Asma Ben Salem and Ines Ben Abdelkader
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of income and geographic diversification on the double bottom line of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Middle East and North…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of income and geographic diversification on the double bottom line of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries where conventional and Islamic MFIs coexist. The idea is to explore whether diversification impacts MFIs' financial performance and outreach differ for Islamic microfinance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors test the effect of diversification and business models of MFIs on their performance and poverty outreach. The authors’ data set is an unbalanced panel sample of 81 (Islamic and conventional) MFIs in MENA countries covering 1999–2018, comprising 743 MFI-year observations.
Findings
The authors find that increasing income diversification in microfinance and focusing on rural areas decreases the financial performance of MFIs in MENA countries. Islamic MFIs benefit from income diversification by increasing their financial performance. The results provide evidence of a nonlinear relationship between income diversification and the financial performance of MFIs. Although conventional MFIs improve their depth of outreach by diversifying their income, Islamic MFIs have a lower breadth of outreach because they show a higher degree of income diversification.
Practical implications
This research contributes to the ongoing debate of whether MFIs should focus on or diversify their services to Islamic microfinance. Therefore, the findings of this study are practically crucial for MFIs' stakeholders to understand the contribution of diversification strategies in improving the Islamic MFIs to achieve both financial and social objectives.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first research that addresses the impact of diversification strategies in Islamic microfinance. Additionally, using a panel data set of conventional and Islamic MFIs in MENA countries spanning 1999–2018, this study provides empirical evidence on the diversification versus focus issue from the microfinance industry and the subset of Islamic microfinance.
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Emna Trabelsi and Asma Ben Khaled
The implementation of monetary policy by the central bank is an ongoing topic of discussion. This paper aims to explore monetary policy transmission shocks in times of uncertainty…
Abstract
Purpose
The implementation of monetary policy by the central bank is an ongoing topic of discussion. This paper aims to explore monetary policy transmission shocks in times of uncertainty using the new World uncertainty index (WUI). The authors investigate the impact of crises, wars and pandemic shocks on selected macroeconomic variables.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use unit root tests, structural vector autoregressive model and the Granger causality test according to Toda–Yamamoto with quarterly data over 1999–2022.
Findings
The results of this study show that in the short run, there is a unidirectional relationship between the money market rate and WUI, while the relationship between the latter and the money supply (M2) is bidirectional. The short-term effect runs from WUI to inflation. In the long run, the variance decomposition shows that global uncertainty explains around 12% of inflation pressures. The uncertainty caused by special events in the world creates positive shocks on inflation in Tunisia, which decreases the ability of the central bank to control inflation.
Research limitations/implications
The results have implications over necessary and urgent actions to be implemented for a progressive economic recovery but point to a necessary transition to an inflation-targeting regime.
Originality/value
Examining monetary policy under uncertainty is a recent phenomenon. The authors purposely use a novel WUI by Ahir et al. (2022) that is unexploited in literature.
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Asma Ben Rhouma and Ahmed Masmoudi
The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of a direct torque control strategy dedicated to three‐switch three‐phase delta‐shaped inverter (TSTPI) fed induction…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of a direct torque control strategy dedicated to three‐switch three‐phase delta‐shaped inverter (TSTPI) fed induction motor drives as well as the comparison of its performance with those yielded by six‐switch three‐phase inverter (SSTPI) fed induction motor drives under the Takahashi DTC strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
Referring to the asymmetrical stator voltage vectors and in order to reach high dynamic with low ripple of the electromagnetic torque response, the design of the vector selection table should include virtual voltage vectors by the subdivision of each sector into two equal sub‐sectors.
Findings
It has been shown that the implementation of the proposed DTC strategy in TSTPI‐fed induction motor drives leads to higher transient behaviour and better steady‐state features than those exhibited by the Takahashi DTC strategy implemented in SSTPI‐fed induction motor drives.
Research limitations/implications
The research should be extended to a comparison of the obtained simulation results with experimental measurements.
Practical implications
A 50 per cent reduction of cost and compactness associated with a 50 per cent increase of reliability makes the TSTPI an interesting candidate, especially in large‐scale production applications such as the automotive industry.
Originality/value
The paper proposes an approach to improve the cost‐effectiveness, the compactness and the reliability of TSTPI‐fed induction motor drives, which represents a crucial benefit in electric and hybrid propulsion systems.
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Razi's theory has an axiological and epistemological relevance that ethical values are established on knowledge model which is developed by interactive preferences between polity…
Abstract
Razi's theory has an axiological and epistemological relevance that ethical values are established on knowledge model which is developed by interactive preferences between polity and the value system. The point of departure for the understanding of the differences of Razi's human needs theory vis‐a‐vis the contemporary ideas are the metaphysical principle that underlies the notion of the theory. By means of this principle we come to understand the place of human being in the universe, his function and purpose in life and his final destination, therefore his needs and motivations. Thus an economic system based on Razi's human needs theory is an ethico‐economy which tilts neither toward socialism nor laissez‐faire capitalism. The notion of need can be interpreted as a reaction against allegedly value‐free or value‐neutral approaches in the social sciences. In this sense, the work of Razi can be most usefully seen as part of those ethical ideas which he invoked in the 12th century. Razi's writing on ethics that very closely related to philosophy is much less well known. Yet it is essential in an attempt to evaluate his contribution to the development of Islamic thought. The scope of his writings is remarkable, ranging from his early analyses of theological and legal controversies in the eastern part of the Muslim world, through a book on Qur'anic Exegesis and ethics; from medical sciences to his sustained polemic on credology and philosophy. In short, his writings embrace diversity of areas, from theology to philosophy, from natural to applied sciences including chemistry, astronomy and medicine. In his writings, he succeeded in proving his claim that excellence and perfection of man are not realized by means of bodily sensual pleasure. Rather, it is realized instead, by means of knowledge, power and excellent manners. This paper gives an account of the relevancies of knowledge‐based world view in the light of Razi's view of human needs. In dealing with this topic, two questions are explored: (1) what is his view of human needs? and, (2) what is the relevance of his view to ethics and economics?