Search results

The purpose of this paper is to unveil negative outcomes associated with an absence of guanxi in a buyer–supplier relationship in Chinese logistics industry.

This study uses a case study methodology using 16 semi-structured interviews with managers engaged in the process of buying and selling logistics services in China.

Based on the qualitative interviews, managers experience lack of trust, lack of communication flow and reduced business volume when guanxi is absent in a buyer–supplier relationship in the Chinese logistics industry.

This study has some limitations. First, the results of this study are not generalizable to a broader population. Second, this study explores behavioral patterns with respect to Chinese business culture only.

Firms can use the findings from this study to understand the consequence they can face when guanxi is absent in a buyer–supplier relationship.

This study attempts to offer a balanced perspective on the role of guanxi in a buyer–supplier relationship, particularly in the Chinese logistics industry, by considering how an absence of guanxi generates negative outcomes for firms.

This study aims to investigate how British Pakistani people talk about their social identity, in the context of mental health, and how this shapes their experiences and perceptions of care delivered by the National Health Service, UK.

Eight narrative interviews were conducted among members of the Pakistani community living in a city in the UK. The data were analyzed using a narrative analysis approach using “social identity” as a theoretical lens.

Considering Pakistani service users as a single social entity, and responding with generic approaches in meeting their mental health needs, may not be helpful in achieving equitable treatment. Study participants reject a simple conceptualization of race and ethnicity and how a response based upon stereotypes is woefully inadequate. The study revealed that people from one ethnic or national background cannot be assumed to have a fixed social identity.

This study broadens understanding of how people from a single ethnic background may construct and view their social identities markedly different to others from the same ethnic group. This has implications for service providers in understanding how their clients’ social identity is treated and understood in practice.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the main factors that affect liquidity risk in the UAE Islamic banks.

The study examines the annual data of the seven UAE Islamic banks over the period 2008-2014. Random effects panel data model is used to estimate the impact of four bank-specific variables and two macroeconomic ones on the liquidity risk of the UAE Islamic banks via their impact on five alternative liquidity ratios.

The paper finds that bank size has a negative impact on liquidity risk according to two liquidity ratios only, and an insignificant impact according to the other three. Both capital adequacy and London interbank offered rate have significant negative impacts on liquidity risk for three liquidity ratios, and insignificant impacts on two. The effect of credit risk is negative for all adopted ratios, while that of return on assets is negative for one ratio only. Finally, real GDP has a positive effect on two ratios and an insignificant one on the others.

The study provides insights for policymakers and practitioners to choose appropriate liquidity management procedures. It emphasizes that identifying efficient procedures or policies depends on the liquidity ratio that is used as a proxy of liquidity risk and its definition, in addition to the correlation between the liquidity ratio and liquidity risk. The study also provides some guidance to Islamic banks in the UAE concerning the main factors impacting their liquidity, which can eventually enable them to support their liquidity management policies, in a way that would expand their customer base according to profitability aspects, and not only religious ones.

The paper adds to the relatively limited literature on liquidity risk in Islamic banks. It also is the first study that investigates the determinants of liquidity risk facing Islamic banks in the UAE using five alternative liquidity ratios.

This paper aims to examine the assumption used in previous studies that all Muslims adopt and believe the same law on the prohibition of bank interest and to investigate the indirect effect of religiosity on customers’ decision for using Islamic banking services.

This study uses an exploratory approach and the natural experimental design with seemingly causal models. A total of 363 questionnaires were distributed to three groups of bank customers, i.e. Islamic banks customers, conventional banks customers and customers of both banks (121 respondents in each group).

The results show that the role of religiosity in the customers’ decision for using the Islamic banking services depends on religious norms variable. Religiosity affects the decision of customers in the traditional group, but it does not have any effect for the contemporary group. Other findings suggest that religiosity indirectly affects the decision for using the Islamic banks through intervening variables of trust and information source.

This is the first paper to investigate the relationship between religiosity and customers’ decision for using the Islamic banking services by considering the religious norm variable. This paper also examines indirect affects of religiosity to the Islamic banks’ choice through intervening variables of trust and information source.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) are among the pathogens detected during Hajj pilgrimage known to cause pneumonia. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of activated carbon cloth (ACC) with Ag⁺ impregnated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) against these pathogens.

ZnO NPs were impregnated into ACC-Ag⁺ via layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the fine surface morphological details of the ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets. Antibacterial activity of the ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets was evaluated using the disk-diffusion susceptibility assay. Allergy patch test was done to evaluate allergic reactions of the ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets on human skin.

SEM micrographs showed successful impregnation of ZnO NPs into the ACC-Ag⁺ sheets. Disk-diffusion susceptibility assay results of ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets against S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and S. pneumoniae showed good antibacterial activity; with 1.82 ± 0.13 mm zone of inhibition for S. pneumoniae, at a ZnO concentration of 0.78 mg mL^-1. No signs of human skin irritation were observed throughout the allergy patch test.

Results indicate that ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets could potentially be embedded within surgical face masks (pilgrims’ preferred) to reduce the risks involved with the transmission of respiratory tract infections during and after mass gatherings (e.g. Hajj/Umrah, Olympics).

Organizations ought to provide a congenial workplace for employees, particularly females, to get optimum performance. This study aims to investigate the congeniality of libraries’ human environment for female library and information science professionals (LIPs). Regarding the human environment, the manager’s support, relationship with colleagues and informal communication have been studied.

For this quantitative study, the researchers use a survey research method based on a self-constructed questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of closed-ended questions, which were used to collect the data; however, the open-ended question entitled comments was also added to take the opinion of respondents. The sampling includes the female LIPs working in the university libraries of Punjab, Pakistan.

The results highlight that female LIPs were satisfied with the human environment at their workplaces. Participants not only appreciated the role and support of their immediate managers in terms of respect, feedback, task allocation and approachability but also recognized the role of colleagues and informal communication (social interaction) in making their workplace congenial and comfortable to work by establishing a positive relationship with supervisors, colleagues or subordinates at the workplace. However, some open-ended comments reveal that females face leg-pulling, favoritism, male colleagues’ indecent behavior and managers’ critical behavior at the workplace.

Because of the sensitivity of the topic and limitedness of an instrument, the respondents might have been hesitant to give real opinions. This study was limited in terms of participants as data was collected only from one province of Pakistan.

Workplaces for females in a male-dominated society like Pakistan impede their commitment to giving their best. Despite an increased number of females in the profession, it is surprising that so little empirical research has been conducted on the topic. Therefore, this study is an excellent addition to the dearth of literature on the subject. The findings may help in sensitizing the management and authorities to control the human environment at workplaces as this study will also bring into light the prevailing working environment for females.

Libraries as a workplace have been studied internationally (Farler and Broady-Preston, 2012; Ocholla, 2002; Oud, 2008). From the local perspective, the only study concerning the workplace issues of libraries is by Yousaf et al. (2013), which was limited to the managerial problems faced by female librarians working at the University of the Punjab. Hence, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study will be one of its nature.

This study aims to investigate the current and future status of overseas halal food marketing and develops strategies for improving the competitiveness of Korean seafood companies in the global halal food market.

The research uses a case study approach and a semi-structured review of previously published data. Evidence collected from literature reviews, supported by research studies, anecdotal proof, personal reflection and experience is also used. It also considers the perspectives of various stakeholder groups in the global halal food supply chain.

The global halal food market is forecasted to reach US$1.914tn in 2021. At present, Korea holds a small share of this market. To enter the emerging Islamic market, there is a need to develop strategies. This study recommends the following main strategies to improve the competitiveness of Korean seafood companies in the halal food market: reduce mistrust by improving halal authentication and certification standards; understand consumer behavior and develop marketing strategies according to the respective country’s socioeconomic and geographic status; train industry employees and develop competitive halal seafood products; exploit the rising global influence of Hanryu; establish a halal logistics/supply chain and halal industrial parks; and promote digital marketing and tourism. Moreover, the government should also subsidize halal seafood development, as well as provide export and international trade insurances.

As the Muslim population continues to grow, the importance of global halal food marketing also increases. Therefore, strategies for improving the competitiveness of Korean seafood companies in the global halal food market need to be taken into account.

This study investigates the relationship between social commerce adoption determinants, perceived trust and purchase behaviour among pastry product consumers.

The research data were collected using a five-point Likert from 409 pastry consumers through an online survey. Partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilised to test the study model and hypotheses.

The study findings indicate that pastry consumers perceived social commerce as effortless, engaging, enjoyable, can be trusted, simple to use and time-saving, motivating them to consume pastry products via social commerce platforms.

This study provides insights and implications for social commerce researchers and marketers related explicitly to perishable products.

This study is one of the few studies that predict and explain the consumer acceptance of social commerce in the pastry products realm. As only a handful of research has endeavoured to research social commerce, this study findings contribute to the conceptualisation of technology acceptance theory by understanding the determinants of social commerce adoption among consumers.

This paper aims to assess the nexus between green human resource management (GHRM) practices, green culture, environmental responsibility and environmental performance (EP).

Using a supervisor-subordinated nested design and multi-time data collection approach through convenience sampling, the authors obtained 330 responses from 15 hotels operating in the metropolitan cities of Pakistan.

The study results indicate the prominence of GHRM practices toward enhancing hotels’ EP. The authors also found green culture and environmental responsibility as potential mediators in the direct association between GHRM and EP. In addition, the findings suggest that the GHRM and environmental association can be deeper when individuals exhibit green values and showcase green responsibility about their environment. Taken together, the findings of the present study found support for all direct and indirect hypothesized relationships hence, forwarding notable implications for theory and practice.

This paper forwards both theoretical and practical implications. Drawing upon ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) theory, this paper asserts that GHRM practices shall be used to improve EP through green values and environmental responsibility. The authors specifically suggest that pro-environment personnel practices can nourish green culture and a pro-environment sense of responsibility that facilitates in robust pro-environment results.

The study advances and addresses gaps found in prior studies to help support organizational scholars, practitioners and pro-environment enthusiasts to understand the interplay of GHRM, culture, responsibility and EP.