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The present paper aims to propose a viable alternative model for human capital development (HCD), termed as the integrated cash waqf micro enterprises investment (ICWME-I) model, which is expected to contribute to the development of micro enterprises in Malaysia.

This is a conceptual paper for the development of the ICWME-I model. It is purely qualitative in nature, using content analysis. It comprehensively reviews the literature related to HCD issues faced by micro enterprises and existing studies related to cash waqf (Islamic endowment) to construct the ICWME-I model.

The proposed ICWME-I model is specially designed for HCD of micro enterprises. It is an appropriate initiative to upgrade micro enterprises through HCD programmes by ensuring proper utilization of cash waqf funds to build modern training centres at subsidized costs with state-of-the-art facilities. The training centres would subsidize the participation fees of micro enterprises and provide them with facilities to undertake education and training programmes, as well as other kinds of activities for upgrading, improving and enhancing human capital capacity and skills of micro enterprises. The potential challenges of the ICWME-I model are also highlighted in this study.

This paper attempts to construct the ICWME-I model based on an extensive review of literature related to micro enterprises, cash waqf and HCD. Among its major limitations is the fact that the ICWME-I model is not empirically validated and tested in this research. This can be carried out in future studies.

The present study could have an enormous impact on micro entrepreneurs via HCD programmes. The most important impact would be on government budgets, as this ICWME-I model is expected to generate its own funds from cash waqf for micro enterprises’ HCD.

This paper brings forward an original and viable model to develop human capital for micro enterprises development. This model involves the building of training centres using cash waqf raised from donors.

This study aims to find important factors of Malaysian Islamic banking customers’ loyalty or continuance intention to use Islamic mobile banking services.

The primary data are collected from the survey administered to 250 customers in the Klang Valley and the analysis is conducted using partial least squares (PLS).

Based on the findings, continuance intention of using Islamic mobile banking services was found to be depended on the usability of mobile banking services, customer service provided by Islamic banks towards mobile banking services, customer satisfaction on mobile banking services and trust of customers towards mobile banking services. In addition, the mediating effect of Islamic mobile banking services continuance adoption is significantly influenced by customer satisfaction and trust.

The sample size and area of study become the obvious limitations, and interpretation of the results and conclusion cannot be as generalised. In addition, as the respondents of this study are existing customers who have used Islamic mobile banking services at least once, relying on the perception of one key informant might imply cognitive biases. Besides, the use of current factors might limit the ability to explore other potentially important determinants of the customers’ continuance intention in using Islamic mobile banking services.

By understanding these continuance intention factors amongst the customers, it would help the industry player particularly Islamic banking to plan and strategise appropriate policies and support necessary programmes on diversifying and promoting financial transaction using mobile banking services amongst their existing and potential customers.

This paper offers an additional literature on Islamic mobile banking, especially from the Malaysian context. There is a lack of study that focuses on loyalty towards Islamic mobile banking services. The paper is considered to be the first attempt to examine the factors that influence Malaysian Islamic banking customers’ loyalty or continuance intention to use Islamic mobile banking services.

This paper aims to test the factors that can influence the adoption of Islamic mobile banking services among the current users in Malaysia.

A sample of 250 current users of Islamic mobile banking services provided opinions about their intention to adopt Islamic mobile banking services. Later, the data are analysed using partial least squares approach.

Perceived usefulness and risk are the factors that influence the intention to adopt Islamic mobile banking services among the existing users.

There are some limitations of the current study. The sample size and area of study becomes the obvious limitations. Thus, there is a need for caution in the interpretation of the results and the conclusion cannot be as generalised. Besides, the use of current factors might limit the ability to explore other potentially important determinants of the users. Thus, future research can be conducted by incorporating new factors and provide new insights for Islamic mobile banking services. In addition, the sample is biased towards people who are currently using mobile banking services.

By understanding these factors among the customers, it would help the industry player, particularly Islamic financial institutions to plan and strategise appropriate policies and support necessary programme on diversifying and promoting financial transaction using mobile banking services among their existing and potential customers.

This paper offers an additional literature on Islamic mobile banking, especially from the Malaysian context. There is a lack of study that focusses on Islamic mobile banking services. The paper is considered to be the first attempt to examine factors that influence Malaysian Islamic banking customers to adopt Islamic mobile banking services, which is not often considered in previous studies.

This paper aims to develop an integrated waqf-based Islamic microfinance (IsMF) for poverty reduction in Bangladesh. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have been constrained by the high cost of funds, high interest rate charges and poor human resource quality of the recipients. Islamic MFIs have recently evolved with the hope of overcoming these financial, ethical and human capital deficiencies faced by the conventional financial institutions. Moreover, a good number of integrated models have been proposed to enhance the role played by Islamic MFIs. Most of these models, however, lack empirical justifications.

The research uses survey techniques. A total of 381 respondents were included in the survey. The integrated waqf-based Islamic microfinance model (IWIMM) was earlier on developed using literature and intellectual discussions. There are six constructs presenting the IWIMM, namely, waqf resources, IsMF, takaful, project financing, human resource development and poverty alleviation. In the survey instrument, 45 items represent the six constructs, but only 26 items have been retained after factor analysis. Structural equation modelling has been adopted to examine the relationship among the constructs.

The results show that there are significant relationships between IsMF and takaful, waqf resources and human resource development, takaful and human resource development, IsMF and human resource development and, waqf resources and project financing. The results also indicate that poverty alleviation is possible through the integration of these constructs.

Though the paper has studied conventional and Islamic MFIs in Bangladesh, one of the populated Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries and also where poverty incidence is high, further studies need to be conducted in other OIC member countries to adopt the model in line with practical and regulatory environment of those countries. Similarly, the study is based on the perception of the respondents, which limits the generalization of the result.

The paper proposed a model that has the potential of being applied for poverty alleviation programmes in most of the OIC member states.

The present paper has developed an IWIMM for poverty reduction.

The aim of this paper is to propose and verify a structured model for Islamic micro-finance in Bangladesh. The Islamic micro-investment model (IMIM) aims to harness the role of the Waqf/philanthropic sector to empower micro-entrepreneurs.

The researchers use the survey technique to investigate the micro-entrepreneurs’ intention to adopt the model. A total of 400 questionnaires are distributed with 207 responses being returned (51.75 per cent). In this study, a structural model is tested to examine the relationship of the behavioural intention to adopt Islamic micro-investment with the attitude towards behaviour, subjective norm, normative belief and behavioural belief.

The findings of the research show that, overall, the model fits the data and can be used to advance Islamic micro-finance in Bangladesh. However, out of the four hypotheses tested, only two are accepted vis-à-vis the influence of behavioural belief and normative belief on attitude and subjective norm, respectively.

The research suggests the need for an awareness programme on Islamic micro-finance and the role of Waqf in the economic empowerment of the populace.

The IMIM aims to harness the role of the Waqf/philanthropic sector to empower micro-entrepreneurs.

The model of Islamic micro-finance may empower poor micro-entrepreneurs and harnesses the potential of Waqf for socio-economic development, thereby, among others, reducing the cost of capital.

Only a few studies have been conducted on micro-finance from an Islamic perspective in Bangladesh. The IMIM, which has been developed by Muhammad (2012) and tested in Nigeria, is the first to be validated through an empirical study in Bangladesh. Thus, testing the viability of IMIM in the Bangladesh context will certainly add value for the clients, institutions and policymakers in Islamic micro-finance.

This chapter takes a look at the evolution of Egypt’s educational system under different regimes that were in power during the years of 1954–2011. By analyzing the education policy under the regimes of Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar El Sadat, and Hosni Mubarak, the chapter aims to show how different ideologies have influenced the educational system and the larger goals of social development in the country. In particular, the chapter will highlight the “open door policy” of economic liberalization and the abolishment of the guaranteed government employment policy for graduates that was initiated by Anwar El Sadat and continued during the Mubarak’ era. This became one of the factors that led to growing resentment against state’s policy and fueled the revolution in 2011. The chapter will conclude that the historical context provides a lens to understand the complexity of how education systems are formed and reformed under various regimes and ideologies, and the ensuing consequences of social inequity. What remains to be seen is how educational policy will be shaped in post-revolution Egypt.

The efficiency of each of an organization’s individual workers determines its effectiveness. The study aims to explore the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and organizational effectiveness with employee performance as a mediating variable.

Data were collected from 800 police officers in the Greater Accra and Tema regions. The data were supported by the hypothesized relationship. Construct reliability and validity was established through confirmatory factor analysis. The proposed model and hypotheses were evaluated using structural equation modeling.

The results show that career planning and employee performance were significantly related. Self-managed teams and employee performance were shown to be nonsignificantly related. Similarly, performance management and employee performance were shown to be nonsignificantly related. Employee performance significantly influenced organizational effectiveness. The results further indicate that employee performance mediates the relationship between HRM practices and organizational effectiveness.

The generalizability of the findings will be constrained due to the research’s police service focus and cross-sectional data.

The study’s findings will serve as valuable pointers for the police administration in the adoption, design and implementation of well-articulated and proactive HRM practices to improve the abilities, skills, knowledge and motivation of officer’s to inordinately enhance the effectiveness of the service.

By evidencing empirically that employee performance mediates the relationship between HRM practice and organizational effectiveness, the study extends the literature.