Target costing as a strategic cost management tool for success of balanced scorecard system

The precondition of gaining and sustaining competitive advantage for companies that operate today＇s competitive markets is the effective cost management. Since price is determined by the market, the ways of increasing profits are productivity and cost reduction. Balanced scorecard system is accepted by academicians and practitioners as an effective strategic management tool for applying the strategy successfully. In the financial perspective of the balanced scorecard system, cost reduction is a strategic objective. It is necessary that company＇s cost reduction strategy should not only be a reaction to the market, but also a continual strategy. The approach which aims to the reduction of costs that reveal along product life cycle and preset this aim at the design stage is target costing （TC）. TC can be used as an effective tool in BSC＇s financial perspective for the objective of cost reduction. In this study, the authors aim to display how to integrate the TC to BSC.     

Visitor perceptions of World Heritage value at Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park,Nepal

World Heritage sites must exhibit outstanding universal value, integrity, and authenticity. Based on this context, this study examined whether visitors to Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park, Nepal (World Heritage Site inscribed under criteria vii in 1979) recognized it for its exceptional beauty and aesthetics. This study explored the basic concept of perceived park authenticity at this site, and associated factors that influenced the perception of World Heritage values. Questionnaire surveys were administered to 522 international visitors at the park. Exploratory factor analysis and ordinal logistic regression were used for analysis. Results indicated that visitors perceived the park to be authentic, preserved integrity, and constituted outstanding universal value. Additional regression results identified that overall trip satisfaction and educational level were statistically significant predictors of perceptions of authenticity, integrity and outstanding universal value of the park. Prior visits, substitutability of the park, age, and income were statistically significant predictors of perceptions of either authenticity, integrity or outstanding universal value of the park. Results suggest that emphasis on visitors‘ needs via interpretation and professional guides may solicit more favorable attitudes towards this site.     

Assessing the temporal stability of the ecotourism evaluation scale: testing the role and value of replication studies as a reliable management tool

Developing scales is a critical step in monitoring and evaluating ecotourism to ensure sustainability. Replicating studies to test if scales are enduring in evaluating visitors’ assessments of ecotourism is also essential to ensure reliability and credibility, and to track changes. This paper reports on a sample of 404 international visitors in Nepal's Annapurna Conservation Area, undertaken in 2012, to test for scale stability and change from a 2006 survey. The original scale was cross-validated by confirmatory factor analysis, and then mean-level change and rank-order stability of scale items were reported. There was strong support for the original factor model in the new sample; all items were loaded on a single construct; their loadings were statistically significant, the root-mean-square error of approximation was .076, the comparative fit index was .993, and the non-normed fit index was .987. Although a statistically significant decrease in the mean of scale items was found, the items’ rank-ordering remained similar. The Spearman's rank-order correlation between factor loadings of 2006 and 2012 was .714 and statistically significant. Cronbach's alpha was .845, comparable to the previous alpha of .910. The ecotourism evaluation scale showed temporal consistency but also detected changes in visitors’ attitudes requiring management attention.     

Exploring the factors influencing pedestrian-vehicle crash severity in Dhaka,Bangladesh

Abstract

Although the rate of road crashes and their severity is relatively higher in developing countries, there is still a lack of research on pedestrian-vehicle crash severity in these contexts, particularly in Bangladesh. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the contributing environmental, road, and vehicular factors that influenced pedestrian—single-vehicle crash severity in Dhaka, a megacity and the capital of Bangladesh. A binary logistic regression model was developed in this study by analyzing a data set of pedestrian—single-vehicle crashes involving casualties in Dhaka from 2010 to 2015. The model identified seven significant factors influencing pedestrian-vehicle crash severity. Significant factors increasing the likelihood of fatal crashes included crashes during adverse weather, dawn/dusk period, night period (where street light was absent), off-peak period, crashes where road divider was unavailable, road geometry was straight and flat, and crashes those were occurred by heavier vehicles. Besides, crashes at three-legged intersections were less likely to be fatal. Both similarities and differences were found among the significant factors influencing pedestrian-vehicle crash severity in Dhaka from the findings of the developed countries. The findings of this study would help transport engineers and planners to design safer roadways for both pedestrians and vehicles.