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This study examined public perceptions of law enforcement agencies in Mogadishu, Somalia. Specifically, the researchers examined the predictors of public trust in the police in Somali post-conflict contexts.

Data were collected through an online cross-sectional survey of 425 Mogadishu residents. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the data and test the hypothesized relationship.

The results revealed that perceived police accountability, performance and professionalism significantly and positively influence public trust in the Somali police force.

This study provides practical recommendations for Somalia’s policymakers and law enforcement agencies. It emphasizes the importance of implementing stronger accountability systems, programs to enhance performance and training in professional conduct as key approaches to restoring and maintaining public confidence in the police force. These initiatives are crucial for preserving social stability and ensuring public safety in a society recovering from conflicts.

This study fills a significant gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive framework that combines performance and social learning theories to explore public trust in the police within a post-conflict context. The findings contribute valuable knowledge on the factors that can enhance public trust in law enforcement in countries recovering from conflict, particularly Somalia.

This study aims to investigate the co-movement and information transmission between conventional and Islamic equity indices in Sri Lanka.

This study uses daily data of All Share Price Index and Dow Jones Islamic Market Sri Lanka Index from 2013 to 2023 for conventional and Islamic proxies. Descriptive statistics, cross-correlation, dynamic conditional correlation (DCC)-GARCH and wavelet analysis were used for the investigation.

Analyses reveal synchronous correlation yet lead-lag dynamics between the indices. The Islamic index has lower volatility, clustering and persistence than the conventional index. Localized volatility patches and scale-dependent synchronicity suggest diversification opportunities to optimize risk-adjusted returns.

The insights from this study are important for investors to optimize diversified portfolios by exploiting time-varying correlations. The identified lead-lag dynamics, bidirectional information flows and scale-dependent synchronization between the indices enable both investors to predict market movements for effective asset allocation and regulators to monitor market efficiency and stability and implement shock mitigation measures.

This study uniquely integrates DCC-generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) and wavelet analysis to examine the dynamic, time-varying relationships between Islamic and conventional equity markets in Sri Lanka’s dual financial system. This approach helps embrace both short-run changes and long-run movements to gain in-depth co-movement and spillovers, as well as potential diversification gains within an emerging financial market.

This study aims to explore the motives behind the company’s decision to go public in Sri Lanka.

This study adopts the explanatory sequential mixed-method approach based on the benefit-cost trade-off theory, incorporating survey-based descriptive statistics of 143 respondents from listed companies in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) followed by content analysis of 52 initial public offering prospectuses and 11 interviews with top management of listed companies.

Companies primarily go public to raise capital for long- and short-term growth, followed by enhancing corporate image and governance structure. Also, they go public to rebalance capital structure, lower the cost of capital, diversify risk, compete in their product market and grab market timing opportunities. Furthermore, the qualitative analysis established that companies are going public also for value addition, broadening the ownership structure, establishing new strategic partnerships and funding for working capital requirements, which are not highlighted in previous studies.

These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to attract new companies to CSE, which would contribute to the capital market development of Sri Lanka.

This study combines quantitative survey and qualitative content analysis in a single investigation, revealing novel motives for going public that were not previously identified. This approach allows for a more comprehensive topic exploration, including the participants’ experiences and perceptions, while minimizing bias and maximizing robustness. This study is more comprehensive than previous studies that relied on descriptive statistics.

This study aims to investigate the intentions of Muslim cryptocurrency (CC) holders to fulfil their zakat obligations on digital assets, exploring the unique motivations and barriers within this emerging financial landscape.

The research uses a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional research design through online surveys, using purposive sampling to gather data from Muslim CC holders. The integrated model, known as the theory of planned behaviour and social cognitive theory (TPB-SCT) model, is used to comprehensively analyse the key factors influencing intentions to pay zakat on cryptocurrencies (CCs).

The study reveals that attitude towards zakat on CCs and perceived behavioural control regarding zakat on CCs have a significant and positive effect on the intention to pay. In contrast, subjective norms show no significant influence. CCs-related financial risk exerts a negative impact on intention. Moreover, CCs-related zakat knowledge and adherence to Shariah compliance are strongly associated with intention. These findings provide insights into the intricate dynamics of religious compliance within the evolving realm of digital assets.

Outcomes offer profound indications to stakeholders, including financial institutions, zakat agencies, policymakers and the community, on how to integrate zakat into this new and rapidly evolving financial paradigm like CC.

A pioneering effort was made in this study by exploring the intentions of Muslim CC holders to fulfil zakat obligations, bridging a significant gap in the existing literature. Developing and validating an integrated model of TPB-SCT in the realm of zakat on CC enriches the literature with a novel theoretical framework.

This paper aims to derive a compatible Shariah opinion on the permissibility of using cryptocurrencies by Muslims by reviewing the opinions expressed by Shariah scholars on the permissibility of cryptocurrencies.

This is a qualitative desk review research where the opinions expressed by the Shariah scholars on the permissibility of cryptocurrencies and the issues related to it have been analyzed using the literature. All the Shariah parameters checked pertaining to currencies have been studied and assessed to derive the Shariah opinion.

The research findings suggest that cryptocurrencies do not fully meet the characteristics of money according to Shariah principles. Scholars debate their classification as a medium of exchange due to concerns about volatility, intrinsic value and governance. The treatment of cryptocurrencies varies, and their decentralized nature prevents monopolization. Governance and resistance to manipulation are facilitated by blockchain technology. Classifying cryptocurrencies as hard money and their recognition as the primary unit of account face challenges. While they can be a store of value, price volatility and regulations must be considered. The network effect is crucial for their success, and their supply is controlled through complex protocols. These findings have implications for policymakers in Islamic finance.

The differences in Shariah opinions on using cryptocurrencies have been a major debate in the Islamic financial industry. A clear and comprehensive study is not found on the differences in the Shariah opinions on their reasonings, which is important for researchers and professionals in the field. Therefore, this research provides valuable insights for policymakers, scholars and practitioners in Islamic finance, contributing to the understanding of applying Islamic principles to cryptocurrencies.

This study aims to focus on the main materials used in consolidation processes of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather binding.

For each material, chemical structure, chemical composition, molecular formula, solubility, advantages, disadvantages and its role in treatment process are presented.

This study concluded that carboxy methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, nanocrystalline cellulose, funori, sturgeon glue, poly vinyl alcohol, chitosan, chitosan nanoparticles (NPs), gelatin, aquazol, paraloid B72 and hydroxyapatite NPs were the most common and important materials used for the consolidation of illuminated paper manuscripts. For the leather bindings, hydroxy propyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, oligomeric melamine-formaldehyde resin, acrylic wax SC6000, pliantex, paraloid B67 and B72, silicone oil and collagen NPs are the most consolidants used.

Illuminated paper manuscripts with leather binding are considered one of the most important objects in libraries, museums and storehouses. The uncontrolled conditions and other deterioration factors inside the libraries and storehouses lead to degradation of these artifacts. The brittleness, fragility and weakness are considered the most common deterioration aspects of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather binding. Therefore, the consolidation process became vital and important to solve this problem. This study presents the main materials used for consolidation process of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather bindings.

This study aims to examine the relationship between financial report readability (FRR) and audit fees (AF) by bringing evidence from an emerging market. In addition, it reveals the moderating influence of board gender diversity (BGD) on such a relationship.

The authors analyzed data collected manually from the financial reports of Egyptian nonfinancial firms listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange between 2016 and 2021 using Pooled OLS, Random effects, Fixed effects regressions.

The authors found a negative relationship between FRR and AF. Likewise, BGD is found to be negatively related to AF, and positively associated with FRR. In addition, the authors found that the negative association between FRR and AF is more pronounced in the case of BGD.

This paper contributes to previous research on the auditors’ reactions to the clarity of financial reporting as well as the role of board gender concerning the FRR-audit pricing relationship in emerging markets.

The construction industry plays a significant economic role but has struggled with improving labor productivity. Understanding the reasons behind this slow growth is valuable for the industry’s sustainability and improving wages. This study aims to explore the impact of capital intensity and the interaction effect of market regulations on construction labor productivity.

Using two-stage least squares panel data modeling, financial data from 55 Malaysian construction firms and economic data from 2009 to 2020 are analyzed.

The findings reveal that higher capital intensity associated with mechanization and innovation generally boosts labor productivity. However, certain market regulations, such as economic and capital freedom (ECF) and foreign debt rules (FDR), can counteract this positive effect. This suggests that poorly developed financial regulations may lead to inefficient capital allocation, reducing labor productivity in the long run.

The study highlights the importance of policymakers understanding these dynamics to develop effective strategies for enhancing labor productivity in the construction industry by considering the impact of capital intensity and the moderating effect of market regulation.

Lean construction (LC) consists of very effective techniques; however, its implementation varies considerably from one industry to another. Although numerous lean initiatives do exist in the construction industry, the research topic related to LC implementation is still unexplored due to the scarcity of validated assessment frameworks. This study aims to provide the first attempt in developing a structural model for successful LC implementation.

This study developed a Lean construction model (LCM) by critically reviewing seven previous LC frameworks from different countries, defining 18 subprinciples grouped into 6 major principles and formulating testable hypotheses. The questionnaire was pre-tested with 12 construction management experts and revised by 4 specialized academics. A pilot study with 20 construction units enhanced content reliability. Data from 307 Moroccan construction companies were collected to develop a measurement model. SPSS V. 26 was used for Exploratory Factor Analysis, followed by confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS version 23. Finally, a structural equation model statistically assessed each construct's contribution to the success of LC implementation.

This work led to the development of an original LCM based on valid and reliable LC constructs, consisting of 18 measurement items grouped into 6 LC principles: Process Transparency, People involvement, Waste elimination, Planning and Continuous improvement, Client Focus and Material/information flow and pull. According to the structural model, LC implementation success is positively influenced by Planning and Scheduling/continuous improvement (β = 0.930), followed by Elimination of waste (β = 0.896). Process transparency ranks third (β = 0.858). The study demonstrates that all these factors are mutually complementary, highlighting a positive relationship between LC implementation success and the holistic application of all LC principles.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to develop a statistically proven model of LC based on structural equation modelling analysis, which is promising for stimulating construction practitioners and researchers for more empirical studies in different countries to obtain a more accurate reflection of LC implementation. Moreover, the paper proposes recommendations to help policymakers, academics and practitioners anticipate the key success drivers for more successful LC implementation.

This study aims to examine the role of innovation and sustainability ethics on an organization’s reputation, and to explore how sustainability ethics can mediate the relationship between innovation and reputation. It also seeks to determine whether social media strengthens this relationship.

A cross-sectional technique was used to analyze 96 validated questionnaires. Data were collected from CEOs of manufacturing organizations using a simple random probability technique. Partial least squares and structural equation modeling statistical methods were applied to analyze the data.

The study found that sustainability ethics plays a mediating role between innovation and reputation. Furthermore, it was observed that innovation has a positive effect on sustainability ethics, which in turn has a significant impact on reputation. In addition, the study noted that social media moderates these relationships.

Despite its contributions, this paper has several limitations. It focuses solely on the manufacturing sector; future research could explore other sectors, such as services or finance, which may have distinct characteristics. In addition, this study proposes a single independent variable; future studies could incorporate additional variables, such as cultural factors or government support, to provide a broader understanding of the dynamics involved. Furthermore, the sample consists solely of CEOs, and responses may be biased. Future research could consider including employees as respondents to offer a more holistic perspective.

This paper deepens our understanding of the outcomes of sustainability ethics and highlights the crucial role of innovation in shaping reputation. It advises owners to reconsider their approach to innovation, as it impacts sustainability ethics and reputation. Cultivating an innovative culture influences employees to think creatively and share new ideas. Organizations should hire innovative and skilled workers and offer them social media marketing courses. It is recommended that leaders engage closely with clients and suppliers, encouraging communication through social media for valuable feedback. The integration of ethical considerations into sustainability ethics ensures that businesses contribute positively to society and the environment. This ethical dimension is essential for enterprises aiming to meet societal expectations.

This study contributes to signaling theory by extending its domain and providing empirical evidence with respect to sustainability, social media, innovation and reputation, as these factors have not been examined comprehensively.