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Article
Publication date: 11 December 2023

Alam Asadov, Ikhtiyorjon Turaboev and Ramazan Yildirim

Despite its potential as an emerging market for Islamic financial services, Uzbekistan has lagged in legislative support. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite its potential as an emerging market for Islamic financial services, Uzbekistan has lagged in legislative support. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of introducing an Islamic capital market (ICM) in Uzbekistan, preceding a broader industry establishment.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors begin by assessing Islamic finance literacy and the potential demand for ICMs in Uzbekistan. The authors then scrutinize Uzbekistan’s capital market legislation and its readiness. This analysis uses primary data, including surveys and interviews, and secondary data from literature and financial legislation.

Findings

This study highlights a significant demand for ICMs, despite low Islamic finance awareness in Uzbekistan. Presently, Uzbekistan’s capital market development is lacking, with regulations not yet suitable for ICMs. As a result, legal and operational enhancements are needed.

Practical implications

The authors provide essential policy recommendations for authorities and practitioners to facilitate the effective launch of ICMs and enhance Uzbekistan’s capital market stature.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study offering an in-depth analysis of the potential and feasibility of ICMs in Uzbekistan.

Details

International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8394

Keywords

Expert briefing
Publication date: 19 March 2024

In late January, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid a state visit to China to seek greater investment and trade opportunities. Mirziyoyev’s visit is the culmination of years…

Executive summary
Publication date: 24 January 2024

UZBEKISTAN: Mirziyoev will seek closer ties with China

Details

DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-ES284764

ISSN: 2633-304X

Keywords

Geographic
Topical
Expert briefing
Publication date: 11 October 2023

The war in Ukraine has changed the dynamics of interaction between Russia and the Central Asian countries, which have been traditionally a source of migrant labour. Despite rising…

Article
Publication date: 22 December 2023

Simplice Asongu

This study aims to examine how the starting of business by females can be promoted by assessing critical levels of microfinance institutions (MFIs) penetration that policymakers…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how the starting of business by females can be promoted by assessing critical levels of microfinance institutions (MFIs) penetration that policymakers must endeavor to maintain and/or attain in order for female unemployment not to represent a constraint in the doing of business. A constraint in doing business is understood in terms of the procedure that a woman has to go through to start a business.

Design/methodology/approach

The focus of the study is on 44 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa for the period 2004–2018, while the empirical evidence is based on interactive quantile regressions.

Findings

The following findings are established. The validity of tested hypotheses is exclusively apparent in the lowest and highest quantiles of the conditional distribution of the procedure women have to go through to start a business. MFI penetration levels needed to reverse the unfavorable incidence of female unemployment in doing business are provided. These are minimum MFIs penetration thresholds that are required in order for female unemployment not to negatively affect the procedure that a woman should go through to start a business.

Originality/value

The study complements the extant literature by assessing critical microfinance penetration levels that are needed to promote female doing of business, contingent on existing levels of female doing of business.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 20 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Redefining Educational Leadership in Central Asia
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-391-0

Expert briefing
Publication date: 2 January 2024

Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban want production to expand to 19,000 b/d shortly. They are counting on the extractives sector to help boost revenue and shore up the flailing economy.

Article
Publication date: 5 June 2023

Tat-Huei Cham, Garry Wei-Han Tan, Eugene Cheng-Xi Aw, Keng-Boon Ooi, Teck-Weng Jee and Chuen-Khee Pek

Since its inception, virtual reality (VR) technologies have been widely applied in the tourism industry, given their competitive advantages in offering users a novel experience…

Abstract

Purpose

Since its inception, virtual reality (VR) technologies have been widely applied in the tourism industry, given their competitive advantages in offering users a novel experience that makes an artificial environment or scene feel like the real world. As a result, VR has been reported as a highly sought-after technology, as it can offer a new way to engage tourists and enhance their travel experience. However, the adoption of VR by senior tourists (who are one of the potential groups of tourists) is still relatively low in the tourism context. Against this backdrop, this study aims to respond to the deficiency in the literature by examining the impact of barriers that contribute to senior tourists’ resistance and scepticism towards VR in tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a cross-sectional approach, the data for this study was collected from 600 eligible senior tourists through survey questionnaires. To obtain valid and reliable responses, a purposive sampling technique with screening criteria was undertaken in this study. Upon data cleaning, the data analysis was performed on 546 samples using statistical software packages such as SPSS and the AMOS covariance-based structural equation modelling technique.

Findings

Grounded on the innovation resistance theory, the outcome of this study put forward the significance of technical and psychological barriers in explaining senior tourists’ resistance and scepticism towards the use of VR in tourism. In particular, perceived risk, perceived incompatibility, technology anxiety, inertia and a lack of human interaction were found to be associated with senior tourists’ scepticism and resistance towards VR usage in tourism. However, perceived complexity was not found to have a significant relationship with resistance. Moreover, both scepticism and resistance were reported to influence non-adoption intentions on VR.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few studies that examined the less explored territory of the tourism literature concerning the non-adoption of contemporary innovation (i.e. VR technology) for virtual tourism purposes. Moreover, this study also focuses on the perspective of senior tourists, which represents a promising market segment in the tourism sector. This study successfully contributed to the existing literature by offering empirical insights and highlighting the barriers that lead to users’ scepticism and resistance towards using VR for tourism, which could directly influence their non-adoption intention and the success of virtual tourism.

研究目的

自问世以来, 虚拟现实 (VR) 技术已在旅游业中得到广泛应用因为它在为用户提供新颖体验方面具有竞争优势, 使人工环境或场景感觉像真实世界。由于VR可以提供一种新的方式来吸引游客并提升他们的旅行体验, 它被视为一项备受追捧的科技。然而, 在旅游背景下, 老年游客(潜在游客群体之一)对 VR 的采用率仍然较低。在此背景下, 本研究旨在通过探究导致老年游客对VR旅游应用产生抵制和怀疑的原因来回应文献中的不足。

研究设计/方法

基于横断面方法, 本研究通过调查问卷从600名符合条件的老年游客中收集了数据。为了获得有效和可靠的答复, 本研究采用了具有筛选标准的目的抽样技术。数据清理后, 本研究使用SPSS等统计软件包和基于AMOS协方差的结构方程建模技术对546个样本进行了数据分析。

结果

基于创新阻力理论, 本研究结果提出了技术和心理障碍在解释老年游客对VR旅游应用抵制和怀疑的重要性。具体而言, 感知风险、感知不相容性、技术焦虑、惰性和缺乏人际互动被发现与老年游客对VR旅游应用抵制和怀疑有关。然而, 本研究并未发现感知复杂性与VR旅游应用抵制有显着关系。此外, 怀疑和抵制都会影响 VR 的不采用意图。

原创性/价值结果

此研究是为数不多探索了旅游文献中关于未将当代创新(即VR技术)用于旅游目的研究。此外, 这项研究侧重于老年游客(作为旅游业中一个有前景的细分市场)的视角。本研究成功地为现有文献做出了贡献, 提供了实证见解, 并强调了导致用户怀疑和抵制将VR用于旅游的障碍。这些障碍可以直接影响用户的不采用意图和虚拟旅游的成功。

Propósito

Desde sus inicios, las tecnologías de realidad virtual (RV) se han aplicado ampliamente en el sector turístico, dadas sus ventajas competitivas al ofrecer a los usuarios una experiencia novedosa que hace que un entorno o escena artificial parezca el mundo real. Como resultado, la RV se ha considerado una tecnología muy solicitada, ya que puede ofrecer una nueva forma de involucrar a los turistas y mejorar su experiencia de viaje. Sin embargo, la adopción de la RV por parte de los turistas senior (que son uno de los grupos potenciales de turistas) aún es relativamente baja en el contexto del turismo. El presente estudio se propuso responder a este déficit en la literatura examinando el impacto de las barreras que contribuyen a la resistencia y el escepticismo de los turistas mayores hacia la RV en el turismo.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Utilizando un enfoque transversal, los datos para este estudio se recopilaron de 600 turistas de la tercera edad elegibles a través de una encuesta mediante cuestionario. Para obtener respuestas válidas y fiables, se llevó a cabo una técnica de muestreo intencional con criterios de selección. Una vez depurados los datos y eliminados los sujetos no válidos, se procedió a su análisis en una muestra de 546 individuos utilizando paquetes de software estadístico como SPSS y la técnica de modelado de ecuaciones estructurales basada en la covarianza AMOS.

Hallazgos

En el marco de la teoría de la resistencia a la innovación, los resultados del estudio ponen de manifiesto la importancia de las barreras técnicas y psicológicas para explicar la resistencia y el escepticismo de los turistas de la tercera edad hacia el uso de la RV en el turismo. En concreto, el riesgo percibido, la incompatibilidad percibida, la ansiedad tecnológica, la inercia y la falta de interacción humana se asociaron con el escepticismo y la resistencia de los turistas mayores hacia el uso de la RV en el turismo. Sin embargo, no se encontró ninguna relación significativa entre la complejidad percibida y la resistencia. Además, tanto el escepticismo como la resistencia influyen en las intenciones de no adoptar la RV.

Originalidad/valor

Este estudio es uno de los pocos que examinan el territorio menos explorado de la literatura turística en relación con la no adopción de la innovación contemporánea (es decir, la tecnología de RV) para fines de turismo virtual. Además, esta investigación también se centra en la perspectiva de los turistas senior, que representan un segmento de mercado prometedor en el sector turístico. El presente estudio contribuye con éxito a la literatura existente al ofrecer una perspectiva empírica y poner de relieve las barreras u obstáculos que provocan el escepticismo y la resistencia de los usuarios hacia el uso de la RV con fines turísticos, lo que podría influir directamente en su intención de no adopción y en el éxito del turismo virtual.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 June 2021

Ben Odigbo, Felix Eze, Rose Odigbo and Joshua Kajang

Background: This work is a situation analysis of reported human rights abuses that have characterized the COVID-19 controls and lockdown in some countries of the world. This is as…

Abstract

Background: This work is a situation analysis of reported human rights abuses that have characterized the COVID-19 controls and lockdown in some countries of the world. This is as documented by reliable mass media sources, relevant international organizations and human rights non-governmental organizations between January 2020 to April 2020.

Methods: A combined content analysis, critical analysis, and doctrinal method is applied in this study in line with the reproducible research process. It is a secondary-data-based situation analysis study, conducted through a qualitative research approach.

Findings: The findings revealed among other things that: COVID-19 lockdowns and curfews' enforcement by law enforcement officers contravened some people's fundamental human rights within the first month. Security forces employed overt and immoderate forces to implement the orders. The lockdown and curfew enforcements were not significantly respectful of human life and human dignity. The COVID-19 emergency declarations in some countries were discriminatory against minorities and vulnerable groups in some countries.

Research limitations/implications: This report is based on data from investigative journalism and opinions of the United Nations and international human rights organizations, and not on police investigations or reports. The implication of the study is that if social marketing orientations and risk communication and community engagement attitudes were given to the law enforcement officers implementing the COVID-19 lockdowns and or curfews, the human rights and humanitarian rights breaches witnessed would have been avoided or drastically minimized.

Originality: The originality of this review is that it is the first to undertake a situation analysis of the COVID-19 lockdowns and curfews human rights abuses in some countries. The study portrayed the poor level of social marketing orientations and risk communication and community engagement attitudes amongst law enforcement officers, culminating in the frosty police-public relationships.

Details

Emerald Open Research, vol. 1 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2631-3952

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2024

Olatunji Shobande, Lawrence Ogbeifun and Simplice Asongu

This study aims to explore whether globalization and technology are harmful to health using a global panel data set of 52 countries over the period 1990–2019.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore whether globalization and technology are harmful to health using a global panel data set of 52 countries over the period 1990–2019.

Design/methodology/approach

The study focused on four continents: Africa, the Americas, Asia/Oceania and Europe. The authors used four advanced econometric methodologies, which include the standard panel fixed effect (FE), Arellano–Bover/Blundell–Bond dynamic panel, Hausman–Taylor specification and two-stage least squares (FE-2SLS)/Lewbel-2SLS approaches.

Findings

The empirical evidence highlights the significance of globalization and technology in promoting global health. The findings suggest that globalization has various impacts on global health indicators and that technology is useful in tracking, monitoring and promoting global health. In addition, the empirical evidence indicates that a truly health-centred process of globalization and technological innovation can only be realized by ensuring that the interests of countries and vulnerable populations to health risks are adequately considered in international decision-making regarding global economic integration.

Originality/value

The authors suggest that achieving the aspiration of global health will entail the use of globalization and information technology to extend human activities and provide equal access to global health.

Details

Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4620

Keywords

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