International Journal of Management studies and Social Science Research

1 Joy Philip Mshelmbula Ph.D.; 2 Bulus Pikitda Ph.D; 3 Comfort Iliya Ph.D.; 4 Mark Chukwuemeka Offiah

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6301

ABSTRACT: Employee performance in the banking sector is critical for organizational competitiveness and service excellence. Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been identified as a key driver of workplace effectiveness, yet its impact may depend on the presence of Psychological Safety (PS). This study investigates the direct effect of EI on employee performance and the mediating role of PS among employees of commercial banks in Jos, Nigeria. Adopting a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 450 employees across five major banks using structured questionnaires. PLS-SEM via SEMinR was employed for data analysis. Findings are expected to demonstrate that EI positively influences employee performance and that PS partially mediates this relationship, highlighting the importance of fostering emotionally intelligent behaviours and psychologically safe environments in banking institutions. The study provides theoretical and managerial implications for enhancing employee engagement, collaboration, and productivity in high-pressure service environments.

Keyword: Emotional Intelligence, Psychological Safety, Employee Performance, Nigerian Banking Sector, PLS-SEM

1 Ekerette Alfred Esu; 2 Sunday Effiong Ibanga, PhD; 3 Ofonmbuk Etido Atakpa, PhD

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6302

ABSTRACT: Staff promotion is a crucial factor for achieving performance to accomplish organisational goals. Low promotion or complete lack of promotion in an organisation can lead to inefficiency, fraud, corruption, absenteeism and indiscipline at work. This study examined the effect of promotion on employee performance in Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria. The descriptive survey using a structured questionnaire was adopted. The population of the study was 780, comprising academic staff, non-academic staff and student union leaders of the Polytechnic. Taro Yamane's method of selecting sample size was relied upon to choose the 265-sample size employed for the study. Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient analysis was used for analysing the hypotheses of the study. The findings revealed that promotion has a significant effect on employees’ performance. Hence, promotion played a major role in employee performance in Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua. It was recommended, among others, that the management of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnics should ensure that promotion comes with all promotion benefits as due. Also, the management of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic should ensure that promotions are based on merit and as when due.

Keyword: Motivation, promotion, performance, organisation, Polytechnic.

1 Jessa Y. Torres & 2 Amelie E. Trinidad, EdD

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6303

ABSTRACT: This study explored the perspectives of Grade 2 teachers in addressing the reading comprehension challenges of struggling learners in the Santa Maria West District, Davao Occidental Division. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive research design, data were collected through interviews to capture teachers’ observations, instructional practices, and insights within their natural classroom settings. Anchored on the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope, the study examined comprehension as influenced by linguistic, cognitive, instructional, and systemic factors. Findings revealed that learners experience significant difficulties in vocabulary development, word recognition, and higher-order comprehension skills such as sequencing, retelling, and inferencing. Language barriers were evident, as many learners demonstrated greater proficiency in Bisaya and Filipino than in English, often resulting in disengagement and low participation during classroom activities. To address these challenges, teachers implemented scaffolded and adaptive strategies, including guided reading, differentiated instruction, translanguaging, vocabulary enrichment, and the use of visual and interactive materials to enhance engagement. However, systemic constraints such as limited instructional time, insufficient professional training, lack of structured literacy programs, and minimal parental involvement hindered the effectiveness of these interventions. Teachers emphasized the importance of sustained institutional support through targeted professional development, adequate resource allocation, school-wide literacy initiatives, and strengthened family engagement. The study proposes a contextualized literacy support framework integrating teacher capacity building, structured instructional resources, and collaborative partnerships to improve literacy outcomes.

Keyword: reading comprehension, struggling learners, instructional strategies, translanguaging, literacy suppor

1 Konstantinos Karampelas; 2 Vasileios Vlassas; 3 Rossetos Metzitakos

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6304

ABSTRACT: The Gulf War (1990–1991) marked a turning point in both post-Cold War international politics and the evolving relationship between warfare, mass media, and public opinion. This study examines the role of propaganda and information operations in legitimizing the military intervention carried out by the U.S.-led international coalition and analyzes the broader impact of the conflict on global tourism. Employing a qualitative literature review and historical-analytical approach, the study draws upon Harold D. Lasswell’s theory of propaganda and Herman and Chomsky’s Propaganda Model as its primary theoretical frameworks. Particular attention is given to the mechanisms through which public opinion was shaped, the role of mass media, the contribution of public relations firms, and the communicative exploitation of military technology. In addition, the study investigates the economic and social consequences of the conflict for international tourism, including declines in tourist flows, losses within the aviation sector, and changes in travel behavior driven by heightened perceptions of risk. The findings suggest that propaganda functioned not merely as a supportive element of military operations but as a crucial instrument of political legitimization and international consensus-building. Furthermore, the conflict generated significant disruptions within the global tourism industry, highlighting the sector’s vulnerability to geopolitical crises and security-related concerns. The study concludes that the Gulf War served as a precursor to contemporary forms of information warfare, in which control over information and public perception has become as strategically important as military power itself.

Keyword: Gulf War, propaganda, information warfare, mass media, public opinion, tourism, political communication, international relations.

1 Dr. Prashant Singh; 2 Shubham Dhuriya*

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6305

ABSTRACT: India's economic structure is marked by a large unorganised sector, where limited access to formal finance continues to restrict the growth of micro and small enterprises. In such a setting, financial inclusion emerges as a key instrument for inclusive development, particularly for entrepreneurs facing constraints related to collateral, credit history, and information asymmetry. These constraints tend to affect women, rural households, and socially disadvantaged groups more acutely. The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), launched in 2015, was introduced to address these barriers by providing collateral-free credit to non-corporate, non-farm enterprises through Shishu, Kishor, and Tarun loan categories. This study employs a descriptive research design based exclusively on secondary data obtained from official government sources, including PMMY reports, Reserve Bank of India publications, and policy documents for the period 2015–2025. The analysis focuses on trends in loan distribution across categories, regional patterns of credit access, and the demographic composition of beneficiaries. Rather than establishing causal relationships, the study seeks to identify broad structural features of public collateral-free lending. The findings indicate a steady expansion of MUDRA credit over the decade, alongside a gradual shift toward higher-value Kishor and Tarun loans, which may suggest enterprise progression for a segment of borrowers. However, credit penetration remains uneven across states, reflecting differences in institutional outreach and local economic conditions. The scheme shows strong participation by women and socially disadvantaged groups, aligning with its inclusion objectives. Overall, the analysis suggests that collateral-free public credit can support financial inclusion, although complementary measures such as financial literacy and enterprise support remain important for sustaining long-term outcomes

Keyword: Financial Inclusion; Collateral-Free Credit; MUDRA Loans; Micro-Enterprises; Public Credit Policy

VENKATESH ANDAVAR, Dr. M S Natarajan, Shankar Raman Rajarama, SRUTHI SURESH

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6306

ABSTRACT: Aim of study: Tourism ranks among Uganda's most dynamic economic sectors, yet gender disparities remain deeply entrenched within several of its occupational categories, professional tour guiding being among the most visible. This study aimed to generate rigorous empirical evidence on the structural, cultural, and institutional factors that hinder women's participation in tour guiding within Uganda's tourism industry, adopting Great Lakes Safaris Ltd, one of the country's most established indigenous tour operators, as an instrumental case. Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed. From an accessible population of 360 employees drawn from the company's Kampala head office and its regional operational stations, a sample of 189 respondents was determined using Slovin's formula at a 95 percent confidence level and selected through stratified random sampling, complemented by purposive sampling of managers and key informants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed through descriptive statistics, crosstabulation, and chi-square tests of association; supplementary qualitative material drawn from openended items and interviews was analysed thematically. Findings: Women's participation in professional tour guiding was rated very low by the substantial majority of respondents. Family responsibilities, cultural norms and gender stereotyping, employer preference for male candidates, limited access to professional training, and workplace safety concerns emerged as the most significant barriers, several of which showed statistically significant association with respondent gender, while institutional support mechanisms were widely perceived as inadequate. Conclusion: Uganda's tourism industry is unlikely to realise the full value of its human capital, or to advance an inclusive growth agenda, unless tour operators, training institutions, government agencies, and development partners act jointly to dismantle the structural barriers that continue to constrain women's participation in professional tour guiding.

Keyword: Women tour guides, gender barriers, tourism employment, Uganda tourism, Great Lakes Safaris

Nurul Huda; Sudaryanto; Deasy Wulandari

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6307

ABSTRACT: This study aims to analyze the influence of influencer marketing and E-WOM on the purchase decisions of Eiger products in Indonesia, using brand trust as a mediating variable. This study applies a quantitative approach with explanatory research design. The research population consists of all consumers who have used or purchased Eiger products in Indonesia. The sampling technique utilizes non-probability sampling with a purposive sampling method, obtaining a total of 500 respondents. Data collection was conducted through the distribution of online questionnaires. Data analysis employs the Partial Least Square (PLS) method with SmartPLS software to test both the direct and indirect effects between variables. The results of this study indicate that influencer marketing and electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) have a significant effect on brand trust. Furthermore, influencer marketing, electronic word of mouth (E-WOM), and brand trust demonstrate a significant effect on purchase decisions. The indirect effect testing also proves that brand trust significantly mediates the influence of influencer marketing and electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) on the purchase decisions of Eiger products.

Keyword: influencer marketing, electronic word of mouth (E-WOM), brand trust, purchase decision

Dhananjayan Kashyap 1, John Kuhn 2, Tere North 3, Jacob Decker 4

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6308

ABSTRACT: The objective of this research was to determine if, and to what extent, the tangible resources, human skills, and intangible resources components of big data analytics capability, collectively and individually, significantly predict competitive firm performance among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United States. This research applied the resource-based theory (RBT) posited by Barney (1991). A quantitative correlational-predictive survey was executed among smalland medium-sized enterprises in the United States. The results of the multiple regression model confirmed that the components of BDAC collectively and individually influence the competitive firm performance of SMEs. Additionally, the research also contributed to affirming the relevance of the resource-based theory as a foundational framework. The primary insight was that tangible resources should be regarded as a foundational priority. Secondly, the non-technological resources, human skills and intangible resources together should be the next priority. Thirdly, within the nontechnological factors, the creation of a culture of data-driven decision-making and organizational learning is relatively more consequential than human skills. There were few, if any, quantitative correlational-predictive research focused on SMEs in recent years in the United States that related BDAC to competitive firm performance (CFP) as guidance for SME leadership. This research filled that gap.

Keyword: big data, big data analytics (BDA), big data analytics capability (BDAC), SMEs, competitive firm performance, correlational, predictive, quantitative.

Philippe Coffre

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6309

ABSTRACT: France combines extraordinary individual achievements with persistently average macroeconomic outcomes. This paper investigates this paradox by examining how regulatory density, administrative centralization, public sector fragmentation, education governance, welfare incentives, migration dynamics, and environmental regulations jointly shape national performance. Using cross country comparisons and institutional analysis, we propose an integrated framework showing how institutional frictions dilute the country’s considerable human capital. We explore alternative explanations grounded in social preferences and risk aversion and offer a balanced discussion of policy implications. The goal is to understand how individual excellence can translate into collective prosperity.

Keyword: regulation; education governance; welfare incentives; administrative centralization; efficiency; migration dynamics.

IORTYER AONDOVER DOMINIC & UCHE ONYEDI

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6310

ABSTRACT: This study examines the impact of diaspora remittances inflow on economic growth in Nigeria over the period 1980–2024 using the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) method, the study models gross domestic product (GDP) as a function of diaspora remittances (DREM), exchange rate (EXCHR), trade openness (EXIM), and inflation (INF). The result reveals that GDP maintained a relatively stable growth pattern while remittances exhibited high volatility Exchange rate also showed significant instability. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller test indicates that all variables are integrated of order one, I (1), while the Johansen cointegration test suggests weak evidence of a long-run relationship. The FMOLS results show that DREM and EXCHR have positive and statistically significant effects on GDP, whereas EXIM and INF coefficient are negative and statistically insignificant. The model exhibits strong explanatory power with an R-squared of 0.9321 and adjusted R-squared of 0.9252. Diagnostic tests confirm model reliability, with normally distributed residuals and parameter stability. The study concludes that remittances and exchange rate are key drivers of economic growth in Nigeria. And recommends for policies that could increase and sustain diaspora remittances to the country

Keyword: Diaspora remittances, economic growth, FMOLS, exchange rate, trade openness

Richmond Owusu-Mainu; Alex Agyemang Asante; Lucky Austin Kandoje; Vanessa Williams

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6311

ABSTRACT: In this major research paper, we explore the integration of AI and advanced technologies in audit practice of Ghana, a developing West African economy, using AI-based audit tools, machine learning algorithms, and data analytics technologies in Ghana’s financial sector. Using a multiple regression analysis with SPSS statistical software, we present the results of 250 audit professionals across Ghana's major audit firms, banks, and financial institutions in the research study based on an analysis of the data of audit professionals with high audit efficiency (β = 0.645, p < 0.001), fraud detection (β = 0.578, p < 0.001), and overall quality of audit in Ghana (β = 0.512, p < 0.001) in the financial industry. However, there are key challenges in digital infrastructure, poor training of auditors, the lack of legal framework, regulatory uncertainty, and high implementation costs, which make it difficult to adopt these technologies in large numbers. The study is also an opportunity to understand barriers to AI adoption in developing country audit and provide guidance to audit regulators, professional bodies, and auditing firms in Ghana. The research highlights that AI integration needs to be done in a coordinated fashion, both in terms of capacity building, regulatory framework creation, and organizational culture transformation with a focus on developing countries where there is limited institutional capacity.

Keyword: Artificial Intelligence, Audit Practices, Technology Integration, Fraud Detection, Audit Quality, Digital Transformation, Developing Countries.

Richmond Owusu-Mainu; Vanessa Williams; Alex Agyemang Asante

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6312

ABSTRACT: There are a lot of challenges in tertiary education in Ghana; these are the major developments that affect education funding. A literature review and mixed-method analysis of Ghana's higher education system has been conducted by which we have identified critical infrastructural, financial, and governance issues in Ghana's higher education structure. The key findings are that poor state support of higher education facilities, lack of access to health care in Ghana and a lack of quality assurance in the system and poor implementation of the quality assurance process can make institutions more and more financially challenged. It is well-known that universities in Ghana are still waiting for government funding, lack of research infrastructure and lack of self-financing. At the same time, they have developed new challenges in areas which are emerging from neoliberal policies and weak policy implementation, and where access is not equal. Moreover, our study shows that good financing mechanisms (public-private partnerships, cost management, and diversified revenue sources) are needed to address these problems. We suggest a comprehensive policy package that is better at government funding and institutional autonomy, fiscal prudence, and collaborative funding models to promote sustainable tertiary education in Ghana.

Keyword: Tertiary Education, Education Financing, Higher Education Challenges, Quality Assurance, Infrastructure, Public Funding, Institutional Sustainability

Samira Salam

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6313

ABSTRACT: Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is the most effective intervention for protecting the health of both the fetus and the pregnant woman by quickly detecting problems in the early stages. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends for a cost-effective, evidence-based approach whereby pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies should get at least four antenatal care (ANC) visits. A significant proportion of women in many developing countries do not obtain the essential minimum of four visits. Determining the levels and determinants of ANC coverage is crucial for the government and other stakeholders to implement effective measures to enhance maternal health and pregnancy outcomes. Purpose: The objective of this study is to identify the factors associated with receiving a minimum of four antenatal care visits. Method: This study is based on data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017–2018. To identify the factors associated with the use of ANC during pregnancy, various statistical tools such as χ2 test and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed. Result: The socioeconomic and demographic variables that are strongly linked to the quantity of ANC visits and the obtaining of vital ANC service components in Bangladesh were identified by this study. The chance that pregnant women in Bangladesh will seek four or more ANC visits is significantly influenced by the administrative division, place of residence, mothers' educational attainment, financial status, and partner's educational attainment. Conclusion: The results of this study show that Bangladesh does not comply with the WHO's recommendation on the minimum number of ANC visits. This investigation revealed the socioeconomic and demographic factors that are significantly associated with the number of ANC visits and the receipt of essential components of ANC services in Bangladesh. The results of this study might help policymakers and health care programmers adopt regulations and programs to maximize ANC coverage for all people. Suggestion: To further improve the availability of competent maternal care, public media campaigns highlighting the advantages of attending ANC regularly and adhering to its suggested content should be strengthened. The ANC program in Bangladesh has to be revised in accordance with the most recent WHO guidelines, which emphasize at least eight ANC visits in order to significantly improve mother and child health.

Keyword: Antenatal Care (ANC) visit, Determinants of ANC visit, BDHS Data, χ2 test, Multinomial Logistic Regression Analysis

Ayadi Sahar; Assil bouzouitina; Svitlana Ostapenko

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6314

ABSTRACT: Horizontal coopetition—the collaboration between direct competitors operating at the same market level—has increasingly emerged as a critical interorganizational strategy for enabling digital coopetition and business model innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Although prior research has examined the relationships between horizontal coopetition, digital coopetition, governance, and business model innovation, limited attention has been devoted to explaining the resource orchestration mechanisms through which these relationships create value and enhance innovation performance. This article addresses this gap by mobilising Resource Orchestration Theory (ROT; Sirmon et al., 2011). It argues that horizontal coopetition provides access to complementary resources, but these resources generate value only when they are effectively orchestrated—structured, bundled, and leveraged—through digital coopetition within governance arrangements comprising legal, transactional, and relational mechanisms that coordinate interfirm collaboration. The empirical analysis relies on secondary data collected from 143 French industrial SME clusters, with particular attention to the Vallée de l'Arve, and employs partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) using XLSTAT. The findings demonstrate substantial explanatory power and confirm the complementary roles of horizontal coopetition, digital coopetition, and governance in enhancing business model innovation performance. By conceptualising digital coopetition as the mechanism through which complementary resources are orchestrated in competitive relationships, this study extends Resource Orchestration Theory beyond intra-organisational resource deployment to interorganizational competitive settings. It also opens promising avenues for future research by encouraging further investigation into the breadth and depth of digitalisation as orchestration mechanisms and the cognitive antecedents of coopetition, including managers' coopetition readiness and Coopetitive mindset.

Keyword: horizontal coopetition; resource orchestration theory; digital coopetition; governance; business model innovation; SMEs; PLS-SEM

Pauline Agyeiwaa Twumasi & Dr. Susan Doofan Albert-Makyur & Turkson Agyin Benjamin

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6315

ABSTRACT: Climate-induced rural-urban migration is intensifying across West Africa, placing unprecedented pressure on receiving cities. Ghana offers a particularly instructive case, ecological stressors in the northern savanna regions are dismantling rural livelihoods and channelling migrants into Accra's expanding informal settlements, where compound climate vulnerabilities deepen existing social inequalities. Existing studies treat climate-induced migration and urban resilience as largely separate bodies of inquiry. No integrated conceptual architecture accounts for the full causal chain from ecological stress in source regions, through the dynamics of informal urbanisation, to the governance conditions that either amplify or attenuate urban vulnerability. This paper develops the CMIVGR framework, derives four theoretically grounded propositions, embeds both within a systems feedback analysis, and grounds the argument comparatively across five West African cities. A qualitative conceptual synthesis draws on an integrative review of 85+ peer-reviewed sources, international policy frameworks, and grey literature spanning climate migration, urban informality, resilience theory, and adaptive governance. The paper produces four original figures and five analytical contributions: (i) the CMIVGR Conceptual Framework (Figure 3); (ii) the Systems Dynamics Feedback Loop / vulnerability spiral (Figure 4); (iii) the Adaptive Governance Framework (Figure 5); (iv) a Multi-Level Governance Model (Figure 6); and (v) a comparative cross-city analysis across five WASCAL-region cities paired with a six-pillar governance roadmap for climate-resilient African cities. Durable urban resilience requires a fundamental shift from engineering-dominated, reactive governance toward participatory, polycentric adaptive governance that treats informal residents as co-producers of resilience and migration as a legitimate adaptive strategy.

Keyword: climate-induced migration, urban resilience, informal settlements, adaptive governance, Ghana, west Africa

Budi Hartono; Sumani; Novi Puspitasari; Prostu Nawawi

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2026.6316

ABSTRACT: This study aims to examine the comparative analysis and accuracy of the Altman Z-score, Springate, Zmijewski, and Grover models in predicting financial distress in basic and chemical industry sector companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the period 2020-2025. This study uses a quantitative approach with a descriptive-comparative type. The study population is all companies listed on the IDX in the basic and chemical industry category according to JASICA sector code 3. The sample of this study is the basic and chemical industry sector companies listed on the IDX for the period 2020- 2025 and meet all the established criteria. This study aims to answer three research questions; the conclusions of this study are described as follows. First, regarding the problem formulation regarding the results of financial distress prediction based on each model individually, the four models show different classification patterns according to the characteristics of their respective formulas. Second, regarding the formulation of the problem regarding whether there is a significant difference between the prediction results of the four models, the results of the non-parametric pairwise comparison test prove that there is a significant difference between the prediction results of the Altman Z''-Score, Springate, Zmijewski, and Grover models, both at the categorical classification level (Healthy/Distress) and at the underlying raw score level. Third, regarding the formulation of the problem regarding which model has the highest level of accuracy, the results of the accuracy test using a confusion matrix show that the Grover G-Score model has the highest level of overall accuracy compared to the other three models, so it is determined as the model with the highest level of accuracy in predicting financial distress in basic and chemical industry sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange period 2020–2025.

Keyword: Altman Z-Score, Springate, Zmijewski, and Grover, Financial Distress