Many studies have explored the use of learning-by-doing in higher education, but few have applied this to social entrepreneurship contexts and application: this paper addresses this gap in the literature. Our programme involved students working with different stakeholders in an interactive learning environment to generate real revenue for social enterprises. Our results show that learning-by-doing enables students to develop their entrepreneurial skills and enhance their knowledge of social businesses. The findings also show that students became more effective at working in teams and in formulating and applying appropriate business strategies for the social enterprises. Overall, the learning-by-doing approach discussed in this paper is capable of developing the entrepreneurial skills of students, but there are challenges that need to be addressed if such an approach is to be effective.

Summary: This paper uses both role theory and audit expectations gap theory to critically evaluate the ability of Value for Money (VfM) audit procedures to improve performance in UK public sector organisations. The paper reports on an empirical study of seventeen auditors and twenty two representatives of VfM client organisations. Specifically, the study has the following objectives; to examine auditors" and clients" expectations and perceptions about the ability of the VfM audit to improve public sector organisations" performance;  to examine, from both auditors" and clients" perspectives, the impact of the interplay of personal (the VfM auditors" competence relevance of skills, experience and knowledge of the public bodies" activities), interpersonal (task interdependence between the external VfM auditors and the clients) and external factors (the ambiguity of the VfM audit process) on the VfM audit performance; and  to identify the nature of potential role conflicts in the VfM audit environment along with the causes and consequences of such potential conflicts.The results show that the VfM audit was perceived as an important potential means with which to improve institutional performance in the public sector, but had been poorly implemented in the audited bodies. While the majority of the VfM auditors interviewed took an extremely positive view of their own achievements in terms of improving public institutions" performances and delivering VfM services, the majority of the clients that we interviewed were not convinced of their auditors" competence to carry out a VfM audit effectively, and to provide them with valuable recommendations.Our results show that differences in expectations and perceptions of role between the external VfM auditors and the auditees give rise to significant conflict. Three types of role conflict

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed analysis of the Islamic banking in Algeria following the financial liberalisation initiated in the 1990 s. It seeks to examine the performance of the sole bank offering Islamic financial products in Algeria, Banque Al Baraka d'Algérie. The study also aims to analyse the methods adopted by the bank to improve the allocation of its financial resources and to boost its earnings. Design/methodology/approach -Interviews were conducted to learn about the performance and risks associated with Banque Al Baraka d'Algérie operations. All interviews were held one-to-one with each respondent in Algeria. Statistical data and financial ratio analyses are also used to support the arguments made in this study. Analyses are carried out on major factors affecting the bank operations. Findings -The study reveals four key findings: Banque Al Baraka d'Algérie offers only a few Islamic financial products to its customers; most of the instruments are geared towards short-term financing; the bank's overall performance has improved since its operations in Algeria; and credit risk remains the main obstacle facing the bank. Research limitations/implications -This research uses a single country case study. The study also refers to the case of one Islamic bank with no competition from other Islamic finance providers. Practical implications -The analyses presented in this research can be used by policymakers and managers as a guide to developing the existing Islamic banking practices in Algeria. Originality/value -The study makes a contribution to the literature on Islamic banking in Algeria. It is the first study to particularly investigate the issue of Islamic banking performance in Algeria. The findings achieved in this research will be of interest for practitioners and academics concerned with developments of the Algerian banking industry.

This paper investigates risk management practices of Islamic and conventional banks currently operating in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. Self-administered questionnaire is used to collect data from 150 bank senior managers and risk specialists with equal representation of the two banking categories. The study results reveal that risk identification, risk assessment and analysis, credit risk analysis and risk governance are the most efficient and influential variables in explaining the risk management practices of Islamic banks. Whilst understanding risk management, credit risk analysis, and risk governance are the most significant and contributing variables in the risk management practices of conventional banks. The study findings also show that Islamic banks have more areas of weaknesses in their risk management practices than conventional banks. The results presented in this study are likely to benefit bank managers, investors, regulators, and policymakers in guiding them when developing, reformulating and overseeing the bank(s) existing risk management practices.

Abstract:Purpose -This empirical paper examines the use of income generation projects as a pedagogic method to assess students' learning about social enterprises. We are interested in how and why this innovative approach might improve students' understanding of the different aspects and attributes of social entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approach -our study used thematic analysis of qualitative data comprising the reflective logs of 87 students on an undergraduate entrepreneurship module in a university business programme. The major attributes of social entrepreneurship were identified from a review of literature, and we used the logs to judge whether students had learnt about these attributes.Findings -results show that students developed an understanding concerning social enterprises' diverse stakeholder environment, market needs, social enterprises' ideological foundations, resource mobilisation processes and performance measurement -both social and financial. In addition, they developed skills in reflection and self-awareness, communication, empathy and the generation of new ideas.Research limitations/implications -our study is limited in that it focused on only one cohort of students, undergraduates. We cannot claim that our findings are generalisable to other students or contexts.Practical implications -students are better able to understand the needs and values of social enterprises. However, this is a resource intensive process for educators with implications for curriculum design and management.Social Implications -This study sheds new light on how experiential learning helps to raise students' awareness of social enterprises.Originality/value -this study sheds new light on how experiential learning in the form of income generation projects helps to raise students' awareness of social enterprises. Its value lies in helping to develop a novel and effective pedagogy for entrepreneurial learning 2

This study investigates the role of time-varying betas, event-induced variance and conditional heteroskedasticity in the estimation of abnormal returns around important news announcements. Our analysis is based on the stock price reaction to profit warnings issued by a sample of firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The standard event study methodology indicates the presence of price reversal patterns following both positive and negative warnings. However, incorporating time-varying betas, event-induced variance and conditional heteroskedasticity in the modelling process results in post-negative-warning price patterns that are consistent with the predictions of the efficient market hypothesis. These adjustments also cause the statistical significance of some post-positive-warning cumulative abnormal returns to disappear and their magnitude to drop to an extent that minor transaction costs would eliminate the profitability of the contrarian strategy.

This paper examines the performance of the investment decisions of block owners. The block ownership data is obtained from Dlugosz, Fahlenbrach, Gompers, and Metrick (2006). We find that firm valuation (measured by Tobin's Q), operating performance (measured by changes in return on assets) and stock performance (measured by excess buy and hold returns) are positively and significantly related to the previous years' level of block ownership both in terms of the size of the ownership and the number of blockholders. Our results are robust to endogeneity concerns. Regarding whether a specific blockholder is an "insider" or an "outsider" to the firm, we find that the ownership of "outside" blockholders is a key determinant in explaining future firm performance. Note though that this category makes up about two-thirds of the aggregate amount of blockholding in Dlugosz et al. (2006) database, and also includes all blockholders not classified in other categories. In general, we attribute the superior performance to the presence of more blockholders. We also find an inverse association between the volatility in blockownership and the ex-post firm performance measures.

This paper examines the business impact of the legislation in England requiring retailers to charge consumers for single-use carrier bags. The legislation impacts three key stakeholders-Government, retailers, and consumers. The primary focus of this study is, however, from the perspective of retailers and how this group of stakeholders may have benefitted from the charge. Retailers are using the collected revenues to promote their image in the marketplace and presenting themselves as corporate social responsible entities. For retailers, the charge provides an avenue for bolstering their carbon footprint as consumers are expected to reuse their plastic bags-i.e. the "bag for life" as they now have to pay for them. At the same time, the proceeds are helping some retailers to top up their coffers which to some extent implies that there is some misuse or abuse of the policy by retailers.