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A nonlinear solution is formulated for a single hanging cable and flat rectangular and circular cable roofs under the effect of the initial tension and the applied loads. The solution is based on a small strain large displacement theory. The linear deflection of a curved tension roof under additional static loads is studied using the assumption that the deflection under these additional loads is small with respect to that under the initial loads. Approximate analytical solutions for the initial and additional deflections are obtained. The linear undamped free vibration problem of a flat cable tension roof with any boundary is considered using the assumption that an orthogonal, isotropic network can be replaced by an equivalent membrane found by energy considerations. Free vibration is solved for rectangular, circular and elliptical boundaries. For the elliptical flat cable roof, a simplified solution, very well suited for practical applications, is derived. The partial differential equation of free undamped vibration of a general curved membrane surface is formulated and solved, with some simplifications, for a rectangular hyperbolic paraboloid cable roof. The general solution outlined above is extended to include the case of the circular hyperbolic paraboloid cable roof. The problem of a free vibrating membrane backed by a cavity with openings is theoretically studied and complemented by experimental verification of the theory. Theoretical and experimental values for frequency reduction due to inertia are given. The statistical theory of wind forces is reviewed and applied to determine the dynamic response of cable roofs to wind loading. The problem of air-structure interaction is outlined and parameters for the aerodynamic and acoustical damping ratio are described. The behaviour of cable roofs in turbulent wind is studied in the wind tunnel using two aeroelastic models. The similarity requirements for modelling are reviewed with special attention being paid to the effect of the air enclosed under the roof. A similarity law for the modelling of this enclosure is presented and its role in free vibration as well as wind induced vibration is investigated. A wind tunnel study of a large tension roof is described. The design implications of cable tension roof behaviour under turbulent wind load are discussed.

PurposeThe aim of this paper has twofold: (1) to explain and compare the financial evolution of Islamic and conventional banking sector in the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) to explore the key success factors that might affect Islamic and conventional banks performance before and mainly during COVID-19 pandemic period.Design/methodology/approachOrbis Bank Focus database and annual financial reports are used to collect financial information of Islamic and conventional banks in GCC countries over four years: 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Descriptive statistics, T-test, multiple regression, and 2SLS and GMM models are employed to analyze the financial structure and performance of Islamic and conventional banks before and during the COVID-19 pandemic period.FindingsResults of this study reveal that (1) there is a significant difference between Islamic banks and conventional banks during the crisis of COVID-19, where the conventional banks have presented a higher level of financial performance and financial liquidity than their Islamic counterparts, (2) conventional banks have revealed higher capacity to manage their financial risk during the crisis period, and (3) a high level of non-performing loan, high inflation rate and high percentage of non-important cost have a negative impact on the financial performance of Islamic banks mainly during the pandemic period of COVID-19. However, the result indicates that a high level of liquidity risk increased the performance of Islamic banks but this impact falls sharply during the pandemic period.Originality/valueThis study provides information that supports investors, regulators and executive managers in GCC countries. A well-structured balance sheet would improve the financial performance and risk management of the banking sector in GCC countries, especially in times of crisis and pandemics.

The current work investigates the structural, optical, electrical, and mechanical properties of Rochelle salt (RS)-doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite. The RS with concentrations (0 to 50 wt%)-filled PVA were prepared via the casting method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of PVA and RS indicates the semi-crystalline nature of PVA and the crystal nano-size of RS. Moreover, the XRD of RS-doped PVA composites confirms the interaction and miscibility between PVA and RS. The changes in molecular structure were investigated by using attenuated total reflection—Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and confirmed the interaction and structure change in PVA by doping RS. The optical properties of the RS-doped PVA composites are greatly dependent on the RS concentrations. The absorption edge, direct, and indirect band gap increase with doping RS compering with pure PVA. The dielectric constant, loss, real and imaginary parts of dielectric modulus, and alternating current (AC) conductivity were investigated. Decrease in dielectric constant and loss followed by constant values with frequency increase due to the interfacial polarization. Also, increased AC conductivity and dielectric moduli with frequency increase and only a single relaxation peak were found and shifted to lower frequencies by increasing RS concentrations. Moreover, mechanical measurements reveal a significant improvement in the flexibility of RS-doped-PVA composites. The modulus of elasticity decreased by 72% compared with pure PVA. Dynamic mechanical analysis also reveals a decrease in storage modulus by 76% compared with pure PVA. Also, the RS concentrations greatly affect peak height, width, and position of loss factor.

This paper aims to (i) investigate the impact of political connections (PC) and related party transactions (RPTs) on the firm value (FV), and (ii) test the moderating effect of RPTs on such relationship, while controlling for the firms’ corporate governance mechanisms. Based on 315 observations from publicly listed firms in Egypt, our results reveal that (i) there is a positive relationship between PC and the FV, (ii) there is a negative relationship between RPTs and the FV, and (iii) the existing of RPTs as a moderating variable enhances the impact of the politically connected companies on the FV. The findings suggest that the Egyptian firms are much affected by the politically connected board of directors or owners, and this significantly exists when associated with related party transactions, despite that, the corporate governance practices could mitigate such effects.

PurposeThis study examines the correlation between ownership structure (OS) and financial reporting integrity (FRI), with emphasis on the impact of earnings quality (EQ) in the Egyptian context.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses data from 472 firm-year observations of Egyptian publicly listed companies between 2014 and 2021 and carried out descriptive statistics, correlation tests, multiple regression analysis and two-stage least squares (2SLS) to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results revealed that blockholders and institutional ownership significantly enhance reporting integrity through effective oversight and monitoring. The findings underscore the vital role of concentrated OS in overseeing reporting practices and mitigating managerial opportunism, thereby improving the transparency and reliability of financial disclosures in Egypt.Practical implicationsThe findings enrich the literature on corporate governance and financial reporting quality and have important implications for policymakers, regulators and corporate stakeholders.Originality/valueThis work contributes valuable insights on how OS and EQ can bolster FRI, offering crucial information for combating financial crises and facilitating smooth business operations in Egypt.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure and firm value (FV), as well as, pinpoints the role of the audit quality (AQ) as a moderating variable on such impact; where the authors hypothesize that AQ modulates the relationship between ESG disclosure and the FV.Design/methodology/approachData of a sample of firms listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange Market (EGX) were collected over the period of 2017–2021 and analyzed using the regression and 2SLS models.FindingsThe results suggested that: (1) the ESG has a significant positive impact on the FV in the EGX, and (2) AQ has a significant impact, as a moderating variable, on the relationship between ESG disclosure and FV.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings would help the Egyptian market authorities in realizing the importance of integrating ESG information within the financial reports of the listed firms. The findings could also help in developing effective disclosure procedures to provide shareholders with useful information.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature regarding the ESG disclosure components and the FV value by considering AQ in testing such relationship.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of corporate reputation on investors and whether it influences company investment returns. While previous research has focused on specific components of reputation, neglected risks associated with the analyzed firms, and relied on accounting performance metrics, this study takes into account both return and risk factors to examine how they affect corporate reputation and investment decision-making. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 300 active investors in the Egyptian exchange stock market, and the seven-paradigm RepTrak model was used to assess reputation structures and expected return and risk. Structural equation modeling was employed to confirm the theories. Findings The findings highlight that investors demonstrate a primary focus on the financial performance of organizations when making stock market decisions, while also considering non-financial factors such as products, innovation, citizenship, governance, and emotional appeal. Their prioritization of investment returns and risks takes precedence over evaluating workplace practices. Originality/value This study's originality lies in its incorporation of return and risk measurements as crucial investment choice variables, contributing to the financial markets’ research on corporate reputation. By managing their reputation, corporations can enhance investors’ demand for their stocks and optimize their investment opportunities.

In this paper, we will state and prove some weighted dynamic inequalities of Opial-type involving integrals of powers of a function and of its derivative on time scales which not only extend some results in the literature but also improve some of them. The main results will be proved by using some algebraic inequalities, the Hölder inequality and a simple consequence of Keller’s chain rule on time scales. As special cases of the obtained dynamic inequalities, we will get some continuous and discrete inequalities.