The number of immigrants entering the European Union countries the last years has been increased. Greece is one of the EU countries that accepts a lot of the immigrants. As a consequence, their pressure to the Greek national health service system has also increased and there is a need to investigate this pressure in detail. The main goal of the present research is to analyze healthcare data concerning immigrants in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. The data were collected between years 2005 and 2011 from five different hospitals belonging to the Greek national health system, covering the whole Eastern Macedonia and Thrace region. Four characteristics were analyzed, namely the duration of hospitalization, the clinic, the cost of hospitalization and the nationality, using statistical data mining methods. The results show that most of the immigrants were from Albania followed by the ones from Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, Germany and others. The total cost of the health services applied to immigrants was generally lower than the one for Greek nationality patients and the days of hospitalization have a high impact on cost. Immigrants from specific countries are related to different clinics. Key Words: Immigrants, Cost, Data Mining, Healthcare, Multiple Correspondence Analyses, Linear Mixed Effects Models.

Doctors admit they lack the knowledge and guidance to manage their money and often learn the skills through trial and error and only realize their mistakes and shortfalls at later stages of life. This causes valuable time lost. This study measured the level of financial management practice of the medical practitioners in Malaysia. In this cross sectional study, medical professionals from the public and private medical centres were randomly selected through a multistage sampling technique. These 35.8% medical specialist and 64.2% medical officers were then interviewed face to face using pre-tested questionnaires. A total of 402 doctors completed the questionnaires, of which, 187 are from the urban region and another 217 are from the rural areas. Ethnic Malays (54.5%) made up the majority of the respondents while the Indians (25.6%), the Chinese (16.7%) and other ethnicity (3.2%) followed respectively. The percentage of doctors in Malaysia practicing positive or favorable financial management is only 34.6%. The most ignored area where only 3.8% respondents scored high scores is the retirement and estate planning practices. In summary, the medical practitioners in Malaysia lacked financial management practices. This study sets the foundation for future exploration and calls for a financial education program need to help the medical practitioners make informed decisions for better financial satisfaction. Key Words: Medical Practitioners, Financial Management Practices.

This study examined lead time uncertainties, average inventory and scheduling practice on manufacturing firms in Nigeria. A survey design was adopted, where we identify the population of manufacturing firms and by a purposive sampling procedure, we used twenty (20) manufacturing firms in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The research instruments used were the questionnaire and oral interview of key personnel in the production, marketing and material management departments. We collected 16 completed questionnaires that give an 80% response rate. The data were analysed in presenting answers to the research questions. We used the statistical tools of the mean, standard deviation, covariance in determining lead time and the weighted mean percentage inventory (WMPI) and weighted mean percentage stock out (WMPS) in determining the inventory profile and the incidence of stock out respectively in both the uniform and fluctuating schedules of product manufacture.From the findings; the calculated WMP1 and the calculated WMPS are higher in fluctuating schedules with 8% and 9% respectively as compared to the low inventory and stock out levels in uniform schedules of calculated WMPI and WMPS of 9% and 6% respectively. Thus production scheduling plays a chief role in improving the overall performance of any company with regards to increased output improved on time delivery and also improved balancing of the production line. Due to the economic view of inventory costs to the overall production activity, we recommend from the results that a uniform production schedule fine tuned to holding a small manageable inventory is preferred. Key Words: Scheduling, Lead Time, Demand Uncertainty, Inventory Management.

The present paper focuses on indentifying and studying the success factors of the strategy of foreign investors through the creation of a 100% subsidiary. The major contribution of this study is to determine the success factors regarding the direct implementation process of the Tunisian business in foreign markets. The empirical research of the study relies on the conduct of a survey inside the COFICAB group, operating in the automobile sector. The group decided to choose the strategy of FDI (foreign direct investment). Data of the survey were collected from implementing several interviews inside the group COFICAB. The thorough analysis of the data collected authorized to elucidate that the success of such strategic is highly related to a variety of characteristics of the company, its environment and its leaders. Key Words: FDI Strategy, Success Factors, Endogenous and Exogenous Characteristics, Entrepreneurial Theory.

The purpose of this study was factor analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of bidding and hosting the great international sport events in Iran. The research method is descriptiveanalytic and considered as applied research according to the goal and results. The universe includes 230 sport management masters, executive mangers and higher technicians of the country sport experienced and knowledgeable about hosting the events. The research is done in qualitative and quantitative forms. In quantitative part, the samples selected through purposeful sampling method, which are 25 participants in this research. In quantitative part, 141 samples selected through random-quota sampling and by means of Morgan table. Data collected through studying deeds and documents, previous studies, interview sessions and a researcher-made questionnaire; after studying the existing situation a primary list of strong points, weak points, opportunities and threats (SWOT) extracted by means of a preliminary questionnaire. Then through exploratory factor analysis method, Bartlett and KMO tests, the final SWOT list extracted in which strong points (7 items), weaknesses (16 items), opportunities (9 items), and threats (9 items) identified and categorized in terms of premiership. Validity of the above questionnaire verified by 20 masters of sport management and its reliability through Cronbach's alpha (0.78). Results of the research show that the following items of each SWOT features: "existence of tourism attractions (historical and natural) in the country", "weak sport marketing in the country", "strategic and geopolitical position of Iran in the critical region of Middle East", and "existence of powerful competitors for hosting the sport events in the region and world level" with 0.821, 0.926, 0.932 and 0.891 load factors are the most important items respectively. Key Words: Factor Analysis, Hosting, The Great International Sport Event.

This study attempts to investigate the effectiveness of internal (memory-based) and external (stimulusbased) reference pricing on consumer purchasing intentions. Numerous studies in existing reference pricing literature have recognized the influence that the reference price has on customers, when evaluating their purchasing decisions. This study proposes to investigate the effect of different reference pricing factors on consumer purchasing intentions in Vietnam and Taiwan, and the relation of both internal and external reference pricing with consumer purchasing intentions. Three hundred and eighty five (N = 385) respondents from Taiwan and Vietnam were selected and invited to participate in this study. Response surface regression analysis was utilized to examine the eleven proposed research hypotheses. This was done through a questionnaire designed on the Likert five point scale. The results indicate that seven of the eleven hypotheses were supported and internal and external reference pricing has shown significantly, positively influence consumer purchasing intention. Finally, the study is summarized with a conclusion and suggestions for practitioners. Key Words: Internal Reference Price, External Reference Price, Consumer Purchasing Intention.

Human resources are considered the most precious asset of SME. In order to reach its values the firm must pay a huge importance in human resource management. The implementation of enterprise strategy is dependent from the employee’s quality who are arranged to realize it. The aim of this research paper is to show the application of human resource practice and their impact in SME performance. The methodology used in the study is a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. Results of the research are processed data of 53 SMEs that implement their activity in different parts of Kosovo. These data were processed with the help of SPSS v 21 program. The data revealed that studied SMEs use their practice more to manage the human resources in realizing their aspiration such as “compensation and rewarding”. Also, implementation of this practice has increased the enterprise performance more than the usage of other practices such as: “selection and recruiting” or “training and development”, but even these last ones influenced positively in the SME success. Good management of human resource helps three fundamental intention of each enterprise: surviving, increasing and rising their incomes. On the other hand, it offers to them an easy confrontation with the market competitiors which is very cruel. Key Words: Human Resource Practices, SME, Recruiting, Training, Compensation of Human Resources, Performance.

Over the last 15 years, there is an increasing growth of customers and regulators requesting enterprises to adopt the environmental management practices (EMP) and this matter becoming an interest for researchers and practitioners. This paper will propose an integrated model that combines the Model of External Influences on Environmental Awareness and Practices (MEAP) and Technology-Organization- Environment Model (TOE), the two theories that are most often used in environment and innovation studies. In this paper, a model is erected to indicate the relationship between TOE model, MEAP model and EMP adoption. Key Words: Technological, Organizational, Environmental, General Awareness, Cost Benefit Awareness, Environmental Attitudes, Environment Management Practices.

The following document describes one of the most important characteristics inside a sector that has remained in time, this being also an important factor in some areas where one gets to participate either in their various categories and ways to interact with population; the cooperative sector is an important source of representation as a link to the regional development factors, but several have been involved in this and caused a delay in the development pipeline previously done; Among organizations that make up the consumer cooperative sector will be taken as an example to analyze whether their values are indeed very important part in the organization and operation thereof and which are a key pillar; analyze if implemented properly and if success depended on the company concerned. Key Words: Cooperative, Values, Society, Growth, Success Cooperative.

This study tried to determine the implementation of Balanced Scorecard system rate and to examine the relationship between cultural factors and BSC adoption and implementation in Jordanian companies. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data on the cultural factors meant supposed to motivate the implementation of BSC in Jordanian industrial sector. The findings revealed that BSC implementation in the context of Jordanian Industrial Sector is approximately 25.3% measured according to the number of implementers companies within Jordanian Industrial Sector. In order to test hypotheses Logistic regression used in the current study. The findings in this study reveals that Outcome Orientation and Team orientation don’t have significant influence on the implementation of BSC among industrial companies in Jordan, whereas the data analysis shows that, Innovation and Attention to Detail have significant relationship on BSC implementation, Therefore hypotheses H1 and H2 are rejected, whereas hypotheses H3, and H4 are accepted. This study show the extent of BSC within the Jordanian Companies, Most previous studies focused only on the implementation of BSC in western developed countries. This study contributes to the further development of knowledge in management accounting and provides a basis for further research in Jordan and other Middle East developing countries. To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted on Jordanian companies on the subject. Our contribution to this field of research is broader and it would help facilitate the implementation of appropriate management tools in the Jordanian companies. This research could also give some business leads for the implementation of BSC. However, Cultural factors play a significant role in determining the success or failure of BSC implementations. So, the companies must take these factors into account before, during and after BSC implementation, and it must adjust its expectations regarding the results to be attained and the speed at which they are realized to produce better benefit to the company. Key Words: Balanced Scorecard (BSC), Cultural Factors, Implementers, Industrial Sector, Jordan.