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1 – 10 of 29A.M. Abd-Alla, S.M. Abo-Dahab and Abdullah Alsharif
The purpose of this paper is to study the peristaltic flow of a Jeffrey fluid in an asymmetric channel, subjected to gravity field and rotation in the presence of a magnetic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the peristaltic flow of a Jeffrey fluid in an asymmetric channel, subjected to gravity field and rotation in the presence of a magnetic field. The channel asymmetry is produced by choosing the peristaltic wave train on the walls to have different amplitude and phase. The flow is investigated in a wave frame of reference moving with the velocity of the wave. Involved problems are analyzed through long wavelength and low Reynolds number.
Design/methodology/approach
The analytical expressions for the pressure gradient, pressure rise, stream function, axial velocity and shear stress have been obtained. The effects of Hartmann number, the ratio of relaxation to retardation times, time-mean flow, rotation, the phase angle and the gravity field on the pressure gradient, pressure rise, streamline, axial velocity and shear stress are very pronounced and physically interpreted through graphical illustrations. Comparison was made with the results obtained in the asymmetric and symmetric channels.
Findings
The results indicate that the effect of the Hartmann number, the ratio of relaxation to retardation times, time-mean flow, rotation, the phase angle and the gravitational field are very pronounced in the phenomena.
Originality/value
In the present work, the authors investigate gravity field, and rotation through an asymmetric channel in the presence of a magnetic field has been analyzed. It also deals with the effect of the magnetic field and gravity field of peristaltic transport of a Jeffrey fluid in an asymmetric rotating channel.
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Tariqur Rahman Bhuiyan, Mohammad Imam Hasan Reza, Er Ah Choy and Joy Jacqueline Pereira
Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is exposed to several natural hazards, among which flash floods are most common and frequent. Expanding development and higher intensity of…
Abstract
Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is exposed to several natural hazards, among which flash floods are most common and frequent. Expanding development and higher intensity of rainfall are the primary causes of flash floods. As the urbanisation is growing, the number of exposed properties, people and business premises are also increasing. This may have a detrimental impact on the socio-economic state of the city. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to investigate the frequency and intensity of flash flood occurrences between 2011 and 2016 and to delineate how it is impacting the urban livelihood. For this study, several news reports of flash flood events, previously published and reports were reviewed to elicit information so that the frequency and intensity of flash floods can be analysed for identifying flash flood risk areas. Along with the information from newspapers, Google map was used to identify the spatial locations of flash flood events, thus identifying the risk zones. This study found the City Centre as the most risk prone to flash floods. It was noted that 39% of flash floods occurred in this place. The Damansara-Penchala area comes in the second position with 20% of flash floods occurring in this place. Most of the people of these zones are exposed to flash flood and the affected people suffer from road blocking and heavy traffic jam. This study will help researchers and policymakers to understand the impact of flash floods in the city. This will also help to identify the most flood-prone areas of the city.
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Foreign universities in Gulf states.
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB249627
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
Mahfooz Alam and Valeed Ahmad Ansari
This study aims to empirically compare the performance of Islamic indices vis-à-vis to their conventional counterparts in India.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to empirically compare the performance of Islamic indices vis-à-vis to their conventional counterparts in India.
Design/methodology/approach
The performance of the Islamic and selected conventional indices is evaluated using various risk-adjusted performance measures such as Sharpe ratio, Treynor ratio, M-square (M2) ratio, information ratio, capital asset pricing model (CAPM), Fama-French three-factor model and Carhart four-factor model in India context. The period of study is from December 2006 to 2018.
Findings
The risk-adjusted performance measures based on the Sharpe ratio, Treynor ratio, information ratio, the M2 ratio show that the return of Islamic indices provides slightly superior performance. However, performance investigated using CAPM, Fama-French and Carhart benchmarks produce a statistically insignificant differences in return of the Islamic and conventional benchmarks.
Research limitations/implications
The Sharīʿah-compliant indices can provide a viable, ethical and alternative investment avenue for faith-based investors as it will not make them worse off in comparison to the conventional benchmarks. This also offers opportunity to conventional investors for portfolio diversification. The promotion of faith-based investment can serve as a tool for financial inclusion to attract a huge segment of Indian population in the formal financial system. The findings of the study suffer from the limitation of small sample size and empirical methods used.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on the comparative performance of Islamic and conventional indices in general and emerging markets, in particular, using most recent data and covering a relatively long span of time. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study examining the performance of Islamic indices, using multiple Islamic indices and various risk-adjusted measures in the Indian context.
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Jakub Berčík, Anna Mravcová, Esther Sendra Nadal, David Bernardo López Lluch and Andrea Farkaš
The purpose of this paper is to examine FaceReader as a tool to compare the olfactory preferences of two selected countries. This paper examines the olfactory preferences of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine FaceReader as a tool to compare the olfactory preferences of two selected countries. This paper examines the olfactory preferences of customers in the bakery department of a grocery store in the Slovak and the Spanish market.
Design/methodology/approach
The aim of this study is to examine subconscious/unconscious preferences in the selection of aromas suitable for the bakery department in the Slovak and the Spanish market. In this case, it is not a classical qualitative sensory testing of the perception of fragrances. The aim is to identify the associations of scents related to the selected sales department through images of the selected aromas. A special platform is used to obtain subconscious/unconscious feedback, which allows online collection of implicit feedback using the software FaceReader 7.
Findings
The authors noticed the different moods of the two groups of respondents when they answered the question about what they associate with the smell of bakery products. The Spanish respondents were slightly pleasantly disposed, while the Slovak respondents were slightly unpleasantly disposed. The smell of bakery products evoked more memories and emotions in the Spanish respondents than in the Slovak respondents, which can be explained by the higher pleasant mood. The main contribution of this work lies in the new opportunities to obtain feedback that can be used in marketing research and that rely not only on explicit but also implicit data. The extension of the methodological apparatus to implicit feedback presupposes some form of control of the data collected by the questionnaire. The use of biometric tools can represent an efficient alternative in terms of time and money to the use of neuroimaging tools in the selection/research of aromas for specific stores/departments.
Research limitations/implications
It must be noted that the sample is small, and adequate conclusions cannot be made about entire population. Based on empirical findings and pandemic-related limitations, the authors plan to conduct similar research with real aroma samples and with even larger sample of tested respondents, considering weather, season, olfactory sensitivity (anosmia, hyposmia and normosmia) and participant fatigue (beginning and end of the week).
Originality/value
Today, marketers are facing the greatest challenge of how to attract consumers’ attention. Every individual has a different perception of the shopping environment based on his own experience, beliefs and attitudes. This is why new marketing techniques and approaches are becoming increasingly popular in the marketing environment.
Objetivo
El objetivo de esta investigación es examinar FaceReader como una herramienta para comparar las preferencias olfativas entre dos países. Concretamente, examinamos las preferencias olfativas de los clientes en el departamento de panadería de un supermercado en el mercado eslovaco y español.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
El objetivo de este estudio es examinar las preferencias subconscientes/inconscientes en la selección de aromas adecuados para el departamento de panadería en el mercado eslovaco y español. En este caso, no se trata de una prueba sensorial cualitativa clásica de la percepción de fragancias. El objetivo es identificar las asociaciones de olores relacionados con el departamento de ventas seleccionado a través de imágenes de los aromas seleccionados. Se utiliza una plataforma especial para obtener comentarios subconscientes/inconscientes, que permite la recopilación en línea de comentarios implícitos utilizando el software FaceReader 7.
Resultados
Observamos diferentes estados de ánimo de los dos grupos de encuestados cuando respondieron a la pregunta sobre qué asociaban con el olor de los productos de panadería. Los encuestados españoles estaban ligeramente más predispuestos hacia aromas más agradables, mientras que los encuestados eslovacos estaban ligeramente más predispuestos hacia aromas menos agradables. El olor de los productos de panadería evocó más recuerdos y emociones en los encuestados españoles que en los eslovacos, lo que puede explicarse por el estado de ánimo. La principal contribución de este trabajo radica en las nuevas oportunidades para obtener comentarios que pueden ser utilizados en investigaciones de marketing y que no solo se basan en datos explícitos, sino también implícitos. La ampliación del aparato metodológico para obtener comentarios implícitos presupone algún tipo de control de los datos recopilados mediante el cuestionario. El uso de herramientas biométricas puede representar una alternativa eficiente en términos de tiempo y dinero al uso de herramientas de neuroimagen en la selección/investigación de aromas para tiendas/departamentos específicos.
Limitaciones/implicaciones de la investigación
Debe tenerse en cuenta que la muestra utilizada es pequeña y no se pueden extrapolar conclusiones para toda la población. Basándonos en los resultados empíricos y con las limitaciones relacionadas con la pandemia, planeamos realizar una investigación similar con muestras de aroma reales y con una muestra aún más grande de encuestados, considerando el clima, la temporada, la sensibilidad olfativa (anosmia, hiposmia, normosmia) y la fatiga de los participantes (inicio y fin de semana).
Originalidad
Hoy en día, los profesionales del marketing se enfrentan al gran desafío de cómo atraer la atención de los consumidores. Cada individuo tiene una percepción diferente del entorno de compra basada en su propia experiencia, creencias y actitudes. Es por eso que las nuevas técnicas y enfoques de marketing se están volviendo cada vez más populares en el entorno del marketing.
目的
本文旨在探讨FaceReader在比较斯洛伐克和西班牙两个国家的顾客嗅觉偏好方面的效用。我们以斯洛伐克和西班牙市场一家食品杂货店的面点部门顾客为研究对象, 考察其嗅觉偏好。
设计/方法/途径
本研究的目标是探讨在斯洛伐克和西班牙市场选择适合面点部门的香气时潜在的/无意识的偏好。与传统的定性感官测试不同, 我们旨在通过选定香气的图像识别与选定销售部门相关的气味的联想, 并通过FaceReader 7软件在线收集隐性反馈。
研究结果
我们观察到两组受访者在回答关于面点产品气味联想时的心境差异。西班牙受访者略带愉悦, 而斯洛伐克受访者略带不悦。西班牙受访者对面点产品的气味引起的记忆和情感更为丰富, 这可能是由更高愉悦心境所解释的。该研究的主要贡献在于提供了在营销研究中利用反馈的新机会, 该反馈不仅依赖于明确的数据, 还依赖于隐性数据。将方法学工具扩展到隐性反馈的前提是以某种形式对问卷收集的数据进行控制。在为特定商店/部门选择/研究香气方面, 相对于使用神经影像工具在时间和金钱方面的花费, 生物测定工具的使用可以作为高效替代。
研究局限性/启示
由于本研究的样本量较小, 因此不能对整个人口做出充分的结论。基于经验发现和受到大流行病限制, 我们计划进行类似研究, 使用真实的香气样本, 并考虑更大规模的受试者样本, 同时考虑到天气、季节、嗅觉敏感度(嗅觉缺失、嗅觉减退、正常嗅觉)和参与者疲劳程度(周初和周末)对受试者的影响。
原创性/价值
当今, 营销人员面临着吸引消费者注意的最大挑战。每个个体根据其自身经验、信仰和态度对购物环境有着不同的感知。因此, 在营销环境中, 新的营销技术和方法变得越来越受欢迎。
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Mohammed Saied Al Surf, Bambang Trigunarsyah and Connie Susilawati
The purpose of this paper is to attempt to bridge the gap between sustainable housing and the use of smart technologies to improve the level of sustainability in the housing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to attempt to bridge the gap between sustainable housing and the use of smart technologies to improve the level of sustainability in the housing construction in Saudi Arabia, by discussing the barriers and enablers concerned with applying sustainability to housing construction in Saudi Arabia, which utilises smart technologies.
Design/methodology/approach
A Delphi method survey was employed, for which 25 individuals from three key stakeholder groups of the Saudi housing sector participated. They were asked about their degree of agreement (or disagreement) about the various barriers and enablers of applying sustainability to housing construction in Saudi Arabia, which utilises smart technologies. This research paper must be considered as an indicative study of selected experts that do not represent in any way the total population of Saudi Arabia.
Findings
Lack of public awareness has been identified as the most significant barrier in implementing sustainable housing development in Saudi Arabia, which utilises smart technologies. Raising awareness of the public to the benefits of sustainable housing and enlightening key project stakeholders in the design of sustainable housing are both essential in order to overcome the barriers discussed in this paper. In addition, it is important to adopt smart sustainable construction methods, exemplified by but not limited to, appropriate water preservation and wastewater treatment systems that are simultaneously smart and sustainable.
Research limitations/implications
This particular research has dealt with only barriers and enablers in the application of sustainability to housing in Saudi Arabia, which utilises smart technologies. For a more complete understanding, there is a need for further analysis of supplementary factors.
Practical implications
A study such as this, which identifies and prioritises barriers and enablers, could prove useful in guiding or encouraging the relevant ministry in Saudi Arabia to develop policies founded in the implementation of sustainability to the housing sector.
Originality/value
This research is a preliminary investigation into the implementation of sustainable housing development as it relates to Saudi Arabia.
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Javed Ali, Ahmad Jusoh, Norhalimah Idris, Khalil Md Nor, Yulin Wan, Alhamzah F. Abbas and Ahmed H. Alsharif
The purpose of this study is to explore the literature of healthcare service quality for identifying and analyzing the healthcare service quality models and dimensions and to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the literature of healthcare service quality for identifying and analyzing the healthcare service quality models and dimensions and to present future research insights pertaining to the applications of these models and dimensions.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review of healthcare service quality has been performed on 59 relevant studies after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Google Scholar and Scopus are the primary sources to find the relevant documents. Search was limited to keywords of “service quality,” “healthcare,” “models” and “dimensions.”
Findings
The results revealed that different models and dimensions have been evolved and developed after SERVQUAL in healthcare service quality literature. There is still a need to develop new models, add new contextual dimensions and items in existing models on different aspects of healthcare services. There is also a need to incorporate the perspective of service providers as respondents. Moreover, healthcare service quality models can be devolved or narrowed down at department and individual levels.
Originality/value
This study presents valuable research insights for the researchers and practitioners in ways that healthcare service quality models and dimensions can be developed, modified and tested further in different research contexts and settings. Besides, the literature on healthcare services can be enhanced and enriched.
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Xiaojing Zhang and Yulin Zhang
This study highlights the impact of mental accounts on a user's decision-making regarding payment schemes and aims to determine the pricing strategy for the first-enjoy-after-pay…
Abstract
Purpose
This study highlights the impact of mental accounts on a user's decision-making regarding payment schemes and aims to determine the pricing strategy for the first-enjoy-after-pay service offered by the two-sided media platforms.
Design/methodology/approach
This study establishes a game-theoretic model and utilizes backward induction to derive the equilibrium price by maximizing the monopolist's profit.
Findings
The findings indicate that the conditions for a two-sided media platform to offer the first-enjoy-after-pay service depend on the trade-off between pleasure attenuation and pain buffering and the effect of time discounts. Moreover, the authors found that the time discount is a critical factor in determining pricing strategies under various payment schemes offered by the platform.
Research limitations/implications
This work adopts a uniform pricing strategy for users who opt for either immediate or post-payment schemes. Nevertheless, it is important to note that this approach has limitations in terms of offering discriminatory pricing for those who choose both payment schemes.
Practical implications
This analytical work provides valuable insights for two-sided media platforms to optimize their payment scheme strategies and pricing considering the influence of a user's mental account.
Originality/value
In a two-sided media platform, the authors provide applicable conditions for the platform to offer first-enjoy-after-pay service considering the effect of mental accounts. Further, the authors show the optimal pricing strategy under different payment schemes provided by the platform.
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Najib Al-Fadhali, Dodo Mansir and Rozlin Zainal
Influential factors attributed to causing project completion delay (PCD) differ because of prevailing variability of local conditions. Construction projects specifically in Yemen…
Abstract
Purpose
Influential factors attributed to causing project completion delay (PCD) differ because of prevailing variability of local conditions. Construction projects specifically in Yemen (and other developing countries) experience devastating effects of PCD which include litigation, cost overrun, arbitration, abandonment and failure. While existing works have investigated the causes and effects of PCD, not much exist on approaches to optimizing its occurrence in Yemen. In a bid to enhance the effects of PCD in Yemen, the integrated influential factors (IIFs), which is a construction-party specific model, was developed to mitigate the effects of PCD in Yemen. As a build up to the development of this model, this paper aims to validate the IIFs model with a view to foster its application to enhance PCD in construction project delivery in Yemen.
Design/methodology/approach
The validation of the IIFs model was done through seeking the opinions of 12 selected construction industry experts. This involved using a structured questionnaire to seek information on the sustainability of implementing the IIFs model.
Findings
The findings revealed that if the IIFs model is vigorously implemented, it would go a long way in curbing delay in the delivery of construction projects, making construction delivery less risky due to the effects of delay.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to only influential factors of internal stakeholders of the construction phase. Similarly, the study was only conducted in the state of Sana'a, Yemen. The implication of the adoption of the IIFs model is that it can hopefully serve as an adaptive controller to construction project delivery relative to the specific parameters and factors investigated in this study.
Originality/value
The IIFs model is a novel approach to optimizing PCD in Yemen specific to both the construction-phase and internal stakeholders. Existing studies on PCD in Yemen, although investigating the causes and effect of PCD, hardly proffer any approach to optimizing PCD for successful construction project delivery.
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The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of digital surveillance by Arab authorities, which face risks and threats of surveillance, and how journalists seek to press…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of digital surveillance by Arab authorities, which face risks and threats of surveillance, and how journalists seek to press freedom by using tools and techniques to communicate securely.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used focus group discussions with 14 journalists from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Yemen, Oman, Jordan and Egypt. While in Egypt, questionnaires were distributed to 199 journalists from both independent and semi-governmental outlets to investigate how Egyptian journalists interpret the new data protection law and its implications for press freedom.
Findings
The study indicated that journalists from these countries revealed severe censorship by their respective governments, an element inconsistent with the Arab Constitution. The recommendation of the study encourages media organisations to play a more active role in setting policies that make it easier for journalists to adopt and use digital security tools, while Egyptian journalists see the law as a barrier to media independence because it allows the government to exercise greater information control through digital policy and imposes regulatory rules on journalists.
Practical implications
The study identifies practical and theoretical issues in Arab legislation and may reveal practices of interest to scientists researching the balance between data protection, the right of access to information and media research as an example of contemporary government indirect or “soft” censorship methods.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first research contributions to analyse the relationships between Arab authoritarians who used surveillance to restrict freedom of the press after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011 to keep themselves in power as long as they could. In addition, Egypt's use of surveillance under new laws allowed the regimes to install software on the journalists’ phones that enabled them to read the files and emails and track their locations; accordingly, journalists can be targeted by the cyberattack and can be arrested.
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