Farooq Ahmad Bajwa

Sustainable business model innovation (SBMI) has garnered increasing attention in sustainability and management research; however, its role in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) remains underexplored, particularly in emerging‐economy contexts. Drawing on the resource‐based view, this study examines how digital transformation (DT) influences corporate sustainability performance (CSP) through SBMI in innovative SMEs. Specifically, SBMI is conceptualized as the pathway through which digital transformation supports environmental, social, and financial sustainability outcomes. Based on survey data from 401 innovative SMEs in Pakistan, the study applies a two‐stage SEM–ANN approach: PLS–SEM for RBV‐based hypothesis testing and ANN for complementary predictive assessment and relative predictor‐importance evaluation. The findings show that DT significantly enhances SBMI and directly improves financial sustainability performance, whereas its effects on environmental and social sustainability performance are primarily realized through SBMI. The results further confirm that SBMI mediates the relationship between DT and all three dimensions of CSP. These results advance DT–SBMI research by showing that digital tools generate sustainability benefits when firms incorporate them into business model redesign, particularly through sustainable value proposition, value creation and delivery, and value capture mechanisms. The findings also suggest that SME managers should connect digital investment decisions with SBMI practices to strengthen sustainability outcomes.

Introduction: This study examined how process standardisation can be used to improve the managerial perception of customer satisfaction in Malaysian manufacturing companies in the context of high-low business process automation. Methods: A primary quantitative methodology was used, with 250 managers, supervisors, and IT professionals surveyed using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. PLS-SEM and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA) were applied to analyse the data. The dimensions of Process Standardisation comprised Process Execution, Inputs & Outputs, Collaboration & Communication, Governance, Strategy, and Data. Results: Each of the six process standardisation dimensions demonstrated significant relationships with managers' perceptions of customer satisfaction. However, the MGA revealed that only some of these relationships varied significantly between firms with low and high levels of automation, data, inputs, outputs, and strategy. The other standardised process dimensions did not differ significantly between high and low automation levels. Data were found to be the strongest predictors of managerial perceptions of customer satisfaction across both high- and low-automation firms. Data were found to be strongly related to managerial perceptions of customer satisfaction in the overall sample, followed by Collaboration and Communication, Governance, Process Execution, Inputs, and Outputs. Conclusion: Strategic customer satisfaction in Malaysian manufacturing can be achieved through process standardisation. The focus on data use, administrative levels, and operational consistency, promoted through automation and manager oversight, can enhance competitiveness and quality.

We examined the influence of digital financial inclusion (DFI) on economic growth and environmental sustainability in ASEAN nations from 2005 to 2022. Employing advanced econometric techniques such as Pooled Ordinary Least Squares (POLS), Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS), and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), we uncovered compelling findings: DFI boosts the economy but at an environmental cost. This surprising outcome poses a significant challenge for policymakers striving to balance economic benefits with ecological health. Our study calls for strategic government action to reconcile these critical areas, ensuring sustainable regional development.