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This study investigates the impact of US dollar volatility and oil rents on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, with an emphasis on understanding how these factors influence SME financing constraints in economies with fixed currency regimes.

Employing a random effects panel regression analysis, this research considers US dollar volatility and oil rents as independent variables, with SME performance, measured through the financing gap, as the dependent variable. Controls such as trade balance, inflation deltas and gross domestic product (GDP) growth are included to isolate their effects on SME financing constraints.

The study reveals a significant positive relationship between dollar volatility and the financing gap, suggesting that increased volatility can exacerbate SME financing constraints. Conversely, oil rents did not show a significant direct influence on SME performance. The trade balance and inflation deltas were found to have significant effects, highlighting the multifaceted nature of economic variables affecting SMEs.

The study acknowledges potential biases due to omitted variables and the limitations inherent in the use of secondary data.

Findings offer pertinent guidance for SMEs and policymakers in the GCC region seeking to develop strategies that mitigate the impact of currency volatility and support SME financing.

The research provides new insights into the dynamics of SME performance within fixed currency regimes, which significantly contributes to the limited literature in this area. The paper further underscores the complex connections between global economic factors and SME financial health.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic factors and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) across genders. The study also highlights the impact of cognitive and motivational factors on the EO in Saudi Arabia.

This is a quantitative analysis based on the Adult Population Survey of 2016 conducted by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor among a sample of 4,053 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The results showed significant differences in most EO dimensions between genders. It was found that EO is positively related to gender, with more women intending to start a venture than men in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Self-efficacy, motivation and social welfare motivational factors for EO are positively associated with the gender of the respondents.

This paper illustrates the urgency to establish programs that support self-efficacy, motivation and social welfare to promote entrepreneurship among women in the Kingdom.

The study highlights the impact of cognitive and motivational factors on EO among females in Saudi Arabia.

The development of information technologies has led to the rapid evolution of learning approaches and educational solutions, with a focus on active learning. In the context of the transformative learning paradigm, active learning strategies are aligned with student-centered education, enabling learners to engage with complex concepts and practical challenges critically. This chapter presents a semi-structured literature review investigating the adoption of online active learning methods in the context of economics education and its potential to promote transformative learning. The main contribution of this chapter is the development of a framework for integrating online active learning strategies in economics education, grounded in the principles of transformative learning as described by Mezirow. The proposed framework highlights the importance of designing online learning experiences that support critical reflection, dialogue, and self-directed learning and suggests strategies for promoting student engagement and collaboration in the online environment. The impact of this approach on active learning practices in (higher) education is significant, as it provides educators with a roadmap for designing online learning experiences that foster transformative learning and promote student success in the post-pandemic era. The chapter concludes with policy recommendations and future research directions for enhancing the adoption and efficacy of online active learning strategies in economics education.

When it comes to the analysis of markets, difference has been described as a tool for competition and for carving out specific target groups. Once it is taken as factual, the significance of difference for market processes is undoubted. Taking a practice theoretical perspective at the market for Islamic fashion in Berlin, this paper explores what comes before. It intends to investigate not only the effects of difference but also its performance. Investigating how difference is accomplished by entrepreneurs as active agents of the market will also shed light on the societal surroundings of the market and the ways in which it is embedded in its sociocultural and discursive environment, hence highlighting the significance of its context for economic action, and vice versa.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP). The EU and the USA are negotiating the TTIP, a trade agreement that aims to remove trade barriers across different economic sectors to increase trade between the EU and the USA. The TTIP will have spill over effects on the MENA region, the GCC, Australia and the Asian sub-continent, as it raises key questions for intellectual property and international trade agreements. For instance, will the USA and EU be on an equal footing or will one triumph over the other, will third party countries like the GCC states be expected to adopt new standards.

The research design is a paper and online data collection method to find literature to date on intellectual property law development in the GCC states in relation to the three research objectives as set out above. The literature is the population, and this could prove problematic. Different databases have been used to cover all sources where data can be found.

As the EU-USA TTIP is aiming to conclude by the end of 2015, the GCC has an opportunity to reassess its relationship with both the EU and GCC. Up until now, the GCC was able to enter into negotiations with the EU and USA relatively independently. However, where the EU and USA can agree, there will be a harmonisation of regulations. This therefore has repercussions for the GCC. The TTIP has three main aims: to increase trade and investment through market access, increase employment and competitiveness and create a harmonised approach to global trade. To harmonise global trade, the EU and USA aim to harmonise their intellectual property rights through an intellectual property rights chapter that deals specifically with enhancing protection and recognition for geographical indications, build on TRIPS and patentability.

This study is non-empirical.

The TTIP will have spill over effects for the GCC, as it has yet to finalise the EU-GCC free trade agreement and USA-GCC framework agreement. The power dynamics between the USA and EU will be a deciding factor on the intellectual property chapter in the TTIP in terms of what the provisions for intellectual property will look like and what powers will be available to investors to bring investor-state-dispute settlement claims against foreign countries.

In the present era, the achievement of employee Islamic performance has become a significant challenge for organizations. The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of Islamic leadership on employee Islamic performance directly and indirectly by bridging the connections between employees’ Islamic organizational values, Islamic organizational culture, and Islamic work motivation among the employees of Egyptian banks.

The authors used quantitative methods in this study and based its findings on the data received from 312 respondents in response to a questionnaire.

By using SmartPLS 4, this study’s findings demonstrate that Islamic leadership has a positive and significant effect on Islamic organizational values, culture, employee Islamic performance and work motivation. While Islamic organizational values and Islamic organizational culture do not significantly impact employee Islamic performance, Islamic work motivation is a significant predictor of employee Islamic performance. On the one hand, Islamic organizational values and Islamic organizational culture do not mediate the relationship between Islamic leadership and employee Islamic performance. On the other hand, Islamic work motivation is a mediating variable that significantly develops the relationship between Islamic leadership and employee Islamic performance.

The study’s findings support policymakers and human resource management practitioners to develop plans and strategies which enhance the Islamic performance of organizations’ employees. In addition, this study’s findings provide insights for researchers and academicians in developing Islamic leadership within their organizations so that they operate by Islamic values and codes.

Finally, by offering an integrated model of Islamic leadership, Islamic organizational values, Islamic organizational culture and employee Islamic performance, this study’s findings fill the gaps in the context of bank employees in a developing country, namely, Egypt.

Entrepreneurship is one of the pillars of economic development and helps to green the economy. This study investigates the factors that affect green entrepreneurship (GE) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia.

Using quantitative modes, this study's findings are based on 334 valid cases from Saudi Arabian SME employees.

Using path analysis, this study’s findings reveal that green entrepreneurial skills (GES), green opportunities (GOs), entrepreneurial motivation (EM), green incentives (GIs), availability of capital (AoC) and green entrepreneurial self-efficacy (GESE) have positive and significant effects on GE. Moreover, GESE mediates GE's relationships with GES, GOs, EM, GIs and AoC.

This study's findings support the development of green business practices in terms of green business planning, training and skills. The research provides opportunities for green businesses. Policymakers and SME authorities would benefit from this study's findings in producing green goods and services.

This study empirically confirms the role of various factors such as GESE and GE among Saudi Arabian SMEs.

The purpose of this study was to examine the process of embedding values implemented by excellent teachers in teaching Islamic education in the multi-cultural society.

This study was a qualitative study, which used a combination of in-depth interviews, observation and document analysis for data collection. Using a purposive sampling technique, seven excellent Islamic education teachers were selected. The data were analysed using Atlas.ti 7.1.7.

The findings of the study show the process of embedding values among excellent teachers include the following aspects: teachers take into consideration the various differences among individuals in their classes, especially of learners’ names and family backgrounds, humour elements, praising of students, lectures, repetition practical areas, problem-solving and question and answer sessions. A variety of methods are used in the process of embedding values including two-way interactions between teachers and students. Teaching happens in stages that link to the cognitive level of the students and these learning environments allow the values to be exposed, taught and personally experienced by the students.

This study shows that teachers should use various types of teaching methods, i.e. light-hearted element, praising students, lectures, repetition, practical areas, problem-solving and question and answer sessions, to embed values during the lessons of Islamic education. Interaction between students and teachers takes place and creates a transformative process of knowledge and allowing the positive values to be taught effectively. They start to learn and appreciate the values of others and also be able to practice them in their daily lives. The students were exposed to the diversity of culture and various types of background of their friends. The awareness of the teachers in creating a learning environment that is sensitive to all students is very important. Thus, these methods should be taken into consideration by teachers to teach values and should be exposed during teacher training so they are able to implement them in the classroom.

This paper explores and describes methods of embedding of values used by excellent Islamic education teachers in the lessons of Islamic education. There are very few studies conducted in this area and this qualitative study is focussed on how values are thought in the lessons of Islamic education. These findings can be used by educators to improve the quality of the lessons based on most effective teaching methods used by the teachers in the lessons of Islamic education.