Radhika Lakshminarayanan

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies have increasingly integrated sustainability, corporate governance reform and social inclusion into their economic diversification agendas. Drawing on a strategic sustainability perspective, this study examines whether ESG performance contributes to inclusive governance by enhancing board gender diversity in publicly listed GCC firms. Specifically, it investigates workforce quality as a mediating mechanism and assesses the moderating roles of CSR strategy and sustainability‐linked executive compensation incentives. The study uses firm‐level ESG and financial data from London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Datastream, together with macroeconomic indicators from the World Bank, covering an unbalanced panel of 1398 firm‐year observations from 281 listed firms over the period 2010–2024. The data are analysed using two‐step system generalised method of moments (System‐GMM) estimation to account for dynamic persistence, unobserved heterogeneity and potential endogeneity while testing the proposed mediation and moderation relationships. The findings reveal that ESG performance is positively associated with both workforce quality and board gender diversity. However, workforce quality fully mediates the ESG‐board gender diversity relationship, indicating that ESG commitments are translated into inclusive board outcomes primarily through stronger human capital practices, employee‐oriented systems and inclusive organisational capabilities. The results further show that CSR strategy strengthens workforce quality but weakens the marginal effect of ESG performance on workforce outcomes, suggesting a substitution effect when CSR practices become highly formalised. Similarly, sustainability‐linked executive incentives directly support board gender diversity but reduce the positive influence of workforce quality on board gender diversity. Overall, the findings suggest that ESG performance alone is insufficient to advance gender‐inclusive governance unless supported by substantive workforce development and well‐aligned sustainability incentives. This study contributes to the CSR, ESG and sustainability governance literature by identifying workforce capabilities as a key organisational pathway linking ESG commitments to board‐level diversity outcomes in emerging GCC markets.

In the 21st century, many socio‐economic and political structures have been redefined, particularly amidst escalation of economic and military threats across the world. Under these circumstances, traditional approaches to conflict prevention and conflict resolution have limited success. Not only are some conflicts never fully resolved and continue to escalate intermittently, even older conflicts that were considered resolved are re‐emerging in newer avatars . Often conflicts are sustained due to cognitive and emotional dynamics that play a crucial role in determining attitudes of the people, based on their experiences as well as collective memory of previous transgressions. This collective memory is further re‐ignited through rhetoric of leaders and media as well as the lack of direct contact between adversaries. Historically in the case of Iraq and Kuwait, control over hydrocarbon reserves and access to shared waterways remained sensitive issues, ultimately culminating in the Gulf war of 1991. Although deep animosities of Gulf War experiences sustained the collective memory of both nations, consistent efforts at conflict transformation demonstrate a more proactive approach towards future collaboration between the two. Within the above contexts, this paper presents the Kuwait‐Iraq conflict as a case study on the implications of collective memory in 21st century conflict transformation.

The police as a law-enforcement agency has evolved throughout the modern world stemming from the need for lawful coexistence and order within civil societies. Police organizational structure, funct...

Amidst the global transitions towards a multipolar order in the 21st century, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are emerging as a crucial regional bloc aiming for wider global relevance. Among these, Kuwait, despite being a ‘small state,’ has gained respect and stature through its diplomatic acumen, playing roles as a mediator and aid giver, while committing to multilateralism. This paper examines how Kuwait’s foreign policy posture has evolved within the region’s geopolitical structure, with a primary focus on its soft power projection through subtle diplomacy. Using a historical framework, this study highlights the emergence of Kuwait as a stabilizing actor amidst growing regional rivalries through a comparative analysis. The author concludes that despite internal structural constraints and geo-strategic external pressures, Kuwait’s nuanced foreign policy approach is a good example of how small-state diplomacy can shape larger regional dynamics. Thereby, this article contributes to a broader understanding of how small states exercise global agency in regions where great power competition and intra-regional rivalries intersect.

The research title and focus are clear and form an interesting, albeit much-written theme. While skin color has defined perceptions of attractiveness in many societies worldwide, its connotations in South Asian societies like India, Pakistan, and Ban...

Gender equality remains a recurrent goal of governments across the world, yet discrimination and abuse continue to impede the progress of women. Within India's patriarchal society, women continue to be viewed through a stereotypical lens. Despite greater focus on female literacy and enactment of legislations that seek to protect women's rights, the safety of women from crime remains tenuous. This research explores trajectories of female literacy and crimes against women (CAW) in India to find possible correlations. Data from the Ministry of Statistics, the National Crime Record Bureau, National Census records and official sample surveys were obtained from government databases. Further, bivariate regression analysis was used to validate the hypothesis. The results indicate a clear correlation between female literacy and CAW, although other factors may be considered to explain certain anomalies.

Although traditionally considered a male bastion, higher education in India is attracting more women who seek professional and career advancement. However, the prevalence of overt and covert discrimination, sexual harassment, and violence within academia continues to victimize women. India's traditional patriarchal society, structured on gender stereotypes, bias and inequity, impacts at all levels. Within the above contexts, this study analyzes secondary data on the prevalence of sexual harassment and gender-based violence against women within academia in India, and seeks to understand its contextual dynamics and dimensions. The authors conclude that despite many legislations, constitutional guarantees and governmental guidelines, female students, faculty, and staff within academia face considerable sexual harassment and violence that threatens to limit the progression of women toward academic pursuits as well as attainment of leadership in society.