Articles

This study analyzes the entrepreneurial ecosystems and entrepreneurial activity of the nine countries belonging to the FORTHEM European University Alliance (Germany, France, Poland, Finland, Latvia, Spain, Italy, Norway, and Romania) using Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) data for the period 2021–2024. The purpose of the research is to provide a comparative, alliance-specific understanding of how entrepreneurial attitudes, systemic framework conditions, and institutional capacities influence both the quantity and quality of entrepreneurial activity in a heterogeneous European environment. The analysis integrates the Adult Population Survey (APS) and National Expert Survey (NES) indicators within an unbalanced panel structure to examine levels, patterns and short-term temporal changes in entrepreneurial dynamics during the post-pandemic recovery period. The study employs descriptive comparison and econometric modelling using pooled ordinary least squares and first-difference estimation to test the influence of entrepreneurial framework conditions on early-stage entrepreneurship, innovation orientation, intentions and the volatility of entrepreneurial activity. The findings show that while entrepreneurial intentions are the strongest predictor of early-stage entrepreneurial activity, the overall quality of the entrepreneurial ecosystem does not necessarily increase the volume of new ventures. Instead, ecosystem strength plays a decisive role in shaping innovation-driven entrepreneurship and the stability of entrepreneurial activity over time. The paper contributes an alliance-specific diagnostic relevant to higher education institutions and policymakers seeking to reinforce entrepreneurial capability, reduce volatility and enhance the innovative potential of emerging European entrepreneurial ecosystems.

This study investigates the complex university management environment, specifically, universities of technology, seeking to unravel the complicated dynamics that describe changes in management competencies from regular operational periods to times of crisis. The goal is to comprehend how management competencies evolve in response to the unique challenges posed by crises, with a particular emphasis on the impact of the #FeesMustFall student protest and the COVID-19 pandemic. The exploratory research study employs a qualitative methodology that includes semi-structured online interviews conducted through videoconferencing, providing a safe and flexible platform for gathering real-time, audio-visual insights from participants, closely resembling traditional in-person interviews adhering to the strict COVID-19 pandemic requirements and Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) enables a comprehensive exploration of management and crisis competencies. The findings of the study identify six critical changes executives make when a crisis evolves. Ultimately, this study provides a valuable contribution to understanding how university executives evolve and adapt their management competencies during crises, with the unprecedented backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a critical focal point.

Worldwide, travel to attend international meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions held in business and cosmopolitan cities has a significant importance for the tourism global market, contributing to income diversification for both companies and national economies. In 2022 the global business travel spending accounted 1.03 trillion U.S. dollars, and for 2024 is projected to reach around 1.5 trillion dollars, thus surpassing the pre-Covid pandemic period when the expenditure of business tourists worldwide was 1.43 trillion dollars. Business tourism is considered the most efficient segment of the travel industry, besides the contribution to the growth in gross domestic product, MICE sector positive effects include the mitigation of tourism seasonality, encouraging the growth of business infrastructure – airports, hotels, congress centers and exhibition halls – promotion of tourism destination image and transmission of know-how. Under these circumstances, this paper aims to analyze the main coordinates of business tourism in the global market, namely: the leading business tourism markets, favorite formats of business meetings planned worldwide and the demand for digital services in the exhibition industry worldwide, while also presenting the challenges of business tourism global market development, including the highest-impacting factors on events-related businesses and the investment priorities.

This narrative review article problematises cybersecurity in the higher education sector. It highlights the importance of fostering a continuous training and awareness culture to reduce cyber incidents and threats. Post-COVID-19, universities face increased cyberattack frequency globally, necessitating urgent and effective responses. This study provides an understanding of the role of continuous training and awareness in effectively combating and mitigating cyber threats in higher education institutions (HEIs). This article highlights the pivotal role of user education in cybersecurity. Establishing formal processes to educate students and staff about digital risks and safe information technology practices is crucial. This education extends beyond awareness; it encompasses actionable strategies to secure institutional cyberspace. The findings reveal that although technology can help fight cybercrime, the most effective way to combat these threats lies in comprehensive training and awareness-raising among students and staff within HEIs. The review concludes that continuous training and awareness equip individuals to handle cyber threats better and significantly lower institutional risks. This article contributes to the discourse by offering insights into how HEIs can develop resilient cybersecurity frameworks through focused training and awareness programs, ultimately fostering a safer digital environment in an increasingly interconnected world.

The global effort to tackle environmental issues has garnered international momentum However, large firms have received far more attention than Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Meanwhile, MSMEs have a substantial cumulative effect on the environment Microfinance institutions provide financial and non-financial services to MSMEs, and it is considered that microfinance institutions can help MSMEs transition towards adopting environmentally friendly practices. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceived contribution of green microfinance to influencing MSMEs to implement green activities. Specifically, the study reviewed literature on the effect of green microfinance on the environmental performance of MSMEs Employing a critical review methodology, this study analyzed green microfinance literature from diverse online library databases including Elsevier, Google Scholar, PROQUEST, EMERALD, Science Direct, Research Gate, IEEE, and JSTOR. This study found that MFIs can influence MSMEs to adopt greener practices by including environmental issues into their goals, strategies, and operations. Sustainable practises were found to be also influenced by MSME owners/managers' mindsets, legislative frameworks, stakeholder pressure, competitive dynamics, perceived benefits, and consumer demand for eco-friendly products. As a recommendation the study proposes that Rural and Community Banks, savings and loans companies, and credit unions should be included in the Environmental and Social Risk Management (ESRM) regulatory framework for green financing within the banking industry to address environmental concerns stemming from MSMEs.

Despite the contributions South African Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) make to the national economy, they have among the highest failure rates in the world. Though various factors contribute to their high failure rate, one factor has not been considered, namely the potential lack of governance. Governance is seldom researched in a South African SMME dispensation, rendering it a nascent research topic. Hence, this study aimed to determine the influence the “tone at the top” had on the economic sustainability of sampled South African SMMEs. The research study was empirical, exploratory and took the form of survey research. A quantitative research methodology was and data were collected through self-administered questionnaires from 123 South African SMME owners/managers and 82 South African SMME employees. All respondents had to adhere to relevant sets of delineation criteria. Stemming from the results, out of all tested attributes of management, seven overlapping attributes stood out for both South African SMME owner/managers and employees, along with the managerial operating style of members of management, were found to significantly influence the economic sustainability of sampled South African SMMEs in a mixed manner. Considering the nascent nature of the research topic and the identified research problem, this study serves as a foundation for future research studies to be conducted on South African SMME governance.

Ecolabels are essential tools for the promotion of sustainable consumption, through the provision of consumers with information about the environmental impact of products. The research relied on bibliometric analysis to examine the trends and developments in ecolabel research over the past three decades, emphasizing the main themes, influential authors, and the most prominent publications. By exploring the development of ecolabel research, the study aims to identify gaps and suggest future directions for research.

The purpose of this study was to explore the views of senior black South African managers on the retention strategies used by a construction company in South Africa. Ten senior black South African managers working at a construction company in South Africa participated in this exploratory qualitative study. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants. The study found that a majority of participants view employee retention strategies used by the South African construction company as effective in retaining workers. The four main effective employee retention strategies that most of the research participants identified were superior work environment, employee development programmes, supervisory support and competitive rewards. Nonetheless, a few of the research participants indicated that some of the employee retention strategies used by a construction firm in South Africa are not effective in retaining workers. This study recommends that in addition to the various retention strategies available, the South African construction company should use a fair and consistent reward system as one of their employee retention strategies. This study also recommends that the South African construction company should consider employee participation as one of their employee retention strategy.

This study sought the narratives of followers on the leadership behaviours of line managers at a South African public department. The study used an exploratory qualitative research approach to explore the narratives of followers at the case South African public department. Data from ten participants who had worked for the South African public department for at least one year were gathered using face to face, semi-structured interviews. The study found that line managers at the South African public department behave both ethically and unethically. Ethical leadership behaviours identified by research participants include people oriented and role clarification. Conversely, dishonesty, nepotism, inconsistent behaviour and unfairness were identified by research participants as unethical leadership behaviours that are also common among managers at the case South African public department. Line managers at the case South African public department are generally encouraged to provide moral advice to their followers, whilst being guided by moral principles of fairness and honesty. The current study recommends that the South African public department should implement necessary mechanisms to eradicate identified unethical behaviours exhibited by managers at the case South African public department.

Germany has demonstrated throughout history that it can be reborn from its ashes, like the mythical phoenix bird. After two devastating world wars, the country had the ability, strength, and discipline to recover and become the undisputed leader of Europe. The advantages obtained by Germany in the last 20 years, such as ample trade, cheap energy and strong industry, made the country the strongest power in Europe and gave its political leaders a false sense of security and relaxation. In this article, I have identified several problems facing the German economy and I have emphasized the importance of taking urgent and radical measures to avoid a series of devastating long-term effects, including the risk of deindustrialization.

Student protests, often violent, can damage perceptions about universities and harm brand images. This study investigated the effects of student protests on the brand image of a university of technology in South Africa. An e-mailed questionnaire provided a sample of 402 students selected via purposive, quota and convenience sampling at a prominent University of Technology in South Africa. Participation was voluntary, confidential, and anonymous. Data was captured and analysed using descriptive and inferential, univariate and bivariate, statistics. Findings showed that student protests did disrupt learning, affecting operations such as the academic calendar being shortened, delay in graduation and threats to completion of the syllabus. Protests have a negative impact on the University's brand image, sometimes leading to students deregistering due to the unsafe environment. Suggestions are provided for universities to better cope with student protests and further research is recommended with other universities to ascertain the wider impact of student protest.

Regardless of the size of the organisation, electronic human resources management (e-HRM) systems are crucial because of their influence on risk reduction and prevention. The relationship between e-HRM and small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs) is, nevertheless, the subject of few studies. Although SMEs are essential for the nation's financial stability, they are thought to be less knowledgeable about e-HRM in developing nations. In order for SMEs to survive and have an impact on the economy of the nation, this conceptual paper seeks to provide a wider understanding of SME organisations. This study examines pertinent literature from the last ten years on the adoption of e-HRM, the awareness of SMEs organisations regarding the quality implementation of e-HRM systems, the survival of SMEs, and their effects on the national economy. A fundamental challenge is the widespread and persistent belief that only large firms can use e-HRM systems. This study found, based on the literature, that SMEs may adopt any effective and efficient e-HRM systems and enhance the performance of their organisations. The adoption of e-HRM systems by SMEs could be improved by the provision of suitable knowledge and training by SMEs organisations. The study's literature indicated that better e-HRM system deployment will raise South Africa's GDP level as a result.

This study was conducted to determine the influence that internal control systems of South African (fast-moving consumer goods) SMMEs have on their economic sustainability. Both empirical research and, descriptive research were conducted that were of a quantitative nature. The study relied on survey research and primary data were collected from 99 South African fast-moving consumer goods SMME owners/managers using a mixture of non-probability sampling methods. From the research conducted, it was found that the internal control systems of South African SMMEs were developed using non-SMME-specific internal control frameworks. Even though the internal control systems of sampled South African SMMEs were perceived to be both adequate and effective by their owners/managers, they were found to adversely influence the economic sustainability of these business entities. This research study justifies the need for South African SMMEs to develop internal control systems using SMME-specific internal control frameworks. It also serves as a foundation for further empirical research to be conducted on the matter.

The paper emphasizes the importance of banks developing a positive brand personality and fostering brand identification among customers to enhance customers' perception of bank success. By consistently delivering on brand promises, engaging with customers, and building a sense of community, banks can strengthen their brand image, particularly among millennials. The study focused on millennial male and female customers in the banking context and conducted a self-administered survey with 110 males and 114 females. Employing various statistical methods, such as collinearity diagnostics, principal components analysis, and linear regression analysis, the research found that traits like perceived sophistication, sincerity, and ruggedness significantly influenced female millennial customers' perception of their bank's success. Similarly, the bank's sincerity and level of sophistication influenced the perceived success of male millennial customers. However, the study did not find a statistically significant link between millennial customers' identification with their bank and their perceived success of the bank brand, neither for males nor females. The findings can be valuable for banks in formulating their branding strategies and designing targeted marketing campaigns to enhance customer perception of success.

Hotel industry has been identified as one of the vital sectors that can have a major contribution to the achievement of the three pillars of sustainable development (social-economic-environment), thus having the ability to direct communities towards a green economy. With increasing environmental awareness, hotels are taking the initiative to offer greener products and services. Various green attributes are incorporated into hotels, such as participation in environmental partnerships or certification programs, use of recycling programs, energy-saving light bulbs in rooms. Under these circumstances, this paper aims to analyze the importance of hotel sustainability for the global development of the industry, while also presenting the most important sustainability and decarbonization topics among accommodation businesses and the reasons for which global travelers choose sustainable lodging.

This paper examines the innovative intellectual capital variables of SMEs, such as business culture, knowledge intelligence, business communication, and digital business, using the intellectual capital theory as a frame of reference for SMEs in South Africa. The phenomenal rise of SMEs and a gap in the existing literature on innovative intellectual capital served as the driving forces behind this study. Lack of innovative skills brought on by low levels of intellectual capital are seen as the driving force behind this unwelcome phenomenon. This conceptual paper aims to bring a broader understanding innovative competencies which are crucial for businesses to sustain themselves, grow, and perform well SMEs will be helped in the development of platforms to enhance their operations and advance the South African economy. A detailed evaluation of secondary sources of information provided by the University of Johannesburg was used in this paper. This paper analyses the relevant conceptualization of key concepts and the literature on intellectual capital implementation. Based on the conceptualization and literature, this study found that the performance of SMEs is significantly influenced by innovative intellectual capital variables and that for SMEs to have a competitive advantage in the long-run the SMEs should embrace the intellectual capital variables covered in this paper. Adequate knowledge of intellectual capital by SMEs operating in South Africa can be use to improve their capacity for innovation and expand their operations. The literature from the study revealed that intellectual capital contributes to the development of competitiveness in SMEs through the use of business culture, knowledge intelligence, business communication, and digital business processes.

There is a paucity on academic studies on gender pay gap in the South African mining organisations. The current study focused on the effects of gender pay inequality on talent retention within the mining sector. This study was conducted through semi-structured interviews of women in a mining organisation. The interviews were conducted in a respectful way and within a safe environment in order for them to express their personal experiences and opinions on the gender-pay inequality. The findings revealed that many women in the company are aware of the existing inequalities and wage gaps between men and women. The findings show that gender segregation persists in the mines because women are considered weaker than men and are more vulnerable to violence in the mines The findings of this study are relevant to both policy and practise. The findings shed light on the impact of the gender pay gap on talent retention in mining companies. The mining sector should review its pay policy and ensure that the pay of its employees (men and women) is fair.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of shopping motivations on clothing retail store loyalty in the South African context. A survey was conducted among consumers intercepted at a mall in Venda, South Africa. In total, 250 respondents completed the questionnaire in full. It was found that consumers were influenced by shopping apathy, fashion trends, impressions, reputation, and price, in remaining loyal to a clothing store. Shopping enjoyment, role-shopping and convenience did not influence shoppers to remain loyal to a store. Consumer loyalty is vital to retailers, as it guarantees future sales, long-term profitability, and sustainability. Retail marketers should therefore consider various shopping motivations when designing their marketing activities.

Job satisfaction is one of the key antecedents to organizational competitiveness and growth. The main objective of this paper was to explore the status of job satisfaction and strategies for increasing job satisfaction for backyard manufacturing small to medium enterprises (MSMEs) workers in Mucheke suburb in Masvingo urban. The study utilized a qualitative research approach with semi-structured interview being used as the main data collecting tool. Snowballing and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 11 backyard manufacturing SMEs and 40 participants who participated in the study. The study established that the level of job satisfaction for employees in backyard MSMEs was extremely low. The main precipitators of low job satisfaction were inappropriate tools, inadequate raw materials, inappropriate plant layout, unpaid overtime, failure to supply protective clothing, poor salaries, congested workstations and poor leadership. It was also established that low job satisfaction had devastating effects on the performance, growth and survival of MSMEs since it propels the production of poor products, high labour turnover and absenteeism, pilferage of tools and raw materials, stress induced accidents and emergency of more competitors as workers start their own businesses. The strategies that can be employed to increase job satisfaction are by providing counselling services for employees, establishing beneficial cafeteria benefits for all categories of employees, establishing in-house health centres, establishing flexible work arrangements and also providing social services to all categories of employees, training and developing managers and giving workers living wages. The study is essential in that it provides new insights and knowledge on approaches and strategies of improving job satisfaction for backyard industry workers.

Rugby is one of the most popular sports among the big three sports in South Africa. Rugby is formally represented by the Currie Cup as the domestic league in South Africa. The aim of this study is to validate the dimensions of brand personality to the South African professional rugby sport teams, namely Sharks and Lions. The two teams were selected because of higher level of team identification during the study. The study employed the quantitative research method. The results of this study produced four-factor structure which includes Trustworthiness, Competitiveness, Friendliness and Trendiness. Furthermore, monological and discriminant validity was confirmed. The model fit indices of measurement, SRMR, RMSEA, GFI, CFI, IFI and TLI were assessed and showed a good fit. Therefore, this instrument is confirmed as valid and reliable to measure the dimensions of professional rugby sport teams in South Africa. Team managers of professional rugby sport teams in South Africa, including all other managers in Currie Cup league, can use this instrument to assess how their teams are perceived by fans and how they differ from other teams. In addition, managers from commercial companies interested to offer sponsorship deals to rugby teams can use this instrument to assess sport teams having a personality that matches their companies. This would avoid negatively affecting the image of their companies should the sponsored sport team have a different personality from the company. In contrast, if the sponsored sport team has a similar personality as the company, the company image would be enhanced. This is the first study to validate brand personality instruments to measure dimensions of brand personality for rugby professional sport teams in South Africa.

This paper assesses the impacts of perceived proactive career behaviors (PCB), Work-integrated learning effectiveness (WILE), and abilities (AB) on perceived graduates' employability (PGE) within Nigeria's businesses in the 4IR era. The sample used in this study came from First City Monument Bank Plc, Isoglass Industries Nigeria Ltd, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, CohoTek IT Solutions, and Freezeland Nigeria Limited. These are the five examined businesses. They belong to the manufacturing, sales, information technology, and finance sectors. The cross-sectional questionnaire approach was used in this study, and surveys were distributed at random. Nonetheless, 486 of the 500 distributed surveys were located, deemed suitable for use, and subjected to Statistical Packages for Social Sciences analysis (SPSS version 28). This study indicated a considerable individual and collective impact of perceived proactive career behaviors, Work-integrated learning effectiveness, and abilities on perceived graduates' employability within Nigeria's businesses in the 4IR era. Businesses and higher education management are urged to investigate and model the most suitable proactive career practices in the current 4IR period. They should also consistently include and encourage work-integrated learning and support due to the sensitive nature of students' understanding of the workplace and requirements inspired by the fourth industrial revolution. Further, managers and leaders in higher education and the workplace should promote and motivate performance abilities appropriate for the current industrial revolution.

This study explores the commitment-related experiences of Black South African managers at a construction company in South Africa. Twelve Black South African managers working at a construction company in South Africa participated in this exploratory qualitative study. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants. The study found that a majority of Black South African managers experienced positive commitment, inducing them to be psychologically attached to the construction company in South Africa. The study also found that some Black South African managers had bad committed-related experiences due to a lack of worker recognition, issues with involvement, reward system, isolation, and social identity. This study suggests that the case construction company in South Africa should consider employee recognition, worker involvement and use a fair and consistent reward system for all workers, regardless of colour, to strengthen the commitment of Black South African managers.

Records are a fundamental aspect of organizations and must be maintained. This study investigated the essence of record-keeping from the perspectives of small business owners on their operations. This was a cross-sectional survey which used the questionnaire to solicit information from the business owners. The data analysis was descriptive statistics with the aid of Minitab 17 software. Our findings attest to the relevance of business registration and the prominence of the family business in small businesses. It was revealed that 89% of the respondents were conscious of keeping records, 74% recording their business operations manually while retention of records for a year had 77% representation. The benefits of recordkeeping hinge on decision-making and stock-taking. The study concludes that small businesses should not look down on record-keeping as part of running their businesses and suggests education on the importance of record-keeping for small business owners for the effective running of their businesses. This is one of the few studies that studied the socio-demographic characteristics of small businesses concerning record-keeping and its benefits. The study findings offer important implications for business owners, Ghana Enterprise Agency, banks and academicians.

Personal branding is essential for athletes and in particular professional golfers. Professional golfers employ various experts such as sport psychologists, fitness trainers and specialist coaches in order to improve their performance. As a result, this has significant financial implications for players and having an established personal brand may assist them in gaining sponsorships. However, there is a lack of research in the South African context regarding the personal branding of professional golfers. To address this research gap, the present study aimed to explore the importance of personal branding for professional golfers and identify the strategies that can be implemented to enhance their personal brand. The study participants comprised of Professional Golfers of South Africa (PGA of SA) members, teaching professionals, and golf administrators, who were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. The findings of the study confirmed that personal branding is a crucial factor in the success of professional golfers. The identified strategies to enhance personal branding included improving golfer performance, enhancing physical attractiveness and differentiation, marketing everyday lifestyle, and effectively using social media as a communication medium. The study highlights the need for players, coaches, and managers to become more knowledgeable about the concept of personal branding to ensure success in their professional golf and better sponsorship deals.

The study sought to explore reasons why workers accept casual work at a transnational manufacturing firm in Zimbabwe. An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken with sixteen casual workers at a transnational manufacturing firm in Zimbabwe. Information was gathered from the research participants, using semi-structured interviews. The study found that a majority of these research participants were forced by unfavourable circumstances to settle for casual work. The stepping-stone to permanent position hypothesis and limited permanent position opportunities were involuntary motives that forced workers to accept casual work. The study also found that a few participants voluntarily accepted casual work at the case transnational manufacturing firm in Zimbabwe. Voluntary motives included: need to balance work and family responsibilities; self-development; and economic incentives. Given the rise in demand for casual employment, it is crucial to comprehend the underlying reasons why workers accept casual work to develop relevant intervention programmes that support casual workers.

Internal control systems are an essential component of every organisation, as they are known for their impact on prevention and risk mitigation. However, limited studies examine the nexus between internal control systems and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Although SMEs play a crucial role in enabling the country's financial stability, SME owners and managers in developing countries are perceived to lack knowledge of internal control systems. This conceptual paper aims to bring a broader understanding of SME leaders and managers on knowledge of implementation of quality internal controls systems towards SMEs' survival and impact on the country's economy. This paper analyses the relevant literature on internal controls' implementation, the knowledge of SME leaders and owners on quality implementation of internal control systems, SMEs' survival and impact on the economy of the country. An existing and persisting perception that internal control systems can only be implemented by large organisations is a major concern. Based on the literature, this study discovered that SMEs could also implement effective and efficient internal control systems and improve their performance. Adequate knowledge by SME leaders and management could improve SMEs' implementation of internal control systems. The literature from the study revealed that improved implementation of internal control systems would subsequently enhance the country's economy.

This paper explores the effectiveness of moonlighting to improve the experiences of casual workers at a transnational manufacturing firm in Zimbabwe. Eight individuals, who varied in terms of gender, position held, age, and educational qualifications, participated in an exploratory qualitative study. Data was gathered on the effectiveness of moonlighting to enhance the daily experiences of casual workers, using semi-structured interviews. The study found that the majority of casual employees benefit from moonlighting by learning new skills that promote occupational mobility, enhance financial stability, and lessen job insecurity. Conversely, the study also found that moonlighting has detrimental effect on casual workers' ability to balance their professional and personal lives, leads to overworking, and increases stress related to their jobs. The study recommends that to avoid any conflicts of interest between primary employment and a secondary job, organisations should govern and control moonlighting. Organisations should also increase the minimum wage so that casual workers can afford fundamental necessities, whilst lessening their desire to moonlight.

Due to the global prevalence of youth unemployment and the increased demand for enterprising graduates, university-based entrepreneurship education which began several decades ago in the United States is now widely acknowledged and popular in many nations. Accordingly, the pressure created by the pandemic era also necessitates that universities produce graduates who are well-equipped with the essential skills and competencies needed to address current and future challenges. This study employs the use of systematic analysis of literature to explore the common elements that exist in some of the world's most successful entrepreneurial training models. The authors specifically reviewed a number of successful entrepreneurial training strategies from top-tier higher education institutions from 5 countries across 3 continents. The analysed training models differ in their designs. However, despite these variances, certain commonalities such as the use of live projects and the apprenticeship system, as well as pedagogical innovation are acknowledged. The study offers compelling evidence of how South African higher education institutions could incorporate global best practices into their teaching approaches.

Despite the increasing awareness of sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by companies, the social aspects and practices thereof are often neglected. The social sustainability reporting by South African logistics companies is such an example and is largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to investigate the challenges that South African road logistics companies face when reporting their social sustainability performance and to determine measures that road logistics companies in South Africa can take to improve their social sustainability reporting. This was achieved qualitatively by means of semi-structured interviews of representatives of 18 large and medium sized road logistics companies in South Africa. The interview data was analysed using thematic analysis process. The study revealed some key findings that were not previously indicated in the literature review, particularly looking at social sustainability activities by road logistics companies and their reporting. The study determined various challenges that South African road logistics companies face when reporting their social sustainability performance and suggested measures that can be taken to mitigate these challenges. The study also suggested various legitimisation strategies that road logistics companies may implement in order to maintains correct legitimacy within the society. The findings of the study provide valuable insights into the concept of social sustainability with regard to road logistics companies in South Africa. The study uncovered themes unique to the social sustainability reporting by road logistics companies. For the implications, the study shows that social sustainability needs more attention by various stakeholders. The study also revealed that social sustainability elements are unique per industry and per country.

The purpose of the study reviewed the dynamics of new and open regionalism in Asia and the Pacific regions. It was highlighted that both in the Asia Pacific and Latin America, there is considerable confusion and ambiguity surrounding the notion of what “New Open Regionalism” is all about, which questions the relevance for practical purposes. The research approach primarily reviews various relevant literature in the field of study. Studies indicated that with few institutional or government-led initiatives, Asia's rapid economic expansion offered a strong basis for intra-regional trading and investment flows as well as inter-firm linkages. In terms of originality, No study has looked at the dynamics and the many uses and conceptions of the idea and investigated the contexts in which the concepts of "openness" and "regionalism" clash. For the implications, the article clarifies the possible relationship with both open regionalism and regional integration before asking under what circumstances regionalism might serve for the advancement of multilateralism. The study concluded that in a dynamic situation, it is difficult to determine whether regionalism and multilateralism complement each other. Much is determined by the design and content of the negotiated regional trade agreements (RTAs), as well as the characteristics of the member nations.

Regarding an institution's labor as utility management, the employment protocols embody the extensive recruitment plans and further reflects the initial phase of the labor management in alignment with attaining the institutional objectives. Universally, they are viewed to be the most challenging although critical aspect of every labor management plans. This study sought to document the empirical and theoretical literature on employee recruitment practices, knowledge management, human capital, and organizational performance. The theories that guided this study included the Vrooms Expectancy theory, Human Capital theory, and Equity Theory. The study's conceptual model comprises of employee recruitment practices and organizational performance as the independent and dependent variables respectively, while knowledge management and human capital were incorporated as mediating variables. This study reflects literature review research whose focus was a deeper analysis of the existing basic and factual publications on employee recruitment traditions and institutional outcomes. The study based on the observed theoretical linkages concluded that employee recruitment practices, theoretically influence organizational performance, while knowledge management theoretically mediates the association between employee recruitment practices and organizational performance. Further, the deduction from this presentation was that human capital theoretically moderates that association between employee recruitment traditions and institutional outcomes and that there is a joint theoretical relationship among employee recruitment practices, knowledge management, labor management and institutional outcomes. This study observed the little existence of theoretical and empirical literature on the joint linkage between employee recruitment practices, knowledge management, labor and institutional outcomes and recommended an empirical study to establish the existing relationship among the considered variables.

The sports footwear sector is a lucrative market, particularly among Generation Y consumers. The aim of this research is to determine the factors that influence the customer satisfaction level of sports footwear brands among South African Generation Y. The study used a quantitative research method and followed a descriptive research design. Six of the nine independent variables, namely brand association, perceived quality, style, comfort, brand name and price, were found to have a statistically significant impact on Generation Y consumers' satisfaction levels with sports footwear brands, while three of the nine variables, namely brand image, colour and endorsement, produced an insignificant impact on customer satisfaction levels of the same age cohort. Marketers of the sports footwear brands that were not identified as favourite brands in the study are advised to evaluate their marketing strategies and manufacturing processes. Those sports brands identified as favoured brands by Generation Y customers are also encouraged to evaluate factors that were found insignificant in influencing customer satisfaction among Generation Y cohorts.

In Indonesia, the life insurance industry has experienced a positive growth in the 2015-2019 timeframe, although there were certain incidents in which several insurance companies had experienced several failures, including the large-scale national companies. This research was conducted to analyze the effect of solvability, liquidity, risk level, investment adequacy, and equity, either partially or simultaneously on financial distress in life insurance companies in Indonesia. In addition, this study was conducted to analyze the risk level as a moderating variable for the relationship among solvability, liquidity, investment adequacy, equity, and financial distress. The research was carried out by using the data in life insurance company industry in Indonesia which was registered into the Indonesia's Financial Services Authority in 2015 – 2019, while the used data analysis technique was Panel Data Regression. The results showed that the independent variables namely: solvability, liquidity, risk level, investment adequacy, and equity simultaneously affected the financial distress variable. Further, the results showed that the risk level moderated the relationship between the solvability, the investment adequacy, and the equity with the financial distress. On the other hand, the risk level did not moderate the relationship between the liquidity and the financial distress.

Technological advancements and environmental turbulences require firms to continuously reconfigure their operational models by rapidly transforming the workplace. This study explores how the Internet of Things (IoT) can improve employees' productivity in operations. This conceptualization paper highlights five determinants of employee productivity: learning orientation, problem-solving, acquisition of knowledge, and monitoring and evaluation. The developed conceptual model has a three-phased approach to optimizing the impact of the internet of things with Bayesian classification. This is critical to effectively leverage improvement in employee productivity, profile deviation analysis and to predict the effectiveness of interventions. This study provides vital insights into leveraging the IoT during the fourth industrial revolution, offering the needed continuous development of employee productivity to help with the survival and stability of firms. This will assist the management of a firm by providing practical insights and an actionable approach towards fostering increased employee productivity during challenging times.

This paper evaluates the impacts of perceived despotic leadership (DL), quality of work-life (QWL), and innovative work behavior (IWB) on employee performance (EP) in Nigeria's banks post-Covid-19. The sample for this study was obtained from five (5) banks in Lagos and Oyo States, Nigeria. These five (5) banks are Zenith Bank Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Limited, United Bank for Africa Plc, and First Bank of Nigeria Plc. This study implemented a cross-sectional questionnaire method, and surveys were randomly distributed. Nevertheless, from the 400 surveys distributed, 388 were retrieved, concluded adequate for use, and analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS version 28). This study indicated a substantial relationship between perceived DL, QWL, and innovative work behavior. It further stated the considerable individual and collective impact of perceived DL, QWL, and IWB on EP within Nigeria's banks post-Covid-19. Leaders and managers of businesses are urged to examine and implement the most appropriate leadership styles for the varied circumstances, and companies are still battling challenges post-Covid-19. They should also consistently promote job clarity, job satisfaction, security, employee participation in decision-making, communication, and support. This increases employees' QWL in the workplace. Further, the management should encourage innovative management exercises, which are fundamental in sustaining employee performance post-Covid-19.

The objective of this paper was to explore the sustainability of local economic development through entrepreneurship in South Africa. Local economic development (LED) should be the responsibility of everyone, including local people, business owners, and the government. LED is widely seen as the panacea to increased quality of life, unemployment, poverty, and inequalities, mainly in developing nations. LED research is a relatively new topic, and policy development, planning processes, and implementation plans are continually changing with numerous alternative ideas and techniques. The study acknowledged South Africa to be a resource-rich country with incredible development potential. South Africa, on the other hand, can do a lot better to encourage entrepreneurs and small and medium-scale businesses at the grassroots level, by preparing citizens with the needed skills to contribute to economic development because effective leadership, institutions, and entrepreneurship all play important roles. The study discovered that there is no “one-size-fits-all" development policy or approach, however, economic growth is a complicated interaction of many stakeholders' perspectives on the local economy. The study believes that, in light of previous countries' failures, new routes ahead for South Africa and Africa may be explored in the marketplace of innovative ideas.

Entrepreneurship is one of the most important drivers in a country's economic growth in which it contributes to the reduction of unemployment rate. This explains why various institutions have been leveraging resources at their disposal to boost the entrepreneurial intention of students across the country. This research aims to investigate the effect of family environment and entrepreneurship education through entrepreneurial self-efficacy towards students' entrepreneurial intention. This study took on a quantitative approach, where the data obtained from surveys are evaluated statistically using the SmartPLS software. The researcher has taken 215 samples from a population of 458 students in 2018 cohort, majoring in International Business Management of Universitas Ciputra Surabaya, using the simple random sampling method. The findings suggest that there is a positive and significant direct relationship between family environment and entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intention, family environment and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, as well as entrepreneurial efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, the results show that entrepreneurial self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between family environment and entrepreneurship variables towards entrepreneurial intention. This research contributes to the Social Cognitive Theory and implications are discussed.

This study develops a model from primary needs that develop into existence through luxury consumption in the era of globalization. Besides that, it is vital to find out the involvement in using luxury products encouraging consumer existence on social media, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The development of e-commerce and access to luxury products enables people's purchase intentions. It creates a community in the use of luxury one. This study aims to determine the factors that influence purchase intention of luxury products. The data analyzed using PLS-SEM. Convenience sampling was used to gather response of 381 respondents. Results show that perceived quality, brand attitude and E-WoM had a significant positive relationship with purchase intention. However, perceived risk does not have a substantial effect on purchase intention.

Performance assessment is useful for employees in terms of providing information for promotion decision making, employee training, and violation sanctions. Managers can use the results of performance evaluation as strategies to motivate and improve employees' performance. To implement performance assessments that can provide accurate information, an effective support system is needed. The phenomenon that occurs in the public sector is that employees consider performance assessments only as a formality, managers and employees do not understand how to fill out performance assessments and lack commitment to implement performance assessments. Based on these phenomena, the study aims to analyze the effectiveness of performance assessment systems by using a critical approach to performance assessment: performance system design, managerial system practice and system support. The research method used is of a qualitative descriptive nature that aimed to describe the effectiveness of a performance assessment system. Data is collected based on in-depth interviews. The results of the study show that the performance assessment system based on employee performance goals can be implemented properly if supported by annual performance documents structures, direct supervisor work planning, and employee job descriptions. Considering the critical assessment system component, the performance assessment system based on employee performance objectives has been effective in the implementation of system design, managerial practices, and sustainable system support. However, there is still one component that has not been implemented, namely the involvement of leaders and employees in the design of the assessment system.

Competition between schools requires many private schools to always innovate in learning. Teachers as the spearhead in the learning process in schools are highly expected by stakeholders to develop these innovative behaviors. Based on the teacher's perspective, those who act as stakeholders are school leaders and also students or their parents as school customers. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of leader expectations and customer expectations on the innovative behavior of teachers in schools. The respondents of this study were 127 private school teachers on the island of Java – Indonesia which had many competing private schools. The results of the multiple regression test indicate that there is an effect of stakeholder expectations on teacher's innovative behavior with an effective contribution of 25.4%. However, based on the results, it is actually only the customer expectation that plays a role in increasing the innovative behavior of teachers. The results of this study can be implemented by school management in providing more effective expectations and demands for increasing teacher's innovative behavior.

This article examines the literature on the "Impact of Electronic Human Resource Management" published in several prestigious research journals during the last nine years. This paper seeks to guide further studies in this field, provide an overview of previous research, and identify pertinent research gaps in the subfield of electronic human resource management. The researcher used Scopus data to analyze the research publications for the chosen topic. The papers selected for this article were published within the last nine years (2013–2021). Most of the research papers analyzed found that organizations can benefit from the significance of e-HRM in aspects of cost efficiency and time-efficient both for organizational and individual levels. Furthermore, this technology facilitates corporate operations and improves information and organizational performance. The purpose of this paper is to encourage the cornerstone for future research in this field. Most of those papers addressed the limitations and the possibilities for further investigation, and this paper identifies a few of the most significant research gaps. As a result of the Covid-19 epidemic, the world has been forced to become digitized, and it is far more critical to keep track of advancements in the science of "e-HRM."

Employee engagement revolves around “job involvement, organisation commitment and job satisfaction”. Research has shown that many organisations fail in promoting employee engagement and as a result pay dearly for disengagement. The purpose of this paper is to explore what antecedents of engagement drive TVET college lecturers to be engaged with the outcomes of an organisation, in order to identify further strategies that organisations can implement to improve engagement. This study was part of a larger interdisciplinary research project in which a cross-sectional design with a survey data-collection technique was used. Five variables were considered with 6 hypotheses. Results indicate that supervisor support, performance feedback and adequate workload are important for job engagement among lecturers within the TVET sector, while performance feedback and adequate workload are both important for organisation engagement. Based on these findings, this study recommends the involvement of top management in the creation of strategic interventions that may enable more lecturers to be more productively engaged with their job and organisation.

Good records management should be seen as a benefit and not a burden. This paper explores the practices, benefits, and challenges of records management from forty-five staff of the Offinso Municipal Assembly (OMA), Ghana. The study used the survey method and data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. The result revealed that a majority (84%) of the staff knew of the existence of policies and procedures on records management, there was a positive strong association between work experience and records management systems, quick decision making was a key element of the benefits of records management and lack of information technology infrastructure was a challenge to effective records management. The paper suggests that OMA must intensify the need to communicate the importance of the policies and procedures of records management for its compliance. In maximizing the benefits of records management, OMA must take advantage of technology to support their records management. Management support, deployment of resources, and adequate training of staff on records management could be the solution to reduce the challenges of records management at OMA.

The personalization of the way of communication, but also of the products and services is a tendency that is being discussed more and more and at the level of all companies. The nature and characteristics of services make the process of buying more complicated compared to goods due to the complexity and interaction between the companies and customers – here is where personalization can make a difference. Viewed from the perspective of opportunities, the consumer-company relationship determines an advantageous aspect for service companies, namely the adoption of personalized processes along the relationship between the two, creating greater consumer satisfaction and a lesson for companies in improving the services offered.

Small businesses are often described as the lifeblood of economies around the globe. This is mainly due to small business' significant socio-economic value-adding abilities. These entities significantly contribute to national Gross Domestic Products, while both disseminating wealth and alleviating poverty through the creation of employment opportunities. Research suggests that small businesses have high failure rates - most failing after operating for between three and five years. Instead of emphasising particular reasons why small businesses fail, the emphasis was placed on two theories, namely the liability of newness (specifically that small businesses have little to no reputation when they are newly established) and the neo-institutional theory (specifically that small businesses tend to imitate “best practices” of established businesses, as-is, without considering customized solutions using a “trial-and-error” approach). In particular, the primary objective of this paper was to conceptualise how the Sustenance framework addresses issues contained within these two theories to, ultimately, enhance the sustainability of small businesses. This conceptual paper was exploratory and constituted qualitative research. From the observations made, it appears that the Sustenance framework can assist with the building of small businesses' reputation while limiting the adverse influence of mimetic isomorphism.

COVID-19 has brought about significant change in a global dispensation. One of these changes is the catalysed use of fourth industrial revolution interventions 4IRI. In South Africa, among the industries that have been influenced by the catalysed use of 4IRI is that of the Higher Education industry. Apart from the fact that South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were restructured during the mid-2000s (e.g. Technikons transforming to Universities of Technology), most curricula and/or teaching practices are still outdated; do not accommodate for the development of 21st-century skills. To this end, this study was conducted to theoretically investigate whether the catalysed use of 4IRI, as brought on by COVID-19, influenced the efficacy of South African HEIs. This study was exploratory in nature and constituted online desktop research. Stemming from the research conducted, it appears that the catalysed use of 4IRI in South African HEIs may not have any influence on its efficacy, at least in a theoretical dispensation.

Micro and small enterprise development are crucial to support a country's economy, and microfinance is vital to support its growth. Currently, the microfinance industry is faced with two main challenges: to reduce credit risk and to avoid losing sight of its social purpose. The study argues that this is a matter of vicious circle that can be broken using a practical credit application evaluation. The research purpose is to investigate an alternative method for credit application assessment using one of classic sociological theory, the three forms of capital, consisting of economic capital, social capital, and cultural capital. A survey of 100 e-entrepreneurs operating in e-commerce revealed that only two of the three capitals affect the credit potential variable. The uniqueness of the study is in the utilization of alternative behavioral data, including social media activity, informal training, and religiosity to measure the credit potential of a respondent. The study's results contribute to the alternative measure used in assessing credit potential. The rest of the paper discusses the implication and further research based on the findings.

This article investigates a range of disruptive technologies which have been identified as being disruptive or potentially disruptive to the current SME business models. By not being cognizant of the possible effect that these modern technologies may have on a variety of business sectors, SMEs run the risk of either losing business opportunities or not being able to participate in new business ventures in future so the competitive edge is lost. The impact of disruptive technologies is rapidly gaining momentum on a world-wide scale. Three complimentary disruptive technologies, associated with the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) have been selected for this study viz. Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). A single case study following the qualitative method was considered suitable to explore, probe and gain a clear understanding from a SME perspective, whether these three disruptive technologies have the potential to influence the business either positively or negatively. The focus of the questioning was directed at how SMEs intend to go about either engaging with, or choosing to delay, the implementation of Big Data, IoT and AI; and the possible impact such strategic decisions may have on the business. Data was collected from a sample of senior managers and supervisors as well as a focus group of employees. Semi-structured interviews were scheduled using face-to-face recorded interviews as well as a recoded conversation with a focus group. The findings indicated that senior managers are aware of some aspects of disruptive technology and have been thinking proactively about adopting new technologies, however, there was significant room for greater integration and implementation so as to become a market leader. Failure to engage with new technologies in the very near future could result in a SME becoming obsolete and less competitive while possible new entrants to the market may become the new ‘winners'. Strategic decisions in terms of the likely impact of disruptive technologies on SMEs, requires innovative approaches to speed up implementation. The impact of Covid-19 has highlighted the urgency of SMEs to embrace disruptive technologies with immediate effect.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Good Corporate Governance (GCG) on the Wealth Added Index (WAI) which is known as a wealth creator. Good Corporate Governance is measured by the number of directors, number of commissioners, number of audit committees, and managerial ownership of the Company's WAI. GCG data was obtained from the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) publication for public companies in 2017 - 2019, while WAI represented survey data from SWA magazine for 4 consecutive years. The analysis used in this study was based on a multiple regression. From the results of this study, it was found that the GCG had an effect on WAI related to the number of directors, the number of audit committees, the share ownership ratio and the number of commissioners had a significant effect as a whole. Partially, the number of directors, the number of audit committees, and the number of managerial ownership have a significant effect, but the relationship considering the number of commissioners was not significant. This shows that management using good corporate governance can have positive impacts on the company, and by extension on WAI.

Emergency Management Services (EMS) personnel, particularly paramedics, should have crucial clinical decision-making abilities, by developing field or differential diagnoses and impressions. This enables them to make critical decisions pertaining to patient management plans and care. Paramedics among other healthcare professionals are concerned with declining employee performance. There is therefore a need for performance improvement that is dependent on how employees realize continuous professional development (CPD) activities. This study focused on revealing the effect of CPD programs on employee performance at Company A in KwaZulu-Natal. A sample of 10 participants was drawn from the population of Emergency Care Providers working at Company A. A qualitative research methodology was adopted with the employment of purposive non-probability sampling and semi-structured interviews. The study concluded that CPD programs have a very positive effect on the performance of employees, as they considered it a crucial aspect in developing their knowledge, skills and attitudes. The research study further revealed the significance of CPD on paramedic employees by highlighting how they assist the employees in being updated and treating patients according to new evidence-based practices. The study also identified factors that impact employee performance, like teamwork and good leadership. Additionally, it identified strategies which should be implemented by Company A to enhance employee performance: these included employing qualified facilitators, conducting formal CPD programs, and incorporating assessments. The study concluded by providing recommendations to enhance the CPD program, such as establishing ethical guidelines, monitoring and evaluation, crafting coordinated plans, use of technology and investing in quality facilitators.

The aim of this scientific paper was to find out the reasons for the shortage of nursing staff in German hospitals and to provide potential solution approaches for this shortage. Over the last years, the shortage of nursing staff has become a more and more important topic in the news: Not only due to the increasing amount of missing nurses, but also due to the ageing population in Germany, which leads to an increasing amount of patients in German hospitals. To reach this aim two surveys were done, of which one was for nursing staff only and the other one was for people from all occupational groups with the intention of creating comparative values. The surveys were done from March to April 2019 and were analysed afterwards. After a detailed analysis of the survey results, it can be summarized that the reasons for the shortage of nursing staff in German hospitals are very diverse: Starting with a weak salary, improvable working conditions – for example the shift work and the high amount of physical and psychological stress -, a difficult compatibility of family and job as well as the unattractive image of the job as a nurse in the society. It can be concluded that the solution for the shortage of nursing staff is very difficult. The future will show whether the governmental support will help to make the job as a nurse more attractive – not only for the current nurses, but also for potential future nurses.

Entrepreneurship is the key to innovation and economic growth, both for developed industrial countries and developing countries. Currently, in Indonesia there is growing awareness of the importance of the role of entrepreneurship in national development. On the other hand, advances in information technology, especially the internet, have made it possible for many people to connect to virtual communities in a network without borders. The main purpose of this research is to test research a model that forms Entrepreneurial Intention. Based on the survey method and purposive random sampling as a sampling technique, a research model testing using structural equation modelling proves that Social Media Usage has a positive and significant effect on Subjective Norms, but has no effect on Entrepreneurial Intention; while the Organizational Support has a positive and significant effect on Subjective Norms and Perceived Behavioral Control. Then, Subjective Norm and Perceived Behavioral Control have a positive and significant effect on Entrepreneurial Intention.

During the mid-1990s the South African government formally recognised Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) operating in the country, for the first time, through the publication of the National Small Business Act No. 102 of 1996. Through this legislation, South African SMMEs were tasked to assist with the attainment of three core socio-economic objectives, namely the reduction of unemployment, the mitigation of poverty and the equal distribution of wealth. After more than two decades it appears that South African SMMEs are not achieving the foregoing three socio-economic objectives; simultaneously being cited as having among the worst failure rates in the world. Prior research found that this dispensation is largely attributable to the non-management of economic factors which, in turn, led to the realisation of risks. To assist with the management of economic factors and related risks, a sound system of internal control should be used. Unfortunately, despite the existence of various internal control frameworks, South African SMMEs do not deploy sound systems of internal control; ultimately resulting in their demise. The objective of this study was therefore to propose an internal control framework that can assist South African SMMEs to implement adequate and effective internal control systems to, in turn, fortify their sustainability. This study was non-empirical in nature, exploratory and took on the form of a literature review. Stemming from the research conducted the Sustenance framework was developed as an artefact hypothesis for adoption by South African SMMEs and further empirical testing.

Modern global business environment has experienced a paradigm shift from Multi-polarity to Multilateralism, hence forcing companies in Africa to pay more attention on emerging networks in an endeavor to architect strategies for improved performance. These changes include implementation of enterprise strategies and inter-organization alliances and networks, which allows for healthy competition and enterprise performance in both private and public ventures. However, there exists a marked lack of appreciation of the vital linkages of corporate strategy, networking and corporate performance. This article surveys literature on major efforts undertaken by organizations and nations to establish a relevant conceptual framework and methodology in a detailed view point. A synopsis of related literature and past studies in this area have linked networking with performance but with scantly researched proof on the connections between strategy, partnerships and triumph in organizational performance. The paper concludes that networking is vital for ensuring effective implementation of corporate strategy for higher performance.

The purpose of the study to determine the effect of regulation, collaboration, and financial literacy on the adoption of financial technology for Small and Medium Enterprises. This research was conducted based on a causal design to analyze the relationship between regulatory, collaboration, financial literacy, and adoption of financial technology through hypothesis testing. The research sample involved 95 small and medium-sized businesses in East Java, Indonesia. The sampling method uses purposive sampling with the following criteria: (1) A minimum of 5 employees and a maximum of 99 employees; (2) Businesses use financial technology applications, namely OVO, GoPay, DANA, or LINK; (3) Businesses are carried out in the East Java region. This research uses Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis technique. Results show that regulation has a significant effect on financial literacy. Moreover, collaboration has a significant effect on financial literacy. Additionally, financial literacy has no significant effect on the adoption of financial technology and regulation does not significantly influence the adoption of financial technology. Furthermore, collaboration has a significant effect on the adoption of financial technology. Regulation and collaboration can be used to support increasing financial literacy for small and medium businesses. The higher level of understanding of the regulation and implementation of the collaboration carried out will increase financial literacy and can support the adoption of financial technology for small and medium businesses. This study uses regulatory and collaborative variables that have not been studied much in relation to financial literacy. On the other hand, not many studies have examined the relationship of financial literacy to the adoption of financial technology.

This research aimed to study the influence of competence management on human resources policies, i.e., recruitment, assessment, training, remuneration, and career management. To this end, an empirical study was conducted via a questionnaire among 124 Tunisian companies. We tested the research hypotheses through linear regression analysis. The results confirm that competence management has a positive influence on human resources policies. The present work provides managers with a useful measurement instrument that can be used in examining human resource policies in their companies to upgrade and improve their employees' competencies.

In South Africa, small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) add significant socio-economic value to the national economy and are regarded as the driving force for economic growth. Prior research shows that these business entities' sustainability leaves much to be desired as approximately 80% of South African SMMEs fail after being in operation for only three years; believed to be caused mostly by unmanaged economic factors. Although unmanaged economic factors may culminate in risks which adversely affect the sustainability of South African SMMEs, internal control activities can be used to mitigate the probability and potential impact of such risks. One of the most cost-effective internal control activities is that of document usage and design (e.g. source documents and internal documents). For this study, the primary objective was to determine the influence of source document usage, as an internal control measure, on the sustainability of South African small, medium and micro retail enterprises. The study was empirical and quantitative in nature and survey research was conducted by means of disseminating and collecting questionnaires to 120 SMME owners and/or managers. Stemming from the results, it became apparent that the use of source documents by the responding SMMEs did not have any statistically significant influence on their sustainability.

This study explored the moderating role of Environmental Dynamism (ED) on the relationship between opportunity evaluation and growth of agro-based Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Kenya. These NGOs play a critical role which includes poverty reduction, through employment creation and food security and therefore their growth is fundamental in continuing to serve the society. Agro-based NGOs in Kenya, operating in dynamic business environments face greater levels of unpredictability and turbulence than those in more stable business environments. The need to link opportunity evaluation and growth is very important for organisations to attain growth. To better understand this relationship, this paper employed a mixed method approach guided by cross-sectional research design. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed to analyse the data from 124 agro-based NGOs in Kenya using SPSS version 21 and AMOS graphic analytical software. Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to analyse the measurement model and test the hypothesized relationships in this study. The study established that, opportunity evaluation has a significant and positive influence on growth of agro-based NGOs and that ED moderates this relationship. The findings are critical to the NGO management who are the core implementers of entrepreneurial projects that satisfy the donors and targeted communities. This study also enriches the social entrepreneurship literature by demonstrating the role of ED on the growth of agro-based NGOs in Kenya and provides a new perspective of conceptualizing development of NGOs in Kenya.

Delegation is an enabler in organisations, yet managers still struggle with how to use it effectively to get maximum value. There are many definitions of delegation and what it tries to achieve; at the heart of it, delegation is about giving power and authority to work on assigned tasks. It deals with how power should be handed over for delegated tasks to be completed successfully. Since there are no guarantees that delegated tasks will be delivered as expected and on time, there is a need to understand the success factors of delegation. The research is about the success factors of delegation by looking at accountability, quality and compliance. The research goes further and looks at the foundational elements of delegation to make it work which include competencies, skills, attitude an aptitude. It analyses the impact of leadership in delegation by assessing the leadership style(s) that support delegation. Alignment is key in delegation and the research looks at the relationship between the delegators and delegatees and how the relationship impacts delegation success. The interests of delegatees is unpacked by looking at motivation, recognition, rewards, empowerment, growth and development. The process looks at how managers monitor delegated tasks and feedback mechanisms to get comfort that delegated tasks will be done as per the original requirements. Furthermore, the research looks at how organisational hierarchy and job design can impact delegation success. The impact of culture is also looked at and how the broader organisational culture impacts delegation.

The leader's commitment in realizing transparency of public information is one of the key parts of good governance. The Indonesian Government issued ACT No. 14 in 2008 which was focused on Public Information Disclosure (KIP ACT) to encourage transparency by involving the public in every government policy. The government of Pemalang District, in executing the mandate of KIP ACT, was designated by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Diskominfo) to have an Office of Information Management and Documentation (PPID) responsible of storage, documentation, provision, and service information. This research is using secondary data research to explore these issues. The results showed that the leader's commitment in transparency of public information in Pemalang District has not been applied effectively because the leader has not exercised his duties and functions by following the Standard Operational Procedure of PPID. More specifically, certain guidelines on the drafting of publicly accessible information and excluded information lists have not been implemented in accordance with the standards. In addition, there is still low supervision over the performance of the main PPID officers, so there is no sanction for the delay of public information reporting and impact on the ranking of PPID in Pemalang District, which has not been informative.

This study aims to examine the influence of the personality types of the neuroticism and agreeableness personality on entrepreneurial intentions with subjective norms as a moderator. This research was conducted through a survey method with a sample of 149 participants, residents of Tegalyoso Village, Klaten Utara District, Klaten Regency, Central Java Province, from the Republic of Indonesia. The results of this study indicate that 2 personality types of The Big Five are valid and reliable, namely agreeableness and neuroticism. Both personality types have a significant influence on entrepreneurial intentions. Subjective norms only have an interaction effect on the influence of neuroticism on entrepreneurial intentions.

This part of the study continues the literature review conducted, and empirically addresses the research questions raised, in the preceding part of the study: Success factors of big data to achieve organisational performance: Theoretical perspectives. Overall, the focus is on the success factors of big data from an organizational context: how and when big data analytics capabilities yield benefits and improve organisational performance. The research questions that were addressed are: 1. What is the general understanding of big data and its current situation? 2. What capabilities are required in order to be successful at translating big data insights into organisational performance? 3. What are the biggest challenges/ risks to converting big data insights into organisational performance? The methodology was qualitative and exploratory, using semi-structured interviews to have in-depth discussions with big data employees at varying job levels to ascertain the success factors and challenges of the big data environment. These constructs provide companies with the ability to improve their BDAC capabilities in order to generate value from big data, thereby improving organisational performance.

Organisations have found an increase in the complexity of their information environments and emerging from this is the concept of “Big Data”, which is considered a breakthrough technological development in both business and academia. Hypothetically, superior big data analytics capability provide organisations with a competitive advantage and is therefore important to develop. This part of the study conducts a comprehensive literature review, with a focus on the success factors of big data from an organizational context: how and when big data analytics capabilities yield benefits and improve organisational performance. It concludes with the following research questions: 1. What is the general understanding of big data and its current situation? 2. What capabilities are required in order to be successful at translating big data insights into organisational performance? 3. What are the biggest challenges/ risks to converting big data insights into organisational performance?

A sound system of internal control is a necessity for business entities; comprising five inter-related elements. The soundness of such a system is influenced by the control environment; often described as the foundation of any system of internal control. According to guidance documents, the definition and the description of the control environment are known however a common approach to assess the control environment of business entities mostly pertain to a quantitative “tick and bash” checklist. Such a yes-no-predicament causes a paradox regarding the axiom that one can only manage what one can measure. By referring to a recently developed internal control framework – the Control Legacy-K (CLK) Framework – the probability exists that the control environment of non-JSE listed business entities can be assessed in both a quantitative and qualitative manner. To this end, the primary objective of this study was to investigate whether the CLK Framework, particularly its first two steps, covers the definition and description of the control environment sufficiently. A meta-analysis of relevant reviewed literature was performed. From the research conducted it appears that the first two steps of the CLK Framework do cover the definition and description of the control environment sufficiently; enough to be considered as a mixed-method instrument to assess the control environment of non-JSE listed business entities.

This article examines the influence of multinational (MNC) and transnational (TNC) activity over the corporate and business diplomacy practice, according to the industry type, the development extent of each corporation, and the degree of corporate power decentralization. The methodology used in the research papers analyzed included literature review, case studies and qualitative data collection based on interviews with managers from the international corporate environment. Research shows that in practice, there is a confusion in regard with significance of business and corporate diplomacy expressions and their activities extent. This view is also shared by literature, since the association of the terms diplomacy and corporate activities would have more meaning into a philanthropic context, compared to international business. By studying the different managerial actions of multinational and transnational corporations, results show that business diplomacy characterizes with a higher degree the TNC activity, while multinational diplomats perform actions specific to corporate diplomacy.

Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) play a significant role in the stimulation of economies around the globe. In South Africa, though SMMEs add significant socio-economic value to the national economy, approximately 75 per cent of these business entities fail after being in existence for less than four years. Among the economic factors which have been highlighted to adversely affect the sustainability of these business entities is the lack of scarce skills – in particular, that of critical innovation skills. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether critical innovation skills had any statistically significant influence on the perceived profitability of South African SMMEs. Empirical research, exploratory research, and survey research were conducted in this quantitative research study whereby 387 responses were received from South African SMME management who had to adhere to relevant delineation criteria. Based on the results, the critical innovation skills of management of sampled South African SMMEs did not have any statistically significant influence on the perceived profitability of their respective business entities.

The study assesses the state of leadership of entrepreneurship at the macro level. It further explores the effectiveness of leadership; the gaps, issues and challenges; and the roles of government and the private sector with regards to entrepreneurship leadership. At its core, the study challenges the assumption that entrepreneurship must be led by government and considers the alternative proposition that entrepreneurship can be led by itself – by an independent body of entrepreneurs. The research finding is that entrepreneurship is not effectively led: 1) Several private and public sector initiatives exist to support entrepreneurs, but remain largely uncoordinated. 2) There are a lack of standards and benchmarking at the macro level, even though entrepreneurs could benefit from accreditation, guidelines, governance and strategy frameworks. 3) Entrepreneurship lacks a unified voice. 4) The stakeholders of entrepreneurship compete, rather than collaborate. Government does not understand or effectively communicate with entrepreneurs. The private sector does not always have the best interests of entrepreneurs at heart, due to conflicting interests. Incubators, accelerators and universities compete among themselves for funding and accolades, which hinders their assistance to entrepreneurs. 5) Entrepreneurship carries a negative culture. 6) The leadership style applied to entrepreneurship is inappropriate. 7) There is little vision and direction setting for entrepreneurship as industry or fraternity.

This study aims to analyze parents' socio-economic relationships which include parental education, parental occupation, and parental income towards financial literacy. This study uses a sample of young entrepreneurs, students who are active in college and they also run a business. The results showed that the level of financial literacy of young entrepreneurs was at a moderate level. Furthermore, parental education and income have a relationship with financial literacy, whereas parental work does not influence financial literacy.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for businesses has been mainly associated with large corporations, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) were insignificant as they regarded CSR a costly unsustainable business initiative. This scenario undermines the importance and critical role that SMEs play in the economy. Therefore, the study aimed at exploring the impact of CSR on the sustainable growth of Wholesale and Retail SMEs in the eThekwini Municipal region. Results were attained through assessing attitude levels of SMEs towards CSR; investigating the practice of CSR by SMEs; exploring barriers undermining the practice of CSR and exploring SME owners' values key to the sustainable growth of their businesses. Stakeholder Theoretical framework guided the study; the philosophical paradigm that guided the research was post-positivist, which subsequently recommends a mixed-method approach, i.e. qualitative and quantitative. Data was obtained using self-administered questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. It emerged that majority of the respondents had a negative attitude towards CSR. CSR stakeholders were not valued the same as required by Stakeholder Theory. SMEs believe CSR is meant for large corporations regarding it as a costly extra-curricular from their core business. As new knowledge, a model based on the Stakeholder Theory titled, “Corporate Social Responsibility: A simplified practical approach” was proposed meant to assist wholesale and retail SMEs to positively embrace CSR in their businesses. The study recommended that local authorities must be proactive in supporting SMEs to practise CSR through revisiting the phrase Corporate Social Responsibility as it is psychologically intimidating to SMEs, hence resistance to the practice of CSR.

This article articulates the challenges of the supply chain management practices impeding service delivery within the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ and CD). The objectives of the study determines the nature and extent to which the SCM policy, procedures and practices are implemented in the DoJ and CD; the challenges in the supply chain management processes impeding service delivery; the impact of the SCM challenges regarding service delivery; and to recommend appropriate SCM practices that can be adopted and implemented in order to enhance the value chain and improve the service delivery constituent accordingly. The research methodology was a quantitative approach and a random sample of 132 questionnaires were distributed and the data was analysed using inferential statistics. The key research findings revealed that the department does not have a fully capacitated and competent team to perform all aspects of SCM that added value to their respective business units. The article concludes with recommendations made for Supply Chain Management practices and key strategic interventions for consideration and implementation within the department, which include Human Resource Capacity and Skills, SCM Strategy, Procurement Planning, Customer Relationships and Information Sharing.

The development of entrepreneurial orientation cannot be separated from the role of parenting. While emerging adolescents tend to try to break away from their parents because they want to be closer to their peers. This purpose of this study is discovering differences of entrepreneurial orientation based on parental attachments to father, mother or both. This study used the survey method to 291 emerging adolescents in six major cities on the island of Java, Indonesia. The results showed that early adolescents who were close to both parents had higher entrepreneurial orientation than they who were only close to once parent or not close to both parents. This study also examined the role of parental attachment on each dimension of the entrepreneurial orientation.

The study considered and investigated the heuristics of entrepreneurs in the fields of management, strategy, innovation, marketing, sales, HR, and tactics. Overall, a very sophisticated heuristic set was surfaced. None of the areas studied can be described as under-developed. The sophistication of the heuristic set contrasts strongly with previous research on entrepreneurs' heuristics. Entrepreneurs did not always and initially acknowledge their use of heuristics. It equally implies entrepreneurs may not be actively developing their thinking at all times. Although impressive, comprehensive, and original, the heuristics set may not truly be that distinct from the typical heuristics set of business leaders. Entrepreneurs differ in terms of the level of maturity or comprehensiveness they have reached in terms of the heuristics they consider and use. Entrepreneurs demonstrate natural proficiency and deficiency in terms of heuristics pertaining to areas they excel in and struggle with, respectively. Entrepreneurs may develop heuristics through experience. Education impacts the development of heuristics. Some entrepreneurs make up for the areas in which they lack, by seeking help, assistance, expertise, etc. Entrepreneurs may also pick up and learn heuristics from others.

The study examines social entrepreneurship from the perspective of: objective and philosophy (why social entrepreneurs are social entrepreneurs), opportunity identification (how social entrepreneurs recognise opportunities), implementation (how social entrepreneurship is implemented), and social entrepreneurship's contribution to entrepreneurship. The dual objective (some profit, social impact), and strong focus on social impact of the social entrepreneur are highlighted. Although certainly possible, opportunities are encountered and experienced, and thus recognised, rather than actively sought. There are both strong similarities and differences between social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship opportunities. Innovation is as much a component of social entrepreneurship. Also, the proactiveness and innovativeness of social entrepreneurship are important aspects and concepts. Social entrepreneurship can also be radical and disruptive. Implementation of social entrepreneurship entails both the micro- and macro-level. Both the individual implementation of social entrepreneurship, and the overall extent and sophistication of social entrepreneurship opportunities and practice at a broader level, are relevant. Sustainability is a very important consideration for the social entrepreneur. Emphasis has shifted to self-sufficiency and financial sustainability. There are marked similarities between start-up for the social entrepreneur, and the entrepreneur, particularly given that social enterprises are run as businesses just as much. The various contributions of social entrepreneurship to entrepreneurship are highlighted. It is evident that social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship can be compared on several grounds, including the level of risk and the level of difficulty.

The study examines the creative process of entrepreneurs and innovators. It considers how several types of thinking - analytical, analogical, imaginary, intuitive - are involved in creativity and the creative process. It further considers how learning and composite thinking – the integration of the different types of thinking - are incorporated in the creative process. The subsequent analysis covers a number of aspects of creativity and the creative process: 1) attributes, 2) traits, 3) skill, 4) stimulants, 5) process, 6) method and technique, 7) imagination, 8) intuition and the sub-conscious, 9) problem statement, 10) referencing past solutions, 11) the solution space, 12) teams, and 13) factors of success in the market. The prominent role of the intuition and the sub-conscious in creativity is clear. Both the left-brain and right-brain typically contribute to creativity. Perspective formation forms a key component of creativity. There is a semi-formal process to creativity. Both intuition and creativity itself can be developed. Given the array of factors that influence success in the market, it may be questioned whether creativity is essentially a prominent factor of entrepreneurship. Pure or raw creativity by itself is certainly not a sufficient factor of entrepreneurship but must first be combined with general business sense or acumen to guarantee innovation success.

In South Africa, Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are often described as the driving forces of the national economy, mainly due to the socio economic value they add. Unfortunately, prior research suggests that South African SMMEs are adversely influenced by an array of economic factors, one of which is taxation. One form of taxation, which influences an array of South African SMMEs, is that of excise taxation; as levied on specific products that are considered detrimental to the social- and/or environmental well-being of South African citizens. When taking into account that excise taxation has increased year-on-year for the past 20 years, the perception was formulated that South African tobacco-and-alcohol-selling SMMEs that are subject to excise taxation, experience weak financial sustainability. As such, this study placed emphasis on the influence excise taxation levied on products sold on the financial sustainability of tobacco-and-alcohol-selling South African SMMEs. This study was exploratory and empirical in nature and fell within the positivistic research paradigm. A total of 50 members of management of South African tobacco-and-alcohol-selling SMMEs were targeted, all of whom had to adhere to strict delineation criteria. Stemming from the results, it was found that with the most recent increase in excise taxation, less alcohol products and tobacco products were sold by these business entities, resulting in drastic reductions in profitability levels and liquidity levels, negatively influencing their financial sustainability.

In a world where passenger air travel is set to keep a positive growth rate over the years, airports all over the world are striving to increase their connectivity rate by attracting different airline companies, either for point to point connections or hub connectivity to wider the number of destinations reached from the airport to all over the world via a hub. From an airport perspective, creating a strategy to increase the connectivity performance index requires a lot of market analysis, following latest developments of hub connections from all over Europe, as hub connectivity tends to change on a yearly basis. Airport connectivity performance is directly linked to growth, studies (ACI Europe, 2018) showing that a +10% increase in passenger traffic leads to a +0.5% growth in the GDP per capita.

Tourism is currently developing rapidly in Indonesia, especially in the Special Regions of Yogyakarta Province. The objective of this study was to examine the theoretical and empirical evidence of the relationships among destination image, motivation, satisfaction, and visit intention. A research model was achieved using the survey method with a questionnaire, and the proposed model examined three hypotheses. The empirical data was collected from young generations (students). A total of 200 questionnaires were returned and the data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results supported the proposed destination loyalty model: destination image and motivation directly influenced satisfaction; and tourist satisfaction had direct and positive impact on tourist's visit intention.

The study examines knowledge management in the context of entrepreneurship: in particular, how entrepreneurs utilize and create knowledge, and build on knowledge as a core competency. Scientific research (SR) as knowledge type, and its relevance to the entrepreneur, are also investigated. With regards to knowledge creation, entrepreneurs excel at speed, originality and relevance, creativity, and business acumen. They have well-developed knowledge bases, and synthesize a lot of knowledge. Entrepreneurs both push and pull knowledge. The entrepreneur may source and acquire knowledge to advance and close the knowledge gaps of an identified opportunity, or may peruse knowledge in search of opportunity. The study elaborates on the relationship between knowledge and innovation, as well as the relationship between knowledge, creativity, and innovation. Entrepreneurs extensively consume scientific research, particularly to expand their knowledge bases. Similar to knowledge, entrepreneurs both push and pull scientific research. The extent by which they pull scientific research is determined by the extent that their opportunities require it. Entrepreneurs may also look to find application for scientific research as output. In this regard, the quality - measured as relevance - of the scientific research is important. Although presently and practically in shambles, collaboration between entrepreneurs and universities, can unlock further opportunities and value in this regard. Collaboration is much dependent on healthy relationship that permits bidirectional input and feedback.

Adolescence age is an important time to develop the entrepreneurial potential. One of the important predictors for determining the career as entrepreneurs when they become adults is the entrepreneurial orientation of adolescents. Adolescence closely related to leisure time. Leisure time will help teenagers determine their contribution to their social experience. This study aims to examine the differences of adolescent entrepreneurial orientation based on their leisure time. The number of sample included 182 students. The scale used was based on an entrepreneurial orientation scale consisting of 52 statement items with a reliability range of 0.762-0.832 and CITC values above 0.3. The results showed that there were significant differences between entrepreneurial orientation and leisure time (p lower than 0.05). Hand skills have had the highest average value compared to other hobbies. Hand skills can be identified with realistic personality according to Holland theory. Instead, the use of gadgets has the lowest average value. Use of gadgets can reduce the ability to empathize, the ability to express emotions correctly, effective emotional management, and emotional intelligence.

This research aimed to discover the effect of service quality, corporate image, and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty. The primary data used in this study was obtained from a structured questionnaire sent to 98 customers of Bank BJB Saharjo, Jakarta Branch. Quantitative research was achieved using AMOS program to develop a structural equation model. The results of the study showed that service quality had a positive impact on customer loyalty, however corporate image had a negative effect on customer loyalty. Service quality and corporate image have a positive effect on customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is a positive determinant of customer loyalty. Thus, this paper supports previous empirical analysis and improves knowledge on improving relationships with bank customers.

This study investigates how entrepreneurs and innovators engage the future, and it reflects on how strategic foresight (also called futures studies) can contribute to innovation and entrepreneurship. The literature emphasizes the importance of planning for the future, but not much attention has been given to how entrepreneurs view, forecast and incorporate the future, and how this influences their innovation and creativity. The study found that entrepreneurs are disconnected from the future, and do not take it seriously. The future is mostly left to unfold, and it appears as a surprise. Entrepreneurs use simple methods to engage the future, and their understanding of it is vague. There is a lack of leadership and coordination around the future, and very little intervention around the future. Entrepreneurs recognize a general connection between the future and innovation, but they fail to see the relationship between innovation and futures studies. Futures studies are central to innovation, especially radical innovation, but entrepreneurs do not exploit it. Incremental innovation is predominant, and this leads to the conclusion that entrepreneurship is dysfunctional, to the extent that radical innovation is an important part of entrepreneurship and futures shaping. The study essentially surfaces a number of obscure philosophical positions regarding the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and the future.

Systems Thinking, Design Thinking and Leadership have largely been developed independently of each other. More recently, there have been, ongoing initiatives to integrate Systems Thinking and Design Thinking. The main aim of this abstract paper is to suggest that the effectiveness of this integrated approach is uniquely linked to leadership. The paper will emphasise the important role played by leadership and explore how leadership has developed through the different paradigms. The benefits of viewing these transitions from a Kuhnian scientific paradigm perspective is highlighted followed by a Systemic view of leadership and then a presentation of a Design Thinking perspective noting that the attributes arising out of the two approaches will benefit leadership. This leads to a discussion of how leadership will benefit from the integrated Systems and Design Thinking approach.

This study is focused on evaluating CSR programs in Indonesia by examining the influence of CSR disclosure on the firm values through the mediation of stakeholders' (customers and employees) reaction. This study applies an explanatory research approach and uses data of non-service corporations which enlisted at Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) from 2012 to 2014. A saturated sample technique is implemented to draw the sample and this study employs a structural equation modeling (variance-based). The implication of these results suggests that the government, as a regulator in the stock market, should provide a complete guidance about how to make a good CSR report which refers to Global Reporting Initiative. Eventually, this guidance could be used by stakeholder to make appropriate economic decisions. For companies, it is important to pay attention to CSR disclosure on the annual report or the company's sustainability report because it is positively associated with the reaction of employees and investors.

Tourism is a mass phenomenon, and as a result, the number of accommodation capacities has increased enormously in recent years, especially in hotel groups, whether integrated or voluntary. Currently, a large part of hotel chains has subsidiaries around the world and covers major aspects of international tourism demand through their own distribution systems. Under these circumstances, this paper aims to analyse the global evolution of the main hotel chains, while also presenting performance issues, including average daily rate (ADR), and occupancy rate.

Entrepreneurial orientation is an important construct that usually affects performance, profit, product growth and innovation in a company. Some successful entrepreneurs have shown this character since adolescence. Therefore, it would be better if this entrepreneurial orientation is implemented early on. Researchers are interested in looking at the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and personality, especially personality that is nature, referring to The Theory of Humours by Hippocrates (460 BC) and Galen (2 AD). Based on the results of the One-Way ANOVA test, it was found that there were significant differences from the four temperaments in the dimensions of innovativeness, risk taking, proactiveness and autonomy (p less than 0.05). Whereas in the competitive-aggressiveness dimension it is known that there are no significant differences in the four temperaments (p less than 0.05). Overall, entrepreneurial orientation variables, obtained results that there are significant differences in entrepreneurial orientation from the four temperaments (p less than 0.05).

Service quality issues, over the years, have become an important consumer trend and have gained ground in service marketing literature in general, and the extant literature on higher education, in particular. Despite the fact that service quality is more difficult to measure than the quality of goods, several instruments for measuring service quality have been developed and validated, such as SERVQUAL, SERVPERF and HEDPERF. This article analysed three instruments for measuring service quality: SERVQUAL, SERVPERF, HEDPERF and compared them in terms of strengths and weaknesses within the context of higher education institutions. Although, both SERVPERF and HEDPERF instruments seem to have some reasonable measure of stability over the disconfirmation perspective of SERVQUAL scale, however, the growing competitions in the service industry has made SERVQUAL to be better because of its diagnostic ability. Using SERVQUAL to evaluate service quality would enable managers to identify and improve on those dimensions that are negatively perceived by customers. We conclude that the SERVQUAL scale is more robust than either of the performance-only SERVPERF and restrictive-oriented HEDPERF scales.

Airport route development can be defined as a complex process carried out by airports, encouraging airlines to launch new routes or increase frequencies on already served destinations. The deregulated aviation environment helped airports to find new and innovative ways to compete directly with each other for a limited airline capacity, engaging with airlines and proving the airport route development strategy and airline needs meet at a certain point. The future prosperity of the communities the airports serve, depends on the efforts of the route development team and their focused aviation marketing strategy. A huge responsibility to attract what is best for the community as well as a good coordination between the airport, tourism boards, local business community and the active involvement of the citizens is crucial for any development strategy.

This study applied the theory of planned behaviour to predict intentions to purchase locally manufactured Ghanaian Golden Tree chocolate brand, as very little research attention has been paid to consumption of chocolate in cocoa producing countries. A random sample of 257 working and non-working University students responded to self-administered questionnaires. A structural model was developed based on intention, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control, and multiple regression analysis carried out to test the model's ability to predict purchasing intention. There was low consumer intention to purchase the local chocolate brand. Attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control collectively explained 55.5 percent of the variance in intention to purchase chocolate, and attitude was the strongest and significant predictor of intention to purchase. The study fills a gap in our understanding of chocolate purchasing behaviour of local consumers in a cocoa producing country and highlights the role of attitude in purchasing intentions. Future explanatory models based on an extended theory of planned behaviour may include factors such as self-identity, affective and moral attitudes to provide further insights. The study has implications for the purchase and consumption of local chocolate brands and the subsequent retention of value in the cocoa producing country. An attitudinal change would be critical to a market-oriented strategy and policy intervention to increase the purchase of Ghanaian chocolate brands at home.

The concept of entrepreneurship is an interesting phenomenon in the context of contemporary economy today. Since entrepreneurship is directly linked to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the existence of SME is important because SME is one of the factors driving the increase of economic growth. Many studies have aimed to discover and formulate what attributes contribute to the intent of becoming an entrepreneur and the success of an entrepreneur. Based on research conducted by Hongdiyanto (2017), there are 4 attributes trusted to mold entrepreneurs through learning models which are personal, social, support and organization. In this study, the researcher chose two attributes (personal and social) to be discussed further. This research represents a conceptual study that will discuss in detail these two variables, namely personal and social attributes. As a result, personal and social attributes are explored in detail with examples and useful descriptions.

This study explores the alignment of managers' competencies with their job functions in the South African Post Office. Before alignment was explored, managers' competencies were determined through self-assessments by managers and peer- assessments by subordinates. Fifty-five managers across four levels of management and 74 direct subordinates participated in the survey. Forty-four job profiles of managers were utilised to determine the job competencies of managers at SAPO. Twenty competencies were identified as job competencies against which the competencies of managers are aligned. Not only are the competencies of managers aligned to their job functions and competencies, but their job competencies are also aligned to researched competency models for management. This quantitative research study contains valuable information regarding the competencies of managers at SAPO and could contribute positively to leadership development, not only at SAPO, but also to other similar state-owned enterprises. Based on the results of the research recommendations are made for leadership development, performance management and an on-boarding programme for new managers at SAPO.

The study examines the antecedents of opportunity in greater detail. A literature review highlights 9 antecedents of opportunity, and it was further investigated how these factors impact opportunity recognition. Some of the leading antecedents of opportunity were: solving problems, goals and aspirations, artistic creativity, adoption and networking. None of the antecedents by themselves are sufficient for innovation, as each has a caveat that may also hinder innovation. Also, it is evident that a number of the antecedents may offer unique solutions and benefits, including the acceleration of the identification of ideas and opportunities. In certain contexts, one antecedent may be more applicable or beneficial than another. Each antecedent potentially offers and allows expert areas of innovation, with innovators becoming very experienced in a particular antecedent as an area of innovation. Consequently, the innovator may continually gravitate towards a certain antecedent. A number of themes common to the antecedents suggest that there may be a number of principal factors underlying the antecedents studied. Underlying all the antecedents may be the need to cross boundaries of the acceptable, or rather boundaries of the possible. Innovation may equally be defined as crossing the boundaries of what is possible, whilst still yielding outcomes that are desirable. The primary factors expected to underlie the antecedents are: 1) perspective, 2) knowledge, and 3) first person experience (sensing, interpreting). There may be a link between the expertise of the innovator, and antecedent use. Antecedents considered by innovators may shape and define the type and nature of innovation taking place in a sovereign.

This research aims to identify several influential factors on export performance of superior coconut commodity in North Sulawesi Province, especially when it relates to the pricing strategy, firm characteristics, and export strategy during 2016-2017. The research is included into a descriptive and explanatory research that exerts quantitative approaches. The data are collected via questionnaire which was sent to nineteen export companies of superior coconut commodity in North Sulawesi. To analyze the data, this research uses the regression technique of data panel engaging Random Effect Model (REM) approach. The results of research show that: 1) The pricing strategy positively and significantly influences the export performance; 2) The firm characteristics positively and significantly influence the export performance; 3) The export strategy positively and significantly influences the export performance. From the identified variables in the research, the firm characteristics have a significant role in improving the export performance of the firm.

Most companies, either large or small, now employ more impermanent temporary employees, than full-time (permanent) employees. Impermanent temporary employees usually bear the same workload as regular employees or even more. However, in terms of salaries or other facilities, it is completely different for temporary employees, so they tend to feel less comfortable at work. One of the problems that arise from the inconvenience is the lack of commitment of temporary employees to the organization. This study aims to discover the effect of job insecurity on organizational commitment of impermanent temporary employees from Anggrek and Cempaka units in PT Royal Korindah. Purbalingga. Variables used in this research are: ‘job insecurity' as the independent variable and ‘organizational commitment' as the dependent variable. This study involves 82 temporary impermanent employees of the units examined. The results of data analysis indicate that there is a effect of job insecurity toward organizational commitment of the temporary employees of Anggrek and Cempaka units in PT Royal Korindah Purbalingga. The results also showed that job insecurity affected to 38.5% of the organizational commitment, whereas other factors influenced organizational commitment in a proportion of 61.5%.

Most of the leading countries in the world production of the aerospace sector, over time, have triangulated their production, by installing plants in other countries, to reduce costs. The United States concentrates most of the world production of aircraft. Consequently, Mexico has joined this dynamic production process through the operation of almost four hundred companies in this industrial sector. The states of Baja California, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon, Querétaro and Sonora, lead the production of this sector in Mexico. The objective of this work is to determine if the companies in the aerospace sector of the state of Sonora are competitive in a regional context with respect to the growth of the entire sector in the country. The degree of competitiveness was calculated using the Competitive Advantage Index in two levels: the aerospace sector at the national level and at the state level. The results of this research confirm that the competitiveness of companies in the aerospace sector in Sonora is high and that their competitiveness is determined mainly by the technological development of their products, quality of service, guarantees offered, price, and the operation and production costs.

In order to stimulate both developing economies and developed economies around the globe policy makers have, over the years, focused their attention to Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). These business entities are often regarded as the lifeblood of economies around the globe however SMMEs are reported to have high failure rates. For example, in a South African dispensation, the failure rate of SMMEs is considered to be among the worst in the world as approximately 75% fail within a period of 42 months after opening. Through research in the early-2000s, the cause of the excessive South African SMMEs failure rate has been pinned on a plethora of micro-economic factors and macro-economic factors. Over the years the list of economic factors which adversely influence the sustainability of South African SMMEs have not changed drastically, which may well probably explain the high failure rate of these business entities in more recent times. Thus, for this paper, empirical research was conducted to ascertain the extent to which 24 economic factors adversely influence the sustainability of South African SMMEs. Quantitative data were obtained from 116 members of management of South African SMMEs and stemming from the results, it was found that these economic factors still have a reasonable adverse influence on the sustainability of these business entities.

The aim of the present study was to investigate job satisfaction as a moderator of the relationship between leadership behaviour and trainee work engagement. The study was conducted in an artisan training academy located in the East of Johannesburg. Data was collected from the entire population of 150 employed trainees in the academy using: (i) a self-designed demographical data questionnaire; (ii) the Harris and Ogbonna (2001) 13-item leadership behaviour questionnaire (iii) the Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES) developed by Schaufeli et al. (2002), and (iv) the single global rating for job satisfaction developed in 1990 by Allen and Meyer. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis were conducted in a census study of 150 trainees. Results showed that work engagement is significantly affected by leadership behaviour, and job satisfaction mediated and moderated the leadership behaviour – work engagement relationship.

A large proportion of South African Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) make use of customised internal control initiatives and customised risk management practices to mitigate and/or manage risks, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the attainment of objectives in the foreseeable future. According to research studies however, the aforementioned internal control initiatives and risk management practices are deemed to be inadequate and/or ineffective. This is especially the case as these business entities are predominantly focused on preventing generic risks in relation to the safeguarding of assets and independent checks, while ignoring key risks which may be detrimental to the attainment of their objectives. Since approximately 70% of South African SMMEs fail after being in existence less than four years it is highly probable that these business entities are not paying enough attention to mitigate and/or manage key risks (potential loss events) and controlling actual loss events. Hence, this exploratory study places emphasis on theoretically investigating loss control and sound loss control strategies evident in South African SMMEs.

The following paper presents the applicability of the “second curve” concept in the organizational environment, emphasizing the importance of coordinating the individual and organizational changes in a pre-established direction. Moreover, the aim is to offer a theoretical and practical basis for all the practitioners that need to control change and to plan any further next steps, being it either an individual career development or an organizational growth planning. In order to conclude this, the paper approaches organizational change as a constant necessity, willing to demonstrate that the individual controlled changes implemented at the correct moment will have a controlled organizational impact and will therefore lead to organizational change and development. Also, using the “second curve” as the representation of a change in the initial path (considered the “first curve”), the paper redefines change as a solution not only to problems and issues, but as well as a method of keeping the current momentum going, when the current path is already positive. In terms of methodology, the paper approaches a qualitative method, starting by identifying the preconditions of any change, both at individual and organizational level, and the whole environment where the change further develops. In the end, the research is able to offer a process model that can be followed in order to make changes in controlled environments and to reach desired results.

This research aims to investigate the different strategies adopted by the airline companies in adapting to the ongoing changes while developing products and services for passengers in order to increase their yield, load factor and passenger satisfaction. Finding a balance between costs and services quality in the airline industry is a crucial task for every airline wanting to gain a competitive advantage on the market. Also, the rise of the hybrid business operating model has brought up many challenges for airlines as the line between legacy carriers and low-cost carriers is getting thinner in terms of costs and innovative ideas to create a superior product for the passengers.

This research aims to understand and analyse the influence of working environment conditions and career development towards the improvement of employees' working motivation. This research is conducted at the Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Ltd. Tulungagung Jawa Timur Office Branch. The sample amount counted by census technique and acquired 91 responses. The sampling method used was census technique. The data collection instrument is a questionnaire which is analysed by path analysis. Findings in this research show significant direct influence of working environment, compensation, and career development towards employees' working motivation. This means that employee motivation will rise with the presence of delightful working environment, compensation, and career development. This research is contributing as a consideration and advice for BRI Tulungagung Office Branch management since working environment condition, compensation, and career development can positively influence the motivation of employees.

Managers operate in highly different fields. Decision-making can be based on models reflecting in part these differences. The challenge is to connect the respective models without too great a disruption. A threefold procedural approach is proposed by chaining a scheme of modeling in a complex field to an operationalized model to statistical multivariate methods. Multivariate pattern-detecting methods offer the chance to evaluate patterns within the complex field partly. This step completes the cycle of research and improved models can be used in a further cycle.

Indonesian beef market is very interesting considering the 250 million people residing in the country. In a year, around 670 million kg of beef are consumed; 440 million kg are supplied by local production and 230 million are imported. The price of beef in the Indonesian market (US$ 9.1) is about double that in Australia (US$ 4.2). The high price and the wide margin becomes an appeal for a deeper inquiry. This raises questions such as how does the supply chain look like, how is the distribution of the wide margin from importers to retailers, does corruption still exist due to the import licensed, and who really enjoys the profit. This study aims to analyze the supply chain of beef industry and the factors affecting meat prices in Indonesia. The data was collected through a survey of 134 respondents in seven districts and cities in Surakarta, Indonesia followed by in-depth interviews with breeders, slaughters, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. The results show that factors affecting meat prices are the bargaining power of several actors in the supply chain and the market structure discussed in this paper.

The necessary conditions of value creation are considered from the vantage point of innovation and entrepreneurship. Both demand side (basic needs, customer perceived value, and customer satisfaction) and supply side (science, technology, and knowledge) considerations of value creation are examined. The relationships between value creation and basic needs, customer perceived value, and knowledge are further examined. Although a number of factors are identified that impact value, only four are seen as primary factors of value: price, benefit, satisfaction, and experience. The innovator and entrepreneur can create value, and quantify the uniqueness of their value offerings, through these four primary factors. The study concludes that, on the demand side, basic needs may be an indirect driver of value creation, and customer perceived value as concept may be useful in the context of value creation. At the same time, it is believed that the four factors – price, benefit, satisfaction, and experience – can significantly explain value creation. On the supply side, innovation as the driver of value creation, is not necessarily confined to science and technology – business knowledge and acumen is an important avenue. In addition to existing knowledge and experience, factors like orientation (interests, passion, drive) and involvement also explain opportunity recognition.

The aim of this article is to provide first insights on how Consumer Psychology could enhance operational book marketing through book design in particular. After highlighting the current German book market and its highly competitive and fast transforming market situation, the article summarizes recent findings from the field of Consumer Psychology relevant for the book market. The focus lies in the book design which has a large influence on the buyer's decision making. Three facets of consumer psychological book design (text design, book body and cover design) will be the object of this research. Research from Consumer Psychology focuses on optimization of stimulus design in order to achieve better information perception, processing and memorization to gain better customer awareness and increase the likelihood of a positive buying decision. Overall, especially in such a highly competitive market as the book market, there is much to gain from applying findings from the field of Consumer Psychology.

Job satisfaction and employees' performance are important for the organization to improve the company’s competitive value. This research aims to know the influence of individual characteristic, employees' competency and organizational climate toward job satisfaction and its implication on employees' performance. The research method used in this research is cross sectional survey. The population of this research was from 4 cities with a total sample of 51 employees. Moreover, this research applied structural equation modeling with Partial Least Square approach for analyzing the data. The results showed that individual characteristics do not effect on job satisfaction, while employees' competency and organizational climate have a significant effect on job satisfaction. Then, job satisfaction has a significant effect on employees' performance. It is necessary to conduct training and education programs along with flexible structural support and adequate rewards for the employees to improve the job satisfaction. Those aspects are expected to improve the employees' performance.

Present research was aimed at analyzing the impact of brand image, product quality and self-efficacy on purchase decision on private label rights (PLR) products among Medan city community members. A hundred community members of Medan City were involved as the subjects of this research. The research results showed that the variable of product quality has a significant effect on consumer purchase decisions. It is concluded that good quality products in private label rights (PLR) products should be maintained and even improved, thus leading to more positive societal impression on private label rights (PLR) products. Some of the respondents consider private label rights (PLR) products with good product quality presents more interest to try or buy.

This scientific study is investigating the economic and success factors of success in negotiation in the world of trade and sale. In addition to the keynotes of the Harvard concept, my study focuses largely on trust and transparency at annual meetings or other meetings held throughout the year, strongly favouring a satisfactory result for both negotiating parties. A conceptual model has been proposed to merge the fundamental principles of the Harvard Negotiation Concept with the finding that trust and transparency in communication is a key factor in terms of economic success experiences and socio – mental satisfaction.

This research project considers Austrian enterprises, which have been pursuing business partnerships and relations with Chinese companies. One specific question of the research aimed at finding out which factors lead to pronounced difficulties experienced by companies having chosen a specific market entry strategies. This research question was explored through a primary research of 86 managers participating in an online survey in 2016. The data analysis implied an exploratory factor analysis of ten pre-defined factors that led to a new model of five components depicting narrow decision-making processes, namely: relying too much on company-related external expertise, national- or international-related external expertise, isolated practices like adopting what other companies do, purely financial-driven processes, or encapsulated decision processes. The factor scores' analysis shows that there are significant differences between companies from different economic sectors.

Knowledge management is deemed as an important tool for an array of firms across the globe to fortify their overall sustainability. In particular, the proper management of knowledge inside a firm should allow for better efficiency and effectiveness. One of the facets of knowledge management is that of knowledge sharing; better understood as the dissemination of knowledge (insight) to such an extent, and in such a manner, that it assists with the solving of problems and/or the creation of solutions within a firm. Albeit the aforementioned, is appears that small businesses (SMMEs) in South Africa do not make use of sound knowledge sharing initiatives as they have one of the worst sustainability rates in the world. Through the conduct of non-empirical research, this matter was theoretically investigated where it was found that the lack of knowledge sharing as a value-adding initiative within South African SMMEs is assumed to have a theoretically adverse influence on the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability in these firms. Taking into account the findings, it was concluded that ultimately, the knowledge sharing initiatives in South African SMMEs are incomprehensive in their coverage to provide general guidance as to how these firms can share knowledge as to provide reasonable assurance surrounding their effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability in the foreseeable future. Moreover, relevant hypotheses were developed as avenues for further empirical research.

This study investigates whether the new online registration and admission system implemented at a Tertiary Institution in Gauteng, South Africa, was successful and effective. The Institution under study is the first in South Africa to implement this new online registration system from the 3rd of January 2013 using a system called the Integrated Tertiary Software (ITS) Mobile information system. The information system enables students to apply online without physically visiting the institution and provides the status of their registration and admission applications via their smartphones. A total of one hundred 1st year students and ten personnel were sampled to respond to self-completed questionnaires. The efficiency of this new online system was evaluated using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Web of System Performance (WOSP) model and the DeLone and McLean IS Success model as well as the indicators of system ineffectiveness and attributes on the basis of which an information system was evaluated. Key findings emerging from the data analysis and interpretation show that the new online system met the expectations of most staff and students with the exception of few staff members and students. The findings show that the investment made on the new online registration system is benefiting the University and students. The implementation of the new online registration and admission system was a success to a larger extent because the expectations of most users were met. The online system is effective as it was evaluated using the conventional measuring methods and resulted in positive outcomes.

The competition between schools in this era of globalization, especially among private schools, requisites entrepreneurial orientation development to private schools context. Many previous studies showed that entrepreneurial orientation can be influenced by corporate cultures. However, those previous studies have been mostly done on employees or managers at profit-oriented institutions. On the contrary, school teachers as employees in non-profit institution are often assumed to be conservative, prefer to have a relatively safe work, and tend to avoid changes, so they are not necessarily interested in doing entrepreneurial-oriented activities. Thus, the teacher’s readiness for change also needs to be a mediator variable between corporate cultures and teacher's entrepreneurial orientation. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of corporate cultures in schools toward teacher's entrepreneurial orientation with teacher's readiness for change as a mediator. The subject of this survey study are 316 teachers from 14 private schools in Indonesia that support teacher entrepreneurial orientation. The Structural Equation Model path analysis results showed that learning orientation culture could have a positive effect on teacher entrepreneurial orientation, either directly or through the mediation of readiness for change. However, market orientation culture could not give a direct positive effect on entrepreneurial orientation and requires teacher's readiness for change as a mediator for indirect effect. The synchronization between corporate culture values with individual member's values becomes a reason that will be discussed to explain the result of this study.

This study focuses on antecedents of the training programmes' effectiveness at public sector organizations in Bahrain. A Kirkpatrick model is utilized as a partial research framework and tested as the dependent variable training effectiveness in this study. This study further examines the relationship between the independent variables, trainer and social support toward training effectiveness. The survey instrument was developed for data collection and the questionnaires were distributed to the staff working in the public sector in Bahrain. The total usable questionnaires are 128. The study adopts a quantitative approach using SPSS statistic approach. The outcomes also discover that both antecedents have a positive and a significant relationship with the training effectiveness at various Kirkpatrick's levels.

Since the early 1980s Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) have been regarded as the driving forces of both developing and developed economies around the world. In a South African dispensation, SMMEs are responsible for adding imperative socio-economic value to the country, particularly in terms of eradicating poverty and diminishing unemployment levels. By doing so, these business entities are believed to contribute at least 50% to the national Gross Domestic Product. Albeit the aforementioned, previous research studies report that up to 75% of South African SMMEs fail after being in existence for only 42 months. Though the latter dispensation has been blamed on many economic factors, over the years the sustainability of South African SMMEs has not improved to a great extent. In order to provide insight on the latter dispensation, this literature review paper was conducted to ultimately formulate two hypotheses for further empirical testing.

In today's world of business, the role of quality among employees is imperative for companies to survive in the competitive in global market. Hence, performance management practices (PMP) have been indispensable for companies. This study intended to scrutinize whether employee capacity, years of existence and ownership of listed companies relate to PMP in Sri Lanka. The companies that have been listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange were selected as the sample for the study and, with a firm level unit of analysis, a self-administered survey was conducted covering all the companies using the five point Likert scale of 27 statements. 244 questionnaires were distributed among either human resource manager or performance managers or human resource development manager respondents on behalf of the company and 216 returned questionnaires were deemed usable for further analysis amounting to 88% response rate. In a pilot study, it was revealed that the measurement scales met the acceptable standards of validity and reliability analyses. Independent Sample T- test and One-Way ANOVA methods were used to test the objectives of the study. The results of the study concluded that there is no statistical relationship between the employee capacity, years of existence and ownership with PMP of listed companies in Sri Lanka.

Before the official recognition of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa during the mid-1990s, these business entities have been key players in the stimulation of the national economy. Albeit their socio-economic value added, prior research shows that the sustainability of these business are among the worst in the world, since approximately 70% of South African SMMEs fail within their first three years of existence. This dispensation is often blamed on inter alia, their inadequate management of economic factors which, in turn, cultivates risks. Notwithstanding the fact that most South African SMMEs make use of customised risk management initiatives, previous research shows that these initiatives are not deemed as adequate and/or effective to mitigate risks. Since the manner in which risks are managed are strongly dependent on the attitude and awareness of its management surrounding internal control (control environment), this study focused on investigating whether the control environment was used as foundation to implement their customised risk management initiatives. Empirical research was conducted whereby primary quantitative data were collected from respondents through the deployment of a questionnaire, through means of non-probability sampling methods. The results showed that though the control environments of South African SMMEs were regarded as good, they were not used as foundation by South African SMMEs to implement their customised risk management initiatives.

This study aims to identify the influential factors of shopping patterns in commercial markets. The study was carried out on a random sample consisting of 249 consumers in the city of Amman. The study also used a questionnaire as an essential tool to collect data for the study population; also it used scientific research in the field of commercial markets and consumer behaviors in collecting secondary data. After conducting a statistically significant analysis, the study showed the following results: the study sample is affected by the quality of provided services and how much these services exhibit convenience and appropriate use. Also, the promotional policies such as advertising, samples, gifts and withdraw on goods and much more can attract customers towards these markets. Moreover, the study found that psychological factors and consumes' patterns of purchasing have a direct impact on their choices of commercial markets.

Since 1880, the temperature of global has increased by 0.85 degree Celsius. Due to the increase in temperature, the impact of climate change is constantly increasing, which is known as global warming. The increase in temperature is due to emission of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas, which is capable of causing serious hazardous influence to the environment. Carbon emission reduction and low-carbon economy development have become global targets and national policy in both developing and developed countries. Carbon finance is a tool for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using a process called capture and storage (CCS). Using this process, the carbon dioxide is captured and stored for further usage as a renewable resource. Carbon finance has a high impact on the growth of sustainable business development. This research analyzes the various possibilities of developing sustainable business through carbon trading in Kuwait and the strategic options offered by both government, as well as private sectors for carbon trading in Kuwait. The central focus of research is to discover the role of carbon finance in developing sustainable business and environmental quality. Since no previous research is conducted on the specific role of carbon finance in developing a sustainable business preferably in Kuwait, the influence of carbon financing in sustainable business development and environmental quality are analyzed in this research.

Innovation strategy practices primarily aim to sustain competitive advantage and growth via new business models and added value. The goal of this study is to discover the extent of innovation statements communicated to stakeholders by Turkish firms listed in the second top 500 industrial enterprises ranking of Istanbul Chamber of Industry as of 2013 and 2014. To do this, topics closely related to innovation are examined via a comparative analysis of related website contents. The study includes four main parts. The first and second parts review the literature and theoretical background. The third part introduces the methodological framework of the paper including the profile of the firms under consideration and analytical procedures. Content analysis is used to group web-based information related to innovation and other notions. Groups include mission, vision and values, research and development ability, and innovation related topics which statement densities are discussed in the context of motivation for value creation. It has been deduced that the gradual increase in firms' innovation awareness is also communicated to stakeholders especially in research and the context of development activities'. Finally this paper ends with a conclusion.

In South Africa, ESCOM is the country's main electricity supplier. Since 2008, Eskom has implemented load shedding on an ongoing basis as a result of insufficient electricity supply to meet the demands of all its customers. Owing to the fact that many organisations across South Africa are depended on electricity in order to function, previous research studies show that the wide-spread impact of load shedding has had an adverse on the sustainability of many of these organisations. Among these organisations are those based in the hospitality industry – imperative in relation to the stimulation of the national economy; directly related to tourism. Albeit the aforementioned, the sustainability of organisations in the hospitality industry is also heavily dependent on the productivity of their employees. For this research study the influence of load shedding on the productivity of the staff in the hospitality industry was investigated within one particular hotel (Hotel X) based in Cape Town. Empirical research was deployed, making use of a mixed methods approach to obtain both quantitative data and qualitative data from respondents. Stemming from the findings it was found that load shedding did have an adverse influence on the productivity of staff in Hotel X, despite the fact that affordable measures were put in place to mitigate the disruptions caused by load shedding. Moreover, the latter dispensation was found to have an inadvertently adverse influence on the overall sustainability of Hotel X on the long run.

This paper takes a perspective look at the evolution of universities in Cameroon and the recent orientation of deregulation as it affects quality assurance in Cameroonian universities. The paper having identified these flaws attempted to elucidate the meaning of mechanism for Quality assurance in the face of deregulation. The regulatory mechanisms identified by this paper include inter- alia, appropriate scrutiny of new programmes, relying on impartial advise of examiners. Using the state law NO.98/004 of 1998 to compliment the efforts of internal school administration and above all opening linkages between universities and relating universities education in the World of science and technology. This paper does not only enhance quality assurance but also builds the idea of economic growth and development.

Recently, manufacturing companies have to construct supply chains considering the contingencies of global clients. In order to meet global demand, companies are required to quickly grasp the information which is disseminated in the supply chain. This study focuses on business to business (B to B) manufacturing model in a supply chain. Generally, manufacturing companies which supply the products to client companies engaged in B to B structures deliver the products according to the client companies' order. Manufacturing companies subsequently deliver the product depending on the order specifications that determine the delivery time, the order quantity, the order quality and so on. Therefore, the orders requisitioned by client companies might cause some impacts on the operations in the companies engaged in B to B structures in the supply chain. We suggest a new approach to solving the operation problems using Quality Function Deployment (QFD). QFD is a powerful methodology and is effective in organizing manufacturing information and setting the quality of design. A case study is given to show the implementation of the proposed methodology.

According to the CAPM, risk is measured by the beta, and the relation between required expected return and beta is linear. This paper examines the conditional relationship between beta and return in the US stock market. The conditional covariances and variances used to estimate beta are modeled as an ARCH process. The beta return relationship is tested upon the sign of the excess market return. The implication of the sign of the excess market return follows Morelli (2011). This study shows the importance of recognizing the sign of the excess market return when testing the beta-return relationship. The approach also allows us to distinguish the size effect and the effect of economic cycles.

Today, we see a busy and fast period of change in all area of our life. This process consistently changes especially the management domain and forces business managers to be ready to change at any moment. Change has become so fast all around the world and it has turned into a multidimensional concept. The period of change in which we live in an interactive and fast way in political, social, cultural and economic areas brings up different processes such as quick start, quick decision making, bringing more dynamics and flexibility structure to management. In this context, the main idea of our study is based on that businesses should manage the process of change by using strategies. Businesses which understand clearly what strategy is and design their future plans based on those strategies are going to be more successful than their competitors in the environments seen fierce competition and fast change. In our study formed around this basic thesis, first we will make a conceptual analysis related to strategies, then refer to the importance of strategic management and we will examine strategic management contributions to businesses and finally, we will mention the importance of connection between strategy and culture of an organization to be enable more success in the strategic management process.

This research paper focuses on crisis management processes within the hotel industry – an industry which still seems reluctant in implementing profound and structured crisis management concepts. Responses to crisis situations are mostly intuitive and ad-hoc. In times of high competition in almost all destinations, categories and conceptions no opportunity of convincing guests as well as all other stakeholders of a trustworthy management shall be missed in order to gain competitive advantage. Each corporate crisis affects several or all stakeholder groups of the organisation – to a varying extent. Stakeholders might either affect or be affected by the hotel organisation and the respective crisis management processes. Taking the manifold opportunities for co-operation of a hotel organisation and its respective stakeholder groups into consideration, an integrated crisis management model for the hotel industry is evolved based both on theoretical foundations and empirical findings from the analysis of expert interviews as well as stakeholder surveys. The model neutralizes the deficits and discrepancies revealed between general crisis management literature and status quo respectively specific prerequisites for the hotel industry.

In South Africa, almost all existing businesses are regarded as Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). Through legislation, the South African government has identified SMMEs as the best enablers to help with the achievement of certain core socio-economic objectives; particularly the creation of jobs and reduction of poverty levels. According to previous research studies these business entities are not achieving the latter socio-economic objectives; mainly as a result of their weak existence rate – up to 80% of these business entities fail within their first three years of existence. The latter is believed to stem from the realisation of economic factors – a major economic factor which adversely influences South African SMMEs is that of taxation. Over the years, more South African SMMEs have started to make use of the internet to conduct their respective business, which spurred the national government to make amendments to existing Value Added Tax (VAT) Laws by levying taxation on electronic services (e-services) provided by e-service suppliers. Hence, for this research study, the perception was formulated that the amendments made to VAT Laws will have an adverse influence on the existence of e-service providing South African SMMEs in the foreseeable future. Empirical research was conducted through means of obtaining quantitative data from registered South African Tax Practitioners based in the Cape Metropolis; all of whom had to adhere to strict delineation criterion. It was found that the amendments made to VAT Laws, by national government, will have an adverse influence on the existence of e-service providing South African SMMEs in the foreseeable future.

This scientific study focuses on the economic and especially the psychosocial factors of success in negotiation processes between buyers (procurers) and suppliers (producers) in the food trade. In particular, it examines the economic and mental satisfaction in the decision-making and in the negotiation processes for efficient food supply. It studies primarily transparency in addition to the Harvard concept at annual meetings (or during the year) favoring a satisfactory result for both negotiators. In a structural equation model, the Harvard negotiating points are brought together with transparency in communication, in terms of successful economic experiences and socio-mental satisfaction.

The aim of our project statement includes youth unemployment, underemployment as well as the attitude of young people to the labor market. Youth unemployment is a global problem. In Azerbaijan, it is becoming more challenging not only because of the lack of jobs, but also the lack of technical skills such as CV and cover letter writing, job interviewing and so on. This paper offers a first comprehensive study of the relationship between labor market policies and youth employment in Azerbaijan. The second aim of this paper to learn the performance of young leaders, and leadership in Azerbaijan. Article has emerged as a result of project and primary, secondary data.

Regression Analysis is at the center of almost every Forecasting technique, yet few people are comfortable with the Regression methodology. We hope to improve the level of comfort with this article. In this article we briefly discuss the theory behind the methodology and then outline a step-by-step procedure, which will allow almost everyone to construct a Regression Forecasting function for both the linear and some non-linear cases. Also discussed, in addition to the model construction mentioned above, is model testing (to establish significance) and the procedure by which the Final Regression equation is derived and retained to be used as the Forecasting equation. Hand solutions are derived for some small-sample problems (for both the linear and non-linear cases) and their solutions are compared to the MINITAB-derived solutions to establish confidence in the statistical tool, which can be used exclusively for larger problems.

In times when organizations in Germany are confronted with a constant change-dynamic regarding their working conditions managers understand that human resources are an important driving factor for the overall company's performance. The attractiveness of an organization towards potential and actual employees is therefore an issue which is of broad interest for general management as it plays an increasing role to reach company's aims. Necessary for creating such an attractiveness as employer are the establishment of substantiated processes of acquiring and retaining employees. The objective of this paper is to assess whether the application of a company's human resource management's marketing approach has an impact on employee satisfaction. Concerning the research methods causal modelling and triangulation of research are used. Quantitative research is applied. Results show that the better a company's human resource management's marketing approach in terms of its quality and performance is, the higher is the employees' perception about their employer's organization as well as the overall employees' satisfaction. Findings also reveal a significant positive relationship between a high quality of human resource management's marketing approach and employee satisfaction. Furthermore, a positive relation between a high performance of human resource management's marketing approach and the classification of a company's brand awareness on the labor market as well as a company's classification into an employer of choice is found. Thus, it can be concluded that human resource management's marketing approach is a viable process in the realm of human resource management to steer a company's success through a focus on employee satisfaction.

The objective of this research is to identify the factors that prevent the local supply in Sonora from having a bigger development in the export industry. The research methodology consisted of deep interviews to ten companies and their supervisors that we considered to be the most successful, as well as the application of a survey to 40 other companies. We created a diagnosis of the actual factors affecting the low recruitment of Mexican local suppliers by the industry. The idea was to provide the information that we find interesting and relevant to industry associations and Council of State for decision-making that can help increase the supply for the local market and to big companies.

The purpose of this article is to study the relationship between the adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and the compensation of the board of directors of Canadian companies listed on US stock markets. The SOX act, promulgated on 30 July 2002 and the rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) require, among furthermore, a majority of independent directors on boards. The literature focuses on two main differences between US companies and Canadian companies: more concentrated ownership and the smaller market capitalization of Canadian companies. Therefore, a consistent application of SOX on all the companies that differ at the base, in their size and structure, may have a different impact on the costs of compliance. Using a sample of 17 Canadian companies listed on US stock exchanges from 2001 to 2004, our analysis show that there is a link between the adoption of SOX and the increased in the cash compensation of the board of directors. The results also show that the effect of SOX is different depending on the company's size.

In this paper I argue that community plays an important role in shaping the values and characteristics of top management teams. It builds on upper echelon theory to posit that community level characteristics are instrumental in framing the cognitions of CEOs and top executives. Strategic decisions made by managers in organizations represent the significant impact community has on top management teams. Examining the influence community has on top management teams provides additional implications about why certain firms perform better than others.

Organizational theory and organizational research (namely, organizational behavior), have the purpose of organizations – to explain and understand – their origin, their existence and their functioning. Therefore, I try in my work, different approaches to take up. To this end, I chose different books and articles to explain and expand the knowledge on this subject.

This paper examined safety and security risk management in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The frequent attacks at workplace, especially schools, have placed safety and security in the front burner of discussion in both business and political circles. This therefore, forms the imperative for the conduct of this study. The work adopted a cross sectional survey research design and collected data from respondents who are security personnel of the University of Uyo. Analysis of data was done with simple percentage statistics while the research hypotheses were tested with mean and simple regression and correlation statistics. The findings of the study revealed that assassination, kidnappings and bombings were principal risk incidents threatening the safety and security of staff in University of Uyo. A significant positive relationship was found between the funding of security management and workers' performance. It was discovered specifically that employment screening, regular training of security personnel, regular safety and security meetings and strategic security policy formation were the main strategies for managing safety and security in University of Uyo. The paper concluded that safety and security management and control involves every worker (management and staff) of University of Uyo. It was recommended, among others, that management should be more committed to safety and security management in the University by means of making safety and security issues an integral part of University's strategic plan and also by adopting the management line model – one form of management structure-where safety and security are located, with other general management responsibilities. This way, the resurgent cases of kidnapping, hired assassination, etc. would be reduced if not completely eradicated in the University.

Competitive advantage is the main purposed of the business entity focusing on market base view. Resource advantage theorists put their concern to empowering resources development with resources based view, in the other side needs to redefining competitive advantage. All the competitive advantage are transient, concluded the end of competitive advantage. Redefining competitive advantage by selling migration and shrewdness outward. This research to emphasize innovation capability rarely appears in the future.

Real estate arguably forms the most important asset to most households and the basis for their wealth. Around this context a model has been set up testing the relative affordability of real estate for the median household in Austria and the consequences of lower borrowing costs between 2004 and 2013 by vintage year. In this paper the hypothesis that the significant decline in base interest rates is not sufficient to offset the relative affordability loss caused by declining net household incomes and the simultaneous increase of real estate prices. To test this hypothesis a model has been set up comparing two different Housing Affordability Indices – one including and one excluding financing effects, having been compared via a multi factor model. Based on this calculation the author finds decreased base interest rates to offset relative affordability losses by only approximately 50%, verifying the hypothesis. The paper therefore argues for a potential decoupling of the residential housing market in Austria.

The present study analyzes the quality service perception and its relation with the satisfaction for the fast food consumers of hamburgers' sector of the chain Burger King in Hermosillo, Sonora. By the application of Servperf of Cronin and Taylor methodology and a data regression method, through the coefficient of determination (R2) was determined that the independent variables explain the variability or variance of 82.9% in consumer satisfaction and that the explanatory variable which has the most influence in absolute value over the explained variable is reliability, due to its standardized beta is 0.301, being the highest score among the variables. To achieve the objective of this study, a quantitative and correlation investigation was designed, where data was collected from a survey structured by five dimensions, measured by 22 items. It was applied to a random and representative sample of 385 consumers, with a 95% level confidence and a ±5% of permissible error. An inferential statistical analysis allowed observing a positive relation between consumers' satisfaction level and quality service. The results showed that Servperf is a valid instrument with psychometric characteristics of high reliability that makes it appropriate to measure quality service. The same way, it was observed an index of service global satisfaction of 69.27%, which according to the scale used implies clients are satisfied with the received service.

In this paper, a short historical review and the research results are presented, which are focused on the quality management systems used by the Hungarian SME's. The research was based on an original empirical survey, conducted using a random sample of fifty managers from small and medium sized Hungarian enterprises. All of them use certified quality management systems. The paper presents their current state in the light of their responses, under several aspects. In conclusion, suggestions are given for the problems, such as measurement, development, and education on the research topic.

The aim of this paper is to examine stress and time in educational management in Maroua University. These two phenomena are profound in educational issues in Cameroon due to the complex administration or management. Education comprised of diversity of activities ranging from administration, discipline, teaching, evaluation and learning. Each of these activities requires time schedule to avoid stress in the face of pressure. Administration requires planning, organizing, controlling, commanding, coordinating, reporting and budgeting. Each of these managing variables requires time, just as discipline, teaching, evaluation and learning should need. The situation may be affected by higher authority interference and cause a rush thus affecting every schedule in the system on this note, it is necessary that every administrator on management cadre should develop a list of activities such as admissions, examinations, sports, vacations and other ceremonies which requires his attention on daily, weekly, or monthly bases and there after allocate in a tentative fashion the most appropriate times for dealing with such activities. Some profile recommendations are: strict adhering to schedules to avoid overlapping or prolongation to other programs; the schedules should be pasted or placed at a convenient point in the office for reference to avoid forgetfulness: as an administrator, time should be allocated for meeting or consulting with visitors and subordinates; he should delegate functions to his accredited subordinates to crave chance or time for essential duty; he should review the school or organization programs on daily, weekly or monthly bases the degree to which his administration goals have been attained and he (i.e. administrator) should crave time for rest i.e. holidays, relaxation and various forms of physical exercises to revitalizes the body for subsequent activities. The paper recommends planning which is vital in management to avoid time waste which is scarce and organizing to avoid repetition and also derailed. Hence, a healthy climate may encourage staff participation in decision making, program, daily routines to avoid time constraint and stress, which by-products are hypertension, insomnia and poor or unsuccessful accomplishment of education programs in Maroua University in particularly and nation wide in general.

The purpose of this paper is to show how trust as an organizational value contributes to employee competence utilization in the case of innovation capability. Thus, it is the objective of this paper to analyze the positive impacts, but also potential limits of trust in business management. The research paper uses two different quantitative empirical studies drawn from German and Austrian mid-sized companies to empirically test this interrelation. As a result, the paper determines particular aspects of trust such as accountability, shared norms and the ability to take responsibility to be interrelated with the usage of employee competences and underlines a positive connection between product innovation performance and trust. However, the trust concept needs enriching elements to be balanced towards a feeling of mutual reliance and support creativity instead; inclusions of bridging social capital, elements of distrust and a pioneering spirit are to be mentioned here.

Nowadays the LEAN tools with their proven efficiency are indispensable parts of the production management. I think there is no producing enterprise that cannot utilize a wide variety of these LEAN tools. The question now is how these tools can support companies in increasing the efficiency of their supporting IT processes. In this study I will demonstrate how these well-known LEAN tools from production management can be used in IT management to create more cost-effective, efficient and transparent solutions during the IT system development and IT operation activities. I will show respectively without attempting to be comprehensive the most important tools of the LEAN management and I will analyse how these tools can be used in the IT sector. At the end of this study I will demonstrate what the IT managers think about the practical use of these tools.

According to the South African Small Business Act No. 102 of 1996 Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are regarded as separate small business entities owned by one or more owners; operating in various sectors of the national economy. SMMEs play a significant role in contributing to the South African economy, particularly by means of providing employment opportunities and assisting in the equal distribution of wealth. Albeit the latter prior research reveals that 80% of SMMEs do not survive beyond their first five years of existence. Plausible reasons for the latter include the influence of micro-economic factors and macro-economic factors; resulting in direct, inevitable risks being placed on the overall existence of SMMEs. In order to identify and manage these risks, SMMEs need to make use of adequate risk management strategies. More often than not a risk management strategy should eliminate and/or mitigate risks and provide reasonable assurance that business objectives will be achieved in the foreseeable future. To assist in the attainment of the latter, combined assurance initiatives should be used since it is believed to enhance both the understanding and treatment of risks; providing management with optimum assurance that its relevant objectives will be met in the foreseeable future. Stemming from the above, the perception was formulated that SMMEs do not have adequate risk management strategies in place due to the lack of combined assurance initiatives. This research study consisted of survey research whereby 30 questionnaires were collected from SMME management (i.e. owners and/or managers) all of whom had to adhere to a strict set of delineation criteria. It was found that SMMEs make use of semi-formal risk management strategies to mitigate and/or eliminate risks which are somewhat effective, but applicable risks are not optimally managed due to a lack of ample combined assurance initiatives.

Borders of countries and continents have become more and more blurred by now, while distances have turned out to be less important. Markets of continents or countries are not separated anymore therefore competition between companies has gotten fiercer and much faster than earlier. What kind of instruments may companies in the processing industry use to maintain their existence and to remain competitive in the fragile system following the economic crisis in 2008? This research aims at finding out how the effects of components belonging to the concept of strategic management system influence outstanding achievement and success. It primarily analyses, in what ways instruments considered being the most determinative, i.e. strategic a structural success factors affect the processing industry. In order to do that the research defines the factors having an influence. Thereafter it explains successful operation of companies with factors emerging via the use of regression models. It uses the balance scorecard as a tool for success criteria describing success. The research tackles the issue of sustainability with a high priority in this system as a success component: the fifth perspective among the other four classic ones. Thus the results of the research will show how strategic and structural success factors can make a company successful and the satisfaction of which groups of interest they affect the most.

Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are of grave importance to the South African economy as they are legally obliged to support in the alleviation of poverty, the diminution of unemployment and the equal dissemination of wealth throughout the country. Despite the importance of these entities, prior research suggests that these entities are not mainly sustainable as between 70% and 80% of South African SMMEs fail after being in operation for five years. More often than not the latter dispensation is believed to stem from the realization of risks which, in turn, is cultivated by the ineffective management of economic factors. Among the economic factors which have a direct influence on the existence of South African SMMEs is the effectiveness of accounting information system(s). Here it is argued that a small organization is more likely to attain sustainability if its accounting information system(s) provide relevant, reliable and recent information, to management, for better business-related decision making. From a SMME dispensation, prior research justifies that accounting information systems can be regarded as critical ‘decision-making-tools'. In fundamental nature, this research study was conducted to determine the actual value which utilized accounting information systems add to South African SMMEs. This research study was descriptive in nature and fell within the positivistic research paradigm. Data were purposively collected from 32 SMME owners and/or managers, in the Cape Metropolis, who had to adhere to strict delineation criteria. It was found that although SMMEs have informally implemented accounting information systems, they add extreme value to SMME leaders when having to make sound business decisions.

Rates of worldwide environmental, social, technological and other crises are perceived to be constantly increasing – if nothing else due to almost instant broadcasting by media and internet. The Tourism Industry is especially vulnerable to such crises as numerous Stakeholder Groups on the one hand and large numbers of travelers on the other hand are or might be affected. Therefore, Tourism Industry Stakeholder Groups claims regarding transparency can t be denied. This Research Paper focuses on Crisis Management processes from the aspect of the Hotel Industry in a Tourism Context considering a variety of Tourism Market Players. Theoretical foundations combined with empirical research reveal prerequisites, Status Quo as well as opportunities and challenges towards an integrated Crisis Management Model. Finally, key success factors for a Stakeholder Relationship Management based approach are introduced.

One of the qualitative characteristics of financial reporting is relevant. Its manifestation can be seen from the timeliness of reporting. Timeliness could be judged from the audit report lag, which is the length of time from the end of company's fiscal year to the date of auditor's report. This research aims to empirically examine the influence of firm size, operation complexity, auditor quality, and auditor's opinion on audit report lag of manufacturing companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. The population of this research consists of manufacturing companies, listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2008 to 2012 as many as 111 companies with the research's sample of 65 companies or 325 observational data, which were selected by purposive sampling method. The data are secondary data obtained from Indonesia Stock Exchange. The research proves that simultaneously, all variables significantly influence the audit report lag. Subsequently in partial, variables ‘firm size', ‘auditor's opinion' have a significant and positive effect on audit report lag, the ‘auditor quality' has a significant and negative effect on audit report lag, while the variable ‘operation complexity' has no significant effect on audit report lag. The coefficient of determination (R²) in this study was 0.192 or 19.2 % and the remaining 80.8% is influenced by other factors that were not examined.

The concept of Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) were introduced by the South African government by way of the Small Business Act No. 102 of 1996. Here SMMEs are defined as small business entities that are managed by one or more owner(s) while operating in any sector or sub-sector of the national economy. The main roles of SMMEs are to alleviate poverty, reduce unemployment and uplift the South African economy. South African SMMEs are responsible for employing more than half of the national workforce and are believed to contribute up to 34.8% towards the national Gross Domestic Product. Unfortunately an estimated 80% of South African SMMEs fail within their first 5 years of existence; particularly due to the realisation of micro economics factors and macro economic factors. Included in micro economics factors which influence SMMEs is the utilisation of formal financial performance measures. For this research study the main objective of this paper was to establish the extent to which cash budgets (a formal financial performance measure) assist SMME leaders to make sound business decisions in the Cape Metropolis. The study was descriptive in nature and quantitative research methods were used to collect data from 51 SMME leaders. All respondents had to adhere to a set of pre-determined delineation criteria. From the analysed data it is evident that SMME leaders (managers and/or owners) regard cash budgets as important to make sound business decisions however, respondents made limited use thereof.

This paper demonstrates the latest research results of the relationship between cross functional product development teams and project respectively team performance. The aim of this paper is to support the basic hypothesis of the author, which is “The higher the technical draughters' integration intensity in a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) product development project, the higher the economic and socio-psychological efficiency within that project”, with the findings of recent research. Besides studying standard references, a systematic inquiry, using 2 scientific databases, Emerald and EBSCO was performed to study cross-functionality in New Product Development (NewPD). The increase of functional diversity in development teams which is supposed to promote performance is an inadequate variable. Essential to make a cross-functional team successful are competence diversity and familiarity. The intention is to apply competence diversity not only for companywide teams but also in single working units as in mechanical development departments of medium-sized companies.

This experimental field study examines the influence of a variable ratio between engineers and technical draftspeople in New Product Development (NewPD) Teams in a three-dimensional CAD construction environment on economic and socio-psychological efficiency. With the implementation of the 3D CAD software (Three Dimensional Computer Aided Design) the world of engineers seemed to become a completely new and fascinating one in which the engineer is a 100% creative part in the NewPD process of an innovative company – with all supporting activities taken over by marvellous software, automatically and completely. Technical draftspeople who did supporting activities so far declined rapidly. The literature review shows the improvements by 3D CAD, the areas where the SW is over-challenged and a discussion of division of labor in detail. The Causal Model for socio economic analysis shows possible cause-effect relations between different team constellations in NewPD teams under 3D CAD conditions.

It is crucial for all organizations that activate in this field to research and understand the way in which consumers make decisions and the factors that motivate and encourage tourists to make different purchases. Also, when analyzing a tourist's consumer behavior, companies must take into consideration: the needs and patterns of the consumers, consumer preferences and requirements, tourism market segmentation, and motivational factors such as cultural, personal, emotional, status, personal development, physical, etc. In this context, this paper aims to examine the responses of 154 tourists in relation to their predisposition to purchase and the patterns that are usually decisive in the decision making process regarding tourism services.

The topic of this paper is to examine the influence of organizational culture on determination and implementation of the appropriate strategy within the company. Specifically, the author has tested the hypothesis about the influence of organizational culture on determination of strategy in Montenegrin companies. Firstly, in the theoretical part of the paper, the author defined organizational culture and business strategy and then analyzed the nature and manner of influence of organizational culture on formulation and implementation of strategy, as well as influence of implemented strategy on organizational culture. Organizational culture affects formulation of strategy determining information gathering, perception and interpretation of the environment. Namely, culture can facilitate or prevent implementation of the strategy through legitimization process. In the same way, the application of chosen strategy may, through its institutionalization process, reinforce or change the existing organizational culture. The empirical part of the paper refers to research results and testing of hypotheses about the influence of organizational culture on strategy of companies in Montenegro carried out on sample of 16 companies (324 respondents) in Montenegro.

Enterprises often face problems while executing business strategies to exploit opportunities or solve problems. Within enterprises, strategy blindness could be affected by mistranslation of strategic intent, flexibility of the information system, or cognitive entrenchment. The alignment between business strategy and business processes is a critical factor in the ability of enterprises to overcome the phenomenon. Opportunities for value creation include magnifying the positive spread in cash flow or pursuing growth opportunities. Information systems could greatly simplify the processes involved in business strategy by integrating process-related decision-making with the business strategy. Decision support tools such as knowledge management, decision strategy, decision content, and expert groups, customised for organisational information systems can help enterprises optimise operations in a variety of ways such as becoming more responsive to changing market conditions in hypercompetitive markets. Greatest opportunities for decision support are incorporating external sources of data such as economic data and user behaviour analytics. Benefits are more effective utilisation of resources, larger product portfolio, better product or service quality, and shorter delivery times.

In this paper, I examine the responses of 154 tourists in relation to their predisposition to purchase and the patterns and habits that are usually decisive in the decision making process regarding tourism services or products. For this research, I conducted a selective direct research, whose purpose was to obtain a segmentation of consumers who purchase tourism services based on specific dimensions of behavior. This research also implied studying the behavior of current and potential customers who purchase travel services depending on several variables for establishing different consumption habits. Thus, to establish a more detailed image of the tourists who participated in this direct and selective research, the analysis involved a factor analysis and a cluster analysis.

In today's society, companies seem to all be following the same trend; growth in profitability at all cost. Higher profits, for the most part, leads to more investors and more potential financing. Amazon.com appears to be breaking that trend, however. Their strategy seems to be growth, but not in profits. We would like to look into how and why Amazon is growing at such a fast pace, while their profits are staying steady at a very low level. Is profitability a possibility for Amazon? We believe that a marginal increase in price could accomplish just that, with a minimal impact to consumers.

The increased in internet and telecommunication usage has become the reason for the adopting of e-filling systems for annual tax report or SPT (based on Indonesian Taxation Authority Decree Number Kep.88/PJ/2004 on 14th May 2004 about electronic based annual tax report). On the contrary, this development does not show in the usage of the e-filling systems. This condition is the reason for this study to investigate the implementation of e-filling systems taxation policy by using decomposition theory of planned behavior. This theory is used to understand and test the influenced factors in the usage of electronic based annual tax report (e-filling) and the persistent of e-filling system in Indonesia. Population in this study is the Indonesian citizen's tax payers who have got tax registration number (NPWP) both who have or have not used e-filling to report the annual tax return in Surabaya area, East Java-Indonesia. Sample is taken using a non-probability sampling, with convienient sampling method. Analytical technique used in this observation is Structural Equation Method (SEM). The results showed that e-filling user's attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control influence the users' intention to use e-filling systems. These results indicated that Indonesian citizens' intention to use the e-filling facilities to report their annual tax income is depend upon their attitudes and controls on the systems. Even if Indonesian tax payers realized that with e-filling systems they will be able to increase the effectiveness, more optimize services, hasten and improved efficiency in annual tax reporting, the taxpayer does not completely understand about how to operate the e-filling system. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to socialize and educate them on the importance of e-filling systems.

Understanding HR deliverables is an essential process for acknowledging its important role in driving organizational performance, in contrast with its traditionally elusive role. An organization can quantify the HR's overall strategic impact by finding the proper ways for measuring its impact on the success drivers. This paper aims to identify and describe the steps needed in order to implement HR's strategic role. The article reviews the relevant literature regarding the integration of HR into business performance measurement and suggests some guidelines for creating a HR scorecard.

This research aims are to investigate the attitude levels of staff's and students' on the motivation, effectiveness towards the academic affairs services management at the faculty of Economics and Business Management, DongDok campus in the National University of Laos, and the faculty of Economic Sciences and faculty of Sciences, Sibiu campus in Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania. There were 220 participants, five groups; presidents, deans, heads of departments, lecturers and students. The five-point Likert scale rating questionnaires were used to collect data. The SPSS version 20 was used to perform the needed analysis for reaching the proposed aims. In this regard, univariate and bivariate statistics were computed; Pearson Chi-Square Test, ANOVA, scale reliability and validity analysis were undertaken. The research goals are to improve the academic affairs services management systems in the two mentioned universities. Therefore, the results advised the university committee boards, the governments, the national, international donors, curriculum developers, staff and students to use them for the educational purposes.

Sustainability is changing the competitive landscape and reshaping the opportunities and threats that companies face. However, for companies to become green they need employees to develop, believe and engage with these initiatives. To achieve success with sustainable practices, companies can use internal marketing which is based on the satisfaction of employees as a premise to achieve the retention and attraction of top talent that will lead to corporate success. It is estimated that the internal customer satisfaction and loyalty contribute to satisfying the external customers, leading ultimately to a company's profit maximization. In this paper I explore the impact of companies' sustainability efforts among their employees. More specifically, we examine the results of an online survey conducted on employees of 10 multinational companies regarding the implementation of green internal marketing and corporate social responsibility to enhance their satisfaction at work.

In today's economy, companies must work harder than ever to attract, retain and motivate talented employees in order to foster employee satisfaction, and in order to do so, CSR practices can provide a strategic tool. A green company no longer denotes solely the promotion of green products or reduction of energy consumption, as it has to incorporate proactive and innovative means of tracking sustainability while involving employees in such corporate behavior. This paper highlights an empirical study of responses from 10 multinational companies regarding their corporate social responsibility initiatives as a way to attract and retain good employees, while providing an appropriate environment for employee satisfaction, by constructing a structural equation model meant to expand HR literature and provide direct implications for organizations.