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The purpose of this study is to frame the dimensions of the external institutional environment, namely, cultural-cognitive, normative and regulative dimensions as the main actors in the organisational field. More precisely, Libyan commercial banks have been identified as empirical evidence, to identify constraints of the institutional environment governing the behaviour and decision-making of commercial banks, when adopting Islamic financial transactions.

A questionnaire has been designed for 14 Libyan commercial banks which is distributed to the Board of Directors, managers, directors of departments, and personnel. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the measurement model by using the first-order and second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) have been applied as essential steps to embody the conceptual framework and test the research hypotheses.

The results of the EFA indicated sufficient correlation among the dimensions of the external environment. The CFA supported this study’s hypotheses. The modelling showed that the cultural-cognitive, normative and regulative dimensions are institutional constraints impeding Libyan commercial banks’ adoption of Islamic financial transactions. Interestingly, the findings of the CFA align with the EFA findings in supporting the conceptual framework of the research. They portrayed that the cultural-cognitive dimension has been identified by explicit and implicit cognition.

This study systematically embodies the dimensions of the external institutional environment, namely, cultural-cognitive, normative and regulative dimensions, as the main factors in the organisational field to be conceptually rich lenses to investigate social considerations to reinforce institutional thought broadly. The results of this study were consistent with extant Islamic financial literature, reflecting symmetry and similarity across commercial banks, particularly at the first stage of adopting Islamic financial transactions.

The purpose of this study is to assess and contrast the impact of various factors, including both bank-specific and macroeconomic factors, on the financial performance of Islamic and conventional banks (I&CB) in countries with a dual banking system.

A general least square model is applied to a large data set of 103 I&CB operating in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, comprising unbalanced annual panel data spanning the period from 2015 to 2020. The financial performance index (FPI) derived from capital adequacy, asset quality, management efficiency, earnings, and liquidity (CAMEL) ratios is used as the dependent variable.

Key factors, such as overhead expenses, gross domestic product (GDP) and retained earnings, exert a substantial influence on the financial performance of both I&CB. Moreover, the findings suggest that certain parameters, including deposits, inflation and cellular banking usage, significantly impact on the financial performance of conventional banks, while bank size specifically affects the financial performance of Islamic banks.

While this study provides valuable insights, it is essential to acknowledge its limitations. The research focuses on a specific region (MENA) and may not be universally applicable to other geographical areas or banking systems. The study’s findings are based on historical data and might not fully reflect current or future market conditions. Additionally, the choice of variables and methodology may introduce bias or limitations, as with any empirical study. The theoretical implications of the research paper lie in the distinct ethical principles that constitute the foundation of Islamic finance. The ethical opposition to Riba is poised to have extensive implications, influencing market stability, commercial and economic impact and contributing to responsible banking practices within the Islamic banking sector. The study suggests that adherence to these sacred principles not only aligns with ethical considerations but also fosters social responsibility within Islamic banking institutions. This holds significance for broader societal and economic impacts, as responsible banking practices contribute to sustainable and equitable economic development.

The study underscores the significance of efficient overhead cost management for conventional banks, particularly in the context of a rapidly evolving digital banking environment. The call for adaptation and innovation in operational strategies aligns with the broader principles of efficiency and effectiveness emphasized in Islamic finance.

In essence, the theoretical and practical implications of the study surpass the narrow focus on financial performance, resonating with the broader societal and economic landscape within the Islamic banking sector. The integration of ethical principles not only reinforces the unique identity of Islamic finance but also positions it as a model for responsible and sustainable banking practices in the MENA region and beyond.

CAMEL ratios are used to build an FPI to evaluate bank performance, providing a more precise and comprehensive assessment compared to traditional return ratios like return on assets or return on equity. Second, the authors conduct a thorough analysis covering factors across bank-specific, financial and macroeconomic dimensions. Thus, the study stands out by not only examining bank-specific factors but also by considering external factors such as GDP, interest rates and the development of the financial sector. The focus on the MENA region allows us to offer generalizable findings, highlighting distinctions between I&CB and considering a period with boom years (2015–2019) and a recession year (2020).

Merger and acquisition (M&A) plays an important role in developing the financial sector. The purpose of the paper is to analyze and evaluate the effects of M&As on the outcome of Islamic and conventional banks. Furthermore, examines the mediating role of market structure between M&A and bank outcome.

This paper uses POLS, panel data techniques and structural equation modeling to analyze a set of samples for 24 banks consisting of 10 Islamic banks and 14 conventional banks involved in M&A from 2004Q1 to 2020Q4 from 6 countries.

Generally, M&A improves the post-M&A performance of Islamic banks and conventional banks. However, there is size issue. Bank size positively affects Islamic bank performance while conventional does not. Furthermore, market structure mediates the relationship between M&A and the operational performance of Islamic and conventional banks. Implying that after M&A, the market becomes concentrated while it reduces competition.

Number of banks are limited due to unavailability of data for pre and post-M&A. Future researches can be carried out to study the cross-border M&A along with the regulation between Islamic banks in GCC and Asia Pacific countries.

Improving operational performance plays a significant role. To enhance the performance of Islamic banking industry, M&A between small Islamic banks could be beneficial depending on the market structure.

The mediation role of market structure in between M&A and performance for Islamic and conventional banks is the main contribution of the study.

This study aims to analyze the literature on Generation Z (Gen Z) accessible through Scopus to determine which nations, universities and writers have the highest publication and citation rates on the topic. Together with identifying the most popular keywords and trending topics over the years found in the literature analysis, the study also aims to ascertain the patterns of collaboration among writers and nations.

The researchers searched the Scopus database to collect and assess the literature on the topic. The paper used applications such as Biblioshiny, VosViewer, Python, MS Access, Power BI and Excel to collect, analyze and present the literature.

The analysis shows that authors prefer to use the terms “Gen Z”, “digital natives” and “social media” most often. Findings revealed that the topic is well-researched in different fields of study including social science, computer science, business management, engineering and arts and humanities from the perspective of various world regions such as Europe, America, Australia and Asia. However, the African region was less discussed in the literature, indicating the need for more research covering the context of underdeveloped nations. Moreover, the USA accounts for the greatest proportion of publications produced in cross-border collaboration, especially with China and the UK.

This examination is crucial for academics and researchers, policymakers and businesses seeking insights into the preferences, challenges and opportunities associated with this generation to inform effective strategies and decision-making. Furthermore, by identifying key themes, trends and gaps in the existing literature, this paper can serve as a foundational study for future researchers to select the prospective research topics related to Gen Z.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that shares a bibliometric analysis of literature published on Gen Z. This paper is an attempt to fill the research gap on the topic and also shares implications for relevant stakeholders and future research directions for prospective researchers.

Blockchain (BC) has recently gained attention from educational organizations as a reliable and trustworthy technology for storing crucial data. This study aims to explore the factors that influence the students’ intention to use BC to host an automated reward system that is based on objective criteria of students’ performance and activities. Predefined smart contracts would guarantee unbiased judgements and fair rewards.

A mixed method approach is used. Based on an iterative rounds of Delphi approach along with a comprehensive literature review, this research proposed an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model. The model hypotheses relate performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), facilitating conditions (FC), perceived innovativeness (PI), trust (TR), perceived security and privacy (S&P), complexity (CX) and enjoyment (EN) to students behavioural intention to use the reward system. The study tests the hypotheses using survey data from 138 students who are familiar with BC technology and its applications. The data analysis is performed using partial least squares-structural equation modelling method.

The analysis revealed that PE, EE, PI, TR and EN positively affect students’ intention to use the BC rewarding system, while CX negatively impacts it. Conversely, FC and, interestingly, S&P, which showed a significant influence on trust, were found to be insignificant in influencing students’ intention to use the system.

This study significantly contributes to the educational technology field by addressing research gaps regarding the adoption and acceptance of BC technology in academia. Firstly, it proposes a basic form of a student reward system. Secondly, it introduces an empirically validated model of students’ adoption, pinpointing factors influencing their readiness to embrace a BC reward system and providing practical implementation insights.

This study aims to investigate the influence of requirement engineering (RE) on project performance (PP) in the context of NEOM* in Saudi Arabia. The study also aims to examine the relationship between three components of RE, evolving market needs (ECN), market changes (MC) and technological advancements (TA), on PP, through the mediating influence of effective communication (EC), change readiness (CR) and stakeholder engagement (SE). Further, the study aims to examine the moderating effect of team cohesion (TC) on the RE–PP relationships.

A research framework is developed by drawing on the resource-based theory and with the support of empirical evidence and rational arguments to propose a set of hypotheses relating to the constructs in the framework. The hypotheses are tested through survey data collected from individual employees working on different projects across NEOM. A total of 336 useable responses were collected that were analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling using AMOS v.28.

The results show although ECN and TA both have a positive impact on PP, MC had no significant relationship with PP. In terms of the mediation hypotheses, EC, CR and SE all partially mediate the relationships between ECN and TA with PP. However, there was no mediating effect in the relationship between MC and PP. Moreover, EC, CR and SE themselves have a significant positive influence on PP. Finally, TC proved to be a significant moderator between ECN and PP and TA and PP, but not in the case of MC and PP.

This study makes three novel contributions. First, most prior empirical studies examined the overall impact of RE on PP; however, the current study provides a more nuanced insight into the relationships between the three components of RE (i.e. ECN, MC and TA) and PP. Second, the mediating roles of EC, CR and SE between components of RE and PP present a finer-grained understanding of how project resources are linked to project success goals through features of the project team. Third, moderating influence of TC with regard to a higher possibility of success for projects are highlighted through this discovery.

Increased trapped heat in the atmosphere leads to global warming and economic activity is the primary culprit. This study proposes the nonlinear impact of economic activity on cooling degree days to develop a climate Kuznets curve (CKC). Further, this study explores the moderating role of higher education and renewable energy in diminishing the climate-altering effects of economic activity.

All the selected BRICS economies range from 1992 to 2020. The CKC analysis uses a distribution and outlier robust panel quantile autoregressive distributed lagged model.

Results confirmed a U-shaped CKC, controlling for population density, renewable energy, tertiary education enrollment and innovation. The moderating role of renewable energy and education can be exploited to tackle the progressively expanding climate challenges. Hence, education and renewable energy intervention can help in reducing CKC-based global warming.

This study highlighted the incorporation of climate change mitigating curriculum in education, so that the upcoming economic agents are well equipped to reduce global warming which must be addressed globally.

This study is instrumental in developing the climate change-based economic activity Kuznets curve and assessing the potential of higher education and renewable energy policy intervention.

Over the past few decades, BRICS nations have implemented several environmental legislations to combat environmental issues, along with the development of the financial sector. However, they still face the dual challenge of balancing financial development (FD) and reducing carbon emissions to achieve sustainable development. Hence, this study aims to explore how environmental policy stringency (EPS) influences FD in BRICS nations from 1993 to 2020.

The authors performed a panel data analysis to examine the effect of the EPS on FD. Firstly, they conducted a panel unit root test using the Levin–Lin–Chu and the Im–Pesaran–Shin unit root tests to check the stationarity of the data. Then, they used the fixed effect model for analysis. A feasible generalised least squares test is used to ensure the robustness of the results.

The EPS positively affects FD through financial markets and intuitions in BRICS nations, indicating that more stringent environmental policies of BRICS countries promote FD in these nations.

This study suggests that policymakers in BRICS nations should consider strengthening EPS, implying the dual benefit of aligning environmental sustainability goals with economic growth.

This study provides a deeper understanding by disassembling FD into financial markets and institutions, thereby establishing a nuanced relationship with EPS, which is highly relevant for addressing the distinctive financial systems and environmental challenges of BRICS nations. Therefore, this study fills this gap and offers new insights into the relationship between EPS and FD in these nations.

This study aims to address the noted gap in comprehensive overviews detailing the developmental trajectory of Islamic finance (IF) as an interdisciplinary academic field.

The study introduces a unique approach using the combined methodologies of co-word analysis and main path analysis (MPA) by examining a broad collection of IF research articles.

The investigation identifies dominant themes and foundational works that have influenced the IF discipline. The data reveals prominent areas such as Shariah governance, financial resilience, ethical dimensions and customer-centric frameworks. The MPA offers detailed insights, narrating a journey from the foundational principles of IF to its current challenges and opportunities. This journey covers harmonizing religious beliefs with contemporary financial models, changes in regulatory landscapes and the continuous effort to align with broader socioeconomic aspirations. Emerging areas of interest include using new technologies in IF, standardizing global Islamic banking and assessing its socioeconomic effects on broader populations.

This study represents a pioneering effort to map out and deepen the understanding of the IF field, highlighting its dynamic evolution and suggesting potential avenues for future academic exploration.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the level of corruption in Somalia and the causes that lead to corruption that in turn hampers good governance.

The paper relies on the data collected from Somali’s public institutions, international actors, newspaper articles and peer-reviewed literature. The degree of corruption is assessed with the Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International and the Control of Corruption provided by the World Bank.

The finding shows that the level of corruption in Somalia is high and complex because of the following reasons: weak governance and poverty, culture and tradition which include favoritism based on clan membership, lack of accountability mechanism and absence political will. Measures undertaken for anti-corruption, for instance, the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission and legislation for its support face barriers and challenges that include political influence, lack of capacities among the undertaking institution and lack of participation by the public.

This research adds value to the knowledge of corruption in Somalia by identifying the concrete socio-political antecedents for corruption and the problems of fighting it. This paper further presents the following detailed strategies to address corruption: enhancing the operational and financial integrity of the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission; restructuring the civil service and merging it into a merit-based system; enhancing Public Financial Management (PFM) reforms; independence of the judiciary; and sustaining development in digital technology adoption in governance and procurement.