درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The development of the nation’s economy is supported by the growing diversity and enthusiasm of interest among academics, particularly in the transforming procedures with an entrepreneurial orientation. The study investigates changing entrepreneurial-oriented practices and the performance of SMEs utilizing a cross-sectional survey amongst the four top grocery registered SMEs operating in Ikorodu local government division of Lagos State, Nigeria. The tool for gathering data is a questionnaire with two sections: bio-data and research questions. While 100 respondents formed the sample size proportionally selected from the study focus. Pearson correlation is the statistical tool for data analysis. The study reveals that creativeness and alleviation of business loss have a highly significant impact on SMEs performance; with pro-activeness having a weak, but positive relevance on SMEs performance. In conclusion, to further improve and optimize entrepreneurial orientation practices and adapt to future threatening changes, firms need to strengthen the desire for healthy competition, identifying and targeting the weaknesses of their competitors. It is recommended that more innovativeness should be sought after as guiding principles for capability and adaptability to handle the complexity of the ever-changing business surrounding, while involvement in risk-taking should be adopted with inevitable zeal and willingness to attain organizational growth and improved performance. Pro-activeness should be given adequate consideration to maintain and surpass existing performance as opportunities come but once. Despite study limitations, future researchers may need to enlarge the sample size and create awareness of research conducted on SMEs generally. Keywords: Change, Entrepreneurial orientation, Performance, Practices, SMEs.

Objective: The tourism sector, a significant component of the global service industry, is vital for a nation’s economic development and income generation. Therefore, it is essential to ascertain the factors influencing the demand for this type of service. The main aim of this study is to examine the impact of exchange rates on tourism demand in Iran. Methods: This study examined the long-term and short-term relationships between Iran’s tourism arrivals and variables such as the exchange rate, political risk, and other factors influencing tourism demand, including inflation, foreign investment, oil revenue, GDP, and population, employing time series data from 1995 to 2024 and the Dynamic ARDL simulation method. Results: The results indicate that political risk significantly detrimentally affects Iran’s tourism demand, whereas the exchange rate has a notable positive influence. Since 2010, when the fourth round of sanctions began, political risk has escalated owing to internal and external conflicts, negatively impacting international tourism demand. Conclusions: The interplay between exchange rate variables and political risk was found to positively influence tourism demand. The increase in the exchange rate decreases the costs of tourism services, and also stimulates creative business endeavors in the tourism industry.

Although previous research has examined the application of artificial intelligence (AI) across various areas of finance, there remains limited empirical evidence regarding its impact on corporate financial asset allocation. This gap is particularly evident when considering the organisational capabilities that enable firms to utilise AI technologies effectively. In the rapidly evolving technological landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a pivotal force driving innovation and transformation within corporate financial management. By embedding AI into organisational processes, companies have fundamentally reshaped their financial decision-making frameworks. However, the exact mechanisms through which AI adoption shapes the allocation of financial assets are still not fully understood. This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies influence the allocation of financial assets within corporations, with a specific focus on the moderating influence of three dynamic organisational capabilities: absorptive capacity, innovation capability, and adaptability. Based on panel data collected from companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange between 2020 and 2024, AI adoption is measured through textual analysis of management commentary reports obtained from the Codal system. The dependent variable comprises a set of financial ratios, including the proportion of financial assets relative to a firm’s total assets. The analysis employs multiple regression models with interaction terms to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings indicate that the adoption of AI substantially enhances the effectiveness of distributing financial assets. Moreover, absorptive capacity and innovation capability strengthen the association between AI adoption and the allocation of financial assets within firms' performance, while adaptability shows no statistically significant moderating effect. These results highlight the importance of both technological infrastructure and internal capabilities for leveraging advanced technologies to their fullest potential. This research not only enriches the academic discourse with fresh empirical insights but also offers valuable implications for financial managers, capital market regulators, and policymakers engaged in organisational digital transformation strategies.

The Arash (Al-Durra) gas field, located in the northern Persian Gulf, is a shared natural resource claimed by Iran, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. Ongoing maritime boundary disputes have made the development of this field a geopolitical and legal challenge. Game theory is used in this research to model the strategic interactions between the three states under various cooperation and competition scenarios. The results indicate that trilateral cooperation would be the greatest economic and security benefits for all parties; however, political tensions and legal barriers, particularly Iran’s non-membership in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), hinder such outcomes in the short term. Iran experiences the greatest losses under competitive strategies, while Saudi Arabia and Kuwait benefit more from bilateral agreements. The study also explores how Iran’s legal position could be strengthened through accession to UNCLOS and the adoption of a flexible strategy that combines active diplomacy with cautious resource exploitation. This approach could improve Iran’s bargaining power and reduce its isolation in the dispute. The research offers a comprehensive analysis of the legal, geopolitical, and economic dimensions of the Arash field conflict and provides actionable policy recommendations to reduce tensions and promote equitable, long-term resource sharing in the region.