Procedia Economics and Finance最新文献

The aim of this paper is to discuss the effect of horizontal integration of hospitals on efficiency of hospitals. Whereas Czech hospitals use about 50% of all expenditure on healthcare, it is necessary to focus on their thriftiness and efficiency. Hospitals must work with limited economic resources and it is essential to know how to use these resources efficiently. In the last two decades we can see strong trends of hospitals integration. We now have five holdings and the last one was founded in January 2015. Annual reports were used for analysis from each hospital from 2004 to 2013, and also information from the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic. Parts of the annual reports include economic and also non-economic results. This data was statistically analyzed and examined according to whether there was a significant improvement in values after integration. For example, a linear trend was used for evaluation by using a coefficient correlation and a t-test was used for statistical significance. One of the limitations of the research was that the research was based on only two specific samples existing in the Czech Republic. Other holdings have either a very short or a very long period of being integrated and therefore it is very difficult to find specific comparable information. Other limitations of this research were the choice of appropriate financial and also non-financial indicators. Results from analysis were compared with results of other published studies in other countries.

The turbulence in the economic environment leads to a decrease in stability of functioning of clusters and the regional economic system as a whole. This requires the development of effective management mechanisms based on the indicative approach, the central concept of which is an indicator. Despite concerted efforts by scientists and governmental bodies, the universal system of indicators for the management of regional cluster development remains underdeveloped. The research is based on the principles of dialectical logic, system approach to the analysis of economic processes, analysis and synthesis of theoretical aspects and empirical experience.

The present study aims to investigate on the impact of the renewable energy intermediate consumption on the economic growth of OECD countries. The data are from the energy balance sheet of all OECD countries during 1990-2012. The time series linear pattern has been used to have estimation. With studying Johansen Cointegration Test and ARDL model, it can be concluded that increasing the renewable energy consumption leads to economic growth increase in these countries. In other word that increasing the renewable energy consumption, the efficiency of the energies is increasing and leads to a high economic growth. Also, a development in technology can be resulted in a higher economic growth of those countries.

Requested and sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), this study was carried to evaluate the implementation plan of the TAT sustainable tourism practice (the 7 Greens Concept) to Pai District, Mae Hong Son Province. Assessment tools included a questionnaire for domestic tourists visiting Pai (n = 200) and small tourism related business interview (n=15). Indicators applied to evaluate the outcomes from the implementation of 7 Greens Concept through tourists’ questionnaire were structured in a meeting by the Director of the TAT Regional and Provincial Sectors of 20 persons. The results showed that the domestic tourists visiting Pai felt that tourism environments in Pai did not reach their expectation. Interviewees who are small tourism related business in Pai recognized that the TAT promoting conservation activities for sustainable tourism but only a few of them involved in the implementation of the activities.

This article explores the future of Lean Management, its implementation potential in other industrial sectors as well as Lean Management education process. At the same time it explains possibilities of its implementation in industries such as Public Administration, Healthcare and IT services. It describes how the various principles of Lean Management are transmitted to the service sector and what differences arise by this process. In conclusion the article describes and compares different ways of Lean education in various countries and finally the best teaching practice with regard to practice is suggested and proposed.

Currently, in the competitive Islamic financial system, mudarabah (profit sharing) is seen as an alternative mechanism in financing techniques that differentiate it from the conventional financing that consist interest mechanism. Since its introduction, mudarabah (profit sharing) has gone through various evolution to fulfill the needs of the fast-developing Islamic financial market. However, in the current Islamic financial system, mudarabah (profit sharing) has become less preferable compared to Islamic debt financing instruments such as murabahah and bai’ bithaman ajil. This is caused by the existence of asymmetric information that continuously presents in mudarabah (profit sharing) contracts and creates problems of adverse selection and moral hazard. Due to this, mudarabah (profit sharing) has declined it importance as a financing vehicle. Therefore, the objectives of this study are twofolds, first, to examine the thought and evolution of mudarabah (profit sharing) from the viewpoints of classical and contemporary Islamic scholars and second, to evaluate the asymmetric information that continuously exist in this type of contract.

Considering the existing relative and comparative advantages in “steel's production and processing” and metal objects in Iran, this research focuses on investigation of macroeconomics variables impact on the strategic (main) product. Industrial goods dealing as growth and development engine in different countries considered. Besides, providing of pioneer steel production and dealing in Iran's economy other economic sectors developed.

In this study, Youhanson long term convergence and Grangery cause tests utilized to relationship type and Iran's macroeconomics variables (Gross National Product, Global Oil price, Population and domestic steel production) impact investigation to analyze steel export and import in the period of: 1975-2011.

Findings show the statistical positive and significant relationship between “crude steel export” with “Gross National Product, Global Oil price, Population and domestic steel production”. Also the statistical positive and significant relationship between “crude steel import” with “Gross National Product, Global Oil price, Population and domestic steel production” was approved. The Grangery cause test results point out the bilateral significant relationship between “crude steel export and import” and “Iran's macroeconomics variables”.

The main goal of this research is to estimate the effect of bank-based and market-based financial systems on income distribution using the data of 15 developed and developing countries. For this purpose, firstly the type of financial system for selected countries was determined. Then the model of research was estimated applying the FMOLS method. In the next step, using OLS method in panel data, the effect of the type of financial system on income distribution of the two groups of developed and developing countries was estimated in order to come up with a better conclusion. The results indicated that the type of financial system affects income distribution. Market-based financial system leads to better income distribution in developed countries, while bank-based financial system reduces income inequality in developing countries.

Today, efficiency is considered as one of the most effective ways of increasing economic growth by many planners and economic policy makers in different countries; further, huge investments made in this regard. On the other hand, the issue of budget deficit was introduced in economic literature since 1980s. Within this decade, current budget deficit significantly increased in the USA. Emerging of this phenomenon prompted many economists to establish public sector as the macroeconomic unbalancing factor, on the contrary to Keynesy who regarded public sector as the balance factor, particularly in developing countries since developing countries deal with specific problems such as foreign debt, high inflation, difficulties of payment balances, exchange parallel markets as well as various external shocks. Therefore, this research tried to study the effect of growth, efficiency and government budget deficit in MENA selected countries within 2000-2013 by using the recommended static panel models. Results of the estimated relations for the first model in which government budget deficit is the dependent variable indicate positive effect of economic growth and inflation rate variables as well as the negative effect of labor productivity and government budget deficit. Moreover, the second model in which economic growth is the dependent variable demonstrates the positive effect of labor productivity index and economic growth. In addition, negative correlation of government budget deficit with economic growth is also maintained.

In modern and competitive era which global marketing is growing day by day, consumer perceptions towards product country-of-origin has changed from one to other new perspective. The new perception might results in both possibilities either in favourable or unfavourable dimensions, not excluded products from China. Growth of electronic devices in China such as mobile phones is among relevant to be studied. Thus, this study aims to investigate the determinant factors of country-of-origin that consumer considers in purchasing mobile phones brand that originated from China. Country image, perceived product quality and brand familiarity have been used as pre-determined factors in measuring consumer's purchase intention. A total of 200 set of questionnaires were distributed randomly in Klang Valley. The hypotheses which were tested using Pearson Correlation have revealed that all pre-determined variables are significant and highly correlated in influencing consumer purchase intention towards mobile phones brand from China. Other than providing a remarkable change of people perceptions towards mobile phone brand from China, the findings would also be very useful to consumers and marketers especially who involve directly and indirectly with the country of China as their product and service providers’ origin.