Arab Economic and Business Journal最新文献

This paper provides the first evidence for empirical tests of the impact of rational expectations as well as behavioral biases, including among other animal spirits such as defined by Akerlof and Shiller on the variability of trading. Using a daily data for five international capital markets in developed countries, strong evidence is found. The hypothesis of rationality fails to determine the investors’ trading behavior. The economy is, however, driven by behavioral biases, including more especially animal spirits summarized in investors’ sentiments and beliefs.

It is important to recognize that increase in well-being is no longer dependent on further economic growth, but on economic and social well-being, which means that the decline in carbon dioxide emission without reducing real wellbeing and growth. The aim of this study is to investigate the main driving forces affecting short and long-run carbon emissions pattern due to changes in growth, inequality and poverty triangle in Pakistan over the period 1980 – 2011 by using multivariate cointegration approach. This study uses five different models i.e., each model have an important policy implication in the context of Pakistan. The results indicate that, on the short run, there is a significant negative relationship between economic growth & carbon emissions and economic growth & poverty while there is a positive relationship between i) economic growth & income inequality; and ii) poverty & income inequality. On the long-run, there is a significant positive relationship between GDP & income inequality, carbon dioxide emissions & income inequality, and poverty & income inequality in Pakistan. On the other side, there is a negative relationship between carbon emissions & economic growth, carbon emissions & income inequality, and economic growth & income inequality. The results of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis show an inverted U-shaped trajectory in relation to economic growth in Pakistan. This study contributes to the debate on the existence and policy relevance of the EKC for Pakistan. The conclusion ensures the sustainability of an urgent need to look beyond the EKC by adopting courageous policy measures of environmental preservation in Pakistan irrespective of the country's level of income. For reduction of CO2 emission, environmental progressive management policies, economic transport system regulations, and low emit fuel consumption by industries are the need of the world.

This study aims at assessing two modern leadership styles: transactional leadership and transformational leadership at Syrian universities. It also aims at exploring whether or not there are differences in leadership styles caused by sector or follower demographics. A quantitative research paradigm was employed. Using a questionnaire survey method, the data was collected from managerial employees at two public and private universities. In total, 216 questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS. The findings revealed that there is a high level of transactional leadership except one of its dimensions, management by exception-passive, which occurred in a medium level. There is also a high level of transformational leadership except one of its dimensions, individualized consideration, which occurred in a medium level. Furthermore, the study found significant differences in leadership styles that are caused by follower demographics, but not sector. Suggestions for Syrian universities are presented. Proposals for future studies are highlighted in the study.

In this paper, we will offer some evidence indicating that investor sentiment plays a central role in explaining trading intensity and market trend changes. Based on both econometric and fuzzy logic approaches, the empirical findings show that pessimistic sentiment has a particularly significant impact on the French financial market trend. Moreover, the results suggest that the impact of pessimism on asset returns exceeds that of optimism as a direct indicator of investor's beliefs. Indirect indicators of agent sentiment present more smoothed effects on these two market components. Our results indicate that incorporating psychological factors in macro-financial models leads to better supervision and control of the main drivers of the markets.

Organizational Climate is a driving force in the organization behavior which provides foundations to many physical and psychological phenomena to the employees. Bullying is one of the major under considered phenomenon, usually caused by the organizational climate. The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between organizational climates, workplace bullying and workers’ health in selected higher education institutes of Pakistan. A proportionate random sample of 20 Universities comprising of 10 from public sector and 10 from private sector was selected for the study. The model of workplace bullying, organizational climate and worker's health was estimated by Structural Equation Modeling using AMOS software. The study found a negative relationship between organizational climate and bullying on one hand, while on the other hand, an increased workplace bullying effects employees’ health negatively due to affected sleeping hours. Drug abuse was treated as a moderator between health and affected sleeping hours. The study suggested that organizations should control workplace bullying which may cause physical and psychological effects on employee's health.

Medical literature reports that Six-Sigma was applied at specific healthcare organizations. However, there is a lack of studies that investigate the broader status of Six-Sigma in Lebanese healthcare systems. The purpose of this paper is to explore the realities of factors critical (CSFs) to the success of a Six-Sigma quality program to identify the nature of the quality program implemented in some of Lebanese hospitals in Beirut. It also examines the impact of (CSFs) of a Six-Sigma quality program and its influence on performance indicators.

In order to achieve the objectives of the study, two questionnaires were used; ANOVA, Eta Squared, Pearson Correlations were used to analyse the data collected from a sample of 101 respondents. Three hypotheses, (H1), (H2) and (H3), were tested and partially accepted based on the results found.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows: First, an overview on the relevant literature reviews with respect to the identified Six-Sigma factors. After that, the methodology and the data analysis of the results are presented. The end of this paper is concluded with the discussion and suggestions for further research.

This study examines the relationship between Big Five personality traits with shopping motivation variables consisting of compulsive and impulsive buying, hedonic and utilitarian shopping values. Two hundred forty seven college students were recruited to participate in this research. Bivariate correlation demonstrates an overlap between personality traits; consequently, canonical correlation was performed to prevent this phenomenon. The results of multiple regression analysis suggested conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness as predictors of compulsive buying, impulsive buying and utilitarian shopping values. In addition, the results showed significant differences between males and females on conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness, compulsive buying and hedonic shopping value. Besides, using hierarchical regression analysis, we examined sex as moderator between Big Five personality traits and shopping variables, but we didn’t find sufficient evidence to prove it.

Despite the copious number of statistical failure prediction models described in the literature, testing of whether such methodologies work in practice is lacking. This paper examines the performance of the same companies with solvency for predicting bankruptcy and comparison in both models. This model is suggested for measuring the values of financial performance (Al-Kassar and Soileau; 2012), and applying the financial failure model (Z-score) used by Taffler (1983). The data of six companies were examined for the period 1998-2011.

The methodology which used at empirical study includes measuring financial performance according to both models. Then both results have been shown in table (8). The correlations between their results for both models are shown highly relationship. They were tested by T-test. Therefore, they were classified and ranked the companies according to these values.

The research also demonstrates the need to include measures of both financial and non-financial performance in the evaluation as they complement each other. Without both financial and non-financial, the evaluation process is incomplete and does not provide desired results or the correct image of the process. The research suggests including comprehensive measures of performance evaluation of projects by using indicators of adopted criteria. Thus, the application of both models leads to better results and assists users in maintaining greater objectivity while obtaining more accurate results than from analysis based on personal evaluation alone.

This study aims to find out if there is an effect of banking automation on the size of disguised unemployment and structural disguised unemployment in Syrian banks.

The sample of study is stratified cluster and it consisted of (191) officials. The study concluded the following:

-There is an effect of banking automation in Syria on disguised unemployment appearing at the size increase of this unemployment as much as about 17% of full time clocks.

- There were significant differences in the size of disguised unemployment due to the sector's type that the bank belongs to, and this size was bigger in the governmental banks.

-There is an effect of banking automation in Syria as structural disguised unemployment appears at being 12% of Syrian Banks. Officials never had convenient qualification to deal with automating system and about 45% of them have rather convenient qualification to deal with this system. Therefore, we found that there is a part of technological disguised unemployment in Syrian banks due to those unqualification officials.

- There were significant differences in the size of worker's training due to the sector's type that the bank belongs to, and this size was bigger in the private banks.