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Article
Publication date: 25 July 2019

Aishath Muneeza, Zakariya Mustapha, Fathimath Nashwa Badeeu and Aminath Reesha Nafiz

The purpose of this paper is to formulate ways in which Maldives could pioneer Islamic tourism on a befitting framework and financing structure as a leverage to develop its…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to formulate ways in which Maldives could pioneer Islamic tourism on a befitting framework and financing structure as a leverage to develop its tourism industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses qualitative approach whereby primary and empirical data on tourism practices as well as relevant laws and guidelines, issued in Maldives and in other Muslim jurisdictions of the Muslim, are analyzed. Doctrinal approach is used in analyzing secondary data on the subject.

Findings

The research reveals the potential of Islamic tourism in Maldives as well as the challenges that have constrained its development in the country. Certainty is needed in halal products, services and conducts. Codifying extant Maldives Halal Tourism Standards will establish legal framework for a standard Shariah-compliant tourism industry. Islamic financing structure enables mobilizing required funds and address financing constraints.

Practical implications

This research presents an insight into establishing and developing Islamic tourism industry in the Maldives. Harmonizing tourism regulations with Shariah shall bring about the required consciousness on Shariah compliance in target tourists and their desires. Private individuals can contribute in mobilizing the much needed Shariah-compliant resources to finance Islamic model resorts befitting an Islamic tourism industry.

Originality/value

The research puts forward proposal that identifies and recognizes a more viable Islamic financing alternative as well as Shariah-compliant regulations to pioneer the development of Islamic tourism in Maldives. The research recommends how to overcome related challenges helps government understand the proposed strategies for establishing Islamic tourism industry.

Details

Journal of Islamic Marketing, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-0833

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 February 2014

Fareeha Shareef, Murugesh Arunachalam, Hamid Sodique and Howard Davey

– The objective of this study is to examine CSR practices in the Maldives.

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Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this study is to examine CSR practices in the Maldives.

Design/methodology/approach

The perceptions of business and non-business stakeholders were analysed in order to identify CSR practices that are idiosyncratic to the Maldives and to reflect on the relevance of current mainstream CSR agenda for the Maldives. Surveys and in-depth interviews were used to draw the perceptions of a sample of 52 businesses and 36 non-business stakeholders. The study adopts an interpretive methodology to analyse the perceptions and to reflect on extant CSR theories.

Findings

The paper suggests mediocre CSR practices of businesses and lukewarm responses from non-business stakeholders in the Maldives. There is a difference between what businesses consider ought to be CSR practices (the normative) and their actual CSR practices. Businesses prefer to keep their CSR practices discreet as publicity may cause increasing demands from local communities for financial and other assistance. CSR practices in the Maldives are also influenced by the local Islamic culture. The meaning of CSR prevalent in the context of more advanced western economies may prove to be superfluous in the context of the Maldives, a small and developing Islamic country struggling to meet the basic needs of its people.

Originality/value

This study represents the first research on CSR activities in the Maldives. It contributes to existing literature by challenging the relevance of mainstream CSR practices to a developing economy.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 March 2020

Aishath Muneeza and Zakariya Mustapha

This paper aims to examine existing Halal certification regime in Maldives and address impediments therein that challenge and inhibit the growth of the country’s Halal industry in…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine existing Halal certification regime in Maldives and address impediments therein that challenge and inhibit the growth of the country’s Halal industry in relation to fisheries products.

Design/methodology/approach

This is qualitative research based on first-hand experiences of the authors in the Halal certification process in the Maldives. Doctrinal methodology is used in the analysis of primary sources of data, including Maldivian laws and Halal certification regulations to identify issues of practical relevance. This is complemented with content analysis of secondary data sourced from journal articles, books, reports and online databases that were examined in identifying hindrances and loopholes in the Halal certification process.

Findings

Fish is generally Halal, but processed fisheries products cannot be so deemed when certain additives and enhancers are constituents therein. At the moment, Maldives Halal certification pertains only to fisheries products. Against this backdrop, this research identifies knowledge gap, legal and governance constraints pertaining to capacity as impediments towards the Halal certification of such products in the Maldives. Such concerns hinder the Maldives from tapping the socio-economic benefits of the Halal certification of its fisheries products to the desired level in the development of its Halal industry.

Research limitations/implications

This is pioneer research with reference to the Maldives. Absence of researches on the subject brings about scantily available secondary data in the area. Moreover, no empirical data were involved in conducting the research.

Practical implications

As the only products subject of Halal certification process, this research offers an insight into the regulations underpinning Halal certification of fisheries products and related impediments thereto in developing the Maldivian Halal industry generally. Identifying and understanding the impediments to Halal certification process would facilitate their elimination and promote Halal certified fisheries products.

Originality/value

This research highlights and evaluates the Halal certification regime in the Maldives and provides a starting point for further research thereon. The research contributes towards making robust and standard Halal certification criterion and paves the way forward for developing the Halal industry in the Maldives.

Details

Journal of Islamic Marketing, vol. 12 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-0833

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 January 2020

Aishath Muneeza

The purpose of this paper is to describe the structure of the Islamic treasury bills issued by the Central Bank of Maldives, Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) for the benefit of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the structure of the Islamic treasury bills issued by the Central Bank of Maldives, Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) for the benefit of those jurisdictions that aspire to introduce short term Islamic liquidity management instruments.

Design/methodology/approach

This is exploratory research where the experience of the author in structuring the Islamic liquidity management instruments discussed in the paper.

Findings

It is evident from the discussions of this paper that innovation is the key to structure Sharīʿah-compliant short term liquidity management instruments. The example of Maldives has proved that there is a need to amend the laws of the country to facilitate Central banks to deal with Sharīʿah-compliant instruments.

Originality/value

It is hoped that this research has shed light on the importance of having the proper Sharīʿah-compliant liquidity management instruments for sustainable development of Islamic banking and how jurisdictions have practically made this possible. The Islamic money market has developed gradually and there is a need to innovate novel and competitive instruments and further research is required to be conducted on this.

Details

Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, vol. 11 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-0817

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 August 2023

Vaishali Kaushal and Rajan Yadav

Despite the severe impact of the COVID-19, Maldives was one of the top destinations which witnessed decent tourist arrival amid the pandemic. This study aims to analyze luxury…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite the severe impact of the COVID-19, Maldives was one of the top destinations which witnessed decent tourist arrival amid the pandemic. This study aims to analyze luxury hospitality experiences of guests amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is exploratory in nature. This study analyses 4,302 real-time customer reviews using sentiment and thematic analysis with the help of NVIVO 12 plus and Leximancer.

Findings

The findings suggest travel products as well as services associated with luxury resorts needs to be revisited. Staff needs to be more professional and must be proactive while redesigning services specially in situations like pandemic. While redesigning services in situations like pandemic, staff needs to be proactive, professional and must follow all protocols. Major negative experiences included long waiting time to avail frill services, privacy intrusion by bloggers and influencers, service quality issues. We recommend enhancing service quality followed by investing more in training and development, increasing the number of foreign languages spoken by staff and disseminating localized culinary experiences will enhance the experience quality with guests.

Research limitations/implications

This study has several limitations: first, this study limited itself to 15 luxury resorts of Maldives, which may not serve as a true representation of all luxury resorts of Maldives. The next limitation of this study is that the authors have collected customer reviews from TripAdvisor only, and the reviews were only in English language.

Practical implications

The findings of the research can be beneficial for the policymakers, hospitality practitioners and academicians who study luxury tourism industry to carve appropriate strategies for enhancing the customers’ luxury experience like leveraging customization in all areas and enhancing service quality, food quality, training and development of employees.

Originality/value

Maldives has become one of the most expensive traveler destinations and is home to world’s most expensive resorts. This study is original in nature and has a forward-looking approach which studies the disruptive effect of pandemic, intangible nature of luxury as a concept can be used by hospitality industry to redesign the luxury customer experience which can improve marketing strategies aiming to potentiate this niche. In addition, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study will be the first one to capture the real customer experiences of luxury resorts of Maldives.

Details

Consumer Behavior in Tourism and Hospitality, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2752-6666

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 November 2021

Fathmath Nishan and Ahmed Mohamed

The purpose of this study is to explore educational policy directions in the Maldives to continue learning in public schools during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore educational policy directions in the Maldives to continue learning in public schools during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and identify policy changes that could improve the preparedness of the schools for future pandemics.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study is descriptive in nature with an analytical methodology of document and interview data analysis. The purposively selected participants for the interviews included senior officials of the Ministry of Education, school leaders and teachers of public schools in the Maldives.

Findings

This study identified significant policy changes for public schools in the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic. These were early response and timely policy directions to continue education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another finding was the effective change communication of the educational policies for its implementation. Following the policy changes, the teachers were trained for online teaching, hence increasing their competency in information and communications technology. As a result, this led to resilient teachers who were determined to provide education through the challenging times of the pandemic. Hence, it is evident that the school system of the Maldives will emerge stronger beyond COVID-19.

Originality/value

The education policy changes for public schools in the Maldives during the global COVID-19 pandemic have merits for education practices beyond the pandemic.

Details

Fulbright Review of Economics and Policy, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2635-0173

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2006

Manoj Pardasani

The purpose of this paper is to address the significance of trans‐disciplinary and inter‐disciplinary collaboration, and local community participation in redevelopment efforts.

3556

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the significance of trans‐disciplinary and inter‐disciplinary collaboration, and local community participation in redevelopment efforts.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to illustrate this model of redevelopment, the rebuilding efforts in Maldives in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, are presented as a case study. The efforts of the Government of Maldives and several NGOs are explored and critiqued, and a novel model for redevelopment is conceptualized. The paper utilizes a comprehensive review of literature, news articles, press releases and structured interviews to gather information and provide a framework for reconstruction and redevelopment plan in Maldives.

Findings

When communities are impacted by natural disasters or developmental challenges, workers from various disciplines are brought together to assist in social reconstruction. Interdisciplinary collaboration and community involvement are key to fostering significant and sustainable changes in under‐developed communities. The Government of Maldives has set up the National Disaster Management Center to coordinate such transdiciplinary efforts and services. The current redevelopment plan is presented and a model for trans‐disciplinary collaboration is proposed by the author.

Practical implications

While immediate attention must be paid to restoring basic living conditions and re‐establishing local infra‐structure, long‐term efforts must focus on capacity building, increased resilience, disaster management and community empowerment. In the aftermath of the devastating tsunami, many communities are in need of coordinated and well planned models of redevelopment to ensure sustainable change and meaningful recovery.

Originality/value

This paper proposes an innovative, participatory model of redevelopment that can be adapted to other communities devastated by natural disasters.

Details

Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-3562

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 March 2018

Aishath Muneeza

It is said that to establish an Islamic Capital Market, the first step would be to have a strong Islamic finance industry with numerous institutions offering Islamic financial…

Abstract

Purpose

It is said that to establish an Islamic Capital Market, the first step would be to have a strong Islamic finance industry with numerous institutions offering Islamic financial services. This way it is easy to know that the demand for Islamic capital market would be there and that market will be sophisticated enough to comprehensive the nature of shariah compliant products. Generally, in most of the jurisdictions, this is how the Islamic capital market is created. The purpose of this paper is to understand the establishment of Islamic capital market in Maldives, small island nation where the establishment of Islamic capital market happened when at a time there was only one takaful company and one Islamic bank established.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a legal exploratory research that is based on the review of primary and secondary data available on the subject matter.

Findings

It is anticipated that this paper will provide assistance and inspiration to those jurisdictions that aims to create Islamic capital market from scratch.

Originality/value

It shall be noted that there are no literature available on this subject about Maldives, and as such, this paper can be starting point to preserve knowledge in this area.

Details

International Journal of Law and Management, vol. 60 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-243X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2023

Aminath Sudha, S.M. Ferdous Azam and Jacquline Tham

Emerging research on public administration theory has highlighted the need for public sector managers to become better leaders by inspiring and motivating them to align themselves…

Abstract

Purpose

Emerging research on public administration theory has highlighted the need for public sector managers to become better leaders by inspiring and motivating them to align themselves with their organisation's mission and vision. Therefore, transformational leadership has become increasingly appealing in public administration. This study investigates how transformational leadership affects the job performance of those in the Maldives' civil service. Furthermore, it tests the mediation effect of organisational commitment on the relationship between transformational leadership and the job performance of those working in the Maldives' civil service.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a quantitative and cross-sectional design to collect data from 370 employees from different Maldives civil service offices. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, and structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses. The mediating effect was tested using bootstrapping.

Findings

The results reveal that transformational leadership did not significantly affect job performance. While a mediation effect was present, the effect size was within a small range.

Originality/value

The results of this study has important implications for the Maldives' civil service from a human resource management perspective and provides insights to policymakers on how to improve leadership in Maldives' civil service institutions. Furthermore, this study contributes significantly to the existing research in understanding the effect of transformational leadership on public sector organisations in Asia and from a developing country's perspective.

Details

International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 36 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3558

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2004

Julia Gross and Aminath Riyaz

The emergence of a global marketplace in education offers valuable partnership opportunities. Libraries in small developing countries often do not have a critical mass of library…

908

Abstract

The emergence of a global marketplace in education offers valuable partnership opportunities. Libraries in small developing countries often do not have a critical mass of library professionals to share knowledge and to provide advice and collegial support. This case study describes a World Bank funded “Link Institution Arrangement”, which established a library partnership between an academic library in Western Australia and one in the Republic of Maldives. The authors describe the state of libraries and the emerging library profession in the Maldives. They also reveal ways in which the partners explored development issues facing an isolated academic library, shared knowledge in developing print and digital collections and planning collection development. The authors affirm the value of building enduring professional partnerships and conclude with recommendations for building print and digital collections, which may have implications for other small academic libraries.

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