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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the prevalence and drivers of employment vulnerability among youth in Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia, and their propensity to transition to better jobs over time. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based on longitudinal data from Labor Market Panel Surveys spanning 6–20 years. The authors use transition matrices to examine the prevalence of transitions between labor market statuses for the same individuals over time, distinguishing between youth and non-youth, and men and women, as well as multinomial logistic regressions that control for individual and family background, including previous labor market status, family wealth and parental education. Findings: The paper finds that youth in all three countries were disadvantaged in terms of labor market outcomes with most young men in particular ending up in vulnerable jobs while women of all ages were most likely to exit the labor market all together, unless they had formal jobs. Moreover, youth who started out in the labor market in a vulnerable job were unlikely to move to a better-quality job over time. Family wealth, parental education and father's occupation were found to be important determinants of labor market outcomes and vulnerability, even after a long period of work experience. Social implications: The paper finds that wealth effects, parental education and occupation effects follow workers throughout their careers, implying low equality of opportunity and inter-generational and lifetime mobility. Originality/value: The findings indicate worsening labor market outcomes over time, heavily influenced by family background. High levels of vulnerable employment persistence, regardless of skill and experience, reinforce the importance of initial labor market outcome on the quality of lifetime employment prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current study examined employment rates and predictors of employment among Syrian refugees currently living in Lebanon and Jordan. This paper argues that men and women refugees have different experiences seeking out employment after resettlement due to patriarchal structures and attitudes toward women that are present in the Arab Middle East. The goals of this paper were a) to examine employment rates among Syrian refugees, b) to examine predictors of employment among male and female refugees, and c) to examine refugee status as a moderator of the relationship between attitudes toward women and employment status. Design/methodology/approach: Nationally representative data from the Arab Barometer on 600 refugees and 1400 native-born individuals living in Lebanon and Jordan from 2016–2017 were used. Findings: Native-born individuals living in Lebanon and Jordan were 2.16 times more likely to be employed than refugees. Men living in Lebanon and Jordan were 7.83 times more likely to be employed than women. Finally, refugee status moderated the relationship between attitudes toward women's rights and roles and employment. Among native-born women, a positive attitude toward women's rights and roles predicted employment status, whereas this positive relationship was not found for women refugees. Among refugee men, a positive attitude toward women's rights and roles was linked to a lower likelihood of holding a job. Practical implications: These findings suggest that agencies supporting refugees should communicate realistic expectations about employment during resettlement and should address the challenges that women refugees face when seeking employment. Originality/value: This study is the first study to identify attitudes toward women's rights and roles as a predictor of employment among refugee populations and highlights the unique struggles that refugee women face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The commonly used e-procurement systems still show unsatisfactory implementation outcomes because many organisations are still unable to effectively interpret the initial adoption decision. The e-procurement systems are generally developed at organisational level, but their usage is at individual level, by the employees particularly. This paper examined technology acceptance model's (TAM) key antecedents, involving e-procurement systems usage by employees in their daily activities. This study aims to examine the impact of factors affecting e-procurement acceptance among users through the mediating role of users' attitude. The commonly used e-procurement systems still show. Design/methodology/approach: TAM was applied and expanded in this study, in exploring the factors impacting the employees' e-procurement acceptance. This study used quantitative method, and questionnaires were distributed to 200 users in Jordanian public shareholding firms. The collected data were quantitatively analysed using PLS modelling. Findings: Significant TAM relationships involving e-procurement were affirmed. The expanded TAM in the scrutiny of antecedents showed that content, processing and usability affected perceived usefulness, while perceived convenience did not affect the usefulness factor. Furthermore, it was noticed that perceived ease of use was affected by usability and training, while perceived connectedness was not affected by usability and training. Practical implications: The results demonstrated the necessity of e-procurement training. Furthermore, at the start of the implementation stage, effective design on system navigation and system usability, and consistent support, could increase use effectiveness and acceptance. Also, expedient information and buyer–supplier product flows should be made available. Originality/value: Most organizations invest a lot of time and money in installing e-procurement systems to deliver their goods at the right time and at the right price. However, many of these e-procurement systems have failed due to low acceptance among users. Thus, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that used TAM and theory of planned behaviour in examining the effects of perceived convenience, perceived connectedness, content, training, processing and usability factors, in Jordanian firms. Lastly, the focus of this study was on the individual employee's acceptance, rather than on the organisational-level adoption, as the unit of analysis, to provide insight on how organisations can achieve maximally from e-procurement investments and from other comparable technologies of e-supply chain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize the importance of leaving no one behind, the opposite is happening for the world's 89 million forcibly displaced people who are mostly left out of SDGs' reporting and progress. A key reason for this poor outcome is that host country governments plan refugee camps as short-term shelters, but refugees stay in these camps for more than a decade on average due to ongoing conflicts in their home country. This disparity between intent and reality prevents sustainable living conditions for refugee populations. Operational innovations are needed to find sustainable solutions that ensure a higher quality of life and progress toward sustainability in refugee camps. Design/methodology/approach: Through an abductive case study, the authors develop a theoretical framework on sustainable operational innovations for refugee camps. The authors use this framework to analyze four sustainable operational innovations implemented in three refugee camps in Jordan. Findings: The authors develop three research propositions that describe the conditions required for these operational innovations to succeed: they need to include specific needs and cultural preferences of refugees, they must accommodate host governments' restrictions that limit permanent settlement, and finally, technological innovations require careful data management policies to protect refugees. Doing this, the authors account for the broader political-economic and ecological environments that refugee camps are embedded in. Originality/value: This paper opens a new area of research on sustainable innovation in humanitarian operations. It provides insights into key contingency factors moderating the link between operational innovations and sustainability outcomes. It represents one of the few studies that build their theorizing upon field data collected in refugee camps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper emphasizes the theoretical relevance that workplace spirituality may add to the person–organization (P-O) fit theory through the examination of a framework that comprises how workplace and self-spirituality fit enhances the perceived P-O spirituality fit. A related aim is to test how the perceived P-O spirituality fit enhances both employees' ethical and spiritual leadership behavior. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected using a quantitative study of 132 employees across various organizations in Jordan. Data were firstly checked by the use of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability tests. Hypotheses have been tested by the use of hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Findings: In line with the hypotheses, the study's results exhibited that workplace and self-spirituality fit positively enhances the perceived P-O spirituality fit. The results also show that the perceived P-O spirituality fit enhances both employees' ethical and spiritual leadership behaviors. Practical implications: The present study warrants several practices for human resource management (HRM), policy and development. It suggests that HRM practices should encourage a more "spiritual– and ethical-friendly" environment by ensuring that staffing and other HRM responsibilities are clearly committed to ethics and supportive of spirituality. Specifically, within performance appraisal policies, HR managers may include specific policies and ethical action targets to promote more ethical behaviors. There may be regular monitoring to track the trajectory of the HRM practices in this regard. Originality/value: The contribution of this paper extends beyond the vast literature on P-O fit with the generation of a new concept (i.e. P-O spirituality fit) to the literature in a Muslim-majority country. This offers reinvigorated awareness of the topic under study and suggests specific future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a model examining the effect of organizational capabilities over new product (NP) performance. Building on a literature review, the model proposes that organizational capabilities (i.e. technological, marketing mix, and customer-relational capabilities) exert a direct effect over two dimensions of new product competitive advantage (i.e. new product quality and speed), which in turn exert a direct effect over new product customers and financial performance. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a literature review, a structured questionnaire was developed as a primary data collection method. Questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 473 manufacturing organizations in Jordan, out of which 355 were returned and deemed valid for the analysis. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the model and its related hypotheses. Findings – Out of the three organizational capabilities, only marketing mix capabilities had a direct positive effect over both new product quality and speed to the market, while technological capabilities had no significant direct effect over both dimensions of new product competitive advantage. Customer-relational capabilities had a direct effect over new product quality only. On the other hand, while new product quality exerted a positive direct effect over both NP financial and customer performance, new product speed to the market had a direct positive effect over NP customer performance only. Finally, NP customer performance exerted a positive direct effect over NP financial performance. Research limitations/implications – The fact that the paper is a single country study focusing on the manufacturing industry limits its generalization to other industries/contexts. Furthermore, the paper focuses on two dimensions of new product performance, i.e. customer performance and financial performance. Other dimensions of new product performance might add more insights to the effects new product competitive advantage exerts. Practical implications – Managers must focus their efforts on developing marketing activities in a competitive manner so that they can introduce both quick and satisfactory new products. Hence, a special focus on marketing function is required. Not only traditional activities of marketing, but also generation, utilization, and management of customer information and knowledge are necessary to introduce competitive new products. Marketing function should be given the lead in the new product development (NPD) process. However, to avoid any rivalry between marketing, production, and R&D, top management needs to foster the marketing concept as a philosophy and to spread it across the organization. Originality/value – The paper adds to the research on sources of new product competitive advantage in developing countries. It also underlines the need to focus on different dimensions of NP competitive advantage, rather than approaching it from a holistic perspective. The paper further underlines that organizations should focus on long-term results of NPD, such as NP customer performance, rather than solely focusing on short-term financial results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effectiveness of image-repair strategies adopted by organizations to restore their public image and reputation following crisis situations, the lessons learned from these cases and the significance of contextual factors that are likely to affect image-repair efforts and strategies adopted. Design/methodology/approach: Three cases have been reviewed in this paper: Weather, Jordan; Nestlé Waters, Jordan; and Victoria College School, Jordan. Information was obtained from published materials, such as YouTube commentaries, local newspapers and online news agents, primarily the Jordan Times, which is considered the number one daily in the country. The discussion of these cases is original and based on academic theory and literature. Findings: Organizations differ in terms of the ways they respond to corporate crises and the strategies they are likely to adopt to restore/recover their reputation and public image. Practical implications: Corporate reputation or public image is an asset that is built over time. Organizations within all industries seek to secure positive images in the minds of people. The image of an organization however can be threatened by crises. Trust and public image decline when stakeholders feel they have not been adequately informed in times of crises regarding the different attributes of the situation or how the organization is dealing with the crisis. Organizations have the choice to adopt one image-repair strategy at a time or a combination of strategies according to the requirements of the situation. Originality/value: Image-repair strategies have been examined in American and European contexts but have, to the author's knowledge, never been examined in the context of Arab organizations and more specifically in the context of Jordanian organizations. This paper therefore provides a new insight into how to apply these strategies in a unique and new context and will also motivate future research in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of intellectual capital and innovation on the relationship between transformational and transactional leadership and organizational performance in Jordanian banks located in Irbid city. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire that targeted 350 respondents resulted in 298 usable ones with a response rate of 85.14 percent. To test the research hypotheses, a structural equation model was conducted, in addition to descriptive statistics that provided background on the respondents. Findings: The findings indicate that transformational and transactional leadership relate positively to organizational performance. The results also support the argument that intellectual capital and innovation played mediating roles in transformational and transactional leadership and organizational performance. Practical implications: The present study provides managers with empirical proof that possessing strong intellectual capital in its three dimensions seems to help the banking sector in Jordan to reinforce their ability to generate both radical and incremental innovation. Also, applying an effective leadership style will motivate and lead to superior performance. Originality/value: Although papers have shown that leadership style is an important factor influencing employees' performance and outcomes, this is one of the few studies that investigates the interrelationships between leadership styles, intellectual capital, and innovation on organization performance. Furthermore, it is the first to test the model on the banking sector in Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This research paper aims to examine the Dutch disease syndrome in the more diversified economies of the Economic and Social Commission of Western Asia (ESCWA). Design/methodology/approach -- An econometric model was applied to observe the impact of this syndrome on the different sectors of the economy. A regression analysis examined the relationship between this inflow of capital and lagging sector of these economies. Similarly, Granger-causality was applied to determine the direction of causality between the variables. Findings -- Results indicate that worker remittances, foreign grants, and oil revenues are the main factors behind the Dutch syndrome in the ESCWA region. Channeling remittances through investments, subsidizing output of lagging sectors, and imposing higher import tariffs are recommended to reduce the negative externalities of the Dutch disease. Research limitations/implications -- It is to be noted that the paper has some limitations since data/statistics for the ESCWA region may not be totally reliable. Originality/value -- The paper sheds some light on the impact of this syndrome in the developing economies of Western Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of employee perception of training on organizational commitment, and consequently, the impact of organizational commitment on turnover intention. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a quantitative research design. Data were collected from 302 registered nurses working at Jordanian hospitals using an email survey questionnaire. Using statistical package for the social science analysis of regression to test the hypothesized model. Findings: The results suggest a strong relationship between two variables: perceived availability of training and perceived supervisor support for training and organizational commitment. On the other hand, the perceived benefits of training is found to be negatively related to organizational commitment. The study also confirms a strong inverse association between organizational commitment and turnover intention. Research limitations/implications: Limitations and suggestions for future studies three as with all research, there are limitations to this work. First, only three employee perceptions of training are investigated in this study to include perceived availability of training, perceived supervisor support for training and perceived benefits of training. Given that employee perceptions of training include a number of factors, future research may consider other factors such as motivation to learn and co-worker support for training (Newman et al., 2011). Second, the study uses a quantitative approach. Future studies may conduct interviews to examine the relationship between the variables. Third, the data came from registered nurses working in hospitals in a single industry; to increase the generalizability of the findings, there is a need for future research in other industries in Jordan. Fourth, other attitudinal constructs in addition to organizational commitment may act as potential mediators in the relationship between employee perception of training and turnover intention. Future studies can include mediating variables such as job satisfaction (Poon, 2004) and trust in management (Whitener, 2001), which may better explain the hypothesized relationships. Finally, the findings cannot be generalized, as there is a possibility of bias because of differences in knowledge of and attitude to perceived training. Practical implications: The findings of the present study have implications for theory and practice. At the theoretical level, the current study adds to the body of knowledge on commitment and turnover. Specifically, the current study provides evidence of a strong or weak relationship between employee perception of training, organizational commitment and turnover intention. The research findings verify the applicability of the social exchange theory (Blau, 1964) and the norm of reciprocity (Gouldner, 1960), and concurs with Fishbein and Ajzen's (1967) model of beliefs, attitude and behavioral intentions in Jordanian hospitals. From the practical aspect, the study findings urge Jordanian hospitals to enhance employee perception of training and correlated development opportunities, so as to fulfill their employees' needs and expectations in terms of organizational development. Hospitals may achieve this by providing effective and more comprehensive training programs and urging supervisors to motivate their subordinates to participate in these programs (Jehanzeb et al., 2013). This study results also confirm that perceived supervisor support is very significant to the maintenance of organizational commitment. Hospitals need to create an environment in which practicing training is highly motivated by supervisors. While supervisors are required to publicize the availability of training to the nursing workforce (Ha et al., 2014). Furthermore, the study findings reveal no evidence of a link between perceived benefits of training and organizational commitment. The premise behind this result is attributed to the fact that employees believe that the benefits obtained from participating in training activities are very limited (Kadiresan et al., 2015). So, supervisors are requested to raise their awareness of the benefits to be gained from participating in training programs. The role of supervisors here is very important, they should also unfreeze the old concerns of individuals through positive approach by communicating aggressively about the benefits of training. Moreover, hospitals need to focus more on promoting better relations between training and career development (Newman et al., 2011). Finally, the study results suggest that organizational commitment is negatively related to turnover intention. So, to increase organizational commitment, the hospitals' management should first, design more effective in house training, as well as motivate their nursing workforce, and financially support external training programs that will foster the nurses' skills and knowledge. Second, create a culture of commitment to reinforce the relationship with nursing workforce and encourage them to consider the hospital as a family to which they belong (Diab and Ajlouni, 2015). Finally, the work and environmental conditions must be improved through the provision of career development and promotion opportunities (Silva and Dias, 2016). Originality/value: This study makes a significant theoretical contribution to the literature, as it addresses an essential and not so well researched issue in Jordan a developing Arab country in Middle East. The paper investigates the interaction between employee perceptions of training, organizational commitment and turnover intention of registered nurses in Jordanian Hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of work values in Jordan; as well as to demonstrate empirically, the nature of work values. Design/methodology/approach – The study reported in this paper tested the factor structure of work values among a group of 493 employees in Jordanian organizations using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Findings – The results established a three-factor solution (job accomplishment, work nature, and job advancement) which was found to be appropriate to test employees’ work values. The results from this study revealed interesting relationships between organizational variables (sector and type of business) and work values. The findings also demonstrated a significant relationship between demographic variables (educational background and work experience) and work values. Research limitations/implications – The research surveyed frontline employees in the Jordanian organizations. Further research is required to confirm the generalizability of the findings in other Middle Eastern countries. Importantly, results suggest that caution should be exercised in different contexts, job levels, and sub-cultural settings. Originality/value – The work-values construct represents a little-researched area of recent times and even less so in Islamic countries. The findings of the study offer new perspectives on the work values in the Middle Eastern settings and support the overall validity of the nomological network of work value factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to examine the effect of international remittances on the labour market participation of women and men left behind in Jordan. The study particularly focuses on the labour supply side for both women and men. Design/methodology/approach: The study draws on micro-data from the Jordan Labour Market Panel Survey (JLMPS) in 2010, a nationally representative survey, and addresses the endogeneity of receiving remittances through an Instrumental Variable (IV) approach. Findings: The empirical results indicate that remittances are found to have a negative and significant impact on labour supply of both women and men. On average, women who live in remittance receiving household are about 5% points less likely to perform any market work, 3% points less likely to be in wage employment and about 8% points less likely to be engaged in own work. While, men who live in remittance receiving household are about 25% points less likely to perform any market work, 5% points less likely to be in wage employment and about 10% points less likely to be engaged in own work. When the author instruments for remittance receipt of the household, the effect of remittances on likelihood to work is found larger for both women and men. Originality/value: Workers' remittances are considered as one of the vital financial sources for many households in labour exporting countries, most of the investigation on the effects of such financial flows concentrate on the macroeconomic effects. It is therefore important to conduct empirical investigation to fairly and accurately evaluate the impact of these flows on the Jordanian labour market at a microeconomic level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensions of e-service quality, its effects on e-satisfaction and e-trust and its impact on behavioural and attitudinal loyalty in Jordanian youth users of online retailing. Design/methodology/approach: The scale proposed in this study has been specifically constructed using the four models most recognised for measuring e-service quality: E-S-QUAL, WebQual, eTransQual and eTailQ. The dimensions used in this study are efficiency, privacy, reliability, emotional benefit and customer service. The research model was statistically tested by students in Jordan, using Amazon.com. Findings: It is found that privacy, reliability, emotional benefit and customer service are important elements to measure the e-service quality, but efficiency is not. E-trust was found to be an antecedent of e-satisfaction, and behavioural loyalty an antecedent of attitudinal loyalty. Originality/value: The contribution of this study is thus the investigation of the causal relationship between the e-service quality dimensions, e-satisfaction, e-trust, behavioural loyalty and attitudinal loyalty, where it is necessary to consider the subject in more depth and to examine e-service quality dimensions based on a proposed model constructed from the four most common models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the long-run impact of foreign aid and workers' remittances on Jordanian economic growth using time series data for the period 1970–2014. Following the most recent literature, the author also assess whether economic policy enhances economic growth and whether aid effectiveness is conditional on levels of economic policy.Design/methodology/approach The author employs unit root tests that allow for endogenously determined structural breaks (Perron, 1997) and properly utilize the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) or bounds testing approach to cointegration by applying both the F- and the t-test statistics (Pesaran et al., 2001). The analysis is applied to 12 different models that incorporates the various types and sources of foreign aid.Findings Empirical results suggest that aid and its various components, and workers' remittances have had a positive and significant long-run impact on economic growth. Empirical results also show: no evidence supporting the hypothesis that aid is only or more effective in spurring economic growth during periods of "good" macroeconomic policy, i.e., when Jordan has undertaken World Bank Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs); no robust evidence supporting the World Bank's claim that SAPs are growth enhancing. Moreover, the author found strong empirical evidence suggesting that exports and human capital are also major determinants of long-run growth in Jordan.Research limitations/implications Although Jordan and the region at large have experienced periods of major political instability that may have had a varying impact on the economy, lack of a reliable and lengthy time series measure that accounts for political instability is not available to include in the study.Practical implications Using cointegration analysis, our empirical evidence reveals that foreign aid, labor remittances, exports and human capital have had a robust positive long-run impact on economic growth. Hence, the Jordanian government should promote policies that encourage donor countries and agencies to further extend aid to Jordan. Moreover, policies that promote exports and facilitate labor mobility to neighboring countries should also be encouraged and promoted.Originality/value Despite receiving a significant amount of foreign aid and labor remittances in the last 50 years, the author found no time series study that tested the long-run impact of these external financing sources on growth in Jordan. This study fills that gap and extends the analysis to test whether macroeconomic policy is growth enhancing and whether aid (and several of its components) are only effective or more effective in promoting growth during periods of "good" macroeconomic policy, i.e., when Jordan has undertaken a World Bank SAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine if the cash flow and short-term accruals and long-term accruals together have a role to play in explaining the change in dividends. Design/methodology/approach – The authors’ mainly used the same models developed by Atieh and Hussain (2008) and expanded on this model by including contextual factors: firm growth, firm size, gearing and quality of earnings. Using 344 observations from Jordanian firms, the association of variables with dividend changes was analyzed using the generalized least square regression. Findings – The results reveal consistency with previous studies that disaggregated earnings outperforms the cash flow model in explaining the changes in dividends. Also, the explanatory power of the Lintner (1956) model is improved by replacing earnings with cash flow and short-term and long-term accruals, which is in line with previous studies. Regarding the effect of contextual factors, the superiority of the accrual model is affected by the contextual factors proposed, except for geared firms. The accrual model is superior for high growth, large firms and poor quality of earnings. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the existing literature that the Lintner (1956) model’s explanatory power can be improved by replacing earnings with its components mainly cash flows and short-term and long-term accruals. These results support the evidence related to developed markets. The paper also provides evidence of the importance of firm characteristics on the information content of the components of earnings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the consequences of workplace violence against healthcare staff in Jordanian public hospitals.Design/methodology/approach A convenient sample included 334 physicians and nurses employed in eight different public hospitals, different departments and different working shifts were surveyed by filling the designed questionnaire.Findings The findings indicated workplace violence had a clear moderate impact on the respondents’ interaction with patients, performing work responsibilities, ability of making decisions, and professional career. The most frequent workplace violence consequences were damaging staff’s personality and prestige, increasing laziness and unwillingness to serve patients. Workplace violence consequences also included aggressive behavior, fear while dealing with patients, increase job insecurity, and lack of professional responsibility. In addition, demographic variables such as gender, education, job title, working shift, and income showed statistical significant differences in the attitudes of participants toward the consequences of workplace violence.Practical implications This study highlighted the necessity of healthcare policy makers and hospital administrators to establish violence free and safe working environments in order to retain qualified healthcare staff that in turn improves the health services quality.Originality/value There is a lack of research and documentation on violence in the healthcare settings in developing countries. This study is one of the first to examine the consequences of workplace violence that affect public physicians and nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how ineffective leadership behaviour affects individual and organizational performance in Jordanian institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Data obtained concerned ineffective leadership behaviour in Jordanian private and public institutions. Performance was evaluated based on a survey questionnaire distributed to managers in these institutions. To arrive at statistically significant conclusions, the authors used multiple regression and correlation analysis. Findings – The results indicate that there is a statistically significant impact of ineffective leadership, as adjudged using four dimensions (lack of shared strategic vision, ineffective leadership characteristics, negative effect on labour relations, and ethical violation) on individual and organizational performance in Jordanian institutions. However, no statistically significant impact of one dimension (ineffective leadership characteristics) on organizational performance was noticed in a sample of Jordanian institutions. Research limitations/implications – This study was limited to manager's point of view in Jordanian institutions. While there are some similarities with managers in Arab institutions, caution should be exercised when generalizing results of this study to other Arabian countries. Practical implications – This study provides useful information and impartial advice for leaders of private and public institutions in Jordan. It also reveals the need for new leadership practices that should be adopted and presents certain ineffective leadership practices that deserve to be eliminated. Originality/value – This study attempts to fill gaps in the literature on Arabian leadership practices. This is one of the few studies that examine the Jordanian environment with regard to identifying the nature of the relationship between ineffective leadership behaviour and organizational performance in Jordanian institutions. The paper's findings and recommendations are expected to benefit decision makers in their dealings with different Jordanian institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the generalizability of the customer relationship management (CRM) scale originally developed by Sin et al. as well as to investigate the strength of linkages between CRM implementation components and business performance in Jordan's financial service organizations (FSOs). Design/methodology/approach – Using a quantitative methodology, data were collected through a survey that included FSOs that are operating in the Jordanian market. The original adopted CRM scale was administered to 12 banks and 18 insurance companies that were found to be implementing CRM. An overall number of 320 questionnaires were sent to these banks and insurance companies' top management members who were directly involved in CRM implementation and performance assessments. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to assess the generalizability of the CRM scale developed by Sin et al. Structural path model analysis was also used to test the research hypotheses concerning the relationship between CRM implementation and business performance. Findings – The results suggest that the CRM implementation scale originally developed by Sin et al. does generalize to a Jordanian FSOs context. The findings indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between CRM implementation components and FSOs' business performance comprised of financial and marketing performances. CRM organization and technology-based CRM are the strongest predictors of variations in FSOs' business performance. Originality/value – This paper is the first systematic research project in Jordan that isdevoted to investigating the scale and components of CRM implementation in Jordan and in the Middle East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to explore the nature of the human resource reforms introduced by a French multinational into a privatized Jordanian utility and the impact of these reforms on worker experiences, attitudes and behaviour. Design/methodology/approach - The approach takes the form of a single-company case study using longitudinal interview data (44 interviews over a period of two and a half years) and a staff survey (202 completed and usable replies). Findings - Employees had experienced changes as a result of the HR reforms and these experiences were, at the aggregate level, associated with a number of positive attitudinal and behavioural outcomes. There were marked differences between different categories of staff in these respects, with more senior staff and those with higher educational qualifications being those most likely to report positive attitudinal and behavioural outcomes. Research limitations/implications - Studies of the transfer of Western management techniques to developing countries cannot treat the workforce as homogeneous. There are likely to be important differences between groups based on demographic criteria such as education, job category and length of service. However, this project used a single-company case study and so is capable of only limited generalization. Practical implications - The differences between employee groups in attitudes towards the HR reforms are best seen as the outcome of "deliberate intent" on the part of the French MNC rather than intra-organisational variations in "cultural receptivity". They indicate that, to some extent, MNCs can successfully pursue different human resource approaches in respect of different categories of staff. However, some employees felt that they were adversely affected by the reforms. Originality/value - The paper contributes an in-depth empirical study to the important but relatively under-researched area of the transfer of management techniques by MNCs to companies in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The research reported in this paper aims to examine the newer leadership styles and their implication for implementing knowledge management in Jordanian organizations. The research seeks to investigate Jordanian managers' leadership styles and then compare them with managers in other organizations with different cultures, such as the International Air Transport Association (1ATA). Design/methodology/approach - A survey of 120 managers from Jordan and IATA was undertaken using an established measurement instrument. Findings - Results revealed that meanwhile IATA managers preferred transformational rather than transactional leadership style, in Jordan, there was no clear preference for transactional or transformational style as both were being used. But when compared with IATA managers Jordanian managers showed more inclination towards transactional than transformational behaviors. Research limitations/implications - Like other comparative research this study shares the limitation of likely sampling bias. Moreover, it did not take into account the political realities of conducting social science research in countries with long authoritarian histories, such as Jordan, which present the likelihood of further response bias. Originality/value -. The paper investigates the leadership styles of Jordanian managers. This has important implications for local as well as international corporations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the role of the strategic partner in the Management Development (MD) process at Jordan Telecom (JT) by surveying the attitudes of 243 Jordanian managers and by testing the relevant hypothesis. The findings reveals that the strategic partner contributes to the development of Jordanian managers' skills in areas such as time management, performance appraisal, job design and communications and cooperation. A limited significant impact of relevant demographic and managerial factors on managers' attitudes towards their MD and strong corelational relationships among MD dimensions are also revealed through the findings. The conclusions highlight the positive outcomes and implications of the strategic partnership at JT. The recommendations emphasized the need for further partnerships in Jordan because of their influential effects on Jordanian businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is to measure the risk disclosure level and to determine the relationship between ownership structure dimensions (institutional ownership, foreign ownership and family ownership) and corporate risk disclosure in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a sample of 94 Jordanian listed firms from the Amman Stock Exchange for the period from 2014 to 2017. This study measured risk disclosure using the number of risk-related sentences in the annual report, while random effects regression was used for hypotheses testing. Findings: The results revealed that family ownership has a negative effect on risk disclosure practices, but institutional ownership, foreign ownership, firm size and leverage have no significant effect on the risk disclosure level. Practical implications: The finding of this study is more likely be useful for many concerned parties, researchers, authorities, investors and financial analysts alike in understanding the current practices of the risk disclosure in Jordan, thus helping them in reconsidering and reviewing the accounting standards and improving the credibility and transparency of the financial reports in the Jordanian capital market. Originality/value: This study offers novel evidence detailing the impact of ownership structure toward corporate risk disclosure, its implementation in emerging markets following the minimal amount of scholarly efforts on the topic. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first examination of the impact of ownership structure on corporate risk disclosure. Thus, this study has important implications for the decisions of executives, policymakers, shareholders and lenders, as it enables them to better understand the linkage between ownership structure on corporate risk disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Knowledge sharing adoption has been considered as a significant practice for organizations. However, there is a modest empirical confirmation to indicate how these organizations value the richness of their knowledge capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to investigate both transformational and transactional leadership styles that influence employees’ knowledge sharing practices, and the impact of the latter on job performance, and then on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – Data collected from 179 employees at the higher council of youth in Jordan were empirically tested using structural equation modelling. Findings – The findings revealed that both transformational and transactional leadership styles have significant impact on job performance, and the latter on firm performance. Also, it was found that transactional leadership impacted knowledge sharing, whereas transformational leadership did not. Originality/value – This research proposes a new approach to understand knowledge sharing adoption, and outlines some theoretical and managerial implications of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Existing theories on the determining factors of corporate investment decisions raise the importance of financial market imperfections in explaining investment behavior. Many factors have been proposed as drivers of investment, mainly in developed economies, while emerging countries have almost been neglected. The main purpose of this study is to examine the effect of financing constraints on the investment behavior of a small context, namely, Jordan, with an imperfect environment. Design/methodology/approach: This study considers panel data regressions from the industrial companies traded at the Amman Stock Exchange with a total of 1,058 firm-year observations. Findings: The results are able to demonstrate that business size, tangibility, market-to-book ratio, profitability, financial slack and leverage are major drivers of investment choices. The results support the importance of information asymmetry in explaining the investment behavior of firms. Nonetheless, the Q-theory is in place, as is firm agility. Practical implications: Policies to reduce information asymmetry are immediately needed to help firms increase investments by providing them with access to training, technology and market information. They also should enhance the firms' opportunities for growth. Moreover, they should make it easier for businesses to access financial slack, such as by improving access to credit and financial institutions. They also can work to improve the financial infrastructure to meet the financing needs of businesses. Finally, smaller businesses should be assisted by improving their ability to invest and grow. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies, if any, to investigate this issue in a distinct environment. Despite the unique characteristics of Jordan, the findings are applicable to other countries that experience comparable political and economic circumstances because Jordan has traits common to many emerging nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explores the influence of Wasta, informal social network on the retention of non-family talented employees in family-owned SMEs in Jordan. Despite the increased attention received by talent management (TM) in the last decade, limited attention has focused on family-owned-SMEs. This study demonstrates while resource-based view explains how human capital provides sustainable competitive advantage the lack of strategic retention management may lead to losing this competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach: A multiple case study approach underpinned by a qualitative orientation was utilized to help explore the dynamics of TM practices in greater depth. The authors conducted a series of 18 semi-structured in-depth interviews with HR managers, non-family junior and middle managers from six family-owned enterprises. Findings: Evidence showed that family Wasta accelerate employee dissatisfaction among non-family talented individuals and in turn enhances their intention to leave due to organizational injustice and lack of organizational support. Practical implications: This study could help managers in family-owned organizations enforce the concept of organizational justice by implementing solid performance management systems and talent reviews to strengthen the social exchange with non-family competent employees. Originality/value: First, this study demonstrates how access to Wasta accelerate the mobility of non-family talented individuals and in turn enhances their intention to leave. Second, this study provides a theoretical and contextual framework to deepen the authors' understanding of the impact of social networks on strategic retention performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this empirical study is to provide a deeper understanding of how transformational leadership relates to followers' innovative behavior in the Jordanian public sector. Design/methodology/approach – Perceptual data were collected from 358 employees working in different public sector organizations located in the Northern region of Jordan. Findings – Results demonstrate that transformational leadership accounted for 47 percent in the variation of followers' innovative behavior in the Jordanian public sector. Additionally, the findings showed that place of work variable had significant impact on the attitudes of the respondents toward the transformational leadership behavior of their managers and their innovative behavior. Practical implications – Organizations should invest in transformational leadership training and in the selection of supervisors with this leadership style before initiating the implementation of innovations. Originality/value – The paper is one of the first to investigate the relationship between transformational leadership and followers' innovative behavior in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of work values on leadership styles and to introduce new findings when Hofstede's work value orientations are applied to other different cultural domains (i.e. Jordan). Design/methodology/approach – A survey of 235 Jordanian managers was undertaken using two instruments of measurement: the "Cultural Attitude Inventory" and the "T-P Leadership Questionnaire: An Assessment of Style." Findings – Results confirmed the anticipated relation between "task" leadership style and Jordanian managers' values of power distance and uncertainty avoidance, but they did not confirm the anticipated relation between "people" leadership style and collectivist values of Jordanian managers. Originality/value – The results have important implications for the management of international and transnational organizations who may need to consider whether promoting a consistent world-wide leadership style would be more or less beneficial than adopting a style that matches the needs of different cultures. Main recommendations of the research were that theories of culture should be re-evaluated and updated periodically and that increased awareness into the various characteristics of culture and leadership style may assist in understanding human resources behavior, identifying necessary organizational changes and developing a more efficient organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to examine an empirical model of marketing strategy and shareholder value through customer satisfaction and financial performance by using a value-based marketing approach on organisations listed in Amman Stock Exchange Market operating in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative methodology was employed through conducting two surveys targeting Jordanian organisations' marketing managers and their customers as well as utilising hard measures for financial performance and shareholder value data analysis. A total of 218 marketing managers were involved in the managers' survey and 1,200 customers were involved in the customers' satisfaction survey. A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to assess the research constructs dimensions, unidimensionality, validity and composite reliability. Structural path model analysis was also used to test the hypothesised research model. Findings – The empirical results indicate that external and internal marketing orientations (IMOs) exerted a positive and significant effect on marketing strategy components, namely: product, price, promotion and distribution strategies. Marketing strategy components exerted a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction. The findings also indicate that product and price strategies are the strongest drivers of customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on financial performance. More importantly, financial performance has a strong positive contribution to shareholder value measured by market value added and earning per share. Originality/value – This is the first empirical research paper that has investigated a model of marketing strategy and shareholder value through customer satisfaction and financial performance especially in developing countries, e.g. Jordan. This research offered executives and marketing directors empirical evidence on drivers of shareholder value maximisation and how to enhance marketing's strategic influence on strategic decisions which were not available to them before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between customer service skills and customers' loyalty through examining the mediation effect of customer satisfaction dimensions in Jordan's mobile service operators. Design/methodology/approach – To achieve the research objectives, data were collected from 1,350 subscribers in Jordan from which 1,007 were valid for the analysis. Utilizing structural equation modeling, and after a series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the authors tested an integrated model of customer service skills and customer loyalty through examining the meditational effects of customer service satisfaction dimensions on the relationship between customer service skills and customer loyalty. Findings – It was found that three of customer service skills components, namely; reputation building skills, nonverbal communication skills, and customer service culture have positive relationships with customer service satisfaction dimensions (overall, functional, and technical customer satisfaction). Also, overall customer service satisfaction and technical customer service satisfaction dimensions fully mediated the relationships between customer service skills and customer loyalty. Originality/value – This is the first attempt to investigate the relationship between customer service skills and customer loyalty through customer service satisfaction dimensions as mediators, either in Jordan or other developing countries. The authors' results also provide significant managerial implications on how to acquire and retain loyal customers in today's highly competitive telecommunications market, and the vital role of customer service satisfaction dimensions on the relationship between customer service skills and customer loyalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits that can result from the use of knowledge management (KM) principles in achieving total quality management (TQM) in the Jordanian insurance sector. Design/methodology/approach – Data about KM and TQM were obtained through a survey questionnaire distributed to managers in the insurance industry in Jordan. To arrive at statistically significant conclusions, the authors used variance and correlation analysis. Findings – The results indicate that KM processes (diagnosing, acquiring, generating, sharing, storing, and application) do influence TQM. Research limitations/implications – Since this study was limited to the insurance sector in Jordan, caution must be exercised in generalizing the results from this study to other situations in the service sector. Practical implications – This study provides useful information and impartial advice for managers in the insurance business in Jordan. It also suggests new business practices for the sector. Originality/value – This study attempts to fill gaps in the literature on Arabian management practices. It may also contribute to developing management practices cross-culturally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the relationships between national culture and strategic behavior in the banking industry in Jordan and U.S. The study first developed a strategic posture and secondly a cultural profile for the top management of the research domain. The strategic posture suggested the readiness for strategic response from managers. The degree of readiness was correlated with the constructed cultural profile of the managers and financial performance of the banks. The study found significant relationships between certain national cultural strategic characteristics, (risk propensity, time orientation, and openness to change, uncertainty avoidance and managerial perception of control over the environment) strategic behavior and financial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the impact of finding a job through family and friend contacts on employees' wages and job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses machine learning techniques in economics to estimate the causal effect of being hired through informal contacts on wages and job satisfaction using cross-sectional data from the Higher Education Graduates Survey 2012 (HEGS, 2012) in Egypt and Jordan. Findings: The author's results confirm that negative and positive consequences are likely to occur. In Egypt, a wage penalty of 28% is estimated in the starting wage, but the impact diminishes in the last wage. By contrast, in Jordan, no penalty is captured in the starting wage, but a premium of 10% is estimated in the last wage. Job satisfaction is negatively affected by the penalty in the starting wage. Social implications: Job market search methods that allow for professional job referrals, facilitate more efficient information transfer between job-seekers and employers and provide opportunities for job-seekers with weak social capital should be implemented to lower dependence on informal search methods. Originality/value: The research provides comprehensive evidence about finding a job through informal contact with employees' well-being. The consequences of finding a job using family and friends' contacts, whether positive or negative, cannot be ignored. Future research could benefit from the findings of this study. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2022-0318. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study examines the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure (hereafter CSRD) on the Corporate Economic Performance (hereafter CEP) of a group of public shareholding companies in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses different proxies to examine the impact of CSRD on companies' financial and economic value. The data were collected from a sample of 94 companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange from 2010 to 2016. Based on a checklist of 41 indicators, this study employed the manual content analysis technique to collect and analyse CSRD data. A statistical analysis technique was also used to examine the hypothesized relationships between collected data on CSRD and profitability. Findings: The findings indicate that CSRD is value-relevant. It is positively and statistically associated with firm value proxied by Tobin's Q. In addition, it is positively and statistically associated with firm financial performance proxied by ROE and ROA. Research limitations/implications: This study contributes to the research debate on the relationship between CSRD and CEP, particularly in developing nations. The study draws attention to the need for information on different dimensions of CSR, including human resource, environmental, product responsibility, and community participation, as disclosure on such dimensions is positively associated with profitability. Practical implications: The findings provide important implications for Jordanian corporate managers to maintain CSRD in their best interest. With more emphasis on disclosing stand-alone CSR reports, corporate managers can present more information on different dimensions of CSR, attracting the attention of stakeholders such as investors, the government, media, and humanitarian activists and enhancing overall corporate goodwill. Originality/value: CSRD activities reflect a positive impact on CEP. Due to the dearth of relevant research conducted in developing countries, this study provides empirical evidence on the positive relationship between CSRD and CEP in an emerging economy, with more emphasis on specific dimensions of CSR, including human resources, environmental, product responsibility, and community participation. Since multiple proxies exist to measure profitability, this study uses multi-approaches for profitability examination proxied by Tobin's Q, ROE, and ROA. Moreover, the issue of CSR is original and interesting to be examined in the Jordanian context, where the listed firms have reported a homogeneous perception of CSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the influence of social capital (SC) on mass customization capability (MCC) and innovation capabilities (ICs) (products, processes, services and organizational) through absorptive capacity (ACAP) (acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation). Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 201 managers of 67 Jordanian manufacture organizations. Statistical techniques used included confirmatory factor analysis to examine validity of the measurement model, and structural equation modeling using partial least squares to test the hypotheses. Findings: The results of the analysis show that ACAP mediates the relationships between SC and MCC and between SC and ICs. Furthermore, the results show that SC has a positive, significant influence on ACAP and ACAP has a positive, significant impact on both MCC and ICs. Research limitations/implications: Insights from this study can help manufacture managers to better understand the relationships among SC, ACAP, MCC and ICs in the context of Jordan's economic development, as well as providing some useful guidance for the manufacturing sector's customization and innovation activities. Originality/value: This study develops and empirically tests a conceptual framework that relates ACAP, the development of MCC and ICs with the presence of SC as an antecedent of ACAP; hence, to the best of the author's knowledge, it is the first study to test the mediating role of ACAP between SC and MCC and between SC and ICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which the standardized IT deployment strategy is employed within the manufacturing-exporting firms in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach -- A total of 500 self-administered questionnaires are delivered to a random sample selected from a sample frame comprising the Jordanian manufacturing-exporting firms. A research assistant is hired and trained to handle questionnaire distribution and collection as well as answer basic inquiries. The researcher deals with the more difficult inquiries. Findings -- The study concludes that there is greater reliance on standardization and less acknowledgement of users and that IT deployment decisions remain technical and functional; only system requirements and functionality are taken into consideration; other factors including users are largely discarded. Research limitations/implications -- This study is explorative in nature and therefore its focus is broad; subsector differences of the manufacturing/exporting firms are not studied. Practical implications -- To maximize deployment outcome, firms need to place more emphasis on users, provide better training, and localize training materials. User feedback and participation should be encouraged and incorporated in all IT-related decisions. Originality/value -- This study reports results of the last of a series of several studies investigating deployment in Jordan, a country in the Middle East with a steep IT deployment learning curve, virtually no previous studies, and an academic field of IT deployment that remains largely unexplored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to empirically test the relationship between intellectual capital (i.e. human capital, structural capital, relational capital) and business performance within the pharmaceutical sector of Jordan. Design/methodology/approach - A valid research instrument was utilized to conduct a survey of 132 top- and middle-level managers from all 15 members of the Jordanian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers. Findings - A correlation and path analysis were conducted to ascertain the validity of the measures and models. Statistical support was found for the hypothesized relationships. Research limitations/implications - The findings offer valuable insights on the generalizability of intellectual capital in a novel research setting. Practical implications - Intellectual capital measurement is of primary interest for senior executives of pharmaceutical firms in Jordan. Originality/value - The research reported is among only a few to investigate the issue of intellectual capital in Egypt and the first to study pharmaceutical firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to provide additional empirical evidence about capital budgeting practices in an emerging economy. Design/methodology/approach -- The study utilizes a questionnaire and interview to collect data from respondents. Findings -- The results show that the JIC give almost equal importance to the discounted and undiscounted cash flow methods in evaluating capital investment projects. It appeared also that the most frequent used technique is the profitability index followed by the payback period. Practical implications -- Based on these results, the researchers recommend putting a great attention to apply the concepts and techniques of capital budgeting in an appropriate manner. The corporations should also consider importance of information technology and its applications in capital budgeting. Originality/value -- This is the first study applied on the capital budgeting practices and its related issues in the JIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this study is to replicate Kohli and Jaworski, and Kohli's pioneering market orientation model within a highly growth-oriented and competitive banking industry in an emerging Middle-Eastern economy, Jordan. Design/methodology/approach — A survey was conducted among top management personnel of 475 bank branches in Jordan. A total of 11 hypotheses related to market orientation; its antecedents and consequences were examined by estimating multiple regression models. Findings — The study confirms that market orientation-performance relationship is robust across diverse contexts. Also, top management traits are consistent predictors of market orientation. However, organizational factors as direct and linear determinants of market orientation are not completely stable. Further, the nature of the correlations between environmental factors and market orientation may be more complex than has been believed. In addition, within-country variations along Hofstede's cultural dimensions may be possible. Finally, most scales including that of market orientation suffer from weaknesses. Originality/value — This paper provides further validation for a market orientation model and unveils some of its weaknesses and strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sharing knowledge of physicians in hospitals is critical and significant in terms of providing better healthcare services. Despite the significance of knowledge sharing in the healthcare setting, very few studies have empirically investigated knowledge sharing drivers among physicians. Particularly, the process of knowledge sharing through the interplay between individual characteristics, knowledge characteristics, and intention in a healthcare setting has received very little empirical support. In this study, the authors draw upon personality traits and knowledge characteristics theories to develop a theoretical model to empirically examine the effect of individual characteristics and knowledge characteristics on physicians' knowledge sharing behavior. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a sample of 215 physicians from 20 hospitals in Jordan, the authors conducted data analysis using the partial least squares statistical technique. Findings: The study revealed that the personality traits (Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness) significantly influence physician intention to share knowledge. Knowledge characteristic (Situatedness) was also found to affect the intention to share knowledge. Originality/value: Very little is known about the effect of individual characteristics and knowledge characteristics on knowledge sharing behavior among physicians. The study contributes to the related literature by empirically investigating how individual characteristics and knowledge characteristics influence physicians' knowledge sharing behavior. The findings add to the understanding of the role of personality traits and knowledge characteristics in physicians' intention to share knowledge and give important insights for practice and theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the study "Using SERVQUAL to assess the quality of service provided by Jordanian telecommunications Sector" by Muhammed S. Alnsour and colleagues. Topics discussed include the growing demand on telecommunications in Jordan, examining of customers' perceptions of service quality and their Loyalty to service provider, and effort by Jordanian government for access to communications services at affordable prices.

Purpose -- This study is designed to examine strategic planning practices in Jordanian manufacturing organizations (JMOs). Two issues are of primary concern here. The first is related to the extent of using strategic planning in JMOs, while the second issue is concerned with the infrastructure necessary to implement successful strategic planning. Design/methodology/approach -- Data were collected via a questionnaire that was administered to the CEOs of the 37 manufacturing firms included in this study. Out of the 37 questionnaires distributed, 28 were returned representing a response rate of 76 percent. Findings -- Results reveal that 39 percent of JMOs are implementing strategic planning, whereas 61 percent are not. Results also indicate that while JMOs managers possess strong and positive attitudes toward strategic planning;, these attitudes have not been translated into real commitment. A low to moderate level of commitment, low level of participation, and moderato strength of information system are found in this study. Originality/value -- So far, only limited empirical research has been conducted to explore strategic planning practices in Jordanian business organizations (JBOs). Our current study is among the few pioneering studies that have contributed to the enhancement of our understanding of strategic planning practices in JBOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The study investigates the structure of audit fees in an emerging economy, Jordan. Design/methodology/approach -- The following regression model will be tested: ADFEES = f (SIZE, AUST, COMP, INDS, PROF, RISK, YEND, TLAG). The model is tested by running a cross-sectional linear ordinary least squares (OLS) regression of the audit fees on corporate size, the status of the audit firm, the degree of corporate complexity, profitability, risk, corporate accounting year end and the lag between the audit report and the end of the accounting year. Findings -- The results of the analysis revealed that corporate size, status of the audit firm, industry type, degree of corporate complexity and risk are the main determinants of audit fees. However. variables such as corporate profitability, corporate accounting year-end (YEND) and time lag between YEND and the audit report date appeared to be insignificant determinants of audit fees. Research limitations/implications -- In order to generalize the outcome of the study, the same study needs to be conducted over a long period of time (five years). Other variables such as the market share of the audit firm and the economic conditions of the country need to be included in the regression model in future research. Originality/value -- The outcome of the study can be used by audit firms to determine audit fees. Companies' management can also use the results of the study to predict the amount of audit fees that they will pay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides empirical evidence on corporate social disclosure practices in a sample of 143 companies. Chosen from four different industry groupings, these companies form 83% of the total population of companies listed on the Amman Financial Market. The results of the analysis reveal that CSD received modest attention from most surveyed companies in terms of space devoted and subjects covered in such disclosure in the annual reports. There is a limited number, however, of Jordanian companies operating in the banking and manufacturing sectors which have articulated their CSD responsibilities in a convincing manner. The themes most commonly disclosed across the four industry groupings were human resources and community involvement. Environmental disclosure needs much more attention by the Jordanian shareholding companies. Significant differences among various industry groupings were, on the other hand, noted with respect to the amounts, methods and locations of CSD in the annual reports of the sampled companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which sought to measure and evaluate the productive efficiency of health-care organizations or hospitals, using a multi-criteria Data Envelopment Analysis methodology. Information on the health care system in Jordan; Overview of the productive efficiency of organizations; Conclusions and policy implications.

Deals with a study that introduced the concept of organizational commitment to the practice of civil service administration in Jordan. Methodology; Literature review; Study hypotheses; Discussion and findings; Conclusions; Recommendations.