Zain Ul Abidin Jaffri, Zeeshan Ahmad, Asif Kabir and Syed Sabahat Hussain Bukhari
Antenna miniaturization, multiband operation and wider operational bandwidth are vital to achieve optimal design for modern wireless communication devices. Using fractal…
Abstract
Purpose
Antenna miniaturization, multiband operation and wider operational bandwidth are vital to achieve optimal design for modern wireless communication devices. Using fractal geometries is recognized as one of the most promising solutions to attain these characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to present a unique structure of patch antenna using hybrid fractal technique to enhance the performance characteristics for various wireless applications and to achieve better miniaturization.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors propose a novel hybrid fractal antenna by combining Koch and Minkowski (K-M) fractal geometries. A microstrip patch antenna (MPA) operating at 1.8 GHz is incorporated with a novel K-M hybrid fractal geometry. The proposed fractal antenna is designed and simulated in CST Microwave studio and compared with existing Koch fractal geometry. The prototype for the third iteration of the K-M fractal antenna is then fabricated on FR-4 substrate and tested through vector network analyzer for operating band/voltage standing wave ratio.
Findings
The third iteration of the proposed K-M fractal geometry results in achieving a 20% size reduction as compared to an ordinary MPA for the same resonant frequency with impedance bandwidth of 16.25 MHz and a directional gain of 6.48 dB, respectively. The operating frequency of MPA also lowers down to 1.44 GHz.
Originality/value
Further testing for the radiation patterns in an anechoic chamber shows good agreement to those of simulated results.
Details
Keywords
This study examines the organic food continuance behavior (OFCB) of young (Generations Y and Z) Bangladeshi consumers as a part of green consumption for sustainable development…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the organic food continuance behavior (OFCB) of young (Generations Y and Z) Bangladeshi consumers as a part of green consumption for sustainable development. Based on the extended “Theory of Planned Behavior” (TPB), this study investigates the reasons for continuing organic food (OF) consumption. This research aims to create a model highlighting the characteristics influencing Bangladeshi consumers to continue eating OFs while considering the moderating role of health consciousness during the COVID-19 health crisis (CHC).
Design/methodology/approach
This is a longitudinal study, the first phase of which was conducted in 2020, whereas the second phase of data collection is completed on December 31, 2021. Thus, a longitudinal research design (N = 196) was used to investigate whether TPB element have the same impact over the period of time in two data collection phases. It also attempted to reveal if there is any change in the level of influences of Knowledge of organic food health benefit (HAK), and health consciousness on OFCB. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants of Generations Y and Z. Partial least square structural equation modeling validates the proposed research model.
Findings
Research results of phase two ensure that out of the five direct hypotheses related to social norm (SNRM), attitude (ATD), perceived behavioral control (PBRC), HAK and CHC, four (ATD, PBRC, HAK and CHC) significantly influence OFCB of Bangladeshi consumers. SNRM has no significant statistical influence on OFCB. On the other hand, all the direct hypotheses, including SNRM, were accepted during the first phase of the study. Hence, when people begin eating OF and recognize the health benefits, their firm behavioral control ensures that what others think has no significant influence on OFCB.
Research limitations/implications
Most of the data for this study came from those born after 1980, commonly known as Generations Y and Z. Thus, including more data from different age groups may result in different research conclusions. The survey contains a large proportion (62%) of respondents with an income of less than BDT 40,000 per month, a price-sensitive demographic in Bangladesh. The price of OF was not included in this study though price sensitivity may have impacted the study’s findings.
Practical implications
This research used one moderating and four exogenous variables to determine Bangladeshi consumers’ OFCB. HAK and PBRC are proven to be the strongest determinants. Though health consciousness, Knowledge and self-control are essential, Bangladeshi citizens’ awareness of OF and sustainable consumption is still far below compared to other countries. Consequently, this study urges policymakers to raise health awareness through various social efforts.
Social implications
The Bangladesh government has various initiatives to encourage sustainable development, including promoting OF consumption. Increased OF consumption will increase demand, resulting in an enormous need for organic production. This phenomenon will benefit society as bio-fertilizers are ecologically benign, resolving soil fertility issues and reducing disease risks while enhancing nutritional content. This study can serve as the foundation for developing a plan to boost the consumption of OFs, which can have a beneficial social impact.
Originality/value
Since no longitudinal study to explain the continuance of OFs has been observed in Bangladesh, this research uniquely contributes to predicting sustainable consumption behavior.
Details
Keywords
Fiaz Ahmad, Kabir Muhammad Abdul Rashid, Akhtar Rasool, Esref Emre Ozsoy, Asif Sabanoviç and Meltem Elitas
To propose an improved algorithm for the state estimation of distribution networks based on the unscented Kalman filter (IUKF). The performance comparison of unscented Kalman…
Abstract
Purpose
To propose an improved algorithm for the state estimation of distribution networks based on the unscented Kalman filter (IUKF). The performance comparison of unscented Kalman filter (UKF) and newly developed algorithm, termed Improved unscented Kalman Filter (IUKF) for IEEE-30, 33 and 69-bus radial distribution networks for load variations and bad data for two measurement noise scenarios, i.e. 30 and 50 per cent are shown.
Design/methodology/approach
State estimation (SE) plays an instrumental role in realizing smart grid features like distribution automation (DA), enhanced distribution generation (DG) penetration and demand response (DR). Implementation of DA requires robust, accurate and computationally efficient dynamic SE techniques that can capture the fast changing dynamics of distribution systems more effectively. In this paper, the UKF is improved by changing the way the state covariance matrix is calculated, to enhance its robustness and accuracy under noisy measurement conditions. UKF and proposed IUKF are compared under the cummulative effect of load variations and bad data based on various statistical metrics such as Maximum Absolute Deviation (MAD), Maximum Absolute Per cent Error (MAPE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Overall Performance Index (J) for three radial distribution networks. All the simulations are performed in MATLAB 2014b environment running on an hp core i5 laptop with 4GB memory and 2.6 GHz processor.
Findings
An Improved Unscented Kalman Filter Algorithm (IUKF) is developed for distribution network state estimation. The developed IUKF is used to predict network states (voltage magnitude and angle at all buses) and measurements (source voltage magnitude, line power flows and bus injections) in the presence of load variations and bad data. The statistical performance of the coventional UKF and the proposed IUKF is carried out for a variety of simulation scenarios for IEEE-30, 33 and 69 bus radial distribution systems. The IUKF demonstrated superiority in terms of: RMSE; MAD; MAPE; and overall performance index J for two measurement noise scenarios (30 and 50 per cent). Moreover, it is shown that for a measurement noise of 50 per cent and above, UKF fails while IUKF performs.
Originality/value
UKF shows degraded performance under high measurement noise and fails in some cases. The proposed IUKF is shown to outperform the UKF in all the simulated scenarios. Moreover, this work is novel and has justified improvement in the robustness of the conventional UKF algorithm.
Details
Keywords
Muhammad Mahmudul Karim, Abu Hanifa Md. Noman, M. Kabir Hassan, Asif Khan and Najmul Haque Kawsar
This paper aims to investigate the immediate effect of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic by investigating volatility transmission and dynamic correlation between stock…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the immediate effect of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic by investigating volatility transmission and dynamic correlation between stock (conventional and Islamic) markets, bitcoin and major commodities such as gold, oil and silver at different investment horizons before and after 161 trading days of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
The MGARCH-DCC and maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform -based cross-correlation were used in the estimation of the volatility spillover and continuous wavelet transform in the estimation of the time-varying volatility and correlation between the assets at different investment horizons.
Findings
The authors observed a sudden correlation breakdown following the COVID-19 shock. Oil (Bitcoin) was a major volatility transmitter before (during) COVID-19. Digital gold (Bitcoin), gold and silver became highly correlated during COVID-19. The highest co-movement between the assets was observed at medium and long-term investment horizons.
Practical implications
The study findings have a financial implication for day traders, investors and policymakers in the understanding of volatility transmission and intercorrelation in a bid to actively manage stylized and well-diversified asset portfolios.
Originality/value
This study is unique for its employment in estimating the time-varying conditional volatility of the investable assets and cross-correlations between them at different investment horizons, particularly before and after COVID-19 outbreak.
Details
Keywords
Jitender Kumar, Vinki Rani, Garima Rani and Manju Rani
This comparative research examines the factors influencing individuals' purchase intention toward green housing. By examining these factors, this study provides fruitful insights…
Abstract
Purpose
This comparative research examines the factors influencing individuals' purchase intention toward green housing. By examining these factors, this study provides fruitful insights into the purchase intentions and behaviors for greenhouses among individuals of different age groups in India.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were gathered from Generation (Gen) X (313) and Generation (Gen) Y (297) using self-administered questionnaires. The “partial least squares structural equation modeling” was used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The outcome shows that attitude and green trust substantially impact the green purchase intention of Gen X and Y. More specifically, environmental knowledge insignificantly influences the green purchase intention of Gen X while significantly influencing Gen Y. However, perceived risk insignificantly affects the purchase intention of both Gen X and Y. Consequently, green purchase intention substantially impacts the green purchase behavior in both studies.
Research limitations/implications
This research focuses primarily on India; future research may be conducted in different geographical contexts. This study could also be extended to all age groups individuals.
Practical implications
The findings of this article facilitate policymakers, real estate developers and professional bodies in formulating strategies for sustainable nations in the future.
Originality/value
The current article is the initial empirical attempt to examine the home-buying decisions of individuals in India. Moreover, the role of Generation X and Generation Y in green housing purchase decisions will provide fruitful insights into how different age groups impact the decision-making process of green housing.
Details
Keywords
Mohammad Rabiul Kabir, Ishrat Jahan Tania and Mohammad Ahsan Kabir Rubel
The paper aims to understand the stages of the social innovation process and how it can be used for sustainable development.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to understand the stages of the social innovation process and how it can be used for sustainable development.
Design/methodology/approach
This single case study used multiple sources, especially data from extensive field visits and selective in-depth interviews. Direct observation, web content analysis, journals, annual reports and news articles were also used.
Findings
The findings show that BRAC institute of skills development (BISD) adopted a unique formula for the social innovation process: problem identification, new idea, design prototype, pilot, perfect and scale up. This study also finds that BISD has a significant socio-economic impact in Bangladesh. The impacts of BISD are associated with several United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 on poverty, SDG 4 on inclusive learning, SDG 5 on gender equality and women empowerment, SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth and SDG 16 on social inclusion.
Practical implications
The discussions of this study ultimately pave a clear roadmap for policymakers, practitioners and academics to improve mechanisms for sustainable development through social innovations in emerging countries.
Originality/value
This paper provides a practical application of the social inclusive innovation process theory by which vocational training institutes can scale their sustainable impact. More knowledge is needed on how organisations can implement social innovation projects in emerging countries. This paper provides exploratory evidence to fill this gap. It demands a promising area of interest to investigate further research on the compatibility of social innovation in skills development programmes to gear up the status of an underprivileged community.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric investigation of the antecedents to financial stability in Islamic banking, a transition economy with a volatile stock…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric investigation of the antecedents to financial stability in Islamic banking, a transition economy with a volatile stock market focusing on banks following the Shariah approach.
Design/methodology/approach
The data for this analysis was extracted from the Scopus database, which combines a comprehensively crafted abstract and citation database with augmented data and linked scholarly works across various disciplines. It quickly finds relevant research and provides access to reliable data and analytical tools. This study deploys “bibliometrix 3.0,” a biblioshiny R-package for influential structure and the VOS viewer for intellectual structure.
Findings
The investigation’s main findings revealed that 1,910 documents were published from 1987 to 2022. Published manuscripts received 39,050 citations, with an average of 10.18 citations per year. However, the instructed empirical research was experienced during 2009 and 2020, while earlier periods (1987–2008) were relatively inactive where banking was considered protective in the presence of BASEL-II capital accords regulations. While the International Journal of Bank Market has been at the top of the list to publish articles related to the area under investigation, the Journal of Banking and Finance is ranked one of the most cited articles. Malaysia has been at the top of the list of countries to research Islamic Sharia compliance principles in the banking industry, and International Islamic University Malaysia has produced enough evidence in this regard. The intellectual structure provided essential foundations for future research, and the bibliometric coupling approach was used.
Practical implications
While most of the banking research has been conducted to determine the banking business efficiency, risk and profitability, little focus is given to financial stability and that too concerning the Islamic banks. Therefore, researchers need to investigate this horizon from an Islamic banking point of view and focus on key issues that discriminate between Islamic and conventional banks in determining their stability level.
Originality/value
Briefly, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study would be the first to provide bibliometric information about financial stability keeping in view the sample data from banks with the Shariah approach. Furthermore, the proven analysis demonstrates a novel contribution that financially stable Islamic banks might strengthen the financial industry and overall economy.
Details
Keywords
Mustapha Abubakar, M. Kabir Hassan and Muhammad Auwalu Haruna
Cryptocurrencies are hidden monies that are specifically created to be used as digital currencies while assuming the characteristics of real money. Barring the divergent opinions…
Abstract
Cryptocurrencies are hidden monies that are specifically created to be used as digital currencies while assuming the characteristics of real money. Barring the divergent opinions on whether permitted in Islamic law (that is/are halal) or forbidden in Islamic law (that is/are haram), and for which the swing tends to be in favor of its blockchain underlying technology permissibility in Islam, cryptocurrencies are undoubtedly indicating potential for relevance in the global trade, investment, and other contract settlements in some years to come. The potential of the blockchain technology is phenomenal with recent estimates suggesting it will be worth more than $20 trillion in just two years, which is more than the entire American economy. Since fortunes are made by those entrepreneurs and indeed savvy investors who have discerned its future potential earlier on, there exists some great temptation for people to jump on the blockchain bandwagon. Apparently the growing acceptability of digital fiat money as a result of technology development on one hand, and the failure of the paper money to mitigate inflation and other economic disequilibria since the disappearance of the gold standard on the other, various forms of cryptocurrencies including Bitcoins (referred to as the king) appear to roar toward wider recognition. However, an emerging phenomenon associated with cryptocurrency revolution is an observed significant fluctuation (the tide) in its value and thus a subject of discussion within Islamic finance community and beyond. In the midst of this also is the current agitation founded on some of the Islamic law (Sharīʿa) view on the necessity of asset-backed money, to be extended to the current cryptocurrency innovation for its transformation into a Sharīʿa compliant precious metal backed currency. The big question now which this chapter sought to provide the answer is, what are the implications of these developments to a more established and widening global phenomenon of Islamic finance and its development in Muslim world vis-á-vis aspirations for sustained economic development. The work finds that cryptocurrencies would generate three advantages over all forms of money including gold through: establishing a unified financial system through its standard decentralization, being rarer than gold and its significant mitigation of inflation. It is also noted that the prevalent foreign exchange risk resulting from the underlying activities (rather than the currency itself) is free from speculation (Gharar). It is, therefore, recommended that stakeholders in the Islamic Finance world should not be passive but be proactive in commencing processes to develop technical notes, standards, and operational guidelines to partake in the inevitable migration to cryptocurrencies.
Details
Keywords
Azharul Islam, Ratan Ghosh, Md Kaysher Hamid and Sadman Kabir
This study aims to measure the impact of sustainable production and distribution processes on the sustainability performance in the pharmaceutical sector of Bangladesh based on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to measure the impact of sustainable production and distribution processes on the sustainability performance in the pharmaceutical sector of Bangladesh based on triple bottom line (TBL) approach.
Design/methodology/approach
It measures sustainable manufacturing and distribution practices with three dimensions namely: sustainable production process, sustainable supply chain management and sustainable end-life management, whereas sustainability performance is measured with three important aspects of performance measurement of TBL, namely social, environmental and financial performance. A survey questionnaire has been designed to collect data relating to sustainability practices and sustainability performance of listed pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh. The data have been analyzed with the partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) to investigate the relationship between sustainable production and distribution practices and economic, environmental and social performances.
Findings
The findings show that a sustainable production process has a positive impact on environmental and economic performance, but sustainable supply chain management has a significant impact only on economic performance. Whereas sustainable end-life management has a significant impact on both environmental and social performance but not on the financial performance of the industry. Although the current findings contradict some of the previous outcomes, the results can still be robust in the context of Bangladesh.
Practical implications
It is expected that the findings of the study might provide new insights into the sustainability initiatives of the manufacturing companies of Bangladesh. The study findings can help policymakers in implementing the sustainability agenda of the United Nations.
Originality/value
The pharmaceutical industry of Bangladesh has a significant contribution to the foreign earnings of the country. But the introduction of sustainable development goals (SDGs) criteria has forced the industry to redesign its production and operation systems. While numerous studies have investigated the individual components of the TBL in the developed country context, the dynamics of an emerging economy like Bangladesh have been overlooked. By focusing specifically on Bangladesh, a country with a promising pharmaceutical sector handling unique socioeconomic and environmental challenges, the current study fills a considerable gap in the existing sustainability literature.
Details
Keywords
Mohammad Rokibul Kabir and Saima Islam
This research aims to assess the consumers' intention to purchase organic foods for balanced physical and mental growth. It examines the decision-making process in buying organic…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to assess the consumers' intention to purchase organic foods for balanced physical and mental growth. It examines the decision-making process in buying organic products built on the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). This study designed a model to show how Bangladeshi consumers wish to purchase organic food.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected by means of a formal questionnaire from shoppers in different markets who buy organic and non-organic foods. Statistical analysis is done by applying partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).
Findings
Findings refer that among the four antecedents called social norms (SN), personal attitude (ATT), perceived behaviour control (PBC) and health consciousness (HC), three (ATT, PBC and HC) have a significant influence on the intention to consume organic food in Bangladesh. The only cognitive variable called social norm (SN) has no statistically significant impact though it positively relates to the behavioural intention to purchase organic food.
Research limitations/implications
The fitted model did not consider any moderating or mediating variable though there might be such effects regarding organic food purchase and consumption. The study includes a major portion of the respondents from less than Tk. 20,000 monthly income group, which is a price-sensitive group from Bangladesh perspective. Hence, this price sensitivity might have a slight influence on the results of the study.
Practical implications
This study includes four variables as the predictors to describe consumers' intention to purchase organic food products in Bangladesh. Among the predictors, health consciousness or awareness is found to be most powerful. Though consciousness is the key, the awareness of Bangladeshi citizen regarding organic food is lower than in other parts of the world. Hence, the research model directs the policymakers to increase awareness through different social campaigns.
Social implications
Under Vision 2040 of promoting sustainable development, the government of Bangladesh is trying to increase organic food consumption. Production and consumption of organic food will positively impact society since organic fertilizers are environmentally friendly and do not harm society. This research promotes a strategy formulation to ensure the consumption of organic foods for a positive social impact.
Originality/value
This study is a unique research to concentrate on the importance and factors influencing the consumption of organic foods in Bangladesh, a recently graduated developing country. Furthermore, it extended the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and proposed a new conceptual framework.