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The role of management in improving internal corporate social responsibility among Islamic financial institutions in Saudi Arabia
No full textThe evolving landscape of the business world continually underscores the significance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a vital link between corporate endeavours and societal imperatives. In the ever-evolving context of Islamic financial institutions in Saudi Arabia, CSR is not a mere afterthought but deeply rooted in fundamental Islamic principles, including Tawheed, Vicegerency, and Fardh. This comprehensive study delves deeply into the intricate intersection of CSR and management within Islamic banks in Saudi Arabia. Utilizing the "Research Onion Framework," we employed a balanced blend of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Data was gathered from a substantial sample of 161 employees spanning four major Islamic banks in the country. Additionally, in-depth interviews with managers from 15 organisations provided qualitative insights, enriching the study's multifaceted approach.One of the noteworthy revelations of this research was the profound appreciation and understanding of CSR among bank employees. It transcended mere terminology; they recognized CSR as a cornerstone in shaping the institution's broader strategy and enhancing its reputation in the marketplace. This realization reflects the cultural and religious significance attributed to CSR within this organisations. The study's findings not only acknowledged this importance but also underscored a clear link between effective management and the successful integration of CSR practices. Ethical conduct, transparency, and alignment with core tenets of Islamic finance emerged as distinctive characteristics. Furthermore, these banks exhibited a holistic approach in intertwining CSR with human resource initiatives, fostering not only an enriched work environment but also elevating overall job satisfaction.Another nuanced distinction highlighted by the research was the contrast in CSR perspectives between conventional Western financial models and Saudi Arabia's Islamic banks. While the former often base their CSR initiatives on Western theories, the latter perceive CSR as a duty rooted in Islamic teachings. This inherent alignment with religious principles sets these Islamic institutions apart, making them genuinely socially responsible entities.Beyond these pivotal findings, the research also sheds light on the proactive role of the Saudi Arabian government in reinforcing CSR practices, reflecting its commitment to nurturing socially responsible corporate behaviour This commitment aligns with the nation's vision, particularly the goals outlined in Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to empower various segments of society, including a significant focus on women.To solidify and advance these practices, the study proposes robust recommendations. These include establishing independent CSR divisions within banks, implementing transparent reporting mechanisms, and encouraging cross-sector collaborations. These suggestions are designed to amplify the already significant impact of CSR on employees, stakeholders, and society at large.In conclusion, this comprehensive exploration offers a panoramic view of management's pivotal role in fostering CSR within Saudi Arabia's Islamic financial institutions. The insights gained underscore CSR's profound influence on employee satisfaction, societal advancement, and its alignment with Sharia principles. These findings serve as a valuable knowledge repository for practitioners, policymakers, and academics, urging them to envision a future where corporate responsibility is not merely an obligation but a duty infused with deep cultural and religious significance
The Bolton Review: Issue 8: Zombies & Taffy Kisses (video)
No full textThe Bolton Review is a student-led creative magazine from the University of Bolton. It showcases some of the best work from Bolton’s up-and-coming: students and staff from all areas and all levels of the University buildings and other schools in the area
Energy harvesting based on triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) and applications
No full textThe rapid development of technologies and great progress of society has placed serious demands on the supply of fossil fuels and ensued consequential environmental pollution. Harvesting ambient energy from the environment is regarded as an effective way to deal with this energy crisis. Recently, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) based on contact electrification and electrostatic induction have been demonstrated to be a novel and efficient technique for efficiently harvesting ambient mechanical energy. TENGs have the advantages of simple structure, low cost and easy fabrication, high energy conversion efficiency at low frequencies (1-10 Hz), and are suitable for applications of wearable and implantable electronics. The key to the development of TENG is the high-performance output based on small size and application as a self-powered sensor, which can be used to monitor environmental changes such as temperature and humidity. This doctoral research aims to explore new strategies to enhance the output of TENGs and to develop TENG based self-powered sensors. The research work carried out and the results obtained are summarized as follows.Firstly, although significant work has been carried out to develop materials with high surface charge density for high-performance TENG, little attention has been paid to the roles of electrode materials that are responsible for charge collection. This work reports on a facile synthesis of laser-induced graphene (LIG) as high-efficiency electrodes for TENGs. Tribo-negative polyimide (PI) and tribo-positive cellulosic paper were converted into PI-LIG and paper-LIG, respectively, by a direct photothermal process using a conventional CO2 laser.The LIG-based TENGs showed higher electrical output characteristics with a peak-to-peak voltage of up to ~625 Vp-p, a current density of ~20 mA.m-2 and a transferred charge density of ~138 μC.m-2 with a maximum power output of ~2.25 W.m-2 , respectively, while the corresponding values for the conventional Al-tape electrode-based paper-PI TENGs were 400 Vp-p, ~10 mA.m-2 , ~85 μC.m-2 and 0.9 W.m-2 , respectively. The mechanically robust LIG electrodes show excellent stability with less than 5.0% variation in output over 12,000 contact cycles. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measurements confirmed that the average surface potentials of the LIG triboelectric surfaces are smaller than those of the pristine ones, indicating the role of initial surface chemistry in the formation of LIGs and the performance of TENG. The performance enhancement for LIG-based TENGs is ascribed to the lowering of the charge transfer barrier energy which results in a higher surface charge of the dielectric layer, and the significantly (~ 6 orders) lower contact impedance of LIG electrodes. Thus, via the removal of the additional interface between the triboelectric surface and electrode, high-performance metal-free TENGs with excellent prospects for enabling energy harvesting applications can be realised.Secondly, a TENG based on the polarization effect of piezoelectric nanomaterials working together with the piezoelectric and triboelectric effects was proposed as a new strategy. The polarization effect of piezoelectric material can provide a higher surface charge to the friction layer. For this, a variety of ZnO materials with different nanostructures were prepared and applied to TENGs to compare the effect of the effective contact area on the output performance of TENGs. Compared with the pristine PDMS-based TENG, the outputs of the five ZnO-PDMS TENG with different nanostructures have been significantly improved. The TENG with disk-like nanostructure ZnO-PDMS shows the highest peak output of ~780Vp-p, which is 136% higher than the pristine PDMS-based TENG (~330Vp-p). Correspondingly, the short-circuit current density and charge density has been increased by 205% and 114%, respectively. The nanoflowers nanostructure showed the lowest peak output of ~470Vp-p, which was 42% higher than the pristine PDMS TENG.Correspondingly, the short-circuit current density and charge density rose by 62% and 28%, from 52 mA.m-2 to 84 mA.m-2 , and from ~80 μC.m-2 to ~102 μC.m-2 , respectively. The enhancement produced by the disk-like ZnO nanostructures arose from the increase in the surface contact area in the vertical direction to the greatest extent. Furthermore, the surface charge enhancement and distribution of ZnO with different nanostructures were demonstrated by the piezoelectric microscopy (PFM).Finally, utilizing wide absorption characteristics of a narrow bandgap (~1.8 eV) semiconductor, we report on Bismuth Oxyiodide (BiOI) based photo-enhanced TENG. The tribo-positive BiOI film deposited electrochemically on transparent Fluorine doped Indium Tin Oxide (FTO) substrate provided a way to exploit concurrently the photo-enhanced charge generation and triboelectric effects.When utilized against tribo-negative PDMS films, under illumination, the BiOI/PDMS TENGs’ outputs were significantly enhanced, wherein an increase of 21% in peak to peak output voltage (from 59Vp-p to 73Vp-p, 38% in charge density (from 40µC.m-2 to 55µC.m-2 ), and 74% in overall power density (from 0.25 W.m-2 (in dark) and 0.44 W.m-2 (under illumination)), respectively, were observed. Correspondingly, a dramatic enhancement (from ~25 mV to ~300 mV) in the average surface potential, termed as surface photovoltage (SPV), for the illuminated BiOI was observed by KPFM. For an isolated, grounded BiOI/FTO electrode, this SPV increase is slow-decaying (~3.5 h) and is attributed to the high dielectric constant, presence of deep-traps within BiOI, and slow charge-exchange with the ambient environment. The work thus not only provides an approach for the enhancement of mechanical-to-electrical efficiency of TENGs by light absorption, but also can be utilized for self-powered detection of electromagnetic radiation and photodetectors.All the high-performance TENGs produced have the potential to be used in the realisation of self-powered systems and can be of great significance as a new alternative energy harvesting source
Improving learning effectiveness by leveraging spaced-repetition (SR)
No full textThe academic efficiency and knowledge retention of students can be improved by practicing active recall testing and implementing spaced repetition techniques. The process of trying to recall information previously learned with the aim of increasing the chance of committing the information to long-term memory is called active recall. Spaced repetition is a technique which can help students to memorize and learn information by outspreading reviews of the topics over larger range of time revising the same topic multiple times in a single session.A qualitative method has been followed in this paper which takes a grounded theory approach while evaluating literature on different memory models, memory creation and retrieval processes. Based on the literature review, an algorithm has been proposed with the aim of improving learning effectiveness by leveraging spaced repetition techniques
Trends in training progression: response to the study by Silkens et al.
No full textRecruitment and retention are of major concern to all in medicine. Improvement in recruitment to UK speciality training programmes does not directly translate into senior workforce capacity, which remains dependent on trainee progression. In 2021, Silkens et al undertook a mixed-methods study to investigate this and described a trainee-driven shift away from conventional training pathways and expectations. These findings suggest a need for a broad change in approach to careers, underpinned by commitment to reducing differential attainment, acknowledgment that trainees may have a range of unique needs, and development of a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion
Design of a 3.8-GHz Microstrip Patch Antenna for Sub-6 GHz 5G Applications
No full textThis paper presents a design of a centre-fed Rectangular Microstrip Patch Antenna (RMSA) that resonates at exactly 3.8 GHz. The effect of the dielectric material’s choice, substrate height, dielectric constant, and the substrate material is on the RMSA for a constant resonant frequency while maintaining signal integrity and reducing signal loss. The antenna’s gain and input return loss are improved by adjusting the upper and lower bounds of the height of the dielectric substrate. Results show that a maximum bandwidth of 350 MHz, a gain of 7.77 dBi, and input return loss (S11) of below–33 dB were obtained. Furthermore, a smaller dielectric constant below 2.5 and a Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) below 2 dB will conveniently provide a wider bandwidth (BW) of over 250 MHz which is convenient to meet frequency range 1 (FR1) bandwidth expectation
Reflections on the development of a technology enhanced learning App through student–led collaboration
No full textThe University of Bolton is a Teaching Intensive Research Informed (TIRI) institution.In 2016, a successful bid was made for the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) Catalyst fund in Innovation in teaching and learning. The bid written by the principal investigators was based on their mutual interest in students as partners and the co-production of technology-based learning interventions. The project engaged undergraduate students researching their own student body, to discover the needs of the student community. This paper discusses the process of the technological development of a mobile app and reflects on the project incorporating student and staff voice
Challenges for school leadership and management in the four nations of the United Kingdom during the pandemic: conceptual shifts and implications for future thinking
No full textThis chapter draws on research carried out during the pandemic into the responses of head teachers in diverse school and community contexts. A need for a deepening sense of shared identity with leaders binding people together and being seen “to stand with them” was needed[1] enabling a shared understanding of goals in moving forward together. In developing relationships across the school community (staff, pupils and parents), the importance of trust and fairness is highlighted, led by moral imperatives focused on the collective good of the community. A framework emerging from this work highlights dynamic elements as school leaders adapted and negotiated new ways of being part of the school imaginary while holding on to principles and values and a sense of leadership as an essential part of investment in education and education communities as vehicles for the common good
Marketing in Moroccan Private Higher Education: The Influence of Marketing Practices on the Image of Private Universities
No full textThis research investigates the implementation of marketing practices, strategies, andtools in Morocco private universities. It also demonstrates how marketing affects anddetermines universities’ brand image and the quality offered. This research highlights theimportance of affective marketing practices in Moroccan private universities and theirrelationship to the institutional image. Undoubtedly, the main factors in the formation of auniversity’s positive image and high quality are efficient marketing tools and strategies, onlyinsofar as they are embraced by all the organizational levels at the private university. Theresearcher adopted a mixed-method approach in this study by combining qualitative andquantitative research. The qualitative phase includes semi-structured interviews withadministrators and senior managers while the quantitative phase directed to students andinvolves surveys to generalize findings and assess relationships between variables such asmarketing activities, institutional image, and student decision-making. The key findings in thisstudy show that university image is directly impacted by the marketing tools implemented.Similarly, students’ decision-making relies heavily on the perceived image to select theirpreferred future university. Effective marketing strategies related to word of mouth and qualityinfrastructure are important in attracting students and improve the university’s image.University managers and administrators underscore the importance of positive image; however,they do not attribute a positive image to marketing efforts. Instead, marketing occupies a sunkenplace in accordance with management. Limitations of this research include the exclusion ofother stakeholders like parents and employees owing to resource constraints and time limitation.Another limitation is related to the focus on private universities alone. This fact limit thegeneralizability of the this research. Outside all the affirmations, this study contributes to theliterature of marketing in higher education by introducing a model that can fit into highereducation in developing countries in general and Morocco in particular