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Construction professionals (CPs) are often exposed to various challenges and pressures at work including urgent deadlines, high demands, uncertainty in tasks, and complex problems, which may induce stress and affect performance directly. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training has been used for several years to reduce stress among various types of people, such as nurses, teachers, and family caregivers, but its application to CPs with highly dynamic environment remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the impact of MBSR training on the performance of CPs via an intervention study involving two groups (MBSR and control).

Participants in both groups were assessed using a questionnaire survey and a semi-structured interview at the pre- and post-intervention stage. Multiple research methods were used to derive quantitative and qualitative analyses, including factor analysis, independent t-test, Pearson correlation, and contextual analysis.

The findings overall confirm that MBSR has a direct effect on CPs, improving their mindfulness characteristics and enhancing performance by reducing their stress.

A number of practical recommendations are made such as (1) arranging standard eight-week MBSR training for CPs; (2) giving special leave for attending the full mindfulness training; (3) establishing a suitable environment in the office for meditation;(4) allowing CPs an opportunity to pause at difficult moments to create space to respond instead of simply reacting; and (5) expressing love and kindness through gratitude, recognition, and regular feedback.

This research can be considered as valid evidence to convince construction organizations conducting MBSR to the CPs, which is indeed not too remote to enhance their performance as well as the holistic construction performance.

Personal characteristics, such as age, marital status, education level and gender, vary among elderly residents in residential apartments. These characteristics may influence the elderly residents’ satisfaction with the facilities provided in their residential apartments. To ensure appropriate facilities management (FM) items are provided for the different categories of elderly people, it is necessary to understand their basic needs. Therefore, this paper aims to compare the satisfaction with FM items among elderly people with different personal characteristics in private domestic (PD) buildings.

A questionnaire survey was conducted among elderly people with different personal characteristics in PD buildings to collect information about their levels of satisfaction with FM items. A total of 41 FM items and four characteristics of the elderly, namely, age, gender, marital status and education, were identified in this study.

The result shows that satisfaction with natural daylight was significantly different among elderly people of different genders, while the one-way between-groups ANOVA indicate that satisfaction with the size of bedrooms, turning spaces at doors, temperature in bathrooms and/or toilets, colour, accessibility and ease of closing or opening the doors were significantly different among elderly people belonging to different age groups and of different marital status and education level.

Designers and private developers are therefore recommended to increase the sizes of bedrooms, install windows on opposite sides of walls in the flats and ensure there is an adequate light reflection ratio for wall and floor colours, to accommodate elderly people’s special characteristics.

The debate around automation through digital technologies has gathered traction in line with the advancement of Industry 4.0. Blockchain-powered construction progress payment has emerged as an area that can benefit from such automation. However, the challenges inherent in real-time construction payment processes cannot be solely mitigated by blockchain. Including building information modeling (BIM)-based schedule information stored in decentralized storage linked with a smart contract (SC) can allow the efficient administration of payments. Accordingly, this study aims to present an integrated BIM-blockchain system (BBS) to administer decentralized progress payments in construction projects.

A mixed-method approach is adopted, including an extensive literature review, development of the integrated BBS, and a case study with 13 respondents to test and validate the BBS. This study proposes a BBS that extracts the invoices from BIM and pushes them to the decentralized app (dApp) for digital payment to the contractor through the Ethereum blockchain. The Solc npm package was used to compile the backend SC. Next.js was used to create the front end of the dApp. The Web3 npm package is paramount in developing a dApp. A total of 13 construction professionals working on the case study project were engaged through a questionnaire survey to comment on and validate the proposed BBS. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the case study data to apprehend the responses of expert professionals.

The proposed BBS creates an SC, enables sender verification, checks contract complaints, verifies bills, and processes the currency flow based on a coded payment logic. After passing the initial checks, the bill amount is processed and made available for the contractor to claim. Every activity on dApp leaves its trace on the blockchain ledger. A control mechanism for accepting or rejecting the invoice is also incorporated into the system. The case study-based validation confirmed that the proposed BBS could increase payment efficiency (92.3%), tackle financial misconduct (84.6%), ensure transparency and audibility (92.4%), and ensure payment security (61%) in construction projects. A total of 46.2% of respondents were skeptical of the BBS because of its dependency on cryptocurrencies. A further 23.1% of respondents indicated that the price fluctuation of cryptocurrencies is a major barrier to BBS adoption. Others highlighted the absence of legal frameworks for cryptocurrencies’ usage.

This study opens the avenue for the application of dApp for autonomous contract management and progress payments, which is flexible with applications across various construction processes. Overall, it is a potential solution to the endemic problem of cash flow that has devastating consequences for all project stakeholders. This is also aligned with the goals of Industry 4.0, where process automation is a key focus. The study provides a practice application for automated progress payments that can be leveraged in construction projects across the globe.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This chapter applies tests associated with the adaptive market hypothesis (AMH) and Johansen cointegration test. AMH acknowledges the views of the efficient market hypothesis and behavioural finance approach.

Purpose: Cryptocurrencies are considered a new asset class by multiasset portfolio managers. Hence, we examine the AMH and cointegration in the cryptocurrency market to know whether select cryptocurrencies can be diversified.

Findings: We find that cryptocurrencies are efficient and there is a long-run relationship among constituent series, and there is no short-run causality derived from bitcoin, Ethereum and litecoin to bitcoin, while stellar and Dogecoin have short-run causality to bitcoin.

Originality/Value: This chapter is different from the existing one as this is the first study in which the AMH and Johansen cointegration test are applied to check the efficiency and relationship of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Monero, Stellar, litecoin and Dogecoin.

The aim of the present study is to perform bibliometric analysis on available literature on the subject of cultural diversity in the tourism sector. The Scopus database is used to retrieve the research article data and 133 articles were fetched over a period of 33 years (1988–2021). The further analysis is performed using and Biblioshiny tool package of R programming language and VOSviewer. The findings for study not only reveal the trends of publications but also produced the information on most influential authors, journals, and universities which are actively contributing to the subject of cultural diversity in tourism. Various network graphs are also generated using software to draw meaningful conclusions. The present study will not only aid future investigators in understanding the past developments on the subject of cultural diversity in tourism but also help industry professionals in formulating better strategies and tactics keeping in mind the cultural dimension of tourism. The present study is a maiden attempt to perform the bibliometric analysis on the subject of cultural diversity in tourism.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of firm-specific (i.e. firm size, profitability, leverage, dividend, growth opportunities, management quality and firm age) and country-specific (i.e., gross domestic product [GDP] growth) variables on compensation/remuneration offered to chief executive officers (CEOs) working in different industries of Pakistan.

Panel data techniques, namely, pooled ordinary least squares, fixed effects and random effects methods are used to estimate the results. Moreover, Hausman test is used to choose which estimation method, either fixed effects or random effects, is better to explain the results.

Firm size, profitability, leverage, growth opportunities and age are some important firm-specific factors that have mixed (i.e. positive/negative) impact on CEO compensation in different industries. Variations in results are due to industry dynamics. However, it is important to mention that three key variables, namely, dividend, management quality and GDP growth have shown consistent positive impact on CEO compensation in most of the industries. In sum, results show that firm-specific and country-specific variables have material effects on CEO compensation. Moreover, results are found consistent with the predictions of agency theory and human capital theory.

The authors are sure that findings of this study provide some support to the board of directors to determine the pay slice for CEOs. Moreover, findings provide support to the regulatory authorities in formulating mechanisms to determine the compensation package for CEOs working in different industries and to improve the Code of Corporate Governance.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no empirical study in Pakistan has yet estimated the effects of firm-specific and country-specific variables on compensation offered to CEOs working in different industries. Thus, industry-wise analysis provides some new insights to the decision-makers and lays some foundation upon which a more detail analysis could be based.

The purpose of this study is to analyze hybrid nanofluid (MWCNTs+Ag+Kerosene oil) over a stretched cylinder. Flow analysis is carried out in presence of stagnation-point. Features of heat transport are examined via melting conditions.

Governed expression (partial differential equations) for flow and heat transfer are transmitted into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) via applying adequate transformations. For solutions development shooting method (bvp4c) is used on these non-linear coupled ODEs.

Comparative observation among hybrid nanofluid (MWCNTs+Ag+Kerosene oil), basefluid (kerosene oil) and nanofluid (MWCNTs+Kerosene oil) are performed. Influences of physical parameters on heat transfer rate, velocity, skinfriction coefficient and temperature are visualized graphically. Higher values nanoparticle volume fractions, curvature parameter, melting parameter and velocity ratio parameter lead to intensification in the velocity profile. The temperature of the fluid reduces with higher values nanoparticle volume fractions, curvature parameter and melting parameter. The surface friction coefficient is minimized via a higher melting parameter and velocity ratio parameter. Heat transmission rate intensifies with velocity ratio parameter, nanoparticle volume friction and curvature parameter while it reduces gradually with larger melting parameter. During comparative study performance of hybrid nanomaterial (MWCNTs+Ag+Kerosene oil) is outstanding and is proceeded by nanomaterial (MWCNTs+ Kerosene oil) and basefluid (kerosene oil).

In the presented study authors have analyzed the flow of hybrid nanomaterial (MWCNTs+Ag+Kerosene oil) by a stretching cylinder. The further cylinder is subjected to stagnation point and melting condition. The authors believe that all the consequences of the presented study and numerical technique (bvp4c) are original and not published before.

This paper aims to discuss the salient aspects of the Darcy–Forchheimer flow of viscous liquid in carbon nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs are considered as nanofluid, and water is taken as the continuous phase liquid. The flow features are discussed via curved surface. Water is taken as the base liquid. Flow is generated via nonlinear stretching. Energy expression is modeled subject to heat generation/absorption. Furthermore, convective conditions are considered at the boundary. The Xue model is used in the mathematical modeling which describes the features of nanomaterials. Both types of CNTs are considered, i.e. single-walled CNTs and multi-walled CNTs.

Appropriate transformations are used to convert the flow expressions into dimensionless differential equations. The bvp4c method is used for solution development.

Velocity enhances via higher estimations of nanoparticles volume fraction while decays for higher Forchheimer number, curvature parameter, behavior index and porosity parameter. Furthermore, thermal field is an increasing function of nanoparticle volume fraction, behavior index, Forchheimer number and porosity parameter.

Here, the authors have discussed two-dimensional CNTs-based nanomaterial Darcy–Forchheimer flow of viscous fluid over a curved surface. The authors believe that all the outcomes and numerical techniques are original and have not been published elsewhere.

This study proposes a new comprehensive model of entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) that enhances the understanding of the crucial entrepreneurial personality traits. This study also examines how entrepreneurial family history, gender and discipline moderate the relationship between the key entrepreneurial personality traits and EIs of university students.

The study introduces a new combination of important entrepreneurial personality traits, theoretically following the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The data are collected using an entrepreneurial intention questionnaire and analysed with structural equation modelling (SEM) over a sample of 297 university students from Pakistan.

The findings highlight that one of the notable contributions to assessing EI is the negative impact of foreseeable challenges (FCs), resulting in negative EIs among university students of our sample. The authors also found significant moderating roles of gender, discipline and entrepreneurial family history in strengthening the relationship between entrepreneurial traits and EIs.

The study contributes both to the existing empirical and theoretical literature by examining a key set of entrepreneurial personality traits leading to enhance EIs. The results may also assist academicians to discover new ways for developing entrepreneurial traits among university students.

This paper examines the causal relationship between stock market performance and foreign exchange market in Egypt over the period 2009–2016. The study period is divided into two sub-periods: pre- and post-January 25th Egyptian revolution (ER). The reason is to examine how this revolution affects the causal relationship between the two markets' performance.

In this study, the daily basis data are used to enable good and effective observation changes in the foreign exchange rate and stock market performance over time. Stock market indexes and stock market capitalization are used as proxies for stock market performance. Further, the Egyptian pound to US$ exchange rate is used as a measure for foreign exchange market performance. The study analysis is done in stages. The first is to check the variables' stationarity for the pre- and post-revaluation. The second is to examine the cointegration among the variables. The third is to run vector autoregression (VAR) estimates, after which VAR Granger causality tests are employed.

The results show that the data are not stationary at their levels but stationary in their first difference level while there is no cointegration in the long-run among the variables in both sub-periods. Further, findings indicate that, in the pre-January 25th revolution period, there is a significant causal relationship between the foreign exchange market and stock market indexes and a significant causal relationship between market capitalization (CAP) and exchange rate at the 1% level. However, in the post-January 25th revolution period, the study does not find a significant causal relationship between foreign exchange market and stock market indexes and capitalization.

As this study focuses on the causal relationship between foreign exchange and stock markets before and after the 25th January Revolution, other macroeconomic variables such as consumer price index, interest rate and GDP were excluded for the comparison purposes with other studies. Further research is suggested to include them in the analysis to find out its effect on the performance of stock market and foreign exchange market.

The existence of long-run bidirectional causality means that portfolio managers and hedgers may have improved their understanding regarding the dynamic relationship between foreign exchange market and stock market performance as this may help them to plan and implement suitable hedging strategies to guard against currency risk in future crises or events. Investors, fund and portfolio managers and policymakers should give much attention to these event-specific interactions when they make capital budgeting decisions and implement regulation policies. Furthermore, our results may allow portfolio managers, investors and policymakers to assess the importance of informational efficiency for both markets.

This paper is an original contribution to the literature that concerns the causal relationship between stock market and foreign exchange market in the period of political instability and social unrest such as the January 25th Revolution in one of the emerging markets, namely Egypt.