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This paper aims to analyse the let-down stability of the binder-free dispersion of non-printing ink grades of carbon black and to assess the screen-printability of the finished inks formulated thereof from these pigment dispersions.

Binder-free pigment dispersions that were prepared and optimised following a ladder series of experiments (reported in a separate study by the authors) were let-down with three different binders such that inks containing various amounts of a binder were prepared followed by a rheological characterisation immediately after formulation and after four weeks of storage. The screen printability of the inks that displayed considerable stability was assessed, so was the ink film integrity.

The pigment dispersions that were considered in the present study were generally found to be stable after let-down with different binders. This was indicated by the fact that the finished inks possessed a shear thinning viscosity profiles, after formulation and after storage, in most of the cases. Furthermore, the screen printability of the inks was also found to be good in terms of registration quality of a selected design. The structure of the ink film deposits on uncoated and binder-coated textile fabrics was also highly integrated and free from discontinuities.

Carbon blacks with very low volatile matter content and/or high surface area are generally not considered suitable for use in the formulation of printing inks. This is because of their generally poor dispersability and inability to form dispersions that remain stable over extended periods. This work, which is a part of a larger study by the authors, concerns with the stability of inks formulated from binder-free dispersions of such non-printing ink grades of carbon black. The major advantage of using such pigments in inks is that the required functionality is achieved at considerably low pigment loadings.

This study aims to examine university students’ acceptance of e-learning systems in Pakistan. A Web-based learning system is a new form of utilizing technological features. Although, developed countries have initiated and established the concept for e-learning, developing countries require empirical support to implement e-learning.

This paper further explains a conceptual model that is based on the technology acceptance model (TAM). Earlier theories such as the theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and decomposed theory of planned behaviour (DTPB) have been conducted on user behavioural intention (BI). TAM is considered as the most relevant framework in a Web-based context. To analyse the present study’s hypothesized model, structural equation modelling (SEM) has been used to statistically analyse self-reported sample data from 424 university students.

The results revealed that TAM, with the combination of new constructs, explains university students’ acceptance of the e-learning system reasonably well. Additionally, work life quality (WLQ) and facilitating conditions (FC) have a greater influence on the BI and the actual use (AU) of the e-learning system, respectively.

The study has also provided valuable implications for academics and practitioners for ways to enhance the acceptance of the e-learning system in the higher education of Pakistan.

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze gaps in effectiveness of Mexico’s labor legislation, in terms of equality in employment. Early adoption of progressive legislation should enable equal access for women, elder and disabled people to workplaces.

This chapter is based on an extensive review and examination of secondary data reports from reliable sources, as well as an analysis of primary data drawn from job boards operating in Mexico.

This study reveals a large gap between the legal framework and practice on diversity management in Mexico. Notwithstanding the existing legislation in Mexico to promote equity and equality in employment, age and gender are factors of discrimination in almost 60% of job offers. This study also shows that the intersection of different forms of diversity, such as gender, age, and disability, augment discrimination at work. Our analysis suggests that older women with disabilities suffer disproportionally from discrimination compared to older men and people with disabilities in general.

We outline practical implications for public policy and courses of action for managers interested in diversity management. Greater consideration should be given to those who face an intersection of factors related to discrimination.

This study contributes to the literature by exploring diversity management issues at workplaces in Mexico, which is an under-researched country. Furthermore, it attempts to combine macro-institutional and meso-organizational levels focusing on three characteristics traditionally related to increased marginalization: women, elders, and persons with disabilities. The results indicate that strong legal frameworks, though necessary, are not sufficient to ensure equality. Other crucial factors such as national and organizational cultural change, trust in government and enforcement mechanisms are necessary to improve diversity management practices.

This study’s objectives are twofold; first, this paper aims to explore the determinants of perceived benefit and perceived risk of Islamic Fintech. Second, this study examines the influence of perceived benefit, perceived risk and user trust on the intention to adopt Islamic Fintech.

The sample of 350 was distributed among the respondents, while a usable sample of 321 was retained for the analysis. The study performed a self-administration survey to collect the sample data while the hypothesized model was tested using SmartPLS.

The results revealed that perceived benefit and perceived risk were significant and positively influenced by their factors. Moreover, perceived benefits showed a positive and significant impact on trust. However, perceived risk had a negative and significant impact on trust. The results also found a strong positive and significant relationship between trust and intention to adopt Islamic Fintech.

The outcome of this research may be used to develop strategies for Fintech and enables the financial sector to attain economies of scale in the world.

This research aims to explain the effect of financial indicators and economic growth on human capital in low-income countries.

We gathered balanced panel data from 1980 to 2016 over a sample of 12 low-income countries categorized by World Development Indicators. The data stationary properties were analyzed by unit root test while the existence of a long-run relationship among the variables was confirmed by cointegration test. We performed Hausman test to differentiate between the fixed effect and random effect model. The sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results.

Our findings indicated that broad money supply and private sector credit has a positive and significant impact on human capital. Interestingly, bank credit showed a negative and significant effect on human capital. We also found a significant positive relationship between human capital and economic growth in the study sample.

This is a preliminary study using financial development and human capital in low-income countries with panel econometric techniques as an analysis tool. Overall, we suggest a policy to focus on the financial sector development and economic growth to produce sustainable human capital.

The purpose of this study is to theoretically probe the shape impacts of nano-particle on boundary layer flow of nano-fluid toward a stretching cylinder with heat-transmission effects. The base fluid used for this study is pure water, and aluminum oxide nano-particles are suspended in it. Four different shapes of nano-particle, namely, cylindrical, brick, platelets and blades, are considered to carry out the study.

The problem is modelled mathematically and the nonlinear system of equations is attained by using appropriate transmutations. The solution of transmuted equations is achieved by utilizing a shooting technique with Fourth-Fifth order Runge–Kutta Fehlberg scheme. Numerically attained results are elucidated through graphs and tables which are further compared under limiting cases with existing literature to check the validity of the results.

It is observed that fluid velocity and temperature of cylindrical shaped water nano-fluids are more than the nano-fluid having brick-shaped nano-particles. Moreover, it is seen that the nano-fluids suspended with platelets-shaped nano-particles have higher velocity and temperature than the nano-fluids containing blade-shaped nano-particles. The curvature parameter and nano-particles volume fraction have increasing effects on flow velocity and temperature of nano-fluids containing all types of nano-particle shapes.

Numerous authors have examined the impacts of nano-particle shapes on characteristics of heat transfer and fluid flow. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the shape impacts of nano-particles on boundary layer flow of nano-fluid toward a stretching cylinder with heat-transmission effects have not been discussed. So, to fulfill this gap, the present paper explicates the impacts of various nano-particle shapes on Al₂O₃–water-based nano-fluid flow past a stretching cylinder with heat-transfer effects.

This paper aims to investigate the impact of economic, social and political globalizations on the incidents of global terrorism.

The authors apply negative binomial regressions model because the variable is event count. The sample size covers 195 countries from 1990 to 2017.

There is strong evidence that the higher level of economic and social integrations internationally lead to a reduction in terrorist activities. However, the results relating to political globalization are inconsistent. Comparing the top 20 most affected countries with the full sample, the authors find a negative association between economic globalization and terrorism, whereas social and political globalization is found to be statistically insignificant. Finally, the evidence holds firmly pre-9/11 attacks on World Trade Centre.

This paper suffers through the lack of consensus on a unique and consistent definition of terrorism. The definition of terrorism varies across time and countries. Furthermore, there is a variation among the main databases of terrorism, which could potentially affect the reliability of findings.

This paper provides policymakers with a policy recommendation that the economic and social integration across countries should be encouraged, as it might decrease the number of terrorist events taking place worldwide. In addition, the benefits of economic development generated through global integration must be fairly distributed across societies as an effort to decrease motivation of disgruntles population to involve in terrorism.

This paper contributes empirically to the existing literature through investigating the impact of economic, social and political globalizations on the incidents of terrorism worldwide.

The promising factor for success in a prevailing knowledge-based economy is the excellence in customer service. Private universities are now becoming customer- and service-oriented organizations due to the competition. Therefore, many educational institutions treat their students as customers and restructure their educational practice based on the concept of market consumption. Therefore, many educational institutions treat their students as customers and restructure their educational practice. The purpose of this study is to determine the students' preferences as customers while studying at private universities and factors that affect their intentions to study at private universities when they adopt the student-as-customer concept.

The research model is analyzed with structural equation modeling. The analysis is done with the application of the measurement model and the structural model. The measurement model is first evaluated by examining scale reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity, whereas the assessment of the structural model is conducted for determining the predictive power and analyzing the hypothesized relationships between the proposed constructs through path analysis.

In the paper, seven path shows a significant and positive relationship. However, four relationships are positive but insignificant.

This study contributes to the literature theoretically as well as methodologically. Moreover, it is among the first research that is being conducted in Karachi. Secondly, this study developed a hybrid model by integrating one theory and a conceptual model to determine the factors affecting students' attitudes toward acceptance of the student-as-customer concept and their intentions. Therefore, this paper is useful in filling the gap in the higher education literature and also provides direction for universities to consider and prepare for the consequences of the concept's adoption associated with the number of students who intend to study at their universities.

This paper aims to investigate the factors affecting intentions to select Islamic credit cards in Pakistan by using the theory of reasoned action (TRA) model. In general, bank customers are aware of credit card facility, but the leading factors to select Islamic credit cards are particularly unexplored. Due to this fact, the study examined the effect of subjective norm (SN) and attitude (ATT) with the inclusion of new construct, namely, perceived financial cost (PFC) to predict the intention of customers about the Islamic credit card in Pakistan.

Sample data were conveniently drawn from the bank customers with the help of a self-administered survey based questionnaire, which was consisted over five-point Likert scale. The study uses a sample of 492 bank customers located in the biggest city of Pakistan. Out of these responses, only 466 responses were used in the analysis, while the remaining responses were ignored due to missing data and incomplete responses. The data were analyzed through factor and regression analysis.

Findings from regression analysis suggest that SN and ATT show positive and significant impact on intentions to select an Islamic credit card, while PFC has a negative impact on intentions to select Islamic credit cards. Moreover, SN was found to be the most influential factor to predict the selection of Islamic credit card.

This study has some practical implications for the academicians and Islamic bank managers. Through this research, bank managers can educate their customers about Islamic credit and financial products. Not only this, they should develop a strategy for the awareness of Islamic banking products through social networking and other marketing modes. On the other side, this study laid a foundation for future researchers to explore additional predictors of Islamic credit card. Their empirical work will provide a help to benefit and understand customers’ financial knowledge.

Islamic credit facility is entirely new in Pakistan and lacking with empirical support. Therefore, this investigation contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive explanation on the Islamic credit card service in Pakistan.

This study aims to examine the relationship between e-government and corruption in selected South Asian countries (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka).

The sample data were gathered from reliable secondary sources over a sample period of 2003–2018. Additionally, this study incorporated other potential determinants or corruption, such as government effectiveness, press freedom, education and economy. To assess sample data, this study used panel data econometric procedures.

Results indicated that e-government had a positive and significant impact on corruption. Similarly, government effectiveness and education had a positive and significant influence on corruption. However, press freedom and the economy showed a negative and insignificant impact on corruption. This study further found the robustness of the results through sensitivity analysis. Overall, it was concluded that e-government plays a significant role to reduce corruption.

The governments should implement the e-governance system and provide a transparent and accountable environment to eliminate corruption.