Erratum on “Optimal inventory control of empty containers in inland transportation system” [Int. J. Prod. Econ. 133(1) (2011) 451–457]

This paper points out some flaws in the simulation model presented by Yun et al. [2011. Optimal inventory control of empty containers in inland transportation system. International Journal of Production Economics 133 (1), 451–457]. Some of the formulae for inventory level and ordering quantity have errors which are corrected in this note.     

Policy preferences of experts seeking to raise and stabilise farm incomes in the Eastern Gangetic Plains

Poverty is endemic in the highly populated Eastern Gangetic Plains where agriculture is critical to more than half the population. However, the mechanisms to support agriculture for development are contested. For example, some have advocated a strong role for government support and assistance due to market weaknesses, while others have promoted the need for more market-oriented approaches. We use an elicitation process focussed on expert policymaking communities, employing stated preference techniques to explore these options. Differences in perceptions about the effectiveness of policies and their delivery are reported between countries, while also empirically examining the influence of the respondents' organisational background. The results show support for policies that improve farmers' access to inputs, especially when delivered by private sector actors. The research provides an important contribution to the literature on policies for agricultural development.     

A typology of Jordanian consumers after Covid-19: The rational,the suspicious,and the cautious consumer

This study presents a detailed typology of Jordanian consumers that identifies the effects of Covid-19 on their personal, social, and purchase and consumption patterns following the pandemic. Based on a qualitative approach using a sample of Jordanian consumers (N = 71), this study identifies three main types of consumers: the rational, suspicious, and cautious. All were distinguished by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral differences: the rational consumers viewed the pandemic as a natural occurrence, were willing to vaccinate, and took the opportunity to improve their lives and consumption behavior; the suspicious consumers viewed the pandemic as a man-made virus and refused to rationalize their behaviors and follow the social-distancing rules or vaccinate; and the cautious consumers were generally somewhere in between, and while they improved some aspects of their consumption, social, and personal lives, other aspects either remained the same or worsened. The findings have implications for managers and governmental bodies.     

The Effect of Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Human Resources on Employee Engagement with the Moderating Role of the Employer Brand

Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal - Employee Engagement (EE) is an important aspect of human resources management, which is instrumental in the financial success of an organization....     

Dryland river regime shifts in Iran: Drivers and feedbacks

In the Anthropocene, human activities have created unprecedented changes and nonlinear relationships between humans and nature. These changes can be much faster and more intense in arid and semiarid areas that have been affected by intense human activities. Iran has climates from very humid to very dry, but arid and semiarid climates cover the country's largest area. Many of these arid areas have undergone severe changes in their surface and groundwater ecosystems in recent years, which have caused severe damage to humans and the environment in the area and surrounding areas. Therefore, in this study, using the theory of regime shifts, the time series of the Zayandeh-Rud River Basin in the center of Iran were analyzed. First, the data of the desired time series in the period of 1986–2018 was arranged seasonally. Then, using the sequential t-test method, regime shifts in these time series were identified, and then, causal loop diagrams of these shifts and their drivers and feedbacks were interpreted. The results showed that in the time series of quantity and quality of surface water and groundwater level in the studied stations and aquifers, regime shifts can be identified. Regime shifts were also identified in the time series of agricultural land area. These shifts have occurred with the increase in human activities since the early 1950s in the metropolis of Isfahan, the increase in agricultural and industrial exploitation, and consequently, the increase in population. When this reinforcing feedback loop becomes dominant, the Zayandeh-Rud River system has shifted from a regime of rich water resources to a regime of poor water resources. However, by recognizing and systematically analyzing these shifts, the Zayandeh-Rud River system can be directed toward a sustainable system through structural reform, negotiation, and redefining goals.     

Bread and Social Justice: Measurement of Social Welfare and Inequality Using Anthropometrics

We address the question of the measurement of health achievement and inequality in the context of variables exhibiting an inverted-U relation with health and well-being. The chosen approach is to measure separately achievement and inequality in the health increasing range of the variable, from a lower survival bound a to an optimum value m, and in the health decreasing range from m to an upper survival bound b. Because in the health decreasing range, the equally distributed equivalent value associated with a distribution is decreasing in progressive transfers, the paper introduces appropriate relative and absolute achievement and inequality indices to be used for variables exhibiting a negative association with well-being. We then discuss questions pertaining to consistent measurement across health attainments and shortfalls, as well as the ordering of distributions exhibiting an inverted-U relation with well-being. An illustration of the methodology is provided using a group of five Arab countries.     

Structural changes and economic landscape of the Indian economy: 2000-2019

This study employs input-output analysis to determine the extent of structural changes in the Indian economy, as well as how economic sector linkages changed between 2000 and 2019, and identifies the sectors with profound linkages with other sectors.  Furthermore, we use the causative matrix to examine the temporal changes in intersectoral interactions. The analysis shows that manufacturing sectors have stronger intersectoral linkages than sevice sectors, with resource-intensive and scale-intensive manufacturing sectors having the most profound linkages. Furthermore, the causative matrix analysis reveals that Indian sectors became more externalized following the global financial crises, while receiving less feedback from other sectors. The results suggest that intersectoral linkages should be taken into account when designing industrial policies, and that investment should be encouraged in India's key economic sectors.     

Years of life lost to revolution and war in Iran

How was life expectancy in Iran affected by the Islamic Revolution and subsequent war with Iraq? This study examines the joint effect of regime change and the war against Iraq on life expectancy in Iran between 1978 and 1988. If there had been no revolution and war in Iran, how would the life expectancy of Iranians have developed? To answer this question, we use a synthetic control model to construct a counterfactual Iran based on a weighted average of other comparable countries, which reproduces the situation of pre-revolution Iran but does not experience the revolution and war. We then compare the life expectancies of the counterfactual and actual Iran that underwent a regime change and war with Iraq. Our results indicate that an average Iranian's total life expectancy would have been approximately five years longer without the revolution and war. The revolution had a moderate long-term impact on total life expectancy at birth, with the most significant influence being attributed to the war itself, particularly on male life expectancy. Our main findings are robust to a series of tests, including placebo tests. We investigate possible reasons that may explain the impact on longevity.     

The Relation of Justice and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour in Government Ministries: The Mediating of Affective Commitment

Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal - The literature supports affective organizational commitment (AOC) as a mediator between organizational justice (OJ) and organizational citizenship...     

Are born global firms really a “new breed” of exporters? Empirical evidence from an emerging market

Journal of International Entrepreneurship - This study investigates and compares born global (BG) firms and non-BG firms in Malaysia. We employed the multigroup analysis technique with structural...