Suchergebnisse

PurposeThis study aims to explore the impact of supply chain quality event (SCQE) announcements on enterprises' stock market value.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts the event study approach and analyzes the changes in shareholder value of companies listed in China based on data from 118 SCQE announcements. In the event study, the market, market-adjusted and Carhart four-factor models are used to estimate abnormal stock market returns, and a cross-sectional regression model is performed to examine the effects of SCQE announcements on enterprises' stock market value.FindingsSCQE announcements have a negative impact on shareholder value. From the perspective of the supply chain network structure, the market reacts more negatively to SCQE announcements issued by the enterprises with higher supply chain concentration. From the perspective of companies' characteristics, announcements that do not reflect the establishment of supply chain quality cooperation have a more negative effect on stock market value, which indicates that the supply chain network structure and firm-level characteristic can moderate the market reaction.Practical implicationsThe findings demonstrate a quantitative evaluation of how SCQE announcements affect the stock market value of listed companies and provide guidance for managers to enhance the value of SCQE announcements.Originality/valueThis study fills the research gap on the impact of SCQE announcements on stock market value by using secondary data and first explores the relationship between SCQE announcements and stock market value from the perspective of supply chain network. Furthermore, this study contributes to the literature on SCQE using an empirical study in China.

Investment is an activity of placing funds in an asset or more to increase current or future income for a certain period. Each investment has different level of risk and return. Dividend policy is a topic that is often discussed in the financial sector. Dividend policy relates to dividend payments by the company, namely in the form of determining the amount of dividends to be distributed in cash and the amount of retained earnings for the benefit of the company's development and operations. The percentage of profit that is distributed as dividends is referred as the Dividend Payout Ratio. So, this research was conducted with the aim of knowing the extent of the influence of certain financial ratios such as Return on Equity (ROE), Debt to Equity Ratio (DER), Current Ratio (CR) on Dividend Policy with Company Size as an Intervening Variable in IDX 30 companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange 2018-2020. The method of determining the sample is done by purposive sampling method. The data was obtained from the IDX's official website, namely www.idx.co.id and the official website of each company which is secondary data. The results showed that ROE had no effect on company size. DER has an effect on company size. CR has no effect on company size. Company size has no effect on dividend policy. ROE has an effect on dividend policy. DER has no effect on dividend policy. CR has no effect on dividend policy. Company size is not able to be an intervening variable of the relationship between ROE, DER and CR toward dividend policy.

The rise in the cryptocurrency market has led many individuals to start their investment. However, individuals are affected by several factors in their decision-making process to invest. The objective of this study is to examine the factors that can predict the decision to invest in the cryptocurrency market, by utilizing the variables of overconfidence, financial literacy, and attitude. This study also explores the role of attitude in mediating the influence of overconfidence and financial literacy on investor decisions. The population of this study is individual student investors in three top universities in Indonesia. This study uses a non-probability sampling technique, with purposive sampling that includes several criteria to determine the number of samples. The data is collected by distributing questionnaires to the students using Google Forms. The total number of respondents in this study, who returned the questionnaire that has been filled is 297 students. The data obtained from respondents is analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). Finally, the results of this study have proved that: (1) Overconfidence has a positive influence on attitude; (2) Financial literacy has a positive influence on attitude; (3) Overconfidence has a positive influence on investor decision; (4) Financial literacy has a positive influence on investor decision; (5) Attitude has a positive influence on investor decision; (6) Attitude mediates the influence of overconfidence on investor decision; and (7) Attitude mediates the influence of overconfidence on investor decision. The implications for scholars and crypto investors are also provided in this study.

AbstractIn this study, a new approach of machine learning (ML) models integrated with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was proposed to develop a holistic flood risk assessment map. Flood susceptibility maps were created using ML techniques. AHP was utilized to combine flood vulnerability and exposure criteria. We selected Quang Binh province of Vietnam as a case study and collected available data, including 696 flooding locations of historical flooding events in 2007, 2010, 2016, and 2020; and flood influencing factors of elevation, slope, curvature, flow direction, flow accumulation, distance from river, river density, land cover, geology, and rainfall. These data were used to construct training and testing datasets. The susceptibility models were validated and compared using statistical techniques. An integrated flood risk assessment framework was proposed to incorporate flood hazard (flood susceptibility), flood exposure (distance from river, land use, population density, and rainfall), and flood vulnerability (poverty rate, number of freshwater stations, road density, number of schools, and healthcare facilities). Model validation suggested that deep learning has the best performance of AUC = 0.984 compared with other ensemble models of MultiBoostAB Ensemble (0.958), Random SubSpace Ensemble (0.962), and credal decision tree (AUC = 0.918). The final flood risk map shows 5075 ha (0.63%) in extremely high risk, 47,955 ha (5.95%) in high‐risk, 40,460 ha (5.02%) in medium risk, 431,908 ha (53.55%) in low risk areas, and 281,127 ha (34.86%) in very low risk. The present study highlights that the integration of ML models and AHP is a promising framework for mapping flood risks in flood‐prone areas.

Abstract
Older adults, 65 years and older, are a heterogeneous group in terms of their information and communication technology (ICT) use. Few studies, however, have examined how ICT use patterns may vary between employed older adults versus those who are no longer in the workforce. We expand research on this topic by examining whether variations in ICT use, as well as attitudes toward ICTs and online self-efficacy, exist between these 2 groups. Key outcomes include online self-efficacy, attitudes towards new technology, length of time online, average daily hours online, and number of ICTs used. Data were collected in 2017 through an online survey from a national sample of U.S. older adults (N = 1,142) matched with the demographic characteristics of the 2010 U.S. Census for individuals aged 65 and older based on age, race, sex, and education. Data were analyzed using OLS regression, binary logistic regression, and mediation analysis. Employed older adults, compared to retired older adults, had higher online self-efficacy, more positive attitudes towards new technology, spent more time online (years), and were more likely to use 2 or more ICTs. Being retired was associated with fewer years online, which was mediated by more negative attitudes toward technology and less online self-efficacy. Longitudinal research is needed which examines the types of technologies used in the workforce by older adults, the exposure to others' uses of technologies, and how use changes over time—all of which may potentially affect older adults' technology skills and attitudes.

AbstractThe violation of human rights is replete in many African communities. On a daily basis, people face the dilemma of distinguishing between what is right or wrong and mainly depend on prosecutors to determine when an act is legal or unconstitutional. Based on this, the rights of Africans are violated. The violations of human rights with little or no redress mechanisms has several consequences on victims. Violation makes life unbearably hard; this impacts adversely on health and social wellbeing. Although many researchers have examined human rights violations, few have explored its health consequences on vulnerable citizens. Thus, this study examined human rights violations and their social/health consequences on victims in Nigeria. Explanation of core variables was anchored on social action theory and health belief model. Data were generated with questionnaires as well as in‐depth and key informant interviews. Content and chi‐square test were used in analysing the data obtained in the course of the study. Responses from 67% of the respondents revealed that violation induces health challenges ranging from psychosomatic dissonance to anxiety, psychometric disturbances, psychosis, insomnia, delusion, suspicion paranoia, depression, high blood pressure, hypertension, disorientation, and stroke. Those who seek redress are embattled with difficult terrain. As such, victims become stoic and unpatriotic, often exhibiting unwholesome behaviours. With poor redress mechanisms, attack on institutions/authorities and loss of lives have increased. Based on these outcomes, this study recommends that supremacy of the constitution should be upheld and there should be massive socialization through educational curriculum modelling to create awareness.

The Central Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has undergone various bank regulations reviews at different periods of time including 2008 and 2014 reviews. After the reviews some banks have shown low compliances, collapsed and merged while others have shown high compliances and greater performance. This study therefore, intended to assess how commercial banks in Tanzania benefits from complying with new regulatory requirements and to determine to what extent does compliance costs affects banks performance. The study employed an exploratory research design using the sample size of 24 commercial banks selected from Dar es Salaam headquarters; however, only 13 key informants were successfully reached. Primary data were collected from compliance and risk management managers using interview guide. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis and findings from the study show that most banks have well benefited with the new regulatory requirements in terms of increase in profit, expansion of more branches, ATMs and increase in number of customers. Considering the compliance costs; findings show that to some extent some new regulatory requirements reviews have increased operating costs to most banks. The study recommends that banks should carefully design strategies which will help them to control NPL, manage and increase more capital and liquidity requirements. To the regulator the study recommends that; BoT should think of reviewing liquidity requirements and cash reserve ratio which seem to be too high and costly for most banks to afford. The BoT can also introduce separate capital adequacy requirements as per bank size.

Abstract
Multiple-strain (polygenomic) infections are a ubiquitous feature of Plasmodium falciparum parasite population genetics. Under simple assumptions of superinfection, polygenomic infections are hypothesized to be the result of multiple infectious bites. As a result, polygenomic infections have been used as evidence of repeat exposure and used to derive genetic metrics associated with high transmission intensity. However, not all polygenomic infections are the result of multiple infectious bites. Some result from the transmission of multiple, genetically related strains during a single infectious bite (cotransmission). Superinfection and cotransmission represent two distinct transmission processes, and distinguishing between the two could improve inferences regarding parasite transmission intensity. Here, we describe a new metric, RH, that utilizes the correlation in allelic state (heterozygosity) within polygenomic infections to estimate the likelihood that the observed complexity resulted from either superinfection or cotransmission. RH is flexible and can be applied to any type of genetic data. As a proof of concept, we used RH to quantify polygenomic relatedness and estimate cotransmission and superinfection rates from a set of 1,758 malaria infections genotyped with a 24 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) molecular barcode. Contrary to expectation, we found that cotransmission was responsible for a significant fraction of 43% to 53% of the polygenomic infections collected in three distinct epidemiological regions in Senegal. The prediction that polygenomic infections frequently result from cotransmission stresses the need to incorporate estimates of relatedness within polygenomic infections to ensure the accuracy of genomic epidemiology surveillance data for informing public health activities.

A análise das demonstrações contábeis possui um papel essencial nas organizações para avaliar sua situação patrimonial, financeira e econômica. Nesse contexto, este estudo objetivou analisar as demonstrações contábeis de quatro Universidades (A, B, C e D) do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, utilizando como base a análise tradicional (Qualitativa), integrada (estatística) e a estruturada (Data Envelopment Analysis). A metodologia empregada é a abordagem quantitativa e descritiva, e os procedimentos técnicos caracterizam-se como pesquisa documental. A coleta das informações teve como base o Balanço Patrimonial e a Demonstração do Resultado do Exercício das quatro Universidades. Os principais resultados apontam que a análise tradicional das demonstrações das Universidades utiliza como base as informações históricas das demonstrações (patrimonial e de resultado), sendo assim, esta análise continua sendo essencial e insubstituível. A análise integrada complementa a tradicional para analisar o comportamento futuro dos índices, sendo que a função polinomial previu eficientemente a situação futura das Universidades, ou seja, a antecipação desta situação dos índices auxilia na detecção de pontos negativos e positivos das universidades. A análise estruturada (Data Envelopment Analysis) contribui com a análise das demonstrações contábeis, pois avalia a eficiência dos inputs e outputs dos recursos das Universidades de forma individual e comparativa. Conclui-se que a utilização destas três análises (tradicional, integrada e estruturada) de forma concomitante pode ser denominada de análise conjunta, neste sentido, avalia a situação passada, futura e de eficiência das universidades e, além disso, esta análise conjunta reúne informações de caráter qualitativa e quantitativa que tornam as conclusões das análises mais sólidas e confiáveis.

It seems that Sri Lankan aboriginal community had to go through significant hardships during the Covid-19 outbreak. This particular research was conducted in Rathugala aboriginal village in Monaragala district mainly as a qualitative research. The whole research was driven by four major objectives; investigating the social burdens that Rathugala aborigines had to undergo in the pandemic outbreak, the efficacy of the government-sponsored redressing mechanism towards the Rathugala aborigines, the coping strategies employed by Rathugala aborigines to face the unexpected pandemic and its consequences and understanding aforesaid factors through a Bourdieusian perspective. A sample comprising 20 respondents (N=20) was selected under the purposive sampling and sample size was determined by the data saturation point. Data analysis was predominantly carried out as a thematic analysis with a Bourdieusian Approach. The research revelations are as follows; Closing the entrances to the aboriginal village seemingly brought most of the income earnings of the Rathugala aborigines to a halt. Subsequently, it caused the proliferation of the decades-old chronic poverty in Rathugala aboriginal village. Some aboriginal youth have been involved in illegal means of income-earning for their survival as government subsidizing was late and not systematic. The lack of social capital in the Rathugala aboriginal community has made them more deprived of gaining social support from outside of their community. Being aborigines has created a pathetic social perception in the mindset of both the general public and state officials and it might have been a barrier for Rathugala aborigines in the pandemic time when gaining state support.

PurposeMore attention should be paid to human resource management practices, as they play a vital role in the retention of the skilled workforce for improved competitive advantage and reduced skill shortage. This study aims to examine the impact of engineers' satisfaction regarding fairness in key human resource management practices such as performance management, compensation and pay, and employee relations on their intention to stay in Indian construction firms.Design/methodology/approachThis research was undertaken using a questionnaire survey conducted among 230 engineers working in Indian construction firms. Data collection was done by using self-administered questionnaires. The quantitative analysis of the collected data was carried out. The constructs involved in the study were validated using factor analysis. The correlation and regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between engineers' satisfaction with fairness in human resource practices and their intention to stay.FindingsResults showed that satisfaction with fairness in human resource practices, such as performance management and employee relations are positively related to engineers' intention to stay, whereas satisfaction with fairness in employee relation practices highly predicts engineers' intention to stay.Originality/valueThis study adds to the body of knowledge by examining the impact of engineers' satisfaction with fairness in human resource practices on their intention to stay in the Indian construction sector, which is an under-researched area. Satisfaction with fairness in employee relation practices is identified as the strongest predictor of engineers' intention to stay. The finding of the research could help construction companies develop human resource practices and policies to promote the retention of construction professionals, particularly engineers, who work for them.

Abstract
Global CO2 emissions from different industries have been increasing at an alarming rate. This growth is outpacing the efforts, nations are putting in place to reduce their carbon footprints. In this topical review, we critically analyze the level of CO2 emissions on a global scale and across various industries and activities within them and the dominant anthropogenic forcing instability. The global CO2 emission from various economic sectors such as industries, transportation and variety of waste sources were traced globally and regionally. To contextualize our review, the sector wise CO2 emission trends data for a period more than a decade is reviewed which highlighted the main sources of emissions. The data shows the overall reduction of carbon footprints and its progress across various sectors is very limited. The governing factors for this continued global pattern can be ascribed to two main factors: high consumer demands, and poor efforts towards shifting low and zero carbon services across all sectors. Some efforts have been witnessed to shift towards clean fuels and renewables, particularly in Europe and North America. However, rapid growth in industrialization limits the shifting of fossil-based energy systems towards less harmful systems. In Asia, particularly in eastern, southern, and south-eastern regions, the carbon footprints were found to increased owing to a huge demand for materials production, travelling and energy services. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to identify, understand and tackle the most persistent and climate-harmful factors across all industries and drive such policies to substitute the fossil fuels with renewables.

With worldwide progress, development and diversification come tensions between individual, local, national, and global identities, and the fight for equality and justice and opposition to discrimination. Iran is no different, but little has been written about the historical, current, and future identities of Iran's ethnic groups. This study looks at the Azeris, Kurds, Arabs, and Baloch alongside the Persian ethnic identity, which is predominant in modern Iran and which many claim is upheld politically and socially as the ideal for a future, collective Iranian ethnic identity, promoting discrimination against different ethnic identities. This theory is grounded by conducting and analysing in-depth questionnaires across 13 Iranian provinces in relation to religious, local, and national identities; inter-ethnic cultural borders; hindrances to progressive movements; the purging of certain ethnic cultures; and possible steps to resolve crises. Some data has been extracted from the author's recently published book, From Border to Border: Comprehensive research study on identity and ethnicity in Iran. This data presents practical steps to achieving stable, equitable and sustainable cultural, social, economic, legal, and political conditions in Iran, based on the results of questionnaires. Taken into consideration is the realization of economic, socio-cultural, and political justice and indiscriminate social welfare, promoting interethnic solidarity and justice in the media, separating the legal and political systems from religious and ethno-centric thought in acknowledgement of the diversity of religious identities in Iran, and implementing the pending articles of the Constitution.

AbstractConflict behavior is thought to result from attitudes. Attitude which is a tendency to favor or disfavor is thought to be a function of perceptions. Perceptions are influenced by our cultural identity. In Kenya, different communities have been involved in violent identity conflicts which peaked in 2007/2008 during the post‐election violence. The role of politics and natural resource competitions as sources for conflicts in Kenya has been widely exposed. This paper enriches the discourse on manifestation of conflict by an in‐depth analysis of how cultural identity is communicated drawing examples from communities residing adjacent to Eastern Mau forests complex in Kenya. The main research question is that, since inter‐group conflict involves identity competition, how are attitudes expressed in this context? Qualitative data sources were obtained for this study through key informant interviews and Focus Group Discussions. Data analysis was through thematization, content and linguistic analysis. Results from this study reveal that conflicts involving different ethnic communities have escalated over time. The study further reveals that attitudes are expressed through figures of communication such as stereotypes and nicknames, metaphors, and naming of places. Conflicts in Eastern Mau seemed to persist, vacillating between periods of relative peace and periods of escalation. Mediation has been proposed in recent literature as a sustainable solution for intractable conflicts. This paper suggests that more research is needed on traditional dispute resolution in Eastern Mau with a view to understanding how mediation could be integrated in the existing formal conflict resolution in the study area and beyond.

Abstract
Background
Urbanization process around the world has not only changed the patterns of land use, but also fragmented the habitat, resulting in significantly biodiversity loss. Urban rivers, serve as one of the natural corridors in urban ecosystems, are of importance for urban ecosystem stability. However, few studies have been done to explore the relationship between vegetation and pollinators in urban river segments. In this study, two urban streams in the city of Chongqing were selected as the study area, riparian vegetation, butterflies and bees were investigated along all four seasons of a year to illustrate the spatial and temporal distribution patterns. Simultaneously, the ecological functions of the river corridor were analyzed.

Result
In this study, 109 plant species belonging to 95 genera of 39 families were recorded; the number of sampled species for butterflies and bees were 12 and 13, respectively. The temporal and spatial patterns of species diversity among vegetation, butterfly, and bee are different, but the trends of variation among them are similar between the two streams. Bees were found to be more closely correlated with native flowering plants in riparian zone, rather than with cultivated riparian vegetation.

Conclusions
The native riparian vegetation in urban rivers plays an important role in urban biodiversity conservation by serving as a corridor. This study provides data supporting the protection of the remaining natural patches and restoration of damaged habitats in the city. The survey has accumulated data on native riparian vegetation and pollinators in urban rivers.