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1 – 10 of 64Hadi Hussain, Jun Wen, Renai Jiang, Junaid Waheed, Waheed Ali and Nadeem Akhtar Khan
In light of the shift in focus from information communication technology (ICT) access (access divide) and skills (skills divide) to the tangible impacts of ICT use (impact…
Abstract
Purpose
In light of the shift in focus from information communication technology (ICT) access (access divide) and skills (skills divide) to the tangible impacts of ICT use (impact divide), a growing number of scholars have called for further investigation into the inter-territorial and multi-dimensional aspects of the digital divide in China. This study aims to address these gaps by examining the disparities across 31 provinces, particularly emphasizing the transition from the traditional access and skills divides to the impact divide.
Design/methodology/approach
Multivariate regression analysis extensively investigates the transition from the access and skills divides to the impact divide across 31 provinces. Additionally, ArcGIS software is used to analyze spatial agglomeration and the auto-correlation (Moran-i) and predict mapping patterns in the data corresponding to all three levels of the digital divide.
Findings
According to the study's findings, poverty is a significant factor in the digital divide between different regions in China. The research shows that provinces with advanced administrative systems, such as Guangdong, Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, Shandon and Zhejiang, have high scores on the digital development index (DDI). However, regions with poverty-ridden and rural areas, primarily located in southwest, central and western China, tend to have lower DDI scores.
Originality/value
This study offers a novel contribution to the literature by presenting an innovative conceptual framework that explores the impact divide within China's provinces. The authors also address this lacuna in the literature by developing and testing two dimensions to examine the relationships statistically under a wide range of socioeconomic and ICT indicators.
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Amjad Ali Rind, Muhammad Mujtaba Asad and Fahad Sherwani
The main purpose of this review was to synthesize pre-service teachers' digital self-efficacy in the context of education 5.0 and to identify the elements that affect pre-service…
Abstract
The main purpose of this review was to synthesize pre-service teachers' digital self-efficacy in the context of education 5.0 and to identify the elements that affect pre-service teacher's digital self-efficacy and preparedness for future technologies. A systematic review approach was employed to analyze the 22 articles about the pre-service teachers' digital self-efficacy of in the paradigm of education 5.0. The review was conducted from 2012 to 2022 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. In this study, PICO model was used in framing research questions. The findings of the review revealed that limited study has been carried out in the context of digital self-efficacy in the context of education 5.0. It was found that previous studies were only focusing general digital self-efficacy through traditional ways. Moreover, findings revealed there is lack of research on digital self-efficacy pre-service teachers in the realm of education 5.0 paradigm in the literature. More specifically, the results revealed that implementation of education 5.0 into teacher preparation programmes faces numerous challenges, including a lack of technological approach, poor digital infrastructure, the digital divide, a paucity of professional training opportunities for teachers and a lack of importance in policies. This synthesis of the literature review has practical implications for pre-service teachers along with policymakers. Pre-service teachers are required to increase their digital skills for the reason that they could teach the advanced generation. The policymakers can revisit and update the curriculum to incorporate education 5.0 principles in the teacher education programmes. This comprehensive review helps to better understand the pre-service teachers' digital self-efficacy towards education 5.0 and contributes to the body of existing knowledge on digital self-efficacy. Moreover, this study gives valuable insights on the incorporation of education 5.0.
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Aqib Jameel, Muhammad Mumtaz Khan and Syed Saad Ahmed
The study was conducted to understand how the moral identity of employees mediates the relationship between servant leadership and the moral disengagement of employees…
Abstract
Purpose
The study was conducted to understand how the moral identity of employees mediates the relationship between servant leadership and the moral disengagement of employees. Additionally, the study explores whether servant leadership's ability to build the moral identity of employees is contingent upon employees' perception of organizational politics.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from 500 service sector-employed knowledge workers. Data analysis was done through structural equation modeling.
Findings
The study found servant leadership to be related to the moral identity of employees. Additionally, moral identity and moral disengagement were found to be negatively related. Moral identity was found to mediate the relationship between servant leadership and moral disengagement. Finally, the study found that the relationship between servant leadership and employees' moral identity was contingent upon their perception of organizational politics.
Originality/value
The study explored the previously unexplored mediating role of moral identity linking servant leadership to the moral disengagement of employees. The study also explained how the relationship between servant leadership and the moral identity of employees was contingent upon employees' perception of organizational politics.
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Ummara Yousaf, Muhammad Faizan Khan, Ismail Khan, Muhammad Zubair Khan and Muhammad Nadeem Dogar
The purpose of this study endeavour is to delve into the perceptions and sense-making of both spiritually empowered leadership and workplace spirituality at the Akhuwat…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study endeavour is to delve into the perceptions and sense-making of both spiritually empowered leadership and workplace spirituality at the Akhuwat Foundation, a prominent social sector microfinance organization in the Muslim majority economy of Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative research approach and an intrinsic instrumental case study research methodology, a series of 16 in-depth semi-structured interviews and three focus group discussions (each focus group contained five members) were conducted with employees and leaders at the Akhuwat Foundation of Pakistan from June 2020 to June 2021.
Findings
The findings from thematic data analysis show that the spiritual leadership at Akhuwat Foundation implemented workplace spirituality by creating a spiritual environment, such as brotherhood, at the workplace. Moreover, the employees exercise workplace spirituality by voluntarily performing their duties at lesser salaries. Alternatively, spiritual leaders care for employees by reducing organizational problems and improving their employees’ well-being.
Research limitations/implications
Although this research explores spiritual leadership and workplace spirituality in the national context of Pakistan, further investigation in other contexts is required to cross-check and validate the research findings.
Practical implications
Regulators and policymakers of organizations operating in Muslim-majority countries should focus on brotherhood, inspire employees through vision, resolve organizational challenges and create a spiritual environment for spiritual leadership and workplace spirituality to improve employee well-being, broader societal welfare and organization’s overall performance.
Originality/value
This study revealed new themes of workplace spirituality and spiritual leadership in the organizational context of a Muslim-majority country, Pakistan, identified context-specific themes and enhanced the theory of spiritual leadership and workplace spirituality.
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Muhammad Safdar, Nadeem Siddique, Ayesha Gulzar, Haisim Yasin and Muhammad Ajmal Khan
ChatGPT is a new development in this technological era. This artificial intelligence-based tool responds to individuals’ queries and produces the requested content within seconds…
Abstract
Purpose
ChatGPT is a new development in this technological era. This artificial intelligence-based tool responds to individuals’ queries and produces the requested content within seconds. Therefore, it is becoming popular among academics, the research community and library professionals. This study aims to test (through personal interaction with the tool) the authenticity of the ChatGPT’s produced records. Another objective of the research is to check the relevance between the individuals’ queries and the tool’s results. The research also intends to identify the challenges in retrieving information through ChatGPT.
Design/methodology/approach
The five researchers from different countries and organizations experienced ChatGPT by asking questions on more than 70 subjects. The responses were recorded in Notepad and converted into MS Excel and MS Access to standardize and analyze the data. The investigators consulted 11 reputed databases/sources, including Web of Science and Scopus, to assess the authenticity of the data retrieved through ChatGPT.
Findings
The findings confirmed that over 90% of results produced by ChatGPT were fake (the information did not exist in the literature). Similarly, the study sheds light on the discrepancies, such as irrelevant and incomplete information in the data generated by ChatGPT.
Originality/value
This is a unique study that shares the findings based on the different regions’ researchers’ personal experiences with ChatGPT. The researchers covered different subject areas (above 70) while asking questions to ChatGPT. The paper shares implications for researchers, students, faculty members, academic/research organizations and policymakers.
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Muiz Abu Alia, Aladdin Dwekat, Rasmi Meqbel, Tayf Hannoun, Imtiyaz Shakhshir and Aya Naser
This study aims to investigate the impact of various board characteristics on environmental innovation (EI) among companies listed on the STOXX Europe 600. It also examines the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of various board characteristics on environmental innovation (EI) among companies listed on the STOXX Europe 600. It also examines the moderating role of CSR committees on the board–EI nexus.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of companies listed on the STOXX Europe 600 index over 12 years (2011–2022). This study uses the Refinitiv Eikon database to evaluate the extent of EI. Panel data regression analysis is used, with two-stage least squares and lagged models used as robustness tests to control for endogeneity.
Findings
The results indicate that board independence and gender diversity significantly increase EI, whereas CEO duality negatively impacts it. Other board attributes, such as board size, show no impact on EI. In addition, the presence of CSR committees moderates these relationships, enhancing the positive effects of gender diversity and board independence and mitigating the negative impact of CEO duality.
Practical implications
This study provides valuable insights for policymakers and corporate strategists aiming to advance environmental responsiveness through strategic board composition and establishing CSR committees. Emphasizing the importance of board independence, gender diversity and CSR committees, the findings suggest practical pathways for enhancing the adoption of EI by creating governance structures that support sustainable practices.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the moderating role of CSR committees on the associations between board characteristics and EI. This research addresses a crucial gap in the current literature, enriching the understanding of corporate governance and sustainability. It provides critical insights for developing policies and strategies that promote EI through effective board composition and the implementation of CSR committees.
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Muhammad Nadeem, Mohamed Sharaf and Saipunidzam Mahamad
This paper aims to present a numerical investigation for two-dimensional fractional Helmholtz equation using the Aboodh integral homotopy perturbation transform scheme (AIHPTS).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a numerical investigation for two-dimensional fractional Helmholtz equation using the Aboodh integral homotopy perturbation transform scheme (AIHPTS).
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed scheme combines the Aboodh integral transform and the homotopy perturbation scheme (HPS). This strategy is based on an updated form of Taylor’s series that yields a convergent series solution. This study analyzes the fractional derivatives in the context of Caputo.
Findings
This study illustrates two numerical examples and calculates their approximate results using AIHPTS. The derived findings are also presented in tabular form and graphical representations.
Research limitations/implications
In addition, He’s polynomials are calculated using HPS, so the minimal computational outcome is a defining feature of this method and gives a competitive advantage over other series solution techniques.
Originality/value
Numerical data and graphical illustrations for different fractional order levels confirm the proposed method’s successful performance. The results show that the proposed approach is speedy and straightforward to execute on fractional-ordered models.
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Aziz Ullah Awan, Muhammad Hasnain Shahzad, Sohail Nadeem, Haneen Hamam, N. Ameer Ahammad and Aleeza Arshad
The presence and progression of stenosis disturb the normal circulation of blood through an artery and cause serious consequences. The proposed investigation is aimed to assess…
Abstract
Purpose
The presence and progression of stenosis disturb the normal circulation of blood through an artery and cause serious consequences. The proposed investigation is aimed to assess non-Newtonian characteristics of blood in an elliptical artery having stenosis. The blood is taken as Sutterby fluid flowing via a multi-stenosed elliptical cross-section artery.
Design/methodology/approach
The analytical solution of a mathematical model representing the considered problem is extracted in a non-dimensional form by utilizing the perturbation technique under the mild stenosis assumptions.
Findings
The graphical nature of these results is examined and discussed comprehensively for different physical parameters. The height and shape of stenosis are noted to have prominent effects on flow velocity. The wall shear stress and flow velocity attained high values in the stenotic portion of the artery. The non-uniform stenosis is observed to create higher resistance to the flow than the uniform stenosis. Further, a high disorder is noticed in the constricted region of the artery by streamlines analysis.
Research limitations/implications
The manuscript completely comprehends the blood’s non-Newtonian flow in the arteries of elliptical shape having multiple stenoses. The present study is about the properties of non-Newtonian blood flow through an elliptical artery with many stenoses. The Sutterby fluid model is used to describe the blood’s non-Newtonian nature. By utilizing presumptions of mild stenosis, the mathematical model’s non-linearity is decreased, and the perturbation method is applied to generate the resulting equations.
Practical implications
The presence of stenosis can significantly impact the circulation of blood flow. When an artery becomes narrowed, it can create a constriction or obstruction in the flow path of blood, which can lead to several important fluid dynamics phenomena, i.e. increased velocity, shear stress, pressure drop, etc. The presence of stenosis can cause various damages and complications in the affected blood arteries and surrounding tissues, resulting in heart attacks or diseases like atherosclerosis.
Originality/value
The work presented in the manuscript was not published earlier in any form.
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Muhammad Sohail, Esha Rafique and Kamaleldin Abodayeh
This investigation delves into the rationale behind the preferential applicability of the non-Newtonian nanofluid model over alternative frameworks, particularly those…
Abstract
Purpose
This investigation delves into the rationale behind the preferential applicability of the non-Newtonian nanofluid model over alternative frameworks, particularly those incorporating porous medium considerations. The study focuses on analyzing the mass and heat transfer characteristics inherent in the Williamson nanofluid’s non-Newtonian flow over a stretched sheet, accounting for influences such as chemical reactions, viscous dissipation, magnetic field and slip velocity. Emphasis is placed on scenarios where the properties of the Williamson nanofluid, including thermal conductivity and viscosity, exhibit temperature-dependent variations.
Design/methodology/approach
Following the use of the OHAM approach, an analytical resolution to the proposed issue is provided. The findings are elucidated through the construction of graphical representations, illustrating the impact of diverse physical parameters on temperature, velocity and concentration profiles.
Findings
Remarkably, it is discerned that the magnetic field, viscous dissipation phenomena and slip velocity assumption significantly influence the heat and mass transmission processes. Numerical and theoretical outcomes exhibit a noteworthy level of qualitative concurrence, underscoring the robustness and reliability of the non-Newtonian nanofluid model in capturing the intricacies of the studied phenomena.
Originality/value
Available studies show that no work on the Williamson model is conducted by considering viscous dissipation and the MHD effect past over an exponentially stretched porous sheet. This contribution fills this gap.
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Latifah Falah Alharbi, Umair Khan, Aurang Zaib, S.H.A.M. Shah, Anuar Ishak and Taseer Muhammad
Thermophoresis deposition of particles is a crucial stage in the spread of microparticles over temperature gradients and is significant for aerosol and electrical technologies. To…
Abstract
Purpose
Thermophoresis deposition of particles is a crucial stage in the spread of microparticles over temperature gradients and is significant for aerosol and electrical technologies. To track changes in mass deposition, the effect of particle thermophoresis is therefore seen in a mixed convective flow of Williamson hybrid nanofluids upon a stretching/shrinking sheet.
Design/methodology/approach
The PDEs are transformed into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using the similarity technique and then the bvp4c solver is employed for the altered transformed equations. The main factors influencing the heat, mass and flow profiles are displayed graphically.
Findings
The findings imply that the larger effects of the thermophoretic parameter cause the mass transfer rate to drop for both solutions. In addition, the suggested hybrid nanoparticles significantly increase the heat transfer rate in both outcomes. Hybrid nanoparticles work well for producing the most energy possible. They are essential in causing the flow to accelerate at a high pace.
Practical implications
The consistent results of this analysis have the potential to boost the competence of thermal energy systems.
Originality/value
It has not yet been attempted to incorporate hybrid nanofluids and thermophoretic particle deposition impact across a vertical stretching/shrinking sheet subject to double-diffusive mixed convection flow in a Williamson model. The numerical method has been validated by comparing the generated numerical results with the published work.
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