Muhammad Arsalan Nazir, Raza Saleem Khan and Mohsin Raza Khan
The link between SME performance, growth and development is well established; however, the characteristics of SMEs that allow firms to be successful in the long run in an…
Abstract
Purpose
The link between SME performance, growth and development is well established; however, the characteristics of SMEs that allow firms to be successful in the long run in an underdeveloped country context, i.e. Pakistan, are still unclear. This paper aims to bridge this gap by identifying the SMEs’ characteristics that set them apart from their rivals and become successful.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses Storey’s development framework to identify the SMEs’ characteristics. Data is gathered using the case study method from SMEs with a metropolitan context in Pakistan. A narrative methodological framework was used during the data gathering and analysing stages.
Findings
Findings of this study indicate that the prosperity of SMEs in Pakistan is dependent on a combination of characteristics, including entrepreneurial characteristics of owner–managers, knowledge of business operating models, social networks and relationship building and innovation in business style. Additionally, other factors such as governance structure, strategic planning of market diversification and export characteristics also influence the prosperity of an SME. These findings may have several important implications for key stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, SMEs and policymakers in the government.
Originality/value
This research provides evidence about factors that can help an SME to become successful in uncertain situations surrounding a business environment. Theoretically, the contribution of this research is that it demonstrates that entrepreneurial characteristics and the effective leadership style of owner–managers can help SMEs achieve prosperity in external unforeseeable situations.
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Mohsin Raza Khan, Muhammad Arsalan Nazir and Sabeen Afzal
This study aims to analyze the challenges in financing the healthcare system of Pakistan and develop a comprehensive health financing strategy aimed at achieving universal health…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the challenges in financing the healthcare system of Pakistan and develop a comprehensive health financing strategy aimed at achieving universal health coverage (UHC).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper utilizes World Health Organization (WHO) framework on health financing to build the argument. It uses qualitative research design involving focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including Federal Board of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, development partners, academia and health ministries at federal and provincial levels, as well as social health insurance entities.
Findings
The research findings highlight several critical issues within Pakistan’s healthcare system: Firstly, health spending is inadequate to provide financial protection to 24 million people. Secondly, the available health funding is allocated in clusters and caters primarily to specific groups, which exacerbates inequities in healthcare provision. Thirdly, the existence of multiple purchasing agents who operate concurrently to buy health services results in duplication and wastage of resources. Fourthly, the public financial management system, intended to support the swift distribution of public funds to health facilities, is not aligned with the requirements of the health system. Lastly, the devolved health setup has led to governance issues in managing the health sector.
Originality/value
This study fills a significant gap in the literature on health financing within Pakistan and proposes a unique empirical approach using WHO’s framework in a decentralized healthcare context. It also provides actionable recommendations for policymakers to develop strategies that improve the effectiveness of public financial management and health service delivery.
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Keywords
Prospects for Pakistan in the second half of 2018.
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB235621
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.
Design/methodology/approach
This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.
Findings
This paper identified the different characteristics that can help SMEs, within an underdeveloped country context.
Originality/value
The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
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Mennaalla Hassan Salem, Kareem M. Selem, Rimsha Khalid, Mohsin Raza and Marco Valeri
The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of affiliative-based humorous leadership on hotel employee outcomes (i.e. resistance to change and upward voice), underpinned by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of affiliative-based humorous leadership on hotel employee outcomes (i.e. resistance to change and upward voice), underpinned by affective events theory. Further, this paper investigates psychological capital as a mediation effect and emotional intelligence as a moderation effect.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a structured questionnaire, 554 supervisors of 20 four- and five-star hotels in Sharm El-Sheikh responded based on a time-lagged approach. A Smart-partial least squares (Smart-PLS) v. 3.3.9 was used to analyze the data set.
Findings
The findings revealed that affiliative-based humorous leadership has a positive effect on psychological capital, and psychological capital has a positive association with employee upward voice. Psychological capital partially mediated the linkage of humorous leadership with employees' upward voices and resistance to change. According to the results, emotional intelligence strengthened the linkage of psychological capital with employee resistance to change and upward voice.
Research limitations/implications
The findings contribute to the body of knowledge on humor and the development of new ideas in the hospitality literature. This paper adds to the hospitality literature on humorous leadership in developing countries, specifically in Egypt. This paper also provides practitioners with new perspectives as they develop strategies and use humor-related wise leadership styles in the workplace.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first studies to assess affiliative-based humor in leadership in the hospitality industry. This paper contributes to future studies on the crucial effect of workplace engagement and its association with employees’ novel and intriguing actions and offers a good guideline for organizations and enterprises wishing to better leverage leader humor.
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Kareem M. Selem, Rupa Sinha, Rimsha Khalid, Mohsin Raza and Mohammad Shahidul Islam
Underpinned by sensation-seeking theory (SST) and regulatory focus theory (RFT), this paper highlights the crucial role of adventurousness in self-protective behavior and future…
Abstract
Purpose
Underpinned by sensation-seeking theory (SST) and regulatory focus theory (RFT), this paper highlights the crucial role of adventurousness in self-protective behavior and future travel avoidance. Furthermore, this paper investigates safety-seeking tendency as a moderator and travel anxiety post-COVID-19 as a mediator.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were gathered from 574 potential visitors to St. Catherine post-COVID-19 and analyzed using Smart-PLS approach.
Findings
Adventurousness negatively and significantly affected travel anxiety, while the latter negatively influenced self-protective behavior and positively influenced future travel avoidance. Besides, the findings proved that travel anxiety partially mediated the adventurousness linkage with self-protective behavior and future travel avoidance. Moreover, safety-seeking tendencies dampened travel anxiety's connection with self-protective behavior and future travel avoidance.
Practical implications
This paper provides valuable insights into travel research in theory and practice to revive tourist attractions post-COVID-19 in developing countries via an adventure tourism pattern. The study helps figure out how to deal with the pandemic and restore the monument of heavenly religions, St. Catherine—sacred mountain peaks, mosques, churches and many monasteries—in addition to its charming and picturesque nature.
Originality/value
The current paper examines a traveler's adventurous nature and post-COVID-19 behavior when visiting St. Catherine and their behaviors related to future avoidance and self-protection. This paper adds the first investigation of travel anxiety and safety-seeking through the lens of SST and RFT theories in the Egyptian tourism context.
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Jawad Raza, Mohsin Raza, Tahir Mustaq and Muhammad Imran Qureshi
The purpose of this paper is to study the thermal behavior of radial porous fin surrounded by water-base copper nanoparticles under the influence of radiation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the thermal behavior of radial porous fin surrounded by water-base copper nanoparticles under the influence of radiation.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to optimize the response variable, the authors perform sensitivity analysis with the aid of response surface methodology (RSM). Moreover, this study enlightens the applications of artificial neural networks (ANN) for predicting the temperature gradient. The governing modeled equations are firstly non-dimensionalized and then solved with the aid of Runge–Kutta fourth order together with the shooting method in order to guess the initial conditions.
Findings
Numerical results are analyzed and presented in the form of tables and graphs. This study reveals that the temperature of the fin is decreasing as the wet porous parameter increases (m2) and the temperature for 10% concentration of nanoparticles are higher than 5 and 1%. Physical parameters involved in the study are analyzed and processed through RSM. It is come to know that sensitivity of temperature gradient to radiative parameter (Nr) and convective parameter (Nc) is positive and negative to dimensionless ambient temperature (θa). Furthermore, after ANN training it can be argued that the established model can efficiently be used to predict the temperature gradient over a radial porous fin for the copper-water nanofluid flow.
Originality/value
To the best of our knowledge, only a few attempts have been made to analyze the thermal behavior of radial porous fin surrounded by copper-based nanofluid under the influence of radiation and convection.
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Mohsin Raza, Muhammad Khalique, Rimsha Khalid, Jati Kasuma, Waqas Ali and Kareem M. Selem
This paper investigates the effect of Islamic entrepreneurship on small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) business performance and the development of a framework to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the effect of Islamic entrepreneurship on small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) business performance and the development of a framework to comprehensively investigate Islamic entrepreneurship to achieve competitive business advantages. Islamic entrepreneurship was measured through the Islamic entrepreneurial model, which is based on two unobserved constructs: business and spiritual perspectives. These two constructs were used as predictors of business performance. This paper aims to develop a new scale of Islamic entrepreneurship from business and spiritual perspectives to achieve SMEs’ successful business performance.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 189 Muslim respondents were involved and analyzed their responses using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory composite analysis.
Findings
The empirical findings proved that the Islamic entrepreneurial scale with two perspectives is an absolute measure. Besides, the predictive validity findings revealed that business (i.e. trustworthiness, honesty and truthfulness) and spiritual perspectives of Islamic entrepreneurship (i.e. Taqwa, good intention and respecting religious obligations) positively affected SMEs’ business performance.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study lies in expanding the existing research, developing a measurement scale and empirically testing the Islamic entrepreneurship model. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that contributes to the Islamic entrepreneurship literature in the SME context and offers new avenues for potential researchers. The new scale will allow SMEs to understand the halal and haram concepts in more depth and apply the Islamic rules and principles with full spirit.
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Mohsin Abdur Rehman, Sadaf Khan, Ismah Osman, Khurram Aziz and Ghazal Shams
This study aims to test a proposed model based on a combination of the relationship marketing and service quality dimensions as predictors of corporate image and customer loyalty…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to test a proposed model based on a combination of the relationship marketing and service quality dimensions as predictors of corporate image and customer loyalty via corporate reputation in the Takaful context. More importantly, this study compares the Takaful operators’ services with the perceived service quality and the relationship marketing from the Malaysian and Saudi Arabian customers’ viewpoint.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey-based study was conducted through a questionnaire, and the data was collected from Takaful customers (362 Saudi Arabian and 350 Malaysian customers) through an online survey. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed model. Besides, the perception of Takaful customers between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia is compared through a multi-group analysis.
Findings
The results from the Malaysian context reveal that positive perceptions of service quality PAKSERV dimensions (personalization, reliability and tangibility) and positive perceptions of relationship marketing dimensions (Islamic ethical behaviour and structural bonds) have a significant influence on the corporate image. Alternatively, in the Saudi Arabian context, results have shown that the positive perceptions of service quality PAKSERV dimensions (assurance and reliability) of service quality and the positive perceptions of the relationship marketing dimensions (Islamic ethical behaviour, structural bonds and financial bonds) have a significant influence on the corporate image. The differences in both countries’ results can also enhance the corporate image on corporate reputation, merely in Malaysia. By contrast, corporate reputation is deemed a significant predictor of customer loyalty, represented as valid for both contexts.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed research model tested in Takaful Malaysian and Saudi Arabian can be replicated in other contexts – in terms of country and industry. Moreover, the current study reveals the crucial role of corporate image in forming corporate reputation. Future research could be focussed on the importance of other emotional or affective variables that may be involved in determining corporate reputation. Finally, future studies can be carried with another cultural perspective to have more diversified socio-economic implications.
Practical implications
It is suggested that Takaful operators from both Malaysia and Saudi Arabia need to put maximum effort towards customer loyalty by bringing both the dimensions of service quality and the relationship marketing in compliance with the principles of Islamic business transaction. The findings of the specific dimensions of service quality and relationship marketing will contribute to customers’ perceptions of corporate image and reputation in the Takaful industry.
Originality/value
The present study tested a blended facet of customer’s overall experience through service quality (PAKSERV) and customer service provider connectivity (relationship marketing) to predict the corporate image of the highly growing financial marketplace (Takaful). Contextually, this study contributes to delineating the factors (corporate reputation) affecting customer loyalty rather than a customer satisfaction tradition. Significantly, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia were chosen for this study, as they are currently the two fast-growing markets for Islamic financial services, especially with regards to the Takaful products and offerings.
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Aneeqa Zreen, Abu Bakar Bin Abdul Hamid, Mohsin Raza, Nagina Kanwal and Rimsha Khalid
This study aims to examine the influence of performance appraisal on Innovative work behavior of employees in public sector universities of Pakistan, by using the Ability…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the influence of performance appraisal on Innovative work behavior of employees in public sector universities of Pakistan, by using the Ability, Motivation, and Opportunity framework.
Design/methodology/approach
A newly developed framework has been created to explore how performance appraisal, self-efficacy, and organizational climate influence employees' innovative work behavior. The study collected data using a self-administered questionnaire from employees who work in public universities in Pakistan.
Findings
The findings of this study revealed a positive correlation between performance appraisal and innovative work behavior. It is observed that self-efficacy mediates the relationship between performance appraisal and innovative work behavior and organizational climate moderates the relationship between self-efficacy and innovative work behavior.
Originality/value
The current study is novel and unique for several reasons. But the main contribution of this study is the validation of self-efficacy's mediating impact on innovative work behavior as well as the validity of the organizational climate as moderating effect in Pakistan’s public sector universities, where a large number of students have been enrolled and they can get advantage from their teacher's improved innovative behavior.