Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Critique Of Microcredit As A Development Model, Grace Levin

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

The field of microcredit (otherwise known as microfinance, microlending, or microcapital) has expanded rapidly since the 1980s as an economic means of lifting people out of poverty. Generally, microcredit has been accepted as an effective method for empowering both individuals and communities. In recent years, however, critics have brought to light some of the problems associated with microlending, such as the complex socioeconomic factors that can cause loan programs to fail. These problems stem from the basic tenet of microfinance: the need for lending programs to be managed locally in order to understand the needs of a community and assess …

Minerva 2012, The Honors College

Minerva

This issue of Minerva includes a celebration of the life and impact of former Honors Dean, Charlie Slavin; a discussion of the Honors College's role in the University of Maine Blue Sky Strategic Plan; and profiles of student Kyle Franklin and alumni Heidi Crosby and Richard Becker.

On Numerical Solution For Optimal Allocation Of Investment Funds In Portfolio Selection Problem, Yahaya Abubakar

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

In this article, we present a procedure for obtaining an optimal solution to the Markowitz’s mean-variance portfolio selection problem based on the analytical solution developed in a previous research that lead to the emergence of an important model known as the Black Model. The procedure is well presented, illustrated and validated by a numerical example from real stocks dataset obtainable from a popular European stock market.

On The Development Of Residential Property Price Indices For Nigeria, Olowofeso E. Olorunsola, Abiodun S. Bada, Mohammed A. Bamanga

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This work focuses on the development of house price indices for Nigeria, and the estimates of the Nigerian Residential Property Price Indices on housing characteristics are presented. Four main methods of index construction were considered, these are hedonic regression, repeat-sales, stratification and central price tendency methods. It was discovered that econometric methods like hedonic and repeat sales were constraints in constructing residential property price indices for Nigeria by the nature of the data available. Hence, the central price tendency and the sale-based stratification methods which are internationally used measures were applied to the available zonal-level dataset from a survey of …

Analysis Of Crime Data Using Principal Component Analysis: A Case Study Of Katsina State, Shehu U. Gulumbe, Dikko H. .G., Bello Yusuf

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This paper analyses Katsina State crime data which consists of the averages of eight major crimes reported to the police for the period 2006 – 2008. The crimes consist of robbery, auto theft, house and store breakings, theft/stealing, grievous hurt and wounding, murder, rape, and assault. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed to explain the correlation between the crimes and to determine the distribution of the crimes over the local government areas of the state. The result has shown a significant correlation between robbery, theft and vehicle theft. While MSW local government area has the lowest crime …

Inflation And Economic Growth In Nigeria: Detecting The Threshold Level, Sani I. Doguwa

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This paper re-examines the issue of the existence and the level of inflation threshold in the relationship between inflation and growth in Nigeria, using three different approaches that provide appropriate procedures for estimating the threshold level and inference. While Sarel’s (1996) approach provides a threshold point estimate of 9.9 per cent that was not well identified by the data, the technique of Khan and Senhadji (2001) identifies a 10.5 per cent inflation threshold as statistically significant to explain the inflation-growth nexus in Nigeria. Also, the approach of Drukker et al (2005) suggests a two threshold point model with 11.2 and …

Understanding The Dynamics Of Inflation Volatility In Nigeria: A Garch Perspective, Babatunde S. Omotosho, Sani I. Doguwa

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

The estimation of inflation volatility is important to Central Banks as it guides their policy initiatives for achieving and maintaining price stability. This paper employs three models from the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) family with a view to providing a parsimonious approximation to the dynamics of Nigeria’s inflation volatility between 1996 and 2011. Of the competing models, the asymmetric TGARCH (1,1) provides an appropriate paradigm for explaining the dynamics of headline and core CPI volatilities in Nigeria, while the symmetric GARCH (1,1) was found to be adequate for food CPI. The results are quite revealing. Firstly, model outcomes indicate …

Quality Statistics In Banking Reforms For National Transformation, Sarah O. Alade

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This paper outlines the important role of statistics in aiding proper planning and achievement of sustainable economic development. The paper elaborates the importance of investing in quality and reliable statistics for policy design and implementation and stresses the vital role statistical information play in effective operation in both private and public sector in every economy. The role of quality, reliable and timely information to a well-functioning financial system and as a guide to monetary policy making is illustrated in the paper. The paper credits accurate statistical information to the success of the Nigerian banking sector reform. However, it suggests that …

Survey Of Foreign Assets And Liabilities In Nigeria 2011 Report, Mohammed M, Tumala, Ajibola I. Olufemi, Babatunde S. Omotosho, Oladipupo A. Baruwa

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

No abstract provided.

Organizational And Societal Factors: Their Impact On Individual Attitudes, Kristen Backhaus

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Societal Institutions And Work And Family Gender-Role Attitudes, Lisa T. Stickney, Alison M. Konrad

Organization Management Journal

We examine associations between societal-level policies and gender-role attitudes using nationally representative International Social Survey Program (ISSP) data sets from 14 countries in 1994 and 2002. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) findings indicated that tax policies favoring dual-earner families were associated with greater egalitarianism in gender-role attitudes, while the relationship between parental leave times and individual gender-role attitudes was curvilinear in 2002. Low and high parental leave times were associated with traditionalism in gender-role attitude, while mid-length leaves were associated with egalitarianism. The findings support an institutional perspective on gender-role attitudes and suggest that public policies have sufficient impact on people’s …

The Constructivist Approach To Learning, Steven Meisel

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Wrapping Up Omj’S First Year With Routledge, Taylor & Francis As Publisher, William P. Ferris

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

Using The Three Stooges To Illustrate The Scientific Method, Steven M. Dunphy, Joe Dobson

Organization Management Journal

An exercise using a comedy film is proposed for illustrating social science experimentation and the scientific method. Not every consumer of research or data reports may have had training in research methodology. This article offers a way of introducing research methods and the critical examination of such reports to these consumers, who are often the ones most needful of rigor in assessing data, rather than taking things at face value. Whether one is evaluating information from business, government, or media sources, the lessons learned from Moe, Larry, and Curly in Hoi Polloi are quite valuable.

A Model And Test Of Individual And Organization Factors Influencing Individual Adaptation To Change, Jane D. Parent, Cheryl C. Sullivan, Christina Hardway, D. Anthony Butterfield

Organization Management Journal

This study analyzed the antecedents and outcomes of individual adaptation to a changing work environment. We developed and tested a model of both individual factors and organizational factors affecting individual responses to change. We hypothesized that individuals reporting higher levels of the antecedent variables would also report higher levels of adaptability. We also hypothesized better adaptors would perceive better work outcomes. The model was tested in a field study of 169 participants across four different organizations experiencing varying changes. Results indicated participation, role clarity, and optimism were positively related to adaptability. Further, we found that better adaptors were more satisfied …

Developing Entrepreneurial Leaders, Marguerite Schneider

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

You Want Me To Trust You? Using Adventure Learning To Teach Millennials About Trust, Kathleen J. Barnes, George E. Smith, Madeline Constantine

Organization Management Journal

Management educators are confronted with a variety of teaching challenges as they attempt to distill and instill practical knowledge. Compounding this overarching challenge is millennial students’ desire to be actively involved in their own learning and their need to receive immediate feedback regarding the practical implications of their course material. One particularly difficult topic to teach millennial students is trust. Adventure learning provides a medium to address these student desires and to explore trust in an emotionally, socially, and physically safe environment. This article explores adventure learning and looks at specific activities being used at a medium-sized, northeastern university to …

Health Professionals’ Challenges In Managing Hiv/Aids In South Africa, Lynette Louw, Claude-Helene Mayer

Organization Management Journal

The unprecedented human immune deficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) crisis worldwide, and specifically in Africa, requires new thinking, new practices, and new research into health management. Identifying the challenges in managing HIV/AIDS from a health professional’s perspective would bring new opportunities and uncertainties to health management. Being able to use the opportunities and to better cope with the uncertainties would require a fundamental change and transformation in organizational health management, thinking, and practices. This case study presents selected research findings from a more comprehensive qualitative research study conducted in a selected health organization in South Africa. The …

The New Entrepreneurial Leader: Developing Leaders Who Shape Social And Economic Opportunity By Danna Greenberg, Kate Mckone-Sweet, And H. James Wilson, D. Jeffrey Lynn

Organization Management Journal

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Among The Liquidity In Real Economy, Financial Economy And Inflation, Zhaoxuan Sun

Lingnan Journal of Banking, Finance and Economics

This paper introduces the principles supporting the fisher transaction equation. Then, it transforms the traditional quantity equation, and adds the financial economic department into the equation to estimate currency liquidity respectively. We show that when liquidity enters into the real economy and the financial economy, the capital price will change earlier than the product price does. We could also interpret that the excess liquidity in the financial economy firstly affects the capital price. Then, the capital price will take positive effects on the product price. This is opposed to the influence mechanism taken by liquidity on the real economy. We …

Stock Market Efficiency In The S&P 500 With Respect To Day Of The Week, Zachary James Rodenbarger

Lingnan Journal of Banking, Finance and Economics

Theoretically speaking, we assume that markets are efficient and that investors should not be able to earn abnormal returns without privately held information. The fact that fund managers beat the market can simply be explained as luck. However, realistically speaking, the markets involve humans that do not always make rational decisions, which can lead to market inefficiencies. This paper looks into one such inefficiency which regards trading day of the week in the S&P 500 through three different forecasting periods coming before, during, and after the financial crisis of 2008. Theoretically we would expect to find no pattern or correlation …

Link Between S&P 500 And Ftse 100 And The Comparison Of That Link Before And After The S&P 500 Peak In October 2007, Michael Joseph Silk

Lingnan Journal of Banking, Finance and Economics

The paper reviews the correlation between the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 before and during the 2008 global financial crisis. It found that The S&P 500 has a strong causation effect on the FTSE 100, both before and since the financial crisis. This link seems to have increased after the October 2007 peak in the S&P 500. Since the crisis, the FTSE 100 appears to have a weak causation effect on the S&P 500. Before the crisis there was no apparent impact on the S&P 500’s movements from movements in the FTSE 100.

The Empirical Study Of Earnings Management Based On Chinese Listed Companies, Yang Zhang

Lingnan Journal of Banking, Finance and Economics

Earnings management that is used to manipulate book earnings to an expected level has been one of the controversial topics in the accounting field. It occurs two ways: one is accrued earnings management and the other is real earnings management. Many studies show that these two methods have a reciprocal relationship based on the costs of using them. The accrued earnings management method is preferred when the accounting standards are flexible and the real earnings management is preferred when the legal systems are good. This paper verifies its findings by drawing a link to the new accounting standard announced by …

The Global Financial Tsunami : 2008, Juan Manuel Chaves Echeverri

Lingnan Journal of Banking, Finance and Economics

In 2008 a series of bankruptcies of financial institutions led the United States and the principal economies of the world into a recession of great magnitude that required exceptional government intervention.

It started on September 14th when Lehman Brothers announced that it was entering into chapter 11 bankruptcy. After this, there was intervention in recognized multinational corporations like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and American International Group. There were also the bank failures of Washington Mutual and Citigroup.

The main cause of this crisis was the excessive level of leverage of the financial industry, which had its roots in the real …

Cleaning Up Dirty Politics: A Social Marketing Perspective On New Jersey's Clean Elections Program, Amy H. Handlin

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper reviews the outcome of a state electoral reform initiative in terms of the four-stage behavior change process used by social marketers to gauge the effectiveness of their techniques. While the Clean Elections initiative was moderately successful in its Action and Contemplation stages, the author argues that realization of its full potential could be significantly hastened by utilizing the social marketing tools of segmentation, communications research and pretesting.

The Effects Of Television Food Advertising On Childhood Obesity, Aleathia Cezar

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Children’s food choices are influenced by the media, television advertising, focusing directly at infants and toddlers. This literature review presents multiple studies that explain how TV advertising of fast food, sugary cereals and other foods high in calories, fat, sugar, sodium and low in nutrients are contributing to the increase rates of childhood obesity. It is concluded that children are exposed to high amounts of food advertisements which affect young children’s food choices and poor food consumption. Due to the growing numbers of hours that children sit in front of the television, less physical activity and the epidemic of childhood …

Reducing Long Distance Truck Driver’S Intention To Leave: An Analysis Of Professional Drivers And Owner Operators Using Importance/Performance Methods, Robert M. Cosenza, Robert Neil Southern, Tracy Anna Cosenza, Jerry W. Wilson

Journal of Transportation Management

Since it is widely known that turnover is highest among unsatisfied employees, the authors argue that long haul professional drivers (PDs) and owner operators (OOs) can be retained by using a yearly importance/performance analysis of company drivers. Because qualified drivers are becoming more scarce and difficult to recruit/retain, carriers need to focus on increasing driver retention. In this article, we suggest an Importance/Performance (IP) model which uses an “if then” perspective, relating intention to leave as a function of the PD/OO: IP structure. This model is used to explain the managerial changes that could be made to retain professional drivers …

Welfare Issues With Tail Docking Of Cows In The Dairy Industry

Agribusiness Reports

Banned in several European countries, as well as three US states, and opposed and criticized by the American Veterinary Medical Association, Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, experts, scientists, and representatives of industry, tail docking of cows in the dairy industry—the partial amputation of up to two-thirds of the tail, typically performed without anesthetic—is still permitted in most of the United States. Scientific studies have shown the practice to cause serious welfare problems for animals, including distress, pain, and increased fly attacks.

Increasing Responsiveness Through The Firm-Lsp Relationship Structure: A Behavioral Perspective, David M. Gligor, Mary C. Holcomb

Journal of Transportation Management

This study investigates the behavioral aspects of the firm-logistics service provider (LSP) relationship in order to better understand the avenues through which LSP responsiveness to changing customer needs can be enhanced. Because the research examining the behavioral aspects of the firm- LSP relationship is sparse, a dyadic qualitative research approach was taken to explore the development of a relationship structure that will facilitate the level of responsiveness that the firm desires. This study revealed that the key to enhancing LSP responsiveness lays in the structure of the firm-LSP relationship. Specifically, it was found that the level of cooperation, coordination, communication, …

Conflicting Perspectives On The Government Mandate For The Use Of Electronic On-Board Recording Devices In Commercial Motor Vehicles: A Case Study, Helen Maclennan

Journal of Transportation Management

In July of 2012, the President signed into law the bill, “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” or MAP21, also known as the Surface Transportation Act. The Act instructs the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations requiring the use of electronic on-board recording devices (EOBRs) to verify hours of service compliance by commercial motor vehicle drivers. The mandate has drawn opposition from many drivers and trade organizations, while simultaneously drawing support from government, union organizations and other trade organizations. Consequently, it appears that the EOBR mandate will continue to be a source of potential conflict for management and …