George F. Tannous and Asit K. Sarkar
Studies real cases of export development to examine the challengeswhich face small‐sized firms in financing their export activities and toidentify new services which financial…
Abstract
Studies real cases of export development to examine the challenges which face small‐sized firms in financing their export activities and to identify new services which financial institutions can provide further to support export financing. Details data obtained during interviews conducted with the export financing executives of various financial institutions, and with entrepreneurs and managers of several companies in various stages of export activities and representing many industries. Aims to offer insights on the evolving export financing needs of small firms and to identify new opportunities towards which financial institutions can target their services and marketing strategies. Results indicate that several growth areas exist and banks which will lead in developing these opportunities will position themselves for good profits and growth.
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The Asian crisis, which exploded in Thailand in July 1997 initially, spilled to the other ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines) and later it spreads to Korea and…
Abstract
The Asian crisis, which exploded in Thailand in July 1997 initially, spilled to the other ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines) and later it spreads to Korea and even crossing the continent to Russia and Brazil. The chronological pattern seems to indicate the contagious behaviour of the crisis. However, the sequential economic down‐turns that occurred in the Asia Pacific do look like a contagion effect. The idea that currency speculators contributed to the depth of the crisis is agreeable but to conclude that they are the roots of the problem would be misleading. This paper argued that the roots of the problems lie in current account deficit and loss of competitiveness, and moral hazard and over‐investment This paper also argued that the currency crisis is a symptom and not the cause of the Asian crisis.
Ignace Ng, Jack Dart and Asit Sarkar
Successful technology adoption in an SME is often dependent on a concomitant upgrade in management skills. This report assesses the impact of various marketing, finance, human…
Abstract
Successful technology adoption in an SME is often dependent on a concomitant upgrade in management skills. This report assesses the impact of various marketing, finance, human resources and production management techniques on performance among SMEs in Thailand. The findings have numerous implications for public policy makers and business educators attempting to design management training programs.
The study aims to identify the areas of flood susceptibility and to categorize the Gangarampur sub-division into various flood susceptibility zones. It also aspires to evaluate…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to identify the areas of flood susceptibility and to categorize the Gangarampur sub-division into various flood susceptibility zones. It also aspires to evaluate the efficacy of integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for flood susceptibility analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
The factors contributing to floods such as rainfall, geomorphology, geo-hazard, elevation, stream density, land use and land cover, slope, distance from roads, Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and distance from rivers were analyzed for flood susceptibility analysis. The use of the ANN model helps to construct the flood susceptibility map of the study area. For validating the outcome, the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) is employed.
Findings
The results indicated that proximity to rivers, rainfall deviation, land use and land cover are the most significant factors influencing flood occurrence in the study area. The ANN model demonstrated a prediction accuracy of 85%, validating its effectiveness for flood susceptibility analysis.
Originality/value
The research offers a novel approach by integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for flood susceptibility analysis in the Gangarampur sub-division. By identifying key factors such as proximity to rivers, rainfall deviation and land use, the study achieves 85% prediction accuracy, showing the effectiveness of ANN in flood risk mapping. These findings provide critical insights for planners to devise targeted flood mitigation strategies.
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The purpose of this paper is to present a fresh approach to stimulate individual creativity. It introduces a mathematical representation for creative ideas, six creativity…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a fresh approach to stimulate individual creativity. It introduces a mathematical representation for creative ideas, six creativity operators and methods of matrix-algebra to evaluate, improve and stimulate creative ideas. Creativity begins with ideas to resolve a problem or tackle an opportunity. By definition, a creative idea must be simultaneously novel and useful. To inject analytic rigor into these concepts of creative ideas, the author introduces a feature-attribute matrix-construct to represent ideas, creativity operators that use ideas as operands and methods of matrix algebra. It is demonstrated that it is now possible to analytically and quantitatively evaluate the intensity of the variables that make an idea more, equal or less, creative than another. The six creativity operators are illustrated with detailed multi-disciplinary real-world examples. The mathematics and working principles of each creativity operator are discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
The unit of analysis is ideas, not theory. Ideas are man-made artifacts. They are represented by an original feature-attribute matrix construct. Using matrix algebra, idea matrices can be manipulated to improve their creative intensity, which are now quantitatively measurable. Unlike atoms and cute rabbits, creative ideas, do not occur in nature. Only people can conceive and develop creative ideas for embodiment in physical, non-physical forms, or in a mix of both. For example, as widgets, abstract theorems, business processes, symphonies, organization structures, and so on. The feature-attribute matrix construct is used to represent novelty and usefulness. The multiplicative product of these two matrices forms the creativity matrix. Six creativity operators and matrix algebra are introduced to stimulate and measure creative ideas. Creativity operators use idea matrices as operands. Uses of the six operators are demonstrated using multi-disciplinary real-world examples. Metrics for novelty, usefulness and creativity are in ratio scales, grounded on the Weber–Fechner Law. This law is about persons’ ability to discern differences in the intensity of stimuli.
Findings
Ideas are represented using feature-attribute matrices. This construct is used to represent novel, useful and creative ideas with more clarity and precision than before. Using matrices, it is shown how to unambiguously and clearly represent creative ideas endowed with novelty and usefulness. It is shown that using matrix algebra, on idea matrices, makes it possible to analyze multi-disciplinary, real-world cases of creative ideas, with clarity and discriminatory power, to uncover insights about novelty and usefulness. Idea-matrices and the methods of matrix algebra have strong explanatory and predictive power. Using of matrix algebra and eigenvalue analyses, of idea-matrices, it is demonstrated how to quantitatively rank ideas, features and attributes of creative ideas. Matrix methods operationalize and quantitatively measure creativity, novelty and usefulness. The specific elementary variables that characterize creativity, novelty and usefulness factors, can now be quantitatively ranked. Creativity, novelty and usefulness factors are not considered as monolithic, irreducible factors, vague “lumpy” qualitative factors, but as explicit sets of elementary, specific and measurable variables in ratio scales. This significantly improves the acuity and discriminatory power in the analyses of creative ideas. The feature-attribute matrix approach and its matrix operators are conceptually consistent and complementary with key extant theories engineering design and creativity.
Originality/value
First to define and specify ideas as feature-attribute matrices. It is demonstrated that creative ideas, novel ideas and useful ideas can be analytically and unambiguously specified and measured for creativity. It is significant that verbose qualitative narratives will no longer be the exclusive means to specify creative ideas. Rather, qualitative narratives will be used to complement the matrix specifications of creative ideas. First to specify six creativity operators enabling matrix algebra to operate on idea-matrices as operands to generate new ideas. This capability informs and guides a person’s intuition. The myth and dependency, on non-repeatable or non-reproducible serendipity, flashes of “eureka” moments or divine inspiration, can now be vacated. Though their existence cannot be ruled out. First to specify matrix algebra and eigen-value methods of quantitative analyses of feature-attribute matrices to rank the importance of elementary variables that characterize factors of novelty, usefulness and creativity. Use of verbose qualitative narratives of novelty, usefulness and creativity as monolithic “lumpy” factors can now be vacated. Such lumpy narratives risk being ambiguous, imprecise, unreliable and non-reproducible, Analytic and quantitative methods are more reliable and consistent. First to define and specify a method of “attacking the negatives” to systematically pinpoint the improvements of an idea’s novelty, usefulness and creativity. This procedure informs and methodically guides the improvements of deficient ideas.
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Tapas Sarkar and Asit Kr. Batabyal
The paper aims to develop an evaluation model of the customer satisfaction index (CSI) in an R&D organization. A conceptual framework on customer satisfaction with a probabilistic…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to develop an evaluation model of the customer satisfaction index (CSI) in an R&D organization. A conceptual framework on customer satisfaction with a probabilistic approach has been attempted based on customer requirements and expectations in compliance with the clauses of ISO 9001:2008.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey through a well‐designed customer feedback data sheet has been used as an effective tool for the measurement of CSI. The questionnaire was framed on the basis of the requirements of a quality management system with advice to the customer for allotting grade points on a given scale to the quality parameters. The research model has been analyzed based on a fault‐tree approach and the probability of failure of each quality parameter has been assigned on the basis of grade point average. Data analysis for the estimation of the probability of failure at a customer satisfaction level (CSL) was carried out based on the probability of failure of each quality element graded by the customers. The data were also tested through statistical inference of whether customer‐to‐customer satisfaction level differs or not.
Findings
As a result of case study analysis, 88 percent of customers are fully satisfied. This gives significant information to the management process as well as providing a guiding tool for future improvements. The analysis was carried out based on a framed questionnaire graded by the customer and the result reveals that there is no significant difference between customer satisfaction levels.
Research limitations/implications
This model can be used by any organization, irrespective of the number of customers participating, as well as the number of quality parameters being assigned in the customer feedback analysis.
Originality/value
A literature review found that there are various approaches for evaluating a CSI. The paper describes how a newly‐applied conceptual model based on the failure of CSL in the form of a fault‐tree approach was designed and how the probability of failure of each element/parameters was assigned on the basis of a grade point average to evaluate the CSI, as well as the variation in satisfaction levels between customers being analyzed.
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Sneha Bharti and Ranjeet Kumar Singh
While the obstacles of archiving endangered languages are significant, the question of which platform is best for building a digital language archive is constantly present. The…
Abstract
Purpose
While the obstacles of archiving endangered languages are significant, the question of which platform is best for building a digital language archive is constantly present. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and analyse digital language archives development platforms, such as content management systems (CMSs), digital repositories and archival collections management systems (ACMSs) using parameters that have been specified. The authors selected Mukurtu CMS, which is based on Drupal CMS; DSpace as the digital repository software; and ArchivesSpace as an ACMS in this study.
Design/methodology/approach
The current research is supported by a study of the literature and a detailed exploration of different systems used to develop digital language archives. The whole research is carried out in three steps: literature searching; identification of relevant literature; and parameter identification, exploration of tools and data reporting and analysis.
Findings
Following the technical and feature analysis of these tools, it can be concluded that they are more or less comparable, as well as constantly evolving, updating and having a bigger community base. It may be determined that DSpace is the most popular platform, but the other two, particularly ArchivesSpaces, are fierce competitors.
Research limitations/implications
This study outlines the technical prerequisites for creating a digital language archive, which will be useful to IT personnel working on these projects. The research is also useful for tool developers as it allows them to incorporate missing functionality and technical standards by comparing them to alternatives. The parameters established in this study can be used for similar studies in other domains, as well as for evaluating existing digital language archives.
Practical implications
The findings of this study have broad practical implications, and they can assist archivists, linguists, language communities and library and information science professionals in choosing an appropriate platform for building a digital language archive.
Originality/value
This study finds that there is relatively little effort made towards reviewing digital language archiving and the systems that are used to do it; thus, this study is carried out to assess and analyse digital language archive creation systems based on defined parameters. The parameters were discovered through a combination of the available literature and tool discovery. Using a parametric approach to evaluate tools yields unique insights and quickly reveals system flaws.