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Article
Publication date: 16 July 2019

Fiona Aspinal, Martin Stevens, Jill Manthorpe, John Woolham, Kritika Samsi, Kate Baxter, Shereen Hussein and Mohamed Ismail

The purpose of this paper is to present findings from one element of a study exploring the relationship between personalisation, in the form of personal budgets (PBs) for publicly…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present findings from one element of a study exploring the relationship between personalisation, in the form of personal budgets (PBs) for publicly funded social care and safeguarding.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 people receiving PBs who had recently been the focus of a safeguarding investigation. Participants were recruited from two English local authority areas and data were subject to thematic analysis.

Findings

The analysis identified three main themes: levels of information and awareness; safeguarding concerns and processes; and choice and control. Many of the participants in this small study described having experienced multiple forms of abuse or neglect concurrently or repeatedly over time.

Research limitations/implications

This was a small scale, qualitative study, taking place in two local authorities. The small number of participants may have had strong opinions which may or may not have been typical. However, the study provides some rich data on people’s experiences.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that adults receiving PBs may need information on an ongoing and repeated basis together with advice on how to identify and address poor quality care that they are arranging for themselves. Practitioners need to be aware of the influence of the level of information received and the interaction of organisational or legal requirements when responding to safeguarding concerns when care being supplied tries to reflect the benefits of choice and control.

Originality/value

This paper reports original research asking adults with care and support needs about the interaction between two key policies of safeguarding and personalisation.

Details

The Journal of Adult Protection, vol. 21 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1466-8203

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2019

Hussein Nabil Ismail, Adnan Iqbal and Lina Nasr

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between employee engagement and job performance in the country of Lebanon, and to test whether creativity mediates the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between employee engagement and job performance in the country of Lebanon, and to test whether creativity mediates the relationship between engagement and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The research sample consisted of 186 respondents working in Lebanese firms. The questionnaire included established measures relating to employee engagement, job performance and creativity – in addition to various demographic questions. Stepwise multiple regression and bootstrapping methods were employed in the analysis of the data.

Findings

The findings showed a significant positive effect of employee engagement on job performance. However, mediation analysis using bootstrapping methods has shown that creativity has fully mediated the relationship between engagement and performance.

Originality/value

The study extends previous research and increases the external validity of the findings by investigating the relationship between engagement and performance in new non-western contexts. Moreover, this is one of the first research studies that explores the role of creativity in the relationship between the two variables; this helps in improving our understanding of the model and aids in enhancing the effect of engagement on performance.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 68 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 February 2021

Mohamad Hussein Ismail Abdallah, Hussein A. Hassan Al-Tamimi and Andi Duqi

This paper aims to investigate perceptions of United Arab Emirates (UAE) real estate investors’ behaviour and the factors that most influence their investment decisions.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate perceptions of United Arab Emirates (UAE) real estate investors’ behaviour and the factors that most influence their investment decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a modified questionnaire that was divided into two parts. The first part covered demographic and socioeconomic variables. The second part identified 36 factors that affect the perceptions of real estate investors in the UAE regarding their investment decisions. These factors were placed in eight different categories that correspond to non-personal factors such as, profit, market conditions, risk, transparency, credit facilities (loans), infrastructure and services.

Findings

The findings confirm that there is a significant and positive relationship between three factors; namely, profitability, risk and service quality regarding investments in the real estate sector. The findings also confirm a positive but statistically insignificant relationship between transparency, market conditions, credit facilities, infrastructure and investment in the UAE’s real estate sector.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size represents one of the limitations of this study. In addition, the gender of the sample is another limitation as, in general, men are more involved in investment than women are. Furthermore, there are no previous studies regarding the behaviour of UAE real estate investors; thus, the findings of this study cannot be directly compared with other empirical studies.

Practical implications

It might be helpful to create separate units under the name “Real Estate Information Unit” in every municipality of each of the seven emirates. In addition, it is recommended that decision makers should consider ensuring that modern high-quality real estate infrastructure is available to attract more investors. Finally, minimizing any restrictions on access financing facilities may encourage investors to invest more in the UAE real estate sector.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind to be conducted in the context of the behaviour of UAE real estate investors.

Details

Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4179

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 June 2021

Hussein Ismail, Miriam El Irani and Kevin Sevag Kertechian

The main purpose of this study was to test whether green human resource management (GHRM) practices affect employee nongreen outcomes through the mediation of perceived visionary…

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Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of this study was to test whether green human resource management (GHRM) practices affect employee nongreen outcomes through the mediation of perceived visionary leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 144 Lebanese employees from the construction industry took part in this study. Multiple regression and bootstrapping methods were employed in the analysis of the data.

Findings

GHRM was found to influence organizational pride and organizational citizenship behavior positively via visionary leadership. The results highlight the importance of implementing GHRM as a strategy to achieve environmental sustainability and enhance employee behaviors.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies to explore the impact of GHRM on nongreen work outcomes in Western Asia, particularly Lebanon, in addition to exploring the mediating role of visionary leadership in the relationship between GHRM and nongreen work outcomes.

Article
Publication date: 6 January 2022

Lama Blaique, Hussein Nabil Ismail and Hazem Aldabbas

This paper aims to explore the relationship between organizational learning (OL) and work engagement (WE) in the Middle East region amid the COVID-19 pandemic and to test the…

2137

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the relationship between organizational learning (OL) and work engagement (WE) in the Middle East region amid the COVID-19 pandemic and to test the mediating role of employee resilience (ER) and psychological empowerment (PE) on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample size was 208 respondents working in the Middle East area during COVID-19. Hypotheses were tested using regression analysis with bootstrapping.

Findings

The findings indicate a significant positive impact of OL on WE. Moreover, both constructs – ER and WE – were identified as mediators for this relationship.

Practical implications

Practical implications within this study call for organizations to focus on promoting a learning culture in order to adapt and respond effectively to unprecedented external challenges.

Originality/value

The current study extends previous research and strengthens the antecedents of WE, namely, OL, ER and PE in the Middle East region while controlling for COVID-19 perceptions.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 72 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 June 2019

Sevag K. Kertechian, Silva Karkoulian, Hussein Ismail and Patricia Nassif

Good managerial work habits are essential for creating a favorable work environment that can stimulate everyone’s performance. This papers aims to explore the psychometric…

Abstract

Purpose

Good managerial work habits are essential for creating a favorable work environment that can stimulate everyone’s performance. This papers aims to explore the psychometric properties of the good management work habits (GMWH) scale for a group of 464 Lebanese working adults.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-step approach was used. A first split-half of the sample affirmed that the GMWH scale had a factorial structure, and a factorial analysis used in the second split-half confirmed this. Jointly, the two split-half tests demonstrated the predictive and discriminant validity of the scale.

Findings

After validating the GMWH scale, this study substantiated the psychometric legitimacy of the GMWH test and confirmed its effectiveness in assessing organizational attributes.

Research limitations/implications

This study focused on Lebanese managers only and future studies should be extended to assess the GMWH scale’s validity in other countries. Moreover, the variables of organizational culture and gender were not taken into account in this study.

Practical implications

The GMWH scale can be applied to determine the negative effects of stress on performance to improve an organization’s productivity. Evaluating managers' self-perceptions of their work habits may improve relations with their subordinates and the organization as a whole.

Originality/value

The work habits of a company’s managers play a key role in organizational outcomes and have a ripple effect on all parties in the organization, from subordinates to other managers. This study proposes a validated tool for a company’s leaders to evaluate managers’ perceptions of their work habits and contributes beneficial knowledge to future research on practical ways to measure the work skills of managers.

Details

Measuring Business Excellence, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-3047

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 January 2019

Hussein N. Ismail, Silva Karkoulian and Sevag K. Kertechian

As one of the first studies in this field, the purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of personal values on job performance and job satisfaction across different jobs…

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Abstract

Purpose

As one of the first studies in this field, the purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of personal values on job performance and job satisfaction across different jobs. Further, it aims to identify personal value types that are positively, or negatively, related to behavioural and attitudinal outcomes in different job categories.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 270 participants across several job categories including finance, accounting, marketing, sales, HR (human resources), operations and information technology (IT), this research explores the relationship between personal values, job performance and job satisfaction across the listed job categories. Ordinary least square (OLS) stepwise-regression and partial least square (PLS) regression were used in analysing the results.

Findings

Findings showed that for some of the jobs examined, different types of personal values were associated with different worker outcomes.

Originality/value

This research study identifies sets of personal values that are suited to some jobs more than others in terms of job performance and job satisfaction outcomes. Moreover, this research demonstrates the importance of controlling for job categories in future research models that investigate the links between values, performance and satisfaction.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 27 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 March 2017

Ismail Hussein Amzat, Yahya Don, Sofian Omar Fauzee, Fauzi Hussin and Arumugam Raman

In a world in which successful learning is believed to rest on the methods of teaching and the performance of students is determined by teacher quality, it is clear that teachers…

2836

Abstract

Purpose

In a world in which successful learning is believed to rest on the methods of teaching and the performance of students is determined by teacher quality, it is clear that teachers are the backbone of student learning attainments. In such a scenario, teacher development, welfare, motivation, and satisfaction are crucial for better teaching performance. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to determine the motivator and hygiene factors among excellent teachers in Malaysia and to explore factors that lead to satisfaction and cause dissatisfaction among excellent teachers in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses quantitative design to determine the motivator and hygiene factors among excellent teachers. For the sample size, 306 excellent teachers participated in this study and data were analysed using principle component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to determine the dominant factor among Herzberg’s motivator and hygiene factors.

Findings

From the findings, the results showed that the satisfaction of excellent teachers was low in terms of “personal growth” (motivator) and “supervision” (hygiene). The paper concludes by calling upon the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MoE) to consider both motivator and hygiene factors, and what causes satisfaction and dissatisfaction among excellent teachers.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some limitations to be considered, especially in terms of sample size. The low number of excellent teachers participating in this study is due to the scarcity of face-to-face data collection, in that an online survey was deemed to be the only means to reach the excellent teachers. This is due to the lack of a list of excellent teachers in some state districts, making it difficult to determine those schools which have excellent teachers. In addition, it is also due to logistical and geographical difficulties in reaching certain schools and meeting the excellent teachers. In recognition of such difficulties in undertaking research on excellent teachers in Malaysia, the researchers in this study urge the Malaysian MoE, as well as state districts and regional offices, to update the profile of excellent teachers by creating records and a list of all excellent teachers in Malaysia to facilitate future research. In this scenario, the findings of this study should be used with caution and not be generalized to other contexts, schools, regions, or states.

Practical implications

To be fully cognizant about the excellent teachers’ scheme was introduced to uplift the standard of teaching in Malaysia, and the recipients of this scheme or status (excellent) are considered to be the “cream of the crop” in the teaching profession in Malaysia and for non-excellent teachers to emulate, it is vital to look into their well-being as well as their growth. With the results of this study, the authors can say that the implications for practice touch many aspects of the professional and personal development of Malaysian excellent teachers. Specifically, it is imperative that the factors that intrinsically and extrinsically motivate excellent teachers in Malaysia and the causes of dissatisfaction are identified. In addition, the implications also place emphasis on paving ways for the personal growth of excellent teachers and to provide leeway for them to pursue their own personal happiness. Furthermore, the implications of the lack of proper supervision of school principals on excellent teachers should be avoided, and, in general, hygiene factors could be used as positive implications to improve excellent teachers’ teaching practices and performance.

Originality/value

This research is original as it calls MoE attention to the well-being of excellent teachers in Malaysia. As excellent teachers in Malaysia are selected and promoted among teachers in Malaysia in order to improve teaching and learning in Malaysia. They are appointed to be a role model for other teachers to emulate. With this position, excellent teachers are expected to contribute to the development of their schools and others and they can be posted anywhere as well as called at any time for help. Therefore, it is worthy to know how satisfied those excellent teachers are regarding government policy. Hence, it is important to know what motivates and satisfies them.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 31 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 March 2017

Ismail Hussein Amzat

The purpose of this paper is to create a key performance indicator (KPI) that can be used as the benchmark tool for teaching performance and practices of both excellent teachers…

2653

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to create a key performance indicator (KPI) that can be used as the benchmark tool for teaching performance and practices of both excellent teachers (ETs) and non-ETs and to investigate the possible interrelationships between the five thinking domains (teachers’ teaching philosophy, teaching objective, pedagogical content knowledge, teachers’ expectations and management style).

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative approach with a sample of 306 ETs from eight states including the Federal Territory. Exploratory factor analysis was used to validate the instrument and confirmatory factor analysis for model fit.

Findings

The findings showed that an excellent classroom management style was the most significant domain for KPI with the highest factor loading, followed by ETs’ teaching philosophy and objectives. It revealed that there was no significant relationship between ETs’ expectations and their classroom management style and that the relationships between the other domains were weak.

Originality/value

With this research creating a KPI model for excellent teaching practices, it is suggested that an in-depth review should be conducted concerning the standardization of the classroom management and the national teaching objectives in Malaysia. Perhaps representatives from the Ministry of Education and the school principals could go into the field to determine whether the excellent and non-ETs are fulfilling the national education objectives and meeting the expectations. This could lead to setting KPIs for achieving teaching objectives among the ETs.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 66 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 December 2021

Kevin Sevag Kertechian, Silva Karkoulian, Hussein N. Ismail and Samar Samir Aad Makhoul

This study aims to examine the effect of experience abroad, academic success and university reputation on students' employability in the Lebanese labor market.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of experience abroad, academic success and university reputation on students' employability in the Lebanese labor market.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a between-subject design to identify whether academic success, university reputation and experience abroad have an impact on how potential recruiters (i.e. employers) are perceiving student employability. The study uses 16 fictitious applications of business graduates, which differed in grade-point average, university reputation and experience abroad, rated by 784 Lebanese professionals.

Findings

The results suggest that high-performing students with experience abroad and high-performing students from a reputable university are perceived to be more employable. For low-performing students, having completed an experience abroad results in a lower reward in terms of employability.

Research limitations/implications

The present study offers an analysis of students' employability through employers' lens; it offers insights for students on how to be perceived as more employable in a context where competition among future workers is fierce.

Practical implications

The results of this research provide a roadmap for graduates for enhancing their employability in Lebanese markets and offer actionable insights to employers.

Originality/value

The most original contribution of this study is the analysis of university reputation impact on the likelihood of receiving positive feedback during the evaluation process. The impact of two Lebanese universities, one ranked in the QS ranking and one not, was investigated.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

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