Najlaa Alsini, Hebah Alawi Kutbi, Noor Hakim, Rana Mosli, Noura Eid and Zeinab Mulla
There is currently limited data available on the Saudi population’s adoption of nutritional guidelines or on other factors influencing food purchasing behaviors. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
There is currently limited data available on the Saudi population’s adoption of nutritional guidelines or on other factors influencing food purchasing behaviors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of nutrition label use, explore factors that could influence food choices during grocery shopping and evaluate the association of these factors with the sociodemographic characteristics of mothers.
Design/methodology/approach
Mothers were recruited at a community event. They were requested to complete a questionnaire that assessed social and lifestyle characteristics as well as product features that influence food choices during grocery shopping.
Findings
The study included 157 mothers. The prevalence of label reading was high with 69% of participants always or mostly reading labels pre-purchase. Features that were most likely to “always” influence purchase choices included: product healthfulness (57.3%), children’s preference (45.9%), specific needs of a family member (38.9%). The feature “awareness campaigns and workshops” was found to be associated with both low and high-income groups. There was a poor understanding of what the “light” food label meant with only 37.6% answering correctly.
Research limitations/implications
Further research is needed with a higher sample size with diverse sociodemographic characteristics.
Practical implications
Saudi mothers are influenced by product healthfulness as well as children’s and family members’ needs when grocery shopping. There was a high prevalence of reading nutrition labels prepurchase. These findings can inform future public health policy on the main drivers for food purchasing decisions and the need for educational initiatives in Saudi Arabia.
Originality/value
The present research collates factors influencing food choices
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Shaista Wasiuzzaman and Noura Abdullah Al-Musehel
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the influence of mood/emotions and religious experience on Islamic stock markets during the Ramadan month.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the influence of mood/emotions and religious experience on Islamic stock markets during the Ramadan month.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses stock returns data of two countries – Saudi Arabia and Iran – from January 2008 to September 2014 and the ARMA-GARCH models to study impact of the Ramadan month on the return and volatility of the stock market in these two countries.
Findings
The results of this study show some differences in the impact of the Ramadan month on the return and volatility of the stock market in these two countries. While the Ramadan month has a significant positive influence on the mean returns and the volatility of the Saudi market, its influence on the Iranian market is found to be insignificant. Further analysis on the last ten days of the Ramadan month provides a similar result for the Saudi market. However, for the Iranian market, volatility is significantly negatively affected during these last ten days.
Originality/value
Most prior studies have found significant changes in returns during the Ramadan month but a deeper understanding of this stock market anomaly is needed. The results point toward the influence of mood/emotions and religious experience in explaining the existence of the Ramadan anomaly.
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Rowida Magdy Al-Gebeily, Ahmed Sherif and Ramy Aly
Since public and private spaces are generally considered to be the fundamental building blocks for residential settings, this study draws attention to the need to consider and…
Abstract
Purpose
Since public and private spaces are generally considered to be the fundamental building blocks for residential settings, this study draws attention to the need to consider and detail threshold spaces as one of the key aspects for accomplishing sociocultural needs, restoration and well-being in the residential environment. Understanding the function and uses of these spaces allows us to appreciate their benefits which are often neglected. This research particularly focuses on the social dimension of one fundamental threshold pattern; the Cairene balcony.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative anthropological approach was adopted in this research where in-depth interviews with female residents (n = 46) were conducted in three local contexts in Cairo, Egypt in parallel with non-participatory observation. The present piece focuses on the results elicited from the female residents’ interviews.
Findings
Irrespective of the income group, sociocultural background and context, dominating factors influencing women’s perception of the role of the Cairene balcony were commonly present. These included issues of; well-being and restoration, the phenomenon of personalization and identity, functional and communicative purposes, safety and security and privacy and control. Overall, the majority of interviewees stressed the significance of the balcony as a prominent source of prospect and an impermissible part of the residential environment.
Originality/value
The fact that little research has been conducted to examine the everyday use of the balcony and the role it plays in Cairene homes makes this “dedicated” research piece a valuable addition.