Do micro and small business enterprises economically empower women in developing countries? Evidences from Mekelle city, Tigray, Ethiopia

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 767-778
Author(s):  
Gidey Kidu Mezgebo ◽  
Tesga Ymesel ◽  
Girma Tegegne
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Economic Empowerment ◽  
High Interest Rate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Mekelle City ◽  
And Control

Purpose Today the number of women entrepreneurs is increasing. However, their power in use and control over the household and business-related resource are still limited. The purpose of this paper is to assess women’s economic empowerment in terms of their use and control over resources after participating in micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Mekelle city. Design/methodology/approach A survey on 162 women-owned enterprises from two sectors, namely, manufacturing and service sectors belonging to three sub-cities of the study area was taken for this study. Questionnaire and interview data collection tools were employed, and the systematic random sampling technique was used to select respondents of questionnaires. Findings The results of the study revealed that MSEs in Mekelle city are found to have a profound effect on empowering women economically in terms of access to use and control of resources in business and at household, participation in social network and community undertakings. However, limited access to credit, high interest rate, complicated loan application procedures of bank, lack of work place, poor information and technology and basic infrastructure were still found the bottlenecks for women working in MSEs. Research limitations/implications MSEs are vital to empower women economically, but they should be accompanied by the improved and fast delivery of services such as credit, enabling work place and technology, which plays a decisive role in economic empowerment of women working in MSEs. Originality/value This paper fills the gap in the literature, as there is limited evidence on the role of MSEs in women’s economic empowerment and the challenges faced especially in developing countries in general and Mekelle city in particular.

scholarly journals INFLUENCE OF FINANCIAL LINKAGES ON GROWTH OF INFORMAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN HOMA BAY COUNTY OF KENYA

2020 ◽  
pp. 19-27
Author(s):  
Benard Odhiambo Obop ◽  
Alphonce Juma Odondo ◽  
Nelson Obange
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Financial Training ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Credit Access ◽  
Access To Credit

Financial linkage is an emerging form of partnership widely practiced between NGOs, formal and informal financial institutions in developing countries. The existing forms include but not limited to financial training, Savings products and Credit Information Sharing (CIS). Informal financial institutions enter into such linkages with an aim of growing the volumes of credit accessed. In Homa Bay County, various forms of financial linkages have emerged with statistics indicating unstable growth in volumes of credit accessed by informal financial institutions. According to Homa bay Women Sacco, the loan disbursed grew by 88.46% between 2015 and 2017. This is in tandem with the institutional theory of complementarity adopted by this study. However, studies on formal-informal financial institutions’ relationship and contribution of financial linkages to credit access in developing countries have elicited divergent views. Some reveal that financial linkages offer the best solution to promoting credit access while others indicate that the linkages may reduce access to credit and impact negatively on growth of the institutions. It is on this basis that the study sought to establish the influence of the emerging linkages on growth of informal financial institutions in Homa Bay County. The study was based on the positivists approach to conceptualization and was guided by correlational research design. A total of 300 respondents were selected using stratified sampling technique. Both open and closed-ended pre-tested questionnaires were used to collect primary data. Secondary data were from relevant documents of the institutions. The desired relationships were established through multiple regressions while bivariate associations were determined using Correlational analysis. The study revealed that volumes of group savings and Credit information sharing both had significant relationships with the growth of informal financial institutions. On the other hand, financial training had an insignificant negative relationship with access to credit by the institutions, the negative relationship suggests that through training, the informal financial institution’s managers strengthen their internal management mechanisms, thus become less dependent on borrowed funds for their activities. The study thus recommends that the three forms of linkages be strengthened to enhance growth of the institutions in Homa Bay County. KEY WORDS: Financial Linkages, Growth, Institutions, County, Kenya

Drivers and barriers of virtual reality adoption in UK AEC industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulmalik Abubakar Badamasi ◽  
Komal Raj Aryal ◽  
Usman Umar Makarfi ◽  
Mansir Dodo
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Cultural Change ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk

PurposeVirtual reality (VR) offers unique features of a three-dimensional (3D) model during early design stages in the virtual environment with immersive functions. Although the potential of VR is to increase the effectiveness and productivity of the project phases from initial concept design to detailed design preparation. VR adoption in the United Kingdom (UK) Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector is slow compared to other sectors. This research focuses on ascertaining the drivers and barriers of VR in construction projects in the UK.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts an online survey design. It uses Bristol Online Survey (BOS) to create a structured questionnaire that is used to assess UK construction professionals using a convenience sampling technique. Therefore, researcher uses descriptive and inferential technique for data analysis and presentation based on Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze the questionnaire.FindingsThe research findings revealed the most significant barriers to VR adoption in UK construction industry were lack of skills/expertise and cultural change. Hence, the main drivers of VR adoption as rated by the professionals in the UK construction industry are improved safety, improved quality and improved productivity.Practical implicationsThe identification and assessment of the drivers and barriers to VR adoption could advance VR adoption among construction professionals and other stakeholders of the UK AEC sector. This could also be extended to developing countries, given the status of VR as being in the developing stage.Originality/valueThis study provides valuable insights to construction professionals and stakeholders to plan actions that could enhance the drivers and mitigate the barriers of VR. This study's main contribution is to group and classify various drivers and barriers into easily understood categories, in order to potentiate the drivers and reduce the barriers effectively. The groupings could be used as benchmarks in similar studies in developing countries.

Factors determining retirement decisions of construction workers in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
De-Graft Owusu-Manu ◽  
Frank Ato Ato Ghansah ◽  
Ewald Kuoribo
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Major Determinant ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Good Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Retirement Decision ◽  
Financial Condition

Purpose Efficient decision-making must be reinvigorated to make a good decision towards retirement by construction workers. In developing countries such as Ghana, researchers conducted investigations into the effects of investing in retirement decision-making and planning, but none has considered to examine and identify the factors/determinants influencing efficient decision-making by construction workers towards retirement. This study aims to examine and identify the determinants/factors that affect the retirement decision-making of construction workers in developing countries such as Ghana. Design/methodology/approach This study used primary data collected from workers of four construction companies in Ghana. The sampling technique adopted for the study was a purposive sample approach, with a survey questionnaire as a collection instrument. Means score was adopted to reveal the major determinant/factor prioritized by the respondents while binary logistic regression was used to examine and identify the effect of the retirement determinants on the retirement decision of construction workers. Findings The findings established the main significant determinants impacting retirement decision, namely, “financial condition,” “homeownership,” “age” and “family issues.” Among the determinants, “financial condition” was revealed as the major determinant of retirement decision-making in the construction industry of developing countries, which is an economic condition by which the workers can easily secure credit. Practical implications Practically, the outcome of this study serves as a base for policymakers and practitioners in making decisions concerning the retirement of workers, especially construction workers. This study also serves to provide lesson for other classifications of workers aside from the construction workers in Ghana and other developing countries. Originality/value This study contributes to knowledge by filling in the lacuna in research by examining and identifying the determinants/factors that impact the efficient decision-making by construction workers in developing countries towards retirement.

Identifying the factors influencing digital library use among research students: a case of National Digital Library of Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iqra Mubeen ◽  
Saira Hanif Soroya ◽  
Khalid Mahmood
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Digital Library ◽  
Digital Libraries ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Collection Instrument ◽  
Research Students

Purpose As the revolution of information takes place, industrialized societies are going to become information societies. Developing countries such as Pakistan are going to change due to technology and, in turn, transform the whole structure of libraries. The concept of digital libraries (DL) has emerged due to technological advancements. This study aims to highlight the factors that encourage and discourage the use of the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) National Digital Library (NDL). Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach was selected for the investigation, while the data collection instrument was a questionnaire. Postgraduate research students were the population of the study. A convenient sampling technique was used for sample selection. Findings The results of the study indicated that the use of HEC (NDL) was frequent monthly. The display of search results, 24/7 access, the authenticity of items, availability of navigational assistance and up-to-date information encourage researchers to use DL. However, their preference for print material over electronic material, slow downloading speed of the internet and non-availability of older and archival publications were the common reasons for the low use of DL. Furthermore, there are significant differences in terms of using the NDL based on gender, the program of study and the stage of the study. Originality/value This study will contribute significantly to the literature from the developing countries and would also helpful for HEC (NDL) authorities and university libraries to design information services.

Impact of knowledge sharing at work place on individual work performance of nurses in Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghulam Murtaza Rafique ◽  
Khalid Mahmood
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Work ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of knowledge sharing (KS) at work place on the individual work performance (IWP) of nurses. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional quantitative approach based on a survey questionnaire was used to collect data from currently working 256 nurses in 6 general public sector hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. Equal sized convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample from the intended population. Multiple regression was applied to test the research hypotheses. Findings The results indicated that the elements of IWP (task and contextual performance) were positively correlated with and influenced by two facets of KS (KS propensity and KS behavior). A cohesive sharing culture among nurses must be established at their respective work places to foster the delivery of quality care services and to improve their performance. Practical implications The study findings suggest that health-care institutes must consider the importance of KS to boost up the sharing culture among all levels (s) of employees by establishing an interconnected learning environment for improved work performance. Originality/value KS plays a vital role in the learning and development of employees by enhancing their work performance. The extant literature showed that there was a dearth of studies that determined the impact of KS at work place on the IWP of nurses. As KS has unique and challenging factors in Pakistan, therefore, the investigation of its impact on nurses’ work performance would be worthy.

A model of customer-centric banking practices for corporate clients in Bangladesh

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 458-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Saad Andaleeb ◽  
Mamunur Rashid ◽  
Quazi Akhlaqur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Corporate Image ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Customers ◽  
Corporate Clients

Purpose – Customer-centric banking envisions that banks should meet both tangible and intangible satisfaction criteria of their customers. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the customer-centric banking practices that drive satisfaction of corporate customers in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach – Financial managers from a sample of 112 non-financial listed companies were interviewed. The study employed a structured questionnaire using Likert scales. Exploratory factor analysis followed by multiple regression analysis were used to test the effects of both tangible and intangible factors. Findings – The findings of the study indicate that customer-centric banking is primarily influenced by intangible factors. Among six bank selection criteria analyzed in this study, corporate image, commitment, compassion and consistency are the four significant intangible factors that drive corporate customer satisfaction. The two tangible factors: cost-benefit and convenience were not significant determinants of satisfaction for corporate clients. Research limitations/implications – For lack of sample frames and relative unavailability of corporate respondents, a non-probability sampling technique was used. The study contributes to the existing literature on customer-centric marketing, relationship marketing and bank selection by suggesting that there is a shift in banking needs among corporate clients in developing countries such as Bangladesh. Practical implications – The study contributes to a richer understanding of the customer-centric banking framework, suggesting the service strategies that banks ought to adopt. The results are especially important for developing countries that are experiencing a change in theoretical understanding of customer satisfaction in financial services. Originality/value – Now banks and policy makers can better strategize on building loyal corporate customers for banks, thereby ensuring healthy corporate banking relationship. Banks can also prioritize on the important intangible elements to focus on to satisfy corporate customers. Among other factors, technology adoption, training of corporate customer managers, and emphasizing customer-centric banking policies may help provide better services and obtain higher levels of customer satisfaction.

Development of the university fraud prevention disclosure index

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corina Joseph ◽  
Normah Haji Omar ◽  
Jennifer Tunga Janang ◽  
Mariam Rahmat ◽  
Nero Madi
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Fraud Prevention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Policies ◽  
Ethical Work ◽  
The University ◽  
And Control

Purpose This paper aims to explain the development of fraud prevention disclosure index (FPDI) for Malaysian public universities. Design/methodology/approach The paper reported a comprehensive review on fraud prevention and control plans of several international policies and of local and international universities. Findings The final 8 categories and 100 items under review have been developed in an instrument, the proposed FPDI, to measure the level of commitment of public universities in preventing fraud. Research limitations/implications The FPDI will serve as an evaluation tool to measure the level of commitment of public universities toward preventing fraud practices through disclosure practices. Social implications The FPDI is hoped to inculcate anti-fraud culture amongst public universities and to promote accountability, widen and strengthen good organization’s ethics, create ethical work place environment and enhance corporate governance framework by instilling a culture of professional conduct that is free from corruption. Originality/value This paper is among the first paper that develops the index specifically to measure the universities’ level of commitment to prevent fraud.

Assessing the influence of emotional intelligence on teachers' performance in Lebanese private education institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moni Trad ◽  
Mona Omar Alayoubi ◽  
Rasha Abdul Khalek ◽  
Nada Khaddage-Soboh
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Attention And Memory ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Level

PurposeThe main purpose of this study is to demonstrate and verify the influence of emotional intelligence skills on the performance of teachers in private higher educational institutions.Design/methodology/approachThis quantitative study is based on the positivism research philosophy and the deductive research. Data are collected form Lebanese educational institutions; 304 teachers are surveyed using the convenience sampling technique. Hypotheses are verified through the one-way ANOVA and the multiple linear regression (step-wise) technique with a Sig. value of 0.000 < 0.05.FindingsThe study verified that teachers' demographics have a direct impact on their performance. It also proved that emotions have an impact on teachers' behaviors; emotions are important energy re-sources that help them cope with difficult situations. Teachers with a high level of emotional intelligence are in tune with their own emotions. It is demonstrated that self-awareness, self-management, self-motivation and social skill have a positive statistical influence on the teacher's performance. Lebanese Private Educational Institutions system should be endowed with emotional intelligence to provide teachers with more effective abilities which would eventually reflect on the student's cognitive abilities especially attention and memory.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by studying the emotional intelligence in Lebanese educational institutions which was studied in different countries except Lebanon. It is verified that integrating the emotional intelligence into Lebanese educational systems would play a decisive role in optimum academic performance; institutions should establish as a benchmark the skills related to emotional intelligence.

Client and contractor roles in schedule incentive/disincentive projects

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 386-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abid Hasan ◽  
Kumar Neeraj Jha
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Senior Project ◽  
Correct Estimation ◽  
And Control ◽  
Project Personnel

PurposeDelays in construction projects can be very expensive due to their adverse effects on project cost and profit margin. To overcome this problem, clients in the construction industry sometimes use schedule incentive/disincentive (I/D) contracting strategy. However, previous studies have shown that inadequate understanding and wrong implementation of schedule I/D provisions could result in unintended results. Moreover, the use of the I/D contracting method is in its initial stages in many countries such as India. The purpose of this paper is to identify various factors that are essential for schedule I/D success in construction projects.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was conducted among experienced professionals (clients, contractors and consultants) from across the Indian construction industry.FindingsTop success factors related to clients in the descending order of their importance are: realistic targets; detailed guidelines for I/D implementation; close coordination with other stakeholders; correct estimation of I/D duration and amount; and imposing disincentives after due consideration. Meanwhile, factors related to contractor organisations are: continuous monitoring and control; thorough understanding of schedule I/D targets; specific considerations in appointing senior project personnel; effective communication; and proper labour management.Research limitations/implicationsThis empirical research was conducted in the Indian construction industry. Similar studies from developed construction markets may provide more insights into the successful use of schedule I/D provisions in construction projects.Practical implicationsThe uptake of these recommendations is likely to increase the success of schedule I/D provisions in construction projects, especially in developing countries where the use of I/D contracting strategy is not very popular.Originality/valueThis research highlights the specific roles of both clients and contractors in the success of schedule I/D projects in developing countries such as India.

scholarly journals Please call my contact person: mobile devices for a rescue mission during an emergency

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunday Adewale Olaleye ◽  
Ismaila Temitayo Sanusi ◽  
Richard Osei Agjei ◽  
Frank Adusei-Mensah
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Road Safety ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Relative Advantage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Contact Person

Purpose Drivers, travellers/tourists, pedestrians, paramedical officers, road safety officers, police officers and other security agencies in emergency times in developing countries are often challenged. The purpose of this paper is to explore the intervention of a quick mobile contact called “My Contact Person” (MCP) during such emergencies. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative research method to collect data. The research tool is a researcher-made questionnaire with items developed using the five innovation dimensions and domestication. The data was analyzed with SmartPLS 3.0 software. The reliability values were above the postulated demarcation of 0.7, while the average variance extracted conforms to the norm of 0.5. The study participants were mobile phone users who own and use a mobile phone. Owing to the study’s nature, a simple random sampling technique was used to appraise 196 respondents across Nigeria’s demography. Findings The results show that the mobile users in a developing context are willing to observe “MCP’s” efficacy before they try to appropriate it to their daily lifestyle. Further, “MCP’s” compatibility with the telephone user is an antecedent of its relative advantages over the existing telephone lists. The results reveal that the respondents perceived integrating and adapting “MCP” to their daily lives as a complicated process. In this study, most participants did not regard observability and trialability as a means of appropriating MCP to their daily lifestyle. Research limitations/implications This paper’s findings’ generalizability is limited because the present study was conducted using two higher education institutions (HEI) with a relatively small sample in Nigeria. Probing MCP domestication in more institutions and other communities, as significant communities’ aside HEI use mobile phones will increase our research findings’ generalizability. A parallel investigation of a range of developed and developing countries should be explored to ascertain mobile phone users’ perceptions across context. Practical implications This study has several implications for citizens, especially in the developing world. MCP will provide quick contact opportunities to loved ones of the traumatized, saving lives by significantly avoiding worry, fear, anxiety and depression. MCP also has the potential of increasing input needs to be undertaken to accelerate the appropriate use of digital technology by health-care consumers, including enhancing education and technological literacy and providing access to low-cost digital technology. Originality/value “MCP” will be a quick intervention for drivers, travellers/tourists, pedestrians, paramedical officers, road safety officers, police officers and other security agencies in the time of emergency. For the managers, the relative advantage is the preferable factor to create awareness for “MCP”, while observability needs more effort to persuade the mobile phone users to accept and use MCP.

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