Relationship between Information Quality and Decision Effectiveness: A Study in the Banking Sector in Jordan

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between information quality and decision making. Specifically, the study aimed to determine the attributes of information quality needed for different types of decision, decision phases and the overall decision effectiveness in the banking sector. To achieve this objective, several hypotheses were developed based on related theories and previous literature. In order to test these hypotheses, data was collected from bank managers who were the target population of this study. Quantitative approach using the mail questionnaire survey was conducted. A total of 249 usable questionnaires were received and subjected to factor analysis, test of differences, correlations and multiple regression to solicit answers for the research questions. The overall findings for this study revealed there were significance differences in information quality attributes needed for decision making process between different types of decision, decision phases and types of bank. Furthermore, as predicted, the findings resulted from correlations and multiple regression revealed that information quality was positively associated with decision effectiveness. While the strength of this association differs based on different information quality attributes, types of decision, decision phases and types of bank. This study had contributed in more than one aspect. Theoretically, the study contributes to the body knowledge by providing empirical evidence to support theories and previous literature related to information quality and decision making. Also, this study filled the gap in the literature by providing a theoretical framework assessing the attributes of information quality needed for different decision situations. Methodologically, the study contributes by providing a measurement scale for information quality attributes based on previous literature and used in this study. Furthermore, factor analysis had identified new attributes with regards to information quality attributes which were subsequently adopted for different decision types namely tactical and strategic decision for the three different phases of decision makings namely intelligence, design and choice phase. As for Management implications, the findings for this study imply that more concerns should be taken by managers concerning information quality attributes due to its important roles in decision effectiveness. The differences between decision situations require the managers to choose the suitable information quality attributes based on the decision types, decision phases and types of bank whereby the decisions were undertaken

Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Applications of Water-Soluble ZnO Quantum Dots

International audienceQuantum dots (QDs) or semiconductor nanocrystals are of great interest to fundamental studies but have also potential applications as biological probes (Medintz et al., 2005), fluorescent biosensor (Costa-Fernandez et al., 2006), light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (Lim et al. 2007), and solar cells (Robel et al., 2006). Owing to the effect of quantum confinement, QDs show exceptional physical and chemical properties such as sharp and symmetrical emission spectra, high quantum yield (QY), good photo- and chemical stability, and size-dependent emission-wavelength tunability (Bruchez et al., 1998; Chan et al., 1998). For biological labelling, the most studied QDs are the nanocrystals of CdSe and CdTe (Aldeek et al., 2008) and the corresponding core/shell structured QDs (such as CdSe/ZnS, CdTe/ZnS or CdTe/ZnTe) that are more robust against chemical degradation or photooxidation than the parent cores (Law et al., 2009). Recent findings have highlighted the acute toxicity of II-VI semiconductor QDs without an external layer of a nontoxic material on biological systems (Schneider et al., 2009; Dumas et al. 2010). This toxicity results mainly from the decomposition and release of heavy metal ions and formation of reactive oxygen species. The toxicity of cadmium is a concern that will also limit the use of these visible or near IR emitting nanocrystals, especially for applications directly related to human health. Synthesis of low toxicity QDs and especially Cd-free QDs is the most challenging aspect of working with these materials in biological and medical fields. A promising member of the Cd-free QD is ZnO. However, ZnO nanoparticles are not stable in water. This instability is related to their surface luminescent mechanisms. Water molecules are able to attack the luminescent centers on the ZnO surface and destroy them rapidly. This chapter describes the strategies that have been developed over the last years to transfer ZnO QDs in water

Stable DHLA–PEG capped PbS quantum dots: from synthesis to near-infrared biomedical imaging

The short shelf-life of water-soluble quantum dots (QDs) due to colloidal instability represents a major drawback to their exploitation. This work examines the colloidal stability of PbS nanoparticles capped with dihydrolipoic acid–polyethylene glycol (DHLA–PEG) ligands terminated with functional groups such as –NH 2 , –COOH, OMe and –N3 and their application for in vivo imaging. We prove a mechanism of colloidal instability and develop a strategy to produce for the first time stable PEG-capped PbS quantum dots with high quantum yield and optical emission in the first and the second near-infrared (NIR) windows of low absorption of biological tissues. The NIR imaging of in vivo biodistribution is demonstrated at wavelengths 4 1000 nm, with benefits of reduced tissue absorption and light scattering. The stability, biocompatibility and potential for further QD functionalization open up realistic prospects for non-invasive bioimaging applications

دراسة مقارنة لتطوير السياسات التعليمية لنظام التعليم العام في فلسطين في ضوء خبرة فنلندا

تهدف الدراسة إلى تطوير السياسات التعليمية لنظام التعليم العام في فلسطين في ضوء خبرة فنلندا. وقد تم اعتماد المنهج  المقارن كمسار منهجي شامل يتضمن مداخل متعددة للمعالجة التربوية المقارنة، وأشارت نتائج الدراسة إلى  عدم وضوح رؤية وفلسفة التعليم الفلسطينية، واعتماد مصادر تمويل التعليم على الجهات المانحة، وتدني الميزانية المخصصة للتعليم من إجمالي الدخل القومي الفلسطيني، وتردي أوضاع المعلمين وأجورهم، وكثافة الطلبة في الصفوف الدراسية مما يقلل من فرص تقديم الدعم الفردي لهم ومن اكتشاف مواهبهم ورعايتهم، وضعف شراكة المجتمع في صنع القرارات وتصميم المناهج، وضعف جودة برامج التدريب وتعدد الجهات المسؤولة عنها، وعدم الإفادة من نتائج تقارير المتابعة والتقييم ، وغياب دور السلطات المحلية والبلديات في تمويل التعليم وإدارة شؤونه على مستوى المحافظات، وفي ضوء ذلك طورت الباحثة عددا من السياسات التربوية بالإفادة من الخبرة الفنلندية، وتوصي الدراسة بتبني تلك السياسات والعمل بها كإطار مرجعي موحد

Challenging the nullity of international commercial arbitration provisions according to United Arab Emirates arbitration law no. 6 of 2018

This study covers the annulment issues of appeals according to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) arbitration law, with particular focus on procedural and substantive grounds in the context of commercial arbitration. The objective of this study is to examine the conditions and legal procedures to revoke an arbitration award, analyse the impact of international conventions and offer comparative analysis of international frameworks. This study utilises a comprehensive review of relevant literature, case law, statutory provisions, and international conventions. The significance of the study is to ensure a thorough understanding of existing legal framework and implications for annulment procedures. The findings highlight ambiguities and potential areas for improvement in the UAE arbitration law, offering recommendations to closely align to international standards. Therefore, it is to promote legal certainty, increase the UAE's attractiveness as a venue for arbitration and foster foreign investment. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of fine-tuning the cancellation process to ensure it is workable in line with global best practice. These improvements are essential to strengthen the integrity and arbitration applicability as the preferred method of dispute resolution in the international commercial arena. The recommendations provided aim to address existing legal ambiguities and improve the overall effectiveness of the arbitration framework, thereby contributing to a more reliable and investor-friendly legal environment in the UAE

The Effective of the Chinese Position Towards the Achievement of Palestinian Political Goals

The political process between the Palestinians and the Israelis did not lead to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state in accordance with the settlement option that led to the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, or as stipulated in international legitimacy. Accordingly, there has been a great debate within the Palestinian arena about the effectiveness and importance of the negotiating option in achieving Palestinian political goals in the future. China supports a negotiated political solution, provided the firm and consistent implementation of international law and international resolutions towards resolving the Palestinian issue, and that Israel and the United States, as a sponsor of the political settlement, abide by that, and refrain from ignoring the political rights of the Palestinians, and work hard to support the implementation of international law towards Palestine, and respect the principle of state sovereignty and rights, away from unilateral measures and politics which threats international peace and security. The Palestinians also bear part of the responsibility, as they must unify their national vision to achieve their political goals. The changing Palestinian political position is evolving, and the internal division is the master of the situation. For this reason, the option of negotiation has become a strategic choice for many Palestinian factions within the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the most important of which is Fatah, and rejected by others. The study aimed to assess the effective of the Chinese position towards supporting the realization of Palestinian political rights, in the stage of revolutionary action and the stage of political action, especially in light of the growing number of challenges afflicting the Palestinian cause at the local, regional and international levels, according to the constant and variable in the Chinese and Palestinian position, and the position of some parties, the sponsor of the negotiating option towards resolving the Palestinian issue, and the most important of these variables: the American administration obstructs the implementation of international legitimacy decisions, ignores the political rights of the Palestinians, and seeks to strengthen the influence of Israel and its allies, as well as clarity of the political position in Israel not to accept the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, and to encourage unilateral action to impose security, political and economic control. And the absence of a specific, unified and agreed-upon Palestinian national vision to get out of the current crisis. The study concluded that the effective of China\u27s position towards supporting the solution of the Palestinian issue is consistent and continuous, and will help the success of the political process and the achievement of Palestinian political goals, provided that international law and relevant decisions are applied to the Palestinian issue, because the stability in the Chinese position regarding the Palestinian issue, before and after the political track, has not changed, while there are parties that are part of the political process has changed its position. Accordingly, the impact of the effective of the Chinese position is evident in China\u27s call to promote the principle of international pluralism and respect for the sovereignty and rights of states in accordance with international law, and this will contribute to supporting and achieving the political goals of the Palestinian people. The study will depend on the historical method and the content analysis method

Effect of growth temperature on the structural, optical and luminescence properties of cadmium telluride nanoparticles

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) has been successfully prepared by a simple wet chemical process at different reaction temperatures. Temperature is one parameter that thermodynamically plays an important role in controlling the growth rate, morphology, size and size distribution of the as-prepared nanoparticles (NPs). Effect of this parameter was investigated on the growth, structural and optical properties of CdTe NPs. It was observed that the Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern for samples prepared at 50 °C had many impurities from unreacted precursors while those prepared at > 100 °C displayed polycrystalline NPs. The XRD results revealed that the structure of the CdTe NPs was cubic with the planes (111), (220), (311) being the main observed peaks. The crystallite sizes obtained from Scherrer formula increased with the increase in growth temperature (2.86–3.62 nm grown at 50–200 °C respectively). The scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that the morphology of the nanoparticles possessed spherical-shaped particles over the entire surface. This was further confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy micrographs which also displayed increase in the particle size with an increase in the growth temperature. In the optic study, the photoluminescence (PL) spectra displayed a red shift (540–560 nm) in emission as growth temperature increased from 50 to 200 °C. The highest PL peak intensity was realized at a growth temperature of 150 °C. Absorption band maxima were observed to shift towards longer wavelength for higher growth temperatures. The optical band gap decreased with increase in the growth temperature from 2.67 to 2.08 eV for 50–200 °C respectively

Requalifying the Irbid Refugee Camp: Towards Integrated Urban Development in Jordan

The issue of refugee camps in Jordan stems from a complex combination of political and socioeconomic factors, resulting in lasting consequences. The main challenge lies in the growth and integration of spontaneous urban settlements within the larger urban framework, which has remained persistent over time. This hinders the proper integration and adaptation of the camps to their surrounding metropolitan contexts. The absence of comprehensive methods to include these refugee camps in broader urban development plans exacerbates the situation, perpetuating the existing untenable conditions. To address this issue, the study gathered data from various sources to highlight the current situation and identify the problems that need to be resolved before considering future solutions. The collected data describe the social and economic structure of the Irbid Refugee Camp, with a specific focus on the camp's construction. The research employed a mixed approach to data collection, including questionnaires administered to camp residents, interviews conducted with both inhabitants and policymakers to gain a comprehensive understanding of their needs and perspectives, and observational methods to study interactions between inhabitants and the surrounding environment. Data analysis reveals that refugee camps are disproportionately located on the outskirts of cities, underscoring the importance of integrating the camps into the city's spatial, social, and political structures. To address this, new spatial configurations are required to accommodate changing needs, services, and infrastructure, including the establishment of warehouses. Key findings from the analysis emphasize the promotion of integration between the Irbid Refugee Camp and the municipal fabric, the necessity of investing in infrastructure that connects the camp to the city center, and the equitable allocation of resources and services between refugee groups and host populations, thus reducing socioeconomic disparities. The research highlights the need for a masterplan that can address the demands and aspirations of the local community while ensuring long-term planning for the city of Irbid