Volume 4 Issue 2

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.