Impact of innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness on export performance in a developing country: evidence of qualitative study

Purpose This study aims to explain the effect of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) dimensions on firms’ export performance. The study has considered three dimensions of EO: innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking. Export performance has been measured through multifaceted determinants: financial, strategic and satisfaction levels of exporting firms. Design/methodology/approach To explain the association between such determinants, qualitative face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with the respondents from the apparel manufacturing companies of Bangladesh. The study has also applied a content analysis technique to explore and triangulate the descriptions of EO dimensions on performance. Findings The research results reveal that EO has a meaningful explanation of export performance from the lived experience of the respondents. The study has also found frequent explanations and indicators about the association of innovativeness and proactiveness on export performance, but the risk-taking dimension has revealed no effects. Research limitations/implications The research has different implications on theoretical, managerial and policy-making aspects of EO and export performance. Nevertheless, the findings are based on the opinions of a small sample of entrepreneurs and high-level managers. Thus, it is important to test the generalizability of these findings in future research using a larger sample. Originality/value This study indicated product, process and market creation innovativeness. Risks related to product innovation, new market entry and politics are considered for risk-taking measures, while proactive innovation, technology and new market searching are used for measuring proactiveness. Additionally, multifaceted performance determinants have been applied to evaluate export performance. Hence, this study is a unique qualitative analysis with important theoretical, practical and methodological implications

The potential of shear wave velocity as an erosion risk index

Soil erosion is a captious environmental problem in regions of hot tropical climates, causing loss of land and natural disasters such as river sedimentation, flooding, and slope failures. Based on soil properties and their response to erosion agents, efforts have been made to develop simplified models and indices for the estimation of erosion. ROM scale is proven to be effective in forecasting risk levels for erosion assessment. However, the method requires soil sampling and laboratory experimentation, which is time-consuming and laborious, especially when analyzing huge areas. Therefore, this study aims to develop a relation between ROM scale and shear wave velocity estimated by the spectral-analysis-of-surface-waves (SASW) method. For this purpose, 36 soil samples were extracted, and twelve SASW tests were conducted at twelve sites identified along Sungai Langat. Soil particle distribution was carried out to calculate the ROM erosion index value for all the extracted soil samples. The fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm was used to transform the time-recorded signals into the frequency domain, and the dispersion curves were generated after the masking process. The shear wave velocity erosion risk ranged from 10 m/s to 120 m/s, indicating critical risk and low risk, respectively. Low erosion risk levels were observed for high shear wave velocity values, representing a decaying pattern in exponential relation. The resulting correlation between ROM scale and shear wave velocity produced a coefficient of determination value of 0.71, indicating a strong relation. This study indicated the potential of shear wave velocity as an erosion risk index

The practice of Waqf land development in Malaysia: A social enterprise business perspective / Norinah Mohd Ali

A large percentage (92.8 percent) of waqf lands in Malaysia are undeveloped due to inefficiency of waqf management and financing by the State Islamic Religious Councils (henceforth referred to as the Councils) that function as waqf trustees responsible for generating income from the current waqf to fulfill the needs of the beneficiaries and societies. In view of this issue, the objectives of this thesis are fourfold: (1) To examine the current waqf land development models employed by the Councils as social enterprises in Malaysia; (2) To examine the organizational strengths and weaknesses of the Councils in developing waqf lands; (3) To investigate perceived factors of the current waqf land development that contribute to the Councils’ success as social enterprises; and (4) To analyze the social impact of waqf land development to the communities. The study employs a mixed methods approach comprising both qualitative and quantitative. With regard to the qualitative method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 waqf officers from 14 Councils across Malaysia. Meanwhile, for the quantitative approach, a survey questionnaire was employed to seek responses from 315 respondents from the communities who use and gain benefits from various categories of waqf land development. From interview data, themes were developed and organized into two categories; (i) the Councils’ practices for waqf land development and (ii) the social impact to the communities. Results from the interviews indicate that economic value is of primary importance when developing waqf lands for their sustainability. The interviews also reveal the income distribution model adopted by the Councils for waqf land development. There are nine factors for current waqf land development that contribute to the Councils’ success as social enterprises: (1) various types of waqf development; (2) sustainability; (3) opportunity; (4) knowledgeable; (5) financing creativity; (6) monitoring; (7) support; (8) public involvement; and (9) human development. Meanwhile, results from the questionnaire survey manifest that waqf benefits emerged from various categories of waqf land development are the most needed by the communities. The results further indicate that there is a significant difference between the needs of the communities and their satisfaction towards waqf land development. Further, the results evince, all mean scores for the needs of communities are higher than the mean score for their satisfaction. As such, the results provide empirical evidence that the current waqf land development has not met the needs of the communities. This study contributes to the literature on social enterprise business model for waqf activity, and waqf communities. Furthermore, it provides a methodological contribution through the formulation of questionnaire concerning waqf land development based on findings from qualitative data. The main implication of this study is that, it provides new and relevant perspectives on future waqf land development beneficial to the Councils and other waqf institutions

Investigating a hybrid extreme learning machine coupled with Dingo Optimization Algorithm for modeling liquefaction triggering in sand-silt mixtures

Abstract Liquefaction is a devastating consequence of earthquakes that occurs in loose, saturated soil deposits, resulting in catastrophic ground failure. Accurate prediction of such geotechnical parameter is crucial for mitigating hazards, assessing risks, and advancing geotechnical engineering. This study introduces a novel predictive model that combines Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) with Dingo Optimization Algorithm (DOA) to estimate strain energy-based liquefaction resistance. The hybrid model (ELM-DOA) is compared with the classical ELM, Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System with Fuzzy C-Means (ANFIS-FCM model), and Sub-clustering (ANFIS-Sub model). Also, two data pre-processing scenarios are employed, namely traditional linear and non-linear normalization. The results demonstrate that non-linear normalization significantly enhances the prediction performance of all models by approximately 25% compared to linear normalization. Furthermore, the ELM-DOA model achieves the most accurate predictions, exhibiting the lowest root mean square error (484.286 J/m3), mean absolute percentage error (24.900%), mean absolute error (404.416 J/m3), and the highest correlation of determination (0.935). Additionally, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) has been developed, specifically tailored for the ELM-DOA model, to assist engineers and researchers in maximizing the utilization of this predictive model. The GUI provides a user-friendly platform for easy input of data and accessing the model's predictions, enhancing its practical applicability. Overall, the results strongly support the proposed hybrid model with GUI serving as an effective tool for assessing soil liquefaction resistance in geotechnical engineering, aiding in predicting and mitigating liquefaction hazards