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The present paper aims to propose a viable alternative model for human capital development (HCD), termed as the integrated cash waqf micro enterprises investment (ICWME-I) model, which is expected to contribute to the development of micro enterprises in Malaysia.

This is a conceptual paper for the development of the ICWME-I model. It is purely qualitative in nature, using content analysis. It comprehensively reviews the literature related to HCD issues faced by micro enterprises and existing studies related to cash waqf (Islamic endowment) to construct the ICWME-I model.

The proposed ICWME-I model is specially designed for HCD of micro enterprises. It is an appropriate initiative to upgrade micro enterprises through HCD programmes by ensuring proper utilization of cash waqf funds to build modern training centres at subsidized costs with state-of-the-art facilities. The training centres would subsidize the participation fees of micro enterprises and provide them with facilities to undertake education and training programmes, as well as other kinds of activities for upgrading, improving and enhancing human capital capacity and skills of micro enterprises. The potential challenges of the ICWME-I model are also highlighted in this study.

This paper attempts to construct the ICWME-I model based on an extensive review of literature related to micro enterprises, cash waqf and HCD. Among its major limitations is the fact that the ICWME-I model is not empirically validated and tested in this research. This can be carried out in future studies.

The present study could have an enormous impact on micro entrepreneurs via HCD programmes. The most important impact would be on government budgets, as this ICWME-I model is expected to generate its own funds from cash waqf for micro enterprises’ HCD.

This paper brings forward an original and viable model to develop human capital for micro enterprises development. This model involves the building of training centres using cash waqf raised from donors.

This study aims to find important factors of Malaysian Islamic banking customers’ loyalty or continuance intention to use Islamic mobile banking services.

The primary data are collected from the survey administered to 250 customers in the Klang Valley and the analysis is conducted using partial least squares (PLS).

Based on the findings, continuance intention of using Islamic mobile banking services was found to be depended on the usability of mobile banking services, customer service provided by Islamic banks towards mobile banking services, customer satisfaction on mobile banking services and trust of customers towards mobile banking services. In addition, the mediating effect of Islamic mobile banking services continuance adoption is significantly influenced by customer satisfaction and trust.

The sample size and area of study become the obvious limitations, and interpretation of the results and conclusion cannot be as generalised. In addition, as the respondents of this study are existing customers who have used Islamic mobile banking services at least once, relying on the perception of one key informant might imply cognitive biases. Besides, the use of current factors might limit the ability to explore other potentially important determinants of the customers’ continuance intention in using Islamic mobile banking services.

By understanding these continuance intention factors amongst the customers, it would help the industry player particularly Islamic banking to plan and strategise appropriate policies and support necessary programmes on diversifying and promoting financial transaction using mobile banking services amongst their existing and potential customers.

This paper offers an additional literature on Islamic mobile banking, especially from the Malaysian context. There is a lack of study that focuses on loyalty towards Islamic mobile banking services. The paper is considered to be the first attempt to examine the factors that influence Malaysian Islamic banking customers’ loyalty or continuance intention to use Islamic mobile banking services.

The aim of this paper is to propose and verify a structured model for Islamic micro-finance in Bangladesh. The Islamic micro-investment model (IMIM) aims to harness the role of the Waqf/philanthropic sector to empower micro-entrepreneurs.

The researchers use the survey technique to investigate the micro-entrepreneurs’ intention to adopt the model. A total of 400 questionnaires are distributed with 207 responses being returned (51.75 per cent). In this study, a structural model is tested to examine the relationship of the behavioural intention to adopt Islamic micro-investment with the attitude towards behaviour, subjective norm, normative belief and behavioural belief.

The findings of the research show that, overall, the model fits the data and can be used to advance Islamic micro-finance in Bangladesh. However, out of the four hypotheses tested, only two are accepted vis-à-vis the influence of behavioural belief and normative belief on attitude and subjective norm, respectively.

The research suggests the need for an awareness programme on Islamic micro-finance and the role of Waqf in the economic empowerment of the populace.

The IMIM aims to harness the role of the Waqf/philanthropic sector to empower micro-entrepreneurs.

The model of Islamic micro-finance may empower poor micro-entrepreneurs and harnesses the potential of Waqf for socio-economic development, thereby, among others, reducing the cost of capital.

Only a few studies have been conducted on micro-finance from an Islamic perspective in Bangladesh. The IMIM, which has been developed by Muhammad (2012) and tested in Nigeria, is the first to be validated through an empirical study in Bangladesh. Thus, testing the viability of IMIM in the Bangladesh context will certainly add value for the clients, institutions and policymakers in Islamic micro-finance.

This paper aims to test the factors that can influence the adoption of Islamic mobile banking services among the current users in Malaysia.

A sample of 250 current users of Islamic mobile banking services provided opinions about their intention to adopt Islamic mobile banking services. Later, the data are analysed using partial least squares approach.

Perceived usefulness and risk are the factors that influence the intention to adopt Islamic mobile banking services among the existing users.

There are some limitations of the current study. The sample size and area of study becomes the obvious limitations. Thus, there is a need for caution in the interpretation of the results and the conclusion cannot be as generalised. Besides, the use of current factors might limit the ability to explore other potentially important determinants of the users. Thus, future research can be conducted by incorporating new factors and provide new insights for Islamic mobile banking services. In addition, the sample is biased towards people who are currently using mobile banking services.

By understanding these factors among the customers, it would help the industry player, particularly Islamic financial institutions to plan and strategise appropriate policies and support necessary programme on diversifying and promoting financial transaction using mobile banking services among their existing and potential customers.

This paper offers an additional literature on Islamic mobile banking, especially from the Malaysian context. There is a lack of study that focusses on Islamic mobile banking services. The paper is considered to be the first attempt to examine factors that influence Malaysian Islamic banking customers to adopt Islamic mobile banking services, which is not often considered in previous studies.

This paper aims to develop an integrated waqf-based Islamic microfinance (IsMF) for poverty reduction in Bangladesh. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have been constrained by the high cost of funds, high interest rate charges and poor human resource quality of the recipients. Islamic MFIs have recently evolved with the hope of overcoming these financial, ethical and human capital deficiencies faced by the conventional financial institutions. Moreover, a good number of integrated models have been proposed to enhance the role played by Islamic MFIs. Most of these models, however, lack empirical justifications.

The research uses survey techniques. A total of 381 respondents were included in the survey. The integrated waqf-based Islamic microfinance model (IWIMM) was earlier on developed using literature and intellectual discussions. There are six constructs presenting the IWIMM, namely, waqf resources, IsMF, takaful, project financing, human resource development and poverty alleviation. In the survey instrument, 45 items represent the six constructs, but only 26 items have been retained after factor analysis. Structural equation modelling has been adopted to examine the relationship among the constructs.

The results show that there are significant relationships between IsMF and takaful, waqf resources and human resource development, takaful and human resource development, IsMF and human resource development and, waqf resources and project financing. The results also indicate that poverty alleviation is possible through the integration of these constructs.

Though the paper has studied conventional and Islamic MFIs in Bangladesh, one of the populated Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries and also where poverty incidence is high, further studies need to be conducted in other OIC member countries to adopt the model in line with practical and regulatory environment of those countries. Similarly, the study is based on the perception of the respondents, which limits the generalization of the result.

The paper proposed a model that has the potential of being applied for poverty alleviation programmes in most of the OIC member states.

The present paper has developed an IWIMM for poverty reduction.

The purpose of the paper is to showcase the significant achievements of Egypt's scientists in the 20th century across various fields of study such as medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, math, geology, astronomy and engineering. The paper highlights the struggles and successes of these scientists, as well as the cultural, social and political factors that influenced their lives and work. The aim is to inspire young people to pursue careers in science and make their own contributions to society by presenting these scientists as role models for hard work and dedication. Ultimately, the paper seeks to promote the importance of science and its impact on society.

The purpose of this review is to present the scientific biographies of Egypt's most distinguished scientists, primarily in the field of Natural Sciences, in a balanced and comprehensive manner. The work is objective, honest and abstract, avoiding any bias or exaggeration. The author provides a clear and concise methodology, including a brief introduction to the scientist and their field of study, an explanation of their major contributions, the impact of their work on society, any challenges or obstacles faced during their career and their lasting legacy. The aim is to showcase the important achievements of these scientists, their impact on their respective fields and to inspire future generations to pursue scientific careers.

The group of outstanding scientists in 20th century Egypt were shaped by various factors, including familial upbringing, education, society, political and cultural atmosphere and state support for scientific research. These scientists made significant contributions to various academic disciplines, including medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering. Their impact on their communities and cultures has received international acclaim, making them role models for future generations of scientists and researchers. The history of these scientists highlights the importance of educational investments and supporting scientific research to foster innovation and social progress. The encyclopedia serves as a useful tool for students, instructors and education professionals, preserving Egypt's scientific heritage and honouring the scientists' outstanding accomplishments.

The encyclopedia preserves Egypt's scientific heritage, which has been overlooked for political or other reasons. It is a useful tool for a variety of readers, including students, instructors and education professionals, and it offers insights into universally relevant scientific success factors as well as scientific research methodologies. The encyclopedia honours the outstanding scientific accomplishments of Egyptian researchers and their contributions to the world's scientific community.

The practical implications of this paper are several. First, it highlights the importance of education, family upbringing and societal support for scientific research in fostering innovation and social progress. Second, it underscores the need for continued funding and support for scientific research to maintain and build upon the accomplishments of past generations of scientists. Third, it encourages young people to pursue scientific careers and make their own contributions to society. Fourth, it preserves the scientific heritage of Egypt and honors the contributions of its outstanding scientists. Finally, it serves as a useful tool for students, instructors and education professionals seeking to understand the factors underlying scientific success and research methodologies.

The social implications of the paper include promoting national pride and cultural identity, raising awareness of the importance of education and scientific research in driving social progress, inspiring future generations of scientists and researchers, reducing socioeconomic disparities and emphasizing the role of society, politics and culture in shaping scientific researchers' personalities and interests.

The paper's originality/value lies in its comprehensive documentation of the scientific biographies of Egypt's most prominent scientists in the 20th century, providing unique insights into the factors that contributed to their development and their impact across various academic disciplines. It preserves Egypt's scientific heritage and inspires future generations of scientists and researchers through the promotion of educational investments and scientific research. The encyclopedia serves as a useful tool for education professionals seeking to understand scientific success factors and research methodologies, emphasizing the importance of supportive and inclusive environments for scientific development.

This paper uniquely aims to triangulate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, government financial intervention (GFI) policies and power distance (PD) culture on returns of equity indices during the COVID-19 epidemic in the world's equity markets.

The research employs panel data regression analysis using 1,937 observations from 19 developed and 42 developing countries. The data employed contain daily registered COVID-19 cases, global equity market index prices, financial intervention policies introduced by governments and Hofstede's cultural dimension measure of PD.

The authors find that investors certainly react negatively to the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported, that GFI policies indeed reinforce investors' expectations of policymakers' dedication to stabilize the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic and that equity investors in high PD cultures overreact to GFI news, resulting in more positive stock returns. The authors discover a difference between developed and developing countries in terms of the effect of GFI policies and PD on equity returns.

Results suggest that investors react negatively to the daily registered COVID-19 cases. The authors find that financial intervention policies introduced by governments reinforce investors' outlooks of policymakers' commitment to stabilize local stock markets during the coronavirus pandemic. The results confirm that equity market investors in PD cultures overreact to financial intervention news, thus resulting in more positive stock returns.

The paper provides three original contributions. First, it helps us to understand the single effect of the COVID-19 and financial intervention policies introduced by governments on returns of the global equity market. Second, it examines the possibility of a two-way joint effect between the COVID-19 and financial intervention policies introduced by governments and the COVID-19 and differences in countries characterized by a PD culture concerning stock market returns. Third, it investigates the possibility of a three-way interaction effect between the COVID-19 contagion, financial intervention policies introduced by governments and culture on returns of equity markets.

The authors' findings are valuable to researchers, investors and policymakers. Culture and finance scholars can now observe the role of Brown et al.'s (1988) uncertain-information hypothesis with reference to the effect of the COVID-19 and financial interventions policies introduced by governments on returns of equity markets. This is because the authors' findings underline that since investors' uncertainty declines with daily registered numbers of COVID-19 cases, the introduction of GFI policies function as a neutralizing device to re-establish investors' expectations to equilibrium. Consequently, stock market returns follow a random walk that is free from the negative effect of the COVID-19. The authors' work is likely to advise equity investors and portfolio managers about the extent to which major exogenous economic events such the outbreak of global diseases, financial interventions policies introduced by governments and differences in countries' PD culture can individually and jointly influence the return of the world's equity markets. Investors and portfolio managers can employ the authors' results as a guideline to adjust their investment strategy based on their investment decision strategy during global pandemics. Policymakers aiming to introduce financial intervention policies to stabilize their stock market returns during global pandemics can benefit from our results. They can observe the full effect of such policies during the current COVID-19, and subsequently be better prepared to choose the most effective form of financial intervention policies when the next pandemic strikes, hopefully never.

This paper explores the effect of perceived service quality, trust, perceived value and perceived cost on patient satisfaction and loyalty as well as exploring the moderating role of the sociodemographic factors.

The data were gathered from 462 patients via a structured questionnaire, while structural equation modeling was utilized for the analysis.

Results indicated that trust, perceived value and patient satisfaction have important roles in shaping the patient loyalty, while patient satisfaction was found to fully mediate the patient’s perceived service quality. Loyalty relationship was also found to partially mediate the trust–loyalty relationship. Nonetheless, the patient’s satisfaction–loyalty relationship was found to be only moderated by the age factor.

Implications are provided to the Egyptian private hospitals in order for them to formulate improvement plans as well as set higher standards of conduct.

This original research is the first one, up to the researcher knowledge, that explores the drivers of patient satisfaction in the private hospitals in Egypt.

This study examines the osteoconductive and healing capabilities of locally implanted synthetic hydroxyapatite (sHAp) derived from eggshells in the central incisor sockets of rats.

Toxicity experiments were conducted in vitro and in vivo, to testify the safety dosage of sHAp. Around 24 mature male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats had their upper central incisors extracted. The rats were placed into three groups of eight rats each: Group 1: the sockets of extracted central incisors were left unfilled (control), Group 2: filled up with commercially available hydroxyapatite (HAp) and Group 3: implanted with sHAp locally retrieved from eggshells. After extraction, four rats from each group were sacrificed at 2nd and 4th weeks. Maxillary tissue sections were obtained and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson’s trichome (MT) staining. Anti-osteocalcin (OCN) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were used primary antibodies for immunohistochemistry (IHC) special labeling.

The results showed that the locally implanted sHAp was non-toxic and safe in cell lines (human osteoblast and fibroblast) and animals. Histological analysis of H&E, MT and IHC showed that the sockets treated with locally implanted sHAp from eggshells were filled with new bone tissue of comparable thickness to other groups.

This unique technique uses locally implanted eggshell-derived sHAp with osteoconductive characteristics. In an in vivo model, sHAps increased OCN and PCNA expression to improve bone repair.