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Article
Publication date: 8 January 2018

Izhar and Farid Ullah Khan

The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel electromagnetic-based acoustic energy harvester (EH) for the application of wireless autonomous sensors.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel electromagnetic-based acoustic energy harvester (EH) for the application of wireless autonomous sensors.

Design/methodology/approach

The developed acoustic EH comprises a Helmholtz resonator (HR), a suspension system that consists of a flexible membrane and a permanent magnet, a couple of coils and a coil holder. Furthermore, the HR, used in the harvester, is designed for a specific resonant frequency based on simulation carried out in COMSOL Multiphysics®.

Findings

The developed harvester is tested both in lab under harmonic sound pressure levels (SPLs) and in real environment under random SPLs. In lab, when exposed to 100 dB SPL, the harvester generated a peak power of 212 µW. Furthermore, in real environment in vicinity of electric generator, the harvester produced an output voltage of about 110 mV collectively from its both coils.

Originality/value

In this paper, a novel geometric configuration for electromagnetic-based acoustic EH is proposed. In the developed harvester, two coils are placed in it to achieve enhanced electrical output from it for the first time.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 38 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 November 2016

Farid Ullah, Md Zillur Rahman, Robert Smith and Ahmed Beloucif

The purpose of this paper is to explore some key factors that influences ethnic entrepreneur’s decision in starting-up a new business in Aberdeen, Scotland.

1702

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore some key factors that influences ethnic entrepreneur’s decision in starting-up a new business in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors set out to investigate the motives, drivers and attitudes of ethnic minorities in seeking entrepreneurial opportunities. The authors conduct in-depth face-to-face interviews with 25 ethnic entrepreneurs from a variety of nationalities and cultures originating mainly from the Indian subcontinent region. This includes entrepreneurs from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and some others. The motivations varies according to their culture, traditions, religion and other environmental factors influencing on their decision to start-up.

Findings

The results reveal some interesting influential factors that lead to the successful start-up decision. These include a positive mindset, self-efficacy, strong determination, knowing of the market and local business culture and good financial management.

Originality/value

This paper is based on empirical research and new data have been collected specifically for this research. The authors hope the new findings from this research work will enhance the understanding about ethnic minority businesses in the context of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2015

Farid Ullah and Robert Smith

The purpose of this paper is to examine and explore why “Small-Businesses” resist employing outside the immediate family and investigate the employee as an outsider and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine and explore why “Small-Businesses” resist employing outside the immediate family and investigate the employee as an outsider and entrepreneurial resource.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review the literature on barriers to small-business growth concentrating on key empirical and theoretical studies. The authors use empirical data from the Federation of Small Business in which informants commented on growth and employing outside the family.

Findings

The findings suggest that small business owners adopt a polemical stance, arguing that a barrage of employment regulations deters them from employing outsiders because doing so brings trouble in terms of costs such as insurance, taxes, paperwork, leave (maternity and paternity) entitlement, etc. They argue that employing from inside the family or ones peer group is much cheaper, convenient and less hassle. This ignores the entrepreneurial employee as a potential ingredient of growth and points to a paradox whereby the very values and emotions characterized by fairness of which of “smallness” and “familialness” is composed compound the issues of discrimination central to the debate.

Research limitations/implications

The paper offer important insights for growth issues among small businesses and challenge the contemporary equilibrium in terms of small “family-orientated” business philosophy relating to employment practices. Ideologically, the entrepreneur is an “outsider” fighting the establishment, yet paradoxically, in a small-business context s/he becomes the establishment by employing outsiders. This results in the fairness vs unfairness paradox.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the existing knowledge and understanding on growth issues among small businesses by illuminating a paradoxical insider vs outsider tension.

Details

World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, vol. 11 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-5961

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 March 2014

Alistair R. Anderson and Farid Ullah

– The purpose of this paper is to examine and explain why most small firms remain small. A new conceptual framework – the condition of smallness – is proposed.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine and explain why most small firms remain small. A new conceptual framework – the condition of smallness – is proposed.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical examination of the literature about the nature of being a small firm is first conducted. Employing an inductive analysis of responses from a survey of 2,521 small business owners about employment regulation, the nature and effects of smallness is examined.

Findings

It was found that owners' choice making combines with perceptions about their resources to produce a condition of smallness. The condition of smallness is conceptualised as the circularity perceptions, attitudes and consequent practices that reflect lack of knowledge, time and capability. It is argued that this condition of smallness inhibits growth to create a wicked problem that explains why most small firms don't grow.

Research limitations/implications

This work is largely conceptual, albeit the argument is grounded in, and illustrated by, empirical data. The findings may not be generalisable beyond this paper's data sets, but may be generalisable conceptually.

Originality/value

The focus of much scholarly work has been on growth firms. Yet the typical small firm is excluded so that the issues of smallness are often overlooked. This paper, therefore contributes to understanding why small firms don't grow.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 52 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2016

Noor Muhammad, Farid Ullah and Lorraine Warren

In this paper, an institutional perspective is used to examine the different kinds of pressures on entrepreneurs manifest in a conflict environment. The purpose of this paper is…

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Abstract

Purpose

In this paper, an institutional perspective is used to examine the different kinds of pressures on entrepreneurs manifest in a conflict environment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how they respond to the conflict and establish legitimacy for their entrepreneurship in the challenging context of the north western areas of Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a qualitative approach is taken based on semi-structured interviews from 16 different firms in the Swat valley.

Findings

The entrepreneurs undertake different strategies towards dealing with conflict and establishing legitimacy. These strategies are identified and examined in relation to the interactions between entrepreneurial behaviour and institutional pressures.

Research limitations/implications

Qualitative research on a small sample inevitably presents a limitation on the generalisability of this work. Further research could employ quantitative methods to address this issue. One particular location is studied, so future research could be carried out in other countries or regions with similar problems.

Practical implications

The study may have value for policymakers who need to know more about how to support ongoing businesses in difficult regions.

Social implications

Better understanding of the needs of small business may in time contribute to a better business climate in difficult regions.

Originality/value

A new dimension is added to institutional theory through its application in the very uncertain environment between all-out war and ongoing violence, identifying the possibility of weak agency for institutional change. Further, the study contributes to the growing body of literature on entrepreneurship in conflict environments.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 22 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 December 2022

Chandra Pal and Ravi Shankar

The need to address energy management as a significant innovation in the smart grid is emphasized to enable a more effective penetration of renewable energy to achieve energy…

Abstract

Purpose

The need to address energy management as a significant innovation in the smart grid is emphasized to enable a more effective penetration of renewable energy to achieve energy savings and CO2 emission reductions. The purpose of this study is to propose a holistic, flexible decision framework for energy management in a smart grid.

Design/methodology/approach

According to the situation actor process−learning action performance (SAP−LAP) model, the variables have been identified after a comprehensive analysis of the literature and consideration of the opinions of domain experts. However, the importance of each SAP−LAP variable is not the same in real practice. Hence, focus on these variables should be given based on their importance, and to measure this importance, an interpretive ranking process based ranking method is used in this study. This helps to allocate proportionate resource to each SAP−LAP variable to make a better decision for the energy management of the smart grid.

Findings

This study ranked five actors based on their priorities for energy management in a smart grid: top management, generator and retailor, consumers, government policy and regulation and technology vendors. Furthermore, actions are also prioritized with respect to performance.

Practical implications

The SAP−LAP model conveys information about the state of energy management in India to actors who may proceed or manage the flow of electricity. Additionally, this study aids in detecting vulnerabilities in the current energy generation, transmission and distribution technique. The synthesis of SAP results in LAP, which assists in recommending improvement actions learned from the current situation, actors and processes.

Originality/value

The SAP−LAP model is a revolutionary approach for examining the current state of energy management in a unified framework that can guide decision-making in conflicting situations, significantly the contradictory nature of India’s renewable energy and power sectors.

Details

International Journal of Energy Sector Management, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6220

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 September 2016

Rania B. Mostafa and Farid ElSahn

Drawing on social identity theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose and test a conceptual framework of the mechanism of customer response toward corporate social…

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Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on social identity theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose and test a conceptual framework of the mechanism of customer response toward corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Islamic banks.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was completed by 203 customers of Islamic banks in Bahrain. Structural equation modeling, was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Islamic ethics fit partially mediates the relationship between CSR initiatives and consumer-bank identification (CBI) which in turn contributes positively to customer advocacy. These findings emphasize the importance of CSR practices compliance with Islamic ethics principles for customers to identify with and advocate Islamic bank.

Research limitations/implications

Understanding the mechanism of customers’ responses toward CSR initiatives of Islamic banks provides insights into the complexities of Islamic bank customers’ perceptions of CSR initiatives. The successful introduction of a mediating variable, namely, Islamic ethics fit suggests future research opportunities.

Originality/value

Much of the value of the present work is because of the findings regarding the relationship between CSR and customer responses. The originality of this study lies in being the first research examining the mediating role of Islamic ethics fit to the relationship between CSR initiatives and CBI which in turn enhances Islamic banks’ advocacy.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 34 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2021

Muhammad Nouman, Muhammad Fahad Siddiqi, Karim Ullah and Shafiullah Jan

This paper aims to conceptualize the nexus between the participatory finance and the higher ethical objectives within the Islamic moral economy, also termed as Maqasid al Shari’ah.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to conceptualize the nexus between the participatory finance and the higher ethical objectives within the Islamic moral economy, also termed as Maqasid al Shari’ah.

Design/methodology/approach

Insights from the extant Islamic economics and finance literature are integrated through an interpretative systematic review using the principles from critical interpretative synthesis (CIS).

Findings

A coherent framework is synthesized comprising the typology of the Maqasid al Shari’ah, the axioms of participatory finance and their nexus which is formulated by theorizing the common thread of meaning through the axioms of participatory finance and Maqasid al Shari’ah at the interpretative level. This framework postulates that the participatory finance fits well in the ethos and the value system of Islam. Moreover, “social well-being” invariably provides the nexus between the Maqasid al Shari’ah and participatory finance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the Islamic economics and finance literature by integrating the dissenting views from the divergent literature related to the basic philosophy of Shari’ah and participatory finance and provides grounds for policy implications, particularly, for designing the financial products. Moreover, it demonstrates an application of interpretative systematic review in Islamic banking and finance research.

Details

Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4179

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 May 2022

Hasan Oudah Abdullah and Hadi Al-Abrrow

This study used attribution and social exchange theories as bases to test a model comprising the most significant variables, namely, perception, attitudes and positive behaviour…

Abstract

Purpose

This study used attribution and social exchange theories as bases to test a model comprising the most significant variables, namely, perception, attitudes and positive behaviour. The current research concentrated on the effects of three variables (i.e. organisational justice, support and identity) on task performance and organizational citizenship behaviour via job satisfaction, organisational commitment and work engagement. Additionally, this study aims to determine the external locus of control’s moderator role.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based quantitative design was used as basis in collecting data from 1,125 industrial sector (i.e. electricity and oil industry) employees in southern Iraq.

Findings

Analysis of data reinforced the majority of the relationships in the research model. Results showed the mediator variables’ significance in providing explanation to the majority of the relationships and the external locus of control’s role in moderating such relationships. Research outcomes were used as bases in discussing several theoretical and practical implications, as well as presenting a few recommendations for studies in the future.

Originality/value

This research centres on determining the antecedents of positive behaviours via six circumstantial variables and one personal variable in a single model. Moreover, this study is applied in a developing country’s industrial sector with a moderately large sample size to yield evident and significant outcomes. Consequently, practitioners and academics are provided with a reference on managing and changing workplace behaviour.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 31 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 February 2021

Mohammad Sohail Haider and Chen Ya

Information literacy skills (ILSs) and information-seeking behavior (ISB) is a widespread topic that needs modern technologies to improve the technical skills of the students. The…

Abstract

Purpose

Information literacy skills (ILSs) and information-seeking behavior (ISB) is a widespread topic that needs modern technologies to improve the technical skills of the students. The purpose of this study is to assess the usage of library resources for medical college students. To explore and understand the student’s level of satisfaction, learning and seeking behavior by efficient information retrieval systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a quantitative research method and data was collected from the undergraduate students of medical colleges Islamabad Pakistan. The data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25 using Pearson correlation statistical test to identify the level of proficiency of correlation of variables and testing of the proposed hypothesis.

Findings

The finding of the study shows that the medical students can enhance their IT skills to seek the information in this technology era. The medical institutional administration can develop the education development policy, traditional health education policy, funds allocating policy, health information literacy and collaborate with library staff for enhancing the services and to meet the information need of medical students.

Practical implications

The conclusion of this study is very helpful to reduce the barriers between the students and the library staff. The findings of the study are also beneficial for the administration to improve and develop the strategies for enhancing the ILSs of medical students to achieve medical educational information in the age of technology. Therefore, all significant structures want to improve and to develop the environment of information seeking by medical students to achieve medical educational information.

Social implications

Medical college library administrative management must be design useful a durable policy to come up with the technology development for digital literacy. The study reduces the barriers between the students and the library staff.

Originality/value

The study is based on quantitative research method to find out ISB of medical students.

Details

Information Discovery and Delivery, vol. 49 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-6247

Keywords

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