Using the Resource Advantage Theory approach, this research aims to examine the gap between entrepreneurial opportunities and marketing performance, with market-based innovation capability acting as a mediating variable. The data collection method used non-probability sampling with a purposive sampling technique. The data that was eligible to be processed were 250 respondents. Hypothesis testing was used using the AMOS application. The research results show that market-based innovation capability can improve marketing performance as a mediating variable. In addition, market penetration strength can also improve marketing performance. As a strategic variable, market-based innovation capability (MBIC) converts entrepreneurial opportunities into competitive advantages relevant to market needs. In addition, business actors become more adaptive and responsive to market dynamics, increasing competitiveness sustainably. MBIC, rooted in the Resource Advantage Theory of competition, contributes to developing market-based innovation strategies in the UMKM sector.

This paper investigates the impact of financial inclusion on financial stability in BRICS countries from 2004 to 2020. Using a panel smooth transition regression model, the results reveal a U-shaped relationship between financial inclusion and financial stability. Financial inclusion reduces financial stability up to a threshold of 44.7%. Beyond this point, financial inclusion contributes to greater financial stability, through gradual transitions. Enhanced financial inclusion supports banks in stabilizing their deposit funding by facilitating access to more stable, long-term funds and alleviating the negative impacts of fluctuations in returns. Furthermore, the study examines the role of institutional quality in shaping the financial inclusion-financial stability nexus, indicating a significant positive effect, especially in the upper regime. These findings provide valuable insights for financial regulatory authorities, highlighting the importance of promoting financial inclusion in BRICS economies and adapting regulations to mitigate potential risks to global financial stability.

The study employed a qualitative approach to determine the influence and effectiveness of storytelling in shaping the Alpha generation’s buying decisions and consumption behaviours. The students of the University of Lagos Junior Secondary School were selected for the study. The interview questions were set to focus on factors like experiences, sources of storytelling communication, the outcomes and the affective effects. Twenty-five students were purposively selected out of one hundred and twelve (112) population for the interview based on the conditions for selection. Thematic analysis was used and a total of 244 themes were identified. Four (4) major themes were later identified in thematic synthesis through coding translation. The findings revealed that storytelling is effective and strategic in brands targeted at the Alpha generation, hence, the generation relied on storytelling to choose brands in convenience, impulsive and shopping products, and radio and television were the main sources of storytelling campaigns among the generation. Storytelling wrapped in songs, entertainment, dancing, drama, etc. captivated and influenced the generation, and children used the information from the storytelling campaigns to influence family purchase decisions and parents’ buying decisions and behaviours.

This article explores ethnomedicine or traditional medication written in palm-leaf manuscripts in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Most of the manuscripts in Lombok are written on palm leaf or lontar. One genre of palm-leaf manuscripts is USADA or traditional medication. These USADA manuscripts, serving as guides for traditional healers (dukun and balian), contain valuable information on diseases, treatments, herbal remedies, and incantations. The study reveals that ethnomedicine remains a relevant and respected practice in Lombok, often considered on par with modern medicine. Many residents rely on traditional healers for healthcare, particularly for minor illnesses. The research also highlights the living nature of the manuscript tradition, with continued recitation, copying, and teaching of these texts to younger generations. However, challenges persist in preserving these manuscripts and promoting wider appreciation for this unique cultural heritage.

The accessibility of FinTech services is increasing, and their convenience is making them more popular than traditional banks, particularly among Generation Z. The objective of this research is to identify and compare the factors influencing the conscious use of FinTech services among Generation Z members, who are the most active participants in this field of financial technology. The questionnaire based purposive sample consisted of Generation Z students who demonstrated adequate financial literacy and utilized FinTech, and who were learning in a university environment in Hungary and Romania. A sample of 600 respondents was selected for analysis after cleaning the data online. The methodological approach entailed the utilization of covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM). The results indicate that social influence (β = 0.18), consumer attitude (β = 0.53) and facilitating conditions intention (β = 0.11) all have a significant effect on the behavior intention, explaining 49% of the variance. In the context of performance expectation, the effect of facilitating conditions intention is not significant (p = 0.491). The motivation of Generation Z towards fintech solutions is evident in their preference for speed and ease of use. However, in order to reinforce consumer expectations and transfer the necessary experience and attitudes, it may be beneficial for service providers to adopt a partially different strategy in different countries. Generation Z can thus serve as a crucial reference point for the even more discerning expectations of subsequent generations. The findings may inform the formulation of strategies for fintech service providers to better understand customer behavior.

This paper explores how compassion can be defined as a transformative moral technology through analysis of Martha Nussbaum’s idea. Nussbaum contends that compassion goes beyond just feeling pain for others’ suffering; it also involves acknowledging the severity of suffering, understanding that it is not solely the victim’s fault, and recognizing the suffering individual as one of our most important goals and projects. Through a literature review that considers reductive explanations, we establish that compassion encompasses cognitive, affective, and conative capacities that are crucial for moral reasoning, knowledge, and judgment, all stemming from the experience of human suffering. These capacities of cognition, affection, and conation are supported by the system of reasoning and moral perspective known as techne, episteme, and oikeiosis as systems of reasoning and morality perspective. We argue that compassion is more than just an emotion or feeling, it is catalyst for moral action, as its essence lies in “suffering with; suffering together.”