In recent decades, the redevelopment of waterfronts in global cities has become a focal point for large-scale real estate investments, often driven by neoliberal policies. These projects, characterized by the increasing involvement of state agencies, aim to transform obsolete industrial areas into lucrative spaces for tourism, commerce, and luxury living. This article scrutinizes the intricate dynamics of state-led waterfront re-development, through the lens of Istanbul’s Galataport project. It analyzes the multifaceted dimensions of the transformation process, shedding light on the historical backdrop, socio-political underpinnings, and economic imperatives that have shaped the development of Galataport from 2002 to 2022. Through a comprehensive analysis of primary sources, including governmental reports, policy documents, and scholarly literature, the article accentuates the pivotal role of the state and state actors in orchestrating the transformation of Istanbul’s urban landscape. Furthermore, it examines the implications of the Galataport project on urban governance and socio-cultural and spatial dynamics. It concludes that the central government pursued a speculative entrepreneurial approach in the Galataport project, clearing various legal obstacles while neglecting public interest. This case study takes the first step towards a comprehensive critical re-evaluation of the recent urban development/governance model to contribute to a nuanced understanding of contemporary urban/waterfront development paradigms in Türkiye and similar geographies.

Promoting travelling intention within social media is significant for stakeholders to grasp a new tourism market and cultivate a new model for development of tourism industry. This study aims to understand path of destination image affecting travelling intention, and to investigate the mediation role of perceived value, furthermore, to uncover the role of moderator of situational involvement. This paper conducts a survey on tourists visiting Guilin, collecting 435 questionnaires, and uses the structural equation modeling method to explore how the image of the tourism destination affects tourists’ willingness to travel. The research results indicate that cognitive image, emotional image, and projected image all have a significant positive impact on perceived value, perceived value as a significant mediator to bridge the relationship among the destination image and tourists’ travel intention. Furthermore, situational involvement plays a negative moderating role in the mediating effect of emotional value. This study endeavor will serve to enrich the understanding of perceived value theory, destination image theory, and tourism consumer behavior theory. It will also provide theoretical foundations and policy recommendations for guiding tourism consumer behavior, analyzing destination image perception, and destination marketing.

This study investigates the application of Operational Agility Management in Thai SMEs, examining its impact on Employee Dynamic Capability and the resulting Employee Value Proposition. Using a quantitative approach with a questionnaire survey targeted at Thai SME executives, the research analyzes the relationships between “Value of Work”, “Goal Orientation”, and “Network Communication” as independent variables, “Employee Dynamic Capability” as a mediating variable, and “Employee Value Proposition” as the dependent variable. The findings reveal that Thai Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) struggle particularly with “Network Communication” in enhancing their “Employee Value Proposition”, primarily due to their predominant hierarchical command structure. This challenge highlights the need for Thai SMEs to reassess their organizational structures and communication practices to improve employee dynamic capabilities and overall employee value proposition. The study provides novel insights into the application of Operational Agility Management in Thai SMEs, bridging the gap between high-performance management theories and the practical realities faced by SMEs in unpredictable business environments, thus offering a unique perspective on cultivating employee dynamic capabilities in this setting.

Loans are a critical transmission channel for commercial banks as well as an important revenue source. Macroeconomic factors are not within the control of commercial banks, however, select factors are observed to have a direct impact on lending behaviour in studies around the world. This study examined the relationship between macroeconomic variables and the lending behaviour of banks in South Africa for the period ranging from 2001 to 2022. Quarterly time series data was employed using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL). The empirical results of the paper revealed that there is a long-run relationship between the repurchase rate (repo rate), inflation, the real effective exchange rate (REER) and lending behaviour in South Africa. The REER and inflation were both found to have a positive relationship, whilst the repo rate had a negative relationship. In addition, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the activity rate and sovereign credit rating (SCR) changes returned insignificant results. Overall, these findings show that select macroeconomic factors do influence lending behaviour in South Africa. Furthermore, the results suggest that monetary policy decisions have a direct influential effect on lending and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has implemented their policies effectively.

This paper examines the detrimental impact of rapid inflation on the quality of private education in developing countries. By focusing on the financial challenges faced by private schools, the study highlights the tension between education policy and economic realities. While private schools often attract parents with smaller class sizes and specialized programs, the core motivation lies in investing in children’s future through quality education. However, this study demonstrates how inflation can cripple this sector. The case of Turkey exemplifies this challenge. Post-pandemic inflation created a financial stranglehold on private schools, as rising costs made it difficult to adjust teacher salaries. This, in turn, led to teacher demotivation and a mass exodus, ultimately compromising educational quality. Furthermore, government interventions aimed at protecting parents from high tuition fees, through limitations on fee increases, inadvertently sacrificed the very quality they sought to safeguard. The paper concludes by advocating for alternative policy approaches that prioritize direct support for education system during economic downturns. Such measures are crucial for ensuring a strong and resilient education system that benefits all stakeholders, including parents, students, and the nation as a whole.

The COVID-19 epidemic caused unexpected complications, complexities and challenges in higher educational institutions (HEIs). In order to promote and strengthen the role of women leadership, this study aimed to clarify the unique challenges faced by female leaders at Saudi HEIs during the epidemic, find possible solutions to these challenges, and provide policy as well as management implications. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted, examining 27 records (i.e., research papers, articles and conference studies). The data were qualitatively analysed and categorized based on themes like challenges faced, opportunities recognized, and solutions proposed. Findings highlighted women leaders in Saudi HEIs grappled with multiple challenges, including technological barriers, cultural constraints, and increased workloads. Merging challenges with solvable strategies offers a forward-looking perspective, advocating for systemic changes that can shape a resilient and inclusive future for HEIs in Saudi Arabia.