Dina H. Bassiouni and Chris Hackley
This paper aims to investigate children’s experience as consumers of video games and associated digital communication technology, and the role this experience may play in their…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate children’s experience as consumers of video games and associated digital communication technology, and the role this experience may play in their evolving senses of identity.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative depth interviews and discussions were conducted in a convenience sample consisting of 22 children of both genders aged 6-12 years, parents and video games company executives in the southwest of the UK. The fully transcribed data sets amounting to some 27,000 words were analysed using discourse analysis.
Findings
The findings revealed the heightened importance that the knowledge of video games plays in children’s strategies for negotiating their nascent sense of identity with regard to peer groups, family relationships and gender identity. Video games were not only a leisure activity but also a shared cultural resource that mediated personal and family relationships.
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on an interpretive analysis of data sets from a small convenience sample, and is therefore not statistically generalisable.
Practical implications
This study has suggested that there may be positive benefits to children’s video game playing related to aspects of socialisation, emotional development and economic decision-making. An important caveat is that these benefits arise in the context of games as part of a loving and ordered family life with a balance of activities.
Social implications
The study hints at the extent to which access to video games and associated digital communications technology has changed children’s experience of childhood and integrated them into the adult world in both positive and negative ways that were not available to previous generations.
Originality/value
This research addresses a gap in the field and adds to an understanding of the impact of video games on children’s development by drawing on children’s own expression of their subjective experience of games to engage with wider issues of relationships and self-identity.
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Dina H. Bassiouni, Chris Hackley and Hakim Meshreki
Empirical studies using the technology acceptance model (TAM) have mainly focussed on utilitarian technologies. The purpose of this paper is to extend the TAM in order to develop…
Abstract
Purpose
Empirical studies using the technology acceptance model (TAM) have mainly focussed on utilitarian technologies. The purpose of this paper is to extend the TAM in order to develop a more nuanced understanding of the family dynamic around video game acceptance within households.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes a new and unique adaptation of the TAM to study the acceptance of hedonic technologies in the context of parents’/carers’ acceptance and integration of video games within family-life dynamics. This adaptation of the TAM attempts to shed light on the social influences and intrinsic motivations behind parents’ and carers’ intentions to purchase video games for their children’s consumption.
Findings
The usefulness of video games lies in how enjoyable and entertaining they are, and this seems to be influenced by the convenience and ease of use that ultimately affects the behavioural intention towards video games. Convenience of use brings in social influences on perceived enjoyment and on parents’ actual behaviour towards video games. Some social influences seem to play a direct role in affecting children’s behaviour towards video games.
Research limitations/implications
The authors acknowledge that using Facebook as a tool for data collection has limitations attributed to selection bias. Another limitation is not giving voice to the children to account for their own subjective experience of video games and relying on their parents’ perceptions on the matter.
Social implications
This study advocated extending TAM within a hedonic framework in the context of examining parents’/carers’ acceptance of video games, while re-validating past theories of TAM and introducing new contextual variables adapted to address hedonic technologies.
Originality/value
Empirical studies using TAM have focussed on the utilitarian nature of technologies and very few considered hedonic technologies. This study’s key contribution to research lies in explaining the effects of parents’ perceived enjoyment, ease of use and convenience on the intention to purchase and play video games. The findings feed into work on the ethics and developmental issues around the marketing of video games to and for children.
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Dina H. Bassiouni and Aliaa Bassiouny
The case was developed using a combination of primary and secondary data collection. The main source of primary data collection was an interview with the founder of The Hair…
Abstract
Research methodology
The case was developed using a combination of primary and secondary data collection. The main source of primary data collection was an interview with the founder of The Hair Addict, Doaa Gawish, in August 2023, with later follow-up calls to clarify some aspects of the business model and obtain more specific information. For secondary sources of information, the authors relied on the company website, as well as a couple of published interviews with the founder in an online business magazine [1] and an independent news website that covers Egyptian news, culture and lifestyle topics (Makary, 2021). The case also relies on macroeconomic and industry data obtained from various databases and research report providers, which are referenced in the case and teaching note.
Case overview/synopsis
This case study explores the decision a woman business founder, Doaa Gawish (she), needed to make with her team regarding her firm’s growth strategy. Gawish founded The Hair Addict (THA) in 2018 in Egypt with a mission to provide all-natural hair products to women, motivated by an online hair challenge movement that encouraged women to defy social norms and embrace their curls. Following the success and growth of the business in Egypt, Gawish had to decide on her next expansion strategy, given the country’s various economic and financial challenges. The case allows students to evaluate the growth decision by conducting a full-fledged market sizing, sales and financial forecasting to compare two scenarios: growth by further penetrating the Egyptian market with new product offerings for a different segment or growth through venturing into a new country while leveraging on her experience with women needs. The case is intended for an undergraduate capstone business class or a graduate strategy class to expose students to real-life market challenges facing women entrepreneurs and businesses in an international context. Students will use quantitative and qualitative analysis to defend their recommendations. An Excel workbook is provided to aid with their analysis.
Complexity academic level
This case can be relevant for an undergraduate capstone business class or a graduate strategy class that uses a practical pedagogical case-based approach. The case allows students to apply and integrate prior knowledge in business strategy, international marketing, marketing strategy and finance in a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to make a strategic business decision within the context of women’s entrepreneurship in developing economies.
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Chris Hackley, Rungpaka Amy Hackley and Dina H. Bassiouni
The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of the selfie for marketing management in the era of celebrity. The purpose is to show that the facilitation of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of the selfie for marketing management in the era of celebrity. The purpose is to show that the facilitation of the creative performance of consumer identity is a key element of the marketing management task for the media convergence era.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses the selfie, the picture of oneself taken by oneself, as a metaphor to develop a conceptual exploration of the nature of marketing in the light of the dominance of celebrity and entertainment in contemporary media and entertainment.
Findings
The paper suggests that marketing management in the era of convergence should facilitate consumers’ identity projects through participatory and engaging social media initiatives. Marketers must furnish and facilitate not only the props for consumers mediated identity performances, but also the scripts, sets and scenes, plot devices, cinematographic and other visual techniques, costumes, looks, movements, characterizations and narratives.
Research limitations/implications
This is a conceptual paper that sketches out the beginning of a re-framed, communication-focussed vision of marketing management in the era of media convergence.
Practical implications
Marketing managers can benefit from thinking about consumer marketing as the stage management of consumer visual, physical, virtual, sensory and psychic environments that enable consumers to actively participate in celebrity culture.
Originality/value
This paper suggests ways in which marketing practice can emerge from its pre-digital frame to embrace the new digital cultures of consumption.
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This study aims to showcase an integrated sustainability accounting course that utilizes the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education Impactful Five (PRME i5…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to showcase an integrated sustainability accounting course that utilizes the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education Impactful Five (PRME i5) framework, which is grounded in the playful learning pedagogy. By emphasizing five key learning characteristics, the PRME i5 framework equips future leaders with the skills necessary to address the challenges of sustainable development in today’s world. The paper outlines the learning outcomes for the course and puts forth some applications of the i5 strategies to guide curriculum development in this domain.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a qualitative research approach to showcase an integrated sustainability accounting course and identify the alignment of the course activities with the PRME i5 framework.
Findings
The paper outlines several conceptual findings including the development of a comprehensive course framework, the integration of sustainability accounting in traditional accounting curricula and a practical example on how sustainability accounting and the PRME i5 principles can be integrated and applied in accounting.
Research limitations/implications
While the PRME i5 framework has not been extensively implemented in this course or directly tested for effectiveness, preliminary evidence of its modest success can be inferred from student oral and written feedback. Future research could more thoroughly investigate the effectiveness of applying the PRME i5 framework in sustainability accounting education through student interviews and surveys. Additionally, future studies could explore the impact of factors such as the availability of institutional resources, faculty expertise and student backgrounds on the successful implementation of the i5 framework in different institutional contexts. The effectiveness of the course’s learning outcomes on student learning has not been empirically tested in this paper. Future research could examine the effectiveness of the course design in positively influencing students’ knowledge and attitudes toward sustainability accounting.
Practical implications
Showcasing how the PRME i5 framework is applied in a sustainability accounting course can encourage educators to implement innovative pedagogies in their teaching, fostering deep learning and creating more engaging learning environments. Additionally, as the course includes various hands-on activities, implementing similar accounting course frameworks can serve as a foundation for greater collaboration between educators and the accounting industry. These partnerships can enhance students’ practical experiences in the classroom, better preparing them for the job market.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the existing literature on sustainability accounting education by offering a practical example of how sustainability concepts can be integrated into an existing accounting course. As integrating sustainability concepts into existing courses can be more feasible than developing standalone courses, the course outlined in this paper serves as a modest example of how universities can effectively achieve this integration. The paper also contributes to the existing literature on playful learning by exploring its potential applications in an accounting course setting. It provides a concrete example of the PRME i5 framework’s application in an integrated sustainability accounting course at a prominent triple crown accredited university in Egypt, making it a relevant and valuable case study for other accredited educational institutions.
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Dina El-Bassiouny and Noha El-Bassiouny
E-learning has become a predominant platform for education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, privacy issues have emerged from online learning that posed challenges on the…
Abstract
Purpose
E-learning has become a predominant platform for education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, privacy issues have emerged from online learning that posed challenges on the users of e-learning systems. Privacy preservation in Muslim-majority countries with conservative cultures was a concern based on socio-cultural norms. This paper aims to analyze this situation through the lens of social identity theory.
Design/methodology/approach
This practice paper represents a conceptual viewpoint.
Findings
In this paper, the authors offer recommended solutions as best practices for Muslim-majority countries and similar contexts. Such proposed solutions consider social and cultural influences in e-learning systems to have an effective education process.
Originality/value
This practice paper is unique in its approach, as it documents the privacy concerns in Muslim-majority countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Dina El-Bassiouny and Noha El-Bassiouny
Taken from an institutional theory perspective, the purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of organizational-level factors, specifically diversity and corporate…
Abstract
Purpose
Taken from an institutional theory perspective, the purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of organizational-level factors, specifically diversity and corporate governance structure, on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting practices of corporations operating in developing and developed country contexts, namely, Egypt, Germany and the USA. Since developed countries are exposed to different settings, the paper argues that there is likely to be a difference in the organizational-level drivers of CSR reporting in developed vs developing countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of companies listed on the Egyptian EGX 30 index, the German DAX 30 index and the US Dow Jones 30 index. Governance- and diversity-related data are gathered from multiple sources including the BoardEx and Orbis databases. Content analysis is used to analyze the CSR information of sample companies using the software package MAXQDA. To examine the relationship between the explanatory variables of the study and CSR disclosures, multiple regression analysis is used.
Findings
The results are mostly consistent with institutional theory where the effects of diversity and governance structure, observed mainly by foreign BOD, board independence and institutional ownership, are found to be significant on the CSR disclosure levels of sample Egyptian companies only. On the other hand, no significant influence of tested factors was observed on the level of CSR reporting in the USA and Germany. The results thus indicate that the influence of organizational-level factors on CSR is highly dependent on the institutional context where companies operate.
Originality/value
The influence of diversity and corporate governance on CSR has been separately studied in the management literature. Yet, the potential effects of both variables on CSR have received limited attention. In addition, no study combining such explanatory variables of CSR was carried out in the specific context of developing Middle Eastern countries. Also, illustrating how institutional contexts can influence the dynamics of interaction between organizational-level variables and CSR is still understudied. This kind of multi-level research can help broaden the understanding of the drivers and practices of CSR in developing vs developed countries that have distinct institutional environments.
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Noha El-Bassiouny, Yasmin Anwar Abdou, Dina El-Bassiouny, Ahmad Jamal and Jonathan Wilson
This paper aims to examine practical wisdom from the Islamic religion elaborating on how it pertains to the sustainability mind-set. The purpose is to assess whether the Islamic…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine practical wisdom from the Islamic religion elaborating on how it pertains to the sustainability mind-set. The purpose is to assess whether the Islamic and sustainability mind-sets coincide and if so, how they do.
Design/methodology/approach
The first two chapters of the Holy Qur’an were divided into parts based on the divisions in the exegesis by Abu Bakr Al-Jaza’eri. Next, a qualitative content analysis of the main sustainability themes in these chapters was conducted. The first stage of the content analysis involved the collection of Qur’anic verses related to the sustainability concepts. Following that, inductive interpretive analysis was conducted in the second stage of the content analysis, where key sustainability lessons within the agreed upon Qur’anic verses were extracted.
Findings
The empirical study reported in this paper reveals 10 lessons from the examined Qur’anic text that pertain to the sustainability mind-set. Each of these lessons appears to foretell the wisdom behind the sustainability mind-set.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on sustainability and Islam in two ways. First, the analysis results in key lessons relating to sustainability, the majority of which were not covered in existing literature. Second, the research takes a holistic approach to finding commonalities between the sustainability mind-set and the Islamic mind-set, instead of focusing on a specific aspect of sustainability such as the environment.
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Dina El-Bassiouny and Peter Letmathe
This paper aims to examine the impact of political uncertainty and instability caused by the 2011 Egyptian revolution on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of political uncertainty and instability caused by the 2011 Egyptian revolution on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of Egyptian firms. The study provides empirical evidence to support the link between political instability, financial performance, stock market uncertainty and CSR in the post-revolution context of Egypt.
Design/methodology/approach
Data on CSR practices in Egypt were collected through a survey of Egyptian firms and content analysis of annual reports from publicly traded firms. The final survey sample consisted of 99 listed Egyptian companies. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine the relationship between the variables of this study.
Findings
The results of the study show that political instability is perceived to have a significant positive effect on the CSR practices of Egyptian firms. The results also reveal that the financial performance of firms is perceived not to be affected by the political instability after the 2011 Revolution as opposed to stock market uncertainty, which is perceived to be significantly affected. However, financial performance and stock market uncertainty have a significant positive influence on the CSR practices of Egyptian firms.
Originality/value
This paper capitalizes institutional theory to capture the complex interactions between organizations and their external institutional environments. Previous studies tackling CSR in unstable political environments in the African context focused on countries with prolonged periods of violent conflict and on more localized forms of conflicts. Yet, little is known about CSR during the occurrence of different types of political instabilities in other African countries.
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Raghda El Ebrashi, Rania Salem, Dina El Kayaly and Noha El-Bassiouny
This paper aims to investigate the role of demographics and sector type in determining consumer preferences of Islamic micro-credit products, namely, Musharka and Murabha, versus…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the role of demographics and sector type in determining consumer preferences of Islamic micro-credit products, namely, Musharka and Murabha, versus conventional micro-credit financing in Egypt.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is a quantitative study that uses surveys on 1,125 current micro-credit consumers in Cairo and Upper Egypt using multi-staged cluster sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to explain results.
Findings
The study revealed the potential of Musharka mode of financing among micro-credit borrowers in Egypt, specifically in the manufacturing sector, followed by the trade sector. Although previous researches showed correlations between income, age and other demographic factors with consumer financing choices, the current research indicated no significance for consumer demographics in determining preferences of Islamic micro-credit contracts in Egypt. However, the sector type showed high potential in determining consumer choices of Islamic micro-credit contracts.
Research limitations/implications
This paper advances knowledge in the domain of consumer behavior, specifically in bottom of the pyramid and subsistence markets that are under researched.
Practical implications
The results highlighted are important for micro-finance institutions, NGOs and policy makers, as they delve deeper into the consumer preferences for Islamic financial products and attempt to present innovative solutions toward poverty eradication.
Originality/value
This research is one of the few attempts to study and explain consumer preferences toward Islamic micro-credit products in Egypt, and the role of sectors in determining consumer choices for specific Islamic micro-credit contracts.