Egyptian Manufacturing Research Articles

The relationship between sustainability and resilience in supply chains: an empirical study on the Egyptian manufacturing firms.

The relationship between sustainability and resilience in supply chains: an empirical study on the Egyptian manufacturing firms.

Institutional Pressures and Environmental Management Accounting Adoption: Do Environmental Strategy Matter?

This paper examines the impact of institutional pressures (IPs) on Environmental Management Accounting adoption (EMA). The current research also aims to examine the moderating effect of environmental strategy (ES) on the relationship between IP and EMA. Data were collected from managers working in all registered Egyptian manufacturing companies (N = 491). The collected data were analyzed using smart partial least squares (Smart-PLS) software. The results revealed that there is a positive significant relationship between IP’s three components, namely, coercive, normative, and mimicry pressures, and EMA. The results also revealed that ES was found to moderate the relationship between IP and EMA. The study model was able to explain 68.9% of the variance in EMA adoption. The findings of this study serve as a pivotal yardstick for guiding corporate policy formulation, offering valuable insights to drive continuous improvements in EMA, environmental performance, and sustainable development. The present investigation extends the discourse on the role of IP and ES by revealing a substantial influence on EMA adoption. Positioned as one of the initial studies to delve into the moderating role of ES in the relationship between IP and EMA adoption, this research offers insights within an emerging market context.

The impact of management practices on export margins of firms: evidence from a recent Egyptian industrial survey

PurposeThe paper aims at studying the effect of management practices on the extensive and intensive export margins of Egyptian manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approachThe study relies on the 2020/2021 Egyptian Industrial Firm Behavior Survey (EIFBS) which comprises 2,383 manufacturing firms representing small, medium, and large sized firms located in different regions of Egypt: Urban Governorates, Lower Egypt, and Upper Egypt. It constructs an overall management z score for each firm to estimate its effect on a firm’s probability of exporting and value of exports using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions.FindingsResults indicate that good management is associated with a higher probability of firm exporting as well as higher export revenues conditional on exporting, robust to controlling for the level of domestic sales. These effects do not differ by firm ownership or type of sector, but rather by firm size, with managerial competence raising the probability of exporting more for large-sized firms. Additionally, good management is associated with higher firm productivity, innovation and worker training propensities which gives evidence that it is both an efficiency and a quality enhancer. Moreover, monitoring and targeting practices have significant positive effects on both margins, while incentives are only significant for the extensive margin.Practical implicationsFirms that aim at enhancing their export prospects and revenues should devote resources to review and upgrade their management systems to boost their product quality and production efficiency. Policy-wise, the government should create a competitive market environment that is open to both domestic and foreign firms’ entry to stimulate the adoption of better management practices.Originality/valueThe paper is the first to explore the link between firm management practices and export outcomes for a MENA country (Egypt). It makes use of a recent survey, the 2020/2021 Egyptian Industrial Firm Behavior Survey (EIFBS). The findings shed light on the importance of different management components (monitoring, targeting and incentives) in driving a manufacturing firm’s export performance.

Navigating success: Predicting corporate performance through organizational culture dynamics and governance

In the present era, every organization is anxious to enhance their productivity and performance. The success and sustainability of a business are possible through corporate performance, which helps fulfill organizational goals. The present study examines the effect of organizational culture (mission, involvement, consistency, and adaptability) on corporate performance in Egyptian manufacturing firms. The study is quantitative, and the firework is based on well-known studies like Kwarteng and Aveh (2018), Abukari et al. (2023), and Junca Silva and Pinto (2024). The study employed quantitative methods, where data were collected from employees of Egyptian manufacturing firms due to their consideration as valuable sources of organizational success. Finally, the study utilized 332 valid samples to infer the results. Through analysis of moment structures (AMOS), the path analysis suggests a positive effect of mission, involvement, and adaptability on corporate performance. On the other hand, consistency is a negative predictor of corporate performance in Egyptian manufacturing firms. The study findings would benefit policymakers and planners in enhancing the organizational culture to improve corporate performance, specifically among manufacturing and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) firms in the developing context.

Some technical and economic indicators for operating an irrigation pump using natural gas

This paper presents the experimental study of the types of mixers used in mixing natural gas with air to operate the irrigation pump to save energy; many measurements were carried out in the 2021 year in workshops of the Agricultural Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Egypt. Used engine single-cylinder, air-cooled. A new pump with a discharge diameter of 2 inches, which was an Egyptian manufacturer. Before entering the engine, several mixers were manufactured to mix natural gas with air. Three types of mixers were used using iron pipes of different diameters: Mixer with a perforated inner tube of 8, 10. Using the engine speed measuring device, 12cm (L8, L10, L12) was selected to determine the four shaft speeds (1750, 2300, 2900 and 3500 rpm). The results here dealt with the study of the analysis of technical indicators for the types of mixers used in mixing natural gas with air to operate the irrigation pump where the actual power (Braking power) is superior to all types when operating with gasoline (3.07 kW). A comparison with natural gas, where the mixer type (L10) (2.69 kW) was 10% less than gasoline. The lowest Specific fuel consumption (s. fc) for gasoline was (219.025 gm/Kw.h) at an engine speed of (2900 rpm). The lowest (S.fc) for the types of mixers was the mixer (L10) (340.144 gm/Kw.h) at an engine speed of (2900 rpm). The highest pump discharge was with the L8 mixer (32.98 m3/h), an increase of 1.8% over gasoline at an engine speed of (3500 rpm). The highest actual hydraulic power with the L10 type mixer compared to other type L mixers (0.782 kW) was 12 % lower than gasoline. As for the economic indicators, the lowest Internal Rate of Return (IRR) was gasoline ( 0.44), and the highest (IRR) when carrying the mixer type (L8) was (0.60), an increase of 26.6 % over gasoline. The lowest payback period was for the type of mixer (L8) (1.66 years), and the highest payback period was When the Gasoline was (2.27 years). Keywords: Irrigation pump, natural gas, gasoline, mixer, Engine speed, power, economic.

Investigating the Readiness Factors for Industry 4.0 Implementation for Manufacturing Industry in Egypt

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is receiving more attention from academics, business leaders, and manufacturers. However, few readiness assessments are currently available that address the difficulties and needs associated with implementing I4.0 to help companies understand how to get ready for an organizational transformation towards I4.0, particularly in developing economies such as Egypt. Accordingly, the current study aims to identify the readiness factors for I4.0 implementation in the industrial sector in the Egyptian context. Quantitative research methodologies were used in this study. The exploratory and deductive approach was used in this study because its goal is to analyse the readiness factors for implementation of I4.0 for Egypt’s industrial sector. Descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA test were used to ascertain the significant difference between the respondents’ profile factors and the readiness factors for the implementation of I4.0 in the various industrial sectors. A questionnaire was specifically delivered to Egyptian manufacturing companies. The structural self-interaction matrix (SSIM) approach was conducted to assess and rank the readiness factors of I4.0 implementation as well as examine their hierarchical effects. Then, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) analysis was performed to rank the importance of readiness factors in a different sector. The readiness factors were further analysed using the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach for analysis, which was applied by developing a causal relationship between the factors under study through employees’ opinions. This was performed after filtering the most significant readiness factors for industry implementation. This study identified fifteen I4.0 readiness elements that could hasten the technology’s implementation in Egypt’s manufacturing industry and the degree of influence of each element on I4.0 implementation in Egypt within a different culture, sector, and economy from that previously evaluated. The three most critical readiness criteria for implementing I4.0 in the Egyptian manufacturing sector were identified as level of knowledge, management support, and financial support. Results gleaned from the research will help the manufacturing industry be well-prepared for implementation of I4.0. The results of the ISM approach indicated that the factors of financial support, level of knowledge, and management support and leadership are always considered as influencing factors on all other factors. On the other hand, the factors of agility in manufacturing, compatibility with existing technology, and smart factory are always dependent on other factors, such as collaboration and transparency, strategy and organization, and supply chain management and collaboration, in addition to lean, sustainability, and government supportive policies as well as competitiveness, customer-focused innovativeness, financial support, level of knowledge, management support and leadership, and leadership and dealing with insecurity.

Testing the Just-In-Time Inventory Model Effect on Organizational Effectiveness for Egyptian Manufacturing Industries

Testing the Just-In-Time Inventory Model Effect on Organizational Effectiveness for Egyptian Manufacturing Industries

Covid-19′s fear-uncertainty effect on renewable energy supply chain management and ecological sustainability performance; the moderate effect of big-data analytics

This research's scientific and theoretical significance is derived from the novel relationships studied. Our research studies the links between fear-uncertainty towards COVID-19 and the manufacturing firms' adaptation to the renewable-energy SCM procedures. In addition, we addressed the impact of renewable-energy SCM activities in achieving three-dimensional ecological sustainability performance in the Egyptian manufacturing sector during the pandemic. We investigated the BDA capabilities function during COVID-19 to improve the renewable-energy SCM practices in Egypt's manufacturing sector. This research used (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 506 manager-level employees. The results show that the fear-uncertainty towards COVID-19 positively affects renewable-energy SCM (T-statistics is 3.357), BDA moderates this relationship (T-statistics is 2.72), and renewable-energy SCM positively impacts environmental and social performance (T-statistics is 10.625, 21.081,). However, it has insignificant effect on economic performance (T-statistics is 0.732). Also, renewable-energy SCM has a significant mediation effect for the firm's environmental and social performance (T-statistics values equal to 3.063, 3.188). However, it has an insignificant mediation relationship regarding economic performance (T-statistics value is 0.688). Our research is limited as it focused on the manufacturing sector without considering other sectors. Also, based its sample on Egyptian developing market. Researchers could study renewable-energy SCM practices in more developed countries.

Linking environmental scanning and organizational innovation with competitive advantage: evidence from Egyptian SMEs

PurposeCOVID-19 and its economic consequences have provoked critical views on worldwide sustainable management, especially in the Arab world. Post-COVID-19, sustainability becomes important because the pandemic taught humanity to set aside differences and work together to support the global sustainability agenda. On the organizational level, sustaining an organization's competitive advantage is a key to surviving a crisis. Therefore, this study explores the impact of environmental scanning on sustaining Egyptian manufacturing SMEs' competitive advantage through organizational innovation.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a cross-sectional design to collect data. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 249 Egyptian SMEs. The smart partial least square structural equation modeling technique (PLS-SEM) was employed to test hypotheses.FindingsOrganizational innovation has an effect on competitive advantage. There is no direct effect of environmental scanning on competitive advantage. However, organizational innovation fully mediates the relationship between environmental scanning and competitive advantage.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size was small, covering only Egyptian manufacturing SMEs. The results may differ in the service sector and in other countries. The study was cross-sectional and could not trace long-term effects of environmental scanning and organizational innovation on competitive advantage.Practical implicationsIn the face of crises, Egyptian SMEs' managers should regularly scan their environments to build organizational innovation and in turn sustain their competitive position.Originality/valueThis study is amongst the first to investigate the role played by environmental scanning in sustaining Egyptian SMEs competitive advantage through the mediation of organizational innovation amidst the COVID-19 epidemic.

Damage caused by black inks to the chemical properties of archaeological papyrus – analytical study

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine the nature of archaeological papyrus damage and monitoring the mechanics of damage caused by black inks to the chemical properties of ancient papyrus.Design/methodology/approachThis study the papyrus surface with a digital microscopy “USB,” examination and analyzing by “Scanning Electron Microscope,” characterization of black ink used in writing the ancient papyrus using “Scanning Electron Microscopy” with (EDX). Detection of changes in the chemical bonds of ancient papyrus samples by “Fourier transform infrared” FTIR.FindingsThe result confirmed that SEM examination showed the organization of the parenchyma cells that make up papyrus tissue. Characteristic waveform appears, it indicates the ancient Egyptian manufacturer’s use of the (Strips Method) in the process of manufacturing the archaeological papyrus. Also, the appearance of (Over Lapping) stacking of papyrus slides. EDX analysis showed that the black ink used to write the papyrus was (Carbon Ink). High oxygen content in the papyrus sample analysis indicates deterioration of the cellulose fibers. FTIR spectrum showed that Arabic gum is the bonding material for carbon ink particles, it also showed that archaeological papyrus suffers from hydrolysis due to exposure of papyrus fibers to high moisture content or direct water, resulting in smudge, bleeding and fading of carbon ink on the archaeological papyrus support.Originality/valueThe study is archaeological papyrus with black ink scripts from the excavation of the Qasr I brim.

Assessment of quality performance in the Egyptian manufacturing industry

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the quality performance of the Egyptian manufacturing industry based on Flynn's quality management practices framework.Design/methodology/approachA literature-based questionnaire was developed to collect the research data. The sample studied included 193 professionals from different manufacturing firms in Egypt. The research model utilized seven first-order constructs to measure infrastructure and core quality practices and the model was analyzed by structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results of the study showed that infrastructure practices had a positive effect on core quality practices, which in turn, significantly influenced quality performance. The findings confirmed that Egyptian manufacturing firms have a good foundation of quality management practices enabling them to improve quality performance.Practical implicationsThis study provides a foundation for Egyptian manufacturing firms to develop a practical plan for implementing total quality management (TQM). In addition, the results of this study will help managers and policy makers develop a thorough understanding of the current status of TQM initiatives, enablers and barriers in Egypt.Originality/valueThe study represents one of the few attempts to examine quality practices and quality performance in the manufacturing sector in Egypt. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study to examine these parameters in this context in Egypt.

Financial Risk and Cost Stickiness: Evidence From Egypt

This study seeks to investigate whether the cost of goods sold (COGS) behaves asymmetric to change in sales, and examines the effect of financial risk on asymmetric cost behavior of COGS in the Egyptian manufacturing firms. The financial data of this study were collected from the published annual reports for a sample of 65 Egyptian listed manufacturing firms during the period (2006-2015) with total observations 530 firm-year. The analysis of this paper is based on Anderson et al.’s (2003) cost stickiness model. The findings indicate that the COGS is sticky to change in sales, it rises more when sales increase than when it falls for equivalent sales decrease and the degree of cost stickiness increases with a firm’s financial risk. This study is the first attempt to examine the direct effect of financial risk on the COGS behavior using Altman Z-score model as a proxy for financial risk, which may affect the accuracy of the results. By focusing on this proxy, the study identifies a significant relationship, which was not adequately addressed in previous studies. Therefore, this study extends the cost behavior literature by examining the impact of financial risk on managers' decisions to amend the resources.

Cultural intelligence and the internationalisation of SMEs: a study of the manufacturing sector in Egypt

This study examines the effect of cultural intelligence, the internationalisation motivators and the entrepreneur's and the firm's characteristics on the SMEs internationalisation based on the resource-based, the market and the network views of internationalisation, combined with the social cognitive theory of motivation. It uses the survey method and analyses the information received from a stratified sample of Egyptian manufacturing SME managers. The data is analysed through hierarchal regression, binary logistic regression and dominance analysis. The findings suggest that the cultural intelligence of the SME managers affects the internationalisation of Egyptian SMEs in the internationalisation intention phase more than in the actual internationalisation stage. The internationalisation internal and external motivators, on the other hand, have a more important effect in the actual internationalisation phase. The empirical results contribute theoretically to the development of a unifying framework for SME internationalisation and have practical implications for the ecosystem of SMEs.

The Impact of Foreign Technology and Embodied R&D on Productivity in Internationally Oriented and High-Technology Industries in Egypt, 2006\u20132009

This paper investigates the domestic productivity and spillover effects of foreign technology and embodied R&D on Egyptian manufacturing industries, 2006 to 2009. It also analyses the heterogeneous sectoral effects of technology transfer by focusing specifically on the productivity effects on highly internationalized and technology-intensive industries. These are expected to have greater absorptive capacity with respect to foreign technology and therefore larger productivity effects because of their greater exposure to foreign competition and greater technological capacity respectively. This study is the first to analyse the efficiency effects of foreign technology by classifying industries in this manner. It finds that foreign technology and embodied R&D have positive and significant industry-specific effects on domestic productivity and TFP in technology-intensive industries but that these are weaker in internationally oriented industries. The study suggests that only technological-intensive industries in Egypt have sufficient absorptive capacity to assimilate foreign technology effectively. The paper’s findings highlight the key role of foreign technology in domestic productivity growth, subject to the absorptive capacity of the domestic labour force, and the need for improved policies to promote the domestic benefits of technology transfer through the accumulation of local technological competences.

Female labor in Egyptian manufacturing sector: The demand side story

This study investigated demand for female labor in Egyptian manufacturing sector. It utilized information provided in the C13 together with data from the ELMPS2012 to estimate wage rate by gender in the C13 and then estimated a labor demand function for females. Determinants included in the analysis covered firm characteristics as well as industry specific characteristics. Results indicated a positive association between female employment on one side and micro and small sized firms and firms that export on the other side. While it suggested a negative association between capital employed by the firm and female labor indicating substitutability. Moreover, results confirmed the important role played by industries in determining female labor demand. Were number of females employed by firms is higher in industries with higher share of firms that export, and in high technology industries. Accordingly, promoting female employment require more openness and integration into global markets and hence more exports specially in labor-intensive. In addition, more attention should be given to policies that encourage and promote micro-startups. Finally, more attention should be given to encouraging high technology industries like Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, where the highest association with female employment was evidence.

Survival of New Institutional Sociology Theory

This study explores the extent to which institutional pressures influence the adoption of environmental management accounting (EMA) within the Egyptian manufacturing companies through an institutional perspective that relies on the new institutional sociology theory. The study has conducted interviews with staff members in 18 Egyptian manufacturing companies (organizational level), and with other different actors (organizational-field level), influencing the adoption of EMA in Egyptian companies. The study finds that there is some influence of institutional pressures on EMA's adoption in Egyptian manufacturing companies. The study finds that coercive pressure has more influence on companies to adopt EMA than normative and mimetic pressures. The poor influence of Egyptian accounting professional associations and environmental institutions has weakened the impact of normative pressures. More investigation is needed regarding the political and socio-economic factors surrounding the adoption of EMA in Egyptian context through the multi-levels institutional perspective.

Estimating Labor Demand Elasticities and Elasticities of Substitution in Egyptian Manufacturing Sector: A Firm-Level Static Analysis

This paper analyzes central issues of labor demand: How do wages affect employers demand for labor? And does this differ according to skill levels? Specifically, this study measures the own-wage elasticities of the demand for labor, in addition to the elasticities of substitution between different labor inputs disaggregated according to skill in Egypt. Estimates of such phenomena at the firm level are rare for developing countries in general and for Egypt in particular, and this paper happens to be the first in the Egyptian case. The evidence indicates that unskilled workers are substitutes for all other labor types, while all other three types—the semiskilled production workers, skilled workers and professionals—are complements to each other. Results also indicate that skilled workers wage elasticities are higher than those for all other types of labor. We can also conclude that labor demand in Egypt is inelastic, no matter the skill level.

Perspectives of an Enterprise Integration Plug-in System Architecture for Networked Manufacturing Systems

This paper is a part of a research project funded by the Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF), to create a product serving the digital transformation of Egyptian manufacturing companies. It allows a manufacturing company to be a member of a distributed manufacturing network. The resulting system can be plugged into any ERP system. In this work, the limitation of a centralized integration entity to satisfy loosely coupling of distributed systems is overcome. The SOA framework and the remote method invocation (RMI) are applied using SOAP-XML technology. Enterprise integration patterns (EIP) were used in the architecture design.

Trade Openness and Domestic Market Share

This paper analyzes how Egyptian manufacturing plants respond to changes in trade tariffs using firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey. Using Levinsohn and Petrin (Rev Econ Stud 70(2):317–341, 2003) methodology to calculate the total factor productivity for the Egyptian firms in the sample, the results stand in line with the heterogeneous-firm models of international trade predicting that fall in trade costs leads to a decrease in the market shares of domestic firms. The decrease of market share of the Egyptian manufacturing firms after trade reforms in 2004 reflects that the market became less concentrated after trade openness.

Imported inputs and exporting in the Africa’s manufacturing sector

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to estimate both direct and indirect channels through which imported inputs spur exporting in the African manufacturing sector.Design/methodology/approachThe authors estimated models for all exporters, direct exporters and indirect exporters using a probit model. The authors circumvented the endogeneity of imported inputs and productivity in the export status models by using their lagged values. The authors employed the World Bank Enterprise Survey data for a set of 26 African countries.FindingsFrom the direct channel, the authors find that importers of inputs in the previous period increase the probability of exporting in the current period pointing to the possibility of sunk cost complementarities. Indirectly, high lagged firm productivity spurs exporting in the current period. Being a direct importer of inputs in the previous period increases the probability of exporting directly but has no effect on indirect exporters. Both channels are complimentary because their interaction term is positive and significant.Practical implicationsThe importation of inputs seems a precondition for exporting and that any policy obscuring imports may indirectly inhibit exportation. Government policy should make importation inputs easier in order to stimulate exporting activities.Originality/valueThe paper’s contribution to empirical literature is that much of the empirical studies have overly concentrated on developed countries and hence leaving a huge knowledge gap for African countries. The only papers focusing on Africa are by Parra and Martínez-Zarzoso (2015), who focused on the Egyptian manufacturing sector, and Edwards et al. (2017), who used firm-level data from South Africa. The authors extend this literature by undertaking firm-level analysis in a cross-country setting among manufacturing firms in Africa.