The concept of capital before and after industrial revolution： Islamic versus market economy

The concept of capital and ownership of capital in market economy and Islamic economy is different. Also the role that capital is expected to play in the economy is different in two economic systems. One of the key elements in creation of the capital （capital formation） is interest rate. In Islam interest is strictly forbidden. This paper reviews the concept of capital and the process of capital formation both before and after industrial revelation. In that context it also looks at the function of interest rate during the time of Prophet Mohammed and the present time.     

Coal price fluctuations and the impact on financial risk Evidence from China＇s coal listed companies

With the rise of coal price, the proportion of loss-making enterprises shows an upward trend in China＇s coal industry. This paper uses Altman Z-Score model to measure financial risk of 19 listed companies in the coal industry in A-share market from 1995 to 2007. Empirical results show that Year-Based price index of coal price has a negative correlation with the financial risk but has no significance, and coal chain price has a significant negative correlation with the financial risk. Further research indicates that enterprises increase bad investment, and a lot of debts caused by short-term rise in coal prices. The results also show that the financial risk in the coal industry declines with the rise of GDP growth rate and increases with the rise of inflation rate.     

Executive remuneration and financial performance in Brazilian companies

The objective of this study is to investigate the existence of a relationship between executive remuneration and financial performance in 28 Brazilian companies from the industrial sector. These companies have been selected among those companies elected as ＂The Best Companies to Work for in Brazil＂. In order to operationalize the remuneration variable, the authors use the monthly salary, the variable salary and three indexes--of benefits, career and professional development--which have been created especially for this survey. To measure financial performance, the authors use three accounting measures： sales growth, return on equity （ROE） and return on sales （ROS）. The results point the existence of a relationship between executive remuneration and financial performance.     

Pattem and mechanism of urban spatial growth in Nanjing City, 1979-2007

Urban spatial growth has become a hot topic of geographic science and urban research. Exploring the patterns and mechanisms of urban growth is the prerequisite to understand the urbanization process of China. The paper provides a spatial analysis method of using Remote Sensing （RS） and Geographic Information System （GIS）. and presents major patterns and mechanisms of urban spatial growth during the period from 1979 to 2007 in Nanjing City. Firstly, the paper introohwes the data, study area and methodology of the research. Then. the patterns of urban spatial growth are identified Subsequently, the main mechanisms of urban spatial growth are analyzed Finally some conclusions are drawn definitely. The features of urban spatial growth in Nanjing are as follows： during 1979-1988, urban spatial growth of each district was stow. and the inner growth was in excess of suburban growth; during the period of 1988-2000. urban growth of suburban was in excess of inner city. the most insensitive growth appeared in the southeast, and the growth of each aspect was relatively insensitive expect ecst and west; during the period of 2000-2007, urban growth of suburban was violent, the most insensitive growth appeared in the southeast. and the urban growth of each direction was insensitive except the west. The mechanisms of urban spatial growth are complex, the main ones of which are social and economic development. Besides. the guiding of urban planning and influence of urban spatial structure are quite obvious.     

Stress perceptions and leadership orientation of Malaysians： Exploring their similarities and differences with Americans

To explore the management orientation of employees in Malaysia and the United States, this paper focuses on comparing the leadership and stress perception of respondents in these two different countries. It appears that Malaysians and Americans have a significantly higher score on the relationship-orientation than task-orientation. Similarly, the female respondents in Malaysia had a significantly higher score on the relationship orientation. Finally, the responses of these 216 Malaysian respondents were compared with the 87 Americans, demonstrating significantly higher scores for respondents from the U.S. on both orientations. For management and practical application, suggestions and implications for future studies are presented.     

Modification of Costanza＇s model of valuing ecosystem services and its application in China

In the past, evaluations of ecosystem functions were mostly based on Costanza＇s model, whereas the spatial, quality and temporal characteristics of regional ecosystems were not considered in the model. Focusing on these issues, coefficients of regional difference, spatial heterogeneity and willingness-to-pay （WTP） were established to modify Costanza＇s model, and a new comprehensive valuation model of ecosystem functions is proposed. The analytical results indicate that the comprehensive model could evaluate regional ecosystem functions in China accurately and provide more helpful information for decision-making. The empirical study on Zhangbei County in Hebei Province shows that the intensive human activities could limit the provision of ecosystem functions while the planned ecological programs might promote the restoration of ecosystem functions.     

Similar financial models： Are they free lunches？

In recent years, the academic and practical circles have paid so much attention to similar financial models because they generated a miracle in GOME （Gome Electrical Appliances Holding Limited） and SUNING （Suning Appliance Co., Ltd.） respectively. But what＇s the influence of such a model on corporate profitability and risk？ Are similar financial models free lunches？ To seek for the answers to the above questions, in this paper, we take Gree （GREE Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai）, Midea （Guangdong Midea Electric Appliances Co. Ltd. Stores） and GOME for examples to carry out a comprehensive and in depth financial analysis. The conclusions of this paper are： The company with similar financial characteristics has higher profitability and risk level; Only the companies which meet special requirements need or can implement such a model and the identification and control of hidden risk can guarantee its success.     

Generational management in corporate America： The differences and challenges in management of four generations of working adults

There are many differences and challenges that employers face while managing employees in the current work force. Our present day workforce is made up of a diverse group of people： Matures, also known as Veterans （age 55＋）, Baby Boomers （age 45-54）, Generation X （age 35-44） and Generation Y also known as Millennial （age 18-34）. The differences and challenges among these groups will be evident when reviewing recognition and praise, managerial styles, subordinate responses to generational leadership. Companies are stepping back and looking more holistically at how to develop programs and deploy technology that will speak to four distinct generations in the workforce （Sprague, 2008）. Each generation has their own definition of work ethic, responsibility, and performance. The best way to deal with the multi-generations is coming up with ways that make everybody feel like they are members of a team, thus helping them to learn how to develop a better way of communication than what exists between them now. If everybody is a part of a team, then they are all sharing the benefits that the other generations can bring to the table, making them a strong entity. Matures and boomers can become mentors to the X and Y＇s, and the X and Y＇s can then share and impart their knowledge of technology to the Matures and boomers. Companies in today＇s workplace must learn a better way to understand the values of the four generations, for it is very important in understanding and guiding these people in the workplace. Without this proper understanding, the guidance and alliance that managers are hoping to achieve will be even longer in the making and then one, possibly two, whole generations will be gone from the workforce and their knowledge and skill gone as well.     

Interest and profit

This paper argues that it is important to distinguish between the real rate of interest on money and the profitability of business enterprise. The former is a purely financial or monetary phenomenon （as claimed by Keynes） and the latter is in the nature of a surplus over and above the costs of production, including financing costs. There is an inverse relationship between the real rate of interest on money and the average mark-up or profit share. A synthetic theory of profit illustrates these points.     

HRD in a multipolar world： An introductory study

In the last two decades, the economic and political world was radically transformed. At the start, in the 1980s, the USA and the USSR ruled, in a bipolar context. But, after the fall of the Communist regimes, in the 1990s, a different form of world power sharing emerged, in which the USA, the European Union and Japan were the major players. That change was evident from the documents that were made by those political powers （i.e. the Lisbon agenda on human resource development （HRD））, which in itself contained a forecast of the world situation in 2010. However, life is by nature unpredictable, and the unforeseeable changes happen all the time. And, in the last decade, several main players emerged in the world scene, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, the Arab World and Africa. In consequence, at the present moment, the world economy exists around at least 9 main players, 3 old and foreseen and 6 new and not foreseen. It is the author＇s opinion that this societal transformation should be addressed by the HRD community, because HRD scholars must study the more national relevant cases in a world that is changing very fast. Accordingly, in this paper, the author tries to make a rather introductory study in which he/she tries to define the basic economic variables for the HRD markets, namely demand, supply, need, equilibrium, investment, stock, flow, and return, for the USA, Japan, Brazil, Russia, India and China. The author uses the last available data, even if we tried to put the analysis in a historical perspective. The author concludes that several very different forms of situations exist in the HRD markets of those very important political entities.     

Sharing and evaluation of a new community co-management model for protecting Crested Ibis: a case study of Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve, China

The Crested Ibis（Nipponia Nippon） is endemic to Qinling Mountains of China and was once abundant over vast areas of north-east of Asia habitat.During the 20th century,however,the population declined greatly in numbers.Habitat quality used to be the main threat to this species but recent actions by the government and wildlife protection organizations have brought this under control.With the establishment of Crested Ibis Nature Reserve in China,conflicts between socio-economic development and Crested Ibis conservation have become more acute.How do we deal with the relation between Crested Ibis conservation and community development？ In this study,the Crested Ibis Nature Reserve co-management model namely ＂companies ＋ farmers ＋ Nature Reserve＂ model is proposed and evaluated with demonstration investigation methods,including continuous six-year fixed-site socio-economic development data of surrounding community,company sales revenue data and monitored data of Crested Ibis Nature Reserve.The results show that farmers＇ income and conservation awareness increased greatly from 2003 to 2008; company sales revenue has increased by about 20% annually in the recent years; management level has noticeably improved in Nature Reserve,the scope of Crested Ibis habitat has expanded 50 hm2; chemical composition of habitat reduced year after year; and the number of Crested Ibis had been growing annually.At the end,the success of the model is evaluated,and problems in implementation of the model are discussed from the following aspects：management system,co-management concept,economic base of partners,marketing mechanism,technical capacity and so on.     

Socio-economic influences of population density

While population density represents an important socio-economic parameter, its role is rarely studied in the economic literature （contrary to natural sciences）. Population density plays an important role in harvesting societies, i.e. those that depend on agriculture and natural resources. With the development of industry and services and emergence of urban areas, population density becomes less economically important unless we consider aspects related to pollution. There exists a phase transition between rural and urban area which makes population density less important in urban area contrary to rural. However, the economic influence of population density in harvesting societies is also not straight forward. Too high population density decreases the natural endowment per capita, but eases the development of infrastructure, leading to existence of an optimal population density for economic growth. It also influences the demand for a monopolistic product, where too little density can lead to non-survival of a monopoly. Emergence of ethnic communities is based on more cooperative behavior in the case of low cultural and physical distances. At the same time, higher probability of large projects （like infrastructure） leads to development of cooperative behavior in the society. Elaboration along these lines leads to the conclusion that population density positively correlates with individualistic （non-cooperative, non-altruistic） behavior, through less time spent in cooperative infrastructure projects and higher frequency of meetings between individuals that with some probability lead to non-cooperative games.     

Intelligent tools and techniques for modern management

In order to make decisions all companies need information. As a rule, all the informatics systems of a company contain a multitude of data and turn these data into information that has to be analyzed in order to make decisions. It is a slow process. The solution of this drawback is given by Business Intelligence （BI） applications that can help companies increase income or diminish costs by offering the executive management appropriate information on the basis of which quick and efficient decisions can be taken.
The main purpose of the paper is to prove the necessity that BI tools should be used by the modem manager. Managers are aware of that by putting into practice the BI solutions, opportunities of getting control over the business process and methods are improved and better, timely analysis functions of the performance parameters can be obtained.     

The effects of attributes and buyer regret on overall satisfaction

The current study represents an attempt at exploring product attribute, service attribute evaluation, and buyer regret influence overall satisfaction in the buyer decision context. The data used in the project were collected as part of a large study of buyer regret. The sampling frame consisted of automobile purchases in Taiwan We have collected yield 600 questionnaires, by screening out 44 questionnaires, including those missing value or incomplete answer, and finally a usable sample of 556 questionnaires were utilized in this study. The results reinforce the finding form early research that the concept of buyer regret plays an important role for automobile purchases in the buyer decision. Results show that higher evaluations of service and product attributes lead to less buyer regret, and lower buyer regret will likely to increase overall satisfaction. Specifically, the finding indicates that buyer regret mediates the effects of the attributes on overall satisfactions. Implications for marketing theory and practitioners are discussed, and possible directions for future research are sketched.     

Corporate innovation behavior and internal governance mechanism

Innovation is a process results in new products, methods of production and forms of business organization. Innovation can vastly improve the welfare of consumers, investors, firms and the economy. However, there is relatively limited evidence of how corporate governance affects corporate innovation. In this study, the author theoretically demonstrates how internal governance mechanisms interact to affect innovation, such as internal control, monitoring and compensation contracts. Governance mechanisms are determined by firm characteristics. The ＂best＂ governance structures that can be adopted universally do not exist. However, innovative firms often share similar characteristics, and they adopt similar governance mechanisms to facilitate innovation. The ultimate purpose of such internal governance mechanism that facilitates innovation is to prevent managers＇ myopia, and this paper concludes 5 different roles in internal governance mechanism that facilitate corporate innovation behavior.     

A system dynamics approach for studying the resilience of irrigation systems

One of the most interesting outcomes from the recent collaboration between natural and social scientists is the concept of resilience, which imported from engineering to ecology. The problem with that concept is that it is hard if not impossible to get simple measures for resilience as far as social-ecological systems are complex ones. Using a system dynamics model, the author shows that, for assessing resilience of systems like irrigation systems, it probably helps to see the process of resilience loss as a systemic one, in which dynamics is given by positive self-reinforcing loops, like the one we have labeled in this paper--the death spiral. The author also presents a list of symptoms of collapse in irrigation systems, in order to assess the resilience of those systems, and suggest some future avenues of research on the subject.     

Implementing a model for identifying organizational complications for the purpose of increasing productivity in hydropower plant

The present economical conditions on today＇s world require specific point of view and policy making in business agencies. In this competitive world to achieve competence, competitive advantages in order to better governance, organizations have to increase their competitive powers through promotion and productivity. One of the fundamental approaches to elevate the productivity level is finding the complications and obstacles, and arise planning to remove them. In order to understand organizational complication, we have tried to take critical factors of success and continue improvement into consideration to demonstrate a model to find the main and radical problems and complications and recognize the recoverable areas in the business agencies. In order to verify and validate the performed research, he planned model has been accomplished in the Hydropower Plant Department, positive and acceptable results were obtained and organizations total factor productivity improvement was achieved which was appreciated by the organization.     

A typologies of traveler in Thailand： Using traveling patterns approach

This research investigates the characteristics of Thai to discern what their traveling behavior patterns. It indicated five different traveling patterns, which were named, ＂Physical action＂, ＂Conservation of nature＂, ＂Service expectation＂, ＂Intend to travel＂ and ＂Obedience of law and order＂. It revealed that their traveling patterns were physically passive, less environmentally aware and knowledgeable, service expected, multi-purpose and short trip, and moderate obedience of law and order. The relation of sociodemographic profile （gender, age, education and income） to their traveling patterns was analyzed using Chi-Square tests. Discriminant analysis was run as a way of examining the accuracy and usefulness of the ecotourist scorecard. Using the concept of a hard-to-soft ecotourist with discriminant analysis, 51.4% was soft ecotourist, 39.3% was medium ecotourist and 9.3% was hard ecotourist. Although not identified, it is likely that there are subgroups （0.3%） within the hard ecotourist with the higher scoring tourists being most active ecotourist. The findings showed that the majority of Thai people tend to be comfortable nature-based tourist with less environmentally aware and knowledgeable. In fact, it could be argued that tourists in natural environments, even if they try to minimize their impact, may cause more environmental damage than tourist on a city tour.