Dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation and small and medium enterprise performance in emerging economies

The removal of trade barriers has encouraged the entry of new competitors into formerly protected markets. This situation creates pressure on many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies such as Tanzania. Using a survey method and cross-sectional research design, the research examines three dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO), namely: pro-activeness, risk-taking and competitive aggressiveness. Understanding their relationships and variance may help to improve our ability to explain SME performance. The findings contribute to how SME performance in emerging economies can be enhanced to enable SMEs to face challenges posed by competitor influx in the context of an open market economy. The findings indicate a strong relationship between EO dimensions and performance, with risk-taking and competitive aggressiveness moderating the effect of pro-activeness. The proposed model could predict 72% of the variance explained in SME performance.     

Design and development of inventory knowledge discovery system

Inventory management (IM) performance is affected by the forecasting accuracy of both demand and supply. In this paper, an inventory knowledge discovery system (IKDS) is designed and developed to forecast and acquire knowledge among variables for demand forecasting. In IKDS, the TREes PArroting Networks (TREPAN) algorithm is used to extract knowledge from trained networks in the form of decision trees which can be used to understand previously unknown relationships between the input variables so as to improve the forecasting performance for IM. The experimental results show that the forecasting accuracy using TREPAN is superior to traditional methods like moving average and autoregressive integrated moving average. In addition, the knowledge extracted from IKDS is represented in a comprehensible way and can be used to facilitate human decision-making.     

A MCGP decision aid for homebuyers to make the best choice

This study adopts a new approach, the multi-choice goal programming (MCGP), to evaluate houses in order to help homebuyers to find better house based on the residential preferences. According to the function of MCGP, homebuyers can set multiple housing goals with multiple aspiration levels. This increases the flexibility to find a suitable house. Compared with other classical methods such as checklist and analytic hierarchy process, MCGP is more efficient, especially while considering a lot of housing criteria and house alternatives. In order to demonstrate the usefulness of MCGP decision aid for housing selection, a real case study is then provided. Furthermore, ten volunteers are invited to participate in the empirical experiment. The results also validate the effectiveness and efficiency of MCGP decision aid.     

The Role of Financial Ratios in the Variance of Stock Trading Volume in Emerging Stock Markets

The study used quarterly panel data of 6 years from 2010 to 2015 of all companies listed on both Vietnamese stock markets including the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange and Ha Noi Stock Exchange, and on three leading industries consisting of insurance-banking, foodstuff, and real estate to explore the relationship among four key financial ratios and stock trading volume. Two models, fixed effects model (FEM) and random effects model (REM), with robust standard errors, were applied for this study. The key findings showed that earnings before tax on sales, debt on owner’s equity, and owner’s equity on total assets significantly influenced trading volume.     

Tourist Satisfaction and Destination Image of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay

Although considerable work has been done on destination image as a whole, far less research has investigated the differences in destination image assessments for domestic versus international visitors in developing countries. This study offers findings that illustrate the differences in perception of destination image, satisfaction attributes, and intention among domestic and international visitors to Ha Long Bay, a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site in Vietnam. The results of a survey on 650 tourists suggest that international visitors to the Ha Long Bay region have higher standards and are more critical in their evaluation of services than domestic visitors when judging this destination. Destination image is a common factor determining the level of satisfaction of both groups. Basic and augmented services were found to influence international visitors’ future intention toward the destination. This finding implies that the destination managers of Ha Long Bay need to improve current standard of augmented services to yield higher visitors’ propensity to recommend and return to the destination.     

Web users’ behavioural patterns of tourism information search: From online to offline

This paper presents a conceptual framework of Web users’ engagement in tourism information search for a comprehensive understanding of their integrated online and offline search behaviour. The information search experiences are characterised as a process constituting some common elements: prior knowledge and searching experiences, online searching strategies, processing and recording information, barriers to online searching, reasons for ending an online search, summarising information, exchanging information and searching for more information through other sources. Such behaviour goes beyond the scope of information searching and captures the other activities, including information processing, utilising and disseminating. The grounded theory research method is employed as an inductive investigative process in which the authors construct the framework by systematically collecting and analysing data. The aim of this research method is to build a theory. The data sets consist of both semi-structured in-depth interviews with subjects and their field observations based on online searching. A theoretical model incorporating 10 propositions is proposed for future testing.     

Are Socially Responsible Firms Associated with Socially Responsible Citizens? A Study of Social Distancing During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Journal of Business Ethics - The literature on the interplay between geographic communities and organizations has largely ignored the role of individual residents. In adopting a meso-perspective,...     

“双循环”新发展格局下经济增长动力研究——基于TFP分解的视角

利用全球投入产出表数据,基于投入产出的优化模型计算全要素生产率(TFP)增长率,并将其分解为三种效应:技术进步效应、国内需求效应与贸易条件效应,以此考察新世纪以来的中国经济增长动力,为"双循环"新发展格局下的经济增长途径选择提供参考。研究发现:技术进步是中国TFP增长的主要动力,技术进步速率的下降是我国经济增长放缓的重要原因;2008年以后,技术进步效应对TFP增长的贡献在快速下降,而国内需求效应和贸易条件效应的支撑作用未能有效维持TFP增长率保持此前高位;对技术效应的产业结构分解可知,我国的比较优势在于制造业和仓储物流等行业,比较劣势在于产业链上游的原材料、基础材料制造等行业。反事实分析表明,保持人口增长是提振国内需求效应,促进TFP增长的重要动力。当前我国"双循环"新发展格局的实现瓶颈主要在于内外需求不足和技术进步速率下降,通过产业政策加强协同创新、短板创新,合理调整生育政策,可以切实推动"双循环"新发展格局下我国经济的高质量发展。     

Perception evaluation kit: a case study with materials and learning styles

International Journal of Technology and Design Education - Materials are elements that configure our built environment and are key components in design and engineering education. This research aims...     

基于One-Class SVM的青鳉鱼异常行为识别方法

为了更准确地解析青鳉鱼在突发污染环境中的行为变化趋势,提出了一种基于One-Class SVM模型的青鳉鱼异常行为识别方法。以青鳉鱼的生理及行为特征作为观测指标,将采集到的暴露在不同类型和浓度特征污染物下的青鳉鱼行为强度信号作为经验数据,利用直方图统计和主成分分析（PCA）对行为强度数据进行降维,实现行为特征提取,基于One-Class SVM构建模型,并以五水合硫酸铜和三氯酚作为特征污染物进行暴露实验对算法进行验证。结果表明,One-Class SVM模型可以准确地识别正常行为和污染物暴露时发生的异常行为;对于有机污染物最快可在10 min内完成预警,重金属污染物可在1 h内完成预警,并且污染物浓度越高,模型的识别效果越好。识别方法可对水源突发性水质污染进行更有效的监测和预警,也可为水污染应急决策提供技术支撑。