Team Management： A Reflection on Leadership to Achieve Success

This study aims at rethinking the posture and attitude of professionals in, managerial and leadership positions, regarding the organizational management, showing that it is possible to motivate a team, valuing the human and maintaining a good working environment, with respect and collective participation towards a common good by focusing on problem solving regardless the resources that the company can offer to encourage and satisfy its employees. In order to prepare this study, survey was conducted from empirical studies, literature surveys, and qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in a company linked to the tobacco sector. The results show that companies are still adapting to new paradigms of the market and seek to achieve greater productivity with the accomplishment of teamwork, considering aspects such as leadership, motivation, and interpersonal relationships.     

Management Science in Knowledge Management

Technological developments, globalization, and numerous information types have caused significant changes in every part of people＇s life. In this era, along with the occurrence of information society, organizations have also initiated this changing process. Nowadays, increasing competition in economy makes information the most valuable part of production. Management administration, which is of high importance for the firms and which provides advantage in sustainable competition, has become one of the most popular topics. From now on, information is an economical tool for organizations. The people, who have information, are evaluated as powerful. Moreover, if the organizations produce new information from available information, they move ahead of their opponents. Information is in the centre of financial and social change. Meanwhile, information has a key role in both societies＇ and foundations＇ superiority struggle over another. Knowledge management is a compile of strategies and processes for creating, finding, and exploiting information. Reaching, gathering, sharing, utilizing, evaluating, and storing information are some of the processes of knowledge management. One of the most important parts of obtaining advantage in competition firms is to evaluate information effectively. In this paper, information management, its importance, its conceptual development, its aim, its underlying perspective, and its processes are highlighted. In the results of the study, two questions have been studied： What can be done in addition to current situation of information management and what are the points need to be careful about. The main focus in this article is on the knowledge management and its importance in the management science.     

Intercultural Competency Development in Conjunction With a Short Term Study Away Experience： Changes in Undergraduate Students

The purpose of this research was to examine whether undergraduate business students who participated in a short term study abroad course and intercultural competence building coursework demonstrated a significant increase in intercultural competence over those who only enrolled in the study abroad course. The 20 participants attended a small liberal arts College in Midwestern United States. The Intercultural Development Inventory （IDI） was administered to the participating students before and after their study away experience. The IDI （v.3） is based on the theoretical framework of the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity （DMIS） introduced by Milton Bennett. The DMIS is based on the assumption that intercultural competence can be strengthen through the development of intercultural knowledge and experience with people from other cultures. The IDI has been used in numerous scholarly studies and has demonstrated valid and reliable results. It is a self-administered 50-item series of statements in which participants are asked to rate the level of their agreement with statements that address their relationship to and evaluation of cultural difference. In the model, people progress in a linear developmental fashion through six stages： defense, denial, polarization, minimization, acceptance, and adaptation. This study was designed to determine if students who studied away and completed intercultural coursework （prior intercultural knowledge and an intercultural experience） would increase their level of intercultural competency more than those students who just studied away （intercultural experience only） as measured by the change in their IDI scores. The results of this small sample show that intercultural coursework in conjunction with a short term study away experience can have a positive impact on individual intercultural development.     

Innovations in the Application of Insurance-linked Securities in Non-financial Companies

Recently, capital market innovations within transferring insurable risk have grown in diversity. It initiated the development of innovative financial instruments, with the prime role of Insurance Linked Securities （ILS）. Financial institutions （insurers in particular） remain the key players on this market. However, ILS are applicable in non-financial companies as well. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to broadly discuss the application of ILS in non-financial companies. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to provide answers to the crucial questions： （1） What are the potential areas of the use of ILS in non-financial companies？ （2） What are the consequences of the use of ILS in non-financial companies？ The paper is based on the application of document analysis and literature studies as its main research methods. The literature review was directed to enable the provision of systemized characteristics of 1LS. Additionally, case studies were implemented to indicate the areas of ILS applications in non-financial companies. Overall, ILS in the class of financial instruments （including cat bonds, insurance derivatives, and contingent capital structures） may find potential use in non-financial companies. However, significant limitations of such a use are identifiable, mainly within the expert knowledge need and accessibility.     

The Relevance of Place-Brand Management in Place-Marketing Strategy

Observers perceive each place through a particular image, not necessarily positive, definable in a distinctive positioning through place-marketing strategies; the relations between the actors of the territory system play an important role, and the place-brand becomes ＂the connector＂ of the relational network in place-marketing management. The aims of this article are to analyze the relations between place identity, place-brand, and place-marketing strategy; to look at case studies of bottom-up strategy as a medium for the long-term empowerment of the place-brand strategy; and to examine the relevance of place-brand positioning and interaction between governance and stakeholders in place-marketing strategy development.     

Process-Oriented Management in Public and Private Sector

The aim of the paper is to discuss the differences between the process-oriented management in public sector organizations and private sector organizations. It is also to present the consequences of implementation of this approach and to suggest areas for further research. The process management is based on the assumption that actions should be optimized by taking into account processes, which create the dynamics of an organization. These processes are constituted by sequences of activities, which turn ideas and efforts of members of an organization into an outcome expected by a client. It seems that the implementation of the process-oriented management in organizations of the public administration may facilitate the following current clients needs and identifying new ones, which are due to changes in needs of citizens or legal requirements. The paper gives an account of the process-oriented management approach and consequences of its implementation in public sector organizations. It also discusses the obstacles to the process-oriented management implementation, primarily in the public sector. The paper is theoretical and the presented ideas need further empirical investigation. The findings can be used to enhance process-oriented management systems both in the public and private sector.     

Has the Geek Financial Problem Triggered the Debt Problem in the Whole Eurozone？ An Analysis Based on Econophysics

The present paper analyzes the Greek financial problem shows the position of the Greek economy in 2009, the solution that has been chosen by the European Financial Authorities, the results of this process and finally, correlates the Greek financial problem with the Eurozone debt problem. More specifically taking into account the Greek financial macroeconomic data of 2008 and 2009, explains the measures that they have been taken to make the Greek General Government to be the zero deficit. Also examines the process of internal devaluation based on a price-income （P-Y） diagram and it is correlated with the thermodynamic one （Pressure （P）-Volume （V））. However, this process of internal devaluation emerged some important problems that the whole program to be in strong questioning by an important part of the Greek society. The paper shows the present macroeconomic position of Greece after three year austerity and analyzes the necessity of the structural reforms in Greek economy in order to make the public debt to be almost 120% at 2020. Furthermore, it has examined the financial problem of Eurozone concerning to the debt problem as well as and the source of this problem. It is proposed the solution of the inflation haircut that will take three years to make the average depth of Eurozone to be less than 70% and the Euro to remain the unique currency in the Eurozone. Finally, this work carried out calculations on macroeconomic data using methods from the field of non-linear dynamics.     

Does Corporate Social Responsibility Really Make a Difference？ An Explorative Analysis for Chinese Companies

Many studies have been performed to assess the impacts of corporate social responsibility （CSR） on the financial performance of companies. There are, however, very few studies that analyze how CSR policies and instruments affect the realization of social and environmental CSR goals, such as the reduction of workplace accidents or CO2 emissions. Therefore, it remains uncertain to what extent CSR really contributes to sustainable development and whether it can serve as an alternative to government regulation to internalize external effects from market operation. The present study provides an explorative empirical analysis that aims to fill this gap. We employ regression analysis on a sample of 109 Chinese companies. The estimation results show that having a code of conduct stimtdates the implementation of other organizational CSR instruments, but CSR implementation only partly affects the realization of CSR goals. Having codes of conduct without implementing CSR does not have a significant impact on societal welfare.     

Antecedents of Customer E-loyalty With the Effect of Trustworthiness in Malaysia Context

The rapid growth of online shopping has led to inspire customer e-loyalty among Malaysians, especially living in this digital environment. Commitment-trust theory is applied as the theoretical base to explain the factors influencing customer e-loyalty. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the direct impact of customer interface quality, service quality （SERVQUAL）, website quality, technology acceptance factors, and technology trust on customer e-loyalty. This study also aims to examine the indirect effect of independence variables on customer e-loyalty through the effects of trustworthiness. SmartPLS 2.0 （M3） is applied as analytical tool to study the impact. A survey is conducted with 395 respondents who had online purchase experience. The findings indicated that customer interface quality, SERVQUAL, website quality, technology acceptance factors, and technology trust have positive impact on customer e-loyalty. Additionally, trustworthiness is used as mediator exclusive of SERVQUAL. Several implications of the findings, limitations of the study, and recommendations for future research are highlighted.     

Measuring the Quality of Life in the Workplace （QLW） Through Job Diagnostic Survey （JDS）： Comparative Study on Two Legal Nature Differentiated Organizations

The article presents a theoretical-empirical reflection about concepts, models, and practices of Quality of Life at Work （QLW） in organizations of different legal nature. The initial proposition of the research suggested that private organizations, that are more susceptible to competitive pressures in the market for resources and the uncertainties regarding the employability tend to have worse indicators of QLW than the public organizations that exhibit greater control over their influx of resources and greater stability in jobs that are offered. The literature review included the concepts and models of QLW as well as the characteristics and application methodology of the Job Diagnostic Survey （JDS）, and your score on Task Motivational Potential （TMP）, as instruments of evaluating the dimensional indicators of QLW in organizations. In methodological terms, we proceeded to a multiple case study comparative, supported by the application of the reduced version of JDS, through its questionnaire that has already been validated in previous studies in two organizations, a private foundation supporting university and a public company of electricity supply, both located in the State of Amazonas-Brazil. The research findings using the JDS instrument indicated failed to detect significant differences between the scores of TMP between the two organizations, nor any robust correlation between their respective legal personalities and environments of institutional performance. Nevertheless, the small differences found suggest a framework of indicators of QLW slightly more favorable to the foundation of university support.     

Strategic Drift and Strategic Crisis Management of Organization

The research reports how the choice of the organization behavior--strategic drift can lead to strategic crisis as a form of manifestation of a deepening organizational crisis. The research questions whose solution is sought are connected with the relation of strategic drift--strategic crisis--strategic crisis management, in terms of whether the errors in the process of strategic management lead to organizational crises. The results of the historical analysis of the theoretical research and practice in this field show the interdependence among these processes and the reasons for strategic crisis in support of the concept of strategic crisis management and its implementation in business. The study outlines the evolution of the theory of strategic drift, as well as opinions of various scientists on the types of crises, which are perceived as a uniform classification and universal interpretation of the term ＂strategic crisis＂. The organization＇s ＂strategic drift＂ leads to serious organizational crisis which first form that strategic crisis. Practice shows that the management of market leaders often leads to complacency, choosing strategy stability. Soon, as a result of aggressive strategies or implemented innovations of their competitors, they lose their competitive position.     

Becoming a more effective manager： Reality versus hype

In our dynamic global environment, strategic requirements are for more effective managers who understand the realities of achievement through others （Service ＆ Arnott, 2006; Welch, 2001）. Unfortunately, management as is practiced in money making businesses is not a requirement in politics, religion, health care or education. Moreover, management within profit making organizations is often not highly effective as demonstrated by the economic meltdown of 2008. Better managing education, religion, politics and health care can solve many societal issues. Also, more effective management in for profits is a must if we are to generate wealth to support these un-poorly-managed societal arenas. This requires knowledge beyond what is in most management courses. This paper attempts to help less effective managers improve by describing the realities of managerial problems （realms and functions） that occur because of disconnects between the ＂is＂ of ＂difficult＂ practical application versus the ＂should be＂ of theory. Moreover, hindsight has replaced strategic foresight as the method of choice among so many business leaders （some of which have failed）, governmental entities （may be about to fail） and scholars （Sorkin＇s, ＂Too Big to Fail＂, contents wishful thinking was a key devise in the mess described, 2009）. This article asserts a good number of these ＂mistakes＂ are caused by an idealistic form of realism.     

Charting a Course on the Islamic Finance Ocean： A Survey of Islamic Insurance Literatures

The number of Muslim literates in Islamic finance and conventional finance, particularly Islamic insurance, has grown tremendously, so has the number of academic and professional articles, books, and other monographs published in Islamic insurance profession. Despite Islamic insurance uniqueness based on Islamic values and philosophies, its emancipation aimed to compete or eradicate the conventional insurance at both academic and professional levels. Those monographs that were intended to replace their conventional insurance counterpart have triggered endless debates among stakeholders on their authenticity and quality of knowledge and as well challenged their authors＇ authorities. Therefore, with content analysis, this survey verified whether the Islamic insurance literatures were capable of producing well-seasoned professionals of lslamic insurance. The results showed that the disputes over the available literatures might have contributed to the failure of having a standard curriculum for teaching Islamic insurance as a profession in academic at national and international levels. Review of the literatures and curriculum was recommended.     

The Future of International Liquidity and the Role of China

This paper analyzes the consequences of the internationalization of the Chinese renminbi for the global monetary system and its possible ascension to reserve currency status. In an unstable and financially integrated world, governments＇ precautionary demand for reserve assets is likely to increase. But the world then risks a third crisis of the global reserve system, another re-run of the Triffin paradox, with an ever-growing emerging-world insurance demand loaded onto a small group of ever more strained net debt suppliers. Two ways to avoid this outcome would entail either expanding the supply of credible reserve liquidity to include some large emerging-market providers, or finding ways to manage emerging-market risks so as to moderate the perceived need for insurance, and China would have to loom large in both solutions. This paper analyzes the consequences of the internationalization of the Chinese renminbi for the global monetary system and its possible ascension to reserve currency status. It argues that if the process proves feasible, despite the difficult hurdles along the way, the results of internationalization would be constructive, both for China and the rest of the world. In today＇s global monetary system, the emergence of the renminbi （along with other developed- and emerging-market currencies） as a potential reserve currency would expand and diversify the supply of reserve assets, enabling central banks to maintain large buffers against financial shocks while allowing the United States to avoid issuing, as now, a large and growing bulk of the world＇s safe and liquid claims, and thus bearing the burden of an ever-expanding, and ultimately questionable, debt to the rest of the world.     

论财政风险管理视角下总预算会计改革

政府负债方面的会计信息对于财政风险管理有举足轻重的作用。然而,现行财政总预算会计制度由于主体地位的缺失造成会计信息的不统一,科目设置的单一造成核算信息不明晰,收付实现制基础造成负债信息不完整,这些必然影响到财政风险管理所需要的信息数量和质量。因此,文章基于财政风险管理的角度,提出增强总预算会计的统一性,明晰政府负债的核算内容、并结合逐步引入＂权责发生制＂等措施对财政总预算会计制度进行改革的建议和措施。     

Pipeline Transportation of Solid Materials

The reasons behind the search for alternatives to the currently used transport methods are congestions in communication systems, roads, stations, and transport nodes, which were built years ago and are not able to handle with the current load, the increasing number of motor vehicles, the emergence of congestions in the road network and disruptions reducing smooth traffic flow. The consequence of the phenomena is the transport congestion in urban transport systems. This article describes possibilities to change this state of affairs with the use of alternative transport method, which is the underground pipeline transportation of solid and bulk goods. The main objective of the study is to indicate the possible ways of using alternative transport routes to reduce transport congestion in large urban areas and industrial areas. There are currently implemented at least three research projects aiming to develop the theoretical and practical foundations for the underground transport of solid materials by using pipelines. In 2008, at the University of Oxford, research project Fri. FOODTUBES TM was launched. At the Ruhr University in Bochum, the project Cargo Cap is in realization. A new initiative （2014） is a research project carried out by a group of Captrans universities from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Italy, and Greece. Methodology used in those projects is primarily an analysis of reports on the current and projected traffic on the roads, highways, major hubs ect.; analysis of technical solutions used in pipeline transport of liquids and gas, as well as underground corridors drilling technologies for sewage pipes for various purposes. In the projects, there are also used computer simulations and prototypes are built. Developing parameters for the safe transport of solids in pipes is not an easy task. The solution must take into consideration logistics, economic, ecological, geological, legal, and many other aspects.