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Islamic microfinance schemes are designed and developed with the primary intention of poverty alleviation and fulfillment of the Islamic law requirements. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of religiosity, religious leader’s endorsement, social influence and income on the intention to apply for Islamic microfinance among Muslims in Malaysia.

This study is based on a public survey to collect primary data from various states in Malaysia. Then, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data set.

The results of SEM indicate significant roles for religiosity and religious leader’s endorsement as religion-based factors on intention to apply for microfinance products. Moreover, social influence (peer-pressure) is influential on the financial decision-making process. The authors also examined the moderation effect of gender on these relations and found that females, in comparison to males, tend to be more influenced by religious leader’s endorsement and social influence. On the other hand, male with higher religiosity tend to favour Islamic microfinance products more than females.

Findings of this study are new in many aspects, most importantly as it sheds light into the role of religiosity and religious leader’s endorsement on the decision-making process in microfinancing services.

The purpose of this paper is to document a gap between generation X and Y’s behavior toward decision making for hiring a professional financial planner in context of an emerging country.

This research is based on a public survey in Malaysia on the effect of five major contributing factors (namely, awareness, acceptability, affordability, accessibility and assurance) on the decision to hire a professional financial planner. The study further shed light into the difference among the influential factors among generation X and Y.

Although awareness, acceptability, affordability and assurance have demonstrated significant effect on decision making in general, their impact varies among different age groups. Results of moderation tests on the role of age suggest that for Gen X, the determinant factor is only their acceptability of the financial planning service. However, awareness, affordability, acceptability and assurance are critical factors for Gen Y respondents. In contrast to Gen Y, the Gen X respondents tend to have more awareness toward their needs for financial planning; they have gained enough experience to assess the credibility of the planner and test their assurance; and have higher earnings to afford the financial planners services.

Findings of this study are novel as it provide first hand picture from an emerging market in South-East Asia. Moreover, the study documents generation gap in financial decision making process.

The use of volunteers is one of the approaches to capacity building, preparedness and the response of the health system in disasters. Appropriate management of volunteers during disasters and emergencies is essential. This study aimed to explain the challenges of volunteer management in the Pandemic COVID-19 in Iran.

Qualitative research was conducted using the content analysis based on the Graneheim method. The participants' selection was done based on purposeful sampling and theoretical sampling until data saturation. Direct field observation and 26 interviews were applied to collect data.

Four categories and 15 sub-categories emerged to describe the challenges of volunteer management during the COVID-19 crisis including policymaking barriers (including legal barriers, insurance and support coverage and risk governance), managerial barriers (including planning, coordinating and organizing, training and awareness, command and leadership and information management and documentation), socio-cultural barriers (personal safety attitude and culture, attitudes and expectations of the community and perspectives on volunteers) and executive-operational barriers (monitoring and evaluation, cost and needs assessment).

It is essential to increase managers', officials' and volunteers' perceptions of COVID19 risk through education and information. Preparing a database for volunteers' information, including non-governmental organization and governmental organization volunteers, planning for needs assessment, establishing a mechanism for recruiting volunteers and using their capacities and appropriate organizing, tracking and monitoring of volunteers can be among effective strategies.