Business Continuity During Adversity and Strategies to Revive Certain Sectors

The study investigates the factors influencing business continuity during adversities like COVID-19. It further sheds light on priorities for preparedness measures that need to be taken to ensure continuity during these adversities. Exploratory research was conducted in the form of focussed interviews with 20 senior management industry professionals, and these were analyzed using N-Vivo, and four important determinants of business continuity were identified based on which a research model was conceptualized using business continuity as dependent variable and others as independent variables. The model was further tested using quantitative research. For this purpose, a questionnaire was prepared, and a total of 200 responses were collected representing 26 sectors. These responses were analyzed using factor and variance analysis, and a multiple regression analysis was performed to test the role of these variables on business continuity. It was further concluded that the factors that ensure business continuity differ according to the industry in which the business is operating.

Assessment of early warning signs in hospital projects' front-end phase

PurposeThe front-end phase plays an important role in achieving project success, and establishment of performance measurement systems considering project challenges or pitfalls is a way of keeping track of this phase. Early warning signs, a type of proactive performance indicators, may serve as means for improving decision-making and project processes aiming for short- and long-term project success. In this paper, the authors present findings from a study on early warning signs (EWS) in hospital projects' front-end. A preliminary systematisation of identified signs as a contribution to front-end improvement is provided.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a mixed methods approach, using a sequential, exploratory research design comprising document studies, interviews and a survey.FindingsThe authors identified 62 challenges for hospital projects' front-end performance and further established four categories of EWS as follows: (1) structure and tools, (2) context and frame factors, (3) management and (4) relational factors and properties. This mirrors the presence of hard and soft issues from previous studies. There is need for clarifying terminology and raising consciousness on EWS. Processual approaches to identify EWS are considered more useful than subsequent established indicators.Originality/valueThe findings from this paper provide insight into EWS in hospital projects' front-end phase. This adds to the general understanding of EWS and contributes to more knowledge on the front-end phase in general.

Implementasi Akad Murabahah Pada BMT Usaha Mulya Masjid Raya Pondok Indah Jakarta

This study aims to identify the application of sharia principles that are applied to the BMT Masjid Raya Pondok Indah Jakarta. Nowadays, the problems that develop in the community regarding murabahah contracts, especially those carried out by the BMT, are deviating from sharia principles. This study uses an exploratory research method, namely by using the interview method to obtain data from the BMT of the Pondok Indah Syariah Raya Mosque, Jakarta. The results of this study indicate that in practice, BMT has implemented a murabahah contract in accordance with sharia principles. However, BMT Masjid Raya Pondok Indah Jakarta Sharia encountered obstacles in applying for other funding sources, due to many doubts and difficulties in practice.

The Rapid Shift from Onsite to Online Teaching – Students’ Perceptions

Recent developments in response to the Covid-19 pandemic have had a substantial impact on students, teachers and content delivery modes around the globe. This paper reports the efforts of the University of Tetovo (UT) in North Macedonia (NM) and Banat’s USAMVB University “King Michael I of Romania” to find rapid and efficient means of switching from direct to remote course delivery while maintaining effective communication. Acknowledging that little space was available for training teachers and learners to prepare for such rapid changes, this study examines how students responded. Applying exploratory research methods, the paper offers a preliminary analysis of the difficulties that learners faced in shifting to online presentation. Qualitative data was collected using student interviews and content analysis (Silverman, 2005) was applied to identify themes, biases and meaning. Convenience sampling among enrolled students in the academic year 2020/2021 at both universities identified a non-random sample of 16 students. The findings of the study revealed that participants faced many difficulties in their venture; however, using various strategies, effective planning and organization, they managed to a certain extent to overcome this situation.

The Relationship Among Spirituality, Fear, and Mental Health on COVID-19 Among Adults: An Exploratory Research

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is impactful on all aspects of individuals’ lives, particularly mental health due to the fear and spirituality associated with the pandemic. Thus, purpose of this study was to identify the relationship among fear, spirituality, and mental health on COVID-19 among adults in Malaysia. This study also examines spirituality as a mediator in relationship between fear and mental health. The study involved around 280 adults in Malaysia. This research is a quantitative study. Data analysis method (SEM-PLS) has been used for data analysis. Based on descriptive analysis, mental health questionnaire indicated that 60.0% of them are at a poor level of mental health whereas 57.5% of respondents showed a moderate level of COVID-19 fear, and 60.4% of respondents owned moderate level of spiritual well-being. The results also demonstrated that respondents that have a high level of fear would have a high level of mental health; interestingly, those with a high level of spirituality will have a lower level of mental health. Findings indicated that spirituality significantly mediated the relationship between fear and mental health. This research will help to demonstrate how important spirituality values to control mental health to be more positive among adults in Malaysia. The main contributions of this study are to help come out with new intervention method for those who are mentally ill and need help.

Decisions on participation in music festivals: an exploratory research in Portugal

PurposeMusic festivals offer new opportunities for leisure and tourist experiences in Portugal. Some tourists and residents, the so-called festival goers, participate and come back to these events, whereas others, the non-goers, never participate and are not willing to do so. The aim of this research is to understand the decision to participate or not based on facilitators and constraints to participate or not in a music festival, dismantling residents and tourists' attitudes.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 1,178 music festival goers and non-goers in Portugal. Content analysis was undertaken to depict the most important determinants of their decisions. Those determinants were categorized according to the three dimensions of factors of ecological systems theory, considering festival goers and non-goers as well as tourists and residents.FindingsThe results suggested that although constraints are not as often voiced as facilitators, both influence decisions that are expressed as delaying, postponing, avoiding or complying with others by participating in these events. Furthermore, the results suggested that the decision to participate or not depends on the social contexts of the festival goers or non-goers, and that these social contexts may invert their decision, be it by facilitating or constraining their participation.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited to festivals in Portugal and used a qualitative analysis that may be confirmed in other countries with quantitative methods. Nevertheless, this research opens paths to discuss facilitators and constraints through ecological system theory and gives insights into this industry.Practical implicationsThe results provide important insights for festival organizers to retain and build long-term relationships with festival goers. The results also provide insights into how to overcome the resistance which non-goers demonstrated.Social implicationsThis research offers an in-depth and insightful understanding of individuals' attitudes towards music festivals, allowing festival demand to be better understood. Furthermore, this research proves that attendance of music festivals is mostly a socially driven behaviour.Originality/valueBy eliciting facilitators and constraints of the decision to participate in music festivals, considering residents and tourists, festival goers and non-goers, this study provides a deeper understanding of the decision to participate, through a theoretical framework which is rarely applied in this field.

Brazilian private health system: history, scenarios, and trends

Background Health care is a complex economic and social system, which combines market elements and public and social interest. This combination in Brazil, like systems in China and United States of America, is operationalized through the public and private system. The sector represents approximately 9% of the country’s GDP, of which 56% is privately sourced and 44% is of public origin. In the private sector includes a structure with 711 private health institutions, 47 million beneficiaries and revenues of US$30 billion a year. Methods Therefore, this research describes and analyzes the complementarity of Private Health before the Brazilian Unified Health System, highlighting its main characteristics, scenarios, and trends in the face of the health system and the Brazilian market. This descriptive and exploratory research uses secondary data from various sources, submitted to quantitative data analysis methods. The object of the research is the history of private health in Brazil and its main actors. Results The data are organized into three groups, each with its approach of collection and analysis. Thus, it is perceived as the notorious growth of large operators, to the detriment of operators with a lower concentration of beneficiaries; the increasing concentration of the market through mergers and acquisitions promoted by large publicly traded corporations, especially in regions with a lower rate of private health coverage; and the growth of the sector through business plans, whose central characteristic is the dependence on the country’s employability rate. Conclusions It is possible to perceive an intense trend of concentration of Brazilian private health in large institutions that have capitalized and have a great appetite for growth through mergers and acquisitions, whether from smaller operators or health institutions that integrate their health networks, following complementary health models already consolidated in countries such as China, and the United States of America, among others. This concentration projects a market with fewer options and competitiveness, reduction in transaction costs and increase the operational effectiveness of health care.

Effectiveness of rent recovery strategies on residential real estate in Ibadan, Nigeria

PurposeThe upward rise of the prolonged payback period and the inability of the project to generate estimated income that has been linked with the irregular rent payments has been a major problem confronting real estate investment. Given the fact that real estate investment is a risky investment venture with a highly uncertain future stream of income, this paper examines the effectiveness of rent recovery strategies in the emerging Nigeria residential real estate practice.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed an exploratory research design. The study identified the five recovery strategies adopted by the estate surveying and valuation firms in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria. The study adopts a purposive sampling method to select 52 registered estate firms in the study area and a questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale was used to elicit information. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.FindingsThe result showed that the rent recovery strategies adopted by the respondents include email approach, rent reminder notice, adequate maintenance, eviction notice and dialogue approach. The perceived top-rated strategies that could influence estimated income were dialogue and rent reminder notice. Also, the findings showed the factors that influence the choice of strategy are property type, company policy and the proportion of rent to the tenant's income.Practical implicationsThe study has an implication for real estate investors and property practitioners regarding the willingness of the investors to invest in real estate investment.Originality/valueThis paper is relevant given the fact that the rental property market is prone to risk that could impede the regular streamflow of income. This serves as a need for examination of the effectiveness of adopted rent recovery strategies as it relates to real estate property management practice and investment viability.

E-career canvas for individuals’ initiative and MBA graduate employability: an exploratory study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a model developed through a thorough qualitative analysis of pertinent stakeholder perceptions that can be used to map Master of Business Administration (MBA) students’ aspirations, goals, strengths and weaknesses to create optimal interventions and enable better employability. Design/methodology/approach This study used an exploratory research design. The authors conducted interviews with 60 stakeholders to identify themes that form constituents of the E-Career Canvas for Individuals (E-CCI) model. To assess the impact of the proposed initiative, 30 random participants were chosen for interviews from among alumni, present students, faculty, recruiters and the university administration across five years. Findings The proposed model captures the short-term and long-term goals of students concerning their career aspirations. This study has qualitatively explored the impacts of the E-CCI initiative on graduating students’ outcomes. The impacts are positive. The findings also suggest that recruiters do experience an incremental difference among graduates who have participated in the E-CCI program at an educational institute in India. Practical implications Business schools may adopt this model to create profiles of their MBA students. Students, as well as institutional administration, may work on mitigating the shortcomings and weaknesses identified through E-CCI initiatives and target the roles matching the profiles of students during placements. Originality/value This paper presents a novel model of E-CCI to capture the aspirations of MBA graduates and direct them to fulfil their goals. This study takes into consideration the viewpoints of key stakeholders involved to map the effectiveness of the model.

Barriers of growth within an informal sector business: narratives of women subsistence entrepreneurs in South Africa

PurposeThe study explores growth barriers experienced by a sample of women subsistence entrepreneurs operating within the informal sector in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilizes a descriptive-exploratory research approach and design relying on semi-structured interviews. A purposive sample of 45 women subsistence entrepreneurs formed the participant pool.FindingsThree main narratives emerged. First, a sense of personal contentment existed as a potential barrier for women subsistence entrepreneurs. Second, the women subsistence entrepreneurs had no expansion strategy due to their circumstances. This served as a barrier to growth. Finally, challenges emanating from the home-front served as a limit to the growth of the informal sector business.Research limitations/implicationsBased on the findings, strategies are offered to assist the women subsistence entrepreneurs in tackling the identified barriers to the growth of the informal sector business. A limitation of the research concerns issues that accompany qualitative research. Notably, these include sampling issues.Practical implicationsBased on the findings, strategies are offered to assist women subsistence entrepreneurs in tackling the barriers that affect their businesses.Originality/valueGiven the popularity of the informal sector in emerging nations such as South Africa, the study proffers suggestions that assist the advancement of subsistence entrepreneurship, especially within the informal sector. The role of women in all this is heightened.