bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inter‐country trade dependence and inflation transmission mechanisms
Authors: Tovar Jalles João
Published: September 2010

Purpose

According to the Central Bank of Cape Verde, price stability is an important aspect when conducting its monetary policy. Given the fixed exchange rate regime towards the Portuguese Escudo/Euro and the high degree of trade inter‐dependence, this paper aims to analyse the “inflation import” phenomenon from Portugal to Cape Verde's economy from 1992 to 2008.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes a VECM and Granger causality approach.

Findings

The paper finds evidence in favour of the existence of a propagation mechanism, i.e., inflation transmission from Portugal to Cape Verde. The reverse conclusion is not true though. Another interesting implication from the policy‐making perspective is that Cape Verde's CPI is affected by non‐expected shocks in the short run and it takes, on average, 12 months for an adjustment towards a higher level to take place.

Practical implications

So, Portuguese inflation is an important variable to take into account when doing inflation forecasting exercises to Cape Verde's economy as well as when thinking about setting/defining exchange rate regimes. In this context, diversifying trading partners in Cape Verde is highly recommended as a way to reduce and dilute the Portuguese influence (as well as the role of external shocks) in the overall economy and price levels in Cape Verde.

Originality/value

The paper applies a well‐known economic phenomenon to the relationship between Portugal and one of its former colonies – Cape Verde. The analysis is of use to policy practioneers and to the country's Central Bank.
Developments in the efficiency of the Thailand banking sector: a DEA approach
Authors: Sufian Fadzlan , Shah Habibullah Muzafar
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of the present paper is to empirically analyze the efficiency of the Thailand banking sector during the period of 1999‐2008.

Design/methodology/approach

The efficiency estimates of individual banks are evaluated by using the data envelopment analysis approach. The central tendency and parametric method based on the Tobit regression is employed to investigate the Thailand banking sector's production efficiency while controlling for the potential effects of internal (bank‐specific characteristics) and external (macroeconomic and industry specific) contextual variables. As a robustness check, following Banker and Natarajan among others, the second‐stage regression is also estimated by using the ordinary least square regression method, while the standard errors are calculated by using White's specification to adjust for cross‐section heteroskedasticity.

Findings

During the period under study, the empirical findings indicate that scale inefficiency outweighs pure technical inefficiency in determining the Thailand banking sector's technical efficiency. The results from the multivariate regression analysis suggest that banks with higher loans intensity and better capitalized tend to exhibit higher efficiency levels. On the other hand, credit risk is negatively related to bank efficiency. The empirical findings suggest that the recent global financial crisis exerts negative impact on the efficiency of Thailand banks. The results indicate that the domestic banks have exhibited higher TE compared to their foreign bank counterparts.

Research limitations/implications

Owing to its limitations, the paper could be extended in a variety of ways. First, the scope of this study could be further extended to investigate changes in cost, allocative, and technical efficiencies over time. Second, future research into the efficiency of the Thailand banking sector efficiency could also consider the production function along with the intermediation function. Finally, investigation of changes in productivity over time as a result of technical change or technological progress or regress by employing the Malmquist total factor productivity index could yet be another extension to the paper.

Originality/value

Although the literature examining the efficiency of financial institutions with parametric and/or non‐parametric frontier techniques has expanded rapidly in recent times, these studies have been confined to the US banking sector or the banking sectors in the Western and developed countries. However, empirical evidences on the developing countries banking sectors in general and of the ASEAN countries in particular are relatively sparse. The present paper attempted to fill a demanding gap in that case by providing new empirical evidence on the sources and determinants of the Thailand banking sector's efficiency.
A heuristic method for detecting problems in business process models
Authors: Gruhn Volker , Laue Ralf
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new heuristic approach for finding errors and possible improvements in business process models.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the paper translates the information that is included in a model into a set of Prolog facts. It then searches for patterns which are related to a violation of the soundness property or bad modeling style or otherwise gives rise to the assumption that the model should be improved. To validate this approach, the paper analyzes a repository of almost 1,000 business process models. For this purpose, three different model‐checkers that explore the state space of all possible executions of a model are used. The result of these tools are compared with the results given by this heuristic approach.

Findings

The paper finds that the heuristic approach identifies violations of the soundness property almost as accurate as model‐checkers. However, other than these tools, the approach never ran into state space explosion problems. Furthermore, this heuristic approach can also detect patterns for bad modeling style which can help to improve the quality of models.

Practical implications

Heuristic checks can run in the background while the modeler works on the model. In this way, feedback about possible modeling errors can be provided instantly. This feedback can be used to correct possible problems immediately.

Originality/value

Current Prolog‐based validation tools check mainly for syntactical correctness and consistency requirements. This approach adds one more perspective by also detecting control‐flow errors (like deadlocks) and even pragmatic issues.
Social navigation in web lectures: a study of virtPresenter
Authors: Mertens Robert , Ketterl Markus , Brusilovsky Peter
Published: September 2010

Purpose

Social navigation is an emerging trend for navigation in hypermedia. With social navigation, users can be guided through large volumes of learning content by cues which integrate the browsing history of past users. Earlier papers have shown that social navigation is suitable for navigation not only in classic hypermedia but also in time‐based learning media like web lectures by presenting prototype implementations. The purpose of this paper is to report on user experiences with social navigation for web lectures in the classroom.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents results obtained from a two‐term classroom study with a social navigation interface for web lectures. The study comprises both log file analysis and student questionnaires. The interface used in the study implements a footprint‐based social navigation approach for time‐based continuous media such as web lectures.

Findings

The results of the user study show that social navigation cues significantly affect user lecture navigation, causing users to pay more attention to the material previously explored by other users. The users' subjective feedback on the usefulness of the social navigation cues and related navigation components was significantly positive.

Originality/value

Social navigation has primarily been implemented and researched in traditional text‐ and picture‐based hypermedia. This paper presents an actual user study of footprint‐based social navigation for web lectures. The results of this study are relevant to both practitioners who want to use social navigation in web lectures and researchers who want to improve and research navigation approaches for time‐based media.
Energy‐efficient virtual grid aided routing for MANETs
Authors: Wang Zhijun , Li Hezeng , Zhang Jingyuan
Published: September 2010

Purpose

In a mobilead hocnetwork (MANET), design of energy‐efficient routing schemes is essential for prolonging the network lifetime. The purpose of this paper is to show that one way to achieve energy efficiency in routing is to utilize location information, which becomes practical due to the recent increasing availability of low‐cost and reliable positioning devices.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes an eight‐direction forwarding virtual grid aided (VGA) routing scheme that uses location information to save energy. As a grid‐based scheme, VGA divides the whole network area into virtual grids.

Findings

By using eight‐direction forwarding, the proposed VGA scheme outperforms the previous four‐direction forwarding geographical adaptive fidelity (GAF) protocol. The proposed VGA scheme is motivated by the fact that, in the GAF protocol, forwarding to the four diagonal neighboring grids cannot be done in one single hop, although most nodes in these grids can hear the signal.

Originality/value

Theoretical analysis shows the eight‐direction forwarding protocol performs better than the four‐direction one unless the forwarding direction has an angle of less than 15○with the horizontal or vertical grid axis. Simulation supports the fact that the eight‐direction forwarding VGA scheme has better energy performance than the four‐direction forwarding GAF scheme without sacrificing any routing performance.
Toward an agent‐based pluggable infrastructure for context‐awareness
Authors: Li Jun , Chen Shaxun , Tao Xianping , Lu Jian
Published: September 2010

Purpose

Pervasive computing enhances the environment by embedding many computers that are gracefully integrated with human users. The purpose of this paper is to describe the creation of a smart context‐aware environment in which computation follows people and serves them everywhere. Building such smart environments is still difficult and complex due to lacking a uniform infrastructure that can adapt to diverse smart domains.

Design/methodology/approach

To address this problem, the paper proposes an agent‐based pluggable infrastructure which integrates a mobile agent system named pvMogent, establishes an ontology‐based context model and introduces a workflow‐based application model with the open services gateway initiative (OSGi) framework. By plugging corresponding domain context in ontology model and different applications, the infrastructure can be customized to various domains.

Findings

Through the implementation of several context‐aware applications, it was found that the infrastructure can largely reduce the development complexity as well as keep the domain extensibility by plugging corresponding domain context in ontology model.

Originality/value

In this paper, a number of key techniques are explored which are suitable for building context‐awareness. The experiences and lessons learned from the system development could further facilitate and inspire the research in this direction.
ContextAlert: context‐aware alert mode for a mobile phone
Authors: Phithakkitnukoon Santi , Dantu Ram
Published: September 2010

Purpose

Mobile computing research has been focused on developing technologies for handheld devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, and mobile IP. Today, emphasis is increasing on context‐aware computing, which aims to build the intelligence into mobile devices to sense and respond to the user's context. The purpose of this paper is to present a context‐aware mobile computing model (ContextAlert) that senses the user's context and intelligently configures the mobile phone alert mode accordingly.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes a three‐step approach in designing the model based on the embedded sensor data (accelerometer, GPS antenna, and microphone) of a G1 Adriod phone. As adaptivity is essential for context‐aware computing, within this model a new learning mechanism is presented to maintain a constant adaptivity rate for new learning while keeping the catastrophic forgetting problem minimal.

Findings

The model has been evaluated in many aspects using data collected from human subjects. The experiment results show that the proposed model performs well and yields a promising result.

Originality/value

This paper is distinguished from other previous papers by: first, using multiple sensors embeded in the mobile phone, which is more realistic for detecting the user's context than having various sensors attached to different parts of user's body; second, by being a novel model that uses sensed contextual information to provide a service that better synchronizes the user's daily life with a context‐aware alert mode. With this service, the user can avoid the problems such as forgetting to switch to vibrate mode while in a meeting or a movie theater, and taking the risk of picking up a phone call while driving, and third, being an adaptive learning algorithm that maintains a constant adaptivity rate for new learning while keeping the catastrophic forgetting problem minimal.
Systems thinking as a platform for leadership performance in a complex world
Authors: Palaima Tomas , Skaržauskienė Aelita
Published: September 2010

Purpose

Effective decision making and learning in a world of growing dynamic complexity requires leaders to become systems thinkers – to develop tools to understand the structures of complex systems. The paper aims to clarify the relationship between systems thinking and leadership performance. The relevance of systems thinking as a competence was disclosed in the context of leadership in the complex world.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper followed a quantitative research approach. First, exploratory factor analysis was employed to assess dimensionality of scales. Second, relationships between variables were explored using Spearman's correlation. Third, multiple linear regression was run to test the hypothesized model of relationships. The total sample of 201 consists of subsamples in two industries: retail trade (103 respondents) and manufacturing (98 respondents).

Findings

Based on the analysis and synthesis of the scientific literature, a conceptual model of relationship between intelligence competencies (such as systems thinking) and leadership performance is developed. The theoretical model is supported by empirical evidence from the two industries perspectives: the paper compares the impact of systems thinking on leadership performance in manufacturing and retail trade enterprises. Correlational and regression analyses revealed that systems thinking was associated with higher leadership performance.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. First, the model was tested empirically only in two industries: in retail trade and in manufacturing. Second, the sample of this research was limited only to national level, therefore there is no possibility to compare results across different countries. In order to generalize the research findings, further research should include more companies from different industries.

Practical implications

The paper discloses the benefits of systems thinking in organization and includes implications for the development of systems thinking and other leadership competencies.

Originality/value

This paper establishes a link between systems thinking and leadership performance. Theoretical insights that systems thinking is most important dealing with conceptual strategic problems of an organization were confirmed empirically.
Multi‐criteria analysis weighting methodology to incorporate stakeholders' preferences in energy and climate policy interactions
Authors: Grafakos Stelios , Flamos Alexandros , Oikonomou Vlasis , Zevgolis Dimitrios
Published: September 2010

Purpose

Evaluation of energy and climate policy interactions is a complex issue, whereas stakeholders' preferences incorporation has not been addressed systematically. The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated weighting methodology that has been developed in order to incorporate weighting preferences into an ex ante evaluation of climate and energy policy interactions.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi‐criteria analysis (MCA) weighting methodology which combines pair‐wise comparisons and ratio importance weighting methods has been elaborated. It initially introduces the users to the evaluation process through a warming up holistic approach for an initial rank of the criteria and then facilitates them to express their ratio relative importance in pair‐wise comparisons of criteria by providing them an interactive mean with verbal, numerical and visual representation of their preferences. Moreover, it provides a ranking consistency test where users can see the degree of (in)consistency of their preferences.

Findings

Stakeholders and experts in the energy policy field who tested the methodology stated their approval and satisfaction for the combination of both ranking and pair‐wise comparison techniques, since it allows the gradual approach to the evaluation problem. In addition, main difficulties in MCA weights elicitation processes were overcome.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology is tested by a small sample of stakeholders, whereas a larger sample, a broader range of stakeholders and applications on different climate policy evaluation cases merit further research.

Originality/value

The novel aspect of the developed methodology consists of the combination of ranking and pair‐wise comparison techniques for the elicitation of stakeholders' preferences.
A consistent approach for performance measurement of electricity distribution companies
Authors: Omrani H. , Azadeh A. , Ghaderi S.F. , Aabdollahzadeh S.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated algorithm composed of data envelopment analysis (DEA), corrected ordinary least squares (COLS) and principal component analysis (PCA) to estimate efficiency scores of electricity distribution units.

Design/methodology/approach

Several DEA and COLS models are prescribed and their results are verified and validated by the algorithm. To calculate efficiency scores, three standard internal consistency conditions between DEA and COLS results are checked by the algorithm. If these conditions are satisfied, DEA is chosen as the superior model because it could be used for optimization as well. Otherwise, the geometric mean of DEA and COLS model is used as the final efficiency scores.

Findings

The algorithm of this paper may be easily applied to decision‐making units because of its robustness (combined DEA‐COLS input and output) and validity gained through PCA.

Originality/value

The integrated approach has several unique features which are: verification and validation mechanism by PCA, consideration of internal consistency conditions between DEA and COLS and consolidation of DEA and COLS for improved ranking given consistency conditions are violated.
Evaluating the efficiency effects of industry consolidation
Authors: Hess Borge
Published: September 2010

Purpose

Since the early 1990s, the US natural gas sector is characterized by substantial industry restructuring as a result of regulatory requirements following a liberalization objective. Accordingly, firms have chosen different strategies as a reaction of regulatory constraints, such as acquisitions, forming holding companies, or joint venture investment. In order to contribute to the success of business strategies driven by the regulatory framework, the purpose of this paper is to provide first evidence for the impacts of business strategies on a firm's efficiency within the gas transmission business.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach taken is a stochastic frontier analysis.

Findings

The results highlighted significant effects of acquisitions, holding structures, and joint ventures within the industry on the firms' technical efficiency estimates. The paper finds evidence for efficiency improvements caused by the new shareholder. The results suggested those holdings to be successful which have great experience in the construction and operation of oil pipelines. In the case that firms formed a joint venture to construct and operate a gas transportation pipeline, the empirical analysis showed a negative impact of such a joint venture on technical efficiency of the pipeline company.

Originality/value

The paper provides evidence for the missing link between operating performance and the evaluation of different business strategies in terms of efficiency within the natural gas interstate pipeline industry.
State promotion of SME development at the local level in China
Authors: Atherton Andrew , Smallbone David
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine state promotion of private sector development in China, with particular emphasis on local configurations of support and service provision.

Design/methodology/approach

Via analysis of two cases, constraints on the development of small‐ to medium‐sized enterprise (SME) support and enabling environments and infrastructures are explored.

Findings

The cases highlight several fundamental constraints to state support for private sector development, including: an under‐developed market for business development and other support services; lack of budgetary facility in municipalities to resource publicly supported services to private SMEs; a lack of expertise within local government to develop mechanisms to engage with and support the development of privately owned enterprises.

Research limitations/implications

The localised nature of implementation of the 2003 SME Promotion Law, at municipal and county level, appears to be a constraint on systematic development of comprehensive SME support systems, as mandated by this law.

Practical implications

First, the private sector has grown without emergence of a purposive infrastructure of direct state support to enable this development, which appears to be a positive outcome from reform. Second, future private sector growth may be constrained should local government not develop mechanisms to engage with the private sector to enable its continued growth and development.

Originality/value

The paper offers insight into current, and future, relations state promotion of enterprise in China.
China's Venture Capital Guiding Funds: policies and practice
Authors: Chen Jia
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to present an overview of China's Venture Capital Guiding Funds, a new policy initiative in support of the development of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides an overview of China's Venture Capital Guiding Funds.

Findings

The Chinese Government endeavored to promote the development of SMEs with fiscal policies and has accomplished some achievements. As the Reform and Opening‐up Policy is undergoing further progress, fiscal policies are expected to play a more and more important role in the development of economy and the society as well as SMEs.

Originality/value

The paper illustrates the approaches that the Chinese Government has taken to improve the availability of equity financing to high‐growth SMEs.
Mangi teus‐teus
Authors: Wood Stephen
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explain why the two most pious Muslim groups in West Africa – the Mourides of Senegal and the Pula Futa of Guinea – are also the most economically dominant.

Design/methodology/approach

This question has typically been explained using the ideas of Max Weber, who suggests that the capitalist spirit arose because of the personal characteristics created by Calvinism. This paper looks at a Weberian explanation, adopted to Islam, and also an explanation that is rooted in pure political and economic history.

Findings

It is concluded that the Weberian explanation is germane to the case of the Mourides in Senegal, but does a poor job explaining the economic dominance of the Pula Futa. By contrast, while the economic and political history is important for the economic rise of the Mourides, it seems to account for almost the entire success of the Pula Futa.

Originality/value

These findings are important because they are a reminder of the heterogeneity between both ethnic and religious groups, both in their religious practice and in their economic affairs. The effects of religion, politics, and culture are not uniform for different sects, nations, and ethnic groups. If there is a desire to market to Muslims, develop programs for economic development, or engage in any economic work within Islamic cultures, there is a need to take such heterogeneity into account.
Ethical implications of sales promotion in Ghana: Islamic perspective
Authors: Bin Yusuf Jibrail
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to examine sales promotional practices in Ghana, weighing their ethical implications from an Islamic perspective and investigates whether they meet Islam's ethical requirements to merit Muslims' patronage.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses Qur'an 5:90/2:219 as a theoretical framework to analyze relevant data to ascertain the extent of ethical legitimacy of strategies used in sales promotion in Ghana and cites other relevant references from Qur'an and sunnah as interpretative proofs and methodology.

Findings

Islam emphasizes ethical principles in business. Muslims can promote business but that must be done within the ethical framework of Islam. The current Ghanaian promotional strategies are ethically questionable. They lead to unethical earning of livelihood and unjust acquisition of wealth through gambling and other ill‐perceived means which do not promote the ethical values of Muslims.

Research limitations/implications

The paper emphasizes the necessity for further research into the ethical dimensions of business practices, in general, in Ghana to promote ethical responsibility in the society.

Originality/value

The study inculcates mutual socio‐economic and ethical responsibilities between Ghanaian sellers and buyers to save the society from the situation where love of wealth supersedes ethical interests.
Conflict in purchase decision making within couples
Authors: Frikha Azza
Published: September 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to explore conflict and its resolution strategies adopted by Tunisian spouses in the purchase of furniture. This paper also seeks to examine the determinants of the variation in resolution strategies adopted by the couples.

Design/methodology/approach

Following an exploratory study and two focus group discussions, a number of conflict resolution strategies compatible with the Tunisian cultural context are generated and submitted for examination through a survey of 129 couples (N=258 individuals).

Findings

The findings suggest that conflicts are more marked with regard to the non aesthetic aspects of the furniture. The findings also show that the variations in strategies of conflict resolution used by spouses depend on the gender role orientation, the family life cycle and the socio‐demographic characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

The paper provides insights on the conflict occurring in purchase of furniture and the strategies used by spouses to reach a decision. However, the findings need to be validated on other samples and other products to better apprehend Muslim family interactions.

Practical implications

For marketers, the findings point to the importance of being aware of the extent of conflict and the used strategies to resolve it. Such knowledge may better refocus marketing efforts towards solving conflicts and help couples reach a purchase decision.

Originality/value

This paper focuses on the decisional dynamics in Tunisian Islamic context.
Do forecasts improve over time?
Authors: Rieg Robert
Published: September 2010

Purpose

Accounting and decision making rely heavily on forecasts. For several reasons, we should expect ongoing increases in forecasting accuracy. The purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesis of improved forecasts over time.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyzes original monthly sales plans and current data for three different car models in six different countries over 15 years and over several product life cycles (PLCs). Forecasting accuracy is calculated as one minus forecasting error. Forecasting error is measured with MAD/MEAN for periods of years or relative deviations per month. The hypothesis of decreasing forecasting errors is tested with the non‐parametric Mann/Kendall trend test. Additional interviews with managers were conducted to elicit details of internal forecasting organization and instruments.

Findings

The paper finds no evidence of increased forecasting accuracy in general over 15 years or over subsequent PLCs. This seems surprising, given improved statistical methods and software in general, and experience and learning effects of the organization itself. However, there is evidence from the case, that the reason lies in environmental uncertainty and volatility and not in internal factors within the control of the company.

Research limitations/implications

Evidence from one case study is limited in its external validity. Future studies should analyze the forecasts of more companies, more industries and different forecasting objects, the latter including consumer, industrial goods and services. In the absence of further research, the results seem to negate the common assumption, that companies are generally able to make accurate forecasts, including those for accounting purposes. This hypothesis is clearly confuted.

Practical implications

The paper describes a methodology for companies to analyze their own forecasting accuracy and to identify possible reasons for a lack of accuracy, or basic approaches to increasing it.

Originality/value

Most studies on forecasting accuracy rely on interviews and questionnaires, entailing bias that is difficult to control. Few studies analyze archival data in order to measure forecasting accuracy; so that our study avoids much of the bias mentioned above. Despite the inevitable limitations of case studies, a study such as the present one at least allows us to dispute a common hypothesis about forecasting accuracy in practice.
Business strategies for achieving sustainable development in Africa
Authors: Rugimbana Robert
Published: September 2010

Purpose

In this editorial the Guest Editor attempts to link the idea of sustainable development in Africa to the different contributions that have been made by papers written on varied business disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

The papers in this special issue represent “best papers” that were selected during the 3rd International Business Conference (IBC) held in Zanzibar, Tanzania in 2009, addressing the theme of business challenges and sustainable solution, under the overarching conference theme of sustainable futures. The papers cover a wide range of business challenges and remedies in an interdisciplinary manner via a range of sub‐disciplines ranging from human resources management and entrepreneurship training to HIV/AIDS in the workplace and gender buying patterns of German tourists.

Findings

Presenting the notion of sustainable development as a means of confronting business challenges is an interdisciplinary undertaking, in which business disciplines and business methods logically play a role. Although these papers address important business challenges that are pertinent to the development of Africa, they only implicitly and indirectly talk to sustainability philosophies or approaches. In essence, they address issues that have interesting implications for sustainable development and futures thinking and strategies albeit industry‐sector or firm levels.

Originality/value

The discussion in this special issue focuses on the implications of the contributions to the generic field of sustainable development. The main aim is to encourage academics to begin engaging with a kind of futures thinking, with particular focus on the main issues of sustainable development, whilst bearing in mind the principal aims of the millennium development goals for Africa.
Entrepreneurship training and poverty alleviation
Authors: Mensah S.N.‐A. , Benedict E.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the major long‐term role that hands‐on entrepreneurship training could play in poverty alleviation and job creation in one of the poorest regions of South Africa – the Eastern Free State (EFS). This is done against a background of frequently occurring violent protests against the inadequacy of the government's hand‐out poverty alleviation strategy of social grants, free houses and free social services.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses desk research and quantitative analysis of survey data collected from the Phuthaditjhaba area of Qwaqwa in the EFS.

Findings

The poverty indicators confirm the accepted view of the Free State as one of the poorest provinces in South Africa, which makes Qwaqwa, the poorest part of the Free State, a real human plight. While government hand‐out poverty alleviation measures, with their unintended consequences of violent protests and demonstrations, may only help some of the poor in the short term, training in entrepreneurship and provision of other facilities could give poor owners of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) opportunities to grow their businesses and get themselves and other out of poverty. Furthermore, as a result of a huge communication gap, MSE operators in Phuthaditjhaba, the commercial hub of Qwaqwa, do not even know of government agencies charged with the responsible of assisting small business operators in the area. Though they lack the finance and other endowments required to grow their businesses, the experience has given MSE operators some ideas about the kind of assistance that may help in this regard and even make it possible for them to provide employment for others – finance, government support, infrastructure and premises, training, etc.

Practical implications

As shown by the findings of a study sponsored by the Maluti‐A‐Phofung local municipality, there is potential for growth of small businesses in many areas of the EFS economy. Training of survivalist entrepreneurs and other poor persons with potential could open their eyes to opportunities around them which they could take advantage of to improve their economic situation and that of other poor persons in the area through job creation.

Originality/value

In addition to highlighting the shortcomings of the current poverty alleviation strategy of the South African Government, this is the first study that brings entrepreneurship training to the fore in the fight against poverty in the EFS.
Modelling the time‐varying volatility of equities returns in Kenya
Authors: Esman Nyamongo Morekwa , Misati Roseline
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The paper seeks to investigate the relationship between stock volatility and returns in the Nairobi Stock Exchange, Kenya. It uses daily returns data over the period January 2006 to April 2009.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical analysis is based on quantitative analysis with emphasis on descriptive statistics, and advanced econometrics models which are well suited to capture the time‐varying volatility. The models utilised in this study fall into the family of generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity models.

Findings

The main findings of the paper are as follows: the equities returns are symmetric but leptokurtic and thus not normally distributed; volatility of returns is highly persistent; the leverage effects are not significant; and the impact of news on volatility is not significantly asymmetric.

Practical implications

The findings of this paper will aid policy makers, policy analysts, investors, and academics to gain in‐depth understanding of dynamics of the equities returns in Kenya particularly, with regard to leverage and impact of news.

Originality/value

The paper was conducted at a time when the volatility of the equity market returns in the global stock markets in general and Kenya in particular was high on account of the global financial crisis and the aftermath of the post‐election violence in Kenya. Given that excess volatility in the stock market undermines the reliability of stock market prices as a signal to the true value of the firm, the findings of this paper will provide useful insights in the assessment of portfolio allocation and investment decisions in Kenya.
24‐h pH monitoring patterns and clinical response after achalasia treatment with pneumatic dilation or laparoscopic Heller myotomy
Authors: Novais P. A. , Lemme E. M. O.
Published: September 2010

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 1257–1265

Background  The most effective treatment for achalasia is pneumatic dilation or myotomy. The best option is still controversial and incidence of complications could help choosing. Gastro‐oesophageal reflux (GER) is the most frequent complication after treatment for achalasia. The 24‐h pH monitoring (24‐h pH) is the best method to evaluate true GER.

Aim  To analyse the 24‐h pH patterns after treatment, correlating with therapeutic success.

Methods  Untreated patients with achalasia were randomized to pneumatic dilation or laparoscopic Heller myotomy with fundoplication (LHM+Fp) and evaluated with clinical/manometric results and 24‐h pH.

Results  Ninety‐four patients were analysed pre‐treatment and 85 post‐treatment. Clinical success was 73.8% in pneumatic dilation group and 88.3% in LHM+Fp group (P = 0.08). The incidence of GER was 31% in pneumatic dilation, and 4.7% in LHM+Fp (P = 0.001). The occurrence of hypotensive lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) was 53.3% in patients who developed GER and 28.6% in patients with 24‐h pH suggesting fermentation (P = 0.019). The rates of dysphagia resolution in patients with 24‐h pH of GER and fermentation were respectively 86.7% and 85.7% (P = 0.89).

Conclusions  True GER 24‐h pH is more frequent after pneumatic dilation for achalasia, and it is associated with a hypotensive LES. A 24‐h pH suggestive of fermentation or true GER is not associated with worse clinical/manometric results.
Hydrochloride pioglitazone decreases urinary cytokines excretion in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Hu Yuan‐Yuan , Ye Shan‐Dong , Zhao Li‐Li , Zheng Mao , Wu Feng‐Zhen , Chen Yan
Published: September 2010

Objective  To observe the effects of hydrochloride pioglitazone on urinary cytokine excretion in type 2 diabetes and to explore its possible reno‐protective mechanisms.

Design  Subjects and Methods. Ninety‐eight patients with type 2 diabetes and a fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels between 7.0 and 13.0 mm and glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥7.0% were assigned randomly to receive either the pioglitazone (DP group) or a sulphonylurea (DS group). Another 49 healthy individuals were chosen as normal controls (group NC). At the start of the study and after 12 weeks of treatment, urinary cytokines including monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) and vascular endothelial growth factor were measured and were expressed as a ratio of urinary creatinine excretion. Urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, FBG and HbA1c were determined at the same time.

Results  The excretion of each urinary cytokine, corrected for urinary creatinine, was significantly increased in both groups of patients with diabetes, compared with normal controls, and after a 12‐week treatment were significantly decreased by both therapies but the effect of pioglitazone was statistically greater than with sulphonylureas. Urinary albumin/UCr and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were decreased significantly by pioglitazone (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) but not by sulphonylurea treatment (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in FBG or HbA1c between two groups. There was a positive correlation between the excretion of cytokines and urinary albumin /UCr (all P < 0.01).

Conclusions  This study indicates that pioglitazone reduces urinary albumin excretion by a mechanism that is at least partly independent of blood sugar control. The correlation of urinary albumin excretion with improvement in urinary cytokines suggests that this reno‐protective effect of piogliazone in diabetes may be related to local reduction in cytokine activity within the kidney.
Macroprolactinaemia in patients with hyperprolactinaemia: composition of macroprolactin and stability during long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Hattori Naoki , Ishihara Takashi , Saiki Yasuhiko , Shimatsu Akira
Published: September 2010

Objective  Macroprolactin, which comprises immunoglobulin G (IgG) or anti‐prolactin (PRL) autoantibody‐bound PRL, is one of the causes of hyperprolactinaemia. This study evaluated the composition and stability of macroprolactin and determined whether the condition was long lasting. We also investigated whether we could predict the composition of macroprolactin based on the ratio of polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐precipitable PRL.

Patients  Two hundred and ninety‐two patients with hyperprolactinaemia (252 women and 40 men).

Design  We used PEG precipitation to screen for macroprolactinaemia in 625 serum samples from 292 patients with hyperprolactinaemia visiting a city hospital over the last 5·5 years. Macroprolactinaemia was defined by PEG‐precipitable PRL ratio greater than 60%. IgG‐bound PRL and anti‐PRL autoantibodies were measured by protein G and 125I‐hPRL binding studies, respectively. We also examined the autoantibody specificity and binding characteristics.

Results  In 39 patients with macroprolactinaemia, IgG‐bound PRL was present in 87% and anti‐PRL autoantibodies in 67%. A non‐IgG‐bound form of macroprolactin was found mainly in sera with marginally elevated PEG‐precipitable PRL. The higher the PEG‐precipitable PRL ratio, the greater the likelihood that autoantibodies were involved in the composition of macroprolactin. The autoantibodies were IgG type and specific to human PRL and had a low affinity and high capacity. Long‐term follow‐up (2–17 years) revealed that the ratios of PEG‐precipitable PRL, IgG‐bound PRL and anti‐PRL autoantibody‐bound PRL were relatively stable.

Conclusions  This study showed that higher PEG‐precipitable PRL ratio in macroprolactinaemic sera might preferentially indicate the presence of anti‐PRL autoantibodies and that macroprolactinaemia might be a long‐lasting condition.
Reproductive success in a socially polymorphic spider: social individuals experience depressed reproductive success in isolation
Authors: JONES THOMAS C. , PRUITT JONATHAN N. , RIECHERT SUSAN E.
Published: September 2010

1. Correlated individual differences in behaviour across ecological contexts, or behavioural syndromes, can theoretically constrain individuals' ability to optimally adjust their behaviour for specific contexts.

2. Female Anelosimus studiosus exhibit a unique behavioural polymorphism: ‘social’ females are tolerant of conspecifics and aggregate in multi‐female colonies, while ‘solitary’ females aggressively defend their singleton webs from intrusion by adult female conspecifics. Previous work found that social females are also less aggressive toward prey and are more fearful of predators.

3. In this study we quantify potential fitness consequences of these correlated behaviours by examining the potential and realised fecundities of the two phenotypes in naturally occurring colonies, and by quantifying their ability to rear offspring as singleton individuals.

4. There were no differences in the fecundities of laboratory‐reared females between the phenotypes, nor were there differences in field‐collected brooding females from naturally occurring solitary and social nests.

5. Brooding females from solitary and social colonies that were isolated in new nests for the growing season were both capable of rearing their broods; however, females from solitary nests had significantly greater success.

6. These results suggest a fitness consequence to the reduced‐aggression syndrome of social females that may represent a general impediment to the evolution of sociality in spiders.
Predictors of parenting stress among Malaysian mothers of children with Down syndrome
Authors: Norizan A. , Shamsuddin K.
Published: September 2010

Background  Having children with intellectual disability can be stressful for most parents. Currently there are very few studies focusing on parenting stress among mothers of children with Down syndrome (DS) in Asia. The present study examined the level of parenting stress experienced by Malaysian mothers of children with DS and evaluated the child and maternal factors that contributed to parenting stress based on Hill's ABC‐X Model (Hill 1949).

Methods  We conducted a cross‐sectional study of mothers of children with DS between the ages of 2–12 years during February–June 2008 in Kedah, a state in Peninsular Malaysia. We used self‐administered questionnaires to gather data on parenting stress, child's birth history and current behavioural problems, as well as the maternal sociodemographic characteristics, coping styles and psychological well‐being. Parental Stress Scale (PSS) was used to assess parenting stress. Measures of child's behavioural problem using Pediatric Symptom Checklist, mother's coping style using Carver et al. (1989) COPE inventory and their psychological well‐being using Lovibond and Lovibond (1995) DASS21, a scale assessing depression, anxiety and stress were also carried out.

Results  The 147 mothers who participated in the study had an average age of 43.1 years (SD = 7.6 years), of whom 94.6% were married, 57.1% had secondary level education and 28.6% were working outside their home. Based on PSS, mean parenting stress was 37.6 (SD = 8.1). Parenting stress was significantly higher among mothers who reported having children with behavioural problems. However, parenting stress was modified by positive coping styles and negative maternal psychological well‐being. The final model based on hierarchical regression analysis identified maternal depression and lack of acceptance as significant predictors of parenting stress rather than child's behavioural problems.

Conclusion  Mean parenting stress among mothers of children with DS significantly differed by behavioural problems in their children. Parenting stress is also significantly correlated with frequent use of acceptance, religious and optimist coping styles, and presence of maternal depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms. However, hierarchical regression analysis identified maternal depression and lack of acceptance of having a child with DS as the most significant predictors of parenting stress in these mothers.