Omar Khalid Bhatti, Muhammad Aftab Alam, Arif Hassan and Mohamed Sulaiman
The current study aims to examine the relationship between Islamic spirituality (IS), Islamic social responsibility (ISR) and workplace deviance (WD).
Abstract
Purpose
The current study aims to examine the relationship between Islamic spirituality (IS), Islamic social responsibility (ISR) and workplace deviance (WD).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 400 Muslim employees of 9 business groups in Pakistan from manufacturing and services industry. The structure equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses, and the proposed model was assessed through renowned model fit indices.
Findings
The findings revealed that IS and ISR help curtail WD. The study also provides empirical support to the hypotheses that employees with high levels of IS and social responsibility will tend to avoid deviant behavior at workplace.
Originality/value
This study proposed IS and ISR as two possible stimuli that can help reduce employee deviant behavior at workplace. The findings of the present study revealed that IS, as well as ISR, is inversely related to WD. The present results augmented the existing body of knowledge regarding workplace spirituality in the field of organization behavior and further enriched the WD theory by offering new empirical relationships from an Islamic perspective.
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Muhammad Irfan, Omar Khalid Bhatti and Ali Osman Ozturk
Emergence of COVID-19 has posed a big challenge around the world demanding responsible behavior at all levels for effective mitigation of its adverse effects on humanity. Despite…
Abstract
Purpose
Emergence of COVID-19 has posed a big challenge around the world demanding responsible behavior at all levels for effective mitigation of its adverse effects on humanity. Despite deadly nature of the pandemic, people yet tend to violate the lockdowns, social distancing, and related protective measures. This study presents a critical view and identifies underlying causes of the deviant behavior of masses. It highlights specific areas where responsible leadership can make a difference in fighting the pandemic from organizational perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data collected through in depth interviews from three different countries - Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia. The data was collected thrice with time lags and integrated view has been presented in this study.
Findings
The study finds that perceptual dissonance, cost of protective behavior, reactive attraction and perceived triviality of protective measures are some of the main causes of deviant behavior.
Research limitations/implications
Although the data have been collected from three countries, yet smaller sample size remains a limitation of the study. Similarly, the longitudinal data was collected once in each wave of COVID-19 and its increased frequency could make findings more reliable.
Practical implications
The findings provide an “analysis template” for responsible leaders to analyze any crisis situation in future. In the light of findings, leaders can locate causes of deviant behavior and the way they can influence behavior of employees in a crisis.
Social implications
The study is highly valuable in analysis of social dimension of COVID-19 crisis at organizational level. It clearly highlights the significance of social and financial support by responsible leaders for influencing the protective intentions of employees in an emergency situation.
Originality/value
The organizational perspective and the responsibilities of leaders for fighting the pandemic has not been adequately explored. This study has investigated the likely causes of deviant behavior of employees in adoption of protective measures. It also highlights the areas where responsible leaders can make a difference in inducing protective behaviors.
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Elif Baykal, Omar Bhatti, Muhammad Irfan and Nor Balkish Zakaria
In this study, to empirically test the relationship between ethical organizational climate, inner life (IL) and life satisfaction (LS) of employees, a field study was conducted on…
Abstract
Purpose
In this study, to empirically test the relationship between ethical organizational climate, inner life (IL) and life satisfaction (LS) of employees, a field study was conducted on white-collar personnel working in the service sector in the Istanbul region. The main purpose was to extract an approach that could be applied to simultaneously boost LS and customer orientation for effective service delivery by organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-wave time-lagged survey design was used to collect the data over a period of three months. Two sets of self-administrated survey questionnaires were developed for both waves, containing the details of the study and items for measuring variables. The questionnaires were developed in such a manner that the anonymity of the respondents and ethical considerations remained intact. In the first wave, data were collected for two variables, i.e. organizational ethical climate and IL. The measurement scale for organizational ethical climate was adapted from the study of DeBode et al. (2013) and for IL from the study of Fry et al. (2017). In the second wave, data on the remaining two variables (LS and organizational customer orientation) were collected. Direct effects and indirect effects in the hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling (SEM).
Findings
This study has found that the organizational ethical climate strengthens the inner lives of employees, which is vital for the organizations from two angles: one, strong IL of an employee enhances his/her own LS and two, stronger IL accentuates customer orientation.
Research limitations/implications
The fact that the context of this study is limited to Turkey and that the participants are selected from among white-collar personnel working in the service sector reduces the representativeness of the research result. In this sense, in the next stages, the model of the research can be retested in different industries or cross-cultural studies can be designed by comparing the study results with samples from different geographies, so that the validity of these relations for different cultures can be seen.
Practical implications
The implications of this study revealed that employees will enjoy their lives more when authorities in organizations adopt organizational policies supporting the inner lives of employees, feel respect for their private areas and make the organizational climate more ethical. Hence, with practices such as workplace spirituality or spiritual leadership that support the inner lives of employees, the motivation and satisfaction of employees can be increased.
Social implications
This study revealed that inner life strength makes people comparative more ethical in their dealings, which gives them a sense of achievement and enhances work meaningfulness, boosting LS and customer-orientation. The findings of this study are vital for leaders, as they can achieve a conjoint elevation of the LS of their employees and enhance customer orientation for higher organizational performance.
Originality/value
This study is original in emphasizing the positive effect of spiritually powerful inner-life customer-orientedness in employees with empirical proof.
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Sohail Ahmad, Wahbeeah Mohti, Muhammad Khan, Muhammad Irfan and Omar Khalid Bhatti
The study is aimed at examining the impact of ESG on the financial performance (FP) of firms and determining the difference between the impact of ESG on market-oriented financial…
Abstract
Purpose
The study is aimed at examining the impact of ESG on the financial performance (FP) of firms and determining the difference between the impact of ESG on market-oriented financial performance measure (Tobin’s Q) and internal productivity-based financial measure (ROA). The study has also explored the influence of managerial ability and institutional quality as moderating variables on the relation between ESG and the financial performance of firms (both measures of FP: Tobin’s Q and ROA).
Design/methodology/approach
The study is quantitative exploratory and uses panel data of 687 publicly listed companies from the year 2013–2023. Data has been acquired from the reputed data providers and OLS regression has been used for panel data analysis with fixed effects.
Findings
The study reaffirms the positive impact of ESG on the financial performance of firms. Each pillar of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) has been found positively related to both measures of financial performance (Tobin’s Q and ROA). The study reveals that managerial ability and institutional quality, acting as supplementary variables, moderate the relationship between ESG and financial performance of firms.
Research limitations/implications
A limited sample comprising data from only 687 firms was used for the analysis. The latest data was not available, therefore, data from 2013 to 2023 was used in the study.
Practical implications
This study indicates that ESG practices, which are mostly discretionary in Emerging Economies, can be induced through institutional pressures and ensuring higher quality managers. Policymakers in government institutions have to determine the inefficiencies, corrupt practices, and inconsistencies in policies that lower the effectiveness of institutions making them business-unfriendly. At the organizational level, policymakers need to ensure that responsible positions in the organization are held by managers with higher managerial ability. It is also to be ensured by shareholders that managers do not over-invest in ESG-related projects, particularly in organizations with weaker financial status. For managers, it is important to understand the positive benefits associated with ESG, even though they are in the long term.
Social implications
In Emerging Economies, the official monitoring and regulatory mechanisms are weak, and lack a supportive attitude toward ESG initiatives. Voluntary and proactive firm-level environmental and social initiatives need to be encouraged and rewarded by institutions with public acknowledgment. ESG should be given priority by organizations for improving the quality of services and better social impact of businesses on society.
Originality/value
Most of the past research explored the impact of ESG on financial performance in advanced countries or in emerging markets in a single/limited number of countries or industries. Also, past studies investigated the impact of institutional quality and managerial ability on ESG/financial performance in separate models. Conversely, this study has used a multi-country and multi-industry sample for more generalizable findings. Against the backdrop of the institutional environment of Emerging Economies, the study extends Institutional Theory and Upper Echelon Theory to include the role of managerial ability and institutional quality in the relationship between ESG and firms’ financial performance.
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Omar Khalid Bhatti and Ali Raza Hanjra
This paper aims to attempt to investigate if the now-existing upstream Sost Dry Port in Gilgit-Baltistan and the prospective midstream Havelian Dry Port in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to attempt to investigate if the now-existing upstream Sost Dry Port in Gilgit-Baltistan and the prospective midstream Havelian Dry Port in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, both part of One Belt One Road (OBOR), are expected to compete against or complement each other in terms of port efficiency and location, and which of the two ports should first be developed in the wake of uninterrupted logistics flow of cargo on the Economic Corridor.
Design/methodology/approach
Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been used for multi-criteria decision making by the stakeholders. Five main criteria for transhipment port selection, ranging from port location, port efficiency, intermodal connectivity, port costs and cargo volume were used with three sub-criteria each.
Findings
This study demonstrates the results that favour physical infrastructural development initiatives prioritized for the Sost Dry Port in view of its strategic location as the upstream supply chain node on the Economic Corridor, imparting efficiency to the logistics flow.
Practical implications
Results of this study may assist policymakers in achieving goals like enhancing trade facilitation, reducing congestion and increasing cargo security on OBOR.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind that analyzes priority for immediate development intervention for either Sost or Havelian Dry Port, both located on CPEC – OBOR supply chain.
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Omar K Bhatti, Uzma S Aslam, Arif Hassan and Mohamed Sulaiman
This paper aims to provide an understanding of employee motivation from the Islamic perspective. The main objective of this paper is to understand Islamic motivation and to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide an understanding of employee motivation from the Islamic perspective. The main objective of this paper is to understand Islamic motivation and to explore if Islamic spirituality, punishment and reward and justice motivate Muslim employees.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative research approach was used to understand and examine the views of the respondents. Semi-structured interviewing technique was adopted, and the respondents were asked to share their own thoughts and understanding for each question provided. A sample of 13 experienced academicians and practitioners from renowned private organizations and academic institutions from Malaysia and Pakistan were selected for the present study.
Findings
The study found that the conventional viewpoint of motivation varies from Islamic viewpoint in regard to motivation of employees. And significantly, Islamic spirituality, reward and punishment, and justice act more compellingly in improving employee’s motivation.
Originality/value
This paper clearly highlights that the Western viewpoint of employee motivation is different as compared to the Islamic perspective.
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Eka Pariyanti, Andiana Rosid and Wiwiek Rabiatul Adawiyah
The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not Islamic Workplace Spirituality (IWS) acts as a moderator in the relationship between Organizational Justice (OJ), Job…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not Islamic Workplace Spirituality (IWS) acts as a moderator in the relationship between Organizational Justice (OJ), Job Satisfaction (JS) and Workplace Deviant Behavior (WDB).
Design/methodology/approach
This research was conducted at Islamic-based universities in Lampung, with 213 employees as respondents out of 456 population’s members. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling, and the data were collected directly from respondents using a self-administered questionnaire. The analysis method used to test the research hypothesis was moderated regression analysis (MRA).
Findings
Out of six hypotheses proposed all were supported. This study confirmed the moderating role of Islamic Workplace Spirituality on the relationship of organizational justice and job satisfaction with workplace deviant behavior.
Research limitations/implications
This study has several limitations on the self-report measures used, which may lead to general error bias. Also, because of the cross-sectional nature of data collection in this study, it can impact the inaccurate delineation of causal conclusions between the constructs examined (Clugston, 2000). Further research is suggested to conduct longitudinal research. This research was conducted in Lampung and is limited to religion-based agencies, limiting the generalizability of some findings in different places. Future studies are suggested to examine this construct in a broader scope. Generalizability problems were observed because people's responses to the questionnaires were so evident that they did not give importance to the research work, and they thought it was a waste of time to respond.
Practical implications
Since bearing the label “Islamic Higher Education” identifies them as part of Islamic education, all institutions that bear that label must follow Islamic law rulings in all of their operational activities. Islamic Spirituality in the Workplace (IWS) will make employees in organizations work on time and even manage their workload correctly. Having values related to spiritual constructs will make employees more ethical in understanding values and behavior, also increase trust among workers.
Social implications
ISW will make employees in organizations/agencies work on time and even manage their workload correctly. Management must understand that an organization needs to create a healthy environment by providing organizational justice and reducing people's deviant behavior in the organization. Positive individual behavior shall increase the quality of one's social life.
Originality/value
Most theories in human resources development in higher education came from the field of psychology while religious perspectives tend to be omitted. This study underlines some of the crucial advances and contributions in developing human resource management theory related to Islamic workplace spirituality as a strategy to mitigate employees' deviant behavior.
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Muhammad Irfan, Omar Khalid Bhatti and Ali Osman Ozturk
Female managers have numerous vulnerabilities related to their reputation and career progression in addition to social, sexual and discriminatory vulnerabilities. In…
Abstract
Purpose
Female managers have numerous vulnerabilities related to their reputation and career progression in addition to social, sexual and discriminatory vulnerabilities. In organizational settings, antagonized subordinates, peers or superiors can exploit their vulnerabilities through negative use of social media. For optimal performance and inclusion in organizational activities, it is essential to protect female managers against exploitation. Social media can be used for this purpose and dictates an investigation into it as an agent to reduce vulnerabilities and enhance inclusion of female managers.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data collected through 25 in-depth semi-structured interviews from respondents belonging to five different organizations has been used in this exploratory study. Thematic analysis was done to reach the underlying structures of subjective responses of female managers.
Findings
This study finds that positive use of social media is effective in reducing vulnerabilities and female managers feel more included and protected against exploitation in inclusive organizations. The study presents a holistic view of vulnerabilities of female managers, various forms taken by negative use of social media, mechanics of positive use of social media and pathways to inclusive organization through reduction of vulnerabilities.
Research limitations/implications
Availability of limited time, resources and a single cultural context were few limitations. The study highlights an important area for further research indicating psychological trauma of victimized female managers forcing them to feel excluded from the organization.
Practical implications
This study will enhance understanding of practitioners about vulnerabilities of female managers and its likely accentuation through negative use of social media. In addition, they can learn the use of social media for reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing inclusion of female managers. This study also shed light on methodology to handle the situation in the face of all forms of negative use of social media.
Social implications
Female managers are highly vulnerable to exploitation through use of social media by antagonized groups and individuals who can easily attack their reputation and image. This study is an effort to reduce vulnerabilities of business women. Additionally, it is also aimed at enhancing inclusion of females in organizational activities to counter their isolation and discrimination on the basis of gender.
Originality/value
The issue of negative use of social media has not received attention of scholars. Being a research gap, exploratory study based on qualitative responses has been conducted to explore different facets of the issue. In-depth interviews have been conducted to collect primary data.
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Mohd Shukor Harun, Khaled Hussainey, Khairul Ayuni Mohd Kharuddin and Omar Al Farooque
This study aims to explore the corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) practices of the Islamic banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries during the period…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) practices of the Islamic banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries during the period 2010-2014 and examines the determinants of CSRD and its effects on firm value.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions Governance Standard No. 7 guidelines and using content analysis, the paper develops a comprehensive CSRD index for GCC Islamic banks. The study applies ordinary least squares regression analysis for hypothesis testing and for finding determinants of respective dependent variables.
Findings
The results show a very low level of CSRD among the sample Islamic banks in GCC countries. When using corporate governance characteristics to examine the determinants of CSRD, this study provides evidence of a significant positive association between board size and CSRD practice in Islamic banks and a significant negative relationship of chief executive officer (CEO) duality with CSRD, as per expectation. For the economic consequences of CSRD, the study documents an inverse performance effect of CSRD while board size, board composition and CEO duality indicate significant positive effects on firm value.
Research limitations/implications
The relatively small sample size of GCC Islamic banks may limit the application of the findings to other Islamic financial institutions such as Takaful and the Islamic unit trust company.
Practical implications
The findings of this study initiate the global debate on the need for corporate governance reform in Islamic banks by providing insights on the role played by corporate governance mechanisms in encouraging and enhancing CSRD practices among Islamic banks. The findings also have important implications for investors, managers, regulatory bodies, policymakers and Islamic banks in the GCC countries.
Social implications
The results of the study do not support the idea that Islamic banks operating on Islamic principles can meet their social responsibilities through promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and by differentiating themselves from non-Islamic banks.
Originality/value
This is the first study to examine the determinants of CSRD in GCC Islamic banks using comprehensive CSRD and corporate governance variables and, therefore, adds value to the existing CSR literature in banking.