bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generational Differences Impact On Leadership Style And Organizational Success
Authors: Salahuddin Mecca M.
Published: March 2016

Many factors can affect organizational success. One factor that is important to organizational success is effective leadership.  Research has shown there are differences in leadership style among generations.  A cohort- group whose length approximates the span of life and boundaries and fixed by peer personality defines a generation.  The purpose of this paper is to review the current leadership styles and generational differences literature.  The paper examines whether there is a relationship between leadership style and generational cohort and its potential impact on organizational success.  Structured interviews were conducted with individuals representing each generation.  Five open-ended questions were asked to participants to determine the generation they identified. In addition, participants used a 1-10 ranking scale to identify preferred characteristics in admired leaders.  The interviews demonstrated there are difference and similarities among the generations.  Veterans and Generation Xers view honesty as important core values.  Both express the need for communication in bridging the communication gap.  Differences related to Baby Boomer belief in self-commitment and Veterans recognizing the importance with surrounding yourself with others.  The author recommends researchers continue to examine, using an empirical method, generational differences and leadership styles to understand its affect on organizational success.
Factors Contributing To Employee Decisions To Ignore Diversity Policies
Authors: Figiel Victoria L. , Sasser Mary Ann Kummel
Published: March 2016

Diversity is examined beyond the traditional definitions in the context of employers and the changing workforce. Realization by employers of non-compliance with diversity policies is revealed, as well as an exploration of reasons why perceptions and lingering stereotypes exist. Solutions for training the workforce on successfully embracing differences are explored to provide employers with the tools to commit to their missions and cultural goals for a diverse workplace.
The Dilemma Of Investment Planning For Female Investors
Authors: Malhotra Naveen , Crum Haley
Published: March 2016

Nothing gets Americans more excited than the discussion of which sex is more capable of securing superior investment returns. This paper challenges the commonly held belief that women are incapable of positioning themselves for financial stability. In most households, men typically are at the financial helm while women tend to other family responsibilities. Truth be known, women are equally capable of holding their own in the world of investment finance. It is just that they have not been given a chance. This paper delves into the impediments faced by women and how they can overcome them.
When 1st And 3rd Converge: A Border Region Framework
Authors: Gaskins Leebrian , Ujah Nacasius U. , Ortiz Jaime
Published: March 2016

The U.S.-Mexico border region is unique in its social, legal, economic, political, and technological dynamics. Therefore, professionals moving from the interior of the U.S. or Mexico (or from other countries) into the borderland region experience cross-cultural adjustment issues similar to those of expatriates. A quasi-expatriating model that takes into consideration the domestic adjustment and international expatriate adjustment literature addresses the unique adjustment dimensions that professional individuals experience in the US-Mexico border region.
From Theory To Practice: Recommending Supportive Diversity Practices
Authors: Roberge Marie-Elene , Lewicki Roy J. , Hietapelto Amy , Abdyldaeva Aijana
Published: March 2016

Today, organizations must find effective solutions to the challenges brought by diversity. Research suggests that implementing supportive diversity practices help diverse organizations to adapt and sustain by creating a climate for diversity.Based on research and theory, the paper recommends five categories of supportive diversity practices: (1) Using symbolic management to value diversity, (2) Implementing training programs, (3) Implementing cross-functional teams, (4) Stimulating improved communication flow, and lastly (5) Promoting fairness in human resource practices.
Diversity As Technology: A New Perspective
Authors: Daniel Francis
Published: March 2016

The business case for diversity is really a technological one. Like the Hubble telescope uses multiple lenses to acquire an understanding of the universe that no one lens can achieve alone, the business case suggests that diversity (however defined) provides multiple perspectives that help organizations better understand an increasingly complex and heterogeneous marketplace. If the prevailing argument for diversity is indeed technology-driven, the present paper suggests that looking at diversity through the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3) might provide insights that could improve both the acceptance of diversity in the organization and its impact on organizational performance.
From Doctoral Student To Faculty Member: Ph.D. Project Alumnis Evaluation Of Their Preparedness
Authors: Schwartz Bill N. , Walden W. Darrell
Published: March 2016

In response to the important issues regarding diversity in business schools and corporate America, the KPMG Foundation established the PhD Project. The PhD Project helps business professionals and recent college graduates earn doctoral degrees in business disciplines and join business school faculty. While the PhD Project has helped increase the number of minority faculty members in business schools, it may be helpful to gather insights from the recent PhD alumni who have received support from the PhD Project. Our study examines attitudes about preparedness of PhD Project alums for their first faculty position after completing their PhD program. Results show that PhD Project alumni and majority PhD alumni (alumni not associated with the PhD Project) felt they were prepared for their first faculty position, but they were not significantly different in their evaluation in most respects. However, to our surprise, majority PhD alumni felt they were better prepared for research than PhD Project alumni. This difference was significant and further analyses showed that younger faculty and those in the ethnic majority were better prepared for research. Both groups considered themselves well prepared for research and teaching. Neither group was as optimistic about being prepared for service responsibilities and the academic climate or politics of an academic career. Our findings show that the PhD Project is necessary to help ensure that minority faculty members are adequately prepared for research and their academic careers.
Defining And Assessing Team Skills Of Business And Accountancy Students
Authors: Alghalith Nabil , Blum Michael , Medlock Amanda , Weber Sandy
Published: March 2016

The objectives of the project are (1) to define the skills necessary for students to work effectively with others to achieve common goals, and (2) to develop an assessment instrument to measure student progress toward achieving these skills.  The defined skill set will form a basis for common expectations related to team skills that will be shared with students and be used by faculty for setting goals, planning curriculum and pedagogy, and assessing student progress.  Assessment data will be incorporated into the Division of Business and Accountancy’s Continuous Improvement Plan and assessment cycle.  The significance of this project is to ensure and demonstrate student learning related to teamwork, which is one of the key elements of the Division’s newly adopted vision statement.  The ability to demonstrate continuous improvement related to the Division’s mission is vital to the re-accreditation of the business program.  This project incorporated input from the entire faculty of the Division, and the results will be used by the entire faculty and shared with students in order to communicate expectations.  This participative process will serve to enhance the culture of assessment in the Business Division among faculty and students.
Improving The Oral Presentation Skills Of Accounting Students: An Experiment
Authors: Christensen David , Barnes Jeffrey , Rees David , Calvasina Gerald
Published: March 2016

Numerous surveys of accounting professionals have established the importance of communication skills for newly-hired accounting graduates, and challenge business schools to revise curricula accordingly. To determine if the oral skills of accounting students can be improved, two oral presentation assignments were given to students in six accounting classes at a small western university. The oral presentations were evaluated on ten oral communication skills recently judged by accounting professionals to be most important for new hires to possess. Feedback was provided after the first presentation. Results showed that oral presentation skills improved significantly after the first presentation. Accounting students can improve their oral presentation skills if the accounting faculty is committed to providing timely feedback.
What Effect Does CS0 Have On CS1 Performance And Major Retention?
Authors: Doyle John Kevin
Published: March 2016

Three years ago, due to a lower than desired success rate in our first major course, Introduction to Computer Programming (CS1), and a lower than desired proportion of students in CS1 selecting Computer Science or Computer Information Systems as their major, we introduced a new course, Introduction to Computer Science (CS0), and made it a prerequisite for CS1.  It was therefore required of all prospective Computer Science majors and Computer Information Systems majors.  Our intention was to improve the subsequent performance of students in CS1, to reduce the proportion of students who withdrew from CS1, and to increase the proportion of CS1 students who became Computer Science or Computer Information Systems majors.  This paper reports our progress on these measures. Our results show that after CS0 was introduced, students performed better in CS1 than before CS0 was introduced, and that this difference is statistically significant.  The withdraw rate from CS1, among students who completed CS0, has been reduced.  The proportion of students who performed well (earned a grade of A or B) in CS1 has been raised among students who completed CS0, and this difference is statistically significant. A higher proportion of students who completed both CS0 and CS1 declared Computer Science or Computer Information Systems majors, than before CS0 was introduced, and this difference is statistically significant.  The proportion of students who performed well in CS1 and who declared Computer Science or Computer Information Systems majors was substantially raised, and this difference is statistically significant. We compare these results with previous papers on this topic, and conclude that the results are consistent, and the statistical significance of the results is improved by the larger sample sizes being analyzed.
Case Study: Incorporating International Themes Into The Business Curriculum At Missouri Southern State University
Authors: Buzzard Janet , Block Beverly
Published: March 2016

Higher education is charged with preparing graduates to be successful in an international society. This paper will examine Missouri Southern State University’s approach to internationalizing their campus and curriculum.
Higher Education Administration And Globalization In The 21st Century In India
Authors: Jabbarifar Taghi
Published: March 2016

This article deals with the changing scenario and management responsibilities of higher education in the 21st century in India. Of course, for those looking for challenges of management in higher education as a field, the future is not going to be a disappointment. Maybe by the end of the first decade of the 21st century management of higher education worldwide would have changed beyond recognition. Every administrator is required to behave like a shrewd politician.  The world has been changing very fast. The pace of liberalization, privatization and globalization (LPG) is remarkable and has tremendously influenced various dimensions of management of higher education. The long-term consideration in the educational sector requires a clear statement of the direction in which a society wishes to move. Thus it is necessary to visualize the type of society India would like to have in the 21st century and beyond
Student Cheating And Alternative Web-Based Assessment
Authors: Styron Jennifer , Styron Ronald A.
Published: March 2016

As distance education continues to expand within the United States so does the amount of faculty concern in regard to student cheating. The purpose of this paper was to explore the concept of eCheating in web-based course environments and review the need for and the types of alternative assessments found in these environments. This paper will also include potential proactive measures that professors may employ to be better prepared for instances of eCheating. Furthermore, assessment measures and distance learning theories will be analyzed to determine successful electronic assessments and instructional design components required for effective web-based courses.
Law Enforcement Proxies Matter for the Law and Finance Nexus
Authors: Toci Valentin , Hashi Iraj
Published: March 2016

The paper employs various measures of law enforcement to provide new evidence on the importance of legal institutions for different dimensions of financial development in transition economies. It offers a critical assessment of law enforcement measures employed in recent studies by showing that some proxies for law enforcement in the credit market may not be appropriate. Hence, care should be taken in how the quality of institutions is measured and the context which it represents. An original approach to measuring law enforcement in the credit market is developed by embodying the legal theory of dispute resolution and assessing this approach by collecting primary data for Kosovo. The findings suggest that Kosovo compares well with countries in the region and other transition economies in terms of the enforcement of creditor rights.
Corporate Failure: A Non Parametric Method
Authors: Sami Ben Jabeour
Published: March 2016

A number of authors suggested that the impact of the macroeconomic factors on the incidence of the financial distress, and afterward in case of failure of companies. However, macroeconomic factors rarely, if ever, appear as variables in predictive models that seek to identify distress and failure; modellers generally suggest that the impact of macroeconomic factors has already been taken into account by financial ratio variables. This article presents a systematic study of this domain, by examining the link between the failure of companies and macroeconomic factors for the French companies to identify the most important variables and to estimate their utility in a predictive context. The results of the study suggest that several macroeconomic variables are strictly associated to the failure, and have a predictive value by specifying the relation between the financial distress and the failure.
How Stock Markets Development Affect Endogenous Growth Theory
Authors: Masoub Najeb
Published: March 2016

This paper can be described as a significant exploratory study that will provide a significant contribution to knowledge to consider crucial issues which need to be barriers to understanding or a temptation/ requirement to judge some practices as ‘better’ than others for stock market development effective approach and implement successful stock market performance and economic growth. Recent analysis of the link between financial development and growth, gained from insights acquired as a result of using the technique of endogenous growth models, has illustrated that growth without exogenous technical progress and that growth rates could be related to technology, income distribution and institutional arrangements. This provides the theoretical background that empirical studies have lacked; illustrating that financial intermediation affects the level of economic growth. Resulting models have provided new impetus to empirical research of the effects of financial development. The birth of the new endogenous growth theory has facilitated the development of improved growth models where the long-term rate could be affected by a number of elements. These included technology, education and health policies in the process of economic development, capital accumulation, government policies and institutional activities in the role of financial development in economic growth.
Linkage of Management Decisions to Shareholder’s Value: EVA Concept
Authors: Panigrahi Shrikant Krupasindhu , Zainuddin Yuserrie Bin , Binti Azizan Noor Azlinna
Published: March 2016

In this paper, the author investigated the influence of management decisions like capital structure, dividend policies, remunerations, credit policy decisions and investment decisions on shareholder wealth maximization. The main objective of this paper is to increase awareness and relationship between management and shareholders of the companies. To achieve the objective, portfolio theory, capital asset pricing model and modern financial theory providing evidence on the linkage between management decisions to shareholder’s value. Shareholders are only concerned about the value of shares of the company and the amount of return in the form of dividend paid. Thus in order to meet the demands of the shareholders of the company, managers needs to increase their abilities and skills to overcome the organizational goals. Thus the main goal of this paper is to discuss on the role of management decisions towards increasing shareholder’s wealth and meet organizational goals.
Bank Recapitalization and Real Sector Performance: Empirical Evidence From Nigeria.
Authors: Akinkoye Ebenezer Y , Oyelami Lukman Oyeyinka
Published: March 2016

This study investigates the impact of bank recapitalization on real sector performance in Nigeria. Specifically, the study examines the direct effect (bank investment) and indirect effect (loans and advances to real sector) on real
sector output growth between the period 1986 and 2012.This study departs from previous studies because we aggregate the three leading sectors (agriculture, manufacturing and building and construction) of the Nigerian
economy to arrive at our real sector index. Also, having carefully subjected our data to necessary econometric tests we employed chow test for structural break to test for the existence of policy shift between bank capital base and loan
to the real sector of the Nigerian economy as a result of bank recapitalisation policy .Similarly, OLS estimates was used to determine the direct and indirect effect of bank capital base and real sector output growth. The results from
structure break tests reveal that bank recapitalization policy causes policy shift in bank capital base and loan to real sector thus the policy is of significant impact to real sector performance .In corollary, the result from the OLS strongly
indicates that bank capital base has significant effect on real sector output growth directly and indirectly. We then conclude that Nigerian banks should be adequately capitalised as to play active intermediateting roles expected of
them in this modern and competitive global economy
A Survey of the Perception of the Services of Micro Finance Institutions by the Female Service Users in Benin City, South-South, Nigeria
Authors: Ugiagbe Ernest Osas
Published: March 2016

The study examines the perceptions of the services of the micro finance Institutions by the women service users, and how the services of micro Institutions affect businesses of the beneficiaries of the micro credit loans. The research design for the study was the survey method. The instruments of data collection were structured questionnaires and in-depth interview. A total of 450 questionnaires were administered to the female participants, and senior management personnel of the micro credit institutions were interviewed. The cluster and simple random sampling were used to select the participants for the study. The leaders of registered unions were the informants.  The result reveals that the poor services and attitude of officials of micro finance institutions and other problems like the regressive tax regimes, harsh economic climate and patriarchy are negatively affecting the business ventures of the loan beneficiaries and by implication the goals of poverty reduction via micro credit scheme . The women beneficiaries are groaning under the burden of loan repayment and meeting other obligations as mothers and wives. This study is applicable in the context of social policy development at this time when social services delivery is not only poor but at dismal level. The need for gender sensitive and social development becomes imperative. It is critical to social work practice in the context of advocacy, empowerment programs, facilitating and initiating service delivery and Community organizing by social workers that will enhance the war against Poverty and other social impediments against women empowerment in Nigeria.
Stock Market Development and Economic Growth in India: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Palamalai Srinivasan
Published: March 2016

The link between stock market development and economic activity has always been the subject of considerable debate in the field of economics and it raises empirical question whether stock market development influences economic activity or whether it is a consequence of increased economic activity. This study attempts to investigate the direction of causality between stock market development and economic growth in the Indian context. Using the cointegration and causality tests for the period June 1991 to June 2013, the study confirms a well defined long-run equilibrium relationship between the stock market development indicators and economic growth in India. The empirical results show bidirectional causality between market capitalisation and economic growth and unidirectional causality from turnover ratio to economic growth in the long-run and short-run. By and large, it can be inferred that the stock market development indicators viz. market capitalisation and turnover ratio have a positive influence on economic growth in India.
Investors Behavior, Governance and Earnings Management: Under and over Reaction to Information
Authors: Khzouri Afraa , Neffati Amira
Published: March 2016

The aim of this paper is to study the relationship between earnings management, governance and investors behavior, since this latter can inform about the nature of earnings management and can be considered as a governance mechanism to reduce accounts manipulations. On the basis of a sample of 700 American firms for the period of 1996-2006, our empirical results show that investors who take short positions, are able to interpret the information detected from the earnings management. The activity of these investors may be considered as an indicator of the quality of the governance structure and the presence and nature of earnings management. The under-reaction of investors to information leads to short-term sale of the shares of poorly governed firms and characterized by an opportunistic earnings management and to invest in firms well-governed and characterized by an informational earnings management therefore an abnormal profit can be realized.
The Reputation Effect: A Case Study of Credit Contracts in Transition Economies
Authors: Artige Lionel , Nicolini Rosella
Published: March 2016

This paper proposes an empirical analysis of the role of memory in determining the size of credits granted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) during 1991–2003. We first build an original database from information associated with the number and contract types granted by clients, after which we develop an empirical strategy for capturing the role of memory, namely by defining three different indicators to approximate each client’s reputation. These indicators rely on the client’s identity and, when available, information associated with previous EBRD-financed investment projects. With the fixed-effects estimation technique, our results unambiguously show that the value of the first investment project financed by the EBRD, as a proxy for reputation, is the most effective indicator for established clients to determine the size of the credits they receive to finance further investments.
European Banking Recovery and Resolution Directive: Potential Impacts on European Systemic Important Financial Institutions
Authors: Akinsoyinu Clements
Published: March 2016

The great recession heralded in by the subprime mortgage crisis, took a dramatic turn for worse as a result of collapse of the Lehman Brothers bank in September 2008. The crisis deemed to be the most devastating after the Great Depression of 1929, had a debilitating effect on world economies, developing and advanced alike.  The extent of its devastation which is still being felt in Europe and many parts of the globe reminds us the interconnectedness of financial institutions, particularly those tagged TBTF or SIFIs. Policy makers scrambled to curtail the ugly effect of the crisis by rescuing the SIFIs within their jurisdiction largely through bailout mechanism and provision of implicit guarantee for the debts of failing/failed institutions. As soon as the tide is stemmed, they cast their gaze on new crisis resolution and recovery measures that could rein in systemic risks associated with SIFIs, prevent future crises and reduce the concomitant moral hazards in the current resolution measures. The objective of this paper is to assess ex ante the potential impacts of implementing the new Banking recovery and resolution directives on Europe’s TBTF banks.
Efficacy of Policy Response to the Financial and Economic Crisis: A Case Study of the United Kingdom
Authors: Salaam Kazeem
Published: March 2016

This piece of work seeks to perform detailed review and analysis of those factors that precipitated global financial and economic crises in 2008 with a focus on the United Kingdom economy. Impacts of the crises from both micro and macro economy perspectives are also analysed in conjunction with the sudden change in government policies from less rigid fiscal prudence, price stability, unsupportive employment policies as well as weak financial services supervision to unconventional stiff fiscal and monetary policies as well as hard core financial regulations with a primary aim to cleaning up the economic and the financial mess that characterised the meltdown. To finalise this work, it is concluded that efficiency of policy actions to address the economic menace to a large extent, helped British Economy to get out of the crisis despite that all the measures adopted were not considered to be perfect in its entirety. Other potential areas of study are also identified. 
The Influence of Oil Prices on Islamic Banking Efficiency Scores during the Financial Crisis: Evidence from the MENA Area
Authors: Said Ali
Published: March 2016

The present paper measured the influence of the oil prices on the Islamic banking efficiencies scores during the financial crisis of 2008-2009. The study showed that there is no a direct relationship between the oil prices and the efficiencies scores of Islamic banks in the MENA area. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that Islamic banks in the GCC area showed a higher mean in pure technical efficiency compared to Islamic banks in the North African and other MENA. Islamic banks in other MENA countries and North Africa considered to be technically inefficient. The inefficiencies were due to the underdeveloped banking system and the lack of experiences in those countries to allocate resources between the bank inputs and outputs. 
The study and prioritization of job satisfaction dimensions in Zanjan-based Refah Bank employees
Authors: Heidary Akbar , Kozechian Hashem , Rashidi Siavash
Published: March 2016

Theories associated with job satisfaction are based on the principle that all environmental elements could shape entire career satisfaction.  In literature, major studies illustrate that positive and negative emotions are largely associated with job satisfaction. Job satisfaction source is not only job position but also other factors such as the physical and social work environment, relationships with supervisors and colleagues, group culture and management style of the managers.  In this study, it is aimed to evaluate and prioritize the five dimensions of job satisfaction in Zanjan Refah Bank employees: (i) the nature of the job (ii) supervisor, (iii) peer, (iv) promotion and (v) payment. In this study a field research was applied with a survey study. To testify the hypothesis, the Pearson parametric and Friedman test was conducted. The major findings of this study are (i) there is a negative correlation exists between level of education and nature of the job  (ii) job promotion and payment, (iii) there is not any significant differences in job satisfaction between men and women.
Financial Efficacy of Selected Public and Private Sector Banks in India
Authors: Ayyappan S , SakthiVadivel M
Published: March 2016

The banks in India have over 67,000 branches located across the country. All these are classified into two major categories, nonscheduled banks and scheduled banks. Scheduled banks includes commercial banks and the co-operative banks. The public sector banks are accountable for more than 78 percent of total banking industry in India. Even though private sector banks came later into the market, due to their customer servicing and easy banking features they are also competing equally with already existing public sector banks. so it is very essential to analyze how their financial performance is influenced by number of factors which willfurther suggest them where they need to concentrate more. in this article we have analyzed the correlation between return on total assets and other financial variables of selected private and public banks in India.
Social Performance vs. Financial Performance
Authors: Yilmaz Ilker
Published: March 2016

In recent decades, it is gaining more and more dominance in both academic and business life that the company exists for and has responsibilities toward a wider group of stakeholders and it must have some objectives other than profitability. To achieve sustainable development and growth, the companies must assume more duties, which is called the term “corporate social responsibility (CSR).” In the literature, it is questioned whether CSR activities benefit the company or not; whether there is any relationship exists between CSR activities and the company’s financial performance and the direction of the relationship. We aimedto explore that whether there is any effect corporate social performance (CSP) on financial performance and position and vice versa. We performed content analysis through annual reports and derived a social score composed of the items included in disclosure guidelines and some criteria used in CSR ratings. We also used several financial position and financial performance indicators. In order to explore the relationship between CSP and financial indicators, we run panel data regressions. We found significant results for some of the indicators, where some of the indicators gave insignificant results. The reporting of CSR activities is in very low levels. The conscious toward CSR and sustainability must be promoted and the companies must assume more active roles. The reporting of those activities is also important.
Mortgage Default Behaviour in South Africa’s Low Income Homeowners Relates to Banks Borrower Education Programmes
Authors: Moss Viyusani
Published: March 2016

In investigating the non-payment phenomenon in South Africa’s low income households, a case study of Protea Glenx the researcher employed quantitative tools and qualitative methods. The rationale was prompted by high level of evictions and repossessions for non-payment of mortgages in the Protea Glen area in Johannesburg South Africa. The research approach was to measure and draw sample size from the units of population, conduct interviews and captureand analyse data through the use of SPSS as a suitable statistical instrument. Furthermore, the aim was to employ a suitable model for measuring the relationship between dependent and independent variables and also to highlight the limitations of the study. The findings of the study revealed several interesting empirical results that underpinning the importance of borrower education for mortgage account holders and the need by the banking sector to properly empower borrowers about credit behaviour, responsibilities and obligations of owning a property plus the ongoing costs of ownership.
Foreign Exchange Reserves
Authors: Rahim Muhammad Abdur , Alam Zahangin
Published: March 2016

This study is about foreign exchange reserves of Bangladesh. The main purpose of this study is to the influence of exchange rateson foreign exchange reserves to the Bangladesh context. Both the primary and secondary data has been used in this study. The primary data has been collected through a structured questionnaire from 50 respondents. The secondary data, namely Bangladesh foreign exchange reserves (FER), Bangladesh current account balance (CAB), Bangladesh capital and financial account balance (CFAB), and BDT/USD exchange rates (ER). This study covers yearly data from July 01, 1996 to June 30, 2005 and quarterly data from July 01, 2005 to June 30, 2012. Findings of this study shows that out of the selected 16 factors affecting foreign exchange reserves, exchange rates occupy the first position, weighted average score (WAS) being 4.56. Foreign exchange reserves (FER) and current account balance (CAB) have increased by 502.9087% and 1451.218%, whereas capital and financial account (CFAB) has decreased by -649.024% on June 30, 2012 compared to June 30, 1997. The influence of other factors held constant, as ER changes by 285.6894 units due to one unit change in FER, on average in the same direction which represents that ER has positive effect on the FER and this relationship is statistically significant. 62.1526 percent of the variation in FER is explained by ER. The outcomes of Breusch-Godfrey test (LM test), ARCH test, and the Normality test are that there is a serial correlation among residuals, the variance of residuals is not constant, and the residuals are not normally distributed.
Fiscally Unsustainable Social Welfare, Untenable Housing Solutions and the Mortgage Default Ratio in South Africa
Authors: Moss Viyusani
Published: March 2016

This article reflects on social welfare system and governance of housing markets from an end-user perspective. The article criticallyanalyses the way in which social welfare has correlated to unsustainable development and created self entitlement behaviours andattitudes in the South African low income housing market. The phenomenon was demonstrable by empirical research whosefindings confirmed an existence of an association between a fully subsidized social housing model (as underpinned by South Africa’s social welfare) and propensity to default on mortgages. The study found that the risk of default by homeowners in the low income housing market in South Africa is influenced by government’s housing grant model. In other words, the research established that the principle of servicing a mortgaged starter property (that is almost similar to a government free house by both structure and design) is not universally accepted by homeowners of these mortgaged houses. The unintended consequences are that the system has created indefinite expectations that potentially could; (i) erode the country’s balance sheet; (ii) add to non-payment behaviour; (iii) pressurize the economic and credit systems; (iv) propagate entitlement attitudes and mindsets; (v) create social instability and (v) widened the country’s balance of payment deficits.
Operational Efficiency Dynamics of the Nigerian Stock Market (1986-2010)
Authors: Udoka Christopher Obot , Anyingang Roland
Published: March 2016

The study investigated the operational efficiency of the Nigerian stock market between 1986-2010. This was necessary given the degree of thinness of the market.  The objectives of the study were: to investigate the extent to which the operations of the market have contributed to the growth of the Nigerian economy and also to determine the functionality of the market. To achieve these objectives  data were gathered on some capital market indicators from the stock exchange factbook  of various years on market capitalization (MCAP), all share index (ASI) volume of transaction (VOLT) value of transaction (VALT) and number of listed companies (NLC) on the stock exchange.  The data were tabulated, analyzed and tested using the ordinary least square statistical technique. Findings resulting from the test of data showed that NLC, VOLT, VALT, ASI and MCAP were positive and that increase in any of the above parameters  would in turn cause an increase in the growth of the Nigerian economy at five and ten  percent levels of significance.  It further showed that  the market was operationally weak form efficient. It was therefore recommended that government should continue to provide better macro-economic environment for the private sector to lead the economy on the part of sustainable growth and development.
Corporate Governance and Tax Management Practices
Authors: Mulyadi Martin Surya , Anwar Yunita , Anwar Yunita , Krisma Erminus
Published: March 2016

Taxation play an essential role both in a country and in a corporation. To minimize the tax payment, corporation conduct a corporate tax management. According to some of previous research, there is a correlation between corporate governance and corporate tax management. In this research we are focusing on three: number of board, number of independent board and board compensation. We measure corporate tax management by using effective tax rate (GAAP ETR and current ETR are used in this research). By using several other control variables, we found that corporate governance have a significant correlation to corporate tax management.
Jordan Banks Financial Soundness Indicators
Authors: Kutum Imad , Al-Jaberi Khaled
Published: March 2016

The aim of this research paper is to examine the Jordanian banks using financial soundness indicators. This is to establish if Jordanian banks were affected because of the 2007/2008 financial crisis and determine the underlying reasons. The research paper was conducted on 25 banks in Jordan listed in the countries securities exchange. The research methodology used consisted of examining the banks financial records in order to derive four crucial Basel III ratio such as the capital adequacy ratio, the leverage ratio, the liquidity ratio and finally the Total Provisions (As % Of Non-Performing Loans) %. The results revealed that out of the four hypotheses under examination Jordan Banks do not meet Basel financial Indicators for Capital Adequacy Ratio, Jordan Banks does not meet Basel financial Indicators for Liquidity Ratio , Jordan Banks do not meet Basel financial Indicators for Leverage Ratio and Jordan Banks do not meet Basel financial Indicators for Total Provisions (As % Of Non-Performing Loans) ratio. Only one hypothesis was accepted based on the research outcomes. The rest of the hypothesis was rejected since the average trend line did not go below the Basel III required ratio level. The general outcome of the research revealed that Jordanian banks were not affected significantly by the financial crisis.
The Determinants of Bank Profitability
Authors: Nessibi Olfa
Published: March 2016

Using bank level data this paper examines how bank’s specific characteristics and macroeconomic indicators affect the profitability in the Tunisian banking industry over the period 1990–2008. The results indicate that the more profitable banks are those higher amount of capital and lower operating costs. Furthermore, it appears that private banks tend to perform better than state owned ones.  Despite the great importance given to the board of directors, it doesn't have a dominant role in the Tunisian commercial banks. Finally, turning to macroeconomic conditions and its impact on banks’ profitability, we find that the real interest rate has a positive effect on bank profitability.
Direct Engagement With Communities and Interprofessional Learning to Factor Culture Into End-of-Life Health Care Delivery
Authors: Boucher Nathan A.
Published: March 2016

Aging patients with advanced or terminal illnesses or at the end of their lives become highly vulnerable when their cultural needs—in terms of ethnic habits, religious beliefs, and language—are unmet. Cultural diversity should be taken into account during palliative care delivery (i.e., noncurative, supportive care during advanced illness or at the end of life). Providers and systems deliver disparate palliative care to diverse patients. I present 2 strategies to improve how culturally diverse populations are served during advanced illness: (1) health service provider assessment of local populations to understand service populations’ cultural needs and guide services and policy; and (2) interprofessional education to improve multicultural understanding among the health care workforce.
Stability Analysis of 3D Geonet Slope Protection System in Rainfall
Authors: Wang Guangyue , Shan Xinlei , Tu Chuanwen
Published: March 2016

Slope protection with 3D geonet is an economic, convenient and eco-friendly technique; and it is increasingly used in practical projects. However, 3D geonet is sensitive to the ambient environment; and it might lose its stability due to rainfall infiltration. In this paper, the overall instability failure of the 3D geonet system under rainfall infiltration is analyzed. By adopting the limit equilibrium method, a slope stability analysis model is established; and the influence of slope angle, rivet space, slope length, rainfall intensity on stability are analyzed, and a formula for calculation of design optimization of rivet space is obtained. The research result would provide technical support for the design and stability analysis of slope protection with 3D geonet.
Quantifying the density-quality of photogrammetrically created point-clouds of linear architectural/urban elements as a function of shooting distances and number of camera positions I.E. shooting-directions
Authors: Djordjevic Djordje , Djukanovic Gordana , Filipovic Dusan
Published: March 2016

This paper examines the impact of various object-to-camera distances and the
number of station-points i.e. various shooting directions with regard to the
obtained Density-quality of photogrammetrically created Point-clouds - as
digital representations of the existent linear architectural/urban
objects/elements. According to an artificial (purified) experimental scene
used, the conclusion is that with the chosen focal lengths/object-to-camera
distances, with shooting directions perpendicular to the axis of that object,
with station-points uniformly radially distributed around it (at a circle of
360deg), and with the obtained values of photogrammetric-software
process-quality outputs which belong to the recommended ranges, the achieved
density-level of the created Point-clouds may be treated as independent on
the camera's radial-movement angle but dependent on the percentage of
?Object's Photo-Coverage?: the lower the Coverage, the lower the density.
Also, regardless of the Coverage level, the majority of the generated points
are generally more "densimetrically" precise than they are "densimetrically"
accurate.
Interactions Among Western Ragweed and Other Sandhills Species After Drought
Authors: Reece Patrick E. , Brummer Joe E. , Northup Brian K. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

Interannual differences in yield and species composition of herbaceous vegetation on semiarid rangelands are common and often related to variations in precipitation regime. Interspecific interactions that occur after drought-induced population fluxes of western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya D.C.) were evaluated by removing western ragweed or associated species from 1-m2 quadrats at weekly intervals beginning in early May, June, or July 1991 or 1992 on high-seral sandhills prairie in Nebraska. The composite of peak standing crops for ragweed and each group of associated species was 77% greater during May-October 1991 (2 252 kg ha-1) compared with 1992 (1 275 kg ha-1) when April and May precipitation was 98 mm below average and a late frost occurred. Mean levels of western ragweed herbage up to 436 kg ha-1 had no effect on associated species in 1991 when above average precipitation occurred throughout the growing season. In contrast, when an unusually dry spring occurred in 1992, relatively small mean levels of ragweed (189 kg ha-1) reduced end-of-season standing herbage of rhizomatous C4 grasses on control plots by about 21% (137 kg ha-1) with little effect on other associated species, regardless of when treatments were initiated. Within a given year, western ragweed density was seasonally constant, similar among treatments, and independent of preceding-year species composition. Severe defoliation of western ragweed had little effect on subsequent-year populations, indicating an ability to maintain primordia for several years with limited plant growth. Because western ragweed is not a strong competitor in the presence of vigorous graminoids, deferring use of June- or July-grazed pasture until after July in the subsequent year can minimize increases in western ragweed.
Identifying Factors to Improve Transportation Asset Management Program Sustainment: Applying Implementation Research and Change Management Principles
Authors: Akofio-Sowah Margaret-Avis , Amekudzi-Kennedy Adjo
Published: March 2016

Reauthorization of the national surface transportation legislation in the United States in 2012 included a requirement for agencies to develop transportation asset management (TAM) plans for the first time. Research on policy implementation and organizational theory has shown that agencies can respond to this kind of legislative mandate with ineffective efforts to achieve legitimacy, reducing the likelihood for program sustainment in the long term. Without sustainment, the benefits of TAM, which are mostly long term, may not be fully realized. The objective of this work is to identify factors that can improve the extent to which TAM programs are maintained within the business operations of departments of transportation (DOTs) by examining TAM implementation historically and through the lenses of policy and program implementation research and organizational change management theories. Ten factors were identified that can promote sustainment and longevity of TAM programs in the business processes of DOTs; the factors include characteristics of TAM programs or the availability and quality of human and other resources. Agencies can consider addressing the factors identified to enhance their implementation approaches with the goal of attaining long-term viability of their TAM programs. These factors provide a basis for formally addressing the social and organizational capital elements alongside the physical and technical capital elements of TAM implementation.