Al-Zaytoonah University Journal of Business

Marketing Circular Economy Practices and Consumer Perception of Recycled Products from Nigerian Manufacturers: Extended Triple Bottom Line Approach

Adeyemi Abdulwasiu Adebayo — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The research focused on analyzing the impact of marketing circular economy practices and recycled products from Nigerian FMCG producers. Survey was the research design for the study as questionnaire was used in gathering data from the respondents and a total of one hundred and seventy-nine copies of questionnaires (179) were inputted for analysis. Data analysis was conducted using PLS-SEM for the study. Accordingly, the findings of the study showed that Eco-Branding Appeal positively affect Perceived Environmental Benefit, but not significantly with positive path coefficient (β = 0.073), with statistical insignificant effect (t = 1.032, p = 0.302), while Reverse Logistic Ease was positively significant on Perceived Environmental Benefit (β = 0.354, t = 4.799, p < 0.001) which indicates that customers have an easier time identifying the environmental benefits of recycled products when they have access to simple recycling and returning procedures. The study concluded that although green branding affects consumers’ perception of the convenience of reverse logistics, but in practical term, it does not convince them of actual environmental benefits as consumers are naturally skeptical of sustainability claims made through marketing, and perceive functional sustainability infrastructure as proof of organisational integrity. The research further recommended that among others that the company should combine eco-branding with transparency of operations, by explaining how return and recycling policies are turned into concrete environmental results, closing the gap between brand love and perceived benefit.

CONSUMERISM ACTIVITIES AND BRAND EQUITY: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF SELECTED FAST-MOVING CONSUMER GOODS (FMCG) MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN NIGERIA

Adeyemi Abdulwasiu Adebayo, Ezekiel Olalekan AJAYI — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examined the effect of Consumerism Activities and Brand Equity: An empirical Analysis in Nigerian fast-moving consumer goods sector with Unilever Nigerian Group of companies as a case study. Survey design was used for the study as data were collected using questionnaires administered on a sample of two hundred and fifty-nine questionnaires (259) received from respondents. The data analysis for the study was undertaken through PLS-SEM. Accordingly, the findings of the study revealed perceived Consumer Right Awareness positively influence the brand loyalty of the consumers of Unilever Group of companies with beta (β = 0.616), t-statistic (t = 17.813) and p value (p = 0.000), while regulatory compliance also has positive and significant relationship with product quality (β = 0.466), t statistics (t = 10.081) and p value (p = 0.000). The study concluded that empowering consumers and adhering to regulations serve as strategic catalysts that transform transparency and legal standards into competitive assets for loyalty and quality. By leveraging these benchmarks as internal controls, firms minimize operational errors while fostering secure, long-term consumer commitment. The study recommends that Unilever should prioritize consumer education and transparent rights policies fosters long-term brand retention and market growth by transforming informed customers into strategic assets. Similarly, integrating regulatory compliance into early production stages secures product reliability and elevates overall market performance through standardized quality excellence

AI-DRIVEN SUPPLY CHAIN OPTIMIZATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Dolapo Stephen Akinwumi, Abdulazeez Alhaji Salau — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The growing demand for sustainability in manufacturing and the inefficiencies of traditional methods in the supply chain highlight the importance of finding smarter solutions. Even with the growing availability of digital tools and AI technologies, organizations are yet to fully utilize them to aid sustainability efforts, causing inefficient use of resources, waste, and environmental damage. The chapter examined AI supply chains optimizing for sustainability: evidence from Nigeria manufacturing industry. The chapter utilized a survey research design with a population of 950 supply chain employees in Nigerian Breweries, Lagos State, with an estimated sample size of 281 using the Yamane (1967) formula. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data in SPSS version 27. The findings showed that AI-driven demand forecasting (coefficient = 4.287) and AI-based inventory optimization (coefficient = 3.549) have a positive significant on sustainability, with 56.7% of the variance in sustainability outcomes. The chapter concluded that AI-driven supply chain optimization plays a significant role in minimizing waste, optimizing resources, and meeting market demand. The study recommended that Nigerian Breweries should utilize AI-powered demand forecasting tools for production planning and should implement AI-based inventory optimization systems to ensure that inventory levels are optimized and reducing excess stock.

Artificial Intelligence and Its Rapid Development: Advantages and Disadvantages

Firas Rifai — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from a specialist research field into one of the most consequential technologies of the century. This paper asks two questions. How fast has AI actually developed, and by what measure? And what has that speed produced, for whom? Drawing on the Stanford AI Index, McKinsey's global survey of firms, International Energy Agency data, Pew Research Center polling, and peer-reviewed work on algorithmic bias, it finds steep growth in investment, adoption, and model capability, alongside real gains in cancer diagnosis, scientific research, and firm productivity. The same evidence base documents the costs: displacement concentrated in particular occupations, discrimination built into systems already in use, electricity demand rising several times faster than the grid as a whole, a rapid expansion of AI-enabled fraud, and rules that are still being written. The central finding is that the gains and the harms do not land on the same people. Productivity and wage growth cluster in firms already equipped to exploit AI, while displacement, biased decisions, and synthetic-media fraud fall hardest on routine workers, on groups that historical data has always undercounted, and on those least able to verify what they are looking at. Whether the coming decade resembles a broadly shared productivity boom or a narrower one will depend less on the technology than on how fast institutions catch up to it.

Does Financial Technology Drive Economic Growth? Evidence From Jordan

Anas Yassin — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to explore and test the impact of financial technology (FinTech) on enhancing macroeconomic growth in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and to identify the mechanisms that stimulate economic activity, such as efficiency, financial inclusion, and cost reduction. It also sought to determine the intermediary role of the "Medfwatcom" platform as an integrated digital channel for translating FinTech innovations into tangible economic outcomes within the banking and financial sector. To achieve these objectives, the study employed a mixed descriptive-analytical approach (quantitative and qualitative). A questionnaire was administered to a quantitative sample of 403 respondents, including employees and experts in the general banking and financial environment. Additionally, structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 12 experts and high-level officials from the Central Bank, the Securities Commission, the Association of Banks, and startups. Structural and trajectory data were analyzed using AMOS software and multiple regression tests. The statistical results demonstrated a statistically significant overall positive impact of financial technology on economic growth, with a total effect size of 0.829 at a p-value of 0.000. The model successfully explained 65.9% of the variance in economic growth. The "Medfwatcom" platform played a crucial mediating role, explaining a statistically significant indirect effect of 0.341 (34.1%) in driving economic growth and boosting liquidity by reducing transaction time and effort and establishing an integrated financial connectivity system. Based on these findings, the study primarily recommends strengthening investment in comprehensive financial connectivity infrastructure and developing cybersecurity standards. This can be achieved by the central bank and policymakers formulating flexible regulatory frameworks that ensure the continued operational efficiency of digital payment platforms like "Medfwatcom," removing technical and bureaucratic obstacles to guarantee data protection, and expanding financial inclusion to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as a strategic pillar for national economic growth.