Mohamed F.A. Ebrahim, N. David Pifer, Saad Ahmed Saad Shalaby, Karim Mohamed Mahmoud El Hakim, Hosam El Dien El Sayed Mubarak and James J. Zhang
The Egyptian Premier League (EPL) holds a prominent place in Egypt’s sporting culture and serves as the stage for some of Africa’s most competitive soccer clubs. However, the…
Abstract
Purpose
The Egyptian Premier League (EPL) holds a prominent place in Egypt’s sporting culture and serves as the stage for some of Africa’s most competitive soccer clubs. However, the actual competitive balance in this league has come under scrutiny in recent years as the two historically dominant Cairo clubs, Ahly and Zamalek, continue to retain the EPL championship. A major concern is that the competitive imbalance of the EPL may actually be hampering the league’s progress and the progress of soccer in Egypt. In order to more closely assess this situation, the purpose of this paper is to use historical EPL performance data to conduct a series of competitive balance analyses on league results from 1948 to 2014. The findings revealed that competition in the league is almost nonexistent as Ahly and Zamalek continue to enjoy a number of direct and indirect financial benefits that are unrealized by their competitors. The dominance of these clubs has compromised the elements of match uncertainty and drama that are traditionally viewed as being important to the prestige and financial achievements of leagues and teams. Discussion is therefore offered for how the EPL could go about resolving some of its organizational and competitive balance issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted four basic measures of competitive balance to conduct descriptive analyses on EPL data that were collected from egyptianfootball.net and the Rec Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation. These analyses began with the EPL’s inaugural season (1948-1949) and extended to the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season. During this timeframe, seven seasons were canceled due to global and political tensions and four more went unfinished. Because these seasons were excluded, the total sample size consisted of 56 seasons, each of which contained between 10 and 24 EPL teams. The data were analyzed using variations of the following competitive balance measures: the range and standard deviation of winning percentages, the ratio of the standard deviation/Noll-Scully approach, the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, and five-club concentration ratio.
Findings
The results confirmed that the league is largely imbalanced, leading the authors to recommend systemic and structural changes that could help promote competitive balance in the league. The call for competitive balance in the EPL was bolstered by a literature review of studies that advocated for parity in professional sports leagues. In the end, the researchers recommend the EPL to improve its organizational policies and consider a revised revenue-sharing system that would allow the small-market teams to survive and thrive.
Originality/value
The EPL holds a prominent place in Egypt’s sporting culture and serves as the stage for some of Africa’s most competitive soccer clubs. The primary purpose of this study was to perform a series of competitive balance analyses on EPL results from 1948 to 2015 in an effort to better understand the various degrees of competitiveness in the league during this time.
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Mohamed E. Ibrahim and Ahmed Al Amiri
This paper examined engineers’ satisfaction with services of a building permission unit at a local municipality using a focus group, a questionnaire and follow‐up interviews…
Abstract
This paper examined engineers’ satisfaction with services of a building permission unit at a local municipality using a focus group, a questionnaire and follow‐up interviews. Obtained satisfaction indexes are reported. Differences in satisfaction levels were tested using parametric t‐tests and Kruskal‐Wallis non‐parametric tests according to engineer’s specialization, size of office and number of building projects submitted to the building permission unit. The results indicate no significant statistical differences in satisfaction levels based on specialization (civil engineers versus architectural engineers), size of the consulting office, or the number of projects submitted. However, satisfaction indexes were not high. They were about 60 per cent.
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Shaikha Ebrahim AlMutawa, Kamarul Zaman Ahmad, Mohamed Hussein Behery and Ibrahim Tabche
The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected businesses worldwide. Arguably, one of the most affected industries is the hospitality sector, where the world has seen a…
Abstract
Purpose
The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected businesses worldwide. Arguably, one of the most affected industries is the hospitality sector, where the world has seen a substantial drop in personal and professional travel owing to severe lockdowns, which has particularly harmed the hotel and tourism industries by lowering occupancy and profits. The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the emotional and mental well-being of hospitality workers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative cross-sectional technique was used, with 517 respondents drawn from Dubai's major hotels.
Findings
Fear of the COVID-19 pandemic was found to be positively connected to employees' emotional weariness, which is then positively related to their intention to leave their organizations.
Practical implications
The paper gives suggestions to managers on how to best deal with their employees, especially the more competent ones, as they are more likely to leave during a pandemic.
Originality/value
Contrary to suggestions in the literature and our predictions, this paper found that self-efficacy positively moderated the relationship between fear of COVID and emotional exhaustion such that workers with high self-efficacy were more prone to emotional exhaustion as a result of their fear of COVID. Furthermore, the results of the research suggest that it is the more competent workers who are more likely to be affected, during a pandemic, and thus their loss is expected to cause greater loss to their organizations.
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Ebrahim Tavousi, Noel Perera, Dominic Flynn and Reaz Hasan
The purpose of the study is to numerically investigate the characteristics of laminar heat transfer and fluid flow in a double tube heat exchanger (DTHE) using water-aluminum…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to numerically investigate the characteristics of laminar heat transfer and fluid flow in a double tube heat exchanger (DTHE) using water-aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanofluid. The study examines the effects of nanofluid in both counter and parallel flow configurations. Furthermore, an exergy analysis is conducted to assess the impact of nanofluid on exergy destruction.
Design/methodology/approach
The single-phase method has been used for Al2O3 nanoparticles in water as base fluid in a laminar regime for Reynolds numbers from 400 to 2,000. The effects of nanoparticle volume fractions (0 to 0.1), Nusselt number, Reynolds number, heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, performance evaluation criteria (PEC) and the impact of counter and parallel flow direction have been studied.
Findings
The findings indicate that the incorporation of nanoparticles into the water enhances the heat transfer rate of DTHE. This enhancement is attributed to the improved thermal properties of the working fluid and its impact on the thermal boundary layer. Nusselt number, heat transfer coefficient, and PEC increase by approximately 19.5%, 58% and 1.2, respectively, in comparison to pure water. Conversely, the pressure drop experiences a 5.3 times increase relative to pure water. Exergy analysis reveals that nanofluids exhibit lower exergy destruction compared to pure water. The single-phase method showed better agreement with the experimental results compared to the two-phase method.
Originality/value
Dimensionless correlations were derived and validated with experimental and numerical results for the Nusselt number and PEC for both counter and parallel flow configurations based on the Reynolds number and nanoparticles volume fraction with high accuracy to predict the performance of DTHE without performing time-consuming simulations. Also, an exergy analysis was performed to compare the exergy destruction between nanofluid and pure water.
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Shaji Mathai, Sushant Kumar, Naman Sreen and Saket Jeswani
Increasingly, brands are using social media to attract consumers. However, it is not clear how social media activities influence consumers. To address this, the study examines the…
Abstract
Purpose
Increasingly, brands are using social media to attract consumers. However, it is not clear how social media activities influence consumers. To address this, the study examines the role of social media marketing (SMM) activities on consumer-based brand equity and continued usage intentions. The study also examines the moderating role of education.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) and stimulus organism response (SOR) theories to develop a conceptual model. SMM activities were used as stimulus, whereas continued usage intentions were used as response. Also, the study used elements of CBBE as organisms. A survey-based questionnaire approach was used to collect data from 326 consumers. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling.
Findings
Results indicate that SMM activities are associated with elements of CBBE. Also, elements of CBBE shape continued usage intentions of consumers. The results of the multigroup analysis suggest the differences among the three groups with respect to their education level. The study’s findings enable managers to understand CBBE and continued usage behaviour of their customers and provide guidelines to manage their SMM activities.
Originality/value
The study findings are first to empirically test the effects of SMM activities on CBBE and continued usage behaviour. The results show that the stimulus strongly shapes CBBE and their continued intention to purchase brands. The findings contribute to the literature on SMM activities, CBBE and offer novel managerial implications.
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Mohamed Ghroubi and Raouf Ben Khalifa
This study aims to analyze both technical efficiency and allocative efficiency per input within the banking sector, focusing on the interplay among Islamic banks, conventional…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze both technical efficiency and allocative efficiency per input within the banking sector, focusing on the interplay among Islamic banks, conventional banks and conventional banks offering Islamic Banking Services (CBIBS). It also investigates the impact of competition on these efficiencies.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from 37 Islamic banks, 38 CBIBS and 126 conventional banks across 14 countries in the MENA region and Southeast Asia over the period 2002–2022, the authors applied a stochastic frontier production model with first-order conditions, a two-step system generalized method of moments estimator and the Tobit model for robustness checks.
Findings
The findings indicate that Islamic banks demonstrate the highest technical efficiency, whereas CBIBS exhibit the lowest. Despite this, Islamic banks encounter significant challenges in allocative inefficiency, particularly in managing financial capital, which adversely affects their cost efficiency. Interestingly, competition enhances the allocative efficiency of financial capital in conventional banks and CBIBS but diminishes it in Islamic banks. Furthermore, control variables show varied impacts on efficiencies across different banking categories.
Research limitations/implications
These findings emphasize the need for collaboration between regulators and researchers to develop an efficiency measurement method that integrates financial, ethical and social aspects. It also highlights the importance of aligning banking with ethical financing practices and innovating products that optimize resource allocation, thereby enhancing both financial and ethical performance.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to analyze the allocative efficiency per input for the three categories of banks: Islamic, conventional and CBIBS, while highlighting the variety of competition effects.
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In this paper we provide evidence of successful online learning experience with UAE students at Zayed University in the UAE. First we describe the processes and technologies used…
Abstract
In this paper we provide evidence of successful online learning experience with UAE students at Zayed University in the UAE. First we describe the processes and technologies used in delivering the online course "Virtual Business Challenges". Based on survey results we discuss students’ evaluations and experience and the technologies used. Overall, students had a positive learning experience in the course.
Ameni Ghenimi, Hasna Chaibi and Mohamed Ali Omri
The aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis between Islamic and conventional banks in terms of whether Islamic banks was more or less resilient/risky than…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis between Islamic and conventional banks in terms of whether Islamic banks was more or less resilient/risky than conventional counterparts to the pandemic shock. It also examines the role of capital in improving the performance and stability within the two banking systems.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses 82 banks from MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region for periods across 2011–2020, and employs a dynamic panel data approach to examine the resilience within both banking systems during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Findings
The results show that the Covid-19 pandemic has a negative impact on conventional banks' stability. However, Islamic banks performed better and were less risky than conventional ones. Banks with high-quality capital are more effective at controlling their risks and improving their performance during the pandemic.
Practical implications
The results offer important financial observations and policy implications to many stakeholders engaging with banks. Actually, the findings of this study facilitate to the stakeholders and bankers to have an alluded picture about determinants of risk and performance. The results can be used by bankers’ policy decision-makers to improve and enhance their consideration for risk management, taking into consideration the type of banking systems.
Originality/value
Compared to the various studies on the stability of Islamic and conventional banks, researchers have not sufficiently addressed the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on risk and performance. Moreover, none of these studies has examined if Islamic banks was more or less resilient/risky than conventional counterparts to the pandemic shock. This leads the authors to identify the similarities and differences between two types of banks in the MENA region in a pandemic shock context.
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Mohamed Elmnefi and Waqas Al-Khazraji
One of the existing and commonly used solar energy harvesting devices is the parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC). Because of their ability to operate in low and medium…
Abstract
Purpose
One of the existing and commonly used solar energy harvesting devices is the parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC). Because of their ability to operate in low and medium temperatures, parabolic trough concentrators are widely used in power generation plants and industrial process heating applications. Therefore, the investigation of how different operating conditions affect these devices’ overall efficiency has received a great deal of attention in the recent decade. This study aims to enhance the thermal performance of the PTSC and reduce the system cost.
Design/methodology/approach
In the novel configuration, a noncirculated nanofluid absorbs solar radiation through a glass wall. The base fluid was synthetic oil (5W30), and the nanoparticles used were copper oxide. The heat captured is immediately absorbed by the water circulating inside the copper tube immersed in the nanofluid. ANSYS FLUENT 15.0 was used for carrying out computational fluid dynamics simulations for two models of single and triple copper tubes. The experimental results obtained from a test rig constructed for this purpose were compared with the numerical outcomes of the single copper tube model.
Findings
The findings of the simulation demonstrated that performance was superior for the single copper tube model over the triple copper tube model. The numerical findings of the single copper tube model were compared with the experimental results. The numerical and experimental results differed from 3.17% to 5.6%. Investigations were carried out to study the effects of varying the volumetric flow rate of (20, 40, 60 and 80 L/h) and water inlet temperatures of (300, 315 and 330 K) on the effectiveness and performance of the newly developed model. Additionally, two nanofluid volume fractions of 0.05% and 0.075% were used for investigating their effect on the performance of the novel configuration. According to the findings, the highest thermal efficiency of 55.31% was recorded at 0.075% concentration and 80 L/h volume flow rate.
Originality/value
In this study, a novel direct absorption solar collector configuration using a noncirculated nanofluid was designed to enhance the thermal efficiency of PTSC. This new approach makes it possible to boost the thermal performance of the PTSC and lower the system’s cost.
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Ahmed Atef Oussii and Mohamed Faker Klibi
De facto use of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a particular form of voluntary compliance with International Accounting Standards (IAS). It is practiced when…
Abstract
Purpose
De facto use of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a particular form of voluntary compliance with International Accounting Standards (IAS). It is practiced when an enterprise uses a number (and not all) of international standards as a complement to overcome the unachieved nature of local generally accepted accounting principles. The purpose of this paper is to analyze, at first, whether the financial expertise of Tunisian audit committee’s members is associated with de facto use of IFRS. Second, it explores to what extent and in what direction this association evolves when the factor auditor’s size is introduced as a moderator variable.
Design/methodology/approach
Data spanning a seven-year period (2012–2018) was hand-collected for a sample of 497 firm-year observations. Further, regression analysis was used to test the study’s hypothesis.
Findings
Findings show that the proportion of financial experts who sit on the audit committee is positively associated with the de facto use of IFRS. Besides, the association between audit committee members’ financial expertise and the voluntary use of IFRS is more pronounced when the company is audited by at least one BIG 4 audit firm.
Practical implications
The paper’s findings have implications for regulatory bodies and standards setters who are concerned with the functioning of the audit committee, especially when it comes to enhancing the quality of the financial statements. The results also shed light on the role of financial experts on the audit committee and Big 4 auditors to enforce the de facto use of IFRS.
Originality/value
The findings of this study contain an important message for the drift toward national de jure convergence with IAS.