Purpose: This research examines the intricate interplay between Business Intelligence (BI), Big Data Analytics (BDA), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the realm of Supply Chain Management (SCM). While the integration of these technologies has promised improved operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities, concerns about complexities and potential overreliance on technology persist. The study aims to provide insights into achieving a balance between data-driven insights and qualitative factors in SCM for sustained competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach: The research executed interviews with ten Arab Gulf-based consulting firms. These companies’ ability to successfully complete BI projects is well recognised. Findings: Through examining the interplay of human judgement and data-driven strategies, addressing integration challenges, and understanding the risks of excessive data reliance, the research enhances comprehension of the modern SCM landscape. It underscores BI’s foundational role, the necessity of balanced human input, and the significance of customer-centric strategies for lasting competitive advantage and relationships. Practical implications: The research provided information for organizations seeking to effectively navigate the complexities of integrating data-driven technologies in SCM. The research is a foundation for future studies to delve deeper into quantitative measurement methodologies and effective data security strategies in the SCM context. Originality: The research highlights the value of integrating BI, BDA, and AI in SCM for improved efficiency, cost reduction, and customer satisfaction, emphasising the need for a balanced approach that combines data-driven insights, human judgement, and customer-centric strategies to maintain competitiveness.

Participation in the implementation of green values that are becoming a global norm often experiences challenges. In response with trends of social media use, a study of barriers to green product purchase intention among social media users is conducted. By descriptive qualitative approach, three keywords are employed, namely: (1) “barriers to green consumption”; (2) “barriers of purchase intention; and (3) “social media use and barriers to green consumption”. The findings reveal: (1) the study of barriers to green product purchase intention among social media users has been gaining importance for future research; (2) the potential future research area includes: (a) the level of belief in green products purchase intention that explains the rationalization of green consumption (green knowledge); and (b) the use of digital media through the role of social media in promoting green consumption (green promotion). The theoretical implication emphasizes contribution to the theory of sustainable marketing, namely barriers as dynamics of market interactivity that are capable of generating responsiveness leading to business competitiveness. While practical implication is shown in business efforts to transform challenges into opportunity.

How can social enterprises implement Total Quality Management (TQM) to tackle urgent social issues within their organizational framework while also ensuring their continued viability? To address this question, this study aims to explore the organizational approach to the adoption and implementation of TQM practices and their efficacy in mitigating pressing social challenges and maintaining financial sustainability. It adopts a qualitative multiple-case research design involving 3 social enterprises to explore the research phenomenon. Following qualitative research analysis process using NVivo, our findings highlight a prevalent, short-term outlook in managing TQM, hindering the full potential of TQM to achieve both social impact and organizational sustainability. More specifically, they expose a significant dissonance within the case organizations’ TQM implementations: the contrast between the current state, indicative of what it is, and the ideal state, indicative of what it should be. Altogether, the study advocates leveraging TQM for long-term excellence and alignment in social enterprises (as opposed to short-term mediocrity and disarray), thereby facilitating the achievement of both social impact and financial sustainability.

Rural sub-Saharan Africa faces limited medical access, healthcare worker shortages, and inadequate health information systems. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer potential solutions but remain underdeveloped in these settings. This review aims to explore the sociocultural context of mHealth adoption in rural sub-Saharan Africa to support sustainable implementation. A comprehensive Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) search was conducted in databases like PubMed, MEDLINE, and African Journals Online, covering peer-reviewed literature from 2010 to 2024. Qualitative studies of mHealth interventions were included, with quality assessed via the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) checklist and data synthesized using a meta-ethnographic approach. Out of 892 studies, 38 met the inclusion criteria. Key findings include sociocultural factors like community trust influencing technology acceptance, local implementation strategies, user empowerment in health decisions, and innovative solutions for infrastructure issues. Challenges include privacy concerns, increased healthcare worker workload, and intervention sustainability. While mHealth can reduce healthcare barriers, success depends on sociocultural alignment and adaptability. Future interventions should prioritize community co-design, privacy protection, and sustainable, infrastructure-aware models.

Purpose: Kindergartens are an important educational environment for the development of children at an early age, and they also play a crucial role in developing the values of sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to investigate kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of observable and sustainable development practices. Design, methodology, approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 302 Saudi kindergarten teachers. Additionally, observation cards were utilized to collect data on actual practices of sustainable development in kindergartens. Data were analyzed using Nvivo12, a qualitative data analysis software, and descriptive analysis methods. The main themes were produced first, and then the perspectives were organized around them. Finding: The impact of social and cultural factors on the development of values, the lack of resources available to implement educational activities, and teacher awareness and training gaps were found to be the main barriers to the development of sustainable development values in kindergartens. Originality, value: To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study in Saudi Arabia that has looked into the environmental and social perceptions of early childhood teachers about sustainable development practices, so the study’s findings can highlight the importance of reorienting teacher education programs toward sustainability in order to bridge knowledge and practice gaps.