Waiting for Pri vat iza tion in the Arab World: The Case of Jor dan

Abstract

This pa per looks at the pri vat iza tion pro cess in the, Hashemite King dom of Jor dan in par tic u lar and the Arab World in gen - eral. It notes the slow and lim ited pace of pri vat iza tion in the re gion. The pa per chal lenges the view that eco nomic fac tors are the main im - ped i ments to pri vat iza tion, and pro vides a fresh ev i dence for the the sis that po lit i cal fac tors are the pri mary fac tors in de ter min ing the out come of pri vat iza tion pol i cies. A better un der stand ing to the way in which po lit i cal fac tors af fect eco nomic re form, in clud ing di ves ti ture, is needed.     

Banach代数上的Jordan kth偏导子的稳定性

设A1,A2,…,An是复数域上的赋范代数,B是复数域上的Banach代数,本文刻画了Jordan kth偏导子δk:A1×…×An在一定条件下的稳定性。     

Corporate aggregate disclosure practices in Jordan

This study reports the results of an empirical investigation of the disclosure behavior of listed companies in Jordan after important changes in economic and accounting regulations. It also reports the relationship between aggregate disclosure (both mandatory and voluntary) and a number of company characteristics (financial and non-financial) for Jordanian companies listed in Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). The results of the study revealed that there was a significant increase in the level of aggregate disclosure (its average was 69%) compared to previous studies in Jordan. The extent of mandatory and voluntary disclosures was 83% and 34% respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that firm size, profitability, number of shareholders, listing status, industry type, audit firm size and company age are significant variables in explaining the variation in the level of aggregate disclosure among Jordanian companies. Meanwhile, multivariate analysis showed firm size (sales), profitability (ROE), audit firm size, industry type and listing status, to be significantly associated with the level of aggregate disclosure.     

Applications of planned behavior theory on internet banking services adoption in Jordan： Structural equation modeling approach

Although banks are investing more into online banking innovation to be at par with the world information technology advances, the internet banking services adoption （IBSA） in Jordan is still lagging behind. This paper is concerned with an empirical investigation of factors that could predict successful IBSA in Jordan through the applications of planned behavior theory （TPB）. This theory suggests that three independent variables （exogenous）： attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavior control could have a direct impact on intention and indirect impact on IBSA. This study uses a questionnaire survey data of 517 Jordanian public university employees as customers of internet banking services. Confirmatory factor analysis （CFA） was performed to examine the composite reliability and convergent validity of the measurements, and the structural equation modeling （SEM） was used to evaluate the causal model. Results of the study demonstrate significant and positive direct relationships between attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control and behavior intention. Similarly, direct significant and positive linkages between attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control, behavior intention and IBSA were observed. However, behavior intention does not have a mediating effect on the three linkages （attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavior control） with IBSA. This study concludes that the original TPB has a strong predictive power to explain IBSA in Jordan.     

The institutionalisation of political risk assessment (IPRA) in Jordanian international firms

This paper investigates the determinants of the institutionalisation of political risk assessment (IPRA) within publicly traded international firms in Jordan. The aim is to contribute to the development of IPRA theory by identifying indicators of institutionalisation; by describing and explaining their determinants; and by investigating their relative importance. The paper also represents one of the first studies of political risk assessment of firms in a Middle East context.The study focuses on firm-specific characteristics and extends previous research by investigating firms’ size and degree of internationalisation. A survey strategy was adopted and self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the entire target population of Jordanian international firms. 44 usable responses were obtained (54.9%). Non-parametric statistics were used to test the research hypotheses.The main findings are that the level of institutionalisation of political risk assessment (PRA) within firms is significantly and positively correlated with a firm's total assets, international revenue and number of operating countries. Of the three significant determinants of institutionalisation, the number of operating countries is found to be the most important. The more countries in which a firm operates, the more likely it is to face significant risks, and so to institutionalise political risk assessment.     

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.     

Community development using a sustainable tourism strategy: a case study of the Jordan River Valley touristway

This paper presents the results of a 10‐year collaboration among Yarmouk University, the University of Arkansas and the Jordanian government to develop a sustainable tourism strategy against the backdrop of political and economic uncertainty. It reports our efforts to develop a touristway through the Jordan River Valley that integrates the valley's heritage, archeology, and Christian and Islamic religious sites. It also analyses our community development work in Umm Qais, the touristway's northern anchor, and how our plan contributes to Northern Jordan's economic development. We conclude with a discussion of the specific insights gained from our experiences that may serve others addressing similar issues. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.