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Article
Publication date: 7 January 2019

Yousef Mohamed Endara, Asbi B. Ali and Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid

Considering the importance of current Libyan business environment, this paper aims to understand the influence of culture on perceived service quality that leads to customer…

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Abstract

Purpose

Considering the importance of current Libyan business environment, this paper aims to understand the influence of culture on perceived service quality that leads to customer satisfaction in the Libyan banking industry. In addition, it would be interesting to explore which type of banks, e.g. public or private banks, moderate the relationship between perceived service quality and customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from the customers who are receiving services from the top three private and top three public banks in the cities of Tripoli and Misurata, Libya. About 329 samples were obtained and Smart PLS was used for the statistical analysis.

Findings

The results show that perceived service quality is strongly predicted by collectivism, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. Perceived service quality also leads to customer satisfaction among the Libyan banking customers. Further, public bank is more concerned on customer satisfaction compared to private banks.

Practical implication

The research has greater implication for the Middle-Eastern bank managers who are pursuing possibilities of newer business strategies.

Originality

The study provides an interesting viewpoint of the banking service in Libya, especially in the economic uncertainty post-war and political instability. Its focus on culture as a strong influence to the delivery of service quality in such context is admirable especially in relation with the embedded Islamic culture.

Details

Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-0817

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Publication date: 17 February 2025

Orhan Cengiz and Ömer Demir

Nowadays, digital transformation, which is an integral part of globalization, has a substantial effect on the labor market. Along with globalization and digitalization, the nature…

Abstract

Nowadays, digital transformation, which is an integral part of globalization, has a substantial effect on the labor market. Along with globalization and digitalization, the nature of work and the structure of the labor market have changed, resulting in a transformation in the relationship between employees and employers. This chapter aims to investigate the impact of digitalization on trade unions in 25 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries over the period 2000–2019. The panel quantile regression results indicate that digitalization negatively affects trade unions in OECD countries in all quantiles. In other words, digitalization reduces trade union density. The labor force hurts trade union density in all quantiles. Wage positively affects trade union density in all quantiles except the Q09 quantile. Institutional quality negatively affects trade union density in the Q01–Q07 quantiles. Globalization has a positive effect in the Q01 and Q09 quantiles and a negative effect in the Q05 and Q06 quantiles. Economic growth positively impacts trade unions in the Q03–Q09 quantiles. Our empirical findings prove that since digitalization transforms the economic structure and nature of work, it causes a reduction in the importance of being a member of a trade union for the labor force. Hence, as digital technologies replace the labor force, it is inevitable that the protection and representation of unskilled labor by trade unions will decrease. Therefore, despite several contributions of digitalization in the sphere of life, it is crucial to keep the labor force’s rights in the age of globalization for policymakers.

Details

Future Workscapes: Emerging Business Trends and Innovations
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83662-177-5

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Article
Publication date: 20 October 2023

Olufisayo Adedokun and Temitope Egbelakin

Of all the deaths associated with disasters, bushfires account for 40% of these fatalities. The resulting fatalities are consequent upon householders’ decision-making, leading to…

141

Abstract

Purpose

Of all the deaths associated with disasters, bushfires account for 40% of these fatalities. The resulting fatalities are consequent upon householders’ decision-making, leading to late or non-evacuation from at-risk communities. However, while decision-making is a function of risk perception, this paper aims to investigate householders’ perceptions of bushfire risks following the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020.

Design/methodology/approach

An inductive research approach was adopted. Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit qualitative data from southeastern NSW, Australia householders. The data were collected via face-to-face and online Zoom. Each interview was recorded, transcribed using Otter.AI and thematically analyzed with NVivo 12 Pro (Braun and Clarke, 2006, 2019). In addition, inter-rater reliability was done by engaging an independent researcher to code the de-identified data independently. The codes were cross-checked for reliability and adjusted where necessary.

Findings

It was found that bushfire risk perceptions were high among the householders in bushfire at-risk communities following the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. High levels of perceptions were recorded among the participants regarding the likelihood of bushfire occurrence, concern for bushfires, severity of bushfires and vulnerability to bushfire threats.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s results do not reflect all householders in the southeastern part of NSW. It was limited to 30 householders who indicated their intentions to participate and are living in the study area. Therefore, future studies should be undertaken with more participants from broader geographical areas, including emergency responders like firefighters, recovery officers and non-government organizations in charge of recovery operations. This study will add to the prioritization of risk perceptions.

Practical implications

All else being equal, elevated bushfire risk perceptions among participants can potentially decrease the fatalities linked with bushfires and their subsequent ripple effects. This holds particularly true when residents opt for early self-evacuation from at-risk communities.

Social implications

The paper contributes to developing a better understanding of the bushfire risk perceptions underlying the evacuation decision-making of the residents in bushfire at-risk communities in south-eastern NSW of Australia.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the existing knowledge on bushfire risks by providing insights into residents’ perceptions after the catastrophic 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. As a qualitative study, it describes bushfire risk perceptions on four themes: likelihood, concern, severity and vulnerability, which is uncommon in many bushfire studies.

Details

International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-5908

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Article
Publication date: 7 August 2018

Md. Sariful Islam and Mohammed Ziaul Haider

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between poverty and technical efficiency (TE) of paddy farmers in presence of their heterogeneous selling behaviours…

300

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between poverty and technical efficiency (TE) of paddy farmers in presence of their heterogeneous selling behaviours. This paper explains how such behavioural heterogeneity affects this relationship in south-western Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

Translog production frontier model was used to estimate TE since it fitted the data set better. On the other hand, poverty indices were constructed by using P-α method. Then, multinomial logit models examined the existence of heterogeneous selling behaviours. It revealed adequate evidences in favour of behavioural heterogeneity. Finally, the authors employed a series of two stage instrumental variable regression models to relate poverty and TE with and without considering the behavioural heterogeneity.

Findings

The study finds that around 18, 39 and 44 per cent of households exhibit autarkic, non-wholesaling and wholesaling behaviour, respectively. Market failure due to transaction cost and credit constraints leads to emergence of such heterogeneity. Across these heterogeneous behaviours, impact of improving TE on poverty status significantly differs. Without controlling behavioural heterogeneity, TE significantly improves the poverty status of the rural farm households. However, scenario is changed after controlling this heterogeneity. After behavioural segregations, TE improves poverty status only for wholesalers. In contrary to prior expectation, it worsens the poverty situation for both autarkic and non-wholesaling households. Simultaneous failure in both credit and product market for these households might be the plausible reason behind this heterodox finding. Credit market failure compels these households to borrow from local money lenders with costlier terms. This effort might improve their TE. But, product market failure makes their additional production due to improved TE unsold. Thus, repayment of credit directly reduces their consumption expenditure. Therefore, an effort to improve TE might increase prevalence and depth of poverty when market failure exists. Henceforth, the improvement of TE appears as an effective policy instrument only when households exhibit wholesaling behaviour.

Originality/value

The earlier studies show the relationship between TE and poverty status but did not account behavioural heterogeneity. The authors attempt to overcome this shortcoming and show how market failure induced behavioural heterogeneity affects the effectiveness of TE on improving poverty status of farm households.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 45 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

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Article
Publication date: 3 August 2021

Mohsin Abdur Rehman, Sadaf Khan, Ismah Osman, Khurram Aziz and Ghazal Shams

This study aims to test a proposed model based on a combination of the relationship marketing and service quality dimensions as predictors of corporate image and customer loyalty…

942

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to test a proposed model based on a combination of the relationship marketing and service quality dimensions as predictors of corporate image and customer loyalty via corporate reputation in the Takaful context. More importantly, this study compares the Takaful operators’ services with the perceived service quality and the relationship marketing from the Malaysian and Saudi Arabian customers’ viewpoint.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey-based study was conducted through a questionnaire, and the data was collected from Takaful customers (362 Saudi Arabian and 350 Malaysian customers) through an online survey. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed model. Besides, the perception of Takaful customers between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia is compared through a multi-group analysis.

Findings

The results from the Malaysian context reveal that positive perceptions of service quality PAKSERV dimensions (personalization, reliability and tangibility) and positive perceptions of relationship marketing dimensions (Islamic ethical behaviour and structural bonds) have a significant influence on the corporate image. Alternatively, in the Saudi Arabian context, results have shown that the positive perceptions of service quality PAKSERV dimensions (assurance and reliability) of service quality and the positive perceptions of the relationship marketing dimensions (Islamic ethical behaviour, structural bonds and financial bonds) have a significant influence on the corporate image. The differences in both countries’ results can also enhance the corporate image on corporate reputation, merely in Malaysia. By contrast, corporate reputation is deemed a significant predictor of customer loyalty, represented as valid for both contexts.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed research model tested in Takaful Malaysian and Saudi Arabian can be replicated in other contexts – in terms of country and industry. Moreover, the current study reveals the crucial role of corporate image in forming corporate reputation. Future research could be focussed on the importance of other emotional or affective variables that may be involved in determining corporate reputation. Finally, future studies can be carried with another cultural perspective to have more diversified socio-economic implications.

Practical implications

It is suggested that Takaful operators from both Malaysia and Saudi Arabia need to put maximum effort towards customer loyalty by bringing both the dimensions of service quality and the relationship marketing in compliance with the principles of Islamic business transaction. The findings of the specific dimensions of service quality and relationship marketing will contribute to customers’ perceptions of corporate image and reputation in the Takaful industry.

Originality/value

The present study tested a blended facet of customer’s overall experience through service quality (PAKSERV) and customer service provider connectivity (relationship marketing) to predict the corporate image of the highly growing financial marketplace (Takaful). Contextually, this study contributes to delineating the factors (corporate reputation) affecting customer loyalty rather than a customer satisfaction tradition. Significantly, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia were chosen for this study, as they are currently the two fast-growing markets for Islamic financial services, especially with regards to the Takaful products and offerings.

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Article
Publication date: 19 April 2022

Abedalqader Rababah, Homa Molavi and Shayan Farhang Doust

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of financial leverage impact on customer satisfaction and marketing costs including research and development (R&D) and advertisement…

333

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of financial leverage impact on customer satisfaction and marketing costs including research and development (R&D) and advertisement costs. Furthermore, the authors aim to investigate whether customer satisfaction as well as financial distress moderates the effect of financial leverage impact on customer satisfaction and marketing costs including R&D and advertisement costs.

Design/methodology/approach

The statistical population of this study consists of listed companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange manually obtained from different industries in 2017. Multivariate regression based on data compilation methodology is used to test research hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicate that financial leverage is negatively and significantly associated with customer satisfaction and this negative relationship is more pronounced in companies with lower sale growth. Furthermore, the authors' results suggest that customer satisfaction negatively (positively) and significantly affects firm value in companies with lower (higher)-financial leverage. The authors also demonstrate that there is no significant relationship between financial leverage caused by financial flexibility and firm value caused by customer's satisfaction (CS). The authors' findings also suggest that financial distress significantly affects the relationship between financial leverage and customer satisfaction. Finally, the authors' find that financial leverage significantly affects firms' R&D and advertisement costs.

Research limitations/implications

Since the fundamental institutional assumptions underpinning the Western and even East Asia financial models are not valid in the institutional environment of Iran, the authors' findings could provide substantial implications for the authors' understanding of the relationship between finance and R&D costs and contribute substantially to customer satisfaction and firm value literature as well. The sample country of the present paper has recently experienced a spate of financial collapses that somewhat contributes, indirectly, to financial distress incurred by the Iranian firms. Moreover, R&D costs are growing among the Iranian quoted firms.

Originality/value

Since the fundamental institutional assumptions underpinning the Western and even East Asia financial models are not valid in the institutional environment of Iran, the authors' findings could provide substantial implications for our understanding of the relationship between finance and R&D costs and contribute substantially to customer satisfaction and firm value literature as well. The sample country of the present paper has recently experienced a spate of financial collapses that somewhat contributes, indirectly, to financial distress incurred by the Iranian firms. Moreover, R&D costs are growing among the Iranian quoted firms.

Details

Journal of Applied Accounting Research, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0967-5426

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Article
Publication date: 8 July 2021

Ismah Osman, Mohsin Abdur Rehman, Sajid Mohy Ul Din, Ghazal Shams and Khurram Aziz

This study aims to examine a proposed model based on a combination of relationship marketing and service quality dimensions as a significant predictor of corporate image. More…

489

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine a proposed model based on a combination of relationship marketing and service quality dimensions as a significant predictor of corporate image. More importantly, it attempts to identify whether corporate reputation mediates the relationship between and customer loyalty and corporate image in the takāful (Islamic insurance) context, from the viewpoint of Saudi Arabian customers.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted through an adopted questionnaire from 362 family takāful policyholders from Saudi Arabia. Also, structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed model on the direct relationships of the related constructs, as well as the establishment of corporate reputation as a mediator concerning its relationship between corporate image and customer loyalty.

Findings

This study discovered that only two dimensions of service quality (i.e. reliability and assurance) and three aspects of relationship marketing (i.e. Islamic ethical behaviour, financial and structural bonds) have a significant impact on the corporate image of the takāful providers. This study further concluded that corporate reputation mediates the relationship between corporate image and customer loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

This study has presented and tested the perceived service quality using the PAKSERV model in the takāful (Islamic insurance) industry, particularly in the Saudi Arabian context. This research identified the dimensions of PAKSERV (i.e. reliability and assurance) that influence the corporate image and simultaneously, the aspects of relationship marketing (i.e. Islamic ethical behaviour, financial and structural bonds) are also connected to the corporate image. Corporate reputation acts as a mediator between the relationship of corporate image and customer loyalty. This study, nevertheless, only focused in the takāful industry alone, and these findings could also be tested for its validity to different services in other potential studies because of the diversity of the service industry.

Originality/value

The findings of this study highlight the specific components of PAKSERV measures in influencing the corporate image. Furthermore, relationship marketing addressing Islamic ethical behaviour, as well as the three facets of bonding – structural, financial and social bonds are also incorporated and connected to corporate image. Hence, this study will increase the understanding of the impact of service quality concerning the PAKSERV model and relationship marketing on corporate image, reputation and customer loyalty of the takāful operators in Saudi Arabia.

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