Habeeb Ur Rahiman

Advertisers regularly utilize endorsers as credible sources to conciliate purchaser awareness, customer attitude, and buying objectives. The current paper aims to examine the influence of owner endorsers’ expertise, knowledge, integrity, familiarity, and credibility on consumers’ buying decisions and purchase intentions. The population of this study includes customers of prominent gold and diamond jewelry brands in the southern part of India. The data are subjected to quantitative examination. A comprehensive review was undergone to make a situational analysis. A multi-stage sampling approach was administered to collect the feedback of respondents from the southern states of India. The samples were analyzed using statistical tools like multiple regression and structural equation modeling to find the model fit and relationships among different variables. The outcome of the study highlights that brand endorsers’ expertise, integrity, and credibility play a vital role in conveying trustworthiness and genuineness about the product and its usage. This study also contributed insights into the implication of owners’ endorsement by influencing buying decisions and purchase intentions of jewelry customers.

This study explores the pivotal role of financial technology (FinTech) in the performance of Islamic banks and financial institutions, considering both challenges and opportunities encountered during the pandemic-induced market disruptions. Amid lockdowns and economic uncertainties, the study delves into the strategies adopted by several countries, with a particular emphasis on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, along with Jordan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan, underscoring the importance of technological innovation in fostering a dynamic Islamic finance sector. Utilizing a data analysis approach, the study assesses the impact of heightened digitalization and the integration of FinTech on the resilience of the Islamic finance industry within an inherently volatile environment, marked by challenges during pre and post pandemics. The findings reveal that the adoption of FinTech fortifies the industry’s resilience and unveils novel growth prospects. However, the study also identifies potential avenues for expansion, particularly in Sukuk issuance, through the implementation of regulatory guidelines and faster adoption. The research underscores the transformative influence of financial technology reforms on the growth trajectory of Islamic banks. In light of the superior performance of Islamic banking in selected domains, this study advocates for a paradigm shift within the industry, encouraging the robust development of FinTech solutions to enhance its global market presence.

Acknowledgment
The authors would like to acknowledge that this research work was partially financed by Kingdom University, Bahrain from the research grant number: 2023 - 10 - 012.

Having a positive environment and enforcement in a social-political economy is necessary to poster an effective entrepreneurial climate. The passion for self-startups and risk-taking attitude are entrepreneurs’ traits with effective motivations, innovation, creativity, persistence, and flexibility. This helps the entrepreneur succeed and excel in their business. The success of a new project adventure is a crucial matter in business and investment. The literature review revision allows detecting the most attractive factors, the main reasons for startup failure, and the challenges facing entrepreneurs and new projects. This review paper enlightens Bahrain’s entrepreneurship ecosystem’s attractiveness and argues how the economy in the Kingdom of Bahrain encourages startup companies to establish and develop their business. The analysis results illustrate that the Government of Bahrain’s support system with effective public institutions and encouraging society are significant factors contributing to the success of the startup project. Nourishment extended by the government institutions and other supportive organizations like Tamkeen, Injaz, and EDB simplifies the formation of startup projects and support their sustainable growth. Analyzing the most common reasons for startup failure, the paper presents the proposed solutions to avoid these traps. It suggests the appropriate bodies in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, supporting and helping entrepreneurs overcome these difficulties.

Management is the process of accomplishing the activities efficiently and effectively with the help of human capital. The manpower in any sector is made to sail through a saga of productivity and profitability under the efficient captainship of the managers. This research paper gives insight into the implications of transactional analysis and ego states of the managers rendering the services in the companies of the IT sector in the Coastal Karnataka. To accomplish the objectives of the study, Transactional Style Inventory-Manager (TSI-M) is administered to the respondents, and scoring is done considering the Operating Effectiveness Quotient (OEQ). The research paper highlights that the demographic variables have a major influence on the interpersonal skills of the managers. It is found out that various ego states are predominant among managers, and the lowest state is the creative child ego state. The research concludes that by conducting transactional analysis-based leadership training, the productivity of employees can be enhanced in the future.

Trust is a fundamental element in financial interactions, particularly in the advisory sector, influencing investment decisions and overall client satisfaction. This study aims to explore the impact of trust-building strategies on investment decisions through the financial advisor-client relationship. The research employs a structured questionnaire to gather data on trust-building strategies, the advisor-client relationship, and investment decisions. The study found that trust-building strategies, such as transparency and competence demonstration, positively influenced investor decisions. Specifically, 78% of investors reported increased confidence in their investment choices after engaging with advisors who prioritized transparency and expertise. Moreover, 85% of investors indicated a preference for advisors who demonstrated reliability and ethical conduct, leading to a stronger advisor-client relationship. The findings underscore the importance of trust in financial advisory services and suggest that enhancing trust through transparent practices can lead to more informed and collaborative decision-making processes. The study emphasizes the evolving nature of investment decision-making and proposes integrating technological innovations like AI and robo-advisors. The study provides valuable insights for financial institutions to invest in advisor training and guidance, benefiting all stakeholders involved.