Original Research
Zeinab Azami
Volume 3, Issue 11 , November 2016, Pages 650-663
Abstract
This paper investigates the relationship between the components of corporate governance structure including board characteristics, ownership structure, and financial leverage in the companies listed on Tehran Stock Exchange. The aim to this study is to examine the impact of board size, percent of non-executive ...
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This paper investigates the relationship between the components of corporate governance structure including board characteristics, ownership structure, and financial leverage in the companies listed on Tehran Stock Exchange. The aim to this study is to examine the impact of board size, percent of non-executive directors, CEO-Chairman duality, percent of managerial ownership, institutional ownership, and governmental ownership on financial leverage of companies listed on Tehran Stock Exchange .In order to investigate research hypotheses, the data of 133 companies listed on Tehran Stock Exchange during the period of 2006 to 2014 has been investigated by implementing regression models based on panel data. In order to measure financial leverage, total debt ratio and the ratio of long-term debt to total assets were used. The results obtained from research indicate that there is a statistically significant and positive relationship between board size, the percentage of non-executive directors, and institutional ownership, CEO-Chairman duality and financial leverage; while, there is a significant and negative relationship between managerial ownership and financial leverage. Also, there is a significant and negative relation between long-term debt ratio and governmental ownership, while no significant relationship was found between total debt ratio and governmental ownership. Altogether, these findings prove the significant role of board characteristics and ownership structure on financing decisions made by firms.
Original Research
Ali Mobini Dehkordi; Parisa Fataei; Ahmad Hossein Fataei
Volume 3, Issue 11 , November 2016, Pages 664-671
Abstract
This research by identifying and classifying finance sources can largely contribute in releasing companies’ finance challenges and prevent bankruptcy. The paper first identified various finance sources following reviewing the finance and investment literature; then, final classification provided ...
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This research by identifying and classifying finance sources can largely contribute in releasing companies’ finance challenges and prevent bankruptcy. The paper first identified various finance sources following reviewing the finance and investment literature; then, final classification provided in term of what sources was more used in active food industries firms. Research statistical population consisted of senior executives of growing companies operating in food industry in Tehran. Research participants included 12 senior executives selected by convenience sampling method. Research methodology initially reviewed the literature and offered an elementary framework; then, it semi structurally interviewed managers, and finally analyzed findings through using Atlas software. Research findings show that finance is a critical success factor in firms; further, debt-based finance sources, capital-based, credits-based, entrepreneurial finance sources, and private sources are the most critical finance sources in order. Applying research findings causes forming a coherent finance thought in national food industries managers, it also paves the way for academic and scientific studies. If managers properly identify and utilize finance sources, finance source operations and fundraising may develop at national level.
Original Research
Bagher Asgarnezhad Nouri; Masoume Mir Mousavi; Milad Soltani
Volume 3, Issue 11 , November 2016, Pages 672-698
Abstract
Uncertainty, complexity, globalization and increasing technological change are among the most important features of the current era. Success in such circumstances requires changes in activities, organizational tasks, the management especially the leadership of organizations, knowledge management and ...
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Uncertainty, complexity, globalization and increasing technological change are among the most important features of the current era. Success in such circumstances requires changes in activities, organizational tasks, the management especially the leadership of organizations, knowledge management and innovation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of transformational leadership and knowledge management on organizational innovation in Ardabil University of Medical Sciences. Standard questionnaire was used in order to collect data for all variables of the research. Statistic population of this research consisted of all managers, employees, and faculty members of Ardebil University of Medical Sciences of whom 277 subjects were selected based on Cochran formula and convenience sampling method. For data analysis, structural equation modeling and LISREL software were used. The [1]obtained results showed that transformational leadership has a positive effect on knowledge management and organizational innovation. Moreover, the impact of knowledge management on organizational innovation was shown to be positive. Finally, the mediating role of knowledge management was confirmed in the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational innovation
Original Research
Fareeha Naz; Junaid Aftab; Muhammad Awais
Volume 3, Issue 11 , November 2016, Pages 699-708
Abstract
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) support countries’ economies in financial context and also create employment opportunities. Human resource management (HRM) practices are very important to equip employees via training & development, employees’ motivation through effective rewards policies ...
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Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) support countries’ economies in financial context and also create employment opportunities. Human resource management (HRM) practices are very important to equip employees via training & development, employees’ motivation through effective rewards policies and effective recruitment and selection process. The global competition is one of compelling force behind companies to adopt human resource management (HRM) practices professionally. Human resource plays a vital role to improve organizational performance and create competitive advantage in this competitive era. The world has been globalized and companies are facing cut throat completion in the market. Therefore, human capital is one of major source to enhance organizational performance. Pakistani SMEs are producing heterogeneous products related to trade, agriculture business and manufacturing. A collection of 320 self-administered and well-structured questionnaires were distributed among the employees of small and medium enterprises of Multan. Only 240 forms were got back. Statistical tests like correlation and regression were applied through SPSS V22. The outcomes revealed that HRM practices (employee recruitment & selection, training & development, rewards policy and performance appraisals) are positively associated with SMEs performance. The results conclude that when HR experts of SMEs focus on improvement of these practices organizational performance would be increased.
Original Research
Mansour Zarra Nezhad; Hanieh Eskandary; Ebrahim Anvari
Volume 3, Issue 11 , November 2016, Pages 709-719
Abstract
It is important to analyze the relationship between inputs and economies in the production due to high share of added value and great contribution of cement industry in national production and construction projects. In this paper, returns to scale, elasticities of substitution, function coefficients ...
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It is important to analyze the relationship between inputs and economies in the production due to high share of added value and great contribution of cement industry in national production and construction projects. In this paper, returns to scale, elasticities of substitution, function coefficients and economies of scale in Fars Cement Company were extracted and analyzed using the composite cost function and dual cost approach. The iterated nonlinear seemingly unrelated regression (NLSUR) method from 2002 to 2012 and quarterly data with Limdep8 Software were used in order to extract the cost function. Allen cross partial elasticity results for each pair of inputs showed that labor is a substitution for capital and other services. Capital input and other services are complementary. In addition, demand price elasticities indicate inelasticity of production factors against changes in price of those factors. According to research results, production of cement in Fars Cement Company resulted in ascending economies of scale and returns to scale.
Original Research
Zhi-xia Chen; Wijerathnage Somarathna Chandrasekara
Volume 3, Issue 11 , November 2016, Pages 720-734
Abstract
Stigmatizing attitudes toward psychological help seeking is a significant obstacle for the people with mental health difficulties to obtain sufficient psychological help. Therefore, this paper examines the psychological mechanism of stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness and help seeking ...
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Stigmatizing attitudes toward psychological help seeking is a significant obstacle for the people with mental health difficulties to obtain sufficient psychological help. Therefore, this paper examines the psychological mechanism of stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness and help seeking performance. Data were gathered using already developed and validated scales with modifications. They are; mental Health Service Utilization Questions (MHSUQ), the Inventory of Attitudes toward Seeking Mental Health Services (IASMHS), Griffith’s public stigma sacle, Griffith’s self stigma scale, perceived need and utilization theory of mental health services, and General Help Seeking Questionnaire – Vignette Version (GHSQ-V). 600 students were interviewed from three state universities in Sri Lanka. The interviews were done based on three vignettes of young persons with a mental disorder consisting with statement show much they agree or not agree for each statement. Additionally, demographic information was collected. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 19) and AMOS 20 software. Outcomes suggest that public stigma, and self stigma make influence on help seeking behavior negatively whereas public stigma makes greater influences on help seeking behavior negatively than self-stigma. However, in all vignettes, ‘dangerous person’ is the most responded item in both public stigma and self-stigma. It was found that female students have more positive attitudes, intention and actual help seeking behavior that male students. Further, results indicate that stigma reduction programs are more essential to effectively increase of help-seeking behavior among students. Results further suggest that policy makers to make interventions to change public attitudes towards mental illnesses rather than self-attitudes.
Case Study
Abdorreza Asadi; Samira Ghanbari Sani
Volume 3, Issue 11 , November 2016, Pages 735-745
Abstract
According to the significance of ethics in different organizations and communities and regarding the necessity of considering this issue in insurance industry, this research is conducted to study the effect of insurer’s ethics on customer attraction by insurance companies. Moral values including ...
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According to the significance of ethics in different organizations and communities and regarding the necessity of considering this issue in insurance industry, this research is conducted to study the effect of insurer’s ethics on customer attraction by insurance companies. Moral values including honesty, fairness, respect and honor, accountability, and reliability components are individually investigated in this study to show the effect of these variables on customer attraction by insurance companies. This is an applied research in term of purpose and a descriptive-survey, field study in term of nature. Research population included all customers of Iran insurance company agencies in Mashhad City. 384 individuals were randomly selected through simple random sampling method as research sample. Further, data were collected through a questionnaire; the questionnaire reliability was estimated using Cronbach test. Research hypotheses were tested by using structural equations method. The results of hypotheses’ analysis indicated that all five ethical codes including honesty, fairness, respect and honor, accountability and reliability influence customer attraction in Iran insurance company. Overall, according to research results, it is inferred that insurer’s ethics may influence customer attraction by insurance companies.
Original Research
Mehdi Ebrahiminejad; Meysam Aminizadeh; Ma'soumeh Dehghani
Volume 3, Issue 11 , November 2016, Pages 746-757
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the efficiency of Tejarat Bank information systems and the extent to which bank managers apply these systems. Today's condition of trading and competitive atmosphere and the evolution in financial and banking systems of countries has highlighted the need for a comprehensive ...
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This study aims to investigate the efficiency of Tejarat Bank information systems and the extent to which bank managers apply these systems. Today's condition of trading and competitive atmosphere and the evolution in financial and banking systems of countries has highlighted the need for a comprehensive and responsive evolution to satisfy the society's needs in any developing and sustainable economy. Hypotheses have been formulated to assess and evaluate the present systems from various dimensions. This study was carried out in all branches of Tejarat Bank in Kerman Province in 2014. Data was collected through questionnaire and field study. Data analysis have been done through statistical tests. Findings showed that Tejarat Bank accounting information system has great potentiality and efficiency in providing the bank managers with adequate information. On the other side, the bank mangers made the least use of the information presented by these systems.
