bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A multi-period and multi-product optimizer for cooperative supply chains
Authors: Sepehri M. , Fayazbakhsh K.
Published: April 2018

Members in a traditional supply chain compete to reduce their individual costs. But total cost is minimized in a cooperative, or a corporate managed, supply chain. A lower average cost and a lower cost variation are achieved by cooperative individual members in the long-run. The problem is formulated and solved as an integrated flow network. Previous research is expanded to include multi-period and multi-product cooperative supply chain with possibility of holding inventory in a multi-stage, multi-member setup. A Cooperative Supply Optimizer System (CSOS), a software-based coordination mechanism, is developed for large chains. It gathers operational information from members of the supply chain, and then guides them on ordering decisions for a minimum cost of the entire supply chain. Simulation results indicate an approximately 26% reduction in total supply chain costs, utilizing this formulation over a competitive setup. As the holding costs increase, the problem decomposes into single period (Just-in-time) again. The disturbing bullwhip effect disappears in cooperative supply chains.
The paradox of managing autonomy and control: An exploratory study
Authors: Gilbert G. , Sutherland M.
Published: April 2018

Managers are frequently offered conflicting advice as to how to increase organisational success. One of these complex dilemmas is whether to grant employees autonomy, which may lead to self-management and empowerment or alternatively, exercise control which may enable managers to retain a well-focussed and goal driven workforce. This research focuses on the key factors that influence the various combinations of autonomy and control and their respective outcomes. Qualitative exploratory research was conducted using in-depth interviews with 16 leading South African management and Human Resource experts to uncover their insights regarding this dilemma. The findings suggest that combinations of autonomy and control can co-exist. Management are able to create environments with high levels of autonomy whilst simultaneously retaining high levels of monitoring and oversight when the management control is indirect. It was found that the seemingly contradictory practices of autonomy versus control are a paradox, not a dilemma. Seventeen factors were identified that influence the different levels of autonomy and control in organisations.
An investigation of the efficiency of South Africa’s sector education and training authorities (SETA’s)
Authors: Turner M. , Halabi M. K. , Sartorius K. , Arendse J.
Published: April 2018

The performance of South African Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA’s) has been increasingly questioned. On this premise, the paper investigated the efficiency of the SETAs with respect to their utilization of funds in order to promote a range of education and training outputs was investigated. More specifically, the study investigated the quantity and quality of five training and education outputs, set by the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), in relation to the funding received. Furthermore, the study examined the amount of money spend on administrative expenditure by the various SETAs, as well as the SETAs management of financial reserves. In order to guide the study, as well as analyze the data, a conceptual framework to measure efficiency was based on an input-output model developed by Gupta and Verhoeven (2001). Data were obtained from the published accounting and annual reports for the period 2006 – 2009. The results indicated only two of the SETA’s were efficient with respect to their utilization of funds and that only five SETA’s consistently met their own targets. The study also shows that if the SETA’ s funds had been applied to education and training outputs, rather than for investment purposes, training outputs could have been considerably increased. The paper has implications for the use of public funds with respect to the critical skills shortage confronting the economy.
Community structure and centrality effects in the South African company network
Authors: Durbach I. , Katshunga D , Parker H.
Published: April 2018

This paper conducts a search for community structure in the South African company network, a social network whose elements are South African companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Companies are connected in this network if they share one or more directors on their respective boards. Discovered clusters, called communities, can be considered to be compartments of the network working relatively independently of one another, making their distribution and composition of some interest. We test whether the discovered communities of companies are (a) statistically significant, and (b) related to other attributes such as sector membership or market capitalization. We also investigate the relationship between the centrality of a company’s position in the network and its market capitalization.
The influence of employees’ perceptions of organizational politics on turnover intentions in Zimbabwe’s SME sector
Authors: Chinomona R. , Chinomona E.
Published: April 2018

Despite increasing awareness of the importance of managing the negative effects of organizational politics at the workplace, research on consequences relating to employees’ perceptions of the same in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa has received little attention. Therefore, using data from 250 SMEs in Zimbabwe, this study examines the effects of employees’ perceptions of organizational politics on turnover intentions and the mediating influence of employees’ perceptions of equity and organizational commitment. All the posited six hypotheses were supported by the sample data. Managerial implications of the findings are discussed and limitations and future research directions are indicated.
The anticipated work-family conflict of future business managers: Does gender and maternal employment matter?
Authors: Bagraim J. J. , Harrison E.
Published: April 2018

This study investigated the nature and predictors of anticipated work-family conflict (AWFC) amongst business students in South Africa (N=645) who intended to both work and start a family. Anticipated work-family conflict is the belief that future demands from work and family will be incompatible. The results indicate moderate levels of anticipated work-family conflict with differences across gender but no differences across race, socio-economic status, parental employment or parental education level. Further analysis showed an interaction effect between gender and maternal employment in explaining AWFC amongst female students. As expected, the personal factorsof positive affectivity and specific self-efficacy beliefs helped predict significant variance in AWFC. Social context factors did not help explain the variance in AWFC above that explained by demographic and personal variables.
Early-stage venture capital in South Africa: Challenges and prospects
Authors: Jones M. , Mlambo C.
Published: April 2018

The aim of this paper is to assess which factors impact the development of early-stage venture capital in South Africa. Factors identified for other markets and countries are explored and their relative importance in South Africa determined from the perspective of market participants. These include venture capital and private equity fund managers, government institutions, intermediaries and university research coordinators. The study used both an online survey, to capture a broad representation of opinion, and interviews, for in-depth responses. There was broad consensus among respondents with regards to the key factors requiring attention, which include the lack of funds targeted at early-stage investments, the lack of specialised fund managers, and the low entrepreneurial skillsets in the country. Through a detailed analysis of the responses, certain measures are proposed that can enhance the development of early-stage venture capital in South Africa such as engaging more with angel investors and improving the cooperation between the different market players in the sector.
Small medium micro enterprise business goals and government support: A South African case study
Authors: Peters R. , Naicker V.
Published: April 2018

Small and medium-scale enterprises (SMMEs) form the majority of the enterprises in the South African economy. The South African government has identified the SMME sector as one of the potential enablers to achieve its objectives of improving job creation opportunities, reducing poverty and creating a more equitable distribution of wealth. The aim of this article was to provide a perspective on the success government support initiatives has had on the SMME sector. To achieve this, the study sought to analyse the perceived strengths and weaknesses of government’s national strategy and its institutions tasked with creating an enabling environment for the sector. The study employed a survey research design methodology in which mixed methods were used. The national business strategy employed by government was critically analysed. Empirical data was collected from 282 respondents in order to answer the research question. The results show that the government’s approach has favoured ‘supply-side interventions’ including, providing access to training, credit, mentoring and information to existing and new business. Furthermore, this study has identified the lack of awareness as the primary reason for the under-delivery of the government support initiatives in SMME development. Respondents indicated that they frequently made use of the services of business consultants and external specialists from which they perceived added more value to their respective businesses.
Building long-term marketing relationships: New perspectives on B2B financial services
Authors: Theron E. , Terblanche N. S. , Boshoff C.
Published: April 2018

The focus of this study was on the relevance of trust, satisfaction and commitment in maintaining a long-term relationship (intention to stay) with an exchange partner in a Business-to-Business (B2B) context in the financial services industry. The perceptions of 238 B2B clients of a leading South African provider of development capital were investigated. Since support could not be found for the existence of trust, commitment and satisfaction as distinct individual dimensions, this study provides empirical support for the amalgamation of some well-established individual dimensions into broader, more holistic dimensions as drivers of long-term relationship building.Contrary to expectations, B2B banking clients participating in this study appeared to regroup individual dimensions, in a heuristic fashion, to form new dimensions that influenced their attitude towards staying in a B2B relationship. As a result, building long-term marketing relationships seems to be a less complicated process than previously thought. Against this background, the primary contribution of the study is that it highlights the need for marketing practitioners to reconsider their current relationship-marketing strategies. As the findings of the study are inconsistent with conventional wisdom, they also challenge marketing academics to reconsider the theoretical foundations of relationship building in a B2B context.
HIV/Aids fear appeal advertisements directed at different market segments: Some considerations for corporate sponsors and NPO’s
Authors: Terblanche-Smit M. , Terblanche N. S.
Published: April 2018

The purpose of social advertising is to influence human behaviour for societal benefit. Given concern about the Aids pandemic in South Africa, this study used structural equation modelling and partial least squares to investigate whetherthe use of fear in social advertising increases the likelihood of adopting appropriate behaviour pertaining to HIV/Aids prevention. Fear, attitude towards the advertisements, severity, susceptibility, response efficacy and self-efficacy were examined for their effect on behavioural intent of young adults within specific market segments. Relationships were found among susceptibility, fear, attitude, and behavioural intent, and different relationship paths were identified for segments based on gender and culture/racial groupings. These differences show the value in tailoring fear appeals to different segments when addressing social cause advertisements.
The impact of infrastructural change and regulation on entrepreneurial competitiveness in the South African telecommunications sector
Authors: Oberholzer S. M. , Cullen M. , Adendorff C.
Published: April 2018

The fast pace of technological advancements is regarded as one of the global drivers of change. In the telecommunications sector in South Africa, these technological advancements as well as sector transformation pose competitiveness challenges to entrepreneurs. This paper reports an empirical study performed to contribute to the promotion of entrepreneurial competitiveness within the telecommunications sector of the South African economy. From the empirical study, significant relationships proved to exist between the intervening- and independent variables and the dependent variable of this study, namely Perceived Entrepreneurial Competitiveness. The independent variable Infrastructural Change positively influenced both the intervening variable Entrepreneurial Orientation and dependent variable Perceived Entrepreneurial Competitiveness. In the same manner, the independent variables of Regulatory Alignment and Entrepreneurial Mindset did positively influenced Perceived Entrepreneurial Competitiveness within thisstudy. The study found that entrepreneurs can position their businesses more competitively if the factors that impact directly or indirectly on Entrepreneurial Competitiveness in the South African Telecommunications sector are taken in consideration.
Employee retention in the Malaysian banking industry: Do flexible practices work?
Authors: Mansor M. , Ldris A.
Published: April 2018

The objective of the study was to determine whether employee retention in Malaysian banks can be improved through flexible working. Using a quantitative approach, the effects of five types of flexible working practice, i.e. flex time, jobsharing, flex leave, flex career and flex place, on employee retention were examined. The results suggest that only flex time has a positive significant effect on employee retention, while the effects of other flexible practices are unstable.Unlike most studies which generally demonstrate the positive effects of flexible working on employee retention, the current one indicates that the effectiveness of each flexible practice is influenced by contextual factors. These findings underline the importance of further studies comparing societies of different cultural, political, economic and technological backgrounds. They have also raised the need to re examine human resource management and organizational culture in the Malaysian work environment. Challenges lie in developing a flexible environment which values continuous learning, trust, accountability and strong corporate governance.
Preferred attributes of entrepreneurial opportunities: A conjoint and cluster analysis study
Authors: Urban B. , Stacey A.
Published: April 2018

This paper builds on opportunity-based conceptualisations of entrepreneurship that focus on the identification and exploitation of opportunities. The study investigates the importance of factors when evaluating opportunities andidentifies distinct clusters of preferences for differing opportunities. Based on a conjoint analysis where importances and part worth utilities were calculated when assessing an entrepreneurial opportunity, significant differences appear in the importances associated with the business sector, capital intensity, technology maturity, market potential and return on investment potential. Moreover clustering is dependent on gender, academic background and principal work experience of respondents. A holistic conclusion of this study confirms not only that both opportunity dimensions and demographic factors are important, but that identifying levels of differences and differences in the degree of importances with unique constellations therein, is fundamental in understanding opportunity evaluation. The study contributes to the clustering of different types of opportunities to ensure the effective targeting of policies and services by government. Empirical evidence is mounting which demonstrates that there are more entrepreneurial opportunities in developing countries and that the higher number of entrepreneurial opportunities and demand for entrepreneurship in developing countries is indeed matched by higher rates of opportunity-driven entrepreneurs entering the market.
Risk and return characteristics of environmentally and socially responsible firms in Spain during a financial downturn: 2008–2011
Authors: Ruiz-Palomino P. , Del Pozo-Rubio R. , Martínez-Cañas R.
Published: April 2018

The onset of the global financial crisis in 2008 undermined trust in financial markets, with immediate damages to businesses and enduring negative effects for numerous national economies. The situation also has endangered progress in terms of investments in environmental and social management (ESM) issues, because managers may be more likely to embrace the misguided notion that such investments represent a non-returnable costs that will hinder firms’ financial performance. Yet ESM is needed now more than ever, because “doing good and doing well” messages are highly appreciated by stakeholders and can substantially improve a firm’s competitiveness. This article analyzes the performance of the Spanish FTSE4Good IBEX index, compared with that of the Spanish IBEX 35 index, during the financial crisis and reveals slightly better performance for the former. Thus, considering the difficult financial context, indicators of good environmental and social performance, among other factors, might have positive effects on stock index performance. The findings offer some key implications for managerial practice.
Segmentation by motivation of tourists to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Authors: Saayman M. , Dieske T.
Published: April 2018

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is one of South Africa’s unique attractions for national and international tourists. However, little research has been done on visitors to transfrontier parks. In addition marketers highlight the importance of understanding the reasons why people travel and who these tourists are. Therefore the aim of this article is to segment the market of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park by means of visitors’ travel motives. This was achieved by means of a survey. In the statistical analysis, 414 questionnaires were used and the survey was conducted from 2010 to 2012. The statistical analysis included a factor analysis and ANOVA. Four factors were identified through the factor analysis namely escape, education and recreation, park attributes and exploration. The latter was unique to this research since it has not been found in other studies. The ANOVA confirmed that a wide variety of variables influence the decision-making process and that the marketing strategy should focus on different methods and events to attract a greater market.
Ethical leadership and employee-organisational outcomes in the hotel industry
Authors: Tahernejad A. , Seyed Ghorban Z. , Raja Ariffin R. N. , Babaei H.
Published: April 2018

Ethical leadership has been attracting attention of different kinds. While the concept is still in its infancy, contribution from all aspects of business and management is required to examine the cross-sectional, cross-cultural applicability to provide further insights. Attempts have been made to theoretically and empirically examine the relationship between ethical leadership and several outcomes (e.g. job satisfaction, organisational commitment), however, most of these studies have been conducted in western countries. This calls for further analysis of this particular leadership style to fill the existing gap and enrich the literature. Using 183 samples from middle managers/supervisors in the hotel industry in Malaysia, the present study found that ethical leadership is positively and significantly related to both job satisfaction and organisational commitment among these middle managers, which then resulted in negative turnover and positive organisational citizenship behaviors amongst them. While, contributing significantly to the current literature on ethical leadership in the hospitality industry, this research also provides support for the notion of constructive consequences of leaders becoming role models in their organisations by following ethical standards in their behaviors and decision-making process.
Competition in the South African manufacturing sector: An empirical probe
Authors: Djolov G.
Published: April 2018

This paper empirically probes competition in the South African manufacturing sector using the latest published data on the industries of this sector released by the national statistical office. It is found that enterprise behaviour in this sector is governed by competition where the negativity between industry concentration and its linkages with output, employment, labour productivity, profit margins, rates of return, investment, and producer prices, has more to do with the limiting of rivalry between enterprises, as opposed to growing concentration promoting by itself poor economic performance. The findings are consistent with earlier investigations. From a managerial perspective, they suggest that while adaptive behaviour by enterprises through imitation or experimental actions is likely to lead to positive profitability, any resultant profit margins and rates of return are ultimately dependant on how successful or decisive enterprises are at innovating if they wish to grow their output, raise labour productivity, invest and employ more, as well as secure the demand-inducing prices commensurate with their innovative record. Thus the success of an enterprise rests on its ability to innovate.
Advertising vs. R&D: Relative effectiveness on brand equity
Authors: Jeong J.
Published: April 2018

This study examines whether advertising can contribute directly to brand equity and, if it can, determines how much value advertising can deliver to brands and firms using the secondary data from various sources. The findings show that advertising can not only work to improve market performance measures but also to develop and maintain brand equity. R&D is also found to positively affect brand equity. With regard to the relative effectiveness of advertising and R&D, R&D is more effective than advertising in contributing to brand equity when measuring absolute effects of expenditures. When measuring simple changes in brand equity, however, changes in advertising are more effective than changes in R&D.
The components of career capital and how they are acquired by knowledge workers across different industries
Authors: Sutherland M. , Naidu G. , Seabela S. , Crosson S.
Published: April 2018

The literature shows that the way in which knowledge workers manage their careers in the global economy has changed fundamentally in the last twenty years. Career capital is a tradable commodity between and within organisations which impacts both human resource managers and knowledge workers. There is insufficient empirical evidence of the components of career capital and how these are acquired and there has been a dearth of investigation as to whether career capital is managed differently in different industries. The research was conducted in two phases. The first qualitative phase via 21 in-depth interviews identified 27 components of career capital and 23 methods of career capital accrual. In phase two quantitative data was collected, using those constructs, from 200 knowledge workers in four sectors: the public service sector and in manufacturing, financial and high tech research and development industries. The research determined the most important career capital components and methods of their accrual and showed these to differ greatly between the four employment sectors. The data raises questions with regard to two important themes in the career literature.
The development and validation of an acculturation scale: An empirical study based on experimental data
Authors: Zhu J. Q. , Li H.
Published: April 2018

Based on a review of existing acculturation models, an adjusted acculturation model was proposed in this study and a scale for measuring an acquirer’s acculturation strategy was developed. We designed an experiment to collect data to validate this scale. Using CR values, CITC and EFA, we examined the scale items, and using Cronbach’s alpha and the AVE method, we tested the scale’s reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Finally, taking resistance to change as a criterion, we tested the scale’s criterion-related validity. The results show that the scale has good measurement properties.
Effect of earnings management on economic value added: A cross-country study
Authors: Liu Zhen-Jia
Published: April 2018

This paper addresses the association between earnings management and economic value added (EVA) among nations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), European Union (EU), and those classified as a newly industrialized country (NIC). Furthermore, an analysis of the earnings management behaviour is presented based on data from 2009 to 2013. The results indicated that a significantly inverse relationship exists between earnings management through either discretionary accruals (DAs) or real earnings management (REM) activities and EVA in NAFTA and EU nations. Moreover, a significantly positive relationship exists between earnings management through either DAs or REM and EVA in ASEAN and NIC nations. In addition, REM activities exhibit greater explanatory power among these nations.
How price moderates assessments of coffee quality across profiles of gender and experience
Authors: Priilaid D. , Horwitz B.
Published: April 2018

Proceeding from studies that identify the extrinsic price cue as a mediator between a product’s perceived and intrinsic merit, we report on a blind-versus-sighted coffee tasting experiment conducted to determine the impact of the price-cue across coffee-user categories of gender and relative experience. Seven instant coffees were tasted by 100 subjects producing 700 paired blind and sighted tastings. Aggregating the data, OLS regression models were run to estimate price-effects across discrete and overlapping bands of gender and self-confessed expertise (non-expert and expert). Our analysis reveals the extent to which price-effects demean a coffee’s intrinsic merit during sighted tastings, with experienced male coffee drinkers most especially susceptible to price persuasion, and less experienced female drinkers the least. Thus our paper introduces a cheap and affective means of testing for such cue-effects. Neuromarketing styles of testing are usually cumbersome, expensive and difficult to scale. The method show-cased here offers a meaningful alternative. These findings uphold the view that the price cue remains a critical tool in the marketing of coffee; most notably because of its potential cost-free contribution to the ramping of experienced pleasure without any augmentation of quality. Further implications are explored.
Decoupling paradigm of push-pull theory of oscillation in the FMCG industry
Authors: Mbhele T.P.
Published: April 2018

The amplification of demand order variability germinates from distorted demand information upstream while sometimes reacting to demand-driven inventory positioning influenced by the custodians of downstream information. This studyuses factor analysis to tentatively develop a supply chain model to enhance the competence of supply chain performance in terms of responsiveness, connectivity and agility. The results of the analysis indicate that the magnitude of control on the bullwhip effect and access to economic information on demand orders in the supply chain network are associated with the modelling of the push-pull theory of oscillation on three mirror dimensions of supply chain interrelationships (inventory positioning, information sharing and electronically-enabled supply chain systems). The findings provide the perspective on managing amplification in consumer demand order variability upstream in the supply chain network while enhancing the overall efficiency of supply chain performance. This article provides insight into the use of innovative strategies and modern technology to enhance supply chain visibility through integrated systems networks.
A motivational perspective on the user acceptance of social media
Authors: Nelmapius A. , Boshoff C.
Published: April 2018

Social media is a unique marketing communication medium to engage with a new generation of consumers and it has become an essential element of many organisations’ strategic planning. On social media sites, consumers are engaging with and producing information, as opposed to traditional media where the marketer is in control of the media message content and information dissemination. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the intentions of users of social network sites to continue using social network sites in the future, by using a comprehensive, decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour. The results showed that Dispositional trust, Internet self-efficacy, Psychological risk, Perceived enjoyment and Perceived usefulness exert a statistically significant influence on the intention of individuals to continue to use Facebook in the future. This study provides insights that can guide marketers’ efforts to devise customised, multi-layered marketing offerings to encourage the use of social network sites for e-commerce purposes.
Determinants of the quality of internet investor relations – a study of companies listed on the JSE#
Authors: Nel G. F. , Smit E. VdM. , Brummer L. M.
Published: April 2018

Investor relations is the field of management that is concerned with the relationships between companies and investors, and as such involves a wide variety of information types, for example mandatory, voluntary, financial, non-financial, qualitative and quantitative. While South Africa has recently been ranked number one for the strength of its auditing and reporting standards for the seventh consecutive year (IRBA, 2016), investor relations as a wider and voluntary concept, is largely un-researched in South Africa. The purpose of the study was to establish the determinants of Internet investor relations (IIR).The quality of IIR was measured for a sample of 85 JSE-listed companies using a measurement instrument that consists of 346 attributes. From the literature, as discussed in the literature review, 15 company characteristics were identified that could explain IIR quality. Stepwise regression model-building was used to develop a regression model that best explains IIR quality.Company size, leverage, being audited by a big four audit company, JSE industry membership, free float and dual listing status were found statistically significant independent variables, explaining 68.76% of the variation in the dependent variable, IIR. Contributions to the body of knowledge, study limitations and the need for further research are discussed in the conclusion.
Identifying ecotourists’ accommodation needs and preferences?
Authors: Saayman M. , Van der Merwe P.
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this research is to determine ecotourists’ needs and preferences concerning national parks in South Africa. A survey was conducted at the Tsitsikamma National Park, focusing on fixed-roof accommodation, camping and ecolodges. Results showed that the preferences for each aspect are unique and that setting remains paramount when it comes to fixed-roof accommodation. The research also confirmed that a variety of accommodation types, including provision for self-catering, is preferred by ecotourists. This research makes a valuable contribution to the managing of accommodation in South African National Parks.
A scale for CEO personal brand measurement
Authors: Chen Hai-Ming , Chung Hsin-Mei
Published: April 2018

A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is important for the image and culture of a business. His/her personal brand improves the brand of the business and also has a halo effect on customers and employees both present and potential. In order to better understand the effects that a CEO’s personal brand may have on a business, it is necessary to identify the key dimensions or variables that determine personal brand for business leaders. Most of the research on personal brand so far has been restricted to the area of how to build up one’s own personal brand. In this article personal brand is conceptualized as a multi-dimensional cognitive affective phenomenon. The current research presents a pilot study suggesting a seven-dimension scale to measure a CEO’s personal brand. This unique, reliable scale is viable and could assist boards of directors in confirming whether a CEO’s personal brand meets the expectations of the enterprise.
Does investing in sound corporate governance pay? A South African study
Authors: Mans-Kemp N. , Erasmus P. D. , Viviers S.
Published: April 2018

Despite increased recognition of the importance of sound corporate governance practices in emerging markets, previous researchers reported inconclusive evidence on the association between corporate governance and financial performance. Authors that predominantly focused on board-related variables might, however, have failed to reflect the complex nature of corporate governance. The financial performance measures employed in the majority of previous studies also ignored the potential risk-reducing benefits that sound corporate governance could hold for emerging market firms. The purpose of this article was thus to investigate the relationship between a comprehensive measure of corporate governance and the risk-adjusted performance of selected South African companies. A unique corporate governance database was compiled by conducting content analysis on the considered companies’ annual reports over the period 2002 to 2010. Aspects related to nine corporate governance categories were taken into account. In addition to the accounting and market-based performance measures that were employed in previous studies, South African companies’ risk-adjusted performance was also taken into account. The capital asset pricing model and the Fama-French three-factor model were employed to estimate risk-adjusted abnormal returns for four corporate governance-sorted portfolios. Both estimations revealed that the portfolio comprising of companies with the highest corporate governance scores managed to significantly outperform the market.
Are consumers’ quality perceptions influenced by brand familiarity, brand exposure and brand knowledge? Results from a wine tasting experiment
Authors: Priilaid D. , Human G. , Pitcher K. , Smith T. , Varkel C.
Published: April 2018

Theory posits that, over time, placebo-type brand-equity effects may develop through the process of wine purchase and consumption. This being so, the extent to which factors like brand familiarity, brand exposure and brand knowledge combine to inform and reinforce such brand-equity effects remains still largely unexplored. With the aim of modelling this potentially mediating dynamic, we present a two-stage wine tasting experiment employing the combined reportage of fourteen experimental groups, each consecutively tasting seven Sauvignon Blanc wines first blind, and then, afterwards, sighted. Results demonstrate how brand familiarity mediates the effect of brand exposure on the sighted assessment of wine both directly, and via its relation to brand knowledge. This novel finding extends the literature on the consumer response to brand information, suggesting that conventional mass media marketing strategies aimed merely at imparting brand knowledge may prove insufficient unless they also create a degree of brand familiarity in the minds of their customers.
Consequence of loan loss provisions on earnings management behaviour: A study on the best African commercial banks
Authors: Desta T. S.
Published: April 2018

This study aimed at analysing the relationship between loan loss provision (LLP) and earnings management in the African commercial banks. The study selected the 11 banks among the 32 best commercial banks as identified by the Global Finance Magazine in 2014. These 11 banks are available online in the Bureau van Dijk Bankscope data and helped observe 10 years (2004-2013, of which 2003 is the base) financial statements, which accounts 34.38% of the 32 best banks. Accounting data derived from 11 years audited financial statements were used; 110 bank-year observations. A two stage panel regression, partial and pairwise correlation, and independent t-test were applied in order to analyse the relationship between the discretionary LLP (DLLP) and earnings management. Accordingly, the study found that loan to deposit (LD), return on asset (ROA), and earnings before tax and provision (EBTP) significantly influence the DLLP. Besides, banks with high premanaged earnings and well-capital more indulge in the DLLP. The study supports empirical findings on income smoothing and external financing hypotheses, but not the capital management hypothesis. Finally, further research on this topic is recommended, among others, by taking relatively large bank-year observations.
Factors influencing business intelligence and analytics usage extent in South African organisations
Authors: Lautenbach P. , Johnston K. , Adeniran-Ogundipe T.
Published: April 2018

Through extensive use of business intelligence and analytics, organisations are better positioned to support fact-based decision making, ultimately leading to improved organisational performance. However, while some organisations recognise and exploit the benefits of business intelligence and analytics use, others fail to capitalise on its potential. It is pertinent therefore to examine factors influencing Business Intelligence and Analytics use within organisations. The three contexts of the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework was used as the foundational framework. It is hoped that the findings presented will contribute to a greater understanding of factors influencing business intelligence and analytics usage extent to researchers and practitioners alike. Organisations seeking to promote fact-based decision making through greater business intelligence and analytics use will apply and be better equipped to drive such endeavours.
The impact of IT adoption in SMEs supply chains: A case of Gauteng and Free State provinces of South Africa
Authors: Mathu K. , Tlare M. T.
Published: April 2018

This study probed the influence of information technology adoption by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Gauteng and Free State Provinces of South Africa. The supply chain integration and collaboration of the SMEs was also explored to ascertain the IT influence. A quantitative methodology was used as it was the best way to measure the extent of the information technology (IT) influence. The participants were sent questionnaires via the e-mail and provided feedback to the researcher via the same medium. The sample size of 300 comprised the owner/manager in the manufacturing and service sector SMEs from the two provinces. The data collected was analysed using a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) method and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using AMOS 22 Statistical Analysis software. The findings from the study indicated that information technology adoption enhanced integration and collaboration of SMEs supply chain. It also emerged that there was wide application of information technology amongst most of the SMEs approached. The other benefits that emerged from the increased use of IT in the supply chain included enhancement of customer service, inventory management, lead time, and relationship building. Indeed, Instilling IT skills to the SMEs employees was actually knowledge enhancement in performing business tasks.
Market reaction to tender and private offers on the JSE
Authors: Wesson N. , Muller C. , Ward M.
Published: April 2018

Investors can benefit when incorporating the information-signalling effect of share repurchases in their investment strategies. Previous South African studies on open market share repurchases confirmed the globally observed signalling-effect, but found open market share repurchases not to be the outright favoured share repurchase type in this country – as is the case globally. The present study is the first to examine the market reaction to the preferred share repurchase type, namely specific (or tender and private offers) share repurchases, in the South African regulatory environment. Abnormal returns were calculated using a 12-parameter benchmark over a four-year event window, for share repurchases announced from 1999 to 2009. Pro rata tender offers were found not to possess information-signalling benefits, but significant excess returns subsequent to the announcement date were reported for the two private offer types (namely other specific offers and the repurchase by the holding company of shares held by subsidiaries). The other specific offers were found to possess significant information-signalling benefits – especially over the long term and in respect of value companies.
Contemporary insights from Social Sciences Theory: Implications for Management
Authors: Callaghan C.
Published: April 2018

Management theory has a long history of drawing from social science theory to provide useful theoretical frameworks for managers. In resource constricted times, and in global contexts of uncertainty, the need for theory to provide insights for managers has perhaps never been so important. The objective of this research is to provide an analysis of seminal theory of paradigms and their incommensurability, and to offer a model which includes contemporary literature relevant to the challenges faced by management as a field. While certain pillars of social science theory have provided the bedrock upon which management has built certain of its literature, this paper argues not all social science tenets have been immune to the vagaries of contextual change over past decades. This paper seeks to revisit seminal social science literature on paradigms, and to derive a model of paradigm relationships in relation to management’s relationships to other social sciences. Central to this reflexive engagement is the argument that social science validity is contingent on a multiplicity of perspectives, and that paradigm incommensurability is antithetical to notions of contemporary validity. Implications for management are drawn from the analysis.
A framework for turnaround practitioners to assess reasonable prospect for ventures operating in the zone of insolvency
Authors: Pretorius M.
Published: April 2018

Turnaround practitioners (TPs) and business rescue practitioners (BRPs) are tasked with making the critical decision of whether a distressed business has reasonable prospect (RP) for reorganisation. Creditors often require the same determination because only businesses assessed to have a reasonable prospect can enter the rescue or reorganisation process. These determinations are difficult because they are made within a ‘zone of insolvency’ (ZoI). Going concerns operate on a solvent basis but may slide into the ZoI where conditions are ambiguous, unclear and uncertain. At the same, time, the specific conditions and contexts of distressed businesses vary widely despite some generic similarities that may exist. Therefore, the decision about reasonable prospect depends largely on how TP and BRPs perceive and make sense of the ambiguous conditions within the zone of insolvency. Finally, creditors and courts rarely agree with such RP determinations, but no generic tool exists to satisfy all stakeholders. Hence, the decision of whether (or not) a distressed business has a reasonable prospect to embark upon a reorganisation intervention involves both rational and subjective assessment to make sense of the conditions present in the ZoI. An affordance framework with guiding scores is proposed to determine reasonable prospect.
The relationship between strategic thinking and leadership effectiveness in Kenyan indigenous banks
Authors: Muriithi Samuel M. , Louw Lynette , Radloff Sarah E.
Published: April 2018

Background: Leadership effectiveness is critical to organisational performance and survival. To be effective, organisational leaders must possess the right competencies. One vital leadership competency is strategic thinking, which is described as the ability to synthesise and utilise intuition and creativity in order for an organisation to achieve an integrated perspective. Strategic thinking remains a critical area for research, owing to lack of supporting empirical literature, and to theories that give little or no guidance to leaders. Aim: The purpose of this study is to empirically test the relationship between strategic thinking competency and leadership effectiveness in Kenyan indigenous banks. Setting: The setting of the study is the indigenous banks in Kenya. Methods: The study was based on a positivist research paradigm which is quantitative in nature and utilised a survey method to collect data. Both probability and non-probability methods were used to determine the target population. The research instrument was a self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire. From a target population of 494 individuals, a total of 257 responses were received and analysed. The analysis was performed using structural equation modelling with confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha and goodness-of-fit indices being used for analysis and testing relationships. Results: The overall findings are that a positive relationship exists between strategic thinking and leadership effectiveness in indigenous banks in Kenya. The study further establishes positive relationships between the strategic thinking competency and its sub-constructs of general strategic thinking, intent-focused and hypothesis-driven, but a negative relationship with intelligent opportunism. A similar positive relationship exists between leadership effectiveness and its sub-constructs of influence, follower commitment and versatility. Conclusion: This research has established that strategic thinking is an important determinant of leadership effectiveness for indigenous banks in Kenya, and therefore supports prevailing literature and theory indicating a positive relationship. The implication of the study is that bank management should strive to maintain strategic thinking competency for effective leadership, successful bank performance and stability.