An Assessment Of Consumer Behavior, A Study With Specific Reference To Brown Goods(CTV/HTS) At Kochi Metro

Vol.7 No.4

Year: 2013

Issue: Mar-May

Title : An Assessment Of Consumer Behavior, A Study With Specific Reference To Brown Goods(CTV/HTS) At Kochi Metro

Author Name : Anil Kumar.N, Jelsy Joseph

Synopsis :

Consumer attitudes serve as a boon as well as a bane in marketing. Choosing to discount or ignore consumers’ attitudes of a particular product or service—while developing a marketing strategy to leverage their understanding of attitudes to predict the behavior of consumers is the need of modern marketers, in consumer durables industry owing to both product and service aspects involved in durables purchase and usage. Consumer attitude is a relatively global and enduring evaluation of an object of consumption, issue, person or an act. Attitudes guides one’s thoughts, influence feelings and affect behaviors. Changes in behavioral patterns of consumers over the years has been due to several factors and best described by the consumer acculturation. Consumers use attitudes as a frame of reference to judge new information/objects(Graham, Judy(2004). Ultimately the consumer attitude which are learnt and stored in memory play a crucial role in decision making for the purchase of goods/services. A brief review of the Attitude and behavior nexus conditioned by the consumer related factors, social factors and the intervening situational factors are discussed herein, based on an attitude focused study on Brown goods in 200 urban HHs of Kochi metro. Consumer Attitude has gained larger importance today in the modern marketing segmentation strategies such as targeting and product positioning, which can be appreciated from the consumer centric approach of all marketers today. In this study the most popular brown goods like CTV/HTS are chosen as the attitude object.

Corporate Governance As A Tool For Curbing Bank Distress In Nigeria Deposit Money Banks: Empirical Evidence

Vol.7 No.4

Year: 2013

Issue: Mar-May

Title : Corporate Governance As A Tool For Curbing Bank Distress In Nigeria Deposit Money Banks: Empirical Evidence

Author Name : Ikpefan Ochei Ailemen, stephen Ojeka

Synopsis :

The study objective is aimed at finding the relationship between corporate governance bank distress in deposit money banks. The research design adopted in this paper is the case study method, in other to have an intensive insight of the subject matter. Primary data was used specifically the survey technique. The method that was used in the presentation of data in this study is the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) which contains all the necessary and important statistical technique for data analysis. For testing the hypothesis, correlation analysis which measures the degree of relationship between variables was used to analyze the result generated from the questionnaire. The evidence shows that corporate governance has no significant improvement on the prevention of bank distress but has significantly improved the performance of the Nigerian banking sector. We therefore recommend that banks should demonstrate strong internal policies to identify and manage conflict of interest and zero tolerance posture against cases of unsound corporate governance practices.

Factors Influencing Business Process Outsourcing In The Indian Banking Sector : An Empirical Analyss

Vol.7 No.4

Year: 2013

Issue: Mar-May

Title : Factors Influencing Business Process Outsourcing In The Indian Banking Sector : An Empirical Analyss

Author Name : SURYANARAYAN MOHAPATRA, Sabyasachi Das

Synopsis :

Outsourcing of business processes are thekey developmentsof the large scale technology adoption in the banking sector during 1990s. This paper attempts to analyze the motivating factorsthat have contributed to the decision of banks to go for “outsourcing” of their business processes. Based on a review of the existing literature, the questionnaire was designed with the help of a research expert for identifying the factors influencing the decision of the decision makers in the banks to go for outsourcing of their activities. The list of activities identified was subjected to panel discussions with senior bankers of various public and private sector banks and after in-depth discussions the instrument was designed for the study. The constructs used to measure these factors were validated by using factor analysis. The study found that the major factors influencing business process outsourcing in banks were technological innovation, focus on core& reduction of cost, and strategic benefits. The previous studies on outsourcing activities in banks mainly focused on developed countries where banking sector is controlled by the private sector. But the present study with its focus on banking sector of an emerging economy, such as India where banking sector is dominated by state owned bankswill be an important extension of outsourcing research and valuable addition to literature.

Demographic Analysis Of Consumer Behaviour On Sales Promotion: A Study On Consumer Durable Retailing During Festivals

Vol. 7 No. 4

Year: 2013

Issue: Mar-May

Title : Demographic Analysis Of Consumer Behaviour On Sales Promotion: A Study On Consumer Durable Retailing During Festivals

Author Name : K.S. Chandrasekhar, Stanley George

Synopsis :

In recent years, sales promotions have gained reputation more of a strategic weapon in the armory of marketers than a mere promotional tool. The growing desire among consumer groups for increased value in the products they buy is addressed with various sales promotion offers. In Consumer durable industry, the promotions are mainly revolving around the occasion based promotional strategies during festivals. Almost every retail shop and manufactures in consumer durable segment is offering different types of sales promotional schemes to attract customers during festival seasons. Although each type of consumer-oriented sales promotion has particular benefits and effects on consumer behavior, there is no empirical evidence on how customer groups respond to different sales promotions during festivals. Generalizations about the shopping tendencies and preferences of different age, ethnic and lifestyle groups can be found in the popular press and in marketing text books, with broad strategy implications for effective market segmentation, but without specific segmentation guidelines in the use of particular sales promotions with particular target segments. In this paper, an attempt has been made to investigate the varying reactions and attitudes of different demographic segments to the various sales promotion techniques being used increasingly by marketers during festival seasons. The study also reveals that the sales promotion schemes have a positive influence among the customers and most of the customers would wait till festivals for the purchase of a consumer durable product. The study reveals more light on the questions so as to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon of consumer decision making during festival season on consumer durable segment.

A Study Of Hyderabad Industrial Group: Obstacles Of TQM Success Factors

Vol.7 No.4

Year: 2013

Issue: Mar-May

Title : A Study Of Hyderabad Industrial Group: Obstacles Of TQM Success Factors

Author Name : DR.T.L.Narasimha Reddy, G. Manjuia

Synopsis :

Total Quality Management is an integrative management philosophy aimed at continuously improving the performance of products, processes and services to achieve and surpass customer expectations. There are many differences in Hyderabad manufacturing and service sectors. The purpose of this study is to understand concept of TQM in both the sectors and to identify the significant differences (if any) in TQM practices in Hyderabad Industrial Group. For this purpose related literature is collected and classified in to various categories. The literature is deeply studied and the critical factors that influence the TQM success in industry are determined. The first eight questions are related to the company background and demographic data such as no. of employees, sector of business, type of industry, position of the respondent, etc. Data were gathered from a survey of HR managers to examine the obstacles associated with managing a successful quality transformation. Factor analysis on managers’ ratings of frequently cited barriers to TQM revealed five underlying constructs: 1) inadequate human resources development and management; 2) lack of planning for quality; 3) lack of leadership for quality; 4) inadequate resources for TQM; and 5) lack of customer focus. Moreover, these empirically derived obstacles were found to be significantly related, in varying degrees, to specific potential outcomes that can be used to measure TQM success (or failure). The potential outcomes considered were frequent turnover of employees, frequent turnover of management, the high cost/benefit ratio of implementing TQM, and quality improvement results rarely meeting expectations. This provides a useful framework for evaluating the relative significance of management-related obstacles to TQM success, and, consequently, for providing direction and guidance in developing strategies for an effective quality transformation.

The Effect of E-Marketing on the Marketing Performance of Medium and Large Business Enterprises in Ethiopia: a conceptual Model Development

Vol. 7 No. 3

Year: 2013

 
Issue: Dec-Feb

Title : The Effect of E-Marketing on the Marketing Performance of Medium and Large Business Enterprises in Ethiopia: a conceptual Model Development

   

Author Name : Temesgen Belayneh Zerihun 

  

Synopsis :

The literature reflects that little effort has been made to develop a framework for understanding the effect of e-marketing (EM) on the marketing performance of business enterprises. The main objectives of the study are developing propositions and theoretical framework constructions rather than theory testing. The author, thus, synthesizes the extant knowledge on the subject by providing foundation for future research by developing propositions and constructing an integrated framework that includes the antecedents and consequences of e-marketing implementation. More specifically, the author identified two important classes of variables that encourage or impede the adoption and implementation of e-marketing namely external and internal related variables and impact EM has over the marketing efficiency, effectiveness and performance on the Medium and Large Business Enterprises in developing countries a case of Ethiopia. The author also indicated the managerial implications in the competitive marketing environment. Finally, the conclusions and further research scopes are forwarded.

EVA: A tool for measuring shareholders value creation – A case study of Maruti Udyog Limited

Vol. 7 No. 3

Year: 2013

 
Issue: Dec-Feb

Title: EVA: A tool for measuring shareholders value creation – A case study of Maruti Udyog Limited

Author Name: S. Vijayalakshmi

Synopsis:

The basic goal of a business unit is mainly value creation and shareholders wealth maximisation and attracting more investment.  The success of every company as well as management is measured by the level of value creation of shareholders. Economic value added is basically a performance measurement tools which is related to the market value of the firm. EVA helps the businesses to calculate the actual profit once the capital and taxes are considered. A greater EVA is an indication of greater value.  This tool helps to measure the ability of a business unit to create return based on certain risk. In this paper interrelationship between Return on capital employed (ROCE), NOPAT (Net Operating after Tax) and EVA as a percentage of capital employed is examined to find best measure of performance.  The time period is taken from March 2003 to March 2012. Mathematical analysis is done and represented graphically. It was concluded that EVA is a better measurement tool of value creation for shareholders.

Factors influencing the frozen chain management system in Dairy and its impact on Sales: An empirical study for AMUL Ice cream in Andhra Pradesh

Vol. 7 No. 3

Year: 2013

 
Issue: Dec-Feb

Title : Factors influencing the frozen chain management system in Dairy and its impact on Sales: An empirical study for AMUL Ice cream in Andhra Pradesh

 

Author Name : Debajani Sahoo, Priya Agrawal

Synopsis :

The  present study focuses on the current scenario of the frozen chain management system of Amul Ice Creams in AndhraPradesh . This study focuses on  all dimensions involved in the  frozen chain management system like the company support, distribution network, relationship between distributors and retailers, promotional activities and many more. The concept of HADF (Humara Apna Deep Freezer) is also a part of the project which includes performing a purity check and analyzing the importance of HADF as a promotional tool in encouraging impulse buying at retail outlets.
The retailers and wholesalers of Amul in twin city of Hyderabad & Secunderabad has been taken as sampling unit. Convenience sampling method has been used for the sample size of  198. The collected information has been used for factor analysis followed by regression analysis using spss 13.0. There are five factors considered important for studying the frozen chain management system like  HADF concept, Distributor  & Retailer relationship, Promotional Activities, Company Support and association with Amul  found  from the analysis . Out of these five factors the first four have direct  impact on the weekly  sales  of retailers .

Analysis Of Exchange Traded Funds & Mutual Funds

Vol. 7 No. 3

Year: 2013

 
Issue: Dec-Feb

Title : Analysis Of Exchange Traded Funds & Mutual Funds 

  

Author Name : Dr Koti Reddy Tamma 

  

Synopsis :

The  paper  examines mechanism of functioning of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and its growth in India. It also includes identification of potential new ETFs which can be launched to cater the need of Indian investor to effectively diversify their portfolios at minimal cost. To analyze performance characteristics of ETFs and their comparison with Index Mutual Funds, a sample of 6 ETFs tracking different indices and 5 Index Mutual funds tracking the same S&P CNX Nifty Index, was studies based on past 3 years daily data. Performance characteristic like tracking error was calculated by three methods. Average per centage  yearly return was also calculated. Findings and conclusions show that ETFs are better in tracking their respective benchmarks as compared to Index Mutual Funds.

Psalms: Lessons in Values, Leadership, and Character for Today

Vol. 7 No. 3

Year: 2013

 
Issue: Dec-Feb

Title : Psalms: Lessons in Values, Leadership, and Character for Today

Author Name : Hershey Friedman, James A. Lynch

 

Synopsis :

There is a growing belief that education – kindergarten through twelfth grades (K-12) as well as higher education – has to focus on teaching students values, intellectual virtues, and character education. These values include integrity, conscientiousness, curiosity, determination, resilience, and self-confidence.  The authors demonstrate how Psalms with its inspiring and rousing hymns can be used to teach important values to people.  These values include perseverance, faith, concern for others, and the power of hope.  Even leaders should read Psalms for inspiration and as a way to understand the importance of moral leadership.  This paper examinesseveral of the most powerful statements in Psalms and demonstrates how they provide guidance and inspiration. 

Popularity Of Solar Energy In Puducherry: An Analysis Of Problems and Prospects

Vol. 7 No. 2

Year : 2012

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title  : Popularity Of Solar Energy In Puducherry: An Analysis Of Problems and Prospects 

Author Name  : G. Madan Mohan 

Synopsis  : 

Power cuts have become an important problem in our country. Efforts to use alternative sources of power have gained momentum. Nuclear energy has been frequently talked about as an alternative. However, there are many other better alternatives, and this study explores the possibility of solar power as a viable alternative source of power. The researcher has conducted a survey on 266 Puducherry households to analyse their opinion about solar power. The study reveals that lack of convenience and high cost is restricting the popularity of solar appliances. The study has found out that efforts to minimise the cost, enhancement of comfort, provision of liberal loans to purchase solar appliances and reduction of the payback period of solar appliances will definitely popularise solar appliances drastically.

ULIP-A Policy for Balanced and Sustainable Development: A Preference Study in Rural Market

Vol. 7 No. 2

Year : 2012

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title  : ULIP-A Policy for Balanced and Sustainable Development: A Preference Study in Rural Market 

Author Name  : A. Jafar Sathic, N. Rajalingam 

Synopsis  : 

Urbanization in India happens in a faster pace in the last decade comparing with previous periods. However rural India still lacks in terms of accessibility to various goods and services. Life insurance is still indicating low penetration levels and poor solidity in rural India. Rural people opt for insurance policies and pay their premium for limited period and let the policy to lapse neither benefiting them nor benefiting the company. To overcome this insurance companies are introducing Unit Linked Insurance Policies (ULIPs) which do not compel on any specific regular premiums. This study analyses the preferences and buying motives of rural customers for ULIPs. Statistical tools like percentage, range, ANOVA and chi-square were used to analyze the situation prevailing in the market. The results reveal that information provided by the Agents and media have a specific role to play over the rural customer.

Issues And Challenges Of BSNL Landline Services To Maintain Sustenance Market In Kanyakumari District

Vol. 7 No. 2

Year : 2012

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title  : Issues And Challenges Of BSNL Landline Services To Maintain Sustenance Market In Kanyakumari District 

Author Name  : A. Merlin Thanga Joy 

Synopsis  : 

The Indian Telecommunications network with 203 million connections is the third largest in the   world and the second largest among the emerging economies of Asia. Today, it is the fastest growing market in the world. The telecommunication sector continued to register significant success during the year and has emerged as one of the key sectors responsible for India’s resurgent India’s economic growth. 1Telecom sector accounts for 1 percent of India’s GDP. On opening up of telecom sector to private sector, private investment started coming in and it changed the entire paradigm of communication landscape in India in a matter of decade. Perhaps BSNL and its mentor central government could never anticipate that the change would be so fast and so radical that it caught BSNL unprepared. BSNL failed to keep pace with both changing customer demography and emerging technology. BSNL’s forte landline has become a history within short span of time. The mobile service providers have aggressively captured the urban and even penetrated into the rural market luring customers with attractive tariff packages targeting different strata of the society. An individual’s perception of boosting his personality when he can associate himself with a branded mobile instrument with facilities starting from camera to radio has made many customers surrender their land line connections.

Conceptual Framework of Factors of Supply Chain Uncertainties and their Impact on Green Logistics

Vol. 7 No. 2

Year : 2012

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title  : Conceptual Framework of Factors of Supply Chain Uncertainties and their Impact on Green Logistics 

Author Name  : S. Ramani, S Premkumar 

Synopsis  : 

Sustainable marketing strategies get pruned in the shadow of uncertainties in the supply chain. We need to identify the causes for such uncertainties and minimize their impact on sustainability. With the objectives of identifying major factors of uncertainties in supply chain and assessing their impact on green logistics, this analytical library research is based on published data. Making logistics ‘sustainable’ in the longer term will involve more than cutting carbon emissions. Sustainability is a combination of Technology & Ecology. Green logistics pivots on a set of key parameters for logistical decision making at different levels. Supply chain uncertainties are found to be can be mitigated through Ascertaining Actual Demand, Synergizing Information, Cascading Forecasting, Leveraging Leverages, Bulldozer Wheeling, Consumer Involved Design and Mass Customization. Collective Green Consciousness Quotient indicates how an organization is consciously practicing green practices. Consumers as responsible world citizens must be Green House Gas conscious and thereby necessitate business too falling in line because sustainability is truly a collective bargain.

“Marching Towards Green”: Influence Of Workplace Diversity In Marketing Strategies

Vol. 7 No. 2

Year : 2012

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title  : “Marching Towards Green”: Influence Of Workplace Diversity In Marketing Strategies 

Author Name  : D. Ramadevi, S.A. SenthilKumar 

Synopsis  : 

In present era, valuing workplace diversity is a critical competency for all the leaders in the firm. Now-a-days managing people with multiculturalism are more difficult in the workplace. It affects the work environment and the firms’ growth. Each and every organization has its own strategies to sustain in the market for a longer period, identifying the long term goals and objectives to run a business with multi-cultural diverse employees and customer base will result in promoting their growth of the organization. A multiculturalism work culture will identify the needs and wants of the customer from various aspects. Most workplace is made up of diverse cultures, where the organizations need to learn and identify that how to adapt the successful practices in the firm for promoting the business growth. This paper identifies how to valuing workplace diversity, influence of marketing strategies in the workplace, etc for promoting the business goals and objectives.

The Impact of employees’ training on Green marketing in hospitality industry - A Conceptual Paper

Vol. 7 No. 2

Year : 2012

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title  : The Impact of employees’ training on Green marketing in hospitality industry - A Conceptual Paper 

Author Name  : Renju K. Mathai 

Synopsis  : 

The main objective of this paper is to find the impact of marketing green hotel policies through training the employees.  Educating the employees, creating awareness and training will promote sustainable development. Initially, it will create a green attitude for the employees of the hotel.  It will also improve the capacity of the employees to address environment issues and explain the green initiatives to the customers. This paper suggests that training of the employees is an important strategy to promote green policy in the hotel and more investment has to be made for achieving this.  Training the employees of the hospitality industry is a stepping stone for any hotels to be a part of marketing the usage of green products in the hotels and having green attitude while making decisions.

What differentiates Active and Passive Investors?

Vol. 7 No. 1

Year : 2012

Issue : Jun-Aug

Title  : What differentiates Active and Passive Investors? 

Author Name  : Sofia Jasmeen, S.V. Satyanarayana 

Synopsis  : 

The investor groups can be clearly bifurcated into two — Active investors and Passive investors. While the passive investors do not constantly reshuffle their portfolio, the active investors do rebalance their portfolio constantly. The research paper is aimed at determining the factors that are considered by active and passive investors while making investment decision and to identify whether both these groups of investors are different in terms of significance they attach to the use of Dividend Models, Asset Pricing Models, and Return explaining Models, Firm Characteristics and Financial Ratios for making investment decisions.  Data is collected from 285 respondents and Discriminant Analysis was employed and the discriminant function (Canonical Correlation) revealed a significant association between both these groups (active and passive) and all predictors, accounted for 32.49% of between group variability.

Brand Preference Towards Water Filters – An Analysis

Vol. 7 No. 1

Year : 2012

Issue : Jun-Aug

Title  : Brand Preference Towards Water Filters – An Analysis 

Author Name  : M. Nandhini, M. Usha , P. Palanivelu 

Synopsis  : 

Water is important to the mechanics of the human body.  The Importance of using a Water Filter in recent years especially home water filters have gained widespread popularity. As the logical, most convenient and most economical solution for high quality water, water filters offer many benefits over tap water and bottled water. Home water filtration offers a higher quality water product than bottled water and the convenience of tap water. Point of use water filters remove lead from drinking water immediately prior to consumption, thus preventing this harmful substance from entering the body. The purchase of a countertop filter results in a source of clean, healthy water that costs much less than bottled water. Water filters greatly reduce the risk of rectal cancer, colon cancer, and bladder cancer by removing chlorine and chlorine byproducts from drinking water. A solid block carbon water filter can selectively remove dangerous contaminants from drinking water while retaining healthy mineral deposits that balance the pH of drinking water. Drinking clean, filtered water protects the body from disease and leads to overall greater health.

Determinants Of Brand Equity And Its Causes & Consequences - A Study of Automobiles oil from Peshawar Region Pakistan

Vol. 7 No. 1

Year : 2012

Issue : Jun-Aug

Title  : Determinants Of Brand Equity And Its Causes & Consequences - A Study of Automobiles oil from Peshawar Region Pakistan 

Author Name  : Shahzad Khan 

Synopsis  : 

The word brand equity is known to every marketer and they wish that they have positive brand equity for their brands. The question arises why customers will play extra amount for one particular product? There are many variables which create brand equity. These variables include Brand awareness, familiarity, brand image, association, loyalty, preferences and availability. But it is important to find that how each of these variables contribute towards brand equity for auto mobiles oil. To find out which of these variables contribute how much towards brand equity a sample of 100 auto mobile oil users has been contacted from Peshawar region. On the basis of their responses a regression and correlation analysis was conducted. Findings and results of the study shows that brand loyalty and brand familiarity has more influence on brand equity in case of automobile oil in Peshawar Pakistan.

An Interpretivist Analysis of Safety Culture: Discourses of a Smoldering Fire Department

Vol. 7 No. 1

Year : 2012

Issue : Jun-Aug

Title  : An Interpretivist Analysis of Safety Culture: Discourses of a Smoldering Fire Department 

Author Name  : Kathryn Toelken 

Synopsis  : 

This study employs an interpretive approach to examine fire fighters’ firehouse communication as it contributes to safety culture. The International Communication Association Communication Audit (ICA CA) short answer section was used to collect the written comments and short stories of 225 firefighters.  This study examines the dominant themes of Fire Fighters’ discourses and offers insight into the impact of organizational discourses on safety culture.The study demonstrates that organizational communication is a key component of safety culture.

Inhibiting factors for a lady to be a challenging entrepreneur in Kerala

Vol. 7 No. 1

Year : 2012

Issue : Jun-Aug

Title  : Inhibiting factors for a lady to be a challenging entrepreneur in Kerala 

Author Name  : R. Jubi 

Synopsis  : 

Kerala being one of the outstanding states of India, 100 percent literacy and renowned as “God’s own country” it is lagging a lot in women empowerment. The highest literate ladies of India belong to Kerala, are still in a shell of inhibition to become free birds to boom in different environments. Even different types of movements are initiated but there is no powerful transformations seen in connection with making a lady a fully fledged entrepreneur. In this scenario this article tries to irradicate the factors contributing the inhibiting factors among the ladies to move into such a world of difference. The particular study is concentrated with respect to all the districts of the Kerala state. The article tries to identify the problems faced by a woman in reaching a home maker to an effective entrepreneur. Family bindings, Gender disparity, Effective family support, Risk taking ability, financial instability etc were the factors identified by the women entrepreneurs in the same scenario which are the binding factors for a lay to become an entrepreneur. Among these Family bindings is the highly rated factor since it may be a factor deducted from our cultural heritage.

Trading Opportunities In Indian Commodity Market - A Focus On Bullion Market

Vol. 7 No. 1

Year : 2012

Issue : Jun-Aug

Title  : Trading Opportunities In Indian Commodity Market - A Focus On Bullion Market 

Author Name  : Suresh Chandra Bihari, Shrey Kumar Jain 

Synopsis  : 

A commodity is a good for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market. A futures trading is organized in such goods or commodities as are permitted by the Central Government. Commodities market essentially represents another kind of organized market just like the stock market and the debt market. However, commodities market, because of its unique nature lends to the benefits of a wide spectrum of people like investors, importers, exporters, producers, corporate etc. Commodity trading is the market activity, which links the producers of the commodities effectively with their commercial consumers. Commodity trading mainly takes place in the commodity markets where raw or primary products are usually exchanged. The raw commodities here are traded on regulated commodities exchanges, in which they are bought and sold in standardized forms of contracts. The objectives of the paper include identifying trading opportunities and statistical arbitrages for low risk takers in the commodity market. Futures’ trading is one of the processes of trading commodities. As in other cases of investments, such as stocks and bonds, when trading futures, one actually does not buy anything or own anything. It is just about speculating on the future direction of the price in the commodity one is trading. This is like betting on future price direction. With the help of the data gathered I have made an attempt to understand various opportunities the market presents to the investor and also analyze various strategies adopted and comment on the effectiveness of those strategies. The authors have also tried to present an in depth analysis of the bullion commodity and have been able to make certain comments and recommendations in relation to the trade of the commodity. The paper also tries to identify the benefits provided and challenges faced by Gold ETF in India and its future prospects.

Risk Management and Corporate Governance in Nigerian Banks

Vol. 6 No. 4

Year : 2012

Issue : Mar-May

Title  : Risk Management and Corporate Governance in Nigerian Banks 

Author Name  : Uremadu S.O, A. M. Azeez 

Synopsis  : 

In this paper the concept of risk management and its applicability to business operations in Nigeria with a view to raising the banking firm’s performance was brought into sharp focus.  We employed three research methodology approaches: descriptive, industry and economic analysis models in the study to investigate the applicability or otherwise of risk management techniques and corporate governance principles to raise banking sector’s performance in Nigeria.  Findings showed that (1) Nigerian banks indulged in excessive risk taking and never cared to apply risk management techniques over the years thereby leading to total collapse of majority of them (2) causes of bank failures arising from poor risk management are giving loans without proper appraisal and documentations, giving loans to public (political) office holders with their positions (status) as collaterals, poor internal control system, insider abuses, poor corporate governance practice, financing illicit contracts, etc and (3) Banks carry various kinds of risks in their normal business of banking such as lending and borrowing and other financial services activities.  We therefore recommend that if full application of risk management techniques and concepts embedded in the basic principles of corporate governance and revival of culture of trust in our society and among bankers and their customers are brought to bear (applied) in the business of banking in Nigeria, the banking sector’s performance will greatly improve thereby raising the economic growth of Nigeria in the years ahead. If our recommendations in the paper are applied to the letter they will reduce, to the barest minimum, corruption and lack of application of risk management and corporate governance in the Nigerian business environment, so to speak.

Performance of Micro Credit Institutions in Financing Self Help Groups

Vol. 6 No. 4

Year : 2012

Issue : Mar-May

Title  : Performance of Micro Credit Institutions in Financing Self Help Groups 

Author Name  : T.R. Gurumoorthy, AR. Annadurai 

Synopsis  : 

In India micro credit groups are being recognized by the Government as an effective tool for achieving the distributional objectives of monetary policy. In the recent period, considerable emphasis has been placed on promotion of micro credit enterprises in view of perceived inadequacies of existing agencies in providing productive credit to those with little or no previous access to formal credit facilities. In a country like India, where almost 70% of the population is in rural areas, with little or no access to mainstream financing options, SHGs has a large role to play and a huge population to uplift. Micro credit, thus simply brings SHGs and offer best form of credit for reaching the unreached and under reached. The SHG-Bank Linkage Programme has made considerable progress since its inception in the early 1990s, both in terms of the number of SHGs credit linked with banks as also the bank loans disbursed to SHGs. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the progress attained by banks in financing these SHGs in the recent past. After highlighting the need for SHGs, their objectives and features, performance of micro credit institutions in terms of number of SHGs financed, extent of credit provided and the status of recovery are analyzed in this paper.

Determinants of Job Satisfaction among Officers of Public Sector Banks - An Empirical Study

Vol. 6 No. 4

Year : 2012

Issue : Mar-May

Title  : Determinants of Job Satisfaction among Officers of Public Sector Banks - An Empirical Study 

Author Name  : SURYANARAYAN MOHAPATRA, Subhashree Panda 

Synopsis  : 

This paper attempts to evaluate the job satisfaction level of bank officers in the Indian public sector banks in the contemporary scenario characterized by financial sector reforms, deregulation, intense competition and large scale technology adoption.  It focuses on identifying the factors of job satisfaction and their influence on the overall job satisfaction level of bank officers. For the purpose of the study, data were collected from 180 bank officers using convenient sampling technique and analyzed by using statistical tools like factor analysis, correlation and multiple regression analysis. The result reveals that Reward, Recognition, Supervision, Opportunity for Promotion, Workplace environment, Social contacts among co-workers, Pay and other facilities, Job Security and Challenging nature of job influence the level of Job satisfaction of bank officers.

Smoldering Foundations put the Fire House at Risk: A Functional Communication Audit

Vol. 6 No. 4

Year : 2012

Issue : Mar-May

Title  : Smoldering Foundations put the Fire House at Risk: A Functional Communication Audit 

Author Name  : Kathryn Toelken, Thomas Shaw 

Synopsis  : 

This study examines fire fighters’ firehouse communication as it contributes to safety culture. This study employed the International Communication Association Communication Audit (ICA CA) to survey 228 firefighters.  This study demonstrates that organizational communication is a key component of safety culture.  This study also serves to replicate previous research using ICA CA and examines the relationships between upper management and the rank-and-file across five different scales: receiving, sending, follow-up, interpersonal, organizational, and channels of communication.  Significant findings among five of the eight scales from the ICA CA demonstrates real and systematic differences between upper management and the rank-and-file.  This series profiles communication behaviors and suggests a set of recommendation for new communication practices which may improve organizational communication and safety culture.

The Value of Integrity, the Confucian Perspective

Vol. 6 No. 4

Year : 2012

Issue : Mar-May

Title  : The Value of Integrity, the Confucian Perspective 

Author Name  : Sik-Liong Ang, Patrick Low Kim Cheng 

Synopsis  : 

In this article, the practitioners/academicians examine leaders who embrace and practice the value of integrity from the Confucian perspective in South East Asia, more so, in the Brunei context. From Confucius comes the emphasis on leadership with integrity which is linked to positive, harmonious relationships as well as to the values of benevolence and reciprocity that bring many benefits to business prosperity. The practice of Confucian teachings can bring much peace, learning, and growth for business sustainability.