Mir Shahid Satar

Purpose: This study aims to examine how different digital knowledge processes – knowledge creation, dissemination and utilization – contribute to social value creation (SVC) in social enterprises through the mediating role of entrepreneurial resilience. It shifts attention to the micro-level mechanisms through which digital knowledge is put into practice, explaining how mission-driven entrepreneurs convert digital knowledge into sustained social impact under conditions of uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach: Survey data were collected from 162 social entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed model. Resilience was modeled as a dynamic mediating capability, drawing on knowledge dynamics theory and absorptive capacity reasoning to link digital knowledge processes with SVC. Findings: The results show that digital knowledge utilization is the only dimension with a direct and significant effect on SVC, whereas knowledge creation and dissemination do not exert direct effects but operate indirectly through resilience. This indicates an indirect-only mediation pattern for knowledge creation and dissemination and complementary partial mediation for knowledge utilization. Resilience demonstrates both a direct effect and a mediating role, underscoring its importance as an adaptive capability that conditions how effectively digital knowledge is transformed into actionable and socially impactful outcomes in resource-constrained environments. Research limitations/implications: The use of cross-sectional, perceptual data limits causal inference and the comprehensive measurement of SVC. Future research may extend this work by testing the model across diverse emerging economies, incorporating objective and multidimensional indicators of social value and using longitudinal designs to better capture the evolving relationship between digital knowledge and resilience. Practical implications: This study highlights that technology adoption alone is insufficient to generate social impact. For practitioners, the findings emphasize the need to build absorptive capacity, strengthen resilience and embed digital knowledge into decision-making routines. For policymakers, digital infrastructure investments should be complemented with capacity-building initiatives, resilience training and ecosystem-level knowledge-sharing platforms to strengthen social entrepreneurship in emerging economies. Originality/value: This study contributes by refining and extending knowledge dynamics theory in the context of social entrepreneurship, demonstrating that digital knowledge processes do not independently generate social value but require adaptive enactment through resilience. It further integrates a dynamic capabilities perspective by positioning resilience as a mediating capability rather than a static trait. Moving beyond monolithic views of digital transformation, this study disaggregates digital knowledge processes and provides an empirically grounded framework explaining how and when digital knowledge translates into SVC at the micro (entrepreneurial) level.

This study introduces and examines the interdisciplinary dimensions of ecological grief, spiritual ecology, and systems thinking in shaping sustainable entrepreneurial intention among young people in the Indian‐administered Kashmir region, an area marked by ecological fragility and political instability. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior, the framework integrates emotional, spiritual, and cognitive antecedents, together with the mediating role of entrepreneurial self‐identity and the moderating role of social support. A survey of 326 aspiring entrepreneurs was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM). Findings show that ecological grief and systems thinking do not directly predict entrepreneurial intention, while spiritual ecology exerts a strong positive influence and fosters systems‐oriented thinking. Entrepreneurial self‐identity did not mediate the ecological grief–intention pathway, challenging prevailing assumptions, whereas social support significantly strengthened the link between identity and intention. The study advances a context‐sensitive framework for sustainability‐oriented entrepreneurship in fragile regions, directly contributing to debates on the Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights the need to design entrepreneurship and development strategies that build emotional resilience, embed spiritual and cultural grounding, and mobilize supportive environments to foster sustainable futures in ecologically and politically vulnerable contexts.

This study investigates how sustainability orientation influences entrepreneurs' sustainability behavior through the mediating role of stress, and how this relationship is shaped by bottom‐line mentality and intrinsic motivation. Based on matched dyadic survey data from 396 entrepreneurs and 787 of their subordinates working in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia, we apply partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) to test a moderated mediation model grounded in self‐determination theory (SDT) and cognitive dissonance theory (CDT). The findings reveal that stress significantly mediates the relationship between sustainability orientation and sustainability behavior. Additionally, bottom‐line mentality strengthens, while intrinsic motivation weakens, the effect of sustainability orientation on stress. These results demonstrate that the psychological experience of value conflict plays a pivotal role in sustainability implementation. The study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by integrating motivational and dissonance‐based explanations of sustainability behavior. It also offers practical insights for policymakers seeking to design support systems that reduce stress and encourage authentic sustainability engagement in institutional contexts.

Purpose: This study aims to develop and validate a scale measuring Digital Business Model Innovation (DBMI) within organisations. The goal is to provide a reliable and comprehensive tool for assessing the extent of DBMI in practice. Design/methodology/approach: The paper follows a rigorous scale development process, which includes item generation, scale development, and purification. Validity and reliability tests were conducted using survey data from two sample sets of 485 and 459 SMEs in India. Findings: The study identifies a multidimensional conceptualisation of DBMI, consisting of Value Proposition Innovation, Revenue Model Innovation, Customer Engagement Innovation, Operational Model Innovation, Ecosystem and Partnership Innovation, Organisational Innovation, and Technological Innovation. The developed scale demonstrates strong convergent and discriminant validity, confirming its usefulness as a measurement tool. Research limitations/implications: This study advances the understanding of DBMI by providing a solid conceptual framework and a reliable measurement scale. However, the cross-sectional design limits the ability to establish causal relationships, suggesting the need for longitudinal studies to explore the long-term effects of DBMI. Practical implications: Practitioners can use the scale to assess their organisation’s DBMI level, benchmark against industry peers, and identify areas for improvement. The scale’s multidimensional nature enables the design of targeted interventions and more efficient resource allocation for successful DBMI. Social implications: A higher DBMI level can enhance organisational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and value creation, contributing to broader societal benefits such as economic growth, job creation, and innovation. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature by developing a reliable measurement scale and offering a comprehensive conceptualisation of DBMI. The mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data, strengthens the findings and provides valuable insights for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers interested in DBMI.

Purpose: Social value creation (SVC) is the primary emphasis for unifying the various issues in contemporary social entrepreneurship (SE) literature and practice since it highlights the fundamental problem of sustainability in SE business. Accordingly, SVC as an outcome of SE represents the primary drive of social entrepreneurs (SEs). However, SEs encounter multi-dimensional challenges as they work to build their SE businesses and create social value. In the current context of digitally transforming entrepreneurship scenario, this study investigates the role of SE compassion and digital learning orientation (DLO) for SVC ability of SEs.Design/methodology/approach: The study utilized a quantitative survey approach for primary data collection from social entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. A total of 158 valid replies from social entrepreneurs were obtained for the study. Using SmartPLS (3.0), partial least square structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.Findings: The results validated a model of SVC in which the SE compassion and DLO positively impact the SVC ability in SEs. However, the impact of DLO in moderating the SE compassion - SVC relationship in SEs was not proven.Practical implications: The study established the role of SE compassion in explaining the distinctive SVC ability in SEs. Meanwhile, given the expanding necessity for SEs to leverage digital technologies for SE missions, the study provides implications for nurturing positive outcomes in terms of SE compassion and DLO outcomes among SEs. This organized knowledge can help entrepreneurs, educators and policymakers better incorporate these concerns in SE education, and social enterprises and entrepreneurs’ developmental initiatives.Originality/value: This work is pioneering in that it conceptualizes and tests a theoretical framework that links SE compassion, DLO, and SVC in SEs. Meanwhile, the study is the first to operationalize the DLO in entrepreneurs. The study thus generates fresh insights about SVC in SE amid the digitally transforming entrepreneurship scenario.

The emerging literature demonstrates the significance of digital learning in developing sustainable employability skills in learners. In the modern scenario of digitally transforming business and entrepreneurship education (EE), the study examines the role of digital learning orientation (DLO) for the development of entrepreneurial competencies (ECs) in graduates while considering the effects of blended learning (BL) behavior. The study data came from a survey of 317 graduate students in Saudi Arabia, where digitalization and entrepreneurship are positioned as new agendas for sustainable development in the education sector. The data analysis results from partial least squares structural equation modelling (SmartPLS 3.0) revealed that DLO has a direct impact on the development of ECs in graduates. However, the effects of BL on ECs were not proven. Nevertheless, BL was found to moderate the relationship between DLO and ECs. As a result, the study produced new theoretical and practical implications underpinning digital learning and EE in the contemporary digitalization context.