Search results
1 – 10 of over 3000Ziyaad Mahomed and Azmy Mahbot
SRI Sukuk, with its outcome-based emphasis, aims to align the Islamic finance industry with its original ideals and address criticisms related to form over substance. In Malaysia…
Abstract
Purpose
SRI Sukuk, with its outcome-based emphasis, aims to align the Islamic finance industry with its original ideals and address criticisms related to form over substance. In Malaysia, while the pioneering Sukuk Ihsan was a “social” sukuk, recent SRI Sukuk issuances have predominantly been “green” or “sustainable” sukuk. This paper aims to evaluate the Malaysian SRI Sukuk market, identifying factors favouring “green” sukuk. It also examines whether structural issues in Sukuk Ihsan deterred subsequent issuers from “social” sukuk. The emergence of SRI Sukuk responds to sustainable development goals and the shift towards a low-carbon economy. Sukuk Ihsan, as the first Shariah-compliant pay-for-success structure, poses complexity and risk management challenges to meet performance criteria.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a qualitative method in the form of a critical review of literature, interview sessions with experts and stakeholders who are familiar with SRI Sukuk and Sukuk Ihsan and a case study analysis of Sukuk Ihsan.
Findings
The popularity of “green” sukuk reflects the growing global environmental consciousness. The main factors driving the popularity of “green” sukuk are the maturity of the market and the existence of a strong supporting infrastructure for “green” issuances while the positive profiling benefits and availability of incentives for “green” issuances also contribute to a lesser extent. The recommendations include the promotion of “social” sukuk by regulators through a focus on establishing a similar supporting infrastructure for “social” sukuk as there are for SRI and standard Sukuk. In addition, issuers of “social” sukuk may want to reconsider the inclusion of key performance indicators (“KPI”) into the structure of future “social” sukuk issuances.
Research limitations/implications
Although all respondents considered Sukuk Ihsan to be a success, some potential areas of improvement were also noted. These include the structuring of future “social” sukuk issuances with a bigger discount to compensate for the additional risk being assumed by the investor; the need to be more careful in the KPI selection process; and one respondent even went so far as to suggest the possibility of totally removing the step-down feature of Sukuk Ihsan.
Practical implications
Industry implications of Sukuk Ihsan study include findings that require balancing disclosure and economics by providing additional disclosure requirements for SRI Sukuk that may pose risks without corresponding benefits for issuers. KPI selection and investor confidence should also be properly identified, as KPIs are essential for the pay-for-success model to work successfully. For sukuk holders, findings indicate that any approval for waivers during issuance can impact investor confidence negatively. Investor literacy and impact understanding should also be improved for social Sukuk success. Investors should understand the different risk exposures and evolving impact requirements vital for sustainable growth.
Social implications
The findings provide significant implications for social impact Sukuk issuance. They include providing a substantial case study for future social impact issuances, based on the pioneering impact of Sukuk Ihsan. Furthermore, Sukuk Ihsan’s unqualified success validates the feasibility of socially responsible sukuk. Despite its early introduction, both tranches being fully subscribed reflects robust investor interest. Stakeholders were also proud of their involvement in such an initiative, viewing it as a significant achievement in creating societal impact.
Originality/value
Although there have been several prior studies done on Sukuk Ihsan, the focus of those studies was on its structure and the novelty of its “step down” returns structure where investors would receive lower returns if certain key performance indicators (“KPIs”) are met by Yayasan AMIR in the execution of its Trust School Programme. Bearing in mind that the first Sukuk Ihsan has a June 2022 maturity date, and the results of its KPIs were announced in December 2021, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the only documented case study that comprehensively reviews Sukuk Ihsan and identifies lessons learned and/or opportunities for improvement for the benefit of potential SRI Sukuk issuers in the future.
Details
Keywords
Anastasia Griva and Angeliki Karagiannaki
Designing effective business analytics (BA) platforms that visualise data, provide deep insights and support data-driven decision-making is a challenging task. Understanding the…
Abstract
Purpose
Designing effective business analytics (BA) platforms that visualise data, provide deep insights and support data-driven decision-making is a challenging task. Understanding the elements shaping BA platform design is crucial for success. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of visualisation on usability (UI) and user experience (UX) while emphasising the importance of insights understanding in BA platform design.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a case study following a startup’s journey as it undergoes two redesign phases for its BA platform. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods is used to assess UX/UI and insights understanding of the platform. Indicatively this included semi-structured interviews, observations, think-aloud techniques and surveys to monitor runtime per task, number of errors, users’ emotions and users’ understanding.
Findings
Our findings suggest that modifications in aesthetics and information visualisation positively influence overall usability, UX, and understanding of platform insights – a critical aspect for the success of the startup.
Research limitations/implications
Our goal is not to make a methodological contribution, but to illustrate how companies, constrained by time and pressure, navigate platform changes without meticulous design and provide learnings on important elements while designing BA platforms.
Practical implications
This paper concludes with suggested methods for assessing BA platforms and recommends practical practices to follow. These practices include recommendations on important elements for BA platform users, such as navigation and interactivity, user control and personalisation, visual consistency and effective visualisation.
Originality/value
This study contributes to practice as it presents a real-life case and offers valuable insights for practitioners.
Details
Keywords
During everyday work, individuals often engage in unplanned conversations that help them develop relationships, share information and coordinate tasks. Unfortunately, the…
Abstract
Purpose
During everyday work, individuals often engage in unplanned conversations that help them develop relationships, share information and coordinate tasks. Unfortunately, the work-from-home mandates issued due to the pandemic have reduced the frequency of unplanned conversations among employees. So, as businesses reopen, organizations are considering post-pandemic workplace solutions that can facilitate unplanned conversations. To aid these efforts and move research and theory on unplanned conversations forward, this study proposes and tests a multi-factor model of the antecedents of unplanned conversations.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a multi-methodological approach and collected data using automated sensing technology, structured observations and cross-sectional survey methods. A total of 5,297 unplanned conversations among 61 employees were recorded using the custom mobile application and structured observations. Cross-sectional survey data about these employees' work contexts were also collected.
Findings
The study results showed that the model significantly predicted the frequency of unplanned conversations. Notably, technical expertise, perceived time pressure and team psychological safety significantly predicted the frequency of unplanned conversations. The study findings have both theoretical and practical significance.
Originality/value
Previous research studies have primarily focused on the influence of workplace designs on unplanned conversations. However, this study demonstrates that several other factors facilitate unplanned conversations. This research theorizes and empirically tests the relationship between unplanned conversations and several individual, team and organizational factors.
Details
Keywords
In the past decade, financial austerity has brought significant pressure upon emergency services in the UK. For the British Government, one approach to alleviate this pressure was…
Abstract
Purpose
In the past decade, financial austerity has brought significant pressure upon emergency services in the UK. For the British Government, one approach to alleviate this pressure was to increase collaborative efforts in core functions (e.g. information systems and technology) between multiple organisations. Despite the consensus that collaborations are key in addressing complex problems, the majority fail or become discontinued. This research explores the development of collaborative information infrastructures between one Police Force and two Fire and Rescue Services in the UK, with a specific focus on how the difference in culture, identities and rules and norms, can work in a collaborative emergency service environment.
Design/methodology/approach
This study investigated an example of successful development of a collaborative information infrastructure within the context of public safety and, specifically, the technology-based structures that underpin information management. A case study approach was taken, combining semi-structured interviews, document analysis and site visits. The study used activity theory as a theoretical and analytical framework.
Findings
The research revealed that creating a shared identity is not essential in emergency services collaboration, and organisations may maintain their separate identity, given they address other elements of the activity system (e.g. leadership, motivated subjects). However, pursuing this strategy will create multiple tensions throughout the collaboration process.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the information systems literature concerning inter-organisational collaborations in the public sector providing a novel view to the implications of maintaining separate identities, and the significance of misalignment between interacting activity systems.
Details
Keywords
Zijian Wang, Ximing Xiao, Shiwei Fu and Qinggong Shi
This study aims to uncover the mechanisms behind the marginalization of county-level public libraries.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to uncover the mechanisms behind the marginalization of county-level public libraries.
Design/methodology/approach
The research surveyed 25 counties in central China, including Hubei, Chongqing, Hunan, and Guizhou provinces. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with library directors and deputy directors, focusing on main and branch library construction, cultural inclusivity, library assessment, and digital services.
Findings
Contributing factors to library marginalization were identified as economic pressure, institutional domain, longstanding issues, organizational entity, and societal misconceptions. Building on this, the study introduces the HBAC model to explain county-level public library marginalization. Considering the actual social context of these libraries, the article proposes a “3 + 1” approach to mitigate their marginalization.
Originality/value
The research methodology, analysis process, theoretical model, and recommendations provided could shed light on academic research and practical exploration in the field of public libraries globally.
Details
Keywords
Joseph Roh, Morgan Swink and Judith M. Whipple
This research examines the long-held belief in the adaption-related literature that a firm’s ability to adapt organizational structure to changing environments is related to…
Abstract
Purpose
This research examines the long-held belief in the adaption-related literature that a firm’s ability to adapt organizational structure to changing environments is related to superior performance. We create and test a construct that reflects an organization’s ability to change structure, which we call Supply Chain Structural Adaptability (SCSA), rather than relying on proxies (e.g. structural form or organizational modularity) used in prior studies.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantitative data was collected from 218 firms to test our conceptual model.
Findings
We find that SCSA has a mixed effect on profitable growth under various environmental conditions.
Originality/value
We find evidence that refutes two widely held assumptions in organization research, namely, that structural form serves as a reasonable proxy for structural adaptability and that the benefits of adaptive capabilities always increase as environmental dynamism increases.
Details
Keywords
Qiuhao Xie, Shuibo Zhang, Ying Gao, Jingyan Qi and Zhuo Feng
Although the literature recognizes that coopetition plays a significant role in the success of international construction joint ventures (ICJVs), the impacts of coopetition on the…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the literature recognizes that coopetition plays a significant role in the success of international construction joint ventures (ICJVs), the impacts of coopetition on the performance outcomes of ICJVs remain largely unknown. This study extends this line of research by theorizing coopetition from three dimensions, i.e. coopetition intensity, coopetition balance and coopetition structure, and examining the relationships between coopetition and ICJV performance outcomes from both the contingency and configuration perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses were tested using survey data from a sample of 188 ICJVs. Structural equation modelling was employed for the contingency approach to estimate the relationships between the three dimensions of coopetition and performance. For the configuration approach, cluster analysis was utilized to identify coopetition patterns. Subsequently, an analysis of variance was employed to analyse the relationships between these coopetition patterns and performance.
Findings
The contingency results indicate that while coopetition intensity is positively related to all types of performance, coopetition balance is only positively related to project performance and partner performance. Moreover, coopetition structure is only related to partner performance and socioenvironmental performance. The configuration approach identifies six patterns of coopetition, manifesting different levels of project, partner and socioenvironmental performance.
Originality/value
These findings, therefore, contribute to the ICJV literature by extending the understanding of how coopetition dimensions individually and jointly influence ICJV performance.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to present a qualitative analysis of how higher education institutions (HEIs) faculties manage knowledge to facilitate the learning and engagement of individuals…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to present a qualitative analysis of how higher education institutions (HEIs) faculties manage knowledge to facilitate the learning and engagement of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a qualitative research design to collect responses from 39 HEI faculties to understand how they manage knowledge to facilitate learning in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Data collection tools comprised a set of predetermined questions, soliciting written responses.
Findings
Coding of the collected data confirmed that there was a knowledge management process in HEIs for enabling higher education of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A total of six themes emerged, clarifying the knowledge management process. The four components of this process were creation, storage, sharing and use. In addition to the four process-related themes, two other themes that emerged were barriers to knowledge creation and supportive culture. This covers the relevant aspects of the set-up around the knowledge management process in HEIs trying to improve the higher education of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Originality/value
There is a need to improve the education of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which requires effective knowledge management. This paper reveals details of the steps in the knowledge management process relevant to this aim. This is a unique contribution, providing a basis for future research and the introduction of required knowledge management practices by HEIs dedicated to providing high-quality education to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Details
Keywords
Henrik Saabye and Daryl John Powell
This paper aims to investigate how manufacturers can foster insights and improvements from real-time data among shop-floor workers by developing organisational “learning-to-learn”…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how manufacturers can foster insights and improvements from real-time data among shop-floor workers by developing organisational “learning-to-learn” capabilities based on both the lean- and action learning principle of learning through problem-solving. Second, the purpose is to extrapolate findings on how action learning can enable the complementarity between lean and industry 4.0.
Design/methodology/approach
An insider action research approach is adopted to investigate how manufacturers can enable their shop-floor workers to foster insights and improvements from real-time data at VELUX.
Findings
The findings report that enabling shop-floor workers to use real-time data consist of developing three consecutive organisational building blocks of learning-to-learn, learning-to-learn using real-time data and learning-to-learn generating real-time data − and helping others to learn (to learn).
Originality/value
First, the study contributes to theory and practice by demonstrating that a learning-to-learn capability is a core construct for manufacturers seeking to enable shop-floor workers to use real-time data-capturing systems to drive improvement. Second, the study outlines how lean and industry 4.0 complementarity can be enabled by action learning. Moreover, the study allows us to deduce six necessary conditions for enabling shop-floor workers to foster insights and improvements from real-time data.
Details