Business education in the Arab region: accreditation and pricing in the case of Lebanon

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-272
Author(s):  
Abdallah Nassereddine
Keyword(s):  
Price Competition ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Tuition Fees ◽  
Arab Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Accredited Schools ◽  
The Difference

PurposeAccreditation as a mean to improve the position of the university has become one of the major illustration of non-price competition. Three major accreditation bodies, known as the “big three”, dominate the market of business schools’ accreditation in the world, namely, AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. This paper aims to explore the current of accreditation of business schools in Lebanon, and to test for the difference of tuition fees between accredited institutions by any of the “big three” and other business schools.Design/methodology/approachUsing a desktop research approach, the paper provides the list of the accredited business schools from the “big three” in the Arab region and Lebanon and compiles data about the number of business schools in Lebanon since 1960, their tuition fees, and their accreditation status. Using a parametric and nonparametric procedure, the paper compares the tuition mean difference between accredited and non-accredited business schools.FindingsThe paper reveals an alarming slow progress in the Arab world when it comes to accreditation. In Lebanon, the paper finds that only seven out of 37 business schools are accredited and only three hold an accreditation from the “big three”. The two samplest-test and the Mann–Whitney U-test show that accredited schools charge tuition fees that are three times the average of other schools.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper can be improved by using a larger sample and investigate the effect of accreditation on tuition fees.Practical implicationsThe results highlight the existence of a gap when it comes to accreditation in the Arab region and the importance of policy-making in promoting accreditation. Moreover, business schools in Lebanon should be aware that accreditation with the “big three” could be associated with substantial increase in tuition fees.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to investigate the state of accreditation of business schools in Lebanon and its association with tuition fees.

Investigating the sustainability habitus: insights from Aramex’s sustainability practices and reports

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa von Alberti-Alhtaybat ◽  
Zaidoon Alhatabat ◽  
Khaldoon Al-Htaybat
Keyword(s):  
Arab World ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Arab Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Logistics ◽  
Original Case ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
Different Sources

Purpose The current study aims to investigate the development of the sustainability habitus in the Arab Middle East (ME) based on the pioneer case organisation, Aramex, which has been the pioneer of sustainability practices and reporting. The context of the Arab region, as well as the global logistics sector, has significantly influenced the development of sustainable development at Aramex, as illustrated by their sustainability and integrated reports. Design/methodology/approach The research approach of the current study is qualitative on the basis of open and selective coding techniques. The case organisation’s annual sustainability and integrated reports and additional relevant publicised information are analysed. Using publicised information from different sources increases triangulation and allows for more reliable findings. The theoretical context is Bourdieu’s habitus and field, which also reflects the interplay between habitus and field, and how Aramex’s sustainability practices and reports are being constructed. Findings The findings reflect Aramex’s sustainability practices and related reporting, subsumed in its organisational sustainability habitus. They span the sustainability reporting endeavours of the case organisation, commencing with the first sustainability report in 2006 until the most recent annual integrated report in 2018. Aramex is the precursor of sustainability and integrated reporting (IR) in the ME and is a significant contributor to developing a sustainability habitus in the region. The findings outline various elements of their reports as evidence of sustainability practices and reporting in the ME and the global logistics sector and as an illustration of the developing sustainability habitus. Originality/value This study reviews the original case of Aramex and its sustainability and IR practices. It also discusses the company’s practices and reporting details with regard to its organisational sustainability habitus and interplay with the local, Arab World and global, logistics sector, fields.

“Pollution prevention” is the key to drive sustainability

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 416-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Kumar Gupta ◽  
Sanjeev Gupta ◽  
S. Gayathiri
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Pollution Prevention ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Leather Industry ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Total Dissolved Solid

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the difference in firm performance between pollution prevention and pollution control strategies using a selected case study from the Indian leather industry. Design/methodology/approach This study followed a case study-based inductive research approach to validate the proposed preposition on field. The case-study analysis was based on qualitative and quantitative data. The authors developed a questionnaire and an interview protocol to capture the data about different industrial practices and motivation behind them. The study followed the concept of the triple bottom line approach for assessing the progress of the case firm on sustainability scale. Findings With the help of pollution preventive measures, such as replacement of salted skin with fresh skin and chromium salt with a phosphonium-based tanning agent, the case firm could overcome the biggest challenge of bringing down the level of total dissolved solid from 40,000 to 5,000 ppm in the raw effluent. Moreover, the firm has successfully recycled and converted tannery scraps and other waste into organic manure for internal use in its own plantations. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study could not be generalized as these are based on a single case study. Originality/value This study presents an example of sustainable practices and their benefits to the Indian leather industry to follow.

Library and information science research in the Arab World: a bibliometric analysis 1951–2021

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadeem Siddique ◽  
Shafiq Ur Rehman ◽  
Shakil Ahmad ◽  
Akhtar Abbas ◽  
Muhammad Ajmal Khan
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Research Performance ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Data Retrieval ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Arab Region ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to investigate the research productivity of library and information science (LIS) authors affiliated with the 22 countries of the Arab League. It also identifies the top countries, organizations, authors, journals, natures of collaboration, and frequently used keywords in LIS research in the Arab world. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric methods were used to evaluate the research performance of the authors affiliated with library organizations in the Arab region. The Elsevier Scopus database was selected for data retrieval. A comprehensive search strategy was adopted to retrieve 863 publications contributed by LIS authors affiliated with the Arab countries. VOS viewer, Biblioshiny, BiblioAnalyitics, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel were used for data visualization and analysis. Findings This paper presents the dynamics and the state of the LIS research in the Arab region published between 1951 and 2021. The results of the study have highlighted an upward trend in the growth of the publications, especially in the past four years. The largest number of studies were published in the year 2020. The country-wise analysis ranked Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as the top LIS research producing countries with five and four researchers, respectively. The Kuwait University, the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University were the three most productive organizations. Academic libraries, social media, bibliometrics, information-seeking behavior, information literacy and knowledge management were identified as the major areas of interest for the researchers. Internet and open access were topics that had gained recent popularity, while the digital library, research data management, green librarianship, link data, cloud computing, library leadership, library automation and artificial intelligence were identified as areas requiring further attention. Furthermore, the single-author pattern was found to be the most preferred pattern. Practical implications The findings of this study would help prospective researchers in choosing the neglected areas of research that require further investigation. They would also help policymakers in identifying factors that need more attention and allocation of research funds. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive bibliometric study that presents a holistic picture of the LIS research in the Arab region.

scholarly journals Elements of additive manufacturing technology adoption in small- and medium-sized sized companies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Praveen Kulkarni ◽  
Arun Kumar ◽  
Ganesh Chate ◽  
Padma Dandannavar
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Technology Adoption ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Manufacturing Technology ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Additive Manufacturing Technology ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
The Difference

Purpose This study aims to examine factors that determine the adoption of additive manufacturing by small- and medium-sized industries. It provides insights with regard to benefits, challenges and business factors that influence small- and medium-sized industries when adopting this technology. The study also aims to expand the domain of additive manufacturing by including a broader range of challenges and benefits of additive manufacturing in literature. Design/methodology/approach Using data collected from 175 small- and medium-sized industries, the study has examined through Mann–Whitney test to understand the difference between owners and design engineers on additive manufacturing technology adoption in small- and medium-sized companies. Findings This study suggests contribution to academic discussion by providing associated factors that have significant impact on the adoption of additive manufacturing technology. Related advantages of additive manufacturing are reduction in inventory cost, lowering the wastage in production and customization of products. The study also indicates that factors such as cost of machinery, higher level of cost in integrating metal components have a negative impact on the adoption of this technology in small- and medium-sized industries. Research limitations/implications Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further in the field of challenges and growth in other areas of application of additive manufacturing, for instance, medical sciences, fabric and aerospace. Practical implications The study provides important implications that are of interest for both research and practitioners, related to technology management in small- and medium-sized industries, e.g. foundry and machining industries. Social implications This work/study fulfills an identified need of the small- and medium-sized companies in adopting new technologies and contribute to their growth by understanding the need to accept and implement technology. Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need to study how small- and medium-scale companies accept new technologies and factors associated with implementation in the manufacturing process of the organization.

Business school accreditation in the changing global marketplace

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Zhao ◽  
Carlos Ferran
Keyword(s):  
Business School ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
International Schools ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Competitive Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Market Expansion ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Accredited Schools

Purpose This paper aims to examine current trends in business accreditation by describing and comparing the major international business accreditation agencies (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, European Quality Improvement System, Association of MBAs, Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs and International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education), and analyze their recent market expansion strategies (development and penetration using Ansoff model) as they compete for the schools seeking initial or continuing accreditation. Design/methodology/approach This is a comparative study of the business accreditation agencies and their competitive strategies, using publically available data such as lists of accredited schools published by the agencies as main data collection method. Findings Business accreditation agencies have utilized the market penetration and market development strategies to expand their market share in recent years. The key growth areas are international schools, regional teaching-oriented institutions, two-year institutions and for-profit institutions. Research limitations/implications This study is based on publically available data published by accreditation agencies. More in-depth analysis with survey method could be utilized in future study to identify more specific strategies and their impact on business schools seeking accreditation. Practical implications Accreditation is no longer a luxury but a requirement for business schools, but they have to make an informed decision on which agency to pursue to assure an appropriate fit. Social implications The public needs to understand the value and the requirements of accreditation. Multiple agencies provide different options to fit the missions of the different types of schools. Originality/value This study is valuable to business school stakeholders for understanding accreditation, the need for accreditation and the options they have available.

Fabric defect detection based on sparse representation of main local binary pattern

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 282-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhoufeng Liu ◽  
Lei Yan ◽  
Chunlei Li ◽  
Yan Dong ◽  
Guangshuai Gao
Keyword(s):  
Defect Detection ◽  
Local Binary Pattern ◽  
Detection Algorithm ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fabric Defect Detection ◽  
Central Pixel ◽  
Fabric Defect ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Scale Difference

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find an efficient fabric defect detection algorithm by means of exploring the sparsity characteristics of main local binary pattern (MLBP) extracted from the original fabric texture. Design/methodology/approach In the proposed algorithm, original LBP features are extracted from the fabric texture to be detected, and MLBP are selected by occurrence probability. Second, a dictionary is established with MLBP atoms which can sparsely represent all the LBP. Then, the value of the gray-scale difference between gray level of neighborhood pixels and the central pixel, and the mean of the difference which has the same MLBP feature are calculated. And then, the defect-contained image is reconstructed as normal texture image. Finally, the residual is calculated between reconstructed and original images, and a simple threshold segmentation method can divide the residual image, and the defective region is detected. Findings The experiment result shows that the fabric texture can be more efficiently reconstructed, and the proposed method achieves better defect detection performance. Moreover, it offers empirical insights about how to exploit the sparsity of one certain feature, e.g. LBP. Research limitations/implications Because of the selected research approach, the results may lack generalizability in chambray. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further. Originality/value In this paper, a novel fabric defect detection method which extracts the sparsity of MLBP features is proposed.

Ibn Khaldun’s ‘ilm al ‘umran: a model for planning the sustainable city in the Arab region

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed O. El-Kholei
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Sustainable City ◽  
Arab Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Ibn Khaldun ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology

Purpose Sustainable development is an attempt to achieve three competing aims: economic development, social justice and environmental conservation. Localising sustainable development in the Arabian city might require a framework that originates from its reality manifested in the region’s history, culture and religion. Ibn Khaldun’s model seems suitable for planning a sustainable city in the Arab world. The purpose of this paper is to discuss suitability of Ibn Khaldun’s writing to localising sustainable development in the Arabian cities. Design/methodology/approach The paper used a qualitative research methodology. The researcher investigated the writings of Ibn Khaldun and other scholars who studied his work to derive lessons for planning the sustainable Arab city. Findings Many of Ibn Khaldun’s concepts lost their accuracy, meanings and intentions in the course of translating his work. Ibn Khaldun’s writings can be the source from which scholars, planners and city administrators derive lessons to assure the sustainable development of human settlements, particularly in the Arab region. The writings of Ibn Khaldun are relevant to the Arab countries. His writings are sensitive to the realities of the Arab world, including geography, environment, history, religion and culture. His writings can support efforts for localising sustinable development in the Arabian cities. Originality/value Interrogating Ibn Khaldun’s writings can enable scholars, planners, architects and city administrators to elaborate and implement plans for the sustainable Arabian city. The findings of the paper assure that Ibn Khaldun’s analysis is suitable for addressing the urban ills of the contemporary Arabian metropolis as they were in his time.

Critical success factors for digital partnering of construction organisations – a Delphi study

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 3171-3188
Author(s):  
Douglas Omoregie Aghimien ◽  
Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa ◽  
Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke
Keyword(s):  
Delphi Study ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right

PurposeThe construction organisations in developing countries are lagging in digital technology usage; hence, they are still characterised by poor project delivery and technological backwardness. To checkmate this problem, partnering with other organisations was proposed, while critical factors needed for successful digital partnering of construction organisations were assessed.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a qualitative research approach. Delphi method was used to get experts' opinion on some identified factors necessary for successful digital partnering. The experts for the study were selected using defined criteria, and a combination of interquartile deviation, Kendall's coefficient of concordance and chi-square was used to achieve robust consensus among respondents. Mann–Whitney U test was also used to ascertain the difference in perception of experts.FindingsThe findings revealed trust in digital partners, top management support and digital partner selection as the three key success factors for partnering. Other factors that can be considered alongside these main factors are the creation of a common goal, a long-term commitment, effective communication, proper conflict resolution and structured as well as continuous digital training, workshops and meetings.Practical implicationsInstead of going through the digitalisation journey alone, construction organisations, particularly in a developing country like South Africa, stand a better chance of surviving the dynamic construction and digital environment by partnering with other organisations within and outside the industry. Carefully selecting the right partner, trusting in their capability and ensuring constant commitment is necessary for the success of the process.Originality/valueThe value of this study lies in its ability to showcase the critical success factors needed for effective digital partnering, an aspect that lacks adequate consideration in the digitalisation of construction industry discourse.

Leading to intrinsically reward professionals for sustained engagement

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 467-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A Stumpf ◽  
Walter G. Tymon, Jr. ◽  
Robert J. Ehr ◽  
Nick H. M. van Dam
Keyword(s):  
Intent To Stay ◽  
Behavioral Engagement ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Career Outcomes ◽  
Leader Behaviors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Action Research Approach ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Performance Satisfaction ◽  
Technical Professionals

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify leader behaviors that foster intrinsic rewards (IRs) in technical professionals, sustain their felt and behavioral engagement, and relate the career outcomes of performance, satisfaction with the organization, and retention. Design/methodology/approach – Employing an action research approach, four studies were undertaken to: first, identify what intrinsically motivates professionals in a large R & D organization; second, create a survey of the leader behaviors that foster a sense of IR and engagement; and third, use the survey with two samples (Canada, Europe) to examine the relationships of engagement with three desired career outcomes. Findings – Leader behaviors can foster a sense of IRs which are related to performance, satisfaction with the organization, and retention. These relationships were partially mediated by felt and behavioral engagement, with felt engagement more strongly associated with satisfaction and retention, and behavioral engagement with performance. Research limitations/implications – Leaders play a significant role in fostering a sense of IR in technical professionals, which helps to sustain their engagement. Important distinctions among IRs, felt engagement, and behavioral engagement are made that contribute to a better understanding of how these constructs affect the careers of professionals. Originality/value – Professionals and other knowledge workers are often thought to be self-motivated, or motivated by the tasks they perform. Leaders can greatly enhance this motivation and important career outcomes of satisfaction, performance, and intent to stay.

Challenges for education for sustainability in business courses

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-280
Author(s):  
Ananda Silva Singh ◽  
Andréa Paula Segatto
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Courses ◽  
Analysis Technique

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the main challenges faced by two business schools and a higher education institution when implementing education for sustainability (EfS). Also, it seeks to identify facilitating elements that contribute to minimizing or eliminating barriers faced by these institutions when implementing EfS. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach is used of a descriptive nature and a multicase study is used as research strategy. Data were collected through interviews with the individuals responsible for EfS process in the institutions studied and were analyzed by the content analysis technique. Findings The data allowed identifying new challenges, such as those related to the governance of educational institutions, as well as divergent values of higher education institutions (HEIs) and of EfS. Research limitations/implications The number of cases here analyzed does not allow generalization of the results. Practical implications The discussion of the empirical data with the literature has provided some insights regarding good practices and recommendations for educational institutions to minimize the challenges faced in EfS process. Originality/value The identification of facilitating elements to mitigate challenges faced by business schools and HEIs provide insights for other institutions who long for implementing EfS. Also, the lack of actions aimed at mitigating resource-related challenges shows the need to improve educational public policies to help embed EfS in HEIs and business schools.

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