Management, Control And Governance Of Hawala Networks In The Gulf Cooperation Council Region

Prior research has focused on the transactional aspects of the Hawala Networks (i.e. Invisible Funds Transfer Networks). However, little is known about the structure of this networked "organisation" especially about its governance and management control systems. Clanbased Organisations and Actor Network Theories were utilised to provide the theoretical base on which a research farmework was built. In total, 20 indepth interviews were conducted with Hawaldars (Hawala service providers) using a semi-structured questionnaire. As the study focused on the Gulf Cooperation Council region, data were collected from Qatar, UAE and Kuwait. The data indicated that there were no formal governance and management control systems in place for managing Hawala Networks (HNets); there were no explicit formal processes and mechanisms for evaluating performance and there was no formal performance measurement and tracking system in place to provide the information about network functionality. Results also showed that trust acted as the most important control mechanism impacting the efciency, effectiveness and the relatively lower transaction costs associated with HNets operation

Management, control and governance of hawala networks in the gulf cooperation council region

Prior research has focused on the transactional aspects of the Hawala Networks (i.e. Invisible Funds Transfer Networks). However, little is known about the structure of this networked "organisation" especially about its governance and management control systems. Clanbased Organisations and Actor Network Theories were utilised to provide the theoretical base on which a research farmework was built. In total, 20 indepth interviews were conducted with Hawaldars (Hawala service providers) using a semi-structured questionnaire. As the study focused on the Gulf Cooperation Council region, data were collected from Qatar, UAE and Kuwait. The data indicated that there were no formal governance and management control systems in place for managing Hawala Networks (HNets); there were no explicit formal processes and mechanisms for evaluating performance and there was no formal performance measurement and tracking system in place to provide the information about network functionality. Results also showed that trust acted as the most important control mechanism impacting the efficiency, effectiveness and the relatively lower transaction costs associated with HNets operations. Asian Academy of Management and Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2016.This report was made possible by a NPRP award (NPRP4-234-5-039) from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.Scopu

Entrepreneurial Leadership and Employee Wellbeing During COVID-19 Crisis: A Dual Mechanism Perspective

This study examined the potential impacts of entrepreneurial leadership on followers' psychological wellbeing and proactive work behavior through sustainable employability and work uncertainty in a sample of 218 employees employed in SMEs of Pakistan. Hierarchical regression results demonstrated that entrepreneurial leadership was positively connected with sustainable employability and negatively linked with work uncertainty. Sequentially, sustainable employability was positively correlated with proactive work behavior and employees' psychological wellbeing, and work uncertainty was negatively associated with proactive work behavior and employees' psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 crisis. Furthermore, bootstrapping confirmed the mediation effects of work uncertainty and sustainable employability on proactive work behavior and the psychological wellbeing of employees. Sustainable employability did not mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and psychological wellbeing. Mediators, sustainable employability, and work uncertainty positively linked employees' psychological wellbeing and proactive work behavior. The results highlighted the significant roles of sustainable employability and work uncertainty and interpreted why entrepreneurial leadership may affect employees' positive behaviors

Investigating the key determinants of Muslim ethical consumption behaviour amongst affluent Qataris

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper was the study of an affluent Islamic market, going through a rapid economic and social transformation, from an ethical consumption perspective. More specifically, impact of environmentalism, consumption ethics, fair trade attitude and materialism was investigated on the ethical consumption behaviour of Muslim consumers. Design/methodology/approach: A research framework was put together after consulting relevant literature, Islamic scholars and Islamic marketers. The developed research framework was tested in the Islamic State of Qatar. As an outcome of an online questionnaire-based survey targeting Muslim (Qatari) consumers in a public university, 243 usable questionnaires were collected. After reliability and validity checks, AMOS SPSS 20 was used to conduct structural equation modelling analysis on the collected data. Findings: The results showed consumption ethics, environmentalism and fair trade attitude as significant determinants of ethical consumption behaviour. There was an insignificant association between materialism and ethical consumption behaviour. The findings suggested that most Muslim consumers within this affluent market showed an interest in ethical consumption. However, an insignificant association between materialism and ethical consumption behaviour implied that even though Muslim consumers demonstrated ethical consumption behaviour, they were not anti-materialism. The outcome suggests that due to the high levels of affluence among Muslim consumers, it is possible that they may be practising ethical and materialistic consumption simultaneously. Practical implications: This research should assist marketers in understanding the ethical consumption behaviour of Muslim consumers who are faced with ethical and materialistic consumption options within an affluent Islamic market. Originality/value: The research should add to the body of consumer behaviour knowledge, as it provides an insight into the consumption behaviour of Muslims who are facing social and religious ideology conflicts which makes their ethical consumption behaviours more sophisticated.Scopu

Investigating the key determinants of Muslim ethical consumption behaviour amongst affluent Qataris

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper was the study of an affluent Islamic market, going through a rapid economic and social transformation, from an ethical consumption perspective. More specifically, impact of environmentalism, consumption ethics, fair trade attitude and materialism was investigated on the ethical consumption behaviour of Muslim consumers. Design/methodology/approach: A research framework was put together after consulting relevant literature, Islamic scholars and Islamic marketers. The developed research framework was tested in the Islamic State of Qatar. As an outcome of an online questionnaire-based survey targeting Muslim (Qatari) consumers in a public university, 243 usable questionnaires were collected. After reliability and validity checks, AMOS SPSS 20 was used to conduct structural equation modelling analysis on the collected data. Findings: The results showed consumption ethics, environmentalism and fair trade attitude as significant determinants of ethical consumption behaviour. There was an insignificant association between materialism and ethical consumption behaviour. The findings suggested that most Muslim consumers within this affluent market showed an interest in ethical consumption. However, an insignificant association between materialism and ethical consumption behaviour implied that even though Muslim consumers demonstrated ethical consumption behaviour, they were not anti-materialism. The outcome suggests that due to the high levels of affluence among Muslim consumers, it is possible that they may be practising ethical and materialistic consumption simultaneously. Practical implications: This research should assist marketers in understanding the ethical consumption behaviour of Muslim consumers who are faced with ethical and materialistic consumption options within an affluent Islamic market. Originality/value: The research should add to the body of consumer behaviour knowledge, as it provides an insight into the consumption behaviour of Muslims who are facing social and religious ideology conflicts which makes their ethical consumption behaviours more sophisticated.Scopu

Trust as a determinant of upstream and downstream long-term orientation in SME business relationships

Over the last two decades, business-to-business (b-to-b) relationships have received considerable attention through the recognition that it is possible to increase profitability through relational (exchange governed by norms of long-tern co-operation, mutual satisfaction, trust and open communication) rather than discrete (exchange that is arms-length, short-term and centred on self-interest) exchanges. One of the construct's which has received considerable attention within the b-to-b exchange process is trust. Several studies have highlighted trust as a central construct in understanding, building, maintenance and growth of business relationships. The role of trust in business exchanges between large organisations has been extensively researched and reported. However, very little research has been undertaken in terms of the impact of trust in SME relationships. The proposed research attempts to contribute towards this omission. An approach utilising a modification of Ganesan's (1994) model of retailer's and, vendor's long-tern orientation that looks at the antecedents of trust and their effect on long-term orientation is adopted. Change to the model, as suggested by Ganesan (1994), is incorporation of behavioural antecedents (relational norms) of trust. The result is a testable model that has been applied for assessing the relative impact of cognitive and behavioural trust on the upstream (supplier) and downstream (customer) long-term orientation (LTD) in SMEs when they are engaged in overall/mutual, symmetric and asymmetric exchanges. Hence the model is tested within the relational set-up that involved 8MEs and other partner organisations (i.e., SMEs and Medium-to-large organisations). The analysis conducted at three relational levels showed the following key outcomes: 1. The overall upstream and downstream analysis (where SME was involved in both symmetric and asymmetric relationships) indicates a major overlap between the proposed research findings and reported trust findings (profoundly related to large organisation studies). There was clear evidence that both cognitive and behavioural trust lead to LTO. 2. Within the symmetric (i.e., SME-to-SME) relationship analysis there was clear evidence that it was the presence of cognitive trust that led to LTO. Therefore relationships were largely driven by the credible proof (i.e., reputation and skill) of suitability. 3. In asymmetric (i.e., Small to Medium-to-large organisation) relationship analysis there was no clear evidence of either cognitive or behavioural trust being determinant of LTO. However both transaction specific investments (cognitive trust antecedent) and flexibility (behavioural trust antecedent) had a significant effect on inter-organisational trust

Analyzing informal value transfer networks through the lens of social exchanges

Purpose: This study aims to focus on how informal value transfer networks, Hawala business in particular, used social exchanges in their business dealings. More specifically, the conducted research looked into how social exchange theory was used in Hawala business relationship initiation and management. Design/methodology/approach: Twenty-one depth interviews were conducted with Hawala Network members, and Hawala customers, in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The collected qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis and NVivo 11 software. Findings: The study outcome indicated that Social Exchange Theory was a principal relationship driver in Hawala Networks. Especially, trust had a pivotal role in evolvement and nurturing of Hawala Network business and social exchanges. Other relationship variables, namely, reciprocity, religious affiliation, reputation and information sharing had a significant part in relationship building as well. Results supported a prominent influence of time in carefully controlled and rigorously assessed transformation of Hawala relationships. This metamorphosis converted an exchange from short-term into a long-term orientation where limited amount transactions changed into large sum transactions and restricted information exchange moved to elaborate information sharing. In addition, findings revealed that monetary and non-monetary interactions between Hawala Network members took the form of a homogeneous club, with shared social, cultural, religious and ethnic values. In particular, financially constrained and illiterate social groups preferred Hawala services due to ease of servicing in the form of minimal bureaucracy, fast transfers and low service charges. These marginalized fractions of society had limited access to formal banking which made Hawala business their main (and in most cases only) source for sending and receiving financial remittances. Hawala Networks provided an effective alternative to formal banking for disadvantaged communities. Originality/value: This study provided unique and useful insights into the nature of social exchanges within Hawala Networks. Especially, it provided clarification on how informal networked businesses used Social Exchange Theory to by-pass the need for legal protection and formal contracts. Furthermore, the study highlighted the role Hawala business played in providing essential banking services (e.g. transfer of money and micro-lending) to educationally and economically deprived individuals.This research project was made possible by NPRP grant # [8–256-5–036] from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation)