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There are over 263m out-of-school children in the world, and Nigeria is not an exception to the problem facing basic education. Education provides the necessary skills and knowledge needed by people in other to live a better life. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of multinational corporations (MNC) towards basic education development in Nigeria using Etisalat Telecommunication as a case study.

A qualitative method of data collection and analysis was used for the study. Interviews were conducted with 15 participants. NVivo software was utilized in transcription, coding and analysis of data from the interview conducted.

Findings from the research revealed that Etisalat has made a significant contribution towards the development of the education sector in Nigeria, particularly basic education. This is evident in “adopt a school” initiative across the country. Etisalat intervention is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4: quality education, which has led to improved infrastructure, school enrolment and most importantly improved quality of learning.

This study will help educational institutions, government and international organization explore ways of utilizing private funds to develop basic education, not only in Nigeria but other climes around the world.

This study adds to the literature on the role of non-state actors, especially MNC, towards developing the education sector in Nigeria. Previous studies have focussed on MNCs in other sectors; the use of Etisalat Telecommunication opens a new frontier in understanding the role of telecommunications MNCs in developing basic education in Nigeria.

Globally, waste management has been a topical issue in the past few decades due to the continual increase in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation that is becoming difficult to handle with conventional waste management techniques. The situation is much more pronounced in economically developing countries where population growth rate and urbanisation are becoming uncontrollable. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential for waste to energy generation in the Kumasi metropolis, the second-largest city in Ghana.

To address the objectives of the study, a quantitative research approach, namely, the questionnaire was adopted. The data analysis was done using the statistical package for social sciences version 25, including both descriptive and inferential statistics to give an in-depth meaning to the responses from the participants.

The results showed that several factors hinder waste to energy technology in Ghana; key among them was high capital cost, high operational cost and lack of governmental support and policy framework. The results also revealed that 1 m³ of biogas generated from MSW in Kumasi could generate 36 MJ of energy, equivalent to 10 kW/h.

The unique contribution made by the paper is that it combines expert opinions, empirical data that included time series data and opinion of key actors in the waste management chain in assessing the potential for waste to energy generation in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana.

Kumasi Metropolis, the second-largest city in Ghana is known to be bewildered with challenges relating to waste management. As a means of solving the waste management challenge, several suggestions are often made for the establishment of a waste-to-energy plant to manage the disposal of waste and generation of income. There have been no studies conducted to determine how economically viable such plants will be. This study aims to examine the economic viability of waste-to-energy generation in the Kumasi Metropolis to find out how economically viable such an approach will be.

To achieve this, a simple debt-equity ratio business model based on discounted cash flow technique was applied to estimate the internal rate of returns (IRR) as a measure of the economic viability and profitability of a modelled 50 MWH waste-energy generation plant in the Kumasi Metropolis. The analysis was performed using the RetScreen Expert Software.

The results show that the IRR and benefits cost ratio of the facility were 36% and 5.8%, respectively, indicating high levels of profitability and economic viability. The study concludes that waste-to-energy generation will be an economically viable venture in the Kumasi Metropolis.

It is, however, important for users of the findings of this study to take caution of the fact that the various assumptions although based on current knowledge and expert opinion may vary with time; therefore, the sensitive analysis on price and costs should always be considered. Practically, this study will contribute to solving the waste management situation in most cities, as well as generating revenue and helping close the energy deficit most developing countries are grabbling with.

The unique contribution of the study to knowledge is that it has professed an alternative analytical and methodological approach to measuring the financial viability of waste-to-energy plants in situations where there is none in the geographical jurisdiction of the proposed project.

Previous research has analyzed the consequence of network stability; however, little is known about how partner type diversity influence network stability in R&D network. Based on knowledge-based view and social network theory, the purpose of this paper is to unravel the internal mechanisms between partner type diversity and network stability through the mediating role of knowledge recombination in R&D network.

The authors collected an unbalanced panel patent data set from information communication technology industry for the period 1994–2016. Then, the authors tested the different dimensions of partner type variety and its relevance in the R&D network and the mediating role of knowledge recombination through adopting the multiple linear regression.

Results indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between partner type diversity (variety and relevance) and network stability, whereas knowledge recombination partially mediate these relationships.

From the perspective of R&D networks, this paper explores that there are the under-researched phenomena the antecedent of network stability through nodal attributes (i.e. partner type variety and partner type relevance). Moreover, this paper empirically examined the mediating role of knowledge recombination in the partner type diversity–network stability relationships. The novel perspective allows focal firm to recognize importance of nodal attributes, which are critical to fully excavate the potential capabilities of cooperating partners in R&D network.

The purpose of this study is to deconstruct the term “tribalism” for its application to foster context and industry-based corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication system in Nigeria.

This research used both the qualitative and quantitative research methods of data collection; it is an in-depth survey with multiple data collection settings.

(1) There is a pattern of CSR communication across the three industries sampled. (2) CSR across three industrial sectors is much about “donation” and “gift”. (3) CSR functions are now in a stand-alone corporate communication department. (4) CSR communication lacks the participatory mechanism to really involve the host communities' concerns. (5) Across the four organizations, CSR communication is often as financial or annual reports. (6) There is a general feeling and understanding that CSR and corporate communication in corporate organizations in n Nigeria require a more participatory mechanism. (7) CSR policy in Nigeria is till much of legal enforcement and efforts to have a national CSR commission has gone beyond legislation process.

This research was only able to collect data from four selected organizations representing just three industrial sectors (freight-forward, banking/finance and insurance) in Nigeria. There was no external funding to capture more organizations.

The first implication of the findings of this study is that, for the practice of CSR and communication by corporate organizations in Nigeria, the system is much a top-down and non-participatory. This means host communities and other stakeholders do not have considerable participation in the organization's CSR and communication process. The companies in this study select or budget for CSR interventions they consider valuable to communities in most cases. This pattern of CSR operation cuts across the four selected organizations in this study. Thus, it could be argued that this pattern is an industrial/national phenomenon because all the respondents indicated that their organizations operate CSR based on what other related companies do in Nigeria. Second, the fact that CSR and communication by corporate organizations in Nigeria are regulatory influenced means many organizations may try to evade CSR activities by not budgeting for it.

Meanwhile, in this study, deconstructing the evolutionary perspective which sees tribe as a primitive form of organization and relation characterized by the absence of a centralized collaborative system, it is argued that tribalism can catalyze systemic participation and oneness. In line with this perspective, tribal corporate organizations in Nigeria would model an alliance for CSR and communication system on proximity of operational context, that is, Nigeria. Being part of a tribe, corporate organizations as against the public ones will represent an identity reference for social corporate communication in Nigeria.

Despite the theoretical problematic issues raised by the notion of tribe, it is deconstructed in this study to define modes of social organization, and it reflects native perceptions of a changing collective identity. Thus, it is also argued in this study, that there will be an increase in works on tribalism in organization communication and CSR in Nigeria as emerging business and global market will continue to shape the operation environment.

The purpose of this paper is to look at the asymmetric effect of oil production on environmental degradation in OPEC member countries from 1970–2019.

The authors build a nonlinear panel ARDL–PMG model using the Shin et al. (2014) nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach in panel form to assess both the short- and long-run impact of positive and negative oil production movements on CO₂ emissions.

The result demonstrates that the variables are cointegrated. According to the linear long run coefficients, oil production, FDI inflows and economic growth both have a positive and significant relationship with CO₂ emissions, implying that they deteriorate environmental quality in OPEC countries, while renewable energy has a negative relationship with CO₂, implying that increasing renewable energy improves environmental quality. The asymmetric findings prove that positive and negative shocks of oil production exert a positive effect on carbon emissions in short run and long run.

To begin with, the empirical assessments do not include all OPEC member nations; researchers are advised to resolve this constraint by looking at the economies of other OPEC members. Albeit the lack of data for other energy sources may serve as another constraint of this research, future research is expected to broaden the current framework via other energy sources such as nuclear, electricity, biomass, solar as well as wind.

The research adds to the body of knowledge as many of the prevailing studies in the literature failed to look at the asymmetric effect of oil production on the quality of environment. This is another gap in the literature that the current study is set out to fill. This study adds oil production as an explanatory variable and helps to extend the existing literature for OPEC countries, which could propose a solution to deal with ensuing environmental issues.

The purpose of this study is to analyse the mediating and moderating effects of relational flexibility norms on relationship building capacities and export performance.

The study followed a quantitative and cross-sectional approach. The analysis was applied to 95 Peruvian Exporting SMEs which were examined through structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS 24.0 statistical package. The responses were gathered through telephone and personal interviews which were tested using the Mann–Whitney U test, finding no statistically significant differences.

The main finding of the study is to demonstrate the indirect effect of relational flexibility norms on the export performance of SMEs through relationship-building capabilities. In this way, these capabilities become very important variables in the export management of SMEs, since they directly affect the relationship of the Exporter–Importer dyad.

One of the limitations is the cross-sectional type study that applies to the short-term effects of relational norms. Organizational characteristics and other factors that may affect export performance should also be considered in future research, as well as longitudinal studies should be developed.

The study allows SMEs to focus management efforts on strengthening the relationship – building capabilities, which are very important given SMEs' resource constraints. Therefore, an adequate management of relations with importers can contribute to the reduction of control and coordination costs; and have a positive impact on export performance. Similarly, the study contributes to the management of export promotion by suggesting that one area to be prioritized is the strengthening of the relationship capacities of exporting SMEs.

The study provides the analysis of the mediating effect of the relationship-building capability between relational flexibility and export performance. In this way, it enriches the theoretical analysis and contributes with the empirical evidence of an emerging country like the case of Peru.

Hisbah is one of the distinguished institutions that had emerged since the early days of the Islamic empire. Based on its cardinal duty to enjoin good and prohibit evil, over time, its functions gradually expanded, and its responsibilities increasingly grew. In light of the contemporary trend in establishing institutional framework for consumer protection, entrusting an agency with multifarious tasks may not be the best and effective way in handling consumer protection issues. Thus, this chapter attempts to explore the new paradigm of hisbah as a consumer protection institution in Malaysia with a special reference to the Islamic consumer credit industry. While utilising the doctrinal legal research methodology, relevant sources of law have been examined and analysed. This research finds that the classical hisbah institution provides a good reference point in establishing regulatory agency and dispute management body. Nevertheless, some modifications are required to remain relevant especially in terms of specialisation of role and function. Likewise, it is viewed that adjustment of the hisbah institution is also necessary regarding the characteristic of the muhtasib (ombudsman).

Using the notion of sustainable impactful strategies for waqf management, this study examines the governance and best practices on idle waqf management by the Malaysian States Islamic Religious Councils (SIRCs) in selected states like Penang, Perak and Kuala Lumpur. The waqf management of the SIRCs is also assessed based on the model framework countries such as Singapore, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates (UAE). The findings of this chapter indicate that ineffective administration and management on waqf have hindered its development and expansion in Malaysia. Also, an effective and robust governance framework based on Shariah could and should be implemented to ensure that waqf in Malaysia are managed effectively to gain socio-economic sustainability of Muslim communities. The findings of this chapter will fill the research gap on good governance and best practices in waqf administration and management as a way forward for Malaysia by providing a way forward for SIRCs and policymakers in Malaysia, to enhance the performance of waqf entity using selected other countries as model framework of good governance and best practices. Furthermore, an emphasis on good governance and best practices is important to attract waqf donors. It is imperative to note that to date, there is no qualitative study that compare the impact of good governance and best practices on the management of waqf by selected SIRCs in Penang, Perak and Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, Kuwait and UAE as model framework countries.

The growing demand for housing and infrastructure, as well as the requirement for affordable housing, has been a significant factor, necessitating investigation for sustainable approaches and implementation of alternative construction innovations. Hence, this study aims to identify and assess the drivers for implementing modular construction systems (MCS) in developing countries.

The study adopts a quantitative research approach to seek respondents’ opinions on the factors that can drive the implementation of MCS in developing countries. Accordingly, a structured questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection based on five Likert scales. The data was analysed using the mean score, one sample t-test, Kruskal–Wallis, factor analysis (FA) and Pearson correlation analysis.

Results show that 15 of the 16 major identified drivers were statistically significant towards implementing MCS, which indicates that the drivers are crucial for implementing MCS in developing countries. However, the Kruskal–Wallis test reveals that the respondents have varying opinions on the identified drivers. FA categorised the drivers into four categories, namely, “management and sustainability”, “key performance”, “know-how and logistics” and “regulations and policies”. A strong relationship among the four categories of drivers was established using Pearson correlation, which indicated that all the drivers’ categories are essential for implementing MCS in developing countries.

This study identified and assessed the drivers towards implementing MCS in developing countries. The study concludes that the identified drivers are essential for implementing MCS in developing countries. Also, the study considers the government the most placed player in driving the implementation of MCS in developing countries.