Search results

Despite the digitalization reforms attempting to enhance public service quality, paper-based tendering is still widely used in a number of developing countries (i.e. Morocco). This has led to many issues including waste of time, higher costs as well as labor-intensive issues. E-tendering has been widely recommended as a key resolution. Still, both scholars and practitioners raised concerns related the readiness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to this digitalization process. The current research aims to investigate the key drivers of SMEs intention to adopt electronic tendering in the context of an emerging African market (i.e. Morocco). Specifically, the authors focus on SMEs contributing to the public procurement process and registered in the online portal recently created by the Moroccan government.

To achieve this goal, the authors proposed a conceptual model combining the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and technology acceptance model (TAM). Based on data collected from suppliers participating in Moroccan public tenders, the authors empirically tested the conceptual model using a partial least squares (PLS) estimation.

Facilitating conditions and social influence had a positive impact on SMEs intention to adopt electronic tendering. The study’s findings also convey a negative impact of effort expectancy on SMEs intent to adopt e-tendering. Unexpectedly, perceived performance had no significant impact on the intention to adopt electronic bidding among Moroccan SMEs.

This research filled the gap in the literature with regards to SMEs e-Tendering readiness in emerging markets. With the recent digitalization reforms of public tendering in many developing economies (i.e. Morocco), the study findings can be used to improve not only government implementation of electronic bidding but also SMEs' user experience.

The current research aims to investigate the impact of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) evolution, government stringency measures and economic resilience on stock market volatility in the Middle East and North African (MENA) emerging markets. Other macroeconomic factors were also taken into account.

Based on financial data from 10 selected MENA countries, we tested an integrated framework that has not yet been explored in prior research. The exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (E-GARCH) was adopted to analyze data from March 2020 to February 2022.

Our research illustrates the direct and indirect effects of the virus outbreak on stock market stability and reports that economic resilience could alleviate the volatility shock. This finding is robust across the various proxies of economic resilience used in this study. We also argue that the negative impact of the pandemic on equity market variation gets more pronounced in countries with higher level of stringency scores.

Policymakers ought to strengthen their economic structures and reinforce the economic governance at the national level to gain existing and potential investors’ trust and ensure lower stock market volatilities in times of crisis. Our study also recommends some key economic factors to consider while establishing efficient policies to tackle unexpected shocks and prevent financial meltdowns.

Our findings add to the evolving literature on the reaction of economic and financial markets to the sanitary crisis, particularly in developing countries where research is still scarce. This study is the first of its kind to investigate the stock market reaction to stringency measures in the understudied MENA region.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, most higher education institutes shifted to online learning as the sole alternative to continuing education while mitigating the risks imposed by the pandemic. This has raised several concerns regarding students’ learning experience, satisfaction and academic achievement, particularly in countries where students have restrained technological resources (i.e. developing nations). The current research aims to investigate the key factors influencing students’ attitudes, satisfaction and academic achievement among university students in an emerging market context (i.e. Morocco). The moderating effect of students’ motivation to study online was also scrutinized.

The authors propose an integrated conceptual framework that combines the technology acceptance model (TAM) with the outcomes of prior literature related to online learning. Based on data collected from 850 Moroccan university students, the authors empirically tested the conceptual model using a partial least squares (PLS) estimation.

First, attitude toward online learning and satisfaction positively impact university students’ academic achievement; at the same time, attitude positively impacts students’ satisfaction with online learning. Second, students’ satisfaction and attitude toward online learning were found to be mainly influenced by instructor performance, ease of use of the online learning platform, information quality, interactivity and perceived usefulness (PU). Finally, student motivation acts as a moderator, e.g. students with higher motivation to learn online are more likely to develop a favorable attitude toward online learning and can, therefore, accomplish better academic performance.

The current study makes a considerable contribution to the literature by contributing to the on-going debate about the potentials and challenges of online learning, particularly in an emerging country where education remains a considerable challenge. The study findings can help higher education institutes gauge the quality of online education programs and design efficient strategies to develop high-quality online learning for students. Our findings have implications not only for educational institutions and instructors in developing markets but also for the vendors of online course delivery software.

This research aims to analyses the structural model of customers’ intention towards reputable and accountable Islamic finance, explained through Meta-Analysis Structural Equation Modelling (MASEM) with the Theory of Planned Behaviour approach and extended variables.

This study used MASEM to examine the factors systematically influencing behavioural intentions within Islamic finance. By synthesising 89 existing studies, the study identified key variables and their relationships, providing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms. A rigorous methodology involving article selection, data extraction and statistical analysis enabled the development of a robust conceptual framework.

This study underscores the significant impact of subjective norms and perceived behavioural control on the intention to adopt Islamic finance, mediated by customer attitude. Religiosity, customer awareness and knowledge influence the intention to adopt Islamic finance products, with the Islamic financial institution's reputation and customer attitude serving as mediating variables.

This research novelty examines Islamic finance accounting, reporting and financial accountability, primarily focusing on customers’ perceived intentions towards Islamic financial practices.

This study explores the influence of gender-specific reactions to social media advertisements on purchase intentions, addressing a gap in existing research. It examines how these reactions affect the perceived value of ads and, consequently, the intention to purchase, with a particular focus on gender as a moderating factor. The primary aim is to analyse how gender moderates the relationship between consumers’ perceptions of the value of social media ads and their subsequent purchase intentions.

A non-probability convenience sampling method was employed to collect data from 423 social media users in Malaysia at shopping malls. Respondents interacted with advertisements on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok and completed a survey. Descriptive analysis was performed using SPSS 25. The study utilized structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the structural and measurement models. Multigroup analysis (MGA) was conducted using SMART-PLS 4.0.9.6 to assess moderation effects based on gender differences.

The findings reveal that advertisements emphasizing entertainment significantly influence female purchase intentions, whereas ads highlighting product or service values resonate more with males, challenging common stereotypes. Informative and creative ads show universal appeal across genders, underscoring the importance of diverse ad elements in shaping consumer behaviour.

This study advances the advertising value model by specifically identifying gender-based differences in how entertainment and perceived value in social media ads influence purchase intention. It uniquely reveals that females are more responsive to entertainment-focused and value-conscious ads. These findings provide targeted strategies for advertisers to design gender-sensitive campaigns, enhancing the model’s relevance in contemporary digital advertising contexts.