“practices”Search All-EnPress Publisher LLC.

Feb 6, 2025

Enhancing sustainability through green banking: Assessing its impact on environmental performance

The abstract serves both today’s banks, which are significantly impacted by unsustainability in direct and indirect ways. There is growing pressure within the banks of Pakistan to enhance sustainable banking practices; where these green banking practices are still in the initial stages of enhancing sustainability, banks face increasing pressure to improve their environmental performance. This study examines the impact of environmental performance by enhancing sustainable green banking practices, focusing on the moderating role of ecological obsessive passion in this relationship. Green banking practices are evaluated through micro-level factors such as operations, investments, and policies. The study also explores how obsessive environmental passion affects the relationship between banking practices and their impact on environmental performance. Data were collected using the partial least-squares structural equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) method from 241 respondents working for banks in Pakistan. The findings indicate that sustainable banking procedures, comprising operations, investments, and policies, have a considerable positive impact on environmental performance. Furthermore, the study discovered that environmental obsessive passion modifies the relationship between green banking practices and policies and environmental sustainability. However, the relationship between green investments and ecological performance remains. To increase sustainability, banks should include green practices in their fundamental operations, investments, and policies. It includes using energy-efficient technologies, encouraging paperless transactions, and funding environmentally conscious enterprises.

Abstract

Download PDF(327.40KB)

XML

0

8

Jan 21, 2025

The role of AI in enhancing shariah compliance: Efficiency and transparency in Islamic finance

This study examines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhances Sharia compliance within Islamic Financial Institutions (IFIs) by improving operational efficiency, ensuring transparency, and addressing ethical and technical challenges. A quantitative survey across five Saudi regions resulted in 450 validated responses, analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression models. The findings reveal that while AI significantly enhances transparency and compliance processes, its impact on operational efficiency is limited. Key barriers include high implementation costs, insufficient structured Sharia datasets, and integration complexities. Regional and professional differences further underscore the need for tailored adoption strategies. It introduces a novel framework integrating ethical governance, Sharia compliance, and operational scalability, addressing critical gaps in the literature. It offers actionable recommendations for AI adoption in Islamic finance and contributes to the global discourse on ethical AI practices. However, the Saudi-specific focus highlights regional dynamics that may limit broader applicability. Future research could extend these findings through cross-regional comparisons to validate and refine the proposed framework. By fostering transparency and ethical governance, AI integration aligns Islamic finance with socio-economic goals, enhancing stakeholder trust and financial inclusivity. The study emphasizes the need for targeted AI training, the development of structured Sharia datasets, and scalable solutions to overcome adoption challenges.

Abstract

Download PDF(327.17KB)

XML

0

12

Jan 17, 2025

Assessing the sustainability of SMEs and the influence of online business practices

This research aimed to develop a new model for evaluating and predicting the sustainability of Jakarta’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). To achieve this objective, a total of 145 SME owners in the city were surveyed, gathering information on the sustainability of the businesses. The data obtained underwent processing using a variance-based structural equation model facilitated by the Partial Least Squares (PLS) application. The findings showed that several factors, including the adoption of new technology, the use of digital marketing, the digital literacy of owners, enhancement of product quality, business location, pricing strategy, and service quality, influenced the newly proposed model of SMEs’ business sustainability. Additionally, the research showed that implementing digital marketing had the most significant impact on SMEs’ sustainability. This underscored the crucial role of digital marketing literacy for owners in achieving high business performance while ensuring sustainability. The implications derived from the results focused on the need to enhance and reinforce digital literacy among SME owners. This was achieved through training programs that addressed data analytics implementation and leveraging the internet to support online product marketing and sales.

Abstract

Download PDF(415.53KB)

XML

0

8

Jan 13, 2025

Intermodal practices between land transport and the hub of Lomé airport in Togo

All air travellers in Togo pass through Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport (AIGE: Aéroport International Gnassingbé Eyadema) of Lomé. To get in or out of the airport, they must use other means of land transport as part of an intermodal approach. The urban transport system in Lomé is disjointed, with no interconnection between the land transport hubs and the airport hub, making it extremely difficult for users to get to and from AIGE. It is true that there is a public transport service called SOTRAL, but it does not serve the airport, while the use of artisanal transports to access the airport is prohibited or very restricted. The aim of this study is to analyse intermodal practices between land and air transport in Great Lomé District. The methodological approach used is based on surveys of passengers at bus stations and AIGE, interviews with transport stakeholders, counts of feeder and distribution modes, and observation of practices in the field. The study shows that in the absence of a specific transport service to serve the main multimodal hubs such as the airport, travelers are bound to use their own means of transport or hire very expensive artisanal transports or private vehicles to get to the airport. To leave the airport, travelers make more use of the airport’s VIP private taxis (32%), which are very expensive on arrival. Those who do not want to hire the airport’s expensive private taxis are forced to walk 300 m with their parcels to pick up a city taxi at the side of the road.

Abstract

Download PDF(486.48KB)

XML

0

9

Jan 13, 2025

Enhancing assessment practices: Incorporating developmental distress in adolescent depression diagnosis

Depression is a prevalent mental health problem, particularly in the middle to late stages of adolescence. There are certain characteristics of depression that make it difficult to diagnose and require a thorough evaluation. Primary care doctors are often the first to see teens and have a critical role in recognizing and treating the symptoms of this condition. In addition, there are groups that advise testing for depression at this time. To summarize, the major objective of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive review of the scientific literature about the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of depression in adolescents, with a particular focus on primary care settings. There are a number of environmental and genetic elements that are related with the development of depression in teenagers, making it a difficult job to comprehend the pathophysiology of this condition. Diagnosing this ailment can be challenging because of its wide range of clinical manifestations, even though there are specific screening tests and diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, it can be mistakenly identified with other mental illnesses, which is why a variety of other differential diagnoses must be used. The feasible options for therapy are determined in part by the severity of the ailment, associated risk factors, and the resources at hand. These substitutes might consist of pharmaceuticals (mostly fluoxetine) and psychotherapies (relationships and cognitive behavioural). Under no circumstances can treatment be completed without psychological education, a supportive attitude, and family involvement. Preventive measures not only have a major impact on reducing the prevalence of this illness, but they also have a major positive impact on community health generally. Because of its unpredictable clinical course and the fact that it is significantly underdiagnosed all over the globe, depression in adolescents is a disorder that is of concern to the medical profession. General practitioners are able to give early diagnosis, the beginning of therapy, and referrals to mental health experts when it is important to do so.

Abstract

Download PDF(387.81KB)

XML

0

8

Jan 10, 2025

The role of continuous engineering and scientific education for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from Nigeria

The developmental and advancement of engineering vis-à-vis scientific and technological research and development (R&D) has contributed immensely to sustainable development (SD) initiatives, but our future survival and development are hampered by this developmental and advancement mechanism. The threat posed by current engineering vis-à-vis scientific and technological practices is obvious, calling for a paradigm change that ensures engineering as well as scientific and technological practices are focused on SD initiatives. In order to promote sound practices that result in SD across all economic sectors, it is currently necessary to concentrate on ongoing sustainable engineering vis-à-vis scientific and technological education. Hence, this perspective review article will attempt to provide insight from Sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria to be specific) about how engineering vis-à-vis scientific and technological R&D should incorporate green technologies in order to ensure sustainability in the creation of innovations and practices and to promote SD and a green economy. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance as well as prospects and advancements of engineering vis-à-vis scientific and technological education from the in Sub-Saharan Africa context.

Abstract

Download PDF(339.63KB)

XML

0

10