Social and environmental issues gain more importance for society that stimulates companies to adopt and integrate more sustainability practices into their business activities. This study is embedded in almost uncovered in the literature context of Russian business that undergoes its ESG transformation in conditions of unprecedented sanctions and hostile institutional environment. The study aims to reveal the role of internal stakeholders (top managers, line managers, and employees) in successful implementation of a company’s ESG practices along various dimensions. Using the primary data from 29 large Russian companies the fsQCA method is applied to identify various configurations of contingencies that stimulate their ESG performance. The analysis results in identification of two alternative core conditions for high ESG performance in Russian companies: high top management commitment to sustainability and low employees’ commitment to sustainability or the employees’ awareness about sustainability. At the end, the study results in two generic profiles composed of top management commitment, line management support, and employees’ awareness, behavior, and commitment towards ESG performance. The results show two different approaches towards ESG transformation that may bring a company to the comparably similar desired outcome. The study has a potential for generalization on a wider scope of emerging market contexts.

Scholars widely agree that modular technologies can significantly improve environmental sustainability compared to traditional building methods. There has been considerable debate about the viability of replacing traditional cast-in-place structures with modular construction projects. The primary purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of using modular technology for construction projects in island areas. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the potential problems and suitable solutions associated with modular building project implementation. This study is accomplished through the use of qualitative and quantitative methods. It systematically examines desk research based on the wide academic literature and real case studies, collating secondary data from government files, news articles, professional blogs, and interviews. This research identifies several important barriers to the use of modular construction projects. Among the issues are the complexity of stakeholder engagement, limited practical skills and construction methodologies, and a scarcity of manufacturing capacity specialised for modular components. Fortunately, these unresolved challenges can be mitigated through fiscal incentives and governmental regulations, induction training programmes, efficient management strategies, and adaptive governance approaches. As a result, the findings support the feasibility of starting and advancing modular building initiatives in island areas. Project developers will likely be more willing to embrace and commit resources to initiate modular building projects. Additional studies can be undertaken to acquire the most recent first-hand data for detailed validation.

This paper provides insight into innovation energy, its five working mechanisms, and innovative work behaviour (IWB). Although human energy is often mentioned as an important factor in theories about motivation, it is still an unexplored theme in literature. The management of organisations often focuses on the innovation content and neglects the process aspects. Strategic and operational HRM involvement is needed to realising the essential conditions for the innovation energy of innovative employees. An abductive case study on innovation energy took place in five educational departments of one academy at Saxion University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. We interviewed 21 innovating lecturers and their five team leaders individually and organised five focus groups with a total of 17 team members. Innovation energy converts individual innovation properties (creativity, psychological empowerment, and optimism) into IWB. Organisations must pay attention to these properties and four other working mechanisms (autonomy, teamwork, leadership, and external contacts) that influence this conversion process. HRM professionals should be involved with innovation processes to realise the right conditions for innovation energy, together with line management. The construct of innovation energy with five working mechanisms gives more insight into the IWB process from the perspective of the engaged employee with IWB. This research contributes to the body of knowledge on IWB, (human) innovation energy, and engagement in relation to HRM.

This study evaluates the sustainability and ethical practices of Kerry Logistics Network Limited (KLN), a prominent logistics service provider headquartered in Hong Kong. Using normative ethical theories, stakeholder analysis, and the Circle of Sustainability framework, this research examines KLN’s alignment with global sustainability standards, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The findings reveal that KLN has achieved significant milestones in environmental management, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 11% from 2021 to 2022 through the deployment of electric trucks and incorporating renewable energy in warehouse operations. KLN has also enhanced social responsibility and governance practices by implementing fair labor policies and establishing a rigorous code of conduct, ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines across its supply chain. However, the study identifies areas for improvement, including biodiversity actions, battery recycling processes, and transparency in stakeholder engagement. Emphasizing the importance of third-party validation, this paper underscores KLN’s leadership in the logistics industry and provides insights for other companies aiming to improve sustainability performance through comprehensive, verifiable practices.

This study explores the interconnected roles of organizational atmosphere, psychological capital, work engagement, and psychological contract on the work performance. Structural equation modeling and moderated mediation analyses were conducted to test the hypothesized relationships. Methodologically, the study employed a stratified random sampling of 369 faculty members across various disciplines. Key findings reveal that both organizational atmosphere and psychological capital have a significant positive impact on work engagement, which in turn, enhances work performance. Work engagement acted as a mediator in these relationships. Moreover, the psychological contract was found to moderate the relationship between work engagement and work performance, indicating that the engagement-performance link is stronger when employees perceive their psychological contract has been fulfilled. The implications of this research are multifaceted. Theoretically, it contributes to organizational behavior literature by integrating psychological contracts into the engagement-performance narrative. Practically, it provides actionable insights for university administrators, suggesting that investments in a supportive organizational atmosphere and the development of faculty psychological capital are likely to yield improvements in engagement and performance. The study also underscores the importance of effectively managing psychological contracts to maximize employee output.

Orientation: Rewards are integral to keeping employees happy, efficient and engaged in their work. Thus, the engagement of academic staff within higher education institutions has become a top priority for organisational productivity and competitiveness. Research purpose: This study investigated the impact of total rewards on work engagement among the academic staff at a South African higher education institution. Motivation for the study: Engagement of academic staff is vital as higher education institutions are influential in the country’s development. Literature, however, has shown that most studies on total rewards and work engagement focus on sectors such as financial institutions, the mining industry and others. However, few reports have been on total rewards and work engagement in higher education. Research design, approach and method: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design, following a quantitative approach. From a population of 100 academic staff, 74 respondents responded to a self-administered questionnaire. Main findings: The results show a positive relationship between two dimensions of total rewards (work-home integration and quality work environment) and work engagement. However, no relationship was found between base pay, benefits, performance and career management, and work engagement. From the five dimensions of total rewards, a quality work environment was the only significant predictor of work engagement. Contribution: The study provides theoretical contributions through new literature and possible recommendations. The study may guide management in developing a rewards strategy that can promote staff work engagement.