Using company size as a moderator, this article examines the MENA region’s gender balance on boards and how it influences capital structure. The study uses the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimate technique to analyze data from a sample of 556 non-financial organizations across 10 MENA countries from 2010 to 2023. The results show that a lower debt ratio is connected with a higher percentage of female board members. Further steps towards debt reduction include increasing the number of independent female board members and decreasing the board’s overall size. The opposite is true for larger enterprises, more profitability, more expansion opportunities, and macroeconomic variables like inflation and GDP growth, which tend to raise the debt ratio. Capital structure decisions in the MENA area are influenced by gender diversity on boards and business characteristics. Therefore, Companies in the MENA area would do well to support initiatives that increase the representation of women on corporate boards. One way to achieve this goal is to establish gender diversity targets or launch programs to increase the number of women serving on boards of directors, particularly in positions of power.

The health of employees is so paramount for employee productivity. While emphasis is often placed on the physical health of employees, less emphasis is placed on the psychological or mental health of the employees. Similarly, it seems as if health challenges are more occurring in manufacturing industries, but the service organizations employees are as well susceptible to mental health challenges. Understanding the predictive factors to mental health challenges therefore becomes imperative. It is on this note that the present research examines how employee mental health is predicted by work safety measures like perceived workplace safety, work overload and pay satisfaction. The workplace safety variables include perception of job, co-worker, supervisor, management, and safety programs. A cross sectional survey method was adopted, using ex-post-facto research design. Data were gathered from 258 employees, including 150 (58.1%) females and 108 (41.9%) males of a non-governmental organization. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze data obtained from the standardized psychological scales that were administered. The results showed that mental health correlated positively with perceived job safety, but negatively with perceived co-worker, supervisor, management, safety programs and pay satisfaction. Workplace safety variables jointly predicted mental health, accounting for 23% variance, but only perceived job safety and supervisor safety were significant. The higher employees perceived job safety, the lower their mental health challenges. Similarly, the higher they perceived supervisor safety, the lower their mental health issues. Pay satisfaction accounted for 3% variance in mental health, and the higher the pay satisfaction, the lower the level of employee mental health issues. It is implied that the human resource unit of service organizations should intermittently examine their organizations to identify and prevent possible job and supervisor safety threats. Supervisors should be trained on how to be discrete in communicating safety measures to subordinates so that it will not boomerang to hamper mental health. The human resources unit should also intermittently organize workshop, training, and employee-assisted programs for younger and lower grade employees on adaptive mechanisms for reducing mental health challenges.

Psychological capital is recognized as a positive and unique factor that plays a crucial role in human resource development and performance management. It has the potential to increase employees’ efforts towards achieving organizational goals and improving their entrepreneurial strategy skills. The objective of this study was to examine the contribution of psychological capital in enhancing the entrepreneurial strategy skills of employees in Saudi universities. The study employed a descriptive approach, specifically utilizing the survey study method. The study sample was intentionally selected from different categories within the study population. Data was collected from 530 participants using two questionnaires. The findings revealed that employees exhibited an average level of psychological capital, while their practice of entrepreneurial strategy skills was rated as poor. The study also demonstrated that psychological capital significantly contributes to enhancing employees’ entrepreneurial strategy skills. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were observed in the psychological capital of employees across certain variables, such as personal and functional aspects. The average level of psychological capital among employees indicates the need for further development in this area. By focusing on enhancing psychological capital, organizations can effectively improve the entrepreneurial strategy skills of their employees. It is clear that investing in the psychological capital of employees can lead to significant improvements in their entrepreneurial strategy skills. This highlights the potential for organizations to foster a more entrepreneurial mindset and approach among their staff members. Additionally, the study’s findings underscore the need to tailor interventions and development programs to address specific aspects of psychological capital that may vary across different employees. Overall, the study emphasizes that psychological capital is a valuable resource that should be nurtured and developed within the organizational context. By doing so, organizations can not only enhance the entrepreneurial strategy skills of their employees but also cultivate a more resilient, motivated, and engaged workforce. This has the potential to contribute to the overall success and innovation of Saudi universities and similar institutions.

The study investigates the role of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and engagement in the context of English language learning among Chinese students, emphasizing the significance of positive emotions in enhancing academic success. Utilizing a sample of 249 students majoring in international trade, the research employs the foreign language enjoyment scale to count their enjoyment level and foreign language engagement scale to assess various dimensions of student engagement, including cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social engagement. By conducting regression analysis, the findings reveal that FLE positively influencing learners' learning outcome while engagement doesn't pose significant impact on their learning outcome. The study highlights the importance of fostering positive emotions in educational settings to improve language learning outcomes and suggests that understanding the interplay between FLE and other affective factors can lead to more effective teaching strategies in foreign language education. 

The study acknowledges empirical, conceptual, and policy-driven papers that address emotional assertiveness, assertive communication, and assertive training as means of improving employee performance in Chinese banking, which is a significant contributor to the Chinese economy. Most banking enterprises have suffered from poor performance and a lack of aggressiveness in operation. It can be used by both managers and employees to create a good interaction process and a favorable work environment, which can help elevate performances. The research employs a quantitative approach, utilizing a questionnaire survey and simple random sampling. The sample comprises 381 employees from the Chinese banking industry, with a response rate above 70%. The regression analysis confirms that emotional assertiveness, assertive training, and assertive communication significantly impact employee performance. In conclusion, this study contributes to academia and industries by addressing the importance of assertiveness in improving performance. The policy-driven evidence on the conceptual framework of HR literacy in emotional, training, communication, and job performance should be adopted and reviewed in the country’s existing management by objective policy and legal framework in resolving employee job performance and training that are still underutilized and have a great deal of potential to satisfy the employees and management needs by establishing and emerging nations.