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Social media is a popular communication tool for college students in many countries including Malaysia. Even though the literature indicates that the use of social media in a higher learning environment is likely to enhance academic performance of college students, the mechanism that explains such association is yet to be explored. Based on the claims that the integration of social media use is purposeful to enhance student engagement, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of student engagement as a potential mediator between social media use and academic performance of college students in Malaysia.

A total number of 227 business students in one of the public universities in Malaysia were randomly chosen to participate in this study. Questionnaire was used as the main data collection technique, which was personally administered during class sessions. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling-partial least square (SEM-PLS).

The result showed the multidimensionality of student engagement. It also indicated that cognitive engagement mediated the relationship between social media and academic performance, but not behavioral, emotional, or agentic engagement. The result suggests that social media has the potential to be used in a learning environment as it promotes cognitive engagement of students in class and subsequently their academic performance and success.

One of the limitations of the present study is that the generalizability of the finding to a much larger population of students may be limited as the sampled students were recruited from business students in one of the public universities in Malaysia only. Students of different academic programs in different universities may have a different pattern of using the social media.

This study will help higher learning institutions and educators think of ways to integrate the use of social media in learning activities to help students achieve better academic performance. As shown by the findings, such use can encourage students to be cognitively engagedt in class in which the students can be more active learners.

The present study adds to the literature in social media use by addressing the issue of how it helps enhance academic performance of college students in a single model. Past studies tended to examine the role of social media and student engagement and the effect of student engagement on academic performance separately. Furthermore, this study took into consideration various types of social media used by college students who tend to have multiple accounts.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between earnings quality and corporate voluntary disclosure among Malaysian listed companies. Moreover, it examines the moderating effect of the ownership structure on the relationship between earnings quality and corporate voluntary disclosure.

This study covers 300 companies listed on Bursa Malaysia. It has used strategic, financial and non-financial information to measure voluntary disclosure; earnings management, persistence and smoothness to measure earnings quality; and institutional and managerial shareholders to measure ownership structure. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to investigate if ownership structure moderates the relationship between earnings quality and corporate voluntary disclosure.

The results in this work imply that companies with high earnings quality are more likely to disclose voluntary information to help stakeholders. Furthermore, this study provides original evidence that institutional ownership and managerial ownership play a main role as moderating variables that influence management motives toward practices of voluntary disclosure and earnings quality.

Because of the limited number of empirical studies on the relationship between voluntary disclosure and earnings quality, this study fills a gap in the literature by investigating the relationship between them. In addition, a lack of research exists on the effects of ownership structure on the relationship between voluntary disclosure and the earnings quality. Therefore, this study makes an original contribution to the literature by using institutional and managerial ownership as moderating variables to investigate the effects of the ownership structure on the relationship between voluntary disclosure and earnings quality in Malaysian companies.

Sequel movies are very popular; however, there are limited studies on sequel movie revenue prediction. The purpose of this paper is to propose a sentiment analysis based model for sequel movie revenue prediction and to propose a missing value imputation method for the sequel revenue prediction dataset.

A sequel of a successful movie will most likely also be successful. Therefore, we propose a supervised learning approach in which data are created from sequel movies to predict the box-office revenue of an upcoming sequel. The algorithms used in the prediction are multiple linear regression, support vector machine and multilayer perceptron neural network.

The results show that using four sequel movies in a franchise to predict the box-office revenue of a fifth sequel achieved better prediction than using three sequels, which was also better than using two sequel movies.

The model produced will be beneficial to movie producers and other stakeholders in the movie industry in deciding the viability of producing a movie sequel.

Previous studies do not give priority to sequel movies in movie revenue prediction. Additionally, a new missing value imputation method was introduced. Finally, sequel movie revenue prediction dataset was prepared.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of Ibrahim, an ex-offender who has embraced Islam. Ibrahim professes Islam to be the influential element to his desistance process. This study explores Ibrahim’s journey, emphasising and reflecting upon youth; criminality and religiosity. Much of the current research relating to Black men and offending is limited to masculinity, father absence, gangs and criminality. The role of religiosity in the lives of offenders and/or ex-offenders is often overlooked. The authors suggest that identity, religiosity and desistance can raise a host of complexities while highlighting the unique challenges and benefits experienced by Ibrahim, following the practice of religion.

This paper took a qualitative, ethnographic approach, in the form of analysing and exploring Ibrahim’s personal lived experience. The analysis of semi-structured interviews, and reflective diaries, utilising grounded theory allowed the formation of the following three core themes: desistance, religion and identity.

The findings within this paper identify an interlink between desistance, religion and identity. The role of religiosity is becoming increasingly more important in academic social science research. This paper highlights the complexities of all three above intersections.

This paper explores the complexities of religiosity in the desistance process of Ibrahim. Research in relation to former gang members in the UK and the role of religiosity in their lives is fairly under-researched. This paper seeks to build on existing research surrounding gang, further exploring religiosity from a UK context.

Time spent with Ibrahim had to be tightly scheduled, due to the work commitments of both Ibrahim and the researcher. Therefore, planning had to be done ahead in an efficient manner.

Researching the way individuals experience the world is a “growing phenomenon”. This paper aimed to explore the lived experience of religiosity from the perspective of Ibrahim. However, it was important to not stereotype and label all Black males who have embraced Islam and desisted from crime. Therefore, this paper’s intention is not to stereotype Black men, but to raise awareness and encourage further discussion surrounding the role of religiosity in the lives of ex-offenders’.

To the authors’ knowledge, studies specifically focusing on the role of Islam in the life of an ex-offender are few and far between. Therefore, findings from this study are important to develop further understanding surrounding religiosity, offending and desistance. This study explores the lived experiences of Ibrahim, an former gang member and ex-offender who professes Islam to be a fundamental source to his desistance process.

This paper aims to examine the current practice in Singapore regarding an inheritance issue: disposal of the residual net estate to the bayt al-māl, which is identified as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura, MUIS). The issue arises when the deceased leaves farḍ (fixed-share) heir(s) and/or dhawū al-arḥām (outer family members) but there is no ʿaṣabah (agnatic residuary heir by blood). Farḍ legal heirs are those beneficiaries for whom the Qurʾān prescribes inheritance of a pre-determined share. Disposal of the residual net estate to the bayt al-māl results in a reduction in the share due to the farḍ legal heir or worse, a total loss to the dhawū al-arḥām legal heirs.

A qualitative approach based on library and case study research has been adopted to elaborate practices that fall under the purview of the Administration of Muslim Law Acts (AMLA), Chapter 3.

The current practice seems biased against, especially, women and spouses. It creates high dissatisfaction in the community, especially those affected by such practices. This paper elaborates on the practice of residual net estate distribution in Singapore and the contemporary practices of the four Sunni madh-habs – the Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī and Ḥanbalī jurisprudential schools – in other countries.

In Singapore, Muslim law is defined and implemented by the civil court, not the Syariah Court or MUIS. The recommendation to change from the current classical practice by the Syariah Court and MUIS to the contemporary practice that is relevant to today’s context lies with the civil court and Government of Singapore. The choice for the Syariah Court and MUIS to adopt the contemporary practice as per Ḥanafī School by rule of the court or the government is beyond this research. Zayd ibn Thābit, Caliph Abū Bakr and a small number of companions held the view that the residue net estate asset must go to the bayt al-māl, the current classical practice. The contemporary practice adopted by Sayyidina ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, Jābir ibn Zayd and majority of the companions’ view, is not in favour of the residue net estate asset to go to the bayt al-māl; rather they view that it must be returned to the legal heirs.

Awareness in the community in the current controversial practice in Singapore when the residue net estate through the farāʾiḍ law was giving to bayt al-māl instead of returning to farḍ or dhawū al-arḥām in the absence of the ʿaṣabah legal heir as stated in the Inheritance Certificate issued by Syariah Court.

To understand the contemporary Muslim law and the practical and just application in today’s Singapore context as supported by the AMLA, Chapter 3.

This is the first study that challenges the current practice by the Syariah Court and MUIS in Singapore, thereby endeavouring to restore justice to the community.

This study aims to investigate the influence of board independence on the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in Jordan over time. The paper also compares this level of influence between the pre- and post-issuance of the Jordanian corporate governance code (JCGC) in 2009.

Longitudinal data (panel data) from all non-financial listed companies on the Amman stock exchange for the period 2006-2015 was collected and analysed. The content analysis method was used to assess the CSR reporting evident in the annual reports. An ordinary least square regression was used to investigate the relationship between board independence and the level of CSR reporting.

The results revealed that board independence has a positive and significant influence on the level of CSR reporting. This influence became significantly stronger post the issuance of the corporate governance code in Jordan. The findings suggest that the presence of independent directors on the board encourages companies to report additional CSR information as one of the legitimation strategies to manage the expectations of stakeholder groups.

This study provides motivation for regulators and companies to continue to improve board independence effectiveness.

The study supported evidence from prior studies, conducted the developed countries, that legitimacy theory is also applicable in Jordanian companies, which is a developing country. This study contributes to the debate and findings of the literature about governance and CSR reporting, specifically in the Middle East, as well as the potential of future studies in developing countries using a legitimacy theory as the basis for their investigations and motivation. This study provides evidence to motivate regulators and companies to improve, further, board independence effectiveness.

This empirical study has explored the potential influence of board independence on the level of CSR reporting in Jordan for JCGC pre- and post-issuance, which has not been examined previously and the findings for future studies in the Middle East region and other developing countries.

Business management, organization behaviour, organization values, organization culture, customer service.

The case study is suitable for undergraduate courses, particularly business management and related areas.

Ritz Carlton Hotel is one of the luxurious hotels which has expanded internationally in the last 30 years and recently opened its iconic hotel Abu Dhabi Grand Canal. Ritz Carlton offers unique experiences to its customers, which are driven by the embedded “Gold Standards” and values. It has enabled the Ritz Carlton to redefine the hospitability experience and create a competitive advantage. In this case study, the experience of opening this Abu Dhabi hotel is explored with reflections on their “Gold Standards” and the values which have resulted in the Ritz Carlton being benchmarked as a best service company. This made Ritz Carlton to change the way it redefines its business by not being just a hotel, but rather a company which creates memories and experiences for customers.

Discussing the essential factors that contribute to the success of companies in the service industry, with a focus on organization values and living these values in order to achieve competitive advantage.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the most prominent human rights violations during the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with international human rights law.

Through doctrinal and legal study and content analysis, this paper analyses the important relevant legal provisions under International human rights law and applies these provisions to the reality of managing the COVID-19 crisis to identify the most prominent human rights violations during the COVID-19 outbreak. This research paper considered as a review paper in that it provides a review of the most prominent measures taken during the COVID-19 crisis, which constitutes violations of international human rights law.

It is concluded that some measures that have been taken by countries to confront the COVID-19 pandemic have constituted violations of human rights and did not comply with the legal conditions to restrict human rights. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the ugly fractures in health-care systems, health inequities, racism and discrimination, Undermining the right to freedom of expression and the right to access information, gross negligence in protecting detainees from COVID-19 infection, all of these constitute clear violations of the principles of international human rights law.

The spread of COVID-19 has not stopped, and its effects still continue, including human rights violations. Therefore, this paper cannot enumerate all human rights violations that occur during the spread of COVID-19.

Based on the results in this paper, governments need to be more prepared to face any health crisis at all levels including health care, which would reduce human rights violations.

This research paper reflects positively on the social reality, as the adoption of its recommendations leads to the provision of adequate health care to all members of society in accordance with the principles of human rights, granting them the right to access information, protecting their right to freedom of expression, reducing the phenomenon of racism and discrimination and providing adequate health care to all detainees.

This paper studies an up-to-date topic that we are still living and seeing its effects. The benefit of this paper is to provide recommendations that protect human rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transnational shifts experienced by Syrian refugee young adults disrupt their lives. Many start their journey as children, transition into adolescents often in countries of asylum, and resettle as young adults in countries such as Canada with the dream to rebuild their lives. Too old (+16) for the traditional school cycle, they are encouraged into adult education (AE) as their only choice to complete their high school diplomas to obtain minimum wage jobs or continue to higher education. Their progress through AE continues their destabilization, particularly in terms of their aspirations, hopes and dreams. The authors focus on the educational journeys of this population who have largely been forgotten by policies and programs for refugee integration. Drawing upon 29 interviews with Syrian refugee young adults in Quebec, using a theoretical framework of migration/aspirations and critical race theory, the authors highlight how disruption is perpetuated in their education after their arrival rather than stability.