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- Development of Sustainability Balanced Scorecard: A Case Study from
Apparel Industry Sri Lanka
Abstract: This study aims to determine the obstacles the Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing industry faces when implementing sustainable practices and develop a Sustainability Balanced Scorecard to address those obstacles. The apparel export industry is one of Sri Lanka’s most significant contributors to the country’s overall economy. The multiple case study method was employed in conjunction with a qualitative approach in this study. This study also used data triangulation, which comprised both primary and secondary data from interviews and observations. Secondary information was gathered from annual reports and other documents. The population of this study is the apparel export industry and selected three apparel companies as the sample and interviewed nine managers from these companies. The interviewed data were transcribed into the transcript and analyzed through narrative analysis. By considering all the practices in three companies, this research constructed a sustainability balanced scorecard which can be used for other companies to build up their sustainability practices. The main issues identified in this research can be summarized as follows, Manual system of data entering and performance evaluation, there is no sufficient Hazardous Waste Management and disposal facilities in the country, Financial constraints prevent best-in-class equipment and procedures from being implemented. Sri Lanka has no solid waste recycling facilities for its primary waste type, fabric waste. As a final point, this research can be concluded that the regulators and policymakers can use the constructed sustainability balanced scorecard for the policy development on sustainability practices.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Tawadhu Attitude and Service Performance: Moderate Role of Self-Concept
Abstract: This study aims to investigate and evaluate the impact of: (1) Islamic training and development towards service performance, (2) tawadhu attitudes towards service performance, (3) the moderating role of self-efficacy in the effect of Islamic training and development towards service performance, and (4) the role of self-efficacy in moderating the effect of tawadhu attitude on service performance. The population in this study were all Muslim employees at cooperative and sharia savings and loan institutions in the DIY Province, Indonesia. The approach for choosing sample in this research is purposive sampling, with a number of respondents being 160 respondents. The results of the study found that: (1) Islamic training and development had a significant effect on service performance, (2) the attitude of tawadhu had a significant effect on service performance, (3) self-efficacy had not been able to strengthen the influence of Islamic training and development on service performance, and (4) self-efficacy has not been able to strengthen the influence of tawadhu attitude on service performance.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- The Sustainability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUS)
in the Post-COVID-19 World and Beyond
Abstract: Higher education has long been the cornerstone of success in the United States. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have provided educational opportunities to African American students since the late 1800s. HBCUs have produced some of the most influential and successful graduates in all fields of study. HBCUs have produced some of the most influential and successful graduates in all fields of study. Writers like Toni Morrison, current U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., and entertainment icons like Oprah Winfrey are just a few of the most famous and influential graduates of HBCUs. These graduates have successfully succeeded in their respective fields and indelibly impacted society. HBCUs have also been instrumental in helping to close the achievement gap between African American and white students and have provided a safe and supportive environment for African American students to pursue their educational goals. This paper explores the organizational strategy and marketplace sustainability of HBCUs in the post-COVID-19 competitive higher education marketplace.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- The Role of Green Process Reengineering in Improving the Performance of
Total Productive Maintenance
Abstract: In light of the contemporary developments in all the different sciences and technological changes, and the increase in the environmental impacts of production processes, it is required of the Iraqi economic units to use modern technologies applied in the world, to keep abreast of these developments and adhere to the legislation related to environmental protection on the one hand, and to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of labor activities and techniques, and this leads to consequently reduce production costs, and providing environmentally friendly production processes at the same time, and this requires the application of modern and advanced methods and methods, and accordingly, this research came to clarify the application of one of the modern techniques in cost management, which is the technique of re-engineering green processes and its role in improving the overall performance of the economic unit in particular, and the performance of in particular Total productive maintenance, Thus, the aim of the research is to highlight that green process reengineering technology has a role in improving the performance of Total productive maintenance. To develop the Iraqi industrial sector, the sulfuric acid plant in Al-Furat Company for Chemical Industries and Pesticides was adopted as a sample for research, as it is one of the Iraqi industrial economic units seeking development and facing great and growing competition. Total production maintenance, this hypothesis has been proven by applying green process reengineering to the production processes of the research sample factory. The research reached several conclusions, the most important of which is that the application of green process reengineering technology steps contributes to reducing costs by improving the performance of Total productive maintenance, and helps the research sample to protect the environment, and presented a set of recommendations that contribute to the development of the research sample and environmental protection.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- How Supply Chain Management Practices Influence Customer Development and
Operational Performance
Abstract: This study was undertaken to measure the supply chain management practices affected customer development and operational performance at small and medium-sized businesses (SME) that distributed liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The dataset contains 103 SMEs in East Kotawaringin, Indonesia. Quantitative techniques were employed in this research, and Employing questionnaire to collect data. To analyze the data for this investigation, partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used. The outcomes of all variables’ data analysis have a significant effect on all other variables in this model. The study’s findings show that supply chain management practices have a significant impact on customer development and operational performance, while customer development has a positive and significant impact on operational performance. Furthermore, Customer development can act as a mediator in the interaction between operational performance and supply chain management. The study’s conclusions have some relevance for LPG retailers
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- What a Genuine Value-Based Leadership Commitment to Hiring
African-American Faculty in Business, Technology, and Public Health
Requires at the Highest Ranked and Most Prestigious U.S. Universities
Abstract: There is a significant shortage of minority faculty at U.S. colleges and universities (Davis & Fry, 2019). The U.K. is even worse than the U.S., where just 160 out of 22,855 professors in 2020/21 are Black, essentially less than 1% (White, 2022). Black, Hispanic, Native American, and multi-racial faculty members are underrepresented in the faculty ranks, compared to not only their share of the U.S. population (Gasman, 2022; Davis & Fry, 2019). The U.K. is even worse than the U.S., where just 160 out of 22,855 professors in 2020/21 are Black, essentially less than 1% (White, 2022). Minority students with educators of the same race or ethnicity are more likely to see those teachers as role models and report more significant effort in school and higher college goals (Davis & Fry, 2019). Academic performance gaps of minority students can close by as high as 50% if faculty more closely resemble students (Davis & Fry, 2019). Research shows a significant strong positive relationship exists between graduation, transfer, and drop-out rates for minority students when there are increases in faculty diversity (Cross & Carman, 2022). This paper explores the value-based leadership best practices to recruit more African-American faculty in 2022 and beyond.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Understanding the Challenge of Cybersecurity in Africa: A Holistic
Analysis of Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Foundation
for Future Research
Abstract: The continuous shift towards a world relying on computing leads to an increase of the potential risk factors that users face while roaming the digital world. The constant technological innovation we are witnessing creates the necessity of developing reliable systems, strategies, and frameworks against nefarious users threatening the security of information and data. Emerging countries begin to face issues related to cyber warfare and security. This study provides insight into the technological risk factors that could potentially delay further development in the technological growth of developing nations, focusing on selected countries in the African continent. The threats against confidentiality, integrity, and availability do not have an impact exclusively on information systems but, to a larger scale, on a region’s efforts for innovation. This paper intends to provide the readers a holistic review of the status of cyber security in the context of developing countries, specifically in the African continent and the Southern African Development Community.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Institutional and Chaos Theory: Compared and Contrasted
Abstract: Institutional and Chaos Theory are frameworks in organizational behavior that have existed for many years. Given their long-term popularity in said field, it is important to have a strong working knowledge of each theory and be able to compare and contrast them. Both theories are wholly applicable to current world happenings, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. By inspecting this paper, readers will learn about Institutional and Chaos Theory, be able to identify how they relate to timely world occurrences, discover their implications in regard to public policy and public administrations, and reflect upon how they can be useful in respect to other organizational and global matters.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Human Error - A Critical Contributing Factor to the Rise in Data Breaches:
A Case Study of Higher Education
Abstract: With increasing technical safeguards to protect information systems, Human error continues to be a critical factor contributing to the rise in information systems attacks and data breaches. Inadequate or unenforceable Cybersecurity policies or training can open doors for adversaries to circumvent technical safeguards and paint a picture of a growing cybersecurity problem. The problem investigated in this work assesses if organizations adequately invest in resources to provide industry-aligned cybersecurity education, training, and awareness that can minimize human error leading to cyber-attacks. This work aims to investigate breaches attributed to human errors and compare cybersecurity policies, education, training, and awareness programs in three different schools in New York State. The work focused on user awareness and vulnerable behaviours, effective training for users, and investigating start-of-the-art approaches to gauge or evaluate the organization’s cybersecurity stance when compared to industry frameworks like the NIST framework. A Triangulation research approach including quantitative, qualitative, and descriptive methods are adopted for this work. Instruments for data collection include a survey, literature review, qualitative analysis to identify research gaps, and assessments of the questionnaires. This work demonstrates that formulated enforced cybersecurity policies coupled with targeted security education, training, and awareness are instrumental to decreasing user errors, thereby reducing the probability of a cyber-attack.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- How Well is the Coffee Business Supply Chain Performing in West Java'
Abstract: Coffee grown in Indonesia has been proven for its quality made Indonesian coffee consumption continues to increase from year to year in many countries. However, the coffee business has not reached its maximum potential due to numerous barriers and supply chain management is one of them. This research aimed to identify the potential cause for blocked chains as one of the business threats that will significantly impact the entire business process in the long term also identifies the success factors related to the coffee supply chain to improve the performance of the business processes. This research utilized an inductive study with quantitative and qualitative approaches using primary and secondary data collection strategies. The research result indicated the low weight for dimensions in “Deliver” and “Return” performance with indicators including “Shipping”, “Good relation with customers”, “Mutual relation with suppliers”, “Return procedure”, “Processing time”, “Ease of process”, and “Complaints that quickly resolved”. Therefore, to the result, the factors that are considered as a direct risk to the blocked chains are “Shipping”, “Processing time”, and “Ease of process”. While the score for supply chain performance in West Java Coffee is 71% for KPIs in Reliability and Responsiveness. This research also provides a coffee supply chain model that will positively contribute to knowledge especially for identifying potentially blocked chains in the coffee business.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Asset Management in the Waste Treatment Environment
Abstract: The main aim of the research study was to determine what drives the asset management inadequacy in the waste-water treatment utilities, as to ascertain the main drivers of the equipment failures are, and whether the maintenance strategies respond or are adequate to deal with the failure rate of equipment in the waste-water treatment utilities. The environmental impact driven from the non-compliant final effluent discharged into the water resources in the country resulted from the equipment failures in the plant. The maintenance strategies, asset policy, asset management plan, including the rehabilitation programme and all statutory regulation compliance are evaluated and analysed to ensure they are responding or aligned to the growing challenges faced by the waste-water treatment environment. Using the quantitative approach, the three groups; the asset management team, quality and process team and operations team of participants were to be selected. A convenient approved sampling method, the survey questionnaire was electronically shared to respond to the Covid-19 restriction and the structure telephonic interview so ascertain the level of understanding of the current asset management strategies, policies and procedures, the equipment failures impact to the utilities compliance and the further corporate risk and environmental impact from inadequately manages waste-water treatment utilities. The findings confirms that there is indeed lack of the synergies in the waste treatment environment emanating from a few aspects i.e., lack of due diligent in the application of maintenance strategies in the waste treatment works, lack of in-depth understanding of the impact from equipment failures in the waste treatment process, and the misalignment of the rehabilitation program, leading to gross environmental impact and corporate risk. It was further recommended the collaborations in the maintenance strategies development and review process. The rehabilitation programme should be aligned to the requirements of the process.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- The impact of financial inclusion on national development and national
financial system stability
Abstract: This study seeks to understand the relationship between financial inclusion, national development, and the stability of the national financial system in Indonesia. The data collected in this study is a secondary data that includes the data of the number of commercial bank accounts, number of commercial banking service offices, number of general credits, average income, population welfare, goods and services production, and number of credits of 34 provinces throughout Indonesia, from 2015 until 2019. A dynamic statistic panel Model of the Generalized approach of Moments (GMM) is used for data analysis. The results of this research showed that financial inclusion has a significant negative influence on national development, but it can increase the national financial stability system. This is possible due to the diversity of demography, economic condition, and geographical condition in each province of Indonesia.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Impact of Covid-19 on SMMEs and the future sustainability measures: a
systematic review
Abstract: Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) have made remarkable contributions to enhancing the economic growth of South Africa. The emergence of COVID-19 retarded the growth of SMMEs due to the lockdown imposed by the government on the 23rd of March, 2020. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on SMMEs and the future sustainability measures. To achieve the objectives of this study, a systematic review was adopted and 150 articles were downloaded from various databases for the study. Findings obtained from the study revealed that several authors from different continents have made wide contributions to revive SMMEs amidst COVID-19 disruption. The recommendations made to SMMEs include amplifying their communication networks and adopting e-commerce options, as well as Social Network Sites to reach out to their customers. Other recommendations include the adoption of transactional leadership, strategic management, employee management, financial management, and effective collaboration. The study further recommended that the government should endeavour to provide funding opportunities to SMMEs, improve the provision of infrastructure and enhance the effectiveness of the business environment. The study concludes that the SMMEs that were affected by the interruption of COVID-19 would be revived if the recommendations of this study are applied.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Measuring service quality delivered to undergraduate students at a public
university in South Africa
Abstract: The conceptualised and critically examined the thinking behind the quality of services rendered to undergraduate students at a state-owned institution in South Africa. The population was 106 and 106 questionnaires were administered and 87 were returned. The approach used for this study was a quantitative and a survey research method using a questionnaire to elicit information from the third-year undergraduate students of the Business Management Department at the University was followed. Findings from the study revealed that modern facilities were used to deliver quality services of teaching, research, and supervision of students. Many respondents attested to study guide materials at the Department of Business Management. Some of the students have issues with languages such as isiZulu, isiXhosa, and isiNdebele. Several recommendations were made which include: the need to have efficient, effective, and quality services delivered on a regular basis. The need to have more recent and diverse materials that could meet the broad needs of the students. The study made credence on effective and efficient services rendered by lecturers at different intervals in teaching, learning and supervisory roles. Improved consultation hours of lecturers and tutors could assist students’ inadequacy in study and materials required.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Human Capital In The Digital Society. Some Empirical Evidence For The Eu
Countries
Abstract: Development and innovation in the digital technologies impact the whole society, communications, finances, trade, education and health services, business patterns and the entire value-added channel.The increase in the speed of digitization and its expansion within businesses leads to significant changes, both regarding the human capital and the way work and place of work are organized, with high impacts on skills, labor standards, human welfare and sustainable development of countries. Digitization involves changes not only in the human capital, but in the organizational one as well, so that for each euro invested in physical capital (hardware) some additional 10 euros have to be invested in intangible activities, especially in the human and organizational capital (Brynjolfsson and McAfee, 2014).The paper aims to analyse the impacts of digitization on human capital in the EU economies, also considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that has speeded up the digitization process in the EU countries. Both the useful aspects and the challenges determined by the new requirements regarding the skills necessary to human capital are emphasized, as well as the efforts included in the EU programs dedicated to such issues, considering that 42% of the European citizens do not possess basic digital skills and 37% of labor force does not possess adequate digital skills. Finally, some econometric aspects regarding the relationship between welfare and population’s digital skills are revealed, as well as conclusions on further research and directions for action.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- The impact of healthcare advertising on consumers regarding the choice of
private hospitals in Dubai
Abstract: This study sets out to review and contribute to the writings on healthcare advertising. In order to do so, the research’s main purpose is to depict aspects such as, how individuals in Dubai perceive healthcare advertising and advertising done by private hospitals. This will help marketers understand how these perceptions will further impact consumers’ choices of hospitals, as their main healthcare facilities in Dubai. Moreover, the study is sought to address several points such as healthcare delivery systems in Dubai and respective characteristics, economic expansion, and nonetheless brief examination of advertising implications in this industry. Also, a few concepts on marketing and communications, as well as some advertising theories are portrayed. Besides this, a more detailed literature review explores the beginnings of healthcare and hospital advertising and tracks consumers’ input toward hospital advertising throughout time. The study’s literature review also depicts the ethics and moral principles that surround healthcare advertising. In this way, the study approaches some points that with time have improved healthcare providers’ image and nevertheless changed their marketing practices and services into more sophisticated ones.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- The Mediating Role of Learning Organization on The Relationship between
Total Quality Management and Operational Performance
Abstract: This research was carried out to have a deeper comprehension of the role that learning organizations play in mediating the relationship that exists between Total Quality Management and operational performance. This research was carried out at leather SMEs in the Garut Regency. In this study, quantitative research methods are used, and a questionnaire is used to collect the data. The individuals responsible for Leather SMEs in Garut Regency make up the population that was used for this study, and there were a total of 106 responses. The data from this study are analyzed using descriptive analysis and SEM analysis. The analysis is done with the help of the SmartPLS program. The findings of this study show that Total Quality Management has a significant and positive effect on learning organizations. The learning organization then has a significant and positive impact on the operational performance of the business. And learning organization has a significant and positive influence on the mediation of the relationship between Total Quality Management and operational performance.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Microsoft excel expert certification MO-201: results, analysis and key
tips to succeed
Abstract: Microsoft Excel skills are imperative in today’s competitive market and the skill is highly demanded by businesses. The MOS Excel Expert Certification (MO-201) validates the competency that one should build to meet employers’ expectations. The paper addresses the statistical mean rank difference in four skill groups of the certification test. Results of the four groups of the test were compared, using the Kruskal-Wallis’s test. The null hypothesis of the equality of the means for different groups was rejected at the 5% level of significance. Because the null hypothesis was rejected, the Conover post hoc test was applied for multiple pairwise comparisons, to discern which of the sample pair combinations were significantly different. The paper examines some of the concepts of groups 2 and 3 questions where students struggled the most and rendered insights to overcome those hurdles.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Government’s Covid-19 Social Grant in South Africa: A Synopsis of
the Effect on Recipients
Abstract: This paper presents a synopsis of recipients’ benefits from the South African COVID-19 social relief fund. The objective of the paper is to evaluate the key benefit of the COVID-19 special grant and if the Grant had a positive impact in the lives of recipients and their family members. The paper applied a mix of succinct review and thematic analysis. Secondary data collection was from the archive of survey questionnaires conducted by the Department of Social Development. Findings from the thematic graphical analysis of the recipients’ responses show that more than 93% of the COVID grant recipients used the fund for food. Furthermore, over 88% avowed that the grant had a positive impact in their lives and over 79% of the grant recipients indicated that the fund had a positive impact in the lives of their family members. The findings offer practical and policy implication for government’s social security agency. The recipients’ acceptance of positive benefit regarding food and overall effect on wellbeing is an indication that extension of the COVID-19 social relief fund or conversion thereof to unemployment security assistance might have the propensity to provide relief from poverty and hunger to recipients and improve social wellbeing. The paper highlights the imperative for further research to expand this analysis by using other countries for a comparative analysis.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- The Mediation and Moderation Role of Knowledge Assets in Relationship
Between Intellectual Capital Dimensions and Company Performances
Abstract: Intellectual capital and knowledge assets are intangible assets with an important role to create advantage in competition. This study examines the main dimensions of intellectual capital as an independent variable in order to provide more detail information about the influence of dimensions of intellectual capital on performance of financial, either directly or indirectly through knowledge assets. Knowledge assets also become moderation and mediation variable for the effect of intellectual capital and performance of financial. This study population is manufacturing industry companies in Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). The samples selection uses saturated or census sampling. Data is collected by documentation techniques from www.idx.go.id. The data analysis tool is regression. The results show that except for the influence of human capital on knowledge assets either directly or through knowledge assets, all hypotheses for the effect of intellectual capital dimension on company performance either directly or through knowledge assets is accepted. The results also show that knowledge assets only strengthen the relationship between capital employed and company’s performance of financial, but cannot strengthen the relationship between human capital and structural capital and company’s performance of financial. This study also found that intellectual capital has a significant positive effect both directly on financial performance or through knowledge assets. Knowledge assets also strengthens the influence of IC on performance.
PubDate: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
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