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Business and Economic Research
Number of Followers: 12

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 2162-4860
Published by Macrothink Institute

[47 journals]

A Quantitative Look at the Relationship between FDI Inflow and Economic
Growth in North Macedonia, 2006-2018
- Authors: Bettina Jones
  Pages: 1 - 12
  Abstract: Beginning in 2006, the North Macedonian government pursued a strategy for attracting foreign investment to the country to develop it economically. In theory, FDI inflow should have this effect in a developing country mainly by contributing to productivity spillovers to domestic firms and knowledge spillovers to the domestic labor force. The goal of the research was to determine what statistical association might exist between FDI inflow and economic growth in North Macedonia, to determine if the policy of FDI attraction was having one of its desired effects. The paper fleshes out the economic growth function Y=F(K, H, L, A); growth is a function of capital, human capital, labor, and technology to determine which variables to utilize. It was found that neither FDI inflow nor any of the other considered factors for economic growth had a significant association with growth. However, taken together, all these factors did a moderately good job of explaining the variation in economic growth over the considered period. Thus, arguments for FDI inflow’s being a silver bullet for economic growth may be misplaced, as many other factors matter as well. This does not suggest that foreign direct investment ought not to be used as an economic development tool, however, as it may be having effects that are not captured by changes in economic growth.
  PubDate: 2020-09-15
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17548
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Non-oil Revenue Impact on Economic Growth: Empirical Study of Saudi
Arabia’s Economy
- Authors: Nedra Shili, Kavita Panjwani, Nedra Shili
  Pages: 13 - 25
  Abstract: The kingdom of Saudi Arabia saw during the year 2019 an improve in its business environment, as indicated in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business 2020 report in which the Kingdom was the best reformer, gaining 30 places to place itself in 62nd position. 62% of the three hundred planned reforms in this area have been completed, including a new law on tenders and public procurement, new commercial courts, and a new concurrence law and planned laws on public-private partnerships. The country has recently released the VAT regulation for public consultation through the tax authority (GAZT) website. The VAT introduction presents an important policy in a country where economic system has always relied on oil revenues. The purpose of this study is to show the marked contrast between the impact of non-oil tax revenue (NOTR) and non-oil non-tax revenue (NONTR) on economic growth in Saudi Arabia.This study applied various essential statistical tools such as descriptive and correlation, paired sample t-test. The results demonstrate that NONTR and NOTR were positive and firmly associated with Nominal domestic product with Co-efficient(r=.888, p >0.05) and (r=.960, p <0.05). The findings outline a significant divergence between the impact of NONTR and NOTR on nominal gross domestic product as shown (t3=23.310, p<0.05) and (t3=23.099, P< 0.05) based on four years of data from 2016-2020. In this paper, we try to explore the revenue composition of Saudi Arabia and its impact on its economy.
  PubDate: 2020-09-27
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17587
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Impact of Goods Quality and Advertising on Buying Decision of Gembira
Bread Brand
- Authors: Rakhmawati Purba, Aisyah Siregar, Rusma wehni
  Pages: 26 - 36
  Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the quality of goods and advertisements on the decision to buy Gembira bread brand. The independent variable of this study consists of the quality of goods and advertisements, while the dependent variable is the buying decision. This research is quantitative descriptive. The research was conducted on the community in the Padang Hilir District, Tebing Tinggi City. The data used are primary data obtained through questionnaire answers from 50 respondents. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis method. The results showed that the quality of the goods had a significant impact on buying decisions. Likewise, advertising has a significant impact on Buying Decision. For further researchers, it is hoped that they can examine other factors that are not revealed in this study.
  PubDate: 2020-10-18
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17558
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Public Enterprise Reform: A Review of Policies and Privatisation in
Bangladesh
- Authors: Mehadi Mamun
  Pages: 37 - 49
  Abstract: Bangladesh, as a developing country, has commenced public sector reforms and privatisation of state-owned enterprises following the actions and advice of different actors in different periods of its history. Though the policy mimic reforms in developed economies, this needs to be understood in the context of Bangladesh. This paper, therefore, reviews the country’s industrial policies from its independence and international aid donors’ assistance strategies to have a holistic look at the country’s policy choices over the last four decades. The study finds that Bangladeshi governments have taken many steps towards privatisation since the mid-1970s on the advice of aid donors, however, the privatisation programmes have not brought the expected outcomes and there have no actual steps taken to uphold the interests of employees. The study has captured insights about the reform policies in Bangladesh and has several implications for policymakers as the country is still struggling to come out of poverty.
  PubDate: 2020-11-05
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17728
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Assessing the Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction at a Specialised
Boutique Restaurant in Bangkok
- Authors: Chun Zhang, Paul James
  Pages: 50 - 62
  Abstract: This paper evaluates the effects of associated factors (Quality, Service, and Environmental) that influence customer satisfaction at a single, stand-alone boutique restaurant. It uses ACSI as a research model to study customer satisfaction.This research uses a defined population of 4800 restaurant visitors over, for 60 days representing a previous, specific, and focused marketing exercise. The calculated sample size was 369, where respondents were chosen using systematic random sampling.Data analysis is conducted using appropriate tests that are applied to 4 variables determined as Customer Expectation, Perceived Quality, Perceived Value, and customer satisfaction extracted from the ACSI index.The study result shows that females are the target purchase group. Environmental factors respond primarily to Customer expectation and Perceived Quality; Quality and Environmental factors respond mostly to Perceived Value, Perceived Quality, Service factors that influence Customer Satisfaction. From this study, Perceived Quality and Perceived Value are significantly positive for customer satisfaction， but Customer expectation does not positively affect customer satisfaction.The results further indicate that customers focus on the experience, the authentic experience achieved expectation, and overall feeling after product and service experience. The results support the ACSI theory. The assessment revealed that Quality and Service factors relating to Customer Expectation and Perceived Quality factors relating to Perceived Value need to facilitate, as it can improve overall customer satisfaction for small restaurants.
  PubDate: 2020-11-07
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17924
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Human Resources for Tourism and Travel Business in Vietnam
- Authors: Tran Thi Hien, Hoa Huu Cuong, Nguyen Thi Phuong Loan, Do Thi Nang, Le Hoang Anh, Nguyen Quang Sang
  Pages: 63 - 82
  Abstract: Vietnam is facing a shortage in both the quantity and quality of human resources for tourism and travel business. This shortage becomes even more urgent after the ASEAN agreement on the free movement of tourism human resources among Southeast Asian countries. With the trend of extensive international economic integration, increasing digital technology, tourism business activities have also changed. According to the trend of “smart tourism”, tourism business enterprises require that human resources must ensure skills, profession and proficiency in using smart tourism management software and technologies. Therefore, tourism training institutions need to quickly approach and apply advanced applications of intelligent technology, artificial intelligence in teaching and practicing. The paper focuses on analyzing the current situation of human resources in tourism and travel industry in Vietnam, the training and retraining of this workforce in the past time. From there, propose some solutions to improve the training and retraining of human resources for tourism and travel business in the future.
  PubDate: 2020-11-10
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17929
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Income Inequality and Public Debt: What Can Be Learned from the Lebanese
Indebtedness'
- Authors: Adham Sayed
  Pages: 83 - 106
  Abstract: This paper examines the impact of domestic public debt on income inequality in Lebanon. The analysis is carried out using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach and Error Correction Model (ECM). The data used covers the period between 1990 and 2015. By applying the bounds test, we indicate that there is the existence of a long-run relationship between our variables. Therefore, in both the short and long run, our results show that the domestic share of public debt has a positive and significant effect on income inequality. Hence, a bigger share of domestic public debt leads to wider income inequality. We also suggest steps that may halt the negative impact of public debt on equality in Lebanon, such as reforming the tax system, restructuring the public debt, and searching for sources other than borrowing to cover the budget deficit.
  PubDate: 2020-11-15
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17856
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Determinants of Motivation of Workers of First Isabela Cooperative Bank
Branches in the Province of Nueva Ecija in the Philippines
- Authors: Ronald F. Felipe, Kim Arvin D. Carreon, Norwind B. Bontigao, Mary Jane J. Romero
  Pages: 107 - 120
  Abstract: It is said that the most motivated workers can be found in the Banking and Insurance Industry. The study looks into the motivational factors affecting the satisfaction and performance of twenty workers from the three FICO Branches in the province of Nueva Ecija in the Philippines. Through the use of mixed methods of research and self-made questionnaire designed to elicit the responses of the bank workers, the study found out that most of them are college graduates, are very satisfied with the offerings of the company, have been rendering their services for less than five years, and performs Above Expectations based on the company’s recent evaluation. Based on the findings, it is suggested that: The motivational factors identified be reinforced for the worker’s benefits; The management should consider conducting a regular survey to serve as platform where workers can voice out their needs and opinions for the further improvement of the workplace and existing policies, and to further uphold the workers’ welfare; and Let the workers organize informal programs for stress management, recreations, trainings that they deem fit and necessary with due consideration to available resources and existing policies. Since the study is limited to the FICO Bank Branches in Nueva Ecija, it is also suggested that similar study be conducted in other locales and other bank branches.
  PubDate: 2020-11-15
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17300
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Survey of Customer’s Service Expectation and Quality Perception to G.S.M
Services in Ondo State
- Authors: Gabriel Kolade Olorunleke
  Pages: 121 - 138
  Abstract: The satisfaction derived from services rendered by a company goes a long way in determining the response of consumers to these offerings and this can be either a positive or negative response. Hence, this study looks at customer’s purchase expectations and actions to GSM offerings in Ondo State. To achieve the objective above, this study employs a survey research design. A sample of 385 respondents was selected using multistage sampling, out of a population of about 906,557. The result confirmed that 85% of the GSM subscribers cannot guarantee adequate satisfaction with the quality of services with only one network, hence they use more than one network at the same time, switching over to the next each time they have the problem with one network. Secondly, the study finds that network accessibility has the highest customer’s expectations or satisfaction being met; followed by ease of obtaining call cards. Though tariff cost, network quality and bonus do not count much on expectation or satisfaction in Ondo State. Thirdly, both network accessibility and bonus have negative impacts on consumer perception of network quality but tariff cost, ease of obtaining cards, choice of the network have a positive impact on the perception of network quality. In conclusion, GSM companies need to be conscious of inconveniences encountered by their subscribers and they should do more to take care of those subscribers particularly in areas identified in this study. The study recommends that the companies should put preference on network accessibility to meet the customer expectations and that one of the ways to improve on GSM network quality is to educate consumers on their rights and privileges so that they can fight for their right. This should be championed by the supervising organ of government on GSM communication which is Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC).
  PubDate: 2020-11-23
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17988
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Macroeconomic Determinants of Stock Market Performance in Nigeria
- Authors: Sanya Ogunsakin, Tope Isaac Awe
  Pages: 139 - 158
  Abstract: This study investigated the macroeconomic determinants of stock market performance in Nigeria between 1985 and 2018. The source of the data for the study were from World Bank Development Indicator, 2020 edition and Central Bank of Nigeria statistical bulletin. The study employed ARDL co-integration approach as estimation technique. Findings from the study showed that inflation rate, real interest rate, real effective exchange rate and world oil price were the major determinants of Nigeria stock market performance during the study period. Based on these findings, the study therefore concludes that both endogeneous and exogeneous macroeconomic variables determine Nigeria stock market performance. Hence, the activities in the global oil market should be monitored in formulating policies to enhance stock market performance in Nigeria.
  PubDate: 2020-11-30
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.17633
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Prepare for the Worst - Using Facility Location to Alleviate Product
Recall Risks
- Authors: Liufang Yao, Andrew G. Carrothers
  Pages: 159 - 185
  Abstract: This paper is motivated by major food product recall events in recent years, especially how the timely and effective response using post-recall management can make a difference. We consider the rare but very influential major product recalls as disruptions to the supply chain and incorporate locating reprocessing centers for the returned products to mitigate expected operational costs. We adopt the closed loop network design framework and assume the location decisions for reprocessing center take place after the product recall events. Our scenario-based analysis shows the approach is effective in both absolute and relative measures.
  PubDate: 2020-12-02
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.18024
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Business and Economic Research, Vol. 10, No.
4
- Authors: Daisy Young
  First page: 186
  Abstract: Business and Economic Research (BER) would like to thank the following reviewers for reviewing manuscripts from September 1, 2020, to December 1, 2020. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Many authors, regardless of whether BER publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Macrothink Publishing appreciates the following reviewers’ rigorous and conscientious efforts for this journal. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review during this period.Ahmed ZouhairAlina IaniogloBratu (Simionescu) MihaelaCezarina Adina TofanElena GurguFayez Bassam Shriedeh Gita SugiyartiHengky Sumisto HalimMouhamadou T SowNuno DominguesRoderikus Agus TrihatmokoRoni Bhowmik Sameera M. FernandoShyamkumar D. KalpandeYu HsingZdenek DytrtZi-Yi GuoZoran Wittine
  PubDate: 2020-12-19
  DOI: 10.5296/ber.v10i4.18094
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 4 (2020)