Business Commons^™

The Role Of Transformational Leadership And Job Satisfaction In Change Readiness In Petrochemical Industry Of Saudi Arabia, Maram Alshahrani, Harris Siddiqi Tahir, Bassem Emile Maamari, Beverley Mcnally

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Neglecting an organization’s readiness for change may have far-reaching influence on the success of a change process. This study investigates two factors that impact organizational change success, leadership and job satisfaction. The aim of study is to examine the relationship between transformational leadership, job satisfaction, and change readiness in the Saudi petrochemical industry context. The results reveal that change readiness increases job satisfaction of employees when leaders apply the principles of transformational leadership. The findings have implications for HR practitioners in designing leadership development programs to ensure job satisfaction, better and desired outcomes from an organizational change program.

The Relationship Between Microfinance Bank And Economic Growth In Nigeria, Muhammad-Bashir Owolabi Yusuf, Ridwan Olabisi Yusuff, Daud Ishola Jimoh

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The goal of this study was to investigate how Nigeria's economy and microfinance banks are related, using time series data from 1992 to 2021. The relationship was assessed using the ARDL model. Short-term negative relationship exists between Microfinance Bank Asset and Economic growth. Specifically, the results indicate that a rise in the assets of microfinance banks (MFBA) will slow Nigeria's economic expansion. Economic growth in Nigeria is considerable and favorably correlated with microfinance banks loans and advances. Finally, it was clear that there is a long-run equilibrium link between economic growth, microfinance banks' assets and their loans and advances.

Exploring Wasta And Religious Values And Principles: A Case Study Of Employee Engagement In The Uae Hospitality Sector, Reimara Valk, Lina Yousif, Lynne Mcgarvey

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of the socio-cultural concept ‘Wasta’ as well as religious values and principles in employee engagement in the hospitality industry in the United Arab Emirates, embedded in the country’s socio-economic, cultural and institutional context. This study investigates employee engagement through the theoretical lenses of Positive Psychology and Positive Organizational Scholarship. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 41 employees in the case study hotel in Dubai, findings from this case study research show that the manifestation of EE is influenced by a country’s religious and socio-cultural context.

The Impact Of Social Media On Customer Behavior – Evidence From Lebanon, Nada Jabbour Al Maalouf, Jean Elia, Chadia Sawaya, Fawzy Boutros

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of social media advertising on customer behavior; specifically its impact on customer decision-making through social proof, customer perceptions of brands, and customer loyalty. No studies tackled this topic in Lebanon and this gap was the main motive behind this study.

Method: A quantitative deductive method was employed and a questionnaire was sent to Lebanese customers to achieve the objective of the study. The final sample obtained is 147.

Findings: The findings revealed a positive correlation between social media usage, customer decision-making, customer attitudes and perceptions toward brands, and customer loyalty. The study's findings …

Emotional Intelligence Impact On The Creativity Of Project Managers In Architecture Companies Favoring Sustainability, Nada Jabbour Al Maalouf, Jean Elia, Chadia Sawaya, Razan Al Baradhi

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The importance of Emotional Intelligence (EI) was discussed by several authors; however, the impact of EI on the creativity of project managers was not tackled. This gap in the literature was the main purpose of this study. To test the hypothesis which suggests that there is a positive correlation between EI and the creativity of project managers in architecture companies favoring sustainability, a quantitative research approach was employed. Architecture companies favoring sustainability were chosen as the target population because they represent a context where the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and creativity has practical significance, given the industry's focus on sustainability …

Critical Femininities On Shores: Unveiling Gendered Realities Within Ladies-Only Resorts In Lebanon, Jihane Adeimi

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Following a gendered mobilities approach, this one-of-a-kind, multi-sited study explores the differentiated beach leisure lifestyles and practices of local female beach goers frequenting the increasingly popular ladies-only resorts in Lebanon through the examination of the complex synergy between business, gender, lifestyle. religion and mental constructions. Stemming from in-depth interviews, the qualitative findings have exposed the various forces at play behind some gendered business practices and beach leisure choices shaping the beach industry in Lebanon as well as how the beach leisure business is contributing to the redefinition and reinterpretation of the female body, womanhood and feminism

Effects Of Technological Progress And Productivity On Economic Growth In Uganda: A Generalized Least Squares Approach, Jimmy Alani, Bruno Yawe, John Mutenyo

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The paper makes use of the generalized least squares method to examine the effects of technological progress and productivity on economic growth in Uganda during the 1970 to 2020 period. Data employed in conducting empirical analyses were collected from the United Nations data bank. The paper is based on the neoclassical growth model and Cobb–Douglas production function with decreasing returns to scale because production often takes place within the feasible region of production. Therefore, we focus on the range of diminishing (but non–negative) productivity of the factors of production. We also examine the effects of some determinants of technology (e.g., …

Reflections On The Initiatives Of Ngos, Ingos, And Un Organizations In Eradicating Poverty In Lebanon Through The Case Study Of Rmf, Jeanne Laure Mawad, Mohammad Makki

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Despite several measures aimed at helping the poor, almost three-quarters of the Lebanese residents plunge into poverty (ESCWA, 2021), owing to a severe political, economic and financial crisis that hit the country since the last quarter of 2019 (WorldBank, 2021). These combined shocks have resulted in a drop in the living conditions for a large percentage of the Lebanese, minorities, and refugees. Many efforts have been set to lower the levels of poverty by INGOs,NGOs, and UN organizations in the country whether by providing direct relief support to the poor, minorities and refugees or by funding SMEs and startups, yet …

Business Cycles And Monetary Policy Analysis In A Structural Sticky Price Model Of The Lebanese Economy, Jennifer Challita

Arab Economic and Business Journal

A medium-size structural model is built in this article in order to define and reshape the Lebanese economy characteristics and features. However, the structural model is featured by a Taylor monetary policy rule design with nominal interest smoothing. Including the Taylor rule helped us to analyze the response function of each variables to different monetary policy shocks. Hence, the results of this paper showed how changing coefficients may influence the standard deviations of variables in the model as such the inflation rate, the nominal interest rate and the output GAP. More precisely, the performance of the model is detected while …

Towards An Institutional Aesthetic Of Women’S Entrepreneurship: A Political Economy Perspective, Melissa Langworthy

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This article presents a feminist constructivist political economy perspective on the role of women’s enterprise development in modern times. Through establishing women’s enterprise as an aesthetic of good institutions rooted in the microcredit movement of the late twentieth century but with expanded resurgence into the global North in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, I illustrate how female (micro)enterprise programs afforded moral legitimacy to international organizations, NGOs, and later corporations, financial institutions, and states in ways that downplayed individual and systemic empowerment.

Assessing The Impact Of Supply Chain Management Processes On The Lebanese Industry Of Goods And Services During Times Of Uncertainty, Atef Harb, Mony Trad

Arab Economic and Business Journal

In general and through the three functions of Marketing, Operations and Finance, value for the customer is created. However, firms seldom create this value by themselves. Instead, they rely on a variety of suppliers who provide everything from raw materials to accounting. These suppliers when taken together can be thought of a supply chain. Being so diversified, the Lebanese firms have a huge challenge in setting an efficient supply chain process, thus, the firms and through their professional teams were able to set a detailed list of requirements to be followed to consolidate its data and to manage properly the …

Health-Seeking Behavior Of Rural Ethnic Women In Bangladesh: A Critical Analysis Through Intersectional Lens, Faraha Nawaz, Atia Nowshin Bushra

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The paper aims to investigate the health seeking behavior of rural ethnic women in Bangladesh through the lens of intersectionality. The paper sheds light on the healthcare seeking behavior of rural ethnic women by exploring the barriers of their healthcare accessibility, role of community organizations and traditional healers in shaping health seeking behavior, analyzing the impact of education, health literacy and healthcare awareness, and evaluating the role of family and community level power imbalance over the health seeking behavior of rural ethnic women. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. The findings of the paper highlight that …

The Prevalence Of Herding In Indian Auto Sector: Implications For Market Efficiency, Arundhathi P S, Aslam P S, Libison K B

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The worldwide catastrophes due to the spread of Wuhan virus, India had witnessed an explosive change in the economic activity, mainly in the investment pattern. This made the investors to do panic trading by following what others were doing in the market. We offer an empirical analysis to examine the presence of herding in Indian Automobile Sector during pre-pandemic and pandemic period (COVID-19). To detect the presence of herding, we applied Cross Sectional Absolute Deviation (CSAD) and One-way ANOVA was employed to examine whether there is any significant difference in the auto index during Pre pandemic and pandemic period. The …

Meeting The Challenge In A Crisis: Students Perceptions Of Emergency On-Line Teaching In Saudi Arabia, Beverley Mcnally, Carmen Winkel, Wejdan Al Obaydan

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This paper explores the perceptions of a group of female Saudi Arabian university students, during the Covid-19 pandemic, regarding emergency on-line learning (EOL). The study utilized a mixed methods approach comprising two surveys. The first, examining the mechanics and structure of the shift. The second, a qualitative design eliciting the students’ responses to EOL. While the students initially enjoyed the experience, as time progressed a sense of dissatisfaction developed which became worse the longer the lockdowns lasted. The results assist policy makers, social workers, and student advisors to prepare for future crises that may result in another prolonged lockdown.

The Remittance, Foreign Direct Investment, Export, And Economic Growth In Bangladesh: A Time Series Analysis, Al Mamun, M H M Imrul Kabir

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This research empirically examined the effect of internal and external factors on the economic growth of Bangladesh using the annual data from 1976 to 2019. ARDL bounds tests were used to detect cointegration and understand the dynamic effect. This study mainly identified the positive and negative casualties because remittance and export have a significant positive role, and FDI has an adverse role in the economic growth process. Furthermore, this study recommends that the government take appropriate steps to increase export, the inflow of remittance and FDI to achieve long-run economic growth, considering the impact of COVID-19 and present Russia- Ukraine …

Exploring Permanency Of Pandemic Influenced Changes In Habitual Consumption Behaviour, Ray Titus, Sejal Valera, Debashish Sengupta

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The pandemic has universally disrupted the way people live and socialise. People’s behavioural patterns have also been significantly influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic. A study conducted in Singapore found evidence of at least 17 behavioural changes triggered by Covid-19 pandemic. Another study done in Italy found that there was a high intention to adopt protective behaviours post the Covid-19 lockdown. Similarly, a study done in South Africa indicated enhanced behavioural responses to Covid-19 and consequently the evolution of preventive behaviours. The behavioural changes triggered by Covid-19 pandemic are likely to extend into consumption territory and impact consumer behaviour significantly. A …

From Case Studies To Experiential Learning. Is Simulation An Effective Tool For Student Assessment?, Bassem E Maamari, Darin El-Nakla,

Arab Economic and Business Journal

With the fast changes enforced by the COVID-19, many business schools found themselves streamed into using new technology and platforms to safeguard the academic year 2020-2021. The introduction of business simulation for student assessment before graduating from the undergraduate program has always presented a challenge in terms of approach to use. Today, business simulation is introduced, not only to enhance students’ learning experience but also to satisfy the assessment institutional requirement of closing the gap. This comparative quantitative study uses feedback from students of two cohorts assessed during the same academic year, one using the case method and the second …

The Perceived Image Of Nudity In Digital Advertisements, Lindos Daou, Lea Maksoud

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The perception of nudity in ads is a very wide and critical topic and it has been commonly used in advertising campaigns in different countries. Many factors influence the perception of customers in advertisements such as gender, education level, culture and race. The purpose of this study is to determine how taboo related to sex and nudity is perceived in ads and how it effects the brand itself. Data was collected via an online questionnaire and was distributed to Lebanese women of different age groups, educational levels, religions, affiliations and occupations. The results showed that nudity level affects consumers’ attention …

Effect Of Socio-Economic Factors On Loan Repayment Performance Of Youth Revolving Fund In Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, Abebe Negesse Bantu, N.S. Malik

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Youth Revolving Fund (YRF) loan was established to help unemployed youths alleviate their economic and social difficulties. However, its loan repayment performance is not as expected. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine effect of socio-economic factors on loan repayment performance of YRF in Oromia Regional State. 328 data collected from 328 respondents and the result showed peer pressure, loan diversion, time of maturity of investment and predominant economic shocks were affected loan repayment at 5% level of significance. Finally, government is recommended to create awareness about YRF loan, reconsider training and guidance, and alternative fund utilization strategy.

Intermarket Analysis: Oil, Gold, Us Dollar And Stock Market, Khalife Danielle, Elia Richard, El Chaarani Hani, Bou Nader Elsa

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The interdependence among the prices of oil, gold, the US dollar and stock market prices is of fundamental importance for any investment decision. This paper studies the bilateral relationships between these asset classes in order to identify direct and indirect relationships, positive and negative interactions by using regression analysis, and then tries to demonstrate if a simultaneous relationship exists between the four asset classes via the empirical methodology: the simultaneous equation approach. The international data used to do a regression analysis to identify the bilateral relationships between assets is from November, 2011 to October, 2021 on a monthly basis. The …

The Importance Of Non-Financial Services For The Performance Of Lebanese Microfinance Institutions., Ribal Bassam Rizk, Diana Riad Khalil

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Non-financial services, such as consultations in research and development, finance, economics, accounting, law, and others (Eurostat, 2020) are offered to companies. Providing non-financial along with financial services at microfinance institutions has been a very controversial topic over the last decade. In fact, many scholars have highlighted the advantages of non-financial services not only for customers but also for microfinance institutions, whilst others have pinpointed the massive operational expenses that come with those services and identified the negative impact of those services on micro-finance institutions’ financial performance. Therefore, this paper aims at studying the effect that non-financial services really have on …

Exploring The Relationship Between The Financial Ratios And The Share Price: Evidence From Bahrain Listed Financial Institutions, Arpita Anshu Mehrotra

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This study explores the empirical relationship between the stock prices and financial ratios in Bahrain Stock Exchange specifically applied on financial institutions listed in Bahrain Bourse. The results of the analysis varied as follows: earning per share, return on assets and return on equity ratios have shown positive relationship with the share price, while price to earnings ratio and Financial Leverage ratio have demonstrated negative relationship with the share price. Finally, the firm’s size which is measured by the total assets of the companies has no relation or impact on the stock price.

Leadership And Human Resource Management During Crisis, Ghenwa Al Hakim, Bettina Lynda Bastian, Madonna Salameh Ayanian, Nada Sarkis

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The present paper investigates the role of leadership and human resource management (HRM) in times of crisis. The analysis is situated within the context of Lebanon which is facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic whilst undergoing a devastating economic crisis and downturn. Based on 23 interviews with managers, the paper recognizes attributes of effective leadership in a crisis management approach, as well as the role that the HRM plays in driving employee and organizational performance despite external challenges. In this context, several leadership and HRM practices in response to crisis are identified and discussed.

An Exploratory Study On The Work Life Balance Of Married Indian Working Women In Bahrain, Elizabeth M Samuel

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This paper is an attempt to explore the challenges faced by Indian working women in safeguarding equilibrium between their personal and professional life. The various factors affecting the work –life balance of married Indian working women have been examined in this study. 120 Indian working women have substantiated their work life, which is evident in this research. This in turn signifies that the problems faced by the Indian working women are considerably low. The conclusions highlights the fact that the people's work-life balance has an impact on their quality of life.

External Factors And Economic Growth In Tunisia: Ardl Approach With Structural Change Analysis, Saif Eddine Ayouni, Ramzi Farhani, Mekki Hamdaoui

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This paper examined the effect of external factors on economic growth in Tunisia. The economic analysis was carried out using recent quantitative technique of annual time series data from 1976 to 2017. Based on co-integration test with unknown structural breaks and ARDL bound testing we investigated importance of each factor in stimulating economic growth. Our results show that in the long-run FDI does not affect economic growth. Remittances and imports negatively affect economic growth. Exports promote economic growth such that a 1% increase stimulates economic activity by 0.702%. In the short term, our estimates emphasize a structural break in 1988 …

Comparative Book Review: “Leading Through A Pandemic” And “Work Smart Now”, Ghenwa Mahmoud Al Hakim

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This article provides comparative review of two books “Leading Through a Pandemic: The Inside Story of Humanity, Innovation, and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Crisis” and “WORK SMART NOW How to jump start productivity, empower employees and achieve more” written by professional authors in the field of leadership and successful management practices. These books were chosen for being highly effective in contributing added value knowledge to the literature of leadership practices, whether in the context of crises or normal conditions. The review was commenced with description of the chapters of the books and clarifying its infringements to the readers …

Transforming Creativity Skills Into Creative Habits, Bethlem Clavijo Boronat, Halim Choueiry

Arab Economic and Business Journal

In a constantly changing and uncertain word, the creative capability is a key skill, not only for professional and personal success, but for survival. Educational systems have traditionally treated creativity as a marginal component of educational programs and, when it has been taught, it has been done in the focus of tools and techniques more than on building a solid creative base for students. This paper analyses the situation of the present-day creativity teaching in Higher Education and determines the key capabilities that allow the students to build a solid creative personality. After that, the paper offers a range of …

Lesson-Drawing And Policy Diffusion Of Gcc Countries In The Development Of Renewable Energies: The Case Of The Kingdom Of Bahrain, Vivien Exartier

Arab Economic and Business Journal

The Gulf region is a booming economic region whose fast development depends very much on its natural energy resources. However, the accelerating pace of regional development and mega-projects also meant using more power generation and energy availability. Gas consumption in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE surged by 50% between 2002 and 2008. GCC states occupy the top global rankings in carbon dioxide emissions per capita.

The comparative study of public policy is concerned with how different governments respond to a common problem. Comparisons can be made in terms of programs, resources, or outcomes. The paper compares how GCC …

Building Climate Resilience In Indian Farm Households: An Analysis Of National And State Policies And Initiatives, A. Suresh, P. K. Viswanathan

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Over the years, the wrath of the nature in the form of adverse changes in the climate is borne by the agriculture sector all over the world, threatening the global food security. Indian agriculture is highly vulnerable to climatic extremes as agriculture forms the mainstay of the rural population. With increasing adverse effects caused by the climatic extremes, India has also embarked on various initiatives towards making its agriculture sector resilient to the vagaries of nature. In this regard, this paper reviews the studies related to climate change and its impact on Indian agriculture followed by the climate resilient agriculture …

Blockchain Technology For Reshaping Stock Exchanges: A Qualitative Exploratory Study In Palestine, Asia Aburidi

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Purpose: This research aims to explore how to reshape stock exchanges by using blockchain technology with an emphasis on the case of the Palestine Exchange. Design/methodology/approach: This research gathered primary data from semi-structured and open-ended interviews. Online interviews were conducted to get information from professionals and academics interested in blockchain. The sample for this research was determined using convenience sampling and a snowball sampling approach. The data was analyzed using the deductive content analysis method. Findings: The research revealed that implementing blockchain is appropriate for third-world countries because it does not necessitate the construction of buildings or infrastructure. Additionally, …