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This paper aims to contribute to the political connection literature by investigating the impact of political connection on banks’ profitability in Bahrain.

Exploiting the unique natural experiment of the 2017 Qatar blockade crisis, this study uses primary data of political connection. The study uses the difference-in-difference (DID) methodology to investigate the effect of political connections on banks’ profitability.

The main finding is that political connections have a positive effect on bank profitability in Bahrain. The paper finds that the ongoing GCC crisis has had a negative effect on the banking sector of Bahrain. During the Qatar blockade crisis, politically connected banks suffered more than their non-connected counterparts.

The result suggests that the Qatar blockade crisis has had a notable effect on the banking system throughout the region, including both the boycotting countries as well as Qatar. In the banking sector, politically connected banks are the most harmed by the crisis. Investors can enhance their hedging and investment decisions by exploiting knowledge of how political connections affected bank profitability during the Qatar diplomatic crisis and how that effect can be transmitted from one market to another. In addition, regulators could use insights about the association between political connections and profitability in Bahrain to undertake strategies to increase banks’ profitability and mitigate the transmission effect of a crisis by ensuring adequate regulation and supervision.

This paper offers four novel contributions to political connection literature as follows: Firstly, the study fills in an important gap in the literature as it is the first attempt to quantify the impact of political connections on bank performance in Bahrain. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the role of political factors in Bahrain has not been studied about the banking system. Secondly, the study depends on primary data about political connections collected manually from various sources. Thirdly, this is the first study to investigate the effect of the Qatar blockade on the banking sector. Lastly, the evidence suggests that politically connected banks are more profitable than banks that lack political connections. However, the Qatar blockade crisis resulted in a sharp decrease in bank profitability, suggesting that the crisis significantly harmed the banking sector in Bahrain.

This paper aims to address three research questions (1) Who is the main stakeholder that shapes Airbnb experience, (2) Does Airbnb offers an authentic travel experience? and (3) What should be the future research trends in Airbnb?

This paper uses the systematic literature review (SLR) with a well-defined protocol, research strategy and methods to answer the research questions.

The review revealed that while Airbnb plays a significant role as the platform provider, the stakeholders influencing the experiences are multifaceted. Hosts, guests, local communities and even regulatory bodies all contribute to shaping the overall Airbnb Experience ecosystem. Hosts, in particular, have a crucial role in curating and delivering unique experiences, which significantly impacts the quality and authenticity of the offerings. On the question of whether Airbnb offers an authentic travel experience, the review uncovered mixed findings. For examples, some studies emphasized the potential for Airbnb to provide authentic and local experiences, allowing travelers to engage with the community and cultural aspects of a destination. However, other studies raised concerns about the commodification and standardization of experiences, leading to a potential loss of authenticity.

This paper is different from previous SLR where previous research systematically reviewed; motivations to use and choose Airbnb, institutionalization of Airbnb, stakeholders of Airbnb. This paper addresses authentic experience as a factor that influences activity participation.

The purpose of this study is to understand the functional power of frequency from-to chart (FFTC) as an independent solution-key for generation optimal (exact) facilities sequences with an equal distance of straight-line flow patterns. The paper will propose a bi-objective function model based on the Torque Method then will turn it into a computer-based technique with a permutative manner using the full enumeration method. This model aims to figure out if there is a difference between the moment minimization and backtracking treatment. Furthermore, the proposed technique will measure the performance of related works from literature to numerically highlight their limitations.

The literature of related works provided two-principles assumed mastering material flow sequences. The researchers gathered and analyzed the three methods – used FFTC as an independent technique – mentioned in the literature then measured their performance with the proposed technique. The proposed technique is based on the computation of torque value using an enhancement of bi-objective function model then application a permutative approach with full enumeration methodology. The bi-objective function model used once to mimic the grand moment value of FFTC and again to study the reflection of minimizing the congestion of backtracking movements on the minimization of total transportation cost.

Based on the analysis of literature and comparative results of its three case studies using the proposed technique, it is found that: there are optimum facilities sequences with rich opportunities of exact pathway selection. Reduction methodology is an inefficient way to generate exact results. There is a gap between combining the minimization of the grand moment and the treatment of the backtracking problem.

This study is one of the first contributions that discusses the assumption of integration between optimization moment value and its relation to treatment backtracking problem. Also, the illness of reduction methodology to reach optimal solutions. The further direction of this research will highlight the conjecture of searching the exact results for small size problems, analyzing the given data and its logical dimensions, developing logical rules for solving and verifying large size problems based on the exact results (The conjecture of P = NP).

This paper provides a detailed numerical analysis of the most common problems generally faced facility layout problems through understanding the lack of integration between moment minimization and backtracking minimization. Also, the inefficiency of reliance on reduction methodology either in scores of frequencies between facilities with weak relation or the number of permutations. Based on those findings, further study will search the logical philosophy exactly optimizing FFTC manually or without having to deal with a permutative approach for large size problems – which considered non-deterministic polynomial-time problem.

This study aims to investigate the nutrient composition and cholesterol content of most popular fast foods sold in Qena city, Egypt with reference to their trans fatty acids contents.

Total 80 samples of fast foods were collected from various fast food restaurants in Qena city, Egypt. The samples were investigated for their nutritive quality by measuring moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrate and energy content as described by the association of analytical chemists. The cholesterol content was determined using a spectrophotometer, while trans fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography using standard methods.

The study revealed a wide variation in the composition and nutritive value. On a fresh weight basis, moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrate and ash ranged from 45.9-55.0 (P < 0.001), 15.0-22.3 (P < 0.001), 13.1-15.7 (P = 0.034), 6.0-16.2 (P < 0.001) and 2.2-3.5 (P < 0.001), %w/w, respectively. The fast foods were very energy dense with calorie content varying from 236.5-281.1 (P < 0.001), Kcal/100 g. The mean values of cholesterol were between 15-17 mg/100 g (P = 0.398). The findings showed that fast foods had high total trans fatty acids content exceeding the Danish legal limit of 2 g/100 g of fat being in the range of 3.5 to 11.3 g per 100 g fat (P = 0.379). Elaidic acid is the predominant trans-isomer in industrially produced trans fatty acids. The concentrations of elaidic acid were high in all samples examined (P = 0.942).

This study has established the fact that fast foods are associated with high total energy intake, high intake of fat, trans fat and a higher proportion of calories being derived from total fat and trans-fat. Therefore, it is recommended to limit the intake of fast food.

This paper aims to investigate the impact of perceived risk, ethical judgement, value consciousness, susceptibility to social influence and neutralisation on counterfeit clothes and accessories purchase intention in Egypt.

A single cross-sectional survey was conducted. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 361 counterfeit buyers in Egypt. To test the hypotheses, partial least squares-structural equation model was applied.

The results indicate that neutralisation, perceived risk and susceptibility to social influence significantly impact attitudes towards counterfeiting and purchase intentions, whereas value consciousness impacts counterfeit purchase intention. In addition, attitudes mediate the effects of perceived risk, susceptibility to social influence and neutralisation on purchase intention.

Brand producers/retailers and the government need to adhere to a number of practices to curb counterfeit demand, mainly by tackling the neutralisation’s impacts, demonstrating various risks of counterfeiting and developing a collective attitude against counterfeiting.

This study contributes to the ethical decision-making literature by empirically testing and quantifying the impact of neutralisation on shaping counterfeit buyers’ attitudes and purchase intention.

The purpose of this paper is to draw a map of the general features of epistemological and critical concerns in contemporary Islamic philosophy. This study will not be confined to the domain of academic philosophy or to those who are professionals in the field of philosophy.

The paper adopted the critical rational approach in dealing with contemporary Islamic philosophy in the Arab world. The scope will include scholars from different fields of epistemology who tried to present a “vision” of the attitude that should be adopted in facing the challenges of the age and the problems of the nation on the epistemological level or the political, economic and social levels.

There is a need for a philosophy of action and progress rather than a philosophy that is based on abstract ideas and theories and of words/rhetoric. The ethics required to accomplish this ought to identify the attributes of the citizen who can reach self-actualization through legitimate means based on a progress agenda with theoretical and philosophical foundations.

Because a critical rational approach can be dealt with from different perspectives, this paper will adopt the classification of the principal intellectual trends: the reformist, secular and liberal.

This paper covers a long time span to determine whether the philosophical projects have been effective.

This paper, which criticizes the philosophic projects that are theoretically unsound and that do not address real social problems (like poverty), argues the need for a philosophy of progress and action. This will lead to devising an agenda that addresses the challenges the society is facing and to finding alternative and creative solutions resulting in development.

Despite the huge financial resources associated with oil, Nigeria has consistently recorded poor growth performance. Therefore, this study aims to examine how corruption and oil rent influence Nigeria’s economic performance during the 1996–2021 period.

Various estimation techniques were used. These include the bootstrap autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds-testing, dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), the fully modified OLS (FMOLS) and the canonical cointegration regression (CCR) estimators and the Toda–Yamamoto causality.

The bounds testing results provide evidence of a cointegrating relationship between the variables. In addition, the results of the ARDL, DOLS, CCR and FMOLS estimators demonstrate that oil rent and corruption have a significant positive impact on growth. Further, the results indicate that human capital and financial development enhance economic growth, whereas domestic investment and unemployment rates slow down long-term growth. Additionally, the causality test results illustrate the presence of a one-way causality from oil rent to economic growth and a bi-directional causal relationship between corruption and economic growth.

Existing studies focused on the effects of either oil rent or corruption on growth in Nigeria. Little attention has been paid to the exploration of how the rent from oil and the pervasiveness of corruption contribute to the performance of the Nigerian economy. Based on the outcome of this study, strategies and policies geared towards reducing oil dependence and the pervasiveness of corruption, enhancing human capital and financial development and reducing unemployment are recommended.

Traditional architecture and urban form is a harmonious and interrelated blend of social relations, cultural beliefs and religious principles forming coherent spatial organisation living in harmony despite diversity of religious beliefs, social class or cultural practices of different communities. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theoretical background of social cohesion and solidarity in the everyday life of the Mahalla with reference to its religious background in Islam.

The study of Beit Hadawi and Beit Hammadi el-Hassan as distinct evidences of prominent families within the boundaries of Mahallat El Mahdia in Old Hilla offers an empirical investigation on how values of the past informed and, to some extent, governed the very organic organisation of interlocking residential units in Iraq.

It investigates the architecture of home and the spatial organisation of Mahalla’s social activities through highlighting the effect of previous factors in creating a responsive environment that sustained its operational mechanism and fluidity over centuries.

This paper examines how previous values, traditions and rituals are behind the organic tissue of traditional quarters and thus providing an effective criterion to be considered when discussing sustainable development or creating a responsive environment in societies with exceptional privacy.

Leadership is basically about influence and ability to cultivate followership. This chapter examined the nature of indigenous socio-political leadership in Africa using Zimbabwe, Sudan and Nigeria as caselets and compared this with the post-colonial or modern-day leadership realities. A survey was conducted among senior executives at Lagos Business School, Nigeria, with a sample size of 200 persons, to find out their perception of the African indigenous leadership system. An overwhelming 90% believe that culture plays a big role in shaping African leadership style. However, two-thirds of the respondents agreed that Africa lacks proper institutional structures to support good leadership, thus encouraging corruption (97% of the respondents) and non-accountability among the leaders. Also, only 5% thought cultural orientation was the reason why the African followers do not hold their leaders accountable. In other words, it is not in the African culture not to hold leaders accountable for their actions. So, what went wrong? We attempted a deeper look at the effect of colonial rule and the attendant militarisation of the African continent. Our conclusion is that the colonisation of the continent by Europe brought significant distortion to the traditional African indigenous leadership institutions and the psyche of the African leader and the followers alike. Post-colonial Africa has witnessed 133 recorded coups d’etat between 1952 and 2016. This chapter is recommended to all those who seek a deeper understanding of the nature of the African indigenous leadership practices and the factors that have shaped these over the years.

This study aims to focus on the main materials used in consolidation processes of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather binding.

For each material, chemical structure, chemical composition, molecular formula, solubility, advantages, disadvantages and its role in treatment process are presented.

This study concluded that carboxy methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, nanocrystalline cellulose, funori, sturgeon glue, poly vinyl alcohol, chitosan, chitosan nanoparticles (NPs), gelatin, aquazol, paraloid B72 and hydroxyapatite NPs were the most common and important materials used for the consolidation of illuminated paper manuscripts. For the leather bindings, hydroxy propyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, oligomeric melamine-formaldehyde resin, acrylic wax SC6000, pliantex, paraloid B67 and B72, silicone oil and collagen NPs are the most consolidants used.

Illuminated paper manuscripts with leather binding are considered one of the most important objects in libraries, museums and storehouses. The uncontrolled conditions and other deterioration factors inside the libraries and storehouses lead to degradation of these artifacts. The brittleness, fragility and weakness are considered the most common deterioration aspects of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather binding. Therefore, the consolidation process became vital and important to solve this problem. This study presents the main materials used for consolidation process of illuminated paper manuscripts and leather bindings.