Search results

The purpose of this paper is to develop an effective framework for implementing Lean strategies in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

Based on the integration of LM tools and techniques with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) criteria a systematic Lean implementation framework for manufacturing SMEs has been proposed. The core values, drivers and tools of the proposed framework were further developed based on case studies in three SMEs in the KRI.

Proposed framework is able to provide a simple pathway for SMEs to systematically implement Lean techniques in seven functional areas in order to create Lean culture in the organisation. Business performance measurement in terms of profitability, customer satisfaction, employee’s satisfaction, competitiveness growth and ergonomic improvement is presented in favour of evaluating Lean outcomes appropriately. It also presents the experience of small firms in implementing Lean programmes to show that Lean is valid in SMEs.

The framework concentrates only on the internal issues of the organisation, while external variables such as national culture and external support are excluded.

The framework assists improvements in SMEs that either initially attempt to start Lean journey or those that are at more advanced levels towards excellent-Lean manufacturing. The framework can also be used as a self-assessment model to determine the degree of Lean readiness.

To the best knowledge of the author, it is the first framework that integrates Lean techniques with MBNQA criteria to support Lean implementation in SMEs. It is also the first study regarding Lean-excellence in the KRI.

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a two-year long study carried out in order to evaluate the corrosion performance of mild steel bare bars (BB) and epoxy-coated rebar (ECR) in concrete under a simulated harsh environment of chlorides.

The blocks are subjected to Southern Exposure testing. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), linear polarization resistance (LPR) and Tafel plot are performed to measure the polarization resistance and corrosion current densities of these rebars. Knife-peel test was performed to assess the adhesion between epoxy and underlying steel after two years of exposure.

Mild steel BB showed a high corrosion current density of 1.24 µA/ cm² in Tafel plots and a very low polarization resistance of 4.5 kΩ cm² in LPR technique, whereas very high charge transfer resistance of 1672 and 1675 kΩ cm² is observed on ECR and ECR with controlled damage (ECRCD), through EIS technique, respectively. EIS is observed to be a suitable tool to detect the defects in epoxy coatings. After two years of immersion in 3.89 percent NaCl⁻ solution, the mild steel BB were severely corroded and a considerable weight loss was observed, whereas under heavy chloride attack, ECR showed no deterioration of epoxy coating and neither any corrosion of underlying steel. Results of this study show that the durability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures with respect to corrosion could be enhanced by using ECR, especially in harsh climatic conditions.

The corrosion performance of mild steel and ECR in concrete under a simulating splash zone environment is evaluated. EIS was used to evaluate the health of epoxy and corrosion state of underneath steel rebars. EIS was able to detect the defects in epoxy. The durability of RC structures could be enhanced in harsh climate regions by using ECR.

There is a growing importance of business intelligence systems (BIS) adoption in today’s digital economy age which is characterized by uncertainty and ambiguity considering the magnitude and influence of data-related issues to be solved in contemporary businesses. This study aims to investigate critical success factors that affect business intelligence efficiency based on the DeLone and McLean model in Jordanian banking industry.

A quantitative research method through a questionnaire was used to collect data from actual users who depend on business intelligence tools to make operational and strategic decisions in Jordanian banks. The data obtained were tested using the partial least squares–structural equation modeling approach.

The survey findings attest that system quality, information quality, user quality, user satisfaction and user performance are important factors and contribute to business intelligence efficiency in the Jordanian banking industry.

The findings gained from this work can help policymakers in Jordanian banks to improve the business intelligence success and organizational performance.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to propose a theoretical model to assess drivers of BIS efficiency from the Jordanian banks’ perspective.

Although the hospitality sector is considered the most active and profitable sector in the Egyptian economy, it suffers from the non-stop immigration of skilled manpower and the high rates of labor turnover. One of the apparent solutions for this problem that could be implemented is empowering Egyptian females to play an active role in the success of this sector. Females faced many obstacles while working in hospitality, including prevailing social perception, the culture of shame, the traditional negative view of feminine hoteliers, long working hours and the shift system, which led to weak females' desire to enroll in the hospitality field. The study aims to determine how empowering Egyptian women in the hospitality industry affects staff turnover.

To achieve the aim of the study, a sample of four- and five-star resorts in Red Sea, Egypt, was under study. A self-administrated questionnaire was addressed to female hotel employees, and 140 forms were statistically analyzed in addition to 14 semi-structured interviews with hospitality experts.

The study recommends that hotels should start re-tailoring policies to activate Egyptian females' role in reducing the high rate of hospitality labor turnover through increasing their work engagement (WENG) (as a mediator) by adopting a decent work environment and motivating them to get promoted to hold senior positions.

In spite of some noteworthy contributions, the authors would like to point out certain shortcomings. The sample was homogeneous, consisting of female hotels employees in Egypt, but the findings are generalizable to other Arabian communities. Nonetheless, the authors feel that they have supplied some suggestive evidence, even for the most careful reader who wants to further study these elements of working attitudes in the hotel business.

According to the authors' knowledge, this study is among the few studies covering females' reluctance to continue working in the hospitality field.

This study aims to examine whether corporate culture and stakeholder type influence the level of corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) and, if so, the motivations behind this.

An experimental method was adopted in this study to achieve the research objectives by evaluating the perceptions and motivations for CSRD among 120 participants (financial managers and accountants) from 50 financial institutions listed on Boursa Kuwait.

Results indicate that perceptions of CSRD are strongly affected by stakeholder type but not corporate culture. When these two factors are considered jointly, they do not affect the level of CSRD. Regarding motivations, participants from Conventional Financial Institutions seek legitimacy by opting to provide higher levels of CSRD to both shareholders and the general public than those from Islamic Financial Institutions.

This study has implications for three groups: institutions, society and accountants. Each group plays a crucial role in how financial institutions practicing corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Few studies have compared CSR practices between these two types of institutions, with most being descriptive. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to use an experimental approach, which controls for all potential factors determining CSRD.

Purpose: To examine the hotel industry’s evolutionary journey, charting it from the era of digital manufacturing to the current epoch of Industry 5.0, the emergence of the digital society. Industry 5.0 signifies a fundamental change, where the physical and digital aspects merge to establish a more engaging and integrated hospitality experience.

Study design: Using secondary sources, the transformation’s complex difficulties and possibilities are analyzed. We have designed this chapter based on the importance of trust, ethical data use, and teamwork in successfully navigating the complexity of digital production to the digital society based on the Industry 5.0 era. The industry deals with rising cybersecurity threats, ethical concerns about artificial intelligence (AI), and the critical need for a highly skilled digital workforce. This chapter emphasizes the importance of cross-industry collaboration and knowledge exchange as strategic imperatives.

Findings: The importance of developing a highly skilled workforce capable of effectively navigating the complexities of Industry 5.0. Promoting cross-industry collaborations and knowledge exchange is part of the suggested answer. These collaborative efforts are necessary to create a sustainable and fully connected future for the hospitality sector. This chapter promotes a comprehensive approach to implementing Industry 5.0 in the hotel sector.

Originality: The value of this chapter is that amid a growing dependence on digital connections, this chapter emphasizes the pressing requirement for the hotel industry to confront cybersecurity issues and maintain ethical principles when implementing AI in the hospitality industry.

Given the overlapping themes and periods in specific subjects within Islamic economics and finance bibliometric research, which may yield similar findings in bibliometric studies, it is essential to document the growth of Islamic economic and financial research using bibliometric methodologies. This study aims to understand better the critical bibliometric review trends and scientific advancements in Islamic economics and finance.

This study uses bibliometric analysis, collecting 46 Islamic economics bibliometric papers from the Web of Science Core Collection from 1975 to 2022. The authors generated top scientific scholars, keyword analysis, citation analysis, content analysis and conclusions for journal development using R Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, ATLAS.ti and Excel.

This study has established a comprehensive bibliometric framework for Islamic economics and finance bibliometric papers, encompassing all critical areas within the discipline and identifying any remaining research gaps. The major significant areas revealed were Islamic social finance and microfinance concerns, which are closely pertinent to the issues of ethics, corporate social responsibility and sustainability, respectively. The authors also identified opportunities for future bibliometric analyses in Islamic economics and finance, which include using more comprehensive databases, refining or broadening search strategies, using advanced techniques and units of analysis and suggesting themes for further exploration.

The study relies merely on the Web of Science Core Collection database, which provides the most in-depth citations by source for the world’s scientific and scholarly research. Future research may consider expanding its scope to include other databases for a broader range of sources. Furthermore, due to the rise of bibliometric studies in Islamic economics and finance, this study also comments on the saturation of bibliometric studies conducted in several similar areas. While researchers bring their unique analytical perspectives to bibliometrics, this study provides a comprehensive view of existing research in Islamic economics and finance, highlighting well-explored topics and those that remain less studied. Thus, this could assist researchers in determining their future research priorities.

Policymakers in Islamic financial and economic institutions, including banking institutions, social, financial institutions and halal institutions, should be impacted by this research when making policies or conducting research. The viability of the current Islamic economic and financial ecosystem will be indirectly maintained and managed by these implications.

This comprehensive meta-analysis in Islamic economics and finance is expected to impact the development and sustainability of the Islamic economic and financial ecosystem, promoting societal welfare through applying Islamic economics and finance.

This pioneering bibliometric analysis of Islamic economics and finance papers aims to offer insights and projections for future research in the field. This research contributes to the literature by examining various aspects, including evaluating literature on trending topics, analyzing papers related to research areas and conducting content analysis of existing bibliometric studies in Islamic economics and finance. It specifically groups these studies around fundamental topics, summarizes findings from contemporary research and identifies emerging research gaps.

The purpose of this study is to address a critical gap in the existing literature on business excellence implementation. While various studies have examined different aspects of business excellence, there is still a lack of comprehensive research on the optimal organizational excellence architecture (OEA) for an award-winning business excellence journey. The absence of a unified framework has led to inconsistent practices across organizations. The aim of this research based on data collected from 50 organizations across 17 countries is to address this gap and present a refined OEA model.

This study employed quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Member organizations from the Global Excellence Model (GEM) Council participated through an online survey administered via the Qualtrics software platform. Quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS and Microsoft Excel software tools, while content analysis techniques were applied to the qualitative data to gain detailed insights.

The findings refine and extend the OEA model. These contributions lead to a refined OEA definition and open avenues for future research, enriching the current understanding of BE implementation.

This study introduces a novel concept of OEA to the literature on business excellence implementation. The refined OEA model provides a fresh perspective on the critical components necessary for an award-winning business excellence journey. This research offers significant value to both practitioners and academics by presenting a unified approach to BE implementation, effectively addressing the previously identified gap in BE research.