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This research examines how recent changes in working practices as a result of COVID-19 – most often making knowledge-based work for technologists remote to the main office – are influencing the success of software projects managed by the Scrum process model. It explores the relationship between remote working and aspects that past empirical research has identified as important to project success within Scrum.

The research used SPSS for descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypotheses relationships using SmartPLS 4, using a quantitative research design, a questionnaire was used and distributed electronically to the intended sample, which includes IT project managers, developers and designers in Jordan who work in projects that use Scrum methodology for their IT projects.

The study found that working from home on Scrum projects had a significant influence on project success and highlighted the need to meet the three basic psychological requirements of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Furthermore, this research revealed that both the ability to work from home and the use of Scrum contribute to project success, with Scrum acting as a mediator.

This study provides an understanding of the impact of adapting to remote working on project success using the Scrum framework. By filling this gap in the literature, the study generates insights that can also be extrapolated to situations in which people do not need to work remotely after a pandemic but might still anticipate and plan for new types of disruptions in the workplace.

This study aims to investigate citizens' adoption intention towards meta-government (metaverse-based government) by proposing a dual-perspective technology acceptance model.

The validity of the proposed model was established by gathering and analysing 533 responses using structural equation modelling (SEM).

The study findings underscore the importance of perceptions of ease of use and usefulness in fostering the intention to adopt meta-government. However, perceived cyber risk and switching costs negatively impact these perceptions. On the contrary, herd behaviour and perceived immersion positively influence perceptions of ease of use and usefulness.

This study significantly contributes to the existing literature by offering valuable insights into the factors that influence citizens' adoption of meta-government. It introduces a novel perspective on the primary factors (both enablers and barriers) shaping citizens' adoption intention of meta-government. These insights serve as a foundation for scholars, governments and policymakers to develop effective strategies for promoting meta-government adoption.

This study aims to examine the main factors influencing customer meta-banking (metaverse banking) adoption intention based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model.

In this study, the PLS-SEM modelling technique was used to analyse the quantitative data collected from a total of 407 participants who were purposefully chosen.

The findings revealed that performance expectation, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions and hedonic motivation have significant positive effects on customers’ perception of the value associated with adopting the metaverse. However, the effect of social influence was found to be statistically insignificant. The results further emphasised that technostress is an obstacle that negatively influences the perceived value. Lastly, perceived value is found to be a key facilitator of adoption intention as it shows a positive effect on it.

This study stands at the forefront of research on banking customers’ adoption intention of meta-banking. Going beyond the investigation of adoption intention, the research also critically assesses the applicability of UTAUT in the context of meta-banking. The results demonstrate that UTAUT is a viable theoretical framework for examining the dynamics of meta-banking. In particular, the findings indicate that UTAUT model provides a reliable lens for comprehending the intricacies of meta-banking adoption.

This paper seeks to examine the risk relevance of fair value income measures under IAS 39 and IAS 40.

The study sample comprises Jordanian insurance companies. Data were collected from two main sources: Jordanian insurance companies' annual reports, and the official website of the Amman Stock Exchange. The study begins by investigating the volatility of four income measures, calculated by including and excluding holding gains or losses of financial instruments and property investments. Then it examines the association between its four income volatility measures and one stock market‐based risk factor, in order to provide evidence on the risk‐related information content of each income volatility measure.

Income based on fair values reflects income volatility more than historical cost‐based income. It is also found that income is (not) more volatile with the recognition of unrealized fair value gains/losses on financial instruments (investment property). Results of assessing the relative explanatory power of income volatility measures suggest that not all fair value income volatility measures can be a good proxy of the total risk. On the contrary, none of our income volatility measures provides significant incremental risk‐relevant information for total risk.

Most prior studies have focused on the value relevance of fair value accounting in Western developed countries, and mainly in the banking sector. This study makes a significant contribution to existing knowledge via exploring the applications of fair value accounting by insurance companies and investigating the implications of mark‐to‐market on risk, instead of share price, in an emerging country – Jordan. The findings of this study are useful to researchers and capital‐market participants interested in explaining accounting and market risk measures.

Although 76% of the population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is Muslim, takāful (Islamic insurance) has a much smaller share of business in the UAE than conventional insurance does. The purpose of this study is to highlight the importance of brand equity (BE), which is known as the incremental value that provides reason to buy a brand. This study provides useful insights that can help the health takāful industry to gain a feasible market share in the UAE.

This is a quantitative study in which stratified random sampling was adopted for data collection from 300 respondents through a self-administered questionnaire from August to November 2018. Underpinning the study is the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique has been used to examine the impact of BE on purchase intentions (PI) through the moderating role of demographic factors such as age, income, education and religion. Three dimensions of BE, i.e. brand awareness (BAW), brand association (BAS) and perceived quality (PQ), are evaluated in terms of their significance as dimensions of BE.

The major findings of this study confirm that BE has a strong positive influence on the PIs of health takāful customers in the UAE and that all three dimensions of BE make significant contributions to the overall BE. The results show that education does moderate the relationship between BE and PI while age, income and religion do not. A new finding of this study is the nonsignificant moderating role of religion, whereby it was found that takāful products in the UAE are not limited to Muslim customers but can include potential customers who are followers of other religions.

To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first of its kind to examine the impact of BE on the PI of health takāful customers in the UAE. The findings of the study give academia, researchers and marketers a better understanding of the importance of BE and of its vital role in promoting takāful products in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries such as the UAE.

This study aims to explore how the treatment, well-being and satisfaction of health tourists are affected by what is characterized as the hospitality culture of health care.

A qualitative research design focusing on in-depth semi-structured interviews was conducted with 28 Omani health tourists who visited Iran and received health-care services. Data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti software.

The results revealed that a caring health professional is essential for patient healing and well-being. Cultural congruence is enhanced through effective communication between patients and health-care service providers. Additionally, a hospitality-certified workforce is essential for customer satisfaction and overall well-being. Finally, a hospitality-style approach and home-like atmosphere improve patient rehabilitation and performance.

The study’s exclusive focus on Omani health tourists necessitates caution in generalizing findings. Future research could encompass more diverse populations and inclusive samples to broaden applicability.

The study highlights the key role of hospitality culture in the health-care sector, emphasizing the significance of building a culturally sensitive and hospitable environment to improve patient satisfaction and overall well-being. This includes the creation of welcoming environments and customized health-care experiences congruent with patients’ cultural values and beliefs.

The study emphasizes the crucial role of hospitality culture in health tourism and the potential to create a culture of care and respect in health-care settings, addressing patients’ holistic needs beyond physical amenities and enriching the patient experience. It also applies Leininger’s Culture Care Theory to hospitality, providing a novel viewpoint on culturally congruent, safe and meaningful care for health tourists.

Emerging nations strive to diminish their ecological impact to meet net-zero targets, yet encounter formidable hurdles in curbing their environmental footprint. This purpose necessitated the study into impact of stock market, renewable energy and international investment on the ecological footprint in emerging countries from 1990 to 2020.

The study used augmented mean group (AMG) estimator, cointegration and heterogenous panel causality approach.

Results from the AMG show that renewable energy consumption reduces environmental pollution in most countries except Mexico. The study disclosed that stock market capitalization decreases ecological footprint in emerging countries. Using both the Kao and Pedroni cointegration methods, the study affirms the existence of stable equilibrium relationship in the long term. The causality test concluded a bidirectional relationship between stock market and ecological footprint and a unidirectional link between international investment, clean energy and ecological footprint.

The research is limited to only emerging countries. Therefore, future research should examine the environmental impacts of renewable energy consumption in different countries and regions, taking into account the local environmental conditions, policies and practices. This would help to identify the best practices and standards for minimizing the ecological footprint of renewable energy technologies and maximizing their benefits for environmental sustainability.

The study found that stock market capitalization reduces ecological footprint in Brazil, China, Turkey and India. To foster a culture of sustainability in stock market development impact, academic policies should emphasize the integration of environmental education across disciplines. By promoting awareness of the ecological consequences of stock market activities, societies can cultivate a mindset that values responsible economic practices. This, in turn, can lead to informed decision-making at individual and institutional levels.

First, since the study found that clean energy reduces ecological footprint, advocating for utilization of clean energy sources could be a key priority in emerging countries. Governments should incentivize the development and adoption of renewable energy technologies, such as wind and solar power, by providing subsidies and tax benefits. Furthermore, increasing awareness among residents about the benefits of clean energy and promoting its utilization in both residential and commercial environments can expedite the transition to a more environmentally friendly energy combination.

First, it pioneers an exploration into the interplay between stock market capitalization, international investment, clean energy and ecological footprint in emerging countries. Secondary unlike, unlike prior research, this study uses methodologies that account for cross-sectional dependencies and a unique characteristic specific to each country. In addition, by using common correlated effects mean group, AMG, cointegration and causality procedures, this study distinctly isolates and analyzes empirical findings for each country, leading to policy-oriented outcomes.