The Influence of Services Marketing Mix (7 Ps.) and Subjective Norms on Customer’s Satisfaction in Islamic Banks of Palestine

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between services marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion, people, process and physical evidence) on customer Satisfaction. Additionally, this study also explored the role of subjective norms towards customer satisfaction in Islamic Banks of Palestine. Customer satisfaction is one of the essential factors for the success of a company. In order to achieve the high customer satisfaction, companies must know when and how their customers are satisfied about the products and services. The majority of companies follow a conventional marketing strategy, but some companies choose to follow a religious or spiritual marketing strategy such as the Islamic marketing strategy. Conventional marketing strategies satisfy the customers based on the current needs of the customer, whereas, Islamic marketing strategies satisfy the customers based on the human values, marketing cultures, and Islamic rules and regulations (shariah laws). Structural equation model was used for the testing of hypothesized relationships. Finally, study concluded that marketing mix and subjective norm significantly influence on customer satisfaction in Islamic Banking context. Keywords: Services marketing mix (7Ps), Subjective Norms, Customer Satisfactio

The Antecedent and Consequence of Youth Drug Abusers' Life Satisfaction: Delinquency Behavior as the Mediator

The incidents of drug-abuse behavior has escalated especially among youths in Malaysia. The objectives of the study were to ascertain the effects of social support on drug abuse through life satisfaction. Delinquency was treated as the mediating factor on the relationship between life satisfaction and drug-abuse behavior. A survey was conducted among youth addicts getting treatment at rehabilitation centers. A total of 275 questionnaires were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling. Findings revealed that social support had a significant influence on life satisfaction. Delinquency had a full mediating effect on the relationship between life satisfaction and drug abuse. An increase in life satisfaction would reduce delinquency and drug-abuse behavior among youth by enhancing social support assistance. Therefore, rehabilitation programs should be focused on matching the drug dependences' needs for social support to increase the chances of remaining sober and achieving success in ending the cycle of relapse

Validation of a Scale for the Measurement of Employee Competency in Relation to Succession Planning Amongst Administrators in Higher Education Institutions

Purpose: This paper examines the validity and reliability of an instrument to evaluate employee competency in the context of succession planning using a sample of administrators within the 48 to 54 grades in Malaysian public universities.   Theoretical framework: Shaping the qualities and competencies of university administrators can serve as a model of competent leadership for the sustainability of succession planning for higher education institutions.   Design/methodology/approach: Systematic random sampling was used for data collection using questionnaires, including pilot studies and subsequent field studies. The survey was administered to 430 respondents from the administrators of 20 public universities. The study conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the pilot study data (n = 102) to identify potential factor structures. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using field study data (n = 328) was conducted to confirm the construct measurement model.   Findings: The EFA and CFA validation processes suggested that only 10 modified items with 4 components remained to achieve a better fit model: Interpersonal (IP), Personal Effectiveness (PE), Teamwork (TW), and Self-Development (SD). All composite reliability (CR) measures for these 4 components exceeded the required value of 0.6. Since the values of these indices fall within the range of their respective cutoff values, the model meets the goodness-of-fit criterion:  RMSEA = 0.070,GFI=0.955, CFI = 0.953, TLI = 0.926, and a normalized chi-square = 2.605. According to the study, the instrument is valid and reliable for assessing the components of the employee competency model.   Research, Practical & Social implications: The scale validated in this study could be used by human resource managers in public universities as a tool to better understand the belief systems of their employees. It could help them make an informed decision that will enable them to provide competent administrators for succession planning.   Originality/value: This study is a catalyst to assess and highlight the current status and impact of employee competency on succession planning in Malaysian higher education institutions

Validation of a scale for the measurement of employee competency in relation to succession planning amongst administrators in higher education institutions

Purpose: This paper examines the validity and reliability of an instrument to evaluate employee competency in the context of succession planning using a sample of administrators within the 48 to 54 grades in Malaysian public universities. Theoretical framework: Shaping the qualities and competencies of university administrators can serve as a model of competent leadership for the sustainability of succession planning for higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Systematic random sampling was used for data collection using questionnaires, including pilot studies and subsequent field studies. The survey was administered to 430 respondents from the administrators of 20 public universities. The study conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the pilot study data (n = 102) to identify potential factor structures. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using field study data (n = 328) was conducted to confirm the construct measurement model. Findings: The EFA and CFA validation processes suggested that only 10 modified items with 4 components remained to achieve a better fit model: Interpersonal (IP), Personal Effectiveness (PE), Teamwork (TW), and Self-Development (SD). All composite reliability (CR) measures for these 4 components exceeded the required value of 0.6. Since the values of these indices fall within the range of their respective cutoff values, the model meets the goodness-of-fit criterion: RMSEA = 0.070,GFI=0.955, CFI = 0.953, TLI = 0.926, and a normalized chi-square = 2.605. According to the study, the instrument is valid and reliable for assessing the components of the employee competency model. Research, Practical & Social implications: The scale validated in this study could be used by human resource managers in public universities as a tool to better understand the belief systems of their employees. It could help them make an informed decision that will enable them to provide competent administrators for succession planning. Originality/value: This study is a catalyst to assess and highlight the current status and impact of employee competency on succession planning in Malaysian higher education institutions

Service quality in Islamic banks: The role of PAKSERV model, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty

In service oriented industry, it is very difficult to set a standard rule to satisfy customers. As customer awareness increases on the service offered by banks, expectation from services quality increases too. Quality of a service in banking industry plays an essential role in measuring the performance of banks. Thus, the present study examines the PAKSERV model to measure customer satisfaction and customer loyalty of Islamic Banks in Palestine. A survey method was adopted where data was collected from 482 respondents through structured questionnaire. Structural equation model (SEM) was applied to check the hypothesis relationship between proposed constructs. Statistical finding revealed that PAKSERV model had significant impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in Islamic banks of Palestine. Results also revealed that in cultural context PAKSERV model was the most appropriate scale and had predictive power of service quality in banking industry of Palestine. The findings of this study will be helpful for managers and policy makers to improve the service quality in Islamic banks of Palestine

A structural equation model for evaluating user’s intention to adopt internet banking and intention to recommend technology

Although several prior research projects have focused on the factors that impact on the adoption of information technology, there are limited empirical research works that simultaneously capture technology factors (UTAUT2) and customer specific factors (perceived technology security and intention to recommend) helping users adopt internet banking. Thus, the current study aims to develop an integrated technology adoption model with extended UTAUT model and perceived technology security to predict and explain user’s intention to adopt internet banking and intention to recommend internet banking in social networks. A quantitative approach based survey was conducted to collect the data from 398 internet banking users. For statistical analysis, structural equation model (SEM) approach was used. Convergence and divergence with earlier findings were found, confirming that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation and perceived technology security had significant influence on user’s intention to adopt internet banking. Additionally, IPMA analysis show that among all constructs hedonic motivation and perceived technology security had the highest impact on user’s intention to adopt internet banking. For researcher, this study provides a basis for further refinement of technology adoption model while for practitioner improving security factor (perceived technology security) may turn users towards adoption of internet banking

Predicting customer’s intentions to use internet banking: the role of technology acceptance model (TAM) in e-banking

Information and communication technology (ICT) developments and trends in recent years have had great impacts on banking sector worldwide. Therefore, the disruptive innovative technology has accelerated changes in the way of banking business. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that influence on Pakistani customer’s intentions to adopt internet banking. The sample used in this empirical study includes 265 responses of internet banking users collected through structured questionnaire. For statistical analysis, structural equation model (SEM) approach was used. The present study suggests that internet banking use increases as long as customer perceives it as useful tool. Findings confirmed that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and attitude were the key constructs for promoting internet banking usage in Pakistan. Furthermore, the importance performance matrix analysis has shown that attitude was the most important factor. Thus, banks can focus on cultivation of positive attitudinal beliefs about internet banking among prospect cus-tomers

Role of corporate identity, image and reputation in investors' behavioral decision making: Does emotional attachment matter?

The aim of this study is to examine the intervening effect of investor emotional attachment between corporate reputation and investors' behavioral decision-making in the context of Pakistan stock exchange (PSX). Specifically, an attempt is made to investigate the indirect effect between corporate identity and investors' behavioral decision making via corporate image, emotional attachment, and corporate reputation. The data collectedfrom 220 individual small equity investors, who maintainedtheir stock accounts throughstockbrokers in PSX. Structural equation modeling was used to test the study hypotheses with help of SPSS.Results confirmed the partial mediation effect of emotional attachment between corporate reputation and investors' behavioral decision-making. In addition, Results supported the indirect effect between corporate identity and investors' behavioral decision making via corporate image, emotional attachment, and investors' behavior. The findings provide fundamental facts to the executives of the firms in Pakistan who want to assess the investor's behavioral decision-making in the equity markets. Further, this study will help to understand the emotional aspects of the individual investors and will enable the policymakersand corporations to understand the decision makingbehaviorof the individual small equity investors and draw their future policies to regulatethe equity market

Investigating the role of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) in internet banking adoption context

Several studies have made known that internet banking (IB) implementation is not only advanta-geous for banks, but also by perception and experience of IB users. Therefore, little is known about factors propelling user’s intention to adopt internet banking in Pakistan. Thus, the purpose of this research is to investigate the role of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) in internet banking adoption context. A quantitative approach based survey was conducted to col-lect the data from 398 internet banking users. For statistical analysis structural equation model (SEM) approach was used. The result of this study indicates that, UTAUT model provided a good theoretical foundation in technology adoption investigation. Findings confirmed that all four predic-tors (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating condition) were significant and had significant amount of variance in predicting user’s intention to adopt internet banking. Additionally, the IPMA test revealed that performance expectancy was the most important factor among all other variables to predict user’s intention towards adoption of internet banking. Lastly, managerial implications, limitations and future recommendations are discussed