The challenge of online privacy preservation in Muslim-majority countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: E-learning has become a predominant platform for education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, privacy issues have emerged from online learning that posed challenges on the users of e-learning systems. Privacy preservation in Muslim-majority countries with conservative cultures was a concern based on socio-cultural norms. This paper aims to analyze this situation through the lens of social identity theory. Design/methodology/approach: This practice paper represents a conceptual viewpoint. Findings: In this paper, the authors offer recommended solutions as best practices for Muslim-majority countries and similar contexts. Such proposed solutions consider social and cultural influences in e-learning systems to have an effective education process. Originality/value: This practice paper is unique in its approach, as it documents the privacy concerns in Muslim-majority countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Solar Energy Cost Efficiency: A Simulated Case Study in the Egyptian Context

In Egypt, electric energy coming from fossil fuels represents around 85% of total electricity requirements. However, the supply of energy in the Arab world is expected to run dry in the coming 30-50 years. With the increase in energy needs, rise in fossil fuel prices, and the swelling of green house gas emissions, the use of renewable and more environment-friendly energy sources to supply power is gaining increased attention. Being a country on the Sunbelt, Egypt has great potential in utilizing solar energy to generate energy products and electricity. However, solar energy is still abandoned in Egypt due to its high costs. This paper first aims to examine the relative significance of several accounting and economic related variables to reduce solar energy costs. To be more specific, the paper seeks to examine the effect of using accounting and finance-based factors, related to depreciation schemes and financing options, to decrease solar energy costs. These factors are considered as a substitute for direct subsidies which are difficult to implement because of the narrow financial scope of the Egyptian government. The results of the study provide a number of policy implications that can be applied to make solar energy closer to cost-competitiveness and contribute to solve the energy problem in Egypt.Solar Energy, Cost Efficiency, Government Incentives

To Blow or Not to Blow the Whistle? An Islamic Framework

In this paper, we draw upon Islamic teachings to address two questions. How do Islamic ethics deepen and advance our understanding of the whistleblowing act? To what extent are Islamic ethics of whistleblowing promoted in practice? First, we have undertaken a thematic content analysis of the holy book of Qur’an, supported by the Sunnah (Prophetic Traditions). This has yielded a novel Islamic ethics-based framework of whistleblowing comprising the five aspects of the whistleblowing process: What should one blow the whistle about? Who should blow the whistle? Why should one blow the whistle? How should one blow the whistle? And to Whom should one blow the whistle? Second, using the developed framework, we have analyzed the whistleblowing policies of 20 Islamic banks and financial institutions across 11 countries. This analysis reveals that there exists a narrow view of what ought to be reported as wrongdoings, a confined scope of potential whistleblowers, a lack of connection with Islamic motivations, missing steps in the actual whistleblowing process, and a lack of gradation in relation to rectifying corrupt acts, thus highlighting a framework–policy gap. This is the first study to conceptualize the whistleblowing process from an Islamic perspective. The developed framework offers guiding procedures that individuals can consult to guide whistleblowing reasoning behavior and that organizations can use while developing whistleblowing policies. It also serves as a foundation for the development of organizational whistleblowing policies in different sectors

Qur’anic wisdom and the sustainability mind-set: deciphering the relationship

Purpose: This paper aims to examine practical wisdom from the Islamic religion elaborating on how it pertains to the sustainability mind-set. The purpose is to assess whether the Islamic and sustainability mind-sets coincide and if so, how they do. Design/methodology/approach: The first two chapters of the Holy Qur’an were divided into parts based on the divisions in the exegesis by Abu Bakr Al-Jaza’eri. Next, a qualitative content analysis of the main sustainability themes in these chapters was conducted. The first stage of the content analysis involved the collection of Qur’anic verses related to the sustainability concepts. Following that, inductive interpretive analysis was conducted in the second stage of the content analysis, where key sustainability lessons within the agreed upon Qur’anic verses were extracted. Findings: The empirical study reported in this paper reveals 10 lessons from the examined Qur’anic text that pertain to the sustainability mind-set. Each of these lessons appears to foretell the wisdom behind the sustainability mind-set. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature on sustainability and Islam in two ways. First, the analysis results in key lessons relating to sustainability, the majority of which were not covered in existing literature. Second, the research takes a holistic approach to finding commonalities between the sustainability mind-set and the Islamic mind-set, instead of focusing on a specific aspect of sustainability such as the environment

To Blow or Not to Blow the Whistle? An Islamic Framework

In this paper, we draw upon Islamic teachings to address two questions. How do Islamic ethics deepen and advance our understanding of the whistleblowing act? To what extent are Islamic ethics of whistleblowing promoted in practice? First, we have undertaken a thematic content analysis of the holy book of Qur’an, supported by the Sunnah (Prophetic Traditions). This has yielded a novel Islamic ethics-based framework of whistleblowing comprising the five aspects of the whistleblowing process: What should one blow the whistle about? Who should blow the whistle? Why should one blow the whistle? How should one blow the whistle? And to Whom should one blow the whistle? Second, using the developed framework, we have analyzed the whistleblowing policies of 20 Islamic banks and financial institutions across 11 countries. This analysis reveals that there exists a narrow view of what ought to be reported as wrongdoings, a confined scope of potential whistleblowers, a lack of connection with Islamic motivations, missing steps in the actual whistleblowing process, and a lack of gradation in relation to rectifying corrupt acts, thus highlighting a framework–policy gap. This is the first study to conceptualize the whistleblowing process from an Islamic perspective. The developed framework offers guiding procedures that individuals can consult to guide whistleblowing reasoning behavior and that organizations can use while developing whistleblowing policies. It also serves as a foundation for the development of organizational whistleblowing policies in different sectors

Scoping the evolution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) research in the sustainable development goals (SDGS) era

© 2020 by the authors. Amidst a contemporary culture of climate awareness, unprecedented levels of transparency and visibility are forcing industrial organizations to broaden their value chains and deepen the impacts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. While it may be common knowledge that the 2030 agenda cannot be achieved on a business-as-usual trajectory, this study seeks to determine to what ends the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have impacted CSR research. Highlighting linkages and interdependencies between the SDGs and evolution of CSR practice, this paper analyzes a final sample of 56 relevant journal articles from the period 2015-2020. With the intent of bridging policy and practice, thematic coding analysis has supported the identification and interpretation of key emergent research themes. Using threedescriptive categorical classifications (i.e., single-dimension, bi-combination of dimensions, sustainability dimension), the results of this paper provide an in-depth discussion into strategic community, company, consumer, investor, and employee foci. Furthermore, the analysis provides a timely and descriptive overview of how CSR research has approached the SDGs and which ones are being prioritized. By deepening the understanding of potential synergies between business strategy, global climate agendas and the common good, this paper contributes to an increased comprehension of how CSR and financial performance can be improved over the long-term

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at CréditAgricole Egypt: Bridging the Academic–Practitioner Divide

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a notion of growing importance and relevance to both scholars and practitioners alike. In the academic literature, different theories have addressed the philosophical postulates behind CSR. These are agency theory, stakeholder theory, stewardship theory, and institutional theory, among others. This case study emphasizes the relationship between theory and practice and explores how the academic literature on CSR can benefit the profession in this field. The case study is on Crédit Agricole, one of the largest banks worldwide and a market leader in France. As CSR is an integral part of Crédit Agricole’s business, Crédit Agricole Egypt began its CSR initiative in 2012 with the aim of developing the Egyptian community. In an attempt to bridge the academic–practitioner divide in the CSR field, this case study demonstrates the most prominent CSR theories and identifies which of the academic approaches is followed by Crédit Agricole Egypt

Perceptions and drivers of CSR in developing countries : the role of institutional and organizational factors : a focus on Egypt

The enormous boost of technological advancements has unfortunately caused remarkable environmental damage. This is when “sustainable development” was brought on top of contemporary world list. Advances in sustainability knowledge and concepts have increased as well as research on the social and environmental activities of corporations. Along the same line, recent corporate scandals have awakened public awareness and increased corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. Yet, the diversity in CSR application in different societies and the reason for their existence are not adequately reflected in mainstream CSR research. A considerable body of CSR literature is Western-driven and research studies that explore the perceptions and practices of CSR in developing nations, which have different social, political and economic conditions compared to Western societies, are still limited. Based on that, the main aim of this dissertation is to study the CSR phenomenon in a developing country context to contribute to a more holistic understanding of the CSR concept and help in comprehending how CSR is applied in diverse settings. Accordingly, this dissertation examines different macro-institutional and micro-organizational level forces that drive CSR practices in a developing country context; namely Egypt.Overall the dissertation examines two main research questions on which the individual studies are based; (1) what is the influence of macro-institutional & micro-organizational level factors on CSR practices in developing countries? Do macro-level factors affect the interplay between micro-level factors and CSR? And (2) how can the CSR practices of corporations operating in developing countries with complex and unique institutional environments be stimulated & enhanced? The dissertation thus contributes to the CSR research field by addressing CSR predictors in developing countries on the institutional and organizational levels of analysis and by illustrating how institutional-level factors can influence the dynamics of interaction between organizational-level factors and CSR. In addition, the dissertation highlights the context dependence of CSR and clarifies the context-specific factors that trigger CSR in developing countries, specifically Egypt.The results of the dissertation indicate that CSR as a practice in Egypt is not embedded in corporate business strategy where material CSR issues to the business and its stakeholders are identified and dealt with. The results also show that institutional theory provides helpful theoretical insights regarding the social practices of companies in Egypt. Although stakeholder theory represents one prominent CSR theory that has received strong empirical support from Western-driven CSR studies, the inactive participation of stakeholders in the Egyptian corporate life questions its relevance in Egypt. The weak legal and regulatory systems and the strong presence of informal institutions tend to diminish the operationalization of the stakeholder approach to CSR in Egypt.On the institutional level, the business operating environment does not play a role in fostering CSR in Egypt, specifically legal regulations and stakeholder pressure. This implies that CSR practices are detached from government regulations and policies and left to management discretion. A degree of government involvement is thus recommended. This includes, for example, enforcing legal regulations that hold companies accountable for socially irresponsible practices such as environmental damage caused by corporate economic operations. Yet, organizational-level factors play an important role in enhancing CSR practices in Egypt. More specifically, internal norms and governance structures embedded in corporate environments highly affect the degree by which corporations effectively adopt social practices. This is particularly the case for developing countries. Given the well-established institutional environment in developed countries, the influence of firm-level factors on CSR becomes much less obvious. The results indicate that CSR practices in Egypt can be enhanced through the activation of micro-organizational-level forces, specifically internal corporate governance and corporate diversity.Employing effective governance mechanisms and instilling some degree of diversity in Egyptian companies seem salient for boosting CSR in Egypt. In addition, the role of the government and stakeholders needs to be more effective and visible in the Egyptian business environment. Having an appropriate combination of external governmental influence and internal corporate practices that tend to enhance CSR may move Egyptian companies toward more socially responsible behavior