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The purpose of this study is to investigate the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the amount of trust customers have in Somali Islamic banks. Furthermore, the role of gender in CSR activities and Islamic bank clientele is evaluated.

Throughout February and March 2022, 410 clients of Islamic banks in Somalia were surveyed using a questionnaire. The partial least squares approach and the structural equation model are applied to examine the data.

Findings indicate that all variables of CSR activities, such as social product, social legal, social needs, social environment and social employees’ responsibility, are influential and significant predictors of trust in Islamic banks in Somalia. Gender inequalities moderate the relationship between social product, social needs, social environment, social employee and trust. Conversely, only social legal responsibility was unaffected by gender differences in Somalia regarding people’s trust in Islamic banks.

A sample from a developing country such as Somalia is useful for shedding light on the outcomes of consumers’ perceptions of and trust in businesses’ CSR in the developing world. Furthermore, this study contributes to knowledge regarding CSR and how it can help the Islamic banking industry. Its findings will be useful to policymakers and regulatory bodies in the banking industry in their efforts to improve CSR.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first empirical investigation of its kind about the understudied relationship among customer trust, CSR efforts and gender in Somalia context. Furthermore, it investigates how gender specifically moderates CSR in the Islamic banking sector in a developing country.

Upon reading, analyzing and participating in the classroom discussion of this case study, students will be able to use the blue ocean strategy (mainly the Strategy Canvas tool) to analyze how companies establish their products as viable and the go-to solution for consumers; perform a competitive analysis for competitive products; learn how to use data from the case, including industry trends, to predict the future market position of products; and learn how to develop strategies for new products in the market.

Abdishakur M. Afrah, who served as the Head of Business Development at Premier Bank, oversaw a substantial banking portfolio, which included Premier Wallet – the first digital wallet in Somalia. This case study outlines Premier Wallet’s journey and its transformative impact on the banking sector. Owing to the mobile wallet, consumers could, for the first time, engage in purchasing, withdrawing cash, shopping online and topping up without needing a bank account at Premier Bank. This allowed for the financial inclusion of the unbanked Somali population. This case study also highlights the Wallet Send feature, a disruptive feature that challenged the prevalent Hawala system in Somalia. This feature enabled customers to send money across 110 countries via their smartphones, facilitating direct deposits to the mobile or bank accounts of their family and friends or to cash withdrawal points nearby. Despite these advanced features, Premier Wallet struggled with broader acceptance, hindered by a mere 9% internet penetration, the absence of a national identification (ID) system and stiff competition from WAAFI, a fintech application supported by Hormuud Telecom, Somalia’s leading telecommunications company. The case study also delves into the strategic decisions Afrah had to make to position Premier Wallet as the top mobile money option for consumers in Somalia.

This case study is suited for undergraduate-level courses.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship

Concerns on money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing increased, as ML accounted 2%–5% of the global GDP, with Switzerland, the USA, Canada, India and Russia having high laundering rates. Banks were fined over US$320bn in 2008, but money laundering still accounted for 3.6% of global GDP in 2009, thereby indicating the need for effective regimes. Therefore, this study aims to critically analyze the antimoney laundering (AML)/CFT regime of Somalia, identify loopholes in the regime, raise awareness and propose recommendations for regime improvement.

The qualitative research approach is used to compare Somalia’s AML/CFT regime with the corresponding regime of Malaysia through the black letter method combined with document analysis. Malaysia is selected as a benchmark for two reasons: firstly, it is an Islamic country like Somalia, and secondly, Malaysia has complied with integrity-related standards.

This study revealed that an impactful AML/CTF regime is reached by closing loopholes in the law, reevaluating and improving regulatory agencies and measures, facilitating formal financial services and collaborating with regional and international standard setters. According to the results, Somalia AML/CFT regime is counterproductive in criminalizing offenses; regulating digital currencies and mobile money, disclosures and nonfinancial business and provisions; and governing training requirements for regulatory agencies and financial institutions.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first of its kind in the study of Somalia’s regime building. Also, this study incorporates rich scholarly discourse on effective regime building.

The purpose of this study is to examine the acceptability of tawarruq in the banking industry in Somalia, focusing on awareness, need, compatibility, relative advantage, behavioral attitude and the role of Shariah scholars. This study is governed by the Theory of Islamic Consumer Behavior.

A questionnaire survey was conducted involving 150 customers of Islamic banks in Mogadishu, Somalia. This research adopts a quantitative methodology, using descriptive and survey analyses by employing SPSS 23. Smart-PLS-4 SEM was used to test the six hypotheses established in the study.

This study provides evidence that the customers of Islamic banks in Somalia are looking forward to Islamic banks offering tawarruq in the country. Respondents viewed tawarruq as a very attractive product compared to other existing products of Islamic banks in the country. The need for tawarruq, its compatibility and relative advantage have a positive and significant influence on the intention to use tawarruq products for cash financing purposes, whereas customer awareness, behavioral attitudes and the role of Shariah scholars have insignificant influence.

The findings of this study can be beneficial to all Islamic financial institutions in Somalia by applying tawarruq contract to facilitate cash financing.

This study contributes to the literature by enhancing the awareness of tawarruq in Somalia. The study also shed light on the need of Islamic banks’ customers on tawarruq for cash financing purposes in Somalia.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent at which Turkish foreign direct investment (FDI) contributes to the process of peacemaking in host country.

This study utilized a qualitative method and used a focus group discussion and an in-depth interview.

This study found that Turkish FDI contributes well to the process of peace building in Somalia.

A well-balanced FDI is expected to contribute to the process of peace building in host country because FDI is associated with job creation, technology transfer, private sector enhancement, infrastructure development and social responsibility. These factors increase household income of the host country and contribute to human capital development. By doing so, resource-centered conflicts are reduced and peace is established.

This study is considered as one of the unique studies that have been conducted in the context of post-conflict economy of Somalia. The study investigated the extent at which Turkish FDI contributes to the process of peace building in the host economy and found some interesting evidences, which makes it an appealing work that should be pursued further. This study is not only investigating a novel area of research but also contributes very much to the ongoing policy debate on the recovery and development of post-conflict economies.

Among the Somalis living in the diaspora, there is a growing number that are returning or are interested in returning to Somalia for personal, economic and political reasons. The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential impact the diaspora has on the future of Somalia by understanding the anticipatory assumptions held by young Somali-Canadians. This research will also examine the role that Soomaalinimo [1] (Somali identity) plays in the transnational ties that diasporic individuals keep with their country and its people.

Using an indigenist research approach, this paper explores the evolution of Soomaalinimo over time in a way that is culturally informed and decolonial. Young Somali-Canadians in two cities (Toronto and Edmonton) were given an opportunity to define Soomaalinimo for themselves and create scenarios of how it might evolve in the future for their great-grandchildren. An analysis of these scenarios reveals anticipatory assumptions that shape how they think about the future.

Three distinct futures scenarios emerged, and this research revealed three key anticipatory assumptions held by the participants: Somalia will always be home; returning to Somalia is important to maintain Soomaalinimo; and it is the responsibility of the previous generations to transmit Soomaalinimo to future generations. These anticipatory assumptions are examined and an analysis of the implications on decolonizing futures is presented.

This study expands the conceptualization of the future of a country to include the diaspora and uses the concept of anticipatory assumptions to reveal some of the potential implications of this group.

The purpose of this paper is to determine current and potential takaful customers’ perception of takaful product and its adoption in Somalia.

This study used three originally selected constructs of perceived relative advantage, perceived compatibility and perceived complexity of diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory and adds three additional constructs of level of customer awareness, culture and perceived trust. A total of 427 questionnaires were collected from the participants of the study using a nonprobability convenience sampling technique. For data analysis, Smart PLS3 and SPSS software were used. The survey was conducted in Somalia, with respondents being current and potential takaful product’s customers. The DOI theoretical model was put to the test using structural equation modeling.

The findings showed that perceived relative advantage, perceived compatibility, awareness, perceived culture and perceived trust have a positive and significant influence, whereas perceived complexity has an insignificant influence on the adoption of takaful products.

This research is a pioneering attempt to investigate the determinants of current and potential takaful customers’ adoption by changing the DOI theory, and it presents a unique contribution to the field with regard to Somalia.