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1 – 5 of 5Hassanudin Mohd Thas Thaker, Mohamed Asmy Mohd Thas Thaker, Muhammad Rizky Prima Sakti, Imtiaz Sifat, Anwar Allah Pitchay and Hafezali Iqbal Hussain
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) of China on investment opportunities in five ASEAN economies.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) of China on investment opportunities in five ASEAN economies.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper employs advanced empirical approaches, such as Multivariate DCC-GARCH and Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) to test the research objective. The period of analysis involved monthly data from 2003 until 2019.
Findings
This paper provides evidence where the Malaysian stock market to be the least exposed to risks emanating from Chinese EPU, followed by Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. Results for investment opportunities based on time horizon suggest, for a short-term holding period, investors are better off investing in Singapore and Indonesia, while, for medium-term holding periods, all ASEAN markets appear lucrative except for the Philippines.
Practical implications
From a managerial perspective, the outcome or findings of this study are expected to aid the retail and institutional investors in designing better strategies on diversifying a stock portfolio with different holding periods.
Originality/value
Theoretically, the findings of this study contribute fresh insights into an emerging strand of literature focusing on the transmission of regional policy. Methodologically as well, this study is a novel venture to the best of authors' knowledge.
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Keywords
Zainab Mohsin, Arisha Faiq, Tahira Naqvi, Sameen Rehman, Saffia Imtiaz Ahmed, Khadija Farrukh, Faiza Siddiqui, Arifa Ali Asghar and Murk Lakhani
The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of head and neck cancers (HNCs), their risk factors, signs and symptoms among the general public of Karachi, Pakistan.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of head and neck cancers (HNCs), their risk factors, signs and symptoms among the general public of Karachi, Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
Initially, 503 individuals were approached for data collection, out of which 404 fit the inclusion criteria (response rate = 80.03%). Nonprobability convenience sampling was utilized to select participants who fell under the age group of 15–60 years, barring the fields of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelors of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelors of Dentistry (BDS). Knowledge was evaluated by a 9-item questionnaire, the scores of which yielded the following interpretations: No (0), low (1–3), moderate (4–6) and high (7–9) knowledge.
Findings
Of the 404 participants who completed the questionnaire, 357 (88.4%) participants claimed to be aware of HNC. The HNC knowledge scores had a statistical relevance with socioeconomic status (p = <0.01) and level of education (p = 0.02). Most participants recognized a “lump or swelling in the throat” (87.1%) as the most common symptom, followed by “bleeding in mouth or throat” (84.7%). Surprisingly, 75.25% of participants thought HNCs were inclusive of brain cancer.
Originality/value
Overall, knowledge of HNCs among the general public of Karachi surpasses the knowledge in other regions around the world. Our study demonstrated that people indulge in unhealthy habits despite having sufficient knowledge and this warrants prompt interventions and counseling of the people.
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Mohammad Mizenur Rahman, Syed Mohammad Khaled Rahman and Sakib Ahmed
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of some internal features that influence the efficiency of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) in Bangladesh.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of some internal features that influence the efficiency of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
The study selected the top 15 Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE)-listed NBFIs according to purposive sampling. The study period was from 2016 to 2020. Secondary data were collected from annual reports. The cost-to-income ratio was a dependent variable that was used as a proxy of operational efficiency. The ordinary least square regression technique was applied to measure the impact of firm-specific factors on efficiency.
Findings
Results showed that number of employees, branch number, firm size and deposit ratio have a significant effect on efficiency at 5% level. The number of branches and employees showed a negative impact, whereas firm size and deposit ratio showed a positive effect on the firms' efficiency. The deposit ratio is negatively related because deposit interest expenses were more than offset by interest income generation through the conversion of deposits into loans.
Practical implications
The study has practical and policy implications on NBFIs' managers, employees, shareholders, depositors, clients, regulatory authorities and government as efficiency enhancement would bring financial soundness.
Originality/value
This study shed light on some firm-specific factors that can be changed to increase operational efficiency or reduce the cost-to-income ratio. The novelty of the study is that it identified some significant associations between firm-specific factors and the operational efficiency of NBFIs.
Hossein Baharmand, Amin Maghsoudi and Giulio Coppi
Some studies and reports have recently suggested using blockchain technology to improve transparency and trust in humanitarian supply chains (HSCs). However, evidence-based…
Abstract
Purpose
Some studies and reports have recently suggested using blockchain technology to improve transparency and trust in humanitarian supply chains (HSCs). However, evidence-based studies to display the utility and applicability of blockchains in HSCs are missing in the literature. This paper aims to investigate the key drivers and barriers of blockchain application to HSCs and explore whether evidence could support that the application of blockchain improves transparency and trust in HSCs.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper puts forward a two-stage approach to explore the blockchain application in HSCs: an initial exploration of humanitarian practitioners and academicians interested in blockchain through focus group discussions; semi-structured interviews with practitioners involved at the UK Department for International Development's Humanitarian Supply Blockchain pilot project.
Findings
First, we found that main drivers include accountability, visibility, traceability, trust, collaboration, time efficiency, reducing administrative work and cross-sector partnership. Main barriers, however, are composed of engagement issues, lack of technical skills and training, lack of resources, privacy concerns, regulatory problems, pilot scalability issues and governance challenges. Second, evidence from our case study revealed the blockchain application could have added value to improve visibility and traceability, thus contributing to improve transparency. Concerning trust, evidence supports that blockchain could enhance both commitment and swift trust in the pilot study.
Practical implications
Our study contributes to a more understanding of added values and challenges of blockchain application to HSCs and creates a perspective for humanitarian decision-makers.
Originality/value
This study provides the first evidence from the actual application of blockchain technology in HSCs. The study discovered that it is still less evident in many humanitarian organizations, including medium- and small-sized nongovernmental organizations, that they engage in a direct deployment of in-house or customized blockchain-based HSC. Instead, these actors are more likely to indirectly use blockchain in HSCs through a private commercial partner.
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