A Comparison of Financial Performance of Islamic and Conventional Banks in Bahrain

The development of service sector is crucial in contributing to the GDP of any nation. The banking system plays a key role in the development of a country. The commercial banking system dominates the financial sector by dealing with the majority of financial transactions of a country. The existence of Islamic and conventional banks has contributed for the development of the economy. Commercial banks in Bahrain consist of interest-based conventional banks and interest-free Islamic banks (based on Islamic shariah). The performance of conventional and non-conventional banks is satisfactory in Bahrain. The present study focuses on the comparative analysis of financial performance of Islamic and conventional banks in terms of cost and income in Bahrain. The study uses financial tools like profitability, liquidity and solvency, commitment to economy and community, efficiency and productivity of both streams of banks.

Game on: Can gamification enhance productivity? [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]

Background: Research suggests that gamification can increase work engagement by providing employees with a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and by creating a fun and engaging work environment. Gamification is designed to increase consumer and employee engagement and see that they holistically collaborate to achieve a shared vision. The concept of gamification is as old as learning itself, just that the use of the terminology “Gamification” is of a recent origin. Methods: This article focuses on the impact of gamification in various organizations and simultaneously sees its relationship with job engagement and productivity. A primary investigation was done to determine the nexus between the various variables and data collection from 400 respondents working in various fraternities of the economy from both public and private domains from countries in the Gulf region. The structural equation model and SPSS has been inferred to analyse the results. Results: The study results show that variable such as perceived adoption and usefulness in the gamified system is significantly associated with job engagement. Similarly, employee’s recognition and perceived motivation have a positive impact on productivity. The study identified job engagement mediating factor to enhance organisational productivity in a gamified system. Conclusion: The effectiveness of gamification in enhancing work engagement may depend on factors such as the design of the gamification system, the preferences and motivations of individual employees, and the organizational culture and goals. The findings have significant implications for insight into how employees in the service sector are aware of the gamified working environment and react to the system through work engagement and productivity

Strategiczny wpływ angielskiego biznesu na zarządzanie kształceniem

Abstract: English is the medium of learning in most educational institutions around the world. It helps the students to industry-ready. The aim of the present study is to examine the influence of Business English among management students from the specific states of India and Bahrain. The designed model of the study finds the relations among listening, speaking, reading, writing, professional development, academic development and personal development, and they were considered exogenous and endogenous variables. The methodology of the study adopted the convenience sampling method. A pilot study was conducted before conducting the actual survey. The data of 396 respondents were considered for analysis after rejecting the incomplete responses. The data were analyzed through t-test and regression coefficients. The present study found that academic and personal enhancement has a significant impact on the professional development of an individual. The transformable skills in English language of students contribute a remarkable impact on professional development. The directions of future studies are given to conduct in different countries using the same model.Język angielski jest środkiem nauczania w większości instytucji edukacyjnych na całym świecie. Pomaga studentom w przygotowaniu do przemysłu. Celem pracy jest zbadanie wpływu Business English wśród studentów zarządzania z poszczególnych stanów Indii i Bahrajnu. Zaprojektowany model badania odnajduje związki między słuchaniem, mówieniem, czytaniem, pisaniem, rozwojem zawodowym, rozwojem naukowym a rozwojem osobistym i zostały uznane za zmienne egzogeniczne i endogeniczne. W metodologii badania przyjęto dogodną metodę doboru próby. Badanie pilotażowe zostało przeprowadzone przed przeprowadzeniem rzeczywistej ankiety. Do analizy uwzględniono dane 396 respondentów po odrzuceniu niepełnych odpowiedzi. Dane analizowano za pomocą testu t i współczynników regresji. Niniejsze badanie wykazało, że rozwój akademicki i osobisty ma znaczący wpływ na rozwój zawodowy jednostki. Umiejętności przekształcania języka angielskiego uczniów mają niezwykły wpływ na rozwój zawodowy. Kierunki przyszłych badań są podane do prowadzenia w różnych krajach przy użyciu tego samego modelu

Meta-analiza inteligencji emocjonalnej i zaangażowania organizacyjnego

While navigating through the contemporary turbulent business environment, the work-related areas are required to be improved furthermore, because an excellent worker or academic brilliance may not always lead to a successful career. This scenario leads to the aim of the present study, which is to explore the effect of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on the work environment of the employees in the field of banking. The banking industry has been chosen as the targeted area because of its dynamic work-related activities. The present study focuses on the impact of EI on bank employees in grueling work habitats. The methodology adapted to the study is a multi-sampling technique. The sample consists of 532 employees working in the banking sector of Bahrain. To fulfill the fundamental target of the research, directing quantitative studies, a structured based and a closed-ended questionnaire has been formed. The research finding states that self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, social-awareness, social skills, and organizational commitment have a direct effect on EI. This result has also contributed to the existing literature on EI and suggested decision-makers and practitioners to adopt self-report and mixed measures through which organizations can create effective commitment and satisfaction.Poruszając się po współczesnym, burzliwym środowisku biznesowym, konieczne jest dalsze doskonalenie obszarów związanych z pracą, ponieważ doskonały talent pracowniczy lub akademicki nie zawsze prowadzi do udanej kariery. Scenariusz ten prowadzi do celu niniejszego badania, którym jest zbadanie wpływu inteligencji emocjonalnej (EI) na środowisko pracy pracowników bankowości. Sektor bankowy został wybrany jako obszar docelowy ze względu na dynamiczne działania związane z pracą. Niniejsze badanie koncentruje się na wpływie EI na pracowników banków w wyczerpujących miejscach pracy. Metodologia zaadaptowana do badania to technika wielopróbkowa. Próba składa się z 532 pracowników zatrudnionych w sektorze bankowym Bahrajnu. Aby zrealizować podstawowy cel badań, kierując badaniami ilościowymi, stworzono ustrukturyzowany, zamknięty i zamknięty kwestionariusz. Wyniki badań wskazują, że samoświadomość, samoregulacja, motywacja własna, świadomość społeczna, umiejętności społeczne i zaangażowanie organizacyjne mają bezpośredni wpływ na EI. Wynik ten przyczynił się również do powstania istniejącej literatury na temat EI i zasugerował decydentom i praktykom przyjęcie samoopisowych i mieszanych środków, dzięki którym organizacje mogą tworzyć skuteczne zaangażowanie i satysfakcję

Transversal competences and employability: comparing in-person learning and distance education

AbstractThe demand for distance education has been increasing over the years, and this has gained momentum especially in the post-pandemic period. This development has caused a debate among the academicians as to whether distance education mode serves the real purpose of education as In-person learning does. Even though the method of schooling is not a consideration in most firms’ hiring decisions, the level of employability skills and competency are critical to landing a job in any sector. The primary goal of this study was to determine whether the mode of education caused a substantial difference in the competency and employability skills of the graduates/students. For this purpose, a sample of 350 In-person learning course students and 112 distance education students from Karnataka, India, was used in the study. Employability skills were measured using standard instrument with 10 dimensions and competency levels were measured using standard SLC Self-Evaluation Measurement with eight dimensions. This study found that the education method significantly impacts students’ competency and employability skills. Further, it demonstrates that distance education students have a higher competency level than In-person learning students. Conversely, students with In-person learning showed a higher level of employability skills. Distance education, however, is lacking in developing employability skills for various reasons. Nevertheless, using the right ed-Tech tools and software in distance education could boost effectiveness and keep the learners engaged and motivated

Do Academic Stress, Burnout and Problematic Internet Use Affect Perceived Learning? Evidence from India during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Distress in online classrooms and problematic internet use are two issues that have caused student burnout and affect perceived learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the high pressure placed on students throughout COVID-19, it is critical to understand the influence of problematic internet use (PIU), psychological stress, academic burnout, and resilience on perceived learning (PL). A cross-sectional analytical study was chosen to collect data from 350 learners pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate business/management degrees in Karnataka, India. The data were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) and Smart PLS 3. The present study reports a non-significant negative total effect of stress on PL, while there was a significant positive direct effect but a significant indirect negative effect of multiple mediators, namely PIU, burnout, and resilience. In the relationship between stress and PL, burnout has full competitive mediation, and the suppressive effect of burnout and resilience wipes out the beneficial benefit of stress on PL, resulting in reduced PL. As a societal problem, a change in educational policy and prevention strategies for students and organizations (reducing the number of courses, number of exams, and handling parental expectations) would be effective. Emotional intelligence to improve resilience, which assists students in sailing through a current challenging situation and using IT for reducing negative and unexpected emotional outbursts should be encouraged

Do Academic Stress, Burnout and Problematic Internet Use Affect Perceived Learning? Evidence from India during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Distress in online classrooms and problematic internet use are two issues that have caused student burnout and affect perceived learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the high pressure placed on students throughout COVID-19, it is critical to understand the influence of problematic internet use (PIU), psychological stress, academic burnout, and resilience on perceived learning (PL). A cross-sectional analytical study was chosen to collect data from 350 learners pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate business/management degrees in Karnataka, India. The data were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) and Smart PLS 3. The present study reports a non-significant negative total effect of stress on PL, while there was a significant positive direct effect but a significant indirect negative effect of multiple mediators, namely PIU, burnout, and resilience. In the relationship between stress and PL, burnout has full competitive mediation, and the suppressive effect of burnout and resilience wipes out the beneficial benefit of stress on PL, resulting in reduced PL. As a societal problem, a change in educational policy and prevention strategies for students and organizations (reducing the number of courses, number of exams, and handling parental expectations) would be effective. Emotional intelligence to improve resilience, which assists students in sailing through a current challenging situation and using IT for reducing negative and unexpected emotional outbursts should be encouraged

Perceived academic stress during a pandemic: Mediating role of coping strategies

COVID-19 rampant has impacted almost all sections of society, and the repercussions were mostly negative experiences for people and have resulted by way of disruption in their daily routines. Academics is one such vital section that has suffered directly because of the inaccessibility of a comfortable educational procedure. Due to a shift in the form of education, most of the student community failed to obtain routine and regular education as the government entirely shuttered educational facilities to limit the spread of disease. In this light, this research attempted to examine the amount of academic stress experienced by students during the COVID-19 Pandemic and the strategies they have adopted to cope with this unheard type of uncertain situation. The findings of the study indicated substantial variations in Academic Stress, Exam Anxiety, and Coping Strategies across various demographic characteristics of the respondents. Another significant finding is that students from poor socio-economic backgrounds and those seeking post-graduate courses are more stressed. As an inference, it is also opined that to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on student performance and psychological well-being, special focus, or techniques for accommodating exam environments by the student should be implemented. To minimize stress, the study also proposed efficient coping techniques to lower the amount of stress in various academic tasks

Unveiling the Crucial Factors of Women Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century

In the present era, women-owned firms are one of India’s fastest increasing entrepreneurial communities in the form of women entrepreneurs. The objective of the study is to identify the factors that influence women’s entrepreneurial orientation and firms’ performance. The research study discusses the influencing factors and their effect on firms’ performance and satisfaction in this regard. The proposed framework and hypotheses have been tested using data gathered from boutiques, beauty parlors, carpet manufacturers, and retail shops in Karnataka, India. Data analysis was done using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate techniques. In Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), paths were created for evaluating the cause-and-effect relationship between different factors viz., social, psychological, financial, and resource factors and entrepreneurial performance and satisfaction. Seven relationships were significant, while two relationships were insignificant in this structural equation. The key finding of the paper is that all factors have a significant impact on the firm’s performance. The implications of research results for researchers and practitioners are discussed, and suggestions have also been made

Socio-economic empowerment in rural India: Do financial inclusion and literacy matters?

AbstractFinancial literacy as a major catalyst in the area of inclusive growth has obtained utmost prevalence, based on which this study intended to analyze the role of financial literacy in ensuring financial inclusion which further enhances socio-economic empowerment in rural areas of Karnataka, India. In order to conduct the study 398 responses (i.e. 93% response rate) were collected through comprehensive questionnaire which was then analyzed using SPSS 26 and SPSS AMOS 23 software, as SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) was used to evaluate the proposed conceptual model, as well as two-way ANOVA to analyze the demographic effect on the components. The study outcome confirmed that financial inclusion is highly affected by the financial literacy of a rural community in a direct way; but when they can take effective financial decision and are responsible in financial behavior, they tend to show more financial inclusion which has contributed to their socio-economic empowerment. Realizing the dominant role of financial literacy one of the key policy implications of this article is that the Indian government may begin spending considerable amounts of money to promote financial literacy, which can significantly expand financial inclusion. Furthermore, measures might be taken to discover the gaps in digital financial transaction (online and mobile banking) where the Government of India should be aggressive in building the infrastructure for financial inclusion, which would aid in the socio-economic growth of the rural people