Future trends in Fintech and sustainability: Empirical study

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of business enablers and financial technology (Fintech) on the banking industry in order to determine whether it is an opportunity or a disruption. The applied research design is quantitative, and the hypotheses and the model were tested. To achieve the objectives, the study used a questionnaire to collect data. 150 managers in Saudi Arabia banks were surveyed. The participants provided 130 substantial and valid responses, and the PLS-SEM technique was used. Based on the analysis, it was concluded that the presence of business enablers facilitated Fintech progress, which led to the increase in bank performance, from the economic, social and environmental point of view. In addition, Fintech also plays a mediating role, by increasing the positive impact of business enablers. Therefore, Fintech provides several opportunities, not a disruptive technology, for the banking industry. The research paper explains the importance of Fintech progress in Saudi Arabian banking. Many have viewed Fintech as a disruptive technology, but this study found that it presents various opportunities for the Saudi Arabian banking industry.

Umrah is one of the Muslim pilgrimage journeys to the holy city of Makkah. Many Umrah agents provide good services to attract customers. One of the crucial aspects for Umrah agents is service operation quality. The study aims to investigate the influence of service operations on the value, trust, and commitment of Umrah pilgrims in Jakarta, Indonesia. This paper uses a quantitative approach and employs SEM-PLS to analyze the data. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 425 respondents. The respondents are Umrah pilgrims who performed their pilgrimage before 2019 through agents registered in Jakarta. However, only 370 responses qualified. The results show a strong relationship between service operations and customer value, trust, and commitment. There is also a relationship between customer value and customer commitment and between customer trust and customer commitment. Service operations also have an influence on commitment with trust as a mediator. However, service operations do not influence commitment when mediated by customer value. The practical implication of this study is that Umrah agents should increase their service operation, particularly information technology-based services, add Islamic and social values, and increase the cognitive commitment among customers.

This study investigated the effect of tax avoidance (TAV) on company value in Jordan, with a specific focus on the moderating role of leverage. The sample is 55 Jordanian industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange for the study period from 2005 to 2022. Given the evolving regulatory landscape and the importance of tax planning strategies for corporate performance, understanding these dynamics is critical. Employing panel data analysis spanning several years, the study examined the link between tax avoidance, leverage, and company value. The results indicated a significant negative association between TAV and firm value (the correlation between them is –29.3%), suggesting that firms engaging in higher levels of TAV experience lower market valuations. Additionally, the analysis reveals that leverage plays a crucial moderating role in this relationship, amplifying the negative impact of TAV on firm value. The study also found a strong correlation between firm value and size, and the relationship between firm value and ROA remains significant and positive. These findings provided valuable information for policymakers, corporate executives, and investors navigating the complexities of contemporary business environments in Jordan and beyond.