Tournament incentives and environmental performance: the role of green innovation.

Since sustainable development concerns emerged, researchers have studied which environmental regulations motivate companies to improve their environmental performance. Environmental goals are best achieved by either changing people's behavior or modifying technology. Thus, this study contributes to the existing literature on corporate governance and social and environmental accountability by examining the impact of CEO's tournament incentives (TI) on Chinese firms' environmental reporting and performance. Furthermore, the study consequently establishes how much tournament incentives and environmental practices connection are explained with green innovation. Using the panel data regression model, the study finds that CEOs' tournament incentives are favorably connected with Chinese enterprises' environmental performance and negatively with environmental reporting over 10 years (2010-2019). Furthermore, our findings suggest that green innovation positively mediates the TI environmental performance nexus. The study provided excellent implications for Chinese society, which can lead to achieving a "greener GDP" and a "harmonious society" for which China is dreaming and striving. The study findings have significant implications for stakeholders, including CEOs' policymakers, corporate regulators, environmentalists, and policymakers.

Volatility connectedness of GCC stock markets: how global oil price volatility drives volatility spillover in GCC stock markets?

The study investigated the volatility connectedness of GCC stock market return and S&P global oil index returns using Diebold and Yilmaz (2012) method. The current study has also analyzed the possible impact of oil price volatility on net volatility spillover in GCC stock market returns pre- and post-COVID-19 period. The current study results suggest that the GCC stock markets have volatility connectedness with S&P Global Oil Index returns' volatility and across GCC stock markets. The GCC stock markets have greater volatility in their stock markets than volatility spillover from other GCC countries. Further investigation also suggests that global oil price volatility has a divergent causal impact on net spillover in GCC stock markets. Such results would enhance the understanding of GCC stock market connection, spillover, and economic channels through which GCC markets are connected.

Depressive symptoms faced by non-native international medical students in China during COVID-19.

This study examines depressive symptoms faced by non-native international medical students studying in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The targeted population for this cross-sectional study included non-native medical students studying in Chinese universities. This study used convenience sampling. An online, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to international medical students studying in Chinese universities from February 2020 to June 2021. The questionnaire collected demographic data, information regarding struggles faced, and used the CES-D-10 Likert scale to assess both the challenges and depression symptoms, respectively. By analyzing the 1,207 students' responses, the study found that students with poor Chinese language were two times more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms (OR = 2.67; value of p 0.00). Moreover, female students were found more prone (76.35%) than their male counterparts (44.96%). The study found that food adaptability, health issues, accommodation issues, and financial issues were related factors contributing to depressive symptoms among non-native international medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study tried to highlight the factors that resulted in depressive symptoms among non-native international medical students, and the findings may help diplomatic representatives take necessary actions to help their citizens during this difficult time.

Could the academic advisor, intrinsic motivation, and time management influence students' attitudes towards research work on campus?

BACKGROUND: Research is essential and necessary for those who love learning, whether they belong to a research institution or not. Numerous elements influence researchers' attitudes towards good research work, but in this study we focus on the most significant ones: advisor support, intrinsic motivation, timing, and planning. OBJECTIVES: The current study aims at motivating readers to help improve students' attitudes towards research work within the university context. METHOD: The target demographic of the current research comprises masters and doctoral students from three major public institutions in Xi'an, China. We aimed to examine the effects of the variables and the study employed correlation and stepwise regression. RESULTS: The results show that advisor support influences attitudes towards research positively and significantly (ß= 0.20, p < 0.01). Likewise, intrinsic motivation has a positive and significant effect on attitude towards research (ß= 0.18, p < 0.01). Time attitudes significantly influenced attitudes towards research (ß= 0.14, p < 0.05). Furthermore, time planning also positively and significantly influenced the attitude towards research (ß= 0.15, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: To achieve an excellent attitude towards research work, students need a cooperative academic advisor who will intrinsically motivate them in their research activities. However, they must manage their academic time and be equipped with time management skills.

Sustainable environment, energy and finance in China: evidence from dynamic modelling using carbon emissions and ecological footprints.

This study investigates sustainable finance along with sustainable economic factors on both carbon emissions and ecological footprints in China. A novel Dynamic Autoregressive Distributed Lag technique is applied; results revealed sustainable finance exerts positive/negative influence on carbon emissions in the long and short run, respectively. Results are robust with ecological footprints that sustainable finance placed a lucrative cause to preserve the environment. Sustainable economic factors show a positive impact on carbon emissions in the long run, whilst economic growth, energy consumption and exports improve environmental quality. Conversely, in the short run, urbanisation supports the environment whilst economic development, energy use and exports exert a positive impact. In addition, this study suggests useful policy implications for the stakeholders.

How Information-Seeking Behavior, Essential Technologies, and Resilience Enhance the Academic Performance of Students.

This study explores how the scholarly accomplishments of students might increment due to specific fundamental causes. The academic performance of the student was prioritized as a dependent variable, and the independent indicators chosen were "information seeking, IT ability, reading/writing capacity, and resilience." At the same time, age, gender, marital status, and family income were included in the control variables. The research subject samples were limited to (N = 288) postgraduate students from three mega universities in Islamabad, Pakistan. Forward regression analysis was performed in this research to decide the impact of the indicators. The results indicate that information seeking affects academic performance positively and significantly. Essentially, the study revealed that information technology (IT) skills make a fundamentally positive and significant impact on academic performance. Reading and writing influenced academic performance considerably. In addition, resilience affected academic performance emphatically and essentially. Further, this research also noted the relationships between information-seeking behaviors, IT ability, reading/writing capacities, and resilience capabilities and the academic performance of students. These variables have a positive impact on the academic performance of students.

Willingness of Chinese, Studying in Germany to Fly Back to China Due to Their Risk Perception About COVID-19.

PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to examine the risk perception of Chinese students studying in Germany, which is the country fifth-most affected by COVID-19 in the world, who wish to return to China. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After controlling the COVID-19 situation in the country, China reopened the entire country, including Wuhan, which was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. A well-structured questionnaire was sent to Chinese students through a WeChat survey, a special feature within this mobile application, similar to Google Docs. The link was sent to 2000 students studying in Germany, and we received 1232 responses. RESULTS: The study found that the majority of Chinese students are willing to come back to China, considering the current risk of COVID-19 in Germany. A higher mortality rate influences their wish to return to China. Additionally, the special family size of "One Child" in the family also a key driver of Chinese student's wish to get back home. CONCLUSION: This study provides useful information to policymakers to implement proactive measures to manage students who want to return to China, as they may be the cause of the second wave of COVID-19 in China.

Risk Perception of International Medical Students About Coronavirus (COVID-19) in China and Their Willingness to Fly Back.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the willingness of international medical students enrolled in Chinese universities to return to their home countries based on their risk perception of the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A well-structured questionnaire was incorporated into the WeChat survey, a special feature within this mobile application, similar to Google Docs. The questionnaire was sent to 1190 international medical students across China between January 1, 2020 and May 15, 2020. A total of 897 completed questionnaires were returned, indicating a 75% response rate. RESULTS: The survey findings show that the risk perception of international medical students about COVID-19 was low because of the strong preventive measures taken by the Chinese government against COVID-19. Moreover, they were willing to stay in China until the completion of their degrees. In contrast, students who have completed their degrees were willing to return home immediately if possible. CONCLUSION: These findings are of serious concern for developing countries where they come from because their return to their home countries may cause an epidemic outbreak in those regions.

Moderating role of financial ratios in corporate social responsibility disclosure and firm value.

This study investigates the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure for multi-stakeholders and financial performance of a firm through accounting-based activities for CSR. A dataset of Chinese non-financial firms listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange from 2008 to 2012 is taken from the China Stock Market & Accounting Research database. The study compares different financial ratios of CSR disclosure and non-disclosure firms. Moreover, the financial ratios of CSR disclosure firms also compare with the industry averages. The results suggest that the financial of CSR disclosure firms are better than both CSR non-disclosure firms and industry averages. These financial ratios ensure the claim of a firm that they are socially responsible toward multi-stakeholders. Further, the same financial ratios are used as moderator variables between CSR disclosure for multi-stakeholders (independent variable) and firm financial performance (dependent variable). The relationship between CSR disclosure and firm value is moderated by the financial ratios. The moderation effect of financial ratios is rarely used in the literature of CSR disclosure and firm value.