Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Country image and consumer preference for emerging economy products: the moderating role of consumer materialism

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the moderating role of materialism in the relationship between country image and product preference with particular reference to emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach – Young consumers from a UK university were surveyed on their intention to buy three categories of products from six countries. Findings – The findings show that the moderating role of materialism in the relationship between country image and product preference is contingent upon the type of product. Specifically, the results show that the effect of materialism as a negative moderator is very pronounced for high value products from emerging economies and less pronounced for low value products from emerging economies. Research limitations/implications – The findings highlight the role of materialism in purchasing behaviour and buyers' perceptions towards goods from emerging economies. Practical implications – The findings show that materialism among consumers could be a major stumbling block for multinationals from emerging economies to enter markets in developed countries. The results suggest that multinationals from emerging economies should under-emphasize the country of origin when marketing to young consumers high in materialism. Originality/value – This is the first paper that examines the moderating effects of materialism in the relationship between country image and product preference on products from emerging economies.
Value Chains and Standards in Shrimp Export from Bangladesh and Thailand to Japan: A Comparative Study on Safety Compliances

This study analyses the food safety compliance performances of different stakeholders in value chains of Bangladesh and Thailand from mother shrimp collection to consumers’ plate. Data and information collected through field surveys, interviews, and interactions with different stakeholders in Bangladesh, Thailand and Japan were analysed and used as the basis of the paper. The results reveal that the competent authority monitors the hygiene and sanitation condition of the buyer‐driven value chain activities, whereas processors‐cum‐exporters implement HACCP procedures about 85 per cent to 90 per cent in all stages of production, distribution, processing and export of shrimp to assure the quality standards. ‘Shrimp suppliers certificate’ and ‘farmers and region code’ in Bangladesh while ‘movement document’ and ‘fry movement document’ in Thailand are used as traceability tools. Both the countries have already started working for certification, eco‐labelling and sustainable seafood trade. However, it is recommended to ensure chain traceability together with improved management to increase products’ competitiveness.
Servant Leadership and the Successful Implementation of Knowledge Management in Organizations

In the 21st century organizations, knowledge is recognized as an organizational resource which can increase organizational competitive advantage and sustainability when fully harnessed. The economic environment of today is based entirely on utilizing knowledge for economic gain; however, the ability to generate economic gain requires utilizing knowledge effectively. Leadership and organizational culture have been shown to be two main factors that influence knowledge-management practices in organizations. Among the leadership styles proposed to influence organizational success, servant leadership has been suggested to be the leadership style of the future. Servant leaders build relationships among followers in order to strengthen organizational behavior and culture towards attaining organization’s goals. This study compares the three main types of leadership style in organizations and their influence on organizational culture and knowledge-management strategy implementation. The conclusion is that servant leadership style, due to its focus on building positive relationships and developing followers to their full potential, can potentially play an important role in determining the extent of knowledge-management implantation by improving the desire of the followers to use such strategies as well as the desire to share knowledge, which is the key factor in knowledge-management. Introduction There is high competition among businesses in all sectors of business all over the world to make as much profit as possible, through superior competitive power and the best services (Santora et al. 1999). In order to achieve this, organizations are forced to become innovative and dynamic (Santora et al. 1999). Good leadership is one of the main factors that allow organizations to face these new challenges successfully and become innovative, while improving organizational performance (Teece et al. 1997; Dobbs, 2010). Effective leaders use strategic leadership styles and behavior to mold organizations by facilitating a culture among employees that strives for success (Teece et al. 1997). The success of an organization is generally viewed as the product of employee productivity and strategic leadership, which is directly reflected in growth and
Structure of Debt Maturity across the Firm Type Spectrum

We investigate if and when the leading theories of debt maturity are useful in understanding the maturity choices of nonfinancial firms in a major developing economy, Turkey. Unlike most research, we use a dataset that provides financial information on not only large, publicly-traded firms but also small, privately-held firms across a wide variety of industries. Our strongest finding is that firms that have high leverage also have long maturity. Size, asset maturity, and credit quality are also important, although results depend on the type of firm group considered. The stability of the economic environment as measured by inflation and interest rate volatility also influences debt maturity decisions. Our findings are broadly consistent with the liquidity risk theory. The agency theory is also partially useful in understanding firms' maturity decisions, particularly for medium- and large-sized firms. The signaling theory is most useful when the sample consists of large, publicly-traded firms. We find little evidence that taxes matter for maturity decisions. Our findings also provide some evidence that borrower-lender relationships might influence debt maturity structures.
Fetal gene therapy: recent advances and current challenges

Introduction: Fetal gene therapy (FGT) can potentially be applied to perinatally lethal monogenic diseases for rescuing clinically severe phenotypes, increasing the probability of intact neurological and other key functions at birth, or inducing immune tolerance to a transgenic protein to facilitate readministration of the vector/protein postnatally. As the field is still at an experimental stage, there are several important considerations regarding the practicality and the ethics of FGT. Areas covered: Here, through a review of FGT studies, the authors discuss the role and applications of FGT, the progress made with animal models that simulate human development, possible adverse effects in the recipient fetus and the mother and factors that affect clinical translation. Expert opinion: Although there are valid safety and ethical concerns, the authors argue that there may soon be enough convincing evidence from non-human primate models to take the next step towards clinical trials in the near future.
A Study On Motivation To Start Up A Business Among Chinese Entrepreneurs

The purpose of this research is to study the viewpoints of Chinese entrepreneurs in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia, especially from the perspective of motivation factors, which influence their decision to start up a new business. This study is undertaken to identify the basic demographic variables, business characteristics and major problems that occur during the start up stage and its present business operation among the Chinese entrepreneurs. This study also examines motivation factors that motivate Chinese entrepreneurs to start up a new business. Model developed by Scheinberg and MacMillan was used. The primary data collected through questionnaires were distributed to 106 Chinese entrepreneurs. “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences” (SPSS) was used for data analysis: description analysis, factor analysis and MANOVA test were used to explain the background, motivation and to test the hypothesis. This study shows that the majority of the Chinese entrepreneurs were male (65.1%), involved in retail service business (52.2%) and are sole sole-founders of the business (71%). Major problems in their business lies in marketing (82.6%), management (73.9%), finance (63.8), government agencies (52.2%), technological (37.7%) and personal (76.8%). To understand the motivator, factor analysis shows that the status prestige is most important to start up a business, others are personal development, contribution, accommodation, social recognition, communitarianism, tradition, frustration and escapism. Different analysis was used to analyze the male and female entrepreneurs. The results from male entrepreneurs show that status prestige factor is most important. On the other hand, the females show finance and opportunity as important. These results show that there are differences in the male and female entrepreneurs. Hypothesis test found that education level, father’s employment and involvement in founding business are significant with reference to the motivation factors. On the other hand, marital status and working experience show no significance. This shows that education level, father’s employment and involvement in founding business are needed to influence Chinese entrepreneurs to start up a business. From the above mentioned, it is clear that Chinese entrepreneurs need motivation factors such as: status prestige, personal development and contribution factors to start up a business. In genaral, results of this study would help to gain more understanding on the culture and background of Chinese entrepreneurs. Finally, this study also gives a useful tool to entrepreneurs, business associations, researchers and policy makers to improve entrepreneurial activities in Malaysia.
A process reuse identification framework using an alignment model

This thesis explores the potential to unify three emerging disciplines: enterprise engineering, enterprise architecture and enterprise ontology. The current fragmentation that exists in literature on enterprise alignment and design constrains the development and growth of the emerging disciplines. Enterprises need to use a multi-disciplinary approach when they continuously align, design and re-design the enterprise. Although enterprises need to be aligned internally (across various enterprise facets), as well as externally (with the environment), most alignment approaches still focus on business-IT alignment, i.e. aligning the business operations with the information and communication technologies and systems of the enterprise. This study focuses on a popular business-IT alignment approach, called the foundation for execution approach, and its associated artefact, called the operating model. The study acknowledges the theoretical contribution of the operating model to establish the required level of business process integration and standardisation at an enterprise in delivering goods and services to customers. Highlighting the practical problems in selecting an operating model for an enterprise, and more specifically the practical problems of identifying process reuse potential at an enterprise, a thesis statement is formulated: The operating model concept, as part of a business-IT alignment approach, can be enhanced with a process reuse identification framework, when a business-IT alignment contextua/isation is used. The study is divided into two research questions. The first research question addresses the current fragmentation that exists in the literature, which impairs reuse of the existing business-IT alignment knowledge base. An inductive literature review develops the Business-IT Alignment Model to provide a common contextualisation for current business-IT alignment approaches. The second research question addresses the practical problems of the operating model regarding the identification of process reuse potential at an enterprise. Applying the newly developed Business-IT Alignment Model as a contextualisation instrument, the study demonstrates the use of design research in developing the Process Reuse Identification Framework. The conclusion after the investigation of the two research questions is that the thesis statement was confirmed, i.e. the operating model concept, as part of a business-IT alignment approach, can be enhanced with a process reuse identification framework, when a business-IT contextualisation is used.
Health informatics deployment in Nigeria

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a major tool in delivery of health services and has had a revolutionary impact on how we live and perceive the world. ICT has given birth to the contemporary “Es” such as e-learning, e-commerce, e-governance, e-banking, e-shopping and e-health, the primary focus of this paper. In this paper, we discuss ICT in Nigeria with focus on three common ICT indicators: Internet, computing and telephony. We review the past and present state of health informatics in Nigeria, in comparison to the United Kingdom as examples of less developed and developed nations. We also analyse the problems facing successful implementation of health informatics in Nigeria and suggest possible solutions.
Interactive Spaced Education to Assess and Improve Knowledge of Clinical Practice Guidelines: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective:To determine whether Interactive Spaced Education (ISE) is an effective and acceptable form of graduate and continuing medical education (GME/CME), using clinical practice guideline (CPG) education as an experimental system. Summary Background Data:ISE is a novel form of online education, which combines the pedagogical merits of the spacing and testing effects. Its efficacy for GME and CME is not known. Methods:One-hundred sixty urologists and 320 urology residents were randomized to 1 of 2 cohorts. We developed and validated 48 ISE items (questions and answers) on 5 urology CPGs (hematuria and priapism [HP]; staghorn calculi, infertility, and antibiotic use [SIA]). Physicians were sent 3 emails a week, each containing 2 questions. Content was repeated 3 times over 20 weeks. Cohort A physicians received the 3-cycle ISE course on HP, with 24 control items on SIA in cycle 3. Cohort B physicians received the 3-cycle ISE course on SIA, with 24 control items on HP in cycle 3. Results:The ISE program was completed by 71% urologists and 83% residents. Cohort A scores on HP increased from mean 44.9% in cycle 1% to 75.7% in cycle 3, a 57% relative increase compared with controls (P < 0.001; Cohen effect size, 2.2). Similarly, cohort B scores on SIA increased from 45.2% in cycle 1% to 69.5% in cycle 3, a 56% relative increase compared with controls (P < 0.001; effect size, 2.2). Eighty-four percent of all participants requested to enroll in further ISE programs. Conclusions:ISE is an effective and well-accepted form of GME and CME and is a promising new methodology to improve CPG knowledge.
Russia's Banking Sector Transition: Where To?

This paper applies an analytical paradigm of institutional economics to the transition of the Russian banking sector, focusing on the interplay between ownership change and institutional change. We find that the state's withdrawal from commercial banking has been inconsistent and limited in scope.To this day, core banks have yet to be privatized and the state has made a comeback as owner of the dominant market participants.We also look at the new institutions imported into Russia to regulate banking and finance, including rule of law, competition, deposit insurance, bankruptcy, and corporate governance.The unfortunate combination of this new institutional overlay and traditional local norms of behavior have brought Russia to an impasse - the banking sector's ownership structure hinders further advancement of market institutions. Indeed, we may now be witnessing is a retreat from the original market-based goals of transition.Key words: banking sector reform, privatization, Russia, economic transition, institutional economics JEL: G21, G28, P34, P37
Kualitas Layanan, Citra dan Pengaruhnya terhadap Loyalitas melalui Kepuasan Pelanggan (Studi Pada PT Bank Bni 46 Sentra Kredit Kecil Surabaya)

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the quality of services can significantly affect customer satisfaction, to determine whether the image and service quality can significantly affect customer satisfaction, to determine whether the image and customer satisfaction can significantly affect customer loyalty, to determine whether customer satisfaction can significantly affect customer loyalty, to determine whether citran and service quality can significantly affect customer loyalty mediated by customer satisfaction. The result showed that Image positive and significant impact on customer satisfaction with the value (B) of 0,560. Service Quality positive and not significant impact on loyalty with the value (B) of 0,107. Image negative and significant impact on loyalty with the value (B) of -0,306. Customer satisfaction positive an significant impact on loyalty with the valeu (B) of 0,857. The indirect significant of service quality on loyalty through customer satisfaction of 0,243 and Image on loyalty through customer satisfaction of 0,480. Keywords: service quality, image, loyalty, customer satisfaction
Real Activities Manipulation to Meet Analysts' Cash Flow Forecasts

This paper investigates whether firms have incentives to opportunistically manipulate real activities to meet analysts' cash flow forecasts and the economic consequence of such manipulation. Using the measurements of real activities manipulation from Roychowdhury (2006), I find that shows that firms which just meet cash flow forecasts engage in higher real activities manipulation to inflate cash flows, as compared to other firms with cash flow forecasts. These real activities manipulation impair the firms' operating performance in the subsequent year. These results are consistent with the notions that meeting cash flow forecasts provides firms with incentives to manipulate cash flow opportunistically, even if these manipulations impair such firms' future performance (Graham et al. 2005).
PENGARUH PROPORSI DEWAN KOMISARISINDEPENDEN, KOMITE AUDIT, DANREPUTASI AUDITOR TERHADAPMANAJEMEN LABA(Studi pada Perusahaan Manufaktur terdaftar di BEI periode 2008-2010)

Earnings management is manager effort in manipulating financial report in order to benefit their self. This behavior is considered as a fraud because it gives a mislead information to the financial report user. This research aims to determine and analyze the effect of independent board commissioner proportion, audit committee, and auditor reputation against the practice of earnings management. The population used in this study were manufacturing companies listed on the Stock Exchange during 2008-2010. The sampling technique used in this research was purposive sampling method and obtained 112 samples. This research used secondary data of annual report obtained from Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in 2008-2010 period. The analysis method that used to analyze the data was the multiple regression. Based on the result of the hypothetical examination in this research, it proved that (1) The independent commissioner proportion does not have a significant effect against earnings management. (2) Audit committee activity does not have a significant effect against earnings management. (3) Audit committee member does not have a significant effect against earnings management. (4) Auditor reputation significantly has a negative effect against earnings management.
User involvement in service design teams : Investigating the effect of involving users in ideation of library services

This thesis research tested active user involvement in service design teams and explored its impact on the design process and its outcomes. It was found that not only the form of user involvement matters in service design but that particularly the characteristics of the involved users can impact on team performance and the development of design ideas in terms of user value, feasibility, and originality. The findings lead to a closer understanding of how co-design affects service design outcomes and what variations can occur during the design process when users are involved.
CYTOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION OF FETAL BOVINE GONADS.

Cytological and histological characteristics of normal and freemartin gonads have been studied in 45-, 60-, and 90-day bovine fetuses during gonadotropin-induced multiple pregnancy. In both sexes of 45-day fetuses the second proliferation of germinal epithelium was not developed whereas the primary tunica albuginea was well developed. Fetal testes showed higher cell activity than fetal ovaries. Mitotic activity seemed slower in 60-day freemartin gonads than in normal fetal ovaries. The chromosomal stages prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase corresponding to oogonia were less numerous than in normal fetal ovaries. The cytological appearance of freemartin gonads in 60-day fetuses was unaffected by the ratio of male: female fetuses. The freemartin gonad was characterized by an irregular distribution of cortex and primary tunica albuginea. In the ovaries of 90-day fetuses the last chromosomal stage observed in the oocytes was the pachytene stage. The first establishment of primordial follicles was observed.
Normal Predicted Values of Single-Breath Diffusing Capacity of the Lung in Healthy Nonsmoking Adults

Prediction equations for the carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lung (DLCO) and diffusing capacity per liter of lung volume (DLCO/VA) were derived from 90 normal nonsmoking subjects (40 men and 50 women), using a standardized single-breath technique for determining carbon monoxide diffusing capacity. The results obtained are as follows: The mean values for DLCO and DLCO/VA were 28.05±5.07 ml/min/mmHg, 4.569±0.694 ml/min/mmHg/L for men and 20.79±4.03 ml/min/mmHg, 4.695±0.743 ml/min/mmHg/L for women, respectively. The values for DLCO and DLCO/VA disclosed significantly negative correlation with advancing age and positive correlation with height. Normal prediction formulas were obtained for diffusing capacity, using age and height. Men:DLCO=0.3504 H−0.2156 A−23.168DLCO/VA=−0.0205 H−0.0283A+9.0919Women:DLCO=0.2491 H−0.1533 A−11.662DLCO/VA =0.0140 H− 0.0216 A+3.413