Table 4 Thematic analysis summary: open... | Emerald Publishing

Table 4

Thematic analysis summary: open codes, axial categories and overarching themes

Representative open codes	Axial category	Overarching theme
Pre-participation anxiety; role confusion; self-doubt; overwhelm in Weeks 1–3	Anxiety–Efficacy Transition	Theme 1: From Operational Anxiety to Professional Efficacy
Decision confidence growth; managerial identity; “acting like a professional”	Professional Self-Concept Development	Theme 1: From Operational Anxiety to Professional Efficacy
Budget errors; stock-out events; failed marketing campaigns; emotional distress	Productive Failure Episodes	Theme 2: Re-contextualising Failure as Pedagogical Capital
Post-failure analysis; revised operational strategy; “the lesson was permanent”	Iterative Learning from Failure	Theme 2: Re-contextualising Failure as Pedagogical Capital
Sustainability as “buzzword”; compliance mindset; ethical obligation framing	Initial Sustainability Framing	Theme 3: Sustainability as Functional Constraint
Cost–benefit reconciliation of eco-practices; ethics integrated into operations	Sustainability Internalisation	Theme 3: Sustainability as Functional Constraint

Representative open codes	Axial category	Overarching theme
Pre-participation anxiety; role confusion; self-doubt; overwhelm in Weeks 1–3	Anxiety–Efficacy Transition	Theme 1: From Operational Anxiety to Professional Efficacy
Decision confidence growth; managerial identity; “acting like a professional”	Professional Self-Concept Development	Theme 1: From Operational Anxiety to Professional Efficacy
Budget errors; stock-out events; failed marketing campaigns; emotional distress	Productive Failure Episodes	Theme 2: Re-contextualising Failure as Pedagogical Capital
Post-failure analysis; revised operational strategy; “the lesson was permanent”	Iterative Learning from Failure	Theme 2: Re-contextualising Failure as Pedagogical Capital
Sustainability as “buzzword”; compliance mindset; ethical obligation framing	Initial Sustainability Framing	Theme 3: Sustainability as Functional Constraint
Cost–benefit reconciliation of eco-practices; ethics integrated into operations	Sustainability Internalisation	Theme 3: Sustainability as Functional Constraint