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The study aims to investigate the impact of financial inclusion (FI) on environmental quality and the mediating role of industrialization (IZ). In addition, these relationships among the counties with different levels of income and carbon emissions were also analyzed.

This paper used the International Monetary Fund database for indicators of FI. The environmental indicators were obtained from the World Bank database for a panel of worldwide countries from 2004 to 2019. Separate indices of environmental sustainability (ES) and environmental degradation (ED) were created by using principal component analysis . The generalized method of moments regression was applied to examine the relationship between variables.

The study found full mediation of IZ between FI and ES, whereas partial mediation between FI and environmental degradation. The results were found robust against alternative measures of carbon emissions. Furthermore, the study also bifurcated the sample according to the level of income and carbon emission. It was found that FI plays a positive role in the betterment of environmental quality for high-income countries, while a negative role in upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income and low-income countries. Besides, FI has a negative role in the ES of the countries having higher or lower carbon emission levels.

Empirically this study contributes by creating two different novel measures of ES and environmental degradation, in contrast to other studies that solely relied on carbon emission. Contrary to previous studies, this study suggests that FI is not solely responsible for environmental damages, and IZ is the key channel by which FI shifts its impact on ES. Moreover, for environmental degradation, there are some other channels involved that need to be investigated further. This study has also noted that the relationship between FI and ES is context-dependent. Theoretically, this paper contributes to the literature by using ecological modernization theory in the nexus of FI, IZ and environmental quality.

Asia is the largest and most densely inhabited region in the world. Despite exhibiting an extremely expeditious economic growth, the majority of the world population categorized as poor resides in Asia, with more than a billion people financially excluded. This study aims to assess how social sustainability (SS) may increase financial inclusion (FI) and maintain financial stability (FS) in Asia.

Established on the stakeholder theory, the study analyzed the association among SS, FI and FS in Asia, employing a generalized method of moment’s estimation. The mediation of FI was also investigated in the relationship between SS and FS. Moreover, this study has analyzed the alternative proxies for the variables of interest to ensure dynamic results.

The findings point toward a positive association among SS, FI and FS. Furthermore, FI is observed to be undertaking a partial mediating role between SS and FS.

This study emphasizes that both SS and FI have individual parts in the amelioration of FS in Asia, whereas previous studies implied that FI is a mere tool for stimulating SS. Hence, Asian policymakers must keep these outcomes in mind due to their simultaneous contribution to FS.

The relationship between SS, FI and FS has received little attention in the literature. No previous study has deduced that increasing SS may instigate an increase in FI and FS. Additionally, quite contrary to previous studies that relied on narrow indicators, this study develops a broad measurement of SS by considering a wide range of crucial indicators for a sustainable society.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the links between intellectual capital sub-components and organizational performance in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the electrical and electronics manufacturing sector in Pakistan.

Data were collected through structured questionnaires from a sample of 247 respondents from Pakistani SMEs in Gujranwala and Gujarat. Several tests were used to examine the reliability and validity of the research instrument. Finally, multiple regression analysis was used to test the proposed research hypotheses.

The findings of this study demonstrate that the overall regression model of intellectual capital shows goodness of fit while one component of intellectual capital – namely human capital – appeared insignificant. Subsequently, six out of seven research hypotheses was accepted.

This study will provide a valuable framework for entrepreneurs, executives, managers and policy makers in managing intellectual capital within the Pakistani context.

To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first empirical study that has been conducted on SMEs operating in the electrical and electronics manufacturing sector in Pakistan.

Bank customers’ perceptions of service quality and service image of Islamic banks may differ from those of conventional banks. The purpose of this paper is to examine the differing perceptions of customers of Islamic and conventional banking systems in an emerging market, which has rarely been addressed and adds to the body of knowledge on this topic. This study also re-examines the SERVQUAL model of customer banking services to measure their impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The study uses responses from a randomly drawn sample of 229 customers from conventional banks and 225 customers from Islamic banks operating in Bangladesh using a structured questionnaire. SPSS and structural equation modeling techniques were employed as statistical tools for data analysis.

Overall, the examined service quality dimensions wield varying effects on client satisfaction mediated through the perceived image of banking services. Islamic bank customers’ perceptions of the level of reliability, responsiveness, security and reputation were significantly higher than those of conventional banks.

This study enhances our understanding of how Islamic banking practices differ from those of conventional banking in terms of service quality and image-related factors. More specifically, the findings of this research explain consumers’ perceived assessment of satisfaction and loyalty in a comparative research setting.

No prior studies have addressed the impact of the individual service quality dimensions on image factors in the context of conventional and Islamic banking in an emerging market, Bangladesh.

Islamic finance and Halal product sectors are thriving successfully. This chapter is a general review of the perception of Asian consumers on Islamic finance and Halal sectors in the global Halal economy.

The first section will briefly describe the Halal concept in both Islamic finance and Halal industries, and the growth of both sectors in Asian countries. The second part highlights the review of Asian consumers’ perception towards Islamic finance products and Halal products.

The review found that the consumers’ perception towards the Islamic finance products and Halal products is distinctive. This is due to the diversity of Asian countries in terms of geography, religion, culture, ethnic, school of thoughts (madzahib), income per capita and government’s involvement.

The third part of the chapter concentrates on planning towards Halal marketing, which involves the move and future challenges in different layers of industries to gear up and strengthen the Halal economy.

The franchising business becomes an essential to the economy of Malaysia and social. It also considers a popular choice to develop entrepreneurs particularly among Bumiputera in Malaysia. Recognizing the importance of the franchising business, the Government of Malaysia through the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) has developed programs and activities to accelerate growth of the franchising business. In February 2020, a total of 915 franchise systems or franchisors have been registered under Malaysia Franchise and subsequently few franchisors have penetrated worldwide such as in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, United State of America, and Australia. At the same time, Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PNS) and Malaysia Franchise Association also strongly take part in many franchise initiatives, programs, and activities to support the development of franchising business in Malaysia. Besides that, Malaysia also has developed the Franchise Act to safeguard the franchising industry. Nevertheless, there still exist some issues and challenges. Hence, this paper aims to review the franchising business in Malaysia by discussing the development of franchise business in Malaysia, the supports, and the issues and challenges.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of service quality, product choice and Islamic debt policy on consumer attitude within the context of Islamic mortgage sector in Malaysia. The present study also examines the effect of attitudinal-behaviour on consumer preference towards preference of Islamic mortgage selection.

The study is based on questionnaire survey. Data are collected using sample from customers of Islamic banks in Malaysia. The study collects 351 respondents. Data are analysed using partial least squares (PLS).

The results indicate that service quality, product choice and Islamic debt policy significantly influence consumer attitude, in turn, affecting the Islamic home financing preference. Consumer attitude also mediates the effects of service quality, product choice and Islamic debt policy on the Islamic home financing preference.

Several limitations warrant future research. First, this study considers only a specific user group in one public university. Second, this study does not consider attitude as a moderator. Third, this study suffers from the limited number of factors used. These limitations, however, provide directions for future research.

Our results will add value to the consumer preference topic for Islamic home financing literature. The present study provides bank managers with valuable insights into better planning of Islamic home financing services in Malaysia.

This study is a pioneering effort at exploring consumer attitude and preference from the context of Islamic mortgage sector in Malaysia. The use of PLS analysis provides another important contribution to the literature in this area.

This study aims to find the determinants of internal and external customer satisfaction of Islamic banks of Pakistan through service quality indicators that are assurance, reliance, empathy, tangibility, responsiveness. Compliance has also been added as a determinant of customer satisfaction. In this study, customers are divided into two groups, internal customers are those who are an employee in the Islamic bank and also an account holder. While external customers are account holders only in Islamic banks of Pakistan.

In this study, a quantitative research approach is used for analyzing the behavior of internal and external customers of Islamic banks in Pakistan. The instrument which is used to analyze the study’s data, is a structured five-point Likert-scale questionnaire. The structural model was analyzed with the help of the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach.

This study concluded that internal customers of Islamic banking are well aware and have full information and their level of satisfaction is positive toward the bank’s services. While external customers feel satisfied while using the Islamic banking services in Pakistan. Service quality indicators are positively and significantly related to customer satisfaction in the external customer model. On the other hand, some of the indicators are not showing a significant impact on the internal customer multi-group analysis shows a difference of coefficients are insignificant between internal and external customers.

This study helps policymakers, to understand the behavior of internal and external customers of Islamic banking in Pakistan for creating favorable policies for an interest-free banking service.

This research study provides an analysis of the customer satisfaction of Islamic banks in Pakistan by dividing Islamic bank customers into two groups (internal and external customers). The purpose for dividing Islamic bank customers into two groups is that this study wants to highlight that external customer’s perception is the same as internal customers or not? Before this study, it is difficult to find single research on this topic, whereas only one study is find-out on the factors that affect internet banking adoption among internal and external customers.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of subjective norm, relative advantage, simplicity, compatibility and perceived behavioural control on the Islamic home financing adoption. It also examines the effects of subjective norm, relative advantage, simplicity and compatibility on attitude. Analyses of attitude as a mediating factor are also provided.

Survey data from 237 usable questionnaires are employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The proposed hypothesized relationships are examined using partial least squares (PLS). Similarly, PLS is also extended to analyse attitude as a potential mediator for the relationships between subjective norm, relative advantage, simplicity and compatibility with the Islamic home financing adoption. Baron and Kenny's (1986) procedure is used to evaluate the role of attitude as a potential mediating factor in the research's framework.

This study discovers an integrative approach that is valid in the case of Islamic home financing. The paper's results, however, have not supported the effect of compatibility on attitude towards Islamic home financing preference and it is also reported that attitude does not mediate for the relationship between compatibility and the Islamic home financing adoption.

This study, however, suffers from three limitations which further stimulate new researches in this area. First, this research does not consider additional measures to capture Islamic home financing adoption. Second, this study discovers attitude does not mediate the relationship between compatibility and the Islamic home financing adoption. Third, there is a possibility that attitude also serves as a moderator, however, but it is presently unconsidered.

This study has several implications for Islamic banks to develop proper planning for Islamic home financing products. Those implications are provided.

This study is the first research in Islamic home financing's area to integrate two models namely the theory of planned behaviour (the TPB) and the innovation diffusion theory (the IDT) in a single research in order to expound Islamic home financing adoption. This study contributes to the literature by examining an integrative approach for understanding Islamic home financing adoption in Malaysia.

The aim of this paper is to make a critical review of the selected customer related studies in Islamic banking.

In accordance with the aim, the selection criteria is decided to include the studies which have at least one citation according to a publicly available citation count database as of January 2013 and the subjectively selected uncited studies from recent years. According to the selection criteria, in total, 50 journal articles for the period of 1989-2013 are reviewed.

This work identifies the main research subjects, the distribution for these subjects, the general characteristics of research methodologies and methods, the strengths and weaknesses of the studies and the direction of the research area.

The foremost contributions of this work are that a researcher or someone who is interested in Islamic banking based customer related studies can attain a detailed picture about the most common research subjects, methodologies, methods and the country in which the study is conducted. And, the general evaluation can be utilized as a directive element for future research.

The basic implication of this work is the call for more industry connections, i.e. to conduct customer related studies due to the needs, reservations and concerns of Islamic banks.

There is not yet a literature review work regarding to the research area of Islamic banking based customer related studies. This work is an attempt to fill in this gap.