Islamic Finance

This paper aims to explore the current trend in Islamic entrepreneurship over 5 years (2016–2020) through knowledge positioning to identify gaps in methodology and provide suggestions for further study. A systematic literature review with thematic analysis was used on 88 articles from various databases. As a result, quantitative methods (44) have dominated this topic compared to qualitative (31), mixed methods (1), systematic literature review (1), and conceptual papers (11). Islamic entrepreneurship is still in its early stages and requires more in-depth research. By highlighting the positioning of Islamic entrepreneurship as well as gaps in the methodology in prior work, this study aims to bring together this fragmented body of knowledge. It also points out topics for future research that still need to be covered.

This study aims to explore the importance of harmonizing Islamic financial literacy in enhancing the understanding of Islamic banking services in Malaysia. The Islamic banking industry has expanded significantly in Malaysia, a well-known global leader for Islamic finance. Nevertheless, despite its expansion and rising popularity, there remains a lack of financial literacy among people, especially when it comes to understanding the complexities of Islamic banking. The findings of the informant interviews are summarized in this paper. Data was gathered using the focus group discussion (FGD) technique. The results of the study were analysed using the nominal group technique (NGT), which can highlight the significance, difficulties, and potential solutions related to these issues. In total, ten informants took part in this inquiry. The research’s findings are intended to help policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, and educational institutions in Malaysia establish successful measures to improve Islamic financial literacy and foster a deeper understanding of Islamic banking services.

Islamic microfinance institutions, particularly Baitul Maal Wat Tamwil (BMT), play a crucial role in addressing financial inclusion and poverty alleviation in Indonesia. This systematic review aims to investigate the challenges faced by BMTs in the Indonesian context. The review focuses on four key areas: financing sources for the poor, sustainability of BMT, screening process, and the impact of diverse regional conditions and regulatory frameworks. A comprehensive search strategy is employed to identify relevant empirical studies conducted in the past 10 years. After rigorous screening, 12 research articles are selected for detailed analysis. The findings reveal that financing sources for the poor pose a significant challenge for BMTs in Indonesia. Limited access to funding hinders their ability to reach a broader segment of the population in need of financial services. Additionally, the sustainability of BMTs is influenced by financial performance quality, which is crucial for their long-term viability. The screening process emerges as a critical aspect, with collateral requirements and group lending schemes impacting potential borrowers, especially those from vulnerable communities. Moreover, the review highlights the significance of diverse regional conditions and varying regulatory frameworks in shaping the operating environment of BMTs in Indonesia.

In emerging economies, including Nigeria, the nano, micro, small, and medium enterprises (“NMSMEs”) sector are essential actors for socioeconomic development. In recent times, the increasing convergence of technology and financial services (fintech) has transformed financial service delivery and engendered cheap, sustainable, and innovative alternative mechanisms of funding for NMSMEs, prime among of which is the peer-to-peer (P2P) financing. This study examines the plausibility of Islamic P2P financing model as a viable option for NMSME funding in Nigeria. The study will utilize both primary and secondary data sourced from official publications, surveys, articles, interviews, working papers, websites, e-books, and online resources to drive its goals. The study finds out that evolution of digital economy, vibrant and demand-driven NMSME ecosystem, the growth of Islamic finance industry, and, importantly, an evolving regulatory regime, among others, are factors that are driving Islamic P2P financing model in Nigeria. The study recommends that for Islamic P2P financing to be effectively leveraged to fund the NMSMEs in Nigeria, the numerous stakeholders must synergize to utilize the opportunities presented by the model. It further recommends the requisite policy advocacy and development of Shari’ah compliance framework by the regulators and appropriate authorities toward assuring investors and practitioners of the integrity of the model.

This study aimed to demonstrate the relationship of business intelligence in enhancing the quality of digital banking services in Jordanian Islamic banks. In order to achieve the objective of the study, the descriptive analysis approach was adopted, where a random sample of 450 clients of Jordanian Islamic banks in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was selected, distributed from the north, center, and south in the form of a tight questionnaire covering all the variables of the study, and 305 questionnaires valid for analysis were retrieved. Accordingly, the statistical package for social sciences was used to process the study data. Finally, the study concluded that there is a positive effect of each of ABAAD, ATM, electronic financing, and electronic payments in improving the quality of digital services in Jordanian Islamic banks. In the light of these results, the study recommended the need for decision-makers in the Jordanian banking sector, represented by the Association of Banks and the Central Bank of Jordan, to support Islamic banks to keep abreast of digital developments related to business intelligence, similar to commercial banks. Finally, the advantages of business intelligence must be employed with regard to digital banking services for marketing to Islamic banking institutions, especially since the Jordanian banking sector suffers from high competition, which is reflected in the importance of marketing efforts in light of business intelligence.

Islamic bank has recently received considerable attention as a result of its quantum growth. Malaysia is emerging as a leading player in Islamic finance in the world today. This paper shows whether the growth of Malaysian economies is influenced by total Islamic financing. We applied an ARDL model as a cointegration approach, on quarterly time series data (from 2018Q1 to 2022Q4) to examine and discuss the relation between economic growth and total Islamic financing.The findings show that banking Islamic finance is driving the growth of the economy in Malaysia, which is a result of the New Malaysian Economy program’s success in recent years, which aims to promote the growth of Malaysian’s economy by improving the proportion of Islamic finance in both Malaysia’s banking sector and globally. The real economy of Malaysia can be influenced by both the conventional and Islamic banking systems. This study focuses only on the effect of total Islamic finance on Malaysia’s economic growth.In the short term, we can conclude that Islamic banking has a significant and positive impact on Malaysia’s economic growth, so we suggest that countries like Algeria that are trying to boost economic growth with Islamic finance should use Malaysia’s successful experience like a way for achieving economic growth, enhancing the percentage of the banking Islamic finance.

There are six participation banks in Turkey, and they are expected to contribute significantly to the economy in the future. The aim of this study is to assess the efficiency of these participation banks based on financial data from 2010 to 2020. Data envelopment analysis (DEA), a non-parametric efficiency approach, is used in this study with three input variables (profit share expenses, personnel expenses, and total funds) and two output variables (profit share income and net profit). While Kuveyt Türk, Ziraat Katılım, and Türkiye Finans are found to be the most efficient, Albaraka Türk and Vakıf Katılım are inefficient—at least when the most recent observations (2018–2020) and the 4-year moving average efficiency score for both outputs and inputs are used. As for the overall average scores, Türkiye Finans is the most efficient participation bank, followed by Ziraat Katılım and Vakıf Katılım. The least efficient participation banks are Kuveyt Türk and Albaraka Türk. For participation banks to gain a larger share of the market and to continue contributing to overall economic growth, policymakers must pay attention to these underperforming banks.

In this study, we investigate how Islamic banks in Jordan are implementing sustainability reporting methods. With a focus on the dynamic interaction between ethical principles, regulatory frameworks, and stakeholder expectations, this study adopts a qualitative methodology by combining a comprehensive literature review with in-depth interviews to provide a thorough understanding of these challenges, alignments, and opportunities.Islamic finance principles and sustainability goals are shown to be aligned in the reviewed literature, demonstrating the congruence between moral financial behavior and responsible policies. This congruence is confirmed through interviews with relevant parties such as practitioners, regulatory bodies, and customers, demonstrating the innate compatibility of Islamic beliefs with environmental objectives. This congruence places Islamic finance in a distinct position to advance social welfare while also assisting in the achievement of international sustainability goals.However, there are obstacles to overcome in actually putting sustainability reporting into practice. The interviews show how difficult it is to measure the social and environmental effects of a project while still being in accordance with Shariah law. One of the most prominent themes is the requirement for more niche measurements. Through an examination of regulatory dynamics from the viewpoints of regulatory authorities, we learn how crucial it is to strike a balance between promoting ethical and sustainable finance and ensuring full adherence to Shariah standards.Customer feedback reinforces the need of open reporting since it reflects the opinions of stakeholders. Islamic banking’s ethical tenets align with the modern trend toward more moral and environmentally responsible financial enterprises.This study concludes that Islamic banking has a double role in advancing both sustainable finance and ethical banking practices. Findings from the literature research and interviews were synthesized to highlight the need of working together to solve problems, provide uniform criteria, and promote a fair regulatory climate. This research aids the continuous effort to bring Islamic banking in line with ethical and environmentally sound banking standards.

When it comes to financial matters, it has always been a male-dominated society so far! Generally, in a household scenario, the role of men has the upper hand compared to the female in a cultural context like India. This dominance can be felt when it comes to investment; naturally, the women’s perception, attitude, analysis, and investment pattern differ from that of men. Women are prone to invest in safe avenues like banks, post offices, investment in gold, etc., whereas, on the other hand, men choose to invest in risky avenues as they expect higher returns. With a view to the above context, the researchers have analyzed the role of women in financial investment planning and the factors that play a predominant role in investment. With more and more women joining the workforce today, the world is shifting toward gender equality, even in investments. Women play a predominant role in all walks of life. Women are becoming financially independent and also play a significant role in financial decisions in the family. With more responsibilities, the financial need to cater to loved ones also increases; therefore, investment and wealth creation becomes crucial. With reference to this context, the researchers have analyzed whether women’s behavior differs concerning investment decisions and choice of investment avenue as a part of financial investment planning. The paper also aims to understand the awareness level of women toward investment and to analyze factors that women would consider for investment. The study was carried out with the help of a questionnaire, which was rolled out among Indian working women to check the parameters, and the study results were drawn accordingly.

This study examines the potential impact of metaverse-based banking on employment in the banking sector in India. With the increasing adoption of digital technologies, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, metaverse-based banking is emerging as a potential game-changer for the banking industry. This study explores the potential new job opportunities that could be created, as well as the potential job displacement that could occur in traditional banking roles. It also examines the need for upskilling and reskilling of the existing workforce to adapt to the new requirements of metaverse-based banking. The study highlights the potential benefits and challenges associated with the adoption of metaverse-based banking and its impact on financial inclusion and access to banking services in India. The study concludes with recommendations for policymakers, banking institutions, and individuals on how to leverage the potential benefits of metaverse-based banking while mitigating the potential negative impacts.

Islamic banks’ investment decisions are more challenging due to Shariah compliance, regulation, and market competition. This study explores the credit risks and what has been put into practice to mitigate these risks in Islamic banks. Eight expert interviews were conducted with people from the field of Jordanian Islamic banks, using a qualitative approach.The results highlight the distinctive features of the Islamic bank present challenges and opportunities in the process of mitigating credit risk, the critical challenges that arise from the process of lending and credit control strategies. The findings emphasize the positive impact of self-constructed reciprocal insurance within Islamic banks. The main finding stresses that the client’s awareness of the uniqueness of Islamic banks’ features plays a key role in the credit grant decision.This study contributes to the literature on Islamic banking. Among a few studies, this study explores the procedures used to mitigate credit risks, from the perspective of Islamic banking credit experts. Policymakers and Islamic banks must spread religious and cultural awareness about Islamic financial transactions to address customers’ misconceptions.

This study investigates the effect of perceptions of Islamic banks on job pursuit intention among students from Islamic-based universities in Indonesia. The focus of this research is three aspects of the perception of Islamic banks, namely, negative perception, future perception, and suspicious perception. Then the effect of these three aspects affects job pursuit intention at Islamic banks.For this study, we utilized SmartPLS to process the data using a quantitative approach. The research sample consisted of 108 respondents who were students from various Islamic-based universities in Indonesia. The information was gathered via an online survey.The results showed that negative and future perceptions of Islamic banks did not significantly affect students’ job pursuit intentions. However, it was found that suspicious perceptions of Islamic banks significantly negatively affect students’ job pursuit intentions. This shows that the lower the students’ suspicion perception toward Islamic banks, the higher their job pursuit intention.

In the banking industry, the use of business intelligence (BI) technology has become increasingly significant due to the constantly evolving environment. These technological advancements are essential tools for making informed decisions and developing sound strategies.In the context of Islamic banking, which follows Sharia law, the importance of BI is even more emphasized. This qualitative study examines the various factors that influence Islamic banks in Jordan when deciding whether or not to adopt BI. Through a phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including upper management, IT, and operational staff.The thematic analysis allowed us to extract six overarching themes from the interview data. These themes include cultural alignment and Sharia compliance, management support and leadership vision, technical feasibility and integration challenges, employee readiness and training, data security and privacy concerns, and the potential for enhanced decision-making. The findings highlight the critical role of cultural alignment, the impact of leadership support, and the difficulties of integrating cutting-edge technology with Sharia law.The research provides Islamic banks in Jordan with several recommendations, such as building ethical alignment, empowering leadership, emphasizing technological preparation, investing in staff training, and addressing concerns over data protection. This research contributes significantly to the Islamic banking sector by shedding light on the complexity of BI adoption and its consequences for incorporating technology within the framework of Sharia principles. Additionally, this research can provide helpful insights.

Islamic microfinance is a powerful Shariah-compliant tool for helping the impoverished escape the cycle of poverty in Bangladesh. Despite a few applications of Islamic microfinance instruments, most of the instruments have been based on Murabahah contracts, while the use of equity or partnership-based contracts has been very minimal. This study aims to analyse the opinions and perspectives of microfinance recipients of Bangladesh regarding the prospects of implementing a partnership-based Islamic microfinance model in Bangladesh where the concepts of Mudarabah and Musharakah will be applied. A mixed-method research method has been adopted in this study. A total of 400 recipients of Islamic microfinance products were surveyed using a close-ended questionnaire to determine their viewpoints about Mudarabah and Musharakah-based Islamic microfinance model. At the same time, secondary data were collected from books, peer-reviewed journals, and conference proceedings, and a critical analysis approach was adopted in the process. The study finds that partnership-based Islamic microfinance has a bright prospect to be implemented in Bangladesh. If properly put into practice, partnership-based Islamic microfinance will effectively assist the nation’s poor in enhancing both their financial inclusion and general socioeconomic conditions.

The objective of this study is to examine scientific productivity through the implementation of a bibliometric analysis on all papers pertaining to Islamic crowdfunding available in the Scopus database. A comprehensive examination of the progress in research incorporates to a meticulous evaluation of the various facets of the scientific landscape associated with Islamic crowdfunding. This study employs a bibliometric analysis to determine the prevailing research patterns, prominent authors, and extensively cited publications in the domain of Islamic crowdfunding. This study explores the intersection of Islamic finance and crowdfunding or crowdsourcing by conducting a screening methodology on April 2, 2023. The study employs a comprehensive set of keywords and search terms to examine titles, abstracts, and keywords within Scopus, a reputable database of peer-reviewed literature. The period covered is from 1987 and concludes in March 2023, with 218 publications already available online. The finding shows that the recent literature in 2022 focuses on “fintech,” “Islamic finance,” “Islamic crowdfunding,” “Islamic fintech,” and “blockchain,” which represents a shift from the more general topic of “crowdfunding” identified in 2020. The study found a steady growth in publications over time, which indicates an increasing interest in and recognition of Islamic crowdfunding in the academic community. This trend demonstrates the dynamic nature and expanding importance of research in this field. The present analysis posits that citation rates serve as a recommended indicator, while the impact factors of journals are quantitative and objective measures that are directly associated with the dissemination of scientific research. The present analysis offers a valuable synopsis of the prevailing research patterns and prominent contributors in the domain of Islamic crowdfunding, in order to establish an overview for future study initiatives in this field.

The study sought to benchmark as a method to study the efficiency of Algerian commercial banks and for the purpose of improving financial performance, which is the criterion for development and creativity under the current circumstances, for Algerian commercial banks (BADR, ELSALAM, SG, BNP_P BNA, BDL), during the period 2017–2021 and to improve their financial performance after being affected by the Corona pandemic, using the DEA data envelope analysis method.The following results were reached after relying on inputs (capital, deposits) and outputs (loans, investments), where full efficiency was achieved in BDL Bank except for the year 2021 and BADR Bank except for the year 2018 according to the CRS model in the input and output directions. While in the VRS model, SG Bank and ELSALAM achieved full efficiency in the input and output directions over the 5 years studied. Inefficient banks (BNA, BNP_P) are therefore required to improve their financial performance following the example of reference banks.

Opportunities abound in Islamic banking, which is rapidly becoming the industry’s dominant growth sector. Transparency, cooperative ventures, risk sharing, and ethical investment are at the heart of Islamic finance, which has attracted a diverse group of investors from both Muslim and non-Muslim backgrounds. Islamic banking is now a rapidly expanding sector of the global financial system and capital markets. Most of the globe now has access to Islamic banking. India has the world’s third-largest Muslim population, making it a promising market for Islamic banking. Shariah law, which underpins Islamic banking, according to forbids the charging or receiving of interest; investing in haram, or illicit businesses, is likewise forbidden under Islam’s legal code. Instead of the risk-transfer observed in traditional banking, Islamic banking is based on risk-sharing—an element of trade. This article makes an effort to define Islamic banking and describe its fundamental tenets and products enunciated. This study goes farther by analyzing the SWOT of Islamic banking in India, listing its benefits, and outlining its drawbacks.

Recent global investigations have explored a gender gap in Islamic microfinance outreach, with Indonesia presenting a significant exception. With outreach to over 11 million women, Indonesian Islamic microfinance has exhibited rapid growth. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively analyze six key dimensions of women outreach with Islamic microfinance in Indonesia, leveraging diverse datasets from performance reports, financial statements, interviews, and literature reviews. The results uncovered 93 institutions with various characteristics each excelling in specific outreach aspects. Larger institutions performed exceptionally in terms of outreach breadth, while the majority of smaller ones excelled in depth. Cooperative legal entity NGOs showed excellence in outreach scope, whereas those operating as banks exhibited remarkable performance in managing costs. Regarding the worth of outreach, most literature explored positive impacts, with a few warranting attentions. In addition, high-interest rates/margins, coercive debt collection practices, and overindebtedness were some of the negative aspects, particularly in regions marked by intense competition among institutions.

This research deals with the study of the impact of the need to guarantee deposits in Islamic banks by the rules of Islamic law, its assets, its purposes, and interests, and concludes that the rule of deposits in Islamic banks varies depending on its container investment, origin where they are not guaranteed on Islamic banks but do not deny that provisions might be changed to suit the current time on condition that it does not conflict with the provisions of general Sharia. The researcher has dealt with the beginning of the concept of banking research and the need for the types of risks to deposits in Islamic banks, and concluded that it is permissible to ensure some deposits in Islamic banks because of their stability for transactions in Islamic banks.

The primary objective of this scholarly inquiry is to ascertain the substantive impact of Islamic banking in the realm of financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This assessment is conducted within the context of a meticulous case study centered on Bank Al-Salam operating in Algeria. The study’s focal point extends beyond mere financial transactional analysis, aiming to underscore the pronounced role that these endeavors play in galvanizing the larger framework of economic advancement. Furthermore, the research delves into a meticulous dissection of pertinent economic indicators, meticulously extracted from a diverse array of annual reports, thereby constituting the bedrock of the methodological approach pursued.Conclusively, when looking at the economic role played by Bank Al-Salam, its significant involvement and contribution to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) becomes evident. According to economic literature, these enterprises are considered a primary engine for economic growth, as they contribute to job creation, enhance economic diversity, and stimulate innovation.By offering financing solutions specifically tailored to meet the needs of these enterprises, Bank Al-Salam reflects a deep commitment to bolstering economic stability and developing the production base of the nation. It is worth noting that financing SMEs is not merely an economic duty but is viewed as a strategic investment that yields long-term returns by enhancing the private sector’s competitiveness and stimulating sustainable economic activity.From this perspective, one can say that Bank Al-Salam’s modest role in financing SMEs is a vital part of its overall strategy, which aims to strike a balance between achieving profitability and realizing positive economic and social impact.

Often, we know famous films better than the plight of minorities when it comes to the ‘Titanic’ film in comparison with the ‘Six’ minority six that were on board the Titanic ship. The audience will never forget the ‘Titanic’ between these two films more than the ‘Six’. This study aims to discover what the ‘Six’ documentary reveals while analysing the similarities and differences between the two films using a narrative paradigm. The study also aims to find out the impact of historical truth on the Chinese minority who have watched the narrative documentary.The narrative documentary ‘Six’ examines the plight and suffering encountered by the minority. The ‘Six’ revealed differences in social class and discrimination against Chinese migrants. Both are similar when it comes to the background of historical settings but diverge on the narration of themes. It significantly impacts historical truth and social awareness. It further proves that using narrative coherence and fidelity effectively transports the content to the audience, leaving a lasting impact on the viewers.This study is limited to minority groups and cannot be extrapolated to the wider audience. Future research can be replicated using movies to help the marginalised group speak up and heal wounds.

Sukuk blockchain, which is one of the innovations in the advancement of IR 4.0 technology, aims to further improve the quality of sukuk, expand the sukuk market and increase the country’s economic growth. This preliminary survey study aimed to identify opportunities and challenges in the sukuk blockchain. This study adopted the literature review method, which was subjected to a content analysis (qualitative research method). Findings indicate that sukuk blockchain is able to further improve the quality of sukuk structuring by being transparent, trackable (traceable), simplified, economical and prompt. Elements found in the sukuk blockchain can provide opportunities to further improve the existing sukuk structure, overcome existing problems and expand the existing sukuk market. This study found that the sukuk blockchain offers extensive opportunities for improving the national economy because it can ensure the security of sukuk data against hacking, reduce the risk of payment defaults and enhance the transparency and trackability of sukuk issuance operations. However, there are challenges in the implementation of the sukuk blockchain, such as the difficulty in controlling its operations so that they are consistent with Syariah principles due to the lack of specific laws, software errors in technology and systems of sukuk blockchain, lengthy time required for community acceptance, ambiguous regulations and an absence of standards.

There is diverse and fragmented research from various disciplines combined with a need for more theoretical and conceptual integration regarding brands, influencers, and impulse buying. While impulse buying is related to sustainable consumption, few have delved into the influencer as a mediator between brands and impulse buying. The central question of this research is to investigate whether the influence of brand awareness and social media influencers have effects on impulsive buying behavior using Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory. Using concurrent mixed methods with quantitative and qualitative simoutenously, it aims to determine whether brand awareness, influencer and impulse buying are connected.It is hoped that it will identify new relationships or add to existing knowledge that will further enhance the theory. Tracing how consumers behave, impulse buying will help marketers, influencers, and consumers better understand and provide a more sustainable consumer experience. Furthermore, this research will assist researchers to understand that Millennials aged between 27 and 42 consumption that formed the biggest group of insolvency in Malaysia.

This research analyzes and presents the trend and development of research topics on internal audit quality public sector organization using bibliometric analysis. A bibliometric analysis was used to obtain a structured overview and the development about research trend on internal audit quality public sector organization domain. Researchers use google scholar to get data and analyses with VOSviewer software and Scopus Analyze Search Results. The keywords “internal audit” AND “audit quality” AND “public sector organizations” OR “local government” was used and found 276 articles as a sample. These articles are published between 1992 and August 10, 2023.Based on the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that analyzes the research trend on internal audit quality public sector organization with use bibliometric analysis. In addition, for exploring and analyzing large volumes of scientific research, the use of bibliometric analysis is a popular and rigorous method. The Scopus database was used in this study because Scopus is one of the major international publishers that successfully combines a comprehensive, highly curated abstract and citation database with enriched data and connected academic literature across a wide range of fields.This study find an fluctuation trend in number of publications on internal audit quality public sector organization research, and the “Business, Management and Accounting” is the most active journal publishing this topic. As of August 10, 2023, a total of 276 documents have been found and studied. The research document by year, documents and source kinds, document by author, subject area, distribution of publications by countries, most active institutions, authorship, and citation analysis are reported in this article using common bibliometric indicators. The findings indicate that the rate of research development has been increasing on internal audit quality public sector organization from 2017 until 2023. For the document and source type, the highest was an article with 237 documents, and the source type, jornal, was the highest with 90.94%. The majority of subject areas were business, management, and accounting (207). The keywords that appeared the most were internal audit with 32, audit quality with 21, and public sector with 18. The country with the most contributions was Indonesia, with 59 publications.

This paper focuses on summarizing and evaluating existing literature regarding e-government in Oman. There are three key questions to this research: (1) What are the main challenges that the Oman e-government project is facing and how can these challenges be resolved? (2) What are the barriers affecting service quality in Oman and how can they be overcome? (3) What are the impediments preventing government entities from integrating across services? In view of the lack of documentation concerning the progress of e-government implementation in Oman, this research will be conducted to identify the factors slowing the development of e-government in Oman. This research will bring to light the factors that have a direct or indirect impact on the e-government implementation project. These factors may be behavioral such as trust, skills, acceptance, knowledge, and reliance. There may also be non-human factors such as infrastructure, integration, geography, and regulations.

Over the past 10 years, Indonesia has significantly grown in payment system innovation. Banks have no choice but to adjust to these advancements while still taking their ability to earn a profit into account. The study aims to examine how payment system innovation impacts bank performance in Indonesia. Country-level data from 2013 to 2020 are used to assess the research hypotheses. Data are gathered from the Global Economy and Bank Indonesia. For examination, we employ ordinary least squares methods. We also develop two econometric models to evaluate the relationships among the variables under the hypotheses. We employ principal component analysis for variables linked to electronic transactions as a proxy for payment innovation due to the failure of the assumption test for the profitability model. The findings show a statistically significant negative link between bank profitability and payment innovation. In the risk model, we find that the number of ATMs has a statistically negative impact on bank risk, but the number of debit cards has a positive effect. Banks must be aware of innovations in payment systems that lead to more significant revenue than before because improvements to payment systems will raise operational risk; as a result, the bank must also be aware of any potential for new risks to materialize because of implemented innovations.

Mobile commerce has gained increasing popularity in developing countries in recent years. It has transformed the traditional way of conducting business. Previously, SMEs engaged in face-to-face selling and purchasing of products, however, mobile commerce now allows SMEs to enhance their economic benefits and time management. Furthermore, because many SMEs in Hargeisa continue to rely on traditional methods that involve physical contact, it is crucial to assess their level of understanding of mobile commerce usage. Therefore, it is essential to examine the level of trust in mobile commerce. This study analyzes mobile commerce activities and adoption through a systematic review.

The current study seeks to determine the stages of high school graduates’ decision to enroll in higher education institutions (HEIs) by examining the influencing factors in relation to the student’s university choice decision-making process in Malaysia. The survey has been done by collecting quantitative data. Over the 6-month collecting data process, 253 students responded, with 220 surveys completed. Usable data from surveys were analyzed using the AMOS 24.0 software. The study employed a 20-item adopted and adapted questionnaire measuring the mentioned factors. The study discovered that university reputation, teaching staff quality, and campus facilities significantly influenced school leavers’ university choices, but the promotion variable did not. Gender moderated the relationship between university reputation, staff quality, and students’ enrolment intentions. These findings are essential for decision-making and can guide higher education marketers in improving strategies to attract students.

Malaysia is a leader in halal pharmaceutical certification. With the global demand for halal pharmaceuticals on the rise, this study aims to shed light on the intricate process of designing and updating halal pharmaceutical certification schemes. The researcher chose a qualitative approach for this study. The research strategy included document selection and interviews for data collection. Nvivo 12 was used for the analysis and implementation of the study. The study indicates that Malaysia has gradually and systematically improved its halal certification scheme for pharmaceuticals. It started with certifying products in the traditional medicine and health supplement categories, moving on to over-the-counter products, and eventually to controlled medication products, carried out in stages. In line with this, for the purpose of enhancement, the implementation should also be guided by references to the Malaysian Standard MS 2424, Manual Procedure for Halal Certification in Malaysia, Malaysian Halal Management System, Halal Certification Circular, Malaysian Fatwa, as well as other laws and regulations.

The phenomenon of entrepreneurship that is being experienced worldwide can be attributed to its perceived potential for fostering economic growth and sustainability. Numerous endeavours within the entrepreneurial ecosystem are being made to enhance the entrepreneurship performance with the aim of achieving sustainable entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The United Nations General Assembly established the Open Working Group, which convened at the United Nations headquarters. This group put out a comprehensive framework known as the SDGs, consisting of 17 distinct goals and a total of 169 specific targets. In addition to the aforementioned statement, an initial collection of 330 indicators was introduced in March 2015. Decent work and economic growth represent a key objective within the framework of the SDGs. Hence, our objective is to examine the metrics that indicate the influence of entrepreneurship performance (EP) on SDGs through sustainable entrepreneurship (SE).

Processing livestock compost is something new in Pakisjajar Village, Malang Regency. The potential for cattle farming which is quite good in the village is not comparable to the existing livestock manure processing activities. The absence of regulations and education on livestock manure processing to residents has made villagers tend to leave the existing manure alone, and if it has loosened, it is used for fertilizer in the rice fields directly without processing it. This study aims to formulate a management policy as well as educate residents on cow dung waste processing using the penta-helix model by maximizing the five existing stakeholders, namely, academic, business, community, government, and media (ABCGM) with the Triple C (coordination, collaboration, commercial) approach. This section of the analysis shows that strategies among stakeholders are very diverse and mutually influence one another.

Though mathematics represents the last letter in STEM, many believe that it is ranked first with regard to importance. Mathematics contributes to the understanding of the ideas and concepts of all other subjects, especially in integrating STEM education programs. The objective of this research is to give information on student mathematics performance and make suggestions about how the results may affect learning about STEM subjects. A total of 510 Form 1 students, on average, 13 years old, consisted of 235 males and 275 females, participated in this cross-sectional study. A year-end mathematics examination consisted of 44 items in a partial credit format is used as an instrument. Using the Rasch measurement model framework, responses from the exam were utilized to calibrate the items according to their level of difficulty. The results show that students have difficulty in answering items related to the topic of (1) linear inequalities, followed by (2) ratios, rates, and proportions, as well as (3) algebraic expressions. However, they demonstrate mastery in answering items related to the topics of (1) linear equations, (2) factors and multiples, and (3) perimeters and areas. We believe that knowledge in these areas would enable teachers to prepare more successful activities related to the inclusion of STEM subjects in classroom instruction and learning. Creating a robot or building models is meaningless if students are unable to obtain a deep understanding of the concepts associated with mathematics.

This study identifies the most efficient sugarcane trading systems in Indonesia on the basis of trading transaction costs. The design of this study is a qualitative approach by interviewing 142 sugarcane farmers. The data was analyzed using content analysis. The result indicates three sugarcane trading systems in Indonesia. First, the farmers sell the sugarcane directly to the mills. Second, farmers sell sugarcane to wholesalers. Third, farmers sell sugarcane to sugarcane traders (cash sugarcane). Thus, this study has identified that the second trading system is the most efficient sugarcane trading technique compared to the first and second systems.

This paper dives deep into a simple but crucial question: in today’s fast-paced digital era, how important is it for businesses to adapt? While there’s been a lot of chatter about the sweeping changes that digitalization brings, there’s still a murky understanding of what happens to companies that don’t hop on this digital train in time. Through a mix of digging into academic articles and drawing real-world lessons from the contrasting tales of Netflix and Blockbuster, this research paints a clearer picture. As Netflix soared by embracing change, Blockbuster’s hesitation sealed its fate. The takeaway? Being nimble and tech-savvy isn’t just “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s a game-changer.

The development of women’s education in this country, in general, occurred at a slower pace compared to that of men. Prior to independence, colonial education policies marginalized women’s education, citing cultural constraints and local societal mindset as reasons for the lag in women’s education. The rising awareness of women’s education led to a demand for educational opportunities, particularly in the form of schooling for women. This gave rise to the involvement of local organizations at the state level in providing educational opportunities. This study examines the role of the Kelantan Islamic Religious Council (MAIK) in the development of education in Kelantan. It is a qualitative study that utilizes primary sources from the National Archives of Malaysia and the MAIK Library and is supported by secondary sources from the National Library of Malaysia and university libraries. The study found that MAIK played a role in providing educational opportunities through schools under its administration for Kelantanese women during British colonialism. These educational opportunities helped reshape the Malay women’s perspective on education, subsequently enhancing their roles in Kelantanese society.

In the contemporary educational landscape, integrating technology into traditional classroom settings has garnered substantial attention as a method to enhance students’ academic achievements. This particular research wants to evaluate complex relationships encompassing the integration of smart classrooms (SMRTs), perceived ease of use (PEoU), self-efficacy (SE), and Islamic spiritual values (ISVs) in fostering students’ academic accomplishments. The present employs a survey-based quantitative approach to investigate how these factors interact across diverse students and institutions. With the aid of the PLS-4 software, the collected data undergo thorough analysis via the partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. Subsequently, findings pertaining to this investigation show that SMRTs, PEoU, SE, and Islamic values strongly predict academic performance. However, the direct relationship between ISV and PEoU, as well as the indirect effect of PEoU on student academic performance (SAP) via ISV, is not empirically supported. The study contributes theoretically by revealing intricate connections between technological advancements, psychological factors, and spiritual values in educational contexts. Practically, it guides instructor and policymakers in designing technology-driven SMRTs to meet students’ cognitive and spiritual needs, ultimately fostering a conducive academic environment. The research’s novelty is based on the intricate connections between SMRT integration, PEoU, SE, and ISVs in shaping SE.

Work from home (WFH) simply refers to a working mode that enables employees to perform office-related tasks at home. This initiative is made possible with the advancement of technology practiced by modern organizations. WFH is not a new practice within organizational studies. However, its relevancy and popularity have risen because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, even during the post-pandemic phase, many business organizations continued practicing this working mode, and many organizations followed suit induced by many benefits and opportunities offered by the WFH mode. Nonetheless, the academic findings are still inconclusive about this working mode. Likewise, public agencies across the countries have also had an opportunity to experience WFH. However, there is even more dearth of academic-related works reported in the literature that discussed WFH in the public sector setting. Thus, this research is keen to fill in the gap and aims to analyze the impact of working from home for civil servants and ways of moving forward. It turns out that sentiment and responses for WFH among civil servants have been well supported. WFH also managed to bring a positive impact on the productivity level of civil servants. Furthermore, organizational support systems for WFH are also discussed in the study.

In the realm of education, ethics represents a crucial component within MQF 2.0, whereas ethical considerations in event management pertain to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals spanning from sixth to 15th. 1400 years ago, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) informed his followers that virtuous merchants would be among those who join him in paradise. Ethics permeate every aspect of human existence, often presenting challenges. The present study seeks to identify ethical quandaries within the event management industry and propose solutions through snowball sampling methodology employing open-ended questions. However, it is limited in scope to the perspectives of Muslim organizers. This study was confined to the domain of Islamic hospitality that is compliant with Muslim-friendly standards. The survey culminated in six participants who brought attention to various concerns such as ikhtilat, waste management, impartiality, religious and racial sensitivity, unprofessional conduct during Q&A sessions, and deficient administration. This study has determined that each issue has been thoroughly discussed in both Islamic and conventional research, with detailed analysis. These findings provide a valuable foundation for further research comprising a wider range of respondents. Moreover, the results encourage industry players to enhance their services for Muslim markets while remaining faithful to Islamic values.

This study aims to explore how SMEs utilize social media crowdsourcing in ideation, development, and commercialization. It introduces potential dimensions, including crowdsourcing engagement, digital presence, external collaboration, and open innovation culture, as predictors. Within this framework, diversity of inputs mediates, with SME crowdsourced ideas as the ultimate dependent variable. Using a rigorous content analysis approach, this research delves into the effects of these factors on SME ideation. Further empirical studies may uncover their interactions and influence on SME growth. The goal is to provide SMEs with a comprehensive guide to effectively leverage social media crowdsourcing for amplified innovation, refined product development, and strategic market positioning. Understanding these dynamics empowers SMEs to navigate the evolving business landscape and capitalize on transformative potential. His study contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical implications, providing SMEs with valuable insights and tools to excel in the rapidly evolving digital business environment.

A flash flood is frequently experienced by Malaysians every single year, normally happening in a city such as Kuala Lumpur and Bandar Kuching. The problem statement of the research is the impacts of a failure of the drainage system to support the amount of rainwater during heavy rainfall to the residents of Bandar Kuching. The objectives of this research are to identify correlations between flash floods and improper drainage systems in Bandar Kuching and to recommend mitigations to minimize any flash floods incident in Bandar Kuching. For research methodology, the research adopted mixed methods. For the quantitative method, the questionnaires (Google Forms) are distributed to the residents of Bandar Kuching, who have affected the flash floods in the past, while the results are analyzed via Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). For the qualitative method, the top managers of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and Local Authority (PBT) are interviewed, and the script of the interview is analyzed by using Content Analysis Using Matrix Table. For Objective 1, the Factor of Flora Cover Interception of Rainwater by Trees is the highest (mean 4.5357) and the lowest (standard deviation 0.59001). For Objective 2, it can be summarized that the variable of failure to support rainwater and the variable of improper management and unsystematic, the variable of minimizing negative impacts, and the variable of maximizing efficiency have a strong and positive correlation as their significant value (2-tailed) is ˂ 0.05. For Objective 3, some recommendations are suggested such as return on investment (ROI) and town planning and development. Through this research, it could maximize the efficiency of a drainage system and minimize flash flood in Bandar Kuching.

Comprehensive funding reforms have been implemented by developed countries, resulting in major improvements in the implementation of their financial systems. Developing nations have also adopted the practice of evaluating the efficacy and shortcomings of their current systems of higher education management and public financial support. The pursuit of enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of higher education funding, with the aim of attaining enduring economic growth, has prompted the development of numerous policy reforms in both developed and developing nations. However, it is acknowledged by the Ministry of Higher Education that the current system needs to undergo changes in order to align with international developments. One of the measures undertaken by the Ministry of Higher Education is the alteration of the financing system for public institutions in Malaysia, with the aim of enhancing the correlation between performance and outcomes. The primary aim of this study is to analyse the formulation of a novel funding mechanism for public universities in Malaysia, with the intention of fostering a robust competitive environment within the public university system.

Rapid technological advancements are reshaping job markets, creating an urgent need for proactive skill preparation. The relentless pace of technological growth is reshaping Malaysia’s labour market, giving rise to unprecedented shifts in job requirements and skill sets. This evolution necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the changing employment landscape and its implications. This study aims to comprehensively analyse the changing job market in Malaysia by focusing on emerging and redundant jobs as well as the skills demanded by these evolving roles. A qualitative content analysis approach was then used to achieve the objectives of this study. The findings reveal a notable transition in the Malaysian job market. As technology continues to reshape industries, roles such as data analysts, digital transformation specialists, and digital marketing strategists are gaining prominence. These emerging positions require skills related to data analysis, digital literacy, and strategic thinking. Simultaneously, traditional roles are facing automation, leading to a decline in future demand. Hence, this study emphasised the imperative nature of proactive measures to bridge the skills gap and seize the opportunities offered by this transformative era.

This paper aims to provide a concise summary of the main points and findings discussed in the subsequent in light of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. A considerable number of secondary school institutions have shifted their pedagogical and assessment methodologies to online platforms. However, the current corpus of academic literature regarding education reform projects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reveals a significant lack of comprehensive research on this specific subject matter. Consequently, the primary objective of this study is to investigate the propensity of secondary school educators in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to embrace the principles and practices associated with Education 4.0. The current investigation employs a quantitative research approach, utilizing a questionnaire that incorporates a 5-point Likert scale for data collection. The sample for this study comprises 15 secondary schools that cover grades K-12 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. The analysis was carried out by the researchers on a sample of 437 secondary school teachers, utilizing the Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) Statistics programme. The primary objective of the research produced findings that demonstrate a noteworthy and statistically significant tendency among educators in secondary schools in the United Arab Emirates to embrace Education 4.0. Similarly, the mean score of the participants’ evaluations regarding performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions in the context of adopting education 4.0 is equally significant. This data sheds light on the factors that impact teachers’ willingness to utilize Education 4.0. On the other hand, the regression analysis produced significant results that provide support for the remaining objectives. The study revealed a significant positive relationship between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, enabling circumstance, and the inclination to adopt Education 4.0. The research study provided a significant contribution to the current knowledge base about the theory and practical implementation of technology adoption inside secondary educational institutions in a developing nation context. Moreover, the results of this investigation possess the capacity to augment the calibre of pedagogical methodologies for educational managers, instructors, and school administrators. The objective can be accomplished by promoting the creation and use of appropriate educational settings that effectively integrate the desire to employ Education 4.0 systems. As a result, educators can obtain substantial benefits from these technological improvements. Furthermore, the findings inferred from the data indicate that the researcher has effectively showcased that a significant proportion of research endeavours examining the adoption of technology, applying the Unified Theory of User Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTUAT) framework, and have primarily concentrated on nations in the western hemisphere and those characterized by industrialization. This study has provided empirical evidence to support a comparison analysis between its conclusions and existing research conducted in western contexts on Middle Eastern countries.

Credit card misuse, an issue resulting from preference over luxurious lifestyle, overvaluation of available funds, and imprudence over credit usage, is at its worrying trend. Prior studies have evidenced that credit card misuse tends to be associated with indebtedness and psychological problems. This study aims to make its contribution by examining the contributing factors of credit card misuse among Malaysian working adults and the potential mitigating factor of credit attitude in curbing such problem. With a sample of 250 Malaysian working adults, it is concluded that materialism and social norms have a positive relationship with credit card misuse. However, with proper credit attitude, it is helpful in mitigating the credit card misuse problem. The findings of the study provide useful insights to the relevant parties on the importance of credit attitude. Actions shall be taken in promoting proper credit attitude in the younger generations.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are essential sectors as they contribute the most significant percentage of total business operations in Malaysia. Among the SMEs, micro-business is the most important (76.3%). However, despite the considerable number, the ugly truth is that many micro-businesses struggle to grow. One of the problems worth highlighting now is the lack of branding strategy for micro-enterprises, which makes many micro-enterprises unable to be seen by target customers. Despite the social media trends, the use of social media marketing in micro-enterprises is unmatured. Micro-business should start to utilize social media platforms to promote their brand. However, the usage of social media marketing to promote micro-business is still limited. This study aims to identify how social media marketing can build brand for micro-businesses in Malaysia.

With globalization and internationalization, the input of the target culture has become more visible in Chinese college English teaching. In contrast, the Chinese culture has not received proper attention, resulting in “Chinese cultural aphasia.” Many learners have difficulty expressing the Chinese culture in English during intercultural communication, which often causes communication barriers. Chinese English majors play a leading role in sharing Chinese culture in intercultural communication. However, English majors have not received much attention. To address this gap, the current study investigates Chinese cultural aphasia (CCA) and intercultural competence (IC) among Chinese college English majors at Hengshui University. In addition, this study explores the relationship between their CCA and IC. Adopting a quantitative approach, the study uses two research instruments, namely, the Chinese culture test and intercultural competence scale. The data of the test and scale are analyzed by SPSS 26.0. The findings show that the English majors’ CCA is below the qualifying score of 60, which shows a lack of knowledge of Chinese culture. For intercultural competence, they achieved slightly higher than the qualifying score of 84. The result also shows that they have the strongest in intercultural attitude but weakest in intercultural knowledge among the four dimensions of attitude, skills, knowledge, and attitude. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation (r = 0.401, p = 0.001 < 0.05) shows a positive correlation between English majors’ CCA and IC. This study shows that it is essential to raise more awareness of cultural aphasia among Chinese college English majors and provides a valuable reference for the need of cultivating intercultural competence among Chinese undergraduates.

The implementation of healthcare waqf is significant to enhance the social welfare of societies by confirming that all groups of society can get proper healthcare services. Aims: This study aims to identify the socio-demographic of healthcare waqf donors and their association with faith and attitude influences. Methodology: Data from a total of 189 participants from the government servants who have experience in contributing to healthcare waqf were cross-sectionally collected. Descriptive statistics were applied to describe the socio-demographic patterns of waqf donors and the most significant healthcare waqf contribution factors. Meanwhile, Fisher’s exact test was applied to identify the association between demographics, attitudes, and faith. Findings: This study found all the demographic variables were significantly associated with the attitude influence on healthcare waqf contribution. Based on the influence of faith on healthcare waqf contributions, only variables occupation has no significant association (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Waqf institutions can use this study’s result to construct proper marketing plans to enhance the healthcare waqf program, especially among government servants.

Tahfiz education is currently gaining significant attention among Malaysians. The establishment of both government and private tahfiz schools underscores the integration of tahfiz education into the mainstream educational landscape of Malaysia. This research aims to gauge students’ interest in the tahfiz program and assess its future relevance. The findings will shed light on the program’s relevance and potentially garner government support. For this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to potential participants. Out of the 328 responses collected and analyzed, it was revealed that 72.5% of respondents are inclined to enroll in the tahfiz program if it is offered at the University of Technology MARA, Kelantan Branch.

Baitul Maal wa Tamwil (BMT) as an official Islamic microfinance institution in Indonesia with a dual function, namely, a commercial function and a social function in empowering the poor, has several issues and challenges related to agency problems that occur in micro business financing. By using SWOT analysis, this study aims to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges faced by BMTs in mitigating risks related to agency problems in micro business financing to further develop mitigation strategies for these risks. In-depth interviews with five experts from academics and practitioners in the field of Islamic microfinance were used to obtain the data. All interviews were recorded for verbatim transcription to be coded in several stages and then analyzed. This study finds that the agency problem risk mitigation strategy in micro business financing in BMT can be seen through five lenses, namely, contract implementation, guarantee systems, selection procedures, supervision and monitoring systems, and human resource capacity building programs. Future research can focus on the effectiveness of BMT strategy implementation to be able to provide strategic policy direction in mitigating the risk of agency problems in micro business financing in BMT.

Documentaries, with their vivid scenes and concise language, have become an essential medium in film and television art forms. One such documentary, Beauty of Shaanxi, showcases the unique natural and cultural landscape of China’s Shaanxi Province. The study examines this documentary to explore how its narration shapes the construction of ecological responsibility and sustainable development in China’s Shaanxi Province. Despite existing research on ecological discourse, there is a gap in understanding the role of mental processes in documentary narration. Utilizing He et al.’s ecological discourse analysis framework, we focus on the representation of mental processes within the transitivity system. A detailed analysis is conducted to identify these processes and their semantic configurations. Situated within ecolinguistics and social constructionism, our study aims to fill the research gap by analyzing how the documentary constructs a specific ecological narrative. The findings reveal that Beauty of Shaanxi utilizes specific mental processes, including emotive, perceptive, cognitive, and communicative processes, to present ecological issues, thereby contributing to the social construction of ecological practices. This underscores the significant role of media in shaping ecological discourse.

The core objective of this study is to delve into the intricate dynamics among entrepreneurial orientation (EO), resource availability, powerful entrepreneurial networking, and marketing performance within the specific context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating within Indonesia’s Halal industry. By undertaking a comprehensive analysis of these distinct variables, our aim is to unveil the intricate interplay that characterizes their relationships, understand their individual impacts, and uncover potential theoretical implications. This research endeavor is driven by the ambition to broaden the existing knowledge landscape within this domain and provide valuable insights that hold significance for both industry practitioners and scholarly researchers. Adopting a content analysis approach, we methodically construct a robust conceptual framework. This framework is meticulously developed through the synthesis of a diverse array of carefully selected sources. This meticulous approach empowers us to establish a sturdy underpinning for our research, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics that govern the interconnections between EO, resource availability, powerful entrepreneurial networking, and marketing performance within the distinctive milieu of Halal-oriented SMEs in Indonesia.

This study discusses the importance of emotional intelligence and personality of coastal residents in increasing environmental awareness. Emphasis is placed on the complex relationship between individual psychological aspects and awareness of environmental sustainability in coastal areas. The method of distributing 180 questionnaires randomly to the surrounding residents was used to collect data. The findings of this study provide two important outcomes: First, emotional intelligence has a significant and positive relationship with environmental awareness. Second, personality has a significant and positive relationship with environmental awareness. The findings of this research can serve as a tool, for professionals, in comprehending the range of viewpoints regarding people’s personality and level of consciousness. Such understanding can contribute to promoting and sustaining environmental well-being in the face of the complex challenges posed by environmental sustainability.

Vernacular Masjid in the Southeast Asian region started as a basic archetype that is square or rectangular in plan, open on all sides with a roof that provides shelter from the sun and rain but allows breeze and daylight. Abdul Majid and Jahn Kassim (Eco-Urbanism and the Southeast Asian City: climate, urban architectural form and heritage. Palgrave Macmillan, Springer Nature, Singapore, 2023) asserted the concept of a punctured pavilion as a basic archetype that later evolves into a complex articulation of forms in the tropical urban context. The paper presents the evolution of the basic archetypes into two basic masjid forms: pyramidal and long-roofed. The objective is to assess the vernacular masjid forms related to technological and cultural criteria in selected samples of masjid in the region. This paper is based on a qualitative analysis of the primary and secondary data sources compiled from field visits to selected masjid samples, followed by descriptive analysis to describe the evolvement of the masjid based on the basic archetype of a pavilion. The results outlined the basic form and manifestation of the masjid with technology to stay sustainable in the tropical climate and relate to the culture of the region.

This study had objectives to study and develop digital policy and the Digital Economy and Society Development Action Plan Phase 2 (B.E. 2566–2570) (A.D. 2023–2027) and policy and the Digital Economy and Society Development Action Plan for Human Resource Development Phase 2 (B.E. 2566–2570) (A.D. 2023–2027). The results of the study were in accordance to the Digital Economy and Societal Development Implementation Plan Phase 2 (B.E. 2566–2570) (A.D. 2023–2027), which had six strategies in total; however, both of these two plans were linked to three related strategies. These three strategies comprised Strategy 2 to drive economic development with digital technology, which is further divided into three measures including to promote the development of existing and new businesses in Thailand through digital technology adoption, to utilize digital technology and innovation to improve businesses, and to promote Thai digital industry; Strategy 3 to create equitable society using digital technology, which is divided into four measures including to create universal digital accesses for all, to promote digital intelligence and digital literacy, and to promote equitable digital education and e-health for all citizens; and Strategy 5 to enhance human development for digital economy and society, which is divided into four measures including to promote digital skills appropriate to citizens’ occupations, to promote digital skills, to promote digital competency and expertise, and to support digital transformation leadership.

Humans are created according to their respective genders. The nature and behavior of a person should not be limited by gender, but the inherent patriarchal culture has compartmentalized that men must meet certain criteria that already exist in society. Toxic masculinity that occurs in men can add pressure and burden to emotional instability because it tends to be difficult to control emotions. Hence, this study aims to understand whether toxic masculinity affects productivity and depression rates in Indonesia. In addition to productivity, this study also wants to comprehend the influence of other variables, such as gender, age, sleep duration, religiosity, marital status, and years of schooling, on depression rates in Indonesia. This study involves a systematic literature review to answer the questions presented. The findings indicate that factors that cause toxic masculinity include the ideology of masculinity, femininity, and emotional manipulation.

Environmental issues are of great concern for all humankind as they greatly influence the survival of all living creatures and the globe. These issues covered by the news media constantly show the readers what to see and how to see them. Thus, determining the key environmental issues in the news is a worthwhile study to find the focus of the media that drives the readers’ attention. To further analyze these issues, conceptual metaphors are taken as the entry point as they are an essential cognitive activity in constructing concepts.The current study takes news from China Daily and The New York Times as research materials. With a content analysis of the key environmental issues and a critical metaphor analysis of metaphor construction of these issues, this study finds that both media cover a wide range of environmental issues but have distinct focuses on some issues due to the countries’ policies and attention to them. Regarding metaphor constructions, news in the “Creatures” and “Climate change” categories are further analyzed. It is revealed that the Chinese media constructs a good image of animal protection and clean energy promotion through metaphors. In contrast, the American media contains more metaphors constructing the competing relationship between creatures and the severe condition of climate change. This study proposes that how metaphors construct environmental issues has a role in influencing people’s perception of issues of concern to them.

The aims of this study were to examine the influential factors on the intention to accept healthcare wearables among Malaysians. This study situates itself within the realm of technology acceptance, particularly focusing on healthcare wearables in Malaysia. The purpose of this study is in line with the Strategic Thrust in 11th Malaysia Plan to improve the well-being of all Malaysians regardless of socioeconomic background. Being the first of its kind, this study proposes a conceptual model to investigate the factors that influence patients’ acceptance to use healthcare wearables in a developing country, Malaysia. The findings of this study can be utilised by digital health wearables manufacturers, marketers, and health practitioners in developing better strategies to increase the patients’ acceptance to use this technology.

This preliminary study aims to explore a legal mechanism dedicated to addressing issues related to consumer rights and protection in cases of Halal food abuse. Halal food, which adheres to Islamic dietary laws and guidelines, holds a significant importance for Muslim consumers worldwide. Ensuring the authenticity and integrity of Halal food is essential, given the growing global demand for these items. This study employed a multidisciplinary approach, drawing data from Islamic jurisprudence, consumer protection laws, and existing models concerning dispute resolution mechanisms. It explored contemporary challenges faced by consumers in verifying the Halal status of food products and seeking redress in cases of fraud, mislabelling, or contamination through an extensive review of literature, legal frameworks, and case studies. Effective law enforcement is essential in efforts to guarantee that halal food producers fulfill their legal requirements and, more crucial, increase Muslim customers’ trust in halal food products. Therefore, the objective of this study is to propose a consumer protection mechanism for addressing Halal abuse in Malaysia. This qualitative study obtained information and data from interviews and document analyses involving statutes, articles, and journals. Findings indicated a lacuna in the consumer remedy and an avenue for claims in Halal food abuse cases. It is suggested that the current legislation pertaining to consumer rights should be consolidated and an avenue proposed for consumers to vindicate their rights and receive protection against Halal food abuse cases.

The conceptual framework of environmental education emerged from United Nation’s first international conference in 1977 and now has been acknowledged as one component of education for sustainability. This has allowed environmental education to address the broad range of issues from interdisciplinary approaches—science and religion especially Islam. Looking at this potential and in view of the insufficiency of existing religious institution promoting environmental education in Malaysia, IKIM has been selected as a single case study to provide content analysis of potential role of religion and/or religious institutions in promoting environmental education in Malaysia. This research provides examples by looking at how public understanding of science (PUS) can be further enhanced by focusing on the initiatives in terms of collaborative efforts with the stakeholders and programmes that have been undertaken by an Islamic institution in this endeavour. Information was gathered through qualitative analysis via interviews and document analysis. Potential roles of an Islamic institution in promoting environmental education were identified, and challenges in implementing environmental programme were also discussed. This research suggests that religious institutions promote environmental education through public scholarship and collaborative governance in promoting PUS in society through its environmental programmes and collaborative activities on the ground.

Food loss and waste are unable to be prevented through the entire life cycle of food supply chain; hence a sustainable food waste management is required to tackle these emerging issues. This study aims to analyse food waste management between the US and EU based on the best practical technology suitable to be applied into Malaysian scenario and to investigate the best practices to be adopted into Malaysia in terms of food waste management aspect. In this research, comparative analysis and thematic analysis were adopted using secondary data from policy, law documents and annual report documents from respective official government websites available online. The finding reveals that food waste in Malaysia is possibly to be managed effectively through technology application together with legislations. Best practices can be adopted from both case study areas since they are more developed in terms of technology advancement as well share similarities in terms of legislations which are suitable for Malaysia.

As a result of the pandemic, the way of life in Indonesia has changed to include always donning a mask when traveling, always using hand sanitizer, reducing outdoor activities, and avoiding mobility. Payment methods for transactions have also changed, such as cash, when people want to sell or buy goods. Due to the pandemic, people are asked to use non-cash payment methods such as e-wallet payments or mobile banking transfer methods. The purpose of the cashless payment method is to reduce the potential spread of the virus that would exist on paper money. This research with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) aims to determine the basis of users or customers using mobile banking applications with perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, and perceived enjoyment on attitude toward using BRImo and to determine the effect of system trust and social-cultural influence on the intention to use BRImo. Google Forms was used to conduct an online survey for data collection. The research sample consisted of 200 participants. Respondents were users of the BRImo mobile banking application. This investigation uses PLS-SEM. The findings of this study indicate that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, and perceived enjoyment have an influence on attitude toward using BRImo. In addition, system trust and social-cultural influence have a significant impact on intention to use BRImo apps.

The era of globalisation and modernisation has led to the widespread use of technological devices by every generation, including children. Undeniably, that this era provides numerous benefits, such as having information at one’s fingertips, being able to access information from any location by using the Internet and many others. However, if children excessively use the Internet, especially when surfing indecent materials, it can cause them to become addicted to cybersex. Due to this situation, it is crucial for this study to develop and validate research instruments related to the issue of cybersex addiction involving children to address this problem effectively and efficiently. The validation process involved three phases, which are (Abd Halim, Penghayatan Agama Islam Sebagai Mediator dalam Hubungan antara Persekitaran Sosial dengan Salah Laku Seksual Pelajar Islam, 2017) content validity, () predictive validity and () construct validity. Hence, this instrument also can contribute to future research towards children in upholding their rights and protecting them.

The study of religiosity has continued to develop over the last five decades and is associated with various aspects of life, including personal (psychological), social, economic, and so forth. The study shows that religiosity is predicted to have many impacts on human life individually or in organizations, thus attracting the attention of researchers to dig further, including Muslim scholars. However, with their limitations, they are still trapped in the basic ideas of previous researchers whose rationale was not based on Islamic concepts. As a result, the religiosity measurement cannot describe the religiosity measure as characterized by Islam and is relative in nature. Therefore, this study was proposed to formulate a concept of measuring religiosity that is in line with Islamic values. This study is based on an Islamic epistemological approach in which Revelation (wahyu) is part of the source of knowledge. The study was carried out with a qualitative approach using literature and exploring sources of Islamic values, namely, the Holy Qur’an and Hadith, which were then consulted with the expert and continued with field tests. The results of the study found that religiosity measurement is based on the concept of Taqwa which is divided into five dimensions, namely, Faith (belief), special worship (mahdhoh), muamalat and social worship, morality, and religious knowledge. The five dimensions are interrelated in a unit that strengthens one another. The total number of indicators obtained is 20 items.

Lecturers play a central role in improving the quality of higher education. Engaged lecturers are expected to be more dedicated and have a higher commitment to disseminating knowledge and technology through education, research, and social service activities. However, lecturers are struggling to balance their professional and personal roles as a result of high workloads. Such circumstances make them more vulnerable to stress and burnout. This study focuses on work engagement, which is considered the antithesis of burnout. Based on an Islamic values approach, this study proposes a new conceptual model of ma’iyyah work-life enhancement to improve work engagement. This study aims especially at addressing the research gaps between job crafting and work engagement, as well as between workplace spirituality and work engagement. Furthermore, it is a response to scholars who suggest future research to further investigate the roles of family supports in improving work engagement. It is expected that this model will offer both theoretical and practical contributions to the development of work-life balance theory and enhance the engagement of lecturers.

The issue of addressing the manifestations of loneliness on public health and well-being has entered a new digital epoch. Our perceptions of loneliness are influenced, to some extent, by the cultures in which we inhabit. When our social dependencies have become detached and fragmented from where we reside, the question arises: What is happening in this highly interconnected world? Do individuals collectively have a sense of loneliness while being in the presence and interactions of others on social media? Does the prevalence of information distractions in today’s society contribute to the intensification of loneliness? All of these concerned questions are pertinent and worthy of further study. Moreover, as an ongoing debate in social media and in numerous nations, digital loneliness has turned into a government policy agenda. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach to examine the intersection of socio-psychology and human-computer interaction (HCI). Through a thematic literature review, we aim to elucidate a comprehensive and well-defined understanding of the concept of digital loneliness. Additionally, we explore the relationship between digital loneliness and social interactions, as well as the latest technological interventions designed to address this issue. The review interpreted that (1) there is rising concern that as we go into the digital age and our interconnectedness and well-being may decline. Chronic loneliness is also linked to various negative health effects. (2) According to studies, lonely persons may use social media to seek “social support” and make up for their limited face-to-face interactions. This study also found that lonely people utilize problematic social media more. (3) Technology can improve social connectivity, reducing loneliness in elderly persons. However, technological interventions for loneliness, especially in frail and institutionalized older individuals, have received minimal attention.