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Article
Publication date: 13 November 2017

Iraj Khodadadi, Ali Heshmati and Manoochehr Karami

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common causes of death worldwide. Diets rich in saturated and trans-fatty acids are nutritional risk factors that foster the…

124

Abstract

Purpose

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common causes of death worldwide. Diets rich in saturated and trans-fatty acids are nutritional risk factors that foster the development of CVDs. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effects of dietary feta cheese and butter on serum lipid profile and fatty acid composition.

Design/methodology/approach

In all, 24 Wistar rats (eight weeks old) were fed with balanced high fat diets (24 per cent fat) including canola (control group) and either cheese or butter (experimental groups) for eight weeks. At the end of the experiment, body weights were determined, and the amount of food intake was calculated. Blood samples were collected at the beginning and at the end of the experiment, and lipid profile including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride as well as serum fatty acid composition were determined.

Findings

Consumption of the butter-based diet resulted in a significant increase in serum triglycerides (p < 0.05), whereas no substantial changes were observed in rats that received a cheese-based diet. The butter-based diet significantly increased serum total cholesterol and LDL-C (p < 0.05), whereas remarkably reduced HDL-C level. In contrast, cheese-based diet resulted in a magnificent increase in HDL-C and a significant decrease in LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (p < 0.05). Serum saturated fatty acids increased and polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased by the consumption of butter, whereas the intake of cheese caused relatively minor alterations in serum fatty acid composition.

Originality/value

Butter lowered HDL-C and increased LDL-C, whereas cheese strongly enhanced HDL-C. Therefore, it can be concluded that cheese is a beneficially healthier dairy product than butter.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 47 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

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Article
Publication date: 1 January 2006

R. Färe, S. Grosskopf, F.R. Forsund, K. Hayes and A. Heshmati

This paper seeks to model and compute productivity, including a measure of quality, of a service which does not have marketable outputs – namely public education at the micro…

2099

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to model and compute productivity, including a measure of quality, of a service which does not have marketable outputs – namely public education at the micro level. This application is a case study for Sweden public schools.

Design/methodology/approach

A Malmquist productivity index is employed which allows for multiple outputs or outcomes such as test results and promotions without requiring price data with which to aggregate these outputs. It also allows one to account for inputs such as teachers and facilities as well as proxies for quality of the inputs (e.g. experience of teachers) and outputs. This model generalizes the basic data envelopment analysis (DEA) models – used successfully to measure performance in many educational applications – to the intertemporal case. A way of computing quality and quantity components of overall productivity is employed.

Findings

The case study is an application to the Swedish primary and secondary school system over the 1992 to 1995 period. It was found that quality “matters”, i.e. productivity growth changes when one accounts for quantity.

Research limitations/implications

The data available implied that the specification is restricted to an intermediate production model, i.e. the output data only account for the intermediate outcomes of education like grades and promotions, but not the longer term outcomes related to success in the job market or higher education, which one proposed as a task for future research.

Originality/value

The indices which are computed at the micro level are of value for policy purposes (does investment in quality matter?) and in an evaluation context.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

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Article
Publication date: 19 January 2015

Johann Burgstaller and Eva Wagner

The purpose of this paper s to study the financing behavior of family firms (FF), as these differ from their small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) counterparts in their capital…

3562

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper s to study the financing behavior of family firms (FF), as these differ from their small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) counterparts in their capital structure decision, mainly due to an increased risk aversion and the desire to maintain control over the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 470 SMEs from a bank-based environment is examined for the period of 2005-2010. A dynamic panel data model is utilized to assess both the role of several capital structure determinants and the target-adjusting behavior for different subsamples of firms.

Findings

The results show that FF, whether controlled by founders or not, are relatively more leveraged. The aim to maintain long-term control and limited financing options and other factors seem crucial to the observed differences in leverage and dominate risk considerations associated with higher debt. Presumed differences in agency costs across generations do not drive capital structure decisions, as overall leverage does not differ between founder- and descendant-controlled family firms (FCFF and DCFF, respectively). Firms with a founder-chief executive officer (CEO), however, adjust faster to deviations from a target debt ratio. The effects of many proposed capital structure determinants differ across firm types, but are highly consistent with predictions from the pecking order theory.

Practical implications

Based on the results of this study, we suggest policy-makers in bank-based economies like Austria to strongly focus on mechanisms that facilitate the access to bank debt to ensure adequate allocation of finances to SMEs. This is especially important to stimulate growth and further innovation for the dominant group of FF, as they rely on debt the most to maintain family control.

Originality/value

This paper makes a novel contribution to the literature, as it combines an analysis of the capital structure of non-listed family firms (NFF) in a bank-based economy, the respective role of founder management, the dynamic adjustment to a presumed debt target and joint tests of capital structure theories.

Details

The Journal of Risk Finance, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1526-5943

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Article
Publication date: 27 March 2019

Musarrat Shaheen, MD Sikandar Azam, Mahesh Kumar Soma and T. Jagan Mohan Kumar

The purpose of this paper is to develop a competency dictionary and model for contractual workers of the steel manufacturing sector of India.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a competency dictionary and model for contractual workers of the steel manufacturing sector of India.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth interviews with 30 supervisors and behavioral events interviews (BEIs) with 40 contractual workers were conducted to identify and validate the competencies of the contractual workers.

Findings

The competencies identified are arranged according to the similarity and dissimilarity between it under three broad categories of competencies, i.e., knowledge, skills and attitudes. These categories are used to develop a competency dictionary which has behavioral indicators, and a framework that can be used to map and evaluate the competencies.

Practical implications

The competency dictionary and the framework developed in the present study will assist human resource practitioners in implementing competency-based human resource processes such as recruitment and selection, training and development and performance management for the contractual workers in the manufacturing sector.

Originality/value

The present study is among the few empirical studies that provide a competency dictionary and a framework of contractual workers in the manufacturing sector of India.

Details

Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 51 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0019-7858

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Book part
Publication date: 25 May 2021

Jelena Tepavčević, Melita Josipović and Vedran Milojica

Introduction: Considering the facts that hospitality employees belong to the category of low paid workers, tips are an important source of their incomes. It is very important to…

Abstract

Introduction: Considering the facts that hospitality employees belong to the category of low paid workers, tips are an important source of their incomes. It is very important to determine the nature of the relationship between dependence on tips among hotel employees on their job satisfaction due to the possible influence on their turnover intentions. Aim: The aim of this chapter was to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction, the dependence on tips and turnover intentions among hotel employees. Method: Data were collected during spring 2020 in the hotels on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. A total of 213 employees from different departments were included in the research. Findings: Correlation analysis showed that there is a small negative correlation between job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Significant medium correlation is calculated between dependence on tips and turnover intentions. Significant negative correlation exists between job satisfaction and dependence on tips.

Details

Contemporary Issues in Social Science
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80043-931-3

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 17 January 2020

Noemi Sinkovics and Jason Archie-acheampong

This study aims to investigate how different academic fields within and outside of international business (IB) engage with the topics of social value creation in the context of…

5848

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how different academic fields within and outside of international business (IB) engage with the topics of social value creation in the context of multinational enterprises (MNEs). The aim is to take stock of the main themes and offer suggestions for future research avenues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper undertakes a scoping review. The authors use the Web of Science database to identify relevant articles. The database search yielded 466 articles. The NVivo software was used to code and identify key thematic areas.

Findings

The matrix analysis performed in NVivo yielded 15 main thematic areas spanning 37 research fields. However, further analysis revealed that 89 per cent of the articles originated from 13 fields. Furthermore, while IB journals represent the second-largest field home to publications related to the social value creation of MNEs, they only account for 12 per cent of the sample.

Originality/value

The paper responds to prior calls to reduce disciplinary silos through the performing of a thematic analysis across a multitude of research fields.

Details

critical perspectives on international business, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-2043

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Article
Publication date: 4 February 2021

Vinicius Luiz Pacheco, Lucimara Bragagnolo and Antonio Thomé

The purpose of this article is to analyze the state-of-the art in a systematic way, identifying the main research groups and their related topics. The types of studies found are…

498

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to analyze the state-of-the art in a systematic way, identifying the main research groups and their related topics. The types of studies found are fundamental for understanding the application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) in cemented soils and the potential for using the technique, as well as the feasibility of extrapolation to new geotechnical or civil and environmental engineering segments.

Design/methodology/approach

This work is characterized as being bibliometric and systematic research of an exploratory perspective of state-of-the-art. It also persuades the qualitative and quantitative data analysis of cemented soil improvement, biocemented or microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) soil improvement by prediction/modeling by ANN. This study sought to compile and study the state of the art of the topic which possibilities to have a critical view about the theme. To do so, two main databases were analyzed: Scopus and Web of Science. Systematic review techniques, as well as bibliometric indicators, were implemented.

Findings

This paper connected the network between the achievements of the researches and illustrated the main application of ANNs in soil improvement prediction, specifically on cemented-based soils and biocemented soils (e.g. MICP technique). Also, as a bibliometric and systematic review, this work could achieve the key points in the absence of researches involving soil-ANN, and it provided the understanding of the lack of exploratory studies to be approached in the near future.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the research topic the article suggested other applications of ANNs in geotechnical engineering, such as other tests not related to geomechanical resistance such as unconfined compression test test and triaxial test.

Practical implications

This article systematically and critically presents some interesting points in the direction of future research, such as the non-approach to the use of ANNs in biocementation processes, such as MICP.

Social implications

Regarding the social environment, the paper brings approaches on methods that somehow mitigate the computational use, or elements necessary for geotechnical improvement of the soil, thereby optimizing the same consequently.

Originality/value

Neural networks have been studied for a long time in engineering, but the current computational power has increased the implementation for several engineering applications. Besides that, soil cementation is a widespread technique and its prediction modes often require high computational strength, such parameters can be mitigated with the use of ANNs, because artificial intelligence seeks learning from the implementation of the data set, reducing computational cost and increasing accuracy.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 38 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

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Article
Publication date: 26 October 2010

Sulagna Mukherjee and Jitendra Mahakud

The purpose of this paper is to study the dynamics of capital structure in the context of Indian manufacturing companies in a partial‐adjustment framework during the period…

1601

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the dynamics of capital structure in the context of Indian manufacturing companies in a partial‐adjustment framework during the period 1993‐1994 to 2007‐2008.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper specifies a partial‐adjustment model and uses the generalized method of moments technique to determine the variables which affect the target capital structure and to find out the factors affecting the adjustment speed to target capital structure.

Findings

Firm‐specific variables like size, tangibility, profitability and market‐to‐book ratio were found to be the most important variables which determine the target capital structure across the book and market leverage and the factors like size of the company, growth opportunity and the distance between the target and observed leverage determine the speed of adjustment to target leverage for the Indian manufacturing companies.

Research limitations/implications

The behavioural variables like managers' confidence and attitude towards raising the external finance have not been incorporated in the model to determine the target capital structure due to the data constraint.

Practical implications

This paper has implications for corporate managers in India, for example, to consider the various adjustment costs while altering the financing decisions of the company with other variables like flexibility of the manager, direct cost of debt and equity.

Originality/value

This paper is first of its kind to study both the determination of target capital structure and the speed of adjustment to target capital structure in the context of Indian companies.

Details

Journal of Advances in Management Research, vol. 7 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0972-7981

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Article
Publication date: 10 December 2021

Thanh-Tam Nguyen-Huu

This paper aims to investigate the wage gap between temporary and permanent workers in Pakistan and Cambodia.

118

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the wage gap between temporary and permanent workers in Pakistan and Cambodia.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantile regression estimator is likely to be the most relevant to the sample.

Findings

The estimates indicate the presence of a temporary employment wage penalty in Pakistan and contrarily a wage premium in Cambodia. Moreover, quantile regression estimates show that wage differentials could greatly vary across the wage distribution. The wage gap is wider at the bottom of the wage distribution in Pakistan, suggesting a sticky floor effect that the penalty of being in temporary jobs could be more severe for disadvantaged workers. By contrast, a glass ceilings effect is found in Cambodia, indicating that the wage premium is small at the bottom and becomes high at the top of the pay ladder.

Originality/value

Despite the rise of temporary jobs in the past several decades, the empirical evidence on wage differentials between temporary and permanent workers is extremely limited in developing Asian countries. This paper is the first research work that systematically examines the temporary-permanent wage gap in selected Asian countries, based on their National Labor Force Survey data.

Details

International Journal of Development Issues, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1446-8956

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Article
Publication date: 3 October 2024

Alisha Rath and Lalatendu Kesari Jena

The competency trap can occur when organizations become resistant to change due to their existing competencies, leading to a culture of complacency and hindering adaptability and…

82

Abstract

Purpose

The competency trap can occur when organizations become resistant to change due to their existing competencies, leading to a culture of complacency and hindering adaptability and innovation. This paper aims to understand this trap and its hindrance to organizational learning and knowledge acquisition. The study aims to integrate employee well-being into knowledge management (KM) strategies to overcome obstacles and demonstrate its significant contribution to effective KM and improving overall organizational health.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) process was used in this research, with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol used to scrutinize articles for review. Only 50 peer-reviewed articles from 2000 to 2023 that focused on KM and employee well-being were included for review.

Findings

Organizations can tackle the competency trap by managing knowledge effectively and prioritizing employee well-being. When considered for effective KM, the PERMA (positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning and accomplishment) facets of well-being strategically supports knowledge sharing and sustainable organizational change through KM.

Practical implications

Focusing on PERMA facets of well-being in KM, an organization can emphasize employees' sense of achievement, addressing the competency trap to build a culture of knowledge sharing. This approach benefits professionals in developing an effective KM system.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the challenge of the competency trap, which has gained less academic attention, and explores KM from a well-being perspective.

Details

The Learning Organization, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-6474

Keywords

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