Year 2014 , Volume 3, Issue 1, Part 1
Year 2014 , Volume 3, Issue 1, Part 1
1
Impact of Organizational Training on the Investigation Officers? Investigatory Skills: A Case Study of Federal Investigation Agency Regional Headquarter Peshawar INAM UL HAQ and MUHAMMAD GHAYYUR Pages: 1-11
Investigatory skills of the investigation organization are mandatory to uplift the working abilities and record constructive contribution in the overall objectives and mission of the organization. The research study conducted in the Federal Investigation Agency Regional Headquarter Peshawar, it is proved, and training an essential developmental activity for the development of the employees is effectively playing its role for the effective operational setup. The research study collected primary data through research questionnaire and supportive applications for the employees? training and investigatory skills. Total number of 75 respondents? approaches and their preferences are recorded through self-administration research questionnaire; it is proved that employees training activities or training are positively influencing employees? investigatory skills. The impact of the employees? skills proved positive on the investigation process which are the soft side of the investigation process that include employees? interrogation and legal skills, special laws and custom knowledge, skills of modern devices and forensic science, analytical skills and cultivation of informants. The empirical side of the research study processed through SPSS version 19. Key Words: Training, Investigation, Agency, Employee and Peshawar.
2
Performance Persistence in the Insurance Markets ? Comparative Analysis of Selected Central and Eastern European Countries TOMISLAVA PAVIC KRAMARIC and TONI MILUN Pages: 12-23
In this paper researchers has analyse the performance persistence of the insurance companies operating in the insurance markets of the selected Eastern and Central European countries, i.e. Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary and Poland in the 1998-2011 period. In this paper persistence in performance refers to the ability of an insurance company to achieve the growth rate for two consecutive years above the median, compared to other insurance companies in the market. The contingency table approach is used to identify the number of insurance companies that are labelled as winners or losers over the consecutive periods. Several methods were used such as Malkiel?s Z-test, Brown and Goetzmann Z-test, 2 -statistics by Kahn and Rudd, Cochran method and Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance. The empirical analysis shows that there is persistence in performance of insurance companies in particular periods. More specifically, depending on the tests applied, in all countries there were consecutive periods with performance persistence as well as consecutive periods with no proof of persistence in performance. The long-term analysis indicates that the longest period of maintaining the same status of either winner or loser was recorded for insurance companies in Croatia, and the shortest in Hungary. Long-term analysis didn?t show any statistically significant difference in performance persistence among countries. Key Words: Insurance markets, Central and Eastern European countries, Performance persistence.
3
A Study on the Conceptualization of Apparel Brand CHIEN HSIEN LEE, HAW RAN WONG, TZUYI KAO and JERSAN HU Pages: 24-37
For this study, we clarify apparel brand conceptualization from the consumer perspective. Using the brand concept map (BCM) method, the complex associations in the perception of apparel brand are explicated in a graphical network structure. This includes associations related to the elements of channel, promotional activities, price, design, place of origin, and consumer impression, and the interconnections of these elements that are influenced by cultural factors. We propose that the network of associations in consumers? memory, consisting of various elements, constitutes relevant consumer values. We contribute to the understanding of apparel brand structure on associations, network, and cultural levels. The methodology advanced in this study considers the network structure of consumer associations. We also identify the framework of relevant associations, elements, and values, which might be leveraged in marketing strategy. Key Words: Brand, Marketing, Apparel brand, Brand culture, Brand concept Map.
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Assessing the Application of Production Scheduling: Demand Uncertainty and the Performance of Manufacturing Firms in Rivers State, Nigeria KARIBO B. BAGSHAW Pages: 38-54
Manufacturing firms are expected to adopt best production practices accommodating production scheduling in the environment of demand uncertainty. Given that there is the gap between theory and practice, this study examined the extent production scheduling practices are involved in the operations of Nigerian manufacturing firms; and the relationship between production scheduling and manufacturing performance under demand uncertainty. The study involved the use of questionnaire to collect data from 29 manufacturing firms using random sampling from the population of 33 manufacturing firms registered with the Manufacturers? Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Rivers State, Nigeria. Relevant research questions and research hypotheses of the study variables; master production scheduling, operations scheduling and order scheduling as techniques of production scheduling on firm performance measures of productivity, market share and product quality were stated. Results of the study showed that master production scheduling, operations scheduling and order scheduling have above 75% influence on productivity and market share as compared to less than 40% influence on product quality. Concluding, that production scheduling has significant influence on performance of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria, and that demand uncertainty affects the relationship between production scheduling and manufacturing firms? performance. It is recommended that manufacturing firms in Nigeria should effectively adopt production scheduling techniques in enhancing improved levels of manufacturing performance; and that the concept of demand as an input in production scheduling for a production plan period should accommodate unsatisfied demand from the immediate preceding plan period plus the forecast demand for that period. Key Words: Production scheduling, Demand uncertainty, Performance.
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How Value Based Leadership Influences Logistic Support Services and Employees Satisfaction? MUSHTAQ AHMAD and MUHAMMAD GHAYYUR Pages: 55-67
Leaders in organization stimulate the workforces and define the aligned working approaches for the well of all stakeholders. Value based leadership manage the strengths of the organization in effective and efficient ways to produce good well for all. The research study examined the operational status of value based leadership in relation with logistics support and employees satisfaction. Total number 127 respondents have been examined for the proposed research objective. It is found the industrial estate of Hayatabad Peshawar consists of diversified nature of organization in different products. The leaders are using different approaches to raise the productive condition in effective ways. Value based leadership found with positive coefficient value of 0.356 and significant t-test above the tabulated value that proven the acceptability of the stated hypothesis in the favor of value based leadership for logistics support. While value based leadership again found with positive impacting value of 0.072 comparatively low with reason the some employees are not happy with the working approaches of the leaders. Therefore the impact of the value based leadership on the employees satisfaction found as low and significant. The whole research process has been examined on the basis of primary data that has been converted to quantitative form with help of time tested research questionnaire. Key Words: Leadership, Value, Logistic Employees and Satisfaction.
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The effect of Business Intelligence Tools on Raising the Efficiency of Modern Management Accounting ZIAD AL-ZUBI, OSAMA SAMIH SHABAN and NABIL ALNASER Pages: 68-77
This research study aims to update existing, traditional management accounting inquiry and decisions system, in a holistic sense, so management accounting can reclaim its leading role in decision-making. The main role of management accounting is to use available information in the best possible way to make the best possible decisions. Handling information to highest possible use in order to increase the efficiency of management accounting information system can be achieved through the adoption of Business Intelligence tools (BI). Business intelligence tools such as ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load), OLAP (Online Analytical Process), DWH (Data Warehouse) have been addressed. For achieving this purpose, number of 40 questionnaires has been designed, circulated by hand to a randomly selected sample of information technology department and board of directors at the Jordanian Industrial Companies listed at Amman Stock Exchange, SPSS package applied for the purpose of statistical analysis; arithmetic means, standard deviations, percentages and Simple Regression. Finally, the study concluded that, the use of business intelligence tools has a significant positive effect on modern management accounting, the decision process can be more effective, and Management can save time and money through the use of BI tools. Key Words: Management accounting, Business intelligence, OLAP, ETL, DWH.
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Modeling Commercial Potential of Innovative Projects KATARZYNA ROSTEK Pages: 78-95
Purpose of the work is to develop effective assessment method of commercial potential of innovative projects, which will increase the clarity, intelligibility and provide repeatability of the evaluation process during applying for a funding. First was performed the analysis of the principles of financing innovative projects and identified the criteria for assessment of their commercial potential. Next was conducted quantitative research on a group of 150 SME sector dental clinics. Based on the collected data and information was developed the reference model for the evaluation of commercial potential of the research group. This model was subjected to regression analysis in order to identify the key factors of success / failure in the evaluation of commercial potential. All activities were included in the authors method of assessing the commercial potential of innovative projects. Based on conducted research should be stated that multi-criteria analysis and data mining methods can effectively assist selection of criteria and automating assessment of commercial potential of innovative projects. The result of their uses is optimizing the range of requirements addressed to applicants and also transparency, comprehensibility and reproducibility of assessments of applications. The possibility of automating the evaluation process leads to significant savings in time and contribution own labor of experts. The value of this work is the assessment model and assessment method of commercial potential of innovative projects, which can be used in competitions, grants, and other situations, where are many organizations applying for limited funds. Key Words: Commercial potential, innovative projects, method of assessing the commercial potential, multi-criteria analysis, data mining methods.
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The Other Side of Change Resistance IK MUO Pages: 96-112
It is generally perceived that resistance to change is negative, and that it is the greatest obstacle to the attainment of change objectives. A survey of a diverse sample of managers in 5 South-Western States of Nigeria confirms this perception as 79% agrees that resistance is the greatest obstacle to change management, 60 % believes that the impact of change resistance is mostly negative while only 26% believes that there are some beneficial elements in change resistance. This paper reviews a growing literature and research to the contrary and highlights the various positive sides of resistance. Resistance offers opportunities to strengthen operational outcomes, offers feedback that improves the quality and clarity of objectives and strategy, provides more information, leads to a more meaningful and useful change process, builds interest, participation and engagement, reveals other perspectives and options and leads to more successful implementation. The paper therefore recommends that managers should be cautious in the use of the term ?change resistance?, stop regarding anyone who questions a change programme as a organizational terrorists to be fought to a standstill, view change resistance as a phenomenon that can yield positive outcomes, be open and consultative about it, encourage those who have issues with the change process to come forward and ensure that negative feedbacks about proposed change programmes are evaluated and possibly accommodated, where meaningful. It also recommends two strategies for attaining this objective: building organized disagreement into the change process and effective use of employee surveys. Key Words: Change, Change Management, Resistance to Change, Change outcomes, Feedback.
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Using Costing Systems in order to Price Products in Small Textile, Leather, and Clothing Companies: Field Study from Jordan HAMDALLAH, MADHER E, OSAMA S. SHABAN and SROUJI, ANAN F Pages: 113-118
This study aims to explore and describe the use of cost accounting in textile, leather and clothing companies in Jordan in relation to material cost, labor cost, and indirect cost. The study also examines the impact of using costing systems on the pricing process by distributing a questionnaire to 76 respondents. The study found that such companies suffer a high level of competence which forces them to use costing systems in order to price their products, by taking into account material, labor and indirect costs. The study suggests that good quality and high effective cost accounting systems and modern techniques should be adopted and implemented, such as ABC, and Target Costing. Moreover, companies should also employ qualified cost accountants or train their staff on the use of such systems. In addition, it is highly suggested that more studies should be conducted on textiles, leathers and clothing companies in order to shed light on the managerial accounting systems. Key Words: Managerial accounting, cost accounting, costing systems, and pricing process.
10
Controlling and Risk Management in Sales in the Small and Medium-Sized Bank IWONA STANIEC and SEBATIAN STYGAR Pages: 119-132
Contemporary managers are said to succumb to different fads in management instruments. On the other hand, in theory and in practice new, better or worse, instruments are developed every now and then, and a turbulent environment requires managers to adapt to changing conditions. The presented paper focuses on checking to what extent and whether at the same time modern instruments of sales management, such as controlling and risk management in the sales, are realized in small and medium-sized banks. This study is based on literature studies, statistics, analysis of documents and participant observations supported by a questionnaire prepared for this purpose. Key Words: Management concepts, Sales management in bank, Risk and controlling in the bank, Coherent information system.
11
The Relationship of Financial Stress and Religious Coping from Islamic Perspective KHATIJAH OTHMAN and SAPORA SIPON Pages: 133-138
This study is conducted to analyze the relationship between financial stress and religious coping from Islamic perspective. 100 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents in three states in Malaysia which are Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, where the subjects were randomly chosen from government servants and private sector employees in those mentioned areas whilst SPSS statistical method is used to analyze the data. The relationships between two variables were observed through Pearson correlation test. Descriptive analysis is used to explain the finding of this study. Significant finding on the positive relationship between financial stress and religious coping from Islamic perspective proven that religiosity and spiritual practices is considered as one of a significant tool in coping financial stress stipulation. Key Words: Debt-Ridden Life Style, Financial Stress, Coping Skills, Islamic Perspective.
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An Empirical Assessment of Financial Sector Development and Economic Growth in Nigeria VICTOR E. ORIAVWOTE and SAMUEL J. ESHENAKE Pages: 139-149
The objective of this paper has been is to examine empirically, the implications of financial development for economic growth in Nigeria. Time series data covering the period between 1990 and 2011 from Nigeria. The cointegration technique with its implied Error Correction Mechanism (ECM) was applied. This commenced with the ADF unit root test, followed by the Johansen cointegration test. The Overparameterize and Parsimonious ECM was next and this was followed by the Vector Error Correction, diagnostic tests and Cholesky variance decomposition. The variables included Real Gross Domestic Product, Financial deepening which is a ratio of money supply to Gross Domestic Product, liquidity ratio, interest rate and credit to the private sector. Financial sector development has not significantly improved private sector development. The minimum capital base and liquidity ratio has improved the level of economic growth in Nigeria. The Johansen cointegration test suggests a long run relationship among the variables and the significant ECM which is negatively signed supports the long run relation among the variables and indicates a satisfactory speed of adjustment. Although financial sector development has on the aggregate significantly improved the level of economic performance, the credit to the private sector did not play significant role. The result recommends, amongst others, that further development of the financial sector should be oriented towards the development of the private sector. Key Words: Financial Sector Development Indicators, Economic Growth, Cointegration, Variance Decomposition.
