Global Business Strategy

This report intends to enhance the reviews on leadership literature by conducting a bibliometric study on 198 publications focused on transformational leadership research. These papers were published in the Scopus database between 1997 and 2023. Employing quantitative bibliometric analysis, the study aims to identify both current and prospective research trajectories pertaining to transformational leadership issues. To the best of our current understanding, there exists no scholarly investigation that examines the bibliographic data pertaining to transformational leadership domains. Therefore, this work represents a distinctive and original contribution to the existing body of literature. This study additionally offers a comprehensive examination of the patterns and paths inside a visual and schematic framework for the investigation of this subject matter. This may facilitate researchers in comprehending the prevailing patterns and prospective avenues for research, so empowering future authors to carry out their investigations with greater efficacy. There exists a number of underexplored themes or subjects pertaining to transformational leadership matters, such as knowledge sharing, leadership styles, digital transformation, innovative work behavior, competitive advantage and digital transformation. This discovery offers useful insights into the heterogeneous nature of this area across multiple disciplines.

Over the past two decades, rapid internationalization has become increasingly important
due to the expansion of global trade, shifting consumption and demand patterns,
advancements in information technology, and the growing number and quality of local
and international competitors. Facilitating rapid internationalization enables businesses to capture a larger market share than their competitors. The purpose of this research is to identify entrepreneurs' mental patterns regarding facilitating the speed of
internationalization.

This paper sustains the existence of a biunivocal link between a company's financing decision and the corporate governance. On the one hand, the financing decision has an impact on corporate performance, which has been confirmed. According to the agency theory, the financing decision will contribute to solving interest conflicts between shareholders and managers. On the other hand, the corporate governance mechanism provides the proper contractual framework for attracting financing resources. The decision makers of profit-oriented organizations should take these correlations into account.

This study explores the impact of business intelligence on customer behavioral responses through marketing, innovation, and financial performance. The research is developmental-applicative in nature and descriptive-survey regarding the data collection method. Given the examination of relationships among variables, it is correlational-causal. The population of this research consists of employees and managers of active start-ups based in the Kermanshah Science and Technology Park, totaling 231 individuals. Based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, the sample size was estimated at 140. Data collection was conducted using a questionnaire, the reliability and validity of which were examined and confirmed. Data analysis was performed in descriptive and inferential phases using SPSS16 and Smart PLS3 software. According to the research findings, the t-values for all seven hypotheses were above the critical value of 1.96, and the significance level was less than 0.05. Thus, all research hypotheses were accepted. The most significant impact was that of innovation on the financial performance of the companies, indicating the effect of new and creative ideas in products and services on company sales. Additionally, business intelligence significantly impacts companies' financial performance and customer behavioral responses. Overall, the research variables were able to explain 33.5% of the variations in customer behavioral response. In conclusion, it is recommended that managers of these companies employ business intelligence to understand market demands and customer needs and produce innovative products accordingly, as this will enhance sales opportunities and improve financial performance.

The aim of this systematic literature review is to investigate the factors affecting leadership effectiveness and to establish a theoretical background for future studies. A total of thirty-two studies covering leadership effectiveness in different sectors from 2015 to 2024 were identified and analysed via a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis method using descriptive content analysis and research characteristics. Excel and VOS Viewer software were used for bibliometric analysis. These studies were found in Scopus, Taylor and Francis, Web of Science, PubMed, and Wiley databases. Leadership styles, professional skill, motivation, understanding of leadership, leaders' behaviour, leadership styles, organizational culture, organizational commitment, augmenting systems and services, job duties, salary, working conditions, and corruption are the main determinants. This study reviews thirty-two research publications from reputable databases using systematic review methods, then carefully analyses and combines the results in descriptive content and bibliometric analyses. The results suggest that the topic will continue to attract more research.

A number of researchers have investigated the role of and importance of national culture on international human resource management and it is named as the major challenge that human resource management should be aware of when going global to achieve its organizational goals. Getting individuals from different ethnic backgrounds working together may be difficult in some parts of the world and international human resource management professionals should be aware of this cultural difficulty. This paper studies the influence of national cultural challenges on international human resource management which is investigated commonly by Hofstede's cultural dimensions, achievement motivation theory, equity theory, expectancy theory, job design, work centrality, and rewards.

This study presents a conceptual model with regard to the fundamental role of economic attitude towards water industry as one of the key aspects of the development of internal marketing in the water and wastewater industry. In this study, Interpretive Structural Analysis (ISM) method was used to collect data, interview, design conceptual model and gather data. The results show that according to the conceptual model presented in this study, the economic attitude towards the water industry with high penetration power is recognized as the most fundamental and influential aspect of the development of internal marketing. According to the linkage analysis method, especially the dimension of economic attitude to water industry, infiltration power-dependency is one of the most important aspects of development of internal marketing. In this respect, drafting of outsourcing regulation to improve the performance of water and wastewater industry is necessary.

This report intends to enhance the reviews on leadership literature by conducting a bibliometric study on 198 publications focused on transformational leadership research. These papers were published in the Scopus database between 1997 and 2023. Employing quantitative bibliometric analysis, the study aims to identify both current and prospective research trajectories pertaining to transformational leadership issues. To the best of our current understanding, there exists no scholarly investigation that examines the bibliographic data pertaining to transformational leadership domains. Therefore, this work represents a distinctive and original contribution to the existing body of literature. This study additionally offers a comprehensive examination of the patterns and paths inside a visual and schematic framework for the investigation of this subject matter. This may facilitate researchers in comprehending the prevailing patterns and prospective avenues for research, so empowering future authors to carry out their investigations with greater efficacy. There exists a number of underexplored themes or subjects pertaining to transformational leadership matters, such as knowledge sharing, leadership styles, digital transformation, innovative work behavior, competitive advantage and digital transformation. This discovery offers useful insights into the heterogeneous nature of this area across multiple disciplines.

A number of researchers have investigated the role of and importance of national culture on international human resource management and it is named as the major challenge that human resource management should be aware of when going global to achieve its organizational goals. Getting individuals from different ethnic backgrounds working together may be difficult in some parts of the world and international human resource management professionals should be aware of this cultural difficulty. This paper studies the influence of national cultural challenges on international human resource management which is investigated commonly by Hofstede's cultural dimensions, achievement motivation theory, equity theory, expectancy theory, job design, work centrality, and rewards.

There has been a remarkable increase of the regional banking operations across the African continent over the past two decades. This resulted from macroeconomic improvements and economic growth. As a result, African banks increased their geographical operations to emerge as regional groups holding a considerable market share compared to their historically predominant competitors. However, the literature on the pan-African banking industry to understand better this phenomenon is still scarce, which limits having a bigger and inclusive picture of all the key elements influencing this noteworthy growth. This research paper articulates a review based on previous academic research works, and highlights the most important opportunities that regional banks seized, as well as the challenges they faced in order to lead their cross-border banking operations successfully across the region.

Organizations and professionals are usually unaware about the fundamental rationale behind workplace ethnocentrism. Due to globalization today’s workplace are becoming multi-cultural, thus to address and understand the intricacies of ethnocentrism and being sensitive towards the issue is the need of the hour. Effective management of culturally diversified workplace is significant point of concern. As it may germinate challenges before the organization, one such challenge is related with ethnocentric feeling among culturally diversified workforce towards each other. This paper will explain the concept of ethnocentrism at workplace, the psychology of ethnocentric tendency and the various problems that an ethnocentric view presents before the multicultural organization while dealing with culturally diversified employees by synthesizing various research studies done in this area, comprising of examining various approaches to ethnocentric tendency. It also answers why diversity at workfo...

I certify that this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any University; and that to the best of my knowledge and belief it does not contain any material previously published or written by another person where due reference is not made in the text.

This paper shows the standard cross-sectional determinants of bank leverage of banks in Kenya using annual statements from 2001 to 2009. Applying a fixed effect model, the authors find a remarkable consistency in sign, significance and economic magnitude. Like non-financial firms, banks appear to have stable capital structures at levels that are specific to each individual bank. The results suggest that large banks tend to be highly leveraged and the more profitable the bank is, the less debt it has. There has been inconclusive debate over the significance of regulatory capital and the extent countercyclical factors influence financial stability in banks. The result also shows that regulatory capital is significant in determining leverage level; that is, the more regulatory capital, the less leveraged the bank is. The authors also found that growth in gross domestic product (GDP) significantly influences the level of leverage with a positive coefficient. The results of the analysis indicate some evidence of the pecking-order theory's expectations.

Despite internationalization theory's recognition that place and policy constitute fundamental barriers for the internationalization of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), research into rural-based firms from the developing world is a much underdeveloped and neglected area. To address the need to examine this gap, the purpose of this study is to identify and compare place and policy challenges of rural SMEs' internationalization in Nigeria. We have developed a model that extends internationalization theory's overemphasis on the structural aspects of these barriers and thereby provide a resolution tool for managers. By using partial least squares (PLS) path modeling methodology, we also administered 403 questionnaires in six of Nigeria's geopolitical zones. Our threestage analyses reveal findings that the physical and geographical (or place barrier) challenges account for 90% whilst the traditionally neglected aspects of legal and regulatory barriers score 85%. Therefore, place related barriers should be given slightly higher priority if it is not possible to be given equal recognition in internationalization theory. These findings provide new insights into a more complex picture of SMEs' internationalization in emerging economies. It is recommended that our Human-centric Hierarchical Model could help inform managers' decision-making processes on what human aspects they need to prioritize when faced with policy and place barriers. It is also recommended that our model adds social value to SME businesses and provides a new lens for scholars to investigate place and policy related barriers to rural Nigeria's SMEs.

A live case study incorporates experiential learning through a modified version of the case method pedagogy that treats students as consultants (Roth & Smith, 2009). It is defined by Simpkins (2001, p 1) as a case-based teaching method using a ''current problem or issue that a company is investigating where the company provides information regarding the problem/issue seeking input to assist in management decisions. '' This case on Novolutions is presented as one applicable for Management Education in the area of decision-making in crisis situations. The case showcases the feedback of 33 students, organized into 5 teams, attending a graduate course in Business Analytics as part of their master's degree program in management. They were presented with a Live Case Study featuring decision-making issues encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic by an Indian entrepreneur-duo running a bootstrapped product company, Novolutions, which manufactures the Hippie Mocktail.

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the brick-and-mortar business hard, but how would it affect the online business? The research group collected big data on the customer flow of 1,000 daily commodities for two weeks before and after the pandemic outbreak from Taobao online shopping platform. It was found that: the Covid-19 has caused a significant negative impact on the online customer inflow, and its overall growth rate decreased. The products related to personal care, gifts and business stationery experienced the most significant decline, while daily necessities maintained a relatively stable customer flow, with little or no decline. In contrast, the products related to pandemic-control exhibited substantial growth in both customer flow and page views. Accordingly, the research group believes that developing contactless logistics and contactless production, building a time-space separation balanced supply system for pandemic-control products, and promoting altruistic social spending ar...

The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review on two major theories of capital structure; pecking order theory and static-trade off theory in regard with achieving an optimal capital structure. Researchers believed bankruptcy costs, transactions costs, agency conflicts, adverse selection and taxes has been attribute as major explanations of the corporate used of debt financing which has been used as an argument in both theory. To date there is no consensus on the existing of optimal capital structure. However over the past four decades, the ability of the economists to explain the determinants of optimal capital structure has progressed significantly. In this paper, based on the review of past literature it is suggested that the determinants of capital structure is vary among firms depending on its characteristics.

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is the international division of Japan Tobacco Incorporated, and the world's third largest transnational tobacco company. Founded in 1999, JTI's rapid growth has been the result of a global business strategy that potentially serves as a model for other Asian tobacco companies. This paper analyses Japan Tobacco Incorporated's global expansion since the 1980s in response to market opening, foreign competition, and declining share of a contracting domestic market. Key features of its global strategy include the ongoing central role and investment by the Japanese government, and an expansion agenda based on mergers and acquisitions. The paper also discusses the challenges this global business strategy poses for global tobacco control and public health. This paper is part of the special issue 'The Emergence of Asian Tobacco Companies: Implications for Global Health Governance'.

Being a social animal a man has to live in society and has to adhere to all the societal norms, values, cultures, economic and political changes which take place in the society. Just like human beings, businesses also have to sustain by working in accordance to the prevailing and ever changing economic conditions, government preferences, government regulations, value system, laws of land etc. ie all the factors outside the control of its management. For the successful operation of any business unit, it is essential to understand the environment within which it has to operate. The reason for this lies in the fact that environment influences the nature, location, prices of products, the distribution system, the personnel policies of any business etc.. A healthy business adapts, responds and tries to shape its own environment Macro environment has major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organisation’s decision-making and affect its performance and strategies. When t...

Corporations and structural linkages in world commerce 71 1988). OUf focus is restricted to economics and international business, and does cover social and cultural issues. 1 CHAPTER OUTLINE First we describe a number of key structural developments, to portray general trends in globalization. 1 These structural developments concern: the relation of world FOI flows to world trade flows; the dominance of Triad trade and FDI flows in the world economy; the importance of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in world FOI; and the geographical and sectoral distribution of FOI and cross-border M&A. We conclude this section with a discussion of the relationship between trade and investment as substitutes and/or complements. Next we tum to TNCs as a principal vehicle of globalization processes, and explain how the strategies of major firms in the world economy are shaped by their need to operate in foreign locations. The current state of trade negotiations has given added importance to international finns expanding through FOr. We then emphasize that firm search and deliberation costs, as transaction costs, are particularly important to TNCs, and argue that TNCs become 'embedded' in host social and business networks as they establish foreign affiliates. This 'embeddedness' helps to account for the structural changes and developments described earlier, particularly the concentration of FOI in the Triad, where business networks are generalJy highly developed. To illustrate the implications of this for the relationship between trade and investment, we return to the topic of trade and investment as substitutes or complements, and discuss three cases showing how firms' FDI affects exports and imports. Finally, we discuss economic policy toward FDI and TNCs, particularly in connection with recent unsuccessful efforts to establish the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). We first consider debate about the national loyalties of TNCs and the impact of liberalized capital flows. We then distinguish between short-term and long-term investment flows, and argue that liberalization of the latter can be in the interest of host countries as TNCs become embedded in them. We then discuss the difference between national competitiveness and the competitiveness of a nation's firms, and make a general case for an international agreement at least along the lines of the MAI. This section closes with an argument in favour of a collection of piecemeal changes that taken together will accomplish much of what was intended by the MAl, and will also create an agenda for more comprehensive reform.

This study presents a conceptual model with regard to the fundamental role of economic attitude towards water industry as one of the key aspects of the development of internal marketing in the water and wastewater industry. In this study, Interpretive Structural Analysis (ISM) method was used to collect data, interview, design conceptual model and gather data. The results show that according to the conceptual model presented in this study, the economic attitude towards the water industry with high penetration power is recognized as the most fundamental and influential aspect of the development of internal marketing. According to the linkage analysis method, especially the dimension of economic attitude to water industry, infiltration power-dependency is one of the most important aspects of development of internal marketing. In this respect, drafting of outsourcing regulation to improve the performance of water and wastewater industry is necessary.

The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review on Capital Structure Dynamics of Listed Banks in Ghana. The study examines the determinants of capital structure, the significance of performance on equity and leverage. Seven (7) Banks on the Ghana Stock Exchange were used for the periods 2005 to 2012 The fixed and random effect regression technique was used. The study found Asset Tangibility and Non-debt tax shield to have a positive relationship with equity. The study also discovered that, the size of a bank was a significant determinant of equity and also has a positive association with equity. There was a positive relationship between performance and equity. There was also a negative relation with Growth opportunity of a bank, Dividend policy and equity. Performance and size of a bank are the determinants of leverage. There was a statistically significant positive relation with leverage and a negative statistically significant relation with the size of a bank. The study found Leverage to have positive relationships with Asset Tangibility, Non-debt tax shield and Dividend ratio. The study also discovered a negative association between Growth Opportunity of a bank and Leverage.

The diverse workforce has become a reality today. The impact of cultural diversity varies with the type of environment and firm's overall strategy. As more and more number of firms move from domestic, multidomestic, multinational strategies to operating as a truly global firm, the significance and impact of cultural diversity increase markedly (Adler, 1997). Management of cultural differences has become more important for creating advantages and getting competitive edge.

The study explores the main determinants of capital structure in the banking sector in Luxembourg and examines the relationship between them. The hypothesis tested is whether the ratio of total liabilities to total assets, which denotes the capital structure of the bank, depends on its asset structure, size, profitability, and growth rate that we call as its determinants. The research methodology is based on panel data analysis that takes into account both the time series and crosssectional data. Then regression analysis is carried out on the collected data of the banking sector in Luxembourg. Descriptive statistics is also carried out on the sample. The paper includes 50 banks operating in Luxembourg and data is collected for a period of 7 years (2009-2015). The statistical evidence from Luxembourg showed that profitability, tax, growth, bank's size, and asset structure are very important variables influencing bank's capital structure. However, there was no supporting evidence regarding the effect of risk on the leverage of banks in Luxembourg.

This study examines the effect of credit information sharing on debt financing structure of listed firm on the Ghana Stock Exchange market between 2003 and 2013. Employing a panel data of 20 listed non-financial firms in Ghana in robust ordinary least squares, random effect and fixed effect models, findings are presented on how information sharing affect debt financing structure. Findings show that information sharing, coverage quality and the presence predominantly promote short-term debt financing options while these at the same time detract long-term debt financing options. While the positive nexus between credit information sharing and short-term debt financing confirms the information asymmetry and information sharing theories, We attribute the negative nexus between credit information sharing and long-term debt financing options to the shallow and weak nature of credit information sharing activities and institutions; hence making it difficult to permeate risks and uncertainties surrounding long-term financing options. This is an indication that credit information can increase access to debt financing for firms. These findings imply that policymakers must enact policies and laws that deepen, expand and enhance the coverage and quality of credit information in order for the full potency of information sharing can be realized on the debt financing structure of firms.

There is another general wellbeing emergencies undermining the world with the rise and spread of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) or the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The infection started in bats and was transmitted to people through yet obscure go-between creatures in Wuhan, Hubei territory, China in December 2019. There are more than 48,15,484 infected cases all around the globe. This can be transmitted from one to another very quickly only by coughing or sneezing or direct contact with infected person. World Health Organization also has stated that there is no future course of this virus is available till now. As a preventive measure the complete stop on outgoings i.e. lockdown is surrendered. The lockdown all over the country or all around the globe is becoming a huge crisis for the economy and of countries the life cycle of the humans. The lockdown has affected all the businesses, works, private sectors as well as government sectors. The impac...

The rise of the financial services sector in Africa over the last decade or so has been phenomenal, marked by significant advances in mobile money, and growing financial inclusion and profitability. However, there are significant gaps in the academic literature on the sector, as most recent studies have focused on the more technical aspects of economics, banking and finance, with little attention paid to the management of financial institutions, and the strategic behavior of financial services players. This special issue attempts to fill these gaps. In this introductory paper, we provide an overview of three important trends or thematic areas that the papers in the special issue address: the decline of foreign banks in Africa; the rise of pan-African banks; and how frugal innovation and fintech are shaping the future of financial services in Africa. We also outline three avenues for future research: historical perspectives on financial services; indigenous financial institutions; and mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances.

Due to key role of parent companies in directing subsidiaries and their huge under-management investments, awareness of changes in external environment as well as sufficient feel of subsidiaries are very crucial in group overall success. So it is essential that the research area of intelligence which was conventionally centralized around single-business companies emerges this time with regard to parent companies environmental implications and their interrelated information needs called in this article as Parental Intelligence or Corporate Parent Intelligence which studying its dimensions and elements are targeted here. The population of the study in qualitative segment includes academics and executive proficients and in quantitative segment includes experts and managers of parent companies and other knowledgeable individuals. The qualitative method used is content analysis and confirmatory factor analysis is exploited in quantitative area. The results of research ultimately confirme...

The blue Ocean Strategy aims to create business in the fields which didn't exist before. This research has been developed with the aim of designing a blue ocean strategy as a modern solution. The current study is a functional one situated in the Descriptive Survey group, considering the nature of the subject and the goals. The judgment sampling is applied to determine the criteria frameworks and develop survey process according to the views of Sakoo experts. To perform survey process, the researcher tries to promote the competitive situation of Sakoo Consulting Engineers by applying ERRC model. According to Experts' views, the related criteria of ERRC model that should be considered in the field of Sakoo Consulting Engineerrs are as follows: omitting the services for which there are no space according to business market conditions, promoting company financial status, decreasing the project profit withdrawal by project managers, decreasing company costs and increasing product...

Nowadays, there is growing concern on how managers manage cultural diversity considering that many businesses endeavors into international operations. Relative to this, managers were faced with challenges and issues that requires concrete and prompt response on how to effectively manage cultural diversity and the diverse workforce that exist not only domestically but globally. Therefore, understanding with basic tenets of cultural diversity and its importance to organizations should not be underestimated. Hofstede's theory help managers in providing information about cultural dimensions on how to understand cultural differences existing in MultiNational Enterprise (MNE) as an input to developing an effective strategy to counter the negative implications of cultural diversity. Considering that cultural diversity may provide positive and negative impacts to organizations, managers should take into consideration the importance of developing an effective intercultural communication ...

This paper investigates the determinants of capital structure of two different countries, Saudi Arabia and Palestine. The analysis employs panel data analysis and seemingly unrelated regression based on a sample of 21 listed Palestinian companies and 61 Saudi companies. The study in this paper extends from 2005 to 2015. The findings of this study indicate that the leverage ratios of both Palestinian and Saudi firms are low. Moreover, the most common determinants of capital structure are found and significantly affecting both Palestinian and Saudi firms, finally the differences in the magnitudes and sign of the coefficients are because of country-level differences and not due to firm-level differences.

Based on a case study from the apparel industry, the paper addresses how the organizational innovations adopted by Benetton and Inditex allowed them to balance lower production costs in developing countries with an adequate response time to frequent preference changes and increasing demands for customisation. Findings confirm the fragility of multinationals whose offshoring strategy has not considered the costs of coordinating suppliers in far-off locations and suggest organisational improvements that make production costs, variety and time to market goals compatible. Our research thus provides a view of the conditions and processes that can overcome in increasingly volatile environments the misalignment between demand changes and the limited reactivity of industrial infrastructures. Furthermore the innovation strategy of textile companies has created generalizable lessons for other sectors in which demand uncertainty is high, life cycles short, and customers are, to some extent, pr...

In this paper, Sapa's transition from hierarchical governance to network governance by creating a set of growing firms and developing ″small nuclei and large networks″ in the electro-optical industry has been narrated. Based on the facts and reports of sapa′s performance¸ it can be said that this transition has been done with an acceptable rate of success and has achieved relative stability. In this study¸sapa organizational changes in three periods: 1) the formation of the uncleus¸ 2) the growth of innovation and networking¸ and 3) the maturity of the uncleus and network in the light of the concepts of governance¸ networking and complexity are studied with a ″strategic narrative approach″. The findings of this study show that Sapa, with its mobilizing and persuasive leadership, product-oriented innovation groups, technological spin offs and the integration of hierarchical and network systems, has been able to overcome the chalenges of this transition and achieved a good position in the country′s electro-optical industry.

Using data sourced from Nigerian commercial banks between the periods 2007 to 2012; this study examined the factor that magnifies the value of a firm. We used OLS technique and White-HAC heteroskedastcity test to infer the relationship between capital structure and the value of a firm in Nigeria. It was observed that debt instrument play significant role in magnifying the value of Nigerian banking firms, while equity role is partially significant. We suggest that bank managers as well as regulators adopt measures that will promote leverage usage so as to maximise the overall value of the firm.

Nowadays, there is growing concern on how managers manage cultural diversity considering that many businesses endeavors into international operations. Relative to this, managers were faced with challenges and issues that requires concrete and prompt response on how to effectively manage cultural diversity and the diverse workforce that exist not only domestically but globally. Therefore, understanding with basic tenets of cultural diversity and its importance to organizations should not be underestimated. Hofstede’s theory help managers in providing information about cultural dimensions on how to understand cultural differences existing in Multi-National Enterprise (MNE) as an input to developing an effective strategy to counter the negative implications of cultural diversity. Considering that cultural diversity may provide positive and negative impacts to organizations, managers should take into consideration the importance of developing an effective intercultural communication to ...

Purpose: To improve the elements of quality services provided to cataract patients following an interpretive structural approach. Methods: This applied and analytical descriptive study was carried out and the data were collected through library and literature review and during the brain storming with experts for screening with fuzzy Delphi. A questionnaire on the severity of the effects of the components of the quality services provided to patients with cataract was designed based on interpretive structural modeling. The validity of the questionnaire was evaluated by 5 corneal specialists as well as 6 experts of health services management. The Cronbach's alpha for the reliability of the factors was 0.768, showing a fairly good correlation. Since this method is based on the opinion of the experts, 10 experts familiar with the subject of research have been used and the Matrice d’Impacts croises-multiplication appliqúe and classment (MICMAC) method has been used to determine the Dr...

Nowadays, there is growing concern on how managers manage cultural diversity considering that many businesses endeavors into international operations. Relative to this, managers were faced with challenges and issues that requires concrete and prompt response on how to effectively manage cultural diversity and the diverse workforce that exist not only domestically but globally. Therefore, understanding with basic tenets of cultural diversity and its importance to organizations should not be underestimated. Hofstede’s theory help managers in providing information about cultural dimensions on how to understand cultural differences existing in Multi-National Enterprise (MNE) as an input to developing an effective strategy to counter the negative implications of cultural diversity. Considering that cultural diversity may provide positive and negative impacts to organizations, managers should take into consideration the importance of developing an effective intercultural communication to ...

This paper shows the standard cross-sectional determinants of banks' leverage in Kenya using annual financial statements from 2001 to 2009. Applying a fixed effect model, the authors find a remarkable consistency in sign, significance and economic magnitude. Like non-financial firms, banks appear to have stable capital structures at levels that are specific to each individual bank. The results suggest that large banks tend to be highly leveraged and the more profitable the bank is, the less debt it has. There has been inconclusive debate over the significance of regulatory capital and the extent counter-cyclical factors influence financial stability in banks. Our result also shows that regulatory capital is significant in determining leverage level; that is, the more regulatory capital, the less leveraged the bank is. The authors also found that growth in gross domestic product (GDP) offers a significant positive influence on the leverage level.

Capital is considered as the cornerstone of a bank's financial strength since it supports bank operations by providing a buffer to absorb unanticipated losses from its activities and, in the event of problems, enabling the bank to continue to operate in a sound and viable manner while the problems are addressed or resolved. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the level of leverage ratios with "Size", "Dividend Payout", "Profitability", "Tangibility", "Liquidity", "Growth" and "Tax Charge"; with reference to the capital structure models and theories, and to identify leverage ratios which indicates the most pertinent factor motivating the capital structure choice in Nigerian Banking Industry between 2006 and 2010.

The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of capital structure on the financial performance of companies listed in the Tehran Stock Exchange. For this purpose, we studied and tested a sample of 400 firm-years among Companies Listed in the Tehran Stock Exchange in the form of 12 industrial groups during the years 2006 to 2010. In this study, Variables of return on assets ratio (ROA) and return on equity ratio (ROE) used to measure the financial performance of companies. Results suggest that there is a significant negative relationship between debt ratio and financial performance of companies, and a significant positive relationship between asset turnover, firm size, asset tangibility ratio, and growth opportunities with financial performance measures. But the relationship between ROA and ROE measures with the firm age is not significant. Also, some of the studied industries have affect on firm performance. In addition, research results shows that by reducing debt ratio, management can increase the company's profitability and thus the amount of the company's financial performance measures and can also increase shareholder wealth.

The freezing of economies due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused damage not only on the sales side but also on the labor market due to the outflow of staff from companies specializing in the organization of meetings. The return of the meetings industry sector to the development path will involve skillful change management, including in the area of competencies and skills. To inventory and assess the competencies of employees in the meetings industry, this study was carried out among specialized enterprises in the meetings industry in Poland, Hungary, and Ireland, on samples of two research groups, i.e. the Director General (CEO) and operational employees based on questionnaires and individual in-depth interviews (IDI). The obtained results allowed to establish the hierarchy of self-assessment of own managerial competencies, assessment of the competencies of the CEO by the employees, areas of increasing team competencies, and areas of staff development in the sector shortly, contributing to the recovery from the pandemic crisis. Raising the competencies and qualifications of employees is perceived as one of the most powerful tools for overcoming the pandemic crisis, obtaining 68% positive indications among CEOs in Poland, 77% indications in Hungary, and 84% in Ireland. In all analyzed countries, the meetings industry is indicated as a strategic product of the tourist market. Among the planned long-term actions aimed at overcoming the pandemic crisis, increasing employee competencies is perceived as an opportunity for the companies operating the meetings industry sector (90% in Poland, and 80% in Hungary and Ireland).

Case Perspective
This case has been developed as a basis for academic
discussion and analysis of the pertinent issues from divergent
angles, in an objective manner, rather than to illustrate handling
of any business or management situation. The case is based
on the information publicly available through company annual
reports, brochures, leaflets, newspapers, magazines,
government and institutional reports, websites, and other
such material. All the sources are gratefully acknowledged.
As the case has been prepared for an academic purpose, the
stakeholders and other interest groups should not use any
information for drawing any conclusion or opinion about any
company or business issue.
Since it was founded in 1976, Apple has been constantly
growing and dominating the technology sector. Apple has
revolutionized personal technology and became the world’s
most valuable brand providing some of the most innovative
and sophisticated products in the market. The company has
built a strong brand image, loyal customer base and reached
a high profit margin. In 2018, Apple became the first American
publicly traded company to hit a $1 trillion stock market
capitalization after many consecutive years of profitability.
The fiscal year 2020 seemed very promising at first as the
company announced that it has generated the highest quarterly
Revenue ever in the first quarter ended on December 28, 2019
(Apple Press Release, 2020). The celebration of this
achievement and strong performance was soon interrupted
by news about a mysterious outbreak that has left Tim Cook,
Apple Inc. CEO, uncertain about the duration and the degree
of the pandemic’s impacts on Apple’s operations and financial
performance.

THE present study is an attempt to examine the economic conditions of Central Asia in its
interest in becoming a strategic economic partner to China on the economic corridor of China’s
Belt and Road Initiatives.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Using neural network as a tool for pattern recognition, the Central
Asia’s national accounts were assessed to ascertain its fitness in becoming a worthy partner to China
on the Belt and Road Initiatives. The 18-year economic period data that was used was obtained and
corroborated from the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and the respective National Statistical
Bureaus.
Findings: The results of the assessment showed that these five countries of Central Asia are
economically not sound and venturing further into this partnership would and could push an adverse
outcome. Albeit with the fundamentals being restored and, in some ways, improved (drastically slow),
China has shown interest in the region for the longest time. With the region’s economy not being
strong and solely based on commodities coupled with a floating rate, the shift in global uncertainness
will run the course for Central Asia.
Research Limitations: The main limitation for this study was on the data and its representation of
the countries. Some components of the data were consolidated and represented as a single indicator.
This misled the data interpretation and required corroboration from multiple sources to verify the data.
Managerial Implications: The national accounts of each of these countries were assessed with
inflation omitted displayed a downward trend in its overall 18-year economy period. For a developing
region, the national economy cannot rely only on one or a few economic activities. Strong sectors can
become weak should it be neglected or be impacted exogenously, especially energy and commodities,
and weaker economic sectors that could potentially become main drivers of the country need due
focus as well. However, there were no trace of evidence in the assessment to show a potential economic
activity becoming the catalyst of growth for the region and for the respective countries.
Originality/Value: This study showcased the use of artificial intelligence in the area of international
economics to distinctively characterize and cluster countries according to the realities of their respective
economic conditions.

The 2020 United Nation General Assembly (UNGA), India and
China made its global address. Of the many issues, they both touched
on the COVID-19 pandemic. India made its mark on emphasising its
role in combating the virus and China made global commitments in
aiding the battle. A testament of true statesman addresses. However,
India and China are battling another enemy, its borders, and they had
been at it for decades Unresolved. As the world accelerates towards
recovery and vaccination, not much can be said of the India-China
relationship. Ironically, both are working together in battling the
pandemic, but are seen divided on matters pertaining towards global
economy, the role they play in the world, and globalization reform
structures. This study looked at the relationship of India and China
at the point of UNGA and post COVID-19. Based on historical
association and ongoing trade bilateralism, India and China are tattered
over a common issue. In a post pandemic world, they would emerge
stronger with each other rather than being apart, but it is subject to
foreign interferences, India’s veto powers on the security council and
the US-China influences. From Nehru and Mao, to Modi and Xi,
this unwavering relationship witnessed changing headwinds for seven
decades, but now the winds are again changing.
Keywords: India-China Relationship, COVID-19, Trade
Bilateralism, Infrastructure Development, Economic Association.

Saffron is considered as an important crop for farmers of the Khorasan Razavi province due to the ability to create high employment and generate appropriate income. Problems of saffron producers in marketing and export has caused this product not to be in a good position in the world market despite its high quality. Therefore, the study of marketing mix as one of the most important factors affecting marketing of saffron in the region seems to be necessary. In order to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of marketing mix of saffron, a strategic factor analysis approach was used in this study. The required information was collected through face-to-face interviews and completing a questionnaire with managers and experts of saffron producing and exporting companies in Mashhad and Torbat Heydarieh cities in 2015. To investigate the validity of the questionnaire, the questionnaires were reviewed by supervisors and consultants and several experts. At first, some initial questions were completed and using the Cronbach's alpha method, the reliability coefficient was 0.79. The results of the internal factor matrix showed that the weaknesses overcome the strength and, according to the results of external factors matrix, the points of opportunity are superior to the threat. The results of the study showed that the increase in the value added due to saffron processing with a score of 0.57 and export value with a score of 0.54 are the most important strength and low purchase price of farmers with a score of 0.13 and a lack of knowledge of the price of competitors with a score of 0.11 are the most important weaknesses in marketing mix price. Also, the export of the product with different qualities based on the financial ability of target customers with a score of 0.32 and price determination based on the competitive and economic environment with 0.23 are most significant opportunities, and the volatility of the exchange rate with a score of 0.4 and a price fluctuation in the export market with a score of 0.36 are the most important current threats of saffron marketing. The general results obtained from the status analysis matrix indicate that the saffron processing factor strategies are defensive. Therefore, according to the results, the strategies of establishing a regional exchange market for saffron and long-term control of prices in export markets with the aim of paying attention to pricing and fair purchase are suggested.

This research is conducted to assess the factors influencing financial performance of listed firms on Vietnam Stock Exchange. The factors include capital structure, firm size, short-term liquidity, fixed asset investment, growth rate and receivable management. Data were collected from audited financial statements of 269 large listed firms for the period from 2010 to 2016. Quantile regression and Ordinary Least Square regression (OLS) have been used for processing the multi-year dataset. The results show that firm size has a positive relationship with financial performance. In contrast, capital structure, short-term liquidity and fixed asset investment have negative relationship with financial performance. Meanwhile growth rate and receivable management has no impact on financial performance at the low level but different effects at different quantiles. In case of measuring ROS, ROA and ROE as proxies of financial performance, the results are heterogeneous. Contribution/ Originality: The contribution of this research is that it has examined the impact of determinants on financial performance. Quantile regression and OLS are employed. We found that firm size has a positive association, but capital structure, short-term liquidity and fixed asset investment have a negative relationship. Other factors have no impact on financial performance.

Social capital is seen as the cornerstone of the endogenous development of a society in general and rural society in particular. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the canonical correlation between social capital dimensions and sustainability components of pluriactive rice farmers' activity in the Haraz plain watershed of Iran. It was an applied research in terms of purpose and a descriptive-survey study in terms of method. The statistical population of the study included all pluriactive rice farmers in the plain. Due to the lack of proper database, the snowball sampling method was used for sampling; finally, 182 concerned farmers were identified and participated in the study. The results showed that the relationship between the canonical variables of social capital and sustainability of pluriactive rice farmers' activity was 0.41; also, 17 percent of the variance of the sustainability of pluriactive rice farmers' activity was explained by the social capital canonical variable.Therefore, the higher the level of cognitive and structural components among pluriactive rice farmers, the higher the level of ecological, social and economic sustainability.

This research is conducted to assess the factors influencing financial performance of listed firms on Vietnam Stock Exchange. The factors include capital structure, firm size, short-term liquidity, fixed asset investment, growth rate and receivable management. Data were collected from audited financial statements of 269 large listed firms for the period from 2010 to 2016. Quantile regression and Ordinary Least Square regression (OLS) have been used for processing the multi-year dataset. The results show that firm size has a positive relationship with financial performance. In contrast, capital structure, short-term liquidity and fixed asset investment have negative relationship with financial performance. Meanwhile growth rate and receivable management has no impact on financial performance at the low level but different effects at different quantiles. In case of measuring ROS, ROA and ROE as proxies of financial performance, the results are heterogeneous. Contribution/ Originality: The contribution of this research is that it has examined the impact of determinants on financial performance. Quantile regression and OLS are employed. We found that firm size has a positive association, but capital structure, short-term liquidity and fixed asset investment have a negative relationship. Other factors have no impact on financial performance.