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The purpose of this paper is to develop an assessment methodology that can be used to evaluate performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector.

This area of the study focuses on the assessment of performance in manufacturing SMEs. The methodology contains qualitative and quantitative measures that can quantify the opportunities and benefits within SMEs, as well as identifying the performance gaps between the current performance of the company and world-class performance. This includes reviewing the literature relating to assessment methodology and collecting data by carrying out semi-structured interviews with staff at target SMEs.

The results show that the proposed assessment methodology is effective in identifying hidden opportunities and benefits in the manufacturing SMEs sector, establishing world-class performance of the companies and comparing this with current performance in order to identify gaps in performance in manufacturing SMEs.

This assessment can be used for monitoring and assessing SMEs performance. The developed methodology can be used by manufacturing SMEs as an assessment and benchmarking tool. It enables manufacturing SMEs to identify opportunities for improvement and determine the gaps in current performance; this will assist manufacturing SMEs in selecting an appropriate tool to improve their performance in order to achieve the company objectives.

This paper presents a successful and effective assessment methodology for manufacturing SMEs. It measures current performance which will provide a useful indicator to identify waste. It attempts to improve company performance and suggests how such activities could be organised and managed more effectively. Consequently it leads to a high potential for cost and time saving and quality improvement.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology that can help small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in the manufacturing sector, to select an appropriate lean tool for the company which will maximum benefits from adopting the tool.

This study focuses on the selection of an appropriate lean tool for manufacturing SMEs. The methodology contains a quantitative approach that can assist SMEs in identifying the appropriate lean tool. A literature review, collation of experts’ opinions via a questionnaire and a case study (to provide a guideline as to how the developed methodology may work) are presented in this research.

The findings revealed that the proposed methodology was effective in identifying the appropriate lean tools for companies, according to the key performance indicators in the manufacturing SME sector.

The developed methodology can be used by manufacturing SMEs as a decision support system to enable the representatives of the company to make an informed decision regarding the selection of the most appropriate lean tool (i.e. that will address the most important issue that the company is experiencing). The strength of using this methodology is that appropriate lean tool can be ascertained relatively easily and inexpensively. There is the prospect of this methodology being applicable to most types of SMEs.

This methodology has proven to be useful for recommending the application of lean tools in a company’s attempt to become lean, bridging the gap identified in the literature review.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate quality factors that are absolutely essential for successful implementation of total quality management (TQM) in Libyan oil and gas companies (LOGCs).

In all, 11 quality factors with 42 elements were identified to develop a questionnaire to carry out the survey in order to identify the quality factors that are seen by LOGCs to be critical to the success of TQM implementation. In total, 45 questionnaires were provided by hand to quality-related managers from the Libyan oil and gas sector. A total of 42 were returned sufficiently completed, that gave us a response rate of approximately 93.33 per cent.

The empirical analysis demonstrates several key findings: the analysis indicated that 24 quality factors are found to be critical and absolutely essential for successful TQM implementation. These factors classify into three levels of criticality. All of the factors were found to be supported by similar studies and cited literatures.

The research is subject to the normal limitations of survey research. The study is using perceptual data provided by quality managers and engineers which may not provide clear picture. It may be suitable to consider gathering information from various stakeholders such as employees, customers, suppliers and even competitors. However, this can be overcome using multiple methods to collect data in future studies. Interestingly, the findings here may be generalisable outside Libya, i.e. South Mediterranean countries.

LOGCs should consider TQM as an innovative tool for improving business performance in today's competitive environment. The findings suggest that the TQM critical success factors should be implemented completely as a whole package rather than on a fragmented basis to get the full potential of the TQM.

The study investigate the critical quality factors for successful TQM implementation which will direct an organisation towards business excellence and enhancing success of TQM practices in the oil and gas sector. Very few studies have been performed to investigate and understand this issue. Therefore, the research can make a useful contribution.

This paper examines the Pakistani state's shift from the accommodation to exclusion of the heterodox Ahmadiyya community, a self-defined minority sect of Islam. In 1953, the Pakistani state rejected demands by a religious movement that Ahmadis be legally declared non-Muslim. In 1974 however, the same demand was accepted. This paper argues that this shift in the state's policy toward Ahmadis was contingent on the distinct political fields in which the two religious movements were embedded. Specifically, it points to conjunctures among two processes that defined state–religious movement relations: intrastate struggles for political power, and the framing strategies of religious movements vis-à-vis core symbolic issues rife in the political field. Consequently, the exclusion of Ahmadis resulted from the transformation of the political field itself, characterized by the increasing hegemony of political discourses referencing Islam, shift toward electoral politics, and the refashioning of the religious movement through positing the “Ahmadi issue” as a national question pertaining to democratic norms.

This study examines the underlying relationships between the critical factors of building information modeling (BIM) implementation and the factors' groupings among architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) organizations in Saudi Arabia. The objectives of the study are to (1) identify the critical factors for BIM implementation, (2) analyze the interrelationships between the critical factors and (3) compare the critical factors between the different organizational characteristics.

First, potential factors were identified through a systematic literature review and interviews with AEC professionals. Then, a questionnaire survey was sent to AEC professionals and the collected data were analyzed using the following techniques and tests: mean score ranking, standard deviation, normalized value, factor analysis (FA), analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Tukey test.

The analyses show that 14 factors are critical for BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia. The top critical factors include the existence of standard contracts on data security and user confidentiality, consistent views on BIM among stakeholders and the availability of guidelines for implementing BIM. Of the 14 critical factors, 9 can be grouped into 4 underlying factors: environmental, governmental, legal and organizational. The analysis shows that the criticality of the most critical factors grouped by the FA varies between different levels of BIM competency. Finally, the presence of public–private partnerships (PPPs) in realizing BIM projects is a new and emerging critical factor for BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia.

This study differs from prior works on BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia by using FA to explore the underlying relationships among factors of BIM implementation and the factors' groupings. Based on the FA results, a roadmap for implementing the BIM was developed. These findings will help to purposefully and efficiently customize BIM implementation strategies and initiatives to ensure successful BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia.

The term ‘fundamentalism’ has come of late into popular usage more than any other. It has been used for various Christian movements. During the twentieth century, the term came to be used in Christian–Protestant circles in an effort to define beliefs that are fundamental to Christian religion. The world that emerged after the Second World War saw the emergence of many former colonial and semi-colonial countries as independent nations. Their development caused ferment among the Muslim countries also. It took the form of a resurgence of fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalism. During the last several decades, the Islamic revival that is sweeping from Morocco in the West to Mindanao in the Philippines is considered with some reason as a response to the predatory policies of Western imperialism. This was the reassertion and the response of the Muslims to the challenge of the West. This was the promise of the fundamentalist Muslims: self assertive Islamic nationalism and simplicity of argument in the hope of recapturing the pristine purity and political glory of Islam (Ahmad, 1991). The first Muslim to react against the alien accretions to Islamic society, not necessarily the result of external or foreign influence, was Shah Waliullah (1703–1762) who was almost a contemporary of Abdul Wahab (1703–1787) in Arabia. Both evolved from attempting to purge the Islamic society of foreign accretions to protesting oppression and corruption of Westernisation (Jansen, 1979). The fundamentalism today is different from that of the eighteenth century. It is not of much use to trace historical continuity in the fundamentalist ideology; although, this does not negate some linkages between Islam's past history and modern day fundamentalist movements (Ahmed, 1994).

This chapter discusses the findings of a study at a public university in Malaysia, which reflect the country’s evolving situation regarding sustainability education. The study aimed to explore the knowledge of and attitudes to sustainability of the academic staff at the university, and the pedagogical approaches they used in curricula. Through a mixed method approach, primary data were collected through an online quantitative survey containing 90 statements related to Education for Sustainable Development Goals, knowledge, attitudes, pedagogical techniques, and learning objectives. Following the survey, a focus group discussion was conducted involving several academic staff from the university to explore their perspectives on current sustainability teaching practices and to identify emerging issues. Findings revealed that there were generally positive levels of understandings and attitudes among the academic staff toward education on sustainability development (ESD). Furthermore, the staff agreed highly with ESD learning objectives, and various pedagogical approaches were in use. These are important findings as the levels of awareness and attitudes among academics play a key role in shaping successful implementation of a range of pedagogical techniques for ESD goals. As well as the challenges identified in the study, the chapter puts forward useful insights and key aspects to enhance ESD practices at all levels in the country. Options for policy and practice to move beyond sustainable development as a goal or aspiration for teaching and learning to a practical and pedagogical reality of ESD practices in Malaysian higher education institutions are also discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of proactive personality (PP), entrepreneurship education (EE) and entrepreneurial opportunities (EO) on shaping entrepreneurial intentions (EI) among university students through attitude toward entrepreneurship (ATE) and perceived behavioural control (PBC) according to Ajzen’s (1985) theory of planned behaviour.

The study used questionnaires to collect data from university students enroled in undergraduate programmes. A total of 209 surveys were successfully collected. SPSS and SmartPLS 3.0 software were used to analyse and test nine hypotheses derived from the intentions-centred model.

The results supported seven hypotheses. There were positive relationships between PP and ATE; PP and PBC; EE and ATE; EO and ATE; EO and PBC; ATE and EI; and PBC and EI. However, there were no relationships between EE and PBC, and subjective norms and EI.

This study used a cross-sectional survey and self-report data which hinder conclusively making correlational inferences. In addition, the various developmental stages of students may influence perceptions of EI.

The empirical findings provide new insights for policymakers, educators and academics about the antecedents governing EI. This study also enhances the understanding of the preconditions for EI, which can be utilised by practitioners to encourage and manage graduate entrepreneurship.

This study advances an intentions-based model which suggests a simultaneous presence of the three core factors, PP, EE and EO for an effective formation of EI. By doing so, the study addresses the issue of the scarcity of investigations on the combined effects, thus closing the research gap and bringing new perspective to the antecedents-intentions nexus of graduate entrepreneurship.

This study aims to investigate the monitoring role of ownership structure (OWS) on real earnings management (REM) practices; previous studies primarily examined the effect of OWS on accrual-based earnings management.

The sample of this study is 490 companies listed on the Malaysian Stock Exchange during the period 2013–2016 (1,960 company-year observations). The regression of a feasible generalized least square was used for data analysis. The authors use three regression models ordinary least squares, panel-corrected standard errors and Driscoll–Kraay standard errors to corroborate the findings and also examine alternative REM measures.

Analysis of the data shows that family, foreign and institutional ownership has a positive link with the quality of financial reporting and, to a large extent, is capable of alleviating REM. The findings also indicate that some form of OWS significantly affects REM, corroborating existing theories on corporate governance (CG) and the perspectives of practitioners.

The evidence concerns the significant role played by the OWS in reducing REM activities. The findings are useful in support of regulatory activities, particularly in the design of policies to regulate the OWS. The results may also provide useful insights to inform other policymakers, investors, shareholders and researchers about the active role of family, foreign and institutional investors in monitoring Malaysia's public listed companies (PLCs) to strengthen CG practices. This also leads to less REM and enhances the quality of financial reporting.

To the authors' knowledge, this work is pioneering research from a developing country, specifically from Malaysia, to investigate the manner in which all possible OWSs influence REM. More importantly, the study recommends that regulators and researchers do not envisage OWS as a holistic phenomenon.

In recent years, though a growing body of research has emerged on world-class universities (WCUs), studies in this field remain limited. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe the research gap and provide a future direction for WCU research. This paper highlights the key theoretical approaches, methods, journals, unit analyses, authors, themes, countries and papers in this field. It also outlines the antecedents and consequences of WCU status.

This study collected all research related to WCUs published from 2004 to 2020. In total, 47 studies of the 435 found on Scopus and Web-of-Science are included in the review.

The results show that though the body of WCU literature is growing, it is fragmented in terms of theoretical frameworks, methodology, countries studied and unit analyses. This study also found that national, organisational and individual factors are among the antecedents and organisational and individual consequences of WCUs.

This study investigates existing gaps in the WCU literature and identifies new research directions for future research. Further, this study scrutinises existing studies to determine how universities have used a variety of methods and theories to achieve WCU status across numerous countries and settings. Finally, this study develops an antecedents and consequences WCU framework to synthesise existing studies.