Islamic Home Finance in the UK: A Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The template has missing logo.

Reduce the number of backets inside the abstract

In abstract, state academic, practical and policy contributions of the paper.

The abstract needs rewriting to enhance readability.

p.2 Lloyds and HSBC from the Islamic home finance market in 2010 and 2012 respectively has raised questions about the prospects for Islamic home finance in the UK. Missing citation.

p.2, other studies [12, 13, 14, 15,16,17), please expand and tell what do the authors mentioned in these studies.

The last paragraph in section 1 has missing citation.

It should introduce the later few sections at the end of the introduction.

H1: Accessibility casts a significant positive impact on the prospects for Islamic home finance. H2: Affordability has a positive significant effect on the prospects for Islamic home finance. H1 and H2 seem to be a known fact? We need some better ones to let readers agree that these are worth to study.

p.5 authenticity of Islamic home finance products, what is authenticity do you refer to here? It needs some explanations.

Paragraph 1 in 2.6 has missing citation.

H6: …model constructs. What model constructs do you refer to here?

FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) should be Financial Conduct Authority FCA)

Citation for [47] is a bit old. Please cite recently published paper that used PLS-SEM: www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/1/25 in 2023

Citation is needed for indicating which research previously also used survey as the main approach.

Citation is needed “Cronbach’s alpha values between 0.7 – 0.9, composite reliability values between 0.70 – 0.9 (definitely not above 0.95), and rho (ρA) values of 0.7 or higher. Only the extendibility construct’s composite reliability found to be slightly above the ideal threshold (0.90) but at the same time below the problematic threshold of 0.95, thus representing overall good internal consistency reliability.” As all values are above 0.7, probably cite one paper to say that above 0.7 is acceptable. Refer to the article: Factors Influencing Large Real Estate Companies’ Competitiveness: A Sustainable Development Perspective

Section 6, first paragraph, (47, 55, 56]. Bracket is incorrect.

Figure 6, what kind of importance?

p.19, studies [7, 8, 10, 13, 25, 28] please expand what they are.

The results part need substantial rewriting. Readers cannot find out some special findings that this paper may be able to contribute to existing scholarship. It seems we all know that better accessibility of course lead to Islamic finance but then why this can be worth to study in this article?

Mean, mode median etc of the data descriptions for the survey and background of the survey respondents like age, sex etc should be tabled.

Originality should be stated clearly in the paper.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for taking the time to review our paper and provide valuable feedback. We have carefully considered all the comments and suggestions provided and have made the necessary revisions to improve the overall quality of the article. Please see the attached revision note explaining, in detail, the changes we have made to the manuscript and our responses to your comments. We have highlighted all the additions and changes in red text for ease of reading.

We are confident that the revisions made will enhance the quality of the paper and make it more valuable to the research community. Once again, we appreciate your time and effort in providing feedback on our paper and look forward to your continued support.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The study was well structured, research hypotheses were developed using the literature, methodology and findings were clearly presented, discussed, and policy recommendations were presented. Consideration of the most neglected fully qualified FCA-approved mortgage advisors in the study has made a significant contribution to the literature. Because the majority of previous studies are narrowly confined to customer segment, community, or small geographic area, and overly reliant on non-industry experts.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for taking your precious time to review our paper. We sincerely appreciate your positive feedback and acceptance of our paper in its original form. Your positive feedback has encouraged us to continue working in this area.

Thank you again for your time and effort in reviewing our paper.

We look forward to the opportunity to work with you again in the future.

Reviewer 3 Report

Abstract is not fully reflect the whole study, as the authors report only three variables’ findings what about the other variables, moderating and mediating results?

Justification of mediation and moderating variables are not given in introduction section.

What does it mean by “categorical moderating” in H6? Explain this term. As it is quite possible the measurement scale of experience variable is categorical but it does not mean to write categorical moderating

H6 must have sub hypotheses, as all constructs in model have separate identity and in case moderating role is significant for one or two construct but not significant for other construct what would author do accept or reject the H6? There should be separate discussion for each moderating role and the moderating must be identifiable clearly in figure 1 also.

extendibility does not have direct effect on Islamic finance prospects then why there is arrow on figure 1 and PLS out put? There is no need of direct effect arrow in both figure and all PLS.

When you will remove that arrow and run the algorithm in PLS the whole findings will change and then interpretation justifications and conclusion part will also change accordingly.

Check the statement of H6 stated before Table 14. 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for taking the time to review our paper and provide valuable feedback. We have carefully considered all the comments and suggestions provided and have made the necessary revisions to improve the overall quality of the article. Please find attached a revision note explaining, in detail, the changes we have made to the manuscript and our responses to your comments. We have highlighted the relevant changes and additions (where applicable) in red text for ease of reading.

We are confident that the revisions made will enhance the quality of the paper and make it more valuable to the research community. Once again, we appreciate your time and effort in providing feedback on our paper and look forward to your continued support.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Title: Prospects for Islamic Home Finance in the UK: An Assessment with Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling could be rewritten as

Islamic Home Finance in the UK: A Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Abstract, no need to put the words in italics

Abstract, The framework was assessed using a sample of 144 mortgage consultants, how to select these 144 consultants?

Abstract, delete deriving their experience (high vs. low) as a categorical variable

By contrast, contrary to these two collocations mean the same thing, please copy edit the whole paper again.

We do not use abbreviation like IPMA in keyword unless that is known to everyone

Avoid abbreviations like ICD in the whole paper

the appeal of Islamic finance? What do you mean by that?

p.1 Globally, Islamic Finance, we normally do not put Globally at the beginning. Please revise.

p.2 Their survey-based research found can be rewritten as Their survey results found that…Similar changes are needed for another line “survey-based studies” in this page.

p.2 These limitations lead us to believe that, please copy edit it again.

p.2, A little differently? Please revise.

p.2, This also begs the question?

p.3 With this in mind, this study examines the impact of these events? What events? Please state.

p.3 literature sound to provide the answer to the hypothesis “Accessibility casts a significant positive impact on the prospects for Islamic home finance”, why do we need to have this hypothesis? The last paragraph reveals that the UK Islamic finance is not new as well. Please state the hypothesis that makes us know this research is of high originality but not repeat the story happened in the past. Similar issue for all other hypotheses.

The paragraphs before all hypotheses can be shortened, say maximum three paragraphs so that the content can be tightly related to hypotheses.

H6, what is categorical moderating effect?

3. Methodology should be Research method.

State the organization that approved this survey research, number and year etc.

What is Discriminant validity based heterotrait-monotrait (HTMT) ratio?

State the question of survey within text with support from literatures.

p.14, no need to bold mean values

First reference ICD-Refinitiv should use full name.

Too many references are websites. Please replace the websites by journal articles.

8 and 9 references should be replaced by journal articles

Author Response

Please see the attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf