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The purpose of this paper is to propose novel factored approximate sparse inverse schemes and multi-level methods for the solution of large sparse linear systems.

The main motive for the derivation of the various generic preconditioning schemes lies to the efficiency and effectiveness of factored preconditioning schemes in conjunction with Krylov subspace iterative methods as well as multi-level techniques for solving various model problems. Factored approximate inverses, namely, Generic Factored Approximate Sparse Inverse, require less fill-in and are computed faster due to the reduced number of nonzero elements. A modified column wise approach, namely, Modified Generic Factored Approximate Sparse Inverse, is also proposed to further enhance performance. The multi-level approximate inverse scheme, namely, Multi-level Algebraic Recursive Generic Approximate Inverse Solver, utilizes a multi-level hierarchy formed using Block Independent Set reordering scheme and an approximation of the Schur complement that results in the solution of reduced order linear systems thus enhancing performance and convergence behavior. Moreover, a theoretical estimate for the quality of the multi-level approximate inverse is also provided.

Application of the proposed schemes to various model problems is discussed and numerical results are given concerning the convergence behavior and the convergence factors. The results are comparatively better than results by other researchers for some of the model problems.

Further enhancements are investigated for the proposed factored approximate inverse schemes as well as the multi-level techniques to improve quality of the schemes. Furthermore, the proposed schemes rely on the definition of multiple parameters that for some problems require thorough testing, thus adaptive techniques to define the values of the various parameters are currently under research. Moreover, parallel schemes will be investigated.

The proposed approximate inverse preconditioning schemes as well as multi-level schemes are efficient computational methods that are valuable for computer scientists and for scientists and engineers in engineering computations.

A considerable proportion of donor aid is dedicated to technical assistance to support developing countries in their development initiatives. The majority of this aid comes from globally-operating international donors including the World Bank and the European Union. In spite of several harmonization attempts, there still exist major differences in their procurement regulations and standard contracts. Based on an extensive literature review on consulting services and an in-depth analysis of the standard forms of contract, it was found that divergence between both forms is not only clear but also paradigmatic owing mainly to market orientation paradigm differences. The findings and recommendations help advance research on and practice of various types of consultancy services in general.

Taints of corruption in public procurement (PP) exist in both developed and developing countries alike- though in different scales and with different characteristics and impacts. Attempts to achieve a taint-free procurement regulation have failed even in the most robust and mature jurisdictions due to an inherent complexity and difficulty given the paradigms used. PP systems today remain fragile to various shocks2 coming mainly from markets and corruption. This paper proposes a paradigm shift in the way in which a PP System (PPS) should be designed and practiced rendering it as “antifragile”3 as possible to benefit from shocks, stresses and disorder. Antifragile PPS design revolutionizes not only the regulations but also the frameworks and institutional setups and the whole practice of the public procurement profession in a manner that permits growth and evolution at times of stress or distress. This paradigm shift is based on a design of the PPS as a complex system.

Safety, one of the basic human needs for existence, is a very important factor in achieving a successful urban space. A lack of its presence could make it challenging for residents of a place to live and function effectively. Therefore, this study aims to identify the urban design attributes that would potentially enhance the perceived sense of safety, mainly focusing on two case studies in El-Sherouk neighborhood in Cairo. The two selected case studies are considered car-oriented due to their reduced levels of safety.

This study was conducted through a set of data collection phases from field surveys and survey questionnaires that infer the influence of the surrounding urban environment on a specific target group. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical analysis tool was used to analyze data collected from survey questionnaires.

Finally, by the end of this research, a set of urban design qualities vital for achieving the desired levels of safety were introduced. The findings of this study revealed key urban design qualities that can potentially contribute to enhancing the perceived sense of safety as they showed a strong positive correlation: (1) imageability, (2) transparency, (3) complexity and (4) human scale and enclosure. Moreover, multiple linear regression indicates that urban design qualities are strong predictors of perceived safety.

This study presents a holistic approach to studying the relationship between urban design and perceived safety by examining two case studies located in El-Sherouk City in Cairo, Egypt. While previous research has focused on one theory of safety design such as crime prevention, defensible space theory, eyes on the street or safer city centers, this article tries to fill in the gap in the literature by analyzing all aspects of urban design and its correlation to an enhanced perceived safety. In addition, most of the previous studies have tackled the safety aspects of old urban settlements. However, this study tackles a new urban settlement.

This study aims to examine the factors influencing the intention to comply with business zakat in a developing country.

A sample of 700 small and medium scale businessmen was drawn using the random sampling method. A total of 524 responses was analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique.

Results indicate attitudes toward zakat evasion, attitudes toward moral reasoning, peer influence, zakat knowledge, zakat distribution and perceived zakat board capital positively and significantly influence intention to pay zakat. Interestingly, the enforcement of zakat law was found to significantly influence intention but in a negative direction.

Accordingly, it was recommended for policymakers to pay more attention to policy formulation to the identified factors in line with the results so that zakat collection could be increased.

The study contributes generally to zakat compliance knowledge and specifically to zakat on business wealth in Muslim majority states in developing countries that are fighting against poverty. The PLS-SEM method and its application in the Islamic field study, especially on zakat payment has a limited discussion in previous studies, which is a unique contribution of this study.

As sociologists we all try to make a contribution to our field. Having completed our comprehensives and dissertations we have read in depth in several areas, have focused on an area that interests us, and have learned the research process whether it uses quantitative or qualitative methodology. We all make our contributions available to the field, but occasionally one among us makes a startling discovery, has an unusual idea or a way to approach a problem, starts examining a new problem at just the right moment, or has an insight into a specific conceptual problem with unusual alacrity. A few among us combine all that skill and happenstance and lead the way into new sociological insights, new areas of research and provide a notable foundation or advancement to an area of knowledge. Saad Nagi is one of those contributors with vision, insight, and skill to see ahead of his time. This paper attempts to bring together in one place his major contributions to the disability knowledge base in sociology.

The approach used in this paper is an in depth review of all of Nagi’s published works in the area of disability. The published literature is grouped into the five areas in which Nagi made major contributions, including major research of the Social Security Disability Insurance process; development of a framework for the disability process; epidemiological definitions and research; development of a coherent set of disability measures; and an examination of the social problem, policy, and program process as developed and practiced in this country.

Nagi made a large and significant contribution in all the areas listed above and much of the measurement, and process examination is still relevant and useful in current research. His framework is still the basis for the very newest models of disability which dominate disability research today.

Researchers need to go back to find Nagi books and articles written in the 60s, 70s, and 80s to ground their work in the originals rather than to take the interpretations of others on this material. The ICF and the Social Model did not originate in Europe alone, but much of the work began in the states in the early 60s with the work of Nagi, Haber, and others and should not be overlooked or ignored.

This study aims to identify the inputs from zakat administrators and experts needed for more efficient and effective zakat revenue generation.

Face-to-face interviews with zakat executives, administrators and experts are conducted to collect data.

The findings show three components of input required in the zakat transformation: environment, resources and history. The environmental component comprises five sub-components: companies, banks, zakat recipients, individual zakat payers and the legislative, while the resource sub-components comprise tangible and intangible resources. For history, two components, namely, achievements and challenges, need to be taken into account by the zakat administration.

This study’s main implication is that the components proposed in this study can serve as the basis for developing new strategies for improving zakat collection and distribution management to achieve a more efficient and effective level.

This study will be helpful for policymakers, especially zakat authorities, on how to enhance their administration.

The model developed in this study will help the zakat administration to reform and enhance zakat compliance and zakat revenue generation.

This study examines the criteria for evaluating the quality of servitization and the factors influencing the project–service system's success.

Evidence was collected through three rounds of Delphi consensus with 42 project managers.

The results indicate that the quality of servitization in project-oriented organizations is conceptualized as a cumulative construct driven by the product-service system's overall ability to offer more customer value. This value is defined by three interconnected dimensions: the service, the project and the integration system. The study also proposes a novel customer-oriented quality process with two connected levels comprising eight key factors influencing the quality of the project–service systems and nine key quality criteria that assist in evaluating the project–service systems.

Offering extra services is crucial for successful project-oriented organizations to deliver more customer value. The value of servitization is the combined value of products and services. The failure of one of these components to satisfy customers leads to the collapse of the whole system, which entails the need for a balanced-focus quality system toward projects and services.

This study contributes to the quality of servitization in project-oriented organizations, arguing that a balance between service orientation and project orientation is preferred to increase customer value and reduce the clash and ambiguity between project operations and service provision.

This study aims to understand the challenges facing Syrian refugee entrepreneurs in Jordan and offers professional support to refugee entrepreneurs, with a view to improve their economic and social status, aid cultural integration and ultimately to help turn their business idea into reality.

A total of 62 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Syrian refugees in Jordan.

The study reveals that refugee entrepreneurs are both entrepreneurs of necessity and opportunity. Refugee entrepreneurship improves social welfare and drives economic growth. Nevertheless, refugee entrepreneurship faces many challenges and difficulties, mainly in terms of financing difficulties, cultural differences and a lack of business management skills.

Future studies could investigate if the research results can be generalised to global refugee entrepreneurship by gathering data from other countries and comparing the subsequent results with this research.

The research shows that programmes and instruments should be created to support refugee entrepreneurship. It is also suggested that both social and economic support is needed to prompt refugee entrepreneurs. International cooperation and international organisations are important to support refugees and support countries that receive them, with a view to reduce the economic burden on these countries, which will in turn improve the quality of life for refugees.

The increasing number of refugees is becoming a very serious social issue. The international community should contribute to helping those refugees through economic, social and cultural integrations.

This paper focuses refugee entrepreneurship to understand refugees’ entrepreneurial behaviour and any challenges facing Syrian entrepreneurship in Jordan.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the Islamic work ethic (IWE) and individualism among Arab college students in Israel, who represent an ethnic and religious minority in a western‐oriented state.

The participants included 837 male and female Arab college students from an academic and a technical college in northern Israel. Most participants (64 percent) were Academic college students. Two measures were used: the IWE and individualism scales developed by Ali. Correlation analysis and two‐way multivariate analysis were used to analyze the data.

There was a strong and highly significant correlation between the IWE and individualism scales. Academic college students scored significantly higher than technical college students on both scales. There were significant interactions between gender and marital status, and college type and year of studies, on the scales.

Within the multi‐cultural context of Arab college students in Israel, the IWE and individualism scales emerged as reliable, practical measures for understanding the work‐related values of Arab college students in Israel.

This study is the first in the published literature to use the IWE and individualism scales among Arab students who were not raised in a homogeneous Islamic cultural context. Although the Arab minority in Israel is exposed to Israeli and Western, as well as Islamic, cultural and organizational influences, IWE scale proved to be highly reliable for this population. The IWE and individualism scales, used together, were uniquely effective for capturing the many nuances of work‐related values in this complex, multi‐cultural context.