Jamal Ali Al-Khasawneh, Heba Ali and Ahmed Hassanein
This study aims to investigate how stock markets responded to corporate dividend policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate how stock markets responded to corporate dividend policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Likewise, it explores how efficiently market prices incorporate the news by examining the speed of stock price adjustment to various dividend announcements.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample includes 741 dividend announcements from 2017 to 2021 made by 326 firms listed in the stock markets of the GCC countries. A series of regression analyses examine how dividend announcements influence the market reaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, controlling for other well-documented firm characteristics.
Findings
This study reveals an adverse stock price reaction to all the dividend announcements in most GCC markets. The findings also show strong asymmetric effects of COVID-19 on how the markets react to different dividend changes. Likewise, the authors show that investors tend to underreact to the good news of dividend increases amid hard times of crises due to prevailing uncertainty and bearish sentiment. Besides, regression results reveal that firms with dividend reductions during the pandemic experience less adverse market reactions than dividend-decreasing firms prepandemic.
Practical implications
For firms, the findings confirm the role that corporate dividend policy can play in conveying signals to investors, especially during hard times of crises and turbulences, thereby affecting their share price. For policymakers, the results substantially affect market efficiency and firm valuation in the GCC markets.
Originality/value
This study is not only one of the first few attempts to scrutinize how the pandemic has affected the market reaction to changes in corporate dividend policies but also, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first to examine how corporate dividend policy could affect stock markets during COVID-19 in the context of GCC markets.
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Wagdi Rashad Ali Bin-Hady, Abdu Al-Kadi, Abduljalil Hazaea and Jamal Kaid Mohammed Ali
The proliferation of ChatGPT, as in many other digital technologies and social media, has increasingly impacted many aspects of modern life, including second and foreign language…
Abstract
Purpose
The proliferation of ChatGPT, as in many other digital technologies and social media, has increasingly impacted many aspects of modern life, including second and foreign language education. This study, building on a common theoretical position of all these advances in Artificial intelligence (AI), seeks to establish a model for ChatGPT research on English language learning. It specifically explores the dimensions in which ChatGPT aids students in their English language learning.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts grounded theory in collecting and analyzing data from 20 ResearchGater (RG) through a two-week RG discussion about ChatGPT uses in their language learning contexts. Data collected via the discussion was analyzed thematically.
Findings
Preliminary findings show that ChatGPT can be used in developing learners' language skills; scaffolding the learning process by providing feedback to students on their language use and acting as partners in practicing language with recommended activities for more language practice.
Originality/value
The study contributes a five-dimension model for artificial intelligence assisted language learning (AIALL). The model involves flexible teacher's role to consolidate learner autonomy and provide enjoyable learning, urges future innovation, and celebrates various applications. Examining the AIALL model of ChatGPT for language learning, teachers should provide some directions for properly using this new application.
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Wagdi Rashad Ali Bin-Hady, Jamal Kaid Mohammed Ali and Mustafa Ahmed Al-humari
Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) has become everyone’s talk. It frightens many professionals, who worry about losing their jobs. ChatGPT may reconstruct some…
Abstract
Purpose
Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) has become everyone’s talk. It frightens many professionals, who worry about losing their jobs. ChatGPT may reconstruct some professions; some occupations may vanish while new ones may appear.
Design/methodology/approach
This mixed-methods study explores whether and how the use of ChatGPT impacts English is taught as a foreign language (EFL) students' social and emotional learning (SEL). The study used a questionnaire and collected perception data from 57 EFL students. A discussion with seven EFL professors was also formulated to triangulate the findings.
Findings
Results indicate that EFL students have high positive perceptions of using ChatGPT in their learning (M = 3.87). Results also showed that using ChatGPT has a moderate impact on EFL students' SEL (R = 514). This moderate effect was confirmed by the qualitative findings, which indicated that ChatGPT positively impacts EFL students' SEL by allowing them to practice conversation skills, aiding them in managing their emotional intelligence, providing them with feedback and reducing their anxiety. However, findings also indicated that ChatGPT reduces students' creativity and limits their emotional growth. Finally, the findings reported that for better use of ChatGPT, supervision is key.
Originality/value
This study recommends the use of ChatGPT in a way that helps students' creativity and emotional growth.
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Wagdi Rashad Ali Bin-Hady and Jamal Kaid Mohammed Ali
This study probed the impact of using learning technologies (LT) on developing Yemeni English as a foreign language (EFL) students' autonomy and creativity toward English language…
Abstract
Purpose
This study probed the impact of using learning technologies (LT) on developing Yemeni English as a foreign language (EFL) students' autonomy and creativity toward English language learning. Also, the research gauged if LT impacts learners' autonomy and creativity across gender and university-type variables.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized a valid and reliable questionnaire, comprising 20 close-ended items, which was administered to 109 Yemeni EFL undergraduate students.
Findings
The researchers found that LT positively impacts learners' creativity and autonomy, with mean scores of 4.09 and 3.86, respectively. Furthermore, the results showed a medium correlation between creativity and autonomy with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.63 at a probability of Sig = 0.00. Likewise, the results revealed that LT impacted female learners' creativity more significantly than their male counterparts (Sig = 0.047). Nevertheless, no significant differences were found pertaining to the impact of LT on students' autonomy across public and private universities (Sig = 0.213).
Social implications
EFL teachers are advised to encourage their students' autonomy and creativity throughout their lifelong learning journey in order to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the world.
Originality/value
This study investigates the impact of learning technology on Yemeni EFL students' autonomy and creativity.
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Jamal Ali, Norhafezah Yusof and Fadzli Shah Abd. Aziz
The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors believed to influence the behavior of 1,042 rice farmers in Malaysia regarding the overuse of pesticides. Frequent overuse of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors believed to influence the behavior of 1,042 rice farmers in Malaysia regarding the overuse of pesticides. Frequent overuse of pesticide will have an impact on human health and the environment, which lead to greater expenditure on health care.
Design/methodology/approach
The theoretical models of compliance behavior tested include the basic deterrence model, which focuses on the enforcement of regulation as a key determinant of compliance. The models integrate economic theory with theories of social behavior to account for motivations expected, influencing individuals’ decisions on whether to follow the regulation on using pesticides.
Findings
Significance tests reported that the information regarding the danger of using pesticides, the perception toward the impact on the environment and the expected impact on health influences the compliance behavior of using pesticides.
Research limitations/implications
These findings highlight the necessity for the policy makers to design an effective program which gives more information and provide training related to the risk and the safe handling of pesticides.
Practical implications
The farmers who receive information and training related to handling of pesticides become more cautious in the use of pesticides. Countries involved in agriculture and the use of pesticides widely by their farmers need to emphasize continuous training and periodic information dissemination.
Social implications
The implication drawn is rice farmers should be encouraged to practice new methods in rice planting, especially in the integrated pest management method.
Originality/value
These research findings suggest that the overuse of pesticides in the rice farming continues to be an important problem.
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Ahmet Demir, Lubna Maroof, Noor Us Sabbah Khan and Bayad Jamal Ali
In this study, we have collected the response from 200 private university lecturers in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In order to test the hypotheses, we have proposed structural…
Abstract
Purpose
In this study, we have collected the response from 200 private university lecturers in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In order to test the hypotheses, we have proposed structural equations modeling (SEM).
Design/methodology/approach
The purpose of this paper is to elaborate the direct and indirect effects of e-service quality on perceived value, satisfaction and willingness to pay for online meeting platforms in the education sector. This study also explores the effect of e-service quality on users' perception and satisfaction.
Findings
The results reveal that e-service quality directly affects the perceived value and satisfaction but has no direct effect on the willingness to pay. Secondly, perceived value and satisfaction mediated the relationships between service quality and willingness to pay. However, it is observed that perceived value has a more significant impact on the willingness to pay compared to satisfaction. It is further reported that perceived value is one of the antecedents of satisfaction. The study also explores the direct relationship between perceived value and willingness to pay, and introduces satisfaction as a mediating variable between perceived value and willingness to pay.
Research limitations/implications
The sample is geographically limited as only online faculty and staff working at private universities participated in the study. This study has implications for administrators of higher educational institutions and companies providing IT solutions for online meetings. From a managerial standpoint, this study provides and IT companies a broad theoretical basis that designing a successful online meeting platform should specifically emphasize e-service quality, perceived value and customer satisfaction.
Originality/value
There is no study that evaluated the links among e-service quality, value, satisfaction, and willingness to pay for the online meeting platform services. Therefore, this study is useful for the private university administration and online meeting platform developers and investors.
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Ahmed Hassanein, Jamal Ali Al-Khasawneh and Hany Elzahar
Corporate managers spend on research and development (R&D) for reasons of growth and survival. However, they may be less willing to invest in R&D because of its long-term horizon…
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate managers spend on research and development (R&D) for reasons of growth and survival. However, they may be less willing to invest in R&D because of its long-term horizon, high failure rate and uncertain outcomes. This study aims to explore the extent to which managerial ownership influences R&D expenditure decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
Apart from the linear regression models, this study uses a semi-parametric quantile regression analysis for a sample of German non-financial firms throughout 2009–2018.
Findings
This study finds a nonmonotonic sensitivity of R&D spending to the level of managerial ownership over various quantiles of R&D distribution. That is, managerial ownership increases the expenditure on R&D at low R&D intensity firms. However, it decreases the expenditure on R&D at high R&D intensity firms. These results suggest the presence of a maximum level of R&D expenditure, after which owner-managers would be unwilling to spend on R&D.
Practical implications
The results confirm the importance of corporate ownership structure for firm R&D and innovation activities. It provides an implication for corporate policymakers to reform the corporate ownership structures to encourage corporate managers and owners to invest in R&D projects.
Originality/value
This study offers two distinct contributions study. First, it provides the first German shred of evidence on the nonlinear relationship between managerial ownership and R&D expenditure decisions by distinguishing between high and low R&D intensity firms. Second, unlike prior research, it uses a semi-parametric quantile regression analysis. This method is more efficient than least-squares estimators and produces robust estimators to heteroscedasticity of the residuals.
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Ali Nikparast, Jamal Rahmani, Jessica Thomas, Elahe Etesami, Zeinab Javid and Matin Ghanavati
Cataract, or lens opacification, is a major public health burden accounting for more than half of all blindness worldwide. Plant-based dietary indices provide a unique approach to…
Abstract
Purpose
Cataract, or lens opacification, is a major public health burden accounting for more than half of all blindness worldwide. Plant-based dietary indices provide a unique approach to investigating a modifiable risk for age-related cataracts (ARC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between plant-based diet indices and risk of ARC.
Design/methodology/approach
This case-control study was conducted on 97 patients with newly diagnosed ARC and 198 healthy people (as a control group) in Iran. Convenience sampling and a food frequency questionnaire were used. Three plant-based dietary indices were used based on the health promoting qualities of food items, the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (H-PDI) and unhealthful plant-based diet index (U-PDI) which comprised refined carbohydrates and highly processed foods. The plant-based dietary indices were used to investigate relationships with risk of ARC.
Findings
After adjusting for potential covariates, no significant association between a higher adherence to O-PDI and risk of ARC. As well, a higher adherence to H-PDI was inversely associated with the risk of ARC (OR = 0.35,95%CI:0.16–0.78). In contrast, there was a significant positive association between a higher adherence to U-PDI and the risk of ARC (OR = 3.67,95%CI:1.66 – 8.15).
Originality/value
The findings of this study have underscored the potential impact of the quality of plant-based food selections on the likelihood of developing ARC. Therefore, adopting a plant-based diet that is rich in nutrient-dense plant-based foods while being low in unhealthy options may have the potential to reduce the risk of ARC.
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Syed Faheem Hasan Bukhari, Frances M. Woodside, Rumman Hassan, Omar Massoud Salim Hassan Ali, Saima Hussain and Rabail Waqas
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key attributes that drive Muslim consumer purchase behavior in the context of imported Western food in Pakistan.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key attributes that drive Muslim consumer purchase behavior in the context of imported Western food in Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
In-depth, semi-structured interviews were used as a data collection tool. In this research, the in-depth interview data were analysed by using the manual content analysis (MCA) technique. Moreover, Leximancer software was used to reanalyse the data to enhance the trustworthiness of the MCA results. A total sample of 43 Muslim consumers from three metropolitan cities in Pakistan participated in the research. The sample comprises professionals, housewives and both college and university students.
Findings
Muslim consumers in Pakistan look at both the intrinsic and extrinsic attributes when purchasing imported Western food. The ruling factors explored were product taste, ingredients, freshness, hygiene, brand name and overall product quality. However, product packaging and labeling also play a significant role. Participants were of the view that imported Western food provides a better, unique consumption experience and an opportunity to choose from a wide variety of food options. Interestingly, interview findings reveal that Western food product attributes surpass the Islamic concept of moderate spending, thus convincing Muslim consumers to engage in the consumption of imported Western food.
Social implications
The presence of imported Western food may improve quality of life by having more opportunities and healthier options for the nation. If the Western food products are stamped Halal or made with Halal ingredients the product has a fair chance of adoption and penetration in the society. Further, it may result in overall health improvements within the society, which is already a major concern in the Pakistani consumer market. Also, food products coming from the Western world induces mindfulness; people are more aware about innovative and useful ingredients that can satisfy their taste buds.
Originality/value
This paper found that Pakistani Muslim consumers are not really concerned about the Islamic concept of moderate spending, and thus, established that Pakistani Muslim consumers are more concerned about product value rather than their Islamic teaching of moderate spending. From a population, with 97 per cent Muslim majority, product packaging and labeling were found to be a dominant and deciding factor, which, in itself, is an interesting finding. Further, established Western brand names help Muslim consumers to recognize products and plays a vital role in their purchase decisions. However, within product labeling, the element of halal ingredients was found to be a deciding factor, but not a leading factor, in purchase decisions.
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Jamal Ali Al‐Khasawneh, Karima Bassedat, Bora Aktan and Priya Darshini Pun Thapa
The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first and the most important is to examine the efficiency of Islamic banks relative to conventional banks operating in North African Arab…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first and the most important is to examine the efficiency of Islamic banks relative to conventional banks operating in North African Arab countries, in terms of cost and revenue efficiency. The second objective is to assess more evidence regarding the banking system efficiency trend and dynamics in each single country, and to compare such trends among countries included in the study.
Design/methodology/approach
The non‐parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used to estimate cost and revenue efficiency scores assuming variable returns to scale (VRS). The sample consists of nine Islamic banks and 11 conventional banks.
Findings
The results indicated that Islamic banks achieved higher average revenue efficiency scores over conventional banks in this region, while the growth rate of revenue efficiency score of Islamic bank was less than conventional banks. In terms of cost efficiency, the results varied from country to another. The results also showed that both groups of banks were close to each other, with an advantage to conventional banks, which suffer less cost efficiency loss over time compared to Islamic banks.
Research limitations/implications
The very limited data sources (banks' web sites) was was the main limitation faced during preparing for this research. Another limitation was the non‐regularity of annual reports.
Practical implications
Islamic banks are highly challenged in finding investment opportunities/avenues that comply with Islamic regulations, unlike conventional banks that can invest in fixed income securities. There is a serious need for some countries to deregulate their banking systems more, in order to enhance the compatibility and the efficiency of their banking, such as the case of Sudan.
Originality/value
Given the previously mentioned difficulties, decent data set were collected. The value of this paper is the use of nonparametric DEA to analyse cost and revenue efficiences in the countries of this region.