Year 2013 , Volume 2, Issue 2, Part 1
Year 2013 , Volume 2, Issue 2, Part 1
1
The Influence of Negative Information from a Co-brand: The Moderating Roles of Involvement and Brand Popularity XIAOMENG FAN, EN-CHUNG CHANG, MOLIN ZHANG and YONGCHANG ZHANG Pages: 302-312
Existing research on co-branding focused only on co-branding effects on new products and brand attitude at the beginning point of cooperation, without further study on changes occurring after cooperation. On the basis of a review and compilation of the relevant literature, this paper explored how, in a co-branding alliance, the negative information about one co-brand impacts the other co-brand, involving brand popularity as a moderator. This paper also considered the concept of involvement to investigate the effects of co-branded negative information under different involvement levels. The results showed that (1) Negative information about a co-brand decreased consumer attitudes toward that co-brand as well as toward the co-produced product, and then consequently eroded consumer attitudes toward the other co-brand in the alliance; (2) The negative information about a co-brand with high popularity was more influential on the other co-brand in the alliance than was the negative information about the co-brand with low popularity; (3) Given that co-brand A was more popular than co-brand B in an alliance, the negative information about A had a stronger impact on B when their popularity difference was large than when the popularity difference was small. However, when co-brand A was less popular than co-brand B, the negative information about A had a stronger impact on B when their popularity difference was small than when it was large; (4) The effect of co-brand A?s negative information on consumer attitudes toward co-brand B was smaller for high-involved consumers than for low-involved consumers. Key Words: Co-branding, attitudes, negative information, brand awareness differentiation, involvement.
2
Corporate Social Responsibility as a Recruitment Strategy by Organisations ODUMERU JAMES ADETUNJI and IFEANYI GEORGE OGBONNA Pages: 313-319
The success of any organisation largely depends on the quality and quantity of human resources it possesses. Also, what often explains the competitive advantage an organisation has over its rivals is the quality of talents that it has been able to attract and employ. This has made it imperative for organisations to keep attracting the right quality of candidates that will strengthen its competitive position. The process of attracting quality candidates has been made even more difficult with shortages recorded in the market for labour which possesses highly technical skills. This paper explores Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a tool for enhancing organisational attractiveness to job seekers. The approach is to survey relevant literature on this subject. The paper concludes that CSR can be used as a powerful tool to attract the right calibre of labour and strengthen an organisation?s competitive advantage. Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Organisational Attractiveness, Recruitment, Competitive Advantage.
3
Does Network Cohesion Impede Diversification in The Conglomerate? Evidence from Taiwanese Business Group YING YU CHEN and YI LONG JAW Pages: 320-332
This study extends research on the business group?s network cohesion, diversification strategy, and group?s family presence in the inner circle by examining the relationship between group cohesion and diversification and the interaction effect of group?s family presence in the inner circle. In doing so, it addresses the different theoretical perspective in observing business group?s diversification strategy from past researches. We use clustering and centralization as variables to test for the construct of network cohesion. As argument made by the scholar, the power of cohesion is both a blessing and a curse. The two variables measurement can be appropriate proxies for interpreting the construct of network cohesion. We tested the research model with data on the 78 business groups, covering 5,267 affiliated firms, representing 16 industries in Taiwan. The empirical results demonstrate that group clustering is positively related to product diversification. The interaction effect of family presence in the inner circle shows significant and negative. Further, we find out the relationship of group centralization to diversification shows no support, we propose the contingency factors existing in the centralized actors. The result leads to the fact that further research in the group centralization is necessary. Keywords: Network Cohesion, Diversification, Business Group, Family Presence, Network perspective.
4
Impact of Mobile Banking on Service Delivery in the Nigerian Commercial Banks ADEWOYE, J. O Pages: 333-344
Electronic banking services have become an important practice among commercial banks in Nigeria. The introduction of E- banking services has improved banking efficiency in rendering services to customer. The study aims at examining the impact of mobile banking on service delivery in the Nigeria commercial banks. The study was carried out in Lagos state with One hundred and forty (140) Questionnaires administered and distributed to both senior and junior staff of the selected banks, Thirty five (35) staff each were picked from the four (4) selected banks. One hundred and Twenty five (125) Questionnaires were found useful for the purpose of the study representing 83.3% of the total questionnaire distributed. Data collected was analyzed using frequency table, percentage and mean score analysis while the non-parametric statistical test Chi- square was used to test the formulated hypothesis using STATA 10 data analysis package/software to examine the impact of mobile banking on service delivery and also look at the relationship between mobile banking and service delivery in the sampled banks. The results of the findings shows that Mobile banking improve banks service delivery in a form of transactional convenience, savings of time, quick transaction alert and save of service cost which has recuperate customer?s relationship and satisfaction. To this end, It is recommended that banks management should Create awareness to inform the public about the benefits derived on the e-banking service products, Collaboration among banks should perfectly maintain, Skilled manpower and computer wizard should be employed by every Banks, in other to prevent fraudulent personal and hackers from manipulating the Banks data and stealing money from the Banks accounts. Finally Provision and maintenance of public network, system such as telephone (Nitel) the availability of these basic infrastructures is fundamental to the efficient functioning of the mobile banking services. Keywords: E-banking Service, Mobile Banking, Service Delivery, Customers Service Satisfaction, Nigerian Commercial Banks.
5
Dynamic Linkages of Exchange Rate and Stock Return Volatility Evidence from Pakistan, India and China (PIC) MUNTAZIR HUSSAIN and USMAN BASHIR Pages: 345-354
The paper investigates the dynamic linkages between exchange rate volatility and stock returns volatility of Pakistan, India and China for the period of 2007 to 2012 by employing daily data. GARCH model is applied to extract volatility of exchange rate and stock returns. The Johansen Co-integration test and granger causality approach is applied to investigate the dynamics of relationship of exchange rate and stock returns volatility. The results implied that there is little evidence for the co-integration relationship between exchange rate and stock returns volatility for all the countries of the sample. Furthermore, the granger causality test also confirmed that there is no causal relationship between exchange rate and stock returns volatility for India and China but for Pakistan where we are unable to reject the null hypothesis that the exchange rate does not granger cause KSE stock returns volatility. Key Words: Co-integration, Granger Causality, Volatility, Stock Returns, Exchange Rate.
6
Transformational vs. Transactional Leadership Theories: Evidence in Literature ODUMERU, JAMES A and IFEANYI GEORGE OGBONNA Pages: 355-361
Transactional and Transformational leadership styles have attracted the interest of many researchers in recent time. While some believe that they are the same, others believe they are different. This paper gives an introductory perspective into the the difference between transformational and transactionary leadership drawing from evidence in literature. The paper concludes that although they are conceptually different, some elements of transactionary leadership exists in transformational leadership. Keywords: Leadership, Transactional Leadership, Transformational leadership, Charismatic Leadership.
7
Job Satisfaction and Work Morale among Ph.D?s A Study of Public and Private Sector Universities of Peshawar, Pakistan. MUHAMMAD IMRAN KHAN KHALIL Pages: 362-370
This study is assumed to investigate how job satisfaction and work morale affect the work performance of the Ph.D?s. The respondents involved in this study are Ph.D faculty members of different public and private sector universities of Peshawar, Pakistan. The reliability test was conducted for the different research questions. Regression and Correlation analysis was used for data analysis. The study revealed that, there is positive and significant effect of work morale and job satisfaction on quitting intention of Ph.D?s. The research is of high practical value, it could serve as a guide to enhance employee?s job satisfaction and work morale for to minimize the intention of quitting job. The study further elucidates that how highly qualified faculty members retain with the organization. Keywords: Job Satisfaction, Work Morale and Quitting Intention.
8
Investigating Determinants of E-banking Adoption by Individuals: Comparing the Impact of System Characteristics and User Traits YOUSUF SALIM ALHINAI, ALI ALBADI, HAFEDH ALSHIHI and KHAMIS AL-GHARBI. Pages: 371-387
Internet banking or e-banking systems are one of best examples of innovative technologies that have a great potential to create a win-win scenario for both customers and businesses. However, such potential can only be realized when there is sufficient spread of the technology among banking customers which then creates better economic feasibility for financial institutions. Therefore, understanding the factors that impact customers? willingness to use e-banking systems becomes imperative if banks are to witness the expected returns from their investments in these systems. The aim of this study is to understand whether the adoption of e-banking systems can better be explained as an outcome of individual characteristics of customers or as an outcome of the characteristics of the system itself. For this, we build a research model which integrates two types of factors: those that relate to the individual characteristics of the customers (customer-related factors) and those that relate to customers? perceptions of various characteristics of the e-banking systems (system-related factors). The research model is tested using a questionnaire survey of banking customers. This study offers many theoretical and practical implications. Key Words: E-Banking, Adoption, TAM, User characteristics, System.
9
Impact of GDP and Inflation on Unemployment Rate: A Study of Pakistan Economy in 2000-2010 MUHAMMAD UMAIR and RAZA ULLAH Pages: 388-400
This study has examined the impact of inflation on GDP and unemployment rate in Pakistan. It was a longitudinal study for the period in 2000-2010. The data has been taken from secondary sources. The study concludes that inflation insignificantly influences GDP and unemployment and the correlation is negative. The correlation between unemployment and inflation is positive i.e. 0.477 and is insignificant at 10% level of significance. The correlation between GDP and unemployment rate has also been found insignificant with a value of 0.196. It is, therefore, concluded that inflation has a role which influential but for GDP and unemployment with insignificant levels in the macroeconomics factors of Pakistani economy. Key Words: GDP, Unemployment, Poverty, Inflation.
10
The Empirical Analysis on Prices of the Malaysian Crude Palm oil Futures Market NIK MUHAMAD NAZIMAN AB RAHMAN Pages: 401-412
Futures markets play an important role in the price discovery and forward pricing of agricultural commodities. The analysis of this study has mainly focused on the empirical test of the effect of production, stock and export variables on the prices of the Malaysian Crude Palm oil futures market. For the empirical work, correlation analysis, multiple regression and recent econometric analysis were conducted to determine the price relationships of the Malaysian Crude Palm oil futures markets with the production, stock and export variables. Order of integration for all the variables was checked using Augmented Dickey-Fuller and Phillips-Perron tests of unit root. The Johansen approach was used to test cointegration in multivariate system that involved long run and short run estimations. The Vector Error Correction Model was used to test for causal relationships. The empirical evidence obtained from the study shows there exist a significant long run and short run relationships between the cash and future prices of the Malaysian Crude Palm oil futures market with the production, stock and export variables. The results of the causality test also shows that there is a strong relationship between the Malaysian Crude Palm oil futures market with the production, stock and export variables This mean that any information flow regarding the price movement of the Malaysian Crude Palm oil futures market will affect the production, stock and export variables and vice-versa. Key Words: Oil, Future Markets, Correlation, and Empirical Evidence.