Explore the vast range of titles available.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a model for the study of Islamic bank choice and to test the significant importance of the constructs that influence bank customers to choose Islamic bank in a pluralistic-secular nation. Design/methodology/approach Total of 348 conventional and Islamic bank customers were sampled. Five-point Likert-type question containing 27 bank selection items was used in collecting primary data. Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability and average variance extracted are used to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. Also various descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and one sample T-test are equally used in analyzing the work. Findings Exploratory factor analysis identified four factors. They are Islamic ethics, convenience, Islamic bank services awareness and physical evidence. Furthermore, the factors that show significant importance in the choice of Islamic banking are Islamic ethics and Islamic bank services awareness. The result equally shows that people are aware of Islamic banking. Practical implications This study provides insight on the factors that influence the selection of Islamic banking, an innovative banking concept. This study has obvious management and theory implications. Also, the study will assist the bank managers in developing effective marketing strategy to increase the market share. Originality/value This study reports Islamic banking selection criteria in a pluralistic-secular Nation. The study also developed a model that can be used in studying the choice of Islamic bank in special type of environment. Thus, Islamic banking is a new reality in the Nigerian financial scene.

Purpose Religion is one of the factors that are considered in developing marketing strategy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the moderating role of religion (Islam and Christianity) in the relationship between SERVQUAL dimensions and satisfaction of hotel guest in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study was collected from 400 hotel customers in Nigeria (Zamfara and Anambra), and was analyzed using structural equation modeling technique (Amos). Also, composite reliability and average variance extracted were used to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. Findings The study found that religion has a significant moderating effect on the service quality dimensions and hotel guest satisfaction. In other words, there is significant difference on how Muslim and Christian hotel guests evaluate service quality dimensions and satisfaction. Moreover, the result shows that the empathy and assurance dimensions are the most important significant predictors of guest satisfaction. Moreover, religion has significant positive effect on guest satisfaction. Practical implications The study shows that religion significantly moderate the service quality dimensions. Therefore, the hotel management should focus on providing training programs that will enable the employees to offer superior personalized services to strengthen and nurture long-term guest relationships. Originality/value The inclusion of moderating effect of religion made this study very unique. Furthermore, the peculiarity and religious sentiments of the Nigeria business environment made this work outstanding.

Purpose As part of the strategy to curb the rising unemployment among Nigerian undergraduates, entrepreneurship subjects were made compulsory in the curriculum of all the higher educational institutions (HEIs) in Nigeria. The idea is to trigger strong desire for enterprise creation rather than remaining job seekers among the undergraduates upon graduation. Accordingly, this paper aims to determine predictors to entrepreneurial intentions among university students in Muslim community of Northern Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Theory of planned behaviour was extended to include compatibility and educational support. The model was empirically tested and was analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling technique on a sample of 312 higher institution students in Zamfara State. Findings The finding shows that entrepreneurial intention is taken as a function of educational support, compatibility and perceived behavioural control. The extended model has predictive relevance, and it explained 36 per cent of variance in entrepreneurial intention. Originality/value The inclusion of compatibility has a unique effect on this study; no study has tested the effects of compatibility in entrepreneurial intention. In addition, no study has been conducted in a core Muslim state in Northern Nigeria, where most of the economic policies are Islamic-driven and unemployment rate is relatively high. In addition, no study has been conducted in the context of necessity entrepreneurship using TPB.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between relative advantage, social influence, trust, compatibility, knowledge and adoption of Islamic banking among non-Muslim bank customers in a Muslim zone of Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Usable questionnaires were received from 350 participants. Structural equation modeling is used to assess the relationships between latent unobserved constructs. Composite reliability and average variance extracted were used to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. This study uses the correlational research design to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings indicate that relative advantage, social influence, trust and compatibility significantly influence adoption of Islamic banking among non-Muslim customers in a Muslim zone of Nigeria. However, knowledge of Islamic banking operations does not significantly influence adoption of Islamic banking. Originality/value The existing literature focuses on factors that influence the adoption of Islamic banking, without due emphasis on non-Muslims. The religious divides of Nigeria compel this research to determine the factors that influence the adoption of Islamic banking among non-Muslim customers. Hence, this research seeks to bridge the gap in the existing literature by embarking on an investigation using innovation diffusion theory to identify factors influencing the adoption of Islamic banking among non-Muslim customers in the Nigerian context.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and ranks factors that influence bank selection by undergrads in South East Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – Totally, 300 undergrads were sampled from two universities. Five-point Likert-type question containing 49 bank selection items was designed to collect primary data. Cronbach's α was used to test the reliability of the instrument while factor analysis with principal component extraction was used to identify the underlying factors. Findings – Six principal factors were identified and ranked in order of importance. These factors are: bank's financial stability, available and functional ATMs, professional bank staff, family and friends influence, proximity of bank branch to university campus, and internal and external aesthetics of bank. Practical implications – This study provides insight on the factors that influence the selection of a bank in the emerging and growing undergrads segment of bank market in Nigeria, which has obvious management and theory implications. Originality/value – Reports bank selection criteria from apparently under-researched and under-reported undergrad segment in a typical sub-Saharan African context.

PurposeIslamic banking is an emerging product in Nigeria; it has evolved as a new reality in the Nigerian financial scene since 2011. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for the study of Islamic banking adoption behavior among bank customers in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThis study is a literature and theoretical review of past studies to develop a comprehensive framework for the study of Islamic banking adoption behavior in Nigeria.FindingsIn this conceptual study, the researcher identified 12 independent variables, namely, relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, observability, trialability, uncertainty, promotional efforts, awareness, customer involvement, perceived information quality, profit/loss sharing and religiosity, as suitable variables for the study of Islamic bank adoption in Nigeria.Practical implicationsAs Islamic banking is an innovative and unique product, which differs from conventional banking, it is hopeful that upon validating the framework, it will provide useful insight on the adoption behavior of Islamic bank customers in Nigeria.Social implicationsThis study will be useful to Islamic banks in gaining and maintaining their existing customer, and policymakers, regulators and other relevant stakeholders will be able to strategize in accordance with their respective assignments toward the development and growth of the Nigerian financial industry.Originality/ValueMost previous studies concentrated on product attributes of innovation adoption. But, this current study inculcated the consumers’ attitude and perception toward adoption of Islamic banking. Thus, the authors then propose several factors that can influence adoption of Islamic banking in Nigeria.

The role of entrepreneurship in economic development is increasingly recognized by policymakers and researchers. Entrepreneurship has been advanced as the panacea for youth unemployment and wealth creation. However, studies on the determinants of entrepreneurial intentions have been inconclusive. Building on the push-pull-mooring model from the migration literature as a theoretical framework, this study provides an integrative model for predicting entrepreneurial intentions amongst young graduates. The survey data was drawn from a sample of 288 National Youth Service Corp members (NYSC) in Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria, to test the applicability of the model. The model was tested using Hierarchical regression. The result confirms the predictive ability of the PPM model on entrepreneurial intentions. Specifically, the result reveals that the pull factors (i.e, independence, autonomy, opportunities exploitation e.t.c) and the mooring variables (i.e., government support, personal attitude, self-efficacy e.t.c) significantly influence entrepreneurial intentions with the mooring variables having the most influence. Therefore, the study recommends the need for policy initiatives towards exposing these young graduates to market opportunities through a mentor-protégé arrangement with successful entrepreneurs during the NYSC programme and providing the necessary supports in the form of funding.

Purpose With the increasing presence of Islamic banking to Nigeria’s banking space and its relative success in the predominantly Muslim Northern region, the question of its prospect in the predominantly non-Muslim southeastern Nigeria becomes legitimate and urgent. Thus, the purpose of this study is to predict the prospect of Islamic banking in Southeast Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Three research questions were posed to address this objective. First, is there significant relationship between knowledge of Islamic banking concept and its prospects in Southeast Nigeria? Second, is there significant relationship between the relative advantage (principles) of Islamic banking concept and its prospects in Southeast Nigeria? Third, is there significant relationship between customers’ religion and prospects of Islamic banking concept in Southeast Nigeria? The study analyses using Pearson correlation, factor analysis with regression, t-test and ANOVA. Findings Knowledge of Islamic banking and prospects of Islamic banking show weak positive relationship and very low mean. In other words, Islamic banking is not well-known; therefore, the prospects of Islamic banking slightly depend on knowledge about Islamic banking. Furthermore, the relationship between Islamic principles and prospects of Islamic banking shows only 5 per cent impact, which means that factors other than Islamic principle will drive the prospects of Islamic banking in Southeast Nigeria. Two factors loading from factor analysis are “profit sharing” and “forbid of some business activities”. Finally, profit sharing influences the prospects of Islamic banking, while prospects of Islamic banking will be impeded by customers’ religion. Research limitations/implications The study was conducted in Southeast Nigeria which contains a small size of sample; the research adopted convenient sampling technique and a limited number of measures in the model. Nevertheless, the study provides new information about an emerging Islamic market. Originality/value Most previous studies concentrated on product attributes of innovation adoption or patronage. But this current study inculcated the consumers' religion, as it affects the prospects of Islamic banking in Southeast Nigeria. .

Purpose - This paper aims to highlight the imperatives for sustainability marketing (SM) adoption in the emerging markets (EMs), identifies challenges that are encumbering them from adopting SM orientation, and proposes research agenda for better understanding of the construct in the EMs.Design methodology approach - The paper draws from literature and experiential knowledge of the author in the EMs to address the objective of the paper.Findings - Pressure from the global market system, incidence of poverty in the EM, and unsupportive local conditions are argued to be inimical to the adoption of SM orientation in the EMs.Research limitations implications - Given the heterogeneity of EMs, the conclusions in this paper may apply to various EMs differently. This must be borne in mind when generalizing the conclusions.Practical implications - This paper emphasizes the urgent need to modify existing public policies in EMs and to equally redirect the attention of organizations and consumers in EMs to foster sustainability behaviour as a strategic choice for development rather than seeing it as an option.Originality value - Apart from bringing to light the imperatives and challenges of SM in EM, the paper offers a blueprint that would guide research in this area.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine affective commitment, normative commitment, and continuance commitment in a cross-national context to identify if the effect of country-specific cultural orientation on organizational commitment of faculty in higher education functions invariably in different countries.Design/methodology/approachThe work expands on Meyer and Allen’s (1991) three-component model of organizational commitment. It includes relevant literature review on ten countries and the results of a survey of university faculty members, assessing their institutions’ human resources practices and their effect on organizational commitment. Basic descriptive statistics were performed on nominal and interval data, means, medians, and standard deviations were computed, and tests of mean equivalence, including ANOVA tests, were performed. In certain instances, Pearson and Spearman correlations were computed to ascertain correlation, and χ2 tests for randomized response were used, while Cronbach’s α test helped to establish survey instrument validity.FindingsThough certain differences may exist between different countries and cultures with respect to the three-component model of organizational commitment, there is strong evidence of the existence of invariance and, thus, generalizability of the model across cultures.Research limitations/implicationsCultural studies have focused on differences in organizational commitment at national levels. Further attempts to identify the universality of factors leading to organizational commitment should account for culture in the study of employee-related globalization issues in higher education institutes. Knowledge of cultural impact is also useful from a managerial perspective, and for the design of relevant strategies.Practical implicationsNational context plays a major role in shaping the nature of educational institutions. This study brings out the need for a deeper understanding of invariance in organizational commitment (inter-alia, through the three-component model).Originality/valueThis study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between organizational commitment and its various antecedents, including human resources management practices, for faculty in higher education institutes.