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This study aims to evaluate the use of polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (PLE) as a dispersant in the preparation of novel pigment dispersion with enhanced dispersion ability, which can find application in the printing industry.

To obtain a good dispersion, PLE was used as a dispersant in pigments dispersion. The colloidal and rheological properties of the PLE-based dispersion, such as particle distribution, zeta potentials and apparent viscosity were evaluated.

The particle sizes of the pigment dispersions were within the range of 150 to 200 nm. The measurement of zeta potentials varied between −24 to −32 mV, revealing a strong surface charge interaction between pigments and PLE. Subsequently, its stability to high-speed centrifuge and freeze-thaw treatment was carefully investigated. To demonstrate the coverage of pigment particles by PLE, thermogravimetric analysis was carried out. Moreover, X-ray diffraction was used to disclose the combined impacts of PLE and ultrasonic power on the crystal structures of the pigments. Finally, the coloring performance and leveling properties of pigment dispersions on cotton substrates were evaluated by measuring their K/S values (color strength), rub and color fastness properties, which possessed good results.

The dispersant used is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents and strong bases. More so, modification to improve its dispersion properties can be studied.

The use of PLE as a dispersant could be readily used in pigment dispersion processes and other suitable applications. PLE could also be used as a co-surfactant in synergy with other surfactants or dispersants in the dispersion process.

The use of PLE in pigment dispersion as well as investigating its coloring properties on cotton fabric is novel and can find various applications in the dying, printing and coating industry.

Many nations now engage in economic promotion of their countries in foreign countries. One major aspect of this activity is export promotions. This paper aims to understand the relationship between export promotional activity participation and export performance by Ghanaian manufacturing firms.

The list of manufacturing exporters was obtained from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, and the convenience and snowballing approach was used to reach and administer research instrument. The relationship between export promotion and performance was estimated using a multiple regression.

The results of this study indicate that exporters should implement specific export promotion programmes if they want to enhance export performance and become successful. The findings of this study show that the programmes that have a strong positive relationship with export performance are trade fairs, foreign offices and tax and financial incentives.

The results of this study contribute to the international entrepreneurship literature in several ways. First, findings from this study contribute to the limited literature on exports in developing countries such as Ghana. Again, the study framework provides assistance to assess and monitor emerging trends in export promotion strategies. Also, export promotion, as a whole, provides a framework in which firms formulate strategies, allocates resources and seeks opportunities in a coordinated way. Finally, in the international marketplace, firms need to maintain their competitive edge, and it is important to operate efficiently and effectively using an appropriate export promotional strategy.

This study aims to investigate how different academic fields within and outside of international business (IB) engage with the topics of social value creation in the context of multinational enterprises (MNEs). The aim is to take stock of the main themes and offer suggestions for future research avenues.

The paper undertakes a scoping review. The authors use the Web of Science database to identify relevant articles. The database search yielded 466 articles. The NVivo software was used to code and identify key thematic areas.

The matrix analysis performed in NVivo yielded 15 main thematic areas spanning 37 research fields. However, further analysis revealed that 89 per cent of the articles originated from 13 fields. Furthermore, while IB journals represent the second-largest field home to publications related to the social value creation of MNEs, they only account for 12 per cent of the sample.

The paper responds to prior calls to reduce disciplinary silos through the performing of a thematic analysis across a multitude of research fields.

Saudi Arabia is the main destination of religious tourism, as it has many spiritual places. With the passage of years, the figures for pilgrim visits are increasing, which is contributing to the economic growth of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). However, pilgrims’ visits can create strong opportunity costs in the form of environmental degradation. Owing to these notions, this study aims to discover the impact of religious tourism on the quality of the natural environment of Saudi Arabia.

This study develops the empirical relationship between the variables by sampling the data from 35 years ranging from 1986 to 2020. The regression among variables was checked by using fully modified ordinary least square and dynamic ordinary least square models.

This analysis proves that religious tourism has a direct impact on the environmental degradation of KSA. The unceasing visits of pilgrims accelerate various economic operations and activities, e.g. assimilation and digestion of industrial products, that necessarily hamper the environmental quality. In addition, this analysis indicates a negative impact on financial development, foreign investment and renewable energy consumption while the positive impact of fossil fuels assimilation and economic expansion on the secretion of CO₂. The statistical findings are robust and verify the pollution halo hypothesis while rejecting the Environmental Kuznets Curve model in this region.

This analysis recommends restructuring the policies on hajj and Umrah visits. KSA Government should ensure green consumption by pilgrims. The limitation on pilgrims’ visits and the introduction of quotas are alternative policies to impede the pollution in this region.

By controlling the routine determinants, this study offers innovative thoughts regarding the consequences of religious tourism on environmental quality.

通过抽样1986-2020年35年的数据来建立变量之间的实证关系。采用完全修正的普通最小二乘(FMOLS)和动态普通最小二乘(DOLS)模型检验变量间的回归关系

由于沙特阿拉伯有很多精神场所, 是宗教旅游的主要目的地。随着时间的推移, 朝圣访问数据不断增加, 这为沙特阿拉伯王国(KSA)的经济增长做出了贡献。然而, 朝圣访问也可能造成巨大的机会成本, 如环境退化。由于这些观念, 本研究试图揭露宗教旅游对沙特阿拉伯自然环境质量的影响。

研究表明, 宗教旅游对沙特阿拉伯的环境退化有直接影响。持续增长的朝圣来访加速了各种经济运作和活动, 如工业产品的吸收和分解等, 这必然会影响环境质量。此外, 分析表明, 金融发展、外国投资和可再生能源消费受到负面影响, 而化石燃料吸收和经济扩张对二氧化碳的排放产生积极影响。统计结果具有较强的可靠性, 验证了污染晕假说, 同时否定了该地区的环境库兹涅茨曲线(EKC)模型。

本研究建议重构大朝和小朝的政策。沙特阿拉伯政府应该确保朝圣者的绿色消费。朝圣访问的限制和引进配额是防止该地区污染的替代政策。

通过控制常规决定因素, 本研究为宗教旅游对环境质量的影响提供了创新思路。

Se desarrolla la relación empírica entre las variables mediante el muestreo de los datos de 35 años que van de 1986 a 2020. La regresión entre las variables se comprobó empleando modelos de mínimos cuadrados ordinarios totalmente modificados (FMOLS) y mínimos cuadrados ordinarios dinámicos (DOLS)

Arabia Saudí es el principal destino de turismo religioso porque cuenta con numerosos lugares espirituales. Con el paso de los años, las cifras de visitas de peregrinos están aumentando, lo que contribuye al crecimiento económico del Reino de Arabia Saudí (KSA). Sin embargo, las visitas de los peregrinos pueden crear fuertes costes de oportunidad en forma de degradación medioambiental. A partir de estos indicadores, este análisis busca descubrir el impacto del turismo religioso en la calidad del entorno natural de Arabia Saudí.

El análisis demuestra que el turismo religioso tiene un impacto directo en la degradación medioambiental de KSA. Las incesantes visitas de los peregrinos aceleran diversas operaciones y actividades económicas, como la adquisición y consumo de productos industriales, etc., que necesariamente dificultan la calidad medioambiental. Además, el análisis indica un impacto negativo en el desarrollo financiero, la inversión extranjera y el consumo de energías renovables, así como el impacto de la asimilación de combustibles fósiles y la expansión económica en la emisión de CO2. Los resultados estadísticos son robustos y verifican la hipótesis del efecto halo de la contaminación, al tiempo que rechazan el modelo de la curva de Kuznets ambiental (EKC) en esta región.

El análisis recomienda reestructurar las políticas sobre las visitas al hajj y la Umrah. El gobierno de KSA debería garantizar el consumo ecológico de los peregrinos. La limitación de las visitas de los peregrinos y la introducción de cuotas son políticas alternativas para impedir la contaminación en esta región.

Al controlar los determinantes frecuentes, este estudio ofrece reflexiones innovadoras sobre las consecuencias del turismo religioso en la calidad del medio ambiente.

Transnational corporation (TNC)-led oil investments have been widely encouraged as a mechanism for the development of the Global South. Even though the sector is characterized by major accidents, oil-based developmentalist narratives claim that such accidents are merely isolated incidents that can be administratively addressed, redressed behaviorally through education of certain individuals, or corrected through individually targeted post-event legislation. Adapting Harvey Molotch’s (1970) political economy methodology of “accident research”, this paper argues that such “accidents” are, in fact, routine in the entire value chain of the oil system dominated by, among others, military-backed TNCs which increasingly collaborate with national and local oil companies similarly wedded to the ideology of growth. Based on this analysis, existing policy focus on improving technology, instituting and enforcing more environmental regulations, and the pursuit of economic nationalism in the form of withdrawing from globalization are ineffective. In such a red-hot system, built on rapidly spinning wheels of accumulation, the pursuit of slow growth characterized by breaking the chains of monopoly and oligopoly, putting commonly generated rent to common uses, and freeing labor from regulations that rob it of its produce has more potency to address the enigma of petroleum accidents in the global south.

Social value (SV) is gaining traction worldwide. However, there are no clear strategies to drive SV where there is limited or no formal SV legislation. The purpose of this study is to determine the key drivers of SV through construction procurement practices in regions without formal SV laws.

Quantitative data on the SV drivers of construction projects were obtained from local government construction procurement operatives using a survey questionnaire. The analytic hierarchy process was applied to prioritise SV drivers. A one-sample t-test was used to determine the significance of the SV drivers. Subsequently, the Pareto technique was deployed to determine the key drivers of SV.

The key drivers of SV to consider during construction procurement are investment by project clients, the education and training of contractors and consultants and organisational planning and policy reformation.

The findings of this study will engender investment in sustainable projects and the integration of SV into construction practices to elevate industry standards, enhance corporate reputation and meet social expectations. The strategies identified in this study for promoting SV will foster community development through improved infrastructure, job creation and economic growth while supporting long-term sustainability and resilience.

The originality of this research lies in its context-specific insights into a country without formal SV legislation. The proactive measures identified, such as education and policy alignment, demonstrate a bottom-up approach for integrating SV into construction procurement. This contrasts with top-down legislative approaches seen in other contexts, providing a unique perspective on how SV can be driven in the absence of formal laws.

Over dependence on river/sea sand as building material has impacted the environment negatively. However, laterite, which is an environment-friendly indigenous building material in sub-Saharan Africa, has been less exploited as a suitable alternative. This paper aims to ascertain the optimum cement–laterite mix proportion at which laterite can be stabilized for production of walling units.

Using an experimental method, laterite was collected from three borrow pit sites. Sieve analysis was performed to determine the particle size distribution. Also, the degree of workability of the cement–laterite mix was ascertained using slump test. Compressive strengths were determined at cement stabilization percentages of 3%, 7% and 10% on 12 cubes of100 mm cast and cured for 14 and 28 days, respectively.

The results showed that the lateritic soil investigated, achieves its optimum strength in 28 days of curing, at a stabilization level of 10%. An average compressive strength of 2.41 N/mm2, which is 20.5% greater than the target strength, was achieved.

To meet the desired compressive strength of alternative walling units while achieving environmental sustainability and efficiency in production, cement stabilization of lateritic soils should become a recommended practice by built environment professionals in sub-Saharan Africa.

This paper is one of the first research works that attempts to determine the optimum level at which the abundant sub-Saharan laterite can be chemically stabilized for the production of non-load bearing walling units. This research promotes an environment-friendly alternative building material to sea sand, river sand and off-shore sand.

This paper aims to examine the impact of stock market liquidity on the value of reported earnings in Egypt, proxied by the earnings–return relationship, during the period between 2006 and 2015.

To achieve this objective, this paper uses a sample including all active firms listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange. This study employs multivariate panel data regression analysis with fixed effects estimated using robust standard errors, and control for other variables. All financial, accounting and stock market data are collected from the Thomson Reuters Worldscope and Datastream databases.

The empirical results report a significant positive relation between liquidity and earnings informativeness. This study argues that in environments with high information asymmetries, reported earnings are informative conditional on stock liquidity. All results remain valid when using heteroscedasticity-robust standard errors clustered across firms, alternative measures of liquidity, sub-groups of different sizes and estimating quantile regressions.

This paper identifies stock price liquidity as a significant determinant of stock price informativeness of earnings in Egypt. In particular, stock liquidity reduces agency conflicts and information asymmetries between managers and market investors, and thereby decreases managerial incentives to misreport earnings. This consequently enhances the quality of reported earnings and the informativeness of prices.

The purpose of this study is to explore how vulnerabilities arising from physical impairments, age, widowhood, forced displacement due to war or natural disasters and sexual orientation affect women’s microfinance-related entrepreneurial activities and economic empowerment.

This paper is a structured literature review and uses preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) method. The paper also uses agency, resources and achievement dimensions of empowerment to assess the findings.

This study reveals that although microfinance services promote women entrepreneurship, they also exacerbate exclusion and further discrimination. Individual-, household-, institutional- and community-level structures shape women’s agencies to access and use loans and conduct entrepreneurial activities; hence, ultimately economic empowerment.

The originality of this paper arises from the conceptual model we synthesised from our review which illustrates how vulnerable women’s agency is shaped by resources and how it affects their achievements in relation to entrepreneurial activities.