID-19 in a Muslim country and proposes a co-creative service design for online businesses (webstore) in the post-COVID-19 era. Design/methodology/approach The study used a qualitative design for collecting the data where in-depth interviews from 18 customers were conducted following the qualitative design protocol. Due to the limitation of physical distancing, the interviews were conducted online using Microsoft teams. Findings Based on the findings, new potential services are proposed for webstores for customer engagement, the need for expansion of product lines and safety measures for customers and staff during and post-COVID-19 era. Following the findings, a co-creative service design is proposed for webstores to revamp the business during and post-COVID-19. Originality/value The study is unique because it has developed various unique strategic factors essential for revamping online businesses for better growth in post-COVID-19. The proposed new co-creative service design model for an online service provider is expected to create customers engagement and loyalty during and in post-COVID-19.

BackgroundLearning digital technologies in higher education is a process of knowledge generation, and the rapid growth of technology in education has a significant impact on students’ learning behaviors, motivation, and knowledge development. Pakistan’s remarkable technological breakthrough has increased in the education field.Study objectivesThe study focuses on estimating students’ learning behaviors, identifying the positive influence of educational apps on digital learning platforms, and analyzing their impact on students’ motivation and knowledge development.Materials and methodsAccording to the study’s objectives, a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather the primary data. The participants were students of universities in Lahore city of Pakistan. For this study, the sample size was N = 300, carefully chosen using the purposive sampling technique. Of the respondents, there were 146 male and 154 female students, and the sample consisted of individuals aged 25–35 years. Smart-PLS-Bootstrapping, T-Values (PLS) 3.2.9 and the structural equation model (SEM) were applied to get the appropriate outcomes from the proposed study framework.ResultsSEM analysis results shows that all proposed hypotheses [Animated Movies (AM) –> Student Motivation (SM), Educational Apps (EA) –> Knowledge Development (KD), Learning Behavior (LB) –> Animated Movies, Learning Behavior –> Educational Apps, Learning Behavior –> Knowledge Development, Learning Behavior –> Virtual Classrooms (VCr), Virtual Classrooms –> Knowledge Development, Virtual Classrooms –> Student Motivation] are confirmed while Learning Behavior –> Student Motivation is not confirmed.ConclusionThis study found that digital learning platforms significantly impact students’ learning and what motivates them to learn. The study also found that using educational apps and virtual classrooms more often helps students learn more and be more motivated to learn.

PurposeThe study aimed at identifying job insecurity during COVID-19 as a determinant of green entrepreneurial intentions under the mediating role of entrepreneurial passion. Further, moderated mediation model of environmental consciousness and environmental knowledge on the relationship between job insecurity during COVID-19 and green entrepreneurial intentions through entrepreneurial passion as a mediator is also measured.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and analysis of a moment structure (AMOS) to calculate the measurement and structure model. Data was collected from the twin cities of Pakistan (Islamabad and Rawalpindi). A total of 389 usable responses were included in the analyses.FindingsConsidering entrepreneurship as a process, the result shows a significant relationship between the study variables. Also, it is realized that entrepreneurial passion serves as an important mediator between job insecurity during COVID-19 and green entrepreneurial intention. Both entrepreneurial knowledge and environmental consciousness have an indirect conditional effect on the relationship between job insecurity during COVID-19 and green entrepreneurial intention with entrepreneurial passion as a mediator. The study tested a novel relationship between job insecurity during COVID-19 and entrepreneurial passion under the lens of contingency theory and entrepreneurial event theory.Research limitations/implicationsThe extreme necessity to choose an alternative to full-time jobs is entrepreneurial endeavors that can be explored by entrepreneurs. Policymakers can capitalize on this scenario by proposing entrepreneurial opportunities which are green as well. The term Green represents an environmental friendly business, which one can start in the context of COVID-19 when everyone is oriented to cleanliness, personal hygiene and environment friendly.Originality/valueThe study tested a novel relationship between job insecurity during COVID-19 and entrepreneurial passion under the lens of contingency theory and entrepreneurial event theory. It contributes to the present stock of knowledge and understanding of the subject by contextualizing the concept of green entrepreneurial intention.

PurposeThis study examined the relationship between perceived personalization and positive electronic word of mouth, as well as the mediating impact of online advertising engagement and the moderating effect of online users' modes on that relationship. The theory of presence serves as the foundation for the relationships among variables.Design/methodology/approachA quasi-experimental research design was used to carry out the investigation. The analysis was performed on 865 valid responses from the treatment and control groups.FindingsResults showed no mediation for the control group and partial mediation for the treatment group. The treatment group's moderated mediation relationships were found as significant, but the control group's relationships were insignificant. The findings also supported the hypothesis that there is a significant association between perceived personalization and online advertising engagement for playful online users and a weak relationship for serious online users. On the mediation link of online advertising engagement between perceived personalization and positive electronic word of mouth, the conditional indirect influence of “online users' modes” has been specifically studied.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine online advertising through the lens of the theory of presence and offers a moderated-mediation model of Online Users' Modes and Online Advertising Engagement, which is a valuable addition to the marketing body of knowledge.

This paper aims to investigate the phenomenon of online political participation in a cross cultural context by applying the concept of cognitive engagement theory. The relationship of access to political stuff on social media, political interest, and policy satisfaction with online political participation is studied in the context of Pakistan and Malaysia. The variable of political knowledge is used as a moderator in the study in order to reveal deeper insights. Data were collected from a sample of 504 students from COMSATS University Islamabad and University Utara Malaysia. In Pakistani context, political interest, policy satisfaction, and political knowledge show a positively significant result, whereas online incivility shows a negatively significant outcome. In the context of Malaysia, availability of political stuff online, political interest, policy satisfaction, and political knowledge shows a positively significant impact on online political participation. Political knowledge holds as a moderator in Malaysia but not in Pakistan. This paper has theoretical as well as the practical contribution in developing an understanding about political participation through social media in both Pakistan and Malaysia. Furthermore, cognitive engagement theory is also used on a rare basis, and hence, this paper adds to the generalization of the theory.

Code-switching (CS) is a communicative strategy used by ESL bilingual teachers to teach English as a second language to non-native English speakers. Based on quantitative analysis of transcribed data from thirty ESL teachers at Pakistani universities, the present study examined the influence of code switching (CS) on ESL learners in Pakistan, exploring in particular the impact of CS on and teacher attitude towards CS in ESL instruction. The findings of the study indicate significant use of code-mixing and frequency of mixing words, phrase and the smallest unit of one language into another language. Furthermore, the findings suggest that CS is frequently used by the ESL teachers. The study also highlights that common nouns are followed by proper nouns, adjectives, verbs and abbreviations, with the most significant words used during instantiation of CS in the data comprising lexical items, phrases, compound words, and encouraging words. Thus, this study suggests that CS is used to facilitate the comprehension and participation of the bilingual learners.