On the morning of the 7th of October, the Hamas organization launched an attack on Israel, causing over 1200 casualties and kidnapping over 250 Israeli citizens. Israeli workers, their families, and the country’s economy were all directly impacted by the war. The effects of the war were vast and created many challenges for the HR departments in various organizations. The HR departments had to respond to these issues with promptness, determination, and thoroughness. I will discuss the functions of HR departments during times of war in this opinion piece. They include eliminating ambiguity and uncertainty; providing managers with the tools they need to handle such circumstances; maintaining resilience and high morale; overseeing volunteer programs; maintaining contact with the reserve forces; providing support to war-affected families; carrying out an effective workforce reduction without jeopardizing the company’s ability to continue operations; and managing workplace tensions.

In an era of intensified market competition, internal brand management (IBM) has emerged as a critical strategy for aligning employee behavior with brand values. This study investigates how IBM influences brand citizenship behavior (BCB) among front-line restaurant employees in Macao, emphasizing the mediating role of brand identification (BI) and simultaneously testing the moderating effect of leader-member exchange (LMX). Drawing from Social Identity Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the model using data from 315 employees across 11 Macao restaurant companies. Analyzing via software package Smart-Pls 4.1, we found that IBM significantly enhances BI, which in turn strongly predicts BCB. While IBM directly impacts BCB, the effect is mediated by BI. Furthermore, LMX moderates the IBM-BI relationships, underscoring the role of leadership in internal branding effectiveness. These findings contribute to the internal branding literature by validating BI as a key psychological mechanism and LMX as a boundary condition. Practically, the study provides insights for restaurant industry seeking to foster brand-aligned behaviors through internal brand management.

This study aims to explore the research on Chinese higher education policy from 2005 to 2024 through a bibliometric analysis. It is revealed that a continuous growth trend and sustained academic interest in this field. Mainland China leads in publication quantity, showcasing the active involvement of Chinese scholars in higher education policy research. Institutions like Peking University, the University of Hong Kong, and Beijing Normal University play significant roles in this research domain. The focus of research has shifted from student attitudes to international students, teachers, innovation models, changing demands, and urban education development, reflecting a growing emphasis on sustainability and internationalization. The study highlights the positive development trajectory of Chinese higher education policy research, with expanding research focuses and deepening concerns for sustainability and internationalization.