University of Business and Technology

Introduction: Intravenous(IV) immunoglobulin(Ig) treatment is known to alleviate behavioral deficits in the experimentally induced model of sepsis. To delineate the mechanisms by which IVIg treatment prevents neuronal dysfunction, an array of immunological and apoptosis markers was investigated. Methods: Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation perforation(CLP) in rats. The animals were divided into five groups; sham, control, CLP + saline, CLP + immunoglobulin G IgG(250 mg/kg,iv), and CLP + immunoglobulins enriched with immunoglobulin M-IgGAM(250 mg/kg,iv). Blood and brain samples were taken in two sets of experiments after CLP to see the early(24 hrs) and late(10 days) effects of treatment. Total complement activity, complement 3(C3) and soluble complement C5b-9 levels were measured in sera of rats using ELISA-based methods. Cerebral complement content was analyzed by Western Blot. Immune cell infiltration and gliosis were examined by immunohistochemistry using cluster of differentiation 3, CD4, CD8, CD11b, CD19 and glial fibrillary acidic protein antibodies. Apoptotic neuronal death was investigated by TUNEL staining and Western Blot-based semi-quantitative evaluation of brain homogenates by bax and bcl-2 antibodies. Results: IV IgG and IgGAM administration significantly reduced systemic complement activity but increased serum C3 and soluble C5b-9 levels. Likewise, Western Blot data showed slightly increased C5b-9 expression and significantly reduced C1q expression in brain samples of IgGAM-treated but not IgG-treated septic rats especially in the first day of administration. No cerebral cellular infiltrates were observed in treated and non-treated septic rats. By contrast, IV IgG and IgGAM treatment induced considerable amelioration in glial cell proliferation which was increased in non-treated rats. IgG and IgGAM treated rats exhibited significantly reduced numbers of apoptotic neurons and cerebral expression levels of bax and bcl-2 as compared to nontreated rats. Conclusions: We suggest that IV IgG and IgGAM administration ameliorates neuronal dysfunction and behavioral deficits by reducing apoptotic cell death and glial cell proliferation. IgGAM treatment might be suppressing classical complement pathway by reducing C1q expression.

Mobile payment solutions (MPSs) are experiencing growth and popularity across the globe because of their convenience and other benefits in performing transactions. However, despite these circumstances and the benefits offered, MPSs are still suffering from challenging situations related to their adoption and usage. The main challenge MPSs have faced in retail is because of the presence of consumer resistance toward their use. The present study investigates the different consumer barriers toward the intentions to use and recommend MPSs. The current study examines the adoption and usage of MPSs through the lens of innovation resistance. We developed the research model based on the innovation resistance theory (IRT) and tested it using a large cross-sectional study with 1256 MPS users. The study findings suggest that usage, risk, and value barriers are negatively associated with intentions to use MPSs. On the other hand, only usage and value barriers have a negative association with users’ intention to recommend MPSs. In comparison, the tradition and image barriers did not share any association with the user intentions. The study offers different implications for practitioners and researchers.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the internet banking service quality and its implication on e-customer satisfaction and e-customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 1,000 questionnaires were distributed for internet banking customers and 520 were returned (resulting 52 percentage of response rate). Findings – The results confirmed that the all four dimensions (personal need, site organization, user friendliness, and efficiency of website) are distinct constructs. The results also indicated that internet banking service quality consisting of four dimensions has appropriate reliability and each dimensions has a positive significant relationship with internet banking service quality. The efficiency of banking website is the important aspect of internet banking service quality. The finding found that the relationship between internet banking service quality, e-customer satisfaction and e-customer loyalty are significant. Practical implications – The results show that the higher level of internet banking service quality significantly impacts to e-customer satisfaction and consequently leads to e-customer loyalty and a lower intention to leave the relationship with bank. Originality/value – This study proposes a model to understand the effect of internet banking service quality on e-customer satisfaction and e-customer loyalty in developing country. The constructs truly reflect the dynamism of customers’ banking relationship and a better understanding the attitude on internet banking will help the bankers in implementing more effective marketing strategies.

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU) and trust on mobile website satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 302 valid questionnaires were collected to empirically test the research model. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the measurement model and structural models. Findings – The results show that there is a positive relationship between PEOU, PU and mobile users’ satisfaction. PU is positively related to trust and mobile users’ satisfaction. Moreover, trust positively influences mobile users’ satisfaction. Practical implications – Drawing on the technology acceptance model and trust theory, this study develops and empirically examines a model for consumers’ satisfaction to use mobile services. This study contributes new insights concerning the marketing literature by examining the impact of PU, PEOU and trust on mobile users’ satisfaction. Originality/value – The contribution of the study is significant for both mobile marketers and academicians in the era of the third-generation environment. This study is among the first few attempts to integrate the TAM with trust to determine mobile user satisfaction.

The rationale of this study was to investigate the effect of innovation types on business sustainability in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Quantitative approach was used for collecting the data and fulfilling the stated objective. Specifically, the data was collected from 171 employees in SMEs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The analysis for the collected data was conducted using the partial least square approach (PLS-SEM). The findings showed that product innovation as well as service innovation have significant positive impacts on business sustainability. The results further confirmed that process innovation is vital for achieving business sustainability. Finally, the outcomes verified that marketing innovation has a significant impact on business sustainability. The results confirmed the significance of innovation capabilities in helping entrepreneurs in SMEs to sustain their businesses and improve their competitive strengths.

Purpose Through social media technologies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can communicate information and respond to competitors with minimal cost. The ability to share and access information can affect SMEs’ performance, but there is little research on the link between SMEs’ social media adoption and their performance. The purpose of this paper is to present a quantitative survey to explore factors that influenced social media adoption by SMEs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and its impact on performance. Design/methodology/approach The study used a multi-perspective framework combining technological, organizational and environmental elements affecting SMEs. Survey questionnaires were used to collect data from a random sample of SMEs operating in the UAE. Using partial least squares and structural equation modeling techniques, 144 responses were analyzed. Findings Social media adoption had no effect on SMEs’ performance. These findings could help managers and decision makers in the SME sector to try to keep pace with research on social media innovations, and enable them to benefit from social commerce as it becomes more ubiquitous. Research limitations/implications This has implications for social media experts and anyone wishing to encourage social media use by SMEs. Originality/value The study developed a suitable multi-perspective framework covering various factors that may affect social media use. It also tested the framework empirically on a sample of SMEs from the UAE.

The worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 has forced higher education institutions to shift from face-to-face to online education. However, many public institutions, especially in developing countries, often do not have access to formal online learning management systems (LMS) for facilitating communication with students and/or among faculty members. This research empirically examines the extent to which social media sites are adopted by faculty members and students for sustaining formal, i.e., sole and official tools, academic communication. For this purpose, online questionnaire surveys, supplemented with in-depth interviews, were undertaken with both faculty members and students. The results showed that students’ personal usage of social media has promoted its effective usage for sustaining formal teaching and learning. However, significant differences were found between faculty members and students regarding social media usage for student support and building an online community. Students used social media for building an online community and supporting each other, whereas faculty members were focused on teaching and learning exclusively. The results confirm that proper usage of social media could promote a new era of social learning, social presence and an alternative platform to foster online learning. Research implications for higher education policymakers, especially in developing countries, and scholars are discussed.

Due to the rapid emergence and evolution of AI applications, the utilization of smart imaging devices has increased significantly. Researchers have started using deep learning models, such as CNN, for image classification. Unlike the traditional models, which require a lot of features to perform well, CNN does not require any handcrafted features to perform well. It uses numerous filters, which extract required features from images automatically for classification. One of the issues in the horticulture industry is fruit classification, which requires an expert with a lot of experience. To overcome this issue an automated system is required which can classify different types of fruits without the need for any human effort. In this study, a dataset of a total of 26,149 images of 40 different types of fruits was used for experimentation. The training and test set were randomly recreated and divided into the ratio of 3:1. The experiment introduces a customized head of five different layers into MobileNetV2 architecture. The classification layer of the MobileNetV2 model is replaced by the customized head, which produced the modified version of MobileNetV2 called TL-MobileNetV2. In addition, transfer learning is used to retain the pre-trained model. TL-MobileNetV2 achieves an accuracy of 99%, which is 3% higher than MobileNetV2, and the equal error rate of TL-MobileNetV2 is just 1%. Compared to AlexNet, VGG16, InceptionV3, and ResNet, the accuracy is better by 8, 11, 6, and 10%, respectively. Furthermore, the TL-MobileNetV2 model obtained 99% precision, 99% for recall, and a 99% F1-score. It can be concluded that transfer learning plays a big part in achieving better results, and the dropout technique helps to reduce the overfitting in transfer learning.

Abstract Policymakers face a daunting task when it comes to achieving sustainable environmental development and avoiding additional environmental degradation. This study examines the significance of green technology innovation and green financing in creating a more sustainable environment. The impact of green technology innovation and green investment on carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions has yet to be empirically and theoretically examined in the literature, especially in conjunction with a moderating component, particularly social globalisation. Accordingly, this research examines the role of green technological innovation and green financing in reducing CO 2 emissions in the G7 countries. Our study uses empirical research data from a panel of the G7 countries covering the period 1995 to 2019. We employ advanced panel approaches to address panel data analysis concerns, such as cross‐sectional dependence, structural break, and slope heterogeneity (the Banerjee and Carrion‐i‐Silvestre unit root and cointegration test and cross‐sectional augmented ARDL). This study shows that green technology innovation (GINV) as well as green financing (GFIN) have a negative but significant impact on CO 2 emissions. Whilst economic growth has shown a positive and significant impact on CO 2 emissions in the G7 countries, social globalisation positively moderates the relationship between CO 2 emissions and GDP, but negatively and significantly causes GFIN and GINV with CO 2 emissions amongst the G7 countries. According to our study, countries would be able to meet the United Nations' SDG‐7 and SDG‐13 targets if they implemented green financing and green technology policies.

Each year, millions of tons of electronic waste (or e-waste) are generated worldwide, thus, fueling concerns among scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and governments about e-waste recycling and management. The past few years have witnessed a growing interest among scholars to examine the behavioral issues concerning e-waste recycling. However, most of the existing studies have focused on adopting e-waste recycling and related innovations. It is already known that ‘reasons for’ and ‘reasons against’ the adoption of any innovation are quantitatively different. The current study bridges this gap by utilizing a novel consumer behavior framework called behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) to study e-waste recycling attitudes and intentions. The study examined the relative influence of ‘reasons for’ and ‘reasons against’ in predicting attitude and intentions within the context of e-waste recycling by using a single framework. The developed model was tested using structural equation modeling with 774 Japanese consumers. The study also examined the moderating role of environmental assessment and environmental concerns in influencing the studied associations. The results suggest that ‘reasons for’ was positively associated with attitude and intentions. The consumer values shared negative associations only with ‘reasons against.’ The study findings offer interesting insights for service providers, policymakers, and governments.

Keeping a sustainable environment is always a massive challenge for oil-exporting countries, and in that situation, industrialization and rapid growth of urbanization can add fuel to the fire. We investigate the effects of industrialization and urbanization on the CO2 emissions per capita in Saudi Arabia, utilizing an annual period 1968–2014. The results show that both industrialization and urbanization impede the environment with the inelastic effect of industrialization and elastic effect of urbanization on the emissions. An asymmetry in the relationship of industrialization and emissions is also found. The increasing industrialization has larger environmental effect than decreasing industrialization. We recommend the Saudi government to design tighter urban and industrial–environmental policies to put a halt on increasing CO2 emissions.

Drawing on a service-dominant (S-D) logic perspective, this study identifies key antecedents and consequences of tourism customer engagement, which remain nebulous to date. We develop a structural model that is tested on a sample of 310 customers at different tourist destination sites and attractions in India. The results reveal a positive effect of place authenticity and place attachment on customer engagement. The findings also indicate customer engagement’s positive effect on the development of customer trust, brand loyalty, and co-creation. Third, we identify customer engagement’s mediating role in the effect of place attachment and place authenticity on customer trust, loyalty, and co-creation. Specifically, place authenticity was found to exert a partial mediating effect in the association between place attachment and customer engagement. As such, this research bids newer insight into the role of tourism-based customer engagement, from which we develop relevant implications.

This study examined the impact of workplace environment on employee task performance under the mediating role of employee commitment and achievement-striving ability. For this purpose, data were collected from the academic staff under a cross-sectional research design, and they were approached through convenience sampling technique. As per recommendations of established sample size criteria, we distributed a sum of 420 questionnaires among the respondents. Among these distributed questionnaires, only 330 were received back. The returned questionnaires were checked for missing and incomplete responses and after discarding the missing responses useable responses were 314 which were used for the data analysis. Data had been analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM) by using Smart PLS 3. The SEM was done based on measurement models and structural models. The results indicated that a positive work environment had the power to improve employee performance. Similarly, a positive work environment also improved the employee commitment level and achievement-striving ability significantly. Both employee commitment and achievement-striving ability also improved employee performance. While in the case of mediation, it had also been observed that workplace environment triggered employee commitment and employee achievement-striving ability which further improved employee performance.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations around the world to make full use of a variety of emerging online communication platform technologies. Universities are among the organizations that have asked students, tutors, and lecturers to use a number of different online communication platforms to ensure the education process remains uninterrupted. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has generated considerable challenges for the global higher education community while using such emerging technologies. This research has two main goals. First, this paper will begin by investigating whether the online learning platforms used by university students during the COVID-19 period have presented any challenges to their learning. Second, the paper will then go on to address proposed solutions by developing a conceptual model to reduce the impact of such challenges. This research uses an exploratory qualitative research approach, supported by literature content analysis techniques. The data set for this study was collected during the first peak of the pandemic period in Malaysia, between the 16th of May 2020 and the 5th of June 2020. We used SPSS to conduct a descriptive analysis and NVivo12 to analyse data collected from 486 students from different universities in Malaysia. These students disclosed various obstacles they encountered when they used IT platform applications for online learning. These obstacles include (a) work and information overload received from instructors, (b) inadaptability and unfamiliarity of the new online learning environment, and (c) personal health challenges related to stress and anxiety. Based on previous relevant research, this study introduced a set of motivational factors and developed a conceptual motivational model for sustainable and healthy online learning.

BACKGROUND: Atelectasis occurs regularly after induction of general anesthesia, persists postoperatively, and may contribute to significant postoperative morbidity and additional health care costs. Laparoscopic surgery has been reported to be associated with an increased incidence of postoperative atelectasis. It has been shown that during general anesthesia, obese patients have a greater risk of atelectasis than nonobese patients. Preventing atelectasis is important for all patients but is especially important when caring for obese patients. METHODS: We randomly allocated 66 adult obese patients with a body mass index between 30 and 50 kg/m(2) scheduled to undergo laparoscopic bariatric surgery into 3 groups. According to the recruitment maneuver used, the zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP) group (n = 22) received the vital capacity maneuver (VCM) maintained for 7-8 s applied immediately after intubation plus ZEEP; the positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) 5 group (n = 22) received the VCM maintained for 7-8 s applied immediately after intubation plus 5 cm H(2)O of PEEP; and the PEEP 10 group (n = 22) received the VCM maintained for 7-8 s applied immediately after intubation plus 10 cm H(2)O of PEEP. All other variables (e.g., anesthetic and surgical techniques) were the same for all patients. Heart rate, noninvasive mean arterial blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, and alveolar-arterial Pao(2) gradient (A-a Pao(2)) were measured intraoperatively and postoperatively in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). Length of stay in the PACU and the use of a nonrebreathing O(2) mask (100% Fio(2)) or reintubation were also recorded. A computed tomographic scan of the chest was performed preoperatively and postoperatively after discharge from the PACU to evaluate lung atelectasis. RESULTS: Patients in the PEEP 10 group had better oxygenation both intraoperatively and postoperatively in the PACU, lower atelectasis score on chest computed tomographic scan, and less postoperative pulmonary complications than the ZEEP and PEEP 5 groups. There was no evidence of barotrauma in any patient in the 3 study groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative alveolar recruitment with a VCM followed by PEEP 10 cm H(2)O is effective at preventing lung atelectasis and is associated with better oxygenation, shorter PACU stay, and fewer pulmonary complications in the postoperative period in obese patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

The global financial crisis has induced a series of failures of most conventional banks. This study investigates the main sources of banking fragility. We use a sample of 49 banks operating in the MENA region over the period 2006–2013 to analyze the relationship between credit risk and liquidity risk and its impact on bank stability. Our results show that credit risk and liquidity risk do not have an economically meaningful reciprocal contemporaneous or time-lagged relationship. However, both risks separately influence bank stability and their interaction contributes to bank instability. These findings provide bank managers with more understanding of bank risk and serve as an underpinning for recent regulatory efforts aimed at strengthening the joint risk management of liquidity and credit risks.

Big data (BD) analytics has been increasingly gaining attraction in both practice and theory in light of its opportunities, barriers and expected benefits. In particular, emerging economics view big data analytics as having great importance despite the fact that it has been in a constant struggle with the barriers that prevent its adoption. Thus, this study primarily attempted to determine the drivers of big data analytics in the context of a developing economy, Jordan. The study examined the influence of technological, organizational and environmental factors on big data adoption in the Jordanian SMEs context, using PLS-SEM for the analysis. The empirical results revealed that the relative advantage, complexity, security, top management support, organizational readiness and government support influence the adoption of BD, whilst pressure of competition and compatibility appeared to be of insignificant influence. The findings are expected to contribute to enterprise management and strategic use of data analytics in the present dynamic market environment, for both researcher and practitioner circles concerned with the adoption of big data in developing countries.

This study investigates the dynamic connectedness between stock indices and the effect of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) in eight countries where COVID-19 was most widespread (China, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Russia, the US, and the UK) by implementing the time-varying VAR (TVP-VAR) model for daily data over the period spanning from 01/01/2015 to 05/18/2020. Results showed that stock markets were highly connected during the entire period, but the dynamic spillovers reached unprecedented heights during the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020. Moreover, we found that the European stock markets (except Italy) transmitted more spillovers to all other stock markets than they received, primarily during the COVID-19 outbreak. Further analysis using a nonlinear framework showed that the dynamic connectedness was more pronounced for negative than for positive returns. Also, findings showed that the direction of the EPU effect on net connectedness changed during the pandemic onset, indicating that information spillovers from a given market may signal either good or bad news for other markets, depending on the prevailing economic situation. These results have important implications for individual investors, portfolio managers, policymakers, investment banks, and central banks.

This study investigated the relationships between service experience, emotions, satisfaction, and price acceptance in Chinese resort hotels. A self-administered survey was used to collect the data from respondents. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed to customers at resort hotels in three cities of China; 170 were returned representing a response rate of 34%. The results of this study show a significant relationship between service experience and emotions, jointly influencing customer satisfaction, which influences price acceptance of customers. These results indicate that management of resort hotels need to consider how the physical environment, interaction with employees, and other customers within resort hotels can be managed in order to satisfy the customers emotionally, which will lead them to accept premium prices charged by resort hotels. This study would enable resort hotels to have a better understanding of how a great experience and positive emotions influences customer satisfaction and price acceptance.

This study examines the impact of entrepreneurial orientation dimensions on students’ intentions to start new businesses in Saudi universities. Using a 21-item questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale, the authors collected data on students’ demographics, entrepreneurial orientation, and entrepreneurial behavioral intention. The sample consisted of 341 business students from two public universities in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, business students were chosen for this study because they were potential entrepreneurs. Through structural equation modeling, AMOS software was used to analyze the study model. Results showed a strong relationship between entrepreneurial intention and greater autonomy, innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness. In contrast, competitive and aggressive behavior, is not strongly related to entrepreneurial intention. These findings are important because they shed new light on the factors that shape future entrepreneurs, thereby making a significant theoretical contribution to the literature on entrepreneurial orientation, particularly in the context of university business students. As countries embrace the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in enhancing their global competitiveness, this study also makes a practical contribution to policymakers’ efforts to identify potential entrepreneurs and transform them into successful ones.