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The purpose of this paper is to show how the time frame for the execution of a construction project in Algeria is rarely respected because of organizational problems and uncertainties encountered while the execution is underway.

A case study on the construction of a metro station is used as a pilot project to show the effectiveness of replacing traditional construction processes by more innovative procedures. Concurrent engineering (CE) is applied to optimize the execution time of the underground structure. A numerical simulation is integrated into the construction process in order to update design parameters with real site conditions observed during the construction process.

The results show that the implementation of CE is efficient in reducing the completion time, with an 18 per cent reduction observed in this case study. A cost reduction of 20 per cent on the steel frame support and a total cost reduction of 3 per cent were obtained.

The study demonstrates that the application of CE methods can be quite valuable in large, complex construction projects. Vulgarizing it as “the solution” to adjust time frame delay, control quality and cost, might be an issue for local construction enterprises in Algeria.

Using the concept of CE by overlapping different activities involved in a construction project and making use of simulation tools in the process at different stages of the execution have resulted in modifying the excavation method and hence reducing the completion times.

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of an investigation into individual investors' perceptions of the factors affecting buying, holding and selling of stock on the Bahrain stock exchange (BSE). Additionally, the paper investigates the perceptions of individual investors about corporate financial statements as a source of information for individual investors' investment decisions and what specific information such investors would like firms to disclose in these reports.

The research method involved a mail questionnaire sent to 800 individual investors. The response rate was 42.6 percent. This research method was complemented by a series of field interviews conducted with 20 investors and six stockbrokers for the purpose of gaining additional insights into the topic.

The study found that individual investors perceived corporate financial statements as the most important source of information for their investment decisions. The results also show a relatively high degree of agreement within the groups (both large and small) as to the ranking in terms of the importance of the topics. Overall, the study found relatively high levels of consensus between the two user‐groups with regards to the majority of questions investigated. The greatest difference between the user‐groups regards the perception of the relative importance of the cash‐flow statement, the income statement and which information items are needed for investors' decision making.

The paper offers rich data on the perceptions and uses of financial and non‐financial information by individual investors. This is the first time this type of research has been conducted in Bahrain.

This study aims to assess the mediating effect of sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) on the relationship between organisational innovativeness (OI) and performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in Konya, Turkey.

A survey method is used to collect the necessary data for this research. A total of 264 respondents from 83 SMEs partook in the study. In choosing the sample size, both purposive sampling and simple random techniques are used. The data gathered are analysed using SPSS program and Hayes PROCESS macro v.3.4.1.

The results of the analyses reveal that OI has a statistically significant positive effect on SCA and firm performance (FP). Moreover, SCA is found to have a mediating effect on the relationship between OI and FP.

Policymakers and management of SMEs need to show great commitment to innovativeness and relate it to SCA to create superior customer value, thereby leading to a holistic and long-term FP.

This study brings to the fore empirical evidence on how SCA serves as a mediator between OI and FP. It also contributes to the literature by focusing on three distinct but related variables. The study makes theoretical contribution by highlighting the role of the resource-based theory in enhancing business performance and SCA through strategic internal resources and innovative activities.

The Ottoman cultural legacy in Algeria is made up of a diverse range of architectural structures. The Algerian government strategy in connection with the Ottoman old buildings is to restore them into museums. This study will attempt to present a contrastive analysis between two old palaces being under restoration (refurbishment), and the goal is to propose a museum route by calculating the ambiance aimed at circulating the rooms by visitors.

The authors analyzed the architectural components of the various entities by observing in situ and taking measurements for a single case study to get a sense of the results for the mid-season (spring and fall). The configuration was next evaluated by modeling the space syntax and combining it with a simulation of daylight luminance, for the period when the authors could not make measurements on-site. The ultimate goal is to combine these findings to suggest the ideal in-route for the future museum.

This research allowed the authors to propose a museum itinerary adapted to the new vocation of the palaces, which considers the daylight as an element of composition in the spaces of circulation.

The paper proposes solutions to a flow management problem encountered in several similar palaces converted into museums.

The study aims to raise questions on the museum, and to preserve such heritage from neglect by giving it a new life more adapted to the needs of the Algerian society.

The authors believe that this contribution will be a creative solution for issues related to the operation of palaces that have been converted into museums.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the drivers of e-banking entrepreneurship. The impact of e-banking entrepreneurship on banks’ performance in the banking industry is also investigated.

A questionnaire was developed to collect data from 16 banks with a sample of 214 respondents. Structural equation modeling using PLS was conducted to analyze the data.

The results reveal a significant impact of top management support, organizational context, technological context and social capital on the degree of e-business entrepreneurship. The findings also reveal a direct impact of e-banking entrepreneurship on achieving a competitive advantage, financial performance and customer performance.

The present empirical study contributes to a better understanding of the existing theories and practices of banking entrepreneurship and e-innovations in today’s banking industry. This study also provides insights into the drivers and the role of e-entrepreneurship in this industry for improving the opportunities of competitiveness and growth. The findings of the present study are of importance to both academic and practitioner audiences. The present study provides empirical evidence to bolster e-banking technology as an enabler of banking entrepreneurship and improving performance. Additionally, these findings provide directives to managers regarding the untapped opportunities and potential that innovative e-banking technology can offer in a highly volatile and rapidly changing environment.

The purpose of this study is to examine if the cash flow and short-term accruals and long-term accruals together have a role to play in explaining the change in dividends.

The authors’ mainly used the same models developed by Atieh and Hussain (2008) and expanded on this model by including contextual factors: firm growth, firm size, gearing and quality of earnings. Using 344 observations from Jordanian firms, the association of variables with dividend changes was analyzed using the generalized least square regression.

The results reveal consistency with previous studies that disaggregated earnings outperforms the cash flow model in explaining the changes in dividends. Also, the explanatory power of the Lintner (1956) model is improved by replacing earnings with cash flow and short-term and long-term accruals, which is in line with previous studies. Regarding the effect of contextual factors, the superiority of the accrual model is affected by the contextual factors proposed, except for geared firms. The accrual model is superior for high growth, large firms and poor quality of earnings.

The paper contributes to the existing literature that the Lintner (1956) model’s explanatory power can be improved by replacing earnings with its components mainly cash flows and short-term and long-term accruals. These results support the evidence related to developed markets. The paper also provides evidence of the importance of firm characteristics on the information content of the components of earnings.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the ownership of institutional shareholders, the proportion of non-executive members, the percentage of ownership of major shareholders, the duality of the tasks of chief executive officer and chairman of the board of director, financial leverage, the amount of the remuneration of the board of director, the company’s life and the amount of export on internet financial reporting.

For this purpose, the authors surveyed the 301 listed companies on Tehran Stock Exchange in 2015. The statistical method used to test the hypothesis of the study was cross-sectional data.

The results indicate the negative impact of ratio of non-executive members and the positive impact of financial leverage, size, liquidity and the life of the company in stock, over internet financial reporting.

The current study is almost the first study which is conducted in a developing country, and the results may helpful to the other developing nations.

The purpose of this paper is to present the preparation of core-shell ferrites/kaolin pigments and comparing their efficiency in protecting metal substrates to original ferrites which were also prepared. Core-shell structured particles are recently gaining lots of importance due to their exciting applications in different fields; these particles are constructed from cores and shells of different chemical compositions which show ultimately distinctive properties of varied materials different from their counterparts. The new core-shell pigment is based on shell of different ferrites that comprises only 10-20 per cent of the whole pigment on kaolin (cores) which is a cheap and abundant ore that comprises 80-90 per cent of the prepared pigment. The new pigments do not only comprise two different components, but they also contain pigment and extender in the same compound; their loadings in the paint formulations ranges from 50 and 75 per cent of the whole pigment. The work showed that these eco-friendly and cheap core-shell pigments are comparable in their efficiency to that of ferrites in protecting steel substrates.

The different ferrites and ferrites/kaolin pigments were characterized using different analytical and spectrophotometric techniques, such as X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDAX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Evaluation of these pigments was done using international standard testing methods (ASTM). After evaluation, the pigments were incorporated in solvent-based paint formulations based on medium oil-modified soya-bean dehydrated castor oil alkyd resin. The physico-mechanical properties of dry films and their corrosion properties using accelerated laboratory test in 3.5 per cent NaCl for 28 days were determined.

The results of this work revealed that ferrite/kaolin core-shell pigments were close in their performance to that of the ferrite pigments in protection of steel, and at the same time, they verified good physico-mechanical properties.

Treated kaolin can be applied in many industries beside pigment manufacture and paint formulations; it can be applied as reinforcing filler in rubber, plastics and ceramic composites. Also, it is applied in paper filling, paper coatings and electrical insulation.

Ferrite and ferrite/kaolin are environmentally friendly and can replace other hazardous pigments (e.g. chromates) with almost the same quality in their performance; also, they can be used in industries other than paints, for example paper, rubber and plastics composites.

The purpose of this article is twofold: to identify the characteristics of research on organisation and management in Arab countries and to find out whether research results support the culture‐free hypothesis or not. A thorough search of sixteen journals, research monographs, books and theses produced only 35 empirical studies. Most of these studies were exploratory, descriptive, and used small convenient samples. Although some findings supported the culture‐bound hypothesis, major conceptual and methodological weaknesses in these studies throw doubt upon the validity of their results.

Core-shell is structured particles having several chemical compositions. The advantage of these particles arise from their specific design, to be used in decreasing costs by using inexpensive material (natural ore or waste material) as carrier for thin shell of active material. This study aims to prepare ferrites/silica core-shell pigments and compare their inhibition efficiency to original ferrites. These pigments have shells of different ferrites that comprise 10-15 per cent of the prepared pigments on silica fume. Silica fume which is the core is a byproduct in the ferro–silicon industry; this core comprises 85-90 per cent of the prepared pigments.

The prepared core-shell pigments were characterized using transmission electron microscopy analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and sequential wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence. These pigments were integrated in epoxy-based paint formulations, and the physical, mechanical and corrosion properties of dry films were examined. The corrosion properties were studied by using immersion test in 3.5 per cent NaCl for 28 days.

This study showed that these new eco-friendly and inexpensive pigments are similar to ferrites in their inhibition performance, i.e. they exhibited high corrosion prevention.

Domestic waste materials were reused in paints and only simple modification was used, and then, their effectiveness showed similar performance to that of the original pigments.

Ferrite and ferrite/silica pigments are environmentally friendly pigments that can replace other hazardous pigments (e.g. chromates) with almost the same quality in their performance; also, they can be used in industries other than paints (e.g. paper, rubber and plastics composites).