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1 – 10 of 14Maha S. Abdo, Samira A. Ahmed, Basmah K. Awad and Mohamed H. Elsharnouby
This study aims to identify the determinants of customers' green purchasing behaviors. First, the study examines the relationship between green self-identity (GSI) and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify the determinants of customers' green purchasing behaviors. First, the study examines the relationship between green self-identity (GSI) and green peer influence (GPI) on green purchase behavior (GPB). Second, it examines the relationships between both GSI and GPI, and purchasing behavior mediated by green consumption values (functional value (FV) and social value (SV)). Third, it investigates the moderating effect of customer disidentification (CDI) on the relationships between GSI and both green consumption values. Finally, it investigates the indirect relationships between GSI and purchasing behavior moderated by CDI.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative study is conducted using a survey of 204 Egyptian buyers of organic food products. AMOS and Hayes's PROCESS macro are used to test the hypotheses under investigation.
Findings
The customer's peer influence and GSI are found to have a positive impact on green purchasing behavior. Additionally, the mediating impact of values and the moderating impact of CDI are also confirmed.
Practical implications
This study helps organic food companies in identifying the determinants of customers' green purchasing behavior. The results of the study will guide the efforts of green marketing professionals in promoting green products in the Egyptian market.
Originality/value
Since the notion of green consumption is still in its infancy, there is a need for further exploration on the green consumption concept to better understand customers' predictors of that type of consumption; accordingly, the current research was conducted.
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Hafida Kahoul, Samira Belhour, Ahmed Bellaouar and Jean Paul Dron
This paper aims to present the fatigue life behaviour of upper arm suspension. The main objectives are to predict the fatigue life of the component and to identify the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present the fatigue life behaviour of upper arm suspension. The main objectives are to predict the fatigue life of the component and to identify the critical location. In this analysis, three aluminium alloys were used for the suspension, and their fatigue life was compared to select the suitable material for the suspension arm.
Design/methodology/approach
CAD model was prepared using Solid Works software, and finite element analysis was done using ANSYS 14.0 software by importing the Parasolid file to ANSYS. The model is subjected to loading and boundary conditions; the authors consider a vertical force with constant amplitude applied at the bushing that connected to the tire, the others two bushing that connected to the body of the car are constraint. Tetrahedral elements given enhanced results as compared to other types of elements; therefore, the elements (TET 10) are used. The maximum principal stress was considered in the linear static analysis, and fatigue analysis was done using strain life approach.
Findings
Life and damage are evaluated and the critical location was considered at node 63,754. From the fatigue analysis, aluminium alloys 7175-T73 (Al 90%-Zn 5.6%-Mg 2.5% -… …) and 2014-T6 (Al 93.5%-Cu 4.4%-Mg 0.5%… …) present a similar behaviour as compared to 6061-T6 (Al 97.9%-Mg 1.0%-Si 0.6%… … .); in this case of study, these lather are considered to be the materials of choice to manufacture the suspension arms; but 7175-T73 aluminium alloys remain the material with a better resistance to fatigue.
Originality/value
By the finite element analysis method and assistance of ANSYS software, it is able to analyse the different car components from varied aspects such as fatigue, and consequently save time and cost. For further research, the experimental works under controlled laboratory conditions should be done to determine the validation of the result from the software analysis.
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Samira Haddou and Sawssen Mkhinini
This paper aims to explore the asymmetric effect of liquidity risk (LR) and Shariah board size on bank financial stability for a panel of Islamic banks (IBs) based in Gulf…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the asymmetric effect of liquidity risk (LR) and Shariah board size on bank financial stability for a panel of Islamic banks (IBs) based in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Southeast Asian countries over the 2006–2019 period.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses the asymmetric nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) error correction model insofar as it allows assessing not only whether IBs with large boards outperform their peers with reduced boardrooms but also unveiling the potential asymmetries between LR and stability.
Findings
The findings show that while increasing the number of the Shariah board members does not impact the financial stability of IBs in both the short and long runs its decrease appears to enhance their stability in the long run. The findings also show that a hike, as well as a fall in LR, significantly influences the stability in the long run, which underlines the role that LR plays in bank financial stability.
Research limitations/implications
A prominent line of future research may consist in extending the country sample to cover more representative full-fledged IBs based on different regions, which allows the breakdown of the sample into GCC-based and non-GCC-based IBs. Doing so is interesting in terms of governance implications. Another extension would consist in considering additional sources of risk to stability.
Practical implications
IBs should enhance their expertise, which helps them diversify their funding strategy and cater for liquidity solutions. They also must establish a better Shariah governance framework to contain their risk-taking behavior that ultimately contributes to achieving financial stability.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the empirical literature in Islamic banking by performing a model that simultaneously accounts for both short- and long-run asymmetries in the relationship between the financial stability of full-fledged IBs, the LR and the size of the Shariah supervisory board.
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Samira Jalili, Mohammad Amerzadeh, Saeideh Moosavi, Abdollah Keshavarz, Rouhollah Zaboli, Seyed Saeed Tabatabaee and Rohollah Kalhor
Strategic orientation is one of the critical principles affecting the marketing and strategy selection of an organization’s activities, reflecting the strategic tendencies…
Abstract
Purpose
Strategic orientation is one of the critical principles affecting the marketing and strategy selection of an organization’s activities, reflecting the strategic tendencies implemented by the organization to create behaviours, leading to organizational efficiency and better employee performance. Therefore, this paper aims to study the relationship between strategic orientation and performance in Qazvin teaching hospitals through green supply chain management (SCM) to improve employees' performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This was a descriptive– analytical and cross-sectional study. The total number of employees in medical centres was 2,256 people. According to Morgan’s table, the required number of samples was 328, including 10% of the sample loss. The questionnaire was given to 365 staff in different hospitals in proportion to the number of staff. Two statistical software, SPSS24 and AMOS23, were used to evaluate the results.
Findings
All three variables were relatively moderate in the hospitals. The results of evaluating the structural model of the research showed that all the studied hypotheses were significant, except for the relationship between organizational performance and strategic orientation hypothesis. The results also show that this model had a good fit.
Practical implications
The findings can lead to saving the environment, creating a better social image and reducing costs and profitability, allowing managers to know the strategic orientations rather than depending on institutional pressure issues and monitoring guidelines.
Originality/value
Considering the significant relationship between the dimensions of green SCM and the hospitals’ performance, the authors suggest: establishing multilateral co-operation in environmental issues, improving the environmental status of hospitals, reducing waste rates and paying attention to social responsibility of hospitals. In addition, the findings help hospital management to comprehensively understand the strategies for implementing green SCM procedures.
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Samira Seidu, Abigail Opoku Mensah, Kassimu Issau and Aborampah Amoah-Mensah
The purpose of the study is to examine performance differentials in the hospitality industry through organisational culture.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to examine performance differentials in the hospitality industry through organisational culture.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted the positivism philosophy, thus relying on the quantitative approach. A structured questionnaire was deployed to gather data from 162 sampled respondents.
Findings
The study finds that mission, involvement and consistency as dimensions of organisational culture have a significant positive relationship with performance of the hotels. However, adaptability as an organisational culture dimension has no statistically significant relation with performance.
Practical implications
Through this study, key stakeholders in the hospitality industry will understand that deploying organisational culture in businesses is important in enhancing performance of businesses.
Originality/value
The study is underpinned by the organisational excellence theory, and its main contribution to the literature is by proposing that when firms deploy excellent cultural attributes, their performance will improve.
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This chapter focuses on gender, sexuality and security in post-Apartheid South Africa.
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter focuses on gender, sexuality and security in post-Apartheid South Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology includes secondary analysis of policy and research with the aim of highlighting and assessing the position of gender, sex and security in post-Apartheid South Africa. Feminist theory and intersectionality are used to discuss issues of sexuality, security, construction of gender relationships and experiences of being a woman in South Africa. The normalisation of violence against women is challenged.
Social implications
The social implications of this research are that it challenges normalisation of gendered violence, questions gendercide and produces knowledge of a gendered social reality of living in South Africa. Women who consider assault a regular feature of their sexual relationships have been brought into a discourse which includes the liberalisation of sexual expression, claims to new sexual rights and aspirations to power and status through sexual relationships (Posel, 2005a).
Practical implications
Throughout the chapter the achievement of gender equality is problematised and questioned. However, gender and the relationship between power and sex remain at the centre of the inquiry, particularly with reference to the increasing culture of violence and men as the perpetrators of violence against women.
Originality/value
According to Posel ‘one of the most striking features of the post-apartheid era has been the politicization of sexuality’ (2005a, p. 125) and this chapter demonstrates that a response to the violation of the Women’s Charter of Effective Equality, passed in 2000, is a priority as women and families are disproportionately affected by violence in multiple ways.
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Andrea Nana Ofori-Boadu, DeAndria Bryant, Christian Bock-Hyeng, Zerihun Assefa, Frederick Aryeetey, Samira Munkaila and Elham Fini
The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of utilizing agricultural (almond shell, rice husk and wood) waste biochars for partial cement replacement by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of utilizing agricultural (almond shell, rice husk and wood) waste biochars for partial cement replacement by evaluating the relationships between the physiochemical properties of biochars and the early-age characteristics of cement pastes.
Design/methodology/approach
Biochars are prepared through the thermal decomposition of biomass in an inert atmosphere. Using varying percentages, biochars are used to replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in cement pastes at a water/binder ratio of 0.35. Characterization methods include XPS, FTIR, SEM, TGA, BET, Raman, loss-on-ignition, setting, compression and water absorption tests.
Findings
Accelerated setting in biochar-modified cement pastes is attributed to chemical interactions between surface functional groups of biochars and calcium cations from OPC, leading to the early development of metal carboxylate and alkyne salts, alongside the typical calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H). Also, metal chlorides such as calcium chlorides in biochars contribute to the accelerate setting in pastes. Lower compression strength and higher water absorption result from weakened microstructure due to poor C-S-H development as the high carbon content in biochars reduces water available for optimum C-S-H hydration. Amorphous silica contributes to strength development in pastes through pozzolanic interactions. With its optimal physiochemical properties, rice-husk biochars are best suited for cement replacement.
Research limitations/implications
While biochar parent material properties have an impact on biochar properties, these are not investigated in this study. Additional investigations will be conducted in the future.
Practical implications
Carbon/silicon ratio, oxygen/carbon ratio, alkali and alkaline metal content, chlorine content, carboxylic and alkyne surface functional groups and surface areas of biochars may be used to estimate biochar suitability for cement replacement. Biochars with chlorides and reactive functional groups such as C=C and COOH demonstrate potential for concrete accelerator applications. Such applications will speed up the construction of concrete structures and reduce overall construction time and related costs.
Social implications
Reductions in OPC production and agricultural waste deterioration will slow down the progression of negative environmental and human health impacts. Also, agricultural, manufacturing and construction employment opportunities will improve the quality of life in agricultural communities.
Originality/value
Empirical findings advance research and practice toward optimum utilization of biomass in cement-based materials.
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The purpose of this paper is to study and analyze the Iranian policy towards the Middle East (ME) and its consequences on Egypt.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study and analyze the Iranian policy towards the Middle East (ME) and its consequences on Egypt.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses the national interest approach and system analysis approach as analytical framework.
Findings
Several areas are points such as pillars of the Iranian National strategy, pillars of the Iranian policy in the ME and the concept of the Iranian National Security.
Originality/value
Iran is one of the most important and influential regional powers in the Middle East that affects dramatically regional security and stability. The paper analyzes Iranian policy in the ME and its determinants. In this context, this study deals with the Iranian strategy and Iranian interests. It focuses on the impact of Iranian policy on Egypt and its national security from a comprehensive perspective.
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Muhammad Khalilur Rahman, Miraj Ahmed Bhuiyan, Mohammad Mainul Hossain and Rolee Sifa
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic provides the scope to conduct online classes in the university teaching methods. This study aims to investigate the impact of…
Abstract
Purpose
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic provides the scope to conduct online classes in the university teaching methods. This study aims to investigate the impact of technology self-efficacy on students' behavioral intention on the effectiveness of online learning.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted with 323 university students using the online survey platform. Data analysis was acquired by implementing the partial least squares technique to obtain the results.
Findings
The findings revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic affects technology self-efficacy. Technology self-efficacy has a significance on perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use, which influences students' behavioral intention to use online learning effectively. The results identified that user innovativeness facilitated the relationship between PU and behavioral intention to use online learning efficiency.
Originality/value
This study has a significant insight into the higher educational institutes and academia that lessons from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on technology self-efficacy toward online learning effectiveness.
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