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1 – 7 of 7Faisal Mustafa, Ambreen Khursheed, Maham Fatima and Marriam Rao
The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on micro-businesses owned by women borrowers of microfinance institutions and to provide policy suggestions…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on micro-businesses owned by women borrowers of microfinance institutions and to provide policy suggestions to assist women entrepreneurs in managing such an unexpected crisis from a qualitative perspective within developing countries such as Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts a qualitative research design to explore the impact of COVID-19 on women’s entrepreneurial activities. Seven women entrepreneurs were selected and semi-structured interviews with focused group discussion under case study research design are used. Thereby providing a contemporary view of the issues faced by women entrepreneurs in the period of huge social and economic upheaval.
Findings
The results provide valuable insights about how the COVID-19 crisis affected women entrepreneurs by particularly considering household income, business sales, lifestyle and mental health. The liquidation of women-led businesses indicated the necessity to reconsider creativity and digitalization for business survival. Moreover, the results also revealed that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical, mental and economic well-being of women highlights the need for considering gender gap issues in forming response policies for COVID-19 in developing countries.
Originality/value
As the COVID-19 crisis is a recent and existing phenomenon, this study is among the first to explore particularly the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on micro-enterprises mainly owned and managed by women. Thereby claiming that COVID-19 not only physically but also psychologically affected women entrepreneurs. Moreover, the study highlights a need of skill focused training programs for women entrepreneurs to make sure that they can protect their businesses during such difficult times.
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Ambreen Khursheed, Faisal Mustafa, Maham Fatima and Marriam Rao
This study proposes a new comprehensive model of entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) that enhances the understanding of the crucial entrepreneurial personality traits. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
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.
Design/methodology/approach
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.
Findings
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.
Originality/value
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.
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Rafat Amin, Sadaf Khan, Tehseen Fatima Zeb, Shaukat Ali, Neha Baqai, Maham Baqai and Shajiha Shuja
Genetically modified (GM) foods have global importance as they can significantly improve food security challenges. However, risks associated with the consumption of GM foods have…
Abstract
Purpose
Genetically modified (GM) foods have global importance as they can significantly improve food security challenges. However, risks associated with the consumption of GM foods have affected consumers’ acceptance. This study aims to assess the student’s awareness regarding GM foods.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted to explore the knowledge and attitude of health sciences university students toward GM foods. Students (n = 400) from different academic disciplines were participated in the study.
Findings
The majority of the university students heard about GM organisms and GM food (67.5% and 60.8%, respectively) and have correctly defined GM foods (48.2%). The mean percentage score of knowledge and attitude toward GM foods among university students was 36.0 ± 29.4% and 29.8 ± 23.1%, respectively. No significant difference was observed in knowledge and attitude between undergraduate and postgraduate students. A significant difference was found toward the acceptability of GM food in students from different health sciences disciplines (p = 0.006).
Originality/value
The findings indicate that educational programs are needed to improve the knowledge of students about GM food and food safety challenges.
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Ijjou Tizgui, Fatima El Guezar, Hassane Bouzahir and Brahim Benaid
The purpose of this study is to select the most accurate and the most efficient method in estimating Weibull parameters at Agadir region in Morocco.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to select the most accurate and the most efficient method in estimating Weibull parameters at Agadir region in Morocco.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, Weibull distribution is used to model the wind speed in hourly time series format. Since several methods are used to adjust the Weibull distribution to the measured data, in reporting and analyzing the easiest and the most effective method, seven methods have been investigated, namely, the graphical method (GM), the maximum likelihood method (MLM), the empirical method of Justus (EMJ), the empirical method of Lysen (EML), the energy pattern factor method (EPFM), Mabchour’s method (MMab) and the method of moments (MM).
Findings
According to the statistical analysis tools (the coefficient of determination, root mean square error and chi-square test), it was found that for five months, the MLM presents more efficiency, and for four months, EMJ is ranked first and it is ranked second for February. To select only one method, the selected methods (MLM and EMJ) were compared by calculating the error in estimating the power density using Weibull distribution adjusted by those methods. The average error was found to be −0.51 and −4.56 per cent for MLM and EMJ, respectively.
Originality/value
This investigation is the first of its kind for the studied region. To estimate the available wind power at Agadir in Morocco, investors can directly use MLM to determine the Weibull parameters at this site.
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Syed Ali Raza, Komal Akram Khan and Faiza Hakim
The study aims to inspect the impact of employees’ perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and their spiritual values on their affective commitment and job…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to inspect the impact of employees’ perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and their spiritual values on their affective commitment and job satisfaction, which in turn may promote organizational citizenship behavior. Furthermore, this study examines the moderating effect of Islamic work ethics to identify whether they strengthen or weaken the proposed associations.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey instrument was devised to collect data from employees. The statistical analysis of the data was conducted using the Smart PLS software. Additionally, the research uses the “Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM)” technique.
Findings
The findings of the study suggest that employees’ perception of CSR exhibits a positive association with affective commitment and job satisfaction. Likewise, employees’ spiritual values demonstrate a positive and significant correlation with affective commitment and job satisfaction. Finally, the outcomes reveal that affective commitment and job satisfaction play a major role in fostering organizational citizenship behavior. Moreover, Islamic work ethics positively and significantly moderate the relationship between employee CSR perception and affective commitment and between employee CSR perception and job satisfaction.
Originality/value
This research study endeavors to fill the gaps in the current literature by investigating two crucial aspects of employees: their perception of CSR and spiritual values. Additionally, the study includes Islamic work ethics as a moderator to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how these factors contribute to fostering organizational citizenship behavior. This work highlights the significance of spiritual values and social responsibilities in employees’ lives and how Islamic work ethics shape their behavior accordingly.
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Satyajit Barik and Tanaya Nayak
This paper aims to do a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on workplace spirituality to address the intellectual framework of workplace spirituality and the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to do a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on workplace spirituality to address the intellectual framework of workplace spirituality and the framework's future direction.
Design/methodology/approach
A multistep screening procedure was used to obtain data from the Scopus database, which included 648 papers ranging from 1998 to 2023. The bibliometric analysis is conducted by using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny.
Findings
The bibliometric analysis showcases that workplace spirituality is a multidimensional concept primarily studied in the organizational behavior domain. The most important research themes were organizational culture and spirituality. In addition, this paper advances workplace spirituality literature by identifying the keywords, prominent authors, journals and conceptual structure.
Research limitations/implications
The study summarizes the existing knowledge on workplace spirituality using bibliometric analysis, classifies thematic areas, identifies research gaps and suggests future avenues of research.
Originality/value
The review paper conducts a bibliometric analysis of the emerging area of workplace spirituality over time. These results can also serve as a guide for future research in the subject of workplace spirituality.
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