The use of the Persian translation of the Learning Transfer System Inventory in the context of agricultural sustainability learning in Iran

The Learning Transfer System Inventory considers 16 factors likely to influence the transfer of training to the workplace. This study uses the Persian translation of the inventory and applies it to agricultural sustainability learning in Iran. The aim is to examine the internal structure and predictive ability of the inventory as translated into Persian. The agricultural context was chosen because of its importance to Iran and because agricultural human resource interventions have failed to give serious attention to connecting training to practice. A valid and reliable tool for evaluating the transfer of learning among farmers can be helpful. A sample of 159 participating farmers was surveyed. Exploratory factor analysis revealed an 11‐factor structure among specific scales and a five‐factor structure among the general scales. The regression results indicated that about 82 per cent of the variability in the farmers’ sustainability learning transfer is predicted by six inventory factors including motivation to transfer, performance self‐efficacy, supervisor support, performance‐outcomes expectations, opportunity to use and supervisor sanctions. The findings suggest that the Persian translation of the inventory has both internal and predictive validity and can be used either as a tool to diagnose training needs or as a means of evaluating existing learning programs.     

What are the Building Blocks of Customer Brand Loyalty in Department Stores? A Multi-Level Mediation Analysis

Building customer brand loyalty through branding strategies to sustain competitiveness in the retail industry has gathered momentum among researchers. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of brand personality and consumer brand identification on customer brand loyalty via the mediating variables of perceived service quality, perceived value, brand trust, brand commitment, and word-of-mouth communication among Malaysian department stores' customers. Using a self-structured questionnaire, 381 usable responses are considered for data analysis by applying a covariance-based structural equation modeling approach. The results of exploratory factor analysis show that sincerity, followed by sophistication and competence, are the most significant dimensions used to predict brand personality in department stores. The outcomes also reveal that brand personality indirectly influences customer brand loyalty via consumer brand identification. Furthermore, perceived service quality, perceived value, brand trust, word-of-mouth communication, and brand commitment mediate the effects of consumer brand identification on brand loyalty. Finally, the proposed competing model implies that the indirect impact of brand personality and consumer brand identification is inevitable in building department stores' brand loyalty.     

Value relevance of earnings,book value and dividends in an emerging capital market: Kuwait evidence

This study examines the value relevance of book value, earnings and dividends for a sample of all non-financial firms listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) over the period 2003–2009. After controlling for the impact of the global financial crisis, empirical results provide evidence on the value relevance of book value and earnings in the KSE. The results indicate that dividends are not a value-relevant in the presence of earnings in the valuation model. However, when dividends are used as a substitute for earnings they become value-relevant. The explanatory power of the model including both book value and earnings is almost indistinguishable from that of book value and dividends. Furthermore, splitting earnings into dividends declared (or paid) and earnings retained results in each of the two variables becoming value-relevant. The average dividend pay-out ratio tends to increase over time, indicating that dividend policies do matter in the KSE and that dividends in Kuwait are used to boost investors' confidence and support share price, noticeably during the global financial crisis period.     

Can oil prices help predict US stock market returns? Evidence using a dynamic model averaging (DMA) approach

Crude oil price behaviour has fluctuated wildly since 1973 which has a major impact on key macroeconomic variables. Although the relationship between stock market returns and oil price changes has been scrutinized excessively in the literature, the possibility of predicting future stock market returns using oil prices has attracted less attention. This paper investigates the ability of oil prices to predict S&P 500 price index returns with the use of other macroeconomic and financial variables. Including all the potential variables in a forecasting model may result in an over-fitted model. So instead, dynamic model averaging (DMA) and dynamic model selection (DMS) are applied to utilize their ability of allowing the best forecasting model to change over time while parameters are also allowed to change. The empirical evidence shows that applying the DMA/DMS approach leads to significant improvements in forecasting performance in comparison to other forecasting methodologies and the performance of these models are better when oil prices are included within predictors.     

Terrorism and its Determinants in the Sub‐Saharan Africa Region: Some New Insights

Terrorism is undesirable as it adversely affects the economic development of countries. This study explores the determinants of terrorism in 29 countries of sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). The data is extracted from reliable sources spanning over 2005 to 2016. Econometric techniques relevant for panel data that control for unobserved heterogeneity (fixed effects) and endogeneity (generalized method of moment) are employed to estimate the specified models. The results indicated that low growth in per capita incomes along with political instability are the main driving forces responsible for terrorism. Similarly, military expenditures are influencing terrorism positively whereas corruption has impacted terrorism negatively in the SSA region. Further, the growth of both physical as well as human capital reduces terrorism. The paper suggests that the region should take appropriate steps for increasing income of the population, education and capital stock, along with ensuring political stability to eradicate terrorism from the region.     

The development and validation instrument for the cognitive medical errors: structural equation modeling approach

Quality & Quantity - Despite the great efforts of healthcare providers, medical errors are inevitable, and the consequences of these errors may vary from little or no harm (near-miss) to being...     

Factors affecting the willingness of tourists to visit cultural heritage sites in Jordan

This study examined the factors affecting the willingness of tourists to visit the cultural heritage sites (CHS) located in the Northern Badia of Jordan, and estimated expenditures for their visit to the CHS. A questionnaire was developed to collect demographic and economic information about tourists during their visit to Jordan. Three hundred tourists were included in the survey at nine different sites during the summer of 2010. A logistic regression model was employed in the analyses. Factors that affected tourism at CHS included: education, variety of sites, multiple destinations, cost, and reasons for the visit. These factors had a significant impact on tourists' willingness to travel to CHS in the Northern Badia. This study recommends improving CHS and working closely with local communities to expand training and funding.     

Parental work status and children's dietary consumption: Australian evidence

This study investigated associations between parents' work status and the dietary consumption patterns of Australian children, and whether such associations vary by parental education and usage of nonparental childcare. Data from the longitudinal study of Australian children at two waves from ages 2–3 years (n = 4601) to 4–5 years (n = 4381) were analysed. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios of children consuming (≥1 times/day) fruit and vegetables (FV), high fat foods (HFF), high sugar drinks (HSD), as well as evaluating the incidence of breakfast consumption. This was analysed against the employment status of parents including full‐time, part‐time and unemployed. Children of part‐time employed mothers were more likely to consume breakfast, and less likely to consume HSD compared with children of full‐time employed mothers. Children of part‐time employed fathers were less likely to consume FV and breakfast, and more likely to consume HSD compared with children of full‐time employed fathers. Children of nonemployed mothers were more likely to consume HFF, whilst those of nonemployed fathers were more likely to consume HSD and less likely to consume breakfast compared with other children. Amongst less‐educated parents, children of unemployed and part‐time employed parents were more likely to consume HFF and HSD and less likely to consume FV and breakfast compared with children of full‐time employed parents. Amongst highly educated parents, children of unemployed and part‐time employed mothers were less likely to consume HSD compared with children of full‐time employed mothers. Children of part‐time employed mothers who used family day care, day care centres and grandparent care were less likely to consume HSD and more likely to consume breakfast compared with children of full‐time employed mothers. Children of part‐time employed fathers and unemployed parents who used day care centres and grandparent care were less likely to consume FV and more likely to consume HFF compared with children of full‐time employed parents. Future studies should pursue a better understanding of the mechanisms for the adverse effects of parental work status on dietary consumption to develop and enhance specific interventions targeting these groups.