Tarek Mohamed Ali, Joseph Amankwah-Amoah and Bassant Adel Mostafa
This study seeks to examine the mediating role of mental health issues in the workplace (MHIW) in explaining the complex relationship between person-organization-fit (P.O-fit…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to examine the mediating role of mental health issues in the workplace (MHIW) in explaining the complex relationship between person-organization-fit (P.O-fit) dimensions and workers' productivity (WP) variance during COVID-19 in the Egyptian soap and detergents industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a cross-sectional survey, the authors collected data from 373 frontline workers and supervisors working at ARMA soap and detergents (ASD) factories. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 production-lines and quality-control supervisors. The hypothesized model was analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling technique.
Findings
The authors found a significant, high P.O-fit level among ASD workers. The need-supplies-fit and supplementary-fit controlled MHIW. The need-supplies-fit and supplementary-fit alongside MHIW explained the growth in WP during COVID-19. The MHIW mediated the relationship between P.O-fit dimensions and WP during the pandemic.
Research limitations/implications
Limited attention was paid to investigating how the P.O-fit dimensions enable frontline workers to remain productive despite the MHIW associated with COVID-19. This study bridges the aforementioned research gap by elucidating how the supplementary-fit, demand-abilities-fit and need-supplies-fit manipulate MHIW and maintain WP growth during the pandemic.
Practical implications
The findings provide clear guidelines for the first-line supervisors to foster the P.O-fit dimensions, control MHIW and sustain WP growth during COVID-19.
Originality/value
This study is among the first to add significant information on how MHIW (as mediator) explains the relationship between P.O-fit and WP growth during the pandemic.
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Lara Lengel and Victoria Ann Newsom
To examine how social media restrict and recreate messages within current interactionist scripts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), this study applies a framework of…
Abstract
To examine how social media restrict and recreate messages within current interactionist scripts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), this study applies a framework of digital reflexivity highlighting stages of information flow. It applies the symbolic interaction concept of emotional events to analyze the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi and the role of social media in disseminating Bouazizi’s act as one catalyst of the MENA citizen uprisings. The role of social media in the “Arab Spring” merits investigation because social media provide opportunities to examine shifting identities, interactions, and actions of citizen activists in the MENA uprisings. This study is important and timely because little symbolic interactionist scholarship exists on MENA identities and social movements, or on crowd interaction and activism outside the West. The nuanced nature of MENA political activism and complex processes of the development of activists’ “mutable” selves (Zurcher, 1977) are fluid and resistant to symbolically defined social roles, interactionist scripts and reflexivity, and public communication practices in a MENA under political and social transition.
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Mohammed Osama Rasmy, Tarek Abdel Latif Abu Atta and Asmaa Abdelaty Mohamed Ibrahim
This study explores the best strategies for regional economic development to attract highly skilled populations, regardless of whether the region is a multisector or unisector…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the best strategies for regional economic development to attract highly skilled populations, regardless of whether the region is a multisector or unisector economic hub. It also determines the development variables affecting the success of integrated regional economic hubs to achieve spatial equality, enhance economic productivity and attain environmental sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
In addition to a qualitative analysis, this study employed quantitative techniques using SPSS software. This allowed amplification of the most significant explanatory variables affecting the weaknesses and strengths of economic hubs.
Findings
The results highlight approaches that can be used to achieve socio-economic sustainability in regional hubs. These include multisectors or main centralised hubs (smart economic regional capital), which provide new services to regions and act as a unidevelopment sector or as a regional, economic capital.
Research limitations/implications
The study analyses the effect of economic strategies and integration of natural resources and the required core services in regional economic development.
Practical implications
Case studies of successful economic hubs are discussed. The most important services proposed in such hubs promote human development and increase the standard of living.
Social implications
Integration between the hubs in a region is fundamental to attracting direct investments that can benefit the local population.
Originality/value
The results could help governments, economists and planners implement multisector developmental hubs to achieve sustainable development.
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Salma Ali, Heba Ali and Amira Tarek
This study aims at investigating the nexus between stock misvaluation, Fintech and COVID-19 via identifying the firm-level misvaluation of Fintech firms, and additionally…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims at investigating the nexus between stock misvaluation, Fintech and COVID-19 via identifying the firm-level misvaluation of Fintech firms, and additionally examining how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected this misvaluation. This study further examines how the level of stock misvaluation has changed after the COVID-19 pandemic to shed more light on the pricing behavior of Fintech in a post-pandemic world.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of all Fintech firms listed in the STOXX Global Fintech Index over the period (2014–2023). To empirically identify stock misvaluation, the authors apply the widely used approach of Rhodes-Kroph et al. (2005). Then, a series of fixed-effects regressions is conducted to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mispricing.
Findings
This study finds compelling evidence that Fintech stocks tend to be particularly mispriced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This evidence suggests that investors became more attracted to Fintech stocks, as being exposed to widespread adoption, usage and investment worldwide during the pandemic. Interestingly, the findings show that Fintech firms remain overvalued, even after the pandemic, which indicates that investors maintain their positive expectations for Fintech firms after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practical implications
For investors and fund managers, the observed high valuation in the Fintech sector highlights its noticeable growth in the financial industry. The results also suggest that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pricing behavior is asymmetric across the undervalued and overvalued Fintech stocks. This finding provides important insights for portfolio construction and investment strategies during the hard times of pandemics.
Originality/value
No previous work has been done on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevailing levels of mispricing in Fintech stocks. Moreover, the findings provide novel insights into the pricing efficiency in the context of Fintech and extend the understanding of the long-term effects on Fintech firms in a post-pandemic world.
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Mosa Abdelgelil Amin, Eman Mohamed Abdelmaged, Awad Elsayed Ibrahim and Tarek Abdelfattah
This study aims to investigate the relationship between Chief Executive Officer (CEO) characteristics and audit report lag (ARL) in Egypt, an emerging economy characterized by…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationship between Chief Executive Officer (CEO) characteristics and audit report lag (ARL) in Egypt, an emerging economy characterized by high power distance and a culture of secrecy. The study utilizes a theoretical framework that integrates agency theory, stewardship theory, and upper echelons theory as the foundation for examining this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of 587 firm-year observations from non-financial firms listed on the EGX100, covering the period from 2012 to 2019. The primary variable of the study (ARL) is measured using different proxies. The analysis utilizes both Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and logistic regression models, with additional analysis considering CEO power and using board gender diversity as a moderating variable.
Findings
The study finds that CEO characteristics significantly affect ARL, demonstrating a negative association between CEO ownership, founder status, family ties, duality and ARL. These findings remain robust after a series of tests using alternative measures. Additional analysis reveals that CEO power is negatively and significantly related to ARL. Interestingly, the negative association between CEO characteristics and ARL is more pronounced in boards without female members.
Originality/value
Although extensive research has been conducted on the factors determining ARL, few studies have examined the impact of CEO characteristics on ARL, particularly in emerging economies such as Egypt. The business environment in Egypt is characterized by high power distance and a secretive culture, providing a unique context for this study.
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Ali Hassan Ali, Tarek Zayed, Sulemana Fatoama Abdulai and Roy Dong Wang
This study aims to explore the tower crane safety factors (TCSFs) that influence tower crane safe operations (TCSOs) in modular integrated construction (MiC). It evaluates how the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the tower crane safety factors (TCSFs) that influence tower crane safe operations (TCSOs) in modular integrated construction (MiC). It evaluates how the adoption of these factors contributes to achieving TCSOs and promoting sustainable practices (SPs) within MiC.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve this aim, the study employed a systematic search to ensure a comprehensive collection of variables. Additionally, it conducted a questionnaire survey involving professionals and utilized a brainstorming technique to categorize the different variables. Finally, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the relationship between TCSOs and SPs.
Findings
The results of measurement models indicated strong convergent and discriminant validity, with each observed variable correlating well with its latent variable. Moreover, a significant positive correlation between TCSOs and SPs was evidenced by a path coefficient (β = 0.755) and a p-value of <0.05. Lastly, the structural model revealed that the independent variables strongly influence the dependent variable (i.e. SPs) by 57%, underscoring safety's pivotal role in advancing sustainability within MiC projects. These findings provide empirical evidence that improving tower crane safety can directly enhance sustainable practices, offering a dual benefit of increased safety and sustainability for the construction sector.
Originality/value
This study makes a unique and previously undiscovered contribution to the field by identifying the TCSFs in MiC and employing a novel approach by utilizing PLS-SEM to create a unique mathematical model. It offers valuable insights into the relationship between TCSFs, TCSOs and SPs, thus contributing to methodological advancements within Safety Science and providing a foundation for future research and practical implementation in the construction industry.
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Businesses of all sizes are susceptible to unforeseen shocks, which could have severe adverse effects on its brand, its reputation and even its survival. This case draws on three…
Abstract
Theoretical basis
Businesses of all sizes are susceptible to unforeseen shocks, which could have severe adverse effects on its brand, its reputation and even its survival. This case draws on three main streams of academic business literature and bodies of knowledge that come into play under such circumstances: reputational risk, crisis management and social media.
Research methodology
The author used primary and secondary sources in the research and development of this case. An interview with one of the cofounders of The Bakery Shop (TBS) provided a primary first-hand account of the events leading to this crisis and the subsequent remedial actions taken. The author supplemented this research with information from TBS’s website, social media accounts and TBS-provided material.
Case overview/synopsis
In 2015, TBS, a growing Egyptian business specializing in premium baked goods, launched a new fusion dessert “The Croissant Om Ali.” Triggered by social media, the new product was an instant hit, resulting in orders that exceeded TBS’s initial projection. However, the business suffered a sudden turn of events when some consumers showed symptoms of food poisoning. Once again, social media came into play with an aggressive customer backlash toward TBS. Its cofounders devised an appropriate action plan to address the crisis and salvage TBS’s tarnished reputation.
Complexity academic level
This case is written primarily for an introductory business course for first-year students of business and other closely related disciplines. This case mainly addresses crisis management as a means of restoring corporate reputation. It also highlights the important role of social media in a crisis.
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Salma Okasha, Heba Ali and Amira Tarek
This study aims to investigate the nexus between corporate sustainability performance, Fintech and COVID-19 by examining how COVID-19 has impacted Fintech firms’ environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the nexus between corporate sustainability performance, Fintech and COVID-19 by examining how COVID-19 has impacted Fintech firms’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. The study further examines the long-term effects on ESG performance post-pandemic, to shed more light on the persistence of firms’ commitment towards sustainability in a post-pandemic world.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample includes all Fintech firms listed in the STOXX Global FinTech Index over the period 2014–2023. Fixed-effects regression analyses are conducted to examine this relationship, controlling for other firm characteristics. To further ensure results validity, the two-stage least squares estimation method is also used.
Findings
This paper find that Fintech firms exhibit better ESG/pillar performance during COVID-19, supporting the view that firms tend to maintain or enhance their sustainability practices. Interestingly, the findings also reveal that Fintech firms could maintain and even improve their ESG/pillar performance after the pandemic, indicating that these changes are lasting, not merely short-term adaptations during the hard times of the crisis.
Practical implications
For practitioners and firms, the results allow for a better understanding of Fintech firms’ tendency towards sustainability practices, especially in a post-pandemic world. For investors, the findings help get insights into the drivers of the sustainability behavior of Fintech firms in response to the pandemic.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first attempts to investigate how COVID-19 affects Fintech firms’ engagement in sustainability/ESG activities to extend both the increasingly growing literature on sustainability and the literature that focuses on Fintech and its role in a today’s world.
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Mohamed Ashour, Alaa Mohamed, Abou Bakr Elshalakany, Tarek Osman and Aly Khatab
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the rheological characteristics of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and hybridized nanocomposite consisting of multi-walled carbon…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the rheological characteristics of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and hybridized nanocomposite consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and GNPs as an additive on lithium-based grease. The experiments of nanogrease are examined in different values of shear stress, apparent viscosity, temperature and shear rate using Brookfield Programmable Rheometer DV-III ULTRA and characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).
Design/methodology/approach
First, GNPs was mixed well with lithium grease using mechanical stirring at 3,500 rpm for 15 min at room temperature to form a homogenous composite at different concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 Wt.%). Afterwards, MWCNTs and GNPs are mixed and dispersed well in the lithium grease using a sonication path for 30 min and mechanical stirring at 3,500 rpm for 15 min at 28°C to form a homogenous nanocomposite.
Findings
The results indicated that 1 Wt.% of GNPs is the optimum concentration. Subsequently, the weight percentage of additives varying between MWCNTs and GNPs are tested, and the result indicate that the grease containing GNPs had a 75 per cent increase in shear stress and 93.7 per cent increase in apparent viscosity over ordinary grease.
Originality/value
This work describes the inexpensive and simple fabrication of nanogrease for improving properties of lubricants, which improve power efficiency and extend lifetimes of mechanical equipment.
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Samy Shaban, Abd Elaziz Fouda, Mohamed Elmorsi, Tarek Fayed and Omar Azazy
The purpose of this study is to inspect the corrosion inhibition of API N80 steel pipelines in uninhibited solution and inhibited with a synthesized surfactant compound…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to inspect the corrosion inhibition of API N80 steel pipelines in uninhibited solution and inhibited with a synthesized surfactant compound [N-(3-(dimethyl octyl ammonio) propyl) palmitamide bromide] (DMDPP), which is prepared through a simple and applicable method.
Design/methodology/approach
Weight loss was inspected at five different temperatures of 25°C, 30°C, 40°C, 50°C and 60°C Potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and electrochemical frequency modulation were used at room temperature. Density functional theory was used to study the relation between the molecular structure and inhibition theoretically.
Findings
Adsorption of the prepared DMDPP fits the Langmuir isotherm model. The inhibition efficiency of the prepared DMDPP amphipathic inhibitor is directly proportional to temperature increase. Polarization results reveal that the investigated DMDPP amphipathic compound behaves as a mixed-type inhibitor. EIS spectra produced one individual capacitive loop.
Originality/value
The originality is the preparation of cationic surfactants through a simple method, which can be used as corrosion inhibitors in oil production. The synthesized inhibitors were prepared from low-price materials. The work studied the behavior of the synthesized surfactants in inhibiting the corrosion of the steel in an acidic medium. Electrochemical and theoretical studies were presented, besides gravimetric and surface examination.