Purpose: Prior studies show that inventory holding is closely linked to liquidity and procyclical dependent on the combination of macroeconomic and firm characteristics. Thus, conditional linear factor models such as OLS should fail to explain the inventory-holding motive, especially in the context of developing countries. This study seeks to empirically investigate the determinants of corporate inventory holding based on evidence from pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. Research methodology: The study adopts the ex post facto research design. The final sample was eight pharmaceutical & healthcare firms quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The data were analysed using the quantile regression technique. Results: The results showed that the inflation rate had a positive effect on the inventory holding distribution at upper quantiles (75th); and, the cash conversion cycle on the inventory holding was significant at different quantiles (25th, 50th and 75th). Profitability and liquidity were non-significant at different quantile distributions. Limitations: The focus on pharmaceutical firms limits the generalizability of the study findings to other sectors of the economy. Contributions: The study contributes to the literature in the context of developing countries, on the impact of varying firm characteristics and inflation rates on the different conditional distribution of the regressand, i.e., inventory holding.

Purpose: This study explores CSR awareness among the University of Bangladesh students, evaluates perceptions based on socioeconomic and demographic aspects, and considers students' CSR awareness when purchasing a product or applying for a job. Research methodology: First, respondents fill out a questionnaire. The replies are then encoded numerically.  The study examines how demographics affect students' CSR attitudes. Quantitative methods are suitable for determining their relationships. Data must be measured mathematically to determine CSR's effect on student decision-making. Results: The study's findings indicate that students have a solid understanding of corporate social responsibility. Also, age affects perceptions, and educational level influences the majority of perceptions, although gender has no impact on students' perceptions. In addition, students typically do not consider the CSR of a company when they purchase a product from that company or apply for a job with that company. Limitations: The questionnaire method of data collection has various drawbacks. Students may dishonestly answer. Emotional responses and feelings cannot be adequately captured in a survey or questionnaire. The problem of selection bias arises when data is taken from a known individual. There are fewer people in the sample than there are in the population. Contributions: Colleges and universities can better evaluate business courses utilizing the study's results. This study can help government agencies coordinate policy-making. Few studies have examined whether students consider a company's CSR when buying a product or applying for a job. This research comments on that problem.

Purpose: This study aims to examine characteristics that influence end-user satisfaction with ERP systems within the Sri Lankan context to understand what critical factors should be considered in the ERP decision-making processes. Research methodology: Data collection is conducted through an online questionnaire targeting end-users of ERP systems belonging to various industries. Results: The study found a significant relationship between five user characteristics and end-user satisfaction, as well as the significance of usability to end-user satisfaction. Minimal memory load was found to have no significant relationship with end-user satisfaction. In terms of organisational characteristics, user training and top-management support had a significant influence on end-user satisfaction as well. Limitations: Since this study is on ERP systems such as SAP, IFS, and Oracle with a high industry focus, organisations that do not use commercial ERP systems are not considered particularly public-sector organizations. Contributions: Although previous studies emphasised various factors that contributed to implementation failures, those factors have not been given importance to end-user satisfaction or the success of an ERP system. Within the Sri Lankan context, ERP implementations are still in the early stages, so it would be very useful to understand the factors that affect user satisfaction with such systems. Novelty: The findings identify what factors ERP vendors can focus on when making changes to their commercial products and give managers an idea of what factors they should consider when choosing the right ERP system for an organization.

Purpose: This study examined how supplier integration moderates the relationship between supplier development and procurement performance in steel manufacturing firms within Nairobi City County, Kenya. Research methodology: A mixed method research design and positivism approach were adopted for this study. A census with a population of 360 employees within the 10 steel firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya was conducted. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS V.26.0 and SmartPLS 4.0 programs to test for both direct and joint effects of the variables. Results: The results of the study revealed that supplier selection (?=0.50, t=8.309, p<0.05), supplier partnership (?=0.136, t=2.872, p<0.05), and supplier evaluation (?=0.127, t=2.884, p<0.05) have a positive and significant impact on the procurement performance. On the other hand supplier training (?= -0.086, t=1.683, p>0.05) had an insignificant effect on procurement performance. The study findings also show that supplier integration had significant negative effects on supplier partnership (?= -0.497, t=10.702, p<0.05), supplier evaluation (?= -0.097, t=2.323, p<0.05) and supplier training (?=0.264, t=4.988, p<0.05). However, the results indicate that supplier integration has no significant impact on supplier selection (?= -0.079, t=1.108, p>0.05). The indirect effect analysis showed that supplier integration (?= -0.142, t=1.108, p<0.05) has a negative and significant impact on procurement performance. Contributions: Steel manufacturing firms need to emphasize the significance of supplier selection, efficient communication and collaboration with suppliers, and continuous performance monitoring and risk management to improve procurement performance. These factors enhance the reliability, quality, and cost-effectiveness of their procurement operations, resulting in better outcomes and a competitive advantage in their respective markets.